Silver elite
- dystopian vibes
- high stakes
- forbidden romance
- secret powers
- hidden identity
- vibes to the Shatter me saga + Fourth Wing

Dystopian obssesion, we are so back!!!
Silver elite has something that hooks you from the first chapter, especially if you are looking for a story with a fast pace and gripping action. The book follows Wren, who almost from the beginning is forced to train to be part of an elite military group in charge of keeping in line people within society who have powers such as telepathy and mind control, being the only problem that she is actually just one of those people and must do everything possible to keep her powers a secret.

The setting is very interesting, typical of military academies like Fourth Wing, there are different classes, training and tests that do not give a break and in which anything can happen, and no one is necessarily safe. There is ample room for intrigue, betrayal, and trying to figure out which side is really the correct one (if there is ant).

I found the romance very entertaining to read. The protagonists have the typical dynamic in which the almost immediate physical attraction is noticeable but none of them wants to give in and especially for her it is very difficult to justify what she feels for the one who must be her enemy, so there is plenty of tension and slow burn.

Now, in my opinion, the greatest strength of this book is also its greatest weakness. Focused on so much action I feel that the development of the relationships between the characters is neglected, causing certain betrayals and plot twists to not impress me as much as they should, and this is something that also includes certain aspects of the romance. There are plots that, felt rushed or with a weak foundation that needed it much more exploration.

In any case, I think this is going to be a mega popular book and that it has room to deepen and improve even more as the series progresses. It is very entertaining and impossible to put down until you finish it so I definitly reccommend.

As a Mod, someone with often very powerful psychic abilities, Wren Darlington is used to hiding in plain sight among those without powers, the Primes. Living a somewhat quiet life with her uncle on their ranch, with an occasional op or two for the Uprising, she makes a mistake that starts a chain of events she could never have expected.

Forced to join the military's elite Silver Block, Wren can take advantage of her new position to benefit the Uprising, to feed them information and fight back against the ones who want her and every other Mod dead. All she has to do is pass the tests and keep her powers hidden, but her commanding officer Cross Redden is frustrating in his cockiness, and even though she shouldn't be, she's drawn to him, and it could jeopardise everything.

I must've read this so fast, I was honestly hooked from the first page. Enemies to lovers? Check. Fantasy and dystopian world? Check. Slow burn? Check. Psychic abilities? Check. Competitive vibes? Check. Absolutely everything I love in a book and it didn't disappoint. 

The plot is perfectly paced and never felt rushed, and there's so much to learn not just about FMC Wren, but the side characters too. There's no long paragraphs of info dumping the world building either, it all just flows together and creates more than enough to imagine the world Wren is in.

I'm still shook this is a debut, and I cannot wait for the next book. The author has easily made it onto my favourites list! This is definitely going to become popular when it's released, it appeals to so many, but if like me you're still longing for the dystopian worlds of Divergent, The Hunger Games, and Red Queen, Silver Elite can easily ease it (just know it's not YA and it doesn't pretend to be).

Expect to see me hyping this up to, and beyond its release date! 



Did I like the book? Yes!

Did I love it? Yes!

Would I recommend it? Without a doubt. Catch me on instagram recommending this to everyone.

Fourth Wing meets Shatter Me.
Want to go back to the 2010s dystopian trend but as an adult? Read this new adult romance fantasy.

After a biotoxin ravaged the continent, people are divided between Primes and Modified - those with psychic gifts, basically a death sentence.
Wren is a telepath, trained to hide her powers and lie to everyone. When her uncle is executed, she is recruited by Command (she hates nothing more) to train for their most elite Silver Block. Filled with vengeance, she is determined to work behind enemy lines and feed information back to the Uprising.

This reminded me of Fourth Wing. We have a hot, dangerous, cocky commanding officer. We have found family, teasing, dangerous trials. We have high tension, sizzling physical chemistry. A highly intelligent and driven heroine.

<b>“Lack of coordination. Insolent attitude. No upper body strength or combat instincts.
Borderline useless."
"Don't be so hard on yourself, Captain. I'm sure you possess some redeeming qualities."
"That's Ford's opinion of your fighting skills."
</b>
The division of people, the control of populace, designations, and fear mongering reminded of childhood favourites such as The Hunger Games and Divergent.

What I didn’t like:
I wasn’t a huge fan of how quickly Cross and Wren felt this undeniable attraction. There isn’t much emotional connection but they get hot and heavy.

I found the twist extremely predictable, but I did like the end and the set up for the next book! Waiting for the next book will be tense.

<b>“You’re not timid or weak, Dove. You’re a firestorm, and you’re going to burn everything in your path if you don’t learn how to restrain yourself.”
</b>
I do think this will take booktok by storm like Fourth Wing.

Arc gifted by Random House Cornerstone.

<a href="https://www.instagram.com/booksblabbering/">Bookstagram</a>

When I received the notification to say I had been accepted for an ARC I was so happy. The minute I read the synopsis I was hooked. I just had to read it. I can throughly say I wasn’t disappointed one bit. Not only is the FMC extremely likeable but the story and plot is so unique and gripping. I honestly could not put the book down.

What I liked most about this book was the FMC (she was very well written) and the slow burn romance. It was so sweet!!!

I would have liked a bit more action, particularly a closer look to the internal dynamics within the two enemy camps.

What a brilliant enemies to lovers with an academic feel to it, the element of the mind tied in beautiful with the story telling that it had me invested.

Brilliant book that I would recommend on.

Silver Elite is an electric, dystopian fantasy with a great lead in Wren. I liked the twists, the world building and the slow burn revelations. Cross is my favourite. This is perfect if you’re a fan of Divergent. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read this.

One of the best books I have ever read! I think this is going to be one of the biggest books of 2025.

I LOOOOVED Silver Elite, the plot, the characters, the world building, everything was just so good, I was up until 3 in the morning because I just couldn’t put it down. This book is a great debut dystopian fantasy that is full of political intrigue, betrayals, friendships and allies. It follows Wren as she tries to keep her identity a secret while infiltrating enemy ranks. She is a strong FMC who is confident, fierce and cocky but that's what made her so likeable and Cross is the perfect ying to her yang, he's the book boyfriend everyone wants, broody, protective and great as an enemy but better as a lover. I expected some of the plot twists but if anything that made the book better because I could guess (and be proven right) on some of my theories.

I recommend it to anyone and everyone, especially if you are a fan of the hunger games or divergent or just romantasy in general. I can't wait for the second book to come out and will be reading the Silver Elite over and over again until I can!

Summary: Wren, a powerful psychic Mod, infiltrates the oppressive Silver Block military, balancing rebellion, secrecy, and forbidden chemistry with her commander.

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for an eARC of this book, all thoughts are my own.

I am a massive fan of this book. It reminded me of The blood trials in the best ways.

There’s heavy political strife in this book with the Primes trying to not so subtly eradicate the silverbloods, the silverbloods have gifts due to a toxin previously released. The book follows our FMC Wren who has been hiding in plainsight with her uncle, in a horrible turn of events she is noticed by the command who enforce the law. They force her into their command programme where she realises that she can destroy them from the inside to further the rebellion occurring amongst her people.

There is a broody MMC in this, I wish we got his POV. There is a great amount of enemies to lovers with a small amount of spice and romance included in the story.

Also, I will say one or two twists could be predicted but I was highly satisfied to be right and it didn’t take away from the story. The betrayals, friendship and surprise allies in this were so good!

Thank you to Penguin Random House for allowing me to get my hands on a copy of the e-arc for this book via Netgalley.

Silver Elite is an action-packed dystopian novel with all the nostalgic feels of the 2010 dystopian YA era, but make it spicier because we're all adults now.

The world that Dani Francis creates is a unique spin on the war-torn, dystopian America we often see in these dystopian novels, adding some elements of people who have been fundamentally changed by a combination of wartime experiments and radiation that lead to children being born and growing up to discover telepathic abilities.

"The Continent" is run by a General who puts the military and the lives of normal people aka "Primes" above all else. That means that Wren, our FMC, is in hiding as a very strong telepath but after her uncle is arrested and sentenced to death, her world changes when she gets arrested and added to the most elite military training program on the Continent by a man she met early on in the book. Aka our MMC Cross.

Overall, this book felt a bit more juvenile than I expected it to be as a new adult book. The Silver training program felt very cliquey and gossipy for a bunch of adults in the military who are trying to get into the most elite team that exists.

As much as Wren's character is our typical dystopian FMC who is the most badass, the best at everything, and the most resilient, her recklessness and not thinking things through started feeling more teenage than I would've liked.

A lot of the characters and relationships lacked depth for me and the only character I ended up feeling for, was Kaine. Even the relationship between Cross and Wren felt like it happened too easily for me and I would've loved to have more inner monologue around their struggles and evolving feelings.

The plot twists to me felt predictable as well and I would've liked the foreshadowing to be more subtle and in terms of the world-building, it seemed like random information was added in throughout the book that would've made more sense if we knew it from the beginning.

Overall though, I LOVED this book. I don't know what Dani wrote into these pages but I was addicted to reading it, not having an appetite for any of my other books until I was able to finish this one. The Dystopian nostalgia alone is 1000% worth it, but being able to know this world takes it above and beyond.

I have been searching for more books like powerless and hunger games, this did not disappoint me in any way, shape or form. Beautifully written, pleased to have been asked to read and review!

This was such a fantastic debut. I'm so happy to was sent to me for review.
I'm loving romantasy at the moment and this one I just devoured.
Cant' wait to read more from this author! Just amazing!

This book hits hard, in both the heart and the action department. It is a gripping dystopian romance where survival, sacrifice, and self-discovery take centre stage. Wren Darlington is not just fighting for her life, but for her identity in a world that wants to erase her. The tension between her growing feelings for her enemy, Cross Redden, and her mission creates a complex emotional landscape, blending enemies-to-lovers chemistry with deep themes of trust, betrayal, and loyalty. The writing beautifully captures the anxiety and desperation of living under an oppressive regime, while also exploring the personal costs of fighting back. The relationship between Wren and Cross is intense, not just in attraction, but in the emotional toll it takes on them both. It is a story about identity, loyalty, and the blurry line between ally and enemy, all wrapped in a thrilling, action-packed plot. I can’t wait enough for the next instalment.

Let me tell you that this is going to be the book of 2025.
If you loved Hunger Games and Divergent as a kid and love Fourth Wing now.
This is it. You have everything of this book together

🕊️Dystopian
🕊️Romance- Forbidden Romance
🕊️Strong Female Character
🕊️Enemies to Lovers
🕊️Psychic Abilities

TRUST NO ONE.

Wren Darlington has spent her whole life in hiding, honing her abilities and aiding the Uprising in small ways. On the Continent, being Modified means certain death – and Wren is one of the most powerful Mods in existence. When one careless mistake places her in the hands of the enemy and she’s forced to join their most elite training programme, she’s finally handed the perfect opportunity to strike a devastating blow from inside their ranks.

LIE TO EVERYONE.

But training for Silver Block can be deadly, especially when you are harbouring secrets people would kill for…

AND WHATEVER YOU DO, DON’T FALL FOR YOUR GREATEST ENEMY.

As the stakes grow ever higher, Wren must prove herself to Silver Block. But that’s easier said than done when your commanding officer is the ruthless and infuriatingly irresistible Cross Redden. And as war rages between Mods and those who aim to destroy them, Wren must decide just how far she’s willing to go to protect herself . . . and how much of the Continent is worth saving.

The Romance and the plot in this book was chef kiss.

The fact that Cross was the Captain was just the perfect cherry on top.
Also in theory because of what she is, they are supposed to be enemies but they are not really.

I loved the divergent type of academy and the trials they had to pass. Also how strong Wren is, I think she must be one of the few female character in a book that I truly love.

When this landed in my inbox I knew I was
going to love it. I literally could not put it down.

overall thoughts:

i'm really impressed with this debut. the writing was great and the world building was well developed making it easy to follow and understand.

wren was a strong female main character who was fierce and confident. she was stubborn and cocky at times but i liked that about her.

i really liked the romance between wren and cross. slow burn enemies to lovers with lots of tension. my only small complaint is that i would have liked to have seen them together a bit more. i feel like there was big gaps where they spent a lot of time apart. i did guess some of the plot twists early on but it didn't make it any less enjoyable.

i enjoyed this a lot and would recommend to anyone who's a fan of hunger games or divergent and is looking for something with similar vibes but more grown up.

*thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

What an absolute riveting read!
I absolutely loved Silver Elite.From the first page, I was hooked by the thrilling plot and unforgettable characters. The world-building is exceptional, drawing me into a rich and captivating universe where every twist and turn kept me on the edge of my seat. The author’s writing style is immersive, with vivid descriptions that make the scenes come alive.

The characters are complex and multifaceted, with their motivations and relationships evolving in ways that feel both natural and compelling. I found myself deeply invested in their journeys, cheering for their triumphs and aching during their struggles. Dani Francis has a true gift for creating emotional depth and tension, making each chapter feel meaningful.

The pacing is spot-on, with just the right balance of action, mystery, and heart-wrenching moments. Every page left me wanting more, and by the end, I was completely satisfied but also eager for more of Dani's work.

An absolute must-read. It’s an unforgettable adventure that I highly recommend!

This was an immersive read. The world building is fab, one of the details I appreciate when reading a book. The setting is dystopian with plenty of twists and turns, secret operations, subterfuge and romance ! Loved the main character Wren, she is a strong character who can hold her own. I did not see that plot twist either. Loved it. All the stars

I still can’t believe I was sent this book—every time it happens, I have to pinch myself. When Del Rey reached out with Silver Elite, I couldn’t wait to dive in, and from the very first page, I was hooked.

In a world filled with danger, secrets, and rebellion, Wren Darlington must navigate impossible choices, intense relationships, and a mission that could change everything—not just for her but for an entire divided society. With powers she has to hide and enemies on every side, her journey is equal parts heart-pounding and deeply emotional.

This book has everything I love: a fascinating world, gripping tension, and a fierce heroine whose journey kept me flipping pages late into the night. Wren’s story was captivating, and the chemistry between her and Cross? Absolutely electric.

Thank you so much to Dani Francis, Del Rey, and NetGalley for sending me this incredible book. It’s a story that swept me away, and I’m already eagerly awaiting what comes next in this world!

*Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone | Del Rey for providing me with this ebook in exchange for an honest review*

OHHHHH!!!!! That book!!!!!! It was as if Divergent and Hunger Games had a love child! I want more! Gimmie more!!!!!!!!!
I can't wait to read the next book!!!!

PS Were can we petition to NetGalley to add more stars to the rating system? Because 5 stars doesn't give enough credit!

Thanks to Cornerstone Random House and Netgalley for a review copy of this book. There have been a lot of dystopian and fantasy releases with romance elements lately and few that can compete with The Fourth Wing for tension, character chemistry and just all round great plotting, but Silver Elite is definitely one. A richly drawn and convincing world with a few shadowings of contemporary issues is only one of the elements that makes this a great novel. Immediately you are drawn into the novel, the first page turning so quickly as do the others as the world and story unfolds and the characters take hold of the imagination. Even before the end I found myself yearning for the next one to be at my fingertips because I knew I would want to read it right away. And that’s exactly what happened.

Wren is one of the secret modified whose lineage goes back to biotoxin was released and nearly wiped out the population hundred or so years before. The powers she possesses as a result of the modification make her not only able to be telepathic but also to read minds and most dangerously, control them. With such rare powers her guardian has kept her safely hidden on a remote ranch at the edge of the empire. But through Wren’s own unwitting actions her guardian is discovered and killed for his part in the rebellion against the oppressive rule of the General and Wren is taken into custody. In the end her only recourse is to join the other trainees to the General’s most elite force, the Silvers. There she encounters a man she brushed with briefly in the past, Cross. She despises him but as her training progresses she can’t deny the chemistry between them, especially as she finds herself increasingly alone, her telepathic communication with those she loves gradually gone, except for her first and childhood best friend that she only knows as Wolf. As training continues and it becomes clear that Wren’s path is now fixed to aim for the most elite of all troops, the deadly, Silver Elite, Wren finds she has to choose between choices that are hard to live with.

I have no doubt this novel will be a bestseller and I am glad that I was able to one of the early ones to read it and help share my joy at reading such a discovery with my fellow readers. The plotting, the characters, the world are all richly drawn and show such skill and dexterity that it’s hard to believe this is a debut novel. Absorbing and perfectly paced. Highly recommended.