Silvercloak is a freaking masterpiece! Laura Steven’s adult fantasy debut is everything—wildly original, brutally addictive, and packed with heart. The magic system alone is next-level genius: power fueled by pain and pleasure, woven so deeply into the world that every society twists it to their advantage. It’s dark, it’s sexy, and it makes the politics explode with tension.

Saffron Killoran is the kind of heroine you’d follow into hell—driven by vengeance, ruthless in her mission, and yet so damn human. When she infiltrates the Bloodmoons, the danger is electric, but nothing compares to the slow-burn chaos of her relationship with Levan, the kingpin’s tortured son. Their chemistry? Unreal. The way Steven writes morally grey characters ,everyone’s got secrets, everyone’s flawed—makes the story impossible to put down.

And can we talk about the queer rep? It’s not just there—it’s celebrated, natural, and so damn refreshing in a gritty fantasy like this. No tokenism, just vibrant, messy, glorious characters living their truths.

The last act? Pure. Chaos. I finished this book with my heart in my throat, already desperate for the sequel. If you love dark fantasy with razor-sharp worldbuilding, enemies-to-lovers that hurts so good, and twists that leave you gasping, Silvercloak is your next obsession.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Del Rey for the ARC!

I gave this book 4.75 stars. absolutely everything about silver cloak was right up my street. magic (with wands!!), parental grief, avenging fallen family members & undercover work. the romance between the fmc and the mmc was really well done and i loved the whole prophecy aspect of it. i felt nearer the end of the book my attention started to drop off a little bit as a lot was going on but all in all an amazing book and i can’t wait to talk to everyone about it in july! thank you so much for letting me read this

Im sorry but I’m afraid I had to dnf it at 70% , for some reason I just couldn’t stay connected with the story or the characters. I don’t know why. It started off really well & after 50% kept picking it up & putting it back down.
I think it had really good potential but just didn’t go well in the second half. I do think it read more like YA rather than adult fantasy. Again I don’t know why but j just couldn’t get to grips with it .

Set in a world where magic is fuelled by pain and pleasure, Saffron is training to become a Silvercloak (magical detective) so that she take down the Bloodmoons (magical criminals who murdered her parents. However, when her unique magical gift is exposed, she takes a secret undercover mission to infiltrate the Bloodmoons.

The world itself is really cool and unique (we need more fantasy books with wands!) and, despite this being over 500 pages long, I would have loved for it to be longer just to get more world exploration and world building.

The romance is slow burn and I really enjoyed it. There is queer rep in this book - although the main romance is m/f enemies to lovers, the MC is bi and one of the secondary characters who plays an important role in the story is her ex girlfriend.

My main critiques are that I saw the plot twists coming and despite this being an adult fantasy book it read quite upper YA to me. Overall, I did really enjoy this book I'll definitely be picking up the rest of the books in this trilogy!

As a fan of Laura’s YA books I’ve been looking forward to reading this and it did not disappoint!

If you like fantastic world building, complex characters, unique magic systems (this one is based on pleasure and pain), revenge, deceit, political intrigue and forbidden romance then Silvercloak is for you!

It’s dark, gritty and violent, full of twists and turns, well plotted, well paced and the writing is stunning.

I thoroughly enjoyed this, will be recommending it to everyone and I already can’t wait for book 2

Loved this one!!!!! I have seen this book everywhere and it deffo didnt dissapoint!

I loved the magical elements to this book, it was very clever. I loved Saffs character and really felt all of her emotions!

The writing was easy to read and the plot was easy to follow! I really enjoyed the mafia vibes and the gangs!

Will deffo be reading anything that Laura writes!!

Silvercloak surprised me in the best way. It starts off feeling a bit YA, and I wasn’t sure I’d stick with it—but the worldbuilding and writing completely won me over. It’s dark, gritty, and surprisingly whimsical (magical cats included), with a wizarding world that feels fresh yet brutal.

Saffron is a strong, morally grey protagonist—an orphan who fakes her way into a magical detective academy, only to end up infiltrating the gang that murdered her parents. The magic system is unique, and the enemies-to-lovers subplot was actually done well. While the book ends on a cliffhanger, it wraps up enough to feel satisfying.

Steven blends horror, whimsy, and emotional depth in a way that feels truly original. Definitely worth a read if you’re into undercover missions, magic, and messy anti-heroes.

Saff witnessed the murder of her parents as a child, and since has done everything she can to take her revenge. When the opportunity presents itself to go undercover with the organisation that killed them, she jumps at the chance. But she soon finds herself out of her depth ...

I liked the world building and magic system in this book, although it did feel like there was a lot to pick up on. Its definitely a dark and gritty book, and sometimes that worked whilst other times it didn't. I'm struggling to put into words exactly why this book didn't blow me away, but I found myself keen to finish it and confused as to exactly what was happening towards the end. I'm really not sure if I'd recommend it to others!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Absolutely loved this, this felt like reading Harry Potter for the first time all over again as a child. I really enjoyed the world building, the school setting and characters.

I was pleasantly surprised I enjoyed this book as much as I did, purely as I gave 'Our Infinite Fates' 2 stars.

I disliked the other book as I personally felt that the author was writing a YA book with changes of age for the voice of the character - this book proved me right.

This is an adult fantasy book and the character voice was amazing and I felt it was extremely well written. I am glad I didn't refuse to read anything else by the author and gave another chance to see if I could love their work.

Our main character is an orphan who effectively signs up to become a magical detective, that is until her unusual gift comes to light, that gift being that she is immune to magic. Knowing this the Silvercloak's leader decides she is perfect to infiltrate the Bloodmoon's as she should be able to bypass the magic they use to keep their members in check.

The enemies to lovers was in fact enemies to lovers enough for me which seems to be a rarity with new books. I liked the magic system and found the plot twist with that at the end good.

It does end in a cliff hangery way but it is tied up enough that I won't be frustrated waiting for the next book.

If you want organised crime gangs and lots of magic and betrayals, you will love this book.

Enjoyed!‎‎‎‎‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ₊⊹⁀➴ 4
─..★.──────────

Thank you to NetGalley and Cornerstone for providing an eARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

A strange concoction of violence and whimsy with a sprinkle of magical cats.

Silvercloak struggled to grab me in the beginning and I really thought a DNF was on the horizon. Saffron and her friends make some truly maddening choices early on in this book and I had a hard time remembering they were supposed to be adult characters.

But omg did the worldbuilding and the writing win me over.

This is the diverse, queer-normative, 'wizarding world' of my dreams. It's gritty, dark, hostile, and bloody. Magical, playful, and charming. Make sure you look into the content warnings for this one, because I didn't and it was so much more gory than I expected.

Steven does a wonderful job of bringing this type of setting into the adult readership space without losing its appeal. I absolutely ate up her descriptive prose of the city and its culture. I really hope future instalments dive deeper into some of the locations featured and that she's able to maintain this unusual balance of whimsy and horror. It's difficult to make a book with these tropes refreshing but this one really worked for me.

I do have some complaints about the plot, it was messy and lacked direction, but I found that it didn't really impact my investment in the end. The characters are compelling and fun, with a touch of Arcane storytelling about them, and they are all fighting a losing battle with morality in a world where the most potent forms of power are are built on the sufferings of others. I'm glad the author didn't pull her punches.

The animal companions were a nice addition. +10 points for the healing power of cat rumbles. I loved the way the magic system blended language, intention, and genetic inheritance.

The romance wasn't of interest to me and I personally think that Silvercloak shines brighter in its exploration of familial relationships and blood ties. But I did like the bi4bi energy and will always endorse enemies-to-lovers dynamics where sex DOESNT solve all of their problems.

Overall I had a good time with this one. It kept my interest despite its flaws and I am excited to pick up book 2!

CW: scenes of torture, mild descriptive gore

5⭐️ 🌶️2

Saffron, driven by her desire to join the prestigious Silvercloak Academy of detectives, resorts to forging her credentials to secure her place among the elite. However, on graduation eve, her deception is exposed, leading to a series of events that thrust her into the heart of the criminal underworld.

Two decades ago, the Bloodmoons brutally murder Saffron’s parents, shattering her childhood. Now, she has a chance to finally seek revenge as she is sent undercover to dismantle the Bloodmoons from within. In a world where pleasure and pain are exchanged for currency, Saffron must resort to heinous acts to maintain her cover and survival. Rival gangs, smuggling rings, and the Bloodmoons’ hidden secrets complicate matters further.

Amidst all this, Saffron harbours her own secrets. Her unparalleled magical abilities and the ominous prophecy foretelling the death of the Kingpin’s son, Levan, at her hands, add another layer of complexity. As her growing feelings for the tortured son of the kingpin are tested, Saffron is forced to confront the ultimate question: what truly defines a villain? 

With huge thanks to Random House UK, Cornerstone, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Five stars! Silvercloak is hands down my favourite read of 2025 so far, is honestly BRILLIANT!

I’d read before that it has HP vibes, and I can definitely see that in certain plot elements and world-building. However, there are other elements that felt genuinely fresh and unique. I simply love the world Steven has created!

Every aspect of the writing feels well-balanced. It’s definitely dark in places, with a significant number of lost limbs for the overall headcount, but it’s not overdone. Similarly, there are some spicy scenes, but they’re not the main focus, and the plot drives the romance rather than the other way around.

Saffron… I liked her so much, but boy, she’s not one for making good decisions, and the ending really suggests that she’s going to continue down that path.

The cliffhanger ending has me hooked. I can’t wait to see how Saffron and Levan’s story unfolds. I’m still holding out hope for a HEA!

I’m already counting down to the moment when I can get my hands on the second instalment of the Silvercloak Saga!

Thanks to the publisher for an e-ARC of this book!
I'm always a bit savage with my star ratings and will not allow any freely provided material to skew my opinions - so here we go!

This one is 4.5 stars for me but I'll round up for the pure enjoyment of it all!
The experience felt reminiscent of when I read Fourth Wing for the first time (but the content and themes are wildly different). It gave me that buzz. I'm going to need more and book 1 isn't even out yet 😂.

Negatives first:
- Some of the lesser characters were hard to remember as I had taken breaks while reading this. There aren't so many instances of this that it was unbearable but I was a bit confused at minor points.

- the ARC didn't come with a map but there was mention of the world being quite large; however the setting of this book didn't explore it. This is a point where I was reminded of FW and I have a feeling we'll be seeing expansion in the sequels- I am giddy for this.

- there were points of the MCs that weren't as well explained/shown as I'd have loved but this comes with the practice of writing - I have a feeling book 2 and 3 will explore more of their histories and characters which will align a bit more with how they're described (if that makes sense). E.g. the FMC is described as controlled, almost stoic but develops a tendency to not think things through. (I have a feeling this ties to a deeper plot not yet revealed but for this book it didn't vibe). Very minor but you get the gist.

Now the pluses, and there are many:
- very unique magic system, well described, not over complicated and also built into every aspect of the world around them from the currency to the animals A+ for this, no notes.

- THEY WERE ACTUALLY ENEMIES. I won't give away details but obvs the FMC and MC form a relationship of sorts while adventuring but they actually are against each other for once. This relationship is tangled, teased and taken through the wringer and Steven has a real talent for pulling the heartstrings and creating impossible situations.


- the themes were many but none of them were fighting. I've read a few books that tried to do too much and missed the mark - but not here. We have intrigue, politics, time travel, espionage, power balance, love, hate and death. AND I STILL NEED MORE. I beg pls someone fast forward me to the sequel release!

- Predictability; this is a big thing for me. The plot has to make sense, so twists are hard to build without readers guessing or just allowing the trope train to take us to the station. This was twisty enough that I wasn't bored and eye rolling but also made all the sense for the characters and the way they were written! At no point was I yelling that "NO, they would never do that!" because we see them all grow and develop on page to the twisty conclusion.



TLDR; if you wish Rebecca Yarros had written The Prisoner of Azkahban, you're in luck. Steven has the skill of our favourite dragon queen with a slew of fresh ideas and her own voice. Do yourself a favour and hit preorder!

Silvercloak was a bit of a mixed bag for.

Things I liked:

The premise of magic being built up by pleasure and strengthened by pain. I like a magic system where magic has a clear cost and is not inexhaustible so this worked for me. This then means a world where a lot of effort is devoted to pleasure which creates a more open society - no homophobia or slut shaming here.

The dynamic between the romantic leads. Lots of tension but no insta love here,

Things I wasn’t so keen on:

I found it really hard to empathise with the FMC. I struggled to connect with her and so found it hard to care about the outcome of the story.

The actual magic system was a bit confusing. I didn’t really understand how the different fields of magic worked and what they each did.

Overall it was an ok read for me. It took me a while to get through because I wasn’t hugely engaged with it, but I did finish in the end. The ending was interesting but I’m not sure that will be enough to make me go back for book 2.

N/a - please see notes to publisher. I’ve given a neutral star option as the system won’t allow me to skip it.

This was a story like none I’ve ever read. The plot line, the characters (the Bloodmoons do give off Vampire vibes) and the setting were just absolutely incredible. The writing style was fantastic and I cannot wait for book 2 as that ending was the cliffiest of cliffhangers!! Saff and Levan are the perfect enemies to lovers to enemies and their story is one which is going to stay with me for a long time and one I am so excited to see develop in book 2.

2 weeks and a chest infection late, I finally finished this e-arc and oh boy was this story a wild ride. Those last 100-ish pages? insane!
The last line from Saff? I am gagging and ready for book 2.

I went into this book completely blind, I hadn’t even read the blurb, I just knew I wanted to read it based on the magic system, enemies to lovers plot and LK Steven writing it, but it did not disappoint!

The pain/pleasure magic system was so unique, I absolutely loved the idea, how it worked and the differences between pain or pleasure reserves. The use of wands felt so nostalgic and it just made sense for this world, bringing something physical in to balance the invisible replenishment system.

For me, the plot was pretty slow paced and the middle dragged a little. Once Saffron was inside the Bloodmoons, the stakes felt lower, like you knew she was obviously going to survive? I don’t know, it was good but I wanted it to be great, if that makes sense.

But the slow burn was perfection! This is a proper enemies to lovers slow burn, there’s no suddenly falling in love after a week or any of that. They hate each other’s guts and they fight the attraction between them, it’s so so good! If you’re looking for a traditional enemies to lovers book where they end up no longer hating each other by half way through, this book is definitely not for you, but if you love a slow burn that looks like it’s going to last into book 2, then pick this up!

The ending was a real mixed bag for me, there was a trope I don’t love included and the twist was very obvious to me, but the last chapter/epilogue was one of the best endings I could have wanted! Absolutely cannot wait for the next book!

Thank you to Del Rey for the opportunity to review this ARC.

Thank you so much to Del Rey & Netgalley for allowing me to read this in exchange for honest feedback.

OH. MY. DAYS. I actually don't know where to start?! Silvercloak is like an adult version of Harry Potter that features pleasure, pain & lots of tension & deceit! Sound intriguing? Absolutely! ✨️

You can expect a perfectly paced forbidden romance, a delicious slow burn (ooft), amazing world building that's built up beautifully & slowly throughout the story (no huge info dumps which is ideal for me!), lots of stunning spells (literally & figuratively!), some heartbreak, wand fights and a lil bit of spice to soften the blow... Oh, and some morally grey characters to round it all off! 🫶🏻🖤

There were twists & turns throughout and it kept me on my toes, never fully knowing what was coming next, which was really refreshing & made it stand out. I couldn't put my Kindle down & ended up staying up late on a work night to finish it! I couldn't sleep for aaaages after because I couldn't STOP thinking about Saffron & Levan!

Laura's writing is absolutely stunning, I'd describe it as poetic, & Silvercloak was a pleasure to read.

Also, the Epilogue?!?! I'm gonna NEED book 2 now, please?!?!

You're 100% gonna want to grab this on 24th July when it's released!! Trust me, or you'll be in a world of pain from the regret, not pleasure 🤭 (it'll make sense once you've read the book 👀)

This gifted copy of Silvercloak by @laurasteven was such a wild ride and I’m sure it’ll be in the top ten favorite reads of my 2025 year.

Silvercloak follows Saffron who is looking to avenge the brutal murder of her parents in a world where pain and pleasure fuel magic. It’s so action-packed, the plot hits the ground running and does not let up. I was absolutely addicted and couldn’t stop reading. The world is incredibly immersive, with a unique magic system, it was so easy to get pulled in. I appreciated the LGBTQ+ representation. The slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers romance was integrated into the plot really well. But the last few chapters of the book absolutely blew my mind - OH MY GOD.

Silvercloak will be out later this year and I can’t wait for you all to get your hands on it. Huge thanks to @delreyuk for allowing me to review and hype this book early!

#silvercloak