DNF at 41%

I have to start this “review” by confessing that I didn’t actually finish the book. In fact, I think this might be my first official DNF! I made it to about 41% before my will to continue simply evaporated.
Now, don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a bad book. It’s perfectly readable, in the same way that junk food is edible. I totally see the appeal if you're in the mood for a quick smutty escape into a world where half the population has magical powers, can read minds, and manipulate people, while the other half just wants them dead! There’s military school and hot enemy. And the fmc is definitely not like the other girls...
What really had me cackling, though, was the publisher’s and author’s insistence on comparing this to The Hunger Games and Divergent. That’s... bold.. They tried really hard to make it the next Fourth Wing but instead of a gripping dystopian world they promised, we get something that feels more like a dystopian Pinterest board. A vibe, not a genre.
As for the romance if you can even call it that.. just no. The minute the main couple showed up, I got ick. Insta lust is apparently the chosen trope here. Every time the MMC and FMC spoke, it was just sexual innuendo ping-pong. No depth, no chemistry—just horny banter and vacant stares. All vibes, no plot.

If you enjoyed the book, good for you! It simply wasn’t for me.

Thank you to Del Rey UK and NetGalley for the advance reader copy and a chance to read it early!

First of all, I would like to say thank you for the review copy, which was provided to me by the publisher. This fact does not in any way affect my personal opinion of this book. This post contains advertising and the rights for the book belong to the publisher.

Of course, is this only my personal opinion of the book and just because I give this rating to the book doesn’t mean, that everyone will have that opinion.

I think you have heard about this book by now, so I do not think it needs a big introduction. I do want to offer a little disclaimer first, though, because I saw some book bloggers getting accused: I was not paid to review this book. The publisher reached out to me in November last year, and I am so happy that they did because I really enjoyed the book.

It took me a hot second to get into the world, because certain words weren’t really explained, and the world-building was kinda loose at the start, but it got better once I read a few pages in one go. Overall, I enjoyed the writing style. I could really immerse myself in the story and felt with the characters.

Well, this brings me to the characters. The FMC is a strong-headed (and tbh sometimes really stupid) young woman with a „dark history“. She’s a badass. He is broody, dark and of course hot. Is this something unique and new? No! Is it an outstanding character dynamic that I’ve never read before? Also no! Did I eat it up? Yes! I can see why this book is compared to Fourth Wing because the character dynamics and the archetypes are reaaaaallly similar.

I know you want to know more about the love story, so here we go. They are enemies, but they also have the hots for each other from the first interaction. So more like „horny enemies“, if you get what I mean. I enjoyed the tension between both of them and can’t wait to read more about them in the next book!

Now comes the topic of the dystopian character of the book. It did not feel that dystopian to me, but the basics are there, and I think there is still some stuff to come. The plot was good, but only one of the big plot twists was really plot-twisting for me. It is obvious where the book takes a lot of inspiration from, and I wouldn’t say it’s Hunger Games – it’s definitely Divergent. If you loved the first Divergent MOVIE (yessss I mean the movie in this case), then grab this book!

Regarding the whole „Who’s behind the pen name“: I won’t say anything, because if it’s a pen name, I want to respect the privacy.

So why do I give 4.5 stars even tho I have a few critique points? I enjoyed my reading time very much. It got me out of a reading slump, and I was excited to go grab other books again, and that is a huge indicator for me.

Conclusion
If you loved Divergent, then go get this book!!

Thank you to Del Rey UK and NetGalley for the advance reader copy.

I think I should start by saying that I can imagine a lot of people enjoyed and will enjoy this book. Unfortunately I didn’t. I think that a lot of it felt like a bad regurgitation of other dystopian YA books except bundled together.

The FMC is quite possibly the least intelligent especially as she’s meant to be keeping herself a secret because she’ll be killed otherwise. Even knowing this she does a lot of stupid things in this book.

A lot of the characters felt flat and the romance could have been swapped with the FMC and any male character she encountered as apparently she found them all very attractive.

I think that dystopian books shouldn’t focus so much on adding ‘spice’, I understand that for some reason in the current book world that’s what sells books but it really doesn’t need to be focus.

Overall a disappointing read and a series I won’t be continuing.

Silver Elite is my new dystopian obsession.

I have heard so many amazing things about this book so I went into it with very high expectations.I am not a huge fan of The Hunger Games so I was a little concerned that this book wouldn't be for me, however, I absolutely fell in love with it.

One of my problems with dystopian books is that they have been extremely heavy and difficult to follow. I found Silver Elite to be easy to read and thought that the writing flowed beautifully, leaving me wanting more. I loved how prominent the romance was and that it was not overshadowed by the plot. Silver Elite felt very equal parts romance and plot, which romantasy fans like myself will absolutely adore.

Wren is such a badass FMC and she was such a joy to read about. She was such a strong character and I really loved her throughout. Her romance with Cross was my favourite thing about this book and they were so incredibly well matched.

Overall, Silver Elite is an easy five star read and I am beyond excited for the second installment.

The hype for this book is real! I was hooked and devoured it in just a few days. I found it easy to read and follow which is brilliant, as a lot of new dystopians now really feel tough to get through. I thought Wren was such an interesting character and although she made some very questionable decisions, I really enjoyed her storyline. I LOVED the romance as well, it was done so well and I'm intrigued to see how it continues in the next one...

DNF for me sadly.

I've tried a few times since receiving this arc to give it a fair shot (assuming it was a me issue), but I now just don't think this is for me.

I feel like this has a lot of promise, but I was just wasn't on board with the motivations of the characters, the dystopian elements didn't feel detailed enough and again I just couldn't engage with it.

DNF.
This book was not for me. I found the world building rather empty, especially seen as it’s marketed as a dystopian book. I expected more detail into the dystopia, it felt like the dystopia was a backdrop for the romance. It should be marketed as a more romance based plot. Compared to other dystopian books I’ve read, this one did not challenge the ludicrous views & propaganda. I also think the wording was rather plain and simple, I wasn’t entranced by the writing.

I didn’t particularly like the romance, he had some controversial opinions and feelings which often came across as contradictory. I am a person who will constantly then be analysing everything he says to see if it’s consistent, which then takes away from the book. This, of course, is a me issue, but still an issue nonetheless.

I do think the idea of the book was intriguing, but I was unfortunately not wowed by this book like I thought I would be. I might give it another go in the future, but for now it just wasn’t for me.

It's been a long while since I delved into the dystopian genre, and I'm so glad I re-started with this book. It was full of intrigue and chemistry between the characters that once I started it, I couldn't put it down till the end.

Wren is a strong, sassy and badass FMC who made me cheer from her from the beginning. I never knew what she would do next, and her banter with Cross was amazing. I knew they were the perfect match from the start, although there were a few other side characters who made me swoon for them as well.

This is the prefect read if you are a fan of Divergent and The Hunger Games and wished there were some supernatural powers mixed in it.

Silver Elite by Dani Francis is currently taking the book community by storm and that for good reasons and I’m completely obsessed with this story.
 
Wren grew up in hiding and rather sheltered because she has some abilities that are seen as very dangerous and would be her death sentence. I absolutely loved Wren and how she’s very strong and embracing herself more with each page. Her nickname might be broken dove, but you definitely shouldn’t underestimate her. And I loved how she works for the rebellion.
 
Cross Redden is the Captain of the Silver Block and he comes from a very prestigious family. That means a lot weighs on his shoulders and he isn’t allowed any mistakes.  But when Wren is forced to join his unit, they have a hate-love-thing going on. I totally fell in love with Cross alongside Wren, and I loved how he risks it all for her.
 
The plot was captivating from the beginning, and I was rooting for Wren from the first page onwards. There are so many plot twists, and you can’t trust anyone, and I couldn’t put this book down. There are also so many amazing scenes like Daisy and Wolf, the motorcycle ride, Haven, and all the little moments between them. Silver Elite also gave me some og dystopian vibes and I got nostalgia thinking back about some of my favs like Shatter Me, Divergent and Legend. I still have so many questions about this world and what will happen and needless to say I highly anticipate the next installment.
 
Silver Elite is a fantasy story that combines dystopian elements with an unforgettable and forbidden romance and you just need to experience Cross and Wren‘s story for yourself. 5 stars and one of my favorite books so far this year.
 
(Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an arc.)

This was fun. Its definitely romantasy first, dystopian second, but the story was executed well and it was easy to read. The characters are likable, well-rounded and believable. The Romance fearues heavily and is pretty typical Romantasy stuff at this point - it didnt blow me away but it was engaging enough.

The dystopian world building is just enough to keep me grounded in the story and contexntualise everything thats happening to Wren. We get enough of Wren and Jim's life on the run, hiding in tbe Blacklands and working on the ranch that when Wren does make it to Command, all of her skills ring true - no prodigy heroine here, she has worked for it. Wren's friendships with Lyddia and Kaine were my favourites, Kaine especially ( I think i liked him more than Cross...).

Definitely intrigued enough to continue the series.

Really enjoyed this book. I hadn’t read a dystopian book in a while so it was good to be back in this genre.

I enjoyed the plot and connected with the characters, some of the plot points were a bit predictable. But overall I enjoyed it.

There was no fault in this book. Perfect from the first page to the last. I adored it and would recommend everyone grabs a copy. You will not be disappointed

Okayyyyy this was so fun!!

PLOT - I feel like its unique enough, with lots of worldbuilding and a very gripping story. I kept turning the pages, needing to know what happened next.

CHARACTERS- loved Kaine so much!!! Cross is also ended up loving, more so as the book goes on. Wren, omg Wren. This girl. Honestly someone needs to tell her how protagonists are meant to behave because she don't care!! So unreliable yet so fun!!

WRITING - fun, easy tonread, very relatable actually considering it's dystopian! I loved the pace, the way the interactions were written.

I get the hype!

The hype surrounding this book is 100% deserved. A gritty, dystopian novel with a rich plot and unique world-building that I would give more than 5 stars to if I could. Every page had me hooked and every twist had me gasping. I can’t wait to see where this leads in future books and how Wren and Cross’ relationship develops!

This was a complete masterpiece of a dystopian romance with hints of The Hunger Games, Divergent & Fourth Wing.

Wren has hidden what she is for over a decade until her uncle's shocking capture leads to her landing herself in the hands of the enemy captain, Cross. With a choice between life in a labour camp or training to be part of the very institution that hunts her kind, Wren must choose between revenge, survival, and the ever-growing attraction that burns between her and the man who holds her fate in his hands.

This was gripping and steamy, and the tantalising slow-burn development of both the plot and the enemies-to-lovers romance kept me reading well into the early hours.

Thank you to Del Rey, NetGalley and author Dani Francis for this eARC

Holy shit I loved this book!
I have been waiting for a book that makes me feel like The Hunger Games and Shatter Me did back in the day and THIS IS IT!
I loved (almost) everything about this and read it in one afternoon cause I just could NOT put it down!
I missed dystopian novels so much and this is one of the good ones.
It was everything - the characters (main and side), the world, the story.
I can not wait for the next one.
The only thing I was kinda meh about was the romance - I‘m not a fan of the whole „he is so hot and for some unexplainable reason I feel drawb to him/can not stay away even though he is my enemy and stands for everything I hate“ it always feels sort of lazy and disappoints my hopes for a real/good enemies to lovers.
Francis did sort of save it in the end but I would‘ve prefered more development and less just-can‘t-stay away.

This book is my new obsession. I can’t even explain how this made me feel! I was completely hooked the whole, entire time. The perfect dystopian fantasy with such an interesting story and characters. Plus, the chemistry and tension between Cross and Wren is just insane and will keep you on the edge of your seat every time they’re together. Going to be thinking about this one for a very long time!

This is everything that I love in dystopian, it was gripping and intriguing, I was hooked from page one. I also don’t see a lot of dystopian with romance sub-plot and it was the perfect addiction to the story. I can’t wait to read the rest of the series!

Well, that was quite the ride, and then some! At over 500 pages, it's a chunky book, but it took me only two evenings to absolutely devour it. The prose flows easily, the pages turn themselves. Loved the premise and the pacing!

I'm expecting to see Silver Elite pop up all over booksta as a new favourite - it has all the trapping of a great adult fantasy romance:
- dystopian setting
- one hotshot enemy commander
- one clever heroine trapped in enemy territory
- an uprising looking to overturn the military regime
- mind-reading, telepathy and other awesome mental abilities
- elite military training with dangerous trials and ops
- friendships forged against the odds

I enjoyed reading Silver Elite and got as caught up in it as I did with Fourth Wing - no dragons here, though. There was one major twist that I found quite obvious, but having guessed expected it from quite early on didn't diminish my enjoyment of the novel. The ending held some surprises that will have me reach for the next book as soon as possible!

(4.5 stars, rounded up to 5)

5 Stars

I am a huge dystopian fan and this did NOT let me down.
Silver Elite is like a mix of Divergent, Shatter Me and Fourth Wing. Three of my favourite series, so it was utter heaven for me!

The plot is based around a society split in two. There are the leaders, the Primes who are normal humans. Then there are the Modifieds (Mods), who have psychic gifts. The two are in a constant battle for control. However when using their powers, the Mods veins glow and so are easy to spot.
Our lead female is Wren, a Mod who has been in hiding since she was Five. Now aged 20, she makes a mistake and ends up captured but they don't know she is a Mod! Due to her excellent shooting skills she ends up in training for a prestigious fighting group called the Silver Elite and goes undercover for the Uprising. The Silver Elite is lead by Cross Redden, a gorgeous but dangerous officer.

The worldbuilding is EXCELLENT. It isn't necessarily that unique but there are so many brilliant features that give it so much depth. The storyline is addictive and I was so HOOKED I read it in a day! There were so many twists and turns and although I guessed a few of them, I didn't care as I just loved it SO much. The ending I did NOT see coming!

The characters are the stars for me. Wren is a badass. She is clever, tough, reckless and so entertaining. Her humour was fantastic and I was constantly smiling and laughing. She goes through a lot and I loved seeing how she coped.
Cross is a mix of Four from Divergent and Xaden from Fourth Wing. Determined, ruthless and hard but also has a soft centre for those he loves. The romance, the chemistry and banter was firing and the smut was HOT.
The side characters played such important roles and I especially loved one called Kaine who is a hilarious, flirty gorgeous human!

A brilliant first book in this new Adult Dystopian trilogy. I am obsessed and cannot wait for the next book! But be warned, this book is addictive!