I was so excited to read this book because I love me a good multiple POV fantasy book, and the premise of this one sounded super interesting, so I went into it with pretty high expectations, and I have to say that even though I had some issues with Of Silver and Shadow, I ended up enjoying it, though it didn’t meet my expectations.

The main problem I had with this book was that I struggled a lot with the beginning of the story. I wasn’t super engaged in the story and it took me a while to finally get into it. The first couple of chapters were a little bit info dump-y, and when that happens I end up not remembering 40% of that, but still I think as I kept reading I discovered new things about the world building to create a whole picture in my mind, which is something I appreciated.

The other issue I had was regarding the magic system. I was so confused the entire time because the author hardly explained the limitations of the silver magic, or how it worked and why people had it or not, which was a bit of a bummer because I think it would have enriched the plot and the story much more, but it felt quite lackluster and confusing because those things weren’t really explained.

To be honest, the strongest part of this book was the cast of characters. When I fist started reading it, I wasn’t thrilled about our main character, and I felt there were too many, but as I kept reading Of Silver and Shadow I found myself rooting for these characters and wanted them to be safe and happy. I think that there were some interactions and relationships that were a bit rushed and forced, but overall I really enjoyed the different arcs and how they connected at one point in the book.

I think that the majority of the relationships made so much sense, and I liked the individual evolution of the characters. They each had such great development, and I was pleasantly surprised by that.

But I think my favorite part of the story was the angsty sapphic romance. I wish we’d seen more about their relationship, because I adored those characters and think they were so interesting and complex.

Overall, I think Of Silver and Shadow was a solid story. I really enjoyed the characters and their evolution throughout the story, and I think I would have loved it more had I known more about the magic system, because I think it was pretty interesting, we just didn’t have a lot of information to fully understand it.

I absolutely loved this book. I couldn't put it down. It is amazing, and better yet, has an open ending, so it works as a standalone.

This reminded me of the Girshaverse in a very good way. It had the same feel and a lot of elements that I loved in those stories and I enjoyed seeing them redone and reimagined in here.

The world was immersive and interesting. It felt real. I loved all the different perspectives and characters as well as the magic system. Even though it was a soft magic system, it was used well and I found it unique. All the characters were distinct and individual. They had different voices, motivations, and goals. It was great seeing them all come together for the end. It was spectacular.

I also enjoyed many of the concepts in this book from the Fight Pits to the King's Children. It made the role feel so rich and well-developed. It also helped with making the character feel unique and original, as they were all on different sides with similar goals.

I found the foreshadowing was carried out very well too. There was enough that I could guess what might happen, but I never felt like anything was hitting me over the head with obviousness and it made some of the twists very fun to read as even though I was clued in, iI still felt as shocked as the protagonist as she realized what was happening. That hasn't happened in a long while and it was amazing.

The romance was not all-consuming. It was there, in the shadows, but it stayed there and let the politics, magic, and rebellion shine. And they shone brightly for it.

This book had the right levels of everything. The recipe for the perfect fantasy novel. And it was executed perfectly.

I honestly can't do much more than gush over this because I loved it so much and I highly recommend anyone who reads this review to pick it up.

Of Silver and Shadow by Jennifer Gruenke is an entertaining and enjoyable fantasy aimed at YA readers but enjoyable for those of us a little older too.
In a country where magic or Silver is banned and only the King and his two sons can wield it, Ren is something of an anomaly. Her magical abilities have left her scarred both physically and emotionally as she is the only survivor of a fire that destroyed her family's home. Forced to fend for herself on the streets she relies on her skills as a fighter, petty thievery and some crooked card games to get by until she is offered the chance to change her future with a pay off bigger than any she could ever have imagined. All she has to do is use her Silver to work with the Rebellion and take down the cruel King who ordered her death along with her family. Unable to pass up the chance for revenge as well the money she agrees to work with Darek, the leader of the rebellion, provided that her identity is not revealed.
However the King is not going to go down without a fight , and he has his Children, a band of elite warriors on the case. Called the Children because of the young age at which they begin training, they are vicious , dedicated and determined, and since failure can result in death, they have plenty of motivation to hunt down the rebels, especially Adley, the best archer among them and the most likely candidate to become their leader. Adley has some secrets of her own however, and if they are exposed she faces a fate no better than that of the rebels.
This multiple POV story has plenty of action and drama to keep the reader engaged but there is also romance and humour. The characters are fun and engaging, from sarcastic Ren to sweet younger son of the King, Prince Kellan, though admittedly the banter between Ren and Darek verged on the annoying at times. I really liked the setting of the book, and thought the world building was well handled, detailed enough to make it seem believable but not in a way that bogged down the storytelling.
The book is described as a stand alone but there is certainly potential for more books set in this world and I know that I for one would enjoy reading them.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

Rebellion, enemies to lovers, magic, and mayhem. This books has so many things I love in a book. Unfortunately, they didn't quite click for me. It was fast paced, filled with action, and had lots of characters. It just lacked the magic to make it a great read for me.

I really liked this book!!

I really enjoyed the way in which this story delved right into the action. It didn't pull punches, which is something that I really enjoyed. Slow starts are one of my least favorite things in books, so I was immediately intrigued when this one dove right in!

The characters in this book were really intriguing and I loved the different POVs, since I am a fan of multiple POVs. It is honestly one of my favorite things, since it gives such a broader scope of the world and society in which they live and gives you a more well-rounded idea of the truth of it. It limits the scope for an unreliable narrator! My only complaint is that I felt a little distant from them.

The plot was really wonderful and I don't know exactly what I was expecting but I wasn't expecting to like it this much! I was a little bit jarred and confused at points, but I managed to jump back on track not too long after and it wasn't so bad that I had to go back and reread.

I definitely wish I was able to know more about this magic system, if I had to really wish for something for this book.

Also I understand it, it's still a stand alone, but I'd absolutely love to read more in this world and of these characters, to be able to understand them all a little bit better.

#netgalley #ofsilverandshadow

I Absolutely LOVED this! Everything was very well written and moved quite quickly that I wasn't able to put it down. I was absolutely enraptured by the atmosphere, and the characters. Great book!

Of Silver and Shadow really wasn’t the book for me. From the very beginning, I felt like I was dropped in the middle of an ongoing story without any sort of explanation on who the characters were or what was going on. Because of this, I could connect to the characters and the plot felt a bit wishy washy to me. Everything happened too fast and without pause.

The two positive things were the action scenes and the queer romance. There were quite a few cool action sequences throughout the story and Gruenke wrote them very well. The queer romance was also a positive and I really like how it was developed.

For things I had issues with… The world-building wasn’t all that clear? I’m not sure if this was because the extremely fast pace made it a bit difficult to develop this universe and the magic system. I was confused about a few points, one of them being the silver wielding, and could have used a bit more fleshing out on the major concepts of the novel.

The ending twist and how that was executed, especially the last chapter, was way too convenient and a bit over the top. It was believable to me with the story Gruenke was trying to tell. I was also confused why the ending read like there was possibly going to be a sequel to this when the book was marked as a standalone. The story didn’t feel like it was finished.

So, I’m sure some people will like this, but I had issues with it from the beginning that made it very difficult for me to connect to the story or its characters. The direction the plot took also wasn’t really for me and the ending just felt odd. I’d recommend this to people who are looking for YA Fantasy novels with queer rep, though, as that was the highlight of the novel for me.

Things to look forward to
• Throne of glass vibes
• Lesbian romance between Adley and Lesa

Cons
• Too much underworld vibes for my liking
• Not a proper understanding of magic
• Didn't really enjoy the romantic association of any character except one mentioned above.
•Not a big fan of the ending

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved reading this fantasy book, it was dark and magical and that's exactly what I like to read about. What do you do when you're the only person who can wield her on magic silver in a world where only royals are allowed to use magic silver? The writing style of Jenn is so detailed that it made you feel like you live in Denfell. I got sucked into this book and had to adjust for a while after finishing it. You can connect to the characters because they all have their different personalities. People who are into other fantasy writers like Sarah J. Maas and Cassandra Clare will love this book. Unfortunately the release date got pushed back to next year but I'm sure everyone will enjoy reading this book. They only flaw I could write about this book is the ending. For me it was a bit of a letdown. If there will be a sequel for this book I hope this will fix my opinion about this and answer some unanswered questions.

Overall I would recommend this book to people who are into fantasy.

Of Silver and Shadow is a young adult fantasy that offers something unique for the reader. It follows Ren Kolins, who is a silver wielder, a type of magic the kingdom of Erdis outlawed years ago. When she was a child, the king discovered she had magic and tried to kill her, setting her home on fire with her and her parents inside. Ren alone escaped and learned to keep her magic hidden, surviving by “sticking to a life of petty thievery, card games, and pit fighting.” She lives a dishonest life, but that is part of her charm.

Ren is the definition of a reluctant hero with a matching snarky personality that gives the readers a bit of fresh air. She is the queen of sarcasm and completely original as far as characters go. However, there is also something heart-warming about this character. As self-indulgent as she is, when Ren cares about someone, she cares about them. Ren often puts herself first, but the softer side of herself, the one that cares, when it comes alive, it gives Ren a more complex personality. Ren is very much afraid of exposing herself and her power for the rebellion. It goes against all her survival instincts, but she does it regardless, not just for the coin (mainly for the coin), but because she knows she needs to tear down the corrupt regime.

Much like Ren, the other characters are multifaceted. Kellen is a prince with a heart to good to belong to his family, and he sneaks out nightly to be himself, or at least try to find a place to belong, something relatable to any reader. Adley is a hunter, fashioned by a king she hates, who does horrible things in order to gain her freedom and that of her love, Lesa.

Darek is the only fault because he’s just a self-righteous prick half the time, and while it was evident that he and Ren were going to end up together, the chemistry was lacking. Yes, the development of the story gave it away and gave some development to their dynamics; however, it lacked substance and came off as rushed, making it slightly unbelievable. Especially when it contrasts the lovely relationship between Adley and Lesa, now that is a relationship worth reading.

On the bright side, Of Silver and Shadow moves effortlessly forward. Of Silver and Shadow is a fast read, it has excellent world-building, giving depth to the class structure, and the use of magic in this novel. It was thoughtful and had a fantastic ending that lifts the reader with hope and joy.

Ok first I’ll start by saying I loved this!
Such a refreshing YA fantasy story filled with beautiful descriptions and such well developed characters.
I got lost in this world and the story. I actually wish it had been a bit longer.

I loved the views on different classes within this world and the magic system was so well thought out.

The story was fast paced and engaging.

I highly recommend this book.

**I was provided an electronic ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for honest review.**

Jennifer Gruenke's debut novel Of Silver and Shadow is a high stakes, fast-paced fantasy that will leave you wanting more. Readers follow Ren, a silver-wielding thief who might have gotten into more than she bargained for when she agreed to join the rebellion. With the elite fighting forces called the King's Children hunting down rebels, and all magic eradicated from the kingdom aside from the royal family, things get messy for Ren very quickly.

I really enjoyed myself throughout this novel. Gruenke has a writing style that envelops the reader into the story, and her plot was constantly moving forward. My favorite characters were undoubtedly Kellen and Darek (you can't say I'm not consistent), and I am so grateful that Gruenke avoided the love triangle trope there even if she did leave it open for future books.

It was so welcome to have one of the main couples of the series be the LGBTQ pair of Adley and Lesa. They may not have been favorite characters, but I was happy for their inclusion. I also caught the hint that Markus may be queer as well, though he wasn't shown to be in a relationship.

There were some pacing troubles near the end where everything tidied itself up super quickly, but nothing that detracts horribly from the success of the book.

There was absolutely room left for a sequel, but I'm always happy when a book one is capable of being a standalone if someone doesn't want to invest in a series. This book does manage to achieve that.

Ultimately, super happy with this debut novel, happy to see room for growth for Gruenke, and excited to add her as a new author to watch in the future.

One of my favorite books of 2020! This was a brilliantly plotted dark fantasy with FANTASTIC characters. Kept me on my toes and super engaged. Once I decided to commit to reading this, I finished it that night. If you love angsty yet extremely relatable characters, female characters who can HOLD THEIR OWN, a well plotted rebellion and a dash of magic thrown in to boot...you will love Of Silver and Shadows!

I liked it but it felt a bit rushed. For the entire second half, I kept wondering how this could possibly be a standalone book. And there were still a few loose ends. Will there be a sequel or not?

Title: Of Silver and Shadow
Author: Jennifer Gruenke
Pub. Date: Februry16, 2021
Rating: 4.5

This will be a spoiler free review and thank you to NetGalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

I almost didn’t read this.
At least, I almost didn’t read it this month. I’m so glad that I did. I mean, I’m also really annoyed because this book was so good, and now I have to sit on it for months, without any idea if there is a book 2. I really want there to be a book 2. I need a book 2. I need more of these characters, this plot, this world. I still have so many questions and if I’m being really honest, I really just want more Darek.
Y’all, I got major Anya and Dimitri vibes from Ren and Darek. So, if you’re a fan of Anastasia, you might want to check out this book when it comes out next year.
Freaking Darek.
Y’all, I have no idea why I love him so much, but I do and freaking hell, why can’t fictional characters be real.
Don’t answer that.
I also almost didn’t read this book because 1) the date got pushed, which led to 2) the lack of drive to read it. But dammit, I made my schedule, I’m going to stick with it. So, I sat down and opened the book.
To be honest, the book didn’t entirely grab me from the beginning. I felt that the writing style was a little stiff and a little repetitive. I kind of feared that this was going to be too similar to Diamond City – which I read earlier this year and didn’t love.
Then I couldn’t put the book down, and I think I stayed up until 5:30 reading, and I got the ending and I wanted to scream, because omfg the book is so good and the characters, and the world, and the story, and just everything. I still don’t really know how to put into words how I feel, but I can tell you that I haven’t stopped thinking about this dang book for 2.5 days and I just want more. I really want there to be more. I could easily read, 2 maybe 3 more books in this world. And speaking of more books, that’s my only complaint with this book. I felt like it could have been 2. While the book was fantastic, and I will be recommending it to everyone, a lot happens, and I wish Ren and Darek’s rivals to lovers’ relationship had been a little more ‘slow burn’. I just wanted more time in this world and with the characters and this book just felt a tad rushed.
I loved Ren, Darek, Adley and the other key players. I think if you’re a fan of Sarah J. Maas and Sabaa Tahir, you’re going to enjoy the cast of characters in this book. Ren is very much out for herself, the world cast her aside, so she casts it aside. Besides her best friend and another friend’s dream she took upon herself, she’s selfish, egotistical, rude, snarky and full of scathing remarks. She’s really good at what she does, and staying under the radar, until she meets Darek and his brother. They turn her life upside down and do nothing but cause her problems.
Darek and his brother have a plan, it’s daring, bold and just about downright suicidal, and they need Ren. She’s an unwilling participant right to the end of the book, with outside needs driving her participation, not the goodness of her heart.
Darek can’t stand Ren and finds her reckless attitude aggravating and her lack of care for the kingdom she lives in infuriating. They’re both full of heated attitude and their quiet appraisal of each other is so fun to read. I’m always down for a rivals to lovers storyline.

I loved this book and I really hope that there is more to this world, more for these characters. This book is a whole story, with enough left open to feed into more books, so I need y’all to preorder and buy this book, read it, review it and promote it, so we can get more Darek and Ren. I need more Darek.
Seriously.
I need more.
Unfortunately, Of Silver and Shadow’s release has been pushed back until 2021, but put it on your TBRs, have it on your radar. You aren’t going to want to miss this book when it finally does hit shelves. I doubt I’m going to stop thinking about it anytime soon. I’m so glad that my wariness and slight apprehension proved to be completely wrong, and that I read this book. Easily a new favorite, and if you give it a chance, it might be yours too!

I was so excited about reading this book I have read it twice!! This book has everything you could want for a young adult fantasy novel.

The writing style and world building are excellent and fully engages you in the story-line it was hard to put down.

This book jumps right into the action from start to finish and really takes you on a wild ride.

I loved the interactions between the characters and it felt natural except for Ren and Derek's relationship. That felt rushed and I prefer a slow burn over insta-love. I wish more time had gone into the development of that aspect of the story I found it difficult to be truly invested in their relationship.

Jennifer is a fun witty character and i enjoyed her dialogue I found myself laughing out loud a few times.

I received this book free from NetGalley for an honest review.
#NetGalley
#OfSIlverandShadow

I do not read tons of books in the sub-genre of sci-fi but I have been loving the fantasy/teen/YA genre over the past year and this book is another great fantasy novel (with additional themes of LGBT so be forewarned) and a really delicious debut. Ren's character of being a silver wielder, an outlawed talent, is easy to like: she is tough, independent, snarky and realistic. A concurrent character storyline of a soldier of the monarchy follows Adley, who is an orphan with a dangerous love interest but wholly focused on her mission to kill for her evil leaders. And it turns out that Adley is hunting Ren and is eager to do so as it would guarantee Adley the highest position possible for her dire life's existence: the King's Fang. The setting of the kingdom of Erdis is dark, lonely and hopeless but the author is skilled at offering a glimmer of hope at the end of the tunnel for the main characters who are working towards a better reality but the endgame of our characters work against each other.

Of Silver and Shadow by Jennifer Gruenke is a courageous story that doesn't hold back; its myriad of rough characters pulls you in as they reveal their insecurities as the plot unfolds. The themes of forbidden love and violence with poetic justice really give this story a punch but it is the flowing writing style of the author that makes this novel so easy to enjoy. There is so much going on that this review is very subpar when it deserves to much more. Very well done and can't wait to read more from the author.


review link for May 4 2020

This… is a great fantasy book. I mean, I love it. It’s like Red Queen meets Woven in Moonlight, and I know we all love those! It’s magical. This book was a fantastic escape- something about magical fantasy is soooo good when you need one! Honestly, thank you so much to North Star Editions and Flux Books for sending me this advanced readers copy. I’m so appreciative, it was such a fun book! I can’t wait to post my full review on Instagram and my blog!

This was one of my most anticipated releases. It was a very unique world with a fantastic magic system.

I really wanted to love the characters but could not connect with any of them. Not sure if the pacing was too fast. Which I usually love a fast paced book.

The writing did not feel smooth. Almost read choppy. Like it was jumping around and I was not getting a clear character development or relationships.

Overall I would recommend this book to fantasy lovers looking for something new and fun.

What a book, it kept me guessing the whole time I was reading it. I. A massive sucker for fantasy with magic in them and rebels.

Did think this book would be predict about but I was wrong and actually read the whole thing in one day as the story dragged me in and didn't let me go until the last page