I really enjoyed going on this adventure with these characters! I loved that the characters were well developed and not immediately perfect and likeable. The world was so rich and immersive! Can't wait to read more from this author.

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

The book is as amazing as the cover! I loved it! I read it in short bursts and struggled to put it down when I had to. The plot is really good, the characters interesting, the magic still mysterious. I cannot wait for the second book. I love that the main character is deeply flawed and makes no excuses for it. That she does what is needed and won't care being judged for it. Some points, like the love interest, was predictable. Yet, I still enjoyed it. There is so much left to learn and explore, that it helps the pacing of the story and leaves plenty to add more books to unfold the rest of the tale. Count me in to buy a hardcover of this book and all its friends!

This was a good book but I wasn’t wowed. The story was good, the characters fleshed out, but ultimately it just fell flat for me which is sad because I was really looking forward to this story.

When almost everything in the fantasy genre tends to be a part of the series, I am really glad to find this rare gem where the story actually ends. Some of us have fragile hearts you know and cannot handle prolonged state of tension which may even last years. So thank you Jennifer Gruenke for keeping us in mind.
What are the things I loved then? First there is the plot. Kingdom of Erdis is governed by a cruel king (practically a devil incarnate) and the country is at the brink of war. A revolution brews in the midst; many had attempted to overthrow the king before but this time it could be different. They have got hold of a silver wielder, a magic outlawed and is restricted to the royal family.
I loved the way Gruenke gradually built up a story of epic proportions. First half of the book is dedicated to character development simultaneously introducing us to a slice of what we have signed up for. The tension builds up gradually culminating in a short but well planned battle scene. Yup, I loved it all.
Narrated through the perspective of four characters -- Ren, Darek, Adley and Prince Kellen -- we do get to see the action from all sides just like multiple cameras. My preference usually goes for dual POVs or first person narrative, but I enjoyed this too. Just like the narrators there are multiple couples (three in fact, and one of them is f/f), clearly the icing on the cake.
What I didn't quite buy is the revolution. Apart from the last part, it is clearly not well organised, and I doubt it would have survived if it is not for the authorial intervention. Considering the threat they are under, being a bit more secretive should have been necessary.
So will I recommend this book? Without a doubt. Definitely, something to watch out for in May.

This book wasn't what I expected. I felt I was thrown in a violent and hardcore world. You follow four point of views, and I think this is what kept me engaged and want to continue. The four characters are all pretty distinct, interesting and all bring something to the story. I think the author did good on establishing that because a lot of times it can be confusing who's who. This wasn't the case for me, although I wished for a little more development of each character.

I think the world building and magic was simple, easy to follow and understand. There is definitely a lot of action, violence, language and it does not shy away to show how cruel life is in Denfell. Amongst the chaos unfolding, there was some romance (hate to love and f/f romance) that didn't take away from the main plot of the story.

While this is a standalone, the ending wasn't wrapped up tightly and was left open to for a potential sequel or spin off.

Thank you NetGalley and North Star Editions for the ARC in return for a honest review.

Of Silver and Shadow by Jennifer Gruenke, pages. Flux (North Star Editions), 2020. $15. LGBTQIA
Language: R (87 swears, 5 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH
An 18-year-old magic wielder who supposedly died nine years ago and is just trying to survive; the 22-year-old son who took on his late-mother’s cause to overthrow the king; the 19-year-old prince who doesn’t fit the mold of what a ruler should look like in his family; a 19-year-old servant to the throne who hopes for a different life. These are only four who aren’t happy with how the kingdom is being run, all doing what they think is best to escape from the horrors of the crown. The question is can any of them succeed alone?
While I was initially a little put off by the constant switch between characters, I learned to appreciate the different points of view. I definitely have some characters I wanted to read about more than others, but seeing the individual actions and imagining how they would all come together -- as well as being awed by the things Gruenke came up with -- ended up being part of the fun. The sequel can’t come fast enough. The mature content rating is for nudity, implied sex and sexual abuse, and mentions of prostitution. The violence rating is for blood, gore, homicide, and torture (enough to make readers a little squeamish without being graphic).
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Of Silver and Shadow is an entertaining young adult fantasy novel: filled with gritty characters, warring kingdoms, class strife, and, of course, special magic. This novel is one in a long line of young adult fantasies that fit a sort of formulaic pattern of a chosen one with a band of misfits, rising against the powers that be in order to overthrow and create a new era of equality for the people. While this story is fun to read, I wouldn't call it entirely original. While the predictability factor was high, I enjoyed the personalities of most of the characters: the cast was what kept me engaged and reading. I don't know if I'm invested enough to continue along with this series, but I would recommend Of Silver and Shadow to anyone who enjoys the young adult-magical=kingdom-rebellion-fantasy genre.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This is a great fantasy world that sucked me in despite what seemed to be insta love. I really enjoyed the characters so I'll let it slide.
I really enjoyed the world-building and Ren's adventures.

Thrilling action, complex, well-developed characters and several twists and turns combined to make Jennifer Gruenke's debut novel, Of Silver and Shadow, a book I read in less than 24 hours and makes me hope for a sequel.

Ren Kolins is a silver wielder, which is pretty dangerous in a place where magic silver-wielders are killed just for existing. Ren, an orphan, is thieving and fighting just to survive, until a rich rebel uncovers her secret and convinces her to join his revolution. What unfolds is a story rich with intrigue, told from multiple perspectives in a way that fills in the blanks, but never reveals the true ending.
The way Gruenke describes not only the city but the characters and their lives is engaging, and humorous at times, but also shows the darker side of the world these characters live in. The imagery and figurative language used throughout the story is elaborative without being distracting or excessive:
"She fanned out her winning cards, and the man's smile waned, his arrogance falling away like an unclasped cloak slipping from his shoulders."
This novel would be a great read for anyone who enjoys YA fantasy with a strong, well developed, female lead.

Warning: there are scenes of torture that I didn't find too extreme, but others may find they are too clear.

Thanks to NetGalley and North Star Editions for the ARC in return for this honest review.

A huge thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC if this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own and are not influenced by anything.

Like any other book, I always look at the cover first, and Of Silver and Shadow’s cover caught my eye. It’s just so pretty and I could instantly tell this was a fantasy novel. I love how the art of the words reflected on the words itself. However, the little tagline at the bottom is what had me wanting to read it.

Magic is outlawed in the kingdom of Edris and has been this way for a century, anyone with magic was killed except for the royal family. That’s why it’s dangerous for Ren Kolins to be alive, she’s a silver wielder. She keeps her magic hidden from everyone and spends her life as a thief, gambler, and a pit fighter. Then a wealthy rebel leader who knows of her power approaches her and offers a fortune for her to join the revolution to overthrow the King. In the castle, a group of warriors, called the King’s Children, are in a competition: first to find the rebel leader will be named King’s Fang. Adley Farre is hunting down every rebel in order to get to their leader, and nothing will stop her. Then, the prince is tangled in with the rebellion. Time is running out, the kingdom is at risk of war with another. Ren and the rebels need to take down the King before Edris goes to war.

Let me tell you, I love books with fantastical kingdoms or worlds with rebellions and uprisings, and MAGIC. I absolutely adore the concept and this wasn’t the first book I read that had this plot. However, the author added and twisted things to make this story her own, especially with the King’s Children: how a group of warriors at the King’s disposal competed for a title by searching for a rebel leader. It was a really interesting idea to read about. The author used it to add smaller conflicts for the characters. Of Silver and Shadow had the thrill and adventure and rebellion that I was hoping for and just the right amount of romance. And I definitely laughed at some of the remarks passed between the characters. I really enjoyed reading this story, I was hooked from the start and finished it in three days.

Although, I’m not the biggest fan of multiple perspectives, Of Silver and Shadow is an exception because I was interested in reading in all the different points of view. Jennifer Grueke, the author, created a group of diverse and unique characters that had their own flaws and their experience with terrible pasts and any sort of abuse. The perspectives that the book is written from is Ren, Darek, Adley, and Kellen. Ren, the thief and a silver wielder, was really my favourite character to read about in this book, I loved her personality and her witty remarks. Darek was the rebel leader and the more serious character (got some Rowan Whitethorn vibes), he took his job seriously and kept it close to heart. Adley was one of the King’s Children who was hunting the rebel for the title: King’s Fang. I really admired her ambition, she and Ren are both amazing strong women to read about. The women in this book are absolute queens. And then there’s Kellen, the young prince of Edris, he was my second favourite character to read about. He was a cheerful and charming character despite his father’s constant abusive remarks, but I guess he used these ways to mask his hurt. There is so much I can say about Kellen because I love him so much, he’s such an amazing and I thank the author so much for creating him. The secondary and other characters were also amazing and contributed to the plot in their own way, and they made me laugh out loud.

Jennifer Gruenke did a wonderful job of bringing her world to life. Her writing style is lovely and easy to read. She wrote the backstories of the characters and the impact of it which made them who they are today very well, and I was able to understand their problems/choices in relation to why they are like this. She also tackled the hate-to-love relationship beautifully. This is currently a standalone novel and the author did a good job of not letting it be too fast of a pace, it was at the right speed. She also did a good job of wrapping up loose ends by the last page.

Of Silver and Shadow is Jennifer Gruenke’s debut novel and I’ll totally be checking out anything else she writes. This is a standalone novel, however, on a Goodreads question, she said there might be possibilities for there to be a sequel.

I 100% recommended this book, especially if you like young adult fantasy novels. If you liked the Red Queen series by Victoria Aveyard and the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas, then this book is for you! Overall, I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars.

If you're looking for a book that will completely transport you in a new world of magic, congrats, you found it ! Of Silver and Shadow will bring you in a magical fantasy world where magic lies within silver wielders, and where using it is very dangerous and could lead you to an early grave.

I'm a complete sucker for this "gruff girl needs to hide her powers but end up teaming up with the rebellion anyway" trope. The whole mood of the book reminded me of A Darker Shade of Magic, which I had really enjoyed ! Also, give me some royals mixed with all that magic, and you can be sure I will love that book.

The plot in itself is pretty basic : King has magic, royals have magic, and no one else should have it because it's been banished years ago. Except one girl has it. She hides until rebels seek her out so she can help them plan a rebellion to overthrow the king.

Basic, but quite effective on me. Plus, the plot is much more well-written than that. The world building is more than decent, I could feel the city around me, could imagine the people moving on around their day, could feel the weight of the danger dangling above Ren's head. Yeah, it's just really well written according to my standards.

I usually can find faults in every book, even though tiny ones, but I can't think of any here. We think we have the whole story figured out and then BAM, PLOT TWIST. You think you get it now ? WRONG, another fact is thrown in the mix and you don't know who to trust anymore. I mean, you get the general idea of the end, of course, but the way to get there keeps changing and evolving constantly, which is really enjoyable.

Another point that needs to be adressed is that we don't only get the good guys' POV. We get a full insight regarding what it's like to work for the king as a King's Children member, and that was a really nice surprise. Books about rebellions usually tell us all about the rebels, their motives and their greatness, but we rarely see what it's like on the other side, except sometimes to show how evil the bad guys are. Here we have a different approach, that I thought was really good. We don't get the king's own POV, but that was good enough for me.

Regarding characters, I can tell you Ren is definitely my type of character. She's clever, powerful and humble. What's not to love ? She could definitely be a mix of Celeana Sardothien and Lila Bard. And that's a huge compliment. What I mean is Ren is a compelling character, that has been well thought. She could be a cliché if she acted more brashly, which she doesn't. I know some people are tired of her kind of character, but I just love it <3

As for the side characters, I felt a little bit sad not to read more about Markus, who originally finds Ren, but that's really minor. We get some really cool side characters anyway, such as Darek, Holland and Adley, who all bring a new dimension to the story instead of just enhancing Ren's perspective. I'm really glad they were here and each had a real depth of character ! Let's give it up for all the amazing side characters !

Of Silver and Shadows is really an addictive read, with addictive characters that will keep you reading all day long. I can't wait till its out and you all can read about Ren and everyone !

Of Silver and Shadow is the first book of series. It is about a girl, Ren collins, who is a Silver wielder, a magic forbidden in the Kingdom Erdis. Now, how she lives with this forbidden magic which can get her killed by the Empire, be the face of the rebellion and stay safe from king's children (A deadly force trained from childhood for the army), especially Adley farre, who has her eyes set on being the king's fang and getting a chance of freedom she has long desired; Balancing all this is Ren Collins, and this is her story.
I truly loved the book. The plot had so many folds, you take one out but still there are so many underneath, it made the experience thrilling. All the characters were unique and likable. The actions made the book more whole, though I loved those scenes where Ren was cheating and stealing, they had a certain humour to them (especially when it maddened the others) .
All the action, torture, running, stealing, planning makes this book un-put-down-able. The ending was quite a cliffhanger. Can't wait for the next book in the series.
Fans of An Ember in the Ashes will love this book.

“She held on him like he was the only thing keeping every one of her cracks together.”
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I have received an eARC through Netgalley. I absolutely adored this book, there’s not a thing I would change! Ren is a girl that has silver magic in a world where magic can be wielded only by the royals. Her family has been destroyed when she was 9 because of her secret and she is the only survivor. She has become a thief and a pit fighter to survive, but we can immediately see that under her mask of cruelty there’s just a young woman that wants a chance to be good. When the rebels find out about her powers, they ask her to join them, because she is the only one that can give them a chance against silver royals. She reluctantly accepts because she needs the money buuuut of course there’s a broody and charming rebel that captures her heart. Darek is absolutely the cutest, he is a boy that has dedicated all his life to the rebellion cause. When he meets Ren he doesn’t want to believe in this girl without morality, but when he starts knowing her he understands there’s a big difference between bad people and good people that has been obligated to do bad things. Then we have the youngest prince, Kell, he is so charming and funny and I would have definitely fallen for him, he thinks he is not important in the court because no one listens to him, but he is funny and he has such a good heart. Finally there’s Adley, she reminds me of Elias from an ember in the ashes, she is supposed to be a warrior without feelings, but the truth is that she cannot bury her heart, her feelings are too strong, and that makes her an interesting character. Not only the story is involving but all the relationships between the characters are carried on spectacularly; I felt a connection with all of them and some scenes are simply breathtaking! I can’t wait for the sequel!

This is the first book I've read in such a long time where I have noticed how incredibly talented an author is. From the moment the story began to the moment it ended I was completely enraptured by the creative plot development, beautiful world building and huge talent for writing that Jennifer Gruenke unquestionably delivers in this fast paced magical fantasy debut.

The Kingdom of Erdis used to hum with the sound of silver magic. Now magic is outlawed, and any magic wielders have long since been murdered by a brutal King. But hidden within the shadows of the city lives Ren Collins, a secret silver wielder, carving her way through the rebellious streets with trickery and slight of hand. Ren is soon discovered by the leaders of the rebellion hoping to overthrow the King, and they offer Ren an incredible deal to join them.

This story is enormous, and shows almost every component of the politics and players within this battle. Largely we follow Ren as she is coerced into using her silver as a distraction, fighting in the pits to get rid of some pent up rage and helping the children of the streets to stay safe. But we also follow wider characters including the rebel leaders as they work out their plan of attack, the brutality of some of the key players in the King's army named the King's Children, and the sons of the King vying for their fathers attention.

It has been a really long time since I have read a book in which all of the characters mattered to me. Each character is significant in this novel, and feels like they hold weight in the eventual unravelling of the plot. I became quickly invested in what happened to each of them and really appreciated the strong female characters Gruenke weaves throughout - there were a number of occasions I forgot I was even reading a book, and instead felt as though I was watching interactions happen before my eyes.

The story is told expertly, with great transitions, considered plot devices and creative imagery - the world really leaps off the page. There wasn't a dull moment or slip in enjoyment for me and I genuinely cannot wait to get my hands on the next book. What a wild ride.

ARC provided from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I first chose this title for the cover and because the description reminded me of Throne of Glass slightly. (Don't judge my still looming book hangover). This fast paced dark adventure is an amazing and easy read. Stories about magic are always fun and entertaining for me.

By the way, did I mention that cover art?!

Thank you NetGalley and North Star Editions for this ARC!

Love, love, loved this book! I knew as soon as I heard about it I had to request for it. Definitely recommend to any reader.

This was such a fun YA read. Action-packed and well written from start to finish. I will most definitely follow this author and this series. I would recommend this book for anyone who loves a good YA fantasy.

This is not a bad book, but it seemed formulaic after an exciting beginning I found myself beginning to lose interest.

Of Silver and Shadow is an almost 500 page book, (480 pages if we want to be exact) and I read this book in one sitting. One moment I was sitting down to start this book and then suddenly it was 2 a.m. and my kindle wouldn't flip to a new page. Gruenke's debut novel is not one to missed! Full of action, suspense and tons of plot twists Of Silver and Shadows will have you hooked from page one.

Of Silver and Shadow alternates in POVs which gives us an all around view of this rebellion and what everyone's driving motive is.

Ren - Ren posses Silver, a magic that was outlawed hundred of years earlier after the purge of all Silver wielders, leaving the magic strictly to those of the royal bloodline. A few years earlier Ren escaped a fire set to her house by the King, leaving her scared and her parents dead. Something she blames herself for everyday. On night she is cornered by Darek and his brother with the offer of a life time: Help them dethrone the King and in return they will pay her 700,000 coins. Ren doesn't care about this so called rebellion but the coins will free her from her debts, finally giving her the freedom she has been craving. Teaming up with these brothers Ren is thrown into a plan that is going to put an unexpected person on the throne if they win.

Darek - Literally tall, dark and moody. Darek is leading the rebellion that he promised his mother he would finished when she was killed many years earlier. He never counted on Ren being the person who was going to end this rebellion for good. Ren is a thorn in his side, she is snarky, rude and doesn't know how to follow directions and not a challenge he was expecting to have to deal with as well. But soon Darek is warming up to the the street girl who tests his every very being.

Kellen - Kellen is one of the Princes of Edris. He has a reputation of sharing the bed of many woman and when he can he keeps his head down and avoids his duties. Why act like a prince when his father looks down on him, his mother can't be bothered and his older brother Heath is next in line for the throne? Kellen runs one of the fighting rings with in the kingdom and one night meets Ren when she comes to fight in his ring. With his search for Ren and his involvement with Holland, another key player in the Rebellion, Prince Kellen has no idea what he is getting himself into, but he does know one thing. He is ready for change.

Adley - Part of the King's Children, an elite guard of the King, Adley's job is to hunt down the rebels. When the King offers the position of the King's Fang up to anyone who can bring the leaders of the rebellion in, Adley jumps on the chance. Adley has a secret though, she has fallen in love with her best friend and the King's Children are not allowed to fall in love, it is an act of treason. But after her service of Fang is over she will be allowed to leave and live a free life with Lesa by her side and not having to hide their love for each other. But soon Adley is in a position she never thought she would be in.

There is a lot that happens in this book and for the sake of spoilers I am not going to discuss most of it because I want you all the find out for yourself. But the plot twists, the actions and the romance will have you on the edge of your seat. Though all of the characters are on different sides, each have redeeming qualities about them that make you love them, no matter how much you don't want to.

The one thing I will put out there is that I recommend this book for an upper YA audience. Darek is twenty two, making him the oldest in the cast of characters, which wouldn't necessarily bother me for it was easy for me to connect with characters because of their ages. But I can see this being a problem for younger readers. The romance aspect is a little steamy, (which I explain in the next paragraph) making the upper YA audience a better fit rather then a younger YA audience. This book doesn't fall into NA or adult though, it reads as a YA novel would, just with character who are slightly older.

The romance was one of my favorite aspects on this story. Darek and Ren start out hating each other and slowly through the pages we watch what starts out as their partnership in a rebellion turn into something much much more. The tension between these two characters is intense, though they both "hate" each other, they both face the feelings that they want each other and that the want more from the other person, whether they are going to admit it to each other or not. When they finally kiss? Damn. Gruenke did not disappoint on Darek and Ren's part as well as the reader. (I'm always here for a steamy scene though.) But more then just the kissing, watching Ren who is use to being on her own and not letting anyone in, let Darek in which was what made this romance so satisfying to me. The romance didn't take over the whole plot of the story, but it gave it the push it needed in those final scenes on the book. (Once you read you will know exactly what I am talking about!)

Overall I loved Of Silver and Shadow and I am sad that it is over. I have't heard any news on a sequel but Gruenke did wrap up the story nicely if this book does end up being a stand alone, but I would love to see how there characters make do with the result their actions had given them.

3.5 stars.

This was a bit of a weird book for me. I loved the cast, but the events of the story unfold so slowly! It legitimately took me until 75% of this book to fully get into it, the events happening and the story moving forward. I also have to mention here that the events that do take place are fairly simple and unsophisticated. I was expecting so many more complicated things to happen or consequences to the action but they never arose.
On the bright side, the cast was great. Ren is awesome, Darek, Markus, Riko, and Kellen are charming.
I also liked the queer relations contained within, even if I thought the romance as a whole was foreshadowed too much.
I think this book has promise, and I hope the second book leaves off where this one finishes, and provides more action, which I do think it needs.