I absolutely LOVED This book!!! I felt like this is so underwhelmed right now in the midst of all the other releases that are getting so much hype, this book right here should be at the top of the lists! It was a quick and entertaining read from the first to last page. The characters were so well fleshed out and I could picture them all perfectly. I came to love each and every one of them by the end of the book and was cheering for the romance with all my heart. My favorite kinds of books are when you are reading and the story blooms in your mind so vividly that before you know it you're half way through the book before you can tear your eyes from the pages and come back to reality. And this was one of those kinds of books.

I kind of got a Throne of Glass vibe with the fighting dens and the badass Ren Kolins who could take on any bully and come out on top. I think that as a main character she was easy to follow. Her drive to hold up to her word was respectable and understandable that she would be wary of most everyone else after having survived a fire that killed her parents and was supposed to kill her.

The magic system was also really interesting. I like the idea of bending silver. It was easy to understand and didn't muddle the storyline in trying to explain the workings of it. I hate when you can't understand how the magic is supposed to work and end up reading 100 pages of a how to do magic in this particular world instead of just getting on with the story, and thankfully that was NOT the case here.

I honestly can't wrap my head around this being a standalone. I really really hope that there is more to this world and these characters. I would read it in a heartbeat! I will definitely be putting this on my favorites shelf to read again!!

This book was like a lot of books about The Reluctant Chosen One and The Rebel Leader Who Loves Her I've read before but that doesn't mean I liked It any less. I really like Ren's silver magic, I thought it was extremely unique and I wish there was more of an explanation surrounding some of the silver lore. But Ren was just SO obstinate and in the beginning I was genuinely annoyed by indifference to the rebels and their cause. As the story went on I came to understand her and her struggles at little bit more, but I really do wish the story went into more detail about her coming to understand her part in the rebellion and maybe changing her mind about her place in it all. (But maybe that's for book 2?? Is there going to be a book 2, I'm honestly okay if there's not because the story does do a good job of being self contained but I also wouldn't mind more.)
The thing I did really enjoy was the different perspectives the story was told through and how much I cared about each character. Adley was so interesting and sympathetic despite her position, I can't resist a charmer who is really just hiding his sadness like Kellen, and dark and broody but loyal Darek made me swoon. I also like how the chapters got shorter and shorter and jumped more quickly between the characters during the big climax, it made it feel very cinematic.

Ren loves to play cards and steal. Ren is kidnapped for information. her secret may be out but they want a favor. Rens magic may put her life in danger. I liked the world building. Adley is trying to seek out people who know about the rebellion and torture them. I like the name Adley. The action quickly picked up. I loved the characters. I didn't like the king or Heath. I loved kellen

This was a very unique story, with diverse characters, with a rebellion on the horizon. The story contained plenty of plot twists and surprises lurking in shadowed alleyways, with a rugged female lead with an affinity for thieving.

The characters were great, but unfortunately, many of them came off as two-dimensional, they had unique traits and physical characteristics that helped distinguish them from each other but were aren't shown any evidence or examples of these things.

Ren was a badass female character who tended to remind me of many other characters in Young Adult. She's a sarcastic smart mouth heroine with ferocious skills that always seem to keep her one step ahead of her opponents. I felt like there was a point in the story that I should have connected with her, and I just never had that moment.

I wasn't a fan of the romance in this book, I fount that there was no slow burn to it. It was immediately obvious to me that there was going to be a romance, and I honestly never felt like there was any chemistry between them at all, I could live without this romance in my life.

I had two major issues with this story, the first one is that the characters just seemed to walk into answers, instead of them working to discovering them. The other one is that very little of the story itself felt organic. most of the story, the characters, and the scenes felt forced, and I just wasn't meshing with this story.
This might have been better if it had been split into more than one book, and if there had been a little more added to the story. This wasn't at all a bad book by any means, I just don't think it was for me but I do look forward to seeing what this author comes out with in the future.

I had to put this on hold because of my reading slump.
But I can say, that I was a little more than half way through and I really enjoyed what I read, and I will hopefully be able to continue reading as soon as it's summer break!
I will upload the full review when it's done.

Thank you to NetGalley, Jennifer Gruenke, and North Star Editions for the opportunity to read Of Silver and Shadow in exchange for an honest review.

This book is stunning from the beginning. This novel is currently one of the best stand-alone's out there, but there is possibility for future adventures in this world. While it is a young adult novel, sometimes it comes off as more adult, but the personal and physical conflicts within are definitely something teens can relate to, as they may be going through something similar in their own lives.

This book is told from the third person limited perspectives of four different characters:

Ren: A secret silver-wielder. Her family was killed by the king. Presumed dead, she hides her magic from the world to avoid being hunted by the king. She is a ruthless fighter and takes on the fighting pits to earn money, as the debts of her parents fall upon her. Too bad these debts are to an underground crime lord.

Derek: After his mother's death, he becomes the leader of the rebellion, his brother always following in step behind his actions. With a long-forming plot to overthrow the Lyandor king, Derek finding Ren might shape the rebellion just the way they need it to go. 

Adley: A King's Child (someone taken as a slave child to train as one of the king's most prodigious fighters) wants to be the King's Fang, his right hand warrior, and the only position that offers freedom after a certain amount of years in service. She loves another King's Child, Lesa, though their relationship is not attainable under the current rule. To claim her place as King's Fang, she must find and bring in the rebel leader.

Kellen: The second prince to the Lyander throne. Nowhere near as ruthless as his father or brother, Kellen secretly runs a fighting pit and escapes the castle whenever he can.

In this world, there used to be many silver wielders, people born with silver magic. At one point, the royal family purged all silver wielders save for themselves, as others with magic are a threat to the Lyandor family's power.

Ren, Derek, Adley, and Kellen find their stories intertwining in the most unthinkable of ways. Ren hates Derek and he hates her in return, yet their hatred seems to weave into something more. Kellen doesn't know Ren is a silver wielder, and she doesn't know the pit lord is actually the prince. Adley supports the throne with everything she has, but love might be stronger than training and loyalty to the crown. 

There is quite a bit going on in this novel, and every single word, every single sentence, draws the reader forward, itching for more, itching to make the connections between the characters, wondering just how this rebellion story will turn out. This book is fast-paced and the writing style is wonderfully eloquent.

There is so much more I could say about this book, but I think I have hinted at enough of the plot without giving away major details. This is a phenomenal read that I would highly recommend to any fantasy fan, teen and adult alike.

Of Silver and Shadow was a brutal and thrilling read, with fantastic, well rounded out characters and a unique magic system.  I loved the idea of the silver wielders, who could manipulate silver to do their bidding (think using it as a solid or a liquid.  To help or to harm)!  Our MC, Ren, was one of my favourite types of characters - an anti hero that will be taking none of your crap.  Living with her friend and running an orphanage, while trying to pay back an enormous debt through pit fighting, Ren's life is far from easy.  With her parents dead by the king's orders, the rebels are sure she'll want to help them overthrow the royals.  But Ren is really not interested in doing a duty to the kingdom, she's just here for the money.  

The Kings Children are the kings guards.  The best of the best, and Adley is the best of them.  But she has a secret that could cost her her life.  With dreams of ascending her position, the only way to do it is for her to be the one to find and catch the rebel leader, and she'll do anything to make that happen.

Told from four points of view, the story comes together seamlessly, with rich world building and more action than you can poke a stick at.  I loved that the author was able to pull together gruesome scenes, romance, political intrigue AND brilliant banter between the characters.  It's not an easy mix to get right, but Jennifer managed it.    

I'd highly recommend getting your hands on this fabulous debut once it is out in the world!

I really enjoyed this book. I loved getting to know Ren, Darek, Adley and Kellen as we shifted between their perspectives. That this book centers around a rebellion-that Darek runs, that needs Ren to succeed, that Adley is trying to foil and capture, and that Kellen, the prince who doesn't fit with his family, with the court, I loved how their stories intertwined!

Ren is a character with a past, let me tell you! She had a sharp tongue, and she wasn't afraid to take it out on you. I loved her clashes with Darek, they were great verbal sparring partners. I really enjoyed all their interactions!

The magic was a pretty interesting part of this book, of silver and manipulating it. And it was pretty important to the plot, what with all the politics surrounded it, that the royal family had it, and killed everyone else. And a good reason why there's a rebellion against them, though it is 100 or so years later, the quality of the line of kings hasn't changed. Well, Kellen is different, but he's the exception to the rule.

When all of these characters finally got together, yeah, they were a force to be reckoned with. And how all those little details came together for that ending? That was just awesome, unexpected, and still caused a lot of trouble and fall out! It was epic to read!

I enjoyed this book immensely, it was a really great read!

Do you like stories with magic and revolution? I do, and Of Silver and Shadow by Jennifer Gruenke has plenty of both.

The story is told in 3rd person from the point of view of several characters. These were the main POVs:

Ren - she's a reluctant hero, spent the last several years eking out a living on the streets, and just happens to have the magical "silver" that only the royal family is supposed to have

Darek - a wealthy revolutionary who needs to have Ren on his side in order to make the revolution succeed.

Kellen - the second son of the king, he doesn't have the ruthlessness of his father or brother but has a secret life outside the castle

Adley - one of the "King's Children," a ruthless group of elite guards who protect the king. She happens to be in love with another one of the King's children, Lesa. Falling in love as a King's Child is prohibited.

I enjoyed the story, but the book didn't enthrall me, and I'm not sure why. Perhaps there were too many POVs? It can be difficult to truly dissect a book that was well-crafted yet seems to be missing that spark that sets the five-star books apart from the four-star ones. The above characters were all sympathetic, but with so many POV characters, it might have just been difficult to connect completely with just one or two. When I really fall in love with a character, I want to be able to live in their head, and I'm not sure I was able to do that here.

However, the book had a good story. The king in this book was deliciously evil and I wanted to see him overthrown. There was a twist at the end of the story that I didn't *really* see coming? There were some breadcrumbs so it was logical, but it did seem a little surprising. The book ended well, but there's more to the story to make you want to come back for book 2.

The magic, or "silver" as it is called in this book, is interesting. I imagine it as this sort of mercury-like liquid that can take a solid form that silver-wielders are able to emit but almost everybody else can't. I'm not sure I've seen anything like it before.

Overall, Of Silver and Shadow is a solid debut. The plot was good, I enjoyed the whole revolution aspect, but it wasn't so amazing that I couldn't put it down.

#netgalley #arcreview #justreleased
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Of Silver and Shadow - Jennifer Gruenke
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Ren is such an awesome and strong character, loved how she is behaving and how she grows during the storyline.
Darek is an brooding male and i liked the bantering between him and Ren and his brother.
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The world building, strong leading characters, and different POV make this story so good to read, I loved it 💕🙌🏻📖.
And what I liked also is, that it’s not alone exploring straight heterosexual relationships between characters, but it has two strong ladies that love each other hard and fight for that love 💕.
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Genre; YA, SciFi, fantasy, lgbtq 🏳️‍🌈
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Blurb;

Ren Kolins is a silver wielder—a dangerous thing to be in the kingdom of Erdis, where magic has been outlawed for a century. Ren is just trying to survive, sticking to a life of petty thievery, card games, and pit fighting to get by. But when a wealthy rebel leader discovers her secret, he offers her a fortune to join his revolution. The caveat: she won’t see a single coin until they overthrow the King.

Behind the castle walls, a brutal group of warriors known as the King’s Children is engaged in a competition: the first to find the rebel leader will be made King’s Fang, the right hand of the King of Erdis. And Adley Farre is hunting down the rebels one by one, torturing her way to Ren and the rebel leader, and the coveted King’s Fang title.

But time is running out for all of them, including the youngest Prince of Erdis, who finds himself pulled into the rebellion. Political tensions have reached a boiling point, and Ren and the rebels must take the throne before war breaks out.
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Stars; ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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#bookreview #arc #reading #ofsilverandshadow #bookstagram #book #released #ya #fantasy #uprising #adventure #lgbtq🌈 #creative #silver #excited #good #tbr #photography

Of Silver and Shadow had a lot going right for it.

A story of rebellion with unique and diverse characters, a plot with twists and surprises lurking in shadowed alleyways, a rugged world built on oppression and fear, and a female lead with a liking towards thievery and pit fights.

But with all the good that this story was – enthralling, exciting, fresh – there were too many holes, forced moments and fumbling for it to really be a winner in my eyes.

“Manners are nothing more than a polite form of dishonesty.”

This is your basic YA Fantasy story of a group of rebels attempting to overthrow a cruel and power-obsessed King. For a century, the use of magic in the form of silver wielding has been outlawed and forbidden by anyone but the royal family. In fear of losing their royal status, King Tallis ensured that only the Lyandor family would have the right to possess magic. So he ordered the capture of those who possessed the gift of silver magic, and killed them all.

“They writhed, eyes and noses glowing, heads thrown back and silver spilling out of wide mouths as they tried to scream, but couldn’t.”

This started off strong with the introduction of our ruthless and badass female heroine, Ren. I knew from the description that I was going to take an immediate liking to her, and I did, but there was just something…missing. She has SERIOUS Celaena Sardothian vibes, with a smart mouth and ferocious skills that always keep her one step ahead of her opponents. She is arrogant, stubborn, brash and sarcastic. Truly a gem. But the connection that I should have made with her from the beginning never seemed to come.

“She held her chin as if bearing the weight of a crown.”

What quickly becomes a theme for the characters in this book is their two-dimensional nature. Sure, they have physical traits that set them apart and personalities that make them differ from one another. But “who they are” and “what they’re about” is mostly told to the reader, with very little evidence or examples being shown. I felt that there were too many descriptions of their personalities, traits and flaws rather than there being a chance for me to draw my own conclusions about each person.

I wanted to figure out on my own why Ren kept people at a distance and why she was always so mean. I wanted to learn in due time just how cruel the king and his son Heath were, and the lengths they would go to in order to stay in power. I wanted that slow-burn romance with tentative flicks of the eyes, the feather-light brushing of hands during strategy talks or playful banter. But there wasn’t much of that at all. And with that painfully obvious romance between Ren and Darek, it all felt forced and rushed with zero chemistry between them.

The King and Heath were described as being truly horrible beings who cared only for power and ruling. But they don’t come across that way at all. Their dialogue doesn’t express pure menace or cruelty. Heath is even supposed to be more vicious than his father, but the way he spoke and his mannerisms made him come off as thoughtful and vulnerable. Even how the King expressed his disgust for his sons came off like an offhanded jab. Like when I’m shoving cookies into my face on a Tuesday afternoon and my friend is looking at me in horror and says ‘Bruh, you disgust me’. Bit aggressive, but not pure malice.

About the only two characters that were convincing were two soldiers of the King’s Children.

“No one really talked about what happened when a King’s Child lost their finesse with a weapon and their body began to final, but everyone knew. The king worked his children until they outlived their usefulness, and when their aim was no longer true and their sword shook in their hands, he sent them to an early grave.”

Adley and Lesa are two badass broads, but Lesa is who really steals the show…and as the supporting actress to Adley! She has a softness to her that is girly and delicate, with a scary fierceness and a twisted love for torture and bloodshed. Their relationship is EVERYTHING I was needing from Ren and Darek. Caring, strong, fierce, sweet and well-rounded. But unfortunately, this story doesn’t wholly center on them. and unfortunately, I feel like they barely got an ending!

I think what my main issue is that very little aspects of this story felt organic. Big plot points are revealed by characters just sort of walking into the answers, and even the revealing of these secrets and twists were blasé. But please hear me when I say, this isn’t a bad book by any means. I was hooked into it and loved the plot and story as a whole. I just felt like it could have been great, when it was just pretty good. Maybe it’s because I compare everything to an SJM books now, who knows? But part of me wishes this story was split into two books, and part of me disagrees because there wasn’t THAT much happening. I just wanted more explanation on the magic, more of what went into planning the rebellion and MORE from Ren.

I’m on the fence about this one, but I’m interested to read something else by this author to see if it was just this book or my mood getting in the way of me loving it.

I liked Of Silver and Shadows, but I wasn’t overall enthralled by it. It was similar to other YA fantasy books I’ve read before in terms of plot and characters and this unoriginality made it hard for me to connect with the protagonists and story.

Our main heroine is a thief named Ren, one of the few who can control silver in the world. Silver wielders were exterminated by the King 100 years ago and, against all odds, Ren was born with this magic that resulted in her parents’ death. From the age of 9, she lives on the streets trying to survive. Many years later a pair of brothers, who know about her secret, find her and ask her to join the rebellion to overthrow the king in exchange for a hefty amount of money she cannot refuse. At the same time, the King’s Children, a special-trained army only loyal to the King, make it their life purpose to find the leader of the rebellion and bring him down.

The introduction of the main cast of characters seemed very hasty. We follow too many characters we know nothing about and it’s very confusing to keep up with all their storylines. I think the author should have taken her time to introduce each character separately and make us care about their well-being before dropping us in the middle of the action.

The fact that Ren was so trop-y badass that I could not stand her, I suppose it’s a matter of personal preference. However, every character was pretty much generic and very YA-like. That’s not necessarily a bad thing since they served their purpose and moved the plot forward, but it didn’t make things interesting.

The only exception to this rule was my favorite character, Adley, who’s a very skilled King’s Child. I love that she has more depth than what she allows others to see and has to guard her feelings and play the King’s game to be able to earn her freedom. Her complicated relationship with Lesa shows her true colors and I’m looking forward to reading more about these two.

The magic system wasn’t thoroughly explained, so I couldn’t picture how silver welding looked like or worked. The author gives us a very vague idea of what silver magic is and I think she should have dived more into this concept since magic plays such a huge role in her world.

On a positive note, the writing was good and easy to follow, and the plot was engaging enough to make you wanna know what comes next.

I received this e-arc from NetGalley for review purposes. All opinions are my own.

This was a great story of rebellion, magic, and the people caught in between it all.

I would say that Ren was really such an awesome MC I loved her and she definitely made me chuckle while Kellen was my second favourite character.

While I did enjoy this read, I would say that it's not anything we haven't seen before, and I don't mean with the tropes because I personally enjoy most tropes. Instead, it was the fact that rebellions and heists are quite popular at the moment.

Luckily Ren made this story stand out for me, where others have failed to stick in my memory.

I would recommend this for anyone who enjoys sassy characters, magic, and a really quick and fun paced read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion. [Full review to appear on blog closer to the new publication date.]

I’ll be honest, I’m a little over novels set in Paris. Especially when they all have to do with heists. Let’s be original, people.

Some things are worth the pain.

Ren: Silver wielder. Pit fighter. Poker con artist. Only helps the rebels to pay a debt.

Adley: Assassin. Member of the King’s Children. Fighting for her freedom.

Darek: Rebel. Seeks out Ren for her help in the fight against the Crown. Looking for revenge for his mother.

Kellen: Youngest Prince. Underground fight club owner.



Things I Liked:

The violence. Don’t hate me! To be frank, violence doesn’t really bug me. Maybe after growing up with weekly horror movies, I’ve become immune to the gruesome. This was a nice change since most novels “soften” violence, when it wasn’t or isn’t reality.
Pacing. The pacing of the book was excellent. There weren’t many “still” moments and there was never a point where I felt bored by the story. What I really enjoyed was that there was a mix of short and long chapters, not a standard “20” pages.
Kellen. You can’t help but love him.


Things I Didn’t Like:

Similar Characters. Ren and Adley are basically the same person. I was starting to get them a little confused. Strong, badass women is a common theme now-a-days with multiple people falling in love with them. I wish their personalities were different, especially being the main protagonists.
Magic System. I don’t really understand silver wielding at all or how it came about. If it is so powerful, then why doesn’t Ren have more power? She is always on the run. I understand she is trying to “hide” since it is forbidden for anyone who isn’t in the royal family, but she could easily stand up to them or threaten others with her power. More explanation of the history of silver wielding would’ve been beneficial.
Romance. Too many different love stories. I’d rather focus more on the adventure.


Of Silver and Shadow is a story about political intrigue, enemies to lovers, and character growth. People who enjoyed The Gilded Wolves and Six of Crows would enjoy this novel.

Title: Of Silver and Shadow
Author: Jennifer Gruenke
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 5 out of 5

Ren Kolins is a silver wielder—a dangerous thing to be in the kingdom of Erdis, where magic has been outlawed for a century. Ren is just trying to survive, sticking to a life of petty thievery, card games, and pit fighting to get by. But when a wealthy rebel leader discovers her secret, he offers her a fortune to join his revolution. The caveat: she won’t see a single coin until they overthrow the King.

Behind the castle walls, a brutal group of warriors known as the King’s Children is engaged in a competition: the first to find the rebel leader will be made King’s Fang, the right hand of the King of Erdis. And Adley Farre is hunting down the rebels one by one, torturing her way to Ren and the rebel leader, and the coveted King’s Fang title.

But time is running out for all of them, including the youngest Prince of Erdis, who finds himself pulled into the rebellion. Political tensions have reached a boiling point, and Ren and the rebels must take the throne before war breaks out.

I was entranced by this book from the very beginning! Ren’s attitude and brashness is a little much at ties, but I feel that’s a growth opportunity to grow for her, and I did enjoy her sass. Even the secondary characters are vivid and vibrant---like the prince---and the settling felt realistic and almost-visible to me. A fantastic read!

Jennifer Gruenke grew up in California and now lives in Charlotte. Of Silver and Shadow is her debut novel.

(Galley courtesy of North Star/Flux in exchange for an honest review.)

Of Silver and Shadow is about Ren Kolins, who is trying to survive by stealing and fighting in the pits. Ren is a silver wielder, a magic that has been outlawed for a century. When the rebels discover Ren's magic, they offer Ren a fortune to join them and overthrow the King. Meanwhile in the castle, the King's Children, a group of fierce warriors, are tasked to find the rebel leader in order to be made the King's Fang, the right hand of the king. And then there's Prince Kellen, who desperately tries to avoid any politics but eventually finds himself being pulled into the rebellion. When all their fates collide, who will persevere?

Of Silver and Shadow is such a good read. It's fast-paced writing immediately pulls you into the story. The multiple POV make for an interesting read, while you get to immerse yourself in the different perspectives and storylines that are being brought together. It has a diverse cast of characters, which I love. Even though it seems like you don't get enough time to really get to know the characters, you still manage to root for all of them. Of Silver and Shadows also includes enemies-to-lovers, one of my favorite tropes. So basically... what more could you want?

Not since Sarah J Maas’s books have I sped read, skimmed and almost skipped a couple sentences all because I just needed to know MORE.

This book. Man.. it took my be surprise because not only did it start with a bang but it ended in a way that had me clutching my iPad to my chest out of pure good anxiety (Is that a thing? It has to be. 😂) on what I had just finished. I loved the characters, the plot line, the overall feeling of the story.. I just loved it all.

I gotta admit at first I was kind of weary since the book was told through the point of view of four very different characters. We had Darek: the broody alpha male that we all need in our lives who was the leader of the rebellion against the throne; Kellen: the wayward prince who may have been the only kind person among a family of sharks who ended up aiding the rebellion against his family; Adley: a King’s Child, otherwise known as the King’s personal army full of stolen children and Adley was the young woman who’d fallen for her best friend knowing it was against the law but doing everything in her power to save that love even if it meant betraying everything she’d ever known; & finally we have Ren: orphaned at a young age and a wielder of a magic silver which had caused her to be hunted down by the king only narrowly escaping while her parents weren’t as fortunate. She grew up to be ruthless and pushed everyone away not realizing that the second she allowed someone in, she would begin to heal from her horrible past.

Despite the four point of views, it all tied together. These four characters were interconnected in a way that made the entirety of the story flow nicely. I don’t have enough words to explain how much I enjoyed this book and I don’t know if it’s a series, but if it is, I’ll be counting down the days until my next glimpse of this wonderful world.

Story
You know that feeling you get when you read a book that's SO good you just don't have any words for it? Of Silver and Shadows is IT. This review is just going to be me constantly screaming about how good this book was.

The story was absolutely amazing. We've read about rebellions and overthrowing kings before, but this one just takes it in a whole new direction and I am here for it. The story follows multiple characters and POVs, yet it's not hard to keep track of at all.

There are plenty of action scenes, although the first part of the book is a bit slow. The author spends a lot of time character building in the first 30%, but it pays off in the end.

Writing
The writing. Like, how do you words? IT WAS PHENOMENAL. I read this book in one sitting, and that hasn't happened since my Twilight days. I was constantly on the edge of my seat and I have never been so invested in my life.

There's not a lot of world-building, the world-building is done mainly through the experiences the characters have, which is awesome.

Characters
THE BEST PART of this book is the characters. Seriously. If you want a slow-burn, angst-filled haters-to-lovers relationship done SO RIGHT, this is for you. Ren and Darek have my heart and I want more of them.

Adley was by far my favourite character. I loved reading her POV and learning more about the world through her eyes. There's also a bunch of secondary characters that are exceptionally well fleshed out and this whole book is just amazing.

This book starts with an engaging premise and easily held my attention. For a book of this length, I sped through it, absolutely captivated by the story. However, the end of the story did feel like it fell apart a bit. A number of essential elements to the twist weren’t introduced until the very end and seemed thrown together for a bit of “shock”. The book doesn’t end with a satisfying conclusion but does leave the potential open for a sequel, which may subvert some of my reservations about the ending of an otherwise very exciting and engaging plot.

The characters were, as they should be, the heart of this book. The book alternates third-person point of view between many characters, including those that are antagonistic to Ren’s story. Normally changing point of view is a struggle for me, but I really connected with each major character we met and was interested in seeing their lives finally intersect. While the author did a great job with the main characters, there were some minor characters that felt underutilized and unnecessary. Again, though, if this book is setting up for a sequel, this could be acceptable.

The book takes place in a relatively small setting for a Fantasy novel, we just get to see one city in their kingdom, but the author does a great job of developing this “bottle” setting. I felt as familiar with the streets and taverns as Ren and the other characters by the end of the story. Additionally, the magic system introduced was fun and engaging, if not entirely unique to the genre.

Of Silver and Shadow is Jennifer Gruenke’s debut novel and is a delight to read. It can be dark at moments, and somewhat graphic, but not bad enough for a squirmish person like me to shy away. The story will absolutely hook you, but you, like me, might feel the ending is somewhat thrown together. However, the last few pages leave the door open to a potential sequel, which I think would relieve some of my complaints about an otherwise excellent book.

I didn’t enjoy this book too much. The story is one we’ve heard a million times and I felt like the characters were too trope-y and predictable. It wasn’t terrible but just didn’t keep my attention. I DNF so maybe if I try it again later I might enjoy it more?