Plot = 4*

Story development = 4*

Characters = 3.5*

Enjoyability = 3*

Insightfulness = 3.5*

Pacing = 3*

Writing quality + ease of reading = 4*

This book was put together nicely, with multiple points of view and an interesting rebellion plot. I have been enjoying the trend of thief themes lately and this book wasn't my favorite on that point, but it was good. I enjoyed each of the four main characters Ren, Darek, Adley, and Kellen, but I think Kellen and his story was my favorite.

I wasn't expecting to like it this much. Certainly, the synopsis had intrigued me from the beginning. I was curious to see how the story would develop and I have to say it was fascinating.
The characters were quite interesting. Each of them had their own part to add to the story. Also, the relationships between some of them were really endearing and believable. The only bad thing I could say is that not all of these characters had a great evolution throughout the novel.
The plot was fast-paced and very intriguing. It keeps you at the edge of your seat, willing to know what is coming next.
And the magic system and its history really surprised me. I really enjoyed how it was portrayed and how it became a reflection of the misuse of power.
Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who likes fantasy and wants to get involved in the craziest revolutionary plan.

🧥

*Thank you so much Netgalley and the Publisher for providing me with an early copy of this book for review, all opinions are my own*

I loved this book, I still can't believe it is the author's debut novel.
Her writing is wonderful to read, I am dying to read the following books (please tell me there will be more) besides that the twists and turns during the story never stopped surprising me until the end of the book.
But what definitely won me over in this book was the characters, they are completely captivating, all of them, it even gave me a six of crows vibe because of them, it was a long time since I fell in love with a group of characters like that.
This book has it all, wonderful writing, captivating story, wonderful characters, heartwarming romances, betrayal, politics, powers, rebellion, death, it has a little bit of everything, it is a complete fantasy book that I highly recommend!

So it took me three attempts to get into this book but I'm SOOO glad I didn't DNF because it about 15% I became TOTALLY and UTTERLY captivated.

I felt like the book started slow. Ironically it dived into the action so fast there was very little world or character building and so to actual connection between book and reader is what developed slowly. Don't let this scare you off though because you are gradually fed information on the world and characters and once it all comes together it is a brilliant adventure!

The slow burn enemies to lovers Romance in this killed me and I actually have a note in my Kindle saying exactly that "this flirtation is killing me"

The characters are diverse, unique, flawed but still ultimately loveable even the pit fighting, snarky, violent, rebellion, b***h protagonist. There's some super cute pairings and great diversity that feels natural not forced.

This is a dark high fantasy with plenty of twists, scheming and interwoven character storylines and perspectives that come together for a thrilling and nail biting conclusion.

Star taken away because it took so many attempts to push through the beginning. The first 20% would be rated 2.5 stars but the remainder would be 4 or 4.5 stars so I'm keeping it at 4 stars because it was mostly a great fun read.

Review will be live next week on socials and I will note the pushed back release date in my review.

This was such an exciting fantasy read, I couldn't put it down.

I loved that the magic system was simple and fresh, definitely a different direction than most magic systems take in fantasy I usually see. I wish we could have had more of it and really had an understanding of it. Hopefully, if there's more books, we'll get to learn more.

I loved the enemies-to-lovers trope, even if it was a little obvious. I was still rooting for them throughout the book! I think the author did a nice job of toeing the line with their jabs and insults, but not making them cross to unforgivable pastures.

I think the book ends a little abruptly, so if there's not a second book I'll be super disappointed, but I do think she leaves off in a well enough place to make it work.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and highly suggest it for lovers of fantasy!

DNF at 20%.

When I put this book down and have absolutely no desire or interest to continue the story or the characters I knew it was time to stop.

I was immediately thrown into the story with some fast moving plot elements that felt extremely rushed through that I wasn't able to engage with the story at all. The main character Ren is one of those sassy, I won't take any crap, type of characters but she does it at every turn and conversation it gets to be abrasive and annoying that I started to really dislike her.

Also, the writing style was really reminiscent of Nameless Queen and I didn't particularly enjoy that one so I decided not to take the chance. Sure, the story might have evened itself out along the way and became something I quite enjoyed but I don't have the time and energy for that.

Oh well. On to the next book.

Of Silver and Shadow, I think would make a great transition book from teens to adult who enjoy the fantasy genre. It features an array of interesting characters and have some adult themes. The book is not all that original such as tyrannical kings, rebels with a cause and spunky streetwise heroine. but it does feature some if my favourite tropes. witty banter, enemies to lovers and some other cinnamon roll main characters. Of Silver and Shadow is told in multiple POV’s and fortunately I did like most of them, Darek unfortunately took over half the book for my opinion of him to change. Although Of Silver and Shadow can be typical at times the world building was amazing. You really can see the economical divide in Erdis.
Overall, Of Silver and Shadow struggles with its originality but do not disregard the positives that still make it a fun and enjoyable read.

In the kingdom of Erdis, it has been illegal for any but members of the royal family to have the magic known as silver. If a commoner is found to have silver, they are executed. But the rest of the populace is no better off, for the king is a tyrant who brutally puts down all dissent and regularly demonstrates his cruelty. Against this backdrop, eighteen-year-old Ren Kolins must hide her silver while embarking on a life as a card sharp, petty thief, and pit fighter to make ends meet. When her silver is discovered by a wealthy noble family, Ren is drawn into a rebellious plot that promises to make her rich– but only if the rebellion succeeds against all odds. Meanwhile, the members of the king’s brutal brigade known as the King’s Children are competing to become the next Fang, and Adley Farre will stop at nothing to earn that honor by hunting down the rebels, one by one. Time is running out for all of them, and when the youngest prince is drawn into the rebellion, its leaders must act before war breaks out.

In this YA fantasy, debut author Jennifer Gruenke attempts to build a grim world of tyranny and despair with one last hope for a better future. While Gruenke does manage to portray a world of casual brutality and questionable morality, there is little else to define or deepen it. The main protagonist, Ren, is quick to assure the other characters that she doesn’t care about anything but money, and while there is a reason for this, it’s tacked on like it was an afterthought. Constant descriptions of clothing are included in place of character development, as though knowing what color someone’s trousers are will provide a profound insight into who they are as a person. But while clothing might make the man, simply describing it does not make for a rounded character, and so everyone in the story has the depth of a puddle. Except for the villains, who are shallower still and exist to lurk in the background, evilly being evil.

“A few doors popped open along the corridor, and more Children entered the hall, wearing nightclothes and mussed hair.

‘What do you think you’re doing?’ demanded Lyle Mcillen, a boy a couple years younger than Adley and one of Ethen’s lackeys. With large muscles to compensate for the size of his brain, he worshipped Ethen like a god and not the persistent thorn in Adley’s side.

‘Shut it, Mcillen,’ Lesa snapped. Her withdrawn blade winked in the faint light, and Lyle froze in the middle of the corridor.

‘What are you going to do, Adley? Shoot me?’ Ethen asked.

‘Don’t think I haven’t considered it.'”

The most frustrating thing about Of Silver and Shadow and other YA fantasies of its kind is that they have a desperate desire to be seen as ‘cool’. They’re populated by badass girls who kick ass and don’t care about anyone else and handsome but troubled boys with artfully mussed hair, and somehow the fate of the world depends on the girl falling for at least one of the boys and his cause. It’s been a successful recipe many times over, which is why it continues to appear. But Of Silver and Shadow adds nothing new to this kind of YA fantasy, and to add insult to injury, it isn’t written very well. It reads like it was written in a hurry, with little thought to the world’s atmosphere, culture, or history. The ending is unconvincing and rushed, as though Gruenke was worried that expanding upon the finale would force her to change the closing scene and its snarky conversation.

It’s a shame. The kingdom of Erdis could have been an extraordinary place. The magic of silver could have been amazing. The characters and their relationships could have been fascinating. Of Silver and Shadow is rushed, though, with prose that needs editing, characters that need real development (not just descriptions of their clothing), and an ending that needs to be overhauled to be believable.

I approached Of Silver and Shadow with an open mind and enjoyed the first few chapters, but the more I read, the more frustrated I grew as characters would talk about how they hated the state of their world– and then do nothing about it. Or they would continue to talk about how little they cared about anyone around them, even as they were more and more wrapped up in events larger than themselves. They failed to change or grow over time the way people encountering extraordinary circumstances would actually change, just as the world never coalesces into anything beyond the generic, while the ending is unconvincing and unrealistic. For all its ideas, Of Silver and Shadow is a muddle of squandered potential and thrice reheated tropes.


Thank you to NetGalley and Flux for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest review. This did not change my opinion in any way.

Jennifer Gruenke has written a solid fantasy debut. While there's really nothing crazy new with forbidden magic, secret rebellions, enemies-to-lovers romance, and a messed-up royal family, I still enjoyed reading this book. I mostly enjoyed all the points of view we get (I think there's four?). The differing views kept the pace moving pretty quickly, and I liked seeing all the characters' developments, especially Kellen's and Adley's. Also, this book is pretty dark. Often, YA fantasy is a bit cushy, not showing too much violence and gore. But this book doesn't hold back, and all the violence is tastefully done and helps you remember the stakes. This book just felt different from a normal YA fantasy for that reason, and it was plenty entertaining. Perfect for fans of Night Spinner, Flame in the Mist, and The Shadows Between Us.

Writing Aesthetic/Style: 4
Plot/Movement: 4
Character Development: 4
Overall: 4

Thank you, NetGalley and Flux, for the ARC! This book will be released on May 26, 2020.

I enjoyed the writing in this book and all the characters. Ren can wield silver and is wanted by Darek and Holland to be the face of the rebellion. Heath is an evil prince. Adley and Lesa are lovers who cannot be caught since they are Children of the King-a type of guard/assassin for the King.
The book was paced well, however I wanted more world building and more action. The book lacked on those. The character development was great. I want more wrap up for each character. This was just okay.

When I sit down to read a YA fantasy novel, there are a few things I expect to find. One is almost always a Mary Sue, someone with extraordinary abilities who will inevitably save the day. Another is a romance that is all but forced, often in the enemies to lovers trope. While I expect these things, I also like them - this is why I can keep coming back over and over to different authors and variations of theme, hoping for nuance and interesting magic systems.

Of Silver and Shadow fell into the category of nuanced tropes, but full of tropes nonetheless. Ren is a silver wielder, one of the very few left as the king consolidated power by killing all magic wielders outside of his family. She survived by a stroke of luck and made her way as an orphan through a mix of fighting for money and using her abilities to steal. She is definitely rough around the edges, so when a pair of rebellious brothers approach her to lead the stand against the murderous royal family, she agrees, as long as the payday is big enough.

Such begins this story, which feels very familiar indeed. The most interesting character in the entire thing is the second son of the king, Kellen. Not stuck with being heir, he has found a way to connect with his people - through being a pit lord, overseeing the very fights in which Ren participates. He does not support the king's oppression, and is looking for a way to break out. He is complex and interesting in ways that the other characters, particularly the male characters in this book, are not.

One thing I wish had been more explored, and what I hope will be explored in sequels if they happen, is the magic system. The idea of being able to conjure and manipulate silver is very interesting, but it was used in almost perfunctory ways in this book. There was a plethora of political intrigue and plotting, but the magic was almost forgotten. We have no idea how or why this ability exists, and if there are other countries with unique powers. There is so much more that could be done with this very, very cool idea and I hope Gruenke takes advantage of the opportunity to do so.

Is this worth a read? Sure. Do I think it would be something I'll dash out and preorder the sequel? Nope. Perhaps if I hear that the characters are deeper and the magic is explored more, I'll pick it up.

My thanks to NetGalley, Flux, and North Star Editions for an ARC of this title in exchange for a fair and honest review.

(4.5/5 ⭐️) “Books were a reminder that the whole world wasn't a bleak tapestry of violence, and while she might never see anything beautiful again, at least she could read about kinder things. It was easier to breathe between the pages of a book.” In this dark fantasy, multiple character POVs are masterfully woven together as seamlessly as Ren welds silver.

Ren Kolins hides a dangerous ability, the ability to wield silver, a form of magic outlawed and purged from the kingdom of Erdis to ensure the royal family remained all powerful. Ever since the brutal murder of her parents, Ren has done her best to remain hidden, thieving, gambling, and fighting in the pits to survive. She’s got a hard way of life and an even harder heart, determined to push everyone away. But that changes when the rebellion recruits her, tempting her to join their ranks for a healthy sum of money as a reward. Meanwhile, the king’s brutal warriors known as King’s Children are hunting those in the rebellion, torturing them to get to the rebellion’s leader. This just so happens to be Derek, a tall, dreamy guy Ren doesn’t get along with. Their relationship is rocky from the start, and remains so throughout the book. But they have to learn to work together if they are to free Erdis from its tyranny. When Ren’s identity is discovered, and tensions reach a boiling point, the rebellion must act immediately or risk losing their foothold and all the work they did.

A HUGE round of applause for Jennifer Gruenke for a stellar debut novel! I so thoroughly enjoyed reading this dark fantasy. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough, especially because the multiple POVs left me eager for character after character.

The romance that develops between Ren and Derek was steamy and full of angsty fire. I love hate-to-love romances. The insults, banter, and dialogue. Mmmmm. It’s my cup of tea! This one did not disappoint. From the moment Ren and Dereck cross paths, they are throwing verbal daggers at each other.

Derek: “While people starve and suffer and die at the hands of a tyrant, you gallivant around Denfell, taking everything that doesn’t belong to you and nothing you deserve.”

But as they get to know one another, their thoughts and feelings change. There’s attraction from the beginning, but they struggle to get their minds on the same page about each other. Their romance development was something I thoroughly enjoyed while reading this story.

In terms of character development, I was disappointed in Ren’s lack of internal conflict. Where was her conflict? She was angry, and pushed people away. But I couldn’t tell what she actually wanted? She wanted money to pay back debt she owed, but that was superficial. What did she truly want, deep down? Why did her actions, the decisions she made, truly MATTER to her? She goes from not caring at all about the rebellion, to caring a little bit, but I didn’t really feel a huge change in her. I felt that her attempts at redemption were simply because Derek was asking her to do these things and because of the money involved. So that fell a little short for me. Character arc means a lot to me and is the difference between a 4 star and a 5 star read.

If anything, Adley Farre had a much greater internal conflict as a King’s Child. I felt that her character was crafted better than Ren’s. You could see her struggling when she was forced to torture people for information. You could see the difficulty even though she did it anyway. You could see that she wanted out, and that she loved Lessa and wanted a better future for the both of them. She was constantly fighting towards a goal that was driven by her own internal conflict. Moreover, she TOTALLY redeemed herself by switching sides. Sure, she was forced to. But she could have remained loyal and simply accepted her punishment. Instead, her love drove her to open her eyes and make the correct choice. She had a full character arc.

The world building was nice, but a smidge confusing. I had trouble making out the details. It was fantasy world, but it wasn’t a medieval one, because they had “sinks” with running faucets of water. I don’t even think that they had this in the Victorian era. Yet, it seemed old fashioned in other ways? So there was a little disconnect there in terms of technology advancement and all of that. You ride around in carriages but have kitchen sinks? Hmm...that’s fine, since it’s a fantasy world and anything goes. But...it’s a little unconventional and harder to adjust to. However, the magic system was great. I loved the idea of “silver welders” who can send wisps of silver to do things like create illusions, unlock doors, and even kill people, all controlled by hand movements. Magic systems are one of the main reasons I enjoy fantasy and this one definitely delivered.

The overall plot was done well, moved at a nice pace, and had a lot of closure. I enjoyed the story as a whole. The dialogue was awesome, the characters were fun and unique, and the ideas were fresh. All in all, it has been one of my top five favorite reads of 2020.

Thank you to NetGalley and Flux for the opportunity to review this book. This is an honest review in exchange for a copy.

I received an ARC of Of Silver and Shadow via NetGalley. There are some mild spoilers in the following review, so don’t say I didn’t warn you. What follows is my fair and honest review. Here’s my quick summary:

Of Silver and Shadow by Jennifer Gruenke is an upper-YA fantasy novel featuring a young woman, Ren, who has magic in a country where magic has been outlawed for everyone except the royal family. When the leader of a brewing rebellion learns of her gifts, he convinces Ren to join, but she charges a steep price. But being a part of a rebellion isn’t without risks, and Ren is about to find out what this rebellion will cost her.

This was another slow read for me, but I, once again, think that has more to do with my state of mind than the text itself. I think this book actually does a good job with pacing, though the most intense action sequence definitely comes at the end of the story. I also enjoyed how the story focused on a variety of characters. While Ren is definitely the main protagonist, we see the perspectives of several characters, and this complicates the typical “good guys versus bad guys” of novels in this genre.

Ren, as a character, also provides a fairly refreshing take on the “chosen hero” trope because she’s not an idealist. That is, she makes it clear from the beginning that she’s only joining the rebellion because the rebels have agreed to pay her. And while we do see her grow as the novel progresses, she doesn’t really lose her prickly nature. She reminds me a lot of Lila Bard from V.E. Schwab’s A Darker Shade of Magic series, so if you’re looking for more Lila in your life, Ren might just be the girl for you.

One of my favorite aspects of this novel was the enemies-to-lovers relationship between the rebel leader, Darek, and Ren. I think one of the reasons I was anxious about continuing was that I was afraid something was going to go haywire with that relationship, but my romance-reading heart wasn’t let down. That being said, there are definitely some narrative threads that were left loose at the end of this novel, so I would expect to see a sequel in the future.

I recommend Of Silver and Shadow for fans of YA fantasies featuring rebellions and/or a large cast of characters. I also think fans of the enemies-to-lovers trope and badass female protagonists will also enjoy this novel.

4.5 stars

An excellent story that kept me hooked till the last page and I read it as fast as I could.
The plot is gripping and entertaining, the world building is excellent and the characters are well developed and interesting.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

If you’re a fan of rebellions, magic, slow burn romance with a sassy female protagonist at it’s forefront then this is the book for you.

I loved the premise of this book and the idea that magic is so rare. Honestly, this book had me requesting it with the word revolution. I always find these books more interesting, with morally grey characters and an evil person in power and this book did not disappoint.

The characters in this book were very well written, are realistic and I couldn’t help but become emotionally attached to our rag-tag group of rebels. Ren is an extremely strong character who has lived on the streets most of her life and has had to adapt. She’s incredibly fierce and closed off but you can understand why however, at times, Ren really frustrated me in the way she behaved towards some of the other characters.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found it very hard to put down. This ticked a lot of boxes I have for YA fantasy and I’ve become enamoured with the world that Jennifer Gruenke has created. This was an amazing debut novel and I honestly cannot wait to read her future novels!

With it’s gripping plot lines and intense chapters I really do recommend picking it up when it releases on the 26th May 2020.

Thank you to NetGalley and North Star Editions- Flux for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Oo yet another YA fantasy story that features multiple characters facing a revolution. Yes I know it’s a popular trope recently but there’s a reason because if written well it’s interesting and fun ! I thoroughly enjoyed this story although it’s clear to me that there’s more to come. I think I would have liked a little more about the magic in play here but as it’s the first book I understand everything can be fleshed out later. The characters are interesting, the world building perhaps needs a tad more but overall I did actually really enjoy this and will happily read more
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

This book grabbed me from the beginning and didn't let go! The writing was easy to read and fast-paced, full of high stakes drama and action with none of the overly-dramatic angst.

Although the main plot was rebellion against the king, the story was twisty and interesting, and includes forbidden magic, underworld gangsters and forays into fighting pits and gory torture chambers. I really enjoyed the characters, especially all the kick-a women, who were soldiers, pit fighters, and even a baker who makes amazing cherry tarts. At times it was difficult to choose whose side I was on!

As for romance, there were 3 couples, the sweetest and most believable being the F/F soldiers. The main hate to love relationship was a bit rushed, but I'd rather that than too long.

All in all, this was a highly entertaining read! Definitely recommended!!

Of Silver and Shadow by Jennifer Gruenke is a book that caught my attention because of the cover…it’s so pretty. With that said, the story itself was quick to grab my attention and I found I didn’t want to put it down until I finished. The fact that I finished it in less than a day should tell you I enjoyed it. I’ll do my best not to include spoilers but be warned, that might be harder than I think.

The story is told from multiple perspectives and normally I favor one over another but in this case, I liked all perspectives equally. I think this speaks to Gruenke’s ability to make every chapter as engaging as the last, regardless of who’s perspective it was.

Now to the story – Ren Kolins is a silver wielder. This is important because a number of years prior, the King did what he needed to to eliminate anyone who had this magic but wasn’t a member of the royal family. Ren’s family was killed but she ended up surviving and living on the streets of Erdis. Ren is definitely a survivor. With the help of her magic, she’s actually been able to get by and you could say she’s a pretty successful thief and pit fighter. When Ren is approached by the leader of a group of rebels to join them and use her magic to overthrow the King, she bargains to get a fortune that will get her out from under the thumb of a gang leader she owes money to.

Our rebel leader is Darek and he doesn’t really make a great first impression with Ren. Having taken on the mantle of leader of the rebels when his mother died, Darek isn’t interested in Ren’s reasons for not doing whatever she could to make things better for the people of Erdis. Having grown up protected by his father and their money, he doesn’t really know what Ren has gone through and it shows. Luckily for Darek, he has his younger brother Markus, who is a bit more sensitive and is able to talk (negotiate) a deal with Ren to get her on board.

Adley Farre is one of the King’s Children; a group of warriors raised and trained by the King so you can imagine her life hasn’t been that easy. With that said, she has been able to carve a place for herself within the castle walls and by doing so, she is now a primary person responsible for hunting down the rebels. Her motivation is the competition the king has created amongst the Children. Whoever is able to hunt down the rebel leader will be made the King’s Fang (his right hand) and Adley sees this as an opportunity to obtain her freedom (and potentially that of the person she loves, another warrior named Lesa).

The final point of view is that of Kellen, the second son of the King. His ability to get in and out of the castle and make people believe that he doesn’t have a care in the world are what helps him survive in the world he grew up in - Kellen recognizes just how dangerous his father and his brother are. Unbeknownst to Kellen, his relationship is what gets him pulled into the world of the rebels and with a side gig he has, he finds himself right in the middle of Ren’s world.

I loved how Gruenke developed the characters, brought them all together, and leveraged them all to move the story forward. Yes, Ren is right at the center of everything but everyone in this book has a role to play and it makes the story that much more interesting.

This book has plenty of action and the pacing felt right. Every time I thought I had the storylines figured out, there was a twist or something else happened that required the characters to completely adjust their intended plans and it made things more interesting.

That’s about all I can say without giving anything away. If you’re looking for a new young adult fantasy, consider adding this one to your tbr shelf. I will definitely be picking up more stories from Gruenke whenever she writes them as this was a great read!

When I read the blurb for Of Silver and Shadow I knew that it was going to be the type of book that I would really like and it didn't disappoint. It had so many aspects I love in a fantasy novel. It had a thief as a main character, a corrupt government, multiple points of view and amazing characters plotting a rebellion. I spend a lot of time searching for fantasy novels like this, but Of Silver and Shadow just popped up on my radar.

I love fantasy novels with multiple points of view that have separate plot lines that eventually all converge in an incredible way and that was done so well in this book. There were many times throughout the book where I had a hard time setting it down because the chapter would end on a cliffhanger and I needed to get back to a certain character's point of view, this kept happening over and over again so it made it hard to set the book down at times. But I didn't find the pacing super consistent. Certain parts of the book took me forever to get through, while I raced through other parts.

I really enjoyed all of the characters, but there were a few that really stood out to me. I really loved Ren, who was the main character. She was very guarded and a bit eccentric, but I could easily empathize with her. She had her walls up and pushed everyone away while she maintained a hard exterior, but on the inside she was in so much emotional pain. I loved her character instantly, but I just loved her more and more as she slowly let her walls down and let people in. She seemed

The other characer I really loved was Adley, she was a King's Child who actually hunted and tortured rebels. Just like Ren she had a hard exterior, but there was so much more to her character than brutality. Adley felt like an enemy for most of the story and she was definitely morally grey, but I admired how loyal she was to the girl she loved and that she truly would do absolutely anything for her. I really loved that Jennifer Gruenke included her point of view because it helped you understand that the enemies were human too, and had their own reasons for doing things and weren't just pure evil. It added layers to the story and I found it to be a much more interesting narrative than the normal fight between good and evil.

I really enjoyed this book and I especially loved all the characters. Parts of it did drag a bit at times, but I wonder if that would have been different if it weren't for this Coronavirus induced slump that I've been in. It was an easy fantasy to sink into without complex world building, so it felt like a lighter fantasy read, which was exactly what I needed so that worked out wonderfully. The characters were great and I can't wait for the sequel.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I really loved this book. The characters were all unique and realistic. Even the secondary characters were interesting. In many books I've read, the minor characters don't really seem to be needed and feel thrown in to give a larger feel to the world, but in this book, they all served a purpose.

The world was also interesting. I hope on the sequel the larger world gets explored. In this first book, we stay in one place and there is only mention of other kingdoms that are thinking about war. I really liked the magic system, but do wish that the rules were explained more. From what I understood, "silver" is mainly passed down through bloodlines, but every so often a "shadow" is born. Someone who isn't born from another silver weilder, but seemingly stole it from someone else in the same generation. I understand why a lot about it wasn't explained, seeing as Ren didn't know much about her own magic, but I'm hoping that in the next one we learn about where it came from. Is there a cost to it? A limit on what it can do? Why does Ren possess it and what actually are shadows. This left me with a lot of questions, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

The ending set us up for a sequel that could go in many directions. An empty throne. A kingdom on the cusp of war. An unsigned treaty. There are a lot of questions that need answering and I am looking forward to getting them in the next book.