It must be very hard to create a standalone fantasy story, but I always get very excited at the idea of them. To create enough world-building to make a reader feel immersed and then create believable characters and a self-contained plot is a real challenge in around 400 pages.

Silver in the Mist deals with this perfectly - the world-building is somewhat simple, and the magic system isn’t really explored in detail, but the relevant history is explained really well, and we get a feel for the cities of Aris and Cerena and their contrasting citizens. We get a strong picture of the world our main character Devlin inhabits and the plot in general is detailed, interesting and kept me hooked throughout. The writing is easy to engage with and I didn’t feel lost at any point.

The characters are well-portrayed and relatable. Main character Devlin certainly has a lot of layers – a spy trying to impress her mother but also starting a friendship with Alyse and fighting for what she believes is right which may be at odds with her mission. When I first requested this book, the blurb stated that Dev was ace, which you can see mentioned in a lot of earlier reviews as well. The publishers have made a really good decision in removing this label from any of the marketing. Although there is no romance sub-plot in this book (which is incredibly refreshing), there is no explicit reference to Dev being ace and so it did not feel genuine to include it. The lack of romance is great though and means the book can devote the word-count to the plot and characters without also trying to work in a romance element as well. There is some representation for diversity however, in the form of a non-binary secondary character with they/them pronouns. This is the first time I have seen this in a novel, and it works well. The only thing I found a little jarring was the use of ‘Layde’ as a genderless term in Cerena. I just read it as ‘Lady’ and it was a bit odd to have male characters also referred to as this and it made it a little hard to keep track of who was being mentioned in the prose. If a new word had been used, I wouldn’t have had such a problem with it I don’t think.

I enjoyed the storyline although some aspects felt a little too convenient in places. I also would have liked a few parts to have been expanded upon (such as more of a tie-in for Devlin’s father perhaps). However, it’s an engaging read and a great standalone fantasy story. It’s made me want to read more stories set in the same world or using the same characters which signals the author has done a great job!

Overall, Silver in the Mist is a great standalone fantasy story which refreshingly does not include any romance. Thank you to NetGalley & Inkyard Press for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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📚 - YA / Fantasy
📖 - 368 pages

Thank you to the publisher, Inkyard Press, for providing me with an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review!

This was a cute YA fantasy that did not feature a romance (which was a plus for me)! I loved the non-binary side character and adore the representation in the book. It was an easy read with stakes that didn't seem too high or too far-fetched. I thought the magic system was interesting and pretty and overall enjoyed the story.

*Many thanks to Netgalley and Inkyard Press for sending me this arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own*
Silver in the Mist is about an asexual spy who is sent to the rival kingdom to infiltrate their royal court and kidnap the most powerful magic caster to help aid Devlin’s kingdom.
I really liked the world building; how well described both kingdoms were and when Devlin travels we see how different they both are. Fun fact almost everyone in this book is a grey character and I liked that because they were doing what they thought was best for their country and it was interesting reading about them.
Some of my complaints about this book is that when Devlin goes to Cerena, at least for me, I was confused as to why everyone was a layde I think if it was mentioned before hand that it was a neutral term for the nobles would’ve been much better for the reader to know. And my other complaint is that Devlin’s spy skills are mostly talked about but not shown because whatever she needs she finds it too easily; for example she finds really important classified documents on top of a table which doesn’t make sense because it would be somewhere harder to find, same thing with books she’s quick to find the answers she needs from books or when she gets papers from the best spy in her kingdom by picking a lock which you would think that by being a spy they would have better lock systems, but I guess not so that was a bit annoying I wanted Devlin to actually struggle to get her answers.
Overall I enjoyed reading this book I would read it again and pick up a sequel if there’s any since it’s an open ending.
Book cover: 5/5!
Characters: 5/5
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4.5/5

What I loved about it ?
The beautiful cover
The unique magic system,
The world building as well as the characters.
queer representation.
To tell you the truth there was nothing that I didn't like except there was times it felt a bit rush in some place in some places , and it probably would have been a 5 if at the time I'm reading this I was sick with a cold , which means in between reading a few pages I was taking naps. But over all it does deserve the 4 star rating because I did enjoy it plus it did have some of the tropes I like which is found family, as well as strong female friendship, with a bit of mystery to it .

Thank you Inkyard Press and NetGalley for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Silver in the Mist by Emily Victoria follows Devlin, an asexual spy who's mother prioritized being head of spies over being a mom. The Mists separate Devlin's land, Aris, from Cerena. When the Mists become more violent and unpredictable, Devlin is sent to Cerena to steal the magic they need to protect themselves- but Devlin learns more about the country's history as well as her own family's history that changes everything.
This book was so good! If you're looking for a fast paced, YA, standalone fantasy with a unique magic system that isn't hard to understand, I definitely recommend this one. There is also fantastic queer representation!
The banter between characters was excellent. I enjoyed discovering the forgotten history of the kingdom with our characters, and the hopeful tone it provided. The friendships all felt different, and I loved them each for different reasons. The descriptions, especially of the magic, were beautiful without being overly descriptive.
This was more wholesome and character focused than I anticipated. I assumed with following spies that there would be more action (not to say this hurt the book, because I loved the characters' relationships so much). However, it did feel like we learned more about a couple of the side characters than our main character. I liked our main character, I just think she could've been developed a little more the fall in love with more. Her determination and her past definitely make you sympathetic to her, and it made me want to protect her at all costs!

Thank you Netgalley et al. for an early copy of this book! Below is my honest review:

Summary of the plot:

Devlin is the daughter of the Whisperer, a group of spies in this country called Aris. Dev doesn't really see her mother much aside from spying duties and that strained relationship is very apparent. There's this magical force called the Mists, which is swallowing Aris’s edges and producing monsters called Phantoms. Typically, magic casters would be able to push the Mists back, but Aris doesn't have many left. Dev is assigned to infiltrate the neighbor country Cerena and kidnap the most powerful magic caster, Alyse. But things don't turn out the way that she wanted it to.

Thoughts on the book:

The first half of the book is probably a 3/5 stars for me, but the second half is closer to a 4/5 stars--so I'll average it out and give this book an overall 3.5 stars out of 5 stars.

The reason why I rated the first half as such is because I felt like there were too many convenient things happening to Dev. It was too easy for her to become friends with Alyse; too easy for her to sneak around and not get caught; too easy to find the information that she needed; etc. There was no real tension or conflict until in the latter half of the book.

Also, I felt like the book could have used a little bit more world-building. Overall, the world felt a tad flat and could have benefited from adding unique elements to it. I would have liked it to be flushed out more because while I thought it was interesting, it wasn't quite enough for me to love it.

The second half of the book was better since it had more action and some world-related questions were answered. Yet, I still felt like something was missing. I love a good spy book, but I don't think it really met my standards.

Some things I enjoyed about this book: an asexual main character (I think), the lack of romance (because romance can be overrated and forced sometimes--though there was a tad bit flirting between Dev and Alyse IMO), a non-binary side character, characters moving away from what they've been told they have to be, the use of spires, etc.

Overall, I wished I loved this book because the cover is just so beautiful. Alas, I enjoyed it enough to not DNF.

Would I recommend this book? Maybe.

Thank you to NetGalley, Inkyard Press, and Emily Victoria for the eARC of this book!

Silver in the Mist sucked me in with the intriguing premise of a young, asexual spy going on an important mission filled with thrills and magic. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to invest myself in the story. Some of the main plot points didn't make much sense, the magic system was confusing, and the writing tended to drag at times. I feel like the book could have been condensed quite a bit. However, I was invested enough in the journey of the heroine to continue reading and I actually really liked how the book ended. 2 stars for representation, a unique plot, and interesting character progression.

Silver in the Mist is about an asexual spy in ya fantasy. It's a fun, fast-paced book.It's an #ownvoices story in ya fantasy.

I was really excited for this book because of the aroace rep! While it's never defined in the book, I did feel it was implied because the main character never looks at anyone through a romantic lens. I also loved the best friend that goes by they/them pronouns!! I really liked the world building, the mist reminded me of the fold in s&b and the history between the two split kingdoms was fascinating! It had the right amount of character-driven and plot-driven!

This book follows Devlin (called Dev and uses alias Ladye Devonia), a young spy from the kingdom of Aris. Upon returning home from her current mission with best friend Lochlan, Dev receives a new mission from the Whisperer, her mother and head Arisian spy. She is to travel to the capital of their rival kingdom, Cerena, and capture Layde Alyse, the best caster in the world, in order to save her kingdom.

But, once in Cerena, she finds out things might not be what they seem and relief from the mist might just be in reach, if Dev only learns to trust herself and Layde Alyse.

I really enjoyed this book. I loved the asexual and genderqueer representation and that there was no romance at all. Victoria developed a cast of complex and distinctive characters that came together to be the solution to their world’s problems instead of blindly following history and hate.

THANK YOU to Inkyard Press & NetGalley for sending me this ARC. All reviews are honest reflections of my own opinion, always.

In the swirling mists, light flashes as danger stalks the edges of Devlin’s home in Aris.

Eight years have passed since the devastating attacks that killed her Father. Now her own Mother, feared Whisperer, is leader of the spies. But the magic that took Dev’s Father away from her also killed some part of her Mother too. Reclusive, harsh, a stranger now stands in the shadow of where love once lived.

A new assignment. Infiltrate the enemy country, bring back their most powerful caster… before the malevolent magic breaks their own barriers & kills them all.

But when one sends a spy, one must be ready to deal with all they uncover.






An interesting magic system & broadly likable characters, (minus the familiar distant mother trope) this book fell directly in the ‘ok’ category for me. The plot was sometimes slow, interesting enough to keep going, but not enough to make me desire to know more. The world building is nice, & I’d love to see it fleshed out even more. Altogether a middle of the lane read.

I understand (now) that the big draw is an asexual main, but honestly would never have assumed this was the case. A lack of romance on the main character’s part does not an asexual character make. If that were the case, one could throw that label on a whole slew of other stories. Another draw for readers is the non-binary side kick. I’ll be honest, the use of they/them pronouns kept pulling me out of the story as my mind tried in vain to attach some kind of mental image to this character, but with no success. A personal struggle & one others may be able to get past much more easily.

*Thank you to Netgalley & the author for letting me read and honestly review this book*

I haven’t read Emily Victorias debut This Golden Flame yet, but if it’s got similar pacing, lovable characters, and interesting world, I’m ready! I loved everything in this book. It’s been a while since Ive read a YA Fantasy, but this lived up to my expectations and more.

Silver in the Mist follows Devlin, a young asexual spy in one of two monarchies. Her mother, The Whisperer, head of the Spies of Aris, sends Dev in a mission; become friends with Alyse, the strongest magical caster, and steal her away so Aris can restore its dying magic.

I knew going in this was an ownvoices author with an asexual lead, but I was not expecting the nonbinary best friend who uses they/them pronouns! Pleasant surprise if I do say so myself.

The world, when you think about it compared to other YA fantasies, is so simple but Victoria makes it so much more complex and interesting. The way the 2 monarchies are divided (by a Mist) is definitely something different from what Ive read. And the magic system? Loved it.

The plot in this is fast right from the beginning. I was never bored in it, and read the last 260 pages in one go.

If you want a badass asexual spy, badass and funny nonbinary side character, and a loveable quartet of characters, Silver in the Mist is for you!

While the premise intrigued me, the writing felt very amateurish to me and I struggled to pick this book up.

Silver in the Mist is a young adult spy novel. I really wanted to love it. However, the plot seemed to be very drawn out and was slow for the most of the novel. Still, the protagonist is very strong, and I like that there was no romance. I also like the world-building in this story. Thus, I recommend this for fans of Alex Liddell, Justina Ireland, and Tasha Suri!

Thank you NetGalley and Inkyard Press for the opportunity to read and review this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Devlin, a spy for Aris, is sent on an undercover mission to Cerena. There she learns not everything is as it seems in either country.

I feel this book is wrote more for a younger audience. It's a little repetitive and the plot is a bit simplistic, but I found myself enjoying it regardless. It does, however, take a little bit of slow pace to get to the good stuff. I was starting to lose interest and then about halfway through, things picked up and I was sucked back in. That could create some problems for readers who don't want to stick it out.

I love the inclusion of an asexual character and a non-binary one. And how their pronouns were brilliantly used and never a mistake. I would want to read more of their story.

This just didn't work for me. The writing is very debut and from the first sentence I struggled to read it. The cover is the main reason I requested it but I would not buy it for the library.

Young Adult Fantasy has been a favorite genre of mine for a few years now. This book has solidified a top spot in that genre. Emily Victoria creates amazing characters and a superb world. If you love Sarah J Maas then you will absolutely fall in love with Emily Victoria's book.

This book was not interesting and I could not finish. I didn’t really care for the premise and hype of an asexual MC. Who cares? If there’s no romance or interest in that let’s just call it a normal story and go on.

Fantastical and grounded at the same time, Silver in the Mist delivers found family, strong female friendship, and examination of magical scarcity. Great asexual rep with a fun fantasy mystery storyline!

This is a great book! Interesting premise. I love how Devlin is asexual, and I was not expecting that when I first started the book. Great representation of pronouns too with Lochlan's character. I also think the whole assassin/spy angle was so cool. It didn't take me to long to understand the rules and history of the fantasy world, which is a plus.