So I'm used to books I've read not including information about every single character. I cannot say that about this book! Every character was compelling. I found myself reading this book on the clock at work, and though I've seen reviews for this book, nothing could have prepared me for how truly wonderful this book was. The writing style is simple and I mean that in the best way, there's nothing that could have prepared me for how emotionally attached I got to each and every character, either. The author truly does do a great job of making every character interesting, and the dystopian genre is something that has been severely lacking until now. I was a bit concerned about romance in a dystopian novel, but the author somehow makes it work in a way that I felt Suzanne Collins could not do with Katniss and Peeta (not that I dislike those books, they're some of my favorites, but the romance in that book did not do it for me. This one does do it for me!) There was tension, and this book even managed to get tears out of me. I will always recommend this book to everyone I know. I know this book is out already, but I want to give a huge thank you to NetGalley for giving me this copy.

This book is entertaining enough to keep reading it - however the characters, world, and general points of plot progression are fairly generic and juvenile. It reads like YA. I think it will have a lot of fans due to the social media popularity & general popularity of 'romatasy' / dystopian books currently, but it doesn't really bring anything unique or fresh to the genre.

Great modern take on adult dystopian. Will appeal to romantasy fans as well as those aging up from teen dystopian like Hunger Games and Divergent. Not the most unique but familiar enough to be a new comfort read!

I didn’t love this. I found it just very immature. The writing, the characters, the plots. It just wasn’t for me. I do definitely think that people who enjoy books for just a good time will still get a lot out of it and have positive experiences, I just want a little bit more finesse.

(Spoilers) I’ve never given a 1 star review even for books that I don’t finish because I know some books just aren’t for me. This one however was good up until the moment she used her powers to have someone kill themselves so she could get out of a situation. She had help on the way. Sure Cross was moving a bit slow but she could have played into a bit to give him time. Also, totally knew Cross was Wolf.

Silver Elite is a dystopian war story that does absolutely everything one might want a beach read to do. There are shocking twists, predictable reveals if you pay close enough attention, action, sex, and innumerable highjinks in a fun new world. Silver Elite is quick paced and easy to read, providing just enough novel content to keep readers craving more and speeding through, and just enough familiar concepts to feel like a throwback read but all grown up. I loved every second of this and found my jaw dropping as I was totally locked into this world and these characters. Go into it not expecting anything deep and an open mind, and you’re sure to love what you find. The enemies to lovers arc was one that I bought into as someone who hates the trope, because Wren felt badass from jump,. She was always the one steering the ship. She held her boundaries, made the decisions she made and stood ten toes down on them, and there were no drawn out misunderstanding tropes making things overly corny for me.

Thank you to NetGalley, Del Rey, and Random House Worlds for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review!

I initially came into this book with low expectations because I thought it was overhyped and there were mixed reviews. I understand both sides. This book claims that it’s Divergent meets Hunger Games for adults. Honestly I’ve never read or watched Divergent so I cannot speak for that but I’ve seen Hunger Games and I do see certain aspects of it. I do admit the hype is real regarding the story and plot. This book was surprisingly bingeable for me in terms of what I wanna know happens next and what’s the main goal here. Some of the characters are surprisingly comedic reliefs lol

My complaints would be the writing itself. It’s too basic and simplistic, lacking descriptions of world building and characters’ emotions. The plot and story is there but I hope the writing will be better in the next book. That said I am excited for the next book because if y’all read that ending, you know what I mean lol

Wren has been told her whole life to hide her abilities. But her guardian is executed and everything is turned around when she's handed the opportunity to infiltrate Silver Block and get revenge.
This book needed a stronger hand with editing. The rumors that it's AI...? It wouldn't take a lot to convince me. It doesn't have anything I haven't seen or read before at least through the first 80%. The ending was the best part (and I'm not being sarcastic saying I was glad it was over). I wish there had been more action and less talking about it, more show me, less tell me.
Thank you Random House and Netgalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

Book Review: Silver Elite by Dani Francis
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5 Stars)

Silver Elite by Dani Francis is an absolute standout in the YA dystopian genre—a gripping fusion of The Hunger Games and Divergent, but with even richer world-building and deeper character development. From the first page, Francis immerses the reader in a high-stakes society divided by power, secrets, and survival, yet she does so with a fresh voice and a story that feels wholly original.

What truly sets Silver Elite apart is its layered, believable characters. The protagonist isn’t just another “chosen one”—they’re complex, flawed, and evolve meaningfully as the story progresses. Relationships between characters are nuanced, and the emotional stakes feel real. Unlike some YA dystopians that lean heavily on tropes, this book subverts expectations, building authentic tension and moral complexity.

The world-building is another major strength. Francis crafts a dystopian landscape that is both brutal and beautiful, with rules and history that make sense and add depth. Every detail—from the societal structure to the elite training system—feels intentional and compelling, drawing the reader in further with each chapter.

If you loved the intensity of The Hunger Games and the faction-driven intrigue of Divergent but are craving something even more immersive and emotionally grounded, Silver Elite is a must-read. It’s a bold and brilliant addition to the genre.

Okay so maybe I’m dense but I can’t figure out why there are mixed reviews on this. Was it a life changing literary masterpiece? No. Did it draw me in and keep me up at night? YUP. A little confused by the ending but such is every fantasy book ever. Bye.

TL; DR: 2010s have been resurrected and are proving that they are here to stay. But they are not the only thing that's erected! Good writing, good pacing, solid world building. Recommend to fans of dystopian books, or to those who want to experiment with it. While I can't say I saw anything innovative, I really enjoyed it as a whole.
Waiting for the next book!

In Depth:
We have here a dystopian book here, a tough military regime, a military academy. Districts, corruption, rebels, conspiracies, undergrounds. This is a book that is a complete homage to the books that dominated the market in the 2010s, and after all, I don't really object?
It's really a combination of Divergent, The Hunger Games, The Maze Runner and any other book you can pull off the shelf in a bedroom from your high school-junior high school days. Again, I'm not angry. I mean it in the best way possible!
Because even though I saw some of the twists from a mile away, the writing is not bad at all.
There's a very good groundwork for the next books, with interesting plot lines and room for growth . There are some things that could have been better with a little more editing, but beyond that?
I really believe in the potential of the series, and can only pray for HEA and not a Divergent style heartbreak.
I would consider this book as a slowburn, with a lot of teasing but no 'action' up until 60%+ of the book. For me, the smut scenes felt a bit...off? I'll try to read it again to know for sure, and it's really saying more about me than about the book, but they felt detached.
I won't lie. There are entire scenes that I could swear I've read before. Not word for word, but the vibes? I didn't throw the book (or my phone in my case) because it wasn't that bad. The truth is that it felt like a nod from the author to popular books in the genre (at one point it actually said Divergent and I laughed out loud). I don't think it's accidental and that's how I choose to see it for now. It's not a parody, so continuing with it in the next books might not be so graceful.
Also, and I'm saying it with the utmost respect: if you need a new word to describe something, please think it through. It's much better to be repetitive than using elaborate wording that end up really bad. The usage of "whiskers" for example was... weird. It was meoweird.

The characters: Some of the characters were very well written, but some fell a little flat to me. Not something that can't be improved in the next books, and I'll definitely keep my eye on that. There are a lot of nicknames and code names and while the writer did a decent job explaining it, I can see why it can be confusing. The main male character felt a bit... 'meh' for me. He had some redeeming points and I hope to get a little more from him in the next book so I can understand if he'll develop further or if he's just thick (in general, not specifically in THAT region, get your head out of the gutter).
Don't get me wrong, he's charming! But like prince charming, he's only playing a role. I need more of him, not more of the same.
The FMC was really fun, but made some stupid and kind of out-of-character decisions that felt off. But she's young and in love so that's fair.
Diversity: Felt a bit forced, but reasonable. Not a complete PC check list, but not organic enough IMO.

Pacing: The first part is slow. It's the prep job you do before a renovation. It's a slow world build and a training arc and friendships and all those fun things. We're talking about a few weeks that actually feel like it. Personally, I like that you feel like time passes with the characters, and I really hate time skips. I understand why people have a hard time with it, and maybe another editor would have cut a little more of it. But for me personally, it was an enjoyable part, and I actually appreciate the author for dedicating time for this. I'm a Slowdork, sue me.

Bottom line: It's a good book. Not excellent, not a masterpiece, not groundbreaking, but good. There are even a few things that caught me off guard , and there's a lot of potential.

Trigger warnings: Violence (a lot, including bombing and gun violence), sexual content (including sexual assault, with minimal details), death, mentions of mental health issues, slavery and abuse.
The author was very respectful and wasn't too graphic, but please be sure to check those in depth.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC, in exchange for an honest review!

Silver Elite is a gripping dystopian romance packed with danger, secrets, and sizzling enemies-to-lovers tension. Wren Darlington is a psychic rebel thrown into the heart of enemy territory, where survival means trusting no one—especially not the infuriatingly irresistible Cross Redden.

I enjoyed this distopian book. This would be great for the adults who loved Divergent and even the Hunger Games. Thank you for the early copy of this title.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I didn't like this book, and I won't go very in depth to what was wrong with this book as there are already so many people doing that, and I would essentially be preaching to the choir.

It was bearable through the first 50%, even though I hated the characters (could not bond, nor understand some of their decisions. The mental gymnastics I did to follow Wren's logic at times would've made me incredibly fit). It took a turn around 55% that I just did not agree with, plot wise and character wise. Genuinely killed the entire book for me. It gets two stars for having the potential to be a good story, but it ultimately doesn't fulfil anything of what is expected in the dystopian genre.

I know there's a ton of controversy about this book, but I liked it! It was fast-paced and kept my attention, and I think that's all a book needs to do sometimes. It did make me feel a little nostalgic for YA dystopian books I read in middle and high school, while also feeling like the romantasy books I more frequently read today. None of the characters necessarily stood out to me; I liked most of them fine, but none of them will be making the list of my favorite literary characters of all time. I wasn't completely sold on the romance: I liked Kain a lot more than Cross and I wish that the sort-of love triangle had gone the other way. I'll definitely be reading the second book, Silver Elite really kept me on the edge of my seat.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of Silver Elite.

I DEVOURED this. I LOVED this. I need book two YESTERDAY.

NO THOUGHTS, JUST FEELINGS.

GIVE ME MORE.

Also, Cross can get it 😍🔥

This was such a fun dystopian romance full of witty banter, steamy romance, and a great plotline that had me gripped for the entirety of the novel. Wren is a strong, complex, and intelligent character thrust into a world of violence in the Silver Block with elite fighters. Hiding her illegal powers of telepathy become more difficult as she starts to fall for Cross, her commanding officer. I think that although it was compared to The Hunger Games, it is quite different and the plot twists had me shocked at the end. Although the romance was less yearning than I usually go for, I thought it was really steamy and entertaining! Overall great read and I am excited if this is a series that continues past a first book!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to review this book and provide a review.

I really enjoyed this read - it had a good blend of romance and mystery that ended on quite the cliffhanger. This is a good option for people who like fourth wing (no dragons sadly) but wished for more mission oriented storylines and romance. I’ll be excited to hear when book 2 is coming out!

I am easy to please, but this was the most mid book of the year. It was Divergent without the heart pounding stakes or thought provoking sorting. I liked the smut, and I liked Cross but this was my most disappointing book of the year.