*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.*

This book was NOT how I expected it to be. More astonishing it is that the most aspects I didn't think to appear in this book happened near the end of the story. It's a mix of good and bad things, but most are rather good.

First of all, this book reminded me a lot about Harry Potter — which isn't a bad thing since I like Harry Potter and it isn't just a copy of it. The whole idea that magic can only be refilled by either pleasure or pain and nothing else is a quite unique story idea, especially as one needs to choose between quantity (pleasure) and quality (pain). Thereof it shouldn't be a surprise that this book is featuring lots of painful scenes, which are usually torture. But it also shows happy moments — moments of hope. 'Cause of this wheel between pain and pleasure, I can confidently say that the characters, at least the two main characters, aren't one-dimensional as the reader gets plenty of opportunities to understand each of them better. One can connect and maybe even relate to some moments perfectly with the characters as not all pain and pleasure scenes are on the extreme but an in-between.

Secondly, the pacing wasn't feeling off and I felt like at least every third chapter or even more often, depending on which part of the story one where, there was something exciting to read about. It never really felt boring or like the pacing just wasn't right. As well as the story being divided into 5 parts, made the reader understand quite well where they were and I believe it's also a good tool for the author to not mess up the pacing.

I love the undercover situation the main character is in for the whole story! It just feels so exciting to read about and gives the story a tense mood and a dangerous environment which never made me left boring. As mentioned in other reviews already I'm usually not a fan of enemy to lovers trope unless it's executed well and fits the storyline. At first I was skeptical about it — My first thought was that it was once more used solely for the purpose of it being popular amongst readers nowadays. It took me till the end reveal to realise how impactful this trope truly is for this story. The real reason for their hate turning into love. More precisely, why they feel such hate towards eachother and that it's more than just on a surface level, which is the reason why most books fail me with this trope.

I'm so glad that despite the main character making stupid decisions sometimes that she is aware of it and tries to change it without losing control by panicking or in general being annoying towards the reader and being labelled as many other main characters in books or films as stupid. She knows how to fix it and even though I sometimes had the feeling that she lost focus of her goal, 'cause of her love towards another main character (which was, to be honest, once or twice annoying near the end) she still tried to fix it somehow. The only thing that really bothered me that she was a bit too self-reproachful and sometimes even self-loathing. I do understand where she was coming from and that she had to do horrible things to stay undercover, but sometimes I felt like she was blaming herself for things she wasn't at fault at all — things that were out of her control. It was even revealed later on that some of the things she blamed herself for where the fault of someone completely else. The only positive thing I got out of her inner conflict is seeing how she developed throughout the story.

At 38% in, the reader hears for the first time the nickname the lover gives our main girl and as any romantic book, readers like to rate how cute/fitting it is and I would say it is 9/10 as it had multiple meanings throughout the story which makes her nickname quite unique. (The reason for reducing 1 star and not giving it 10/10 can not be mentioned here as it would be a spoiler, before anyone asks).
I also like in this book that the two leads are connected by the same fate and interest, but with a greater reason than just making it cute/romantic as it actually has a great impact on the story on the end.
+ I prefer if it's not the typical ‘opposites attracts’ thing but more of a ‘similarities attract’ as you can't be attracted to someone that is too much the opposite of you, that just doesn't work, there has to be at least one thing to be able to have a conversation of interest and in general not having to fight all the time 'cause they believe in different things, etc. The only case when opposite attracts is when the opposites can eliminate a flaw, when the opposites make a whole. For instance, one is reluctant but the other one is hot-heated. The reluctant one who thinks before acting can make the hot-heated person stop before they do something they regret. The hot-heated could help the reluctant person to do something they might be afraid to do as the hot-heated one might have experience of what will happen and can reassure the reluctant to just do it as nothing bad will happen. Nowadays it happens more often in fiction that people write about opposites attract in a way that would never work in real life and can potentially be harmful to the reader who perhaps actually believes that this could work out in real life.

I'm not sure if it's a me problem, as I seem to find out about plot twist fast before they are revealed quite often, but the foreshadowing in this book make me guess correctly quite fast what is about to happen. I don't really see it as something bad that it wasn't (for me at least) hard to know/guess the plot twist as it didn't impact my enjoyment of reading this book. I liked that if you didn't catch the hint immediately that the reader only got the next opportunity to find out about it way later, so it's not like hints are dropped every few pages and makes it overly obvious or something.

When I started reading the epilogue, I was thinking that it kinda ruins the fun for the next book of the series, but then I thought that this is actually perfect to make the readers excited and stay for the next book. This was the only plot twist I didn't expect and that made the ending of the book even better.
(+ not all questions were answered yet, which makes the readers of this book more intrigued in reading the next one to hopefully getting the questions answered)

I hated the fact that there was sexual intercourse. In general, I don't like such things as it makes me uncomfortable. Fortunately, it was only described once in detail, as it revealed something important, though it could have also be revealed without the sexual intercourse, which makes me question if it was necessary to include in the story.

Despite all the question answered why a certain character possesses so many magic fields it still feels wrong and overpowered. The reason is just too weak as the same could be said to any other character, as just 'cause you felt more pain than someone else doesn't immediately makes you able to know how to use all the magic that exists in the story (except timeweaving). Pain only improves the quality, but the ability to have more magical fields needs great learning skills and the determination to never give up and it feels weird that from all the characters that try to have more magic fields that this one specific one just has all of them, especially as this character can even overpower the main character which is going a bit too far for me personally. Despite this aspect of the story, everything else that got answered so far had a good explanation that was understandable and made sense.

Overall, I will give this 3 out of 5 stars. I reduced 2 to me feeling uncomfortable in some romantic scenes and for the aspect of a character being overpowered. As well as Saffron swimming sometimes in self-loath, which was annoying to watch a couple of times. Lastly, even though it is supposed to be an adult fantasy it read like young adult fantasy as the characters never really acted like they were really adults themselves, it's not like they are overly childish or something but they didn't seem to be acting like adults would either. Nevertheless, I do see potential in this story and be interested in reading the next installment of the series when it comes out.



Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Del Rey for the advanced reader copy of Silvercloak by L. K. Steven



Started the book: 28. March 2025
Finished the book: 29. March 2025
Wrote the review: 29. March 2025

What would you do for your family? How far would you go to see justice done? That is the question that Saffron faces in Silvercloak, am intense read full of magic, loss, love and betrayal, lots of betrayal. Faced with decisions that would challenge anyone, Saffron, still reeling from the horrific murder of her parents when she was a child, has to try and navigate what her life should be and where her loyalties should lie...with the Silvercloaks who have educated and supported her. Or with the mysterious Levan who may be her ultimate savior or her destruction. She will have to decide what lines she is willing to cross to see justice done. Set in a fantastical realm, Silvercloak is an entertaining read.

Saffron Killoran is an amazing character. She probably falls under the category of morally gray, doing the wrong things for the right reasons. Burning revenge does that to a person. And developing feelings for one of the people in the Bloodmoons, the group she has sworn to destroy, makes things go even further off kilter.

I appreciate the unique magic system. There are so many twists in this story, I was not prepared. It is very engaging and almost impossible to put down.

This book is an intriguing introduction to a new fantasy world where magic feeds off pleasure and pain and where citizens live at the whim of a violent gang known as the Bloodmoons.

If you miss the magic of Harry Potter but don't want to give J.K. Rowling the time of day, good news: Silvercloak features magic wands, a killing curse, and potions, and it was definitely nostalgic!

With plenty of twists and reveals along the way, plus an absolutely wrenching moral quandary dropped in at the end, this book is sure to keep you reading--and waiting impatiently for the sequel!

Excuse me, I’m in desperate need of the sequel now. I was screaming at work with that epilogue.


Wow, where to begin! First of all this premise & world building was incredibly well executed! LK Steven’s writing is vastly imaginative, and almost lyrical in my opinion.
I absolutely was enthralled with her writing of the lore, magic history of Atherin, and how well the characters clashed & connected with each other. We get to see so many different personalities, and their shared grief, love, and passion for their work.

I think out of all the characters in this novel , I truly enjoyed Saffron the most even if some of her decisions were made with a tad bit of selfish intent. Saffron was the very essence of morally grey, and I would love to see more in the future.


I will make a point that the motive of revenge for her parents death was less than ideal, and almost repetitive to most medias until we discovered some very interesting details & twists towards the climax, I was surprised, and truly enjoyed the ride.


Del Rey, I’m so incredibly grateful for this ARC, and I want to say I will definitely be buying this on release! Thank you also to Netgalley for this opportunity in exchange for my review.

3.75⭐️
I struggled to get into the story until about 40% in. Third person POV isn’t always easiest for me so that may have contributed to the slow start. However, once I was hooked I was hooked! The ending especially had me on the edge of my seat. The story is beautiful, a deep dive into the complicated human brain and how far a person might go for those they care about most, regardless of moral code. I would jump right into book two if I could, things are just getting good and I’m excited to get some questions answered too!

Silvercloak was an unexpected gem that quickly became one of my favorite reads this year. It masterfully weaves together high-stakes fantasy, morally gray characters, and an undercover mission filled with danger, deception, and forbidden desire.

The story follows Saffron, who is exposed for lying during the test to become a coveted Silvercloak. Rather than being exiled, she’s given a dangerous second chance—go undercover to infiltrate the Bloodmoons, a powerful criminal syndicate. To maintain her cover, Saffron must make impossible choices, all while navigating her growing feelings for Levan, the kingpin’s son… a man she’s prophesied to kill.

The world-building is immersive and fresh, with a magic system fueled by pleasure or pain. The concept of Timeweavers and the Divine Augurtures—prophecies that foretell the destruction of the world—adds an intriguing layer of mystery and depth. I loved how the book teases the significance of these prophecies, leaving plenty of room for future exploration.

Saffron is a complex and compelling protagonist, constantly torn between the ruthless actions needed to keep her cover and her own moral compass. She’s unpredictable, making every choice feel high-stakes. Levan, on the other hand, is dark, powerful, and burdened by his past. With the dual POV, we get glimpses into his thoughts, revealing the depth of his internal struggles—and his growing obsession with Saffron.

The romance is a deliciously slow burn, filled with tension, distrust, and undeniable chemistry. If you love enemies-to-lovers, undercover missions, and mafia boss romance vibes, this book will have you hooked.

Overall, Silvercloak is a fantastic addition to the romantasy genre—perfect for fans of high-stakes intrigue, morally gray characters, and slow-burn tension that keeps you on edge.

📖 Highly recommend for romantasy lovers!

Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC!

Got this ARC from NetGalley, thanks!
I will give this a real rating of 3.75.
Full disclosure this was listed as fantasy and not romantic fantasy when I requested it, thus I didn't realize what was coming. And who. And how many times. However, I'm here to say I powered through and enjoyed it well enough.
The magic system in this book is actually super cool, powered by pleasure and pain. Shoulda seen the sex scenes coming I suppose. I also loved that they used wands, need more wand fantasy. If you're reading this you read Harry Potter and it was a good feeling seeing magic used similar with a wand and verbal commands.
The enemies to lovers trope is certainly a trope but I did find myself seeing how torn the main character actually was between her ideals and her enemy. I think I would finish out this series as it comes out whenever I'm lacking something to read.
Also there was mention of enchanted butt plugs, and I wish she would have said how they were enchanted.
Took away .10 for that cliffhanger.

Harry Potter but for adults!

I don't think I have ever cried during the prologue before but this book succeeded in doing that. It just hit me right in the feels 😭 a) because it was just so heartbreaking and b) that opening scene transported me back to when I was 11 years old, reading HP for the first time!

Despite loving the prologue I did struggle to get into the story, for a short while, but it picked up around the 50% mark and I DEVOURED the second half. Couldn't put it down! Despite giving this book 4⭐️ I truly believe this gonna end up being a God tier series for me!!

This was was a lot of fun. It's incredibly dark and twisted (check TW as some scenes are very gory!) There's forbidden romance, political intrigue, betrayal, secrets, magical creatures, amazing world building - this book just has everything.
It's also incredibly diverse - an aspect I LOVED! Queer rep, trauma rep, mental health rep, grief and loss rep.

I really liked the MC's, both Saf and Levan are so intriguing. Both haunted by their traumatic pasts. Their backstories pulled at my heartstrings.

My absolute favourite thing about the book was the magic system. OMG, so freaking unique and clever! Each mage replenishes their magic via pleasure and/or pain. It was so interesting to see how far a mage would go to gain power. The spells cast are also a nod towards Harry Potter, killing, torture and compelling curses.

Even though the world building can be quite heavy at times, important, need to remember details are repeated several time throughout the book. I never felt overwhelmed and lost.

And the way that story ended 😱 amazing plot twist and conclusion!

Silvercloak is a breath of fresh air and definitely worth the read!

Thank you netgalley, random house publishing and L. K. Steven for this ARC.

Publishing date: July 29, 2025.

The premise of Silvercloak is an exciting blend of nostalgia for a beloved magical world (iykyk) and the intrigue of dismantling an evil wizard mafia—an undeniably compelling concept. With the unique magical systems and mechanics Steven created, I was eager to see how the scheming and power struggles would unfold.

Though marketed as an adult fantasy, the writing style felt more aligned with a YA audience—aside from the explicit scenes, which are CERTAINLY memorable. I generally prefer stories that show rather than tell, and coupled with some notable repetition, I found it difficult to become fully immersed. The ending left me with mixed feelings—some twists were predictable, others genuinely exciting, and a few left me questioning certain narrative choices.

Overall, Silvercloak is an enjoyable read that satisfies that fantasy itch, and I’m interested to see what Steven delivers next.

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC!

I DEVOURED THIS in ONE SITTING. This book had an epic concept and it DELIVERED. I am so obsessed with the unique magic system, it really feels like Laura had a lightbulb moment when she thought of it and then decided to write the most captivating and devastating story possible to accompany it. I will read anything this woman writes. The prose - captivating. The plot - intriguing. The characters - masterful. I cannot rave enough about this story and I cannot wait for the next one. Laura needs to never stop writing because I'm afraid I now can't live without her words.

Okaaaaay I loved this. Finished it on the plane this evening… was not expecting to cry 😭 what a brilliant book. I really loved Saffron (also love this name) and her journey from grief. As someone who has lost both parents, this book really made me emotional. I thought grief was beautifully written about. Favourite line that I think will stay with me for a very long time:

“Saffron knew that pain so well, what it was to be an orphan, what it was to have your life carved into a before and an after, and in that moment, she would have done anything to take the grief away.”

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC. I’ll be raving about this to anyone and everyone for the foreseeable.

Fantastic, adult debut by this published author. Magic, strong female lead, romance gay and straight. In depth characters and world building and action packed with moral dilemmas. I really enjoyed it. Thank you to the author and looking forward to more adult books. Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher.

5⭐

Thank you Del Rey US and Laura Steven for the ARC

I honestly believe I do not have enough words for this book. Silvercloak is an addictive romantic fantasy, set in a high fantasy world where the magic system and world-building is unique and well developed. I was so surprised and taken away by the wand magic system. After the success of Harry Potter, to write a magic system with wands needed to be unique and innovative --- which Laura Steven accomplished masterfully.

This book was easy to fall into and was swept away by the darkness and atmospheric setting. The eerie and gloomy backdrop had chills running down my spine most of the time.

The power balance between Saffon and Levan was intriguing to unravel. While they're on different sides, seeing them both descend to become villains with their own motivations and goals was satisfying to watch it unfold.

The last fifty pages were bombarded with secrets, plot twists, revelations and action upon action that made the slow movement of the plot satisfying and crazy and the massive cliffhanger at the end had me begging for the next despite this installment not being released yet.

This book is for anyone who enjoy a rich but twisted and dark narrative, fantasy, mafia vibes, and unique magic/world building with lush imagery.

If you ever wanted an adult queernormative Harry Potter spinoff series about a more introspective female Harry taking on dark wizards as an undercover Auror, have I got the book for you!

Comparisons are inevitable, what with the violently orphaned protagonist, the magic school, the clash between licit and illicit magic, and even the magic system itself, complete with wands and Latin-ish incantations. Even the tone is on point, with moments of whimsy and humor amid darker themes.

But Silvercloak is very much its own animal. Unlike HP, it defines where the magic in a mage comes from: a well of stored pleasure sharpened by pain. This allows the author to create a world rife with delicious description: rioting colors, heady perfumes, banquets and market stalls overflowing with delicacies, and yes, a few sex scenes that are thankfully competently written and made more interesting by the creative inclusion of magic.

This book straddles the line between romantasy and fantasy with an important romantic plotline, although I would argue it’s the latter because the heroine’s quest for revenge was the story’s central focus, rather than a romance with an HEA. This is REAL enemies-to-lovers, none of this “he was rude to me and I then was sassy back and somehow we fell in love three chapters later” nonsense.

The romance didn’t exactly make me swoon — the guy is way too evil for me, and his evil is thankfully acknowledged — but at least it was interesting to read about. And both the romance arc and the overaching plot, intertwined as they are, create an addictive reading experience full of high stakes, moral ambiguity, and (be warned) graphic violence. The worldbuilding is also strong, with complex religion, lore, and foreign cultures that are begging to be explored further in later installments.

One thing I didn’t love was the repetitive writing. I notice this a lot when characters are having internal struggles in lengthy books: they mull over the same problems again and again, while the reader begs them to get on with it. Even with these moments, Saffron was a more decisive protagonist than many, but the writing still had moments of “she knew he was a bad guy. Because he killed that other guy two pages ago, remember?”

I was also irritated with Saffron herself at times. She was built up as smart and calculating, and she did have many great moments, but then she would make obvious missteps that got her and others in major trouble. But her strong drive and gray morality kept me reading; she reminded me a lot of Rin from the Poppy War series.

Despite these annoyances, this book was creative, entertaining, and suspenseful. I would recommend it to adults who miss Harry Potter, to fans of romantasy who want to dip their toes into more mainstream fantasy, and to readers who like seeing political intrigue, detective work, and/or crime families in fantasy.

Thank you to Del Rey and Netgalley for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

L.K. Steven created the most whimsical adult fantasy world that made me feel like I was transported to a LGBTQ+ Magic Society (think Diagon Alley but with pleasure houses). The main character, Saffron, tragically lost her parents as a child. She witnessed two members of a magical mafia (the Bloodmoons) murder them in her childhood home. She grew up wanting to avenge their death and joined the Silvercloaks, a magical detective agency. After passing her final assessment, Saffron receives orders to infiltrate the Bloodmoons to take them down from within.

The story was dark and twisted, filled with tense moments, and a slow burn romance. Steven has mastered the art of morally grey character development. The characters blur the line between what is right and wrong. It was a truly entertaining read that everyone should add to their summer TBR.

I don’t typically enjoy romantasy and this book hasn’t done anything to change my mind. It has my typical issue of sex scenes at inopportune times, flimsy worldbuilding, and cringeworthy dialogue. While the book establishes almost everyone in this world is bi, and Saff starts out the book with a female lover, the central romance is M/F which I’m not personally interested in. For such a queernorm world, gender is also frustratingly binary.

We’re consistently told how smart Saff is and how much of a poker face she has only to see her make blunder after blunder. She is kind of aware of this as it’s referenced in the text but the self awareness doesn’t make it any less frustrating to read.

There’s way too much info-dumped exposition about the world that doesn’t get called back in any way, such a flimsy excuse for worldbuilding. The magic system also falls apart the more you think about it, like if they can remove teleportation spells from wands why don’t they do the same with the killing spell which is arguably way more harmful?

My biggest issue was with the ending, none of the bigger elements that are hinted at get resolved by the end, leaving this book not only with a cliffhanger, but with an unsatisfying lack of answers to central questions. I understand it’s setting itself up for a series, but there’s a way to wrap things up while still leaving enough compelling elements to get people to read the next book.

I will acknowledge again I’m not the target audience for this book, so your mileage may vary depending on what you enjoy reading.

This was a DNF for me, though I do think Silver cloak has its readership.

Steven's incorporated an element of whimsy that I wasn't expecting, and the world felt sort of DND'ish because of it. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this atmosphere, it just didn't work for me.

I also didn't really connect with Saffron, so I was left feeling unconnected from the story.

Firstly, I’d like to thank you NetGalley, DelRey and Laura Steven for providing an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

This was an easy 5 star read for me. I can’t wait to read more of Laura Steven’s work as her writing and story telling is pure poetry. Laura's vivid descriptions bring every detail to life, leaving you feeling completely immersed in this world.

I was completely captivated from the start and struggled to put this down. I finished in 2 days and honestly, I would’ve finished it in one sitting if responsibilities didn’t get in the way. I was on the edge of my seat for the entirety of the book!

I have never read anything quite like this magic system. It was complex and unique, with consequences that, at many times, hindered the characters throughout the book. I loved the concept of either pain or pleasure fuelling their “magical wells.”

The two main characters, Saffron and Levan are wonderfully complex. Both ruthless, they will stop at nothing to get what they want, all whilst trying to understand the feelings growing between them. At no point did I think the romance overshadowed the plot of the book, it was woven expertly in adding an emotional depth that at some points, had me needing to put the book down to stare at a blank wall because WHAT THE HELL?! The emotional damage this two had me feeling may forever leave a scar.

The ending had me screaming, gasping and crying all at once. I am already foaming at the mouth for the next one!! I highly recommend this to anyone that loves intense world-building, forbidden love, morally grey and COMPLEX characters and unique magic systems. You will not regret this!!

LOVED this. It completely delivered as an adult romantasy version of Harry Potter and I could not put it down. The writing was so vivid, bringing to life a world full of whimsy and charm, yet also so much darkness and cruelty, making the atmosphere so well-balanced. I appreciated the FMC being more complex, morally grey, and highly fallible, which makes it so much more interesting to follow compared to other mainstream characters that are linear and predictable. That’s not to say that there weren’t plot points of this book that were easy to see coming from a mile away, but that didn’t detract from the overall story being intriguing and addicting to the very end. The banter sometimes didn’t quite hit, but the romance between the main characters as a whole felt very well done and I was highly invested in it. My only other wish would be for a bit more ‘mob’ activity in the middle section of the book, which felt slow in parts - hoping the later books will really explore more of the Bloodcloak underground world! But as a whole, I loved this story and the direction of where this series is heading with lots of mysteries still to be unveiled. Definitely will be recommending this once it hits the shelves!

HUGE thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Del Rey, Random House Worlds, Inklore and NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5/5 rounded up