Of Silver and Shadow

I was super excited to receive this book! It kept me engaged, it was well written and had fully fleshed out characters and a great plot! It really held its own against the books in my favorites :)

I was so excited about this book! This plot is right up my alley and i loved this book. I read this book in a day because it was so good! I will be recommending this book to everyone!!

I really liked everything about this dark fantasy book.
The magic was really great in it with a cool. The descriptions of the world is very detailed witten. The authors writing is very incredibly and it's like watching a movie. The characters were also different and great described.

This review will also be posted on my Goodreads account, which is provided in the link. Thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me give a honest review.

“But Markus was their mother’s son. Rebellion swam in his blood”

Wow! That’s all I can say for a moment... Ok I’m back haha.

I actually stayed up late to keep reading this! This book was amazing. I love how the story dives into action from the very beginning and the world descriptions were beautiful! I thought the concept of “The King’s Children” was creative and very interesting. The magic was amazing, the characters were phenomenal and I enjoyed each POV - Darek gave me serious Rowan Whitethorn vibes when we first met him haha

If you read my reviews you know how much I love slowburns, forbidden romances and the enemy-to-lover scenarios which this book tackled beautifully haha. I love when I can

Actually enjoy the main character(s) without wanting to strangle them. Ren was probably my favorite. she was awesome!

This book also made me laugh. I love banter and this story had plenty of it. That made me smile in the way that The Gilded Wolves did.

This book is amazing and I beg everyone to read it in May!

5/5 🌟’s

This book was received as an ARC from North Star Editions - Flux in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

This book reminded me a lot of the Red Queen series in the ways of the Rebels fighting for their lives and with their gifts of magic being frowned upon in the culture, they have no choice but to form an alliance and start a rebellion. This time it's Ren with her gift of being a silver wielder and joining the Rebel leader without seeing a single coin until they defeat the King. Then come the pack called The King's Children as they compete to earn their spot as the King's Fang. With Ren and the Rebel leader on the loose, they will stop at nothing to destroy them and earn their spot as their King's right hand. Political tensions arise and time is running out and Ren and the rebels will stop at nothing to take the throne from the King. The action, the drama, and the suspense was jaw dropping that it took you on a thrill ride you will never forget.

We will consider adding this title to our YA collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

This is a wonderful read for lovers of dark fantasy and magic, with a sassy female lead (Ren - one of my favourite characters of the year!), and delicious insight from three other points of view. I'd put it at the higher end of YA.

Thanks to NetGalley and North Star Editions for the ARC in return for this honest review.

The royal campaign against wielders of Silver (magic) has been mostly successful, but a few gifted individuals still pop up in some families. The King's Children are fearsome opponents, and unlikely alliances have to be made in order to succeed. And a perfect hate-to-love set up among the rebel crew. There is danger and horror at every turn.

I found this book an engaging read and well written, with excellent world-building, clever dialogue and believable characters. 

I didn't like the explicit torture scenes so that's a bit of a trigger warning - they are rather ghastly. I know this kind of scene raises the stakes but unfortunately I have a weak stomach for torture scenes!

However if you love that kind of death-lurks-at-every-turn magic fantasy, and don't mind quite a bit of blood, then this is going to be perfect for you. Watch out for the release in April 2020.

Thank you NetGalley for providing an e-ARC for an honest review. Of Silver and Shadow is a compulsively readable book. The prose is not always elegant, but it is extremely effective. Jennifer Gruenke’s world is populated with imperfect people who primarily exist in a moral gray area. All the characters are flawed in some capacity, but their shortcomings do not stop them from seeking virtue in impossible circumstances. Their choices and actions are not always easy to embrace, but Gruenke manages to facilitate some level of sympathy in the reader. The end of the novel definitely leaves the reader wanting more and I am hopeful that the story will continue at a future date.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a review copy of this book!

Final rating: 4.0 stars
TW: INTENSE Violence and (very subtle) implied sexual assault

My Thoughts:

So I had a really difficult time rating this novel! I enjoyed the plot in itself, (even if it felt a little too stale at points.)

BUT

The beginning quarter was full of info dumping. I believe I stopped reading at about 20% through the novel, just to check and make sure I hadn't accidentally requested a second book in a series.
My biggest problem was one of the earliest scenes, when Ren is captured by Darek and him brother. This is there first point meeting, but (without taking the time to really gauge Ren as a person) Derek reveals personal things about his backstory AND a good chunk of their rebellion's plan.
This is made better at the end when you find out that the entire novel takes place over just three weeks, and that's why the plot is so fast paced and characters have a lot of moments where they say things that feel extremely inorganic. But it still felt like a problem at the beginning.

This book has 4 POVS, which I was nervous to discover. I have a minor case of ADD, and sometimes it's really hard to keep my attention on a novel when there are a lot of POV changes. Let me tell you though, this author does a great job transitioning POVs, and all 4 characters were interesting enough to keep my attention.

Speaking of the characters, all of these were great and well enough developed. I wish we had gone a little bit more into Heath and why (other than INTENSE daddy issues) he was so deranged. And I wish we had a bit more time with the Rebellion so Rico's capture made me feel a bit more. But those are both nitpicky little things. I feel like this novel really would have benefited by being a bit longer, and an adult novel.

The final thing I want to address is the fact that, though Adley and Lesa were my favorite characters, there wasn't a scene at the conclusion where they had to face what they did to Rico. And that really bothered me.

ANYWAYS. I actually really enjoyed this novel for the most part, and I'm looking forward to picking up the book when its released next year.

**Disclaimer: I received an ARC of Of Silver and Shadow by Jennifer Gruenke from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.**

I initially was intrigued by this book from the cover alone because, let's face it, I am a sucker for a good looking cover! I know I'm not supposed to judge a book by it but I always do! And I'm (for the most part) good at picking books with beautiful covers, like this one, and loving the book as well. This book is no different! I loved it.

Of Silver and Shadow has 4 different POV"s. Sometimes I enjoy those kinds of books, sometimes I don't. Luckily I did like it this time because it was beautifully done and each character was equally interesting. I'm always a sucker for a hate-to-love story and this book had it and I loved it. A must read for anyone that loves magic and a love story with great characters and storyline.

I really enjoyed this book!! It reminded me a lot of Six of Crows and Throne of Glass, but it was also completely unique, with an amazing cast of characters and a complex magic system and monarchy.
Ren was my absolute favorite character, and I loved seeing her character growth throughout the book as she slowly becomes braver, more selfless, and more caring towards others, while still retaining her sarcastic personality.
The other characters were all very distinguishable from one another, which is sometimes difficult for me when reading multi-perspective fantasies (especially when the chapters aren't labeled). However, Jennifer Gruenke did an excellent job giving each character a unique voice, personality, and backstory. I could hardly believe she was a debut author; her world and her characters were so detailed and enjoyable to read.
Also, the plot was action-packed and kept me on the edge of my seat. I loved the magic system being based in silver, as well as the shadow aspect we don't learn about until later. I'm very excited to read the sequel, as well as anything else she writes!

Of Silver and Shadow by Jennifer Gruenke was WONDERFUL! Once I started to read I just could not stop until I eventually finished it. If you are looking for a book that is full of action, romance, fantasy, and surprisingly comedy then this is the book for you! This story is about a silver named REN who wields power and what makes her even more special, despite her badass nature and her Witt is the fact that she is one of the last silvers, despite the King and his family. The great thing is that this book is not just about REN, but rather connects us to three other different characters point of views. We have Darek who is the handsome and fierce leader of the rebellion, Kellan, the humorous Prince that is different from his family, and Adley who is a children of the king who is just trying to make her way in the world she was dealt. All four of these characters collide to orchestrate a beautiful story. I loved this book and i think that if you love fantasy and a little bit of romance then you too will love it as well! I will be posting a longer review to my blog later today!

I was given an advanced copy of this book to provide a review by Flux – North Star Editions.
A captivating story that had me from the very beginning and until the very end. I was left feeling bereft and hopelessly wondering what was left in store for all the colourful and vivid characters in this mesmerising tale.
Ren Kolins is strong and feisty young woman whose bark is definitely not worse than her bite. She is rude and abrupt but life has forced her to be this way. Ever since her parent’s death where they were burnt alive in their own home. Ren had barely escaped with her life and has the scars to show for it both inside and out.
But that’s not all there is to Ren, she has her own secrets. Secrets she keeps hidden like layers wrapped tightly around herself for warmth in the winter. With walls forever up, rarely letting anyone to see through the cracks of her armour.
Ren developed and perfected her skills as a thief and an accomplished fighter. Of course, the fact that she was a silver wielder certainly helped, though that is one secret she keeps closer than all the rest.
But to be a silver wielder in Erdis is a dangerous thing indeed. If the King were to discover her secret, she would join her parents. As only those with royal blood were meant to be silver wielders, and Ren was not of royal blood.
So, when Darek and his brother Markus tracked her down and revealed they knew her secret she was none too pleased.
Asking her to join their rebellion, she thought she would be better off signing her own death warrant. However, there was something about this Darek that she just couldn’t quite explain or put her finger on. He was dark and moody, almost as much as Ren was herself. And he had an uncanny knack to get under her skin like no one else could. Against her better judgment she joiner their rebellion, for a price.
The fight for the kingdom quickly turned into a fight for their lives. As the King’s loyal soldiers, the King’s Children circled Ren closer and closer, slowly tightening the noose. Can ren allow herself to depend on someone else or will she let it all burn around her, as long as she is safe…

Jennifer Gruenke is a talented author pulling the reader in and holding them in her power as she weaves her tales.
If you like the stories and works of Sarah J Maas you will definitely enjoy this thrilling story.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and can’t wait to read more of Ren and her adventures.

A quick to read, but enjoyable YA fantasy debut.
There is quite a bit of POV jumping, and I enjoyed reading some characters more than others, but the flow of the story was good!
I like that the author wasn’t adverse to touching on the grittier side of a rebellion (TW: there are a number of mentions of torture/blood/gore in this book), as it made the rebellion seem more real and visceral as I read it.
I do wish there had been a touch more world-building and fleshing out of some characters, but assuming this may only be book one, there’s time to build on that.

Overall, It definitely kept me turning pages, and rooting for both Ren and Adley as the two of them traversed their world.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the e-arc.
#indigoemployee

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Of Silver and Shadow. Ren is our main character and at the start of the book we see her cheating in a card game, then stealing a new coat. I loved that Ren isn't your typical Heroine of a story. She is sarcastic, angry, and a badass with a deadpan humor that is just what i wanted. Ren has been living on the streets for 9 years ever since her parents were ordered to be killed by the king. Ren cheats, cheats, is a pit fighter really she does whatever she has to do to survive and makes no apologies.

Ren has magic, she can wield Silver, which no one outside of the Royal family is allowed to have. A couple generations ago anyone outside of the royals that had the magic was killed. and this was the reason her and her family were targeted by the king.. Someone snitched.

So this is the story of Ren reluctantly joining the Rebellion to overthrow the King, and meeting some people along the way. People that will become important to her even though she tries her hardest for that not to happen. Along the way she has to fight, use her magic, and she gets to blow some shit up..

I did think the ending seemed kind of rushed. At the almost very end of the book everything happens all at once, when i saw how much of the book was left I thought it must end on a cliff hanger but it didn't.
I would like to read more from this author, and hopefully more about Ren, Derek and Kellen in this world.


also when it published I will leave a review on my instagram
www.instagram.com/danielovestoread

WOW. What an incredible debut novel!!

After reading the blurb I just knew that I had to request an ARC from Netgalley. I’m a big fan of fantasy books, especially where magic has been banned and a rebellion is brewing…

I was a tad worried that this book might be similar to other books I’ve read in the past. Thankfully Of Silver and Shadow was an exciting breath of fresh air.

What I liked…

I loved the main character, Ren. She is an angry, sarcastic badass who will stop at nothing to get what she wants. I wouldn’t say she is a “likeable” character, given her past and everything which has happened to her. The way she is portrayed makes her a whole lot more interesting. She’s got a lot of bloody fight in her and never backs down. I liked that her character was consisted throughout the story – it made Ren more interesting.

I was nervous at first about having multiple POV’s, sometimes I find you can get a bit lost in them. BUT I LOVED THEM ALL. Behind Ren, I really loved reading Prince Kellen. He is such a fun and lovable character; so it was hard not to like him.

The flow of the book worked really well. It went straight into the action while building the world around it at a steady pace. Jennifer is an incredible writer and was able to make this world come to life for me.

I am a big lover of the enemies-to-lovers trope. If you are too, THEN YOU BETTER READ THIS. It was developed really well and at times I wasn’t sure if it was actually going to happen. So it leaves you wanting more!!

What I didn’t like…

There isn’t much I didn’t like about this book (which is good!) but the ending felt weirdly rushed for me. I mean, it was good and there was a twist at the end but I wanted it to tell me a bit more. Other than that I REALLY liked this book!!

Currently, this book is just a standalone *cries*. The author has mentioned on Goodreads that there could be more books in the future!!! Which I would absolutely love. I think there is great potential for this to turn into an amazing and exciting series.

Erdis is ruled by a tyrant king. Ren Kolins is an orphan on her own. Only members of the ruling family are supposed to have magic, called silver, but somehow Ren has it. Ren lives in fear of being found out. She knows if found, she will die. Darek, a rich boy, somehow finds out and convinces her, through promises of money, to join a revolution to overthrow the king. Along the way, Ren meets a pit lord who isn’t who he seems, a bakers daughter who she’s not sure if her motives and one of the kings children who she’s sure she cannot trust. Armed with only one friend on her side, Ren embarks on this dangerous task of helping a revolt that she doesn’t believe in.
By far, this book is the best book of the year. I will be adding Ms. Gruenke to my list of favorite authors. She is skilled at weaving the webs in the story that I’m convinced she’s part spider. There are so many important main characters that you wonder how they will all meet and come into play for the climax of the book. I had roughly one more hour of this book to read and had to go out. I stood in checkout lines and read because this book had me so captivated that I couldn’t not read. I really hope there is another book in the making. The story ended so that another could be written or it could have been completed. I truly want to know what happens next. Well done Ms. Gruenke, well done!

Thank you NetGalley for the free arc.!

I really enjoyed this book. For me, it was a slow start. I didn’t really get into it until 20-25%. I even thought about dnfing it. Thank goodness I didn’t. It picked up around that point and kept going from there. The pacing was fast and escalating. I wish there were more details about some characters, more contact between others, and a more in-depth look at the magic. Overall, the book was very enjoyable though. I loved the characters, except Heath. But I cared enough to hate him. The plot was good, even though it could’ve been a little more complex. The ending was cute, so 4.25 stars altogether from me. A great standalone.

Thanks Netgalley for the ARC!

Oh man. I enjoyed this book alot! I loved all of the characters and how each chapter follow a different one. If there are anymore scheduled to be written then I will definitely be reading them.

<I>*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review *</i > 
<b> 4.5 stars (rounded up) </b>

<i>"If you think I'm annoying now, wait until you're stuck with me in the afterlife!"</i>

Ren is a Silver Wielder, which means she has magic and is hunted in her kingdom of Erdis. She is wanted dead by the King and is  unwittingly recruited/bribed into a plot to overthrow the throne.

Of Silver and shadow follows the alternating points of view of four main characters, Ren, Adley (a 'King's child', part of the KIng's elite corps), Darek (the resistance leader who recruited Ren) and the younger prince, Kellen.
  
The writing is witty (and very sarcastic which I always enjoy) , the plot is clever (albeit a bit cliché at times). The characters are engaging and well-developed. However, I wish there had been a bit more development of the relationships between the characters, as well as more world-building.

I'm aware that this is supposed to be a standalone, but I feel like there is so much more to be explored in this world.

P.S. I LOVE KELLEN

I received a copy of this through Net Galley.

Of Silver and Shadow was exciting, action-packed, and fast-paced! The story is told through multiple perspectives. Sometime, I find that having an ensemble cast of characters can be confusing, but this was not the case here. I thought that the author was able to present clear portraits of the different individuals. The characters were likable and I was drawn to their personalities and different struggles.

I will say that this was full of tropes typical of today's YA selections - magic, evil ruling monarch, rebellion... But the story was well-written, and so exciting and enthralling that I honestly did not care. I was completely sucked into this world and the romance(s)!

I am hoping for a sequel!! (The ending seemed like the author was setting it up as such.)

*THANK YOU to North Star Editions and Flux, Netgalley for graciously providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review*


Full 5 stars for the amazing journey that book is! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
No fillers no runaround, pure action from chapter one,right until the last one!
The story is told from several points of view and the timing to switch between them is so perfect and fluid, that is pure pleasure to read and complements the story, instead of distracting you and make you say "I wish i saw that momemt from that character's view".
A kingdom that is ruled by a tyrant King Mattheus and his two sons - Kellen and Heath.
Long ago the Lyandors were threatened by other Silver(magic) wielders and king Tallis Lyandor sent his armies across Erdis, burning villages of wielders, hanging magical families, beheading anyone caught fleeing. The Silver Purge was the reason the only magic left in the kingdom belonged to the crown, why the only silver wielders in the past 100 years had been Lyandorswielder .
Now the rebellion with Darek for a leader, have plan to take the Lyandor family from the throne and the only hope is a girl - Underground pit fighter and a thief...but also a hidden Silver wielder,beside the royal family.
The developing story is seen trough the eyes of :
Ren - orphaned at young age,now a thief and a pit fighter to provide for herself
Darek - rebel leader with a younger brother Markus
Kellen - the younger son of King Mattheus
Adley - a ferocious warrior of the famous King’s Children army
I love how we see all the back story for the characters- all the events and emotions,that made them what they are today, and at the same time it's not cramped up and it's easy to read.
I really hope we'll see the characters again!
And definitely can't wait to read another book by this author!

I loved this book it is so fast paced and I just love the characters we get to follow. Ren, the street hardened girl with the gift of silver, Adley ,the warrior who never missed with a forbidden live, Darek, the pouty brains and looks of the operation and Kellen, the prince with a Rapunzel complex.

It has a very Lannister meets furyborn vibe. I can not put into words how much I loved this. And all the snarky remarks. I really liked how it shows no matter where you are born in status or what's done to you. You can choose. You can make a change.

Ren Kolins possesses magic. She is a Silver wielder which can help her during stealing with picking locks for instance, but also to survive. Because in a world where only the royals are allowed to use Silver, others with this power are killed, Ren has to be extremely careful while using her Silver. Even though someone discovers her secret and she’s bribed to joint heir revolution. But her payment will only be fulfilled when the King is overthrown.
Time is running out when the king sends his troups to kill the leader of the rebellion. Adley Farre, the king’s best warrior, is getting close to Ren’s secret and to the plans of the rebellion. The king won’t rest until they’re caught, but all the while it’s his youngest son who’s secretly connecting tot he rebellion.

The introduction of the story starts off with an action scène. As a reader you’re pulled into the story immediately and the nice writing style allows you to read page after page for the first few chapters. The author knows how to keep a fine balance between giving information, dialogue and action. Always right on time, something happens which pulls your mind all the way back into the story. In the first quarter of the story, the worldbuilding is nicely described and the underground fightings provide some requiered action. All the while the different characters are introduced and well formed.

During the story you follow about four different storylines which all have a link to either the king or the rebellion. It’s wonderful how these changes of perspectives gives you a good look from different sides in the story. Because nothing is all black and white. While reading you learn about the antagonist’s motives and their histories. Sometimes you even feel sympathy for them. And to get that from readers, is very worthy of appointment. In the first half of the story, the different storylines are quite distant and self-contained. But gradually this will develop into a complete and well connected story. Contacts are made between characters and getting closer to the conclusion, these connections get more deep and grow more important. Eventhough, Ren continues to be the main character and goes through some great changes. She’s rebellious, stubborn, sarcastic and repels everyone who tries to get closer to her. Half throught the story she gets confrontated with her own flaws. And the people and her surroundings push her to adapt and make some changes. And once again it’s proven someones not only good or bad, but sometimes a little bit of both.

While the plans of the rebellion are forming, the story gets more intens. The climax is coming, but the question remains: how will the showdown start and how will it end? Because the antagonists still have some surprises for Ren and the rebellion.

The typical and recognizable elements of the average Young Adult stories are also included in this one. But the author knows how to use some specific and extraordianary elements to surprise the readers. That’s why this book isn’t really comparable to a lot of other titels. It’s what makes this story so unique.

I posted this review on goodreads and it will be available on my blog My Winged Books around the publication date. It's also available in Dutch on Hebban.

**Disclaimer: I was given a free e-book in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley.**

Title Of Silver and Shadow

Author Jennifer Gruenke

Description from Amazon

Ren Kolins is a silver wielder-a dangerous thing to be in the kingdom of Erdis, where magic has been outlawed for a century. Ren is just trying to survive, sticking to a life of petty thievery, card games, and pit fighting to get by. But when a wealthy rebel leader discovers her secret, he offers her a fortune to join his revolution. The caveat: she wont see a single coin until they overthrow the King.

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

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

Release Date May 26, 2020

Initial Thoughts

I discovered this book on Instagram a few weeks ago and it sounded super interesting. As luck would have it, I was approved for this title on NetGalley a few weeks ago. Again, in an effort to start 2020 at 100% in NetGalley, I had to finish this book in 2019.

Some Things I Liked

Multiple POVs. I love POVs and it was done so well in this story. I loved the continuity of scenes from one character’s perspective to another and it gave the story a great flow.
Magic system. The magic in this story was simple and well done. Silver is a semi-elemental magic in this setting and there are only a handful of characters capable of wielding it. I have read so many stories with overly complicated magic systems or magic that breaks its own rules. This story was very well done and had neither of those flaws.
Ren. I loved Ren’s character. She was spunky and full of sass. I felt like I saw a lot of myself in her and I loved that I could connect so strongly with a main character in this story.

Series Value

This book is not cited as series but I hope it becomes one. I would definitely read more about these characters and about the world of Erdis. On the other hand, I am satisfied with the ending we got in Of Silver and Shadow. I felt like I got closure but it also left me wanting more.

Final Thoughts

This was a solid book. I liked the story, the characters, and if it becomes a series, I would continue reading it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Recommendations for Further Reading

All the King’s Traitors by Keylin Rivers – if you liked the POVs and the elemental-esque magic of Of Silver and Shadow, you should check out this new release by Keylin Rivers.
Furyborn by Claire Legrand – again, if you like multiple POVs and stories of rebellion, check out the Empirium Trilogy by Claire Legrand (book 3 is hitting shelves in October 2020).
The Traitor’s Game by Jennifer A. Nielsen – if you liked the enemies to lovers romance in Of Silver and Shadow – do yourself a favor and read this series!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with the eARC in exchange for an honest and fair review.

“We’ve all done things we’re not proud of. We’ve all made mistakes. Your demons might be louder than mine, but we each have one or two hanging around. ”*

Knife wielding lesbians, reluctant heroes, enemies-to-lovers, rebellions, oh my!

Writing

Not much to critique about the writing. The novel is written in third person, limited which is a personal preference of mine so I was very pleased about that. It’s very easy to get into the story. The reader is given a small amount of backstory early on and easily becomes invested in the main character Ren in a scene that is reminiscent of the opening scene of Nocturna by Maya Motayne. There aren’t an overwhelming number of characters to keep track of, and the POV characters all have distinct voices.

Synopsis taken from GoodReads

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

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

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

Story

The main story is one of rebellion. While that one thread binds all the points of view, each character undergoes their own personal rebellion too. We have Ren, the main character, who reluctantly joins the rebel cause because she has a large debt to pay to a gang leader. Ren carries deep trauma from surviving a fire set to kill her and her family for harbouring a silver wielder, a direct threat to the royal family who are supposed to be the only people with magic.

Adley, a King’s Child, in a fierce competition to become the King’s Fang -- the only way to escape being a King’s Child with your life -- while fighting to keep her love secret. She falls in love with fellow King’s Child Lesa, a fact that could get them both killed as they’re not supposed to form attachments. These two knife wielding lesbians have been trained to be ruthless killers from childhood, but they manage to find softness with each other.

Kellen, the youngest of the king’s sons who does not identify with his family’s reign of terror. He has learned that in order to protect his softness he has to act like a lush. I don’t have much to say about him other than he needs to be protected at all costs.

And finally we have Darek, who carries on his mother’s legacy of fighting for a better Erdis and orchestrating the rebellion. This tall, dark, and handsome man feels like a perfect balance for Ren. They bicker, they fight, there are buckets of sass. One of my favourite things about Darek was how poignantly it was described that he’s demi-sexual (a person who does not experience sexual attraction unless they form a strong emotional connection with someone).

The story builds at a comfortable pace, carrying deftly from tension to tension and leading to an explosive ending. There were twists at the end that I had not been expecting even though -- in hindsight -- the clues were there. One of my notes was genuinely “that was not how I was expecting that to go...” closely followed by “OH SH*T!!!”

Overall

It has taken me so long to review this book because I didn't want to admit to myself that it was over. A thrilling story with some beautiful underlying messages and such rich world and character building. And the LGBT+ representation? Genuinely a read that started my 2020 on a very strong note, it’s going to be hard to beat. Plus have you seen that cover?! It’s stunning! Really a book where the beauty of the cover matches the inside. To me this book is among those setting a new standard for YA Fantasy.

Some of my favourite messages direct from the text:

“A good person in pain was not the same as a bad one.”*
“Your father’s wrongs do not belong to you.”*
“We’ve all done things we’re not proud of. We’ve all made mistakes. Your demons might be louder than mine, but we each have one or two hanging around.”*
*taken from the NetGalley digital arc, text might change

I really enjoyed of silver and shadow and was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed it, at first I didn’t think it was going to be a book for me but as I kept reading I got sucked into the story.
Thank you to the publisher and author for allowing me to read and review and give my honest thoughts.
I truly enjoyed it and will be looking out for more books from this author.

“Of Silver and Shadow” is about Ren, who is a self-taught silver wielder that nearly escaped death as a child before she went into hiding in the Kingdom of Eris, where magic is outlawed and being outed could be the death of her. While attempting to survive by succumbing to thievery, card games, and dangerous pit fighting to pay an overdue debt, along the way she encounters a Rebel, King’s Children, and Prince that pulls her towards a rebellion she wants no part of in which case forever alternating the course of her life forever.

And…. Holy. Shit.

Now that’s what I call a near-perfect debut YA novel and if you haven’t checked out my rating, this is a must-read for 2020! It had all the elements I was looking for: badass heroine, characters that actually had depth and growth, fantasy, magic, fighting, and mild dosage of romance that wasn’t so instant.

It was an addictive page turner that I nearly finished in one sitting. In addition,“Of Silver and Shadow” showcased fantastic character development, decent worldbuilding along with surprising tropes I wasn’t expecting, and let’s not forget the author's phenomenal writing style that made it easier to immerse myself on Ren’s journey in joining the Rebellion. Needless to say just about everything about this novel was superb and I would highly recommend everyone to add this to your TBR.

Although Of Silver and Shadow was slow at first, even when it was I couldn’t put it down. Instead of the usual one or two povs you get 4! I was not huge fan of the main romance (I liked Kellen/Ren more) and I would have loved a Holland point of view, I enjoyed every second of reading this book.

I received an eARC of this title from netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This book delivers on its premise and so much more. This is the take on forbidden magic that I’ve been waiting for , when so many others have felt overplayed or underwhelming. I really enjoyed all the perspectives in this book, and the cast of characters is vibrant and interesting. Just when I thought the ending might be a little predictable and lack lustre, the author upped the ante with realistic stakes and a twist. I will absolutely purchase a finished copy of this book and I’m already eagerly awaiting the next book in the series.

I posted my review on Goodreads 1/8/2020.

Of Silver and Shadow is a great multi-point of view fantasy book. The book is told from four different character perspectives from four completely different areas and "jobs" in the fantasy world. Sometimes this can get confusing, but Gruenke did a great job of layering the characters and stories so they both align and are easy to follow.

I loved this book! It is a great fantasy about a reluctant hero with powers that could help save a city. Ren was a main character that you hated but grew to love, with a slow burn romance with the other lead. I would highly recommend this to anyone who reads fantasy! Gruenke's world-building and character building are phenomenal and the story is captivating and something you can't put down when once you begin reading.

<b>Thank you so much Netgalley and North Star Editions/Flux for sharing this book in exchange for an honest review.</b>
<b>Publication Date: May 26, 2020</b>

Okay, so we can we all just give a moment to <b>LOOK AT THAT COVER!!!😍</b>
I admit that when I was looking for books, this cover stood out so much, that I just had to read the synopsis. Yes, I know, don't judge a book by its cover, but c'mon. You can't look at that and not fall in love with that GORGEOUS cover.💖
< img src="https://media1.tenor.com/images/dd10eb337856d14a8640828f99dd7a2f/tenor.gif?itemid=12479111" width="300" height="250" alt="description"/ >
<b>Of Silver and Shadow</b> (it even had a great title) was my first request to Netgalley to be accepted, so you can imagine how happy I was to read this.😁
For a story with multiple perspectives, the author did a really good job!

You have 18 year old pit fighter and silver wielder, Ren, who wants nothing to do with rebel leader, Darek, and his plans to overthrow the King.
And then Adley, one of the King's Children (fierce warriors) and Kellen, who is like my favourite character.😍
Ren only decides to work with Darek and this rebel group because they promised a huge amount of money.🤑
But is money really worth all the danger....................🤔

Well, I won't go in any details , but I'll say that Ren was super cool and an awesome fighter, both physically and mentally.
I didn't like Darek or Adley in the beginning of the book, nor do I like them now. Though I am starting to like Adley, but not Darek. Just something about him annoys me.....

<b>KELLEN WAS THE BEST!!!</b>
He was so sweet and kind, nothing like his father and brother. Kellen was hilarious and I can't really say anything without spoiling, but trust me. You're going to love him.😍

I'm just so annoyed of that ending. That cliffhanger....WHY??!!😭
Now I have to wait until who knows when to get the next book. Especially since it hasn't even come yet.

But believe me, if you love strong and funny protagonists, silver wielding magic, and <b>THE COVER💖</b> (DON'T forget the cover), then you've got to pre-order this right now or buy this on May 26.
I know the waiting will be torturous, but hey, at least you haven't read it now and now have to wait until next year most likely for the next book.😭😂

I would like to thank Jennifer Gruenke & Flux for my copy of the ARC. Due to this kind gesture, I have decided to leave a review.

WOW WOW WOW WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW! What in the hell bells was that?!

In a kingdom where magic has been purged, only the Royals have the pleasure of using silver. But a normal girl, generations down the line can wield her own silver? Hunted down, thought to be murdered by the king's children... what's a girl to do?! Lay low? Become nothing? Or swindle card games and hit fighting pits. But what if that's all about the change for a bit of gold? Would you risk your life for so much gold you could make a Kardashian jealous? Maybe you would come along for the ride.

I tried to get into this book a couple of times but I couldn't seem to sit still and actually fully invest properly. I recently broke my foot (new years eve yeeey) so I have no choice but to stay in my room. I switched everything off and picked up my kindle and started to read. Before I knew it I was hooked! I could not put the book down. I was giggling, I was in shock, I was routing! This is one of these books the sneak up on you and leaves an imprint where you want more.

The plot was good, it really flowed. Sometimes I get bored with these types of books because they try to pile too much information or make it complicated but Gruenke really made it work, and all in one book. I will say though I have A LOT OF UNANSWERED QUESTIONS!! Will this be a stand-alone?! I bloody hope not because I need more answers. What happens with a certain young prince? What happens with the older one? I CAN'T HAVE THIS I NEED MORE!

I absolutely adored Ren! She was hilarious, strong, determined. She was also damaged, guarded, insufferable but by gods, you route for her every step of the way. You see her grow, flourish, become the person she is meant to be and it's fricking awesome!

The characters were amazing, from Ren to Darek, to Adley and Lesa, Holland, Heath, King Mattheus Lyandor! Ohh how I love a baddie, Ethen Delano... Markus our love who reminded me of a puppy. Then, of course, our lovely Kellen... how could I ever forget him! This can't be all that I am left with?! I need another Kellen hit, where you at?!

I really think this will be a huge hit for people who are into books written by SJ Mass, Cassandra Clare, Kelley Armstrong. It's a real page-turner and I actually loved how it didn't include any fae or weird creatures because that is getting done aaaaalooootttt right now so it was nice to see something fresh.

Its certainly gets four stars from me! It was a pleasure to read and review! Thank you :-).

https://mandyizzym.tumblr.com

"And you said there wasn't much to know about you." She was such a little liar.

4.5 Star Rating

A transformative journey of survival and politics, a band of unlikely but lovable heroes, a world brimming with the echoes of magic lost and whispers of revolution rising. Fantasy lovers, rejoice! Jennifer Gruenke delivers a captivating tale where the blood spills red, the morality runs grey, and the magic always has a silver lining.

Of Silver and Shadow is a knockout of a read and a standout for the 2020 lineup. It does the unthinkable from the get go - it takes a fairly recognizable YA trope, a girl with magic powers gets involved with a rebel cause to overtake a throne to a country that ostracizes and persecutes magic users and along the way is entangled with the plot of a prince who just wants to do his own thing (a la, Onyx and Ivory, Ruined, etc) but here's the kicker - the execution is done REALLY WELL. This story is GROUNDED. It has roots in a world that is wholly immersive and unique enough to stand apart from the rest. Let's face it, if a story is fun to read and enjoyable, who cares if it's a tad tropey?

Ren is a petty thief and a pit fighter, living in the poverty with an attitude that's just as abrasive as her right hook. She is also a secret silver-wielder, capable of manipulating silver at will with the flick of her wrist. The only problem is that she isn't supposed to be alive - the king in years past had all silver wielders killed except themselves to keep the power of magic monopolized by royalty. His radical regime is enforced by the Kings Children, elite warriors enslaved to root out magic users and heretics alike. When Ren is approached by two brothers looking to overthrow the tyrant king, Ren must figure out what she values most and what she's willing to sacrifice to attain it. Along the way, there are alliances tested, unexpected friendships, secrets unearthed from long ago, and a sloooooowwwwww burn hate-to-love romance that will make you wonder if this is really for young adults.....

There is a darkness coiled up in the tone of this book that I simply adored. The author did not pull any punches when it came to depicting the brutality of this world and the torturous depravity of its king. I appreciated the grit and the honesty of the setting and the tense atmosphere it created. There are no apologies for the characters maiming or murdering. There is no path to redemption or introspection. Ren does what she has to in order to survive and that's it. And when we switch gears to the other of the 4 main point of views (which sounds intimidating but transitioned seamlessly), we find that the solidarity of resolve to survive in an unfairly oppressive world is what drives these characters forward towards. Towards what end, whether it be good or evil or somewhere in-between, who's to say what the right answer is. All I know is I was intrigued the whole way through. And the last 10% of the book probably had some of the most well-articulated, enjoyable, believable action sequences I've ever read.

Overall, great read. Can't wait for the next installment!

When I was halfway through this book, I described it to a friend as "Star Wars, but medieval" and after finishing it, I still think that's a pretty good way to sum it up. It's not Star Wars, but it has some shades of it, and I found that rather delightful.

The plot is straightforward: Ren secretly controls magic ("silver", a vaguely defined sort of thing, but it's kind of like the Force) in a country where all silver-wielders have been eradicated a generation earlier by a zealous, paranoid king, who fears being overthrown. (Ironic.) Ren, an orphan, is only concerned about surviving (reckless, aggressive, and undisciplined, some might say), but unfortunately for her, a group of Rebels has cottoned onto her special abilities. They bribe her into helping them overthrow the evil emperor king, and that's where the story kicks off ...

Running parallel with this are multiple other stories of varying weight. There's Adley, one of the King's Children, and her forbidden romance with Lesa, a fellow King's Child. Their relationship isn't forbidden due to them both being girls, but rather because King's Children are forced to swear loyalty only to the king. Romance is seen as an act of treason and punishable by death. The King's Children are a group of the king's personal army, specially trained in acts of torture. It's a group made up of children who are brutally stolen/sold into it. Adley and Lesa, like all the King's Children, suffered deep abuse and brainwashing their whole lives. But despite this, they know deep down that they've been trained to be terrible people, and you get to see Adley struggle with this internal conflict. She desperately wants a life of freedom, but cannot escape her harsh reality.

Then there's Kellen, the younger prince, who is the kinda tropey "noble with a heart of gold/heavy is the crown" sort of deal. I personally found it difficult to connect to him compared to Ren and Adley, because although his life isn't perfect, and his father is emotionally abusive, he is still a thousand times more privileged than Ren or Adley. The book certainly points out that rich and powerful people can have problems too -- Darek and Markus, rebellion leaders, lost their mother, but still enjoyed all the benefits of upper class life -- but that it isn't a 1:1 comparison to what Ren, Adley, and Lesa have suffered through.

Ren is the "main" character in this ensemble book. Her parents were murdered by the king when she was a child, and she is deeply distrustful of everyone and everything. The only exception is her best friend, Freya. Ren comes across as very selfish for the first 1/3 of this story, but it makes sense, considering her history and deep survivor's guilt. Deep down, Ren does care, but she is so afraid to let anyone else in. Throughout the story, she slowly begins to let down her walls.

The three relationships in this story are Ren/Darek, Adley/Lesa, and Kellen/Holland. There was a point where I suspected that a love triangle might develop between Ren, Darek, and Kellen, but thankfully I was mistaken. The greatest amount of page-time is given to Ren/Darek, but it's understandable as Adley/Lesa and Kellen/Holland got together prior to the start of the book. To be honest, all of the relationships felt a bit generic, though I felt like Ren/Darek was the most so. You could see their setup coming from the first chapter. It wasn't insta-love, but still. I wasn't very impressed. I would have loved to see more from Lesa and Holland's POVs, but they drew the short end of the stick.

The writing is solid. Nothing that'll blow you away, but capable and solid. There's so much alluded to in this world, I would have really loved to dug in deeper. If only this book were as long and detailed as say, The Priory of the Orange Tree, that would have been fantastic. I don't dislike it for what it is, but there's so much potential!

By the end, the story is pretty much wrapped up. I would be satisfied if things were just left here, but you can see there is definitely room left for at least a sequel.

Of Silver and Shadow is the debut novel from author Jennifer Gruenke. It falls within the Sci-Fi/Fantasy teen and YA genre with romance. I found the first half of this book pretty boring but I guess it was necessary to set the cast of characters. Our main character Ren is a silver wielder, the only known of her kind left in the Kingdom of Eris except for the King’s family. She joins Danek and his group of rebels (unwillingly at first) to overthrow the throne due to his brutal reign and her need for gold. By the second half of the book, things really picked up. I enjoyed the hate-to-love romance between Danek and Ren. There was also a forbidden romance between two Kings Childrens, Adley and Lesa. I will be looking forward to the next book, since I am sure this will be a series.

Of Silver and Shadow by Jennifer Gruenke is a really well written YA fantasy that has everything I look for in a page-turner. Told in multiple voices; it follows Ren, a strong and kick-ass female lead, who is both snarky and tough, yet has a softer side that she rarely let’s show. Darek, leader of the rebellion to overthrow the King, Kellen, the youngest prince of Erdis who has serious concerns about his royal family, and Adley, a member of the King’s Children – one of the lost, stolen kids who was “raised by sword point in the castle armory. By sixteen, they could hit any target from impossible distances and kill a man in no less than a hundred different ways. They were brutal, deadly, and loyal to no one but the crown.” Adley is seeking freedom from the crown that enslaved her but at what price? The characters, as I’ve outlined, are remarkable and so well-developed they leap off the page. I’ve formed an emotional attachment to them all which means there MUST be a sequel! Must..Be..A..Sequel..!

The world-building in OF SILVER AND SHADOW is unique and detailed, the Kingdom of Erdis and surrounding villages is both parts down trodden and wealthy with those in the latter category being held in place by the despotic king and his political agenda. The magic of silver wielding is unique, the story leading up to Ren being the last wielder outside the Lyandor’s, and the main characters combined stories make this a compelling read. Highly recommended for any fan of YA fantasy.

Thank you to NetGalley, North Star Editions – Flux, and Jennifer Gruenke for providing me with Of Silver and Shadow in exchange for my honest review.

I will be posting my review closer to publication date on Wednesday, April 15. I will post on all my linked sites including Goodreads, Bookstagram, Twitter, and my blog. I will also post my review on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo on publication date.

Thank you so much Netgalley for this ARC! I adored this book and ate it up. First of Ren is one of the most likeable characters, I felt so drawn to her right away. She holds this magical gift with silver yet is so relatable. As if Ren isn't great enough, enter Derek who is charming, witty, and didn't I mention a total babe?!? I could read page after page of their sarcastic and sharp tounged dialogue forever. I love the build to these two revealing there feelings and can totally envision those butterflies in their bellies. Great work by a new author, who will now be on my auto buy list!

Thanks to NetGalley I was able to grab an ARC of this book. I’ve been in a huge reading slump and have tried to start multiple books. Nothing seemed to help, but this one got me through! I really enjoyed this book, but I’m a huge fan of YA fantasy. I loved Ren and can’t wait to see what happens next.

First and foremost I want to thank Netgallery and the author, Jennifer Gruenke, for gifting me the opportunity to read the ARC of this amazing novel! This story is so interesting and it is very hard to put down when you get into the plot line! The character's and the story are extremely well developed and graphic, I could have sworn I saw EXACTLY what the author was picturing when she wrote the story!

This is such a refreshing and new YA fantasy story filled with love, witty comments, and MAGIC! This is such a different story than anything else I've read before, and so OF COURSE I loved it so much! In my opinion it was too short, because I could have read a couple hundred more pages of this story with these characters! Also, can we talk about how bad ass and amazing Ren is?! I just fell in love with her completely, and she has moved to one of my favorite female characters of all time!

I have never read a book by Jennifer Gruenke before, or ever heard of her, but this book makes me what to read more of what she has conjured up! I am absolutely going to be promoting this book to everyone that will listen, because I definitely think this is a MUST READ!!

I was totally surprised when Netgalley approved this ARC for me, because I’m quite new as a blogger &reviewer and this book is earth-shattering. So a huge thank you for this amazing book !

The story follows Ren Collins, a loner who reluctantly joins a rebellion against King Erdis. Ren isn’t joining because she cares for the people or justice, she’s only helping because she’s being paid quite a sum of money. Being part of the rebellion is dangerous as the King and his sons show no mercy towards their people or the rebellion. (duh )
So what is so special about Ren that the rebellion wants her on her side ? Oh, I don’t know maybe she’s a freaking silver wielder.!! Not only that, she is also one of the last one’s in the empire ! That makes her a great target honestly.

We follow the perspectives of four different characters: Ren, the silver wielder who doesn’t give a fly about anything, Darek, the leader of the rebellion who’s strangely attractive ; Adley, a member of the lethal King’s Children that actually has a heart; and Kellen, the youngest prince who is not cruel and who sneaks out at night to enjoy his life

Ren and Darek as individuals were sexy and interesting, but put them together and BAM ! You get sassy, sarcastic dialogues and a whole lot of chemistry that is just off the charts.
The build-up for their love story was fantastic and had me turning page after page. When we finally get to the chapter where Darek and Ren openly talk about their feelings leading to a steamy,-much awaited,-kiss I held my breath and then felt how my heart stopped beating.

I can’t believe that this is a debut author that wrote this book. The writing was great, the world building perfectly done, sucking you in. It was easy to read, the pace was just right, no unnecessary fillers throughout the book and the ending was explosive. Even though some events were predictable and if you read a lot of NA/YA fantasy books you will find the story unoriginal, but I assure you that the writing, the world-building and especially the characters will keep you hooked.
I honestly can’t recommend this book enough and I’m so excited for everyone to read it !

This book was a lot of fun! It was exciting from the very beginning all the way to the very end. It was a little dark and felt like it was maybe for older YA audiences which is why I think I enjoyed it so much. It felt different then some of the other books I've ready that centered around a rebellion.

I also really enjoyed all of the characters POVs. I normally dont like multiple POVs however it worked really well for this book.

The ending made it seem like it could definitely stand on it's own but I felt like there was possibly room for a sequel...I would love to see more of this world and these characters in the future. I cant wait to read more from this author!

My Rating is 4.5 / 5 Stars

In Erdis, being a magic wielder means one of two things – you are royalty or you are dead. The king and his sons are the only people who are allowed to have silver magic, but somehow, Ren slipped through their fingers and is running around the streets of Erdis, wielding magic right under their noses.

Ren is a badass MC with an iconic outfit to rule the underworld of Erdis. The fact that she is a great pit fighter and a brilliant thief meant I loved her from page one. She is stubborn and runs away from her feelings faster than I do (which is truly a feat). Her character is easy to love and hard to forget.

We have some LGBT+ representation in a few characters, but the main one we follow is Adley, one of the Kings Children (not his biological children but kids who were taken from home at a young age to become the hard and bitter puppets of the tyrannical king). Adley loves reading, chocolate and one of her fellow King’s Children (which is forbidden on pain of death). Her character is complex and interesting to follow as she battles an inner struggle between what is right and what is easy.

From the first moment we met Prince Kellen I loved him. He is surrounded by horrible people which means he searches for an escape out in the world where princes should not wonder. He is a fantastic character and just the perfect balance of broody and flirty for me to adore him.

The plot is exciting and although I saw one or two twists coming, there were still surprises throughout to keep me on the edge of my seat. She builds tension well, (between characters *wink* as well as in the plot). THAT PLOT TWIST THOUGH. Although we knew a secret was being kept I did not expect it. I adore this story, and although the story of rebellion against a tyrant is old, this world and characters made the trope seem new and unique.

This novel has some lovely descriptions and subtle world-building. A fantastic setting is created for a character and plot centered story.

This is currently a stand-alone but I would be ecstatic if Gruenke decided to write more stories of this world. This is her debut novel and I thought it was a good one. As a stand-alone, it was rounded off nicely but I could definitely read more about these brilliant characters.

Happy Reading !

Gizelle ✨

This book was an adventure that reminded me of my old D&D group. We dabbled at one point with a computer game called Neverwinter nights...that is what this reminded me of. Loosely, though, I should say. I greatly enjoyed this book start to finish. I even stayed up until3 am to finish it the same day I started. My only complaint about the story line is it ended to soon. But, I guess that means there will be a next book? Please...

I think I have solid 4.8 star rating for this book.

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to review this eARC. Thank you Jennifer Gruenke for a wonderful tale of adventure.

A fun romp full of magic, fighting, con-artists, thieves and revolution. I am so pleased that my first book of 2020 is a 4 star! I couldn’t put it down! Ren, Darek, Freya, Kellen, Holland, even Adley, the whole gang were fabulous and I wanted more background on all of them. I hope there will be companion novels and a sequel.

I was provided with an ARC of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Absolutely LOVED this! Everything was s lo well built and fast paced that I wasn't able to put it down till I reached the end. I was absolutely captivated by the atmosphere, and the characters, especially.

I can tell I've enjoyed a book when I genuinely care about what happens to the characters. Finishing Of Silver and Shadow, I can say that I am looking forward to (hopefully) finding out what happens next. Jennifer Gruenke sets up a fascinating world, using just enough exposition to set the stage, and then lets the characters loose to run amok. While not a challenging or boundary pushing story, this is a great fireside or beach novel; one that never seems to be short on action, passion or growth of its characters. I hope Gruenke continues to play in this world, expanding upon the locales mentioned in passing.

Of Silver and Shadow, published by FLUX, is the first book I read by Jennifer Gruenke and I'm glad I gave this book a try.

Of Silver and Shadow is a YA novel, I recommend to read it as NA. The story is told in a multiple pov and it took me a bit to get used to this. But once I was into the story, I was in it.
Ren is a young woman with a hard life so far and it seems she has more trials to win. The author crafted an amazing magical world, Ren was my favorite character and I loved the bicker and banter. She's a strong heroine, just what I like to read.
Of Silver and Shadow is an unputdownable enemies - to - lovers / forbidden love story, excellent written and beautifully thought out and beautifully told. 4 Stars.

'I received a complimentary copy of this book through Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.'

I loved the multiple perspectives and main characters in this book. Ren and Darek are great, I just wish I would have been able to read more about their time spent together traveling through the city to put on displays and spread rumors. Kellen is a sweetie. Adley was a parallel to Ren in my opinion, just trying to make the best of their situation and survive.
I also would have liked to learn more about the magic system, but Ren had no teachers so she just winged it.

That being said, I loved this book a lot. I didn't expect it to be as brutal as it was. People were getting their throats slit, blood spraying everywhere, eyes gouged out, stabbed and tortured and getting their skin peeled off. This was a pleasant surprise. There was also some romance, which always gets me.

The pacing and writing were great. There was a battle scene and it switched from perspectives in short, clipped chapters, making me want to read faster and faster to finally get to the outcome. A lot of suspense, anticipation and humor.

I'm hoping there will be a second book because I'm invested and need to see where these babies end up. I can't wait to purchase the physical copy of this when it is released in May.

Review will be posted on Goodreads.com/dmwhite94

This high-stakes fantasy is equal parts deadly and steamy - the perfect read for fans of Sarah J. Maas's Throne of Glass series and Shelby Mahurin's Serpent & the Dove.

The story is told from multiple POVs and the character's, each with their secrets, loves, and losses. Ren is a silver-wielder who will do anything for gold because she is paying off another's debt. Darek is the leader of the rebellion. Kellen is the second son of the evil king who would rather be any place but the palace. Adley is a King's Child, an elite soldier who is in love with her fellow soldier Lesa - but if they're caught, they'll be killed.

Multiple steamy romances (including my favorite trope: enemies to lovers), plenty of heart-pounding action, and unique magic make this a fast-paced read sure to be a favorite.

In the kingdom of Edris, the only ones who have silver magic is the royal family. A century ago the ruling family killed anyone who had magic. At least, that is until Ren Kolins. Her family was killed when she was young due to her having silver magic and she was believed to be dead. Now she only survives by stealing, cheating at cards, and pit fights.

With a rebellion brewing, the rebel leader finds out about Ren and offers a fortune for her to join them. The King's Children, soldiers who are conditioned from a young age to be merciless, are charged with finding the leader of the rebellion. Whoever brings in the leader become's the King's Fang, the second highest person in the kingdom and the only way for a King's Child to leave the King's employment with their life. Time is running out as they kill and torture their way though the city to find the rebellion's leader. But what will happen when the King's youngest son gets involved with the rebels?

This was an amazing read, I could not put it down! Jennifer Gruenke does a fabulous job of hooking readers from the beginning and keeping us on the edge of our seats throughout this amazing story with lots of twists, turns, and wondering what will happen next. There is no cliffhanger at the end but I want more!!! Kudos on this wonderful book and I hope you will be bringing more to us since I want to find out what happens next!

This book was given to me an an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in an exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated in any way.

Silver and Shadow was fun but not fluffy. The characters all had their own personal insecurities and troubles to work out. I felt like I knew most of them quite intimately by the end of the book. I liked Ren, but I was also pleasantly surprised to find that the points of view switched often. My favourite ended up actually being Kellen's, with Adley coming in close second. I love the slow development of the natural chemistry between all the characters; I'm always a sucker for the "band of misfits" vibe in books. Also, I would absolutely love to get more of Holland and her point of view.

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

Thank you #NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book! I did not expect multi POVs and at first I was not sure, but I was not disappointed. This book is fast paced and full of snark, magic and ruthless characters.

I do have to admit that I needed to take a break from the book, it started to become predictable. However, the writing and plot growth is done expertly and I really enjoyed this book!

I have to admit that I requested this Arc on Netgalley mainly because of its gorgeous cover. I know it's bad to judge a book by its cover but in this case I'm really glad I did!

The story is captivating from the very beginning and the pacing is perfect. It is not a short book but it was a really fast read which left me wanting more. I really hope this isn't a stand-alone because I really need to know more.

The whole rebellion plot was a bit too predictable but still enjoyable. There is a lot of violence but it made the rebellion seem much more realistic.

I really loved the magic in this book. I'd never read anything similar to Ren's silver-wielding and I found it pretty cool.

I also really liked the romance aspect of this book. Of Silver and Shadow has both a hate-to-love story and a (f/f) forbidden-love one and I'm a sucker for both kinds of love stories.

I loved the four POVs and the way the author transitioned from one to the other.
The first POV is Ren's. Ren, the silver wielder, reminded me a lot of Lila Bard (A Darker Shade of Magic). She's badass and sarcastic but we can also see her deepest and more private side that makes her seem more human and realistic.
Darek is the wealthy rebel leader. He finds Ren and offers her an enormous amount of money to participate in the rebellion.
Adley is one of the King's Children, orphans captured by the king and trained to become lethal soldiers. She wants to capture the rebel leader to become the King's Fang, his right hand, and to have the opportunity to be free one day.
Prince Kellen is the King's son. He hates his life and his family and seeks another life outside the castle's walls.
I loved them all but I think that my favourite one would be Prince Kellen.

Overall, I really liked this book and I would recommend it to any fantasy lover.

This was amazing! The plotting, the characters, the twists, all great. I loved Ren and her snarkiness, reminds me a lot of Celaena from TOG. All the characters had such great personalities that added to the story. You have multiple perspectives throughout and whose storylines eventually connect. Couldn’t put it down!

Rebellions, romance, tyrants and lots more! Recommend for older teens.

I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed the heck out of this book. The plot follows Ren, a silver (magic) wielder as she gets roped into a rebellion she has no interest in. The characters in the book are so well written and the writer made me care about each and every one of them. By the end, I was rooting for the characters and I had to see what happened to them next. The plot flowed flawlessly and kept me locked in throughout. The world building was so well done. The plot contains a romance that is both angsty and entertaining. I loved the representation of all walks of life included in this book. I loved the fresh plot line of the rich instead of the poor pushing for a better world. The end was satisfying and did a great job of setting up for a possible next book in the series. If you want a fast paced fantasy book with lovable and relatable characters, give this book a try. You won't be disappointed.

*I received this arc from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was so surprised when Netgalley approved this arc for me, and even more surprised when I found out that the author is one of my favorite reviewer’s friends!

Of Silver and Shadow follows the journey of Ren Kollins as she joins a rebellion against the tyrant king of Erdis. It’s by no means an easy road, since the king and his son don’t hesitate to show their cruelty towards rebels.

Oh, and one more thing: Ren is one of the last silver wielders in the country.

We follow the perspectives of four characters: Ren, the silver wielder with loads of sass; Darek, the leader of the rebellion who’s strangely tall; Adley, a member of the lethal King’s Children that actually has a heart; and Kellen, the youngest prince who couldn’t be more different from his family and likes to sneak out at night.

Four utterly different characters, yet their story lines all intertwine.

The writing was good and I enjoyed it, the plot line was patiently executed and not rushed, and the characters were all interesting to read.


Good underlying themes/ messages:

-Be your own person; don’t be who your family tries to force you to be.
-Love is not a weakness.
-Mercy is always a good characteristic to have.

A whole star for this catagory!


Interesting Story:

The story revolves around Ren and her being a hesitant member of the rebellion against the king, Kellen trying to live through each day with his father as the king and his brother, Adley as she tries to capture the rebel leader in exchange for her possible freedom one day, and Darek as he tries to fulfill his late mother’s goal by overthrowing the king.

The first part of the book, I felt, was the build-up to an explosive ending. I was casually reading and the next moment, things started happening and the pace picked up.

A lot happens, and this is by no means a short book, but it still feels it went by so fast.

It could also be because I was reading too fast.

The rebellion plot line felt very predictable, if I’m being honest, and I fell like it’s been done so many times by now. With Ren being the reluctant symbol of the rebellion, it gave me some Mockingjay vibes.

Kellen and Adley’s stories were much more interesting for me: the kind prince and the reluctant assassin. Both of them are sweetie pies who need to be protected at all costs.

Half a star for this catagory.


Realistic characters and growth:

Ren’s sarcasm and banter with Darek was funny most of the time, but some times it came off as childish and petty. I also didn’t feel as much chemistry between them as I had hoped for but once again:

It could be because I was reading too fast.

Freya was also a sweetie pie, though.

I liked Adley from the very start and I found her relationship with Lesa endearing. I had crossed my fingers from the very beginning for them to survive this book, so that obviously means I ship them. (You’re going to have to find out for yourself if they survive…)

I liked Kellen from the beginning as well and as the story progressed, seeing how his family treated him made me sympathize with him. Even if he sneaks out at midnight and gallivants around the city, he still was the most innocent and pure-hearted person in his family. Can I just say how much I love Holland, as well?

Darek irritated me at first because of the way he treated Ren. From the get-go, he was rude and disrespectful to her even though he had never met her before. He stays like this for a long time, which doesn’t help my opinion of him. He goes as far as prodding at Ren’s past, which is obviously a big no-no since it’s private. As time went on, he began to soften and I slightly started liking him. (It didn’t hurt that he gave Ren the book she intended to steal…)

I wish his brother got some more time, though.

So yeah, in the end I liked (mostly) everyone.

Half a star for this category.


Fantastic World Building:

I got a clear picture of Erdis, how there was a clear line betweent the rich and poor areas of the city. It was easy to picture the extravagant houses and the dilapidated buildings.

I got a sense of how politics are at that moment (not very good) and what the other countries’ opinion of the tyrannical king was.

I wish we got to see some more of the foreign countries, but I understand that the main conflict is inside the borders so I can ignore that.

Hopefully, we get the explore more in the (possible) next book!

A whole star for this category!


Writing Style Is Beautiful/ Easy To Read:

For a debut author, the writing was great! I wasn’t able to pull as many quotes as I wanted to but it was easy to read. Evident by the amount of times I mentioned in this review that I read too fast.

The conversations weren’t stuffed with filler and the banter was quite amusing most of the times. The characters’ perspectives weren’t all the same and I was able to tell them apart.

A whole star for this category!


That’s it!

4/5 stars!

This was a fun and fastpaced story. Great diversity and inclusive characters. I enjoyed the varied perspectives and the insight into why each was as they were. A little romance and lots of adventure, I enjoyed the universe and the author's style. I never felt confused despite many characters taking lead and everything wove together perfectly. Highly recommend!

Of Silver and Shadow combines so many things I love in a book; magic, a rebellion, and a power hungry monarchy, count me in. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and even wish it were a bit longer.

In my opinion the characters were the best part about this book. By the end of the book I did feel like I knew them fairly well and there was a depth to them as well. Since we are mainly following Ren and the rebellion, it did feel a bit one-sided and I would like to have seen more from the King’s point of view (but that could also be because I love to get into the heads of the proverbial bad guy).

The world building was good, the story mainly focused on one region even though others were alluded to. Even though I felt more information could have been given to build the entire world this is a stand-alone so less could be considered the better option in this case. The magic system is fairly simple and easy to follow and worked well with the story.

The story is well paced overall and there was no point in which I felt like it was dragging. I do feel like the second half could have been drawn a bit more as the ending came across a bit rushed.

This is marked as a young adult fantasy and it is true to that, although the older end of young adult. This can be recommended for both avid fantasy readers and those looking to take a step into the genre as the fantasy elements are light and easy to follow.

Advanced copy provided by NetGalley

3.5 stars!

With its intriguing premise, unique magic system and interesting cast of characters, Of Silver and Shadow is, in my opinion, a pretty solid debut novel. It gets quite dark at times and doesn't soften the brutality of certain situations, but I felt it was neccessary to understand the world the characters live in and why they are the way they are. All of them have their own set of issues derived from their circumstances and what they have had to go through in life, and their personalities are a reflection of that.

The story is told from 4 different POVs, but I liked the other side characters just as much. The pace of the book gets a bit slow at times, but it still kept me intrigued and wanting to know how everything would unfold. And the last 20% of the book was really fast-paced and so entertaining!

I enjoyed getting to know the characters individually and delving into their minds, but when I got really invested was when all of them cross paths at last! In fact, I really hope there's a sequel planned, cause I feel that, the way this book ended, there's a lot of potential for character growth and for further exploring the dynamics between all the different players. I'd love to see how everyone adapts to their new situation and evolves accordingly. I feel that now that the world is set and we know where the characters come from, the story could only get better! That ending definitely left me thinking "what now?" and "I want more!". Hopefully, I'll get my wish!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This already has lots of helpful reviews. I'm not a YA so my enthusiasm is toned down, but this is a good one. Recommended for fantasy fans.

Thanks very much for the ARC for review!!

I really enjoyed this book. A great debut novel.

While this is a YA novel - characters' ages fall squarely into YA range - this book is long and well-developed. I've read (and enjoyed, mind you) YA novels with similar stakes that have been trite, unsurprising, and a bit juvenile and naive. I'm pleased to say that's NOT AT ALL the case with this one.

This book has some meat on its bones. Characters think before they act and don't make many stupid decisions. There's no blind instalove. These streetwise characters act streetwise, and it's nice to see as an adult reader of YA fiction. I wish there was a "mature YA" category, because this would fit into it.

Pros: Great writing and description. Great dialogue. I got sucked into the back-and-forth between Ren and Darek, so much so that I occasionally forgot I was reading. This doesn't happen often for me.

I liked the tense romance between Ren and Darek. You knew they would end up together, but you wondered whether or not it would be before the end of this book, or in a sequel.

Main characters were well-developed. I liked Ren and Darek each as characters (although Darek seemed almost too good to be true), and Prince Kellen. I liked Adley a little less, mainly because I wasn't convinced that she could have a good heart and still survive being a King's Child. I am curious how she fares in sequels, and if her girlfriend Lesa also happens to have a heart worth redeeming.

Cons: Few surprises. On the one hand, this means great foreshadowing, which I appreciate.

I felt that the rebellion accepted the help of Adley and Prince Kellen a little too easily. On the one hand, I was glad to see them just take the help to advance their cause, but it seemed that there should have been more behind the scenes discussion between characters about whether to accept the help.

I devoured this book and loved it. The ending seemed to be a little pat (both with the rebellion issue I described above, and the resolution between Ren and Darek), so I'd say it's a 4.5. It's apparently a standalone novel (I love them, but they're a rarity nowadays, it seems!), but I would happily read more if Jennifer Gruenke decides to write more standalone novels featuring the same characters. I hope we see more facets of Adley, and more of Markus and Holland.

I received a copy of this book for free via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Oh man, this book was a ride! I absolutely adored these characters and this story. Ren is so hardened and cynical and sarcastic, but it was a joy to see her starting to peel back the layers. The King's Children and LGBTQ representation was fantastic. I loved Kellen's attempts to escape his role as prince. I loved how the characters' stories were intertwined with each other. The pacing of the story had me hooked from the first chapter and I could not put the book down. I enjoyed the magic system and the world building. Overall, this was easily a 5 star read!

One thing I will note is that there are a few scenes that pretty explicitly describe torture (flaying, poking out an eye socket, etc) that were a bit difficult for me to read personally. If that's something that bothers you, it's something to be aware of but also know that they're pretty short passages (most a paragraph or two) and are easy to skim over.

Thank you to NetGalley and North Star Editions for the E-arc copy Of Silver and Shadow.
I was so pleased with this book that I will be recommending it for purchase. It has a little something for all readers. The characters are rich and the plot moves at a great pace.
#OfSilverandShadow
#NetGalley

A fun read! I didn't know what to expect when I started this one, but I liked the cover, and the blurb sounded fun. I really enjoyed it, though, and am glad I got the chance to read it! I enjoyed the characters, and the story was well written!

Ren Kollins was born with a power that shouldn't exist. In a world where the magic has been eradicated from the country and only held by the royal family, Ren is an orphan born with the ability to twist silver to her whim. As a result, she is drawn into a secret rebellion against the king and his sons. Darek Hollistair is one of the leaders in a rebellion movement to bring down the cruel king and his sons. They want to bring change to their world, to free their people, and make their lives better. These two will be drawn to one another, despite one joining the rebellion only for money and the other hoping to make their world a better place.

Adley Farre is one of the King's Children, a warrior and an assassin, and she hopes to become the King's Fang and earn her freedom. Though the King's Children are not allowed to fall in love, she has fallen for fellow assassin, Lesa Ghana, and she would do anything for the two of them to be together. She has held onto her heart and her goodness, and she wants nothing more than to get free of the king and his cruelties. Kellen Lyandor is the kind son of a cruel king. He wants nothing more than to spend his time with Holland, his girlfriend, and find some way to prove himself. But he is better than the rest of his family, and he holds a secret they must keep the city from learning.

Together, these characters and their intertwining stories will uncover secrets and overthrow tyrants. They will plan a rebellion and they will carry out what they must to accomplish their goals. This is not a story you want to miss out on. All these characters are amazing and will find a place in your heart.

This story took me a little while to get into, which is what kept it from being a five star read. I felt really aggressively thrown into the story without too much groundwork. I wasn’t so much as confused because I knew that an explanation would be coming, but it still felt rushed.

HOWEVER this had a really strong finish! I loved the humor, I LOVE the main character and how the plot forms as you move your way through the chapters. I enjoyed that the darkness in the characters was explored as much as the light was. A lot of nature vs nurture. I’m extremely interested to see where this moves on to and I’ll definitely be buying this one for my collection!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I am very happy to give me a great chance to read this ARC, and I was not disappointed at all, it is a fantastic story and I can't wait to go out on physique, but this kind of story I love.

First of all, thank you Flux and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I first decided to request this book because someone compared the main character to Lila Bard, if anyone knows my reading preferences, she is my favorite! So I was super excited to dive into this!

Magic has been outlawed, and only royalty can wield silver. But Ren, a normal girl with no formal education. has the abilitiy. Ren is funny, whitty, strong, and determined. Thought to be murdered by King's Children, Ren must stay low. When she's offer the chance of the lifetime, she can't say no to a bit of gold! Throughout the book, Ren gets some serious character development, and it's awesome to see her progression through the story.

Of Silver and Shadow is told from 4 POVs, which is usually hit or miss for me, but I thought this book did it really well! The characters were all very well-rounded, and I think Ren and Kellen were my favorite! Overall, I really enjoyed the unique magic system. I was getting some slight Mistborn and ADSOM vibes from this, and overall really enjoyed the book!

This story was amazing! I read it all in one sitting! I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a great read. Cannot wait to buy it when it comes out.

I tried to get into this book a couple of times but I couldn't seem to get invested in the story. But one day i just really felt like reading this book and i was just hooked. I really liked the character and the world. Even though the writing is a bit rough at first and we jump right into the action (which can make us care less about the character) i just grew attached to this story as i was reading it. I just had a great time and i can't wait to read what Jennifer Gruenke writes next !

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with the ARC. I thought this was a great read! Kept me entertained for sure! Will read more from this author in the future.

I am SO glad I was able to get a free copy of this book from NetGalley because it blew me away.
I love the whole world and story that Jennifer has created.
The 4 different point of views were just enough that it all tied in and not only seemed relevant but helped you see the story as a whole. Sometimes people can get carried away with POVs but I think this book had just the right amount and it didn’t confuse you or cause any lack of interest because of how many there were.
I love that we got to see all different sides of this revolution and the author did such an amazing job at showing that just because we seem or are supposed to see one way, it doesn’t mean that’s how we actually have to be.
The slow burn love that was happening was so great, in my opinion. Of course, we all knew it was going to happen, but it didn’t make it any less satisfying when the two of them finally admitted it to one another!
The world building done in this book truly was wonderful. I felt like I was right there in Denfell with all the characters. She described the perfect, slightly fantasy, slightly renaissance world and I loved it!
Overall the book really was so very enjoyable and I highly recommend going out and getting it in May!!

I appreciate the opportunity to get to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
The cover caught my eye first and the description was enough to have me intrigued. I was hooked from the beginning of the story. I enjoyed how the author gave us solid main characters and their back stories while weaving them all together for a great story.
I really liked how the author used silver wielding as a different spin on the magical theme. It was definitely a page turner and I hope there will be more books with Ren, Adley, Derrick and my favorite Kellan! This is a good 4 star read.

5 reason why you must read Of Silver and Shadow by Jennifer Gruenke
Most of the time, if you have lucky you have the pleasure to find excellent books to get lost a few hours.
I have to say that I found one and is thanks to the team of netgally who give me an advance reader copy to enjoy this adventure.
That's why I found a way to convince to read Of Silver and Shadow an amazing book of Jennifer Gruenke
So, I will present you five reason why you must read this book of fights and love

1. A tough woman. Bye bye to the damsel in distress, Ren is going to fight and she didn’t have fear of anyone.
She can get out of trouble alone and on top of that she can manage a house where street children without family can live

2. Romance everywhere and diversity. It’s not only the non-wanted love that finally fall into place of a men and a woman, you can also find this kind of cute love of two girls who will fight against everything to save the person who love.

Likewise, you will find conquests, romance and one night's love of women and men.

3. Fights in every corner. But wait! is not only men’s fights a really tough woman will be hunting the dreams of some men because she sucks the life of them.
In those pits you will find also the royalty someone who you can’t imagine and he will surprise you.

4. You will have goose bumps because of the villains of this book. Why the writers have to be so cruel and create the most awful person?
There are three in special who I can’t stand: Heath, the king and one mobster that at the end I hate him

5. Unexpected twists: seriously I can’t imagine none of the events of the books. Even in the end

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me read this book. This book had me hooked from the first page with is action and thievery plot. The characters in this book are great and interesting and I loved reading about them and the plot was very intriguing, I would definitely recommend this book and I give it 4 stars.

Intricate and intriguing; this well-thought out, multiple POV upper-YA dark high fantasy is full of action, plot twists, and surprises. LGBTQ+ friendly and recommended.

Of Silver and Shadow


I DEVOURED this book in one sitting, it was this good.
The overall feeling of the story and the characters especially made it a wild and funny ride with all the feels.

I mean it. The characters and their relationships were absolutely perfect. I barely ever love every character, but with this book I couldn't do anything but fall head over heels for everyone and everything and ship them in my head! The characters were witty, funny, dark (Ren) and overall sarcastic and lovable. The dynamics within the group was adorable and I loved that not everyone is in love with each other, but that the characters were more like a group of misfits on the run. Especially Ren wasn’t the perfect and cute main character that was expected and I loved that!
The banter and slow burning romance in this book Wass just perfect - and kept the balance between character development and story development!

The idea of the world Ren is living in also had its appeal and the twists and turns kept me breathless most of the time. Especially Kellen has a place forever in my heart, because he made this world so much better and more mysterious. For me he was the gemstone in this world AND group!

I can’t wait for more books form this author to come! Because Ren and her friends (and secret enemies) crept into my heart slowly but thoroughly and will never leave again!

This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.


“We’ve all done things we’re not proud of. We’ve all made mistakes. Your demons might be louder than mine, but we each have one or two hanging around.”

Long ago the Lyandors were threatened by other Silver(magic) wielders and king Tallis Lyandor created the The Silver Purge, which sent royal armies across Erdis, to destroy all magical families. Leaving the only magic left in the kingdom belonging to the crown, why the only silver wielders in the past 100 years had been Lyandorswielder . A rebellion is stirring to topple Lyandor family from the throne. The only hope resides with girl Ren, an orphaned thief and a pit fighter, who also a hidden Silver wielder.
A wonderful Ya fantasy that is creative and fast paced right from the get go.
The LGBTQ is notable in this riveting storyline was handled properly and without over embellishment. Political tensions and seamless narration with multiple POV’s characters adds depth and drama.

First of all, I’d like to thank Netgalley for approving me to read this ARC! I was completely surprised, and then blown away once I started it!
-Ren is a badass character
-its a multi-perspective book with 4 POVS!
-it’s has one of my favorite tropes: enemies to lovers, slow burn!
-the magic system is so cool!
-it has a very dark atmospheric feel to it. I really felt like I was in Denfell.
-THE BANTER. I LIVE for witty banter guys and this book did not disappoint!

I really can’t recommend it enough. I’m so excited to see what this author comes up with next!

All I can say is WOW!

This book was everything I dreamed it would be. The amazing cover design is what first drew me to this story and I was immediately sucked into the world that Jennifer Gruenke created.

If you are looking for an irresistibly woven story full of twists and turns with love and loss then Of Silver and Shadow is for you! I constantly found myself trying to steal minutes throughout the day so I could find out what would happen. I'm sure my coworker tired of my *gasps and "oh no's", but when I finished yesterday, she looked at me and said "I have no clue what that book is about, but I will be picking it up once it's out."

This Fantasy novel was chock full of all of the best 'fantasy' things; dark kings, evil princes, forbidden magic, and rebellion! The characters in this book were both complex and beautiful. If you, (like me) are a total sucker for the lost soul with a broken past who finds hope then that is exactly what you will find with the main character, Ren. One of the more unique character arcs in this book were the subsection of soldier referred to as The King's Children, essentially a super solider, trained from childhood to protect the king, and the dynamics of that group were *clap! - cue all the drama, but also love...

The only thing I wished for this book is that there were more! I am still thinking ahead about what could happen, the plot twists that could come, and the adventures still to be had! I'm looking at you Heath... I mean who doesn't love a good redemption arc. I cannot wait to see what Jennifer creates in the future and I can wholeheartedly say that I have become a fan for life.

This book is perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Shelby Mahurin.

And in case you aren't sold yet, please enjoy some of my favorite quotes. *Spoiler FREE of course.

"She was reading a new one every few days, so the gods knew she never ran out of fodder, but Lesa listened. She always listened."

"Did you see what I did back there?" "Tricks don't impress me, Ren." She hated to admit it, but she sort of wanted to know what did impress him. "Tricks? I'm not a dog." "No," he agreed. "Dogs are better behaved."

"I like her," Ren said. Of course she did. And that's what Darek had been afraid of. Alone, both girls were their own forces of nature. Together, they might very well be cataclysmic.


A huge thank you to NetGalley and Flux Books for the e-arc of this amazing book! I can't wait for everyone to get their hands on it in May.

One of the strengths of this book was that it didn't waste any time getting right to it. The past few month's I have been struggling with some slower-paced books, so this was exactly what I needed at the time.

In a world where magic is banned, only royalty has the privilege of using Silver. However, when Ren, just a seemingly ordinary girl, discovers she has this ability too, she has to lay low. From petty thievery to pit fighting, Ren does what she needs to survive in the shadows, however, when her secret is discovered, she is thrust into a world of dangerous competition, schemes, and revolution.

You guys, this was exactly what I needed! It had the intrigue of a kingdom in decline and rebellion, it was dark and gritty and funny, and it had my favorite trope ever: Enemies to Lovers. I cannot get enough of this trope right now! I feel like we have seen versions of this type of story many times but I didn't hold it against Of Silver and Shadow because I flipping love this kind of book!

Not to mention Ren!! She is witty, funny, hilarious, determined, strong-willed, but also guarded, broken up a bit, and at times downright annoying, but that was what made her so real and compelling and I would keep reading about her all year if I could.

Over all, I definitely recommend this and I can't wait for more!

Thank you to NetGalley for the free e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

I could barely find any fault with this book. Can I just say how glad I am to have picked up a standalone fantasy?

It's of silver wielding, a rebellion, and the outlawing of magic by a tyrant of a ruler. Ren Kolins is the only one other than the royals who possesses the ability to manipulate silver. But magic is against the law, and after the Silver Purge, it is more important than ever that Ren keeps her silver a secret. But one day, rebel leader approaches her with a bargain: join his rebellion, take down the king with her silver (how could she not have been more careful?), and she will own a fortune. Meanwhile, the position of King's Fang is up for grabs. The King's Children are more than determined to land themselves that privilege, and are fired up to capture the rebel leader.

This book is written in the third person, with four characters' viewpoints as the main focus. I enjoyed reading all except for one: the viewpoint of one of the King's Children, Adley. As much as I understand how sad her circumstance is, I cannot bring myself to like her all that much. Yes, she is thrust in a situation that requires her to be someone she is not, and perhaps choosing the other path will bring her death, but I just couldn't bring myself to like reading and learning about her side of the story. But Ren's, Darek's and Kellen's, I like them all. I am happy to say that no character left me pulling my hair because they decide to do extremely stupid things. Character build-up are fantastic, each of them having distinct voices and personalities. My favourite has god to be Ren for being so badass and strong. Plot is planned and written well, too. I really hadn't expected any twists, but there they were.

The fantasy aspect of this is pretty light, I've got to say, but the author makes sure to include all types of scenarios a silver wielder can use their magic on. Silver wielders are not almighty. Actually, the more I think about it, the more I feel that they are as vulnerable as non-magic folks, and somehow, that feels pretty refreshing. Adley, with her fantastic skills as a King's Child, is proof that non-wielders can be as strong as those who can use magic.

Ren's romance with Darek was pretty okay. This pairing is amazing. Although I feel the beginnings of this romance could be improved in the manner of speed, I still enjoyed it. I couldn't get enough of those flutters. Plus, a hate-to-love romance? I'm weak with that. There is also an LGBT romance within, so kudos to the author for including them in.

I was wary of this book at first. Reading Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson has made me have high hopes for such a storyline as overthrowing a king, but I'm left pleasantly surprised. Extremely glad that I got to read this. The ending leaves room for a possible companion novel, and if Jennifer Gruenke decides to write one, I would most certainly love to immerse myself in her writing again.

This book is going to my favorites pile! I just love everything about it!

Set in a kingdom ruled by a monarchy system, we have a large community living under oppression. This in turn brings about a group of rebels working tirelessly to overthrow the royal family.

We also have a king and his sons who are supposed to be the only ones wielding magic, an elite team of fighters called the King’s Child where one of them still has a heart, a prince who does not outright agree with the way his family rules and has no interest whatsoever in politics, a rebel leader whose mother died because of the revolution and a girl who was supposed to be dead because she wields magic.

I bet you can kinda guess how the story goes just from that. But even from the predictable overall flow of the story, the author was able to make this an exciting journey. I was never, not even once, bored.

The story was written from multiple POVs which I thought was awesome as I was able to see how everything unfolded and the intentions behind the main characters actions. I was rather relief that I did not feel any frustration that often comes with multiple POVs; where characters often make wrong assumptions and make the plot more complex. Not that complicated situations like these are not great. I’m just relieved that I do not have to go through it again. (oops)

The characters were all amazing. I loved them all and hated none. Okay.. maybe just one. Cause he was just too damn cocky. I wanted him dead ASAP! (sorry for the violence). But unfortunately, I think he is still very much alive at the end of the story unless he actually bleed out from a pierced eye. Anyway, that’s good enough for me.

As for the ending, I thought it was one of those kinds that should have a sequel but still ended well. But if it is meant to be a standalone, I would probably like a spin off to see where the success of the revolution goes.

I would most certainly recommend this book to fantasy lovers out there. This book is pretty intense and violent though, so just keep that in mind.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Flux through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I enjoyed this immensely with a few small exceptions. A great start to my 2020 books! Thanks to Netgalley for introducing me to Ren, Darek, and Kellen. There were some risky choices towards the end that made for a very exciting story!

What a new take on young adult fantasy! Jennifer does an amazing job of creating a new and interesting world and fully fleshed-out characters. I really enjoyed reading this book.

4.5 out of 5 stars!

Intriguing magic, mischievous thievery and a compelling rebellion topped with a good old fashioned hate to love romance. This was everything I needed in a novel.

Fast paced and gritty this story grips the reader from the first page and leads them on an incredible adventure.

If I had anything negative to say, it would be that there was a lot of focus on people's good looks and I feel that their personalities should have been highlighted more.

But it also gets points for being inclusive with regards to race, gender and sexuality. I think this is going to be one of the forerunners of this year's YA releases.

Of Silver and Shadow by Jennifer Gruenke is a captivating story that pulls you in from the beginning. Holding your attention until the very shocking end. You will fall in love with the vivid and realistic characters as they share their story.

If the cover isn't enough to persuade you to read this book, then please, let me enlighten you.

A SOLID 4 STARS FROM ME ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I didn't expect to love Of Silver and Shadow but damn, it was such a great story! Magic, rebellion, hot sizzling forbidden romance and hate-to-love, strong female characters, and a charming prince. All of my favorite fantasy tropes in one book.

There were so many nerve-racking and heart-wrenching moments, I couldn't stop reading it since the first page even though I have midterm tests this week. I love the characters, I love the twists, I love everything about it, ESPECIALLY PRINCE KELLEN!

Yes, this book isn't perfect. I still want to know how the magic work. The ending felt rushed but it was still good. The antagonist lacked deeper characterization. And I really wish this isn't a standalone because I'd like to know what will happen to the characters after this book.

Overall, Of Silver and Shadow is a great YA fantasy standalone. It has a perfect amount of fights, ridiculous banter, romance, political intrigue, and magic. It was a little bit dark and brutal but still fun and heartwarming. If you're looking for an awesome new release book, make sure to add this one to your TBR. I highly recommend it.

[This review is posted on my Goodreads account. Full review will be published on my blog on May 26th]

4.5 stars!

Absolutely LOVED this book.
The plot was amazing.
I fell in love with all the characters especially Kellen.
The idea of sliver magic was different and genius.
The twist at the end was perfect.

Overall I would definitely recommend this book!!

This was absolutely, excruciatingly divine!

Lovers and fans of Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard and The Shatter Me series by Tahereh Mafi will live for this.

Go on this journey with Ren and find out for yourself how deadly power can be. With so many political strategies and plot twists, I am literally on the edge of my seat for this sequel!

The writing is easy to follow, and much easier to get swept up in. The world-building is clear and concise and easy to navigate, and boy, what a world it is! I absolutely would love to see the coming fan art for this story, because trust me, it's going to be epic.

I found the characters believable and each one at least a little relatable, adding so much depth to this story. Overall character development is great, especially considering that this is a series. I am excited to see where this is going.

Even though this book had a lot of classic YA tropes, it was still so perfect, and never once felt like the story was cliche. It follows the story of a magic wielder in a land where magic has been outlawed (Throne of Glass, anyone??). Warning: It does get a little bit graphic at times. Nonetheless, the story was thrilling, exciting, and kept me glued to the edge of my seat. If you’re a fan of Serpent and Dove, I would highly recommend this one for you. Catch this book when it releases in May!

5 stars!!

Thanks so much to Netgalley for providing an e-arc of this book.

Wow! This book was so good! I loved the magic system. The King’s Children were a unique twist to warriors. And the twists near the end had me as shocked as Ren. I can’t wait to read about what happens to this group of rebels next.

WHOA! This was an unexpected book.

I absolutely love how the story is fast paced as well as complex. Some books struggle to accomplish both of those qualities successfully, however Gruenke did a fantastic job of keeping out attention through the entire book.

There were some twists I did not expect, which is one of my favorite things in a story. Of SIlver and Shadow is straight to the point with the action and “political plotting”. All the different romances are bold and pure in their own way, no two is similar.

The character I wish I could have seen more from, would have definitely been Kellen. Every character was fun to read about, but I absolutely wish I could have had some real closure for him. That might be my only Con to the whole story.

Overall this book was a great stand alone novel and I would highly recommend reading it when you are not so patiently waiting for the next book in a series to be released. I like how the whole story is told in a single book, even though it has opportunities to branch out into a duology. In fact, If you’re reading this Gruenke, then please feel free to give us a follow-up novel :)

-Stone

Ok so at first I admit I had mixed feelings. I wasn't sure if I was going to like it or not. But as I kept reading I started to enjoy it even more.

High stakes, action and adventure, political intrigue, and unique characters. The world building was very lush and detailed. The plot was easy to follow, The writing style was fluent and fast paced which made for a really quick once I got a little further in the read!!

Definitely going to want to get this one!! Add to your tbr right now!!!

I loved everything about this! I didn't see the ending coming but it was perfect! I know the author said that it's currently a standalone but there was room for a sequel and I hope that happens!!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
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It's been a while since I read a good YA. This one does not disappoint. I was initially scared of finding 1 dimensional characters and an ill-developed and ill-executed rebellion, however that was not the case.

The world building and mechanics were incredibly creative and the writing style was simple yet sufficiently descriptive.

I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for an enjoyable start to a new series.

Overall rating: 5 stars

I was not expecting to like this book as much as I did. It was brilliant, full of action, it had interesting world-building, and beautiful characters. Sure, there are some parts that could've been better, but I enjoyed this too much that nothing bothered me.
The Lyandors are the monarchs of the kingdom of Erdis. They wield silver, a dangerous power that they reserved only for themselves, killing everyone who showed signs of it. But Ren Kolins somehow escaped. Now she is a vital pawn of the rebellious plan to overthrow the monarchy. Ren's world is filled with magic, thievery, and fighting. This book reminded me of the Mistborn trilogy by Brandon Sanderson and Six of crows by Leigh Bardugo. If you enjoyed those books, I highly recommend this one.
I enjoyed the relationships the most, especially a female-female relationship that was exceptionally written, but left me craving for more. Friendships and hate-to-love relationships are also explored in detail. The characters were interesting and filled with personal details that made them special. My favorite characters were Kellen, Adley, and Lesa.
The book had no dull moments. The world could've used a map, as do all the fantasy worlds, but I wasn't bothered by this fact. The dialogs were entertaining and memorable. “Brooding suits me. I have the jawline for it”(also humorous).
I hope(and insist) that this book has a continuation. I definitely need more to satisfy my cravings.

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Of Silver and Shadow was so freaking good. In it, you will meet Ren who is a silver wielder in hiding. This is because the King has killed every other person who has the magic.. except for his own family. So far she has been doing amazing and hasn't been caught using it. Well, until the second that she is.

Enter Darek. He and his brother, who come from money, have a vision about taking over the throne. He doesn't like the king one bit and thinks that Ren could be his savior. Or the people's savior. It also doesn't hurt that him and her are freaking adorable and have so much sexual tension. I was constantly shipping them together and I'm actually very happy about how things went down between them. I was so freaking happy but ugh.. the ending. I have questions and definitely need another book!

Beside him, there's also Adley and Kellen. Adley who is one of the King's Children has dreams of being his Fang. This is because after being the Fang for a while you eventually earn your freedom. Then there's Kellen, who is one of the princes but he is also a pit lord by night. They are both very interesting characters with zero romantic interest towards one another. Definitely more sister/brother vibe and I was all for it.

I, of course, shipped them with other people and was extremely excited for everyone involved. Other than that, this book has drama towards the end. Things happened that I wasn't fully aware could happen. That being said, I most definitely need another book for all these guys. I miss them already and I need to know what the heck is going to happen next. Ugh!

Wow. I loved this book so much! I actually enjoyed reading every chapter and every point of view, which feels like it hadn't happened to me in so long. I didn't even want it to end because then I would have to wait for the next book (with that ending, I don't think it could stay a standalone). I'm a bit surprised to be honest to have enjoyed it so much compared to some other readers who gave lower ratings. Usually, I'm the one with the lower rating but I'm glad it's not the case here ahah.

This book follows a girl trying to survive in a brutal world where silver wielders have been hunted down and killed by the royal family. The King is the most brutal and cruel man in the kingdom. A rebellion is already there with rebels trying their best to conjure a plan to overthrow the King. Darek, the leader, finds out about Ren and her power. And while she doesn't care about the rebellion, she desperately needs the money to pay off a gang to which she owes money.

Of Silver and Shadow has lots of action and I was never bored. The romances were so entertaining to read and also nerve-wracking since one of those relationships was actually forbidden (in a mortal kind of way) and if they were found out, they would have been executed by the King.

Overall, it was a great read.

This was absolutely amazing. I loved everything about it. It kept me on the edge of my seat and I dint see any of the plot twists coming at all!