Book Review: Silvercloak by L.K. Steven
Published: July 29, 2025
Series: The Silvercloak Saga #1
Genres: Adult // Fantasy, Romance
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ (Open Door)
Quick Thoughts: Silvercloak has a fast-moving plot and a unique magic system that drew me in more than expected. I really enjoyed the twists, turns, and close calls but the romance moves a little fast and the writing is a bit YA. Still, I found it fun and will be reading the next book. Definitely recommended if you want plenty of action and don't mind some YA-feeling characters and prose.
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What is Silvercloakabout?
Two decades ago, the Bloodmoons ruthlessly murdered Saffron Killoran’s parents, destroying her idyllic childhood. Hell-bent on revenge, she lies her way into Silvercloak Academy—the training ground for her city’s elite order of detectives—with a single goal: to bring the Bloodmoons to justice.
But when Saff’s deception is exposed, rather than being cast out, she’s given a rare opportunity: to go undercover and tear the Bloodmoons down from the inside.
Descending into a world where pleasure and pain are the most powerful currencies, Saff must commit some truly heinous deeds to keep her cover—and her life. Not only are there rival gangs and sinister smuggling rings to contend with, but there’s also her growing feelings for the kingpin’s tortured son, with his vicious pet fallowwolf, his dark past, and the curious prophecy foretelling his death at Saffron’s hand.
With each day testing her loyalties further, Saff finds her web of lies becoming harder to spin. And when one false step could destroy everything and everyone she’s ever loved . . . the detective who’s dedicated her life to vengeance just might die for it.
Silvercloak Review
A story about a woman going undercover to avenge her loved ones' deaths seems to draw me in every time, so it's no surprise I enjoyed Silvercloak. I couldn't put this down. The reveals, twists, and close calls kept me hooked from beginning to end.
Magic System
The magic system is probably my favorite part of the book. People can build their magical stores through both pleasure and pain, though pleasure is definitely preferred in this setting. It's simple to understand but adds so much more depth to the story than I expected going in because it influences everything from the characters' relationships to their backstories to the setting itself. I also appreciated that the queernormativity is baked into the plot itself instead of feeling tacked on. The gritty, noir-inspired setting fits perfectly with the magic system and the plot.
Characters
I thought the author did a great job setting Saffron up as a character. Her path to the Bloodmoons unfolds through big scenes from her life and a series of time jumps, which got me invested without taking up too much time laying out her backstory. She's introduced to us as an intelligent, meticulous detective, and I was excited to have a competent FMC in her late 20s.However, once she infiltrates the Bloodmoons, some of that foundation gets thrown out to serve the plot. She becomes reckless and makes amateur mistakes that felt inconsistent with everything we'd just learned about her, so I found that a little disappointing.
On the other hand, I thought Levan had a really interesting backstory and a lot of depth to his character. His story is one shaped by trauma and by trying to undo past mistakes at any cost, which becomes an interesting commentary on how villains are created and whether the ends always justify the means. Saffron saw him as a monster, but by the end, I think she finds herself understanding why he is the way he is. I'm curious to see if her perspective continues to shift as the series goes on.
Romance
The romance itself needed more room to develop. We see hints of attraction, and Levan is so sweet underneath his cold exterior, but they get together too fast without enough on-page interaction to explain their attraction. I just didn't feel bought in.
Writing
Probably my biggest hangup was the writing itself. There's a lot of overexplanation, like the author didn't trust us to connect the dots. For example, worldbuilding details and specific phrases get repeated frequently, sometimes every few pages, which made the book feel very YA.
So, should you read Silvercloak?
Ultimately, I found this one fun, and will be reading the next book. If you want a fast-moving plot with plenty of action and a cool magic system, and don't mind characters and writing that feel YA at times, then I definitely recommend.
Check out this review on Goodreads or Storygraph.
Happy reading!
Kim
Silvercloak FAQs
Some of the answers may be spoilers if you haven’t read it already. Proceed with caution!
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Potential spoilers ahead ⚠️
Violence
Confinement/Torture
Death of parents
Grief
Murder
Suicidal thoughts
Suicide of side character (on-page)
Self harm (mostly to refill magical wells)
Drug abuse and addiction
Toxic relationships
Mentions of child and emotional abuse
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Potential spoilers ahead ⚠️
Secret/Undercover Identity
Revenge arc
Enemies-to-lovers
Prophecy
Morally grey characters
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Ultimately, I found Silvercloak fun, and will be reading the next book.
If you want a fast-moving plot with plenty of action and a cool magic system, and don't mind characters and writing that feel YA at times, then I definitely recommend.
I should also note that the romance is more of a subplot so if you want a love story to be front and center, this one may not be for you.
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Silvercloak book two is named Turncloak. It releases September 15, 2026 in the US; the UK edition follows on September 17, 2026. Book three doesn't have an announced title or date yet.
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Silvercloak is mildly spicy. I’d rate it 3 chilies out of 5 meaning “open door”. This means sex scenes happen on page but they aren’t described in explicit detail and often use euphemisms to describe what’s happening.
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Silvercloak is set in a queernormative world. The central romance is between a man and a woman, but both leads are bisexual and their past same-sex relationships are part of the plot.
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No, The Silvercloak Saga is a trilogy.
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The spicy chapters in Silvercloak are:
Chapter 15
Chapter 42
Chapter 45