In May 2025, two enormously hyped books released on the same day—Silver Elite by Dani Francis and Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry. As the most talked about books since Onyx Storm’s release in January, are they actually worth the hype?
I set out to answer this question, and here is what I found: it depends on what you’re looking for. These books reflect different genres, dystopian romance and fantasy romance (plus have different writing styles), but both involve an element of mystery and feature spicy romance.
In short, I enjoyed both. However, I did enjoy one more than the other (hint: it’s this one). I’ll share my thoughts on each book in separate posts. To kick things off, let’s talk about Silver Elite and all the buzz around its mysterious author.
Who is Dani Francis?
Silver Elite is rumored to be written under a pen name with claims that Penguin Random House has corroborated this (along with the author being Canadian). Now, if anyone has any actual sources for either, please share with the class, because I can’t find anything confirming that.
At the time of this review, all kinds of rumors have been swirling around—that the author is Sarah J Maas, that the book’s AI-generated, that it’s written by a small team of lesser known writers on the publisher’s payroll, and that the author is either Elle Kennedy or Elsie Silver. I joked with a friend that maybe the author is Pierce Brown finally penning the romantasy he’s expressed interest in doing in various interviews. A girl can hope!
While I don’t really believe it’s Pierce, I could stand behind the Elle Kennedy claims. She doesn’t currently use a real photo on her Instagram account, both have a 4-letter first name and 7-letter last name, and both hers and Dani Francis’s accounts seem to use the same fancy script font for book titles in their post captions. I noticed both had posted Stories around the same time, using the same font, too. But these are meaningless observations when you consider that people’s posting preferences aren’t unique. Or maybe Elle and Dani (Danielle?) just share the same social media assistant.
While it’s been fun spectating, a critical thing to remember is that the author wants to remain anonymous and we should respect their right to privacy.
But back to Silver Elite. In this post, you’ll find lots of spoilers. Consider that your only warning. My intent is for this post to serve as a guide for when the next book comes out to help refresh your memory. Read on for:
- characters
- types of Mods
- locations
- book summary
- ending recap
- my favorite quotes
- final thoughts/book review
Silver Elite characters
Who is Wren Darlington?
Wren Darlington is our FMC, an Aberrant/Modified telepath, projector, mind reader, and inciter. She was raised in the Blacklands by Jim/Julian Ash when she lost her parents who were Uprising operatives. She’s a feisty, motorcycle-riding rancher from Ward Z when we meet her at the start of Silver Elite. She’s known as “Daisy” to her secret childhood telepath friend “Wolf” who we later learn is Cross. Wren’s true name is Stella Hess.
Who is Cross Redden?
Cross Redden is the hot Captain of the Command’s Silver Block and son of General Merrick Redden. He’s our Silver Elite MMC and Wren’s love interest. Like Wren, he’s been hiding his identity as a Mod his whole life (luckily his veins don’t glow silver). Unbeknownst to Cross, he’s known Wren since childhood when she was “Daisy” and he was “Wolf.” He claims that his only Mod ability is telepathy. Do we think he’s telling the truth??
Other characters in Silver Elite
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Uncle Jim | Wren’s guardian, a former Command colonel and Modified telepath with connections to the Uprising. His real name is Julian Ash. |
| Marina Serrano & Jake Hess | Wren’s parents. They were known as the Tin Block Traitors for coordinating the bombing of Valterra Ridge that resulted in countless Mod deaths. They were Uprising betrayors. |
| Kelley | Wren’s Appaloosa mare back at the Ranch |
| Tana Archer | Wren’s best friend, a Mod telepath/projector in Hamlett |
| Griff Archer | Tana’s father, a Prime allied with the Uprising |
| Jordan | A clingy Command soldier from Copper Block who Wren hooks up with during Liberty Day festivities |
| Xavier Ford | Second Lieutenant and head instructor for the Silver Block recruits |
| Matt Hadley | Officer and instructor in Silver Block who disgusts and unsettles Wren because he turned in his Modified mother |
| Jayde Valence | Powerful Mod (mind reader) and Lieutenant Colonel, can read someone’s mind from 1000+ yards away, so long as they’re within eyesight; loyal to General Redden and a member of the Tribunal. Wren incites her to commit suicide |
| “Wolf” & “Daisy” | Wolf is Wren’s long-time telepathic friend whom she’s never met and knows her as Daisy. Wolf = Cross. |
| Vinessa Redden | Cross and Travis’s mother; married to General Redden. She’s been out of the spotlight in recent years due to claims she’s schizophrenic, but Wren suspects her mind was corrupted by the Uprising |
| Travis Redden | General Redden’s eldest son, Cross’s brother; works in Command Intelligence |
| Roe Dunbar | General Redden’s younger half-brother and Cross Redden’s half-brother |
| General Merrick Redden | Ruthless leader of the Command with a deep hatred for Mods; father to Cross, Travis, & Roe Dunbar; cares deeply for his wife, Vinessa. |
| Robbie Solway | 8-year-old boy rescued by Wren from a white coyote attack. Mother is Rachel Solway who teaches in Hamlett. |
| Various people in Hamlett & the Point | Betta (doctor), Fletcher (local Controller), Polly (Wren’s usual contact within Uprising), Mr. Paul (store owner in Hamlett), Shenise “Shen” Nelson (owner of Haven in Sanctum Point where Wren and Cross do an ops mission) |
| Declan | Wren’s designated silent contact and handler in Sanctum Point |
| Faye | A network contact who meets Wren upon her arrival in Sanctum Point. |
| Grayson Blake | Distinguished pilot in the Uprising (moonlighting as Kaine) |
| Kess Farren | A recruit in the Silver Block program; antagonistic to Wren |
| Anson | Silver Block recruit who seems to find enjoyment in others’ pain and allies with Roe (Cross’s half-brother). Tana shoots him in the face as he’s assaulting her & Wren covers. |
| Bryce Granger | A “staple” (legacy) recruit in Silver Block whose family has ties to Command Intelligence. Wren ends up killing her in the final Silver Elite challenge |
| Ivy | Blond soldier reattempting the Silver Block program; Cross’s ex-girlfriend who eventually moves on with Lash. |
| Lash | A tall, thin recruit in Silver Block who ends up with Ivy |
| Kaine Sutler | Super flirty recruit in Silver Block allegedly from Ward D (true identity is THE Grayson Blake of the Uprising, Mr. Hotshot Pilot) |
| Lyddie De Velde | Wren’s seatmate and friend among the Silver Block recruits; parents work in Command Intelligence. Lyddie ends up being a Command loyalist and betrays Wren. |
| Deron Radek | Administrative Captain of Silver Block |
| Ellis | Healer Mod working for the Command; turns out to be covert Uprising operative. Heals Wren and removes her scar, which makes her red circle visible again |
| Ivan | Weapons instructor within the Silver Block program |
| Dava | Female soldier instructor in Silver Block |
| Pera | Timid, young recruit in Black Cell |
Types of Mods in Silver Elite
The airborne biotoxin that created Modifieds, or Aberrants, was created in a lab 150+ years ago during the Last War. The lab was located in an area called the Lost Continents, which was destroyed as soon as radiation levels were safe enough. Most Mods’ veins glow silver when using their abilities. Wren and Cross are exceptions.
An asterisk (*) denotes Wren’s abilities.
| Mod type | Description |
| Empaths | Can feel what someone else is feeling; unclear whether they can funnel their own emotions into others |
| Healers | Can heal critical wounds and erase old scars |
| Inciters* | Can penetrate someone’s mind shields and take control, compelling them to do anything—even commit suicide |
| Mind readers* | Can infiltrate someone’s mind shields & read their thoughts |
| Precogs | Can see the future (seems to be uncontrolled & random) |
| Projectors* | Can project what they’re seeing in the moment; unclear if they can conjure something in their mind and project that |
| Telepaths* | Can connect mind-to-mind and communicate silently |
| Corruptors / unknown type | Can unravel someone’s mind, totally scrambling it. Victims are unable to speak or function; unclear if it’s reversible |
Locations in Silver Elite
| Location | Description |
|---|---|
| Blacklands | Perpetually dark forest where Wren spent part of her childhood. Literally can’t see ANYTHING. Many dangers lurking, like quicksand and predators. |
| The Continent | North America all the way down to Central and South America, 150+ years in the future. Much of the Continent is underwater; divided into wards under the Command’s rule |
| Ward Z | Asset ward in the western region dedicated to ranching and farming (citizens here are permitted to own weapons) |
| Hamlett | Village in Ward Z serving as a central hub with essential services like a pub, schoolhouse, and medical clinic; where Wren hooked up with Jordan, met Cross, and blew her cover saving a little boy |
| The Ranch | Wren and Jim’s expansive cattle property in Ward Z; serves as a secret safe haven for Mods |
| Sanctum Point (The Point) | Capital city and stronghold of the Command, also where the military base is located. |
| South Plaza | Open area within the Command base in Sanctum Point; used for public executions, including Jim’s/Julian’s |
| Command base | Primary military facility in west sector of Sanctum Point |
| Training center | Large building on the Command base dedicated to the training of new recruits |
| Barracks | Co-ed living quarters for recruits on base |
| Stock C | Holding cell area on base |
| Carora | Geographic area cut off from communication and travel; mentioned in geography class…interesting |
| Sun Post | Where Julian Ash’s military unit was tragically affected by a bombing |
| Capitol building | A prominent structure mentioned as a backdrop in a photograph, likely located in Sanctum Point. |
| The Pit | Hangout area on base with fight matches & general debauchery |
| Captain of Operations Office | Cross Redden’s official workspace on the Command base |
| Training gym | Large indoor facility on base for physical training |
| Shooting range | Indoor facility on base for firearms practice and assessment |
| Medical | The infirmary or medical facility located on the Command base. |
| Shen’s | A bar or similar venue in Sanctum Point where clandestine meetings can occur. |
| The Tunnel | An underground passage system located beneath the woods near Hamlett, used for covert movement. |
| Lean-to in the northern pass | A shelter providing access to an underground tunnel system near the ranch. |
| Abandoned shed | A concealed location used for dropping off or storing items for the network. |
| The Creek | A natural water source near the Blacklands. |
| The Clearing | A specific area within the Blacklands that receives sunlight, where Wren and Jim resided. |
| Cemetery | A burial ground situated behind the town square in Hamlett. |
| Labor camps | Facilities scattered across the wards where Modified individuals are imprisoned for forced labor. |
| Salt mine | A specific labor camp located in the northern region. |
| Mentioned but no info given | Ward T; Command units: Gold Block, Copper Block, Red Cell, Black Cell |
What happens in Silver Elite (plot summary)
150 years in the future, we follow Wren Darlington, a 20-something orphan working on a ranch in Ward Z. All of North America down to South America is one continuous military state divided into wards controlled by the Command (it used to be under Modified rule). Much of present day landmass is underwater.
Wren lives with man she calls Uncle Jim. He took her in when she was five, deserting the Command and fleeing with her to the Blacklands where they survived for years. Wren has a burn scar on her hip to conceal a red circle that gives her away as an Aberrant, or Mod, a human born with superhuman abilities (punishable by death under Command rule).
Silver Elite feels like Dark Angel—and I love it.
This is when Silver Elite started reminding me of the 2000 James Cameron show Dark Angel, which stars Jessica Alba. Both are dystopian military states separated into wards/districts, both feature a kickass, motorcycle-riding FMC with modified genetics, both have a scar/tattoo indicating their modified status, and both involve a forced military academy setting. Even the opening scene of Wren sneaking out of Jordan’s room reminds me of Dark Angel episode 3 “Heat” where the FMC Max Guevara (spliced with cat DNA), is on the prowl to hook up with anyone, does the dirty, then immediately regrets it and tries to sneak away.
Not-so “Liberty” Day
After a failed attempt at ditching her clingy hookup, any semblance of a peaceful life is destroyed when Wren makes the rash decision to save a local boy from becoming white coyote chow. She makes an impossible shot from hundreds of yards away, killing the beast and saving the boy. Which draws the Command’s attention to where she lives at the ranch.
Uncle Jim (a Mod sympathizer whose real name is Julian Ash) is captured during a Command visit, brutally interrogated, then sentenced to death by firing squad. Silver Elite reminded me of THAT scene from Game of Thrones with Arya and Ned Stark, and it is heartbreaking. Wren tries to rescue him at the South Plaza and uses her Inciter ability to compel eight soldiers to lower their weapons, but ultimately loses her hold on them.
Uncle Jim’s last (telepathic) words are “Goodbye, little bird.” And like Arya Stark, Wren ends up having to watch from the crowd as the man who was a father to her is executed.
Captain Cross
Before Wren can escape the South Plaza, she is apprehended by a Command soldier, who is revealed to be Captain Cross. She’s then interrogated by Silver Block officers, Xavier Ford and Cross. Despite their attempts to confirm her Modified abilities and connection to Julian Ash, Wren maintains her cover as an innocent rancher who knew nothing of her uncle’s past, even fooling the most powerful mind reader, Jayde Valence.
Naturally, Cross doesn’t buy what she’s selling and forces her into the Silver Block training program (her home and ranch were all reassigned, leaving her with no options).
Wren’s journey
In the Silver Block program, Wren eventually befriends Lyddia, the handsome flirt Kaine, and Betima. Wren’s new mission becomes to deliberately fail out and hopefully get back to Ward Z. To do this, she feigns incompetence in combat and shooting and consistently earns low scores, but Cross sees through her act.
Cross makes the program Hell for Wren. She’s blocked from data searches on the network, she’s barred from joining the other recruits in going off base for recreation, and she makes fast enemies with Cross’s half-brother Roe, Kess, Ivy, and Anson. Her only respite is her telepathic connection with her childhood friend “Wolf.”
New mission: Silver Elite
Some time into the Silver Block program, Wren learns Tana and Griff have been captured and sent off to a labor mine. She decides to embrace her time in the program to try and infiltrate Silver Block and gain intel for the Uprising. She starts to excel in combat and weapons training, ops missions, and other tests while Cross continues making life harder for her. As an enemies-to-lovers story, this creates a lot of conflict and opportunities for confronting each other, which only deepens their attraction to one another. And it is hot-hot-hot!
Silver Elite ending
Eventually, Wren’s shortlisted for the final Elite test despite initial poor performance. She endures physical interrogations and witnesses Betima’s execution by Roe (he saw her Mod empath ability during Glin’s death by impalement scene).
During an operation in her home village, Hamlett, Wren intervenes to protect Tana and Griff after Tana shoots Anson in the face when he was assaulting her. Wren stages Anson’s death and arranges their capture and sentencing to labor for treason rather than be executed. Cross facilitates this outcome, demonstrating shades of loyalty to Wren.
Leading up to General Redden’s Silver Jubilee doomed speech, Wren warns Cross of an Uprising attack. The attack involves an operative named Adrienne “corrupting” the General’s mind during his speech, causing his public fragmentation. Wren is also forced to incite Jayde Valance to suicide in order to protect her identity after Lyddie betrays seeing the bloodmark where her scar was erased. Caught in the chaos, Wren is taken into custody and sentenced to death.
The Tin Block Traitors
Cross helps Wren escape the stockade by handing her off to Xavier Ford while he returns to the Command since his brother Travis will now be leading. Wren and Xavier flee through the Blacklands, and eventually come upon the home where Jim raised Wren. She finds a bombshell letter from Jim, revealing her parents were Uprising operatives (Marina Serrano and Jake Hess) known as the Tin Block Traitors who were responsible for many Modified deaths, and that Jim rescued her after they died. Wren’s real name is Stella Hess. She burns the letter.
Wren and Xavier finally emerge from the Blacklands and meet up with none other than Kaine Sutler (he lives!) who is none other than the hotshot Uprising pilot, Grayson Blake.
Silver Elite quotes
When you’re petrified on a daily basis as a child, there aren’t many things left to fear as an adult. Except, perhaps, awkward conversations. I would rather fight a cougar barehanded than subject myself to an uncomfortable exchange. Truly.
At one point, when I open my eyes a slit to study the faces around me, I catch Kaine watching me right back. He grins and whispers, “Wanna make out?” I roll my eyes as Struck orders him to shut up and focus.
You don’t have to be good at the things you love, Sutler. Sort of like how I imagine you love sex, but are terrible at it.
I believe that humanity is wired for destruction no matter the environment. Old Era, New Era. Aberrant on top, Prime on top. We will always find a way to destroy ourselves. We’re a doomed species.
You’re not timid or weak, Dove. You’re a firestorm, and you’re going to burn everything in your path if you don’t learn how to restrain yourself.
“Hurry up, bitch.” My fellow, who’s supposed to be watching my back, hasn’t mastered the concept of camaraderie. Or encouragement. Or human emotion. I resist the urge to kick my foot back at her face.
I’ve loved you since I was eight years old. And I’m still adjusting to all of this. Trying to merge the two of you. Daisy. Wren.
Audaces fortuna iuvat. Et potentia fluit ad fortes. Fortune favors the bold, and power flows to the strong.
Final thoughts
I. Freaking. Loved. This. Book. Everything about it. For me, a 5-star read is if I’m completely consumed by the story and characters and can’t put the book down until I finish, and Silver Elite by Dani Francis accomplished all that for me. Yes, the plot and tropes are formulaic, but the execution is done so well. There was enough mystery to keep me guessing on things like the mind corruption and Wren’s family.
Even Cross’s family dynamics—Roe’s reveal of “loving Cross too much” and his complicated relationships with his brothers and father hits you in the feels. Make no mistake, Roe is a total POS, but that’s the kind of intriguing character work that draws me in and keeps me invested. Can’t wait to find out more.
And the banter! Kaine especially was such a fun character and I enjoyed the levity he brought to Wren’s experience in the program. Not to mention the delicious tension between Wren and Cross—I was living for it. I hate that Silver Elite ends with them separated, but hopefully the wait for book 2 isn’t too long. 😂
I was obsessed with the vague Red Rising feel of the final Elite test and the silverbloods/Mods stuff that was reminiscent of Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard. I loved the nostalgic Dark Angel vibes of Silver Elite’s dystopian world and the FMC. In short, this book brought me a ton of joy and I recommend it if you’re craving an addictive, military academy and enemies-to-lovers story.
If you’ve read Silver Elite by Dani Francis, what did you think? Did it live up to the hype for you? Tell me all the things!
Leave a comment