Library Journal
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The sequel to Francis's dystopian romance debut, Silver Elite, opens on the heels of her first novel's close, and the action doesn't stop until the brutal cliffhanger on the last of its 600-plus pages. That Francis is deft with action, characterization, dialog, and worldbuilding was made abundantly clear when she tossed rebel and powerful Mod Wren Darlington at Cross Redden, son of the Continent's prime ruler and a commanding officer in the war against her people. Those skills are on further display in book two, rich as it is with character interactions, new settings, and much internal longing and angst. Wren finds herself fighting for her brethren on dangerous missions with a highly controlling group of soldiers. Isolated and all but broken when Cross abandons her, she slowly bonds with a character first introduced as a good friend in book one. But as Wren's life has proven, nowhere in this broken world is safe, and power knows no allies. VERDICT A quick read despite its length, this middle book in an expected trilogy both sets up further action and loops in place, but those loops are lovely as Wren discovers new aspects of her history and true desires.—Neal Wyatt