Silver Elite

by Dani Francis

One officer and one massive prick.

"don't bring attention to myself, so let me write an insult that those in charge will see :D" I keep forgetting how old she is and have to remember she's not 12

Maybe even Silver Elite.” “What’s that?” “It’s a unit within Silver Block. Special forces. Elites have the highest security clearance, and they run the riskiest operations.”

oh boy, I wonder how Wren's plan to fail will play out! I know it was obvious given the story length, but her in the special forces within special forces? PLSS 🙄

Every time we heard a noise, I’d be so curious, wanting to investigate. Jim

I could've sworn she said she was afraid of the Blackwoods, or whatever it's name is?

“Wren,” protests Lyddie. “Didn’t you hear what Ivy just said? What if you’re cut?” “They’re not going to cut me.” I’m confident of it, considering Captain Cross said he wanted to keep me close.

Great job keeping a low profile, Wren! Announce to the whole class that you're special!

He would probably be attractive if it weren’t for the way he presses his lips into a thin line,

why is attractiveness constantly brought up?? especially for the male characters

“So sorry to inconvenience you,” I call after his retreating form.

"I gotta keep a low profile! let me be sassy and snarky at every opportunity! I'm so quirky :D"

his short sleeves revealing the swirl of ink on his arms.

every time Cross makes an appearance his damn arms are mentioned. we get it, she finds him attractive and his arms are tattooed and beefy OHMYGOD also why do i get the feeling that it's going to be revealed he's Wolf and his tattoos cover his veins glow when he uses his powers

“There weren’t enough beds.” I give him a knowing look. “Oh no. I failed your little test.” He watches me, unimpressed. “I gave up my bed for another recruit. I’m the bleeding heart.” I tip my head in defiance. “Aren’t you going to cut me?” “No.” “But I broke the rules.” “You did,” he agrees. There’s something very aggravating about his face. It’s just so…symmetrical. And that dimple is always on the brink of appearing, as if he wants to smile but can’t quite let it happen. “I heard the bleeding heart gets cut,” I say through my rising frustration.

your plan to escape by failing a test is to let the captain/commander of the base KNOW that it was your plan?? seriously???

“You should cut me,” I say hopefully.

and now he knows that every time you're written up it's a part of your plan to escape SO WHAT THE HELL ARE WE DOING?? what will be the point of any rebelling she does from now on??

“Well, I plan on making life difficult for them, so it’s only fair they fight back.”

is she talking to an ally or a damn enemy?? what the hell is this conversation??

I’m starting to realize it might be impossible for me to get in trouble. I’m not going anywhere unless Cross wants me to. And yet, what message does it send to his instructors if he allows an incompetent recruit to continue training for his precious Silver Block? He’d look weak. Incompetent himself. Which means I need to stay the course. The worse I perform, the quicker I’ll wake up from this nightmare.

...really? that's the direction we're going now

When he spots me, I raise one hand in a sweet fluttery wave and flash him a big fake smile.

"I gotta keep a low profile, lemme wave and smile cheekily at the top dog of this facility in front of everyone :D"

That’s when I notice Ivy frowning at me. I’m not the only one to pick up on it, as Lyddie murmurs, “Oh, someone doesn’t like that.” “Who? Ivy?” Lyddie nods. “They used to be together.” I manage to mask my surprise in time. I can’t appear overly interested in anyone here, even our esteemed captain.

*deep sighs* of course

“Why aren’t they together anymore?” I ask. “I don’t know. Maybe Daddy didn’t approve.” “Her daddy?” “No, his.” Lyddie shrugs. “The General’s not known to welcome strangers into his midst with open arms.” “The General? What does he have to do with this?” She gives me a bemused look. “It’s his father.” “Whose father?” I feel like we’re having two different conversations now.

well gee, Wren, you two were talking about Ivy and Cross. I wonder who the "he" she is referring to A-HYUCK

I thought Cross was his surname. It’s not. It’s his first name. Last name Redden. My throat burns with self-loathing as I replay this morning’s interaction in my mind. I let him whisper in my ear. I let my pulse race for him. I was attracted to him. Was being the crucial word here, because the moment Lyddie’s revelation absorbs into my bloodstream, all the attraction is sucked out of me like a poison.

WHAT so him being the leader of the army's special forces was attractive?? suddenly finding out he's the General's son changes everything?? also sure Jan, you're definitely not attracted to him anymore

He speaks with authority that commands respect. It’s incredibly sexy. General’s son, Wren. I inwardly blanch. I fuel myself with the reminder. On the hierarchy of enemy, this man has now moved into the top three.

same chapter, btw, and she's already fighting her lust for him also "on the hierarchy of enemy, this man has now moved into top three". he's the general of the elite forces of the army of the general killing and enslaving your people. what rank was he BEFORE the reveal??

It’s annoying how turned on I am, hearing him cut the guy down.

nothing matters in this story. oh my fucking god. if Wren says she needs to do something, she does the exact opposite purely to fit her trope centered character. I know people said it's a poor excuse of a dystopian story that was only written for the smutty romance but I didn't think it'll be this obvious so damn soon!

He looks younger than me, maybe eighteen or nineteen years old. Tall, leanly muscled, with angular features and pronounced cheekbones. He looks familiar, but I’m certain I’ve never seen him before. My gaze tracks his lazy, arrogant swagger. His blue shirt is untucked. Zipper undone. He tugs it up as he walks, unfazed by the disapproving glares directed his way. When he notices Radek and Cross, he gives a magnanimous gesture of his hand. “Oh, please continue,” he cracks. “Don’t mind me.” I swallow a laugh. Others aren’t as successful, as some titters go through the crowd. Visibly irritated, Cross stalks toward the source of interruption, who holds up his hands in mock surrender. “Calm down now, Captain.” “Who is that?” I whisper to Lyddie. “His brother,” she whispers back. My brows fly up. “The colonel?” “No. This is his half brother, Roe. He’s younger.”

of course, another son of the general she hates so much for her to lust over. oh boy I wonder if he's Wolf or another potential love interest 😑

I take my place among them, trying to blend in, trying not to stand out.

amazing job you've been doing :) 🙄

I join Lyddie and Kaine, keeping my head down as I eat my food. I feel Roe’s eyes on me the entire time.

too late keeping your head down now 😑 being a sassy character while trying to keep a low profile is a ridiculous contradiction

It’s hard to resist the sarcastic urge to raise my hand and say, That’s me.

IS IT?? HOW

The woman in front of us is not a loyalist. Her wrist is both black and red. She’s a slave.

and yet despite knowing that her kind are not only killed but also made into slaves, she still lusts after the elite squad's captain and son of the general who allowed this to happen 🙄 i was giving this story the slightest chance, the bar was low, but this has officially become a hate read

“This is Amira,” Struck introduces. “At the end of each class, she will be testing your shields.” Shit. A shiver races down my spine. How do I handle this? I can’t make my shield too strong, or she’ll wonder why it is. If I make it too weak, I risk her hearing my real thoughts.

?? did the author forget how she had Wren hide her thoughts against Jayde??

“And what if she touches me by accident?” I can’t stop the disappointment that tightens my throat. I don’t know why I expected Lyddie to be more accepting.

I can't, WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU THOUGHT LYDIA WOULD BE DIFFERENT?? She's trying to join a part of the army that specifically hunts down and kill Mods!! She looks up to Cross and the general! What the hell is going on here??

I hop out of my chair and walk toward Amira. She has gentle eyes. Too gentle. How are they not burning with anger? Blazing from the injustice?

idk maybe she's lusting after someone in the General's army too 🤪🤪

This is General Redden’s son. I shouldn’t care what his ink means. I shouldn’t notice how dangerous it makes him look. I shouldn’t find that danger embarrassingly sexy.

this man has a Mod slave at the facility, btw

I’ve slept with soldiers before, but an attraction to Cross is a betrayal like none other. It’s like spitting in the face of every Mod on the Continent.

like sleeping with soldiers haven't done that already?? they capture and kill mods!! the last one she slept with was one of the ones to capture Jim! bsfr

His father is a monster, and by extension, so is he.

he was a monster long before she found out about the general being his father. like jfc does it not mean anything in this book that he's the captain of the elite forces??

“He makes time for me whenever I break your little rules.” I glower at her unaffected expression. “Is that what it takes? Fine. Here you go.” I snatch Hadley’s tray off the table and hurl it against the wall over Struck’s head. Chunks of beef stew splatter the wall and drip down it like thick globs of mud. A few peas fall into the instructor’s dark hair.

"I have to keep a low profile"

During morning meal, Hadley announces we’ll be running drills and small mock operations all week, as well as learning about the various technologies utilized in Silver Block and continuing to firm up our shields.

I'm so bored. I'm tired of reading about her going to classes, her lusting after men intent on killing her kind, and her thinking about escaping but not actually making any plans. a world with interesting powers and we're stuck on what feels like high school romance drama

I try not to raise a brow. Well, damn. Does the Uprising know about this thing?

waiting for the moment Wren realizes she can be a damn spy and feed information to Tana who will then send everything along to the Uprising. I can't remember how many times new technology has been brought up. Just DO SOMETHING

Is anyone really going to notice if one measly blade goes missing? Struck might—she’s observing everyone unsheathe, eyes sharp as a hawk’s, but when it’s my turn, someone chooses that moment to call her name. She turns to address them.

*deep sigh* it's the motorcycle again. impulsive and dumb as shit

I’m an intelligent person. Observant. Strategic.

are you? ARE YOU STRATEGIC???

and I resent the fact that the Uprising continues to shut me out when I could be helping them, damn it.

maybe it's because every time you reach out to Tana YOU DON'T MENTION WANTING TO HELP THEM. you just tell her to convince them to get you out!

But I’m seeing my female fellows slipping into short skirts, tight denim, tiny tops, and it triggers a rush of insecurity.

oh my god, are we about to get a fucking party/club scene?? in a dystopian novel and in the middle of an army academy arc??

Lyddie’s skin is whiter than our sheets.

am I going insane or is this like the 3rd/4th time a white character has been described to be whiter than something? I specifically remember a "whiter than milk" description

I don’t miss the way his gaze travels from my face down to my bare midriff, then back up. It leaves hot shivers in its wake. “The captain is staring at you,” Betima says. She’s smirking.

you know that gif of Michael Scott from The Office looking into the camera? jfc i feel that in every atom that makes up my body

The fights last for hours. Match after match.

while I'm glad we're not getting a dumb club scene, I still think it's dumb to have a fight pit in the middle of an army academy.

You’re not important enough to rescue. Right. I forgot.

the story does a better attempt at making the rebellion seem bad instead of the actual bad guys...

even the ones that brought butterflies of trepidation to my stomach.

I thought she said she doesn't feel fear earlier in the book...

Ford snickers.

every time a character snickers, I keep imagining a teen. snickering used as a descriptive feels like it belongs more in a middle grade/YA than a smutty adult novel

But there’s no guy on this Continent worth it enough for me to stick around here a second longer.

yeah sure, Jan

“Do you support the General, Darlington?” I recoil at the unexpected question. “Of course not.”

but she wants to fuck his son and almost considered joining him :D 🙄

Yes, she likes to gossip, but her heart is enormous.

her heart is enormous?? she thinks Mods are monsters...

Dead center. Ivy swivels her head toward me. “Been practicing,” I say lightly. “Where’s target two?”

...at least make it look like you're improving. Wren has failing grades and suddenly she's making all of her shots??

I glare at him even though he can’t see me.

why is she glaring?? are we supposed to forget she was failing the classes!?

I wait, then take the shot. Bull’s-eye. And then the next one. Bull’s-eye. And the next one. Bull’s-eye.

this is so stupid. she's supposed to be a damn spy for the Uprising now, and suddenly she's making perfect shots?? that's so stupid and will make anyone in charge suspicious. But let me guess, no one thinks it's suspicious OR they do and Wren is somehow genuinely surprised that they're suspicious OR she knows what she's doing will make them suspicious yet she does it anyway because "quirky impulsiveness 🤪🤪"

it’s reckless, even for me.

THEN WHY DO IT?? OH MY GOD THIS IS SO STUPID

There really is nothing left to fear after you’ve lived in that nightmare.

?? there were plenty of moments so far where she felt fear...

“What happens if you send me to the Tribunal instead of the stockade?” He considers the question. “There’s not much evidence you were in collusion with your guardian, so they’d likely give you a labor sentence. Best case, a factory assignment.” “Not interested.” I shake my head and take another sip.

?????????? SO BEING SURROUNDED BY PEOPLE WHO WILL AND ARE TRAINING TO KILL MODS, WHICH WREN IS A MOD, IS BETTER THAN WORKING AT A FACTORY?? like I know she's now a spy but before she was feeling despair and desperately wanting to leave to the point where she broke her own wrist! but now those feelings are magically gone?? when he mentions that she could be assigned to work at a factory, she has no thoughts about that being a possibility?? she doesn't like what's expected of her during the meeting with Adrienne, and now she's just okay with it? I want to scream, oh my god this is no longer fun bad, it's just plain bad that makes no goddamn sense