What do you think?
Rate this book
Blood of Silver
Not yet published
Expected 10 Nov 26A RICH, DARKLY WHIMSICAL FANTASY WITH A TOUCH OF HORROR AND A SLOW-BURN ROMANCE.
Linh's mother was just buried this morning. At the funeral, Linh is visited by a strange boy who hints at secrets to her mother's past. Desperate to learn more, Linh is thrust into another world – Ebrirene, a realm governed by ancient magics – where the mysterious boy, Elior, happens to be Crown Prince.
Here, Linh learns that the kingdom is under attack by vicious demons who threaten to break free from a portal her mother sealed years ago, and the Crown believes Linh possesses the power to seal it once more. But not everyone in Ebrirene wishes Linh well. Someone enters Linh in a deadly Tournament against her will, and a mysterious Captain, leader of the mage hunters, is determined to seek her out. Now Linh must fight for her own survival or surrender to the monsters that might be closer to her than she thinks.
Fantasy with a horror edge and Vietnamese female main characterFeaturing BookTok's favourite tropes, #rivalstolovers, #forcedproximity, #slowburnPerfect for fans of Spirited Away and One Dark Window
Linh's mother was just buried this morning. At the funeral, Linh is visited by a strange boy who hints at secrets to her mother's past. Desperate to learn more, Linh is thrust into another world – Ebrirene, a realm governed by ancient magics – where the mysterious boy, Elior, happens to be Crown Prince.
Here, Linh learns that the kingdom is under attack by vicious demons who threaten to break free from a portal her mother sealed years ago, and the Crown believes Linh possesses the power to seal it once more. But not everyone in Ebrirene wishes Linh well. Someone enters Linh in a deadly Tournament against her will, and a mysterious Captain, leader of the mage hunters, is determined to seek her out. Now Linh must fight for her own survival or surrender to the monsters that might be closer to her than she thinks.
Fantasy with a horror edge and Vietnamese female main characterFeaturing BookTok's favourite tropes, #rivalstolovers, #forcedproximity, #slowburnPerfect for fans of Spirited Away and One Dark Window
Kindle Edition
Expected publication November 10, 2026
About the author
Allie Nguyen
2 books146 followersAllie Nguyen is a Vietnamese fantasy author based in London, UK, with an MA in Creative Writing. She has a deep love for flawed female characters and strange, whimsical worlds. When she's not writing, she's often found making Taylor Swift playlists for her books, wandering around museums, or rereading Wuthering Heights for the hundredth time.
Her YA Fantasy debut Blood of Silver is scheduled for publication in November 2026 by Simon & Schuster. You can find her on social media @alliewritesalot.
Her YA Fantasy debut Blood of Silver is scheduled for publication in November 2026 by Simon & Schuster. You can find her on social media @alliewritesalot.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
Currently Reading
May 9, 2026this one's is one of my most anticipated reads of this year, because I love my grumpy woman x sunshine-y man combo!
______________
Thank you to Simon & Schuster for the ARC.
______________
Thank you to Simon & Schuster for the ARC.
June 16, 2025
To Allie Nguyen,
You carry both our family name and our hopes with pride. I’m so proud of you—not just for your success, but the way you make "our dream" come true. And especially for the love the heart (with your motherland) which, had been brought into your book. Best wishes and I believe that your your path ahead be guided by purpose and surrounded by family's love.
I want to buy you book right now.
You carry both our family name and our hopes with pride. I’m so proud of you—not just for your success, but the way you make "our dream" come true. And especially for the love the heart (with your motherland) which, had been brought into your book. Best wishes and I believe that your your path ahead be guided by purpose and surrounded by family's love.
I want to buy you book right now.
June 16, 2025
I'm very happy to have been a Beta reader for this one!
A Marvelous tale leaded by a solid group of characters that will prevail in the readers minds and hearts for long time after reading the book; Linh, the protagonist, is full of nuances, which makes it feel like she’s real and human; the world building is crafted with love and care, you can read the autor's attention to detail, every bit of this fantastic world will make the readers wish it was real; and finally, the plot, of course, a story driven by its characters and their interest, decisions and sometimes mistakes, a total page turner, I wasn't able to put it down.
If Game of thrones was inside the Ghibli universe it would look a lot like Blood of sliver.
A Marvelous tale leaded by a solid group of characters that will prevail in the readers minds and hearts for long time after reading the book; Linh, the protagonist, is full of nuances, which makes it feel like she’s real and human; the world building is crafted with love and care, you can read the autor's attention to detail, every bit of this fantastic world will make the readers wish it was real; and finally, the plot, of course, a story driven by its characters and their interest, decisions and sometimes mistakes, a total page turner, I wasn't able to put it down.
If Game of thrones was inside the Ghibli universe it would look a lot like Blood of sliver.
June 16, 2025
I was very lucky to read a draft of this book, and my goodness it had me hooked from the start! Allies writing is so immersive and so are her worlds. I am in love with Linh and Elior’s dynamic and chemistry is so good it had me screaming crying and throwing up in the best way possible. Can’t wait to have the published version in my hands. 🩷🩷🩷
June 16, 2025
Literally can’t wait!! Everything I’ve heard about Allie’s novel has got me slick wanting the year to speed up just so I can have her book in my hands 😂😂
June 16, 2025
So lovely!! Can't wait to read this wonderful book as soon as possible 😍
June 16, 2025
I read the early draft and I can’t even express how excited I am to read it!! This book has everything you need; angry and relatable teenagers, romance, a FMC that knows she’s the sh&$t and a bright haired prince that will take your heart because of how sweet he is.
Buzzing to have my copy of this book once is out! 🩷
Buzzing to have my copy of this book once is out! 🩷
June 16, 2025
To Allie:
It was my pleasure to read the early draft of this book. I hadn’t read anything for a long time, but this draft definitely pulled me out of my laziness and made me read it non-stop! The way Allie illustrated Linh — a Vietnamese female character, not a softie but a baddie — drove me crazyyyy. I’m totally obsessed with it. Can’t wait to hold the published one in my hands!
It was my pleasure to read the early draft of this book. I hadn’t read anything for a long time, but this draft definitely pulled me out of my laziness and made me read it non-stop! The way Allie illustrated Linh — a Vietnamese female character, not a softie but a baddie — drove me crazyyyy. I’m totally obsessed with it. Can’t wait to hold the published one in my hands!
June 16, 2025
Amazing author and book! Absolutely loveeeee! Been reading her fanfic since 2013. ❤️
Want to Read
May 20, 2026i need this book asap (the author's insta posts are keeping me fed)
May 7, 2026
OMG! I have been waiting for this book for almost a year now and it was so perfect!
I’m so happy to be on the street team of such an amazing book and author. This book exceeded all of my expectations and is easily one of this year’s highlights for me. Allie truly puts all her love into her books despite saying she’ll kill characters off. (she loves them all trust my delulu state of mind)
Blood of Silver is a YA fantasy book with magical powers and creatures and let me tell you, The magic is amazing!
There are magic houses, magic books, magic animals basically magic everything and I lived for it! There are magic houses, there exist many different mages like Space mages (Our FMC Linh), Fire mage, Water mage, etc and all of these houses have personality traits that are seen in the characters.
The start in the book is amazing and kept me hooked right from the start, I kept turning pages because I NEEDED to know what happened next.
Speaking of chapters/pages, the chapter length was amazing not too long and not too short, and Allies writing? Even better!
Her writing is amazing and sooo easy to read, I basically just flew through the book, no weird fantasy words and no words that nobody uses. Allies writing is so perfect for fantasy and sooo bingeable.
There is also no cringy or corny dialogue or any second hand embarrassment moments that try to make a character quirky but just are embarrassing. It’s one of the things I hate most in a book and I was so glad it wasn’t there.
The world building in this is sooo addictive and I felt so connected to the world and their struggles. I’d kill to live in a world with whiny flowers and Hamster employees.
The characters were introduced soo well and the vibes and dynamics of them were so fun to read! Plus I love a good found family and these characters definitely act like a little fam! All of the characters really captured my heart in different ways, Speaking of characters our main character and narrator Linh is sooo well written and amazing!
Their choices actually make sense and even if they don’t make sense in the moment they do later. None of the characters are insufferable or annoying except Linhs bullies who I can’t remember the names of and Linh can’t either.
She is relatable in ways I haven’t read in a fantasy book in a while, despite having the strongest powers in the world she isn’t immediately overpowered because she doesn’t know how to use her Powers. I loved reading about her journey of learning to control her powers and use them to punish her enemies. (aka her bullies, I hate them and you should too)
Linh is a great narrator with funny thoughts and ideas that all make her the person that she is. (GIVE ME ELIORS POV PLEASE ALLIE!!!)
Elior is our blondE male main character and utterly whipped for Linh, which to his demise Linh doesn’t realise until very very late in the book. He is absolutely fun and has some amazing lines! To Eliors absolute demise Linh also doesn’t realise her own feelings for Elior until VERY VERY late into the book. Elior reminds me a lot of Warner and Cardan, he basically got their best traits lol.
But in general the characters are written perfectly and there are just a few I hate (Allie would not agree) and it is fun to get to know them, you keep learning about them until the end. Which brings me to my next point….
The plot was A W E S O M E, demons, dead lands, death, magic rivalries and sooo much more. It kept me on my toes until the very end and made me cry so bad. There were so many plot twists, I didn’t know who to trust most of the time so I just went with whatever Linh said. You didn’t know who to trust the more you found out about the world and politics.
There is not THAT much romance it was more plot before romance because Linh didn’t get it lol but it felt like just the right amount of romance for it. The scenes we got were top tier and we got 3 kissing scenes! Our dear author Allie promised me one and she gave us three! I was so excited even tho two of those three kissing scenes made me sob violently( Allie can agree)
There is a lot of pain, yearning, sadness and loss in this book but also a ton of fun stuff like Hamster employees( yes I am mentioning them again because they were one of my book highlights lol)
There were so many cute easter eggs and Riddles which was very fun to read and figure out especially because I’ve been waiting for almost a year and check Allies instagram stories like a psycho and threatened her a few times so she gave me a few hints and info on the book.
Seeing the story snippets on her story and then finally reading them felt amazing!
I’m not just saying this because I’m biased (I totally am, this long review is just payment for Allie not to kill of Elior) or because I really think Allie is not just an amazing writer but also a kind hearted and amazing human being who listened to me crying, laughing, hating and screaming on instagram for 2 weeks while reading this (sorry Allie) but I really really enjoyed this book and felt every emotion while reading this, it met and exceeded all of my expectations and completely destroyed my soul in the best way possible.
I’m so happy to be on the street team of such an amazing book and author. This book exceeded all of my expectations and is easily one of this year’s highlights for me. Allie truly puts all her love into her books despite saying she’ll kill characters off. (she loves them all trust my delulu state of mind)
Blood of Silver is a YA fantasy book with magical powers and creatures and let me tell you, The magic is amazing!
There are magic houses, magic books, magic animals basically magic everything and I lived for it! There are magic houses, there exist many different mages like Space mages (Our FMC Linh), Fire mage, Water mage, etc and all of these houses have personality traits that are seen in the characters.
The start in the book is amazing and kept me hooked right from the start, I kept turning pages because I NEEDED to know what happened next.
Speaking of chapters/pages, the chapter length was amazing not too long and not too short, and Allies writing? Even better!
Her writing is amazing and sooo easy to read, I basically just flew through the book, no weird fantasy words and no words that nobody uses. Allies writing is so perfect for fantasy and sooo bingeable.
There is also no cringy or corny dialogue or any second hand embarrassment moments that try to make a character quirky but just are embarrassing. It’s one of the things I hate most in a book and I was so glad it wasn’t there.
The world building in this is sooo addictive and I felt so connected to the world and their struggles. I’d kill to live in a world with whiny flowers and Hamster employees.
The characters were introduced soo well and the vibes and dynamics of them were so fun to read! Plus I love a good found family and these characters definitely act like a little fam! All of the characters really captured my heart in different ways, Speaking of characters our main character and narrator Linh is sooo well written and amazing!
Their choices actually make sense and even if they don’t make sense in the moment they do later. None of the characters are insufferable or annoying except Linhs bullies who I can’t remember the names of and Linh can’t either.
She is relatable in ways I haven’t read in a fantasy book in a while, despite having the strongest powers in the world she isn’t immediately overpowered because she doesn’t know how to use her Powers. I loved reading about her journey of learning to control her powers and use them to punish her enemies. (aka her bullies, I hate them and you should too)
Linh is a great narrator with funny thoughts and ideas that all make her the person that she is. (GIVE ME ELIORS POV PLEASE ALLIE!!!)
Elior is our blondE male main character and utterly whipped for Linh, which to his demise Linh doesn’t realise until very very late in the book. He is absolutely fun and has some amazing lines! To Eliors absolute demise Linh also doesn’t realise her own feelings for Elior until VERY VERY late into the book. Elior reminds me a lot of Warner and Cardan, he basically got their best traits lol.
But in general the characters are written perfectly and there are just a few I hate (Allie would not agree) and it is fun to get to know them, you keep learning about them until the end. Which brings me to my next point….
The plot was A W E S O M E, demons, dead lands, death, magic rivalries and sooo much more. It kept me on my toes until the very end and made me cry so bad. There were so many plot twists, I didn’t know who to trust most of the time so I just went with whatever Linh said. You didn’t know who to trust the more you found out about the world and politics.
There is not THAT much romance it was more plot before romance because Linh didn’t get it lol but it felt like just the right amount of romance for it. The scenes we got were top tier and we got 3 kissing scenes! Our dear author Allie promised me one and she gave us three! I was so excited even tho two of those three kissing scenes made me sob violently( Allie can agree)
There is a lot of pain, yearning, sadness and loss in this book but also a ton of fun stuff like Hamster employees( yes I am mentioning them again because they were one of my book highlights lol)
There were so many cute easter eggs and Riddles which was very fun to read and figure out especially because I’ve been waiting for almost a year and check Allies instagram stories like a psycho and threatened her a few times so she gave me a few hints and info on the book.
Seeing the story snippets on her story and then finally reading them felt amazing!
I’m not just saying this because I’m biased (I totally am, this long review is just payment for Allie not to kill of Elior) or because I really think Allie is not just an amazing writer but also a kind hearted and amazing human being who listened to me crying, laughing, hating and screaming on instagram for 2 weeks while reading this (sorry Allie) but I really really enjoyed this book and felt every emotion while reading this, it met and exceeded all of my expectations and completely destroyed my soul in the best way possible.
April 21, 2026
(Arc given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review 🌙✨)
There’s something special about being a fan of an author even before their first book is released and I’m glad to say that with Allie Nguyen!! Blood of Silver was something we need more of in young adult books today. It was a love letter to those who’ve always imagined what they would be like as a character in a fantasy book.
I’ll do a more in depth review in November when this releases but I do have to say something about Linh as I know most of the reviews will mostly be about Elior. Not to say that I’m not obsessed with him but we don’t need to feed his ego quite yet 😅 I really connected with Linh specifically because she has weaknesses, she is not a fantasy character who has grown up in that world her whole life and it shows. I love how much she learned throughout the story about herself and her insanely cool magic!
In conclusion (for now) if you like keeper of the lost cities but are looking for something a bit more mature and you like spirited away and the vivid imagery ghibli movies have, you will LOVE this!! And thank you again to Allie for allowing me to read this early 🩷
There’s something special about being a fan of an author even before their first book is released and I’m glad to say that with Allie Nguyen!! Blood of Silver was something we need more of in young adult books today. It was a love letter to those who’ve always imagined what they would be like as a character in a fantasy book.
I’ll do a more in depth review in November when this releases but I do have to say something about Linh as I know most of the reviews will mostly be about Elior. Not to say that I’m not obsessed with him but we don’t need to feed his ego quite yet 😅 I really connected with Linh specifically because she has weaknesses, she is not a fantasy character who has grown up in that world her whole life and it shows. I love how much she learned throughout the story about herself and her insanely cool magic!
In conclusion (for now) if you like keeper of the lost cities but are looking for something a bit more mature and you like spirited away and the vivid imagery ghibli movies have, you will LOVE this!! And thank you again to Allie for allowing me to read this early 🩷
August 10, 2026
4.5 ⭐️ omg I love when a book gets me this invested. Whenever I wasn’t reading, I was thinking about it and counting down the seconds until I could pick up my kindle again. I absolutely loved the atmosphere and the magic system, especially Linh’s type of magic. And speaking of her, it had been a while since a protagonist had won me over this much. I loved her humor (or, in this case, the complete lack thereof) and to my own surprise (bc 99% of the time I HATE that dynamic), I actually loved the grumpy x sunshine dynamic between her and Elior. The romance didn’t fully convince me but tbh, I don’t even think that was the point of this book. I’ve actually been preferring books with this amount of romance lately (aka crumbs at best) but I did expect to be a little more invested in their relationship. I also know I probably wasn’t supposed to be confused about that other character but unfortunately I was. I can’t help it, this always happens to me!!!!
That ending left me so curious about what’s coming next and I’m especially excited to see how the dynamic between all the characters develops in the sequel. Overall, I loved pretty much everything and everyone in this book, it’s definitely going to be one of my favorites of the year.
That ending left me so curious about what’s coming next and I’m especially excited to see how the dynamic between all the characters develops in the sequel. Overall, I loved pretty much everything and everyone in this book, it’s definitely going to be one of my favorites of the year.
June 18, 2025
I read the first draft of Blood of Silver and it was already perfect then. I can't wait to see the edits, but these characters and world are wonderful and Allie is absolutely the new fantasy writer to be watching out for.
June 17, 2025
i got a chance to read an early draft of this amazing book. i can't wait for it to be published!!
August 7, 2026
3.75 rounded up for Goodreads and Netgalley.
A solid young-adult romantasy, despite some flaws. The first half and the second half of this book were quite different. The first half definitely focused more on the main character and her love interest. From the start, the implication of who the love interest was was clear. A little too clear maybe. The attraction between the two was instant, unfortunately. Despite what’s written in the synopsis, it was absolutely not a slow-burn romance. This was disappointing, honestly. I don’t understand why the romance was so rushed. Also, I didn’t really believe in their chemistry; they don’t feel very compatible, and too different. She was determined and had plans of her own while he also did, and the plans did not align. There was also the fact that he was always trying to touch her and that was rather uncomfortable to read. Given the time they’ve known each other and the fact that they don’t know much about each other at all, it felt icky. Another thing I did not like very much was the underage drinking.
Fortunately, the second half was much better and gripped me. It was more focused on the main character and her own story and her family. And that was really interesting. The plot thickened and gave the readers some stong moments. The creatures and the world-building were also more explored. And the romance faded a little bit, which was pleasant. The love interest was a less present and more characters stood out, which allowed more relationships to develop (and they were the most interesting relationships of the book). Linh’s character was more developed, she grew more by herself and she showed her determination and her strength. It definitely improved my rating and my reading experience. If there’s only one thing I would have liked, it’s more of the relationship between Linh and her mother. It was such a big part of Linh’s character.
The book felt a little bit unbalanced but because the second half was so engaging it did not bother me. I definitely recommend it.
Thank you to Netgalley for an e-ARC in exchange for a honest review.
A solid young-adult romantasy, despite some flaws. The first half and the second half of this book were quite different. The first half definitely focused more on the main character and her love interest. From the start, the implication of who the love interest was was clear. A little too clear maybe. The attraction between the two was instant, unfortunately. Despite what’s written in the synopsis, it was absolutely not a slow-burn romance. This was disappointing, honestly. I don’t understand why the romance was so rushed. Also, I didn’t really believe in their chemistry; they don’t feel very compatible, and too different. She was determined and had plans of her own while he also did, and the plans did not align. There was also the fact that he was always trying to touch her and that was rather uncomfortable to read. Given the time they’ve known each other and the fact that they don’t know much about each other at all, it felt icky. Another thing I did not like very much was the underage drinking.
Fortunately, the second half was much better and gripped me. It was more focused on the main character and her own story and her family. And that was really interesting. The plot thickened and gave the readers some stong moments. The creatures and the world-building were also more explored. And the romance faded a little bit, which was pleasant. The love interest was a less present and more characters stood out, which allowed more relationships to develop (and they were the most interesting relationships of the book). Linh’s character was more developed, she grew more by herself and she showed her determination and her strength. It definitely improved my rating and my reading experience. If there’s only one thing I would have liked, it’s more of the relationship between Linh and her mother. It was such a big part of Linh’s character.
The book felt a little bit unbalanced but because the second half was so engaging it did not bother me. I definitely recommend it.
Thank you to Netgalley for an e-ARC in exchange for a honest review.
August 10, 2026
𓏲 ๋࣭ ࣪ ˖ 4.5 stars ★ ˖⌕ ۫ ➺ spoilers free review
→ thank you netgalley and Simon and Schuster UK Children's for the arc
It was definitely a rollercoaster, a rollercoaster i really enjoyed!! Such promising debiut, first of all I want to point of how beautiful the cover is and how gorgeous elinh look there. I also want to appreciate the really interesting worldbulding, which was truly magical and beautifully described and executed. Also subtle haunting perspective…oh Allie Nguyen you didn’t even tried to kiss a brick before you throw it at me.
Second of all characters, I loved linh and elior as characters so much, the concept of agonizing elior??? Saying he will be bad king ??? What the hell take it out of your mouth, you don't understand him!!! He cares so so much and is amazingly created character, the way he is so down bad for her made me sick. Linh is also amazing, I loved how strong she is and her relationship with her mother was so beautifully written. I would be so mad if anything happened to any of them, they can’t be doomed I will pray for their happy ending every day until second book release day.
About elinh…so SO buzzy, welcome my new premium clients. Like they are star crossed…we shouldn’t…they are forbidden…they want each other so bad, but deny it…CHEF’S KISS I SWEAR.
the only thing I didn’t enjoy was poor attempt of doing love triangle…it is so unnecessary. Marcellus was there just to make a mess, I liked some drama but in the end he didn’t bring much into a story besides making elior jealous and that part didn’t really hit me.
→ thank you netgalley and Simon and Schuster UK Children's for the arc
୨୧ 一
It was definitely a rollercoaster, a rollercoaster i really enjoyed!! Such promising debiut, first of all I want to point of how beautiful the cover is and how gorgeous elinh look there. I also want to appreciate the really interesting worldbulding, which was truly magical and beautifully described and executed. Also subtle haunting perspective…oh Allie Nguyen you didn’t even tried to kiss a brick before you throw it at me.
Second of all characters, I loved linh and elior as characters so much, the concept of agonizing elior??? Saying he will be bad king ??? What the hell take it out of your mouth, you don't understand him!!! He cares so so much and is amazingly created character, the way he is so down bad for her made me sick. Linh is also amazing, I loved how strong she is and her relationship with her mother was so beautifully written. I would be so mad if anything happened to any of them, they can’t be doomed I will pray for their happy ending every day until second book release day.
About elinh…so SO buzzy, welcome my new premium clients. Like they are star crossed…we shouldn’t…they are forbidden…they want each other so bad, but deny it…CHEF’S KISS I SWEAR.
the only thing I didn’t enjoy was poor attempt of doing love triangle…it is so unnecessary. Marcellus was there just to make a mess, I liked some drama but in the end he didn’t bring much into a story besides making elior jealous and that part didn’t really hit me.
August 10, 2026
| rating: 4.5 ★
. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.
✎ᝰ.ᐟ review
This buzz. Oh my god. I’m alive but I’m also dead.
Elior and Linh are my new clients. I've only had them for 3 days but if anything happens to them, I'm killing everyone in the room and then myself.
Full review to be posted closer to the release date: November 10, 2026.
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster UK for the e-ARC.
. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.
Started: August 08, 2026
Finished: August 10, 2026
. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.
✎ᝰ.ᐟ review
This buzz. Oh my god. I’m alive but I’m also dead.
Elior and Linh are my new clients. I've only had them for 3 days but if anything happens to them, I'm killing everyone in the room and then myself.
Full review to be posted closer to the release date: November 10, 2026.
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster UK for the e-ARC.
. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.
Started: August 08, 2026
Finished: August 10, 2026
June 6, 2026
This has been one of the most whimsical fantasy novels I have ever read. From chronically depressed flowers to piranha birds with human faces, this book constantly had me delighted by Nguyen’s vast imagination and left in awe that she could craft such a detailed world in just ~400 pages.
This book should be used as a “What To Do” example for all fantasy writers. Nguyen’s world building is impeccable—so detailed it feels real. From politics to different regional dialects to rumors so intricate it’s impossible to tell truth from lie, Nguyen crafts the most tangible fantasy world I’ve ever read. This book and the story Nguyen tells is utterly delightful.
Five stars, obvi.
This book should be used as a “What To Do” example for all fantasy writers. Nguyen’s world building is impeccable—so detailed it feels real. From politics to different regional dialects to rumors so intricate it’s impossible to tell truth from lie, Nguyen crafts the most tangible fantasy world I’ve ever read. This book and the story Nguyen tells is utterly delightful.
Five stars, obvi.
June 19, 2025
As the author's agent, l'm extremely biased. But I have no chill, and I can't wait for you all to read this incredible book.
Add it to your want-to-read shelf RIGHT NOW!
Add it to your want-to-read shelf RIGHT NOW!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I love blonde men (give me this book now)
August 11, 2026
This book absolutely took me for a ride. I'm obsessed with the pacing and how Allie made me feel like I was always a part of this magical realm. The magic system and the world were described beautifully, and even though the pace of the story is fast, I never felt lost; on the contrary, it was easy to follow and get enraptured with it.
Linh, the FMC, is struggling with the passing of her mother. Having to endure her awful relatives from her father's side of the family, and also a broken relationship with her dad, she yearns to maintain a connection with her mother, only to find out that all the stories that her mother told her, and the language that she taught her, were from a magical world where her mom was a Princess with space magic. Linh is a wonderful character, so strong and so mature for a 17-year-old girl. I loved how she processed everything that was thrown her way with strength and a furious sense of justice.
Elior is my favorite character from the moment he is introduced; he is this beautiful golden retriever that wants to protect Linh at all costs, but also trusts in her potential to save their world. The relationship between the MCs is wonderful, with funny banter and a chemistry that was so good, it had me blushing and giggling like a teenager.
The plot is intense; Linh has a lot of pressure, not only to be able to return home, but also to save the world her mother was from. I'm not going to say much, so I don't spoil the story, but be prepared to be surprised a couple of times by the turns and darkness that seeps into this world, and the extremely lovable side characters that become fundamental for Linh and her purpose.
The ending left me an emotional wreck, and the last scene made me gasp out loud, not believing that I had to wait to find out what would happen next. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Allie Nguyen and Simon & Schuster UK, for the opportunity to read this anticipated copy.
Linh, the FMC, is struggling with the passing of her mother. Having to endure her awful relatives from her father's side of the family, and also a broken relationship with her dad, she yearns to maintain a connection with her mother, only to find out that all the stories that her mother told her, and the language that she taught her, were from a magical world where her mom was a Princess with space magic. Linh is a wonderful character, so strong and so mature for a 17-year-old girl. I loved how she processed everything that was thrown her way with strength and a furious sense of justice.
Elior is my favorite character from the moment he is introduced; he is this beautiful golden retriever that wants to protect Linh at all costs, but also trusts in her potential to save their world. The relationship between the MCs is wonderful, with funny banter and a chemistry that was so good, it had me blushing and giggling like a teenager.
The plot is intense; Linh has a lot of pressure, not only to be able to return home, but also to save the world her mother was from. I'm not going to say much, so I don't spoil the story, but be prepared to be surprised a couple of times by the turns and darkness that seeps into this world, and the extremely lovable side characters that become fundamental for Linh and her purpose.
The ending left me an emotional wreck, and the last scene made me gasp out loud, not believing that I had to wait to find out what would happen next. Thank you from the bottom of my heart, Allie Nguyen and Simon & Schuster UK, for the opportunity to read this anticipated copy.
Did Not Finish
August 13, 2026I received this as an e-arc from NetGalley. Thank you to the publisher, Simon & Schuster Children’s UK for the copy.
DNF at 45%
I truly wanted to love this one, and was having a good time in the beginning chapters, but as the book went on my interest began to seriously wane. Firstly, I think all of the characters are well developed, and Allie Nguyen clearly has spent a lot of time thinking through their behavior, beliefs, and how they all relate to one another in a book full of very very messy dynamics. I think the romance is full of charm and fun that made them extremely easy to root for.
What didn’t work so well with me was plot development, writing style, and the messy inclusion of some tropes I don’t care for. I think this book needed more connective tissue, on a scene to scene level. There are certain plot developments and character choices that make sense for the goal of the novel as a whole, but I don’t feel like we did enough build up to get there, so they felt unearned. For example, the synopsis of this book mentions a magical tournament, but even in-universe the reasoning for it’s existence, while central to the developing plot is flimsy and doesn’t hold up to scrutiny. While I’m certain of a nefarious twist will be involved to explain it away, that doesn’t change the fact that this tournament seems implausible and largely dysfunctional in story, in a way that I’m unsure the narrative intended.
All in all, this was just book that wasn’t for me. I definitely think that it could be a favorite for many, and I will be tuning back in for Nguyen adult debut, as I think she is a talented writer.
DNF at 45%
I truly wanted to love this one, and was having a good time in the beginning chapters, but as the book went on my interest began to seriously wane. Firstly, I think all of the characters are well developed, and Allie Nguyen clearly has spent a lot of time thinking through their behavior, beliefs, and how they all relate to one another in a book full of very very messy dynamics. I think the romance is full of charm and fun that made them extremely easy to root for.
What didn’t work so well with me was plot development, writing style, and the messy inclusion of some tropes I don’t care for. I think this book needed more connective tissue, on a scene to scene level. There are certain plot developments and character choices that make sense for the goal of the novel as a whole, but I don’t feel like we did enough build up to get there, so they felt unearned. For example, the synopsis of this book mentions a magical tournament, but even in-universe the reasoning for it’s existence, while central to the developing plot is flimsy and doesn’t hold up to scrutiny. While I’m certain of a nefarious twist will be involved to explain it away, that doesn’t change the fact that this tournament seems implausible and largely dysfunctional in story, in a way that I’m unsure the narrative intended.
All in all, this was just book that wasn’t for me. I definitely think that it could be a favorite for many, and I will be tuning back in for Nguyen adult debut, as I think she is a talented writer.
September 17, 2025
I was so insanely lucky and grateful to read some drafts of this book.
Like…. It had me hooked from the prologue, and got me out of my reading slump and got me through so many hard times.
The chokehold Allie has???? Insane.
Her writing is so so immersive that you don’t even realise when the “just one more page” turns into staying up all night to finish the book.
The characters????? They’re not just words on the page (or fanart on my Lock Screen) , they literally live. You laugh with them, cry with them, and they stay with you even after you’re done reading the book.
Elior and Linh have such an insane chemistry, genuinely my OTP (sorry Marcellus). All her characters are so well done. Linh will always be my favourite girl 🫶🏼
Every single version of this book has been nothing short of a masterpiece, i literally cannot wait to get my hands on the physical copy and just sob at how far BoS has come.
Allie is truly THAT author, I’ve been reading her work since Tumblr and I’m so so proud and happy to see how far much she’s achieved and will continue to achieve 🫂
Can’t wait to see what else she creates next
Like…. It had me hooked from the prologue, and got me out of my reading slump and got me through so many hard times.
The chokehold Allie has???? Insane.
Her writing is so so immersive that you don’t even realise when the “just one more page” turns into staying up all night to finish the book.
The characters????? They’re not just words on the page (or fanart on my Lock Screen) , they literally live. You laugh with them, cry with them, and they stay with you even after you’re done reading the book.
Elior and Linh have such an insane chemistry, genuinely my OTP (sorry Marcellus). All her characters are so well done. Linh will always be my favourite girl 🫶🏼
Every single version of this book has been nothing short of a masterpiece, i literally cannot wait to get my hands on the physical copy and just sob at how far BoS has come.
Allie is truly THAT author, I’ve been reading her work since Tumblr and I’m so so proud and happy to see how far much she’s achieved and will continue to achieve 🫂
Can’t wait to see what else she creates next
August 18, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Oh my goodness?! I honestly don’t know how to express the sparkling intensity and absolute insanity that is this book. I was quite literally hooked from page one. The writing, the world building, the magic system, all amazing, but my favorite part? The pure female rage. I was getting angry for her I could feel my blood BOILING! It was therapeutic let me tell you. Not only that but the characters?! Omg guys I could write something about each and every one of them (oh Marcellus you will always be famous to me.) I kept describing this book like if my little pony met the will of the many and k-pop demon hunters. I was quite literally having the time of my absolute life. I’m screaming crying throwing up for more of this world and these characters. I’m foaming at the mouth and am already eagerly awaiting book 2!
Thank you Simonteen for the advanced readers copy!!!!
Oh my goodness?! I honestly don’t know how to express the sparkling intensity and absolute insanity that is this book. I was quite literally hooked from page one. The writing, the world building, the magic system, all amazing, but my favorite part? The pure female rage. I was getting angry for her I could feel my blood BOILING! It was therapeutic let me tell you. Not only that but the characters?! Omg guys I could write something about each and every one of them (oh Marcellus you will always be famous to me.) I kept describing this book like if my little pony met the will of the many and k-pop demon hunters. I was quite literally having the time of my absolute life. I’m screaming crying throwing up for more of this world and these characters. I’m foaming at the mouth and am already eagerly awaiting book 2!
Thank you Simonteen for the advanced readers copy!!!!
Want to Read
June 17, 2025My daughter wrote this amazing book. I’m so proud of her.
Want to Read
May 25, 2026I am a simple woman; it says ''slow-burn'', I add to TBR
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Netgalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
So it wasn't perfect, but unfortunately for the people who prefer objective reviews, I vibe-d to hell with this, so it's a five-star read.
Blood of Silver follows Linh Pham, a young woman who discovers she is the heir to a magical kingdom. (How is it that when I look back through my family line I only find mental illness, but characters are always finding crowns and titles? Unfair.)
She learns this on the day of her mother's funeral, when she crosses paths with the charming and handsome (obvs) Elior, Crown Prince of a kingdom that is slowly falling apart now that Linh's mother is no longer there to be a badass space wielder.
Oh yeah. Linh also wields space!
Narnia/Wonderland walked so BoS could run, and Linh accidentally transports herself to Elior's world, where she meets a gaggle of friends and enemies, gets herself signed up for a not-so-deadly tournament (if you ignore the fire and pelting boulders), and learns that maybe a teenage girl was all this world needed to survive.
Okay, the plot sounds bonkers when you say it like that, but it's honestly very, very good.
One of the most unexpected selling points for me was the way BoS handles grief. Time and time again, I've seen books use the death of a parent as a trigger for the plot—or, frankly, a bit of a gimmick. But the loss of her mother affects Linh across every page of BoS, as well as the wider ensemble cast. It felt extremely real, and watching Linh navigate life without her mother for the first time genuinely tugged on my heartstrings.
I found it a really good anchor point for this magical universe, without ever feeling like Nguyen was using grief as a crutch for relatability. Instead, it tinges the glasses through which Linh sees Ebrirene. Watching her slowly discover the fractures running through this world for herself was very, very satisfying.
Linh and Elior are rightly at the centre of this book. Their chemistry is genuinely addictive. They bicker, they banter, but underneath all of it they very obviously care about each other. There are elements of the miscommunication trope in BoS, which would usually have me responding by yeeting my phone at the nearest wall, but Nguyen gives it a spin that actually worked for me.
The ensemble cast are... fine. You've got the grumpy bodyguard who eventually warms up, the dangerous/off his rocker mentor, the mean mother-in-law. A lot of these are archetypes you'll be familiar with and I won't say Nguyen reinvented the wheel here. But they were fine. Adara and Elior's relationship especially I found a stand out and the bits of strain we got hints of between Elior and the King were a little sparse but fun.
All of it was, however, enough to make the emotional beats of this book really hit home.
I will say, this felt more like sci-fi with fantasy elements than straight fantasy to me. But I am also the worst person alive at naming genres, so I could be completely wrong. The elements we did get, especially the animals/flora (I'm a sucker for those, not sorry) were really fun. The worrywarts especially added a sense of absurdness that modern-fantasy is sorely lacking.
My issues with BoS didn't really take away from my enjoyment, but I definitely felt the occasional twinge of annoyance while reading. The biggest problem for me is simply that this book is **packed** plot-wise.
And because BoS is so packed, the pacing is... with respect, absolutely bonkers at times.
Repeatedly, Linh has some enormous revelation about the plot that you'd naturally assume would be world-changing for her, only for another plot point to immediately barge through the door demanding attention. At times, it almost felt like random chapters had been rearranged after the book was written without being fully edited to account for the fact that, hey, gravity stopped working ten minutes ago. (An exaggeration for spoiler-y purposes, but you get the idea.)
Honestly I'd have just scrapped the tournament bit of this book, there's so much other meat her to dig your teeth into. But the tournament functioned as it needed to and if my biggest real complaint is I wanted more... the book's pretty damn good.
I just wanted some of the bigger moments to have a little more room to breathe. There is *so much* happening here, and while that makes BoS incredibly readable, it occasionally means the emotional or plot-heavy revelations don't get quite as much weight as they deserve.
However, at its core, BoS is a surprisingly heartfelt and genuinely charming romantasy with some fantastic emotional beats, especially for its younger audience. The grief storyline gave it far more emotional depth than I was expecting from a young adult book, Linh and Elior had me completely sold, and despite my complaints about the pacing, I had an absurdly good time reading it.
I honestly think Nguyen has a very long and promising career ahead of her, and it's one I'll be following eagerly.
So it wasn't perfect, but unfortunately for the people who prefer objective reviews, I vibe-d to hell with this, so it's a five-star read.
Blood of Silver follows Linh Pham, a young woman who discovers she is the heir to a magical kingdom. (How is it that when I look back through my family line I only find mental illness, but characters are always finding crowns and titles? Unfair.)
She learns this on the day of her mother's funeral, when she crosses paths with the charming and handsome (obvs) Elior, Crown Prince of a kingdom that is slowly falling apart now that Linh's mother is no longer there to be a badass space wielder.
Oh yeah. Linh also wields space!
Narnia/Wonderland walked so BoS could run, and Linh accidentally transports herself to Elior's world, where she meets a gaggle of friends and enemies, gets herself signed up for a not-so-deadly tournament (if you ignore the fire and pelting boulders), and learns that maybe a teenage girl was all this world needed to survive.
Okay, the plot sounds bonkers when you say it like that, but it's honestly very, very good.
One of the most unexpected selling points for me was the way BoS handles grief. Time and time again, I've seen books use the death of a parent as a trigger for the plot—or, frankly, a bit of a gimmick. But the loss of her mother affects Linh across every page of BoS, as well as the wider ensemble cast. It felt extremely real, and watching Linh navigate life without her mother for the first time genuinely tugged on my heartstrings.
I found it a really good anchor point for this magical universe, without ever feeling like Nguyen was using grief as a crutch for relatability. Instead, it tinges the glasses through which Linh sees Ebrirene. Watching her slowly discover the fractures running through this world for herself was very, very satisfying.
Linh and Elior are rightly at the centre of this book. Their chemistry is genuinely addictive. They bicker, they banter, but underneath all of it they very obviously care about each other. There are elements of the miscommunication trope in BoS, which would usually have me responding by yeeting my phone at the nearest wall, but Nguyen gives it a spin that actually worked for me.
The ensemble cast are... fine. You've got the grumpy bodyguard who eventually warms up, the dangerous/off his rocker mentor, the mean mother-in-law. A lot of these are archetypes you'll be familiar with and I won't say Nguyen reinvented the wheel here. But they were fine. Adara and Elior's relationship especially I found a stand out and the bits of strain we got hints of between Elior and the King were a little sparse but fun.
All of it was, however, enough to make the emotional beats of this book really hit home.
I will say, this felt more like sci-fi with fantasy elements than straight fantasy to me. But I am also the worst person alive at naming genres, so I could be completely wrong. The elements we did get, especially the animals/flora (I'm a sucker for those, not sorry) were really fun. The worrywarts especially added a sense of absurdness that modern-fantasy is sorely lacking.
My issues with BoS didn't really take away from my enjoyment, but I definitely felt the occasional twinge of annoyance while reading. The biggest problem for me is simply that this book is **packed** plot-wise.
And because BoS is so packed, the pacing is... with respect, absolutely bonkers at times.
Repeatedly, Linh has some enormous revelation about the plot that you'd naturally assume would be world-changing for her, only for another plot point to immediately barge through the door demanding attention. At times, it almost felt like random chapters had been rearranged after the book was written without being fully edited to account for the fact that, hey, gravity stopped working ten minutes ago. (An exaggeration for spoiler-y purposes, but you get the idea.)
Honestly I'd have just scrapped the tournament bit of this book, there's so much other meat her to dig your teeth into. But the tournament functioned as it needed to and if my biggest real complaint is I wanted more... the book's pretty damn good.
I just wanted some of the bigger moments to have a little more room to breathe. There is *so much* happening here, and while that makes BoS incredibly readable, it occasionally means the emotional or plot-heavy revelations don't get quite as much weight as they deserve.
However, at its core, BoS is a surprisingly heartfelt and genuinely charming romantasy with some fantastic emotional beats, especially for its younger audience. The grief storyline gave it far more emotional depth than I was expecting from a young adult book, Linh and Elior had me completely sold, and despite my complaints about the pacing, I had an absurdly good time reading it.
I honestly think Nguyen has a very long and promising career ahead of her, and it's one I'll be following eagerly.
August 4, 2026
Review of Advance Reader's Copy received from NetGalley
4.5 stars!
Thank you so much to Allie Nguyen, Simon & Schuster UK Children's, and NetGalley for the opporutnity to read this e-ARC and review it!
This book is pitched as "a rich, darkly whimsical fantasy with a touch of horror and a slow-burn romance" and it delivered on every single point. I was skeptical as to how this whimisical yet horror-y world would be portrayed and handled, yet the vibes are exactly that. The world-building is very consistent and filled with unique magical elements, from sentient plants and magical spells and curses, to elemental magic taught in a magical school, mind control, and posession. It seems like having such a wide variety of magical elements all present in the story would be overwhelming or nonsensical, yet Allie weaves it all in to the fabric of this fantasy world thoroughly and it just works.
This books is really perfect for fantasy lovers because it kind of has everything people love about the genre: an elemental magic system, portals, a magic school, trials, and a quest for the "chosen one". This, again, was all so nicely woven into the plot that there was no whiplash going from one event to another, and the pacing was perfect, including some slower paced chapters focusing on character realtionships in between the action-packed trials. This was a highlight for me personally, as I typically don't enjoy reading about quests and trials since the consistent action becomes monotinous after a while.
Now, I of course have to highlight the great characterisation of my loves, Linh and Elior. Our two main characters are so well developed and layered, that they really feel like two people I know, yet their inner worlds are so complex that they still posess an intriguing heir of mystery, as we learn more about their pasts little by little. Linh, despite all of her edges and rash decisions, still remains very likeable, and you can't help but root for her as she assimiliates in this foreign, magical world. Elior, on the other hand, is immediately charming and a lovable flirt, yet as the story goes on, we see more of the self-destructive tendencies he's got going on underneath. I really admire the way we kept seeing new sides to these two as the story progressed, yet none of these new traits or actions of theirs felt contradictory to the characters- they instead helped to paint a fuller picture of the world and how Linh and Elior fit inside of it. I also love the whimsy of Linh getting transported into a magical world where everyone has powers and she just goes with it. No (or very few) rebuttals or disbelief, she just "yes and"s her way through.
I also appreciate the humor with which Allie has approached this story, as the slight comedic moments enhance Linh's internal monologue, as well as make side characters like Hal and Marcellius feel more real and likeable. The overall tone of the story and the way the protagonists actually feel like teenagers, without being too childish or too mature was also refreshing. There is a delicate balance there and seeing Linh and Elior be naive, impulsive, withdrawn, and just make different mistakes makes their story feel real and raw.
Overall, I absolutely adore the ambitious fantasy world this book presented along with Elinh (my babies to whom nothing bad will ever happen), with lush settings, powerful magic, and a complex mystery that threatens to upend the world and leaves the reader constantly theorizing. Blood of Silver is a grandiose debut that deserves its cult following and an ovation for how cleanly it achieved everything it set out to do.
4.5 stars!
Thank you so much to Allie Nguyen, Simon & Schuster UK Children's, and NetGalley for the opporutnity to read this e-ARC and review it!
This book is pitched as "a rich, darkly whimsical fantasy with a touch of horror and a slow-burn romance" and it delivered on every single point. I was skeptical as to how this whimisical yet horror-y world would be portrayed and handled, yet the vibes are exactly that. The world-building is very consistent and filled with unique magical elements, from sentient plants and magical spells and curses, to elemental magic taught in a magical school, mind control, and posession. It seems like having such a wide variety of magical elements all present in the story would be overwhelming or nonsensical, yet Allie weaves it all in to the fabric of this fantasy world thoroughly and it just works.
This books is really perfect for fantasy lovers because it kind of has everything people love about the genre: an elemental magic system, portals, a magic school, trials, and a quest for the "chosen one". This, again, was all so nicely woven into the plot that there was no whiplash going from one event to another, and the pacing was perfect, including some slower paced chapters focusing on character realtionships in between the action-packed trials. This was a highlight for me personally, as I typically don't enjoy reading about quests and trials since the consistent action becomes monotinous after a while.
Now, I of course have to highlight the great characterisation of my loves, Linh and Elior. Our two main characters are so well developed and layered, that they really feel like two people I know, yet their inner worlds are so complex that they still posess an intriguing heir of mystery, as we learn more about their pasts little by little. Linh, despite all of her edges and rash decisions, still remains very likeable, and you can't help but root for her as she assimiliates in this foreign, magical world. Elior, on the other hand, is immediately charming and a lovable flirt, yet as the story goes on, we see more of the self-destructive tendencies he's got going on underneath. I really admire the way we kept seeing new sides to these two as the story progressed, yet none of these new traits or actions of theirs felt contradictory to the characters- they instead helped to paint a fuller picture of the world and how Linh and Elior fit inside of it. I also love the whimsy of Linh getting transported into a magical world where everyone has powers and she just goes with it. No (or very few) rebuttals or disbelief, she just "yes and"s her way through.
I also appreciate the humor with which Allie has approached this story, as the slight comedic moments enhance Linh's internal monologue, as well as make side characters like Hal and Marcellius feel more real and likeable. The overall tone of the story and the way the protagonists actually feel like teenagers, without being too childish or too mature was also refreshing. There is a delicate balance there and seeing Linh and Elior be naive, impulsive, withdrawn, and just make different mistakes makes their story feel real and raw.
Overall, I absolutely adore the ambitious fantasy world this book presented along with Elinh (my babies to whom nothing bad will ever happen), with lush settings, powerful magic, and a complex mystery that threatens to upend the world and leaves the reader constantly theorizing. Blood of Silver is a grandiose debut that deserves its cult following and an ovation for how cleanly it achieved everything it set out to do.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
What can I say about Blood of Silver by Allie Nguyen that would entice you to read it?
Well, I was on chapter two when I pre-ordered a physical copy because I knew I wanted to re-read this story and my e-book wasn't going to cover it.
Then there's the fact that beauty of the story matches the beauty that is the cover - and my nineties self was loving all the stars and moons on it because yes, I was the blue celestial bedding teenager. Side note - can that come back in fashion in the UK please because it would suit my old self now too.
Okay, okay! Less meandering of thoughts and more getting down to business. Blood of Silver has everything I could want in a fantasy book that takes me away from this world, and I loved it. The world building of Ebrirene is vast and immersive even if in book one we only get glimpses of what's out there because we primarily remain in the home of the royal family, of which our leading male, Elior is Crown Prince. Can I say how refreshing it is that the male lead is blond, and not a complete and utter YKW, thank you Allie. I truly hope book two doesn't have my hopes for him not being the worst thing to enter Linh's life remain and a dark haired main take over in being our male lead.
The characters we and Linh meet in Ebrirene are many, but they all manage to not feel like they're there as fillers, I liked how they help give perspective to everything that is new to Linh so she gradually feels less a stranger in a strange land. Allie takes us slowly through the main storyline so nothing is overwhelming and the threads that bind these characters become apparent as the storyline goes on and it's so well done because some did surprise me. Each are vibrant and manage to feel as though they could easily step out of the page because of how well they're written - so, again, from someone who hates to be introduced to a character who either disappears or provides nothing to the story? Thank you Allie for giving us this cast of characters who some will love and some will not (the twins still unsettle me with the talking at the the same time!)
Linh is an incredible main character. You manage to learn so much about her in a short period of time when we first encounter her on the day of her mother's burial - she's been forced into fulfilling the box an oppressive father has put her into without any consideration of what she wants. That impact and the knowledge that the one person who saw her, and encouraged her to enjoy life is gone is felt in every line of that first few paragraphs, and the emotional toll lingers after she steps through into the world of Ebrirene and is surrounded by the unknown. I loved watching her begin to learn not only about her mother, but also about herself as she begins to unravel all the secrets and mystery about her mother, and where both women belong in a world filled with magic. She's resilient, and she's strong because she has to be - and those traits despite ones forged through pain and familial obligation? Are what is going to get her through life in Ebrirene and all that it throws at her. I did wish I could slip through the pages and just hug her tightly because she definitely deserves it on several occasions throughout the story - especially at the beginning.
I've already written far more than I meant to because I'm trying to write shorter reviews so I will say this - Allie Nguyen has written a book that lingers in your mind. It will be one to keep you up when you're tired and you'll want to reach for it when you wake to learn more. I loved it so much, and I cannot wait for book two - I'm only sad it's going to be a duology because I want more from some of the now background characters because some really intrigue me.
Well, I was on chapter two when I pre-ordered a physical copy because I knew I wanted to re-read this story and my e-book wasn't going to cover it.
Then there's the fact that beauty of the story matches the beauty that is the cover - and my nineties self was loving all the stars and moons on it because yes, I was the blue celestial bedding teenager. Side note - can that come back in fashion in the UK please because it would suit my old self now too.
Okay, okay! Less meandering of thoughts and more getting down to business. Blood of Silver has everything I could want in a fantasy book that takes me away from this world, and I loved it. The world building of Ebrirene is vast and immersive even if in book one we only get glimpses of what's out there because we primarily remain in the home of the royal family, of which our leading male, Elior is Crown Prince. Can I say how refreshing it is that the male lead is blond, and not a complete and utter YKW, thank you Allie. I truly hope book two doesn't have my hopes for him not being the worst thing to enter Linh's life remain and a dark haired main take over in being our male lead.
The characters we and Linh meet in Ebrirene are many, but they all manage to not feel like they're there as fillers, I liked how they help give perspective to everything that is new to Linh so she gradually feels less a stranger in a strange land. Allie takes us slowly through the main storyline so nothing is overwhelming and the threads that bind these characters become apparent as the storyline goes on and it's so well done because some did surprise me. Each are vibrant and manage to feel as though they could easily step out of the page because of how well they're written - so, again, from someone who hates to be introduced to a character who either disappears or provides nothing to the story? Thank you Allie for giving us this cast of characters who some will love and some will not (the twins still unsettle me with the talking at the the same time!)
Linh is an incredible main character. You manage to learn so much about her in a short period of time when we first encounter her on the day of her mother's burial - she's been forced into fulfilling the box an oppressive father has put her into without any consideration of what she wants. That impact and the knowledge that the one person who saw her, and encouraged her to enjoy life is gone is felt in every line of that first few paragraphs, and the emotional toll lingers after she steps through into the world of Ebrirene and is surrounded by the unknown. I loved watching her begin to learn not only about her mother, but also about herself as she begins to unravel all the secrets and mystery about her mother, and where both women belong in a world filled with magic. She's resilient, and she's strong because she has to be - and those traits despite ones forged through pain and familial obligation? Are what is going to get her through life in Ebrirene and all that it throws at her. I did wish I could slip through the pages and just hug her tightly because she definitely deserves it on several occasions throughout the story - especially at the beginning.
I've already written far more than I meant to because I'm trying to write shorter reviews so I will say this - Allie Nguyen has written a book that lingers in your mind. It will be one to keep you up when you're tired and you'll want to reach for it when you wake to learn more. I loved it so much, and I cannot wait for book two - I'm only sad it's going to be a duology because I want more from some of the now background characters because some really intrigue me.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews