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Blood of Silver
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Seeking answers about her mother’s past leads a teen to a magical realm where she must learn to wield a rare magic to keep ravenous monsters at bay in this whimsically imagined young adult fantasy perfect for fans of Tahereh Mafi and A. B. Poranek.
The day of her mother’s funeral, Linh is visited by a strange boy who seems vaguely familiar and claims to know secrets about her mother’s past. Feeling alone in her grief and desperate to hold onto what’s left of her mom, Linh follows the boy, Elior, and is transported into another world.
Ebrirene is a realm governed by six ancient magics—light, fire, earth, water, nature, and space—and populated by talking flowers and powerful mages. Its beauty and power make it the perfect target for the greedy, vicious demons at its border. Linh’s mother used her space magic to seal the demons’ portal back when she was a princess of Ebrirene, and now Elior, the crown prince, has brought Linh here in the hope that she can strengthen her mother’s weakening protection.
Linh does her best to adapt to her fantastical new surroundings and master powers she didn’t even know she had, but not everyone wants her to succeed at her task. Someone enters her into the annual tournament at the mages’ academy, which promises to be deadlier than ever before. Now, caught in a web of court intrigue and unsettled by her dangerous attraction to the prince, Linh must fight for survival against enemies that may be closer to her than she fears.
The day of her mother’s funeral, Linh is visited by a strange boy who seems vaguely familiar and claims to know secrets about her mother’s past. Feeling alone in her grief and desperate to hold onto what’s left of her mom, Linh follows the boy, Elior, and is transported into another world.
Ebrirene is a realm governed by six ancient magics—light, fire, earth, water, nature, and space—and populated by talking flowers and powerful mages. Its beauty and power make it the perfect target for the greedy, vicious demons at its border. Linh’s mother used her space magic to seal the demons’ portal back when she was a princess of Ebrirene, and now Elior, the crown prince, has brought Linh here in the hope that she can strengthen her mother’s weakening protection.
Linh does her best to adapt to her fantastical new surroundings and master powers she didn’t even know she had, but not everyone wants her to succeed at her task. Someone enters her into the annual tournament at the mages’ academy, which promises to be deadlier than ever before. Now, caught in a web of court intrigue and unsettled by her dangerous attraction to the prince, Linh must fight for survival against enemies that may be closer to her than she fears.
Kindle Edition
Expected publication November 10, 2026
About the author
Allie Nguyen
2 books189 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.
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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!
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Thank you to Simon & Schuster for the ARC.
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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. 🩷🩷🩷
April 19, 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 🩷
June 16, 2025
My dear Allie really outdid herself with this book.
If you want to feel butterflies in your stomach and be in love with characters THIS is your book!! 🔮
Submerge yourself into the world of Ebrirene and let Linh and Elior surprise you with their fun, exciting and a bit weird dynamic.
I love this book like a niece or a nephew, so proud of it.
If you want to feel butterflies in your stomach and be in love with characters THIS is your book!! 🔮
Submerge yourself into the world of Ebrirene and let Linh and Elior surprise you with their fun, exciting and a bit weird dynamic.
I love this book like a niece or a nephew, so proud of it.
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 😂😂
May 4, 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.
Want to Read
May 20, 2026i need this book asap (the author's insta posts are keeping me fed)
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. ❤️
2026
August 30, 2026Valentine's Day TBR
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Margaret K. McElderry Books
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Margaret K. McElderry Books
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 16, 2025
So lovely!! Can't wait to read this wonderful book as soon as possible 😍
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
2.5 stars
Thank you to Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Who doesn't love an isekai? I've always loved stories about a character having to adapt to a whole new world (literally), so I had high hopes for this one. I was already invested just from seeing the stunning cover, the interesting description, and seeing all the beautiful art that the author has posted. Unfortunately though, the book fell flat to me.
A lot of my issues stem from the writing itself. It often felt like the author didn't trust their readers to piece things on their own and handed out all the information without letting their readers wonder. Everything was explained rather than given room to unfold naturally throughout the events of the story. There was a lot of telling rather than showing, especially at the start, where it felt like the author was rushing to get most of the story's lore out of the way.
The explanations about the lore and the world building were dropped in bulky chunks that I didn't feel was integrated well into the story. Most of the time, when a new concept was being explained, it felt like the characters were reading from a textbook all of the sudden rather than having an actual conversation. I think the concept and the world building itself was interesting, but I would've enjoyed it a lot more if the information was woven into the story more organically.
As for the characters, they were also quite inconsistent for me. I felt like I couldn't connect with them because I couldn't grasp who they were, beyond what the narration told me. The story told me what their motivations and personalities were, but I wasn't seeing it from their actions or scenes. One example is how Linh, through her narration, kept telling us how scared she is about her new situation but rarely freaked out about it. Even in her first near death experience, it felt like there were no stakes at all and I didn't feel that stress I usually felt for characters like her that are put into situations they've never encountered before.
She adapted very quickly to her situation for someone who didn't even know magic or other worlds existed. Maybe that's supposed to showcase her mental fortitude but the pacing of the story didn't help. Everything moved too quickly with not enough time for the readers, or even Linh, to process what had happened. I wanted to see more of her confusion, her disbelief, and her struggle of being put into this situation that she didn't ask to be put in.
This also affected the relationships in the story, especially Linh and Elior's romantic development. The relationships developed so quickly that they felt unnatural and, at times, forced. I didn't feel like there was enough time spent building their connection and even at the early moments of the book, they were already establishing this relationship despite having only a few interactions. There were moments of fun banter between them and I still do think there's chemistry, but I wanted more moments where I could really feel why there was attraction between them rather than just being expected to believe in their feelings for each other.
One thing that I really liked, though, was her complicated relationship with her family, especially with her father and the feelings that came with learning the new information about her mother and her past. I wish this was explored more in the story, instead of being mentioned every now and then in passing. I think it would've been interesting to see more of her frustration with being shut out from this huge part of her life for so long by her mother and how she handles that with her grief for her mother's passing. Unfortunately, Linh doesn't tend to linger in those moments for very long and just goes with the flow, moving onto the next thing.
That said, I still do think that the lore was very interesting. It's a unique take on some familiar fantasy concepts, especially with the monsters' origins. I just wish the book had slowed down more to let me experience the world. I'm also a sucker for tournaments arcs. I really enjoyed the tournament part of the story, and I think from there, the story had found a bit more of its footing, enough that it made me believe it had a good premise to work off on, especially with that ending. I'm interested in where the story is going next and would definitely still read for a sequel!
Thank you to Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Who doesn't love an isekai? I've always loved stories about a character having to adapt to a whole new world (literally), so I had high hopes for this one. I was already invested just from seeing the stunning cover, the interesting description, and seeing all the beautiful art that the author has posted. Unfortunately though, the book fell flat to me.
A lot of my issues stem from the writing itself. It often felt like the author didn't trust their readers to piece things on their own and handed out all the information without letting their readers wonder. Everything was explained rather than given room to unfold naturally throughout the events of the story. There was a lot of telling rather than showing, especially at the start, where it felt like the author was rushing to get most of the story's lore out of the way.
The explanations about the lore and the world building were dropped in bulky chunks that I didn't feel was integrated well into the story. Most of the time, when a new concept was being explained, it felt like the characters were reading from a textbook all of the sudden rather than having an actual conversation. I think the concept and the world building itself was interesting, but I would've enjoyed it a lot more if the information was woven into the story more organically.
As for the characters, they were also quite inconsistent for me. I felt like I couldn't connect with them because I couldn't grasp who they were, beyond what the narration told me. The story told me what their motivations and personalities were, but I wasn't seeing it from their actions or scenes. One example is how Linh, through her narration, kept telling us how scared she is about her new situation but rarely freaked out about it. Even in her first near death experience, it felt like there were no stakes at all and I didn't feel that stress I usually felt for characters like her that are put into situations they've never encountered before.
She adapted very quickly to her situation for someone who didn't even know magic or other worlds existed. Maybe that's supposed to showcase her mental fortitude but the pacing of the story didn't help. Everything moved too quickly with not enough time for the readers, or even Linh, to process what had happened. I wanted to see more of her confusion, her disbelief, and her struggle of being put into this situation that she didn't ask to be put in.
This also affected the relationships in the story, especially Linh and Elior's romantic development. The relationships developed so quickly that they felt unnatural and, at times, forced. I didn't feel like there was enough time spent building their connection and even at the early moments of the book, they were already establishing this relationship despite having only a few interactions. There were moments of fun banter between them and I still do think there's chemistry, but I wanted more moments where I could really feel why there was attraction between them rather than just being expected to believe in their feelings for each other.
One thing that I really liked, though, was her complicated relationship with her family, especially with her father and the feelings that came with learning the new information about her mother and her past. I wish this was explored more in the story, instead of being mentioned every now and then in passing. I think it would've been interesting to see more of her frustration with being shut out from this huge part of her life for so long by her mother and how she handles that with her grief for her mother's passing. Unfortunately, Linh doesn't tend to linger in those moments for very long and just goes with the flow, moving onto the next thing.
That said, I still do think that the lore was very interesting. It's a unique take on some familiar fantasy concepts, especially with the monsters' origins. I just wish the book had slowed down more to let me experience the world. I'm also a sucker for tournaments arcs. I really enjoyed the tournament part of the story, and I think from there, the story had found a bit more of its footing, enough that it made me believe it had a good premise to work off on, especially with that ending. I'm interested in where the story is going next and would definitely still read for a sequel!
Read
September 15, 2026Current rating: 3.75 stars
I was immediately hooked when I saw the author's social media posts promoting this book, and it quickly became one of my most anticipated 2026 releases! Unfortunately, I think I got a little too excited and had my expectations a little too high, so my reading experience is on me.
Starting with the positives, the magic system really intrigued me and I'm looking forward to seeing more of it in the sequel! Same goes for the world building.
I really liked Linh's character and had a pretty entertaining time following her as she landed in this unknown world and learned about her powers and family lore. Some of the other characters also piqued my interest, like Marcellus and some others (no spoilers) who I didn't necessarily like, but am intrigued by their roles in the story. I'm honestly surprised that I didn't care for Elior as much as I thought I would and left feeling neutral about the romance/like I could have gone without it. Sorry to all the Elior fans.
One other thing that both increased and decreased my enjoyment of this book was that it felt nostalgic in a way. It was slightly reminscent of these dreams I had years ago that had these random details that were just thrown in, and I don't know why, but some of the minor world building details in BoS felt like that?? It also reminded me a bit of this middle grade fantasy series that I used to love, and I was inadvertently comparing BoS to it while reading, which made me feel kind of bad. I will say that despite enjoying the world building in that series more, tbf it has way more books and also Linh is a more complex character!!
I'm still interested in seeing where this series goes! When book 2 comes out, I might reread this and hopefully I'll enjoy it more!
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
I was immediately hooked when I saw the author's social media posts promoting this book, and it quickly became one of my most anticipated 2026 releases! Unfortunately, I think I got a little too excited and had my expectations a little too high, so my reading experience is on me.
Starting with the positives, the magic system really intrigued me and I'm looking forward to seeing more of it in the sequel! Same goes for the world building.
I really liked Linh's character and had a pretty entertaining time following her as she landed in this unknown world and learned about her powers and family lore. Some of the other characters also piqued my interest, like Marcellus and some others (no spoilers) who I didn't necessarily like, but am intrigued by their roles in the story. I'm honestly surprised that I didn't care for Elior as much as I thought I would and left feeling neutral about the romance/like I could have gone without it. Sorry to all the Elior fans.
One other thing that both increased and decreased my enjoyment of this book was that it felt nostalgic in a way. It was slightly reminscent of these dreams I had years ago that had these random details that were just thrown in, and I don't know why, but some of the minor world building details in BoS felt like that?? It also reminded me a bit of this middle grade fantasy series that I used to love, and I was inadvertently comparing BoS to it while reading, which made me feel kind of bad. I will say that despite enjoying the world building in that series more, tbf it has way more books and also Linh is a more complex character!!
I'm still interested in seeing where this series goes! When book 2 comes out, I might reread this and hopefully I'll enjoy it more!
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!
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.
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.
June 16, 2025
i got a chance to read an early draft of this amazing book. i can't wait for it to be published!!
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.
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!
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.
Want to Read
June 17, 2025My daughter wrote this amazing book. I’m so proud of her.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I love blonde men (give me this book now)
August 9, 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.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Rating - 4.25⭐️
After the death of her mother, Linh unknowingly portals herself into a magical world she never knew existed and finds out the truth of her mother’s heritage. The royal family needs her to save the kingdom by honing her dormant powers with the help of the crown prince who she shares a mysterious connection with.
I really liked the elemental magic system and the world building. There’s a slight cozy vibe but also creepiness since there’s deadly creatures and some gruesome scenes but not too graphic. I think this would be the perfect autumn/winter read.
The author was quite creative with the magic abilities imo. I really liked seeing each mage showcase their elemental magic. The propaganda and censorship had a strong presence so it made the plot quite an intriguing mystery which had me locked in. The world building with the different hybrid creatures was one of my fav aspects! And talking creatures mixed with technology was pretty cool too.
The characters, particularly Linh, Elior, Marcellus and Hal were so entertaining when put in a room together. Some of the dry humour was making me wheeze (I’m looking at you Marcellus) and I was not expecting it at all. He is so adorable and so precious to me (can you tell he’s my fav?). There’s a subplot of some forbidden/star-crossed romance between Linh and Elior that’s sweet but also filled with some good tension that had me going “will they or won’t they?”.
After the death of her mother, Linh unknowingly portals herself into a magical world she never knew existed and finds out the truth of her mother’s heritage. The royal family needs her to save the kingdom by honing her dormant powers with the help of the crown prince who she shares a mysterious connection with.
I really liked the elemental magic system and the world building. There’s a slight cozy vibe but also creepiness since there’s deadly creatures and some gruesome scenes but not too graphic. I think this would be the perfect autumn/winter read.
The author was quite creative with the magic abilities imo. I really liked seeing each mage showcase their elemental magic. The propaganda and censorship had a strong presence so it made the plot quite an intriguing mystery which had me locked in. The world building with the different hybrid creatures was one of my fav aspects! And talking creatures mixed with technology was pretty cool too.
The characters, particularly Linh, Elior, Marcellus and Hal were so entertaining when put in a room together. Some of the dry humour was making me wheeze (I’m looking at you Marcellus) and I was not expecting it at all. He is so adorable and so precious to me (can you tell he’s my fav?). There’s a subplot of some forbidden/star-crossed romance between Linh and Elior that’s sweet but also filled with some good tension that had me going “will they or won’t they?”.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5 Stars
Everyone’s an Elior stan (and I agree 🤌), but I felt Linh’s loneliness, and her struggle with her own morality, in my soul. Little Moon better have the happiest HEA at the end of the duology. Protect Linh.
I love when non-sentient beings and inanimate objects gain sentience in books, and Allie delivered what I was craving wonderfully. Definitely Ghibli-like, light and whimsical amongst the darker plot. Also, half this-half that animals like in ATLA. Along with the politics in the background, the secrets (so many), and the mysterious things happening to and around Linh, it really brought the world to life.
I loved how the plot kept me on my toes, never knowing with certainty who Linh could trust, and what was the truth of what happened in the past. The misdirection was top notch.
Hal and Marcellus (with special mention of Adara), make up Linh’s wholesome found family with banter, support, and unconditional love. It aas do heartwarming to watch Linh finally find people she could fully trust.
The romance isn’t central, but Elior and Linh’s relationship is emotionally frustrated puppy following around his perpetually oblivious black cat. He annoyed me a bit in the beginning, even confused me as much as he did Linh, but the man is down bad and not hiding it one bit. (Don’t kill him, he deserves to be happy 😠).
With the direction the epilogue went, I am now petitioning for the ARC for book 2 to be released ASAP 🙏.
Everyone’s an Elior stan (and I agree 🤌), but I felt Linh’s loneliness, and her struggle with her own morality, in my soul. Little Moon better have the happiest HEA at the end of the duology. Protect Linh.
I love when non-sentient beings and inanimate objects gain sentience in books, and Allie delivered what I was craving wonderfully. Definitely Ghibli-like, light and whimsical amongst the darker plot. Also, half this-half that animals like in ATLA. Along with the politics in the background, the secrets (so many), and the mysterious things happening to and around Linh, it really brought the world to life.
I loved how the plot kept me on my toes, never knowing with certainty who Linh could trust, and what was the truth of what happened in the past. The misdirection was top notch.
Hal and Marcellus (with special mention of Adara), make up Linh’s wholesome found family with banter, support, and unconditional love. It aas do heartwarming to watch Linh finally find people she could fully trust.
The romance isn’t central, but Elior and Linh’s relationship is emotionally frustrated puppy following around his perpetually oblivious black cat. He annoyed me a bit in the beginning, even confused me as much as he did Linh, but the man is down bad and not hiding it one bit. (Don’t kill him, he deserves to be happy 😠).
With the direction the epilogue went, I am now petitioning for the ARC for book 2 to be released ASAP 🙏.
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
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