Silver is the Sky: Empire of Blood and Storm

Empire of Blood and Storm #1

by D.E. Carlson

The time to hide is over. The time to fight has come.



Silverfell doesn’t know why her element is different from everyone else’s. She doesn’t know why her father’s eyes fill with fear when he looks at her. She doesn’t know what wild song calls to her blood, pulling her to run. But when she receives a nightmare vision on the eve of her sixteenth birthday, one thing suddenly becomes clear.



Her home is in danger.



And she is the key to saving it…or dooming it.



Silver is the Sky combines the powerful fantasy romance storytelling of ACOTAR with the mystical vibes of Caraval and the faith themes of Chronicles of Narnia! First in a five book series!

Genres: Fantasy, Christian

353 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication May 29, 2026

Reviews

[Jacquelyn 💐 {This Rapunzel Reads} [Jesus Christ, my Living Hope]]

I received this ebook arc in exchange for an honest review. I tried, I really did, but I couldn’t keep into this book. I had no idea what was going on. It was so confusing and I was just lost. Maybe it was the writing style or the story itself. It was very dark and evil feeling. I didn’t really see any glimpses of light or Christian themes. It just wasn’t for me unfortunately.

[Maria Gilbert]

DNF at 37%. Oh gosh ok. I've read all of D. E. Carlson's previous books and have thoroughly enjoyed them but this one didn't hit for me. I don't ever read books with vampires, but decided to give it a try anyway and I just couldn't get over that element. This just didn't work for me and the darkness described made me feel uncomfortable unfortunately.

[Green Eyed Girl Girl · Rating 4 out of 5]

YA fantasy has never really been my preferred genre, so I may not be the ideal target reader for this book, but even early on I can genuinely recognize this author’s talent. While the genre itself isn’t a personal fit for me, the writing is undeniably strong. The author does an incredible job of creating vivid atmosphere and immersive detail, making it easy for readers to clearly picture the world around them. The pacing is fast, exciting, and engaging, pulling the story forward in a way that fans of YA fantasy will likely appreciate even more. It’s clear this book was written with skill, care, and imagination. Readers should give it a fair chance based on its actual content rather than outside assumptions, because for the right audience, this could be a truly enjoyable read.

[Rylie Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC from the author. All thoughts are honest and my own.

This book is REALLY good. It has everything we love in a YA fantasy, like prophecy, a chosen one, betrayal, magic, and friendship, while also bringing in some really unique elements like circus acts and firebikes.

There’s no language, no spice, and very minimal romance with no kisses either, plus some faith themes woven in.

It keeps you guessing about who the MMC is, and the plot twists are 🔥. I cannot wait for book two. Thank you so much to the author for sending me this early copy 🫶

[DragonRider Elf · Rating 5 out of 5]

More like 3.5-3.7 stars… I can’t decide.
(5 stars to combat the 1 star reviews… lots of haters that haven’t read the book did that bc the author dedicated it to Charlie Kirk)

Okay, I’m finally reviewing this (I finished it three days ago, but I haven’t had time to write my review 🙈)

Content:

Sexual content: None

Language: Definitely none

Violence/gore: A character is impaled, there’s vampires (so blood-lust and blood sucking are a thing), then there’s some other things (decapitation, strangling, killing, etc.)

If you start this book and think, “Mmm, this is really not for me,” Then keep reading.

Also, to note, though this book can be read separately from the authors other series, it has many elements that are better understood if you have read the series first. I didn’t, so I will exclude worldbuilding or lore negatives from my review in near entirety because I don’t think you should cry about things you don’t have proper context for.
(THOUGH IN MY OPINION EVERYTHING MADE SENSE, EVEN IF I DIDN’T READ THE OTHER BEFORE HAND)

I almost DNF’d. That first 10% was annoying. I don’t like the characters and the decisions they made seemed so pointless, but as I kept reading, it got better.
That doesn’t mean I don’t have qualms with the book over that though. 😗

Our FMC, Silverfell (or Sil/Silver) is a rebel. The book starts on the eve of her 16th birthday. I’d give her grace for that, but I’m almost 18 and she annoyed the ever lovin’ crap out of me. A lot of the book. 😒
But she isn’t why I kept reading. (More on that later.)

There’s a point where her teacher is telling her about the circus and it says, “Silver gripped her skirts in her fists, her heart racing at the new information.”
WHEN HAS ANYONE EVER BEEN LIKE THAT OVER VAGUE INFORMATION ABOUT A CIRCUS?? WHEN? 🤨🤨🤨
Have you? I sure haven’t.

Also, we are told REPEATEDLY that Silvers mom is bad. She’s angry, she is narcissistic, she is selfish, she is etc…. And yet, the first time we see her, she’s fine. She’s actually the opposite of everything Silver describes her as. We are only ever told that about her, never shown. What we are shown contradicts the narrative. Maybe that’s intentional on the authors part, but if I was supposed to be surprised with Silver at her mother’s reaction to Silver wanting to run away, I wasn’t.

Speaking of that… WHAT!?
Her mom comes to Silver after Silvers friend dies saving her and essentially says, “I know you have to do it. You have to run away. I did when I was your age. You have my permission to leave.”
HUH!? Yeah girl, run away. Get out there! Girlboss it! 🤦
Spare me. Shoot me. Get me out of here!



She was a pick me, let’s be so for real.

On the run, she comes across this village. A little girl is getting water and Silver asks about food. Little girl says her parents are happy to feed her. Silver puts little girl on fire bike (authors version of a motorcycle but powered by fire) and takes girl to her house.
Girls mother comes out, appalled that a random stranger has her daughter on a dangerous contraption she’s never see before (NATURALLY), woman demands answers (as she should, bc her daughter was literally picked up by a stranger), and Silver says, “I was hungry. She said you had food.”
No explanation, no politeness, no respect, nada. Just brat-holery (you’re welcome for that word).
Woman NATURALLY gets mad at that answer and tells Silver to leave, points a finger at her, and Silver says, “Please get your finger out of my face.”



GIRL! I WOULD SLAP HER!

Anyway, the mom ends up giving her food. Read it to find out why. And she mentions that a city on Silvers way is a place for sinners and bad types (of people), and Silvers inner monologue is legit, “It sounded like her kind of place.”



She rides to this city after rudely leaving the house of the strangers, and when she sees it says, “One persons rock was another persons gem. She had a feeling she’d fit in here better than at home.”
Sure princess. Rebel. Baddie. Girl-boss. Whatever.
OH YEAH! Did I mention that Silver is a literal PRINCESS!? A butthole of one, but a princess nonetheless.

Back at the palace, Silvers dad is freaking out bc of what her mom did (literally telling Silver to run away), and says, “I tried. I tried to protect her, to keep her close, so when the moment came I could stop the prophecy.”
And everyone is like, “What prophecy, Gerald???” (Idk his name, so that’s my filler).
HE’S YELLING AT EVERYONE FOR NOT DOING WHAT HE WANTED THEM TO EVEN THOUGH HE DIDN’T TELL ANYONE WHAT WAS ALLEGEDLY PROPHESIED!

And no one told Silver she was having partial visions (which had prophesied her friends death multiple times), so she just thought they were nightmares, but then the event leading to her friend’s death was because of a vision. A FULL VISION THAT HER PARENTS KNEW SHE WAS GOING TO HAVE AS SOON AS SHE TURNED 16! THEY JUST DIDN’T TELL HER!
In my opinion, they’re fully at fault for her friend’s death. He died saving her because she got distracted by that vision she didn’t know she was supposed to have.



Side note: It’s implied that when the clock struck midnight she had the vision (bc that would have started her 16th birthday), but unless she was born at 12am, that doesn’t really work.

The whole vision aspect of the book was kinda ditched half-way through.

It just felt a little like the author was forcing the inciting incident, rather than letting the story unfold.

Anyway, once we got past all of that, it started getting better (bc Kay 🖤🖤🖤).

Something that took me out of the world multiple times was the authors use of “language” from these characters.
One teenage (16-18) biker boy says “goodness knows” at one point. I’ve never in my life heard a teenage boy say that. Especially not one like him.
Also, at one point, there’s some guys messing with Silvers firebike and one says, “Is this yours?”
To which she replies, “Yeah, and your runty backside is touching it.”
😃🔫



Honey, what? I can’t take that seriously at all. But there’s not any in-world language either… so that’s what the author used. 😭

Also, there’s not any creative naming in here (regarding worldbuilding). At all. Capital of the fire nation? Fire City. Bike powered by fire? Firebike. Moth type bug? Moon-moth. Monkey with tusks? Mammoth monkey. Demon lord? High Prince of Demons. And so-on and so-forth.
😁🔫

MOVING ON!

I FREAKING LOVE KAY! I ADORE HIM! 😩
He’s such an intriguing character! At first you kinda hate him, then you kinda like him, then you definitely love him but don’t know if you can trust him, and then… I can’t say. You’ll have to read. If there’s one thing you should know about him, though, it’s that I FREAKING LOVE HIM! 😭
I could go on for days about him! He’s definitely the most alluring character.

I also loved Nayway! He was great! Really have no idea what he’s about… but I liked him a lot. Shipped him with Silver WAY more than I EVER shipped Rain with her.

I hate Rain. He’s supposed to be the MMC, as far as I know… but he’s there for maybe two chapters and then disappears for most of the book. When we see him again, he’s not even the same. His whole vibe goes from aloof stranger with mystery to broody bad boy in that gap. 😑 This is why I love Kay. He’s consistent.

(Also, I guessed the plot-twist with Rain as soon as I saw him in the tavern)

I don’t want to talk about him. He annoys me too much.

Nayway was better. 💅🏻

It felt like there were three potential love interests though. Kay, Rain, and Nayway.
I can’t ship her with Kay bc he deserves so much better… but I can ship her with Nayway bc I feel like he wouldn’t take her crap and he’d call her on it.
I won’t ship her with Rain bc he’s every basic enemies-to-lovers MMC ever. There were parts I liked him (the entirety of the first chapters we see him in, and a few moments later on), but most times I didn’t.

Back to Silver.
Her whole hating El plot was SO pick-me and SO annoying. I couldn’t have cared less about it.

Away from Silver and back to Kay bc I can’t stay away from him…
I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS ABOUT MY BOY!
He’s a conscriptor (vampire). But this caught me off-guard (slight spoiler, but not for the plot, just a character):

(Silver:)“So. Conscriptors can cry.” Kay lifted a finger and touched the wet track on his face, pulling his hand back and staring at it. “No. They can’t.”
????????????????????????????????????????????



WHAT!? HE IS DEFINITELY A CONSCRIPTOR SO I DON’T UNDERSTAND!?
I’m SO excited to see more of him, more of his story, and more of his plot! He is the main (potentially only) reason I plan on reading the sequels. It was a good book, but it would be so basic without Kay!



Let me put a quote here for y’all. A Kay quote:

“No matter how fast he ran, he would be late.”

You know why I love Kay? Things like this. You know why Rain is boring? Bc things like what happened before this.

Another Kay quote:

“You do your act as normal. Rain will be the ground act, mostly as eye candy, of course; the shirt will have to go.”



Back to Silver. Don’t even get me started on that whole Phoenix situation. Silver handled that SO wrong! The whole thing throughout the whole book! The phoenix deserves someone like Kay. She knows it too.

Silver refused to kill the vampires. Multiple times they are overwhelming and trying to kill (or successfully killing) people around her, and he refuses to “take away their song”. KILL THEM. OH MY GOSH! KAY IS SPECIAL, BUT MOST OF THEM ARE EVIL! 😤 I can’t with characters like that. She’d sooner watch innocent people die than kill a vampire (that literally happens).

“Still.” She heaved her sword, and a conscriptor head rolled. “Easier to take care of them that way.”
Horror flooded Silver. “He was defenseless,” she hissed through bared teeth, taking a threatening step toward [name redacted].



So was everyone he’s bitten and drank dry.

The Dal-Ishnadi chick (gonna call her Dal) was so… Disney villain most of the time.
“You live a little longer. In case I need more leverage than I’ve got. But make no mistake; you will die. And your death will be agonizing.”
Wooooooow. I’m terrified.
She slapped a vampire and the vampire fell to the ground in pain. Why? Idk. Vampires are stronger than that, even in this book. But Dal just likes to bully her servants (as every evil overlord does).

Also, the fact that Kay and Nayway had been on Silvers side for forever, and Rain just reappeared after abandoning her and yet she never once tried to save Kay or Nayway, instead choosing to SACRIFICE HER HUMANITY for Rain.
Both Kay and Nayway have done so much for her, but she’s a complete and total jerk to both of them (especially Nayway, but she’s not much better to Kay).

Anyway, this is a long review. After reading it, you may wonder, “Why did you rate it so highly???”

The answer is Kay. He’s the reason I’m gonna buy the next books. He’s amazing.

HOWEVER, just bc this wasn’t totally my vibe rn doesn’t mean I won’t like future books! And it doesn’t mean you won’t like this one! Just read it and find out.

I revived this copy as an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Janessa Shepard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I'm going to do my best to be thorough with this review. I don't typically take notes during my read, but I did in this case so I will briefly cover some specific moments. But I'm not a huge fan of spoilers in my reviews so I'm going to start with more vague, overall thoughts. This book is amazing! It had me hooked from chapter 1 to the epilogue. There were so many twists and turns, some predictable, others far from it, that I was on the edge of my seat for a lot of my read. I do think it's important to read the Empire of Ash and Song trilogy to fully understand the world and where these characters are coming from, but it's also not necessary! Silver, Rain, Kay, and many of the other characters are new and easy to connect to. The world also feels very new—it works like a portal fantasy inside of a fantasy world. So you don't really need a full understanding of the fantasy to follow, though, as I said, it is helpful (and Empire of Ash and Song is a beautiful trilogy that deserves a read). This is a Christian fantasy with strong connections to the faith. I've seen reviews mention that the world is too dark for their tastes, but to me that makes it stronger. The world is a dark place, and only God can save us from that darkness. That idea translates well in this book. The characters are all very realistic and fun to follow. They have their own motivations and make mistakes. I will say the actions of the characters from the original trilogy were frustrating, but they do move the plot forward well and, knowing the author, their stories and reasonings will become clear as the narrative progresses.

Okay, onto a more specific review. Spoilers ahead! These are chronological notes I took, so apologies if it feels a bit scattered.

The book hit me over the head right out the gate with utter heartbreak. Despite hardly knowing James, Silver's best friend, at all, his death still left me devastated. It reminded me of Chapter 5 of Crescent City. We were all having a good time until we very much were not, and the reader happened to be in the crosshairs. It was such a powerful way to open the book. It grabs the reader's attention and spurs Silver to run away, jump starting the plot well.

As I mentioned in my overall review, I did struggle with how some of the original characters were portrayed. This was especially true of Besaun and Casandra, two of my absolute favorite characters. How they treat their daughters just doesn't fit their characters, in my opinion. They don't teach Silver how to control her gift from El—they hardly seem to teach her about El at all—and they seem to completely ignore Dia. This may change as the situation fleshes itself out, but as of now they are taking actions I don't see them taking. I can understand concerned parents taking similar actions regarding Silver, but I can't imagine Casandra sitting back and not taking more control of the situation.

I really appreciated the pacing of this book. There is not too much time spent on traveling, which cuts down on tedious moments of waiting and silent walking. In the moments we do see we get to see Silver begin to rely on Rain, which sets up their relationship well. I often struggle with books that show too much travel; it just gets annoying at a point. Onyx Storm is a good example of that. Silver is the Sky did a great job keeping my interest when the plot was in a necessary lull.

When Silver catches up to the circus, it's clear that she's enraptured by them. Their act is meant to pull all in, and she wants a part of it. She knows there is darkness at the center—that is why she's come—but that doesn't turn her away. I think this is a great way of reflecting what happens in real life with kids raised in Christian households. They can stray off the path their parents laid for them. They might think it's not harmful, but if it is, that's something they have to find out themselves. Carlson does a great job portraying this.

The Phoenix was a surprise to me. It initially seems ominous, like it wanted Silver's power for itself, but it turns out to be connected to El. It's the one hope in this dark place, and it's caged. It's great symbolism.

Kay is a very interesting character. He's reminiscent of Jinu from KPop Demon Hunters. He sees himself as a monster, but he wants to do the right thing and save people. The focus on him is great, but it does take a little bit away from Rain. Rain gets put on the back burner despite being advertised as the main love interest. This isn't anything against the book, I really love how both characters get some spotlight, but it was unexpected with the advertising I saw before reading. But I did like it by the end of the book; Silver clearly has a strong connection to Kay, Rain, and Nayway because of the separate time spent with them.

Near the end, there's a beautiful scene where the circus gives their songs to help Silver, which reminded me of the church. They were stronger together than they could ever be apart. This is why they're able to push back the darkness. But the evil is coming back because they have yet to fully give themselves to El.

The final few chapters had my mouth on the floor. I had inklings of guesses for a couple of the reveals, but they didn't hit any softer just because I had suspicions. Jaxose being James, for an example, I very much expected. The hints were subtle but having read Empire of Ash and Song I did catch onto them. But I'm very excited to see where this leads, especially with Jaxose taking over.
Similarly, I had suspected Rain was the mentioned bounty hunter, but I had honestly forgotten about that by the end because of the climax. When Rain counts out his payment and walks away, seemingly indifferent, I was appalled. Buddy didn't even flinch when Silver called out to him after realizing his betrayal. This is a lovely set up for a friends to enemies to lovers.
Besaun locking Silver up, once again, doesn't feel like him at all, but I think it's clear he's being manipulated and I look forward to his inevitable realization that he's being rude so he can beg for forgiveness.
I am so so so excited for the next book! I would definitely recommend this one to anyone looking for a high-stakes Christian fantasy that focuses on character growth and saving the world from the darkness lurking just beneath the surface.

[Jen Deluna · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a ride! The story of a girl who doesn't feel she fits in and has to hide who she is at home. So she runs away and joins a very creepy circus.

I don't think I've read anything like this since the proper advent of YA Dystopian novels back in the early 2010s and I had missed them! I know, I know, this was supposed to be Romantic Fantasy but, with the romantic interest being unclear and/or missing for most of the novel, we got the sparks of a leader beginning to catch fire and come into her own.

There are so many fun elements and characters (my favorite side character was Tink, and I truly wanted to taste some of her food). Plenty of action, high stakes, and real danger, which I've been feeling is lacking in a lot of Christian writing lately. Not this one! And it's all handled without gore or anything like that. I loved that there was a distinction between the conscriptors (vampires) and the demons. There seems to possibly be a way to save the conscriptors from their fate, as they are neither demons nor possessed by demons, but rather victims of a powerful woman backed by a nest of demons. I look forward to seeing if I'm right in future books! The demons, of course, are not sympathetic, nor should they be. I was a little confused about some of that, though, as it sounded like certain demons weren't actually demons but hollowed-out people waiting to be possessed. That may be an artifact of the original books, but you still don't need to have read them to enjoy this one.

As someone who has read a number of Next Generation novels, I'll forewarn you that's what you're getting into. Even so, it was not difficult to pick up what was happening without having read the previous books set in this world.

As a Christian reader, I fully appreciated the Christian themes: calling out to God even when you're not sure He exists, questioning what good really looks like in the face of evil, and watching Him work in ways you might only recognize in hindsight. It was beautiful that the author didn't pull any punches with the struggle to believe, especially in the darkest hours of the FMC's life.

Overall, this book delivers fun action, a great creep-factor, breathtaking circus shows, layered characters with genuine arcs, twists I saw coming that were still so satisfying, twists I absolutely did not see coming, and enough cliffhangers to keep me actively wanting more!

[Shelia Reinert · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m first going to label the cons of this book.
This book was okay but very confusing. I saw what others were saying about it being a next generation novel and you can really tell. Other than that I feel like the theme was not very clear all that much. It felt very all over the place. I think another thing about this book that gave me a hard time is that if you look at how D.E. Carlson advertises her book; she advertises Rain as the MMC but we don’t see very much of him in the book at all. At the end I was left thinking why Silver even cares about a guy who hasn’t done much in the story at all. Now that may just be on purpose but it's really difficult to tell.
Another thing is the vampires are called demons and it seems like we are meant to sympathize with them. I feel like this clashes really bad with the faith themes of the book. If we were shown that they were all liars and were trying to lead Silver further from finding God then it would be less of an issue but we are not shown that. However this could be yet again a fault of the book being a next generation novel.
The last like major critique I have is the fact that this book is a next generation novel. I think it would have worked if it didn’t feel like we were omitting major information. It should have been either a continuation (instead of the book being labeled as book one it should have been labeled as book 4) this would have felt less like it was being falsely advertised.
Now onto what I liked about this book.
Despite not liking how calling the vampires demons clashes with the faith themes I really liked Kay. He was an absolute delight and really feels like a person who is trying to find light in the darkest of places. He is also an all pretty fun character but I do wish his motives were a bit more clear in the beginning of when he was introduced.
The atmosphere is also pretty well done. I really like how the circus is described and I wish we could have gotten more time there.
The magic system is pretty cool and unique. Thankfully there is no shadow magic lol (this is a joke)
Dia is a pretty interesting antagonist. However I wish we could see more of what her motives are and why she is acting the way she is.
All around a fun book and a good time. I would recommend this.

[Dottie Momreadskidsread · Rating 5 out of 5]

OK, First Thing First.

This is a NEXT GENERATION series.
While you don't NEED to read the Empire of Ash and Song series, or the related Novellas, before reading this book.... you do really need to read the Empire of Ash and Song series before reading this book.
In the epilogue of To Bind the Stars we were left with a teaser for this series, and this book did not disappoint.
Silver, like her parents, tests the rules, she's not one to sit back and watch. However, she's different than anyone else in the fire city. She's also not sure about her faith, her parents faith, in El.
After a vision comes true she decides she can't sit and wait any longer, she needs answers.
This story was at a nice pace the whole time and there were many plot twists and turns, D.E. Carlson is very skilled at keeping the reader guessing.
There is intrigue, surprises, betrayal, and conspiracy.
We are left wanting more, needing to find out what will happen.
I personally cannot wait for the next book in the series.
Silverfell or Silver: A girl trying to find her way, and understand her visions before it's too late to save her father and all the people she loves.
Dia: a daughter and sister. Physically and emotionally scared. Longing for the attention and love of her family.
Basaun: a father, an emperor, and inventor. Worried and trying to protect his family, his people. Lost on what to do about a prophecy.
Casandra: a mother, an empress, who still remembers what it was like to be a girl wanting to save the world.
James: A friend, with love strong enough to lay down his life.
Nayway: a professor juggling more than one mystery about himself.
Hanna: a girl who was left by her family, and wants nothing more than to join rejoined with those she loves.
Rain: a man with secrets. Can a wolf be trusted?
Kay: a man who is trying to hang onto what's left of his humanity. Hoping for a prophecy to save all before it's lost.
Tink: quiet, but fierce.
Jaxose: He hasn't forgotten who he was, he has forgotten so much more. Now he is driven to gain power.
Dal Ishnadi: Feelings of betrayal have turned her from what she once was. Once fair, she is now dark.

[Cindylulureads · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars:

I joined the Authors arc team and received an electronic copy of this book.
This is a YA fantasy book with subtle faith incorporated within the story. I enjoyed the shocking reveal at the end of the story. This is written in 3rd person with the main character being Silver. A traumatic event happens to her which sparks a push for her to run away from her kingdom to face an unknown evil lurking within a Circus. I like how the author unravels this darkness Silver is to face however I would have loved more world building and less description as to little elements like a play by play of her movements. I didn't feel invested in Silver as a character because there was not much inner dialogue or battle within as much as there was just her physical feeling and actions. I did enjoy how the author weaves a story involving the circus and I felt like it was a metaphor for the world today. I would have enjoyed more faith added to the story as Silver has some dialogue within as to even believing in "El" as He is called in the story but it didn't get deeper than that and by the end of the book her stance doesn't change even with some side characters professing their faith. I wish she incorporated a deeper message but it's a good start. The pacing was slower at the start however picked up halfway and stayed consistent. I also enjoyed all of the side characters, the phoenix had the most Faith inspiring dialogues and so did Rain, but I enjoyed Kay and Hannah as well. Overall, taking my personal feelings out, it is a good story, a good start to a series and appealing to young readers and I do look forward to the second book. I could tell the author put lots of effort into this book and she is a good writer. I enjoy reading fantasy books and YA books, this just isn't what I normally pick up and it took some time to get into the circus aspect but I really started to think about it and the message of it all and started to really get into it.

[Gina May · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished Silver is the Sky and WOW. I thought I had everything figured out and then the ending completely pulled the rug out from under me. The betrayal, the identity reveals, and the implications for the entire world left me staring at the wall trying to process everything.

First off!! I highly recommend reading the Empire of Song and Ash trilogy before starting this next-generation story. You can probably follow along without it, but so much of the emotional impact comes from knowing these characters and their history already. Seeing legacy characters older, strained, and carrying the weight of past choices hit HARD.

Silver herself immediately pulled me in. The emotional gut punch in the opening chapters made me ache for her, and as a parent, some of the family dynamics were difficult to read in the best way. The story explores how even choices made out of love and protection can still wound the people we care about. There was a lot of emotional nuance there that felt very real.

There are demons, vampires, betrayals, and unsettling reveals, but it never crossed into “too dark” territory for me. It felt emotionally heavy without becoming oppressive.

One of the more interesting parts of the book was Silver wrestling with whether she believed in El at all. Her pain and feeling of abandonment made that struggle believable, even when I as the reader could still see moments where it felt like El’s hand was present in the story. I appreciated that the book allowed room for wrestling, grief, doubt, and anger without making the spiritual themes feel shallow.

And now I get to suffer waiting for the next book after THAT ending.

[Christen Ballard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book and this is my honest review.

I enjoyed this book. The characters were compelling, the worldbuilding interesting, and the storyline well done.
Silverfell is a powerful princess who has an element no one understands, connected to a prophecy that means destruction to some and freedom to others.
She is a very convoluted character, but one many readers will be able to relate to. Her gift, her motivations. She very much reminds me of the prodigal son in Luke 15, except unlike him, when she returns home, her father does not welcome her.
The Circus was probably my favorite part of this book. I love how it was described, and feel it fit very well in this fantasy book.
As to the reason I gave it 4 stars: too many things were left unresolved. I understand this book is part of a series, so the story will continue; however, I feel the author could have wrapped up a couple things. First, Nayway. He was a professor, then he was in the circus, then he vanished, no resolution. James? First he was dead, then a demon prince, then in control of the Dal-Ishnadi, no resolution. Dia? Her sister, angry with her, somehow controlling and potentially sucking the life from their father? No resolution. Rain? Helping her, a shifter, seems to be growing as the love interest, then is suddenly revealed as a bounty hunter who hands her over, no question? No resolution.
Overall, the story was well-done and interesting enough that I want to read the next book, because I need to know how it ends!

[thelilcloseddoorbookgal · Rating 5 out of 5]

What to expect: YA epic fantasy, haunted circus vibes, vampires/demons, dark atmosphere, Christian worldview, faith struggle, spiritual warfare

This was my first book by the author, and it will not be my last. I was hooked from the first page. I thought the pacing was great and loved the atmospheric writing. The world was intriguing and moody with moral complexities. Although it’s a second generation series, I personally did not feel confused by what was going on. Silverfell was stubborn and also courageous.😅 Her journey was nerve wracking (in a good way), and she had a lot of emotions to process. All of the important characters grew on me. The stakes were high, and I was curious as to how the vampires would play into the spiritual warfare beforehand, and I thought it worked really well for the story. I interpreted it as how darkness takes in an unjust way and spreads like something infectious if not addressed. The romance glimpse we got in this first book seems to be that it’s going to be very slow, which is my favorite kind. There was a moment at the end where my jaw dropped. I can’t think of anything that was a “negative” for me. If you’re looking for character-driven fantasy with darkness, depth, and moral questions, you should give it a try. I can’t wait to read the next book.

📖 content 📖
-zero “spice”
-zero profanity
-typical epic fantasy violence with death and fighting, nothing gory

[Darah M · Rating 5 out of 5]

I laughed. I cried. I cheered. I almost threw my kindle across the room. Plot twists and fun characters. A great fantasy story to get lost in.

Okay, now that I’ve had time to think and process after finishing the book. I’m going to do my best to not give spoilers:
I see a lot of her parents in Silver. Her attitude and actions are very similar. Including her reactions to events at the beginning of the book. I went into the book fairly blind to the plot, I was not expecting so much of a circus theme. It was very evident and fairly well written, but there’s a lot. All the acts and people are all circus themed. It felt a little off trying to fit a circus into the fantasy world, but it didn’t feel pushed or wrong like it didn’t fit. It felt more like a circus existed in a separate pocket of the world - which was exactly how it was described in the book when Silver arrived to the circus. The ending felt very slightly rushed. Like, the characters are at the climax and doing the climatic events and then it was all taken care of and done. It worked, but very quickly everything was fine. However, the last few chapters were a plot twist hinted at, but not the extent of what happened! Definitely need the next book to come out to see what happens next.

[Dorothy Brundage · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you for allowing me to read this book! I was happy to support, especially in lieu of all the negativity it has received.
My rating: 3.5 stars, but I’m giving it 5 to counter the 1 star reviews (which infuriate me)

I have not read the authors other books which hold more lore for this world. So as someone who has not read them, I actually was able to read this book and follow along pretty well. Sure things were a little confusing sometimes but things are always confusing at the beginning of fantasy books haha.

Unfortunately, the main characters were not my favorite, which always makes a book enjoyable. The only character I really enjoyed was Kay, which surprised me! When he first was introduced I thought he’d be my least favorite but wow he was so complex, I adored him. I don’t like Rain nor Silver nor them together; I’m assuming their relationship will grow more in book 2? It was lacking heavily in book 1; I saw her more with Nayway than the werewolf.

As some have said, this is a much darker book, so if you’re not used to that or done like it then I wouldn’t suggest this book. Especially if you like Christian fiction and haven’t read dark Christian fiction, I can see how this story would be startling to some. This definitely is a story with niche taste, but there’s definitely an audience who loves these sorts of things; vampire, werewolves, circus creepy vibes.

Thanks again for letting me read. I hope goodreads will take down these 1 star reviews because they’re incredible unfair.

[Kyah franks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where does one start ?
Finished within 3 days 10/10 read !!
Absolutely killed the writing style !! Everyone downing this needs to go somewhere else. I highly recommend it and every aspect of this book had me hooked rain and sils back n forth was what pulled me in !! I feel the feelings of being set apart and feeling alone !!
Christian aspects really wrapped up the book !!
The way she feels pulled to evil but then keeps backing away the comments about how can I do something of I don’t actually believe it!! The fact that demons can come as angels of light !! CHIEFS KISS D.E.CARLSON

I 100% look forward to every book in the series I need book 2 like yesterday!!
However
My only complaint is the freaking cliff hanger !! And ch 1 of book 2 gave me nothing!!
And how dare you cause rain to abandon her like that !! Ahhhhhh ehatttt

My emotions are everywhere !!
This was language free , and absolutely no overrated smut scenes !!🙌🙌🙌

God is using this author to promote him!!! And I’m here for it !! If you lived closer we’d definitely be besties!!

Anyways go get ur copy nowww!!!

[Bowden Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing!

Now first off I want to say the tone of this book was very different from the previous book but is still a great read though warning it will leave you wanting more!
Silver is such an interesting character with so much and character and honestly is very relatable as far as her struggles and internal battles go. Additionally the world and side characters are so much fun to watch and explore as what we thought was established in the first series is revealed to be more than it originally appeared to be.
I will be honest this book left me with a lot of questions and not as many answers (though I will be rereading it once it is published so I may find some I missed) but from the fact that there are four more books to go I know that more questions and answers are coming which I will eagerly anticipate!

[J Kristie · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW…

I honestly LOVED this book! Zero language, zero spice, but a beautifully written, plot twisting, faith struggle, slooooow burn love interest(s!?). This is a next-gen of Dorothy Carlson’s series Empire of Ash and Storm. Although it could be stand alone, I HIGHLY recommend reading EOAS series first (thank me later. So worth it!)

If you love vivid world building, magic, friendships born through struggles, plot twists, an old prophecy coming to fruition, intrigue, betrayal(s)(there were lots of them that I did not see coming!), mysterious characters that you aren’t sure right off if they are good or evil (THANK YOU for keeping me on the edge of my seat Dorothy!!) and a relatable FMC, then you need to read this book!

That said… Couple things that I wish it had:
* more building of the backstory of Silver and James.
* More on her faith struggle

I am so ready for book 2 please!!!

[Rachel Brent · Rating 3 out of 5]

* ARC review *

3.75 ⭐️

I liked this book. The story and writing kept me invested the entire time and left me wanting to continue the story to find out what will happen next. I think this is a great clean fantasy book.

I was a little confused with the magic system in the book as it is not explained. It sounds super unique and intriguing, I just couldn’t piece how it worked, which made scenes where using magic was prevalent a little unclear. There is another series set in the same world that apparently goes into more detail about the magic system. Once I get to that series I feel like I will appreciate the magic system in this book more.

There are subtle Christian themes in this book. I liked how they were not overbearing but clear and concise. The Christian themes added value to the story and help understand the MFC struggles and dilemmas she faces through the book.

[Maggie McGrath · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was blessed to have been able to be a beta reader for this book—I will give a more thorough review when I reread the ARC, but my current thoughts?

This is quite possibly the best book Dorothy has ever written so far.

It’s hard to say that when I love the EOAS series, but this book made me feel all kinds of emotions, it has raised stakes and an intensity propelled from the first series, and it’s a deeply beautiful story. I am so thrilled to reread it, and I cannot wait to see what the rest of the series has in store for us!

Thank you again, Dorothy, for trusting me with your work enough for me to beta read. It means so much to me, and I’m so excited for everyone else to read Silver is the Sky!

[Cassandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book i have read from D.E. Carlson. I can say wow! If her other books are as good as this one I am going to be a life long fan. This story was easy to read and I liked the pace. I really liked that I couldnt guess what was going to happen next. I was able to guess that Jaxose was James. Only because of the name. But the ending it wasnt until Rain walked with her to the palace that I was like wouldn't it he crazy if he was the bounty hunter and bam he was. My jaw hit the floor! Ooo Silver's sister Dia. Idk there is just something about her I dont like or trust. Cant wait to read the next book to see where this series goes. I am so happy I got to be apart of my first ever ARC. Thank you D.E. Carlson!

[Gloria Peavey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dorothy has done it again. I knew I would like it because I loved Empire of Ash and Song series, but I didn’t know I would love it. I picked it up and read some before I went to bed and the next day I read until I was finished. I devoured this book. Dorothy has such a way of writing what the Holy Spirit directs her to. I related in so many ways to Silver's journey and I felt so seen. I loved all the easter eggs and connections to EOAS, though you can easily understand the story even without reading Empire of Ash and Song. The way vampires are portrayed? My favorite part of the entire book. Also, LIGHTENING POWERS??!! I can't wait to see how Dia plays her hand of cards and I really hope that Rain has a redemption arc.

[MrsB (Angi) · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC Review

So, I would probably rate this higher if I hadn’t been so confused about the world. This can be read as a standalone, but I think I would have enjoyed it more had I read the original trilogy first. This is a next generation book to the Empire of Ash and Song trilogy.

To give a fair review, I will say the writing was really good, the character development and world building were good (the world building, in my opinion, requires reading the other trilogy first). The story itself was very intriguing and kept me reading thru my confusion, so that is saying something.

To be fair, I’m leaving this at 3.5 stars until I read EoAaS. And then I will come back with a full review.

[Emily Affee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my first ever ARC read and to be honest I signed up almost entirely due to the fact that it's dedicated to Charlie Kirk. This is also my first D.E. Carlson book, which I now realize was a mistake on my part.
I'm putting this at like 3.25 stars, but I think if I had read her other series first it would be 4 stars. I really enjoyed the story as a whole, but the magic system was very confusing to me. And now I know why 😅 there's a few other aspects of the book that I had trouble with, but those might have been due to this being a next generation novel as well. Definitely need to read the Empire of Ash and Song series to fully grasp all the background info.
All in all tho, a pretty great read!

[Natalia (Talia) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the absolute pleasure of beta reading this wonderful story and I cannot wait for more people to get the chance to read it. Something I love about DE’s writing is that she is not afraid to show the darkness. We all have known darkness, but the light always ALWAYS overcomes it. Just like in her first series, this series shows the darkness in a fictional world that mirrors our own. But the truth and the light always finds a way, and that’s exactly what this series will show.

I’m so excited for your next series Dorothy and thank you so much for allowing me to be a part of your beta team this time around! Much love and appreciation 🫶

[Harlie Roark · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading this first book, I cannot wait to see where the rest of this series takes me. I love the circus vibes. But most importantly I love how the message reflects Christian values. The twist and turns had me constantly asking questions, trying to figure out which way to go. Even by the end, I still have more questions. I cannot wait to get the rest of this series!

This is the start of a new series by D.E. Carlson. But it is tied to her previous series, The Empire of Ash and Song. While you don’t have to read that series before this one, I do feel that it adds more depth and understanding to the story if you have. (I love the other series, so you should definitely check it out!)

[kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

i received Silver is the Sky as an early review copy in exchange for an honest review.

this is my first time reading any of D. E. Carlson’s work and i can confidently say i will be coming back for more. i really enjoyed the way she brought a carnival and vampire theme together! it was different from what you normally see and made it a fun read.

Silver’s internal struggles are portrayed in such a way that makes you connect so deeply with her. i hope to see more of that as the series continues on as well with some other characters.

also, that ending had me picking up my jaw off the floor. im gonna need book 2 like rn pls & ty.

[Candi · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, I did receive a copy from the author for review. Thank you, D.E. Carlson!

What an electrifying ride! Silver is the Sky is a page turner! I stayed up late finishing it once I actually did sit down to read it with a busy schedule. The characters were engaging and mysterious and I definitely needed to know what is up with the main female and male characters! Vampires, shapes-shifters, and an evil circus gave me Twilight mixed with Greatest Showman with a sprinkle of Narnia in the definite points of spiritual warfare! I also love lightning and that as a unique element grabbed me. The ending had me shocked and wishing I could jump right into the next book and see how the story continues! A definite add to my favorites and a favorite author! Recommend 100%.

[booknerd907 · Rating 5 out of 5]

So full honesty, it felt so good to be back among friends from Jondria while creating new adventures... for the first 10% of the book... and then I wanted to scream at one, hug another, and hang out with their daughter and show her some good clean fun. 150% recommend this book because (IF D.E Carlson takes it where I think she will... because... well... it's Dorothy) then the whole series is one of the most important things to happen in Christian fantasy. I'm currently in tears over this book, and I've only cried over To Bind the Stars. I have NEVER cried over a first book (oh jeez... it's only BOOK ONE ") this bad before... I need a resupply of tissues.

[Sarah Havener · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh wow what a book! Love the dedication. The subtle Christian allegory and all the imagery and symbolism made the story so intriguing and sucked me in. And there were so many good quotes! And that ending, oh my gosh. It definitely left my mind going. The acknowledgements about Charlie-ow my heart.
I will say that I was able to read the first book of her other series before reading this, but not the others. At first this book felt a little spoilery considering where I was, but then it felt like its own book.