REVIEW: Silver by Talia Vance

Title: Silver (Bandia #1)
Author: Talia Vance - Website || Twitter
Publisher: Flux Books
Publication Date: September 8, 2012
Format: eARC* 374 pages
Rating: 4.5/5
Get it: Amazon | B&N | The Book Depository

"As I step into the room, a silver flash blurs my vision. Before I can take a breath, the world falls away."

Brianna has always felt invisible. People stare right past her, including the one boy she can't resist, Blake Williams. But everything changes at a house party where Brianna's charm bracelet slips off and time stands still. In that one frozen, silver moment, Blake not only sees her, he recognizes something deep inside her she's been hiding even from herself.

Discovering she is descended from Danu, the legendary Bandia of Celtic myth, Brianna finds herself questioning the truth of who she is. And when she accidentally binds her soul to Blake, their mutual attraction becomes undeniable.

But Blake has his own secret, one that could prove deadly for them both.

Bound together by forbidden magic, Brianna and Blake find themselves at the heart of an ancient feud that threatens to destroy their lives and their love.

My thoughts, feelings, and reactions.

Silver by Talia Vance is one magical book. It really surprised me in the best possible way. The mythology was so cool, the romance was sizzling and the entirety of the book was even better!

Brianna Paxton- the girl made of beauty and power.


She was smart and grounded, albeit all little boy crazy for Blake (Hey, I can’t blame her, the boy’s hot), but she also lacked confidence and self-esteem. I felt her focus was all about being unnoticed, not being the center of attention like her best friend Haley, and I hated that because she never really gave herself credit. As Brianna started to embrace her power, she became that strong, confident girl I hoped and wanted her to be. Her transformation and the growth of her character as a woman and as a bandia was truly incredible. She literally becomes this woman who stands up, fights back, and ultimately kicks butt! Brie’s self-discovery was the pivotal turning point that really solidified the book for me because no longer was that insecure, invisible girl I first met. In her place becomes this courageous, I-am-a-woman-hear-me-roar type of person that had me rooting for her until the end. She really turned herself around and I loved that. 

Brianna and Blake’s romance- the definition of Facebook’s ‘complicated’ status.


Don’t get me wrong, Brie and Blake’s romance was hot hot hot. There was the perfect amount of tease, tension, swoon and heart racing moments that could last me a lifetime. The best part about them is that it’s so complicated, so forbidden, it’s a rush. Their relationship was doomed from the start and they both know things will end badly, but this doesn’t stop them from getting it on! It’s exhilarating for them to be near each other. Not only do they have this emotional connection, but they have this physical connection that literally makes their touch heat up, spark up, and light up. Their not so conventional boyfriend-girlfriendness is one big roller coaster that has plenty of ups just as much as downs. Their love is tragic, sad, and a bit heartbreaking but it’s all worth the ride, folks. 

Writing, pacing, mythology and more! 


Talia Vance’s writing is off the charts! Silver was easy to read, easy to understand, I was devouring the whole thing in no time. Talia really brings Brie’s voice and character to life. She was the reason I wanted to keep reading further and the mystery surrounding her power is what drove me to want to know more. While reading, I always felt like something bad, something good, something that I cannot seem to explain is going to happen. I was always on that edge, not nearly there, but so close that had me so engrossed in the book. The action and fighting and the use of magic was prominent in the book at almost every turn and dang it all, I loved that. My favorite part of this book was the mythology. Although I wished Talia explored more of it, she gave great background story. She thoroughly explained all about the bandia, the Seventh Daughters/Sons, Sons of Killian, Daughters of Danu, the Milesians, Gods and Goddesses, origins of power and so much more than I cannot even begin or end. The unexpected epic and crazy good plot twists and revelations are jammed packed in this book, all spiraling down to one awesome ending. It was amazing.

Overall, I loved Silver! It introduced me to a new type of mythology that I really liked. It had great characters that dominated the book, and a romance that gave me chills. I can’t wait for Gold! 

*Thanks to Netgalley and Flux Books for allowing me to read this book