The Silver Kingdom

By Author / Illustrator

Radiya Hafiza

Genre

Fantasy

Age range(s)

14+

Publisher

Simon & Schuster

ISBN

9781398546257

Format

Hardback

Published

04-06-2026

Synopsis

A lush South Asian romantasy story of warring kingdoms, forbidden love and a long-lost magical saviour, perfect for fans of We Hunt the Flame, Empire of Sand and Divine Rivals.

Rival Kingdoms. Forbidden Love. Ancient Magic.

Sparks fly when Prince Zayd, fresh from defending the borders of Dakaria meets Princess Layla of Sawan, determined to run away from her cruel, power-hungry mother. But the young royals must marry to build alliances, not for love. As Layla and Zayd struggle between their hearts and their duties, a centuries-old prophecy is set into motion, calling upon a magical saviour to bring the mages out of exile.

When Layla discovers she has latent powers, ones she begins to fear and must keep hidden, and Zayd begins to secretly negotiate with the mages, the young royals' paths become irreversibly intertwined.

But the kingdoms are divided, still suffering from the fallout of colonial rule, and peace between them is fragile. Could Layla be the key to finally uniting the lands, or will forbidden love plunge the lands into a devasting war?

From Radiya Hafiza, a sparkling new voice in YA, comes a story featuring slow burn forbidden romance. 'This swoony, sparkling romantasy stole my heart.' M.A. Kuzniar, author of Forest of Hearts. 'A stunning, sweeping romantasy filled with electric chemistry, intrigue and witty banter that had me kicking my feet.' Sara Jafari, author of Heavensent & Hellbent

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Reviews

Linda

The author of this wonderful YA sweeping romantic debut novel transports readers into her world with fantastic world-building. I truly didn't want this book to end . . .

Princess Layla of Sawan is dominated by her cruel, power-hungry mother. She has been ordered to marry a prince from Fallowmere to further strengthen her mother's tyrannical rule. They are a cruel people, and Layla doesn't want to be linked with them. She has also begun to show signs of earth mage powers, giving her even more reason to run from her mother's devious clutches. But how can she escape when she is so closely guarded?

Across the water, Prince Zayd of Dakaria is fresh from battle, having defended his country against constant attacks. With his father dying and the prospect of becoming Sultan sooner than expected, he must balance the demands of his father's illness with protecting his country's borders from invasion. Could finding a water mage help him? And is his mother's insistence that he marry to form an alliance a possibility he must accept?

Everything changes for these two young protagonists when they first meet, as they feel an instant mutual attraction. Their lives become intertwined, but with arranged marriages looming over them both, the love they share becomes forbidden and increasingly complicated.

The Silver Kingdom is perfectly suited to readers aged 14+ and will keep them totally engrossed as its pages are packed with political intrigue, romance, and magic. The book left me breathless, and now I'm desperately waiting for the next instalment.

416 pages / Reviewed by Linda Brown, school librarian