Book Review: The Silver Kingdom (The Silver Kingdom #1) by Radiya Hafiza

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy Romance
Length: 400 pages
Author: Radiya Hafiza
Publisher: Simon Teen
Release Date: November 3rd, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

For the first printing only! This hardcover features sprayed stenciled edges while the special edition supply lasts.

A “[s]washbuckling, swoony, and filled with intrigue” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) South Asian–inspired young adult romantasy about the forbidden love between royals of rival kingdoms that endangers their tenuous peace just as a prophecy comes to pass and long-lost magic returns.

The savior will rise and lead an army to the gates of darkness. Only when the fire has fallen can light prevail.

Prince Zayd, heir to Dakaria, the Silver Kingdom, spends his days defending the land from pirate raids. Princess Layla, heir to Sawan, dreams of running away and escaping her cruel, power-hungry mother.

When the two meet, sparks fly. But the royals are destined to marry other people and tensions between their kingdoms are high—one wrong move could threaten the fragile peace between them.

As dark forces begin to threaten Dakaria, a centuries-old prophecy is set into motion, and Layla discovers she has a latent power, one that she doesn’t understand and begins to fear. Magic has been forbidden for a hundred years. Could Layla be the key to uniting their kingdoms, or will the young royals’ forbidden love plunge them all into a devastating war?

Thank you Simon Teen and Simon Audio for the gifted copies.

GOOD START.

First off, I had no idea this was the start to a series (duology??) so you have been told now. This book ends open and with a fantastic cliffhanger that makes me excited for the next book.

I liked the forbidden romance + lost chosen one tropes. It’s been a minute since I’ve read a genuine forbidden romance and I think this was a good start to that journey. It does read very young adult (which can be a positive or a negative, I get it). While that fell somewhere in between for me, I was swayed by the artful story telling and the world building. I liked seeing the different parental involvements and how that was playing into the main character’s decisions.

It’s a good story with an awesome audiobook. Even with a prince and princess at the helm, I still found the themes to be relatable to a young adult audience and even more bonus points that this was kisses only, without heavy language, or over the top violence. It’s always nice to find a book that is actually written for a teen audience.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy Romance
  • Language: mild
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: moderate
  • Content warnings: emotionally abusive parent, kidnapping

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Book Review: Hollywood, Ending by John Green

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 416 pages
Author: John Green
Publisher: Dutton Books
Release Date: September 22nd, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A behind-the-scenes Hollywood love story that brilliantly confronts the private cost of a public life

For rising young actors Kai Laramie and Juniper Castillo, being cast in the buzzy biopic Andy Warhol Never Gets Old is the opportunity they’ve been waiting for. They’re on the verge of breaking out, and maybe even falling in love. Soon the movie is blowing up and so are their lives—in exciting but also terrifying ways.

John Green artfully blends a behind-the-scenes Hollywood love story with an unflinching examination of the insatiable attention economy. Told through dual points of view, the novel follows Kai and Juniper from their first days on location to the movie’s premiere, brilliantly juxtaposing their story with the on-screen study of Warhol’s life at the dawn of celebrity culture.

Hollywood, Ending is a deeply observed novel about the tension between a public and a private life, and finding your safe someone to hold onto. Tender, heartbreaking, and shrewdly funny, this is a story as only Green can tell it.

ALWAYS A FAN.

John Green can really just write in whatever genre he feels like and nail it.

This one had some heavy triggers that I thought were approached with care and a realistic sense of how trauma can keep occurring in our lives and how it affects everything around us.

I liked the chemistry between Kai and Juniper. The romance is at the front yet takes a step back for some commentary and themes surrounding Hollywood, acting and the like. I liked that Juniper and Kai had this soft build between them. You could feel the care they had for each other and how they learned to communicate and go through the hard things with trust. I love a good fight moment and I think this one did it well. Kai was easily my favorite character and I loved his enduring nature.

It’s very fast paced (read the audio in an afternoon), LOVED the audiobook (Julia Whelan y’all!!!!) and sad that I now have to wait for more John Green books.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: moderate
  • Romance: fade to black
  • Violence: moderate+
  • Content warnings: child sexual assault (recounted in some detail, theme throughout)

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ALC Book Review: Too Cold for Comfort by Nisha J. Tuli

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Rating: ★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 352 pages
Author: Nisha J. Tuli
Publisher: Forever
Release Date: November 10th, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

In this steamy romance from the New York Time s bestselling author of the Artefacts of Ouranos series, the arctic heats up when a photographer who rarely holds anything back is forced to share a private wing with a grumpy lodge owner who holds everything in.

Photographer Aadya Williams has trekked all the way to northern Canada to nab a career-making shot of a polar bear … and to put 1,500 miles between her and a messy breakup. Despite expecting freezing temperatures, nothing’s colder than the welcome she gets from Reid Doerksen, the gruff owner of the Northern Wilderness Polar Bear Lodge. Even worse, the lodge is overbooked, so now she has to share the private family wing with him for the next two weeks. At least Aadya has plenty to keep her occupied when she’s not out searching for the perfect photo op. But when a storm strands Aadya and Reid together at the lodge, it’s impossible to avoid the heat simmering between them. As the snow comes down, so do Reid’s walls, and Aadya begins to realize the most important shot of her life may not be one she takes with her camera.

Thank you Hachette Audio for the gifted audiobook.

TIMELINE ISSUES.

I don’t know if I just wasn’t as charmed but this timeline felt too quick for me. And more physically focused than anything else. Actually, that’s probably my main issue. I didn’t feel there was enough connection or conversations to get to the I love you’s with how much focus was on them sleeping together and the larger plot.

Not that I minded the larger plot. I adored the wintery setting and all of the polar bear moments. I loved that this was winter without being a holiday romance (I love a holiday romance but more of these please!). There were a lot of quirky side character personalities which did give it that Hallmark movie/small town vibe.

And I felt like I should have been more frustrated with the third act? But with the insta-lust I just wasn’t phased at that point. Things came together well in the end and they figured it out for the HEA at least. I always love a good compromise.

I liked Not Safe for Work more than this one.

🎧: The audiobook is great! Loved the narrator. No issues there. That did make for an easy and quick listen.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary romance
  • Language: moderate
  • Romance: 3ish+ open door
  • Violence: low

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Book Review: Ruling Out Robyn (Men of the Isles #3) by Deborah M. Hathaway

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 350 pages
Author: Deborah M. Hathaway
Publisher: Draft Horse Publishing
Release Date: April 10th, 2026
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

Robyn Lane is sunshine embodied. Or so her fans call her. She really has it all—loving parents, protective older brothers, unfailing optimism, and millions of subscribers on YouTube. She also has a dream job that is about to become even dreamier.

Having fallen into the unpredictable world of crowdfunding, Robyn has found her calling in life by filming herself partaking in whatever her millions of fans wish her to do, whether that be skydiving, attempting to repair a 1933 Ford Roaster, or auditioning for every singing competition in America—all without being a singer.

And now? Well, now, she’s about to pack up all her belongings and live out an entire year on a dilapidated sheep farm in Snowdonia, Wales to see if she can revive the farm from the ground up. Does she know one thing about sheep or farming? Not even a lick. Is she even aware if Snowdonia is a real place? Well, she is now, thanks to Google. (It is real, BTW.) But she’s not concerned. She’s thrilled. Everything is going to be amazing. It always is for her.

And yet, running the farm is nothing like she expects. She finds herself falling short in every way—including fitting in with the locals, particularly with her neighbor on the adjoining sheep the surly, impatient, and insanely attractive Cedric Davies. Apparently, the guy used to be some famous soccer—oh, sorry, football—player for England, but after an injury, he chose live out the remainder of his days on this rainy, windy land like some crazy recluse. A recluse who isn’t afraid to express his disapproval with her filming her life from sun-up to sun-down.

Robyn can handle anything life throws at her—even this frigid sheep farm. And yet, when Cedric’s wind-tossed hair and scruff-covered jawline become more appealing than anything else, including her job…she isn’t sure what she can handle anymore.

This is the third book in the clean and sweet romcom Men of the Isles series by Deborah M. Hathaway. Although this dual POV, grumpy/sunshine, sports, and celebrity romance is a stand-alone novel, the books are best enjoyed when read in order as minor spoilers are given about previous characters.

SOFT AS SHEEP.

I continue to adore this series. I am 1000% obsessed with the setting. I loved the moody Wales atmosphere with the rain and small town and hills and vales, just all the things.

I struggled with Robyn as a content creator somewhat though I was grateful to see her character arc and journey through how she wanted to handle her page as time went on. I appreciate that she was respectful and mindful and able to go with the punches.

Cedric and Robyn were all the things I love about the grumpy and sunshine trope. I liked the banter and the slowly working together and the almost kiss?? Are you kidding me?? Honestly could have had more kisses. But boy do I love a slow burn.

And I appreciate the solid friendships, mental health conversations, and reconnecting with your passions in life. There were just many endearing and memorable moments and I’m looking forward to the last book!

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: none
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: low
  • Content warnings: parental abandonment recounted, sports injuries

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