A Kingdom Forged

by S.V. Smith, Alice Whiteharte

The Second Edition, originally 'The Princess and the Keeper',' The Kingdom of Light Series has taken on new title, new characters, new dangers, and so much more.


Cinderella, like never before. . .

Adira has dreamed of freedom for as long as she can remember. After eleven years under the oppressive rule of her cruel stepmother and selfish stepsisters, she longs for nothing more than escape, to travel the world and to live on her own terms. But when her stepmother reveals that Adira's hand has been promised to Prince Rialoir- a merciless and power hungry man bent on war- her hopes for a better life shatter.

In a desperate bid to escape Adira runs straight into the heart of the rogue Keeper's, a group of rebels whom the prince has sworn to destroy. Killian, charismatic, yet distrustful leader, is quick to question her motives. Does she truly want freedom, or will she betray them all to the royal family?

Tensions increase. Secrets are revealed. The journey is dangerous, and the stakes are higher than they ever feared.

Genres: Retellings

323 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 1, 2024

About the author

Canadian Multi-Genre Indie Author.
Author of the 'Mystical Shifter Series'
'The Kingdom of Light Series'
'An Honest Guide to Self-Publishing'

S.V. Smith is a multi-genre author from Nova Scotia. Author of the popular werewolf fantasy 'The Mystical Shifter Series' and her YA Fantasy series 'The Kingdom of Light Series', she also has a non-fiction title, 'An Honest Guide to Self-Publishing.'

S.V. dreamt of becoming a marine biologist, but her passion for creating and writing novels took over. Now, she studies marine life as a hobby and is more than happy to sit by the ocean and feel inspired.

Link to Amazon;
https://www.amazon.com/author/svsmith
Link to Facebook;
https://www.facebook.com/authorsvsmith
Link to Instagram;
https://www.instagram.com/svalsmith/
Link to TikTok;
https://www.tiktok.com/@s.v.smith
Link to Youtube;
https://www.youtube.com/@SValSmith
Link to Patreon
https://www.patreon.com/SValSmith

Reviews

[Sara Sarno · Rating 2 out of 5]

Easy to read. Quite a few spelling and punctuation errors.
The text format was weird in a few places.
I read it in a couple hours.
Felt a bit like reading a young girls’ diary as opposed to a fantasy/high fantasy novel.
Story felt very rushed, it DEFINITELY could have been longer with more back stories. More environment descriptions would also be great for the world building.

[Book · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Kingdom Forged is a richly reimagined fairytale that takes the familiar bones of Cinderella and transforms them into a gripping fantasy of freedom, defiance, and chosen destiny From the very first chapters, S.V. Smith makes it clear this story isn’t about waiting to be saved it’s about learning to fight for yourself.
Adira is a compelling heroine: weary from years of cruelty yet still fiercely hopeful. Her longing for freedom feels raw and deeply human, and her desperation to escape an unwanted political marriage to the ruthless Prince Rialoir adds real urgency and emotional weight. This is not a glossy fairytale prince. Rialoir is chilling, ambitious, and genuinely threatening, raising the stakes far beyond the ballroom.
The introduction of the rogue Keepers is where the story truly ignites. Killian, their guarded and magnetic leader, brings tension, distrust, and slow-burning chemistry that feels earned rather than forced. The constant question is, can Adira be trusted, or is she a danger to them all? keeps the narrative taut and engaging.
What stands out most is the balance between character development and plot. Secrets unravel naturally, relationships evolve under pressure, and the journey is filled with danger, moral grey areas, and hard choices. The world-building is immersive without being overwhelming, and the darker tone gives the story real depth.
A Kingdom Forged is perfect for readers who love fairytale retellings with teeth strong female leads, rebel alliances, political intrigue, and a romance threaded with suspicion and fire An excellent start to The Kingdom of Light series, and one that left me eager for what comes next.

[Angel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did and didn't like this.
Right off the bat I will say that the writing isn't the best. It's riddled with grammatical errors and lacks easily comprehensible formatting and structure. The pacing is obviously very quick making everything feel rushed, and the plot seems to be lacking direction with many things happening at once and randomly with little feelings of importance behind them as the main character just disregards everything after the chapter ends.
In saying that, I did enjoy the start of the story a lot more and I think this could be a good book if it was full length and better written. I also think there's a lot of potential within the characters and just focusing a little more on making them feel real as opposed to being a means to an end would be good.

[Lily Van Denburgh · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the story. There were some grammatical errors (spelling, punctuation, and some sentences that were hard to read), but overall, the story was a good one. I would've liked this to be longer as I do feel it was rushed in places, and I'd like more backstory and character building as well as more information and descriptions on the world it is set in. I liked the characters but also wish we got to know more about them at times. Overall, it was an easy read (minus some errors). The text in some places was also formatted a bit weird, but it was easily overlooked.

*I won this book in a giveaway*