The Silver Flame

by Paige Nicole

“I am not the queen they hoped to mold, nor the martyr they wished to bury.”

People flinch as she passes. Neighbors avert their eyes. Mothers clutch their children. No one dare touches her. And no one ever has.

Eighteen-year-old Lyra Seravell has spent her life hiding behind leather gloves and Virellia’s frozen isolation. But when a royal decree summons one girl from each of the seven regions to compete for the Prince’s hand, she’s forced into the gilded heart of Valerieth.

She travels to Aurea, a gleaming region with a capital city of gold, but as secrets unravel, so does the city’s masterful facade.

Among rival girls and watching eyes, trials unfold. The palace is a game board. The girls are the pieces. And Lyra begins to draw too much attention. She’s nothing like the others. The King can see it, but so can his son.

Prince Cassian Vaelros is the golden child of Valereith and everything Lyra was taught to fear. Everything she has grown to hate. But the closer she gets, the more blurred the line of enemy and ally becomes.

As the palace walls close in, and ancient fantasies stir, Lyra must decide what she’s willing to sacrifice—her freedom, her heart, or her fire within.

Because some flames were never meant to be contained.

Some were meant to burn.

Seven regions. Seven girls. One crown.

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Young Adult

362 pages, Paperback

Published November 24, 2025

Reviews

[🌷Holly (Jesus’s version) 🌷 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do NOT just give a book five stars for no reason and this book spectacular especially considering this is DEBUT!?! I’ll write a review coming later!

[kylieparker · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️

Word cannot begin to describe how excited I was to be reading this book! I’ve been following Paige for months now, and when she allowed me to be part of her ARC team, I was ELATED!

In this book, you’re following Lyra, a girl from the northern region who is chosen to participate in trials for the Prince’s hand in marriage.

Paige’s writing style is so beautiful and lyrical. She uses incredible descriptions, and you can always vividly picture the setting and characters. I wish some of the friendships had been slightly more developed, as I especially loved Elena’s character!

There’s also kind of a love triangle going on 🤭

I’m so excited for her to keep writing, and to learn more about the politics & folklore in this world!! 🫶🏼

happy reading!

[Delaney Bock · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I don’t usually write reviews on books but this one deserved one.

Not only is it extremely well written, you fall in love with the characters. I enjoyed the suspense, romance, and drive of this book. The lead female character is very likable but also a real human. There were times I wanted to scream at for doing something but also felt what she felt. Paige did an excellent job of showing how she is just a normal teenager thrown into something wild, crazy, and thrilling. I loved the male lead character. He had so much character growth throughout the book. There were many parts in the Silver Flame that I didn’t see coming. I always try to guess things in advance, and I couldn’t do that with this book.

I am not a huge fantasy reader, but this book got me into fantasy. My highest remarks. I believe everyone should read it and I more than look forward to buying the next one!!

[Madelyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

First of all, I wanted to start off by congratulating the author on writing and publishing a book! That’s something to be extremely proud of.

I was so excited to dive in and start reading; however, sadly, this book did not do it for me.

Things I liked:
The concept: I’m a sucker for a royal/palace setting and trials so this book was right up my alley
The lack of spice: yes, I understand this is YA so there wouldn’t be spice to begin with, but too many books these days rely on spice for relationship development when in reality it doesn’t help anything so this book was a nice change from that

Unfortunately, that is it.

Things I didn’t like:
-the FMC (I’m so sorry): she gave me Mary Sue vibes. Everyone loved her other than the one bully that’s always prevalent in these style books as well as the town because she was different. But, other than some people not liking her, she didn’t struggle. Her MO of being a fast learner took away a lot of the reality that could’ve taken place if she actually struggled with things and didn’t always “win”
-the plot twists seen miles ahead of when they occurred. I guess the ending/epilogue ever since the beginning which kind of sucked
-the relationships: all of them seemed to fall flat for me. Yes there was banter but there wasn’t…depth. If that makes sense. So none of the relationships or friendships (other than the briefly experienced interactions with Selene) seemed believable
-every chapter seemed to start with her waking up or a weather descriptor….
-a lot of the dialogue didn’t really add to the plot or world building. It was just…there. And I get it, not all dialogue has to be of high importance, but I should learn more from it
-Viennese Waltz. Ok this is just me being a nit-picky fantasy nerd here. But does Italy exist in this realm because otherwise this should’ve been edited out or called something else tbh.


Ok. Rant over.


Overall this was a cute book, though it dragged and I found myself just skimming for dialogue and info dumps 15% in, and I think the author has a lot of potential to create a great series from this so I may stick around to read the rest of the series.

[Tess Marais · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Silver Flame is a new YA fantasy and Paige Nicole’s debut novel, and can I just say that this was an incredible debut novel!🔥
I could not put this book down and it was the perfect mix of romance, mystery, fantasy, and everything just flowed so well together! The plot was so unique and gave me a bit of Lightlark and Powerless vibes.🤭

I loved the FMC, Lyra, soooo much!🩵
She is strong and has powers she doesn’t understand yet, and I feel there is so much more of her and what she is to uncover, so I’m very excited for the rest of this series.🤭
The love interests are Cassian, the prince, and Kaden, Lyra’s guard.🔥
Sooooo, it was so difficult for me to choose who I want Lyra to end up with because I switched teams every few chapters😂, but I was pro-Cassian (even though he’s a blonde MMC👀) until the end because all fantasy girlies know we should always be suspicious of the blonde MMC.😂
The things Cassian did and said and his utter devotion to Lyra made me root for them and made me love Cassian, but the ending got me back to Kaden’s side.👀

I loved Kaden from the moment he was introduced and I just wish what happened to him later in the book didn’t happen to him because then he and Lyra would have grown their relationship so much more, but it makes me excited to see what will happen with them in the next book.🔥

The trials Lyra had to do, especially the last one, was very intense and had me holding my breath, rooting for Lyra to win them all.⚔️
The King was absolutely horrible and I just wanted Cassian to kill him like he told Lyra he wanted to do.👀

The cliffhanger ending made me want book 2 immediately!!!😱

❄️If you love:
~Trials
~Enemies to lovers
~Forced proximity
~Powerful FMC
~Yearning
~Secrets to be uncovered
~YA fantasy
Then The Silver Flame is a MUST read for you!🩵

[KZ · Rating 3 out of 5]

★★★☆☆ (3.25/5)

I'm so grateful to receive the opportunity to read The Silver Flame by Paige Nicole as an ARC! I chose this book because I knew I’d love it — and honestly, I did have such a good time with it. My rating isn’t a reflection of my enjoyment, because this was such a fun, magical read that gave me all the butterflies and made me giggle like a little girl.

I loved the concept of this story — the trials, the elemental magic system, and the way it all tied into the world. I just wish we had learned a little more about the origins of the magic and seen deeper worldbuilding in that area. There’s so much potential there, and I hope the next book explores it further!

Now, I hate to even bring this up, but I did notice a few similarities to another well-known fantasy series. It wasn’t overpowering by any means, but it was enough to stand out, and that left me a little disappointed.

The love interests, though — they were one of my favorite parts! That’s what kept me so invested. However, their relationship moved very fast, and I almost got whiplash from how quickly it all happened. I have to admit, I was rooting for my cute little guard the entire time, and I just wish we had gotten to know him better.

The whole book felt like it was building toward something huge, but when the ending came, it fell a little flat for me. I wanted higher stakes, bigger risks, and that intense “I need the next book right now” feeling — and while it was satisfying, it didn’t quite give me that. I did really enjoy seeing our FMC’s growth, though, especially how she stepped into her strength and confidence.

And finally... I saw that last-page twist coming. I really wanted to be surprised, but I couldn’t quite connect enough to feel that shock. Still, it wrapped up the book in a way that makes me curious to see where the story goes next.

[Kamryn Lee Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh my GOD well first off thank you Paige for allowing me to read your room early. And secondly I need the second book NOW and need a physical copy as a shelf trophy! Wow wow wowwwww. I am in awe, the story is so beautiful I was captivated by her writing style. The way I can vividly picture everything happening I am utterly obsessed and the ending?!! Oh my goodness

[Violet · Rating 2 out of 5]

The premise and the plot of the book seemed really interesting, I really wanted to enjoy this but the story didn't hook me at all. The pacing is not great and the scenes felt too rushed- while reading I felt as though we were moving directly from one thought to another and there was no flow between the scenes, just one block of information after the other, barely any interactions with other characters. I felt like there was more emphasis on describing the environment with fancy words, rather than the structure of the plot, which I think is why I didn't connect with any of the characters. I literally had to re-read multiple sentences in every chapter to figure out if I was missing anything.😭
Not for me unfortunately, ended up DNF-ing.

SIDE NOTE: absolutely NO HATE to the author, she seems like such a sweet person, others might enjoy this but the book just wasn't for me 🫶🏻

[Kelsea Wolf · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have no one to talk about this with 😭 incredibly thankful to have received an ARC of this book. The writing is beautiful and so descriptive you feel like you’re in the story with the characters. This book had me kicking my feet one moment and gasping the next. AND THE EPILOGUE - that’s how you end a fantasy book. I will be (not so) patiently waiting for book two - I can’t wait to see where this FMC’s story goes!!

[Meagan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book from a debut author!! I was able to get an ARC and so happy I did! Enemies to lovers, tension, banter to die for, interesting FMC AND MMC, the side characters are literally the best too. The magic system is easy to follow but keeps you in a chokehold. Easy world building in the beginning drags you right into the main plot of the story and doesn’t let you go! You cannot go wrong picking up this gorgeous book! (go ahead and judge it by the cover)

[liv phoebe · Rating 3 out of 5]

i’m moots with the author on tiktok so i thought i’d leave a little review. i firstly want to say that i am SO impressed that she has written and published a book whilst also being an incredibly busy college student studying something so far off story-telling and fantasy, so massive well done to paige, i’m so proud of you girl!!

i’m gonna be completely honest, bc i too am an aspiring author and i have a lot of thoughts and opinions abt books and writing in general.

first of all: kaden has me giggling and kicking my feet hehe.
second of all: apart from the little romantic elements here and there and a few of the tense fighting scenes, i struggled to really connect with anything else.
that’s not to say i didn’t enjoy it. I enjoyed it a LOT and will defo be reading the sequel. what made it particularly enjoyable were the delicious descriptions of the world and the scenery. the pages were almost sparkling with silver light as i was reading, so it was really really beautiful to imagine this world in my head.

i will say one thing. it’s incredible that the author has done this completely independently without any external editor or professional, but i really think the story would have benefitted from that. ik paige said her budget was tight, so bringing someone professional in would be difficult. but for a story with SO much potential, it seems a shame that there were no possibilities of slight sacrifices to get someone else to help the author enhance it.

because in all honesty, it fell rather flat. again, i nonetheless enjoyed it, but it was a shame reading something thinking about all the ways in which it could have gone better. starting with a lot of grammar errors and spelling mistakes— “lightning” not “lightening”, etc.— there was hardly any introspection. good to get physical descriptions of what’s going on, but there were many times i had myself really wishing for insight into the internal world of Lyra, not just what was happening around her. part of the privilege of being a reader is being so much more attached to and understanding of the characters in the story because we get the wonderful view of both their internal and external perceptions, otherwise we might as well just be reading a sweeping tale about lots of different characters from the restricted omniscient narrator voice.
it seemed to be only until the near end when she and Cassian were in Aurea that we see Lyra in indignation towards lower class suffering, despite the fact that we never saw this in her before and therefore did not expect her to feel so strongly about it. another example is the general relationship between Cassian and Lyra. i remember Cassian saying something like “see, i’m not as horrible as you claim i am” (something along those lines), but in the previous scene they’d been necking in her bedroom or something?

that kinda brings me to a main thought i had. whilst it’s dripping with all the best tropes, and the world is so beautifully described that it appears in full clarity before your eyes, the characters and the plot itself are severely underdeveloped.
it felt as if there was more of an effort to squeeze out the tropes we all love to see, enemies to lovers, trials and competition, forced proximity, etc. and this effort was so great that focus was lost on developing the story AROUND these tropes. that’s the only explanation i can think of that elucidates why i really don’t care about Cassian and Lyra’s relationship 😭 it feels exceptionally dry, because the main intention behind it, the inclusion of the trope of arrogant prince x indignant skinny legend, seemed to be the only plot point that really drew much thought.

sorry if that sounds rlly harsh, i’m not trying to come across as overly critical, but these are just a few of the thoughts i had that made it almost frustrating to read, because it is SO good and has SO much potential but there are just a few too many little shortcomings that really sabotage the whole book:’(

that said, cassian vaelros is a deceptive little freak and i’m gagging for kaden’s return in the second one 🤭 all in all, i had a lot of fun reading this despite everything i’ve spoken about. because above everything else, the premise of it is fantastic, and the world paige nicole has dreamed up is simply exquisite!! <3

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me a while to review this because I wanted to get the wording right, but my true rating would be 4.5 stars, on the verge of 5 stars, if you know what I mean. The beginning was great, I loved the setting and how descriptive it was, but the father gave me mixed vibes, whether he liked Lyra or hated her. Kaden was great at first, and then something happened, and everything changed, and it was really confusing not knowing what happened. Need another book boyfriend? Prince Cassian will def be on that list after you read this. I only cried twice, so that's a plus!!! Warning: there's a cliffhanger, so you may want to wait until it gets closer to the next book to come out before reading this. If you want to help support new authors, then please read this, as this is Paige Nicole's debut novel!

[Lizzy Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay so I devoured this book. I need another one right now. The only thing holding me back from 5 stars is there were just a few too many moments for me that I got whiplash from how fast we jumped from one moment to the next? Like so much time is spent describing the setting and then bam in 2 paragraphs 3 major plot points have occurred and I have to go back and make sure I didn’t miss a page explaining how we got all the way from A-Z? But SUCH a good story I’m hooked😍

[Ashlee Hoos · Rating 5 out of 5]

**I received a digital ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review**

This absolutely does NOT read like it was written by a first-time author! From the very first page, I was immediately drawn into every word. Paige's command of imagery made the world SO REAL that at every moment, I could picture exactly what was going on, almost like a movie.

And that PLOT! Never once did the pacing feel off. Lyra's experiences in the trials were so vivid and kept my attention from beginning to end. She is an amazing FMC and doesn't have that typical fantasy heroine attitude about her. She's strong, easy to like, and is everything I want in a heroine.

I absolutely did NOT predict that epilogue, either, and now I need book 2 to be ready! This was an easy 5 stars and I cannot wait for publication day so I can put a copy on my shelf.

[Hadley Bea | bookswithhad · Rating 5 out of 5]

So amazing! I was pulled in right from the beginning! I was so excited to get an ARC copy and I am so happy I did! As a debut novel this was jaw dropping! Paige did so amazing and the story had the perfect amount of everything! I will defiantly be re-reading soon because of how great this novel was! Lyra was so relatable and the world was so easy to picture! Perfect amount of romance to world building! If you're thinking about reading this book I would definitely say put it at the top of your TBR!

[Landry Byler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Minus 1 star simply because I am team Kaden :(


This book is simply incredible and mesmerizing.

-The descriptions are so immersive and I genuinely loved the book just because of the way things were described so lyrically. I almost felt like I should be reading a poem :)

-All in all I’m not a huge fantasy reader, but this book was so incredibly written that I found it easy to follow and so intriguing.

-The start of the book caught me. The FMC’s descriptions of her feeling like an outcast and comparing herself to Selene were all too relatable and I grew to love Lyra simply because I related to her so much. And while her struggles of feeling like an outcast were due to her powers and white hair, I still found a sense of shared hurt between us. I love nothing more than an author who can sculpt realistic, relatable characters.

-I was team Kaden all along and I was proven right! The amount of times Cassian endured her powers, teaching her how to use them and then seemingly tried to claim her as ‘his’ weapon were all little hints that gave me a gut feeling. AND JUSTIFYING HER KILLING SOMEONE WITH HER POWERS! And don’t even get me started on Kaden! I would’ve liked to seen a less rushed version of their love story, because the parts that I got left me so curious about him and yet content with everything I knew. I don’t even know how to explain it. His absent eyes after being used by the king killed me every time I read it. It was like a relatable heartbreak that we’ve all felt, when someone goes from your everything to a stranger so suddenly. I honestly wish that the FMC would have tried to figure out what happened and actually help him, rather than just going and doing her own thing for the remaining amount of the story. I think it would’ve been really satisfying to see her fighting for their relationship rather than waiting until he initiated by showing his emotions about seeing her with Cassian. After the blood he shed to protect her while she had been there, it was the least she could do. But then again I am biased because I’m team green eyed guard all the way :)

-I loved Elena! She was such a steady friend for Lyra and their friendship seemed to bloom even through the tension and stress of the trials which made it even more valuable.

I know that she had just been stabbed and everything, but rather than going straight to her room after the hand-to-hand combat trial, I would’ve liked to see Lyra try to at least find or comfort Elena who was clearly observed to be near death. I feel like a moment like that would be really satisfying and strengthening for their friendship.

-One of my favorite things about this book is Paige’s intentionality about the striking will-power of Lyra and her constant perseverance.

Those moments of her picking herself up off of the ground blow after blow, defeat after defeat, were simply the best part of this book.

“You are not born to kneel.” SO GOOD!

“Miss Seravell. How would you achieve this feat? What power do you have?”

…(while being eaten alive by a thick, freezing mist)

“I forced the words out, one shuddering breath at a time, scraping them from the fire in my bones. ‘I… have… justice.’ ”

BEST LINE OF THE BOOK!!

The last trial had me on the edge of my seat and when Lyra broke into the kings mind and then commanded he KNEEL… and the king dropping to the ground….

Jaw on the floor most satisfying ending to a book I’ve ever read!!!


Thank you so much Paige for allowing us the ability to step into the world you so intricately created, it is truly a masterpiece!

[Meowsin · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book feels far too similar to popular titles already on the market.

Silver blood versus gold blood is clearly reminiscent of Red Queen (red blood versus silver blood). The map resembles ACOTAR too closely. Seven regions, seven courts, and an “endless summer” region. The magic system mirrors Feyre and Nesta. Nesta with her silver flame, Feyre with mind control. The rebellion, ballroom trial, learning how to dance, getting drunk and being helped afterward by the prince all come straight from Powerless and Red Queen.

This book reads like a mix of ideas taken from The Selection, Red Queen, Powerless, and ACOTAR, all tossed together without cohesion. There is no actual storybuilding. We know nothing about any of the regions. A random rebellion appears at the end, which again mirrors Red Queen, except there was no mention of a rebellion anywhere earlier in the book. There is no real explanation of the magic system.

Twenty percent of the book is literally the FMC telling readers what she sees, and most of it is dresses. There are pages of pure description where nothing happens. There is an entire chapter where Kaden takes the main character to a garden and they do not even talk. The FMC just describes the garden. That is it. Nothing happens.

Then we have three major plot points shoved into one chapter, followed by nothing again.

The injury plot makes no sense. She wakes up injured, changes her bandages, forgets she changed them, has a panic attack because she is locked in a room, then is completely fine once the prince arrives. After that, he changes her bandages. How many times are we going to change a bandage?

Later, Lyra and Cassian walk through half the kingdom with her supposedly infected wound, yet she is completely fine. No fever. No weakness. Just walking around and talking about dresses. She only remembers her injury again when she randomly guesses that a woman is Kaden’s mother because of her eyes. Like green eyes are not common. Suddenly she remembers she is injured. Then we get a third bandage scene for an infected wound, again with nothing happening.

The starving people scene is also inconsistent. In Chapter One, we are told the people are starving. Lyra even points out that Cassian and the kingdom could not care less. Then later, she suddenly sees starving people and is shocked, as if this was not already established. She argues with the prince about it, and he responds with, “Well, I gave them our leftovers.” Immediately after that, the prince asks her to spend time with him because she made him sad. That is not romantic. That is manipulative and uncomfortable.

You are a prince. You can order food to be served. If you have enough power to create a marriage trial to bait the FMC into your kingdom against your father’s wishes, you can overthrow the king.

That brings up another issue. If the king hates her so much, why did he allow her to compete for his only son’s hand? Was he not supposed to have her killed? Why allow her to fight if he was afraid of her?

And if she was powerful enough to make a king kneel, how did her mother get executed and she herself taken away? How did that happen? If silver blood can control minds and gold blood can manipulate minds, that is the same thing. Why could silver blood not control gold blood? How were they wiped from existence?

Kaden also makes no sense. He knew the plan to bring her here and literally called her the Silver Flame in the beginning, yet suddenly acts strange and distant around her.

Then the ending. Cassian calls her a weapon earlier and she is fine with it. At the end, she suddenly decides he is a liar and a betrayer. She already knew. She heard them talking. She saw her name written everywhere, because apparently people in this world just carry the FMC’s name around on slips of paper for no reason.

Unless the FMC has short-term memory and only remembers to wake up fifty times to rearrange her dress.

This book is a one-star read for me.

[Kumud Pathak · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m so grateful I got to read an ARC of The Silver Flame! I've been following Paige's journey for a while and couldn't have been more proud of a stranger! I have read a couple of fantasy debuts, and this one really was so, so good! It pulled me in from the first page, and it is so addicting, I couldn’t put it down. It honestly slipped my mind that this is Paige’s first book.

Lyra is such a cool main character in that she’s strong, smart, and very realistic. I feel like I connected with her in some ways, in that she was very relatable. Watching her try to survive the palace trials while figuring out who she can trust kept me on edge the whole time.

Paige!! The world you built through your story is so, so beautiful and easy to picture — from the icy north to the golden capital. I could almost feel the palace around me. The writing flows really well and kept me turning pages super fast.

And the romance… wow. There’s tension, banter, and a love triangle, which are three things that really keep me on the edge of my seat in every book. I was team Kaden for sure, but both Cassian and Kaden have their own charm, and it was almost (almost — I definitely had a favorite) so hard to choose a favorite. I spent most of the book rooting for the guard (he’s so loyal and protective!). Of course, there were twists and turns, and I wish I could spill them, but that wouldn't be fair.. ;(

The story was exciting, with lots of surprises I didn’t see coming. There were a few parts where I wanted more detail about her magic and what really drives her reactions, but overall, it didn’t slow the story down. LOVE!

The ending!!?? I’m not going to elaborate on that… BUT I can’t say I’m fully disappointed in it…
If you like fantasy with palace drama, clever heroines, romance, and magic, you NEEEED to read this. Paige is an author to watch, and I’m so eagerly waiting for the next book!!!
Also, I love art and design, and the cover is gorgeous!!
4⭐️ — I loved this book and can’t wait for the next one!

[Sydnee King · Rating 3 out of 5]

Paige!!! I’m so happy for you!! What an amazing accomplishment

This book is a satisfying mix of the Selection, Red Queen, and The Kindred’s Curse saga. It felt like my favorite fantasies!

I will say though I have a lot of thoughts (this is my inner creative writing major critique speaking, by the way haha!! Don’t take my rating harshly- it’s well written for a debut, and there’s always something to improve on as an author!)

- first off, the ENDING?!!!!! 😭😭 shook
- BEAUTIFUL DESCRIPTIONS. I felt like I was truly seeing the world that was written.
- however, those descriptions can definitely override what I REALLY wanted to see- the character’s innermost thoughts. Honestly, I felt like I was reading a third person book written like first person. It lacked the depth of being able to be right inside the narrator’s mind.
- when scene writing, be sure to FINISH the scene. I’d look into Scene-Sequel pattern (Goal, Conflict, Disaster; Reaction, Dilemma, Decision) to know what I mean!
- the beginning felt too rushed! I wanted to see more of Lyra’s life before the trials!
- overall good dialogue but we need more depth there and more important conversations instead of just inner thoughts or mostly descriptions
- I read another review that said many chapters started with Lyra waking up and I have to agree haha.
- overall, less tell and more show! Show don’t tell! :) let the readers imagine more instead of telling us everything Lyra sees.

I hope if Paige sees this that’s it’s helpful! I loved the book and can’t wait for the second one and to see how she improves as a debut author!! Congratulations!! 👏🏻🥳🩵

[Valencia Wolsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I could rate this book more than five stars. I will be recommending this book to everyone I know. Paige’s writing style is smooth, polished, and beautifully immersive. Her grammar is clean and professional without feeling stiff. The sentences flow effortlessly and the dialogue feels natural and emotionally charged. The emotional depth and tension between the main characters had me absolutely hooked. The world-building was vivid without being overwhelming, and the romance? Absolutely electric. The way Nicole balances tenderness with intensity is nothing short of magic. The Silver Flame blends fantasy, destiny, and forbidden love in a way that feels both familiar and refreshingly new. The storyline unfolds with careful precision, layering secrets, betrayal, and redemption until it all ignites in a breathtaking finale. The spice was perfectly balanced in this book. It was not overwhelming, but definitely enough to make you blush. Emotional intimacy came first, making the romantic scenes feel earned and meaningful. It added depth to the romance instead of overshadowing it. The Silver Flame is a masterpiece of emotion, tension, and storytelling. It’s one of those rare books that lingers long after you close it. Paige Nicole has crafted something truly special and if this is just the beginning of the series, we’re in for something legendary.

[Samantha Grimsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so lucky to be an Arc reader for this beautiful work. I’ve followed Paige’s journey since the beginning and am proud to give my honest review of her art. The Silver Flame by Paige Nicole is the kind of fantasy that grabs your attention instantly and never lets go. From the first line to the final page, the story burns with danger, emotion, and rich, addictive magic.

Lyra Seravell is a heroine you will fall in love with. She is fierce, guarded, and far more powerful than she understands. When she is taken from her frozen home into a glittering and deadly royal competition, every moment becomes more intense.

Paige Nicole’s writing is absolutely stunning. Her style is lyrical yet sharp, and every description feels alive. The world is vivid, the emotions hit hard, and the characters stay with you long after you finish reading. I knew I was team Kaden for a reason, and the tension between him and Lyra is excellent. Those lines were perfection!!

If you enjoy dangerous trials, slow-burn romance, no smut, and magic that feels real, this book will become your next obsession. Paige Nicole proves herself as a rising fantasy author with extraordinary talent. I am on the edge of my seat waiting for book two!!

Do not walk. Run to this book. It is with every dollar. I’ll leave with one final note….TEAM KADEN is the only correct option.

[Ava Crepeau · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so extremely grateful Paige chose me to be an ARC reading for this book. I have been following her since pretty much the beginning and this book is everything and more. I just finished and im in awe as well as gutted. This book is EASILY one of my favorites. In the beginning I instantly fell in love with the vibes and atmosphere, its perfection. As well as the characters, I found myself laughing at Kadens jokes and comments- as well as smiling and kicking my feet at his and Lyra’s bantering. Then we meet the girls, and I instantly fell in love with the dynamic between Lyra and Elena, and how even though they were told to not become friends they did. And then theirs Cassian. I didn’t love him when we were first introduced- he was too cocky, had too big of an ego, and Lyra needed to end up with Kaden, right? Wrong. I grew to love Cassian. Hoping that he would show up just to make Lyra smile or laugh. During the last chapter I was stressing, but when Cassian came over I was sobbing. So when I say I was SHOCKED by the last sentence… like no!! My baby’s :( Thinking back, yes, I see some signs that I purposely chose to ignore… But overall this book was beautifully written. It made me laugh, cry, smile, kick my feet, grieve, love, and much more. Paige, you did an amazing job- need book two asap. I can’t live like this!!

[mollysbooks13 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was incredibly excited to receive an ARC of ‘The Silver Flame’! I’ve been following Paige’s writing journey for a few months now, so getting the chance to delve into this story early felt so surreal!

The book follows Lyra, a girl from the northern region who is chosen for a series of trials competing for the prince’s hand in marriage. Paige’s writing is gorgeous, immersive, and full of vivid imagery that made every scene feel so incredibly real. The magic system and the trial-based structure were some of my favorite aspects, and I loved how they were woven into the world; I hope in the next book Paige dives deeper into the details of the magic system and its origins, as I feel there is huge potential there!

In terms of the characters, Lyra is incredible. She’s messy, brave, emotional, and so real, she’s the kind of FMC you're rooting for even when you’re throwing your kindle across the room at her choices (I definitely did that!!). I also adored some of the side characters (Elena especially!), I would have loved to see a few of those friendships developed more deeply.

And… the love interests. I’m not usually a love-triangle girlie, but this one had me kicking my feet, giggling, and fully invested. Even though I found that the romance with the prince progressed a bit quickly, both love interests pulled me in. Yes, I absolutely had a soft spot for the guard. I just wish we’d gotten more time with him! I feel the prince really had his moment as the love interest, and as a result, we didn’t get to see the guard with lyra much towards the end of the book, which made me forget about the love triangle element of the story at times. Don’t get me wrong though, I am absolutely in love with the prince, his character growth was so fun to see.

The story builds toward what feels like a massive climax, and while the ending was intriguing, I found myself wishing for slightly higher stakes and a definitely a bit more intensity. (I also think the plot twist could be easily predicted). It still does a great job setting up the for the next book.

Overall, The Silver Flame is a beautifully written, magical, and emotional read that hooked me from the start. Paige has crafted a world full of wonder, politics and heart. I cannot wait to see where she takes it next!!

[Karoline · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this book it is amazing. I couldn’t stop reading the characters, Are exactly what I wanted them to be so so good like I don’t think words can describe what this book did to me. It made me sad. It made me unfocused in school (thanks to Paige 😂) it made me angry and I was paranoid all the same time absolutely amazing Paige this is an incredible novel let alone a debut novel! (completely on unrelated note how can you be a maths major and write such an amazing book it’s beyond me) I love the characters dynamics even between bad characters. Another thing THE LOVE TRIANGLE oh my God it’s so amazing I usually hate love triangles but this MY GODDESS

(This is a personal message to Paige:)
You have really inspired me seen as you are 21 if I got your age right and I am a 15-year-old turning 16 writer who has had a hard time battling thoughts that I wasn’t gonna be published and then you show up a couple of years older than me and you have given me a new flame inside of me thank you for that. Thank you for showing me my dreams are possible and PS I just gotta tell you one last thing before I end this message. I think you have made it into my top five authors ❤️‍🔥🤍🩵)

[Caitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not only was this book beautifully written, but I found myself completely attached to the characters. The story had the perfect balance of emotion, mystery, and excitement. The main female character felt so real — strong yet flawed in the best way. Paige did an incredible job capturing what it’s like for an ordinary person to be thrown into an extraordinary situation. The male lead was another standout for me — his growth and depth throughout the story were so satisfying to watch unfold. The plot was packed with surprises, and just when I thought I had everything figured out, something completely unexpected happened. It kept me on edge the whole time while still making me thinking about every possible scenario that could happen.

Fantasy is always a genre where I either love it so more or it puts me into a deep slump, this story completely changed me in words I could not describe. It pulled me in from the first chapter and didn’t let go. I can’t recommend it enough — an absolute must-read, and I’m already counting down the days until the next book!

[Ellesyn Mare · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay wow!!! First of all, this is Paige Nicole’s debut novel and I am thoroughly impressed, especially worldbuilding which is so vivid and immersive that you feel like you are fully inside this fantasy world. So props to you, Paige, you really did your research and it shows lol!!

I also love how Lyra (the FMC) is awkward and relatable, which you don't see very often in fantasy and it made me love her even more. If you are a fan of The Selection, The Hunger Games, or any of the iconic early 2010s YA novels that shaped you, I think you'll like this one a ton! Some of the dialogue didn't reflect true fantasy, but it didn't quite take away from my experience.

I also love the love triangle here, especially because as a kid I hatedddd a love triangle, but now the longing for each other has a whole new meaning to me. Love love love

Overall, I absolutely loved it! I was lucky enough to receive an ARC, and I am so glad I got to experience this story early! Paige is going to crush it as a longtime author, I can't wait to see what else she puts out! 💌

[sameeha &#x1f48b; · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️4.25 stars

there are no words that can describe how i felt reading this book.

not only was the writing outstanding, but the plot was on another level. i heard that it was a YA fantasy book involving trails, and assumed it would be another copy of the hunger games (*cough cough* like powerless), but it wasn’t. it was so different, original and shocking to read, something that i’ve struggled to find in many books these days, and after reading the ending, i feel so heartbroken and manipulated in the best way possible.

however (and this might be me being too woke or whatever) there was a lack of diversity. i feel like representation is super important to have books in these days (and DEFINITELY in YA books), especially in a book like this that had so many characters and opportunities to add in representation. but, since it’s a debut novel, it could probably be looked past.

i’m so happy this is the book i’ve started the year with, but annoyed that i have to wait months for the next one to come out, especially after that ending.

[Ashley Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was given an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Paige did a great job for this being her first book! I wish we had gotten a little more world building before we jumped right into the story, but for the most part, it was simple enough to follow and learn about as we went. There were definitely some parts of the world that could have used more explanation, especially the Aurum VS Argentum powers.

The love interests had so many moments where I was kicking my feet and squealing (Paige how do you come up with these lines?????). I do think we could have used more character and relationship development though; I felt like one day they were strangers and the next they were dancing in the dark and trying not to kiss. I personally love to see the development and it plays a huge role for me, but that might also be a personal preference :)

Overall, I’m looking forward to the next book, and I can’t wait to see Paige’s author career take off!

[Morgan Harrington · Rating 5 out of 5]

First I want to say that I am so incredibly grateful for this ARC and the opportunity to support a debut author!! I will say that I am very impatiently waiting for the next as there are so many questions you are left with. I am also really hoping to return to some of the characters we meet early on like her dad and her best friend. This is a clean young adult romantasy but I promise the tension is still there!! I love when an MMC quite literally pines for his girl ((although I mean that epilogue ???)) and that’s really what you get with this. Not too heavy of a world building that I struggled to keep track but still was able to picture all the trials and the locations perfectly. Can’t wait for book two!!

Some pinned quotes for me 🤭:

“Whatever you say, little flame.” ((Love a cutie nickname)) and along those lines.. “I missed you, little silver flame.”

“After all, anything can be yours. If you’re brave enough to take it.”

[Bree Kiernan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was so excited to read this book. I have been following Paige for a while and after finding out I was apart of her ARC team I freaked out, I constantly checked my email to see if I received her book yet. When I did I instantly dove in and the high standards I set did not disappoint.

In this book you get to learn more about Lyra and grow stronger with her. As I read the book I cheered each time when Lyra demonstrated how much of a queen she is. Paige’s writing made the story feel enchanted and as I flipped pages I felt like I was in the story with Lyra.

As for the love interests, wow. I fell in love with almost 3 characters in one book. I couldn’t decide what team I was on which isn’t a common thing for me but it did happen.

Not many authors write side characters well enough for me to love them dearly especially not in their debut books, but Paige is an exception. I hated some characters but not because they were written poorly, because they were written so well and their mistakes and lies enraged me. Paige is a great writer and I will continue reading her books.

However there were a few parts where scenes seemed rushed or too slow. Either there wasn’t enough detail or there was too much. It is a very common thing so it didn’t take away from the book but I could definitely notice it.

Overall I strongly recommend this book and I hope everyone falls in love with it as much as I did.