I love this series so much and thoroughly enjoyed this book just like 1, 2, and 2.5. I love Silla but Saga really shined in this one and her and Kass’ moments were my absolute favorite chapters. Saga’s growth also had me literally cheering for her.

I will say multiple POV books usually aren’t my favorite and we introduced some new POVs this book for a total of 6. While I did really like this book there were a few scenes that I felt would’ve been better from a different character’s point of view than the one that was chosen. Also, a few big scenes felt a tiny bit rushed compared to the build up they had.

Overall, still an incredible book and I really can’t wait for the next one to come out. This quickly became one of my favorite series and I think it’s 100% going to stay in my favorites.

This book? Perfection. In the last book I was tired of some of the POVs, but this time I loved every single one (except Jonas, I hate him even more.) I hated every time the POV switched because I wanted to know what happened next! I love the way the end of the book came together and the more I read of this series the more I think Demi is an absolute genius. All of the little details and call backs. I’m absolutely addicted!

So excited that I was able to read this ARC. Loved all the characters from previous books and all the new characters. Demi is amazing at creating real and complex characters and villains we love to hate. The amazingly strong and resilient females in this story make my heart sing. And cant wait to see how much more Havoc will do.
All the stars. This series is getting better and better
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

I enjoyed this latest installment (especially Kass and Saga’s bits) but found myself not quite loving it as much as the others, probably just because it was a bit more battle-heavy than yearning-heavy.

Thank you NetGalley and Delacorte for the advanced reader copy!

PERFECTION! All the stars. lok how Demi does it, but every addition to this series is better than the previous. I love this series so much. This is book 3 in the series-usually when it's a 5 book series, we expect some filler in the middle books.
We don't have that issue here! Every word has a purpose.
Every POV progresses the story and adds to the world. These characters are my favorite. The banter is bantering. The steam is scorching! The found family tugs at the heartstrings.
We get answers, while also getting set ups for books to come.
This doesn't release for 6 months yet; but you'll want to read it asap! If you haven't started this series yet, why not!? This is your sign.
Thank you Demi Winters and Delacorte press for an early reader copy!

Demi! You did it again! I absolutely love this series and everything about the world. Saga is my favorite, I just love the tension with Kass! Yum! Rey is my fave book hubby, gotta love a growly man. Thank you so much for this arc! I will review this on my Tok and Goodreads :)

No surprise, but Demi has done it again! We get multiple POVs in this book, and Demi did such an amazing job at keeping everything easy to follow and having you on the edge of your seat. We get to see Silla continue to grow into herself as Eisa but also seeing her stay true to herself (her love for chicks, her bond with Dawn, being down to earth, and my favorite apologizing to rocks😆) I loved how her and Reys relationship strengthened but also getting to see them flourish individually. Saga's growth throughout the book and seeing her get more confidence and strength is heart warming, plus her and Kass's relationship is just chefs' kiss. I absolutely love getting more Hekla and seeing her journey and growth. The banter from all the couples is amazing and had me either laughing or blushing. I did not see the ending coming at all and can't wait to see what Demi has planned for the rest of the series.

Thank you Demi and Delacorte Press for the eARC.

✦ 𝘝𝘪𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘺 𝘙𝘦𝘤 & 𝘙𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 ✦

Dawn of the North
By: Demi Winters

Book 3 ✦ The Ashen series ⚔
608 pages

Pub Date: Feb 03 2026
ARC: @netgalley

𝐸𝑝𝑖𝑐 𝑉𝑖𝑘𝑖𝑛𝑔-𝑖𝑛𝑠𝑝𝑖𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑓𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑠𝑦
𝑀𝑢𝑙𝑖𝑡-𝑃𝑂𝑉𝑠/𝑀𝑢𝑙𝑡𝑖𝑝𝑙𝑒 𝑟𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒𝑠
𝐵𝑎𝑡𝑡𝑙𝑒 𝑠𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑠/𝑊𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑 𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔
𝑀𝑒𝑑𝑑𝑙𝑒𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑑𝑎𝑟𝑘 𝑔𝑜𝑑
𝑀𝑦𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑐𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑝𝑜𝑖𝑠𝑜𝑛𝑜𝑢𝑠 𝑚𝑖𝑠𝑡
𝑆𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝐹𝑀𝐶𝑠/𝑀𝑀𝐶𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑓𝑎𝑙𝑙 ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑑
𝐶𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑜 𝑝𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑟𝑠

My most anticipated book of the year- and it did 𝑛𝑜𝑡 disappoint!

Worried about jumping into Book 3? Don’t be- there’s a helpful recap and a stunning map to guide you.

The prologue opens with Queen Signe’s heartbreaking grief over her daughter… and by the end, you’re reminded just how ruthless, manipulative, and cold-blooded she truly is: “𝘉𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘚𝘢𝘨𝘢 𝘝𝘰𝘭𝘴𝘪𝘬 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦. 𝘈𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦. 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘧𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘦𝘺𝘦𝘴.”

Silla and Rey - I’ve loved Silla since Road of Bones. Her growth has been incredible, and her strength in battling the dark god within her is inspiring. The romance with Rey is tender and swoon-worthy. I also adore the little morsels - her love for chicks, apologizing to rocks, her horse Dawn.

Saga and Kass - Saga comes into her own in this book, slowly healing from childhood trauma with Kass, a fiercely loyal wolf-shifter, by her side. His quiet devotion? Perfection.

Hekla and Eyvind - Their banter is pure gold. I couldn’t get enough of their push/pull dynamic. And Kritka, her bonded squirrel/wolf? Iconic.

Jonas - I was rooting for a redemption arc... but that hope might be fading. Still, I’m dying to see where his story goes in Book 4.

The ending? You’ll be desperate for the next installment. 🐉

✦ Thank you SO MUCH Demi Winters (@demiwinterswrites), Ballantine | Delacorte Press (@dellromance), and NetGalley for an early e-copy of this book.

You can find gorgeous character art from her website: https://demiwinters.com/dawn-of-the-north/

Absolutely incredible. Five stars.
First of all - I appreciate how Demi doesn’t give into the common “troupes” of Romantasy books. It’s refreshing and so much fun to read as you try and guess what is going to happen next.

This book does the series justice and the multiple POV’s was *chefs kiss* - I had such a great time reading this book and I can’t wait to see where this goes next.

Thank you to Demi Winters and Delacorte Press for the opportunity to read this book.

This book is a wonderful rollercoaster that I absolutely loved. Please read the preceding books before continuing with this review. No spoilers for Dawn of the North, but light spoilers for Road of Bones, Kingdom of Claw, and Roots of Darkness.

We follow Silla, Rey, Saga, Kass, and Hekla on their respective journeys. Silla and Rey navigate the politics of Kopa, trying to bring the Jarls to their cause. Saga, brought to a new land by Kass, feels more like an outsider than ever. Hekla feels more conflicted than ever with recent revelations.

So much I want to say! Demi is a master at crafting this story with multiple POVs, storylines, and locations. I felt connected to everyone and never wanted the story to end. I especially enjoyed Saga and Kass, their storyline had so much character growth. I was so happy for each of them and how they overcame their obstacles. Hekla continues to be one of my favorites along with a side character that brings the biggest smile to my face (See Roots of Darkness). My favorite lines from this book are from Hekla's particular storyline. The magic system continues to grow in unexpected ways. Biggest standouts for me are Saga, Kass, Hekla, and {redacted}.

The yearning, the character growth, the action, everything was what I look for in a romantasy. A must read for 2026.

This series is just so much fun! It continues to wow me and has quickly become one of my favorite fantasy series.

We rejoin Silla as she works to unite the Jarls of the North, all while Saga has been whisked away (kidnapped) to Zagadka (fantasy-Russia).

As a midpoint, which is always hard, Dawn of the North is a solid addition to the series.

There are fun twists and turns. Silla, Saga, and Rurik all have clear character arcs contained within. The world-building continues to be rich without overshadowing the character work.

I did find myself nostalgic for the fewer points of view of the first book. We're up to six in this one, and I ended up skimming most of Heckla's sections. I enjoy her character, but her scenes felt a lot less directly relevant to the plot.

Saga was the standout in this one. She's so unique and refreshing among her contemporaries in Romantasy. Her trauma and convictions are handled with care.

I eagerly await the next book.

ahhhhh!!!! This lived up to my expectations and delivered on so many things. I loved the branches of the story and the multiple POVS. I don't want to spoil anything, but I realllllllllly loved this. The ending was not even on my radar of expectations. I think that is another reason I love this series so much is because it does the unexpected, and it honestly had a lot of feel-good moments.

The writing was phenomenal as always and the storytelling superb. I felt like every character has such a distinct personality and story. I really can't wait to see where this goes in the next book.

absolutely in love with this series (and the characters).