😱 More than a 5 star read for me!

Thank you NetGalley, Ballantine and Delacorte Press for the ARC!

This was amazing! Demi Winters' writing is well done and the story is well paced. I love the world Demi continues to build as it keeps me sucked in!

Some books, the constant switch between POVs can be annoying as I want to just go back to certain story lines, but every POV we see isn't full of filler information that I don't care about... Even stupid Jonas. Demi has kept me invested in everyone's development and growth 3 books and 1700 pages deep!

Demi covered so much ground in this book and I loved that she didn't rush through it. There is a particular battle near the end of the book that I feel like other writers might have spent half the time on than was needed or spent twice as much! I feel like everything happened in a normal timeframe, not rushed to use pages on filler content.

At the close of the book, we have a some things resolved as well as things to look forward to. I really do like the direction the plot is taking as it makes sense without being crazy predictable.

There are so many quotes I want to share but I'll just say that Demi Winters handles feminine rage/growth so well and Chapter 66 had me screaming 😍

BURY ME WITH THESE BOOKS!!!! I am happy to report that the Ashen series remains ELITE. The crème de la crème of romantasy. Well written, well planned, and full of diverse, complex, compelling characters.

Allow me to convince you to read this book in one word: PEGASUS!

Oh, you need more than that? Good! I am happy to rant about why I love this book for hours:

The depth and authenticity of the characters is what makes the Ashen series shine so brightly.

Silla is a joy and the beating heart of this series. It is so refreshing to be wrapped in her optimism, warmth, and kindness. I love that Demi Winters has created a heroine that is both soft and strong. Reading her perspective feels like a warm hug even amid the turmoil.

Rey is perfect in his imperfection. He makes mistakes, but he learns from them. In my opinion, he is THE leading man. His humanity, insecurities, and growth make him far more interesting than a lot of the traditional Romantasy MMCs.

In Dawn of the North, we get to see some of the seeds Winters planted in book one come to fruition. It was exhilarating to see everything play out and know you can trust the author. She has a plan.

The romance made me absolutely giddy. Winters knows how to write longing. She knows how to write banter (Kass made me laugh out loud multiple times).

This book is my favorite in the series so far. How each one can be better than the last is dumbfounding. Winters is a powerhouse.

Could I nitpick about things that aren’t perfect or moments that felt too easy? Sure. But I don’t care to (and that is saying something coming from me!!!)

I just want to bask in the glory of it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for gifting me this ARC. I literally screamed in joy when it came in.

The above review has been posted on Goodreads and Fable. I promise to scream about them again at the end of January/early February because these books are my whole personality. I will also post about them on my own personal Instagram. I don’t have a huge following, but I do have lots of real life friends who listen to my book suggestions. I can’t thank you enough for allowing me to read this early.

I absolutely loved this book!!! All of the point of views were engaging and I would die for Saga and Kass. The book embodies female empowerment and uplifts sister and sisterly relationships. There is action, intrigue, betrayal, romance, mystery and even some humor thrown in. Truly is my favorite book of 2025. Demi’s writing is unparalleled in prose and purpose. While this book doesn’t wrap up the series, it doesn’t end on a nail biter of a cliff hanger. With that being said, I am still going to count down the days until the next book is out. Don’t sleep on this series!

The scream I SCRUMPT when I got the approval message for this. The only thing is I got this book 6 months early and now must wait in pain and suffering for the next instalment.
What can I say?
The plot? Expanding at a beautiful pace. You can really get a sense of where this series is going and how much the stakes have raised since the first book
The relationships? Immaculate—especially the sister bonding
Saga will forever be my bbg bc I love a tactical minded badass who everyone underestimates (except Kass of course)
But I mostly want to thank Demi Winters for getting me out of the WORST book slump in my life. A true people’s princess.
Honestly every book in this series has hit and there may be a few slumps for a few chapters but dang does everything tie together at the end for me

After the dramatic ending of Kingdom of Claw, I was looking forward to this continuation. I do recommend reading Roots of Darkness before this as there are some added plot-points and characters introduced in the novella (for anyone who doesn't always read the novellas and short stories in a series). There are more points of view, more action, more magic, some world-expansion, and even more romance in this jam-packed volume. Anyone who enjoyed the previous books of the series will likely find the series is just getting better with this addition. This series is proving to be a solid fantasy that I'm looking forward to continuing.
I received access to this eARC thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, Ballantine - Delacorte Press) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.

Going into this book I was a bit nervous because I find that a lot of 3rd books in long series tend to drag or struggle to maintain the magic of the first two. Thankfully, I didn’t find that to be a problem with Dawn of the North. Demi Winters managed to not only maintain the momentum of the first two books, she somehow managed to make this book feel bigger and better than what came before. The characters all got fleshed out more and the loose ends from books 1 and 2 were tied up in a satisfying way. I can’t believe there are two more books in this series, I feel like we’ve been spoiled already! The prose, the storytelling, the characters, all of it is just incredible in this book. I should have known not to doubt Winters’ ability to make me laugh, cry, and squeal! Absolutely loved this book!

Oh Demi, you had me hooked from book one but now you hold me and my soul in a chokehold. Book three blew me away and I can't tell everyone how much I've fallen in love with this story she tells in these books, and how deeply I hold the characters in my heart!

This book was so much fun and felt less like a filler book, and more of a book that is slowly starting to answer the questions that all the readers are dying to ask! I cannot wait for everyone to get their hands on this book, you're going to love it!

Thank you NetGalley for an eARC!

I’ve been hooked on this series ever since I stumbled across The Road of Broken Bones. After Kingdom of Claw, the wait for book three felt endless—but it was so worth it. The characters are brilliantly developed, the world and lore are rich and immersive, and Demi Winters continues to prove she’s a phenomenal storyteller. I can’t recommend this series highly enough!

Another great installment in the epic Ashen series! Demi Winters brings back all the characters we know and love, mixing in newer elements in just the right way to keep things interesting without going overboard. I love how complex and fierce her female characters are and how daring she is to write flawed but still somehow endearing male characters. Unsung animal hero Kritka also delivers some of the best lines in the entire book. There's just the right balance of progress, resolution, and residual turmoil at the end, leaving me wishing I could move right on to the next book!!

Thank you, NetGalley and Demi Winters, for the ARC 🙂

I’ve adored this series ever since I serendipitously stumbled upon The Road of Broken Bones. After Kingdom of Claw, the wait for book three was brutal—but absolutely worth it. The characters are deeply developed, the world and lore are rich and immersive, and I honestly think Demi Winters is a phenomenal author creating phenomenal works of fiction. I can’t recommend this series enough!

For mature fantasy readers. Great storytelling and beautifully written . Great world building and love the characters. Full of strength and spunk like Jonas 💖

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC for an honest review!

Whilst I guessed each twist/where the storyline was going to go, this book was such a fun read! I really enjoyed how each of the characters progressed, although I did feel that Saga's storyline was quite rushed. Yet, I enjoyed her perspective the most as Silla's storyline, unfortunately, felt quite repetitive and I felt less enjoyment and engagement with her character. It picked up near the end of the book and I am excited to read the next book nevertheless.

3.5⭐️

I was pretty torn on this one for the first 60% of the book. Silla’s storyline was the biggest struggle for me. It felt repetitive and lacked forward momentum. Her constant insecurities and the overuse of the miscommunication trope made her chapters drag, and while I understand her struggles were meant to show her backsliding, the repetition of her internal battle with Myrkur just made her come across as whiny. It was a disappointment because I really love Rey, but Silla’s storyline ended up being my least favorite.

On the other hand, while Silla’s story felt too slow, Saga’s felt too rushed. A lot happens in her chapters, and while it was exciting and very different from what the earlier books have been, I wish it had been given more build-up. Hekla’s POV fell somewhere in the middle, also heavy with miscommunication and dragging in places. Her chapters felt somewhat separate from the rest of the book. It felt like I was just re-reading the novella, I don’t know why but it had that feel to it.

The last 30% of the book was easily the strongest, and I enjoyed it far more once everything started to click. All the storylines did come together well in the end but it took too long to get there. Overall, I did love the story, but I think I would’ve enjoyed it more if the pacing had been better balanced and the storylines more cohesive and less repetitive.

I know I mostly wrote about the negatives because all that I mentioned above really bugged me…However! The good parts were really good and it was great to be back in the Ashen world. I will definitely continue the series….whenever the next one comes out.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for the ARC

At first the multiple POV annoyed me but I loved the ending. There was so much growth especially with saga I loved it. I would’ve loved to have moved of her POV but i’m sure it will come in the next book. Excited to see what happens next.

I absolutely loved the third installment of the Road of Bones Series, it was great to hear more of Sagas story as well as an introduction to new characters. On w for my favorite romantasy series. Thank you Demi Winters and NetGalley!!!

I was so excited to receive an ARC for this book, as the first two were some of my favorite reads of last year. I loved diving back into this series! (Especially when we get a summary of previous events - that is SO helpful!)

Demi has managed to flesh out such an interesting world here, and it’s ever expanding. In Dawn of the North, we get to see a new culture in Zagadka and the care and research involved in developing the languages, the dress, and the customs is apparent. Not to mention how much I absolutely ATE UP every scene with Saga and Kass. I couldn’t wait to get back to their chapters.

That doesn’t mean the rest of the characters weren’t enjoyable, though. I was so pleased to see we got more of Hekla’s POV after Roots of Darkness. I wanted to be annoyed with Jonas’s POV because of him as a person, but his insight into what the villains were up to was interesting and didn’t hinder the pacing at all.

While the book started off a little slow, I think it was necessary for the world building and character development. A 5 book series doesn’t need to be fast paced action all the time, and it was clear that Dawn of the North is setting up the overarching plot of the multi-book series. Some of the sisterly moments in this book made me tear up, and the men are constantly raising the bar for MMCs in the genre. After THAT epilogue, I cannot wait to see what happens next!

Micro-tropes:
- public declarations of ownership 😮‍💨
- Limbs aching in each others absence
- “I wrote you 365 letter…. I wrote you every day for a year” energy.
- the MMCs defer to their women
- Animals sidekicks giving main character energy
- Sharp-tongued queens and their soft warriors who never stood a chance.

Stunned as always by the level of depth and commitment to each one of these books. The characters continue to show more depth, the plot gets twistier and more complex, and the unhinged nature of territorial men is living rent free in my head. I cried at least half a dozen times, I laughed more than triple that, and kicked my feet like a teenage girl who’s been swooned by her crush. This was, yet again, another sensation addition to the Ashen series, and by far one of the best Romantasy authors in the game!

PS: Demi, don’t think I don’t see you laughing maniacally in the corner when I flip my page to a particular character who doesn’t deserve the microphone. But it’s fine. I guess. But I’m watching you.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! I kid you not, the minute I saw this arc listed I applied and prayed I’d get it-and I really hope I can get the next arc as well, because the wait will kill me because this was phenomenal.

Another absolute masterpiece by Demi! I love love love this series. It’s just so well written, well thought-out, and it doesn’t follow any typical plot that current new fantasies all seem to have. I can’t even imagine the amount of research that’s gone into writing an Icelandic/Norse inspired series, but I highly appreciate it and Nordic fantasies are my favorite lately because of this series. I fear I can’t even write an appropriate review for this book because I don’t even know what aspect to highlight-the whole book was just so enjoyable. I really found myself immersed in the world, fully picturing everything while I read, and it’s been a long time since I’ve stayed up late to keep reading (I exist in a perpetual state of sleepiness!) The character development was remarkable, and I was never disappointed to go to the next page and see a different POV. We’ve all had those books where the POV changes and you groan when it happens, just waiting to get back to the other character. Not to mention, all of the struggles characters faced were very legitimate and relatable, while not feeling like it dragged out forever. It truly exceeded all my expectations.

Also-why don’t more books put a recap in the beginning and a glossary in the back? I LOVE that!!

What another fantastic addition to the Ashen series. Demi consistently delivers characters who are fully fleshed out with their own idiosyncrasies, fears, hopes and driving inner voice. With at least nine different points of view being told, this was not only desired but was a necessity or else the narrative would have become horribly muddled.

While I am not admittedly a huge fan of storytelling done through the lens of so many different characters, I admit that Demi does it well. Every time we shifted perspectives, there was a fresh story being told, nothing reheated or rehashed.

To look into the minds of the villains especially proved that I could relate to them on a deeper level. Often villains are constructed in clear cut and flat lines but not here. Their suffering and circumstances allowed me to uncover the impetus for their actions. While their eventual decisions were hard to reckon with, their human emotions echoed within me and I could see why they chose a darker if not misguided path.

I said this in my review of book two but it remains a solid truth that the strength of this series lies with the character development seen in Saga and Silla.

After growing up amongst the Urkans who slaughtered her family, Saga still continues to live with a debilitating fear of being outdoors; naturally so as she’s been kept a prisoner her entire life. With baby steps and sometimes quite literally giant leaps, she smashes through those fears. Saga also tapped in to her natural ability to lead and gained so much confidence in simply putting herself out there. Some of her decisions based on this growing confidence are absolutely pivotal to the direction the plot is headed.

Silla also had her own struggles to reckon with. Being newly thrust into a leadership position, Silla felt she had to fit into a mold that others expected of her. She learned to be herself honestly and unflinchingly before others. The reader sees her gain strength and confidence at leading as well which were quite unnatural for her at first. I can’t reveal further about her growth without spoiling anything but I was deeply impressed with her resolve and the woman she is becoming.

There are several truly sweet, long awaited touching moments in the book that will have you fist pumping the air and tears streaming so you might want to have some tissues on hand.

On a different note, Demi continues to set the scene of this world well, showing how different Zagadka is culturally and religiously than the Urkan society. This world she has constructed feels tangible. I can see it in my mind’s eye, playing out like a movie.

Her descriptions are appropriate for the cities her characters inhabit. Zagadkan people wear different clothes and speak a different language. Even the cities are structured differently. Great details go into these separate nationalities such as the type of foods they enjoy. The lore and belief systems are altogether different as well.

My main criticism of Dawn of the North is that it is simply too long. The first 30-40 percent of the book dragged as it felt like a discussion of more day to day types of trivial matters rather than anything of importance but when the action started, the story truly propelled itself never letting go all the way to the end.

Thank you to Delacorte Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Winters has done it again! It is so hard (and honestly rare) for an author to keep getting better in each book in a series. They normally go downhill after the first one but she keeps improving!

I don’t normally enjoy a 3rd person POV but I enjoyed how this one was done based almost on each of the different places. It made it a lot easier to follow who was being talked about.

Saga and Kass were my favorite storyline to follow. They had everything I wanted! I would say this book is not as action packed as the first two books, but it felt like each storyline was really important to the overall plot.

Thank you to Net Galley for this arc!