Demi Winters continues to bless us with the The Ashen series and I'm so grateful!

Dawn of the North picks up right where we left off in Kingdom of Claw. Silla has a sliver of the God of Chaos inside her due to a bargain her mother made. While it makes her go cuckoo sometimes she's also trying to rally the Jarls to band together to take on Ivar. Saga has been "stolen" by Kass and isn't too happy about it! While it's obvious Kass is still head over heels for Saga and only wants to protect her he has to contend with his father's rule. The prince doesn't listen to Saga's warnings of Ivar and it comes to bite him in the ass eventually.

While I do adore Rey and Silla, I found myself racing through their POVs in order to get to Kass and Saga and to Hekla. I'm not sure if it was just that we have been with Rey and Silla for a while and we know them already and Kass, Saga and Hekla are new and shiny but I felt like Silla's God of Chaos storyline just dragged a bunch for me.

Kassander teaching Saga his language and helping her defeat her fear of the open sky was so good! Watching Saga grow so much into the leader she was born to be was heartwarming too, especially when she meets the clan north of the river. I also found Kass's beast entertaining as well and how Saga helps calm him, oof so good!

Hekla and Kritka and Eyvind and the whole gang had me glued to the pages as well. I loved how well Eyvind knew Hekla after such a short time and recognized the hesitancy and his part in her anger but also had already taken care of everything before ever approaching her again! And omg Kritka was such a laugh! His sass talking about the mating ritual and giving Hekla crap over her choice in Eyvind was hilarious! I hope he continues to be a part of this series. I do recommend reading the novella, Roots of Darkness, because honestly Hekla is one of the best characters in this series and you might be a little lost in Dawn of the North with bits that pertain to her and the mist if you don't read it.

Overall I really enjoyed Dawn of the North. While parts of it dragged for me the other parts more than made up for it. I can't wait to give this one a reread but with audio because Islay Jacobs absolutely kills this series! Thank you so much to Delacorte Press and to Demi Winters and her team for this eARC!

I remember reading this series when it was still indie and thinking to myself why isn't this being published traditionally! Good things come to those who wait! I can't get enough of this story! The story is so unique and new I love every minute of it!

I always love getting to read more from this world, and this time was no exception. I wasn’t sure how to feel with the addition of Saga’s POV early in Kingdom of Claw, but her storyline quickly became a favorite in Dawn of the North and I LOVE the Saga/Kass dynamic. Also, I just love Kass 😍 The casual “his Saga” comments when thinking of her make me punch the air, and he believes in her when she doesn’t even believe in herself. I will say 6 POV is a bit much at times, but I can’t even knock it a star for that because I GET it. I can’t even pick one I think deserves to be cut even if I hate reading from Jonas’s POV because I just KNOW something big is going to happen there. I DO like that his storyline is so much more than just checking the “it’s never the first love interest” box. I was actually surprised with the amount of Hekla we got in this book given she has her own novella, but it WORKS and I hope she allows herself to be happy with Eyvind eventually because it’s clear he’s not abandoning her. I Demi does it again 🙌🏻

I don’t know how Demi Winters does it, but Dawn of the North is better than the 2 1/2 books… and Kingdom of Claw was a masterpiece.

The multi POV was fantastic. Multiple POVs are usually hard to follow, but the 6 (plus?) viewpoints were well done. The character building was great- I didn’t think I could learn more about each character, but each one grew (or in one’s case became even more of a horrible person). The side characters were delightful. I truly think Kritka is one of my favorite fuzzy companions. The pacing was right on point with lots of action and twists. The ending of one major story arc left me completely satisfied, but oh that last line!! Book 4 immediately!!

I cannot even begin to express my gratitude to Delacorte Press and NetGalley for the gifted egalley. Thank you!!

How is each book so much better than the last?! I gave book 1, 5 stars and cannot believe I wish I could give this more than the infinity I gave book 2! The romance in this is the best yet, too. So much banter and chemistry.

If you love the series, make sure you dedicate a day off just to read. This is so important or you, like me, will be up until 4 am eyes wide open looking like a feral racoon.

why isn't this series complete already 😭😭😭😭

†***†*****†*******†


okay, I've processed a little. I am an Ashen Series stan. There I said it. I was FULLY prepared to go into this book and have it be "the slow one". I was prepared to give it a low star rating, that's just the facts.

What I wasn't prepared for was Saga and Kass. I wasn't prepared for winged friends or chittery squirrel shifters. This book just kept going. It's multi POV which sometimes bothers me but really kept the momentum. I did skip a POV, read ahead and then double back but it was 2 am and the action was actioning 🫦 I needed to see what happened! No judging, please.

I'm so excited for the conclusion, the build up was so good and the way everyone comes together at the end was perfection. I know there is a novella coming and I hope it's the spring maiden but no matter what it's going to be so good. I've honestly never been so enthralled by a series (not TOG, not even ACOTAR, def not CC).

I am so thankful to Demi, Delacorte and Netgalley for this scrumptious ARC. I attest that I am leaving my review voluntarily and honestly.

Thanks Netgalley and Demi Winters for the arc!

When I got this I didnt realize it was book 3 of the series. So naturally I had to go read the first two.

I was captivated! I love love love this world! Found family always tugs at my heart in the best way possible. Everyone should fall into this series as quickly as I did.

Winters' book is fabulously intricate, moving the people we have come to know across this world. A lesser author would let the reader get overwhelmed and just feed more and more plot to distract. But Winters' keeps the story moving through the characters, who with each book become both more complex and more known to us. The author also gorgeously manages the pace, moving the plot forward but giving the reader (and indeed the characters) time to adjust. This series just keeps getting stronger. Easily a best book of the year.

Amazing book loved the characters and plot. I couldn't stop reading I stayed up all night. I loved the book so much thank you for the arc.

I haven't read the first book in this series, so this one is a book I'll have to revisit in the future. I do like the premise, blurb, and cover design. Reading a few pages in made me realize this story has a previous storyline, and I need to check out book one.

I was lucky enough to get my hands on an ARC and enjoyed every minute of reading it.

The third book (fourth when counting Hekla’s novella) is split between multiple POVs. While this made the story start out a little slower since all the plot lines had to build up, it lead to epic climaxes when you get to see how all the storylines feed into each other.

The world is well built and the characters are very loveable. There is a special place in my heart for Saga and Kass.

I’d like to thank Demi Winters and Delacorte Press for the ARC. And a special shout out to Demi for giving us a recap at the beginning of the book, as well as a glossary of terms and pronunciation guide (though I’m still pronouncing everything wrong in my head!).

Highly recommend getting into this series if you haven’t already

4.75⭐️ rounded up.

Dawn of the North is an almost perfect instalment—rich, thrilling, and layered with just the right balance of action and emotion. With a broader cast of perspectives to follow, there’s a lot unfolding, yet the pacing never feels rushed or overwhelming. The narrative moves seamlessly between tender, quiet moments and bursts of gripping action, and even as battles grow in number and scale, they never overshadow the relationships and emotional beats that give the story its heart. Every plot thread feels purposeful, with new tensions and mysteries weaving naturally into the whole.

The characters are as captivating as ever, with dynamics that feel both authentic and deeply satisfying to watch develop. Some relationships in particular shine with warmth, humour, and a sense of earned connection, while others bristle with unresolved tension and shifting loyalties. It’s this blend of intimacy and uncertainty—whether in friendship, romance, or uneasy alliance—that keeps the emotional stakes as high as the physical ones. The world itself continues to impress, with political rivalries simmering alongside the threat of something far more ominous on the horizon. It’s the kind of epic that feels expansive without losing sight of the small, human moments that make it resonate.

If there’s one aspect that felt a little less compelling this time, it’s that some arcs lost a touch of the confidence and clarity they had in earlier books, veering into doubt or distraction. Yet even these moments serve to heighten anticipation for where the story might go next, setting the stage for conflicts—both personal and far-reaching—that promise to unfold in fascinating ways.

Overall, Dawn of the North is a masterful continuation of the saga: immersive, heartfelt, and brimming with both peril and possibility. It’s left me eager to see how the threads it’s set in motion will come together in what’s to come.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Ballantine for the ARC of Dawn of the North by Demi Winters.

For new readers, you definitely need to read the first 2 (preferably the 2.5 novella as well) before reading Dawn of the North, which is the third book in a series.

The book picks up about a week after the end of Kingdom of Claw, Saga is now held by Rurik in his homeland, and King Ivar is demanding her return and is preparing to attack for what he perceives as a potential assassination attempt on himself. Saga is emerging to the clans in the North as the lost princess and is consolidating power to take on King Ivar. Hekla and the Blood Axe Crew are hoping to gain troops to go back and fight the mist that is threatening the future of all. Signe, devastated by the loss of her daughter, has her own machinations in mind for revenge. And from here, the story kicks off.

I think this is the absolute best in the series so far and Winter has developed and expanded her story in so many interesting ways. We have perspectives from Silla, Saga, Hekla, Rey, Rurik, Signe, and another unexpected character who is definitely going to continue to make waves on the overall storyline. And, this story brings together large arcs for Silla and Saga, but it also helps close the loop from the first book with the mist and develops the story into the next layer for Silla and Saga to regain the throne.

SO much happens, and while the first part is a bit slow, once it hits about 32% it is all action after that, which is a bit of a change of pace from the first 2.5 books (in a good way -- parts of Kingdom of Claw were very slow). It's thrilling and exciting -- I could not put it down. Seriously, this series should be much higher ranked in fantasy/romantasy. It is a bit darker - the main characters do actively struggle and do not want to take on leadership in the way others expect - but I find it so refreshing and there is such character development and growth in this book that you finally start to see the ways they can lead and how they have learned to trust.

I loved the arcs for both Silla and Saga this story AND we got to return to Hekla and the rest of the Blood Axe Crew, which really added more dimension and helped round out the novella book and bring everything back together. I particularly enjoyed how both Silla and Saga use their weaknesses from the past two books as strengths, and the way they both grew more into themselves as regular people who are no longer forcibly isolated and their royal selves. I loved seeing Saga finally get to breathe and interact with others without fear or being boxed -- her strength was just so great to witness this book. I think her chapters were my favorite.

Both sisters also continued to develop their romantic relationships in really satisfying ways (though Silla's brief distrust of Rey did frustrate me a fair bit) -- I just loved both couples so much. Rurik really cements himself as top quality love interest in this one and being in his homeland helps to expand Winters' worldbuilding and the threat of King Ivar in a way that helps us see where the final two books may take us.

My only reason for removing a star is that I think there are times where Winters falls back on this feeling too Young Adult -- like, there is this great scene with Signe where she alludes to something she did in the past that says a lot about her character and it was perfect as is. But then, two paragraphs later, she cuts the allusion and just says the thing outright. Or the subplot with the potential traitor in Silla's midst seemed overly obvious and was a bit frustrating in its simplicity - especially for a young woman raised to be overly cautious and untrusting - which I think again hits at a slightly Young Adult mindset here and there. Or, there just seem to be moments where things have to be repeated or drawn out as if there is worry the reader isn't catching on -- the prose and the setting and the atmosphere are already taking care of all of this, so it just feels like it's trying to speak to someone younger who isn't catching nuance as well. I think at times it prevents the story from becoming more complex even though it is actively growing that way and deserves to grow that way.

I loved this edition to the Road of Bones series by Demi winters. Thank you net galley for this early copy! I cannot wait to see what will unfold next for saga and silla!

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTHsqp19PWcCt-OA7Ct/
5 stars⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
So I've read a couple quotes lately that have me thinking about our Ashen characters.
"Failure is learning in motion" and "Journey before desitnation."
I'm loving and (in some characters) hating their development and self awareness. I know life is much longer that an 12 week journey through the wilderness, but the life lessons of struggle and achievement when acknowledged and ingrained is wanted and needed in each person's journey through life.
This is why I read. In every book is a message to continue.
You got this. The only way to the end is through!
Demi's characters inspire strength in knowing who you are and what you can achieve.

I absolutely loved this book! So much so that I finished in one day. The author did an amazing job keeping the plot going without it getting boring which is something I really look for in books. The characters were unique and I became very invested in their journey. I will be recommending this book to all of my friends and family.

As always I absolutely loved it and devoured every single page!! I love her writing and how the story and characters interact with each other and the spice is amazing. Silla is my absolute favorite!!

I was completely absorbed by this 3rd installment and flew through it! An epic romantasy series with swoony romances and I can honestly say I like nearly every POV in the book which is rare (except Jonas’, I hate that guy)

Can’t wait for the next one!

4.25 stars

Thank you to Demi and team for the Advanced Reader Copy! I'm so grateful that you are willing to share this with us so far ahead of the release date.

Dawn of the North is (technically) the 4th book in the Ashen Series when accounting for the novella released just a few weeks ago. This is what I call a "chess pieces" book. Each of our major characters have had their individual journeys, and now the chess pieces are being moved into place to set us up for an "Act II"; being united in goal and purpose. Everyone getting caught up on information they have learned in their respective journeys. New characters being introduced while old characters still maintain their usefulness in the narrative and aren't sidelined. A defining moment for authors: can they keep the pieces together without things becoming "jumbled"?

Demi did an incredible job. She found a balance where the plot advanced in a way that didn't feel messy, even though we had about 6 POV characters across 3-4 locations at any given time. New elements were introduced in a way that didn't mess up existing world elements that she had built up to this point. We also avoided what I call the "MMC trap": once the male and female leads get together, he is only there to look good and worship her. Hopefully this continues, because I would really hate to see great characters shoved aside like that.

I'm excited for the next book! I can't wait to see how Demi progresses now that she has set up the chess pieces and we will move into Act II.

I absolutely LOVE this series and its characters. Demi Winters does romance and plot so brilliantly. Unfortunately this third book was probably my least favorite of the three. It had some pretty cool scenes peppered in and the romance of some of h favorite ships of course had their moments, I just wasn’t a fan of some of the POVs and the constant back and forth. Some of the subplot points felt a little rushed or convoluted imo. Overall though, I still love the series the characters and the way the novel concluded.