Daughters of Awen

A Battle of Gods and Kingdoms (Rise of the Summer God Book 1)

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Pub Date 10 Apr 2021 | Archive Date 11 Aug 2022

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Description

When a sister and brother are trapped on opposite sides of a war for the throne, will blood prevail over honor?

For eons untold, three gods have ruled the sky of Cendoria, battling for the adulation of the populace. Over time, their influence has ebbed and flowed, their circle never complete, but now will come the Summer God. The scales will be tipped. The world unbalanced.

The arrival of Duke Norstum and death of the Keng's beloved ruler upend Aldera and Kylem's quiet world. Torn from her home, exiled, Aldera must forget her old life and ways, and learn to harness the power of the Raven Goddess. Kylem, left behind in the Keng, takes a different path. One that embraces the machinations of Duke Norstum and pits the siblings against each other as the world shudders with the burgeoning struggle for power.

Daughters of Awen is an Epic Fantasy novel rife with magic, deceit, greed, betrayal and honor. If you enjoy delving into a world of valor and intrigue, you'll love Hanford's first installation in her Rise of the Summer God Series. Pick up your copy of Daughters of Awen today to start the adventure.

Daughters of Awen is part of the Rise of the Summer God Series by Summer H Hanford and is volume one of six.

When a sister and brother are trapped on opposite sides of a war for the throne, will blood prevail over honor?

For eons untold, three gods have ruled the sky of Cendoria, battling for the adulation...


Advance Praise

"Caryl Kane

5.0 out of 5 stars Riveting Fantasy!

Reviewed in the United States on December 12, 2021

Verified Purchase

Hanford has crafted an engaging drama filled with betrayal and intrigue. The twists and turns will keep you turning the pages. I read this novel in one sitting.


Recommend to readers fantasy readers.

Kindle Customer

5.0 out of 5 stars It entertained me

Reviewed in the United States on June 8, 2022

Verified Purchase

This series has held my interest enough I bought all three and hope she writes a fourth!"

"Caryl Kane

5.0 out of 5 stars Riveting Fantasy!

Reviewed in the United States on December 12, 2021

Verified Purchase

Hanford has crafted an engaging drama filled with betrayal and intrigue. The twists...


Available Editions

ISBN 9798471587908
PRICE $0.99 (USD)

Available on NetGalley

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Average rating from 13 members


Featured Reviews

I have been in need of a good fantasy book, and boy did Summer Hanford deliver! Daughters of Awen is the first book in the Rise of the Summer God series. I thought this was a great first book that had all the elements I look for in a series starter. It establishes the world, the conflict and leaves you wanting to continue the story!
The dual point of view lets you follow the story from two sides of an oncoming war with a brother and sister, separated as children, as the narrators. The magic is light and flows naturally with the story, and one of the things i really loved in this book was the magic and religion lore.
I would definitely recommend this book to any fantasy lover!

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This book was wonderful. Told from alternating perspectives, Daughter of Awen follows Aldera and Kylem - siblings who find themselves on opposing sides of a war for control of Cendoria (the kingdom). Below are the two things I loved the most

1. Aldera and Kylem are raised believing different version of how the gods created Cendoria. The description of each sibling trying to determine what's true versus false is really compelling and I found myself going back and forth on what version of events was the right one. I ended of leaning one way but I think it's a testament to the authors writing style that she's able to keep you guessing.

2. There are hints of romance but the romance isn't the only plot and the MC doesn't immediately fall in love, which I found refreshing and more realistic. I would say this is a book about adventure and the journey of two siblings where there MCs might or might not find love at the end.

If you enjoyed the Kingless Crown by Sarah M. Cradit I believe you will also enjoy this book.

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Super excited and intrigued by the description! I left the premises and the world of the story; the world-building and creation were done very well. I'm usually wary of sibling rivalry stories but I think this was done pretty well. Definitely recommend for fantasy readers!

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I really enjoyed Daughters of Awen. The characters were interesting and I loved the magic system. The relationship between Aldera and Kylem. I will definitely reading more from Summer H Hanford in the future.

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This is a nice and easy read. I have to say, after enjoying a book so much, arriving at the end and having no ending was a bit of a letdown. I’ve never before read a series that didn’t at least have some sort of conclusions before moving on to the next book. This book stops absolutely dead in its’ tracks. Aside from that bizarreness, I enjoyed this book. Even though I received a review copy, I will actually continue to read on through the series on my own. It’s fantasy without pretension. There’s also a really deplorable villain and it’s always nice when there’s a truly thorny antagonist., The book moves easily as each chapter switches back from sibling’s story to the others. As both siblings are on opposite sides, you see both sides of the fight as they occur. It could’ve been a 5 star book if it hadn’t been for the sharp ending drop off.


This review was made possible thanks to a review copy provided by the publisher.

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As someone who reads quite a few ARCs, I know to go into the reading with my expectations realistic and sometimes maybe even blunted. But let me tell you...this is the best ARC book I have ever been allowed the opportunity to read!

The characters are well developed and distinct. And not just the main characters! Some of my favorite scenes involved non-POV characters being observed by a POV character, letting the reader learn about those characters through their actions and mannerisms. This is the definition of Show Not Tell, which is a lovely surprise to see executed so well.

There are so many good things I could say about this book so let me list them off in rapid fire:
- The main characters have POV chapters from different points in their life. The writing style stays consistent, but the chapters that feature the characters at younger ages actually feel younger.
- The characters are not infallible. They make mistakes and have weaknesses, Kylem in particular can be a frustrating character, but he is well written and realistic.
- The world building is detailed, but not overwhelming. It almost feels like soft world building, but with more intricacies.
- There are romantic relationships, but they are interesting, layered, and realistic.

In short, if you like fantasy stories and political intrigue, you should definitely pick this up!

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

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A brother and sister separated by an evil greedy power hungry man. Without their knowing it, they are fighting against each other. This mythical adventure was one that I never thought I would be captivated by it. It was exciting, intriguing, and well written, with the right amount of magical wording which kept you glued to its pages.

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What an amazing intro into a medieval society with magic and secrets.
I was immediately enthralled with the characters and problems they faced.
Interesting mix of power struggle, and social rules.

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Thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for the opportunity to read this eARC.

I don't understand how this book isn't more popular. I couldn't put it down! The story is told through a dual storyline of a sister (Aldera) and brother (Kylem) who find themselves on opposite sides of a brewing war.

The world-building is interesting and exciting. Tales about the four gods, how the various groups view their roles, and the evil/good spectrum of the gods were fascinating, and I liked how the gods' stories were woven into the storyline.

At the age of eleven, Aldera joins the raven women from whence her mother came. I enjoyed learning about them, their rituals, and their magic. One ritual made me squeamish because it's difficult to determine if it was non-consensual, but it was vague.

Overall, it's a great first book in the series, and I plan to pick up the second one. The only reason I took off one star is that there's no ending. It just stops at the end of a chapter, which felt jarring. However, based on the sneak peek at the next book, it looks like it picks up right where it ended.

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