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esmayrosalyne 's review for:
The Forgotten Dawn
by Laura A. Blake
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Hooooly smokes friends, The Forgotten Dawn had absolutely zero business shattering my heart and leaving me with such a brutal book hangover, but here we are. Brimming with riveting intrigue, sizzling tension, high-stakes action and soul-stirring emotion, this first instalment in The Shattered Sky Saga is one hell of an unforgettable journey that will keep you turning the pages from dusk till dawn.
Now, I am going to have to start this review off with a little disclaimer. See, not only did I have the absolute privilege and honour to read (almost) every single draft of The Forgotten Dawn as Laura is one of my best bookish friends, but this book is also dedicated to me (someone PINCH ME please). Does that make me biased? Probably, but I can honestly say that this book is just everything I love in epic fantasy romance, executed to perfection.
Okay, with that out of the way, let’s get to the gushing! You know those books that just make you completely forget time exists? That are so immersive that you feel like you are living and breathing the story yourself? That get you so deeply invested that you feel physically, mentally and emotionally unwell because of all the wicked twists and turns? Well, that is The Forgotten Dawn in a nutshell for you.
Through the eyes of our wonderfully relatable FMC Brida, we are drawn into the deceptively alluring city of Azmeer, the meeting place of the four Fae Courts. She is dead-set on finding a cure for her dying father, so armed with nothing but her sharp wits, strong ambition and crippling anxiety, she lies herself into the dangerous Fae Trials with the foolish hope of securing a place in one of the Courts to gain their coveted knowledge and magic. But as she gets caught in the webs of wonder, deception, mystery and desire, she soon starts to realise that she might find things much more valuable than just a cure for her dad; she finds a place where she belongs, a found family to die for, and a forbidden love that sets her heart and soul aflame.
From the very first page, Brida’s intimately vulnerable first person narration had me completely enthralled, and I just felt all her feels so deeply; her overwhelming anxiety, her worry for her father, her grief over her deceased mother, her love for her friends, her awe at all the magical marvels, and, of course, her inexplicable yet irresistible attraction to the wickedly handsome Fae men vying for her attention. I mean, if you thought you were done with love triangles, you better think again; this is the type of emotional turmoil that I live for!!
Now, I was absolutely 100% Team Dainan from the second this broody, mysterious Prince of Shadows graced us with his presence on the page. I mean, he isn’t just a shadow daddy, he is a BOOKISH shadow daddy… and he can COOK! Their deliciously dangerous slow-burn dynamic had me in an absolute chokehold, and all the tension, yearning and risky banter had me kicking my feet in giddy delight the entire way through.
But it’s not just the romantic elements that give The Forgotten Dawn so much heart, it’s all the beautifully complex and heartfelt relationships that lie at the core of this narrative. Every character, from the most loveable goofballs to the most morally grey enigmas, leap off the page with personality, and I am not exaggerating when I say that this story has the best found family since The Inner Court at Velaris. I mean, the almost sibling-like bond between Brida and her childhood best friend Kadian is pure gold, we need more of these strong platonic relationships in our stories! And then add to that my feisty half-Fae/half-Nymph girl Lil, the dynamic duo of the Fae Kadem twins, and the ever gallant Prince Alvar; they are such a fun and diverse bunch (be that in personality, race, cultural background, or sexuality), and I absolutely ate up all the light-hearted banter and unwavering support between them all.
And the best thing? All that exquisite character work doesn’t come at the expense of a gripping plot and solid world building. No plot hole galore, no flimsy fantasy world building that is little more than pretty window dressing; this world is complex, it’s rich, and it is brimming with mystifying mysteries, deadly secrets, intricate schemes, and ancient powers that are just waiting to be uncovered. The way that Blake brought these four different Courts, each with their own distinguishing (physical) traits, values and beliefs, unique magical affinities, and their own conflicting versions of history, to life at the Center Court in Azmeer through all her vivid, sensory descriptions had me so deeply immersed, and I loved how she managed to make this world feel so vastly epic despite the intimate setting of this story.
Moreover, Blake is just a master at knowing exactly when to trickle in just the right bit of foreshadowing and drop the next tantalising breadcrumb or shocking reveal, which is exactly what creates that utterly addictive ‘just one more chapter’ quality that had me burning through the pages. And then that ending… ooooh boy, talk about some jaw-dropping revelations and diabolical twists and turns. I mean, plot armour? We don’t know her… helloooo emotional destruction. Where is book 2? It’s not a want, it’s a primal need.
Forget ACOTAR, forget Throne of Glass, forget Fourth Wing, The Forgotten Dawn just single-handedly raised the bar for what epic fantasy romance can and should be, and I absolutely can’t wait to see what Blake has in store for the rest of The Shattered Sky Saga. Whether you come for the intricate world building, the cutthroat intrigue and action, the powerful friendships or the electrifying sloooow-burn romance, this story will deliver it all in spades and leave you desperate for more in the best way possible. I am calling it now, Laura A. Blake is going to be an author to watch, so don’t miss out.
Thank you to the author for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The Forgotten Dawn is scheduled for release on June 5th, 2025.
Now, I am going to have to start this review off with a little disclaimer. See, not only did I have the absolute privilege and honour to read (almost) every single draft of The Forgotten Dawn as Laura is one of my best bookish friends, but this book is also dedicated to me (someone PINCH ME please). Does that make me biased? Probably, but I can honestly say that this book is just everything I love in epic fantasy romance, executed to perfection.
Okay, with that out of the way, let’s get to the gushing! You know those books that just make you completely forget time exists? That are so immersive that you feel like you are living and breathing the story yourself? That get you so deeply invested that you feel physically, mentally and emotionally unwell because of all the wicked twists and turns? Well, that is The Forgotten Dawn in a nutshell for you.
Through the eyes of our wonderfully relatable FMC Brida, we are drawn into the deceptively alluring city of Azmeer, the meeting place of the four Fae Courts. She is dead-set on finding a cure for her dying father, so armed with nothing but her sharp wits, strong ambition and crippling anxiety, she lies herself into the dangerous Fae Trials with the foolish hope of securing a place in one of the Courts to gain their coveted knowledge and magic. But as she gets caught in the webs of wonder, deception, mystery and desire, she soon starts to realise that she might find things much more valuable than just a cure for her dad; she finds a place where she belongs, a found family to die for, and a forbidden love that sets her heart and soul aflame.
From the very first page, Brida’s intimately vulnerable first person narration had me completely enthralled, and I just felt all her feels so deeply; her overwhelming anxiety, her worry for her father, her grief over her deceased mother, her love for her friends, her awe at all the magical marvels, and, of course, her inexplicable yet irresistible attraction to the wickedly handsome Fae men vying for her attention. I mean, if you thought you were done with love triangles, you better think again; this is the type of emotional turmoil that I live for!!
Now, I was absolutely 100% Team Dainan from the second this broody, mysterious Prince of Shadows graced us with his presence on the page. I mean, he isn’t just a shadow daddy, he is a BOOKISH shadow daddy… and he can COOK! Their deliciously dangerous slow-burn dynamic had me in an absolute chokehold, and all the tension, yearning and risky banter had me kicking my feet in giddy delight the entire way through.
But it’s not just the romantic elements that give The Forgotten Dawn so much heart, it’s all the beautifully complex and heartfelt relationships that lie at the core of this narrative. Every character, from the most loveable goofballs to the most morally grey enigmas, leap off the page with personality, and I am not exaggerating when I say that this story has the best found family since The Inner Court at Velaris. I mean, the almost sibling-like bond between Brida and her childhood best friend Kadian is pure gold, we need more of these strong platonic relationships in our stories! And then add to that my feisty half-Fae/half-Nymph girl Lil, the dynamic duo of the Fae Kadem twins, and the ever gallant Prince Alvar; they are such a fun and diverse bunch (be that in personality, race, cultural background, or sexuality), and I absolutely ate up all the light-hearted banter and unwavering support between them all.
And the best thing? All that exquisite character work doesn’t come at the expense of a gripping plot and solid world building. No plot hole galore, no flimsy fantasy world building that is little more than pretty window dressing; this world is complex, it’s rich, and it is brimming with mystifying mysteries, deadly secrets, intricate schemes, and ancient powers that are just waiting to be uncovered. The way that Blake brought these four different Courts, each with their own distinguishing (physical) traits, values and beliefs, unique magical affinities, and their own conflicting versions of history, to life at the Center Court in Azmeer through all her vivid, sensory descriptions had me so deeply immersed, and I loved how she managed to make this world feel so vastly epic despite the intimate setting of this story.
Moreover, Blake is just a master at knowing exactly when to trickle in just the right bit of foreshadowing and drop the next tantalising breadcrumb or shocking reveal, which is exactly what creates that utterly addictive ‘just one more chapter’ quality that had me burning through the pages. And then that ending… ooooh boy, talk about some jaw-dropping revelations and diabolical twists and turns. I mean, plot armour? We don’t know her… helloooo emotional destruction. Where is book 2? It’s not a want, it’s a primal need.
Forget ACOTAR, forget Throne of Glass, forget Fourth Wing, The Forgotten Dawn just single-handedly raised the bar for what epic fantasy romance can and should be, and I absolutely can’t wait to see what Blake has in store for the rest of The Shattered Sky Saga. Whether you come for the intricate world building, the cutthroat intrigue and action, the powerful friendships or the electrifying sloooow-burn romance, this story will deliver it all in spades and leave you desperate for more in the best way possible. I am calling it now, Laura A. Blake is going to be an author to watch, so don’t miss out.
Thank you to the author for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The Forgotten Dawn is scheduled for release on June 5th, 2025.