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Splitting Dawn
Envied by Her Enemies, Loathed by Her Loved Ones, Frantically Seeking Freedom for Herself...
A Reluctant Royal...
Princess Kierra never wanted to rule. Inheriting a doomed kingdom besieged by Demons holds no charm for her. Nor does the arranged marriage her mother has set in place to shackle her to the throne. All she longs for is freedom... and something she's forgotten that waits beyond the safety of the castle walls.
Enemies, or Lovers?
Running away from home on the eve of her wedding feels like the best decision Kierra has ever made. Until she lands in Demon King Draco's all-too-eager arms. The hated nemesis of her people, and reason behind the death of so many loved ones, awakens something dark in Kierra's mind, heart, and soul. Is she who she thinks she is? Is he truly her enemy at all?
Salvation, or Damnation?
In the midst of a world veiled by secrets and deceit, Kierra must navigate between Humans, Demons, Vampire-Elves, Oracles, and even gods and goddesses, if she is to survive. When all roads lead home in the end, though, she is forced to face the one decision she dreads most:
Which path will save her? And does she even want to be saved?
A Reluctant Royal...
Princess Kierra never wanted to rule. Inheriting a doomed kingdom besieged by Demons holds no charm for her. Nor does the arranged marriage her mother has set in place to shackle her to the throne. All she longs for is freedom... and something she's forgotten that waits beyond the safety of the castle walls.
Enemies, or Lovers?
Running away from home on the eve of her wedding feels like the best decision Kierra has ever made. Until she lands in Demon King Draco's all-too-eager arms. The hated nemesis of her people, and reason behind the death of so many loved ones, awakens something dark in Kierra's mind, heart, and soul. Is she who she thinks she is? Is he truly her enemy at all?
Salvation, or Damnation?
In the midst of a world veiled by secrets and deceit, Kierra must navigate between Humans, Demons, Vampire-Elves, Oracles, and even gods and goddesses, if she is to survive. When all roads lead home in the end, though, she is forced to face the one decision she dreads most:
Which path will save her? And does she even want to be saved?
232 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 14, 2023
1 person is currently reading
16 people want to read
About the author
Katherine D. Graham
19 books573 followersMy name is Katherine D. Graham, and I am a USA Today Bestselling fantasy author, developmental editor, and Reedsy Reviewer.
My debut indie Epic Fantasy novel, The Vow That Twisted Fate, is an Amazon bestselling New Adult Fantasy and Occult Fiction novel, a Fantasy finalist in the 2021 Next Generation Indie Book Awards, and a five-star IndieReader-approved novel.
In October 2022, the first full-length volume in my Splitting Worlds series (Splitting Dawn) was included in the "Realm of Darkness" box set, which made the USAToday Bestseller list.
Looking around my Goodreads, you may see a couple of older books that I wrote back in college which are now unpublished. I leave those books here and continue under this pen name purposefully.
Even as I now write 4/5-star books, these older books remind me of where I started. I hope my journey encourages others that everyone has the potential to grow if you just keep trying.
As a reviewer, all of my reviews are spoiler-free and honest. They are based on the Reedsy rating scale, which is:
1-Star: Skip It
2-Star: Not For Me
3-Star: Worth Reading
4-Star Loved It
5-Star: Must-Read
I am happily married to my high-school sweetheart and Hero. We have two awesome sons and three adorable fur-daughters.
I love reading, writing, swimming, traveling, grilling out, and playing video games. Japan is my happy place.
My debut indie Epic Fantasy novel, The Vow That Twisted Fate, is an Amazon bestselling New Adult Fantasy and Occult Fiction novel, a Fantasy finalist in the 2021 Next Generation Indie Book Awards, and a five-star IndieReader-approved novel.
In October 2022, the first full-length volume in my Splitting Worlds series (Splitting Dawn) was included in the "Realm of Darkness" box set, which made the USAToday Bestseller list.
Looking around my Goodreads, you may see a couple of older books that I wrote back in college which are now unpublished. I leave those books here and continue under this pen name purposefully.
Even as I now write 4/5-star books, these older books remind me of where I started. I hope my journey encourages others that everyone has the potential to grow if you just keep trying.
As a reviewer, all of my reviews are spoiler-free and honest. They are based on the Reedsy rating scale, which is:
1-Star: Skip It
2-Star: Not For Me
3-Star: Worth Reading
4-Star Loved It
5-Star: Must-Read
I am happily married to my high-school sweetheart and Hero. We have two awesome sons and three adorable fur-daughters.
I love reading, writing, swimming, traveling, grilling out, and playing video games. Japan is my happy place.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 24, 2023
I was given an ARC copy of Splitting Dawn by the author Katherine D. Graham.
Kierra is told she is to marry César (a skilled elite) she is none too pleased and sets about finding a way out of the marriage.
She finds escape in the form of the Demon Kind Draco. Or does she?
With Lunev, César, Touma, her mother and whole armies after her Kierra is left wondering what will happen next.
——————
Upon first glance, Kierra is a strong badass woman. And she is! I fell in love with her from the first page. She is unlike any other female heroine Katherine has written before.
While the first chapter or so seems a little slow it picks up the pace very quickly and it doesn’t stop once.
The plot twists come out of nowhere and are mind-blowing.
The ending is so beautiful. I had to hold back tears (my advice. Don’t finish reading this while out in public)
I love the appearances and mentions of characters in the Splitting Dawn Novellas. I was taken by surprise and it was wonderful to see them again.
Katherine has written another wonderful story and I am excited to see the next step in the Splitting Worlds Series.
Kierra is told she is to marry César (a skilled elite) she is none too pleased and sets about finding a way out of the marriage.
She finds escape in the form of the Demon Kind Draco. Or does she?
With Lunev, César, Touma, her mother and whole armies after her Kierra is left wondering what will happen next.
——————
Upon first glance, Kierra is a strong badass woman. And she is! I fell in love with her from the first page. She is unlike any other female heroine Katherine has written before.
While the first chapter or so seems a little slow it picks up the pace very quickly and it doesn’t stop once.
The plot twists come out of nowhere and are mind-blowing.
The ending is so beautiful. I had to hold back tears (my advice. Don’t finish reading this while out in public)
I love the appearances and mentions of characters in the Splitting Dawn Novellas. I was taken by surprise and it was wonderful to see them again.
Katherine has written another wonderful story and I am excited to see the next step in the Splitting Worlds Series.
July 4, 2024
An RH paranormal Game of Thrones with a why choose vibe
This book is dark, but not grimdark paranormal RH epic with a cliffhanger for the series.
Kierra will inherit the throne but only if she marries. Her mother finds her the worst suitor possible and the girl escapes…right into the clutches of a Demon King. A slew of suitors later she finds herself back at the palace with a much changed perspective on things and a newly rediscovered fate.
You’ll like this if you love:
- RH (reverse harem) - as in lots of men after one girl;
- a why-choose theme - that’s what it felt like to me when Kierra was lusting after one, remembering feelings for another and kissing a third and in the end she…oh, read it yourself and find out;
- coming of age story ranging from victim to all-powerful bordering on cruelty;
- paranormal mix of races - not just angel, demon, devil, vampire, elf, goddess, but vampire-elves and angel-demons;
- trope of The One - which explains why all men are gagging to get her;
- comfortable with being confused for 1/3 of the book due to amnesia trope - skilfully done, but for the first 70 pages I was as comnused as Kierra whether one dude was The dude or someone else;
- unexplained battle between good and evil raging from long before the book starts and it won’t end here either;
- no hot spice despite the RH - still kinda fade to black but with lustful kissy-gropey scenes without mentioning the unmentionables;
- villains (yup, plural) whitewashed in one scene - that ticked me off to no end, because change and getting to know someone’s true motivation and changing your perspective on them happens gradually (in my world), but this is fantasy, so…
- gruesome proposal scenes as if out of GoT - think the funeral wedding dinner level of ick but without the axing of everyone, just a sweet and not so innocent proposal on one knee and everything, but the ring….gore…
Overall, I read it, but I didn’t like it, just not my cuppa due to all of the things above that someone else might love. I wanted to put down the book so badly, but kept reading, because it was like a toothache, you have to see it through til the end. I did like that Kierra decided that she’s the only one who has claims over her own heart, but the lustful floozyness left right and center and RH - once again - not my thing. The pace was good, the amnesia and reasons for it - beautifully written and the darkness does stay with you. Will go read a happy fairytale next.
Recommended for lovers of dark epic paranormal RH romances with The One trope to vanguish all Evil and a why-choose vibe sidelining the RH.
This book is dark, but not grimdark paranormal RH epic with a cliffhanger for the series.
Kierra will inherit the throne but only if she marries. Her mother finds her the worst suitor possible and the girl escapes…right into the clutches of a Demon King. A slew of suitors later she finds herself back at the palace with a much changed perspective on things and a newly rediscovered fate.
You’ll like this if you love:
- RH (reverse harem) - as in lots of men after one girl;
- a why-choose theme - that’s what it felt like to me when Kierra was lusting after one, remembering feelings for another and kissing a third and in the end she…oh, read it yourself and find out;
- coming of age story ranging from victim to all-powerful bordering on cruelty;
- paranormal mix of races - not just angel, demon, devil, vampire, elf, goddess, but vampire-elves and angel-demons;
- trope of The One - which explains why all men are gagging to get her;
- comfortable with being confused for 1/3 of the book due to amnesia trope - skilfully done, but for the first 70 pages I was as comnused as Kierra whether one dude was The dude or someone else;
- unexplained battle between good and evil raging from long before the book starts and it won’t end here either;
- no hot spice despite the RH - still kinda fade to black but with lustful kissy-gropey scenes without mentioning the unmentionables;
- villains (yup, plural) whitewashed in one scene - that ticked me off to no end, because change and getting to know someone’s true motivation and changing your perspective on them happens gradually (in my world), but this is fantasy, so…
- gruesome proposal scenes as if out of GoT - think the funeral wedding dinner level of ick but without the axing of everyone, just a sweet and not so innocent proposal on one knee and everything, but the ring….gore…
Overall, I read it, but I didn’t like it, just not my cuppa due to all of the things above that someone else might love. I wanted to put down the book so badly, but kept reading, because it was like a toothache, you have to see it through til the end. I did like that Kierra decided that she’s the only one who has claims over her own heart, but the lustful floozyness left right and center and RH - once again - not my thing. The pace was good, the amnesia and reasons for it - beautifully written and the darkness does stay with you. Will go read a happy fairytale next.
Recommended for lovers of dark epic paranormal RH romances with The One trope to vanguish all Evil and a why-choose vibe sidelining the RH.
April 24, 2023
When diving into "Splitting Dawn, " I was immediately swept into a world both familiar and not. There were characters and cultures known to readers who have read other novellas in the Splitting Worlds series, but shown through the eyes of someone new.
From the very start, Kierra was an interesting introduction. While faced with choices at every turn, she didn't seem to be equipped with all the knowledge required to make a proper decision, and oftentimes had those decisions thrust upon her by outside sources. With her being an unreliable narrator due to her hazy experiences, the reader is thrust upon a journey of piecing together a story and journey that surprises at every turn.
The ending was both satisfying and *extremely* emotional to those who are familiar with this universe Graham has created, and I'm eager for the next part of that tale.
From the very start, Kierra was an interesting introduction. While faced with choices at every turn, she didn't seem to be equipped with all the knowledge required to make a proper decision, and oftentimes had those decisions thrust upon her by outside sources. With her being an unreliable narrator due to her hazy experiences, the reader is thrust upon a journey of piecing together a story and journey that surprises at every turn.
The ending was both satisfying and *extremely* emotional to those who are familiar with this universe Graham has created, and I'm eager for the next part of that tale.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews