Aurora

by Melanie Rand

In Aestoria, winter used to be a season of cozy fires, fancy parties, and beautiful snowy landscapes. Now it’s a cold, bleak stretch without sun—an unnatural and unexplainable change brushed aside by those in power. Aurora (Rory) Dawson doesn’t remember her life before the Long Night ten years ago when the first Dark Season took place. Since then, she has focused on her studies and social status in order to secure a good marriage in a better climate. When a dragon crashes her wedding day and a stranger kidnaps her into the world of the fae, Rory realizes the answer to her future is in uncovering the truth of the past. The kidnapper is cursed fae heir to the Autumn Court, Theolan Vale, and one she’s already promised her life to by a bargain sealed through the scar on her arm. When threats against her life arise and the balance of nature continues to worsen, Rory must deal with the consequences of the past and find her way home.

354 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 21, 2023

Reviews

[Ashley Ottesen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leaving a review on behalf of my mom who read this.

“Stellar world building and beautifully written characters. I thoroughly enjoyed this book”

Can’t wait to read it myself ❤️

[Nayeli Arias · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book up for my A to Z book challenge I had never heard of it before but the cover alone made me want to read it and I’m so happy I picked it up. I was at the edge of my seat the whole time I was reading it. I loved it

[Sofia Midwinter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you, Melanie Rand, for sending me an E-book ARC Copy of your debut novel Aurora.

+
The one thing I loved most about this book was the cozy vibes throughout. It was the perfect fantasy story to read during the fall. Filled with a lovely autumn setting that gave my imagination a treat. Believable friendships, a slow-burn romance, and a nice twist to the sessional fairy courts.

+and-
The magic system is a mix between hard and soft. Certain things have clear rules, while other things are left a bit vague to add an element of surprise when the story takes twists and turns.

-
I found the pacing a bit uneven in places, the overall pace is slow and steady, but certain things near the end felt a bit rushed. Not enough to lower the quality of the story but enough that I felt certain things needed a bit more time.

The villain was in my eyes the weakest part of the story. The person's backstory was interesting, their goals were in tune with a normal villain, but their abilities and power were at times a little too much. Almost like the person was all-seeing and was able to predict everything and remain one step ahead at all times.

Setting: ★★★★★
Worldbuilding:★★★★★
Magic system: ★★★
High Stakes: ★★★★
Writing: ★★★★★
Atagonistic Force: ★★★
Characters: ★★★★
Friendships: ★★★
Romance: ★★★★
Pacing: ★★★
Concept: ★★★★★
Ending: ★★★★★

I'm extremely impressed by this debut author, and I'm looking forward to reading more of her work in the future! Especially more within this lovely world of Aestoria.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5 stars

Jumping into the magical seasonal courts created by the author was a blast! The character chemistry? Totally nailed it. During the book, I felt like I was right there, experiencing the whole journey with them. The growth, slow burn, and plot twists had me hooked, and there were even a few gasp-out-loud moments.

Why not a full 5 stars? Well, some parts went by in a flash or ended too quickly, leaving me a bit puzzled. But you know what? It didn't spoil the story for me.

And can we talk about this one amazing quote? "Everything I've done is for you. It's always been you. I love you, do you get that? No? You're not allowed to die. You are the only thing that has kept me going." Talk about feels!

[kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I quite enjoyed this book overall. Without spoiling too much, I did like the flashbacks as it helped to understand Theo's connection to Aurora way more.

My fav character laureline throughout this book, but lark is also growing on me.

I'd be keen to see how the characters carry on in the world of the courts in the next book (if there is one).

[Kez Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

An intriguing exploration into the Fae courts and the consequences of covenants (Fae bargains).
This was a creative fantasy adventure with slow burn romance, hidden identities, imaginative worldbuilding, character growth, and interesting magic and creatures, with twists, suspense and betrayals.
A charming debut story into a world we'll hopefully see more off.

Honest and Voluntary ARC review

[Lynn.reads95 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book very much. It has almost everything I like in a fantasy book, an understandable magic system, slow burn romance, character development, twists & turns that make you keep reading. Well done!
I received an ARC of this book and all opinions are my own.

[Sandie Cruz · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Enemies to lovers
*Political Intrigue
*Hidden Identities
*Forced Proximity
*Seasonal Courts
*First Person POV
*Fae Bargains
*Slow Burn
*Cozy Vibes
*Magic

Overall Rating: 6.5 out of 10
(Each is rated 0, .5, or 1)
Plot 1
Themes .5
Pacing .5
Setting 1
Originality .5
Characters .5
Writing Style .5
Ending 1
Emotional Impact .5
Overall Enjoyment.5

Spice 2 out of 5 : Mildly suggestive content and dialogue. Characters experience romantic tension, passionate kisses, and have more of an expression of lust or aurosal. Scenes fade to black before anything explicit happens.

Set in the world of Aestoria, Aurora follows Rory Dawson, who doesn’t remember a time before the Long Night—a never-ending winter that began ten years ago. What starts as a story of social ambition and arranged marriage quickly transforms when a dragon crashes Rory’s wedding, and she’s kidnapped into the fae realm by Theolan Vale, the cursed heir to the Autumn Court.

This book has all the tropes we love in fantasy:
*Enemies-to-Lovers: Rory and Theolan have a tense, complicated relationship that evolves as they’re forced to work together.
*Forced Proximity: Their journey together, bound by a magical bargain, forces them to face both external dangers and their growing feelings.
*Political Intrigue: The story is rich with court politics, both in the human and fae worlds, where every move has high stakes.
*Bargains with the Fae: Classic fae lore plays a big role, with deals that have dangerous consequences.

The genre here is fantasy, with strong elements of romance and adventure.

Now, for those concerned about content, Aurora does have some mild language and scenes of tension, but nothing overly explicit. It’s more focused on the emotional and magical journey than on graphic content.

Overall, Aurora is a magical, gripping tale of uncovering the truth, challenging destiny, and finding your place in a world where winter reigns eternal. 🌨️ If that sounds like your kind of story, definitely give it a read!

[Serenity DeJongh · Rating 5 out of 5]

literally such a good book and i cannot wait to see what the author does next