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The Dawn of Riker
Be the light.
Ellowyn Kelgrove lives a sheltered life on the outskirts of a quiet, human village. Everything changes when she finds her home in flames and her mother ruthlessly captured by a Fae queen. Ellowyn abandons her simple life to face a dangerous land that she's only heard of in whispers.
As she navigates the world unknown, she will learn who she can trust and who she is truly meant to be.
Ellowyn Kelgrove lives a sheltered life on the outskirts of a quiet, human village. Everything changes when she finds her home in flames and her mother ruthlessly captured by a Fae queen. Ellowyn abandons her simple life to face a dangerous land that she's only heard of in whispers.
As she navigates the world unknown, she will learn who she can trust and who she is truly meant to be.
- GenresFantasy
454 pages, Unknown Binding
Published October 21, 2025
13 people are currently reading
222 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
October 13, 2025
The Dawn of Riker was an enjoyable fantasy debut that hit a lot of my favorite elements dragons, fae, found family, and a determined heroine. I do think it leaned a bit on the traditional side, but that didn’t stop me from being pulled into the story. The pacing worked well, and the plot had a nice flow that kept me engaged from start to finish. The battle scene at the end was especially fun to read and wrapped things up with just the right amount of tension.
Ellowyn was a strong and likable FMC, sassy, stubborn, and full of heart and I enjoyed watching her step into her power. The friendships and banter gave the story warmth, and there were several moments that made me smile. Ivarison was a solid addition too, the kind of brooding protector you can’t help but root for.
That said, I did find myself wishing for a bit more depth when it came to the worldbuilding and the magic system. The story gives us glimpses of a fascinating world filled with shadow powers and fae courts, but I would’ve loved to see those elements expanded on and explored in more detail. I’m hopeful book two will dive deeper into the lore and magic, because there’s so much potential here.
Overall, this was a great debut and a promising start to a new fantasy series. If you enjoy stories with dragons, fae politics, found family, and a dash of destiny, this one’s definitely worth picking up. Thanks to the author for the gifted arc.
Ellowyn was a strong and likable FMC, sassy, stubborn, and full of heart and I enjoyed watching her step into her power. The friendships and banter gave the story warmth, and there were several moments that made me smile. Ivarison was a solid addition too, the kind of brooding protector you can’t help but root for.
That said, I did find myself wishing for a bit more depth when it came to the worldbuilding and the magic system. The story gives us glimpses of a fascinating world filled with shadow powers and fae courts, but I would’ve loved to see those elements expanded on and explored in more detail. I’m hopeful book two will dive deeper into the lore and magic, because there’s so much potential here.
Overall, this was a great debut and a promising start to a new fantasy series. If you enjoy stories with dragons, fae politics, found family, and a dash of destiny, this one’s definitely worth picking up. Thanks to the author for the gifted arc.
October 17, 2025
The Dawn of Riker was so much fun to read. I absolutely loved this amazing story of love and betrayal and finding your inner strength and accepting who you really are! But Shaina, that ending!! Talk about heart in your mouth 🙃
This is such a beautiful story that takes you through almost every emotion. It follows Ellowyn who is half fae half human. She grows up not knowing about her fae heritage until her mother is kidnapped by an evil queen and Ellowyn embarks on a journey with her mother’s guard and some new allies to rescue her mother.
Ok so Ivarison. He’s a fae shadow daddy lord with all of the emotional trauma. And I just ate him up! What is it about a fae Lord who doesn’t think he’s worthy that makes me swoon! The way he was over protective of Ellowyn whilst also encouraging her to grow and helping her believe that she was powerful and to believe in herself 😍 He also calls her love which gets me every time. I’m down bad for this man!!
Ellowyn I absolutely loved. She’s sassy and full of feminine rage and the character development we see in her was so rewarding. She has all the pressure of finding and rescuing her mother, who has lied to her for 17 years about the fact that Ellowyn has powers, and also Ellowyn learns she is part of a prophecy that involves defeating the evil king and queen and restoring balance to the world. Ellowyn has a huge learning curve in discovering how to harness her powers and her inner strength and letting out her emotions, and also in accepting that she can try to save her family, friends and the kingdom.
The world building is well done with lots of different territories that all have a different climate and forests and flowers and a Lord and Lady that rule over the territory from their castle. There are also many creatures including dragons. The evil queen also has creepy shadow creatures and monsters! There are some epic battle scenes involving dragons and the shadow monsters and dark soldiers.
The found family is a stand out. Killian (can shift into a wolf) is hilarious and his antics made me laugh. Delaney (can shift into a panther) is the sort of friend I would choose for myself. She’s a warrior and she’s kind and she always shows up for Ellowyn.
This book is no spice but loads of tension and yearning with hilarious banter and she even sets his cloak on fire when they are training her magic 🤣 I can’t be sure it wasn’t on purpose 😅 They are so sweet and even write little notes to each other.
The book ends on a rather nail biting cliffhanger and I will definitely be keenly awaiting book 2!
You will love reading this if you enjoy:
❤️🔥 Tension and yearning
⚔️ Battles
🪄 Magic and abilities
🥰 Found family
💔 Betrayal
🐉 Dragons and creatures
💘 Fated mates
🖤 Fae shadow daddy
🔥 Feminine rage
🔮 Prophecy
👑 Royals
My thanks to Shaina and Crowns and Chaos PR for the eARC. I absolutely enjoyed this book and this is my honest review.
This is such a beautiful story that takes you through almost every emotion. It follows Ellowyn who is half fae half human. She grows up not knowing about her fae heritage until her mother is kidnapped by an evil queen and Ellowyn embarks on a journey with her mother’s guard and some new allies to rescue her mother.
Ok so Ivarison. He’s a fae shadow daddy lord with all of the emotional trauma. And I just ate him up! What is it about a fae Lord who doesn’t think he’s worthy that makes me swoon! The way he was over protective of Ellowyn whilst also encouraging her to grow and helping her believe that she was powerful and to believe in herself 😍 He also calls her love which gets me every time. I’m down bad for this man!!
Ellowyn I absolutely loved. She’s sassy and full of feminine rage and the character development we see in her was so rewarding. She has all the pressure of finding and rescuing her mother, who has lied to her for 17 years about the fact that Ellowyn has powers, and also Ellowyn learns she is part of a prophecy that involves defeating the evil king and queen and restoring balance to the world. Ellowyn has a huge learning curve in discovering how to harness her powers and her inner strength and letting out her emotions, and also in accepting that she can try to save her family, friends and the kingdom.
The world building is well done with lots of different territories that all have a different climate and forests and flowers and a Lord and Lady that rule over the territory from their castle. There are also many creatures including dragons. The evil queen also has creepy shadow creatures and monsters! There are some epic battle scenes involving dragons and the shadow monsters and dark soldiers.
The found family is a stand out. Killian (can shift into a wolf) is hilarious and his antics made me laugh. Delaney (can shift into a panther) is the sort of friend I would choose for myself. She’s a warrior and she’s kind and she always shows up for Ellowyn.
This book is no spice but loads of tension and yearning with hilarious banter and she even sets his cloak on fire when they are training her magic 🤣 I can’t be sure it wasn’t on purpose 😅 They are so sweet and even write little notes to each other.
The book ends on a rather nail biting cliffhanger and I will definitely be keenly awaiting book 2!
You will love reading this if you enjoy:
❤️🔥 Tension and yearning
⚔️ Battles
🪄 Magic and abilities
🥰 Found family
💔 Betrayal
🐉 Dragons and creatures
💘 Fated mates
🖤 Fae shadow daddy
🔥 Feminine rage
🔮 Prophecy
👑 Royals
My thanks to Shaina and Crowns and Chaos PR for the eARC. I absolutely enjoyed this book and this is my honest review.
October 24, 2025
My friend wrote a whole book!! Dawn of Riker is a debut romantasy by @shainaparkswrites She has poured her heart and soul into a book she has been plotting for over two years! This is an amazing accomplishment, to have the courage to put yourself out there and chase your dreams is not something many people can say they have done. Congrats my friend, you have created something beautiful and I'm so proud to have been a small part of your inner circle!
This book is a slow burn, reluctant allies to lovers, found family, magical quest full of danger, betrayal, and plenty of banter! All tropes and vibes I absolutely look forward to in any book I read. I loved the magic training scenes! There is tension, angst and heartbreak. Shaina leaves you at a cliff desperately waiting to see what will happen next. As a voracious reader, she knows the damage this does and yet, she still chose to end on a cliffy. I will remember this forever Shaina. I can't wait for my physical copies to arrive so I can take some photos of this lovely cover!
As with any new fantasy, there is a lot of world, character and relationship building, it takes time and patience to create something new and most readers understand that. Additionally, as a self published author, money is not limitless, time is precious and sometimes little errors are missed. This happens even to traditionally published authors, a spelling error does not affect the story development in any way. I hope that readers keep that in mind and give indie authors a little grace when rating on public platforms.
This book is a slow burn, reluctant allies to lovers, found family, magical quest full of danger, betrayal, and plenty of banter! All tropes and vibes I absolutely look forward to in any book I read. I loved the magic training scenes! There is tension, angst and heartbreak. Shaina leaves you at a cliff desperately waiting to see what will happen next. As a voracious reader, she knows the damage this does and yet, she still chose to end on a cliffy. I will remember this forever Shaina. I can't wait for my physical copies to arrive so I can take some photos of this lovely cover!
As with any new fantasy, there is a lot of world, character and relationship building, it takes time and patience to create something new and most readers understand that. Additionally, as a self published author, money is not limitless, time is precious and sometimes little errors are missed. This happens even to traditionally published authors, a spelling error does not affect the story development in any way. I hope that readers keep that in mind and give indie authors a little grace when rating on public platforms.
October 17, 2025
This story has so many of the elements I love in a fantasy, a rich world touched by fae magic, a heroine thrust into adventure, and a journey of self-discovery. I especially enjoyed Ivarison’s character; his story brought real depth and heart to the story.
The pacing didn’t always land for me, but overall, there’s a lot here for readers who enjoy immersive fantasy worlds. It’s clear how much care and imagination went into building this world! 💫
The pacing didn’t always land for me, but overall, there’s a lot here for readers who enjoy immersive fantasy worlds. It’s clear how much care and imagination went into building this world! 💫
October 17, 2025
My thoughts:
I enjoyed reading this fantasy filled with adventures, found family, magic, and battles. The witty banter between friends added a lovely touch, and the character development was impressive. I especially loved the side characters Delaney and Killian, they were fun. We have Ellowyn, a strong-willed and determined FMC, who embarks on a journey of self-discovery on her way to rescue her mom. And Ivarison, another favorite of mine, brings depth to the story and guides Ellowyn in mastering her magic. The slow-burn romance was intriguing, and I'm excited to see it develop further in book two. The plot was well-paced and easy to follow, keeping me engaged from start to finish.
This sets the premise for the next installment and can't wait to find out what happens after that ending and see more of the world building!!
Thank you to the author for the early copy! 🫶🏼
I enjoyed reading this fantasy filled with adventures, found family, magic, and battles. The witty banter between friends added a lovely touch, and the character development was impressive. I especially loved the side characters Delaney and Killian, they were fun. We have Ellowyn, a strong-willed and determined FMC, who embarks on a journey of self-discovery on her way to rescue her mom. And Ivarison, another favorite of mine, brings depth to the story and guides Ellowyn in mastering her magic. The slow-burn romance was intriguing, and I'm excited to see it develop further in book two. The plot was well-paced and easy to follow, keeping me engaged from start to finish.
This sets the premise for the next installment and can't wait to find out what happens after that ending and see more of the world building!!
Thank you to the author for the early copy! 🫶🏼
October 6, 2025
Thank you SP for an ARC copy! Overall, I really did enjoy this! I would have loved a little more originality from this as I felt it was obvious that ACOTAR and FW played a lot into the inspiration, and it did cause me to roll my eyes a few times. I am such a sucker for dragons 🐉 and loved that aspect of the story! That cliffhanger though 👀
October 10, 2025
Where do I even start?! The Dawn of Riker by Shaina Parks is everything I had dreamed of as a little girl. It has a badass princess, a dragon, magic, banter that has you LOLing, a supportive found family, fated mates, mental health rep and a shadow daddy who can be slightly possessive (hoping for more of that in book two because he so hawtttt).
Shaina had me bawling before the prologue was even over. Then again halfway through. By the end of the book I had to remind myself to breathe because WHAT EVEN WAS THAT ENDING?!? 😨
I love that Ellowyn is a strong, brave, determined and stubborn fmc. She suffers from anxiety which I relate to 💯 She is loyal to herself, her friends, her family; and she isn’t afraid to stand up for what she believes in. The banter between her and the rest of the crew is hilarious.
Shaina did fantastic work (you’d never know it is her debut novel!!); the writing flowed really well throughout. Shaina did a really good job at making sure YOU felt everything that character was feeling in that exact moment. I would have liked to see more world building but that’s just a personal preference. The characters were fantastic — I absolutely loved the mental health rep and how supportive Elloywn’s friends were.
This is a book you can easily get lost in — I did. You won’t be able to put it down and not think about it. Let’s be honest, I’m stillllll thinking about it. 5 Stars all the way!!
Shaina had me bawling before the prologue was even over. Then again halfway through. By the end of the book I had to remind myself to breathe because WHAT EVEN WAS THAT ENDING?!? 😨
I love that Ellowyn is a strong, brave, determined and stubborn fmc. She suffers from anxiety which I relate to 💯 She is loyal to herself, her friends, her family; and she isn’t afraid to stand up for what she believes in. The banter between her and the rest of the crew is hilarious.
Shaina did fantastic work (you’d never know it is her debut novel!!); the writing flowed really well throughout. Shaina did a really good job at making sure YOU felt everything that character was feeling in that exact moment. I would have liked to see more world building but that’s just a personal preference. The characters were fantastic — I absolutely loved the mental health rep and how supportive Elloywn’s friends were.
This is a book you can easily get lost in — I did. You won’t be able to put it down and not think about it. Let’s be honest, I’m stillllll thinking about it. 5 Stars all the way!!
October 20, 2025
This story is packed full of adventure, magic, budding friendships, a slow burn romance, and a telepathic talking dragon! ✨ What more could you possibly want??
This book hooked me from page one with an EMOTIONAL prologue. I think after having a baby, anything with families being broken apart JUST. GETS. TO. ME. 😭 Needless to say, after those first few pages, I knew this story was everything I was hoping it to be! Although there were a couple of slow moments of traveling scenes, it never felt like it drug on! They were always split up with dialogue and character growth that helped with the pacing. This story is sure to keep your attention from start to finish!
FOUND FAMILY
The side characters were one of my favorite aspects of the story —especially Killian and his humor 🤣💖. Honestly, I wished there were a little bit more scenes with him haha but that’s just a personal preference! He’s definitely a favorite character of mine!! I like my sweet, funny cinnamon rolls 😜 But Delaney and Dealla were amazing as well!! Parks does such a great job creating a cast of characters that you want to root for — even outside of their influence in the FMC’s life. And come on, the addition of Bria, the dragon, was such a delight!
CHARACTER ARC
I also loved the FMC, Ellowyn, who had to adjust and adapt to this magical life that she is thrown into. It was fun to see her character growth — both physically and mentally. This story really highlights those moments of doubt that we all experience in our daily lives. No, we aren’t fighting dark forces or learning magical abilities haha but we do experience those seeds of doubt, just like Ellowyn, that try to hold us back. This story is about accepting yourself and trusting in your strengths and abilities. Learning to trust in who you are and who you would like to be. Which leads me into my next fan girl topic: Ivarison.
ROMANCE
To be perfectly honest, I didn’t like him at first 😂. But he definitely grew on me, and by the end of it I had heart eyes 😂. Gosh, some of his lines… major swoon 🥰. He is one of those characters that does not coddle the FMC just because there are growing feelings developing; he pushes her to be her best self, but is always there to catch her if she falls. It was beautiful to see her begin to trust herself, and so much of that had to do with Ivarison’s consistent help and guidance. It was so sweet to see his harder exterior begin to soften as their relationship grew 🥰. Also, this is definitely a VERY slow burn romance (my personal fave haha) so be prepared for that!!! But hey, it’s making us yearn for it more, right!? 😆
No spice at this time.
Read if you like:
✨Adventure
✨Prophecy
✨Magic
✨Found family
✨Reclaim kingdom
✨Fae, dragons, witches!
✨ Shadow-wielding MMC
✨Slow burn romance
Do yourself a favor and read this book!! 😍
Thank you to the author for providing an early copy 💖. All thoughts are my own.
This book hooked me from page one with an EMOTIONAL prologue. I think after having a baby, anything with families being broken apart JUST. GETS. TO. ME. 😭 Needless to say, after those first few pages, I knew this story was everything I was hoping it to be! Although there were a couple of slow moments of traveling scenes, it never felt like it drug on! They were always split up with dialogue and character growth that helped with the pacing. This story is sure to keep your attention from start to finish!
FOUND FAMILY
The side characters were one of my favorite aspects of the story —especially Killian and his humor 🤣💖. Honestly, I wished there were a little bit more scenes with him haha but that’s just a personal preference! He’s definitely a favorite character of mine!! I like my sweet, funny cinnamon rolls 😜 But Delaney and Dealla were amazing as well!! Parks does such a great job creating a cast of characters that you want to root for — even outside of their influence in the FMC’s life. And come on, the addition of Bria, the dragon, was such a delight!
CHARACTER ARC
I also loved the FMC, Ellowyn, who had to adjust and adapt to this magical life that she is thrown into. It was fun to see her character growth — both physically and mentally. This story really highlights those moments of doubt that we all experience in our daily lives. No, we aren’t fighting dark forces or learning magical abilities haha but we do experience those seeds of doubt, just like Ellowyn, that try to hold us back. This story is about accepting yourself and trusting in your strengths and abilities. Learning to trust in who you are and who you would like to be. Which leads me into my next fan girl topic: Ivarison.
ROMANCE
To be perfectly honest, I didn’t like him at first 😂. But he definitely grew on me, and by the end of it I had heart eyes 😂. Gosh, some of his lines… major swoon 🥰. He is one of those characters that does not coddle the FMC just because there are growing feelings developing; he pushes her to be her best self, but is always there to catch her if she falls. It was beautiful to see her begin to trust herself, and so much of that had to do with Ivarison’s consistent help and guidance. It was so sweet to see his harder exterior begin to soften as their relationship grew 🥰. Also, this is definitely a VERY slow burn romance (my personal fave haha) so be prepared for that!!! But hey, it’s making us yearn for it more, right!? 😆
No spice at this time.
Read if you like:
✨Adventure
✨Prophecy
✨Magic
✨Found family
✨Reclaim kingdom
✨Fae, dragons, witches!
✨ Shadow-wielding MMC
✨Slow burn romance
Do yourself a favor and read this book!! 😍
Thank you to the author for providing an early copy 💖. All thoughts are my own.
October 21, 2025
This book was AMAZING! I devoured it. I don’t know where to start but this book has everything I love in it: an amazing world with unique places, lovable side characters, a very likable and dreamy shadow daddy lol, slow burn, tension, one of the most likable fmc’s and so much more. The magic in it is wonderful and it’s always so cool to see how authors describe the magic in the world and it was very well done. I would say for people who aren’t huge fantasy people, it does take a few chapters to get through the world building (as most books do but sometimes romantasy readers go into books expecting romance right away but there’s a lot of world building to be done here, and it’s done well). Idk page numbers but on my kindle that took me about 10% of the book in, but lots of action sprinkled in it’s in no way boring there’s just a lot of information.
I’m all over the place but the author did such a good job at making the journey the characters have to take interesting. There’s new obstacles and always something different going on. The bonds formed feel very natural and easy. All the characters are very likable and I want to be friends with everyone in this novel.
Overall, please read it. If you love fae, magic, and strong fmc who bows to no one, OMG I almost forgot… DRAGONS TOO????!? There’s dragons. That’s explanation enough to read the book.
I’m all over the place but the author did such a good job at making the journey the characters have to take interesting. There’s new obstacles and always something different going on. The bonds formed feel very natural and easy. All the characters are very likable and I want to be friends with everyone in this novel.
Overall, please read it. If you love fae, magic, and strong fmc who bows to no one, OMG I almost forgot… DRAGONS TOO????!? There’s dragons. That’s explanation enough to read the book.
October 8, 2025
THANK YOU SHAINA FOR THE ARC OF THIS LOVELY STORY 🫶🏽
3.75 ⭐ rounded up for the exceptional character love I developed and this being her first book 👏🏽👏🏽
Let me explain my rating system.
3 ⭐ = a good book. I enjoyed myself.
4 ⭐ = a great book. I thoroughly loved it.
5 ⭐ = an EPIC book. I need/want to reread it. perfect 👌🏽
That said, this has excellent character development. World building and an intricate magic system. Lovable characters and side characters. I'm still wishing for a bit more but also can't wait for book two!
This has touches of vibes from ACOTAR, CC, Fourth Wing, and Twilight (no there aren't vampires. Don't ask why but some characters just have that ✨ vibe✨) BUT she wraps these elements to make the story unique.
Now for where I hope to see improvement. (I LOVE WATCHING AUTHOR GLOW UPS 😍👏🏽) I felt right away that the synopsis told me too much. I would have loved to learn about Ivarison and Bria in more of a surprise. Ivarison being mentioned here meant he was obviously the MMC and Ellowyn's mate before I ever met him. I would've enjoyed giggling and kicking my feet in suspicion.
Similar for Bria. I would've enjoyed thinking she may have incinerated Ellowyn when they met. Their connection felt kind of abrupt and I wanted more details and more of a moment there. (Esp since I kept waiting for the dragon to enter the chat and it wasn't until around 70%)
I'd also love the opportunity to learn more about their magic. Ellowyn seems to learn quickly but I'd like to understand more of the feeling or concentration when she learns something new. I'd also like to know just how many powers one person can have. Is this a "magic can be moulded into any form if you have enough power" kind of world or a "she got a little of everything since she's special" kind of vibe.
ALL THIS SAID and grammar/spelling aside for the lovely self pub authors. I LOVE THIS WORLD and the characters sm. Something about self pub authors to me is that the characters feel like friends and I will spend time missing them when the book ends. THAT is how you know someone has a talent for writing 👏
3.75 ⭐ rounded up for the exceptional character love I developed and this being her first book 👏🏽👏🏽
Let me explain my rating system.
3 ⭐ = a good book. I enjoyed myself.
4 ⭐ = a great book. I thoroughly loved it.
5 ⭐ = an EPIC book. I need/want to reread it. perfect 👌🏽
That said, this has excellent character development. World building and an intricate magic system. Lovable characters and side characters. I'm still wishing for a bit more but also can't wait for book two!
This has touches of vibes from ACOTAR, CC, Fourth Wing, and Twilight (no there aren't vampires. Don't ask why but some characters just have that ✨ vibe✨) BUT she wraps these elements to make the story unique.
Now for where I hope to see improvement. (I LOVE WATCHING AUTHOR GLOW UPS 😍👏🏽) I felt right away that the synopsis told me too much. I would have loved to learn about Ivarison and Bria in more of a surprise. Ivarison being mentioned here meant he was obviously the MMC and Ellowyn's mate before I ever met him. I would've enjoyed giggling and kicking my feet in suspicion.
Similar for Bria. I would've enjoyed thinking she may have incinerated Ellowyn when they met. Their connection felt kind of abrupt and I wanted more details and more of a moment there. (Esp since I kept waiting for the dragon to enter the chat and it wasn't until around 70%)
I'd also love the opportunity to learn more about their magic. Ellowyn seems to learn quickly but I'd like to understand more of the feeling or concentration when she learns something new. I'd also like to know just how many powers one person can have. Is this a "magic can be moulded into any form if you have enough power" kind of world or a "she got a little of everything since she's special" kind of vibe.
ALL THIS SAID and grammar/spelling aside for the lovely self pub authors. I LOVE THIS WORLD and the characters sm. Something about self pub authors to me is that the characters feel like friends and I will spend time missing them when the book ends. THAT is how you know someone has a talent for writing 👏
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 20, 2025
The Dawn of Raker is a fantastic fantasy debut and can't wait to read the entire series ❤️🔥 Thank you Shaina for this advance copy!
I absolutely loved reading about Fae courts, hidden identities, dragons, magic, found family and a really really slow burn romance.
I found Ellowyn truly adorable and easy to root for. Her difficult childhood and relationship with her mother helped shape her bold personality, and her journey of self-discovery was captivating. Ivarison was such a lovable MMC, mysterious, broody, and full of secrets and shadows.. literally! The story is told from Ellowyn’s first-person POV, but I’d love to get inside Ivarison’s head too!
The side characters were super interesting, and I’m really hoping we get to learn more about their stories and powers in the next book, especially about Delaney and Keegan ❣️
The pacing felt just right, and the writing style was completely engaging. I’m totally hooked and already looking forward to the next book!
If you love fantasy with heart, magic, and unforgettable characters.. let me tell you, this one is for you! 💫📚
I absolutely loved reading about Fae courts, hidden identities, dragons, magic, found family and a really really slow burn romance.
I found Ellowyn truly adorable and easy to root for. Her difficult childhood and relationship with her mother helped shape her bold personality, and her journey of self-discovery was captivating. Ivarison was such a lovable MMC, mysterious, broody, and full of secrets and shadows.. literally! The story is told from Ellowyn’s first-person POV, but I’d love to get inside Ivarison’s head too!
The side characters were super interesting, and I’m really hoping we get to learn more about their stories and powers in the next book, especially about Delaney and Keegan ❣️
The pacing felt just right, and the writing style was completely engaging. I’m totally hooked and already looking forward to the next book!
If you love fantasy with heart, magic, and unforgettable characters.. let me tell you, this one is for you! 💫📚
October 20, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
3.75/5🌟 (rounded up to 4)
There’s a ton of potential in this Romantasy story and I can’t wait to continue on the journey!! If you enjoy a Romantasy with dragons, shifters, mystery, battles, fated mates, slowww burn, and found family…look no further! This book has all of the ingredients needed for your Romantasy feast! There was no spice in this book (🫑) and it does end on a gnarly cliffhanger! Thank you to the author and Crowns and Chaos PR for the early copy. This voluntary review is my honest thoughts and opinions about the book.
Some fave quotes:
“Standing for what’s right will always carry a risk.” Lady Celia said. “But some things are worth the risk.”
“If you don’t learn to wield it, it will control you.”
“You’re light, and they are darkness. Don't be afraid of that power, Ellowyn. Embrace it…”
3.75/5🌟 (rounded up to 4)
There’s a ton of potential in this Romantasy story and I can’t wait to continue on the journey!! If you enjoy a Romantasy with dragons, shifters, mystery, battles, fated mates, slowww burn, and found family…look no further! This book has all of the ingredients needed for your Romantasy feast! There was no spice in this book (🫑) and it does end on a gnarly cliffhanger! Thank you to the author and Crowns and Chaos PR for the early copy. This voluntary review is my honest thoughts and opinions about the book.
Some fave quotes:
“Standing for what’s right will always carry a risk.” Lady Celia said. “But some things are worth the risk.”
“If you don’t learn to wield it, it will control you.”
“You’re light, and they are darkness. Don't be afraid of that power, Ellowyn. Embrace it…”
October 13, 2025
Early Copy. 2.5 Stars!
The first thing to say is I did enjoy the book and there is lots of potential both in the series and from the author. As a first book it's a pretty good go and I've definitely read far worse.
I'm not the target audience for this type of book but I have read TOG series and Fourth Wing so know a bit about the genre. Unfortunately that is where the problems start. The story is unoriginal and feels like several existing series mashed together with nothing new really added in. The pacing is also a little off with a disjointingly fast cross-country journey to begin with and then long slow moments before the final battle.
The writing itself is actually pretty good and Shaina has a lot of potential. Some of her scenes are really well executed and hit exactly as intended. The characters are likeable if a little overpowered. Unfortunately, the book suffers from awful editing. I found at least 20 mistakes and the dialogue is clunky at times. This definitely would have benefited from more pairs of eyes on it and reading dialogue aloud to refine before it was released. Would have pushed it up to 3 or 3.5 Stars for me!
Overall, if you're a fan of the genre then I would recommend. It's middle of the road and there are some great moments to enjoy.
The first thing to say is I did enjoy the book and there is lots of potential both in the series and from the author. As a first book it's a pretty good go and I've definitely read far worse.
I'm not the target audience for this type of book but I have read TOG series and Fourth Wing so know a bit about the genre. Unfortunately that is where the problems start. The story is unoriginal and feels like several existing series mashed together with nothing new really added in. The pacing is also a little off with a disjointingly fast cross-country journey to begin with and then long slow moments before the final battle.
The writing itself is actually pretty good and Shaina has a lot of potential. Some of her scenes are really well executed and hit exactly as intended. The characters are likeable if a little overpowered. Unfortunately, the book suffers from awful editing. I found at least 20 mistakes and the dialogue is clunky at times. This definitely would have benefited from more pairs of eyes on it and reading dialogue aloud to refine before it was released. Would have pushed it up to 3 or 3.5 Stars for me!
Overall, if you're a fan of the genre then I would recommend. It's middle of the road and there are some great moments to enjoy.
October 23, 2025
I enjoyed this book so much! This is a debut by an indie author, with the world building and learning about each character was amazing! It was a fun read, as this was my first fantasy book, I’m super excited for more by this author.
October 25, 2025
I don’t even know where to start. The Dawn of Riker had all of my favorite elements to a romantasy book. I was hooked from start to finish. I immediately need more of Ellowyn & Ivarison!! The ending had me screaming for more. Cannot wait for the next release
November 8, 2025
Talk about a cliffhanger!!!! Omg I just finished this book and the ending has me in the edge of my seat. I can't wait for book #2!
The characters are so lovable, and the emotions poured into this book were insane. From the moment I started reading this book, I was emotionally connected to the characters.
If you love fantasy and a little romance, The Dawn Of Riker is for you!!!!
The characters are so lovable, and the emotions poured into this book were insane. From the moment I started reading this book, I was emotionally connected to the characters.
If you love fantasy and a little romance, The Dawn Of Riker is for you!!!!
October 29, 2025
So good! If you like magic, dragons, mates, slow burns, and all the things this book is for you! I ate it up! And that ending?! We need a second book asap!
October 23, 2025
Lots of things were intriguing about this read: the world building, magic system, plot and character development. That ending left me wanting more. I loved the action and the banter!
October 22, 2025
There's no way this was a debut novel!!
I loved this story because a lot of my favorite elements; found family, dragons, fae, magic, a strong sassy FMC, and a shadow daddy. I got caught up in the world though I would have liked a bit more on the world building and magic system side just to feel more in depth with the world. I enjoyed the pacing of the story.
I loved the shifter aspect to the story and the humor that came with our side characters. Ultimately I was routing for our main girl throughout the entire book. I wanted her to figure out all of the hidden things she had missed her entire life!
Also, that ending!!!!!! I'm now ready for book 2!!!
I loved this story because a lot of my favorite elements; found family, dragons, fae, magic, a strong sassy FMC, and a shadow daddy. I got caught up in the world though I would have liked a bit more on the world building and magic system side just to feel more in depth with the world. I enjoyed the pacing of the story.
I loved the shifter aspect to the story and the humor that came with our side characters. Ultimately I was routing for our main girl throughout the entire book. I wanted her to figure out all of the hidden things she had missed her entire life!
Also, that ending!!!!!! I'm now ready for book 2!!!
October 21, 2025
I fully expected to enjoy The Dawn of Riker, but in actuality I LOVED it. I was impressed by the gorgeous world-building, and I felt deeply connected to several of the characters.
I loved the family secrets, the found family, political intrigue, hidden identity, hidden talents, magical creatures, magical bonds the journey of strength for Ellowyn as everything comes to light. For me this was a story of things coming to light and that may be why this one line resonated with me so well: “I was the light, and the fire running through me would burn this darkness away.”
The love story, the battles, the scene with the tree (iykyk!) was all just so good!
I was given an advance e-copy and have already ordered the book for my shelf. I LOVED IT!
I loved the family secrets, the found family, political intrigue, hidden identity, hidden talents, magical creatures, magical bonds the journey of strength for Ellowyn as everything comes to light. For me this was a story of things coming to light and that may be why this one line resonated with me so well: “I was the light, and the fire running through me would burn this darkness away.”
The love story, the battles, the scene with the tree (iykyk!) was all just so good!
I was given an advance e-copy and have already ordered the book for my shelf. I LOVED IT!
October 10, 2025
This story blew me away instantly! From the action, to the underlining love between Ellowyn, our fierce FMC and Ivarison, our battle ready MMC.
The Dawn of Riker was honestly the best fantasy book I have ever read so far. The plot was perfect, it didn't feel rushed. The tension you could basically feel it through the book. While the love between Ellowyn and Ivarison wasn't instant and basically wasn't there through the book. You could tell that there was a spark between the two once you look past the bossing around while they train.
You could tell there were feelings but none of them said anything because there was bigger matters to attend to like finding her mother and trying to win a battle against two murderous Fae and their army. But other than that, it was perfect.
I cannot wait to read what happens next because this story ended on a cliffhanger and I wasn't prepared.
The Dawn of Riker was honestly the best fantasy book I have ever read so far. The plot was perfect, it didn't feel rushed. The tension you could basically feel it through the book. While the love between Ellowyn and Ivarison wasn't instant and basically wasn't there through the book. You could tell that there was a spark between the two once you look past the bossing around while they train.
You could tell there were feelings but none of them said anything because there was bigger matters to attend to like finding her mother and trying to win a battle against two murderous Fae and their army. But other than that, it was perfect.
I cannot wait to read what happens next because this story ended on a cliffhanger and I wasn't prepared.
October 9, 2025
What an epic adventure! Fae, dragons, shifters, magic! All the best things for an amazing Romantasy novel but my goodness the sloooooow lack of burn was agonizing! I think I screamed HE’S your MATE at my kobo at least a dozen times! The second book better be worth the agonizing burn of the first! I Loved Ellowyn’s journey to a warrior and Ivarison’s infuriating smirks and quips! That ending had me put down my kobo and say What The Heck though - I need book two now please!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 11, 2025
This book was such a fun adventure!!
Dragons, magic, banter, found family… so many of the things I love to read in books! (And our MMC?? SWOON!)
That ending had me in such a chokehold - I neeeeed book 2!!
This was such a fun and easy read.
I can’t wait to add this gorgeous book to my trophy shelf!!
Dragons, magic, banter, found family… so many of the things I love to read in books! (And our MMC?? SWOON!)
That ending had me in such a chokehold - I neeeeed book 2!!
This was such a fun and easy read.
I can’t wait to add this gorgeous book to my trophy shelf!!
October 5, 2025
I received an early copy and I didn’t know what to expect. The cover was beautiful and who doesn’t love a fantasy book either dragons? The prologue immediately pulled me in! The first 20% was a wee bit slow but that’s to be expected with the first book in a series. I enjoyed this book and I finished it wanting more. I really hope book two doesn’t take forever to release. My only issue and the reason that I deducted a star is because it was too close to Fourth Wing and ACOTAR. You can clearly tell that the author loves those two series and was heavily influenced by the worlds and its characters.
October 12, 2025
Thank you to Shaina Parks for the early copy in exchange for an honest review!
After reading the synopsis I was really excited to read this book as it contains a lot of things that I love in a fantasy book (magic, dragons, found family, MMC with shadow wielding abilities, mates, etc) but after reading the book I wish that the synopsis had left a little more to the imagination so that I was left constantly on my toes wondering what would happen next instead of knowing what to expect (especially when meeting certain characters). While I really love the overall storyline, the banter between the main crew of characters, the different types of magic, the nicknames, and the yearning between the main two characters, I feel that overall, the story needs some work to take it to a 5-star read. At times the writing seems pretty simplistic (along with having a fair amount of grammatical errors) which may have been a nod to the nativity of the main character but I wish that as she traveled through her homeland and learned more about the fae world that we got more descriptions of the things that she was seeing/experiencing/learning along the way.
I like that the main characters had a lot of depth and that we get to see them battling with anxiety/not feeling like enough and as the story develops, we see them start to not be afraid to stand up for what they believe in. It will be interesting to see how their character develops in the future books as we hopefully get to dive deeper into their background and the budding relationship between the main characters. The ending of the story is a crazy cliff hanger that has me ready for book 2! Overall, I really enjoyed the story and truly believe that with a bit more development the rest of the series has the capability to become a 5-star book!
After reading the synopsis I was really excited to read this book as it contains a lot of things that I love in a fantasy book (magic, dragons, found family, MMC with shadow wielding abilities, mates, etc) but after reading the book I wish that the synopsis had left a little more to the imagination so that I was left constantly on my toes wondering what would happen next instead of knowing what to expect (especially when meeting certain characters). While I really love the overall storyline, the banter between the main crew of characters, the different types of magic, the nicknames, and the yearning between the main two characters, I feel that overall, the story needs some work to take it to a 5-star read. At times the writing seems pretty simplistic (along with having a fair amount of grammatical errors) which may have been a nod to the nativity of the main character but I wish that as she traveled through her homeland and learned more about the fae world that we got more descriptions of the things that she was seeing/experiencing/learning along the way.
I like that the main characters had a lot of depth and that we get to see them battling with anxiety/not feeling like enough and as the story develops, we see them start to not be afraid to stand up for what they believe in. It will be interesting to see how their character develops in the future books as we hopefully get to dive deeper into their background and the budding relationship between the main characters. The ending of the story is a crazy cliff hanger that has me ready for book 2! Overall, I really enjoyed the story and truly believe that with a bit more development the rest of the series has the capability to become a 5-star book!
October 30, 2025
Wow! This is Park'S debut novel and I can't even believe it. This book is so easy to follow. The world building is there and very vivid but not overwhelming or confusing. I was able to see this world in my head and the characters like they were right in front of me.
Ellowyn begins just as a regular girl until we uncover her true history. As the reader we only learn of this because her mother is captured and Ellowyn's true past comes to the surface. Let me tell you this is a wild ride.
I am quite obsessed with Ivarison even though he doesn't enter the story as a liked character so we learn about that as well. But dang he is something! He is so incredibly badass in this book.
I feel this is a perfect book for someone who is new to fantasy or even experienced. It is not so overwhelming, like some fantasies, it is extremely easy to understand who everyone is who and what is happening. There were times when I could see the newness of this author but I am telling you the other parts completely override that sensation. As soon as I would feel like the writing may seem amatuer, the writing would completely then blow me away.
I can't wait to read the second book in this series. The cliff hanger is not horrific but I do need it real bad!
꧁𝓠𝓾𝓸𝓽𝓮𝓼꧂
"𝙄 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣. 𝙄𝙛 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚, 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙣𝙚𝙭𝙩. 𝙒𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧. 𝙄 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙞𝙩. 𝙄 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪."
(I actually have something similar tattooed on me)
“𝙏𝙧𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙢𝙚 𝙤𝙧 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩. 𝙄’𝙢 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙤𝙙𝙙𝙡𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙤𝙧 𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙫𝙖𝙡. 𝘽𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚𝙨 𝙬𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙥 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙘𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙡𝙮, 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙠𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢 𝙚𝙛𝙛𝙞𝙘𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙡𝙮.”
😭😫😭 “𝙄 𝙬𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙡𝙚𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙛𝙖𝙘𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙚.” 𝙃𝙚 𝙜𝙧𝙞𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙮 𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙡𝙮. “𝙄 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙛𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙬 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨, 𝙀𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙬𝙮𝙣. 𝙄’𝙡𝙡 𝙛𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙬, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙛 𝙬𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙣’𝙩 𝙚𝙨𝙘𝙖𝙥𝙚, 𝙄’𝙡𝙡 𝙙𝙞𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙮𝙤𝙪. 𝙍𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 – 𝙮𝙤𝙪’𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙙𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨.”
Ellowyn begins just as a regular girl until we uncover her true history. As the reader we only learn of this because her mother is captured and Ellowyn's true past comes to the surface. Let me tell you this is a wild ride.
I am quite obsessed with Ivarison even though he doesn't enter the story as a liked character so we learn about that as well. But dang he is something! He is so incredibly badass in this book.
I feel this is a perfect book for someone who is new to fantasy or even experienced. It is not so overwhelming, like some fantasies, it is extremely easy to understand who everyone is who and what is happening. There were times when I could see the newness of this author but I am telling you the other parts completely override that sensation. As soon as I would feel like the writing may seem amatuer, the writing would completely then blow me away.
I can't wait to read the second book in this series. The cliff hanger is not horrific but I do need it real bad!
꧁𝓠𝓾𝓸𝓽𝓮𝓼꧂
"𝙄 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣. 𝙄𝙛 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚, 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙣𝙚𝙭𝙩. 𝙒𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧. 𝙄 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙞𝙩. 𝙄 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪."
(I actually have something similar tattooed on me)
“𝙏𝙧𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙢𝙚 𝙤𝙧 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩. 𝙄’𝙢 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙤𝙙𝙙𝙡𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙤𝙧 𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙫𝙖𝙡. 𝘽𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚𝙨 𝙬𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙥 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙘𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙡𝙮, 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙠𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢 𝙚𝙛𝙛𝙞𝙘𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙡𝙮.”
😭😫😭 “𝙄 𝙬𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙡𝙚𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙛𝙖𝙘𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙚.” 𝙃𝙚 𝙜𝙧𝙞𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙮 𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙡𝙮. “𝙄 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙛𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙬 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨, 𝙀𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙬𝙮𝙣. 𝙄’𝙡𝙡 𝙛𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙬, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙛 𝙬𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙣’𝙩 𝙚𝙨𝙘𝙖𝙥𝙚, 𝙄’𝙡𝙡 𝙙𝙞𝙚 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙮𝙤𝙪. 𝙍𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 – 𝙮𝙤𝙪’𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙙𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨.”
October 9, 2025
I was excited to read this book as contains many of my favourite elements:
- he trains her
- density dragon
- shadow daddy abilities
However it left me feeling quite frustrated and disappointed. It had so much potential and I think if more time were spent developing it it could possibly become better.
What I enjoyed:
I enjoyed the magic system. It stems from a magical tree. However there are also humans and witches in the world which would be good to see expanded on in future books.
The relationship between Ellowyn and Ivariaon. It was so sweet how it developed. They had some enjoyable banter scenes too
The comaderie between ellowyn and Delaney.
What I felt needed more development:
The writing felt quite simplistic at times. It came across very much as a children or teenage book rather than an adult book. The descriptions were sparse which meant I couldn’t conjure proper pictures in my mind. The speach between characters felt very immature and awkward rather than smooth.
I definitely felt more depth was needed in the plot and descriptions to give it that immersive fantasy feeling. The journey around the realm felt a bit pointless and I couldn’t work out the route when comparing to the map.
You could tell that the author enjoyed the Sarah J Mass universe - particularly TOG and ACOTAR and Fourth wing as the similarities and how she tried to weave this type of plot & dragon sass in was very obvious.
Great to be inspired but it was so obvious at times it was cringey.
If more time is given to working on proper character development and plot descriptions then the next book in the series will be worth reading.
Thank you to Crowns and Chaos PR for this advanced copy.
- he trains her
- density dragon
- shadow daddy abilities
However it left me feeling quite frustrated and disappointed. It had so much potential and I think if more time were spent developing it it could possibly become better.
What I enjoyed:
I enjoyed the magic system. It stems from a magical tree. However there are also humans and witches in the world which would be good to see expanded on in future books.
The relationship between Ellowyn and Ivariaon. It was so sweet how it developed. They had some enjoyable banter scenes too
The comaderie between ellowyn and Delaney.
What I felt needed more development:
The writing felt quite simplistic at times. It came across very much as a children or teenage book rather than an adult book. The descriptions were sparse which meant I couldn’t conjure proper pictures in my mind. The speach between characters felt very immature and awkward rather than smooth.
I definitely felt more depth was needed in the plot and descriptions to give it that immersive fantasy feeling. The journey around the realm felt a bit pointless and I couldn’t work out the route when comparing to the map.
You could tell that the author enjoyed the Sarah J Mass universe - particularly TOG and ACOTAR and Fourth wing as the similarities and how she tried to weave this type of plot & dragon sass in was very obvious.
Great to be inspired but it was so obvious at times it was cringey.
If more time is given to working on proper character development and plot descriptions then the next book in the series will be worth reading.
Thank you to Crowns and Chaos PR for this advanced copy.
October 14, 2025
This debut epic fantasy novel has everything you could want from adventure and battles to found family and magic. With clever plot twists, a heroine you want to be friends with and a story that pits the light against the darkness, I didn’t want to stop reading—nor did I want it to end.
What’s it about?
When her mother is taken, Ellowyn is abruptly thrown into a world she was not prepared for since her past and her true identity were hidden from her to protect her. As she seeks to rescue her mom, she is accompanied by a group of loyal friends who help her battle the evil trying to destroy their world. Unaccustomed to and unsure of her magic, Ell has to lean on the handsome and aggravating Lord Ivarison to help her learn how to control it.
My Thoughts?
All of the characters have depth and are well developed. The banter between the group of friends and between Ellowyn and Ivarison adds humor to the story and is a highlight of the book. Ellowyn’s character shows growth as she steps into her role as a leader, and it was refreshing to have the MMC, Ivarison, in a supportive and guiding role allowing Ell to be her own hero.
I think the world and the characters have a lot more to tell us, so I am looking forward to seeing what happens in book 2. If you love epic fantasy with adventure, friendship, betrayals, magic and a slow burn (no spice), add this to your TBR today.
What’s it about?
When her mother is taken, Ellowyn is abruptly thrown into a world she was not prepared for since her past and her true identity were hidden from her to protect her. As she seeks to rescue her mom, she is accompanied by a group of loyal friends who help her battle the evil trying to destroy their world. Unaccustomed to and unsure of her magic, Ell has to lean on the handsome and aggravating Lord Ivarison to help her learn how to control it.
My Thoughts?
All of the characters have depth and are well developed. The banter between the group of friends and between Ellowyn and Ivarison adds humor to the story and is a highlight of the book. Ellowyn’s character shows growth as she steps into her role as a leader, and it was refreshing to have the MMC, Ivarison, in a supportive and guiding role allowing Ell to be her own hero.
I think the world and the characters have a lot more to tell us, so I am looking forward to seeing what happens in book 2. If you love epic fantasy with adventure, friendship, betrayals, magic and a slow burn (no spice), add this to your TBR today.
October 31, 2025
What a beautifully imaginative debut by Shaina Parks! The Dawn of Riker is a fantastic story teeming with some harrowing adventures, fae magic, heart pounding battles, hellish creatures and a few morally black villains. The world is rich and vibrant with beautiful imagery as Ellowyn travels with her newfound family and friends to find her missing mother. It’s incredible watching Ellowyn discover who she really is and come into her explosive fae power.
The slow burn, tension filled romance between Ellowyn and Ivarison is magnificent; and the banter is hilarious. Of course, we can’t forget the amazing dragon Bria. The bond between her and Ellowyn is so heartwarming and amusing. I felt all the characters were well crafted and quite likable. I thoroughly enjoyed connecting to them (most, anyway). Haha
This is a great start to a terrific series! I thoroughly enjoyed this read. It was easy and fun. But, that ending left me grasping for more. I look forward to the next installment.
The slow burn, tension filled romance between Ellowyn and Ivarison is magnificent; and the banter is hilarious. Of course, we can’t forget the amazing dragon Bria. The bond between her and Ellowyn is so heartwarming and amusing. I felt all the characters were well crafted and quite likable. I thoroughly enjoyed connecting to them (most, anyway). Haha
This is a great start to a terrific series! I thoroughly enjoyed this read. It was easy and fun. But, that ending left me grasping for more. I look forward to the next installment.
October 21, 2025
This book starts slow (so be patient!) and then just pulls you in. Who is Ellowyn? Why did her mom keep her in the dark about who she is for 17 years? Is that a dragon she just ran into?You’re transported into a realm that’s filled with chaos, violence and betrayal. Yet Ellowyn is a light in that darkness, and the slow burn love story will leave you wanting more. Lots of potential for the series to grow, and aside from some minor typos, it’s hard not to get immersed in this world.
Great for readers who like:
talking dragons
fae magic
shape shifters
mates
slow burn love stories
Quotes I loved!
“The chaos you attract is exhausting”
“I need you to pretend you know how to hug for one minute”
“Wow, you ruined the moment”
“Oh, I might like him if he compliments me more”
“Power without control is just a tantrum with consequences”
Great for readers who like:
talking dragons
fae magic
shape shifters
mates
slow burn love stories
Quotes I loved!
“The chaos you attract is exhausting”
“I need you to pretend you know how to hug for one minute”
“Wow, you ruined the moment”
“Oh, I might like him if he compliments me more”
“Power without control is just a tantrum with consequences”
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