Dawn of the Raven

by T.L. Tyner

Magic is forbidden. Druids are hunted. In the shadows of a fractured kingdom, three women are about to change the realm.

Sorcha is a gifted seamstress content with life and the comfort of her best friend - until rebellion threads its way into her life. Fiona is a palace cook and farmer's daughter, bound by duty - then a generous offer of marriage upends her future. Nemain, the infamous Reaper, is Ríocht na Meon's greatest weapon-and its most dangerous secret.

When ancient powers begin to awaken and a spark of resistance takes root, their paths collide in a world that fears what they are - magical and impossible to control. The trio must navigate destiny, desire, and a kingdom built to break them. However, magic has a memory, and it's awakening.

"Rich with Celtic-inspired mythology, elemental druid magic, desire, and courtly intrigue, Dawn of the Raven is a sweeping queer fantasy where identity is not questioned - it simply exists. Perfect for readers of dark fantasy, slow-burn romance, and anyone longing for immersive worlds where queerness is at the heart of the story."

Genres: Fantasy, Queer

454 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 20, 2025

Reviews

[Laura❄️📚 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for providing this book for review purposes via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this book, I need more Sorcha and Liam in the next book, there’s a budding romance brewing between the two I hope. I liked both Sorcha and Liam from the get go, Sorcha is dedicated to those she loves and Liam is fiercely protective of her. Please please please more of these two in the next book. The magic system in this book was relatively easier to understand, the druids with their powers based on the elements and the powers of the fae deities. It took me a while to warm up to Fiona as I don’t feel she deserved Sorcha’s love or friendship, I know she tried to protect Sorcha in her own way. I liked Namain she felt so alone until she met Fiona and the two began to grow closer. All of the main characters and their backstories were really nicely fleshed out and I enjoyed the authors writing. This was a promising start to a new series and I look forward to seeing in which direction the author takes this series.

[Bella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to T.L Tyner and Netgalley for the ARC!!
3.5 stars!
I think the story of this book was very interesting - it’s set in Ireland, with all the traditional name spellings and pronunciations (all beautiful names) and it really got me hooked from the start
It starts off very light and fun, and quickly turns dark in the middle of the book - which I half expected and half didn’t!
I enjoyed reading from multiple perspectives, I think all of the characters were relatively good, although it felt like Fiona was very much the special character, but I still liked her a lot
I’m not a fan of love triangles or complicated romance, so if sucked to see Sorcha have unrequited love with her childhood love interest :( I like Nemain and Fiona tho, if that were the ending, but it feels weirdly shoehorned in
Other than that I found myself enjoying it! The writing sometimes felt a little off for me, but other than that I think i’d definitely be interested in continuing the story and seeing what happens!

[Kateřina · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 POVS, third POV / chapters: long / TW below //ARC
3,5 stars because I think the book deserves it...2 stars for personal preference.

I was hoping for a sweet queer love story, but my heart is in shambles. 😭 I don't understand the motivation behind the chaotic romance plot and love triangles (if you can even call it that), but again, that's personal preference because I'm a jealous person and just want people to be loyal and happy.

👑 multiple storylines meeting at the end
👑 druids with elemental magic
👑 unrequited love
👑 celtic-inspired mythology
👑 strong family bonds
👑 training...school-ish?
👑 50/50 romance and plot
👑 rich world-building
👑 evil Queen Mother who is the ultimate boy mom lol

❓Sex none
❓Jealousy Yes
❓Cliff-hanger just open ending
❓Happy ending plot: yes, romance: i wouldn't say so.

I definitely didn't catch all the world-building and different deities and I definitely gave up on geography. Nevertheless, it didn't leave me confused or prevent me from understanding the plot. I wish I had more knowledge about celtic mythology because I think I'd appreciate it more. I loved the inclusion of pagan holidays and deities though. I'm about to complain a lot but I want to say up-front that it's a good book and if you don't care about unrequited love and unfaithfulness you'll enjoy the plot (I know that technically there wasn't cheating but...come on!)

If it weren't for the romance, I would have loved this book and appreciated the plot more. The plot was interesting and well planned. I loved the inclusion of paganism with its deities and love for nature. The writing wasn't immersive but it's written well and pacing's good, although time jumped strangely sometimes. Overall, it's efficient, easy to understand and rich with world-building. There were a couple of plot twists that were clever but didn't truly hit the spot for me. I was confused by the character's choices and motivations but there were many likable characters. I wish there were only two POVs instead of three.

Out of the three POVS, Sorcha is definitely my favorite. She's so loyal, hard-working, talented, sweet with a heart of gold. It breaks my heart that she got the worst ending out of all of them. Unfortunately, halfway through the book the author probably started to hate her and completely discarded her as a character. Although I won't continue with the series, I hope she gets the love and recognition she deserves in book 2.

Objectively, Nemain is such a cool character and I think she was done dirty with the whole love triangle thing. She could've been the baddest shadow mommy of them all. Nemain is extremely powerful, fierce, and devoted to those she cares about. I'm sad Fiona overshadowed her. I wish the author just picked a pairing and stick with it instead of trying to bond Fiona with everyone she meets. I was secretly hoping for a loving poly relationship but oh well.

Fuck Fiona.

Trigger warnings:
violence, death of a parent, torture and confinement, mentioned SA (and they save one character who is actively being raped), physical and emotional child abuse, alcohol, magic-xenophobia (capturing and killing druids), injury detail, murder, jealousy

Nemain being pronounced as Ney-van is diabolical.

I hate Fiona with my whole heart. I almost DNFed because of her. I skimmed the last 90%. If it weren't an ARC, I would've stopped reading around 70%.

Thank you to BookSirens and the author for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review. Negative feedback is not meant as an insult to the author!

[G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this story! Good fantasy vibes with a nice complex power struggle and strong characters. After the lead-up it became a marathon sprint to the finish!

At first I was a little unsure of the slow beginnings; a lot of time spent developing Sorcha's and Fiona's characters (mostly Sorcha's), their world and the life they have together and it seemed to move slowly. But what I didn't realize till later was all of the small details woven in that tie to later events. Fiona's family and their surprisingly successful farm. Sorcha's ineptitude in the bakery, and her apropos nickname. All wrapped around Sorcha's unwillingness to give up something dear to her - a soul mate.

You're immersed in their world like you're marinating in mead, and it starts to seep into you, becoming clearer and more pervasive. Wonderful snippets of lore and history are woven into the story, with rituals, tales, beliefs and fears, and the core sprit of the land. While all this is occurring, one misfortune after another befalls Fiona, yet she finds solace and loyalty in certain of her new acquaintances. Sorcha meanwhile encounters oblivious yet pained friendship with her own new acquaintance as she pines for the time she lost with Fiona. All of this builds in the background as we're observing their strained new lives apart, then collapses as their respective worlds fall apart in different ways around a pivotal event, each giving up something central to their being while replacing it with a new discovery about themselves.

Both women are strong endearing characters; Fiona in her stoic fortitude, enduring much continued personal suffering for the benefit of those she loves, and Sorcha for her stubborn, almost reckless devotion of her loved ones. We see them put through trials that would break most lesser souls, and come out tougher and hardened for it.

And along all of this, the growing intrigue of Nemain and Cormac swirls in our periphery demanding answers and being fed teasing scents of scraps, a little morsel at a time. Her simmering but growing resentment and his elusive plotting and scheming loom like a storm cloud ready to strike.

The elements of representation are strong; sapphic along with Sorcha's very ace personality, Alva's non-binary self-assured strength, Fiona's... something I'm not even sure how to describe, and a good dose of platonic friendship from the (good) men, along with some nasty (as in their nature, not the book's writing of them) hetero stereotypes that are unfortunately all too present in the real world. I found this diversity very refreshing and enjoyable to read, each character being their own individual that we want to learn about and discover more.

As to the pacing, once we reach Fiona's events in the castle, the story hums along quite quickly, but I think my beef with the earlier parts could be resolved with a little less focus on Sorcha and her seamstress endeavors. It's charming to read at first, but then I think just adds bulk to the initial arc before we hit the true meat of the story. Perhaps a little more balance with Fiona and Sorcha's perspectives at the beginning would have created a smoother overall arc. The focus more on Sorcha's feelings leads her to cone off as rather self-centered initially, though she does improve as the bigger picture evolves around her.

Definitely watching for the next installment!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰

"You know others here care for you, and no one person can make you whole. People enhance our lives, and, in their absence, we must move forward while cherishing their memories. It's painful, but if you let grief control you, it will consume you."

Reading “Dawn of the Raven” felt like reading two books in one. In the first half, we have the story of two childhood friends whose connection is so strong that one can feel when the other is in danger. It is a story in which a future queen needs to be saved, and eventually even though her best friend is there to save her, se saves herself. But it’s more than that.

The other half is about druids, same characters at first but we get to meet many more in a world where rebels are divided in two sides. One is controlled by a human prince seeking revenge and the other is the druids themselves, seeking freedom.

This is a YA folklore fantasy set in Ireland. It’s inspired by and full of ancient Celtic lore, but despite that, the events that are depicted in throughout the book are very relevant today. It’s a queer book, yes, but that fact isn’t a singularity in the book, it’s normalized and not frowned upon, and that’s how it should be in real life. So we are never told that these characters are queen, we just know, from the very beginning. What I didn’t like, however, is the hint at a love triangle, no matter what. I’m not one for love triangles, as one of the characters is always third wheel or gets hurt.

This is a debut and I’ve found some inconsistencies, especially with the bonding… it was super strong one day and incredibly weak the next. It felt weird but you need to read this book to get the full meaning of what I’m trying to say. I wish the author would have made it clear which it was, bonding or no bonding. You can’t have both and say… well, magic. And if there’s something this book is full of is magic. The kind of soft magic based in the natural elements as is usual with the Celtic folklore, but magic shouldn’t be the excuse for unexplainable or unbalanced aspects of the story.

Nevertheless, this book is the perfect door to the folklore fantasy subgenre. It’s appropriate for kids, it’s exciting, compelling, instructive in some ways, and fun. And it’s only the first book of a trilogy! I wonder what else TL Tyner has to offer.

[james · Rating 3 out of 5]

[Acquired from Netgalley for honest review]

Dawn of the Raven centres on three unique young women in a Celtic-inspired fantasy world where druids are persecuted for their magic and political power is becoming increasingly unstable.

The greatest strengths of this novel are it's ideas and worldbuilding. Tyner has clearly developed an interesting and vivid world with a relevant history. The magic is interesting, and enough information about it is given that the reader will understand how it works while still leaving questions to be answered in further instalments. I appreciated the map included in the beginning of the novel.

The three POV characters all have distinct personalities. Another standout character was Liam. Sorcha and Fiona's relationship felt like a driving force in the novel and it was believable and enticing. The ending of the novel leaves the readers wanting to see how character relationships develop further.

I enjoyed the queer representation in this novel. While I don't see the world as being completely queernormative, there is not shown to be explicit homophobia either, allowing for the possibility of open queer relationships without strife related to them being queer.

Though the POV characters are interesting, Fiona's POV seemed to be the most important. One of the POV characters barely had any POV chapters, which made it feel unbalanced. Some of the side characters also seemed interchangeable, but have potential to become more developed in a sequel.
There was also an unequal distribution of POV chapters throughout the novel, with certain parts being heavy on a specific character's POV to tell the story instead of weaving them together.

The writing itself had some issues, especially with scene transitions and pacing that sometimes made the story difficult to follow, or induced abrupt mood changes.

This novel had a slow start, but was entertaining once it picked up.

There are a lot of interesting elements of the world created in this novel, and the ending promised to delve deeper into the plot and worldbuilding. Due to this potential, I look forward to a possible sequel.

[Alena Hatter · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.

I was genuinely excited to read Dawn of the Raven. Irish folklore? Mythology? Rich historical vibes? That’s usually an instant yes for me. And to be fair, in terms of worldbuilding and overall concept, the book delivers on what it promises. The setting is atmospheric, the lore is thoughtfully researched, and there are plenty of historical touchpoints that I appreciated.

Unfortunately, the way the story is told didn’t work for me.

A large portion of the novel relies on heavy information dumps instead of gradually unfolding the world through action, dialogue, or character experience. Rather than letting discoveries happen organically, the book often stops to explain itself, at length, which flattened the pacing and drained tension from otherwise interesting moments.

Clarity was another issue. In several scenes, it became genuinely hard to follow who was speaking or acting, as pronouns like “he” and “she” were used so loosely that I had to reread passages just to orient myself. Instead of being immersed, I found myself doing mental bookkeeping.

I also have to mention the characters. I usually gravitate toward queer romances almost automatically, but not this time. The emotional core just wasn’t there. The characters’ behavior often felt inconsistent or unmotivated, which made it difficult to connect with them. Fiona, in particular, seemed to shift her personality multiple times, making it hard to form any real attachment, not just to her, but to the cast as a whole.

It’s quite clear that this is a debut novel, and I say that without malice. The foundation is there: the story, the world, the folklore. What’s missing is polish in execution, especially in character development, narrative clarity, and pacing.

I truly wish the author the best going forward. There is a story worth telling here. It just needs a stronger, more confident way of being told.

[Keturah Sergeant · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book took forever to get going, the first half was a confused plot of uneven friendship, political manoeuvres and marriage arrangements. A farm girl to become Queen and her best friend, a seamstress, taking a city job to be closer to her, both losing their families due to strict separation of cities. There were hints of the larger plot, druidic myth, the Reaper's occasional perspective and hints of a bond, but nothing was fully developed or explained. Then, suddenly, the two main friends are druids, dreams are prophecies and all the politics change.

Suddenly, everything needs to be explained because they are both very magical and one of them is very special... So the guard friend turns out to be a druidic recruiter, happy to explain the whole system of a hidden druidic clan and its politics unprompted. Then the Reaper, a girl with no friends, no trust in anyone, even the man who raised her, as his ambition, greed and cruelty have only intensified over the years, immediately trusts the once-Queen, extra-special divine druid and tells her everything, becomes an immediate emotional and physical support and completely commits to her... Everything grows increasingly dramatic, rising to a confrontation in battle between the druids and the Queen Mother, for a magical sword. The Reaper has a claim to the throne, the once-Queen is the most powerful divine druid around and the seamstress turned sun-druid will continue to follow her around and give her undying loyalty along with the Reaper.

The build up did not fit with the major plot line, the concept was good overall, the battles dramatic, the twists engaging. At its heart, this book is about a deeply unequal friendship, magic and systems that never change.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 stars

Thank you to the author and Netgalley for sharing this book with me in exchange for my honest review.

This book follows three young women, Sorcha, Fiona and Nemain, as they navigate a world seeped in druidic magic inspired by Irish mythology. The book uses quite a few Irish worlds, particularly when describing magic, but the world itself is quite removed from the traditional folklore.

We see the world through Sorcha’s and Fiona’s eyes to begin with, we get a glimpse of their friendship and and we learn that druidic magic is forbidden and druids are hunted and imprisoned. The first part of the book felt quite slow for me, even as Fiona moves into the castle to become a queen. Later on we get glimpses of Nemain’s life, and her dark power - and the three ‘destinies’ intertwine later on.

I personally really liked Nemain’s character, the way she travels through this Otherworld is quite original, and the elemental magic was quite cool. I also loved that this book included some queer representation, moving away from the boring ol’ heteronormative romance, which is refreshing.

However, the pacing of the story and the relationships between characters felt a bit flat, there was no momentum between one scene and the next, and it made progression feel somewhat disjointed for me. I felt like the book would have benefitted from more editing, to tighten up the plot and some of the dialogue. There were moments when the writing felt repetitive and we got a lot of ‘telling’ rather than showing, as characters were describing the plot or lengthy exposition to each other. For example, without giving spoilers, after a major event that was shown to the reader ‘live’ and described quite vividly, one character spends an entire additional chapter describing it in detail, so we read the same thing twice. In other instances, I also spotted some minor inconsistencies, which took me out of the story somewhat (i.e. one character who has been described as someone not to be trusted from the start is described later on as “her once faithful maid”).

In terms of warnings, this book also contains violence and sexual abuse, and I find it quite jarring that so many fantasy romance books include assault as a plot point - I wish that was not so prevalent in this genre.

This book was not for me, but it may be interesting for those who love loose Celtic mythology adaptations in their fantasy romance.

[Siobhan MW · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
Rating: 3/5
First off, I'd like to say how refreshing it was to read a book set in an Irish setting. All the Irish names were so pretty and I enjoyed the references to the Tuatha de Dannan. Considering the series is named after the Tuatha de Dannan, I'd be interested to see how Irish mythology further influences the series. I also thought the descriptions of the settings were quite well done.
Other than the setting, my favourite aspect of this book is the relationship between Sorcha and Fiona. I believe Sorcha is meant to be asexual, with strong platonic feelings towards Fiona that she doesn't quite know what to do with (love to see a QPR), and I can really feel the depth of their friendship. However, the other relationships in this story didn't feel quite so fleshed out and I wish they'd been built on more. The romances between Fiona and Nemain, and Sorcha and Liam don't quite have the depth I wanted.
Adding to this, I would've enjoyed the book more if it'd been edited more thoroughly. Most of the time, the characters' feelings are told rather than shown, and the scene transitions were confusing and jarring. There wasn't much driving the plot forward until the halfway point, so the book took me a while to get through too.

[nikki 📚 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publishers for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review <3

I'm quite conflicted on how I feel about this book. The story is quite slow to pick up with a lot of settling in happening for the majority of the first half. However the world building was interesting and I enjoyed the dynamics of the main families. The magic system was interesting and despite the book feeling slow at times, there was enough happening to keep me interested.

For the most part the characters were developed well, however I did feel like there were some sudden shifts in their actions in the second half that weren't fully explored. At times, it was difficult to follow who was talking or doing what as many female characters were present in a scene and names were not used frequently enough to distinguish who was talking/thinking. This led to some confusion over character development/personality too imo. I was also a little disappointed by how few POVs we got from Nemain because she was by far the most interesting of the three leads to me.

I think this is a decent start to a series and I would definitely be interested in reading the following books. I would mostly recommend this for people who are fans of slower, more character focused fantasy rather than action packed.

[Ruby Ridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given this book complimentary from Book Sirens in e-book form in return for my honest review. Everything stated in this review is of my own opinion and I was not compensated monetarily for providing this review.
This is a novel that does not stop moving forward. You cannot fault the story telling, the pace is perfect and the story fits together beautifully..
The characters are well done with flaws that make then believable, except for Liam whom I found to be a nauseating Mr. Perfect.
As a sapphic romance for the most part it succeeds. Normally a love triangle is a big turn off for me but in this case it is actually working. Fiona is not a totally nice person especially in her treatment of Sorcha but as the book progresses she is understandable and hopefully in #2 the relationship between her and Nemain will be explored further. I did not like the Sorcha and Liam subplot, the whole thing reminded me of conversion therapy with the lifelong lesbian being turned straight by a guy and hopefully there will no more of it in #2 as it almost spoiled the book for me.
The world-building and other characters made this a great story and without giving any spoilers the ending was both a surprise and a perfect intro to #2
Recommended, Five stars and looking forward to the next.

[Bookish Martina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the review copy.

In Ríocht na Meon, magic is forbidden, and druids are hunted by the First Order. Sorcha, a seamstress living a quiet life, and Fiona, a cook supporting her family while working at the royal Keep, see their worlds upended by an unexpected marriage proposal and magical secrets coming to light. In the shadows moves Nemain, the Reaper, a feared and mysterious druid whose true story is known to only a handful of people. As rebellion stirs, the women’s paths weave together and begin to affect the fate of the entire kingdom.

I was drawn in by the premise, with three strong women at its centre, sapphic romantic elements, and inspiration from Celtic folklore. I enjoyed the world-building and how Celtic mythology is woven into the story through sacred holidays and customs. I also appreciated much of Nemain’s storyline, though the romantic feelings that developed there felt unnecessary and somewhat forced.

However, unfortunately, this book didn’t fully work for me. I struggled with the writing style and couldn’t quite connect with the characters -especially Fiona, who frustrated me several times throughout the story. There were also some confusing time jumps and scenes.

While I don’t think I’ll be continuing the series, the core idea is interesting, and I can see this finding the right audience.

[Loki Wylde · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Dawn of the Raven, Tyner has developed a story that fantasy readers will easily recognize with its 'medieval' meets magic vibe but she takes it one step further weaving in real world Irish history and its legend of the Tuatha Dé Danann. The mythology helps create the foundation of this world's lore, which I only wanted to know more with each bit of lore that is introduced.
The main characters that we follow are each facing their own struggles even as they all work towards the same goal which allows for a dynamic plot that had me engaged and invested in each of their stories. Dawn of the Raven has a diverse cast that reps strong female leads, LGBTQIA+, Black and other people of color. There is action, politics, family (both blood and found), magic wielding druids, a splash of romance - all of it sprinkled with enough drama and trauma to make you want to keep turning the page. 10/10 would recommend!

I had the excellent privilege to be a beta reader. I will be rereading after I get my physical copy as well as waiting on the chance to get my hands on the second installment.

[Gealach · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

T.L. Tyner's Dawn of the Raven is a sapphic fantasy adventure inspired by Irish myths and folklore, set in a world where druids are persecuted. First in a series, it follows three women as they contend with their fate and with persecution.

Fiona and Sorcha are old friends and maybe more; when they get separated, they struggle to survive against societal constraints and people in power. They go through much over the course of the book, and change for better and worse. Nemain has a darker story, and a history of abuse that the author doesn't shy away from. It's seen especially in how quickly she latches to Fiona when they cross paths.

While the general plot, the characters, and the worldbuilding are intriguing, with mature themes like torture and abuse, the writing is somewhat simplistic, while also moving too fast when it ought to stop and let the story breathe.

Dawn of the Raven is a queer tale of resilience.

✨ 3.5 stars

[Tristin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for the digital ARC.

This was a solid start to a new fantasy series set entirely in a fantasy land inspired by Celtic mythology. As the blurb suggests we have 3 main POV characters and each has a complicated story. Sorcha is fiercely loyal and her relationship with Fiona and her building friendship (maybe more?) with Liam were quite interesting to read. Fiona I honestly liked better after her trauma as I found her to be a bit naive and passive in the front half of the book. Nemain held my interest from the first chapter of hers and I enjoyed her story and how she developed over the course of the book. The magic system in this book was simplistic enough to understand, as it is elemental and familiar. The only issue I had were a few moments where the pacing of events felt a bit off, but otherwise this is a solid start to the series and I can't wait to see what happens to this cast of characters next.

Follow me on Instagram and on TikTok @mythicalreadsreviewer for more reviews!

[Olivia-Jobi Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Dawn of the Raven by T. L. Tyler is a dark, atmospheric fantasy that immediately establishes a harsh, unforgiving world. One of the things I loved most was the layered representation woven naturally into the story, particularly the LGBTQ+ characters, which felt authentic and integral rather than performative. The wintry setting is beautifully bleak and reinforces the constant sense of survival and sacrifice. The characters themselves are morally grey and emotionally complex, with shifting loyalties that kept me invested throughout. I also really appreciated the restrained approach to magic and power, which heightened the stakes instead of undercutting them.

The one improvement I’d suggest is allowing certain emotional confrontations a little more room to breathe, as a few key moments felt like they could have hit even harder with slightly more space on the page.

Overall, this is a compelling, representation-rich dark fantasy that will strongly appeal to readers who enjoy grim settings, complex character dynamics, and stories that aren’t afraid to sit in the shadows.

[Marta Artigas · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I really loved that the book has so much positive queer representation, as it is much needed in fantasy. That said, I almost DNFed it because at first I struggled to connect with the characters, and the writing felt a bit off. Thankfully, the second and third parts of the book are much stronger, with more emphasis on the main characters growth. I especially loved that the magic system is based on real mythology.

I loved Neiman and Sorcha, and I really connected with Fiona’s conflict about always wanting (or needing) to be “the good girl.”

The characters personality and the worldbuilding also reminded me a lot of One Dark Window, so if you are a fan of Rachel Gillig, you will probably also enjoy this book.

Overall, this is a good fantasy novel with some unexpected plot twists, and I am looking forward to continuing this series.

Thanks to NetGalley and T. L. Tyner for the ARC.

[Mia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. Thank you!

One thing I enjoyed about this book was the setting - the mythology is familiar but well-utilised, and I liked the way the magic was weaved into the story. That being said, it took a little bit to get into and when it did, the pacing of the dynamics between the characters felt a bit uneven in the way it was distributed, slow at times but rushed in others. I think that maybe it's the style that wasn't for me more than anything; I did like the characters and the world as a whole, but couldn't get past the spelling out of intentions, characteristics and emotions. This is listed as YA, so it might be for a slightly different target audience as well. It was engaging on a plot level and there's plenty of very earnest emotion between the main characters to be enjoyed! There's a good hook at the very end for the next part in the series as well.

[Athena · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is just the kind of fantasy novel I want to read, and I can't wait for the rest of the series.

I enjoyed the magic and mythology inspired by Celtic folklore, the LGBT+ rep, and all the relationships that develop between the characters. I especially loved watching the journeys of all these different these characters to a greater goal. To be sure, this is a fantasy with a slightly darker aspect, but there is not an excess of explicit violence, and any sexual activity is implicit.

I will say that there is a lot of mythological and personal setup in the first quarter that could probably have been condensed to get us to the action faster, so if you struggle with setup please know that action is coming, and it is great!

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for facilitating me with a review copy of this book at no cost and with no obligation. I reviewed this book voluntarily, and all opinions are my own.

[Stephanie White · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story - the problem with doing reviews is you often don't want to tell other readers what happens -

I can tell you this is a first book of a series - thank goodness because it left me wanting for more - If there was a second book I would be on it right now.

The two main females from the beginning of the story have been friends since childhood - and Sorcha loves Fiona - not in just a sister way - but Fiona goes off and marries the king - which is another barrel of fish. I think the story is about finding out yourself, finding the magic and power within, friendship, men that love the ladies, saving a kingdom, family, how the rulers often want to colonize their subjects and take away their gods.

Their is magic, torture, but not graphic, there is sexual innuendo but nothing graphic again - I really enjoyed it!

[Bee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really good first debut.

The story follows Sorscha, Fiona and Nemain. Sorscha and Fiona are best friends but both feel more for the other. This relationship is put to the test when it's revealed Fiona is betrothed to the king, something Sorscha both understands and yet struggles to understand due to her feelings.

Nemain acts from the shadows, doing the bidding of a man she both loves and detests, due to his saving her life as a child and raising her. She's indebted to him but wishes she could be more than his weapon.

I preferred Fiona and Nemain to Sorscha. I found Sorscha very selfish especially when it came to Fiona, it felt at times she was trying to 'claim' Fiona without ever asking Fiona what she wanted.

As the story progressed I warmed to her and I'm excited to continue with the rest of the series.

[Grace Carter · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was really excited about this book. The aspects of Gaelic deities and folklore with druids is something I love reading about. I loved the concept and the overall story. The Irish folklore was fun to read, too. I felt like the first half of the book had really odd pacing. I felt like the focus on the characters and their relationships were rushed. The relationship between Sorcha and Fiona felt like it could have had more context in the very beginning, it was difficult to feel connected to their relationship throughout the rest of the story. At the same time of the relationships feeling rushed, it felt like the first half moved fairly slow. I couldn't put it down after that first half though, and am looking forward to reading the rest of the books.

Thank you Book Sirens for the eARC!

[Cassidy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to BookSirens and the author for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review!

⭐️⭐️⭐️ .5!

Dawn of the Raven has the perfect amount of yearning, deep platonic friendship, and sweet traces of slow-burn romance that doesn't cross a boundary. The fantasy world-build was enjoyable for me, especially in the aspect of the story being based around Celtic mythology. All of the female main characters are passionate, admirable, and lovable. Sir Finn and Sir Liam deserve an honorable mention for their loyalty! This story is both dark and filled with hope, seemingly the start of a really great series.

[blueberrygal · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this book was a little slow to start, once the action got going, the story moved along at a great pace! The characters were wonderful and fascinating to get to know, and I really enjoyed seeing how they changed and grew throughout the book. Some of the relationships formed between characters and the reveal of characters’ powers seemed a little sudden at times though, which pulled me from my immersion into the story. Overall, I enjoyed the book and am interested to see where the story goes in book two! (I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.)

[Sarah Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

**I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.**

I liked some of the world building but I was a little confused But that's okay, I did enjoy most of it that I could get my head around. Im a romance girly through and through so the chaotic romance through me off lol. I almost DNF'd because of how Nemain was done but I did my best to push on. I wanted to give it a fair chance but whoa Fiona pissed me off so much that I wanted to smack her through the book Hahaha.

But it is a good book to read, Im just a little picky haha. JK.

8/10 would recommend

[anna0hliviaa · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 🌟

This feels like a very dense book even though it’s just under 400 pages. A lot happens quickly and just when you think you have a moment to relax, oop the king is dead! I would’ve liked a bit more space to breathe and digest. The writing was simple but I feel that complimented the story rather than detracted. Big fan of Fiona and Sorcha’s relationship. It was very sweet and tender. The plot has big potential and I think for the right person, this is easily a story to get lost in.

(Thanks to Netgalley + T.L Tyner for this ARC in exchange for an honest review)

[Samantha Benton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dawn of the Raven gets 4.5 stars from me. This book covered so much more than I expected, and I can truly say it kept me on my toes. There were multiple points in the book that I knew the characters would get out of the situation they were in but had no idea how. The foreshadowing in the dreams was a nice touch!

Each of the main characters Sorcha, Fiona, and Nemain were richly developed, each with compelling backstories. I loved the subtle hints about their unique magical abilities, which added depth and intrigue. The secondary characters are equally well-rounded, and I found myself growing attached to them as the story progressed.

I found this book covers so many types of love from family, platonic, first loves, to all encompassing love. I often kept “shipping” characters together only to see that it was not the right path for them. That twist at the end with the Queen Mother was a great addition and I enjoyed thinking back on all the hints about the ending.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Oriaifo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading Dawn of the Raven. The book made me feel a lot of emotions—hope, empathy, and sometimes tension—as I followed the characters’ journey. I loved how honest and real the story felt, especially in showing the struggles and joys of love and self-acceptance.

One thing I wished was a little different is the pacing. Some parts felt slow, and I wanted to see more depth in certain emotional moments. I think if the author had explored these moments more, the story would have been even stronger and could have earned a full five stars from me.

Overall, it’s a touching and meaningful book. It’s perfect for readers who enjoy emotional, character-driven LGBTQ+ stories that make you think and feel.

[Belle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a GORGEOUS dark sapphic fantasy.
Castles, swords, and magic.. Everyone's favorite combo. But make it queer and messy.

Thank you to BookSirens and Tyner for the eARC, this is my honest review.

I loved this one. We get three point of views and at least that many plot twists. There are content warnings if you need to check those. Otherwise, this was very engrossing and I highly recommend it. This is an amazing debut, I can't wait to see what's next!