Cursed by the Dawn (Standard Edition)

by Logan Karlie

Perfect for fans of Adalyn Grace, this captivating sequel to the New York Times-bestselling Dream by the Shadows is filled with revenge, romance, and redemption.

Esmer Havenfall thought freeing Erebus from his five-hundred-year imprisonment would end her nightmare. Instead, it has only just begun. Now bound by fate and darkness, Esmer and Erebus are no longer just dreamers—they are Shadow Weavers, wielders of a power both divine and damning. And something is already clawing its way through the Dream Realm’s cracks.

Raelion, the demon king lurking within Mithras, is poised to destroy the world. His corruptive curse spreads like a plague, twisting dreams into nightmares and turning humans into monsters. If Esmer and Erebus are to survive, they must achieve the forge an army from the broken and unravel ancient horrors before it’s too late. But when Esmer and Erebus are abruptly cast from the Dream Realm into a kingdom teetering on the edge of ruin, they quickly learn that something monstrous has already slipped through—and their love might be the first thing it devours.

Genres: Fantasy, Fantasy Romance, Romantasy

352 pages, Hardcover

Expected publication August 4, 2026

About the author

Logan Karlie writes books brimming with gothic themes, atmospheric worlds, and characters who fight to overcome the shadows that haunt them.

Logan holds a MA in English Literature from the University of Arkansas. She currently lives in Illinois, with her family, where she also taught high school English.

Connect with Logan Karlie on social media!

• Instagram: @authorlogankarlie
• TikTok: @authorlogankarlie

Reviews

[oliviaa duarte · Rating 5 out of 5]

OH MY FREAKING GOODNESS, ONE OF MY FIRST FIVE-STAR READS IN 2026.

i would like to start this by saying how lucky i feel to have read the arc from netgalley!!
thank you, truly.

YALL NEED TO READ THIS BOOK AS SOON AS IT'S PUBLISHED AND IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE FIRST ONE, YOU MUST READ IT IMMEDIATELY. YOU'LL THANK ME LATER.

i loved how we got to meet more characters and get to know some side ones more, like they were so lovable (except the villains i really hated them), and i think karlie's writing got even better, which i find super cool, like I genuinely felt all the feels while reading and could NOT put this down.

i do not have any criticisms. i try to be completely honest when reviewing books, but i truly can't find something that i had an issue with in this book. and to prove i also write critiques, i thought the first book was sometimes confusing (some things got described too much, some not enough) but like i said, LOGAN KARLIE'S WRITING GOT BETTER, AND I DO NOT HAVE THAT SAME CRITIQUE FOR CURSED BY THE DAWN!!
like there was NO PART in which i was like "wow what a yawn i honestly do not want to read this"- the whole book was literally-
"nono i need to keep reading what's gonna happen with this i NEED to finish this book"

logan karlie... i can't lie, i was confused about how every single thing we were left wondering about in book 1 was going to be solved in Cursed by the Dawn, since it's a duology. but you truly exceeded my already high expectations (given how good book 1 was) and went above and beyond.

so this book follows Esmer and Erebus after becoming shadow weavers. now, we didn't exactly defeat the whole enemy in book one, so the fight is farrr from over.
but- one step at a time, Esmer and Erebus have a looot to do, and, well...
only a couple of days do it in the dream realm.

I don't want to say too much about the book since it's not published yet, but i promise this book is EVERYTHING. like this had my jaw on the floor, my heart on the floor, my phone on the floor (from throwing it across the room) like oh my gosh i cried like three times because oh my GOSHH LOGAN KARLIE THIS WAS SO SWEET I DONT EVEN LIKE I DONT HAVE THE WORDS

anyway, the romance of this book was more than the first book, but not super detailed. i would say like a 2/5. can i just say how much i love erebus and esmer. like AHHGHHVYJHGFERSHYF their just so freaking cute oh my gawd

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cursed by the Dawn by Logan Karlie

I was SO excited to get an ARC of this because I absolutely loved the first book in this duology—and this sequel completely delivered.

From the moment I started reading, I was pulled straight back into Esmer and Erebus’s world. The story picks up right where things left off and basically doesn’t let up until the epilogue. It’s fast, emotional, and genuinely hard to put down.

One of the strongest parts of this book for me was how immersive the writing felt. The world of weavers, shadows, and dreams is so vividly described that it’s easy to picture everything unfolding like a movie. I felt fully dropped into the story alongside the characters.

Esmer and Erebus’s relationship also continues to develop really nicely here. There’s more romance in this installment, and it felt like a natural extension of everything they went through in the first book rather than something forced in. Their connection deepens in a way that feels earned, especially given the stakes they’re dealing with.

I also appreciated that the worldbuilding expands further in this book. We get more context, more characters, and a clearer sense of the wider conflict with Raelion, which added a lot of depth without overwhelming the pacing.

Overall, this felt like a strong conclusion to the duology—emotional, immersive, and very easy to get lost in. If you enjoyed the first book, this sequel absolutely holds up and takes everything a step further.

If you like:
🌙 shadow & dream magic
🖤 YA romantasy duologies
🔥 slow-building romance payoff
⚔️ high-stakes fantasy conflict
✨ immersive, cinematic writing

This is definitely worth the read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little Brown Books for the ARC!

[Bree Hance · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley, Christy Ottaviano Books, and Logan Karlie for the opportunity to read an eARC of this title. All thoughts are my own.

3.5/5⭐️

A satisfying conclusion to The Shadow Weavers duology! I really enjoyed the unique blend of dreams and reality, and Logan Karlie does a great job bringing both worlds to life.

Ironically, my biggest wish was for multiple POVs. Mithras was such an interesting character, and every time Erebus appeared on the page, he either made me laugh or made me swoon. I definitely would have loved more time in their heads.

While I enjoyed the story overall, I found myself wanting a little more chemistry between the main characters. Still, the ending wrapped everything up nicely, and I finished the book feeling happy for everyone involved. A quick, fun read with a refreshing premise.

[mo • lesmotsdemo · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a good conclusion to the duology. The atmosphere was probably what I liked the most about it. It was a little bit more focused on the characters than the plot, which was interesting. It added some depth to the characters’ platonic dynamics. I didn’t really feel the chemistry between the two love interests, but it didn’t bother me too much. Also, the book has smut but it’s not too graphic, so if you’re tired of the smutty romantasies (or you just want a break from them) you can pick this duology up.
Overall, it is a really underrated adult romantasy duology and I obviously recommend it.

Thank you to Netgalley for an e-ARC in exchange for a honest review.

[Isabella · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review*

3.5/5 ⭐️ (rounded up!)

I really enjoyed this conclusion to the Shadow Weavers Duology! Although it took me a little while to get back into this world, about half-way through I was hooked and had to know how Esmer and Erebus' story ended. Karlie's writing was clear and the plot had a steady pace that kept you turning pages. I really just loved how this was overall a story about hope, even in the darkest moments <3

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book!! I was SO EXCITED when NetGalley gave me an arc to read and review.

I read the first one a few months ago and was absolutely SUCKED IN. So good, and the sequel did not disappoint!!

Once I started reading, I could not put it down. The plot was so good, and I feel like the writing was so immersive. I was able to imagine that I was there with Esmer, Erebus, and all the weavers. There was more romance than in the first book. I definitely felt like this one was more mature than the first one (I would probably rate this for like 16 and up).

Overall, such a good story!!

[Cheyanne Immanuel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for the eArc.
I enjoyed this read. The first book was a solid 3 stars and I wasn’t sure if I was going to continue the duology but I am so glad I did. It was slightly hard to get into at first but once you’re in you’re IN!! I think overall it was a great YA book, the realms and world was very unique. The battling, and The ending was perfect for the series!

[Meg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so blown away by this book. The stakes are sky high, the prose is stunning, and I could not put it down. I am SO OBSESSED with this duology!!!

[Kayla Schmitz · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️ - The conclusion to Esmer and Erebus story picks up right where we left off and does not stop until the epilogue. The writing is just as lush and lyrical but the story gets even better. We are introduced to more characters that added so much more to the story. I loved how Erebus and Esmer’s romance continued to build and get stronger. After all they endured, they deserved their happiness. While we got world building in the first book, I enjoyed that there was more in the second. It fit the story and the pending conflict with Raelion. Overall, this is a great YA romantasy set in the world of shadows and dreams.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!