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A Thousand Nights Before Dawn
They’re trapped in a time loop. She dies every night. Only he can break the spell.
After her homeland was conquered and her people were forced to escape to the desert nation of Aur, nineteen-year-old Zahra hopes for only one thing—to escape her debt to a cruel mistress and start a new life as a dressmaker.
But on the night of the King’s Feast, her father steals a priceless object, and Zahra is killed by the Pharaoh’s soldiers—only to wake up on the morning of the King’s Feast once more. The King, a mysterious man named Namir, shows up on her doorstep and tells her the day is repeating, and will continue to repeat until he finds his lost bride.
Determined to save her father’s life and prevent her death, Zahra agrees to help Namir find his missing bride and end the time loop for good. But when assassins come to claim Namir’s life and Zahra has visions of a violent past and a devastating future, neither is sure who to trust—or if they can trust each other.
When one fateful night turns into a thousand, Zahra and Namir are faced with a difficult die alone or face the never-ending night together?
This ancient Egyptian Cinderella retelling is perfect for fans of slow burn romance, epic battles, and Egyptian and Greek mythology.
After her homeland was conquered and her people were forced to escape to the desert nation of Aur, nineteen-year-old Zahra hopes for only one thing—to escape her debt to a cruel mistress and start a new life as a dressmaker.
But on the night of the King’s Feast, her father steals a priceless object, and Zahra is killed by the Pharaoh’s soldiers—only to wake up on the morning of the King’s Feast once more. The King, a mysterious man named Namir, shows up on her doorstep and tells her the day is repeating, and will continue to repeat until he finds his lost bride.
Determined to save her father’s life and prevent her death, Zahra agrees to help Namir find his missing bride and end the time loop for good. But when assassins come to claim Namir’s life and Zahra has visions of a violent past and a devastating future, neither is sure who to trust—or if they can trust each other.
When one fateful night turns into a thousand, Zahra and Namir are faced with a difficult die alone or face the never-ending night together?
This ancient Egyptian Cinderella retelling is perfect for fans of slow burn romance, epic battles, and Egyptian and Greek mythology.
474 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 14, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
4.5 stars. This book was fantastic! When I read the blurb and saw it was an Egyptian Cinderella retelling, I was intrigued by the premise and the possibilities. Add a dash of magic, a high stakes time loop, and a helpful animal guide, and I was sold! The fact that this is also a book by a debut author and the world and character building are this solid? Wow. This was not an easy read at times. There are heavy themes, real stakes, and daily consequences for not resolving the main mystery. I enjoyed getting to know Zahra and Namir. Watching them grow, learn to depend on one another, and seeing their relationship develop was worth it. The side characters were also well developed and memorable, and there was even some sign language representation which I haven't seen often in a novel. Well done to the author. I'll definitely be watching to see what she comes out with next. I received an ARC copy of this book and this is my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Take a Cinderella retelling, add Egyptian and Greek mythology, and season it with Edge of Tomorrow - you’ll get A Thousand Nights Before Dawn.
Zahra just wants to be free. Working for a cruel mistress, she is trying to pay off the debt she and her father owe. But when her father steals something important on the night of the King’s Feast she dies at the hands of the Pharoah’s soldiers…only to wake and discover the day has begun again.
After teaming up with Namir and learning they are trapped in a time loop, Zahra agrees to help the young king as he searches for his chosen bride. But with assassins after Namir, and Zahra doomed to die every night, the task is not an easy one.
This retelling is a solid debut. Filled with references to Greek and Egyptian mythology, it was a lot of fun picking them up across the story. It is a slow burn romance with no spice that would be appropriate for younger readers.
Addressing themes of xenophobia, classism and racism, the story uses the themes of Cinderella to discuss identity and acceptance. There are themes of grief, displacement and refugees, and borderline slavery.
This promising debut will be at home on the shelves of anyone who wants to go beyond the Western fantasy tradition. If you enjoy retellings and mythology, add A Thousand Nights Before Dawn to your TBR.
Zahra just wants to be free. Working for a cruel mistress, she is trying to pay off the debt she and her father owe. But when her father steals something important on the night of the King’s Feast she dies at the hands of the Pharoah’s soldiers…only to wake and discover the day has begun again.
After teaming up with Namir and learning they are trapped in a time loop, Zahra agrees to help the young king as he searches for his chosen bride. But with assassins after Namir, and Zahra doomed to die every night, the task is not an easy one.
This retelling is a solid debut. Filled with references to Greek and Egyptian mythology, it was a lot of fun picking them up across the story. It is a slow burn romance with no spice that would be appropriate for younger readers.
Addressing themes of xenophobia, classism and racism, the story uses the themes of Cinderella to discuss identity and acceptance. There are themes of grief, displacement and refugees, and borderline slavery.
This promising debut will be at home on the shelves of anyone who wants to go beyond the Western fantasy tradition. If you enjoy retellings and mythology, add A Thousand Nights Before Dawn to your TBR.
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC Review ❣️
❤❤❤❤❤ 5 stars for me
This is an incredible story. As I am staying in the Middle East, I want to read something related to here and I got this book. This book is based on Egyptian folklore, this is a fantasy world and I loved every part in reading this and learning about a new fantasy world and new characters. This is not our usual fantasy where fae, dragons, etc is present.... this is something more with Sibyl, eagles, hawk etc.
I'm 100% sure I mispronounced many words while I was reading this book 😅😆 and once I finished this book, I found the meanings of all these new words at the end where my understanding went to another level.
coming to the story I loved each and every trope it consisted, Cinderella, assassins, servant and king romance, slow burn, he falls first, strong female lead, touch her and die 😘. after the tropes it has time loop where one single repeats and each day a new experience, a new turn, a new twist reveals, how they overcome this and reveal the truth, find the wrong doers, defeats the bad guy 🥰
I loved each and every aspect of the book, the Egyptian mythology, great fantasy, magical world, the pure love, and many more....i have no words for the author Emma except a single one.... Spectacular Debut ❣️
❤❤❤❤❤ 5 stars for me
This is an incredible story. As I am staying in the Middle East, I want to read something related to here and I got this book. This book is based on Egyptian folklore, this is a fantasy world and I loved every part in reading this and learning about a new fantasy world and new characters. This is not our usual fantasy where fae, dragons, etc is present.... this is something more with Sibyl, eagles, hawk etc.
I'm 100% sure I mispronounced many words while I was reading this book 😅😆 and once I finished this book, I found the meanings of all these new words at the end where my understanding went to another level.
coming to the story I loved each and every trope it consisted, Cinderella, assassins, servant and king romance, slow burn, he falls first, strong female lead, touch her and die 😘. after the tropes it has time loop where one single repeats and each day a new experience, a new turn, a new twist reveals, how they overcome this and reveal the truth, find the wrong doers, defeats the bad guy 🥰
I loved each and every aspect of the book, the Egyptian mythology, great fantasy, magical world, the pure love, and many more....i have no words for the author Emma except a single one.... Spectacular Debut ❣️
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received an ARC for this book from the author, which I'm very thankful for.
The book follows Zahra as she finds out she's stuck in a time loop after dying the night of the King’s Feast.
I had little to no idea of what the book was about, other than it had fantasy and romance. And, to be honest, it was the best experience. I was not expecting the mystery of the time loop, even though those are all in the description.
I often don't read descriptions, synopses, or even watch trailers or movies and TV shows, and this book was even better without knowing what to expect. A Thousand Nights Before Dawn is a solid debut. I struggled at first with some words and references to Egyptian and Greek mythology, but that's just my own ignorance, lol. But at the same time, I Googled things I didn't know about and ended up learning a lot, so that's a win for sure, and it enhanced the reading experience.
The mystery of the time loop, the missing bride, and Zahra's own history as we delve into why she knows about the time loop and what exactly it all means kept me interested until the end.
The book follows Zahra as she finds out she's stuck in a time loop after dying the night of the King’s Feast.
I had little to no idea of what the book was about, other than it had fantasy and romance. And, to be honest, it was the best experience. I was not expecting the mystery of the time loop, even though those are all in the description.
I often don't read descriptions, synopses, or even watch trailers or movies and TV shows, and this book was even better without knowing what to expect. A Thousand Nights Before Dawn is a solid debut. I struggled at first with some words and references to Egyptian and Greek mythology, but that's just my own ignorance, lol. But at the same time, I Googled things I didn't know about and ended up learning a lot, so that's a win for sure, and it enhanced the reading experience.
The mystery of the time loop, the missing bride, and Zahra's own history as we delve into why she knows about the time loop and what exactly it all means kept me interested until the end.
Review of advance copy
In Emma Shirley's blend of history and fantasy, A Thousand Nights Before Dawn, we're taken on a journey of rediscovery alongside Zahra. We learn as she does, as information is drip fed to us slowly throughout the book.
There's a beautiful sense of setting in each scene, with the descriptions of each place providing grounding for the tension in the story. The tension stems from race, class, and culture differences between the Aurans and Ionions. It's the perfect set up for the yearning to understand each other that Zahra and Namir experience while trying to solve the problems of a missing bride, politicial assassination attempts, and of course, trying to stop the time loop.
The fight scenes are exciting, the secondary characters add colour and depth, and the final pay off is 'chef's kiss'.
There's a beautiful sense of setting in each scene, with the descriptions of each place providing grounding for the tension in the story. The tension stems from race, class, and culture differences between the Aurans and Ionions. It's the perfect set up for the yearning to understand each other that Zahra and Namir experience while trying to solve the problems of a missing bride, politicial assassination attempts, and of course, trying to stop the time loop.
The fight scenes are exciting, the secondary characters add colour and depth, and the final pay off is 'chef's kiss'.
April 14, 2026
A thousand nights before dawn was a emotional rollercoaster. Think Arabian nights mixed with Egyptian mythology and some mystery. A lil spoiler but you would be left guessing who's the villain. As someone who read the Arabian nights story as a child, I was so excited to read the ARC. Namir and Zahra's relationship was so comforting to read. They both start to trust each other and depend on each other as they navigate through Zahra's trauma and Namir's self doubt and insecurity. Emma truly built their bond and it actually strengthens throughout the book.
The amount of research done for the book shows in the Egyptian worldbuilding of Aur. The description really brings everything to life. I really enjoyed reading this book and can't stop thinking about the ending.
The amount of research done for the book shows in the Egyptian worldbuilding of Aur. The description really brings everything to life. I really enjoyed reading this book and can't stop thinking about the ending.
April 22, 2026
A Thousand Nights Before Dawn by Emma Shirley is a beautifully written and emotionally engaging book that draws readers in with its depth and atmosphere. The author creates a compelling narrative that feels both thoughtful and immersive, making it easy to connect with the story and its underlying themes.
June 27, 2026
Amazing
Really was like a dark, murdery groundhogs day! But very engaging and capitvating. The world building was incredible and the twists and turns kept me guessing the whole story. I was very surprised by the ending.
Really was like a dark, murdery groundhogs day! But very engaging and capitvating. The world building was incredible and the twists and turns kept me guessing the whole story. I was very surprised by the ending.
Review of advance copy received from Author
A Thousand Nights Before Dawn is a beautiful, clean fantasy romance. It nicely combines the stories of Cinderella and Shahrazad.
Set in the land of Aur, Zahra is an indentured servant/immigrant working to pay off her family’s debt. She is surprised to learn that she has been invited to a feast where every eligible maiden is given the opportunity to dance with the king. By Aurian law, he has to marry before he can become the next pharaoh.
Full of mystery, intrigue, gods and magic, the story of Zahrah is an engaging story that had me hooked from the beginning! A definite must read for any romantacy lover.
Set in the land of Aur, Zahra is an indentured servant/immigrant working to pay off her family’s debt. She is surprised to learn that she has been invited to a feast where every eligible maiden is given the opportunity to dance with the king. By Aurian law, he has to marry before he can become the next pharaoh.
Full of mystery, intrigue, gods and magic, the story of Zahrah is an engaging story that had me hooked from the beginning! A definite must read for any romantacy lover.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews