Firstdawn

by Lana Harper

This deluxe, first-edition trade paperback of Firstdawn will feature striking stenciled edges and beautiful interior cover art!

In this dark, sensual fantasy by New York Times bestselling author Lana Harper, a Chicago PI finds herself in a demonic realm where she must stop the forces threatening her world, with the help of two beguiling half-demons hellbent on winning her heart.

When Danica Marsden isn’t tailing cheaters or tracking missing persons, she’s grappling with a lifetime of chaos. Years of therapy haven’t helped; even the raucous barfights and one-night stands are losing their savor. Danica has learned to live with the fire inside her, along with the dreams that haunt her nights, of a celestial tree and a winged, divine woman who seems to know her.

Until the night her reality shatters.

Pursuing a target, Danica encounters a man whose face warps into something inhuman, yet familiar. Then her own reflection begins to flicker, revealing a stranger beneath her skin. Desperate for answers, she’s intercepted by two intoxicating half-demons with a taste for blood: Shahara, stunning and lethal, and her half-brother Rhavin, a charming predator with a gentle touch. They claim Danica isn’t who she thinks she is, and that her blood ties her to an infernal empire ruled by Lilith, goddess of serpents and shadows.

Drawn to both dae’val, Danica follows them to a lush, depraved realm of feral witches, hellbeasts, and captive gods. But Danica’s true heritage is only the beginning. If she can’t unravel the secret at her core and stop the forces gathering in Lilith’s court, her world will be the next to fall.

Her only chance at salvation lies with Rhavin and Shahara, who have been vying for her love for centuries. And they won’t settle for less now.

Genres: Fantasy, Adult, Queer, Romantasy, Urban Fantasy

Kindle Edition

Expected publication January 19, 2027

About the author

Lana is the New York Times bestselling author of Payback's A Witch and the forthcoming From Bad to Cursed from Berkley Books. Writing as Lana Popovic, she is also the author of YA novels Wicked Like a Wildfire, Fierce Like a Firestorm, Blood Countess, and Poison Priestess. Lana studied psychology and literature at Yale University, law at Boston University, and is a graduate of the Emerson College publishing and writing master's program. She was born in Serbia and lived in Bulgaria, Hungary, and Romania before moving to the United States, where she now lives in Chicago with her family.

Reviews

[Brittney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Firstdawn • Lana Harper

One phrase: bisexual PI meets bloodthirsty half demons 🖤🔥

Okay so we have a Chicago PI with chaos issues, weird dreams, a celestial tree, a reflection that starts acting possessed, and two hot half demons telling her she is not who she thinks she is.

Say less. I’m listening.

Danica is already giving messy, exhausted, feral heroine energy, and I love that for her. She is out here tracking cheaters, getting into bar fights, having one night stands, and apparently being tied to an infernal empire ruled by Lilith.

Then Shahara and Rhavin show up, both lethal, seductive, and absolutely not normal about her.

Obsessed.

A demonic realm with feral witches, hellbeasts, captive gods, bloodthirsty demons, bisexual chaos, poly vibes, and centuries of yearning? This sounds unhinged in exactly the way I want.

✨ Tropes and vibes:
🖤 dark fantasy
🔥 bisexual FMC
🕵️ Chicago PI
😈 half demon love interests
🐍 Lilith lore
🩸 blood and desire
🌑 demonic realm
✨ hidden heritage
👀 poly vibes
⚔️ mystery and action

📚 Read this if you like:
Urban fantasy, messy heroines, demon love interests, Lilith mythology, queer romantasy, dangerous realms, hidden powers, morally questionable hotties, and “you are not who you think you are” chaos.

This sounds dark, sexy, weird, and feral. Naturally, I’m seated.

#Firstdawn #LanaHarper #UrbanFantasy #QueerRomance #BookReview

[Jackie · Rating 1 out of 5]

This one just wasn’t for me.

[Ariel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3.5 stars

I didn't really know what to expect when I started reading this book, especially because I don't read much urban fantasy but I was interested in the synopsis, and I'm glad I gave it a try! I'm surprised by how much I enjoyed Firstdawn. While the premise isn't entirely unique (character finding out they have some sort of power/supernatural/otherworldly), I enjoyed the worldbuilding and lore. The plot felt a little bit slow at times, but it was an entertaining read overall - heavy on the fantasy but a bit of mystery and action mixed in too. I knew the main character was bisexual, but I didn't realize the book also had poly rep so that was a nice bonus! Slight spoiler maybe about the relationships. The romance is between the main character and the two demons who are half-siblings. And yes, there is a conversation in the book about the half-sibling thing, but the demons are with the MC and not each other (not a closed poly triangle). A pretty fun read overall!