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So Sang The Dawn
Orphan, outcast, outsider. These are the labels that seventeen-year-old Aurora Ballern has worn all her life. Abandoned as an infant, she’s been sent to live out her existence at a boarding school in the city of Luxton, New York, while waiting to be adopted. When escape from the confining walls of the academy comes in the form of a kidnapping, everything she’s ever known changes in an instant.
Aurora wakes in firelit darkness to find that she’s now captive in a mysterious land called Frostholm, and that her best friend and boarding school roommate, Raine, has also been taken. To make matters worse, Raine is badly injured, and Aurora is overcome with guilt; not only has her best friend been kidnapped because of her, but now Raine’s life has been irreversibly changed — forever.
The world of Frostholm is harsh — it’s cold, unforgiving, and the jagged mountains and dense, snowy forests are completely impassable, making escape a foolish impossibility. There are war-painted humans — and sentient wolves — everywhere, speaking a language that neither Aurora or Raine can understand. The warlord responsible for Aurora and Raine’s capture, a man just as ruthless as the land he governs, demands that Aurora become a warrior and take lives for his kingdom, on the grounds that if she refuses, Raine will pay a terrible price. Becoming a warrior, wielding a sword, going to battle… it terrifies Aurora, but Raine has already lost too much because of her.
Thrown into a world of warriors and weapons, brutal cold and battle scars, Aurora suffers through the harsh realities of warrior training in a culture where life is expendable and death is the trophy of war. When the warlord sends Aurora to his enemy kingdom to retrieve information, the challenge to obey his orders outside the walls of the keep becomes harder and harder, and Aurora’s eyes are opened to the true war ravaging the land of Frostholm.
In a final battle that will not only decide Aurora’s fate, but the fate of everyone she’s come to know and love, she’s faced with the ultimate decision of who to save — a city of thousands, or the life of her best friend.
RATING: PG-13 — For battle sequences, moderate fantasy violence, and deep emotional themes. There is no descriptive gore, mature language, or sexual content in this book.
- GenresFantasy
794 pages, Paperback
Published November 24, 2017
About the author
AnnMarie Pavese
1 book15 followersAnnMarie Pavese lives in the rocky, forested mountains of Arizona, under the towering shadow of the Mogollon Rim, which was a huge inspiration in the creation of Frostholm. Her writing journey began at twenty-one years old, when, during a season of heavy loss and deep grief, she was encouraged to write down her daydreams as a form of self-therapy. What followed was a battle scene depicting two captive girls with swords, driving back hordes of enemies and refusing to surrender — the very first of a set of scribbled scenes that would go on to become So Sang The Dawn, five years later.
AnnMarie now spends her days writing, studying wildlife, adopting as many dogs as she’s able, and counseling the young women around her through the highs and lows of life. While at ease in both the desert and the mountains, she is especially obsessed with the cold and always writes best when it’s raining or snowing.
AnnMarie now spends her days writing, studying wildlife, adopting as many dogs as she’s able, and counseling the young women around her through the highs and lows of life. While at ease in both the desert and the mountains, she is especially obsessed with the cold and always writes best when it’s raining or snowing.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
January 31, 2026
This book is like a creature that escaped Narnia and went in search of East of the Sun & West of the Moon but ended up in a party with Vikings, Romans, the Island of Doctor Moreau, the Polar Express, a sprinkling of His Dark Materials, the Hindenburg crash, and Nordic herders with woolly mammoths instead of reindeer.
It’s not as silly as it sounds, I promise!
Find out why in my full review at my website. (There's a giveaway coming, too!)
I received a complimentary ARC copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.
It’s not as silly as it sounds, I promise!
Find out why in my full review at my website. (There's a giveaway coming, too!)
I received a complimentary ARC copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.
November 16, 2022
This book. I can’t. I can’t review it right now. I need to bask in its awesomeness for a week and then I will come back. Review to Come.
MY REVIEW
WOW. This book was so huge, so deep, so intense…I had to take a week off after reading it before I could coherently review it. This is an amazing novel from debut author, Miss Ann Marie Pavese. Did I mention how HUGE it is? I love big books personally, so the size did not daunt me in the least bit. The first couple of chapters were a little slow, but they laid the groundwork for some amazing characters. The characters were what I loved most about this story. The main character, Aurora, is the perfect balance of fragility and strength. She faces moral dilemmas and has to make hard choices. Sometimes good ones, sometimes bad ones—but through it all her character remains likable and you want her to somehow escape the terrible circumstances surrounding her. Her best friend Raine is just as endearing, a gentler soul than Aurora and yet with a hidden strength of her own. (I hear rumors she will be getting her own story in the near future, something I am hugely in favor of). And the side characters—don’t get me started on them. They are AMAZING. The setting is dark, the plot even grimmer, and yet the characters who follow Rory through her journey are good, kind, lovable people. I found myself just as enraptured with their stories as I was with Rory’s. And the twists in this story…I don’t know how many times I set the book down and gasped out loud because I didn’t see them coming.
One thing I would have liked done differently was a bit of “house cleaning.” There were several chapters, especially in the first half of the book, that could have been condensed or cut without losing the overall story. But, since I like big books and every word the author wrote was so beautifully crafted, I almost hate to even mention it.
The only other thing I feel I should mention is a warning that this is a grim story. The circumstances are bleak. The darkness is about as black as it can be. There are scenes that some readers will find difficult. But at the same time…there is light in this story. This story, above all else, is a contrast of light versus darkness, of good versus evil…and of the struggle within the soul to choose between the two. There is a hint of allegory, especially in the back half of the book, and a redemption scene that literally had me weeping. There were several scenes in the climax that had me in tears because they were so beautifully written, because the character had come through so much to get to the ending, and she deserved every word of the beautiful climax.
If you like dark words, fantastic characters, unique creatures and BIG BOOKS…So Sang the Dawn will sing to your soul and utterly consume you as you read, and long after. It’s one of those stories that does not leave you when you close the cover. Bravo, Ms. Pavese. I see great stories in your future and cannot wait to read them.
RATING: I rate this story PG-13 for dark sequences, emotional abuse and thematic elements. There is no swearing or sexual content in this book.
MY REVIEW
WOW. This book was so huge, so deep, so intense…I had to take a week off after reading it before I could coherently review it. This is an amazing novel from debut author, Miss Ann Marie Pavese. Did I mention how HUGE it is? I love big books personally, so the size did not daunt me in the least bit. The first couple of chapters were a little slow, but they laid the groundwork for some amazing characters. The characters were what I loved most about this story. The main character, Aurora, is the perfect balance of fragility and strength. She faces moral dilemmas and has to make hard choices. Sometimes good ones, sometimes bad ones—but through it all her character remains likable and you want her to somehow escape the terrible circumstances surrounding her. Her best friend Raine is just as endearing, a gentler soul than Aurora and yet with a hidden strength of her own. (I hear rumors she will be getting her own story in the near future, something I am hugely in favor of). And the side characters—don’t get me started on them. They are AMAZING. The setting is dark, the plot even grimmer, and yet the characters who follow Rory through her journey are good, kind, lovable people. I found myself just as enraptured with their stories as I was with Rory’s. And the twists in this story…I don’t know how many times I set the book down and gasped out loud because I didn’t see them coming.
One thing I would have liked done differently was a bit of “house cleaning.” There were several chapters, especially in the first half of the book, that could have been condensed or cut without losing the overall story. But, since I like big books and every word the author wrote was so beautifully crafted, I almost hate to even mention it.
The only other thing I feel I should mention is a warning that this is a grim story. The circumstances are bleak. The darkness is about as black as it can be. There are scenes that some readers will find difficult. But at the same time…there is light in this story. This story, above all else, is a contrast of light versus darkness, of good versus evil…and of the struggle within the soul to choose between the two. There is a hint of allegory, especially in the back half of the book, and a redemption scene that literally had me weeping. There were several scenes in the climax that had me in tears because they were so beautifully written, because the character had come through so much to get to the ending, and she deserved every word of the beautiful climax.
If you like dark words, fantastic characters, unique creatures and BIG BOOKS…So Sang the Dawn will sing to your soul and utterly consume you as you read, and long after. It’s one of those stories that does not leave you when you close the cover. Bravo, Ms. Pavese. I see great stories in your future and cannot wait to read them.
RATING: I rate this story PG-13 for dark sequences, emotional abuse and thematic elements. There is no swearing or sexual content in this book.
January 28, 2026
An absolute masterpiece of epic fantasy with central themes of found family, light versus darkness, and beauty being born from brokenness, So Sang the Dawn is, in short, a must read.
February 9, 2026
A warning to all who wish to read this book:
If you have any responsibilities that you cherish, such as school assignments, work deadlines, social obligations, or personal goals -or, in my specific case, an attempt to move across the country- complete them now.
I urge you. Do not hesitate. Do not test yourself in such a way. You will attempt to be responsible, saying, “Just one chapter before bed”. But this is not that kind of scenario, and your plans will fail.
For once you crack the spine of this story, there will be no return.
So Sang The Dawn is a remedy for dry reading spells, boring winter days, and, honestly, any other occasion. However. There will be side effects, including (but not limited to):
- Sleep loss
- An inability to keep track of time
- A severe emotional attachment to fictional characters
- A strong desire to stash yourself away in some small, undiscovered corner of the world, nay, another planet, with nothing but a very fluffy blanket and an unreasonable amount of hot chocolate (or whatever your poison of choice may be)
- Being perceived by innocent bystanders as “not okay”
It is highly recommended that you bring tissues. Plural. A box. A crate. Perhaps find a way to create yourself a blanket made of Kleenex, so you can wipe your tears with one hand while the other turns the page. I made the mistake of reading this while trapped in a car for hours as Arkansas blurred by through the window, and my waterproof mascara never stood a chance.
You may also wish to appoint a guardian. Someone reliable, stubborn. Have them check on you at predetermined intervals, bringing you sustenance for when you forget that our mortal bodies cannot, in fact, survive on words. Once you have finished reading, they will have to drag you back into the light of day.
Unless you wish to forgo society altogether and become a hermit/hermitess in honor of this book.
Which, honestly? Valid.
But consider yourselves warned.
Now. *sighs*. On to the actual review. First, thank you so much to AnnMarie Pavese for sending me this gloriously thick beauty of a story, and second, thank you to Mariella Taylor for putting up with all my dramatic text message updates.
I was blissfully able to get to read So Sang The Dawn in two parts during eight hours of the aforementioned cross-country move. My parents were... concerned, to say the least, as their normally talkative daughter had been lying in the backseat for the entire trip, silent as a monk, no matter what Forrest Frank song they played in an attempt to coax me out from under my blanket. The only sounds they heard out of me were the occasional gasp or muffled wail, and those did nothing to ease their worries.
That night, after I had been given coffee to aid in my recovery from the emotional damage I'd sustained, I cornered and subjected them to what can only be described as A Rant™. My parents, mind you, are not bookish in the slightest, so the best I could get them to understand So Sang The Dawn was "Think Narnia, but, like, better. 800 pages. Antarctica. Emotional turmoil to the nth degree. Plot twists galore. Winged lions. Massive foxes. Besties tragically separated and a villain that refuses to just die already. Did I already mention the winged lions? Yes? Too bad. WINGED. LIONS. :D"
They could not escape from me quickly enough for their liking.
AnnMarie managed to craft an 800-page story (I'm sorry but I'll never get over the sheer happiness I got when I saw how absolutely CHONKY this thing is) that is, simply, beautiful. It's been about a month and a half since I've read it, and since then, there have been countless times that I've tried and failed to find time to sit down and write this review. I've drafted it in my mind about a thousand times, and yet still the very first word I think of is 'beautiful'.
That and 'emotionally damaging', of course. But in a good way. We like the pain, apparently.
Something done particularly well was, well, the whole book. The pacing, the high-stakes moments, the peaceful moments, the relationships, the foreshadowing, the side characters, the worldbuilding, all of it.
But I really loved the portrayals of grief, trauma, and fear. We’re in a time where most fantasy FMCs I encounter are unfazed, emotionless rocks in the name of feminism. They can be a fun read, but sometimes it just gets tiring.
Then I met Aurora.
My heart was quite shattered by this sweet girl. I found it easy to slip into her character, and, having a best friend that I share a bond like the one between Raine and Aurora with, I can say with 100% certainly that AnneMarie has managed to do a rare thing: write a character who 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘴.
The point I mean to get across is that So Sang The Dawn is one of those books that you just have to read to fully understand. And then maybe read it a second and third time. A fourth, even. Just let it consume you, okay? It will, as great, beautiful books do.
Always.
If you have any responsibilities that you cherish, such as school assignments, work deadlines, social obligations, or personal goals -or, in my specific case, an attempt to move across the country- complete them now.
I urge you. Do not hesitate. Do not test yourself in such a way. You will attempt to be responsible, saying, “Just one chapter before bed”. But this is not that kind of scenario, and your plans will fail.
For once you crack the spine of this story, there will be no return.
So Sang The Dawn is a remedy for dry reading spells, boring winter days, and, honestly, any other occasion. However. There will be side effects, including (but not limited to):
- Sleep loss
- An inability to keep track of time
- A severe emotional attachment to fictional characters
- A strong desire to stash yourself away in some small, undiscovered corner of the world, nay, another planet, with nothing but a very fluffy blanket and an unreasonable amount of hot chocolate (or whatever your poison of choice may be)
- Being perceived by innocent bystanders as “not okay”
It is highly recommended that you bring tissues. Plural. A box. A crate. Perhaps find a way to create yourself a blanket made of Kleenex, so you can wipe your tears with one hand while the other turns the page. I made the mistake of reading this while trapped in a car for hours as Arkansas blurred by through the window, and my waterproof mascara never stood a chance.
You may also wish to appoint a guardian. Someone reliable, stubborn. Have them check on you at predetermined intervals, bringing you sustenance for when you forget that our mortal bodies cannot, in fact, survive on words. Once you have finished reading, they will have to drag you back into the light of day.
Unless you wish to forgo society altogether and become a hermit/hermitess in honor of this book.
Which, honestly? Valid.
But consider yourselves warned.
Now. *sighs*. On to the actual review. First, thank you so much to AnnMarie Pavese for sending me this gloriously thick beauty of a story, and second, thank you to Mariella Taylor for putting up with all my dramatic text message updates.
I was blissfully able to get to read So Sang The Dawn in two parts during eight hours of the aforementioned cross-country move. My parents were... concerned, to say the least, as their normally talkative daughter had been lying in the backseat for the entire trip, silent as a monk, no matter what Forrest Frank song they played in an attempt to coax me out from under my blanket. The only sounds they heard out of me were the occasional gasp or muffled wail, and those did nothing to ease their worries.
That night, after I had been given coffee to aid in my recovery from the emotional damage I'd sustained, I cornered and subjected them to what can only be described as A Rant™. My parents, mind you, are not bookish in the slightest, so the best I could get them to understand So Sang The Dawn was "Think Narnia, but, like, better. 800 pages. Antarctica. Emotional turmoil to the nth degree. Plot twists galore. Winged lions. Massive foxes. Besties tragically separated and a villain that refuses to just die already. Did I already mention the winged lions? Yes? Too bad. WINGED. LIONS. :D"
They could not escape from me quickly enough for their liking.
AnnMarie managed to craft an 800-page story (I'm sorry but I'll never get over the sheer happiness I got when I saw how absolutely CHONKY this thing is) that is, simply, beautiful. It's been about a month and a half since I've read it, and since then, there have been countless times that I've tried and failed to find time to sit down and write this review. I've drafted it in my mind about a thousand times, and yet still the very first word I think of is 'beautiful'.
That and 'emotionally damaging', of course. But in a good way. We like the pain, apparently.
Something done particularly well was, well, the whole book. The pacing, the high-stakes moments, the peaceful moments, the relationships, the foreshadowing, the side characters, the worldbuilding, all of it.
But I really loved the portrayals of grief, trauma, and fear. We’re in a time where most fantasy FMCs I encounter are unfazed, emotionless rocks in the name of feminism. They can be a fun read, but sometimes it just gets tiring.
Then I met Aurora.
My heart was quite shattered by this sweet girl. I found it easy to slip into her character, and, having a best friend that I share a bond like the one between Raine and Aurora with, I can say with 100% certainly that AnneMarie has managed to do a rare thing: write a character who 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘴.
The point I mean to get across is that So Sang The Dawn is one of those books that you just have to read to fully understand. And then maybe read it a second and third time. A fourth, even. Just let it consume you, okay? It will, as great, beautiful books do.
Always.
Read
August 27, 2025I can't give this book an official rating because I'm an editor, but this one always pulls so hard on my heart strings. I read the first version years ago, and now I've had the chance to help edit the newest version. And the additions in content were so wonderful. They helped serve both the characters and the worldbuilding in so many ways, and I can't wait until this story is out in the world again and the rest of you can read it.
January 3, 2019
2/7/2018
um, no review right now, too busy crying, good cry, don't worry, LOVED the book, it's beautiful.
2/10/2018
OKAY. deep breath.
So I'm procrastinating on an article by writing this, but at least I'm writing, right? Yeah, anyway.
I don't know that I've read a book like this in a while. This one really needs like seven out of five stars. The last time I remember reading a book in such pell-mell haste and reaching the end and just---hanging---was when I read Moonraker's Bride for the first time. Before that, Jane Eyre. In fact, I think I could list to you all the books I've read that yanked me in and ate me up in the process of reading, and when I came out... I'm going to sound like Gandalf when I say "You may never return... and if you do, you will not be the same." So Sang The Dawn is one of those books for me.
The prose is vivid, engaging, and nearly flawless in terms of pacing, plotlines, and flow. The story is sharp, harsh in places, and it hurts in all the right places. This brought me to tears so many times - actual curled-up-on-the-bed SOBBING. I read it in a week which is the fastest I've ever read something of this size. I stayed up late nights reading, which is also unusual for me.
Aurora was entirely too relatable and I slid into her shoes so easily that it scared me. Raine reminds me of my own best friends and made me miss them dearly. I haven't slid so completely into a story in a while and it took me a good two hours after I finished before I could even quite remember me.
Okay. Let's see if we can make some order out of my feelings on this book:
IT'S HUGE. I could win awards for the book yoga I pulled off to be able to read this comfortably. Eh, nah, I couldn't. But anyway. Ever since AnnMarie published, I've been debating whether it would be as big as my cat. The answer (as evidenced on her Instagram @elli_and_indie) is that yes, it is pretty much just as big as my cat. TOTALLY WORTH IT TO HAVE THE PAPERBACK. In a lot of ways it needs to be that big. The story is so big that it needs every single one of its 723 pages.
I loved it. I just totally and absolutely loved it. If I was beta reading, I would point out the three typos I found (and for the record 3 typos over 723 pages is totally insanely good.) That's it. I can't find anything that I feel needs to be changed except that I need the sequel RIGHT NOW PLEASE AND THANK YOU.
The characters, the setting - I won't give you spoilers, but THE WHOLE FREAKING SETTING IS AMAZING. Reading it in February, in the mountains of Western Maine, I knew exactly what she was talking about and I adored it.
The story-telling has a beautiful blend of detail and action that is both poetic and made my heart race.
This is a high fantasy story like few I've read and it has the added delight of a contemporary world and a high fantasy world blending flawlessly.
It's taken me three days to be able to think enough to be able to write a review and knowing me, it will be like three weeks before I can verbally talk about it.
I apparently made a record by sending the author her first ever review in GIFs only.
There is semi-graphic violence and heavy themes, but it's all handled so well, so I recommend for 14+.
um, no review right now, too busy crying, good cry, don't worry, LOVED the book, it's beautiful.
2/10/2018
OKAY. deep breath.
So I'm procrastinating on an article by writing this, but at least I'm writing, right? Yeah, anyway.
I don't know that I've read a book like this in a while. This one really needs like seven out of five stars. The last time I remember reading a book in such pell-mell haste and reaching the end and just---hanging---was when I read Moonraker's Bride for the first time. Before that, Jane Eyre. In fact, I think I could list to you all the books I've read that yanked me in and ate me up in the process of reading, and when I came out... I'm going to sound like Gandalf when I say "You may never return... and if you do, you will not be the same." So Sang The Dawn is one of those books for me.
The prose is vivid, engaging, and nearly flawless in terms of pacing, plotlines, and flow. The story is sharp, harsh in places, and it hurts in all the right places. This brought me to tears so many times - actual curled-up-on-the-bed SOBBING. I read it in a week which is the fastest I've ever read something of this size. I stayed up late nights reading, which is also unusual for me.
Aurora was entirely too relatable and I slid into her shoes so easily that it scared me. Raine reminds me of my own best friends and made me miss them dearly. I haven't slid so completely into a story in a while and it took me a good two hours after I finished before I could even quite remember me.
Okay. Let's see if we can make some order out of my feelings on this book:
IT'S HUGE. I could win awards for the book yoga I pulled off to be able to read this comfortably. Eh, nah, I couldn't. But anyway. Ever since AnnMarie published, I've been debating whether it would be as big as my cat. The answer (as evidenced on her Instagram @elli_and_indie) is that yes, it is pretty much just as big as my cat. TOTALLY WORTH IT TO HAVE THE PAPERBACK. In a lot of ways it needs to be that big. The story is so big that it needs every single one of its 723 pages.
I loved it. I just totally and absolutely loved it. If I was beta reading, I would point out the three typos I found (and for the record 3 typos over 723 pages is totally insanely good.) That's it. I can't find anything that I feel needs to be changed except that I need the sequel RIGHT NOW PLEASE AND THANK YOU.
The characters, the setting - I won't give you spoilers, but THE WHOLE FREAKING SETTING IS AMAZING. Reading it in February, in the mountains of Western Maine, I knew exactly what she was talking about and I adored it.
The story-telling has a beautiful blend of detail and action that is both poetic and made my heart race.
This is a high fantasy story like few I've read and it has the added delight of a contemporary world and a high fantasy world blending flawlessly.
It's taken me three days to be able to think enough to be able to write a review and knowing me, it will be like three weeks before I can verbally talk about it.
I apparently made a record by sending the author her first ever review in GIFs only.
There is semi-graphic violence and heavy themes, but it's all handled so well, so I recommend for 14+.
Want to Read
January 13, 2019My computer will not let me rate books on this site, but I give So Sang the Dawn five stars!
So Sang the Dawn is a mesmerizing tour de force. Not shying away from harshness but never degenerating into out-and-out violence, the story is a riveting tale of two friends, Aurora and Raine, who have grown up together in a boarding school. There circumstances change drastically, however, when Aurora is threatened by a mysterious man who claims she is more than she seems. Aurora and Raine are captured and taken to a snow-enshrouded continent called Frostholm. Aurora has been captured by warlord Seigan, who will stop at nothing to make her the chief commander of his army, a position her mother once held. But, Aurora's defiance of the warlord's wishes results in Raine's life being endangered again and again. Will Aurora and Raine find strength to endure, or will their merciless persecution result in ruination for them and all of Frostholm's inhabitants?
This epic story was enthralling. The predicament of Aurora and Raine was mesmerizing. I found myself despairing as again and again these friends suffered in so many ways. But, the author leavens this suffering with beautiful scenes of heroism and strength. The world of Frostholm is beautiful, and as you travel upon this large but incredible journey, you will find instances of kindness in among the horrific ones. So Sang the Dawn is a story that examines the question: What would one do when faced with the decision to save a friend when other lives hang in the balance? Aurora's first-person narration is heartwrending, and the story contains one of the most beautiful redemption scenes I have ever encountered. My favorite character, apart from Aurora and Raine, was Saorise.
So Sang the Dawn is a story of resilience, a story of finding the courage to rise every time you fall. It is a refreshing story that doesn't focus on romance but upon strong, female friendship. I especially love the symbolism of the lhren.
Please give this novel a chance. Thoroughly recommended! God bless you all.
So Sang the Dawn is a mesmerizing tour de force. Not shying away from harshness but never degenerating into out-and-out violence, the story is a riveting tale of two friends, Aurora and Raine, who have grown up together in a boarding school. There circumstances change drastically, however, when Aurora is threatened by a mysterious man who claims she is more than she seems. Aurora and Raine are captured and taken to a snow-enshrouded continent called Frostholm. Aurora has been captured by warlord Seigan, who will stop at nothing to make her the chief commander of his army, a position her mother once held. But, Aurora's defiance of the warlord's wishes results in Raine's life being endangered again and again. Will Aurora and Raine find strength to endure, or will their merciless persecution result in ruination for them and all of Frostholm's inhabitants?
This epic story was enthralling. The predicament of Aurora and Raine was mesmerizing. I found myself despairing as again and again these friends suffered in so many ways. But, the author leavens this suffering with beautiful scenes of heroism and strength. The world of Frostholm is beautiful, and as you travel upon this large but incredible journey, you will find instances of kindness in among the horrific ones. So Sang the Dawn is a story that examines the question: What would one do when faced with the decision to save a friend when other lives hang in the balance? Aurora's first-person narration is heartwrending, and the story contains one of the most beautiful redemption scenes I have ever encountered. My favorite character, apart from Aurora and Raine, was Saorise.
So Sang the Dawn is a story of resilience, a story of finding the courage to rise every time you fall. It is a refreshing story that doesn't focus on romance but upon strong, female friendship. I especially love the symbolism of the lhren.
Please give this novel a chance. Thoroughly recommended! God bless you all.
January 23, 2019
4.5 stars
That was quite the journey. Aurora's choices knew how to make my heart ache, cringe, grieve, and repeat the whole emotional process all over again as I read.
With a book as large as this one (seriously, this is one of the longest books I've read), it's hard what to say. So much takes place that I don't think I could pinpoint one thing that made this a remarkable story. It was long, yes, but it was a deep story of love, forgiveness, and hope.
I do want to mention that the world building was incredible. I'm quite certain I felt Aurora’s shivers in Rathmar all the way to her joy of discovering a certain city. Not only that but I really loved the characters in So Sang the Dawn. Seigan is one hardcore villain while Eysa is absolutely amazing.
However, truly the shining part of this story is the powerful redemption thread, but also the perseverance of Raine and Aurora's friendship. I was trying not to sob at the end.
Overall, though this book was a little long for me (I'm vastly intimidated by large books), it was worth every moment. I feel I'll treasure this story for a long time and will still be blown away by Aurora's overall journey. Hopefully the author plans to continue her story even though I'm a little nervous to think what trials she'll face next.
That was quite the journey. Aurora's choices knew how to make my heart ache, cringe, grieve, and repeat the whole emotional process all over again as I read.
With a book as large as this one (seriously, this is one of the longest books I've read), it's hard what to say. So much takes place that I don't think I could pinpoint one thing that made this a remarkable story. It was long, yes, but it was a deep story of love, forgiveness, and hope.
I do want to mention that the world building was incredible. I'm quite certain I felt Aurora’s shivers in Rathmar all the way to her joy of discovering a certain city. Not only that but I really loved the characters in So Sang the Dawn. Seigan is one hardcore villain while Eysa is absolutely amazing.
However, truly the shining part of this story is the powerful redemption thread, but also the perseverance of Raine and Aurora's friendship. I was trying not to sob at the end.
Overall, though this book was a little long for me (I'm vastly intimidated by large books), it was worth every moment. I feel I'll treasure this story for a long time and will still be blown away by Aurora's overall journey. Hopefully the author plans to continue her story even though I'm a little nervous to think what trials she'll face next.
January 10, 2019
I'll have a more detailed review to come. I finished it nearly a week ago and haven't finished processing everything yet. That may be due to the fact that I read the last 300 pages for five hours straight one afternoon xD
February 1, 2019
Built like Game of Thrones, reads like a delightfully enticing blend of Chronicles of Narnia and Hunger Games, dusted with a sugary coat of Viking ruggedness. You'll come for the promise of a thrilling adventure and stay for the earnest desire to learn if Aurora and her friend can survive this harsh new world they've been thrust into through no will of their own. If you love a long read and curling up under warm covers or in a comfy chair beside a crackling fire, this is the perfect book for you. When I first read this, it kept me up till three am because I just HAD to know what happened next; it's a book you'll not want to put down, even to go get a cup of tea or hot chocolate to warm you up as you trek through the snowy world of Antarctica alongside the endearing and determined heroine. For someone who wants to relate to a main character struggling to understand herself and accept who she is, this is a must-read saga that will have you begging the author for the second installment in the sure-to-be expansive series.
January 28, 2019
This book was AMAZING!!! So much conflict and characters that were easy to relate with. I loved the theme of hope AnnMarie weaved throughout, it was soo good.
Also, if there's a sign-up sheet to become a ljren, I call dibs.
Also, if there's a sign-up sheet to become a ljren, I call dibs.
March 20, 2018
This book is just...... Wow. Such a beautiful story with inspirational characters! It's such an entrancing novel, and I would so much love to erase my mind just so I could read it over again for the first time!! I'm so proud of my beautiful and amazing cousin!! Keep writing!!
March 7, 2019
This is a new favorite for me! I'm so glad I joined in AnnMarie's month-long readathon for her book. At first, I didn't think I was going to be able to fit in this 700+ page book into my schedule, but it was SO good, and I loved it SO much!
(I don't even know where to start XD)
So, I loved the characters--especially Aurora and Rain. Their friendship dynamic was amazing, and was giving me vibes with me and my bestie! I think AnnMarie did a great job making sure to establish Aurora's motivation was established throughout the book. It really gave me a reason to care for her throughout the entire story.
Also, the culture of the story was AMAZING. Again, it was really well established, and honestly, also felt super unique.
I totally recommend this book to LOTR fans! It's such a good indie book! (Why so many of my favorite books are by indie authors.)
(I don't even know where to start XD)
So, I loved the characters--especially Aurora and Rain. Their friendship dynamic was amazing, and was giving me vibes with me and my bestie! I think AnnMarie did a great job making sure to establish Aurora's motivation was established throughout the book. It really gave me a reason to care for her throughout the entire story.
Also, the culture of the story was AMAZING. Again, it was really well established, and honestly, also felt super unique.
I totally recommend this book to LOTR fans! It's such a good indie book! (Why so many of my favorite books are by indie authors.)
December 27, 2018
Wow. Where to begin?
I think I'll start off by saying, this is not your average book. There is much more than the author hitting all the plot points, the climax, and dark night of the soul, then sitting back and saying she's finished. I hesitate to call it a story in a conventional sense -- it's a journey. A 700+ page journey that took me several months to get through, but goodness, it was worth it.
AnnMarie doesn't pamper her characters. Aurora and Raine lose everything. EVERYTHING. Without giving too much away, they're tortured, broken, and hurting from the inside out on every page, yet they still cling onto their friendship and love for each other. It's a love of sisters, of friends, one that goes so deep they are no boundaries to what they would do for each other. I haven't admired and loved a friendship like theirs in a story for a long, long time.
This is a book about light and darkness. About the shadows and flickering flames, about trying to find out where one begins and the other ends. This is a book about compassion, forgiveness, healing, family, and friendship.
The only reason it lost a star is because I felt in places scenes could have been cut, or tightened up, and with a couple characters such as Eysa, I would have liked to see more of their flaws. But apart from those things, this book had me tearing up. There aren't many that can claim to have done such a thing.
Overall, So Sang the Dawn is an enthralling journey that I will be returning to, over and over again.
I think I'll start off by saying, this is not your average book. There is much more than the author hitting all the plot points, the climax, and dark night of the soul, then sitting back and saying she's finished. I hesitate to call it a story in a conventional sense -- it's a journey. A 700+ page journey that took me several months to get through, but goodness, it was worth it.
AnnMarie doesn't pamper her characters. Aurora and Raine lose everything. EVERYTHING. Without giving too much away, they're tortured, broken, and hurting from the inside out on every page, yet they still cling onto their friendship and love for each other. It's a love of sisters, of friends, one that goes so deep they are no boundaries to what they would do for each other. I haven't admired and loved a friendship like theirs in a story for a long, long time.
This is a book about light and darkness. About the shadows and flickering flames, about trying to find out where one begins and the other ends. This is a book about compassion, forgiveness, healing, family, and friendship.
The only reason it lost a star is because I felt in places scenes could have been cut, or tightened up, and with a couple characters such as Eysa, I would have liked to see more of their flaws. But apart from those things, this book had me tearing up. There aren't many that can claim to have done such a thing.
Overall, So Sang the Dawn is an enthralling journey that I will be returning to, over and over again.
January 11, 2026
How to even begin this review? Firstly, I am so honored to have been chosen for the ARC copy of this book. It is a bit of a beast at just about 800 pages but I flew through it in less than a week.
So Sang the Dawn paints a world that feels absolutely real in both the beauty and the harshness depicted. The character relationships have that substance to them that feels lacking in so many other books, and there are lasting consequences for each choice made. The stakes pretty much never stop climbing so I stayed on the edge of my seat wondering how things would be resolved up to the very last chapter (100 chapters, by the way. Loved that little detail)
It is very dark and bleak for a strong majority of the book, but I was surprised at the even stronger note of hope and goodness woven throughout. There is an overwhelming theme of forgiveness and redemption that genuinely brought tears to my eyes a few times. The world has that allegorical Narnia feel to it, so the nostalgia aspect was definitely there as well. The creatures are magical and characters all of their own - winged lions, riding foxes, mammoths, deer-wolves, and I’m sure many more we haven’t encountered yet. There is a very small romantic subplot that does not overshadow the story in any way, as it is all about friendship, the family she makes for herself. I found it immensely refreshing to not have romance be a focus in a YA fantasy. And I’d be remiss not to also point out the attention to detail with the language - there is even a helpful pronunciation guide at the start of the book that I referred to more than once.
I’m sure there is a lot more I could say, but essentially this book was the perfect way to start my reading year. I am so excited for the future books in this series and will definitely be keeping up with them.
So Sang the Dawn paints a world that feels absolutely real in both the beauty and the harshness depicted. The character relationships have that substance to them that feels lacking in so many other books, and there are lasting consequences for each choice made. The stakes pretty much never stop climbing so I stayed on the edge of my seat wondering how things would be resolved up to the very last chapter (100 chapters, by the way. Loved that little detail)
It is very dark and bleak for a strong majority of the book, but I was surprised at the even stronger note of hope and goodness woven throughout. There is an overwhelming theme of forgiveness and redemption that genuinely brought tears to my eyes a few times. The world has that allegorical Narnia feel to it, so the nostalgia aspect was definitely there as well. The creatures are magical and characters all of their own - winged lions, riding foxes, mammoths, deer-wolves, and I’m sure many more we haven’t encountered yet. There is a very small romantic subplot that does not overshadow the story in any way, as it is all about friendship, the family she makes for herself. I found it immensely refreshing to not have romance be a focus in a YA fantasy. And I’d be remiss not to also point out the attention to detail with the language - there is even a helpful pronunciation guide at the start of the book that I referred to more than once.
I’m sure there is a lot more I could say, but essentially this book was the perfect way to start my reading year. I am so excited for the future books in this series and will definitely be keeping up with them.
December 26, 2025
I loved this book. That could be the whole review but I will elaborate.
The setting is unique and the world incredibly well built all while feeling like a place avid fantasy readers will be able to feel right at home.
The lore and language of Frostholm feels well thought out and fluid. I enjoyed learning about this magical place along with the characters. All the descriptions and commentary from the pov paints both an emotional experience and word picture you can immerse yourself in.
Supporting characters that stand on their own and make you wish you this were a series because they each just feel that special.
I could go on but I would just suggest reading it for yourself!
The setting is unique and the world incredibly well built all while feeling like a place avid fantasy readers will be able to feel right at home.
The lore and language of Frostholm feels well thought out and fluid. I enjoyed learning about this magical place along with the characters. All the descriptions and commentary from the pov paints both an emotional experience and word picture you can immerse yourself in.
Supporting characters that stand on their own and make you wish you this were a series because they each just feel that special.
I could go on but I would just suggest reading it for yourself!
December 30, 2019
So Sang the Dawn is a story that, at its heart, is about friendship. It is also a coming-of-age and much fantasy. Set on our own world, but in a magically hidden fantastical realm set in Antarctica, the main characters get kidnapped and brought there against their will and are then imprisoned and forced to become gladiators for the main villain. Snow, ice, friendship, gladiators, and magic? What more could you want? This is one of those books where you dive deep into the POV of a single character and live the story through her eyes. And when you do that for a whopping 734 pages, you'd better believe you get to know her well! First-person stories are usually a harder sell for me, but I loved this one enough to place it in my top-ten reads of the year, so that should tell you something. It helps that Aurora is not a whiny, self-deprecating character whose head was something unpleasant to be in. Unlike many other 1st-person narrators, she has some spunk and ingenuity and a selfless drive to protect her friend no matter what it costs her personally.
Another strength of this story was its length. Oftentimes, when a book rises over 150,000 words, you start to get the feel that there are places where it could have been trimmed to make it stronger. I never really felt that way about this book. It used as many words as it needed, and used them well.
Another strength of this story was its length. Oftentimes, when a book rises over 150,000 words, you start to get the feel that there are places where it could have been trimmed to make it stronger. I never really felt that way about this book. It used as many words as it needed, and used them well.
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