The three parts that make a break for me are characters, world building, and plot. And in this book, the world building — especially the magic system — are the highlight. Magic through dance and movement, driven by emotion and shaped through choreographed action be it alone or in pairs or groups as women dance their magic to defend against an invading army. It’s interesting and it’s nicely done (though I did, personally, find it hard to visualize the dance scenes.)

Taking place in a fantasy world inspired by India, with beautiful clothing and jewelry, food and customs, the world of Aamar with its desert and palace feel lush and real. The characters are … fine. Aasira’s friends and school mates fulfill their roles well enough. The best friend, the rival, the nice girl; the handsome guard, the kind teacher, the stern teacher, so on and so forth. Aasira on the other hand, felt very much as though she needed her hand held through the whole book.

Important conversations are conveniently overheard, necessary and plot relevant information is told to her bu someone else, and almost all of her revelations come through flashbacks; it leaves the character passive in her own story, a leaf floating down a river, guided by the plot but never moving of her own volition. Towards the end she is forced to take action via threats to those she cares about … but, again, Aasira is more reactionary than <i>action</i>ary. There’s nothing wrong with that, but it’s not my favorite kind of character.

In the end, I’m left on the fence. The writing is fine, the pace is a little fast and the side characters are never really developed beyond their archetypal roles. If you’re interested in picking this book up, be warned, the book ends on a cliffhanger.

I want to thank Net Galley and the publisher for granting me access to an advanced reader copy

3.5 stars

Quick, enjoyable read.

I liked the blend of South Asian culture and fantasy and how the magic worked with the environment, using sand snakes for example.

The worldbuilding surrounding the magic system is probably the strongest part of the book. A lot of time has clearly gone into the magic of the dancers and how this magic can be harnessed using dance and combat combined to make the dancers formidable assassins and soldiers. However, more time could have been spent on building up other aspects of the worldbuilding as well. It would have been nice to know a bit more about the politics, rather than just the small snippets we are given throughout the book. Especially the internal politics.

The book is also quite predictable. I didn't find any of it to be a surprise and had worked out most of it within the first few chapters. However, the pacing was good, so it kept my interest to keep going.

I would be interested in reading the next one.

Lovely story with well written plot. It keeps finding new ways to suprise you and draw you in to the story. Makes you want to be a part of the adventure

DANCERS OF THE DAWN is a fantasy debut full of magic, friendship, and dancing.

I really liked how dance and magic were intertwined. Dancing unlocks magic, a way of training the girls to both use their magic and to fight. They can use it without dancing, but it lets them access more of it and gain a deeper understanding of it. It was a really nice meld of ideas.

This is a book about friendship, with Aasira and Sahi's relationship at the heart of the book. They're the best of friends but as Aasira finds out truths about her past and her mother, a rift grows between her and Sahi. Friendship break ups are just as painful as anything romantic but talked about less, but this puts all that betrayal and hurt front and centre. There are a few hints that there might be a romance in the next book, but I really liked that it wasn't prevalent in this one.

The world building is lush, drawing on South East Asian cultures from the food to the clothes to the settings. I really liked how some of the magics mingled with the world, like the sand snakes or dust storms. It made them feel like pieces in the same puzzle, integral to the other.

In all, it's a solid debut and a nice duology start that promises more magic, betrayal, and danger in the sequel.

Giving this a rounded up 3.5 stars, I think this is a really good debut and beginning to a duology. While perhaps not something I enjoyed at all times, I was intrigued to know more and would be interested in reading the next book in this series. At times the first person POV and ‘basic’ style of the text brought it down, I would still count this as a successful read 😊.

Thank you NetGalley and Oneworld Publications for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

2.5 stars

Such a really great concept that was poorly executed. The magic system was really interesting and the storyline had a lot of potential, but there was just no connection for me to the characters or the writing.

The FMC was bland to me; the writing just seemed two dimensional and didn't provide room for any emotional depth for this character or any others.

And the description for this book is SO misleading. Slow burn romance? There is exactly 0 romance in this book, which isn't a bad thing on its own, but you can't advertise as a slow burn where there isn't anything to burn.

The ending picked up and had a couple of good sequences, but overall this was a missed opportunity for me.

I was really excited to read this book, and, while I feel it was a bit underdeveloped in some aspects (this book is YA, and it definitely shows its age at times), the diverse representation, unique magic system, and colorful setting had me hooked. I would argue that characterizing this book as a "romantasy" is a bit misleading, but I understand that "romantasy" is the hot-ticket buzzword in publishing right now, and there is romance in this fantasy, so I can understand where it's coming from. Ultimately, this is a fun, fast-paced read about sisterhood and magic. I'm looking forward to the sequel in the duology!

An interesting and complex magical system. The idea of using magic and dancing to police is fascinating and makes complete sense, power belongs to power etc. However, I just didn't feel completely immersed on to the book unfortunately. I think it's just a me thing.

Thank you to the publisher for allowing me to read this arc.

I LOVED this book, honestly. The romance wasn't quite there, but the relationships between the women and the sisterhood makes up for it. I really enjoyed the concept behind harnessing magic through dance. Having grown up dancing a lot myself, I would think of some movements as magical and this book gave me that nostalgia.

I cannot wait for the second one.

The romance in this book isn't the main plot point and I loved that. I really enjoy when the main character's growth and experiences are at the forefront of the story. I loved the execution of the dancing magical system! It was so unique and engaging. I really enjoyed the writing style and how immersive and vibrant this story felt. This is the first book in the duology. I am excited to read the 2nd book after finishing this one!

Dancers of the Dawn is marketed as the first book in a new slow burn romantasy duology that features dance magic. Straight off the bat I want to say that I think calling this book a romantasy is a bit of a stretch. Who I assume is going to be the love interest in the second book is not even introduced until halfway into the book. Also, there was only one scene which I can really recall being romantic between the two characters and even then I personally didn’t find it all that convincing.

The magic system based on dancing however is present! I really appreciated the attempt at a unique and intriguing magic system such as this one. However, I don’t think there was enough context added about this magic. I don’t think there were clear rules set out and it wasn’t clear where this magic actually comes from. The world building as a whole could’ve done with some more depth in my opinion.

The book is told from the perspective of Aasira who is the daughter of a known traitor to the crown. I did enjoy the perspective as it was but wish we’d see more of Aasira’s personality. Outside of being the daughter of a traitor and a magic wielder in training I can’t think of much we learned about her as a person.

Overall, I think the book had some really interesting ideas and it is a really promising start to a new duology. However, if you go into this book expecting a Romantasy like the marketing suggest I think you be disappointed. I assume the second book is going to explore the romance more but this book on its own is not really a romantasy in my opinion.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Flame. Dancer. Death. Warrior. Executioner. Truth. Loyalty. Betrayal.


This High Fantasy takes place in the desert on an elite troupe of dancers who possess a lively, ethereal magic. These beautiful dancers are also secretly the Queen's most ruthless assassins, trained in the art of death and dance and deadly intentions. Aasira is our main character, having the most unique talents of all the killers in the dancing troupe. Her mother, a traitor. She is a flame-wielder, which is more powerful and consuming than the abilities of her counterparts.

This novel was the first in a two-part romantasy duology. I will say, the abilities in this gruesome fantasy are interesting. Dance magic is an idea I am fascinated with. I will gladly take any fresh takes/ideas on new magic systems, engrossing myself in the world building. Usually, high fantasies are difficult to get into, but this one was very very compelling.

Each member of the troupe has their own side story, each with their own individual abilities that have nothing to do with one another. Each one was better than the last, and overall, the details and atmosphere of this world were very engaging. Some writing in young adult fantasy books take me out of it, but it was easy to stay in the groove of watching this world play out in my head as I read the black ink of its pages.

The routines and the dressing of the girls brought to life this storyline and the impact of each story arc and intricacies of the magical world. The friendship ties were written very well. The fine details are the heart of the novel, immersive and vibrant in the descriptions.

The writing of the movements of the complicated and compelling dancers were so good, as well as the detail and emotion of the theme of color throughout the telling of the story. The main undercurrents that I picked up on were the themes of sisterhood, friendship, betrayal, and the cost of loyalty in this magical world. 🌟🌟🌟🌟/5 Stars!

Managed to squeeze this book into one of my classes for reading and it was one of the best decisions I made. I really loved this book and am looking forward to more from this author.

"Dancer...you should call me by my true name. I'm an executioner."

The premise had me so intrigued! The book focuses on Aasira, our FMC who has grown up in an elite academy where girls are enlisted and trained to harness their magic through dance in order to serve their Queen. Aasira is different, she posesses one of the rarest forms of magic - elemental magic - and is a flame-wielder. However her mother is perceived as a traitor to their land and therefore tensions between Aasira and her peels are high, including the Queen herself. Aasira's conflicting emotions about her mother, versues her feelings about loyalty and values are prevalent throughout the story and reminds you that Aasira is, at the end of the day, simply a girl who is forced to choose between her own morals and alleigance to the land.

The magic system was an interesting read, I'd never read anything quite like this before so it was fascinating to see how their powers were accessed, and what exactly their powers entailed and how they were wielded. I also appreciated how their powers were used consistently throughout the story rather than introducing them at the beginning, and then having one big battle at the end which magic-fantasy novels can fall prey to.

The South Asian rep is portayed with bright and colourful outfits, delious foods and beautiful names that really make you feel like you are immersed in the setting. It was really refreshing to read!

My only gripe with this is that it's marketed as a romantasy - for me personally it's a fantasy book centered around sisterhood, political intrigue, betrayal and headstrong women, the romance is hardly there until the later third of the book and even then it's miniscule. However it does set up the romance well for the next book.

Overall, this was a fun and refreshing read and I'll definitely be picking up book 2!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is a fantastic YA fantasy! I dare say one of my all-time favorites! 😍Rock The Boat has published some of the best YA fantasy stories out there: diverse, toward the intended audience which is teens, great world-building, and main characters you'll follow anywhere. I'm truly amazed by this publisher's picks. I also read The Last Bloodcarver, and that was a wild ride, too!

Do you know when you read the premise of a book on Goodreads/other websites or at the bookstore and think "THIS is for me"? This is how I felt with this book, which in turn made me nervous to start reading because "What if it wasn't true? What if it didn't meet my expectation of love and awe?" I couldn't help myself, though, and oh holy moly, I fell in love, completely and irrevocably.

The main character is Aasira, a girl who grew up at an academy where young girls train to harness their magic and ultimately serve the queen. Since her mother was a traitor, she was perceived as a traitor, as well, by other students and personnel. All Aasira wanted was to prove her worth and her loyalty. She wanted to belong. Throughout the book, we got many plot twists, and I enjoyed seeing how Aasira handled all this new information. Before, Aasira felt like something was missing, so it was precious to see her become whole and discover who she is as a person and not as her mother's daughter. I LOVED HER!

The love interest comes later on, and I won't spoil anything, but I do love a character who is loyal and stands up for his beliefs. And I really liked him, too! Book 2 will have even more romance, and I'M SO GIDDY ABOUT IT!

There were plenty side-characters, and I enjoyed them all. I felt like every character had a great development in this book; at the end of the book, no one was left the same when the story took off. This doesn't happen often enough, and it spoke of a real storytelling talent of this debut author!

The world-building is PHENOMENAL. The author has had extensive experience in ballet, and it really translated well on the page. All the descriptions were vivid and rich, and I was practically awe-inspired by all of it. I mean, DANCE as a way to practice MAGIC?!! GLORIOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The plot had many twists and turns, one that was obvious in my opinion, but it didn't make me any less excited. Even if I knew something, I had no idea how it would turn out! THE SUSPENSE! THE TWISTS!! THE CHARACTERS' LOYALTIES AND DEVELOPMENTS!

I felt like this book will resonate with a lot of YA readers because it's true to its audience but also has strong crossover appeal. I really LOVED everything about this book, and I hope we get a special edition of this series. I CAN'T WAIT FOR BOOK 2!!!!!!

Dancers of the Dawn is, hands down, one of the best books I'll read this year, and an outstanding YA fantasy. If someone would write the definition of YA fantasy, they should write this title as an example. It's glorious like a flame-wielder.

Dancers of the Dawn was everything I wanted from the first page to the last. Aasira has the gift of magic through dancing, and hers, fire magic, makes her the perfect candidate to become the Queen's executioner.

But there is trouble brewing, not only with the enemies of the Queen, but within the band of women who serve as her most fierce warriors, and Aasira is at the center of it.

This world is rich, vibrant, and colorful, the prose will transport you to a land full of spices and secrets, where betrayal is everywhere and everything Aasira thought she knew might be a lie. I can't wait for the next book!

5 stars - dance magic must I say more!

Aasira is a student at a training academy for magically gifted students in which their powers are enhanced when they dance together. They each have unique talents in which Aasiras is fire magic and gives her the position of executioner within her group as the academy also serves the ruling queen. Aasira is judged on the actions of her traitor mother and is surprised when the queen selects her to compete as a member of her personal guard.

I fell in love with everything about this book from the rich desert setting, the unique dance magic and loveable characters.

I loved the way the women were the ones with the most power in the story and was gripped with Aasiras unease as she came to terms with the truth.

The mystery surrounding Aasiras mother, the queen and the competing dancers kept me enthralled throughout the story. I couldn’t have guessed the twists towards the ending and I can’t wait for book 2.

I completely fell in love with this book.

First of all, dance magic? Such a unique magic system and it was done beautifully! The world was perfectly described, with the spices and the flowers and all the colours. I just adored it!

I also loved the south asian rep! The food and the culture and the names and clothes and everything were just perfectly done, and it really immersed me into the world.

I cannot wait to read the second book by this author!

Dancers of the Dawn had me immersed from page one with its unique and fresh magic system and vibrant world building. With themes of sisterhood, betrayal and a touch with political intrigue, the world feels alive and steps off the page whilst the plot remains fast paced and gripping.

Dancers of the Dawn had me up to 3am, simply because I couldn't stop reading and the only disappointment in getting an early arc of this book is the fact I'll have to wait longer for book 2.