Dark Breaks the Dawn 12+

About this book

On her eighteenth birthday, Princess Evelayn of Eadrolan, the Light Kingdom, can finally access the full range of her magical powers. The light looks brighter, the air is sharper, and the energy she can draw when fighting feels almost limitless.

But while her mother, the queen, remains busy at the war front, in the Dark Kingdom of Dorjhalon, the corrupt king is plotting. King Bain wants control of both kingdoms, and his plan will fling Evelayn into the throne much sooner than she expected.

In order to defeat Bain and his sons, Evelayn will quickly have to come into her ability to shapeshift, and rely on the alluring Lord Tanvir. But not everyone is what they seem, and the balance between the Light and Dark comes at a steep price.

In the first book of a remarkable duology, Sara B. Larson sets the stage for her reimagining of Swan Lake -- a lush romance packed with betrayal, intrigue, magic, and adventure.

Reviews

Praise for Dark Breaks the Dawn:
"With its intricate, dazzling system of magic and a vibrant cast of characters caught in a devastating conflict between forces of light and darkness, this passionate, war-torn retelling of Swan Lake is not one to be missed! You'll be spellbound from the very first lines." -- Sarah J. Maas, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Throne of Glass series
"A breathtaking origin story of Swan Lake that unfurls with soaring beauty and a villain prince as captivating as the fearless princess." -- Kathryn Purdie, author of the Burning Glass series

* "Larson is especially effective in her portrait of Evelayn's need to summon maturity before she thought she would have to, a sweetly innocent romance underscores the bite of betrayal, and the cliffhanger ending will easily build anticipation for the second book." -- Publishers Weekly, starred review

"This reimagination of Swan Lake features a plucky heroine, a sinister, surprise villain in the
wings, and plenty of battle action . . . a clever cliff-hanger ending will have readers demanding the sequel." -- Booklist

"Girl-power fantasy." -- Kirkus Reviews

"In this reimagining of Swan Lake, the characters deal with issues of morality and justice and the burdens of responsibility; these universal themes flourish in Larson's fantastic setting." -- VOYA

Praise for Endure:

"Readers of the previous books in the trilogy will be lining up to read the conclusion to this epic story. Readers who are looking for fantasy with strong female characters, such as Cinder in The Lunar Chronicles or Celaena Sardothien of the Throne of Glass series, will find a great new trilogy here." -- School Library Connection

"Fans will be very satisfied with this final journey." -- School Library Journal

Praise for Ignite:

"[A] fast-paced fantasy novel laced with political intrigue." -- School Library Journal
"Alexa [is]... an interesting, multilayered character, a valiant fighter with heart." -- Booklist

"Alex is so strong... The intrigue is really thick in this book, and there are secrets within plots and people." -- Jessie Plots, blogging for USA Today

Praise for Defy:

An Indie Next List Selection

"A wonderful tale of adventure, romance, and embracing your true self. Alexa is a heroine readers will love to follow!" -- Marie Lu, bestselling author of the Legend series

"Grand adventure, romance, and thrilling political intrigue." -- Booklist

"Powerful and narratively satisfying." -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books