MoodReads - Romance Book Discovery
The Stacks
DiscoverMy ShelvesReading Stats
Sign upLog in
MoodReads - Romantasy Book Discovery

because goodreads doesn't
have a spice filter

Discover

  • Discover Page
  • Reading Stacks
  • Tropes
  • Moods
  • Creatures
  • Spicy Books

Get MoodReads

  • so what is it.
  • iOS App
  • Browser Extension
  • MoodReads Premium
  • Gift a Subscription
  • For Creators
  • Share MoodReads

Go Deeper

  • FAQ
  • Roadmap
  • Request a Feature
  • vs Goodreads
  • vs StoryGraph
  • Who Built This?

The Serious Stuff

  • Values
  • Privacy
  • Terms
  • Support

get emails when something big happens. no spam, just news.

© 2026 MoodReads. Built by a romantasy reader for romantasy readers.

rattle the stars, bitches.

Cover of Rising Dawn

Rising Dawn

by Beck Michaels

🌶️🌶️🌶️moderate·Guardians of the Maiden #4
4.3 on Goodreads (548)

Rate this book

sign in to add to shelves, track reading status, and see your stats

find similar →
ReportSpoiler settings

Ending

reveal ending

Why Read This?The one-sentence sell. What do you get for showing up to this book, even when it's hard?

You'll experience a cathartic release as characters overcome betrayal and find strength in love and forgiveness.

Synopsis

A vengeful king. A jilted queen. A past intertwined in their future. Left shattered by a shocking betrayal, Dyna hardens her heart and vows to move on. She sets her sights on finding her remaining Guardians and reaching Mount Ida at any cost. Driven by anger and the reckless need to defeat her enemies, Dyna makes a crucial mistake that leads to devastating consequences. To solve it, she must meet with new acquaintances and reluctantly reunite with old ones—including her mate. Fueled by wrath, Cassiel spirals down a path he can’t return from as his vengeance burns through the Realms. Until the one he left to protect unravels his plans. To save what he holds most dear, Cassiel must make a choice that could echo the tragedy he had lived through once before. In this gripping tale of love, revenge, and sacrifice, Dyna and her Guardians are tested to the brink as they confront their past and fight to change their future.

book details below may contain spoilers. some hidden

At a Glance

A curator's note goes here with flavor that could spoil the plot.

trope onetrope twotrope threetrope four

Book Details

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

Goodreads RatingThe crowd's verdict. Take it with salt, though. Some masterpieces are polarizing.

4.33 ★ (548)

Page CountHow long the commitment is.

800 pages

PublishedWhen this hit shelves. Helpful for tracking vibes by era.

2024

Primary GenreWhat type of book this is. Romance? Fantasy? A 400-page therapy session disguised as a thriller?

Romantasy

PairingWho's falling in love? The gender makeup of your main romance. Helps you find your specific flavor of love story.

M/F

POVWhose head are you in? First person = deep in the feels. Third = watching from above. Dual = emotional whiplash (affectionate).

Third Person

Romance PacingHow long until they kiss? Slow burn = 300 pages of tension. Insta-love = page 12 and it's already chaos.

Slow Burn

AudiobookCan you experience this book while driving? Washing dishes? Working out while emotionally destroyed? Check here.

AvailableCan you experience this book while driving? Washing dishes? Working out while emotionally destroyed? Check here.

Yes

FormatHow fancy is the audio? Standard = one narrator. Full cast = theater kids went off. GraphicAudio = a MoViE iN yOuR mInD.

Single Narrator (unspecified)

NarratorThe voice in your ears.

Mike Kraus

Narrator Count

Single

TropesPlot devices and story situations that drive the romance. These are the circumstances that throw characters together or create conflict, not how they personally relate.

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
blood feud romancefated matesbodyguard/protection detailadventure romancesecret relationship
RomanceMagicActionAngstWorld
Theme Constellation

Mood & Vibe

MoodWhat you felt reading this. Swoony? Gutted? Deliciously unhinged? The emotional fingerprint.

emotionaladventurousdarkintensehopefulepicatmospheric

Writing StyleHow the author writes - prose style, dialogue approach, and narrative voice. This is about craft and delivery, not emotional effect.

emotionaldramaticimmersiveatmospheric

Story PacingDoes the story sprint or saunter? Fast = you'll miss sleep. Slow = you'll savor every word. Medium = balanced chaos.

medium

Emotional WeightHow much are you gonna cry? Light = fun feels. Moderate = real stakes. Heavy = bring tissues. Devastating = call your therapist.

heavy

Energy RequiredCan you read this on a Tuesday after work, or do you need a full Saturday and three cups of coffee? Low/Medium/High.

medium

VibesOne perfect sentence that captures the essence. Like: 'Fae politics meets forbidden romance with zero chill.'

page turnerseries binge material

Characters

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

FMC ArchetypeWho is she? The female main character's core identity/role. Assassin? Healer? General Badass?

reluctant chosen onesurvivorprotector

MMC ArchetypeWho is he? The male main character's core identity/role. Your exact flavor of book boyfriend.

dark/tortured soulmorally gray mmcprotective love interest

Relationship DynamicsThe interpersonal dynamic between the main characters. How do they relate to each other? This is about character energy and connection style, not plot situations.

betrayal to trustfated matesforbidden loveslow burn

Spice Details 🌶️

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
🌶️
Spice Level 3

Spice StyleNot just how much spice, but what kind. Emotional intimacy? Explicit but vanilla? Plot-driven heat? Know your flavor.

emotional / lovingsweet / tendertension / anticipation focus

Getting SteamyGentle kinks. Fun but nothing too crazy. The appetizer, so to speak.

None

Bringing the HeatFor those who know exactly what they came for. This is where you find your exact brand of chaos. The good stuff.

None
Browse more books by spice level →
This stuff might hit different. No shame in needing to know what's coming. (10)▼
spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
deathemotional abusetraumaviolencebetrayalcaptivitygriefheartbreakloss of loved onewar
Browse books by content warning →

World & Setting

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

World TypeWhat kind of world are you stepping into? High fantasy = full secondary world. Urban fantasy = magic in modern cities. Portal = starts here, goes there.

high fantasymythological

Primary SettingWhere does the story physically take place? Court intrigue = palace. Dark academia = campus. Cozy witch vibes = small town. This is about location, not world rules.

forest / wildernessmountainjourney/road

Fantasy CreaturesWhat supernatural beings populate this world? Fae courts, vampire covens, dragon riders, or just regular humans doing their best.

faedragonsshiftersgods/deitieselves

Reading Context

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

Emotional PayoffWhat you get for showing up. The catharsis, the growth, the 'I'm a different person now' moment. This is why the hard books are worth it.

cathartic releasegrowth-focusedearned hope

Best Time of YearSeasonal mood rings for books. Summer romance reads different than winter gothic.

autumn

When & Where to ReadContext matters. Some books are Beach Trip energy, others are 3am Bedtime spiral-reads. Trust.

in naturespring afternoonat nightcamping trip

Guardians of the Maiden

Divine Blood

#1 Divine Blood

Bonded Fate

#2 Bonded Fate

Shattered Souls

#3 Shattered Souls

Rising Dawn

#4 Rising Dawn

this page is just the start

  • import your Goodreads or StoryGraph TBR. we tag every book with spice, tropes, CWs, mood, all of it
  • tell us a vibe (“enemies to lovers fae, high spice”) and BookMatch finds the book
  • 4,000+ romantasy books searchable by 45 fields
  • book clubs, reading challenges, and a community of readers who get it
free account

Quick Facts

Spice LevelThe heat scale. 0=wholesome, 1=kisses, 2=fade-to-black, 3=tasteful spice, 4=explicit, 5=you need a cold shower. Know thyself.🌶️🌶️🌶️moderate
PagesHow long the commitment is.800
PublishedWhen this hit shelves. Helpful for tracking vibes by era.2024
GoodreadsThe crowd's verdict. Take it with salt, though. Some masterpieces are polarizing.4.33 ★ (548)
EndingEnding type: HEA = forever happy (you'll cry happy). HFN = happy for now (open to interpretation). Bittersweet = complicated feelings. Know what you're signing up for.reveal ending

SeriesThe series this book belongs to and where it falls in the reading order.

Guardians of the Maiden #4
Similar picks →

My Notes

Loading...

Short Takes

quick 280-character reactions for this book. drop a thought, rate the vibe, keep scrolling.

Sign in to share your take.

Loading...

Book Chat

live reactions, hot takes, screaming into the void about Rising Dawn

Similar Books

Cover of A Promise of Peridot (The Sacred Stones, #2)KU

A Promise of Peridot (The Sacred Stones, #2)

The Sacred Stones Trilogy, #2

Kate Golden

🌶️🌶️🌶️·dual POV
fated matesenemies to loversforced proximity
Cover of Caged in ShadowKU

Caged in Shadow

Of Dragons and Fae, #3

Jasmine Walt

🌶️🌶️·multi-POV·✓
fated matessurvival romanceadventure romance
Cover of Tale of the Heart QueenKU

Tale of the Heart Queen

Artefacts of Ouranos, #4

Nisha J. Tuli

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️·first person·✓
fated matesadventure romancearranged marriage
Cover of A Bond so Fierce and FragileKU

A Bond so Fierce and Fragile

Compelling Fates Saga, #3

Sophia St. Germain

🌶️🌶️🌶️·multi-POV
captive romanceforced proximityfated mates
Cover of Heat of the Everflame (Kindred's Curse, #3)KU

Heat of the Everflame (Kindred's Curse, #3)

Kindred's Curse, #3

Penn Cole

🌶️🌶️🌶️·first person
forced proximityhidden identityfated mates
Cover of Nightbane

Nightbane

Lightlark, #2

Alex Aster

🌶️🌶️·first person
love trianglefated matescursed love interest
Cover of Fate & Furies

Fate & Furies

The Legends of Thezmarr, #3

Helen Scheuerer

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️·dual POV·✓
forced proximitysurvival romanceadventure romance
Cover of A Curse of Blood & Stone (Fate & Flame, #2)KU

A Curse of Blood & Stone (Fate & Flame, #2)

Fate & Flame, #2

K.A. Tucker

🌶️🌶️·dual POV
forbidden loveforced proximitysurvival romance