I'm going to be very courteous on this one and will simply say ; do not read this if you're part of a marginalized community.
I was sad and at some point angry, I expected a queer read and get nothing. Pink washing.
This is mismarketing at its absolute best.

Thank you net galley for the copy.

The story starts by introducing our two MFC’s, two friends Siiri and Aina. When the death goddess suddenly kidnaps Aina and takes her to a mythical underworld, Siiri will basically stop at nothing to save her. The dual POV that we get from this book was great. I found myself equally interested in both of the girls journeys throughout the story.

I knew absolutely nothing about Finnish mythology beforehand but found the book explained everything I needed to know about the gods quite well without feeling overloaded with new information.

We get some twists and turns pretty early on in the story and while there is world building in between all the action I did feel like there was always something happening right around the corner that kept me hooked.

This book does end on a happy note which I was a little surprised about for the first book in a romantasy duology but I’m not upset about it. I’m curious where book 2 will go. I’m a little sad for Tuoni because I really like him especially at the end of the book but I’d imagine book two will dive right into the two MFC’s sapphic relationship. I have so many questions. Will we be fast forwarding in time a little bit or will it start off right where book 1 ended?

Thank you to the publisher and the author for an audiobook copy of this book.
I am a fan of Emily Rath, and while I am not typically a fantasy girl I really still wanted to give this one a go. I enjoyed the first half of the book, but the second half of the book was too long-winded for me. There were too many gods and goddesses to keep track of, and I felt myself getting a little lost at times.
My favorite part of the book was learning about Finnish culture, but otherwise this was a long book that wasn't entirely keeping my interest the entire time. I am chalking a lot of that up to this not being my usual genre, so it is reflected in my rating.
Still love Emily Rath, and I can tell she put a lot of heart and a lot of work into this book! 3 stars

This book is wonderful written with world building and brings to life the story of a girl who’s best friend sacrificed herself so that she may live when aGod came after them in the woods, she then is taken to play games as the God bids them to. The narrator did a wonderful job bringing the story to life.

Rating: 3.5 stars, rounded up

North is the Night has a captivating premise, blending Finnish mythology with a heartfelt story of love and loyalty. The first half is gripping, with Siiri’s determination to rescue Aina from the underworld drawing me in. The rich cultural setting and the tension between the old ways and Christianity were fascinating.

However, as the story went on, it started to lose momentum. The underworld politics became overly complicated, with too many gods and shifting alliances to keep track of. The romantic subplot, though twisty, didn’t quite capture my heart—it felt more like a side element than a central focus.

Overall, the book started strong but became bogged down by pacing issues and dense world-building. It’s an engaging read for fans of mythology, but it didn’t quite hold my attention all the way through. Fantasy isn’t a genre I typically gravitate toward, but expanding my reading palate and trying something new has been a positive experience.

Thank you to NetGalley and RB Media for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review!

First, I loved this book - I just REALLY didn't like the narrators, so the audiobook gets low marks from me. The story, characters, setting - it was all phenomenal. I highly recommend reading this book rather than listening, but I did really appreciate the pronunciations that came with the listening experience, as some of the words were a mystery to me.

The characters were absolutely beautifully written. I really appreciated Rath's ability to write growth into them rather than having them be stagnant. She also did a beautiful job of making her characters complex. With the exception of one, there is not a single character, deity or mortal, that is purely evil, and the motivations behind their actions are always so murky in a really exciting way. You never know who can be trusted and who cannot. I really loved that.

The atmosphere was perfect for a cold, wintry read. I really felt the darkness and hopelessness that Aina was facing, and as Siiri moved North and the cold set in, it felt palpable. Rath's writing really felt transportive in the sense that the cold and darkness felt bone deep and raw.

I loved this plot so much. I am a sucker for retellings of mythology, and I was not familiar with the Finnish pantheon prior to reading this. I enjoyed learning about them through the journey of these two women. The alternating chapters are done well, if you can handle the "end on a cliffhanger and swap to the other POV" tactic. I don't mind that, though I know some readers do not enjoy that approach. Aina and Siiri are both strong women who grow, learn, and come into their power over the course of the tale, and the storytelling is propulsive, so it never feels dull.

I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend for fans of fantasy and mythology.