Twenty years ago, a plague of monsters destroyed the Morning Realms, and magicians were to blame. Rumors now tell of monsters emerging, but Jin Zhara has other things to worry about. Her stepmother is cruel, she looks after her blind younger sister, and she has burgeoning magical gifts. Meeting Han brings her into contact with a secret magical liberation organization called the Guardians of Dawn. A mysterious plague is corrupting the magicians of Zanhei and transforming them into monsters, and the Guardians of Dawn believe a demon is responsible.

This is the start of a new series, primed for teens and older, inspired by Sailor Moon and the book Cinder. Magic is contained in the Language of Flowers, with the brush, inkstone and seal seen as tools of said magic. All books and those who could read the books were burned to keep Abominations at bay, with purges held every year. This gives very real stakes for Zhara to remain silent and do what her stepmother wants no matter what, and to work hard to pay the bills and care for her sister. She's a kind girl, so it's easy to root for her and hope for the best. Of course that doesn't happen, we wouldn't have a novel to read otherwise. Han isn't an ordinary boy, and he has a vested interest in keeping his younger brother safe with the Guardians of the Dawn.

The novel lays the foundations for magic, for the Just War twenty years ago, the Guardians and their role with those who develop magic. Character names come from different East Asian cultures, and elements of their mythologies are mixed together to become the mythology of the Realms. Zhara has worked and sacrificed out of guilt and piety, to hide her magic and hopefully be seen as worthy. Han doesn't want his heritage and would rather be a boy who likes working out, writing poetry and reading romance novels. Elements of the familiar Cinderella are also woven into the tale, as well as the fight between Order and Chaos. I loved reading it, and look forward to the rest of the series.

First off, it's a Cinderella retelling crossed with Sailor Moon. (It's not like Cinder, except for the retelling part.) At the way end, there's a hint at the second book - which seems like it'll be a Beauty and the Beast retelling. So yeah, let's just stop with the Cinder comparison. It's Cinderella.

Now - onto the main review!

I was absolutely taken away by all the references to the Four Guardians and the nods to Sailor Moon. I felt completely immersed in the world, especially with the way pronouns and honorifics were used. In fact, I love that that "they" is used until the person identifies themselves more clearly. I think it's better that way. Xu seems to be non-binary (don't know for certain), and I love how everybody just goes on about life. (There's no stink about it, no big to-do that Xu is feminine presenting sometimes and masculine other times.) I also love the nicknames that people came up with when they were referencing one another!

Honestly, this book is dear to me. It brought me back to my youth, watching Sailor Moon and Fushigi Yugi (which also had guardians and four celestial beasts). The storyline makes it clear who the main villain is and what the real end game will be. I love that fact! We know there's a clear ending in mind for this series, and yet I have no idea what specifics will come. The concept of each book being a retelling seems fascinating though. So I'm curious what each will be like.

If you ever loved Sailor Moon, Eastern Myth and culture, retellings, sassy cats and innocent love then go check this out! You won't regret it!

Thank you, NetGalley, for this ARC! I need to go buy it now!

First, thank you to #netgalley and #wednesday books for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Magic flickers.
Love flames.
Chaos reigns.

Magic is forbidden throughout the Morning Realms. Magicians are called abomination, and blamed for the plague of monsters that razed the land twenty years before.

Jin Zhara already had enough to worry about—appease her stepmother’s cruel whims, looking after her blind younger sister, and keeping her own magical gifts under control—without having to deal with rumors of monsters re-emerging in the marsh. But when a chance encounter with an easily flustered young man named Han brings her into contact with a secret magical liberation organization called the Guardians of Dawn, Zhara realizes there may be more to these rumors than she thought. A mysterious plague is corrupting the magicians of Zanhei and transforming them into monsters, and the Guardians of Dawn believe a demon is responsible.

In order to restore harmony and bring peace to the world, Zhara must discover the elemental warrior within, lest the balance between order and chaos is lost forever.

I'm giving this one a solid 3.5 stars.

I enjoyed the characters and story but I didn't love it the way that I was hoping to. That being said, I know that there are many readers who will love this book and these characters. The storyline was fun and the world felt fresh. What bumped it from a 4 star down to 3.5 was the fact that I wasn't entirely sure what the story was trying to be. It was described as Cinder meets Sailor Moon, but it felt more like a Korean rom-com type story, where sometimes it took itself seriously, and other times it was light-hearted and full of tongue and cheek. Once I embraced that, it was easier to settle into the story. I really enjoyed the main character, Zhara. The Prince was a little hard to like at times as he was often portrayed as stupid, or all brawn and no brains, which felt like a peculiar choice for a MC love interest. But overall, it was a fun and engaging read, well written, in a world that I felt fully immersed in.

4/5 Stars for Guardians of Dawn: Zhara by S Jae-Jones. This book was wonderful! A girl with forbidden magic and her new companions are tasked to save the world. Although the characters behaved a little young/immature, I still really enjoyed each one. I read that it is anime-inspired and that made me understand each character’s personality so much more. In fact the writing was so descriptive I found myself seeing it play out. I loved the nod to Cinderella and I suspect the next will have a Beauty and the Beast reference. Zhara and her friends are clearly in for more adventures in the next book and I cannot wait to read it. Thank you for the opportunity to read this arc on NetGalley.

When I heard about this book over social media, I was kind of hesitant, but intriguing as well. Why do you ask? Because they mention it gives off a sailor moon vibe, which I never watched before, but I’m always willing to read any new young adult fantasy books.


Guardians of Dawn: Zhara brings hidden societies into light when darker forces are trying to overpower the throne. Magicians in the kingdom. That’s where the guardians of dawn come in. They are the hidden magician's society that does their best in protecting the realms. And they are going to have a hard job when there is a plague of monsters around the kingdom.


Zhara has always done her best in being a ‘good girl’ for her family. It’s tiresome to always be a ‘good girl’ when you are not living your life. I think that’s what pushes Zhara to discover more of her magic and place in guardians of dawn. It may be a far stretch since her evil step-mother is trying to tighten the reins on her. Zhara just needs to take courage for her future, especially since she catches the eye of a certain prince, Han.


Han may be the prince in the kingdom, but he is bidding his time until it’s his time to reign. Why? Because the kingdom and its people are dying with the current ruler, and he can't do anything until it’s his time to rule. Besides, Han has other things to worry about, like his brother.


Han is trying his best to save his brother. His brother is a magician, just like his mother, but it’s very dangerous in their kingdom. Magic is forbidden, and they executed anyone who possesses it. So Han is desperate to find anyone to help. He knows that there is a hidden magician's society, guardians of dawn. And he is going to find them with the help of Zhara.


The guardians of dawn are such more than a hidden society. They are powerful in their own magic with protecting the realms while helping their people as well. And it comes in handy when Han and Zhara need it. They each have something to give, especially if they want to avoid the plague of the monsters roaming around the kingdoms.

Zhara (Guardians of Dawn #1) is the first book in a YA series by S. Jae-Jones. Cinder meets Sailor Moon in this fantasy where magic is forbidden.

As I was reading Zhara I did find myself enjoying it moderately. It was simply a way to pass the time and that's completely fine; not every book has to be this engrossing story that changes your life.

What disappointed me was how forgettable this novel was. I waited to write my review because I wanted my thoughts to settle about the book but I had to go back and read passages because I couldn't remember what happened.

I don't think this book is bad, I just think it requires a closer reading, taking notes so you'll remember and a reread would definitely be necessary before the next in the series.

I would still recommend Zhara to those who want to read a ya fantasy novel.

Thank you to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for an ecopy of this novel. All thoughts and opinions contained within this review are my own.

cSet in a magical world doing its best to deny magic, this book is a little bit Cinderella, a little bit Sailor Moon, and wholly its own thing. For readers who love big stakes, big emotions, and characters with an unexpected silly side.

[NOTE: Unless otherwise stated, my NetGalley feedback is not a blurb or endorsement. If a publisher wishes to use any part of my comments for promotional purposes, please contact me or my agent via email. I would prefer not to include star ratings but NetGalley won't let me post without one, so all will be 5 stars.]

This book was a lovely surprise! Zhara was a wonderful character to follow. The comparisons to Cinder and Sailor Moon feel correct. You have some of the expected beats from a Cinderella story, but it definitely takes on its own story very quickly. The Sailor Moon comparison works due to spoilers, so just know that it fits.
Our hero, Han, is the perfectly adorable himbo prince, but it's fun when his brain works. His assistant is brilliant, and his betrothed is the butch princess that teenage me would have been all about!
I had a lovely time, and I think it's appropriately aged for its audience! I would recommend it for teens and adults alike.

Love books about magic!

This one kept my interest the whole time! Zhara is hiding her abilities, trying to find out about her abilities as those with magic are taken and/or executed.

As they created an underground group with some important people that were hiding with them to learn more. They learn more about magic and history with the legends. Learning just how important they are and what their role plays. Loved all the talk of books- looking for the knowledge that was lost or taken.

Loved Han he was so awkward and handsome with his useless muscles. Lol love aesthetic muscles. 

Zhara is so strong and kind. She keeps trying to find the good in her stepmother "Second Wife" after her father died.

But that ending!


Thank you wednesdaybooks for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.

This book had me so hyped but it didn't live up to my expectations unfortunately. I found the characters extremely juvenile to the point where I was rolling my eyes at the dialogue. The "good looking giggles" that our fmc experiences around attractive people? I felt like I was reading about a 10 year old... Except that 10 year old also reads naughty graphic novels. The story was a bit boring and the characters not exciting enough to keep it going. I was overall pretty bored with this one.

This book was simply amazing! This was my first book by S. Jae-Jones and I'm in love! The writing style was so much fun! This author has a very unique voice, the double POVs gave the two main characters so much deepness and made them incredibly lovable.

The world-building was top-notch. A very intricate world with so many political/social/magical details but yet the way that these details were presented made for an effortless understanding.

Zahra's evolution through this book was otherworldly (literally). Her whole journey and her love for her sister, her yearning to be loved, to be worthy of love, touched me so deeply that I shed some tears.

Han was by far my favorite. He was goofy, a bit thick but so lovable. It is thanks to him that we understand the world of Guardians of Dawn because just like us readers he usually doesn't know what's going on.

This book gave some very similar vibes to some of my favorites YA books. It's like If The lunar chronicles and Our Violent Ends had a baby and that baby had some extraordinary magical powers. That would be Guardians of Dawn.

The found family trope was my favorite bit. I absolutely love this trope and this is definitely one of the many reasons why I loved this book. All of the characters had such different personalities, they were flawed and human(ish), and that's what made this such an engaging book, I truly cared about what was going to happen to them.

The plot felt incredibly refreshing and so unpredictable. 10 out of 10! Absolutely recommend this one.

A magical girl surviving where magic is outlawed. Zhara has magical abilities but does not know how to wield it, living in a place where having these abilities is a death sentence. Han is the heir apparent and is trying to protect his magical brother at all costs, as promised to his mother before her death. I loved the setting of this story and the characters, and felt fully immersed when reading and the prose flowed easily. Looking forward to the next book to see what happens!

DNF at 20%. I can see this being an enjoyable YA read but it just wasn't for me. The world-building was lacking and I couldn't get a feel for anything, characters, place, setting, what was going on. The humor wasn't my speed and I don't think I will enjoy any of the characters. I was really looking forward to this one and I'm super bummed.

Thanks to Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the e-ARC!

I had such fun reading Guardians of Dawn: Zhara! Just as the description said, it definitely had Cinderella and Sailor Moon vibes, but it was also fresh and new. It was a bit like reading a Korean fantasy tv series and made me think of Alchemy of Souls. Guardians of Dawn felt fantastical and historical with a sweet and innocent romance, and I loved it!

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

#NetGalley

I really loved this author’s first duology so when I saw this and it was compared to Sailor Moon I was so in.

The things I like—the world building and the history of the magician purge along with the folktales we learn more about. I really like some of our side characters like Xu who is so funny and the war lord’s granddaughter who really gives MULAN vibes.

Things that needed work—the book feels long probably with some editing and focusing on just building steadily to the climax instead of including some really slow moments that don’t add to the story—this book could have been cut by like 70 ish pages.

I’ll also admit after reading it it doesn’t really give a lot of Sailor Moon vibes. I think that comparison is really loose and only based on there being four guardians and we meet two of them in this book. But just because you call them guardians doesn’t make them like sailor moon…

Major spoilers follow:
Zhara is so similar to Cinderella. She’s meek and working too hard for her cruel step mother to take care of a sister who doesn’t really return the affection and is too busy pitying herself. Zhara works for an apothecary and lost both of her parents.

She meets the kingdom’s prince but doesn’t know it’s him because he’s disguised and looking for the guardians of Dawn to help his brother who is also a magician and seems close to losing himself.

Zhara and the prince fall for each other even though he ends up engaged to the war lord’s daughter who is the guardian of wind. Zhara turns out to be the Guardian of fire and she can transform abominations back into magicians.

They learn that Xu’s dad has been taken over by a lord of what we would call hell who is trying to bring back his master through stealing magicians to use them in a summoning that also relies on Zhara who manages to escape the clutches of the master and kill the frog demon.
Myths book ends with the emperor accepting magicians again, Zhara and the Prince going out west to find another guardian and this book that they need.

Arc provided by Net Galley. I really enjoyed the world building and the magic system in this story! I did however find the main character a little whiney but still very excited for the sequel!

The synopsis did not mislead… this book definitely shares elements of Sailor Moon and Cinderella.
This book has a very different feel from the Wintersong duology. It is fast paced and the focus is on plot and world building. I loved the magic system, particularly the Guardians part. Zhara is a phenomenal female lead and I was just as easily drawn to Xu, Yuli, Jiyi, Han and dear Sajah. The flirty banter exchanged between many of characters was fun and gave me a few laugh out loud moments. There is a lot of action, some heartfelt/heartbreaking moments and a touch of romance. The end sets us up for some more come book two. We are also set up for more adventure with a crew heading out in search and the secondary epilogue laced with the unknown and a little something to peak the readers interest for book two.
I enjoy this book and am eager to get my hands on the next book(s) in the series.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my review e-copy. The opinions expressed are honest and my own.

Jin Zhara is a magician in a land where magicians are feared and killed. She walks a tightrope of being discovered, of appeasing her stepmother, of keeping her sister safe. All while remembering her father’s final words to her: “Be good, and be true.”
The warlord’s kestrels have ramped up the hunt for any who use magic, but they’re not behind the disappearance of magicians, nor the monsters emerging from the marshlands.

A chance encounter with a handsome young man, Han, leads Zhara to a hidden organization, the Guardians of the Dawn. As demons, rumors of war, and abominations emerge, she must learn to control her magic and do more than just survive. She must thrive.

“For so long, Zhara had believed that to be safe was to be subservient, that if she were good enough, well-behaved enough, the world would treat her the way she wanted to be treated.”

This isn’t a straight Cinderella retelling, but there’s so many delicious little nods to the popular tale, especially in the underlying theme of believing she had to be good enough to be loved. We also get a masquerade ball, sleeping in the ashes, and a lost slipper. There’s also a nod to Flynn Rider’s many incorrect portraits that made me laugh.

The writing is gorgeous, with many lines I highlighted. Jae-Jones knows how to drop a hint and move on, drawing the reader further into the story. She’s created an incredible world populated with a culture not often seen in fantasy books. All of the characters have depth, and the romance between Zhara and Han is light and adorable.

There is some mild swearing (I think three times.) A few kisses, and some references to more (mostly teasing by other characters.)
Disability and LGBTQA+ representation.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance reader copy. This is my honest review.

This book was super charming, and gave off classic YA vibes. The main characters both had a deadly grip on my heart, and I enjoyed watching them interact together (the banter! the angst!). The writing was just beautiful too. This is a book I could widely recommend to YA readers. I absolutely can't wait for the next book!

I loved Wintersong so much and was stoked to have access to an early copy of Guardians of the Dawn: Zhara.
YA can be hit or miss for me lately, but I continue to read my favorite authors because I’m less likely to pick up a YA I’m just not into, so I was a little bummed that Zhara didn’t mesh with me at first. I decided to keep reading and push through it because the story and world was intriguing.
The reasons I didn’t like Zhara are things that just personally don’t work for me, but I think if you’re a big YA reader and love YA fantasy, this book will probably be a winner for you!
The book just didn’t work for me and I was put off by small things, such as the FMC getting “Good Looking Giggles” when she saw cute guys. She called the cute boy Mister Plum Blossom because his face was red, which could have been funny and cute, but felt weirdly campy to me. It may sound weird, but any anime/cartoon that has too much giggling is an immediate no for me and just really bugs me, so these small aspects pulled me out of the story. I think these things might help the story feel lighter and more fun for most readers, though.
I did see that the synopsis said it was like Sailor Moon meets Cinder and that sounded cool when I initially picked the book up, but I have to admit I like the idea of Sailor Moon, yet also could never sit through any episodes without being annoyed, so I probably shouldn’t have picked this book up in all honesty.
Overall, Zhara was a fun YA fantasy with a cool world and interesting characters and I think it will be a hit for most people.