I was intrigued by this book’s premise, which was “Cinderella meets Sailor Moon”, and it did not disappoint!

Guardians of Dawn: Zhara, tells the story of a world in which powerful magical warriors are being reincarnated to face a great evil. However, magic is outlawed and mages can be possessed by demons to become monstrous abominations.

My favourite thing about this book was the cast, who I found to be very endearing. Zhara and Han are both very loveable protagonists and I was invested in seeing their relationship develop. The supporting cast is also very entertaining, and I loved them as well. There is a good amount of queer rep in this book, which was often revealed in a very nonchalant nature at unexpected times.

Guardians of Dawn: Zhara is a strong start to a new series and I will be eagerly awaiting the sequel.

Thank you so much to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for letting me read an audiobook of Guardians of Dawn: Zhara! I really enjoyed the Wintersong books, so I was really excited to read this one!
Guardians of Dawn: Zhara 3.5/5 stars
Summary from Goodreads:
Sailor Moon meets Cinder in Guardians of Dawn: Zhara, the start of a new, richly imagined fantasy series from S. Jae-Jones, the New York Times bestselling author of Wintersong.
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.
Guardians of Dawn was such an interesting listen. I really enjoyed the general plot and the magic throughout the book, but the writing was not 100% my favorite. A lot of the book felt very single leveled, but I liked this a lot more as an audiobook than I probably would have had I read a hard copy/ebook. I really liked Katharine Chin as a narrator. Han and Zhara weren't my favorite characters, but I did really enjoy the side characters and the demons. I'm excited to see where things go in this series. I definitely think that this one is a great audiobook to pick up for a drive or when you're cooking/cleaning!

Thank you NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and S. Jae-Jones for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

"There is no cure for possession. If there had been we wouldn't have gone to war."

Cinderella, Sailor Moon, demons, and magic. Guards of Dawn follows Zhara as she struggles to come to terms with her magic and what it means to be loved - all with the help of a magical kitty companion. I admit, I was a bit worried going into this book after reading some of the reviews but I ended up thoroughly enjoying Guardians of Dawn. It does follow some typical YA tropes, but I found the characters to be incredibly endearing so I didn't mind.

I listed to the audiobook version and really enjoyed Katharine Chin's narration. She did a good job at conveying the emotions and establishing a different voice for each of the characters. There were a couple of moments within the narration where in the middle of the sentence it sounded like it had been rerecorded or recorded in a different studio - but that's my only complaint in regards to the audio.

"Ever since her death, Han and his little brother had become orphans. Their mother lost to flames, their father to grief."

There are some juvenile moments within this book, such as sex jokes and the female MC getting giggly anytime she find someone attractive, but these moments didn't throw me off as much as I expected them to. I found this had the book reading like a fantasy romantic comedy - that wouldn't be my regular choice of books but it was enjoyable despite being a little cringe-y. However, I do hope book two matures a little bit more.

"There are some that are dead even as they breathe."

The magic system within this book has me excited for future books within this series. It's mysterious, and gruesome at moments. The answers to my questions weren't handed to me all at once and left me guessing, wanting to read on to learn about the depths of Zhara's magic and how deep the darkness runs within the world of Zanhei. Even by the end of the book, while much is revealed, there is still plenty for us to learn.

"Han met Zhara's eyes across the room, he remembered the expression of longing in them as she gazed at the books on the display and the realization that he could live for so much more."

Han and Zhara were incredibly sweet together. I enjoyed the moments where S. Jae-Jones allowed them just to be kids in love while still maturing together. Upon their first meeting they immediately bonded over books, and later their enjoyment over a romance novel. It's rare that we see male characters be granted the choice to enjoy things that are inherently seen as feminine.

The romance is a bit of a slow burn, but it was a nice change for a YA novel watching the main characters find friendship within each other before love.

"If they are children now, then they won't be children for much longer. There are no children during war."

Throughout this book Zhara struggles with being loved and accepted by those around her. She is consistently tormented by the idea that she is not worthy, not good enough. I think many readers will resonate with her as a character in this way. Even by the end of the book she is still struggling, it is something that is no immediately resolved within book one. As this series moves forward and Zhara matures and grows into her power I think she will begin to realize she is worthy of love, of taking up space.

I am excited for Zhara's journey and look forward to future installments.

I loved this. It was such a fun read and I’ll definitely pick up the next in the series (I’m assuming it’s a series). I thought the characters were great and made the story so much more fun to read. The narrator was absolutely perfect. I’m already telling people to read it.

Thank you macmillan audio for letting me listen to this book. I can see why they compare Zhara to Sailor Moon. I haven't read Cinder, but it's also compared to that book series. If you like Sailor Moon I think you'll enjoy this book! I'm glad this is a series and not a standalone. This cover is Stunning!

Summary: "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."

My thoughts:
I enjoyed this read overall, though sometimes the dialogue was too young and cheesey.

The characters were enjoyable to follow. I liked getting to learn more about Zhara throughout the story. The narrator did a beautiful job; they really brought the characters and world to life. The narrator and the author had me invested in the story right away. It was slow for a while, but I don't mind that in stories because It gives us the opportunity to learn more about the world and characters. However, I hope we will get to learn more about the characters in the next book. We got to know Zhara well, but not so much with the others.

The world Jae-Jones created is intriguing, magical, beautiful, and I can't wait for the next installment in the series. 3.5 out of 5 stars. It's out on August 1st!

Guardians of the Dawn: Zhara is, in a word, fun! It has elements of a Cinderella retelling without being an out-and-out Cinderella story. It has some political intrigue, some romance, and a slew of lovable characters.

The magic and the world building are interesting, playing off of folklore as well as some more common tropes to craft a magical story that’ll leave you impatient for the next book.

Jin Zhara is clever, but sweet. The prince is “lovable but dense” in all the best ways. There’s enough humor sprinkled throughout that the serious moments are broken up enough that it isn’t too tense but but not too many that the gravity is still apparent. Overall a fun read.

3.5 ⭐️

Though I really liked this book, there was something missing. At times I felt it fell a little flat and it didn’t hold my interest.

Really enjoyed the narrator! I love Asian fantasy books, but sometimes with names (especially Chinese) I know I’m not saying them correctly. With the audiobook, I got to hear the correct pronunciation and beauty of the words and names!

Unique magic system. Very YA relationship between the FMC/MMC.

I enjoyed this book as much as I could. The narrator did a great job portraying the characters and making us feel their emotions throughout the book. I understand the marketing of promoting this book similar to Cinder x Sailor Moon. There were a lot of moments where I saw the similarities of Cinder, and maybe a tiny portion of Sailor Moon, but it was still enjoyable. I'm still interested to see where the author goes with the series since it's a very unique story that I feel would do well for those entering into the YA section for the first time.

I feel very neutral about this book. It contained a lot of elements that I’ve read and loved in books before but I just didn’t enjoy it as much here. I found myself struggling to pick this back up whenever I took a break and the plot was predictable which isn’t always a negative for me but unfortunately I couldn’t get invested in the characters or the overall world. The beginning was enjoyable but as the story went on I found myself uninterested in the direction of the plot. I also don't read young adult fantasy as much anymore so the younger YA feel of the book just didn't keep my interest.

Zaharia has magic in a place where magic is not only illegal, but punishable by death. Because in the past, those with magic got “corrupted” into monsters, people are naturally afraid of those with magic. When it begins happening again, the raids on magicians crack down again. Zhara rarely uses her magic to keep it a secret. Her stepmother is the only one who knows of her powers after her parents were killed in the raids of those with magic. However, there are rumors of a secret society of people who either have magic or protect those with magic. Zhara beings investigating the society when she meets a boy named Han who is looking for the society to help protect his brother. They both have a vested interest in finding the Guardians of Dawn and the society that can protect them and teach them how to use their magic.

This book was in theory a retelling of Cinder, but honestly just felt like a fantasy novel. I really liked the world building, the writing, the characters, and the mystery behind the monsters. This book was one I pretty much binge read and it was a fun read

Zhara is the first in a new young adult fantasy series about an Empire in which magic has been outlawed and two young people who become entangled with a resistance movement.

While the concept and storytelling were strong, I felt that the story lacked a specific place within the YA genre. Most of the book actually read very middle grade to me, with our characters coming across very young and many of the commonly used phrases being slightly juvenile and cliche. However there were also many references to mature and adult content in the form of humor throughout the story which made me unsure who the intended audience was meant to be.

While I was intrigued enough by the Cinderella-inspired plot, I felt that this book could have been a standalone had it not been for the final few chapters. The story seemed to wrap up relatively well and I didn’t feel much need for a continuation with subsequent books.

Overall I was slightly disappointed by the book as a whole as it did not capture me as fully as o was I hoping it would. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to read and review it. I would recommend this to a younger YA audience, though be aware of adult innuendo used frequently.

I feel like I went into this one with my hopes too high after the Sailor Moon comparison. I spent a lot of this one trying to find where the comparison came from. This did help to keep me pushing through and while I was intrigued by 30% it did take a little bit to get into. Otherwise the writing is beautiful and well done. I just didn’t enjoy the story. 3.5 ✨

Publishers really need to stop describing their books as "for fans of..." or "a cross between..." because more often than not the book bares no resemblance to any of the things mentioned. This book is only 'like' Cinder in that it takes from the same source material. It is only 'like' Sailor Moon in that it has a magical girl. If I were to compare it to a book I had recently read, I would compare it to Hafsah Faizal's We Hunt the Flame, or The Book of Tea series by Judy I Lin which shares the same cover artist.

Unfortunately, both of those books did this story style better than Zhara. The book is boring, and the Cinderella framework feels like it's being forced into the story like a stepsister's foot into a glass slipper. And like the stepsister's too large foot, this book needs some bits chopped off in order to make it fit. The world and the story itself are interesting concepts. The execution is sadly not great or at all entertaining. I'm sure there is an audience for this book, but I would like to politely redirect that audience to some other books that are doing it better.

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!

Katherine Chin did such a great job narrating the audiobook. The voices were identifiably different and enjoyable to listen to.

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

#NetGalley

The book started off so good, but the ending got very chaotic, the begging Zhara is hiding the fact that she can do magic and that it’s so frowned upon in this world that they take off any suspected magician off to be killed, but one day Zhara goes into town looking for the release of the next romance novel and ends up bumping into a stranger and they accidentally swap books. He was there looking for book on magic to help his younger brother so that he can stop the nightmare from coming and plaguing his brother every night. After realizing the mishap they then end up going on quest to find a book on magic while falling in love with each other, and the finding out that she is a reincarnated fire goddess. It was a good read just not one of my top ten.

Zhara Guardians of the dawn is an upbeat but emotional start to a Young Ya fantasy series. I loved the overall lush world and loveable characters with a somewhat fast paced plot. So many books can have such dark undertones but this one felt like it was there was always hope and a light at the end of the tunnel which I really enjoyed for a summer read.

The plot was very inventive and the overall storyline reminded me a lot of Avatar: the last airbender (which was a favorite of mine in childhood). I loved the magic system and felt that the world was well described. I did find the plot to sometimes not have the best pacing but I still overall enjoyed it.

The Characters are extremely loveable but they can also be very naive at times and it was definitely frustrating (as a 26 year old reading this it irked me but it is totally what i would expect out of young teens). I do think the age of the characters should have actually been a little younger as they came off very young for their age.

I received the audiobook and felt the narrator did a wonderful job of bringing the characters to life. I felt there was a lot of good inflection and it was easy to follow and listen to.

Zhara is a wonderfully fluffy and imaginitve start to a series. I definitely want to listen to book 2. I recommend for those that loved Avatar and Sailor moon and especially for the younger teens 12+

thank you so much to Netgalley and Macmillian Audio for the E-audiobook in exchange for my honest review!

I was initially drawn to this book after seeing that it was pitched as a YA Sailor Moon, and I was not disappointed in the result. The worldbuilding is incredibly compelling and I can't wait to see how the story continues developing over the series. This book also manages to balance humor with serious topics.

The narrator did a great job with the audiobook and I was engaged in her interpretation of the characters and the storyline.

This audiobook was so good to listen to. I really love the fantasy story that as it was described as Sailor Moon meets Cinderella. That sounded like something right up my alley, and thankfully it held up to the expectations I had set for it. I can't wait to see where the story goes from here.

Thank you NetGalley for an arc of the audiobook.

I am a massive Sailor Moon fan, so when I saw this being pitched as Cinder meets Sailor Moon, I was very excited. The world in this book is beautiful and lush. I love the influences in this book. It was fun, and I can’t wait to read the second one. That being said, it got repetitive at times and the pace slowed down. A lot. Writing-wise, this is written for the younger YA audience, and at times I found the characters frustrating and too naive. It was fun though and I will be reading the second one.

Sailor Moon meets Cinder was an underselling in my book!
A fast paced book that was a great start to a ya series.
It is very trope heavy but if you like that it'll be right up your alley.