Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for sending me an eARC of this book!

I only had a vague idea of what this book was about but after reading the official synopsis (when I was partway through it) I fully agree that this book had some sailor moon elements and some cinder parts, though I also think those two references reveal a bit too much of the story too early. Most of the moments that were sailor moon or cinder references didn’t happen until later in the book (besides the general Cinderella elements) so those two references kind of spoil some of the big twists and reveals.

I loved the characters and how they really felt like seventeen year olds—trying to be adults but also being kids at the same time. I also loved how the author handled betrayal and the confrontations between characters—there was anger but also grace and forgiveness which is a hard line to walk. I also felt like the romance was well-developed and was super cute. Han might be the sweetest love interest I have read in a very long time and his apology to Zhara was what romance novel reunions wish they could be.

I could definitely see this becoming a really cool movie (so long as Hollywood doesn’t ruin it) as it played out like a movie—I could picture just about everything because of the author’s excellent descriptions and the food made me so hungry.

Now I just have to wait impatiently for the sequel!! (Which I wouldn’t mind if it’s done like the lunar chronicles with each book being from the perspective of the guardian in question but I also want more from Zhara (and Han)!)

Guardians of Dawn: Zhara was like an epic Cinderella fantasy, which magic and hidden identities, secret societies, and evil stepmothers. While at times I felt like the book may have been a bit too long and drawn out, overall the story was a lot of fun to read and a great adventure. I really enjoyed the world that S. Jae-Jones created, and honestly would love to continue exploring it in future stories. I also love that the author intentionally introduced characters using gender neutral terms until the character identified themselves, as someone that identifies as a non-binary demigirl, this meant a lot to me.

Anyone looking for a big fantasy book to dive into, that has great characters and fun dialogue, definitely check out this book.

I am so excited to have finally read Guardians Of Dawn: Zhara by S. Jae-Jones. Given that I am ancient in internet years, I can remember when the concept of this series was announced -- I was SO pumped. But then, it was pushed back. Having read and enjoyed S. Jae-Jones other books, I was so ready for Zhara. Friends, this book was such a lovely read. The story follows Zhara who lives in Hanwei, where magicians and magic have been outlawed. It turns out, however, that Zhara is a magician. She lives with her stepmother, referred to as Second Wife, and her sister Suzhan. The living is meager -- Zhara works as an apothecary's assistant but doesn't make a lot of money. One day, she's waiting for the release of a romance serial when she bumps into a tall, good looking student. That student is Han, aka the Prince. She doesn't know it though and Han has his own secrets. Zhara soon discovers her powers are so strong, beyond a regular magician's -- and to understand better, she turns to a shadowy organization calling themselves Guardians Of Dawn which help magicians escape.

Zhara was a good read for me -- to the point that I am going to ask my husband for it for Christmas. I enjoyed the lore of the guardians and the demons. The romance is really adorable - where there's build up over the brush of hands. I want to know more about the side characters -- hoping Princess Yulana gets a book. I also even liked the cat character and usually I am ambivalent about cats. At times, the pace isn't really fast but it just worked so well for me. I was really absorbed in this story. Zhara truly is a good girl and easy to root for -- she's loyal and brave and true. Personally, I am looking forward to what's next in S. Jae-Jones series.

I am at a loss for words on how to describe this one and how amazing it was. Zhara has a similar back story to Cinderella, an evil step mother and going from riches to poor. She also has a stepsister that she loves fiercely and would do anything to protect.
There were so many aspects to this storyline that made it so hard to put down: magic, secret society, royalty, romance. and it all came together so well. I cannot wait to read more from this world!

Preliminary 5-star review. Will post a full review and adjust the rating accordingly after I finish the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC copy of this book, in exchange for this honest review.

This is one of those books that I am a bit hot and cold with sadly. It was a mixture of a powerful and interesting plot, intriguing and unique world building, but sadly a repetitive and slow pace that really shot itself in the leg.

To start with the good though, let’s continue on the plot and world building. As I said the plot was very powerful and a mixture of some classic tropes but with their own twist and flavor. It was a tad predictable but in a way that was still very much enjoyable. I was truly interested in the plot of the story and really pushed through the book purely for that.

I am a big fan of world building and this book has a lot of it, but it’s done in a way that doesn’t feel too overwhelming and makes it easy to follow along. Yet there is still a complexity that really shapes and forms this world into something unique and interesting.

Sadly though the plot was really dragging this whole book, and it had a tendency to repeat itself a lot also. There’s only so many times a reader can read about a characters specific dilemma without any progress to the story or the dilemma at hand. At times it was honestly painful to read and I found my self wanting to dnf it at points, but the intrigue of the plot made me crawl my way through it.

Overall this book has its strengths but it also really struggles and has its issues. So 3.5 stars rounded up.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a chance to read and review this book for my honest thoughts and opinions.

This was very reminiscent of The Lunar Chronicles, which I really liked when I originally read years ago, but probably wouldn't like as much now. I was kind of bored throughout the whole book and didn't much care about the characters or what happened to any of them. I'm probably just a bit too old for this.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy.

If you're a big fan of Marissa Meyer's Lunar Chronicle series (like I am), then you might really love getting into this one. It's a Cinderella retelling set in an Asian-inspired world filled with the scary monsters, forbidden magic, betrayals, romance, and so much more. I had such a good time reading this one and I'll probably read the others in the series!

The story follows Zhara, a young person who lives on the good graces of her stepmother. She's a servant working daily to make her stepmother happy and also keeping her stepsister safe. However, she's also harboring a big secret: she has magic and can transform objects from one thing to another. And in a world where magic is forbidden, every magician being slaughtered and the world rid of them, Zhara isn't in the safest place possible. The story also follows, Han, the ditzy jock heir apparent who loves romance stories who runs into Zhara while looking for a book on magic. Because his brother is also a magician.

I was a little skeptical about this story when I first read it, but I ended up loving it at the end. The nods to Sailor Moon are subtle (think her scepter that magically heals all the people who are afflicted by monsters and a mysterious cat that helps her), but do shine eventually. I loved the Cinderella-style retelling in this story and how much Zhara grows as you continue moving through the novel. Han definitely felt more like comic relief, but I also love how caring and supportive he is to Zhara and with his friend, Xu, they were the dream team.

This is my firsrt book by S Jae-Jones and I absolutely love her writing style. It's a bit more mature than the YA books I'm usually used to, but I appreciate that she doesn't sacrifice her writing for the sake of her audience. It truly made it such a more mature read for me. The scenes were visually striking and felt completely immersive which really drew me further into the story.

I also loved the magic and lore in this story. I loved seeing the small crew of magicians coming together to help those born with magic. I love how far back the history of these magicians go and really made you empathetic to their cause. The plot brought so many good twists and turns and the mystery behind all the missing magicians definitely kept me going.

Overall, this was an adventure-filled and entertaining YA fantasy. I cannot wait to read the others in the series and hope to read more from S. Jae-Jones in the future!

Thank you net galley for the arc!

Sailor Moon meets Cinder? What else could a girl want who grew up on Sailor Moon? It was a quick, fun read. Interesting world building and magic system. I feel like the only real connection it has with Cinder was the prince being the romantic partner and an abusive step mother.

Off the bat, when I started this book, I really enjoyed the representation within the book for both disabilities and genderqueer people. Though I would warn readers that there is blatant abuse towards child characters and also misgendering/homophobia at times from people who are not friends of the characters. I definitely got feelings of watching a Sailor Moon style anime while reading this book with its pacing and protagonists.. The audiobook was also well narrated, which added to my personal experience. The overall plot and world building was fascinating and something that makes me want to continue the series, though the first book wasn't perfect.

The things that felt like they could use improvement on were how the younger characters such as Zhara and Hon are often portrayed in a way that makes them come across younger than they actually are. This is largely due to the humor aspects of the story and how Zhara sometimes seems cartoonish in her mannerisms. This works at some points but not in others since the book is a nod to Sailor Moon, it helps, but when it comes to being realistic in how a teenager would behave it does not help. If the balance were a bit better then it would feel as though it was more for a young adult audience than a middle grade audience across the whole book.

At first, I scoffed at the comparison to Cinder and Sailor Moon... I think it is accurate now. Give this to kids that want YA but are not ready for all the sexiness of fantasy like Maas. This has a gentle slow burn romance very similar to those seem in cutesy anime and manga. A win from me.

What a fabulous start to a new YA fantasy series! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, my first by the author (and now I must go read the earlier books brb). I fell instantly for Zhara, our protective older sister & Cinderella-esque hidden magician, and Han, the romance-reading himbo & hidden prince, and Xu and Yulana both made off with my heart. This book is a thrilling fantasy with just enough darkness to tempt the dark fantasy readers. I can very easily (and already have) recommend this book to my customers. Thank you to Wednesday Books for the eARC and the finished copy! Can't wait for book 2!

The world building, the magic system, and the imagery is well done throughout the whole book. The characters are probably great for readers on the younger to mid side of YA. The pacing is slow at the beginning, but it picks up as the story progresses.

Throughout the story, Zhara seems too wishy washy. One minute she is determined to be the good girl that hides her magic and is completely subservient to her "evil" stepmother, and the next she is determined to not only survive but thrive. It takes a while for her to settle on one or the other. Han and Xu add a lot to the story, and I would be inclined toward interested to see how their stories shape up.

Overall, this is a good fantasy story told well for the most part and will probably appeal to a lot of readers. I enjoyed delving into a non-Western mythology, but for me it missed a bit in general.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc of this book.

First, I just have to say that I love this author, and I was especially touched by their author's note. I hope that S. Jae-Jones knows that they are such an inspiration and a strong person. Wintersong remains to be one of my favorite books.

I was so excited by Zhara's description, as a fan of Sailor Moon and Cinder. Zhara is a great character molded from these inspirations. She is strong and isn't too "airheaded." I personally felt that the prince was a weaker character (which I respected).

I think this was a good start to the series. I'm excited to see where it goes next!

*eARC provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

Absolutely fantastic in every way! I loved the settings, plot, and characters.

Ending was resolved a bit too easily IMO

Scheduled to post 8/15/23.

After a rough patch with cookie-cutter European-based YA fantasies, Jae-Jones’s ZHARA is a breath of fantastical fresh air. It’s exactly the kind of book I needed to get me out of my YA fantasy funk. A great story, a fantastic world, and something that leaves me anxious for the next book.

ZHARA is Korean-influenced, with the author exploring her own culture through telling this story. She has a short preface in the book talking about this, and reaching back to WINTERSONG (which I loved) where she was asked why set it was in Europe. Basically, she wasn’t sure how to do a story such as ZHARA justice just then, but she’s here now and I love what she’s given us.

It’s such a fun, flashy story that, despite all the culture-specific references and proper nouns and situations, I wasn’t lost for a single whit of it. And I am clueless about Korean culture. Jae-Jones struck a delicate balance between not pandering to a white audience with constant explanatory commas while providing enough in-text context for a casual reader to understand what’s going on. And if you don’t know what something is, Google’s free, yo.

I don’t know who I loved more: Han, Xe, Jiyi, Zhara. Suzhan broke my damn heart. She was written so freakin’ well and I just couldn’t hold her decisions against her. And neither could Zhara, and that broke my heart even more. Han and Xe provided an excellent sprinkling of comedic relief that expertly lifted sullen moods and lightened tense moments just enough to reset and dive back in. My favorite part? Han with Yuli on the bird. IYKYK. Words on the page I can hear in my heat, that.

I loved watching the transformation Zhara went through over the course of the book as she SLOWLY broke out of her shell. That’s a lot of trauma and browbeating she had to work through and I give her so much credit for doing it. It took most of the book, and a lot of pushing from outside forces, but she finally snapped, and I' was here for it. Personally I would have stuffed a fistful of rice down the Second Wife’s throat much sooner, but that’s just me. And the Cinderella homage was on point. I don’t think this is actually supposed to be a Cinderella retelling, but it’s definitely there, intentional or not.

The end was a little sugary for me, but it was still pleasing and some much-needed calm after a serious storm. Besides, there’s another storm coming, so chaos will flip the table again soon enough. The kids can rest for now. They’re going to need it.

The world Jae-Jones created is stunning, and I want to immerse myself into it more. I’m looking forward to book two and where she takes these wonderful characters. There’s so much of this world I want to explore, and it looks like we’re going to get that in book two.

4.5

I enjoyed this book and glimpse into western culture. It had just the right amount of world building, character development, action and plot. There was mystery. A slow burn romance. Fantasy. All the components for a strong foundation to a series with great potential. My only criticism would be the little bits of naveitte. The overly obvious subtleties. It was a little immature given some of the mature situations. However, I could be jaded from reading more YA and adult content. This would probably be a good series for a young, middle school crowd. Still a great book that I happily give 4 stars and look forward to the next installment.

Really cool premise but perhaps not exactly what I was expecting.

I may need to come back to this one as perhaps I wasn't in the right mindset when I read this because all the elements in this book are exactly my vibe: Fairy Tales, Chosen One, Found Family/Group Dynamics.

Overall, I did enjoy this book but not the 5 stars amazing I was expecting. I'll read this again when I get a chance!

Thank you net gallery for the advanced copy of this book. This was a fantasy story about magic and first love. If I had to describe it, I would say that it is how I imagine Clamp would write a KDrama.

I was initially drawn to this book by its promising premise, which held a lot of potential. However, my overall experience with it was mixed. While I found some aspects enjoyable, there were a few significant drawbacks that impacted my engagement with the story.

One of the main issues I encountered was the pacing, which was inconsistent throughout the book. At times, the narrative moved at a sluggish pace, making it challenging for me to maintain my focus and become fully immersed in the storyline. This uneven pacing disrupted the flow of the plot and hindered my ability to connect with the characters and events unfolding.

Speaking of characters, the book boasts a sizable cast, each contributing to the intricacies of the story. While this approach can add depth to the narrative, it also presented a challenge in terms of keeping track of everyone and their respective roles. Regrettably, this complexity occasionally left me feeling overwhelmed and struggling to remember the significance of certain characters.

Furthermore, the book introduces a complex magical system, which is meticulously explained throughout the story. While I appreciate the effort to create a detailed and intricate magical framework, it also added an additional layer of complexity that required careful attention. At times, the focus on explaining the magical system detracted from the progression of the plot and character development.

Although this book did not fully meet my expectations, I am grateful for the opportunity to have read it. Despite its shortcomings, it still offered moments of enjoyment and intrigue. While the slow pacing and abundance of characters and magical concepts impacted my overall experience, I acknowledge that others may find these elements more appealing. In the end, my journey through this book was a mixed one, leaving me with a sense of both disappointment and appreciation.