This book is emotionally charged, rich with themes of power, responsibility, and sacrifice. It had me captivated from beginning to end, and I couldn’t put it down. I adore the way the magical world feels so lived-in. The Guardians of Dawn, with their elemental powers, are fascinating, and the connection between Yuli and the other Guardians adds a sense of unity and tension, all while highlighting their individual struggles. The magic system is richly detailed and impactful, with the consequences of failing to restore balance feeling so real and immediate. If you love stories filled with complex characters, action, and an enchanting world, this is absolutely for you.

Thank you Wednesday Books and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. A great next installment! Princess Yulana (Yuli) returns to the north along with Zhara and Ami. Their goal is to close the northern portal to the demon realm. But there is unrest and the other Golden Families are attempting to take the throne. In order to save it Yuli must compete in the Grand Games, trials to prove her worthiness. This is on top of searching for the demon portal. Can she close the portal and save her families rule? A page turner that had me hooked! I enjoyed the Grand Games and think they had an exciting element to the story! S. Jae-Jones continues the Guardians of the Dawn with a fast paced adventure full of love, difficult choices, and sacrifices!

✨Thank you to both NetGalley and the publisher, Wednesday books for allowing me access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review. ✨

This is the third book in the YA fantasy series Guardians of the Dawn. This is the fight between chaos and peace, demons and magicians, magicians and anti-ki (people with no magical abilities). This story follows Yulis as the people are continuing to fight for equality. This has great themes on individuality, orientation and love.

This book has similar beats to the second book in this series. I would have preferred if this book had focused on Yuli's story and less on the characters around her as the constant change in adventure gave a bit of whiplash on what was going on. I did like the relationships represented in this story and I liked Yuli's character.

I was pleasantly surprised by the ending and it did give the story more depth. I am looking forward to the next story and how this will continue.

I just The third installment in the Guardians of Dawn series brings readers back into the intricately built world of elemental warriors, demonic threats, and brewing civil war. Princess Yulana (Yuli), now the Guardian of Wind, is juggling more than her fair share of crises—from an empire on the brink of collapse to a personal rivalry that hits a little too close to home. The premise is undeniably ambitious, and the Asian-inspired magical and political world continues to be richly imaginative. I appreciated the continued presence of Ami, Gaden, Zhara, and Han as they further uncover the mysteries of their world, particularly the portals and demonic forces threatening their realms.

That said, this book feels like it’s carrying too much weight. With multiple major plotlines—a mysterious illness, a deadly competition for leadership, political instability, and supernatural chaos—the narrative often lacks clear focus. Add to that the four or five POVs that switch every few pages, and it’s easy to feel lost in the shuffle. While the writing itself flows well and the descriptions are vivid, the overall experience can become overwhelming, especially if you haven’t read the first two books, which I had to go back to read because I did not realize this was the 3rd in a series when I requested it.

"You told me once that I could never make the hard decisions. I'm making it now. For the greater good."

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books for an ARC of Guardians of Dawn: Yuli in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions that follow are my own.

Guardians of Dawn: Yuli continues the story of the previous two books in this series, this time focusing on Princess Yulana of the North, who has the power to spirit=walk. Yuli has returned home to the far north alongside Zhara and Ami in order to close the northern portal to the demon realm as well as to find the northern portion of the Songs of Order and Chaos. Little does she know that one of the other Five Golden Families is making a play to take power in the north as well as taking control of the Sunburst Throne. To ensure that her kang remains in power, Yuli has to compete in the Grand Game, a series of trials to prove her worthiness, against the First Daughter of the Maltak Kang while at the same time, searching for the demon portal.

I loved this book so much! It is by far my favorite in the series right now and Yuli is my absolute favorite character. She was not afraid to do whatever she had to in order to ensure that her family remained in power for the safety of the entire Morning Realms. Her relationship with her former best friend, Maltak Kho, was full of twists and turns from beginning to end and kept me rooting for them both. I thought that the Grand Game was an interesting addition and added a fun element to the overall story, showing a little bit more of Yuli's character, skills, and personality. I was kind of sad that Gaden and Han didn't get a whole lot of page time in this book but I also understood why they didn't. The last 5=10 chapters of this book had me in an absolute chokehold and I loved every minute of it. I would definitely rate this book 5/5 stars!

I cannot wait for the next book in the series! If you enjoyed Zhara and Ami, check out Yuli's story when it hits shelves on August 19, 2025!

This was a lovely, refreshing book and heartbreaking in so many ways. There is love and sacrifice and making hard decisions. It follows not just Yuli, butvthe other two Guardians as they face new lands, a frozen land that has a new danger. Seeing Yuli grow more into her powers and seeing what she could really do shone here. I really enjoyed the intersecting storylines and learning more about Yuli's culture. Fairy tale and real life landscapes come to life in this book and I'm very much looking forward to the next.

🌬️ World & Plot
What I loved:

The Asian‑inspired steppes and the concept of forbidden magic give the Morning Realms a unique flavor—you can almost hear the wind howling across the grasslands and sense the weight of ancestral spirits in every corner.

The Grand Game’s trials offer high‑stakes drama and showcase Yuli’s ingenuity under pressure.

What gave me pause:

With so many factions vying for power, there were moments when I had to flip back to keep track of who’s aligned with whom. A brief “Who’s Who” would have been handy.

🎭 Characters
Yuli (Princess Yulana): Her evolution—from a princess under siege to the newly awakened Guardian of Wind—felt earned. I especially related to her struggle between duty and self‑discovery.

Kho: Initially set up as rival‑turned‑ally, Kho’s loyalty felt heartfelt, and their slow‑burn friendship ticked all the right boxes for me.

Supporting cast: The ensemble is large, and while I enjoyed moments with characters like the cunning Vizier Anwen, a couple of them could have used just a bit more page time to avoid blending together.

🖋️ Prose & Pacing
Prose: S. Jae‑Jones’s descriptions are lush without ever slowing down the narrative. Lines like “the steppes rippled with the ghosts of battles yet to be fought” stayed with me long after reading.

Pacing: The middle of the book dips a bit—partly because multiple POV chapters disrupt the urgency of Yuli’s own journey. That said, once the Grand Game kicks into its final trials, the momentum hurtles forward again.

💭 Personal Reflections
Emotional resonance: The novel’s centerpiece is Yuli’s relationship with her people and with Kho. Their moments of quiet camaraderie—sharing stories by campfire light, offering silent support—felt particularly moving.

Themes of balance: As Guardian of Wind, Yuli’s struggles to balance power and compassion echoed real‑world questions about leadership and responsibility.

Room to grow: I’m eager to see how the next installment handles the fallout from the Grand Game and whether we’ll get deeper dives into the cultural textures of the Morning Realms.

Sweeping and magical, this was so wonderful to read. Yuli is the guardian of the wind, and is charged with righting the chaos that's been reigning. It would be much simpler if her former best friend and now rival wasn't such a hindrance!

What a great 3rd installment! I don't usually love multiple povs and plot lines but this author always makes them feel so seamless! The prose is stunning

In Guardians of Dawn: Yuli by S. Jae-Jones, the story unfolds in a richly imagined, Asian-inspired fantasy world where magic is forbidden. Princess Yulana, known as Yuli, must contend with the weight of her grandmother's legacy—a heritage steeped in mysterious powers that the empire seeks to suppress. As Yuli's abilities awaken, she becomes a pivotal figure in the rebellion against the empire's tyranny. Alongside allies who each harbor their own secrets and strengths, Yuli navigates a dangerous path filled with betrayal, intrigue, and sacrifice. This third installment in the Guardians of Dawn series beautifully interweaves themes of resilience, identity, and the fight for justice, offering readers a gripping and thought-provoking adventure.

Book three in the Guardians of Dawn series really kicks things up a notch. The world is still just as rich, and the character growth continues to be one of the best parts.

It definitely felt heavier and more intense than the first two, though maybe not as tightly put together. The multiple POVs got a little confusing here and there, but I loved how the trials brought Yuli and Kho closer. Not my favorite of the series so far, but still really good and kept me invested.

A genuinely fun series. Do not seek grimdark here. It’s funny, it blends action and romance, and it fully has my attention wanting to know what comes next.

The guardians are almost all together as a group, like we’re really close to the big boss battle. The narrative does recap some exposition. I needed that (poor short term memory), but I know that some readers find that annoying. 

Another caveat is that there is lots of “telling”, but there is also an expansion of mesmerizing world-building. The book is great at “set dressing.” Every setting had its own characteristics, culture, weather, vibes, etc. We get to see the North in this one, where vies for power are fracturing the aristocracy.

We get to see how our characters see themselves and see others, such as each Guardian thinking they’re the worst one, that the others have cooler powers and better personalities. There are more POVs in this one, so if that’s not your thing, just warning you.

My favorite element of the book is its humor. Funny interactions between characters. Subtle modern pop culture references: the totally-not-BTS Bangtam Brothers, references to Squid Game and those Korean sweets, and I swear there were others, those are just the two I made note of.

There is awkward wording in the ebook ARC I read (so not the final printed version) regarding the one explicitly Black character, usually referring to him as “black-skinned” with few other descriptors. It feels weird, maybe a little racist. It’s definitely not intended racism, and the narrative doesn’t include anything racist. It would be an easy fix for editing.

The story ends on a massive cliff hanger, but it also feels like a complete story told. I can’t wait for the finale. 

A highly subjective 9/10. Still an enjoyable read for everyone else.

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

Guardians of Dawn: Yuli is the third book in the Guardians of Dawn series by S. Jae-Jones. I found it a little more difficult to get into compared to the first two, but I think that it is building up for the fourth book in the series. Some of the settings are great, and it really has the “magical girl” style, though the political intrigue didn’t quite work for me. I feel this book is more setting the stage for the fourth. As a side note, I was introduced to this series from Illumicrate, and the physical books for this series are so lovely. Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books, and S. Jae-Jones for a copy of this ARC.

This series is such a delight and this next installment is even better than it's predecessor! I love the characters and the magic system and I can't wait for the next one!

Another wonderful installment for the Guardians of Dawn series. Can't wait to see how this come together in the final book of the quartet (which I hope is the last because my heart can't take it anymore!!)

The third in the Guardians of Dawn series felt lacking. From the synopsis, I expected more about the Grand Game. And then the end felt rushed. I'll keep reading because I need to know who the Guardian of Wind will be.

Amazing third book in the series! It has everything I loved about the first two but so much more. So emotional!

While *Guardian of Wind* continues the sweeping fantasy narrative of *The Guardians of Dawn* series, it struggles under the weight of its own world-building and political intrigue—an issue that feels particularly frustrating given that this is the third installment. Rather than building on the momentum of previous books, a significant portion of the story is dedicated to explaining the empire’s political structure, court dynamics, and historical context, often at the expense of character development and plot progression.

Yulana’s struggles—ranging from the civil war to the supernatural threats—should provide a compelling foundation for the narrative, but much of the book is bogged down in the mechanics of governance rather than the emotional stakes of her journey. While some readers may appreciate the depth of the world-building, it often feels like the story pauses to deliver dense exposition, making the pacing drag. Given that this is book three, one would expect the political and historical framework to be more integrated into the action rather than repeatedly re-explained.

The Grand Game, which should be a thrilling, high-stakes competition, is undermined by its own complexity. Instead of offering a tightly woven, suspenseful conflict, the competition often feels secondary to prolonged discussions of alliances, treaties, and bureaucratic maneuvering. Yulana’s relationship with Kho—one of the most intriguing elements of the book—is unfortunately sidelined in favor of more political posturing, leaving emotional beats underdeveloped.

The novel does have its strengths—Jae-Jones’ prose remains evocative, and the blend of mythology and political fantasy is ambitious—but *Guardian of Wind* ultimately feels more like an extended history lesson than a climactic continuation of an epic saga. For readers already invested in the series, it may still be rewarding, but those looking for a more balanced mix of action, character depth, and world-building may find themselves wading through too much setup with too little payoff.

This is boo. 3 in a series and I highly recommend reading the other 2 first. It continues where they leave off and there are lots of details and relationships that are needed to understand what is going on in this book. Its well written and is a great magical girl ya story with inclusivity and lots of representation