I love that each of the books in this series follows a different character, while still keeping the overarching plot. I loved Yuli as a supporting character in the previous book. I struggled at times with the multiple POVs but still enjoyed that they were included. Vibes were strong, and I will definitely be continuing on with the series.

"Guardians of Dawn: Yuli" was a really good book. As someone who did not read the prior books, I can definitively say that it did an incredible job of explaining the world enough to where I understood the situation and events of prior books. The worldbuilding almost reminded me of Throne of Glass due to some similar overarching plot details; this would work really well as a middle school alternative to middle-schoolers who want to read TOG. It would also be a huge recommendation for fans of the Winx Club; I primarily imagined them the whole book.

I feel as though the stakes are where this book fell short. I found it hard to connect with the characters whenever they were solely focused on the Mother rising (as foretold in previous books), rather than current issues that were in their face the whole book. I imagine this will be revisited in the next book.

The diversity was where this book shined. I liked the fact that multiple nonbinary characters existed (and that they weren't limited to young/underdog roles). It's important to show adult nonbinary characters for teens who may be questioning their identity and wondering if it's "just a phase."

Overall, I'm excited to see what comes next!

I really enjoyed learning more about Yuli's background and her culture in this book. I liked her as a supporting character in the other books, especially because she knew she was a mage from a much younger age than the other girls, but this book takes the opportunity to explore what it was like growing up as a princess on the northern steppes where being found out as a mage could be deadly. The book also dives into Yuli's relationship with her former best friend Kho, who Yuli resents for being responsible for the exile of her cousin. Kho appears to be the dutiful daughter of power-hungry clan leader, but she has more rebellion in her than Yuli knows.

The other guardians and their love interests don't have much to do in this book other than wait around for Yuli and decipher the Songs of Order and Chaos. Their partners are written out entirely and sent somewhere else, so we just see pining from Zhara and Ami for the most part. There was some obvious setup for the next book about the Guardian of Water in what looks like a Snow White retelling. I couldn't really tell what fairy tale this book was reenacting other than some similarities to the Pixar movie Brave. However, this didn't bother me since I think the original story should be more important than the fairy tale elements.

Third installment in this series! And seriously one must first ask or point out, are not the covers simply stunning.
I may be older than the target audience but I love to read and I do adore this fantasy series. It's easy to fall back into and get hooked into the pages. I've arc read this one and one previous. Yes I won copies of the first and second. So I feel like that should answer if this series is worth it.. YES

Id like to start off with stating I did like the book; However I am not the target audience. I did read the two previous books and again I enjoyed them but they aren't my favorite. This series is geared to a younger audience, and I do believe that it is good for the Middle grade and Highschool readers.

You do need to read the first two books before reading this one , these are very much a series and not intended to be a stand-alone

What I didn't enjoy in this book was it felt like it lost a tad bit of momentum that the first two books have started to build up.

I do like the blend of mythology and fantasy built up together in the world. I also do enjoy the continuation of the story that the first two books have started to build on.

I do enjoy books with multiple POVs, however this book felt like we were flipping a lot more frequently than I like. I think longer chapters in one POV would have been better.

The story gets a tad predictable, However for a younger reader this may no be the case.

Again I enjoyed the book, however I am 34 and probably not the target audience. This is a series id be happily gift a younger reader and be confident that they would enjoy it.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books for the Digital Arc.

When I was first tasked to read this book before release, I had no idea it was a part of a series and went back and read the first two before starting this one and I am glad I did. This series hooked me right at the beginning of the first book and has kept me intrigued throughout the entire series. Each book has been as good as the first and I think this one might actually be my favorite of the series so far. The author does such a great job of representation of the LGBTQ community and is great at normalizing the community. How she writes is how we want to feel, no one saying we're wrong when we tell them our names or pronouns, just acceptance and respect when finding out. Not only is the writer inclusive, but the story is wonderful and the magic she created is unique and enjoyable to get in to. I am in love with this series and can't wait for the final book!

👍 Solid installment in the series. I enjoyed the world building and getting to know more about the Northern kingdom. I think this one had the most cliffhanger ending thus far BUT we are gearing up for the final boss fight in the next book.

👎 The political intrigue could’ve been better BUT the characters were wrapped up in the demon threat so it’s all good.

5 plus. So sad. The author did it again and pushed further. I love all the Guardians, but Yuli is so cool. She is a princess, but her life is not as easy as many may think. This princess, who is a guardian too, is going to work double in this book, helping the guardians and also dealing with the subsection problem in her kingdom. They need an heir, and Yuli's rival is no less than her best friend Kho. But the sleepers aren't just a problem of book 2. They are a horde of problems in book 3 with a big Demon leader infiltrating high ranks in the court. We have a bit more palace intrigue and trials. Politics in this one, and lots of action. As always, the last part of the book is a great battle, and this time, there is no place for celebration. I need book 4 right now.
With vivid imagery, it is easy to imagine the elements, petals, flowing sleeves, glowing familiars, and terrible demons. The kiss scene was sweet.

this fell a bit flat for me, especially compared to the other two books in this saga, the multiple povs really threw me off, i thought we were switching characters too often. with that being said, i liked the pacing and as always i loved the world building and all the magical lore.

I did not realize that this book was part of a well established series and just dove in. Even though I missed the backstory, I was able to keep up with the storyline of this book. I got the impression that a different Guardian of Dawn is discovered and comes into their power with each book, and this book focuses on Yuli. The world building is phenomenal, and the magic blends around the characters and through the community in a delightful way. I got caught up in the battle against the sleeping dreamer sickness, and found this to be a very exciting book. Thank you to Wednesday Books for granting me an ARC of this book in exchange for my review.

That said, I was distracted by the overuse of the word 'they.' This may not be politically correct today, but I find it very difficult to follow who is being referenced by this pronoun. When a group of people leave, and someone who stays behind says that she misses them, it should reflect that she misses everyone that left. I understand what the pronoun is supposed to indicate besides a group of people, but I felt that the overuse of the word resulted in a book about a community that is completely gender fluid. I am not homophobic, but this made it hard for me to connect to the characters (despite my similar magical nature).

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.