*I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity*

Jin Zhara should not be alive. In a kingdom where even knowing the language of Magic is forbidden and grounds for death, as a magician she should have suffered the same fate as her parents long ago. However, thanks to the quick thinking of her step-mother, Jin Zhara has been able to carve out a small existence for herself and her small family. But what is the point of living if your day-to-day does nothing to bring you joy? What is the point of moving forward if there is nothing to strive towards?

So, when a chance encounter at the bookseller brings Han (supposedly a local student) into her life, Jin Zhara's eyes are opened to what life could be and the world that awaits her if she's just brave enough to embrace her magic.

Marketed as a mix between Sailor Moon and Cinder, GUARDIANS OF THE DAWN: ZHARA is probably better left to stand on its own two feet. While it is very loose Cinderella retelling, ZHARA is a great choice for any young adult reader interested in stories with magical, mythological, or fantasy elements. The humor is juvenile, but the world building is extensive and the large cast opens the series up for lots of twists and turns.

The audiobook narrator did a great job of capturing a lot of the quirky humor and making each character feel differentiated and unique.

Overall, ZHARA was a fun read and a great first book for (what I'm guessing will be) the four book series.