S. Jae-Jones's Blog: News & Updates

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The Illumicrate Exclusive: Ami edition is a B-format hardback and features:
✨ An exclusive hardback edition of the UK paperback
✨ Full colour printing on the hardback (by @kira_yukishiro_)
✨ Digitally printed edges (by @chattynora)
✨ Illustrated endpapers (by @kira_yukishiro_)
✨ Signed by the author

In her newfound identity as the Guardian of Fire, Jin Zhara continues her journey to find the other Guardians of Dawn and defeat the Mother of Ten Thousand Demons.

Following the defeat of the Frog Demon of Poison and Pestilence in Zhara (2023), Zhara and Han continue their search for the scholar Li Er-Shuan and the Songs of Order and Chaos, the book that holds the key to defeating the Mother of Ten Thousand Demons. But they quickly find that they don’t just face demons—the undead are attacking, and the same magic is bleeding the land of ki. The solution, they hope, lies in Kalantze with the Qirin Tulku. There they meet Li Ami, the daughter of Li Er-Shuan, and Gaden, the Left Hand of the Qirin Tulku. Together, they set out to figure out what force is behind the hordes of undead—and how to stop it. This sequel is fast-paced and exciting, immediately jumping back into the magical world of the Morning Realms. With their consistently satisfying character arcs, the intriguing cast members continue to be among the most delightful aspects of the series. Jae-Jones infuses this world with East Asian elements, and she weaves strong queer representation naturally into the story. Though the intense worldbuilding is initially overwhelming, this worthwhile sequel is easy to dive into and lives up to its predecessor.

An action-packed and inherently magical sequel. (Fantasy. 13-18)

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It’s here, it’s here, the beauteous cover for the second book in the Guardians of Dawn series!

Isn’t she gorgeous? Once again I stay winning with Sija Hong’s amazing artwork and Kerri Resnick’s incredible design!

Preorder links are coming soon, but in the mean time, here is a sneak peak at what the book is about!

SAILOR MOON MEETS BEAUTY & THE BEAST IN GUARDIANS OF DAWN: AMI

When the Pillar blooms, the end of the world is not far behind.

Li Ami was always on the outside — outside of family, outside of friendships, outside of ordinary magic. The odd and eccentric daughter of a former imperial magician, she has devoted her life to books because she finds them easier to read than people. Exiled to the outermost west of the Morning Realms, Ami has become the sole caretaker of her mentally ill father, whose rantings and ravings may be more than mere ramblings; they may be part of a dire prophecy. When her father is arrested for trespassing and stealing a branch from the sacred tree of the local monastery, Ami offers herself to the mysterious Beast in the castle, who is in need of someone who can translate a forbidden magical text and find a cure for the mysterious blight that is affecting the harvest of the land.

Meanwhile, as signs of magical corruption arise throughout the Morning Realms, Jin Zhara begins to realize that she might be out of her element. She may have defeated a demon lord and uncovered her identity as the Guardian of Fire, but she’ll be more than outmatched in the coming elemental battle against the Mother of Ten Thousand Demons…unless she can find the other Guardians of Dawn. Her magic is no match for the growing tide of undead, and she needs the Guardian of Wood with power over life and death in order to defeat the revenants razing the countryside.

The threat of the Mother of Ten Thousand Demons looms larger by the day, and the tenuous peace holding the Morning Realms together is beginning to unravel. Ami and Zhara must journey to the Root of the World in order to seal the demon portal that may have opened there and restore balance to an increasingly chaotic world.

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Jae-Jones (Wintersong, 2017) builds a new fantasy world in a story that demonstrates a love for classics like Sailor Moon. Readers will recognize a kindred spirit in Zhara, a fellow bookworm, and enjoy watching her become the Guardian of Fire as she gains the courage to face legendary monsters.

“While this volume serves as Zhara’s origin story, there is no shortage of well-rounded friendships and world-ending disasters to keep readers on the hook for future installments. ”

As the children’s song goes, “Summer, fall, winter, spring, / Guardians rise and justice sings.”