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Rebel Skies #3
Rebel Dawn
The third and final book in a pacy, lyrical and vivid fantasy adventure set in a world of flying ships, sky cities and powerful paper spirits.
Kurara and her friends have found the key to releasing shikigami from their bonds and granting them eternal freedom – if they can unlock its power. The answer lies in Kurara’s homeplace, deep in the mountains of Mikoshima. But can the crew reach it before the imperial forces catch up with them, or their own internal battles break them apart for ever?
Excellent world-building, a dramatic and pacy plot, and an array of deep and believable characters – explored through multiple perspectives – make for a thrilling final instalment in this masterful fantasy adventure.
Kurara and her friends have found the key to releasing shikigami from their bonds and granting them eternal freedom – if they can unlock its power. The answer lies in Kurara’s homeplace, deep in the mountains of Mikoshima. But can the crew reach it before the imperial forces catch up with them, or their own internal battles break them apart for ever?
Excellent world-building, a dramatic and pacy plot, and an array of deep and believable characters – explored through multiple perspectives – make for a thrilling final instalment in this masterful fantasy adventure.
352 pages, Paperback
Published November 7, 2024
7 people are currently reading
364 people want to read
About the author
Ann Sei Lin
5 books168 followersAnn Sei Lin is a writer and librarian with a love for all things fantasy. She loves worldbuilding more than anything. Especially diving into the details of the seemingly mundane. When not writing, she is often studying, gaming, or trying to make that origami rabbit for the one hundredth time.
The first book in her debut trilogy, Rebel Skies, is set to release March 2022, published by Walker Books.
The first book in her debut trilogy, Rebel Skies, is set to release March 2022, published by Walker Books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
October 24, 2025
I wanted my sapphic ship to be a little less subtly written, but this was such a solid ending to a series I've loved for years.
March 8, 2025
There are so many things that I would like to say about this book, and this series as a whole, but I don't think I will ever be able to encapsulate how special it is to me.
I picked up Rebel Skies, the first in the series, a long while ago and did so completely by chance. I liked the cover art and I liked the blurb so took a chance. It too me a long while to start reading it because I was on a hiatus that took longer than expected. One day last year, I decided it was time to start and before I knew it, Rebel Fire and now Rebel Dawn are prized possessions in my book collection and they feel incredibly special to me.
Rebel Dawn is the final instalment in the Rebel Skies series and ties together everything that has happened so far. I am going to avoid spoilers in my review but I will start by saying that the entire final act felt fulfilling, action packed and fast paced. It tied together several plot strands that had been running throughout the series nicely and everything was capped off in one way or another. I felt like I was reading a novel (and series, let's face it) that feels like it should be developed and primed to be a Studio Ghibli adaptation in the future.
I got quite emotional by some of the themes that run throughout this book. It was particularly the messages behind love, loss and grief towards the latter stages and questioning our place in this world when those we love are no longer with us in the physical form. There have been a string of deaths in this series but two in particular have really tugged at my heart strings; the first in Rebel Skies and the second in Rebel Dawn. As someone who is still navigating losing one of the most important people in my life and trying to make sense of the senseless, the way that Ann Sei Lin wove those emotions together at the end touched me right at my core. (Pun intended)
Kurara, Haru and Himura have all gone through some really solid character development over the series and I was really rooting for them. I am glad that Kurara and Haru's friendship never really diverted into romance. It felt like genuine love for one another without that added complication that can sometimes feel convoluted. As someone whose best friend is female, I really relate to this. I also never thought I would say that I would be rooting so hard for Himura after his actions in the first book but here we are. He vaulted himself into GOAT territory with his development. Special shoutouts to Mana and Tomoe (the latter who finally felt like she came into her own in this instalment. I really enjoyed her storyline).
I would say that some elements of this series have felt like they happened a little too quickly and that's a little bit of a shame because I can only imagine how expansive and interesting the world of Mikoshima would be if the age rating was a little higher and therefore the word count could have been expanded but at the same time, the story works incredibly well as a smaller, more compact tale. YA is generally younger than I would read, I usually lean towards adult and NA, but my goodness I am happy that I found this series.
Ann Sei Lin is a genuinely fascinating author and I am hard pressed to think of any other "debut writers" who have crafted a story with such complex and emotive colours like this. I will be thinking about how this made me feel for a long time to come.
What a way to end the series.
I picked up Rebel Skies, the first in the series, a long while ago and did so completely by chance. I liked the cover art and I liked the blurb so took a chance. It too me a long while to start reading it because I was on a hiatus that took longer than expected. One day last year, I decided it was time to start and before I knew it, Rebel Fire and now Rebel Dawn are prized possessions in my book collection and they feel incredibly special to me.
Rebel Dawn is the final instalment in the Rebel Skies series and ties together everything that has happened so far. I am going to avoid spoilers in my review but I will start by saying that the entire final act felt fulfilling, action packed and fast paced. It tied together several plot strands that had been running throughout the series nicely and everything was capped off in one way or another. I felt like I was reading a novel (and series, let's face it) that feels like it should be developed and primed to be a Studio Ghibli adaptation in the future.
I got quite emotional by some of the themes that run throughout this book. It was particularly the messages behind love, loss and grief towards the latter stages and questioning our place in this world when those we love are no longer with us in the physical form. There have been a string of deaths in this series but two in particular have really tugged at my heart strings; the first in Rebel Skies and the second in Rebel Dawn. As someone who is still navigating losing one of the most important people in my life and trying to make sense of the senseless, the way that Ann Sei Lin wove those emotions together at the end touched me right at my core. (Pun intended)
Kurara, Haru and Himura have all gone through some really solid character development over the series and I was really rooting for them. I am glad that Kurara and Haru's friendship never really diverted into romance. It felt like genuine love for one another without that added complication that can sometimes feel convoluted. As someone whose best friend is female, I really relate to this. I also never thought I would say that I would be rooting so hard for Himura after his actions in the first book but here we are. He vaulted himself into GOAT territory with his development. Special shoutouts to Mana and Tomoe (the latter who finally felt like she came into her own in this instalment. I really enjoyed her storyline).
I would say that some elements of this series have felt like they happened a little too quickly and that's a little bit of a shame because I can only imagine how expansive and interesting the world of Mikoshima would be if the age rating was a little higher and therefore the word count could have been expanded but at the same time, the story works incredibly well as a smaller, more compact tale. YA is generally younger than I would read, I usually lean towards adult and NA, but my goodness I am happy that I found this series.
Ann Sei Lin is a genuinely fascinating author and I am hard pressed to think of any other "debut writers" who have crafted a story with such complex and emotive colours like this. I will be thinking about how this made me feel for a long time to come.
What a way to end the series.
January 11, 2025
ate this one like a hamburger
October 21, 2024
Rebel Dawn is a great ending to the trilogy. I have loved spending time in this world which Ann Sei Lin builds so beautifully. The magic system she created with ofuda and shikigami never fails to enchant me. With political intrigue, rebels, betrayal and sacrifice there is so much to the story, but it is at its heart character-driven and all about the journey of Kurara, Haru and Himura.
If you enjoyed the first two in the Rebel Skies series then you will not be disappointed with Rebel Dawn. It is a satisfying, dramatic, and at times, emotional, end of the story for characters we've grown to love.
Whilst I read this particular book on kindle, I read the first books on audio and this is a series that I can also recommend on audio, particularly if you are not familiar with pronunciation of Japanese words. Having listened to the others really influenced the way I read this one! Not knowing the pronunciation wouldn't detract, but it certainly did add some extra enjoyment for me.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me an e-copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
If you enjoyed the first two in the Rebel Skies series then you will not be disappointed with Rebel Dawn. It is a satisfying, dramatic, and at times, emotional, end of the story for characters we've grown to love.
Whilst I read this particular book on kindle, I read the first books on audio and this is a series that I can also recommend on audio, particularly if you are not familiar with pronunciation of Japanese words. Having listened to the others really influenced the way I read this one! Not knowing the pronunciation wouldn't detract, but it certainly did add some extra enjoyment for me.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me an e-copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
October 17, 2025
Low four stars. I’m actually pretty impressed with this series!
Rebel Dawn is a very consistent end to this trilogy, with similarly consistent writing. The chapters remain wonderfully short and easy to blaze through, and the writing style has a wonderful balance of description and dialogue. And I still love the interludes in this book, this time from Tomoe’s perspective, that just make everything feel bigger than a small, contained story.
The plot also ramped up in this final book: the world falls into civil war, Kurara, Haru, Himura, and Mana all have to figure out a way to help the Star Tree grow and free the shikigami, and Sayo and Tomoe try to journey back to the Orihime (with some hiccups in this process). All the storylines were interesting, but I do still think the author could have done a better job integrating the political tensions into the series, beyond just general Sorabito-groundling racism and yelling. By the time everything exploded in the climax, I still don’t feel as though the conflict was present enough to warrant real stakes or a sense of scale from the final battle. It wasn’t bad by any means, but especially the last two books could have done more to make the Sola-Ea fight feel higher-stakes.
Other than that, I quite liked the story in this third installment. The intricacies in allies and relationships between the Emperor, Prince Ugetsu, Princess Tsukimi, and Kazeno Rei were, while a bit underdeveloped, still very cool to read about. I also love the author purposefully splitting our leads up before the final fight to make the story feel like it was coming to a head. I think we finally reached the end of the new shikigami lore- this time it was very obvious what the Star Tree twist was going to be, which was a bit disappointing to me. But that’s ok. I didn’t guess Haru would die until later, and it gave a very good reason to Tsukimi to try and destroy Sola-Ea.
Speaking of Tsukimi, I’m actually going to move my villains section up here this time for a better transition. I feel like a lot of my praise so far has been about the villains, and that’s not for no reason. Tsukimi is a surprisingly well-done antagonist. She has a motivation, hints of a backstory that gives her that motivation, and is creepy and intimidating enough to be physically threatening, too. I really like her- I feel like it’s rare to find such an interesting, unapologetically evil villain that actually feels scary. Her death was extremely satisfying, too. Overall, I am very impressed.
Kazeno Rei and Ugetsu’s short-lived alliance played out exactly how I thought it would, but they both served their purpose well. Ugetsu really just proved that the royal family sucks, and Rei dying falling from the sky was such perfect karma to end his story with.
My only antagonist complaint is that the Emperor was pretty underwhelming. Although I actually don’t think this was a big problem at all; only noticeable if you think about it. The last two books, and this one, have so heavily focused on the royal siblings that the Emperor was pretty irrelevant. Having him continue to not do much except build tension, while disappointing in theory, was actually handled very well, in my opinion. So even my main complaint isn’t really that. What a great book for antagonists.
Character time!
Kurara was a fine main character again. As per usual, her personality isn’t the most unique, and for some reason in this book we lose her little lotus mantra whenever she panics, which stinks, because that was a core quirk that made her recognizable. It was brought up again from Haru, though, which also explains where it came from, which is nice. I do wish we’d seen it return once or twice more, though. Anyways. Back to her actual arc. I love that she’s just ANGRY after Haru dies, and that she can’t help herself taking it out on her friends. It feels very raw and realistic, and I think it adds a lot to her as a person to let her have that. Her selfishness when Tsukimi offered to take down Sola-Ea to sacrifice its citizens to grow the Star Tree was a bit hard to swallow, though. Kurara later thinks that she couldn’t have done it because it was something Aki would have done, and I love that, but that moment happens a couple chapters AFTER the moment where it’s a possibility. Not having Kurara actively decide against it in the moment does make that idea fall flat, I think. Other than that, I love that Kurara and Haru never get together. They’re just friends. It’s SO NICE to see that in a middle-grade/early YA book. 10/10 in that regard.
Haru himself was still very flat to me. Again, there just isn’t much to him. For being so important at the end, he’s really just a side character. He feels much like Tomoe and Sayo last book: there, with some semblance of a personality, but with nothing to do. So he’s not unique, or really important, except briefly when he’s absorbing yuurei. (Speaking of yuurei, there have to be some still wandering around, right? While they’re hunting for shikigami cores, do you think Mana and Himura are going around carrying human ashes to help lay those guys to rest too?) Haru was fine, though. He served his purpose.
Sayo is still very bland, but her relationship with Tomoe continues to be cute. And Tomoe herself got a lot more attention in this one, which was great. Giving her something to do really made her feel like a character again, so her plot was super interesting (if a bit rushed; whatever happened to their little boy contact? Why did sneaking onto the ship take like one page?).
And then there’s Himura (and Mana). Still easily the best character in the book. His worldviews change so much, but his personality doesn’t: THAT’S how you do a redemption arc. Beautiful. I adore his relationship with Mana, too. The entire scene where Mana briefly sacrifices himself for Himura, and how perfectly it paralleled Akane’s death, was honestly amazing. I wish we’d gotten to see them together at the end of the book, but I’ll trust Kurara that Mana is happy and well again, and working with his favorite fool.
So, this series is really good! I know I keep saying I’m impressed, but seriously, when every other series I read seems to degrade in quality as it progresses, this was a fantastic surprise. I will happily recommend this trilogy to anyone looking for a good adventure series with a creative, intricate magic system, scary villains, and surprisingly solid characterwork. Hopefully this author writes more in the future; I’d love to check out her future works!
SERIES RATINGS:
Rebel Skies: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Rebel Fire: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Rebel Dawn: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Rebel Dawn is a very consistent end to this trilogy, with similarly consistent writing. The chapters remain wonderfully short and easy to blaze through, and the writing style has a wonderful balance of description and dialogue. And I still love the interludes in this book, this time from Tomoe’s perspective, that just make everything feel bigger than a small, contained story.
The plot also ramped up in this final book: the world falls into civil war, Kurara, Haru, Himura, and Mana all have to figure out a way to help the Star Tree grow and free the shikigami, and Sayo and Tomoe try to journey back to the Orihime (with some hiccups in this process). All the storylines were interesting, but I do still think the author could have done a better job integrating the political tensions into the series, beyond just general Sorabito-groundling racism and yelling. By the time everything exploded in the climax, I still don’t feel as though the conflict was present enough to warrant real stakes or a sense of scale from the final battle. It wasn’t bad by any means, but especially the last two books could have done more to make the Sola-Ea fight feel higher-stakes.
Other than that, I quite liked the story in this third installment. The intricacies in allies and relationships between the Emperor, Prince Ugetsu, Princess Tsukimi, and Kazeno Rei were, while a bit underdeveloped, still very cool to read about. I also love the author purposefully splitting our leads up before the final fight to make the story feel like it was coming to a head. I think we finally reached the end of the new shikigami lore- this time it was very obvious what the Star Tree twist was going to be, which was a bit disappointing to me. But that’s ok. I didn’t guess Haru would die until later, and it gave a very good reason to Tsukimi to try and destroy Sola-Ea.
Speaking of Tsukimi, I’m actually going to move my villains section up here this time for a better transition. I feel like a lot of my praise so far has been about the villains, and that’s not for no reason. Tsukimi is a surprisingly well-done antagonist. She has a motivation, hints of a backstory that gives her that motivation, and is creepy and intimidating enough to be physically threatening, too. I really like her- I feel like it’s rare to find such an interesting, unapologetically evil villain that actually feels scary. Her death was extremely satisfying, too. Overall, I am very impressed.
Kazeno Rei and Ugetsu’s short-lived alliance played out exactly how I thought it would, but they both served their purpose well. Ugetsu really just proved that the royal family sucks, and Rei dying falling from the sky was such perfect karma to end his story with.
My only antagonist complaint is that the Emperor was pretty underwhelming. Although I actually don’t think this was a big problem at all; only noticeable if you think about it. The last two books, and this one, have so heavily focused on the royal siblings that the Emperor was pretty irrelevant. Having him continue to not do much except build tension, while disappointing in theory, was actually handled very well, in my opinion. So even my main complaint isn’t really that. What a great book for antagonists.
Character time!
Kurara was a fine main character again. As per usual, her personality isn’t the most unique, and for some reason in this book we lose her little lotus mantra whenever she panics, which stinks, because that was a core quirk that made her recognizable. It was brought up again from Haru, though, which also explains where it came from, which is nice. I do wish we’d seen it return once or twice more, though. Anyways. Back to her actual arc. I love that she’s just ANGRY after Haru dies, and that she can’t help herself taking it out on her friends. It feels very raw and realistic, and I think it adds a lot to her as a person to let her have that. Her selfishness when Tsukimi offered to take down Sola-Ea to sacrifice its citizens to grow the Star Tree was a bit hard to swallow, though. Kurara later thinks that she couldn’t have done it because it was something Aki would have done, and I love that, but that moment happens a couple chapters AFTER the moment where it’s a possibility. Not having Kurara actively decide against it in the moment does make that idea fall flat, I think. Other than that, I love that Kurara and Haru never get together. They’re just friends. It’s SO NICE to see that in a middle-grade/early YA book. 10/10 in that regard.
Haru himself was still very flat to me. Again, there just isn’t much to him. For being so important at the end, he’s really just a side character. He feels much like Tomoe and Sayo last book: there, with some semblance of a personality, but with nothing to do. So he’s not unique, or really important, except briefly when he’s absorbing yuurei. (Speaking of yuurei, there have to be some still wandering around, right? While they’re hunting for shikigami cores, do you think Mana and Himura are going around carrying human ashes to help lay those guys to rest too?) Haru was fine, though. He served his purpose.
Sayo is still very bland, but her relationship with Tomoe continues to be cute. And Tomoe herself got a lot more attention in this one, which was great. Giving her something to do really made her feel like a character again, so her plot was super interesting (if a bit rushed; whatever happened to their little boy contact? Why did sneaking onto the ship take like one page?).
And then there’s Himura (and Mana). Still easily the best character in the book. His worldviews change so much, but his personality doesn’t: THAT’S how you do a redemption arc. Beautiful. I adore his relationship with Mana, too. The entire scene where Mana briefly sacrifices himself for Himura, and how perfectly it paralleled Akane’s death, was honestly amazing. I wish we’d gotten to see them together at the end of the book, but I’ll trust Kurara that Mana is happy and well again, and working with his favorite fool.
So, this series is really good! I know I keep saying I’m impressed, but seriously, when every other series I read seems to degrade in quality as it progresses, this was a fantastic surprise. I will happily recommend this trilogy to anyone looking for a good adventure series with a creative, intricate magic system, scary villains, and surprisingly solid characterwork. Hopefully this author writes more in the future; I’d love to check out her future works!
SERIES RATINGS:
Rebel Skies: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Rebel Fire: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Rebel Dawn: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 9, 2025
This was a great series! I like how it ended, The only thing was being inside of Kurara's head was a bit repetitive; I suppose most of that was due to the nature of her anxiety and I don't really live in that state. I enjoyed the uniqueness of the story and the magical elements and will go on to recommend it.
May 24, 2025
I hope everyone give this trilogy a chance
July 15, 2025
Une conclusion parfaite... C'est sûrement le tome que j'ai le moins aimé de la trilogie -mais il est quand même parfait- car on est vraiment sur un ton totalement différent. La magie des deux premiers tome n'est plus présente,c'est plus sombre et beaucoup plus proche de notre réalité (on est en pleine guerre,c'est pas un vraiment un spoilers vu que ça se profile déjà depuis le T1 en fond.). J'ai aussi eu quasiment 2 ans entre le T2 et celui-ci donc au début j'étais un peu + détachée.
Mais là fin... Je l'aime 💛 C'est une fin tout en nuance et le dernier dialogue Himura/Kurara (rien de romantique) j'ai TELLEMENT pleuré OMG.
Mais là fin... Je l'aime 💛 C'est une fin tout en nuance et le dernier dialogue Himura/Kurara (rien de romantique) j'ai TELLEMENT pleuré OMG.
February 14, 2025
Disappointing.
I found this volume to be very repetitive and meandering, as if Lin wasn't sure how to get from the end of the last book to the final act of this book.
The reveal was incredibly obvious, and although I really enjoyed the final 20% of the book, it didn't make up for what was a limp to the finish, in my opinion.
I found this volume to be very repetitive and meandering, as if Lin wasn't sure how to get from the end of the last book to the final act of this book.
The reveal was incredibly obvious, and although I really enjoyed the final 20% of the book, it didn't make up for what was a limp to the finish, in my opinion.
January 12, 2025
#Himura #GOAT
August 3, 2025
3.75 💫
December 29, 2024
{84/2024} 4/5🌟 Fantasy Fiction | 347 pages
“𝙉𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙨 𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙨𝙖𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙛𝙞𝙘𝙚.”
Well, it seems we have reached the finale - the peak of Kurara’s nervewrecking journey. It was painful, but would it perhaps bring a new beginning for Mikoshima, or its doom?
After a heartbreaking journey and unintended meet with Princess Tsukimi, and running away from her, Kurara and the rest now had no way of turning back. Kurara knew that she had been destined to free the 𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘬𝘪𝘨𝘢𝘮𝘪. She now knew the secrets that had been haunting her since before. It would be up to her now to journey through the villages and mountains to find the way to make the Star Seed bloomed.
After their ordeal with Suzuka, Kurara bore the responsibility of cutting its chest to get the core and letting go of the 𝘺𝘶𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘪, the deadly shadows. If only the past could be turned back, Kurara knew she would keep her promises, but what was more important at the moment, she needed to save the 𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘬𝘪𝘨𝘢𝘮𝘪.
After parting ways with Tomoe and Sayo, Kurara together with Haru and Hiruma went through a race against the time. Eventhough her heart broke whenever she looked at Hiruma, she didn’t have any choice as Haru needed him. She could breathe in the betrayal that Hiruma had put unto them for the sake of their mission, but could she really trust him after what had happened?
On the tail of the imperial soldier, Princess Tsukimi and the traitors, Kurara must find the way to make the Star Seed bloom in the midst of a war between its people.
I have been invested in the first and second books - so I couldn’t leave the series hanging. I needed the closure. Kurara is a character that I have been reflecting upon since the first book. She was tough, adamant, hard-headed, strong-willed, courageous but she was also full of empathy and a soft-hearted one; always a soft spot for Haru.
It was a war - between those with power and powerless. How having certain power could place you in certain social classes, but it is also a tale about freedom, slavery, pure talent, love and sacrifice.
I have always loved the world-building I wish Ghibli Studio would produce them into movies, 🥴😅. The fighting sequence, the 𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘬𝘪𝘨𝘢𝘮𝘪, the floating cities, their costumes - I could only imagine them in my mind.
The finale certainly struck a chord with the chosen title. It was certainly the dawn of a new beginning though there was still much work needed to be done. One character would sacrifice itself in order to complete the mission and it was certainly someone I didn’t expect to, oh my the plot twist!
Read this if you enjoy fantasy, anime or anything Ghibli-ish because this series would prove it. One tip, you need to read Rebel Skies and Rebel Fire before you read this one. I promise it won’t dissapoint you.
Thank you #pansing for this review copy in exchange with my honest personal opinion.
#justreaddontbawang #bookmehnia #DecemberReads #DecemberTBRs #bookstagrammalaysia #bookstagrammy #malaysiamembaca #bookstagrammer #bookgram #bibliophile #bibliophilemy #bookish #bookaddict #bookaesthetic #readersofinstagram #goodreads #bookrecommendations #bookreview #bookworm #rebeldawn #annseilin
“𝙉𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙨 𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙙 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙨𝙖𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙛𝙞𝙘𝙚.”
Well, it seems we have reached the finale - the peak of Kurara’s nervewrecking journey. It was painful, but would it perhaps bring a new beginning for Mikoshima, or its doom?
After a heartbreaking journey and unintended meet with Princess Tsukimi, and running away from her, Kurara and the rest now had no way of turning back. Kurara knew that she had been destined to free the 𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘬𝘪𝘨𝘢𝘮𝘪. She now knew the secrets that had been haunting her since before. It would be up to her now to journey through the villages and mountains to find the way to make the Star Seed bloomed.
After their ordeal with Suzuka, Kurara bore the responsibility of cutting its chest to get the core and letting go of the 𝘺𝘶𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘪, the deadly shadows. If only the past could be turned back, Kurara knew she would keep her promises, but what was more important at the moment, she needed to save the 𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘬𝘪𝘨𝘢𝘮𝘪.
After parting ways with Tomoe and Sayo, Kurara together with Haru and Hiruma went through a race against the time. Eventhough her heart broke whenever she looked at Hiruma, she didn’t have any choice as Haru needed him. She could breathe in the betrayal that Hiruma had put unto them for the sake of their mission, but could she really trust him after what had happened?
On the tail of the imperial soldier, Princess Tsukimi and the traitors, Kurara must find the way to make the Star Seed bloom in the midst of a war between its people.
I have been invested in the first and second books - so I couldn’t leave the series hanging. I needed the closure. Kurara is a character that I have been reflecting upon since the first book. She was tough, adamant, hard-headed, strong-willed, courageous but she was also full of empathy and a soft-hearted one; always a soft spot for Haru.
It was a war - between those with power and powerless. How having certain power could place you in certain social classes, but it is also a tale about freedom, slavery, pure talent, love and sacrifice.
I have always loved the world-building I wish Ghibli Studio would produce them into movies, 🥴😅. The fighting sequence, the 𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘬𝘪𝘨𝘢𝘮𝘪, the floating cities, their costumes - I could only imagine them in my mind.
The finale certainly struck a chord with the chosen title. It was certainly the dawn of a new beginning though there was still much work needed to be done. One character would sacrifice itself in order to complete the mission and it was certainly someone I didn’t expect to, oh my the plot twist!
Read this if you enjoy fantasy, anime or anything Ghibli-ish because this series would prove it. One tip, you need to read Rebel Skies and Rebel Fire before you read this one. I promise it won’t dissapoint you.
Thank you #pansing for this review copy in exchange with my honest personal opinion.
#justreaddontbawang #bookmehnia #DecemberReads #DecemberTBRs #bookstagrammalaysia #bookstagrammy #malaysiamembaca #bookstagrammer #bookgram #bibliophile #bibliophilemy #bookish #bookaddict #bookaesthetic #readersofinstagram #goodreads #bookrecommendations #bookreview #bookworm #rebeldawn #annseilin
January 31, 2025
I have loved this trilogy so much!
The world building is wonderful and the characters so 'fleshed' out, so to speak.
The magic, the relationships and the shikigami! I will miss this world, but I will share it and live in hope that more stories make their way to us.
Thank you Ann Sei Linda!
The world building is wonderful and the characters so 'fleshed' out, so to speak.
The magic, the relationships and the shikigami! I will miss this world, but I will share it and live in hope that more stories make their way to us.
Thank you Ann Sei Linda!
July 6, 2025
Also on Snow White Hates Apples.
One of the best YA trilogies I’ve read in recent years, the Rebel Skies trilogy has carved itself a special place in my heart. It was a pleasure to read this series and see how each instalment outshone the last. The first book, Rebel Skies , established a richly imagined world while Rebel Fire added more realism, depth and complexity to the characters. Rebel Dawn , though? Oh, it delivered all the emotions needed to make a memorable and impactful finale.
Even so, I admit I was frustrated by how dumb and annoying the characters were throughout most of the book. It’s a conflicting thing since I could also understand where they were coming from and why they acted as such. And, I think this just says a lot about how human the author has made the characters. They’re perfectly flawed — frustrating yet real.
Fortunately, the final quarter of the book made all the frustrations worth it. The loose ends from the previous books were tied up nicely, the themes were beautifully expanded, and that ending? Bittersweet yet so, so fulfilling.
If you’re looking for an adventure fantasy with writing that will keep you hooked from start to end, easily welcoming you back into its world every time, give this series a try.
One of the best YA trilogies I’ve read in recent years, the Rebel Skies trilogy has carved itself a special place in my heart. It was a pleasure to read this series and see how each instalment outshone the last. The first book, Rebel Skies , established a richly imagined world while Rebel Fire added more realism, depth and complexity to the characters. Rebel Dawn , though? Oh, it delivered all the emotions needed to make a memorable and impactful finale.
Even so, I admit I was frustrated by how dumb and annoying the characters were throughout most of the book. It’s a conflicting thing since I could also understand where they were coming from and why they acted as such. And, I think this just says a lot about how human the author has made the characters. They’re perfectly flawed — frustrating yet real.
Fortunately, the final quarter of the book made all the frustrations worth it. The loose ends from the previous books were tied up nicely, the themes were beautifully expanded, and that ending? Bittersweet yet so, so fulfilling.
If you’re looking for an adventure fantasy with writing that will keep you hooked from start to end, easily welcoming you back into its world every time, give this series a try.
Thank you so much Pansing for providing me a copy of this in exchange for an honest review! Rebel Dawn by Ann Sei Lin is available at all good bookstores.
September 7, 2025
This was a solid end to the trilogy. The ending was obvious, but it still had me feeling things - the character interactions in this book were the best out of all 3. Some of the fight/action scenes fell a little flat for me, like it was difficult to get immersed in them. I really enjoyed Tomoe and Sayo’s perspective in this book, and it might have been one of the best parts. Overall, I really liked this final volume to the story, and I would recommend this trilogy as a solid YA fantasy with a unique and interesting premise and world.
June 4, 2025
I still have more compassion for the shikigami than I do for the people, although Haru is right up there. He is so sweet (and his sacrifice is heartbreaking). My heart breaks for the shikigami, they know they are going mad. The giant frog, then the tiger and Mana, the snake (and mana's sacrifice at the end, so sweet and I had a cry. I must be a fool! But he had a soft spot for fools…), I love these creatures and they just want to be free. I have really enjoyed this series and this is a great conclusion. Can't wait to see what else she does.
January 5, 2025
A great conclusion to this trilogy and a lovely way to start my 2025. Big fan. The author spins a captivating and vibrant world and manages to concisely fit all the important plot neatly into 3 novels somehow?! Thoroughly enjoyed this series and will certainly hold onto it for a re-read!
May 11, 2025
one of the best finale for a trilogy i know of
August 5, 2025
A brilliant finale to a brilliant series.
November 24, 2025
I didn’t even make it to the end of Rebel Dawn. I physically couldn’t.
Kurara isn’t the hero of this story. she’s the antagonist who doesn’t realize she’s the antagonist.
Unfortunately, the book doesn’t realize it either.
Let’s begin with the obvious: Kurara’s Main-Character-Syndrome. Everything revolves around her and her Very Important Mission. Every injustice, every problem, every breath someone takes seems to be her cue to immediately jump in with: “I must fix this myself, right this second, because only I can do it.”
Meanwhile, the entire world is screaming in the background.
Kurara has twice caused mass death on a massive scale, and yet the narrative still tries to sell her as a selfless heroine fighting every injustice.
Girl… you are the injustice…
Let’s recap the body count the book politely ignores:
- As Aki in Kazami, she burned down an entire village.
- Then she opened Suzakus core, releasing the yuurei/ shadow creatures that immediately murdered countless people, wiped out bases, and devastated whole regions.
And all of this because she needed to get to the Starseed just a tiny bit faster? It couldn’t wait until she found a way to get the seed out without releasing the Yuurei? Really? girl, you don’t even know how to plant it yet? Keep it in the core until you know more! Wtf! But everything must be done immediately, urgently, catastrophically.
The Shikigami have survived for years in their current state, but apparently taking one extra day to rest would doom the universe. Her “we have no time” mantra is repeated so often it becomes its own drinking game.
Meanwhile, Haru and Himura follow her like loyal dogs who forgot they were once independent characters. Haru even takes on guilt for her decisions — decisions she literally ordered him to make — while Himura keeps apologizing for past actions that, compared to Kurara’s track record, feel like minor inconveniences. It’s baffling how both men orbit her as if she’s morally flawless when the text clearly shows otherwise.
The war itself? Background noise. A set piece. A vague thing happening somewhere off-page.
Honestly, I would have kept reading for Tomoe and Sayo, because their chapters were interesting and grounded in actual stakes. book. I would’ve gladly followed them instead. But no, we are once again chained to the Kurara Show, and I simply could not take it anymore.
And the painful part?
I genuinely loved the first book. The worldbuilding is beautiful and so imaginative. I wanted to love this series so badly. But Kurara has become so unbearably frustrating that I just can’t do it anymore.
Kurara isn’t the hero of this story. she’s the antagonist who doesn’t realize she’s the antagonist.
Unfortunately, the book doesn’t realize it either.
Let’s begin with the obvious: Kurara’s Main-Character-Syndrome. Everything revolves around her and her Very Important Mission. Every injustice, every problem, every breath someone takes seems to be her cue to immediately jump in with: “I must fix this myself, right this second, because only I can do it.”
Meanwhile, the entire world is screaming in the background.
Kurara has twice caused mass death on a massive scale, and yet the narrative still tries to sell her as a selfless heroine fighting every injustice.
Girl… you are the injustice…
Let’s recap the body count the book politely ignores:
- As Aki in Kazami, she burned down an entire village.
- Then she opened Suzakus core, releasing the yuurei/ shadow creatures that immediately murdered countless people, wiped out bases, and devastated whole regions.
And all of this because she needed to get to the Starseed just a tiny bit faster? It couldn’t wait until she found a way to get the seed out without releasing the Yuurei? Really? girl, you don’t even know how to plant it yet? Keep it in the core until you know more! Wtf! But everything must be done immediately, urgently, catastrophically.
The Shikigami have survived for years in their current state, but apparently taking one extra day to rest would doom the universe. Her “we have no time” mantra is repeated so often it becomes its own drinking game.
Meanwhile, Haru and Himura follow her like loyal dogs who forgot they were once independent characters. Haru even takes on guilt for her decisions — decisions she literally ordered him to make — while Himura keeps apologizing for past actions that, compared to Kurara’s track record, feel like minor inconveniences. It’s baffling how both men orbit her as if she’s morally flawless when the text clearly shows otherwise.
The war itself? Background noise. A set piece. A vague thing happening somewhere off-page.
Honestly, I would have kept reading for Tomoe and Sayo, because their chapters were interesting and grounded in actual stakes. book. I would’ve gladly followed them instead. But no, we are once again chained to the Kurara Show, and I simply could not take it anymore.
And the painful part?
I genuinely loved the first book. The worldbuilding is beautiful and so imaginative. I wanted to love this series so badly. But Kurara has become so unbearably frustrating that I just can’t do it anymore.
October 13, 2024
I received an eARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. It has not affected my opinions.
REBEL DAWN completes this trilogy full of paper magic and floating cities in epic style.
The war that's been building for two books explodes in this one. The focus is not on the war, but Kurara and the rest do find themselves tangled in it (which is getting in the way of her main goal!) There's a massive action sequence at the end of the book, full of cruel ingenuity around shikigami.
I've loved how this series focuses on friendship throughout. Kurara and Haru are the closest of friends, and its their relationship that is at the heart of this series. Despite being a girl and a boy, there was never a hint of romance between them, just friends with a long and complicated past (and Kurara takes the series to realise just how long and complicated!) We need more books like this that celebrate friendship.
There are many other friendships in this series. Himara is such a complicated character, very much morally grey, something he's spent the series realising. He's conflicted and tangled up in his own beliefs, and this book sees him finish what feels like only the first stage of his journey. I really liked that he was included, someone a lot less cut and dry than many YA protagonists.
It is quite a heart-breaking ending. It feels fitting for something that is so Ghibli-esque - those movies are always tear-inducing, and this book will leave you feeling that way too. Hopeful but sad at the same time.
REBEL DAWN completes this trilogy full of paper magic and floating cities in epic style.
The war that's been building for two books explodes in this one. The focus is not on the war, but Kurara and the rest do find themselves tangled in it (which is getting in the way of her main goal!) There's a massive action sequence at the end of the book, full of cruel ingenuity around shikigami.
I've loved how this series focuses on friendship throughout. Kurara and Haru are the closest of friends, and its their relationship that is at the heart of this series. Despite being a girl and a boy, there was never a hint of romance between them, just friends with a long and complicated past (and Kurara takes the series to realise just how long and complicated!) We need more books like this that celebrate friendship.
There are many other friendships in this series. Himara is such a complicated character, very much morally grey, something he's spent the series realising. He's conflicted and tangled up in his own beliefs, and this book sees him finish what feels like only the first stage of his journey. I really liked that he was included, someone a lot less cut and dry than many YA protagonists.
It is quite a heart-breaking ending. It feels fitting for something that is so Ghibli-esque - those movies are always tear-inducing, and this book will leave you feeling that way too. Hopeful but sad at the same time.
December 13, 2024
Rebel Dawn is the third and final book in the Rebel Skies trilogy, a young adult fantasy series. Although I have only read the second and third books, I do feel that missing the first instalment limited my understanding of the series, as it likely contained essential background information.
In this conclusion, Kurara and her companions discover the key to releasing the shikigami from their bonds, offering them the possibility of eternal freedom. However, as often the case in epic fantasy stories, the path to this goal is never simple, and the characters must rely on their strength, courage, and knowledge to overcome many obstacles that lie ahead.
While fantasy is not preferred genre, I’ve always admired the intricate world-building that talented authors can achieve, and the world of Rebel Skies is no exception. The setting is uniquely captivating, a testament to the author's imagination.
The characters are well-developed, relatable, and believable, making it easy for readers to become invested in their story. This is a series you can get lost in whirling away hours, and the final book certainly delivers and long-time fans will be very happy.
In this conclusion, Kurara and her companions discover the key to releasing the shikigami from their bonds, offering them the possibility of eternal freedom. However, as often the case in epic fantasy stories, the path to this goal is never simple, and the characters must rely on their strength, courage, and knowledge to overcome many obstacles that lie ahead.
While fantasy is not preferred genre, I’ve always admired the intricate world-building that talented authors can achieve, and the world of Rebel Skies is no exception. The setting is uniquely captivating, a testament to the author's imagination.
The characters are well-developed, relatable, and believable, making it easy for readers to become invested in their story. This is a series you can get lost in whirling away hours, and the final book certainly delivers and long-time fans will be very happy.
June 21, 2025
I still love this world. We have the people of the sky, in floating cities and ships, the people of the land down below, and monsters made of paper that rampage around, with crafters using paper origami magic to stop them. It’s unique and very well crafted with all those little details that make you believe.
There’s less of the ofudo building in here as it’s more reactionary and everything is already happening. This story is all adventure and action as everything from the previous books comes to a crashing head. Kurara is facing all the moral dilemmas and has to decide how much it too much to sacrifice. But when she’s already come all this way, will she let previous sacrifices be in vain? Lots of quandaries and moral questions as the weight of other lives start to be judged.
There’s no romance for our MC; this is all friendships and familial love and platonic love between characters who’ve been though a lot together. There’s been so much character development over the series, and it continues in here.
Definitely some heartsick moments and big changes on this journey as Kurara fights for peace.
There’s less of the ofudo building in here as it’s more reactionary and everything is already happening. This story is all adventure and action as everything from the previous books comes to a crashing head. Kurara is facing all the moral dilemmas and has to decide how much it too much to sacrifice. But when she’s already come all this way, will she let previous sacrifices be in vain? Lots of quandaries and moral questions as the weight of other lives start to be judged.
There’s no romance for our MC; this is all friendships and familial love and platonic love between characters who’ve been though a lot together. There’s been so much character development over the series, and it continues in here.
Definitely some heartsick moments and big changes on this journey as Kurara fights for peace.
May 15, 2025
actual rating: 3.5 stars
rep: japanese
the black monsters that emerged from suzaku’s core are called the yuurei—relentless, unstoppable creatures crawling through human chests and killing one by one. nothing can stop them. and kurara, haunted by guilt, is plagued with nightmares of suzaku’s screams.
meanwhile, tomoe and sayo are making their way back to sola-ea, and their little relationship was so sweet. the interlude chapters that followed their journey to the orihime made their bond even more endearing.
on the path to the mountain of the falling star, kurara and her companions encounter princess tsukimi, who—true to her word—won the bet and now has a tiger shikigami under her control.
the trilogy’s ending was bittersweet. lives were lost, entire villages and cities destroyed by the yuurei, and the empire is teetering on the edge of turmoil. yet, there’s still a glimmer of hope for better days. kurara learns the true cost of planting the star seed, and she carries the weight of responsibility—was it her fault? she was the one who wanted to extract the star seed from suzaku, so she has to make its death mean something. all the while, she wrestles with her feelings about himura.
himura’s character development was one of my favorite parts. after betraying kurara in the first book, he’s come a long way. once, he commanded shikigami without a second thought—now, he treats them with the same care and respect as any human. also, i enjoyed his bond with mana. it was sweet.
i really enjoyed this!
rep: japanese
the black monsters that emerged from suzaku’s core are called the yuurei—relentless, unstoppable creatures crawling through human chests and killing one by one. nothing can stop them. and kurara, haunted by guilt, is plagued with nightmares of suzaku’s screams.
meanwhile, tomoe and sayo are making their way back to sola-ea, and their little relationship was so sweet. the interlude chapters that followed their journey to the orihime made their bond even more endearing.
on the path to the mountain of the falling star, kurara and her companions encounter princess tsukimi, who—true to her word—won the bet and now has a tiger shikigami under her control.
the trilogy’s ending was bittersweet. lives were lost, entire villages and cities destroyed by the yuurei, and the empire is teetering on the edge of turmoil. yet, there’s still a glimmer of hope for better days. kurara learns the true cost of planting the star seed, and she carries the weight of responsibility—was it her fault? she was the one who wanted to extract the star seed from suzaku, so she has to make its death mean something. all the while, she wrestles with her feelings about himura.
himura’s character development was one of my favorite parts. after betraying kurara in the first book, he’s come a long way. once, he commanded shikigami without a second thought—now, he treats them with the same care and respect as any human. also, i enjoyed his bond with mana. it was sweet.
i really enjoyed this!
A dying star fell from the heavens, and from that star grew a tree.
Read
March 13, 2025finally got to read the last book of such a great series! The beginning of the book wasn't convincing at all that i would be invested back in the characters and plot, but once again it was just a matter of book beginnings and getting through them. I was a little annoyed with Kurara throughout the first half of the book until I realised any of us would act the same way she did and would be feeling the same way or worse, and I really liked to see her growth, through suffering unfortunately, until the end of the book. Princess Tsukimi is one of my favourite villains, I love her witty, badass, psycho one liners. I am so fond of this series and I think it raised quite a few important social issues through a fantasy setting and would love if this would blow up nationwide and internationally like it did with the kids from last year's book club when we read the first book of the series.
March 6, 2025
Rebel Dawn is an action packed and vivid fantasy adventure. It took me a while after I finished it to write this review. The ending resonates so deeply. It is beautiful, with a longing that stays with you. The third and final book in the trilogy, Kuara is dealing with a lot. Guilt, PTSD (I would guess!) and the weight of her burden. The world is falling apart. Can she fix it? I cannot wait for what Ann Sei Lin does next. She is one of the best YA writers and is more talented than one human being should be allowed.
April 13, 2025
The conclusion to Ann Sei Lin’s YA fantasy trilogy delves deeper into the mythology of her Japanese-inspired world and focuses on themes of grief, loss and guilt. However there’s too much plot here for the length of the book, which means that some storylines unfurl in too perfunctory a way and don’t have the room they need to give the emotional punch Lin wants readers to experience, which is a real shame in the case of one specific character death.
Read
April 19, 2025This was a lovely continuation of the series and Kurara is still my favourite character, but I loved reading from the POV of her friends throughout the novel! A beautiful story and a fantastic series for younger readers, although as I thoroughly enjoyed it, suitable for any age! Definitely worth picking up. I love the concept of paper spirits and magic, and it was so well-written!
December 22, 2024
I think this book really gave us a good ending and didn't put any shame on this series. I enjoyed it even though I needed years to get through it (exam season is killing me).
A very enjoyable trilogy!
A very enjoyable trilogy!
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