This ARC was provided for review, but in no way affects the following impartial and unbiased review:
•
4*
Pros: Beautiful world-building. Chinese myths, folklore and traditions. Interesting female lead with original interests and passions. Cute and wholesome romance. Full of magic and mystique. Particularly loved the fashion theme on medieval Chinese garments and the life of a tailor. Lots of important feminist notes. Heart-rending take on family and love.
.
Cons: The romantic aspect was too sudden. The scissors' logistics were a bit confusing.

I would like to begin this review by apologizing if everything I'm about to write is very confusing. Spin the Dawn spun my emotions to a point that left me an emotional mess. No, it did not make me cry, but its beautiful imagery, its powerful characters, and the magical storytelling threw me into a turmoil of emotions until the very last page. Now, before plunging into my review, can we simply admire the stunning cover for a few seconds? 😍

Storytelling: As I mentioned one mile-second ago, Spin the Dawn is a marvellous book. This book is so much more than Project Runaway meets Mulan. The tale spun by Elizabeth Lim is divided into two parts: while in a first part the story introduces the political intrigues at the court (this is a very fast-paced part), the second part takes the reader and Maia on a quest filled with unthinkable dangers. Throughout the pages, the story conveys soul crushing loss, shattered dreams, political intrigue and heartbreaking romance and uses these elements to build an intricate and bewitching story.

As Maia sew magical and dazzling dresses with thread and needle, so did Elizabeth Lim wove an extraordinary tale with her pen. This is one of the most beautiful and unique books I read this year and I truly believe everyone needs to have it in their life. The storytelling stole my heart! Gosh, I could not be more excited about the sequel.

Characters: After experiencing so much loss due to the war that ravaged the Empire, Maia finds herself taking care of her shattered family and does everything she can to keep their little shop open. One day an Imperial messenger summons her father to the palace and knowing that he would never make the journey due to illness and being grief-stricken, Maia decides to disguise herself as a boy and take her father's place in the competition for the next Imperial Tailor. I must write that I loved Maia's protection regarding her family and her will to prove that a woman could sew as better - or even better - than any man. I also loved her passion for sewing, how she worked so hard to be the very best.

In the end, Maia becomes everything I could wish in the main character of a novel. She faces perilous challenges, but never gives up or bows down, even when she is forced to make choices that may endanger her own life. She is very determined and, throughout the story, she outgrows the naiveté of girl who had never left her small town - the war did steal from her those she loved, but only after facing death and evil first-hand does Maia understand the grey shades that the world is made of and becomes a strong powerful woman.

Regarding the Lord Enchanter, Edan, a veil of mystery surrounded him since the first moment he was introduced in the story. As the Emperor's sorcerer, Edan has the opportunity to watch the competition for Master Tailor closely and because of such he discovers very early on Maia's secret. Nevertheless, he does not expose her. Instead, Edan keeps an eye on her and attempts to help her hide her secret from the other contenders and the man he serves. I quite appreciated his mischievous nature (it's surprising that he didn't lose it after doing going through so much) and how supportive he was of Maia, even if it meant to put himself in harms' way. He believed in her even when she did not believe in herself. Needless to say, I found these two too adorable together and I'm pretty sure that that ending shattered my heart.

World Building: This Asian-inspired world crafted by Elizabeth Lim is intriguing and brimming with sorcery. A land of folk tales and myths, Lim weaves through words stunning landscapes. One of the aspects I loved the most about Spin the Dawn was that halfway through the story, Maia leaves the imperial palace and has the opportunity to travel the Empire. She finds herself in a Silk Road-inspired path, with scorching deserts and icy peaks, and lands hunted by dangerous and evil beings - creatures that she always thought to be nothing more than tales. The settings simply burst with life and it's almost like if I was following the same paths than Maia and Edan.

A thoroughly enjoyable twist on some classic Chinese tales. Maia is a likeable but not overly stereotypical character, showing determination and strength instead of simple bravery or rashness. The cultural elements of the village and the palace are interesting. The magic system is unique and left just mysterious enough to keep things interesting. Best of all, the plot didn't go the way I thought it would. I love to be surprised and this plot had a few surprises in it. The book ended on a cliff-hanger, and I'm eager to read the next one.

Spin The Dawn is a fun, fast paced fantasy. It was pitched to me as Mulan, Project Runway, and a hint of Aladdin, and honestly, that is the best way to describe it.

This book is very well written, with great prose that describes the setting well and builds the characters and their relationships beautifully. The world is well built with a fascinating mythology and plenty of history interwoven into the fantasy aspects.

Spin the Dawn is fast-paced. There is constant action to the point where I literally could not put it down. I tried and failed (and lost a couple of hours of sleep because of it). It’s split into parts, focusing on the competition and an epic journey. Despite the journey taking up a large part of the book, there was always something interesting going on, or a trial to undergo that made the pages fly by.

The main character, Maia, is great. She loves her job which is rare in YA, and her passion is something I really admired in her. She’s also a very strong character, from her determination, loyalty, and kindness. I just really liked her. There was an great emphasis on her relationship with her family. After the war ended, her family was left in pieces and I love that Elizabeth Lim didn’t shy away from the tragedy and the pain it brings. The romance aspect was really well done, and absolutely adorable while still feeling realistic and earned (definitely not a case of insta-love here, thank god). Edan, the court magician, is fascinating. He’s mysterious, powerful, and always has the best banter with Maia. I can’t wait to learn more about him! I also found myself really interested in Lady Sarnai even though I probably shouldn’t. I’m really curious about her story, and that of the Emperor, and where it will lead in the sequel. Did I mention that I’m dying for this sequel?? Because I need it.

- Conclusion -

Pros- Fast paced, cute romance, fascinating world
Cons- sequel please?? I really, really need it
Overall- 5/5 stars.
Spin the Dawn is an utterly addictive read that will captivate you and give you dreams of dresses painted with the blood of the stars.

Note: This has been posted to Barnes and Noble under the name "Caitsbooks"

Spin the Dawn caught me by surprise. It's Mulan meets Project Runway which meant two things: excitement over what essentially is a Mulan retelling and a loss of that excitement when I realised the central theme would be clothing. If there is ever a 'type' of Young Adult book I avoid like the plague, it's the ones where clothing becomes a core part of the storyline. But like I said, Spin the Dawn caught me by surprise. This book was so much more than clothes. It was a book about magic, love, family, quests, freedom, compassion.

In this sweeping fantasy, Maia Tamarin has a dream of becoming the Imperial Taylor of A’landi but her gender works against her. The Imperial Taylor must be a man. In the aftermath of war, Maia's father, a renowned tailor in his own right, is summoned by the royal court to compete for the title of Imperial Taylor and clothe the Emporer's new bride. Sick and decrepit, Maia's father is unable to make the journey leaving one solution: Maia decides to pose as her brother to protect her father, save the Tamarin name and save her family from poverty.

What starts as a Mulan retelling quickly becomes something more, something other. Mulan's world is reimagined into something completely new in this brilliantly vibrant and well executed world woven expertly throughout the narrative. You can feel the magic being brought to life on the page.

Readers will fall in love with a certain enchanter, and his mysterious and sassy ways. He was definitely the highlight of this book and made things a lot more interesting. I'm intrigued to see how his story-arc pans out in the next book... (just please don't kill him).

All-in-all, it was a fun and fast-paced read and the romance will leave you a puddle of emotion. If you love Renée Ahdieh, then you'll love this!

This book is so much more than the summary! I will admit, reading the description describing this novel as a mix between Mulan and Project Runway I was not excited to read this. They had me at Mulan but the other half did not make me run to pre-order a copy any time right away. Let me tell you that this book is so, so much more than that. I knew that this was another Asain fantasy novel and honestly, the Mulan retelling might be the only reason I still picked this book up but I am so happy that I did!

'Ask me to spin the finest yarn or thread, and I can do it faster than any man–even with my eyes closed. Yet ask me to tell a lie, and I will stumble and falter to think of one.
I have never had a talent for spinning tales.’



Maia might not be able to spin tales but Elizabeth can spine a tale that brings you into the world alongside the most amazing characters to venture out on a journey to complete a nearly impossible task.



The concept for this is a new twist on the classic Mulan story that I would have never imagined. Women aren’t allowed to be tailors..wait. This made no sense to me because when traditionally we think of those who sew clothing, women dominate that world in our eyes. Not here and I completely understand. Being a tailor and creating such clothing would bring with it power in its own right and women can’t have power…or can they?



Maia does not let anything stop her from trying to help her family live a better life. Here is where we have the majority of the Mulan similarities. She cuts her hair, dresses as a man to portray her brother, and attempts to live a life only a man is permitted to. Here, this is the life of a tailor. I really loved this concept, a woman fighting to prove she is every bit as good if not better than a man.



I really enjoy how the novel is paced so well throughout. When one problem seems to be solved, another is thrown in the face of the characters. Speaking of characters…let’s get to that next.

Maia: I have to say I love Maia so much and I knew I would. To be frank, I love any Mulan-ish character. The main reason is…they are so strong! I love a strong female lead character and Maia is exactly that. She knows what she wants and she is not willing to let anything stop her. She risks everything, even her life, to pose as her brother to help her family survive. It’s inspirational and as a mother and someone who values family so much, maybe that is why I love her so much.



Edan: Oh Edan…the magician. He had taken a liking to Maia from the start and I enjoy that he only tries to help her. I loved the dynamic between him and Maia.


Magic, demons, and royalty oh my! I love that a system of magic was woven in to this beautiful world. (See what I did there? I was able to thread a joke in there…haha ok I’m done now). This world is so well thought out and the amount of detail that went into describing everything from the interactions among characters to the clothing was astounding but not over done.

Spin The Dawn is a beautifully written young adult Asain fantasy that weaves bits of magic and romance into each page. I did think it read a bit ‘young’ which is fine as it is targeted at ‘YA’ readers. This novel is surely going to be well loved by many fans of Mulan and those that love a strong female character with a sense of pride and duty to her family.



Don’t miss out! Grab your copy today…psst it is released today so no waiting!

When I first found this book and read the summary, one word immediately catches my eyes : Mulan. It is no secret that I love all things about disney princess, and Mulan is one of my favorite. So eventhough I’ve no idea what Project Runway is, this book sat pretty high in my most-wanted list, and I’m (im)patiently waiting for it to be released so I could finally read it. When I heard that Shealea is hosting a international blog tour for Spin the Dawn, I couldn’t submit fast enough. I didn’t expect to be accepted since there’s so many amazing bloggers out there, but sometimes, miracle does happen, and this time it takes the form of an email. I think I almost scream (from happiness, of course) from my room and petrified my family when I read that somehow I got to be a part of this blog tour.

Spin the Dawn follows Maia Tamarin, a tailor who aspire to be an Imperial Tailor. There’s only one catch : no woman is allowed to be one. So it’s mostly just an aspiration that will forever be a dream, until one day, an official from the Imperial request a man from the Tamarin family to compete in a contest that will determine the next Imperial Tailor. Since her father hasn’t really sew in a few years since their mother’s death, and her remaining brother is still suffering from the war, Maia decide to go to the palace posing as his brother to compete for the Imperial Tailor position and sew the legendary dresses.

From the beginning, I really admire Maia. She faced some hardships in life since little, from her mother’s death, and then her older brothers’s because of the war. She saw her own father slowly succumbing to grief, up to the point that he no longer can took care of the family. She also saw her remaining brother’s suffering because of the war. And yet, she still stands strong, taking care of her father and her brother, of their little shop, and basically of their lives from day to day. When she entered the competition while posing as her brother, it’s also because she didn’t want her family’s honor to be ruined from ignoring the Emperor’s summons. Everyone in book thought Maia is the obedient children, but I really think she’s the strongest and bravest.

Beside Maia, there’s also one other main character, which is none other than the so-called court magician in the summary, Edan. I’ll admit, being the Lord Enchanter for the Emperor, I honestly thought he would be one of those dark, brooding characters who has lived for hundreds of year. Only one of those guesses was right, since turns out he’s actually pretty funny and sassy. I didn’t realize how refreshing it was to read about a character who’s supposed to be really old but also likes to tease and flirt and generally being a funny guy. Personality aside, I also really love the interactions between Maia and Edan. Their banters are very amusing, and it obviously leads to them developing feelings for each other. It was the kind of romance that you saw coming and yet sneaks upon you. Eventhough personally I feel it happens a little bit fast, this whole book took around 3 months, so there’s no insta-love.

All in all, Spin the Dawn is a tale of love and what would you give up for it. The only thing that made me give this book 4 stars is the ending that I obviously can’t talk about here, but really it’s pretty minor and more of a ‘me problem’. Beside that, this book is amazing and worth the read. Again, I’ll be impatiently waiting for the next one.

My Review: I have been highly anticipating this book since the beginning of the year and was approved early for an ARC but for some reason I got really nervous and didn't pick it up until right before release day. I shouldn't have been nervous at all it was a really engrossing, quick and entertaining book to read. It definitely does pull in elements from a lot of familiar stories/movies/etc., sometimes to the point of being a little too much and reading like a story read before, but those familiar elements lent to a very easy read. I loved the way that all the various influences were woven together, so many of my favorite tropes are included impossible contest, woman disguised as a man and out doing them at their thing, a quest throughout the land and more! I really grew to love Maia, though she does come off as a bit of a Mary Sue, I still couldn't help but love her. Edan was a great counterpoint to Maia's character, mysterious, selfish, confident, and powerful. Even the side characters were multi-dimensional. I was really sucked into the story and consumed it at a very quick pace. I kept waiting for a nice little ending but we are going to need the next book for that (I hope) and I can't wait!


My Rating: This was such an enjoyable book to read, I couldn't put it down! I love the characters and the way the tropes were woven together. I give it a rating of Four Paws!

I loved this book so much it was such an enjoyable read. I loved the characters and the story. Highly recommend to fantasy type readers. The author did a great job hopefully she writes more books like this.

Maia Tamarin can sew better than any of her three elder brothers, but she lives in a world where the most she can hope for is to marry well. Though her family is currently in reduced circumstances, a royal courtier demands that her father present himself at court for a competition to be the next royal tailor. She was the one to keep the family shop afloat for years, so she cut her hair and dressed as her ailing brother. Her dreams are to become the Master Tailor for the court to elevate her family's honor and prove she has the skill it takes to do the job. This is only the beginning of a journey fraught with magic and court intrigue.

As the beginning of a series, there is a lot of world building based on Chinese culture here. It doesn't feel forced at all and unfolds naturally as Maia describes her early life with her family before the war came that claimed the lives of her two eldest brothers and maimed her third brother. There is such love and hope in her, as well as pride in her skill to sew, weave, knit, spin, and dye the threads in the colors she needs, as well as painting and designing. The first section of the book is the part that the official summary describes as being like Project Runway. Twelve tailors from across the empire have to compete for the honor of being the royal tailor, and there is backstabbing and intrigue from the start. In addition, the court magician Edon sees through Maia's disguise.

The second part of the novel is the journey to obtain the necessary materials in order to create the three dresses from myth for Maia's final challenge: one from the sun's laughter, one from the tears of the moon, and one from the blood of the stars. There is a fragment of truth to the old tales of myth, as well as necessary magic to even get those items. Edon and Maia grow closer, as most readers would expect from the start, but the path to love is as complicated as Maia's to become the royal tailor. Magic and legends are real here, and I can't wait to see how the rest of the series goes.

Title: Spin the Dawn
Author: Elizabeth Lim
Genre: YA, fantasy
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Maia Tamarin works as a seamstress in her father’s shop. She’d love to become a tailor, but she’s a girl, so marriage is the only thing in store for her. Even better if her future husband is wealthy enough to help her family out of their poverty.

But Maia still dreams of making beautiful clothes, and when a messenger from the emperor arrives commanding Maia’s father to the palace to compete for the position of imperial tailor, Maia disguises herself and joins the competition, knowing she’ll pay with her life if anyone discovers her secret.

The treachery and lies in the competition are one thing, but Maia draws the attention of Edan, court enchanter, whose dark gaze sees everything. Maia’s final task is to sew three dresses: from the laughter of the sun, the tears of the moon, and the blood of stars. Maia has no idea how to accomplish this. She just knows she must.

I enjoyed this book immensely! I like the Mulan-like concept of Maia disguising herself as a son in order to save her family, but this is its own tale. Maia’s battles are more subtle—and just as deadly—and the magic here is woven so skillfully through the setting and the characters that it all just worked for me. Highly recommend!

Elizabeth Lim graduated from Harvard and completed her graduate studies at The Juilliard School. Spin the Dawn is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Knopf Books for Young Readers via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.)

A LYRICAL TALE REMINISCENT OF FAIRYTALES LONG GONE AND PERFECTLY BLENDS THE CREATIVE PROCESS IN A MAGICAL APPROACH THAT COMPELS YOU TO READ MORE AND MORE.

Elizabeth Lim creates a mellifluous melody in her prose with a nice touch of multilayered weaving in her metaphors. She literally incorporates literary devices relating to the art of weaving which reinforces the importance of this theme. This makes the book a compelling neat package with how she writes it constructively and objectively. There’s also a sense of continuous rhythm in her words that makes it hard to put the book down and, which is probably the reason why I’ve read this faster than I initially thought I would!

With this in mind, it is also quite a wonder how we get to see the creative process of weaving/ tailoring be incorporated in the magic system (albeit it wasn’t a super detailed one reminiscent of Brandon Sandersons’ works). I am a sucker for this kind of element in a book and I assure you that it is so much better than how meager I describe it! The sense of vagueness it has does not dispel its charm but instead elevates the fantasy vibe here.

Not only that but this kind of story is one that ironically blends an odd feeling of nostalgia and a sense of a new beginning. It reminded me so much of the fairytales I grew up reading with, like the tale of Amaterasu (a Japanese folk tale I’ve read in high school), the tale of Eros and Psyche and, it sets up a new take on the well-trodden path of YA Fantasy. This is a unique retelling but is also an elevated form of its roots. It simply uses the familiar archetypes we love in stories like Mulan and spins a whole different picture that makes an indelible mark on us readers.

IT HAS MOST OF THE ARCHETYPES A HEROINE’S TALE HAS FROM THE CHARACTERS DOWN TO THE IMMEDIATE SET UP WE USUALLY SEE YET, IT ALSO GIVES A UNIQUE FLAVOR WITH ITS EXECUTION THAT WILL LINGER IN YOUR HEART.

In all honesty, Spin the Dawn for me was quite a little cliche because of the archetypes used in its storytelling that predominated YA Fantasy. We get to see Maia–our heroine that evolves from her weaknesses and be presented with situations where she has to make hard decisions. She’s a strong and resilient character but is also flawed in so many ways. We get to see the usual character development from the ones we pine for.** We get to see the usual patterns and banters that a budding romance treads.

But what sets Spin The Dawn different from all the other heroine tales is how organically it blooms in just the right time. I haven’t been reading much of YA Fantasy lately (only 4 this year including this one!) because I was quite tired of the usual roster I read. I was hoping to read more high fantasy this year but I never thought I needed to feel the familiar flutters of YA Fantasy again until I finished reading this!

**Side note: Personally, Edan was my favorite character here. I JUST FREAKING LOVE HIM AND I HAVE TO STOP MYSELF FROM BLABBING TOO MUCH SPOILERS HERE so there’s that. Just know that I love him and I hope you love him too in the same intensity that I felt.

Spin the Dawn may have some minor flaws for me like how the romance evolved in the latter part and the urgency that followed through but, this was still an amazing and fast-paced read for me. This is by far one of my favorite books of this year despite some of my qualms.

Overall this was an entertaining and beautiful tale that I will gladly reread again just to experience the fairy tale nostalgia it elicits!

Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim is the first book in the epic young adult fantasy The Blood of Stars series. And yes, folks this new series is one of the rare occasions in the literary market where the description to the series is pretty spot on with being compared to a mix of Mulan and Project Runway. We all know there’s tons and tons of books out there that say for fans of …… and when finished we are all scratching our heads wondering why but if things one gets your curiosity up then by all means, give it a try.

The world within Spin the Dawn is one that is built by taking a page out of history from when women were basically treated as property and not people. Take those times and fill with plenty of Chinese culture an infuse the era with a bit of magic and you’ll find this world. Maia Tamarin is the daughter of a tailor and has spent her life learning the trade. With the land in a war Maia’s three brothers had gone off to fight with only one returning badly wounded. After the war Maia’s father is invited by the King to become the new royal tailor but with his health also not well Maia decides to masquerade as her remaining brother and go in her father’s place.

As usual I never know how a story like this one will read to me as a lot of them are really slow paced and hard for me to engage in. While this was a little slower then I would like the story, characters and world within were enough to keep me engaged and really want to know where it would head. The competition for tailor only scratches the surface of what the author is building in the series and there was much more involved and promised in future installments. I’ll definitely be interested in returning to Maia’s world and seeing what happens in the next book.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

As far as first books in a series go, this one definitely left me wanting more and interested in where our characters will go from here. From the start, I was excited to read a Chinese-inspired fantasy, especially with the comparisons to Mulan, a film I grew up watching as a child. I thought the fantasy elements were well thought out and interesting, and Lim's writing is just gorgeous, especially when it came to describing Maia's fashion creations. I'd highly recommend this book to anyone who reads YA adventure fantasy, especially if you like a little romance thrown in there, too. I'm intentionally being vague about the romance (no spoilers!) but the angst and passion had me swooning and I cannot wait to see what happens in book two.

I loved every second of this book. I read it in a day and a half if that tells you anything! The pacing was perfect, the story line clear and concise, and the characters well developed. I am so glad I had the chance to participate in this tour!

Maia takes the place of her father in a competition to become the emperor’s new Master tailor. As she pretends to be her younger brother Keton, home from the war a broken man, Maia realizes that the competition she’s found herself in is not going to be an easy one. With the help of some magic scissors, an unlikely ally, and schear luck Maia finds herself on an impossible journey. I loved Maia’s character. She’s naive but brave and fights so hard to show off her true talent all on her own merit. She completes incredible tasks and grows so much throughout the story. She is a different person by the end of the book than she was at the beginning and I thought that her character arc was so well done. I can’t wait for book 2 because I need to know where Maia’s path leads to next!

Edan is the mysterious Enchanter. He is definitely one of my favorite characters in this one. He is so interesting and his fascination with Maia’s abilities keeps you guessing whether or not you can truly trust him. When he goes on a journey with Maia against the king’s wishes you start to learn just where Edan comes from and some of the secrets he keeps. There’s so much that you learn about him by the end that you can’t help but fall in love with him. He’s literally tall, dark, and handsome!

Bring on book two!!!

There is a build-up to set up the world and who Maia is before the plot actuallystarts. I felt that the time taken to complete each challenge--all the action involved--was very short. Granted the requirements to become a royal tailor are steep I was just left wanting to see more. The book is more character focused than it is about the competition if the competition is what you were looking forward to reading.

I did enjoy this fictionalized Chinese-inspired setting, but for some reason I always imagined an Egyptian-esque setting with the amount of sand involved. I'm left with a lot of questions after reading this book. What was the catalyst for the war that went on for five years? I also couldn't help but be fascinated by the secondary characters and interested in their untold story. Surely, there is more to their actions and what we see. I felt like my need to know all these things sort of underwhelmed Maia's character.

I find it very easy to empathize with Maia after everything that she went through. She is a very easy character to root for when compared to all the people surrounding her. I frequently found myself just waiting for her do something that would capture my attention to remind me of whom I was reading about. Whether it is some quirk in her habits or personality to make me see how interesting of a character Maia was.

I feel as if I'm complaining a lot, but the writing truly drew me in. I appreciated the time dedicated towards the romance and the fact that it’s not entirely an instant love. I love the dialogue because the personalities of each person talking always shown through making each moment highly entertaining. The world building is very lush in descriptions that evokes amazing imagery.

While there were elements of the story, I wish were drawn out more I can't help but be curious by what will happen.

Hands down the <b>best</B> book I've read in 2019. I was completely enraptured by Lim's story telling.

Maia is the innocent, genuine, motivated and hopeful FMC.

Edan is all the enigma, power and hopelessness we crave in a MMC.

Spin the Dawn enters us into a new magic system embedded in a vague but familiar enough east Asian history that allows the author to make changes as she sees fit.

The mythology is Rich and well written, Maia and Edan's parts are written, broken, and rewritten to a point where they are, likely , a part of the mythology themselves in many ways. I know that may not make sense now, but it will after you read it.

Of note, the number 3 is often considered lucky in many Asian cultures, especially if something is grouped in 3s. That concept comes into play <I> a lot </I> in Spin the Dawn.
Maia"s story has 3 parts (in book 1)
Maia has 3 brothers
she has 3 tasks initially to determinrme her abilities
She has 3 more errands to test her metal
She has 3 wishes that would truly settle her soul and see it happy.

The cycle is broken when Maia or someone else interferes, but the initial number is always 3.

I'll stop ranting. My point was. There are a lot of tasks, and they themselves aren't particularly noteworthy, but it's the journey of each task that makes this book so memorable.

I strongly recommend Spin the Dawn who loves new magic/mythology, consuming romance, and great character building.

This was such a good book! I actually quite liked it and it’s description of being a cross between Project Runway and Mulan was accurate. I also loved that it was very much about a girl wanting, and better able, to do what is generally accepted as a man’s occupation.

Maia has always dreamed of becoming the country’s best tailor, but being a girl all she can do is marry and hopefully marry well. But when her father is called to compete to be the emperor’s royal tailor, Maia takes her father’s place and goes. Unfortunately for her, there is more to this competition than meets the eye and Maia has to keep herself and her eyes in check to make it out of this alive.

Once the book got to the competition aspect, I was more intrigued. The only bad thing about it was that it was very short and quickly passed over. I would have loved to find out more about the competition and have that take more time. Granted this is because the main event for this book in the gathering and construction of the materials for the three dresses of legend, made from the sun, the moon, and the stars.

I loved the magic and the competition. I loved this whole book, and I definitely want to read the rest of the series. I need to know what happens to Edan and Maia and their magics as the series continues.

Spin the Dawn is the start of a new Chinese-inspired YA fantasy series (US publication date is 7/9/2019). The main character Maia Tamarin is the youngest child of a famous tailor. Her three older brothers are not really interested in sewing and besides all three of them end up going to war. Two never return and one comes back injured and unable to walk. Maia is a talented seamstress, but unfortunately, in her world, girls do not become tailors. So when a representative from the imperial court arrives to summon either her father or brother to sew for the emperor, Maia dresses up as a boy and journeys to the capital to compete with other famous tailors for the title of the Imperial Tailor.

I was skeptical about this book. So many YA novels are filled with tropes and are basically variations of the same rags-to-riches/nobody-to-a-hero story. Spin the Dawn does have the same overall theme, but it had several elements that I like in YA books and that instantly drew me in. First, it reads like a fairy tale, and is filled with luscious descriptions of exotic settings. Second, the main character is a spunky female who perseveres no matter the odds and always insists on making her own decisions. Third, it is a very fast read. At just over 400 pages, I finished it in less than 3 days. Finally, it has a slow-burn romance that many readers will appreciate.

If I have to pick a thing that I did not like about the story, it will have to be the ending. To me, the final resolution felt rushed and a bit illogical. If Maia was going to put a request in front of a powerful goddess, why didn't she word it in a way that would make her happy? Instead, the wish that was granted to her led to much bigger problems.... I am definitely curious to see what happens next, but am very worried about the direction the novel is taking. I think I would have been happy with a well-rounded stand-alone.

A very enjoyable read overall. 4 out of 5 stars.

An e-ARC was provided by NetGalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

Let me just tell you…

This book is GOOD.

I mean… GOOOOODDDD.

So, story time. I have been taking this summer class at my high school where I get to go to various hospitals and local clinical sites and shadow healthcare workers there. I was at a pediatric office, sitting at a desk and literally doing nothing. So what do I do, being the extreme bookworm I am?

I get out my phone and start reading.

I actually went into this one not really knowing what it was about. All I knew was that past-Ashton thought it sounded good and had scored it on Netgalley, and that I had seen it scattered around bookstagram. Oh, and that it comes out real soon, so I needed to get to it! Anyways, I started reading.

And dang if I wasn’t sucked in!

First, we get backstory, but immersive backstory. It hits all the bases; it dipped my toes in the world-building and the characters, in a way that made me so invested within the first few chapters.

Then, there’s the feminist element that is perfectly executed. Making its point early on, it eases off the preachiness yet gives the message life within the rest of the story. Looking back I realize just how far the main character, Maia, really comes in proving her worth to a society full of patriarchal traditions.

Another message, maybe more obscure, came through to me: the idea of pride and being confident in yourself. Maia pushes herself to her limits for herself, her ideals, and her family, but she also knows her limits and acknowledges when she needs help. I personally took a lot from Maia’s character, like her bravery and her confidence. She’s definitely an inspiring one :)

Next, there’s the romance. Slow burn, but also realistic and sweet. And to me it felt very balanced. Although Edan, the love interest, protects her more than she protects him, so to speak, it never felt unbalanced or like she leaned on him more than he leaned on her. I appreciated that a lot, for I feel sometimes authors make such a big deal of the guy being the strongest one and saving the damsel-in-distress that the relationship loses the sense of balance and mutual support.

I want to talk most about Edan; I want more modern book-boys like him. It seems like in the book world now, there are two types of boys: the good guy/hero and the bad boy who changes/actually has a good heart. That is starting to get a little old for me, which is why I especially love Edan. To me, Edan isn’t written like a trope; he’s written like a real guy. And I absolutely adore that!

I will say, the romance felt a little rushed for me about 60% of the way through, but overall the romance was one of my highlights.

Last thing, I promise: I love the world and magic system Elizabeth Lim has constructed with this series. The mythology, the culture, the magic, everything was simply breathtaking! I’m totally here for all the Asian- and Middle Eastern-inspired YA fantasies coming out right now! I just got this feeling while I was reading, like how I felt when I read the classic YA books for the first time. That feeling like I’ve just hit something so new and fresh that I can’t put it down. I haven’t felt that way while reading in a long time.

All in all, I recommend this one for all readers everywhere! I have a feeling, or a hope at least, that this one will become a classic YA fantasy for the books.

Get it? Books?

Haha sorry. Have a nice day!! And mark your calendars for July 9th!


Also, thank you to Netgalley, Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers, and Elizabeth Lim for gifting me such an entertaining read! All opinions are my own :)





If you enjoyed this review, don’t forget to follow me on Goodreads or on my book-devoted instagram, @ashton_reads. Thanks a bunch!!