I ended up really liking Spin The Stars!  I wasn't sure about it at first, but I'm glad I kept reading.

The description of Project Runway meets Mulan had me a little nervous.  I've never watched Project Runway but I do know what it is, and Project Runway meets Mulan isn't a horrible description.  Once a tailor was chosen, though, it felt like that aspect was pretty much gone.

I would love to see the dresses and everything else Maia came up with.  Honestly, this is one book I would love to see as a movie, for the clothes alone.  Or for when Maia is working on her final three dresses.  That part of the book was really vivid, and I could imagine it really well.

The book went in a completely different direction than I thought it would, and that's actually a good thing!  It kept me interested because I didn't know what was going to happen next.

I really liked Maia!  She seemed really good at tailoring, and while she does have a lot of obstacles, she more than proves she's worthy of being a master tailor.  I will say, though, the romance I wasn't completely into.  I wasn't surprised by it, and had a feeling things would work out the way they did.  It was fine, and it worked, I suppose, but I think I would have been just as fine without it.

I also really loved how the title fit in with the book.  It's referenced several times throughout the book, mostly at the end, and I don't know why but I really liked the moment when the title made sense.  It was really nice to see, and I'm not sure why.

My Rating: 4 stars.  I really liked Spin The Dawn, and I can't wait to see what happens next!

I was sent an ARC of this book from Netgalley and Knopf Books in exchange for an honest review, and I was SO happy to get this one!

Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim was billed as Mulan meets Project Runway and what an apt description (we even got a ‘carry on’ from one of the characters and I was giggling!). Maia Tamarin takes her father’s place and pretends to be his son instead of daughter when the emperor calls on him to be the royal tailor. She gets to the palace with a pair of special scissors only to find intrigue, backstabbing, and perhaps most surprising, magic. When she’s tasked to sew three magical gowns for the emperor’s bride, she goes on a journey that takes her to different lands steeped in Chinese mythology, with a man she can’t help but be drawn towards.

This was such a great YA read! The world building was so great and I loved the mythology built in. The magic system of the enchanters felt like I hadn’t read it before, which is always a boon. The romance was very well done and I fell in love with Edan as Maia did! The end leaves us on a cliffhanger that’ll leave you DYING for the next book!

Don’t miss this one! It comes out Tuesday and is sure to be one of the best YA releases this year! Thank you @knopfteen and @netgalley! ———————-

So I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for a review. And lemme tell you, I went into this thinking it was some type of Mulan retelling. It’s NOT! Don’t ask me why I thought that, I just did. It’s nothing like Mulan. For the blurb to even say Project runway meets Mulan is a bit, like no, to me. I also went into this book not knowing crap about it other than it had something to do with sewing and “oooh pretty cover”. And that’s good! I appreciated the elements of the story which is pretty rare for me with YA. If there were heavy tropes- it wasn’t obvious. I was too caught up. There were a few time when the book “said” something and for me I was like “uh ok. What is that even in this?” Especially if it’s not a threat that would be followed through. The MC was enjoyable- however she did get annoying in part two lol. But she was redeemed in part three. I can’t wait for this to be released so I can go into full and complete detail. But PLEASE. Do not miss out on this book! It’s amazing!

In a land where women can only dream of a good marriage, one girl dares to strive for her dream job as the imperial tailor for the emperor.

This story follows Maia, a girl who learned how to sew before she learned how to walk. Maia has dreamed of leaving her small town and sewing for royalty, but, unfortunately, to be the imperial tailor in her country, you must be a man. But then, an opportunity for not only her dream job but to save her family from the poorhouse presents itself and Maia decides to do something incredibly risky: pose as a boy to try and win. Little does she realize that, in chasing her dream, she may find a new one.

Y’all, this book was incredible! The prologue sucked me in and I found myself tearing through this book as fast as my hectic moving schedule would let me. Which wasn’t fast enough for my taste! I honestly wanted to be reading this at all moments of the day and, when I wasn’t reading it, I was thinking about it.

Beyond the plot being incredibly interesting and engrossing, I found myself falling in love with the characters. Maia is young and naive, but so strong and driven. I found myself rooting for her in every step of her journey. I even didn’t mind the romance in this book, which felt natural, though I do wish more time had been spent in the beginning stages to set it up. Eventually, I was completely rooting for the two lovebirds!

I think the only think that I would have wanted beyond that is more time spent in Part One, where Maia is competing with other tailors to win the place of imperial tailor. It just felt a bit rushed to me, whereas the subsequent sections felt more fleshed out. And I wanted to hear more details about all the designs!

Seriously, though, if you’re looking for an atmospheric YA fantasy with magic, a strong female lead, and some romance, I would highly recommend you pick this book up! It is the beginning of a series, but it’s a series I think you will be as eager to continue as I am!

Spin the Dawn is a Chinese folklore-inspired fantasy with crafts, magic and danger woven in. The author has chosen to tell the story amidst an age where sexism was more prevalent(then again, when was there ever a time when sexism didn’t exist, hmm?) and a female protagonist who is strong without having to be masculine(though she did have to go undercover as a man).

The pacing was somewhat fast, months pass in the span of this entire book, and while I understand the author for not including insubstantial scenes but I’d have liked it to be a little slower. Weeks and months may have passed for the characters but us readers are experiencing this in just a few days, so it does feel kind of rushed. Which also makes what was a delectable slow-burn romance to a medium-paced one(that’s just my opinion though. I think most of you will ship them hard :D). That being said, the tug and pull of the magnetic love between the two characters still made me swoon!

I love stories where characters go on a journey together, there’s so many variables and unforeseen events that make it so exciting to read and Spin the Dawn delivered! I do wish there was more visible magic though. I’m also a bit confused about the character names, they’re not very Chinese-sounding. I think they’re influenced by English with its roots in Cantonese, more like.

But the best part about the book, guys, was the FOOD! Omg, the food mentioned sounded so 香/xiang(meaning ‘fragrant’)! I was itching to replicate them all! Scroll down to see the recipe section of this post 🍜

And oh, the sewing and dresses! The way they were gloriously described, I was in awe. Such delicate finery and deft craftsmanship, you can’t help but respect it. I love that Elizabeth Lim has written a story revolving around a handcraft as I, myself, have an affinity to making things by hand(not sewing though!).

I think this was pretty good for a debut novel, although not too original in its plot. Nevertheless, Spin the Dawn can make you feel sad for Maia’s family, swoon at the love interest, mesmerized by the fine craftwork mentioned and hungry for the simple but sumptious food. Definitely hungry.

I ABSOLUTELY LOVED EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS STORY.

After years of telling everyone under the sun that I wanted to see more Asian-inspired fantasy, SPIN THE DAWN happened. In a world where girls are forbidden to be tailors. Maia will do anything to support her sick father and keep the family business running -- even if it means pretending to be a boy. Her character is beautifully strong, with a great love for her family, and nerves of steel. She has a huge heart, which is THE HEART of this entire story, and is kind in ways many other characters I've read are not. I really loved her.

All around, I WOULD 100% RECOMMEND this book to everyone.

The release date for this book is coming up!! I hope you'll read it and like it as much as I did -- I finished this in TWO DAYS!

Here are some of my thoughts (mild spoilers):

Lim has a way of making you fall in love with characters you just met. Take Maia’s brothers, for example!! I knew, within 7 pages, that I would do anything for them!!!! And then, she breaks your heart. FOR CHARACTERS YOU BARELY KNOW... and yet, root for and admire and cry over. There aren’t a lot of stories out there that successfully portray strong, wholesome sibling connections, but SPIN THE DAWN definitely did. I wanted maia’s family TO BE HAPPY FOR ONCE because they’ve earned it, after everything they’ve sacrificed. They’ve been through so much and that just makes THE ENDING so much more painful.

Maia has a heart of gold. She cares about others and her sole motivation for disguising herself as her brother to compete for the position of the royal seamstress IS FAMILY. She wants to be able to give them a life she thinks they deserve, especially after the war and what it took from them. And lim does a great job of making sure we never forget that everything she’s doing is for the people she cares about.

Speaking of other people she cares about... Edan! If i am being completely honest, he did bring some much-needed personality to the book. He was cheeky and pretty funny, while maia was a little more on the serious side. She was urgent and panicked the entire book (and for good reason since she literally would’ve DIED if she didn’t make these magical dresses) and it made me, the reader, equally as stressed. So, it was nice when Edan came along and balanced it out with his fun personality — it had the same effect on us as it did for maia, which was pretty cool.

I did think edan was a little undeveloped, though. As a Muslim, one of Edan’s “first names” did not really sit well with me. Minor spoilers here, but one of the first names he was ever called, when he become a Lord Enchanter, was “J*nn.” Growing up, I heard stories of them from my mom and her mom; in my culture, we don’t even say the name, because then one comes and finds us – kind of like the whole “Voldemort” taboo in the Harry Potter books. So, whenever we want to talk about them, we call them, “Js” (pronounced “jays”). According to Google, which I’m sure most people get their information from (including me!), it says, “(in Arabian and Muslim mythology) an intelligent spirit of lower rank than the angels, able to appear in human and animal forms and to possess humans.” Now, Edan does have some of these abilities since he is the Lord Enchanter, such as appearing in human form, having an animal form, and also being quite intelligent. But, there’s one part of that definition that bothers me because I don’t think the author/publishers thought to elaborate on it: his mythology. Js are from Arabian and Muslim mythology, and this entire book is based on East Asian-inspired mythology, so I did do a double take when I read the name. I admit that I got excited at the prospect of having a character originating from Muslim mythology, from stories I grew up hearing… But, I overestimated the delivery. In fact, we don’t get much of Edan’s back-story, at all, apart from some tales of his youth that he tells the reader (and Maia) directly – it would have been wonderful if we got some of our own glimpses, maybe in the form of flashbacks, to really understand his character and journey towards becoming a Lord Enchanter. Because, we don’t really get to know Edan all that well, do we? Edan tells us that he is from a country that doesn’t exist anymore, and I naturally assumed it was somewhere in South Asia or the Middle East, given my own assumptions of his origin based on his title of “J*nn,” and I don’t think I would be the only one to do so. I can’t help thinking that if there was a little bit more research, or Googling, involved, we could have had a much richer background, some context, when it comes to Edan. I know, so far, this was a bit on the rant side, and I actually really did like this book, but I think it’s time authors/publishers stopped slapping “exotic” names onto concepts, such as sorcerers, to make characters seem… cooler? Different? Is that why? I’m not sure why someone would want to take stuff from cultures that aren’t their own, just for the sake of “diversity,” especially if they can’t do them justice… But, I’m kind of over it. Given the ending of the first book, I imagine there is a possibility for an Edan POV, which I think would be wonderful, because I actually liked him as a character, and for this “name” to be explained more?

I actually think this could’ve been a great opportunity for a multiple POV story. The latter half was traveling and it would’ve been nice to balance that out with some palace politics. Lim created these interesting and complex characters with Emperor Khanujin and Lady Sanai, so wwitching between their POVs would have been so intriguing. Their relationship and sarnai’s love for her bodyguard could’ve been explored a bit more, because we were outsiders to their lives, much like Maia, and never knew exactly what was going on. It could have provided us with much needed context on the feud and the reasons behind some of their choices, especially concerning the competition and what happened when Maia and Edan were away. In this way, there was a lot of TELLING and not enough SHOWING. Edan TELLS us the emperor is mad at him. Why couldn’t we have a scene from Khanujin’s POV reacting to a letter that Edan left? Or, finding out from some guards that they saw Edan leave the palace? Go back and forth, showing us how he gets weaker and weaker the longer Edan is away? And, maybe in those moments we also get parts showing us what the relationship between Lady Sarnai and her actual lover is like? Maia HEARS RUMORS that the two of them were in love but Lady Sarnai has to marry the emperor for the union of their nations. What about showing us how frustrated she is with her father by having him argue with him? What were some of the more dire, specific conditions on this marriage agreement? What about scenes with her and her guard? Do they steal minutes here and there where they meet and talk and miss each other? The angst could’ve been so real and well done!

Overall, this was A SOLID BOOK that I would recommend to younger YA readers. It wasn’t entirely complex and the plot was easy to follow. Plus, the writing is so pretty and the entire concept is so original! I was not let down, but I did think there could be room for improvements in some areas.

I will definitely be buying this book and the next one! I HAVE TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS!!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

ACTUAL RATING: 3.75 STARS

a new favorite
It has been a while since a book has captivated me the same way Spin the Dawn has. With the intricate world that is lush with history and magic, the worldbuilding has all the right pieces that captured my attention. Along with that, I found Maia to be incredibly relatable with her sense of honor and duty to her family and craft. She was a pleasant narrator and her development throughout from young girl to woman highlights her best qualities making her likable and easy to root for.

mythology brought to life
The story is divided into different overarching chapters which separate the story into three distinct timelines. The second one follows Maia and the Royal Enchanter as they make the journey to collect some supplies for the future empress's wedding gowns. As per the bride's request, Maia has to collect materials straight out of mythology - aka the blood of stars. The writing in this section brought was incredibly magical and probably one of my favorites in the entire novel.


hate to love is always best
One of my relationship tropes hands down and this was no exception. Hate is a strong word, extreme dislike and distrust are probably better but that's beside the point. Maia and Edan's relationship is full of sharp banter and a lot of wary acceptance but I loved it. Their characters complemented each other well and the more they were willing to open up, the more successful they were in their endeavors. It took a while but they are so precious.

strength comes in protecting those we love
The entire novel is fueled by Maia's desire to protect her family. She journeys to the emperor's court to compete for the title of imperial tailor - risking everything to provide for her father and brother. Because of her dedication, she finds herself constantly fighting against the cutthroat court environment, never forgetting the core of what's driving her forward. The portrayal of this idea as the center of Maia's character was definitely one of my favorite things.

Actual Rating: 4.5 stars

Mulan meets Project Runway in this Asian-inspired fantasy romance! It is a wonderful story that sucks you into a vivid, fantastical world with interesting characters. Maia Tamarin dreams of becoming the greatest tailor in the land, but Master Tailor is a role reserved for men. When the emperor seeks out recruits to compete in a competition to become the imperial tailor, Maia poses as a boy and competes to win. She finds herself in a dangerous court full of intrigue, magic, and shifting loyalties in a competition that will require more of her than she ever could have imagined. I was drawn into this story quickly and enjoyed my time with it all the way through. Maia is a wonderfully brave heroine who makes rash decisions at times, but always stays true to herself.

Do be aware that while part 1 of the book is set at court, the second part is more of a traveling quest narrative. However, I thought that was handled well and used as an opportunity for character development, world-building, and relationship growth. There is a slow-burn romance that also becomes central the story and I enjoyed seeing its progression. Overall, I thought this was a well-crafted adventure with strong characters and a vivid world. Would recommend! I received an advance review copy of this book via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

The first of the Blood of Stars series, the book started off with a beautiful description of rural China and the rules that govern the people. I have recently been obsessed with reading Asian literature. The family values, the division of labour both at home and outside it, the simplicity of life, were all reminiscent of things that I love about it.
I was very excited to read about the tailor trials. As a crafter who works with yarn, I was intrigued with the things that Maia comes up with. I just wish that the trials were described in more detail but seeing that it wasn't the main focus of the story, I think that part it was reasonably well written. Edan was designed for readers to fall in love with. What's not to love about the beautiful, powerful, mysterious young man who seems to have a heart of gold? He sees right through everything and makes sure that he protects those who need protecting. I just wish that Maia did not need to depend on Edan as much as she did in the beginning. But she redeemed herself in my eyes towards the latter half of the book.
Although the middle of the book was a tad predictable, I think it had more to do with the fact that I have read so many YA Fantasy over the last couple of years that I saw the plot unfold even before it did. I loved how the sun-moon-and-stars trials were described. The world building there was phenomenal. I was rooting for the couple till the very end and I cannot wait for the sequel to be published!

Spin the Dawn is the first installment in author Elizabeth Lim's The Blood of Stars series. The publisher has sold this as Project Runway meets Mulan in this sweeping fantasy about a young girl who poses as a boy to compete for the role of imperial tailor and embarks on an impossible journey to sew three magic dresses, from the sun, the moon, and the stars. 16-year old Maia Tamarin lives in the land of A'landi where she seemingly was born with a needle and a pair of scissors in her hands.

While being a tailor is strictly a man's job, Maia exceeds even her famous father. With the 5 year war finally done, and with the loss off 2 brothers, and a lame third brother, Maia dons her brothers male clothing to travel to the Imperial palace in hopes of becoming the Imperial Tailor. If she is discovered as a woman, she could be executed since it is against the law for a woman to become a master tailor. The tailor competition consists of (12) of the best tailors in the land. What makes Maia think she can win?

Maia has a pair of magic tailoring scissors that help her create beautiful things even when sabotaged by other contestants. Maia does not trust magic and knowing her scissors are something is extremely frightening. However, it becomes clear that her magical scissors might be the one thing that could save her. After surviving a brutal competition, Maia is given a near impossible task. Make 3 wedding dresses for the emperor’s soon to be wife, from the laughter of the sun, the tears of the moon, and the blood of stars

She reluctantly joins forces with the Emperor's Enchanter to go on an impossible journey. There's more magic to Maia than meets the eye, and her development from a shy young woman into an unstoppable force of nature is breathtaking. There is also more to Edan, than meets the eye. Maia goes from thinking the world operates in one way, to finding it is much different than she could ever understand. Edan also opens her mind in various ways. He has been alive for centuries and has seen the world and the way it changes, offering up a new perspective to the world.

These trials challenge her; they challenge her mind, body, and soul, and open different aspects of herself Maia did not know she had. It is a riveting journey that she goes on and her dynamics with Edan. They make such a great team, and Edan is such an enigmatic character. The way he moves and elevates the mystical part of the story perfectly balances out Maia’s realism. Steeped in Chinese culture, sizzling with forbidden romance, and shimmering with magic, this young adult fantasy is pitch-perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas or Renée Ahdieh.

“One dress woven with the laughter of the sun. Another, embroidered with the tears of the moon. And lastly, one painted with the blood of the stars.”

Project Runway meets Mulan in this dazzlingly YA fantasy from Elizabeth Lim about a girl who poses as a boy to complete the role of imperial tailor!

This book, oh my gosh! You guys have to read it! I loved it so so much! I was 100% here for it when I heard Project Runway meets Mulan, but this beauty of a book was so much more than that! Maia was brilliant, I love that she wanted to chase her dreams and not conform to what society expected of her. I relate to that so hard because life isn’t about just finding someone to marry for us girls, there’s more to life! I also adored Edan, he was teasing but also supportive of Maia and that melted my heart! The way this book is written, it’s so beautiful and addicting, I never wanted it to end! I cannot wait to see what happens next!

Not sure what else the appropriate response for the tagline of 'Project Runway meets Mulan' is other than YES PLEASE!

One of the best things about this book is the detail. I love how Elizabeth Lim writes. There is just enough detail for the sense to tingle and the words are woven together wonderfully. Blue is not just blue, but every color seen in the sea: cerulean, teal, etc. It fits wonderfully with Maia's narrative because she is so detail oriented with her passion and skill for being a tailor.


I love Maia so much. She goes into the competition to be the imperial tailor because her family needs her to. With her father ill and her older brother immobilized, it's up to her to save the family name. If only girls were able to inherit such things like family businesses! She wouldn't have to pose as a boy then.
However, she does a pretty job faking it. Of course, Edan, the court's magician sees who she really is. But he roots for her and helps her out.


I really loved seeing Maia's character growth. Before her journey, she was just doing what she had to do for her family, but by the end of it, it was for a different reason. You just see how her perception changes through the story and it's wonderful. It's a natural change, so you really have to think about it when you're nearly finished with the book to be like "wow, you've grown up so much!"


This story was paced really well. Nothing was ever boring or slow. It was nice to see whom you thought was questionable stay that way and there was a very clear line between good and evil. There are more grey area stories right now, so I liked having that clear line because it was a nice change of pace.
The romantic plot was pretty obvious, but not forced at all to me. I am team Maia and Edan for life! There were so many moments of gut wrenching sexual tension that made me want to smash their faces together already.


Overall, I loved this book so much and it was a page turner. I gave it 5 stars.

Spin the Dawn was marketed as Project Runway meets Mulan and, honestly, that doesn’t do this book half the justice it deserves. And, for the record, I’m a huge fan of Mulan.

This is a tale with magic and sorcerers and demons and quests and, yes, sewing… magical sewing.

The real gems of this story though were the two main characters — Maia and Edan. Maia is trying to help her family, whilst also trying to take on centuries of tradition by proving that a woman can be a talented tailor. The story is filled to the brim with her showing her strength and just basically being a great feminine icon like Mulan herself. Edan is the story’s sorcerer but he’s so much more than that. He’s basically a bit of a smug know-it-all from the first time we meet him but from the first jibes he had with Maia I was dying to see them start something together.

The story is set up in three parts — The Trial, The Journey and The Oath. The Trial is to choose the Imperial Tailor from eleven renowned Masters of the art, as well as Maia (posing as her brother). Prior to the trial, I’ll also note that this book almost had me in tears about 2% in. That’s kind of a record in all honesty for me but it really helps you to emphasise with Maia from the very beginning — a necessary evil. Anyway, the trial has several nasty tailors involved but Maia learns early on that she accidentally has quite a trick up her sleeve involving magic. (I’m going to be very vague for a lot of this review because reading it makes it so much more magical.)

Edan isn’t all he seems either, as a sorcerer he has centuries of knowledge and so goes on the quest with Maia to help her acquire the laughter of the sun, the tears of the moon, and the blood of stars for what the person setting the challenge assumes will be an impossible task. I’d love to go into how much I adore Edan’s character but all I’ll say is his origins aren’t necessarily just from Chinese mythology and I had my theory about him early on, it was one of those times where I was super stoked to have guessed right! As the story continues, he becomes more and more endearing. Ladies/gents who like men, be warned, you’ll love him. Ladies/gents who like women, you’ll love Maia. Basically, the two main characters are my two of my favourites ever.

I also really loved the world building in this story, we’re thrown into a war-torn country but this quickly moves into a country trying to recover from this and gain a better way of life. Though Maia isn’t a believer in the gods, the story sets up the mythology perfectly and whilst she sees more and more to make her believe, we do also.

I can’t wait for the next book, I need it already. This is by far going to be one of my favourite reads for this year!

If you think that Spin the Dawn's cover is beautiful, I can now tell you that its inside is even better, and that this book is worth reading just for the descriptions and atmosphere, if you care about that sort of thing.
I certainly do.

One of the first things I noticed while reading this book was that I could visualize everything perfectly - from the dresses and the needlework to the landscapes and the magic - so much that I was actually happy when, once the sewing competition ended, this became a travel fantasy. Travel fantasy is very hit-or-miss for me, but when I love the author's writing (especially the descriptions), I always end up loving it, and this was no exception.

It was so refreshing to read about a heroine who wasn't a warrior in a book about a competition that didn't in any way involve fighting. Spin the Dawn is about a competition to become the Emperor's personal tailor; in this world of demons and magic that can spin sun rays and paint with the blood of the stars, it's exactly as beautiful as one would think, and the mythology is just as interesting.
Maia, the main character, isn't good at wielding traditional weapons - her "weapons" are needles and especially her magical scissors, but this doesn't make her a damsel in distress. I always appreciate when YA fantasy portrays characters who have a different sort of strength from the usual warrior archetype.

I almost wanted to give this book five stars, because I did love parts of it, and it's been a while since a YA fantasy novel captivated me so much. However, some tropes this book employed left a bad taste in my mouth - crossdressing plotlines usually have transphobic implications in some scenes (which is why I skimmed the ~gender reveal~) but what I didn't expect was the whole "I'm disguised as a boy and I'm attracted to a boy, people think we're *gasp* gay". It almost felt like the book was playing it for laughs, and... that's really not good, especially not in a book in which there are no explicitly queer characters.

It might be that this is the first straight book I've read in a month, but the romance wasn't great - it's the typical "kind of naive girl + mysterious boy with an eye color far more striking than his personality" dynamic that is everywhere in YA fantasy. I wouldn't hate m/f YA fantasy romances so much if it weren't for the fact that 90% of male love interests sound like the same person. It's also one of these mortal + old immortal romances, except the love interest doesn't sound old at all (I don't get why he had to be immortal in the first place), and I didn't get why the two liked each other at all either - their banter was fun at times, but what did they see in each other? I don't know, I liked them enough as individual characters (especially Maia) but as a couple... I just didn't feel it.

I watched Top Model in the first couple of seasons and never seen Project Runway beyond memes & gifs, so I was nervous about the comparisons and honestly, didn't know how such a competition would work out in print.

All my fears were unfounded. There's plenty going on between all the different players with magic, cheating, and backstabbing ruthlessness. Plus the second half is the grand adventure outside the palace, which really changes it up.
"I dread reaching the end of my story, for it is full of knots that I haven't had the courage to cut free."

Okay, I know I just railed about the girl disguised as a boy trope with Crown of Feathers. Here's the difference: she was taught a bit about being a boy from a boy, and she didn't get away with it. It was also a much shorter time frame without such intimate or close contact.

There is a slow burn romance with a cursed magician that starts with frustrating sparks, sparring banter, and ends,...well....
"As you wish, Master Tamarin." He winked at me. "As you wish."

The only similarities between Maia and Mulan...
is that they runaway to disguise themselves as boys to help their family. Mulan is much more physically active and thwarting violent threats, while Maia's more about poverty and desperation and a bit of revolutionary ego.
"You're used to being underestimated, so you want to prove yourself. Don't let that be your crutch. Accept help when you need it."

The would-be empress Sarnai is not pleasant, to say the least. But I admire the hunting prowess and only wearing the skins of your own kills. There's definitely something interesting brewing there. And if someone says they hate yellow, don't fucking use yellow!! I'm sorry that's just RUDE and selfish uncompetitive nonsense. That is not how you play to win.

The only thing I can't cheer about is people acting like an accidental disability is the end of someone's life and then a sudden cure "fixes" them. I can't say it's wrong since I'm not personally wheelchair mobile, and maybe something I'm missing makes a difference. But I wouldn't go in expecting or hoping for good disability rep personally. YMMV.

"Then I ran down the steps, my heart heavy with Amana's blessing and my arms spread wide with hope--that tomorrow would spin a new dawn."

Holy shit that ending! No joke or hyperbole when I compare it to The Bone Witch's. Such a twist with impeccable timing and resonance. I can just hear the drums and feel the rush thinking back on it.

I'm really excited to find out the reason behind the civil war, more about the to be empress, and what other myths turn out true next. And WTF is the emporer's real deal.

Great Rating Graphic



Recommended for Fans of The Bone Witch, & Crown of Feathers.

I've heard nothing but good things about the book and I fully agree with what everyone was saying.

Now before I begin it had been brought to my attention there were some ableist themes in this book, specifically with the main character having to pretend to have her brother's disability as she was masquerading as her brother. I was also told the author was working to change this or something about this in the final copy and as I read an e-arc, I'm not exactly sure what the changes are. I thought I'd at least mention this.

As for the remainder of the story and plot line, I was absolutely in love. The story grips you right from the beginning, and everything about the book flows so well into the next part. I was in awe of the author's writing style and how easily she was able to entice me. This book read like a classic fairytale to me, and few books have done this. It felt like a bedtime story I would be read to as a kid, and I loved every moment of it.

Maia is a heroine unlike any other. She's strong, smart, and resilient. I also love the character development she goes through, as she realizes her initial dreams might not be what they're all cracked up to be and there's more to her world than originally thought. And my goodness is she loyal, and determined. She has gone to the top of my list of favorite YA female characters. 

The comp titles that are given in the synopsis were Mulan and Project Runway, but to me since most of the story takes place on an epic magical journey, I'd comp it more as Mulan meets Aladdin with a touch of A Torch Against the Night vibes. Edan reminds me a lot of Elias in some ways, with hints of Magnus Bane. I loved his character from beginning to end and the relationship between him and Maia is *chef's kiss* BEAUTIFUL.

The ending of the novel is so intense and open ended that I am both equally horrified as well as intrigued for how the rest of this series continues. Elizabeth Lim has creating a sparkling new fantasy world that will soon become a favorite of YA readers and I cannot wait to see it blow up.

There's an aspect in high fantasy worldbuilding that doesn't, in my opinion, get due credit, and that's the fashion and clothing of the world. I love historical fashion, but most books tend to skim over the clothes that bring life to the world and characters. Spin the Dawn turns it into an epic story filled with action, romance, and amazing worldbuilding.

Our heroine is Maia Tamarin, a skilled tailor who takes her brother's place in a competition to become the new imperial tailor. I very much adored Maia's character and love that we don't see your typical fantasy protagonist here. Maia is not a fighter; she can get by when she needs to, but she's not good at it. Rather, her talent lies in tailoring: knitting, sewing, embroidering, and it's exactly what she needs to excel in the world she lives in. Maia is headstrong, determined, and incredibly dedicated to her craft, and it's clear that she's a true expert--magical scissors or not. Maia has also been through a lot in her lifetime: she's lost her mother and two of her brothers while the rest of her family is also shattered from the lost, and even though she's learned to heal from it to some extent, her experience is something that colours her narrative and character arc. It gives her the drive she needs to take care of her family and pour all her energy into succeeding. 

Of all the other characters, Edan really stands out: he was so sweet all the time, with a lot of mystery and a great sense of humour. Honestly, a standup guy all around and an absolutely loveable love interest. Unlike a lot of relationships between immortals and teenagers, this one only weirded me out a bit (the Darkling who? I only know Edan). I also loved the slow burn component to the romance; their romance subplot didn't feel too dragged out or too quick. And one character who we didn't learn a whole lot about but who absolutely intrigues me is Emperor Khanujin, who despite being relatively young for an emperor has put his kingdom through a war. It certainly looks like there's a lot more to him than the surface shows, and I hope Maia (and us!) get to find out more about him in the next book. 

The land of A'landi was also fascinating and in many ways timeless, taking inspiration from all parts of China and other Asian cultures to create A'landi. I'm not sure if A'landi is meant to be a counterpart of China or not, but it definitely reads more like a cultural fusion of Asian cultures than only China--from the descriptions of the food, to names, people, and fashions. Nevertheless, I did enjoy it: the world of Spin the Dawn is one of the most vivid and realized fantasy worlds I've read in a while, and I loved seeing all of the different environments and places of A'landi. 

Elizabeth Lim's writing is so lyrical and gorgeous and truly a pleasure to read. In terms of pacing, I felt as if it was mostly done right--there are two different sections to the book that have two very different tones and plots. However, I don't think either would have been able to constitute a book on its own. I also feel as if the final part of the book was a bit rushed--but hopefully, this is something that I'll feel better about after I read the sequel (which I am very excited for). 

I very much enjoyed reading Spin the Dawn: it's a rare bit of fantasy that doesn't focus on physical trials and protagonists who know how to fight, but it's still packed with action and adventure. The loveable characters and wonderfully crafted world will certainly leave readers wanting more.

Spin the Dawn is a mesmerizing fantasy retelling of Mulan mixed with Project Runaway from debut author, Elizabeth Kim. Starring Maia, a young girl who born into a family of tailor and aspired to be one. Not just any regular tailor, but the best tailor in A’landi and eventually become the imperial tailor. Here’s the deal. Girls are not supposed to be tailor, just because. So, fighting this sexist tradition while also trying to save the remains of her family after the war, the day an imperial messenger came to her house to invite her unwell father to become the imperial tailor, Maia stepped in and disguised herself as her only remaining brother, Keton and her journey started.

Oh my gosh, how do I even started? I just freaking love everything about this book! Starting with the plot itself and how this book pitched, I’m always in for everything competition and quest-related, especially when it involves a badass female protagonist with a noble mission. This book divided into three main parts, the trial, the journey, and the oath. All three delivers a very different atmosphere and intensity, yet everything blends in and completed each other perfectly.

During the first part, I couldn’t help but amazed with the incredible worldbuilding, thanks to Kim’s magical hand. As I mentioned previously, fantasy is not something I usually read because I often stuck just when the story started, because I was getting overwhelmed with every little detail thrown in my face in such a short amount of time. But with Spin the Dawn, Kim really took her time to build a realistic yet magical universe. I can practically imagine everything so vividly, while also take pleasure in Kim’s enchanting proses and words. Character-wise, Maia is a strong main character that you couldn’t help but root for. Her tragic past and her pure ambition turned her into a character that won’t be so easy to forget.

Although I wish that the first part could be longer, as I found myself to enjoy the competition between Maia and the other eleven tailor master, the initial encounter between Maia and Edan, and the glimpse of interaction involving Lady Sarnai and Emperor Khanujin himself, the second part delivered more action pack to the story and it was intense. I enjoyed Maia’s journey and how her relationship with Edan started to grow stronger. My favorite thing about this part is that we got to learn how the magic works in this story, including how it works on Edan. The back and forth witty banter between these two made me swooning too hard!

The third part is obviously the hardest to read, that lead us into the ending that made me internally scream “I need the second book right at this very second!!!”. Overall, I just had a freaking good time with this book and I couldn’t recommend it enough. The compelling and magical universe of Spin the Dawn combined with such strong characters and even stronger plots mixed with a solid #ownvoices rep, will give you a one of a kind reading experience.

Thank you Knopf Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. And thank you Shealea @ Shup Up, Shealea for hosting this blog tour!

Final Rating — 5/5
Trigger Warnings — Death, death of loved ones, sexism, violence.

I honestly LOVED this #OwnVoices Asian fantasy, and I promise you that the story itself is as gorgeous and beautifully crafted as its illustrative cover. This book reminds me why I love reading fantasies—everything about it was entertaining, whimsically artistic, and magical. Elizabeth Lim had me captivated in the first page by the intricate worldbuilding and personable characters and left me speechless with her final words.

Spin the Dawn follows the story of Maia Tamarin, a girl who dreams of becoming the kingdom’s greatest tailor. However, as a female seamstress in the story’s patriarchal society, her future seems grey, and her choices are limited until one day, her father is summoned by the Emperor’s guards to participate in a royal competition. In order to save her family, she poses as a boy and takes her father’s place to compete to become the Emperor’s imperial tailor. Throughout the competition, she faces rival magicians, meets the charming yet mysterious court enchanter, and is given an impossible final challenge: make three magic dresses from the laughter of the sun, the tears of the moon, and the blood of the stars.

Elizabeth Lim’s writing was lyrical and poetic—she charms you from the first page with an intricately crafted world with magic and mysteries carefully woven into the story. The story is broken down into three sections which helped steady the overall pacing and tone. Everything reads like a movie coming to life with each chapter revealing a piece that fit into a larger puzzle. The royal competition served as a primary focal point against the backdrop of court intrigue and political power plays, leading up to the adventurous climax of Maia’s quest to create dresses that symbolized the goddess Amana’s children.

Maia had all the wonderful qualities that I admire in a heroine from her strong moral compass to her loving determination to protect her family. Early in the story, she’s gifted a pair of magic scissors that helps her turn her already beautiful clothing creations turn into other-worldly pieces of art. She refrains from using her magic scissors in the competition as often as she can in order to prove her skills fairly, and I think it just goes to show how good she is as a character. Despite her failures and other’s prejudices towards her, she never fails to lose herself, and instead, she focuses on her growth as an individual and how she can best care for those she loves.

Other characters in the story are equally as captivating from Lady Sarnai, the Emperor’s fiancé and a warrior who also struggles with sexism in a patriarchal culture, to Edan, the court’s Lord Enchanter who discovers Maia’s secret during the competition and is also bound to the Emperor by oath. Everyone came into the story with a complex background, showing a multi-dimensional cast of characters that I can’t wait to explore further in the sequel. Plus, the romance…I freaking LOVED it(!!) Edan as a love interest was incredibly swoon-worthy, and I just adored how healthy and positive his relationship with Maia was. He supports her from the beginning, and I was such a weakling for their playful banter.

Overall, Spin the Dawn was a fantastic and magical read that left me speechless and longing for more. I’m honestly so so glad that it has a sequel and it isn’t a standalone because I NEED MORE. In a little over 400 pages, I have grown so attached these characters and so enraptured by this fantasy world. I would definitely recommend this book to all my friends (AKA you!) because it is mesmerizing.