I picked up this book as it was being sold as “Project Runway meets Mulan” which sounded really intriguing, especially to this reader who loves both Project Runway and Mulan. And that description really does fit the first third of the book or so – our main character, Maia, poses as a boy to take her father’s place in a royal tailor competition. However, the potential of this part of the book is really under realized. There was a lot of potential for plots within plots and court intrigue, but the whole thing is pretty quickly abandoned so that Maia could go on a quest for three objects with a cute boy who is very much off limits. If you are thinking to yourself, “isn’t that the plotline of like, half of all YA fantasies” then you, dear reader, are correct. With that said, though, I think many teens, especially those new to the genre, will really enjoy it. For me, an interesting and unique premise quickly gave way to a fairly pat YA fantasy. 1 star – I didn’t like it.

Title: Spin the Dawn
Author: Elizabeth Lim
Publisher: Random House Children's

Note: Review to be posted to Goodreads closer to publication date on June 25, 2019 and on retail sites (Barnes & Noble, Amazon) upon publication date, July 9, 2019.

This eARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Honestly, I am still recovering from how much I adored Spin the Dawn. Even days later, my mind keeps drifting back to Lim’s magical characters and immersive fantasy world. This first entry in the Blood of the Stars series completely touched my heart and will not be a book I soon forget.

Following years of grief and financial struggle, Maia Tamarin is offered the chance of a lifetime to become the imperial tailor to the emperor. Unfortunately, this opportunity comes with a catch; the imperial tailor position is only open to men. To be eligible, Maia must disguise herself as her brother. As teased in the book’s official plot overview, the initial chapters do follow a Mulan meets Project Runaway storyline (which already had me hooked). However, what makes Spin the Dawn such a standout addition to the YA fantasy genre is how the plot unfolds once Lim’s story becomes her own and the adventure really begins.

My favorite aspect of Spin the Dawn, hands down, was the author’s lush, imaginative writing style used to weave this tale. Lim’s descriptions played into the reader’s five senses and truly brought each page to life, without slowing the pace. As I read through each chapter, I was transported into the world of Spin the Dawn and traveled alongside Maia on her journey to find the sun, the moon, and the stars.

There were moments that really reminded me of classic Disney movies, like Aladdin, which only made this book more magical to me. Additionally, the romantic storyline completely made me swoon (forbidden love and hate-to-love are a few of my favorite tropes). However, my only critique was that the character’s emotions alternated back and forth between love and hate too quickly at times, which felt out of character (especially for Maia).

That being said, I absolutely adored every second I spent in Elizabeth Lim’s mesmerizing world on this unforgettable journey. Thank goodness a sequel is already planned to continue this series!

This book blasted past every one of my expectations. The pitch of Mulan meets Project Runway is accurate but this book is so much more than that!

Everything about this book was absolutely magical. The worldbuilding, steeped deeply in Chinese culture and mythology, is easily one of the most beautiful settings out there. The setting changes a few times throughout the book and Lim doesn't hesitate to write about how gorgeous each place is with fantastic prose. And considering this book revolves around tailoring, the descriptions of the clothes were just beautiful. Everything was just pretty.

Maia & Edan, our main characters, were very sweet together. A lot of YA these days seems marketed towards adults in a way that makes me a little concerned for younger readers, but this romance felt like something a thirteen year old girl would be totally enchanted by. Maia is headstrong and stubborn but cares deeply for her family. Edan is your typical snarky love interest, but in no way did I ever feel like this romance was a stereotype. The lack of love triangles was a huge relief.

This book goes a lot of different ways. While rooted in the original Project Runway comparison, there are so many twists and turns. Our characters go on a great journey both physically and emotionally. An isolated competition leads to a sprawling continent-wide adventure that I never would have expected just by reading the description.

Much thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me a digital copy of this book. It's not even out yet and I can't wait for the sequel.

I did really enjoy this story; it was well written, the characters were very real, the plot was incredibly interesting. My only qualm was the book was advertised as 'Project Runway meets Mulan' and I felt like the Project Runway aspect of it was kind of glanced over. I felt like the beginning challenge was a bit rushed through and I would have loved to have spent a bit more time there.

Omg!!! Once I read the synopsis for this novel I knew I had to read it. Mulan meets project runway! WAY!!!! This fantasy novel is probably one of the best that I have enjoyed this year. Wildly imaginative while keeping itself ground in lore Spin the Dawn will keep you entertained from beginning to end.

I highly recommend it to anyone that loves a good fantasy novel.

I'd give this a 4.5. I will say that the first chapter was a lot of back story that had me putting the book down and not picking it back up for a few days. Then once I read chapter two, the story actually got started and I was into it from then on.
"Spin the Dawn" by Elizabeth Lim was such a lovely fairy tale story. It had elements of Mulan, Cinderella, and Aladdin and much more sprinkled throughout. It felt both familiar and original somehow and the romance was absolutely heart-wrenching. I loved Maia's character arc and I found her relatable and inspirational at the same time. The world was well-developed but the world building didn't weight the story down. It was well-woven within the context and it was always something I was interested to know more about, which can be hard to do.
I thought the writing was lovely and the story was just overall beautiful and enchanting for me. I feel like there aren't a lot of fairy tale stories out there that actually feel like a fairy tale—magical and beautiful and heart-warming and also dark and mysterious with powerless mortals facing the wrath of gods and monsters in a believable, overwhelming way all the the same time. They're usually one or the other, but somehow this book managed to be both and I really enjoyed it.

This book was such a breath of fresh air. I adored the main character, she was feisty and relatable. I also loved Edan, he was just broody enough, though he had that stupid "Must. Protect." trope.

The plot was well paced, the angsty romance was wonderful, I liked the plot. I cannot wait for the next book.

Wow this story was woven into the best of fairytales and adventure that i read since i devoured The Crown’s Game. We have a young lady that desperately wants to be the emperors tailor but that path is blocked to her since she is female. Then her father is given the opportunity and she strives off as a boy to save the honor of her family and hopefully to prove herself enough so she can achieve her dream.

At the heart of the story is Maia wanting to be the best she can be, to prove she just as good as the men in this field. Also is Maia discovering more about herself and the roots of her family. She meets this mysterious enchanter, she given the impossible task of weaving three dresses out of essentially fairytales, and also she forced to make an impossible decision at the end of this book one.

I can hardly wait for the next book i need to know how Maia and Edna are going to overcome this impossible obstacle that has been thrown in their path. I need to know how Maia does now that she woven these amazing dresses, is the emerpeor going to fulfill her dreams? Also how does Maia family do now that her brother been healed from his wounds and her farther does he continue in being able to make his shop thrive?

We don’t even have a blurb to tide us over tell the next book? Your going to want to devour this one it got great pacing, solid characters, and vivid imagery of the world this story is based in.

SPIN THE DAWN by Elizabeth Lim is a romantic and gorgeous book that is deemed Mulan meets Project Runway. Penguin Random House gave me the ARC via NetGalley for an honest review. This post DOES NOT CONTAIN SPOILERS.

A spoiler-review of the book will be published on Monday, July 15 on my blog #MediaGalReads so readers can have the opportunity to read the story and form their own thoughts and opinions.

Why I was interested: Growing up, Mulan was one of my favorite Disney Animated films so combining it with fashion made me really excited. I love fashion, and magical fashion is seriously the best.

Judge a book by it’s cover: The cover hints at the exquisitely beautiful story inside with hints at what is to come (including Maia’s magical scissors). I love the hand-drawn/illustrated look of it and having Maia on the cover as herself is a great addition.

What to expect: A romantic story, lovely magic, and a great quest. Lim cleverly spins different mythologies to create a gem of a book.

Why you should pick this book up: If you loved Mulan but wished it had more magic, then this is the story for you. If you love magical fashion or Project Runway, you will really enjoy this.

Want more?: I will publish a full review with spoilers on Monday, July 15 on #MediaGalReads, so enjoy the story and come back for a fun discussion!

Thanks for stopping by!

MG, #MediaGalReads
https://marenaelizabethgalluccio.com/blog/

Wow. Just... WOW.

I had so many expectations going into SPIN THE DAWN - it was easily one of my most anticipated books of the year - but Elizabeth Lim and her phenomenal storytelling SHATTERED THEM ALL.

Before I even get into the nitty-gritty about the story, let's talk about that cover. Isn't it absolutely gorgeous?! The font. The wings. The EXPRESSION ON MAIA'S FACE. The gold embroidery. Pure perfection.

However, it's not right to simply judge a book by its cover. Luckily, Lim's writing is just as enthralling and whimsical as the cover art that graces it.

This book is described as MULAN meets PROJECT RUNWAY, and... that's actually a pretty great description. It has all of the wicked action and strong feminist vibes of MULAN intertwined with the delicate beauty and creativity of the artsy fashion show. I'd have never dreamed that the two could go so well together, but boy, they sure do.

Now, I'm not going to lie, I'm a sucker for all things "magical competition." Think: VE Schwab's A GATHERING OF SHADOWS (one of my favourite books of all time). It then came as no surprise that I absolutely devoured the first half of the story.

The second half, however, was no less incredible. The world-building! The (convincing and realistic!) dialogue! The strong, emotional, fantastically developed characters! (Um, can Maia be my best friend, please and thank you?!) Within the pages, Lim crafts a fantasy world as stunning as the sun in the sky, as elegant as the night's full moon and as awe-inspiring as the stars in the sky.

AND THAT TWIST AT THE END. (No spoilers, don't worry!) Just... wow. I did NOT see that coming! Book 2 cannot be released soon enough - I cannot WAIT to see how the cliffhanger at the end gets resolved!

I EASILY give SPIN THE DAWN five stars. Absolutely. I'd give six if I could. SPIN THE DAWN has instantly shot to the top of my list of the greatest books I've ever read, and I can't WAIT until I receive the privilege to read it again... and again, and again, and again.

What do you get when you mix in a bit of Mulan, a dash of Project Runway, and a sprig of the genie story from Aladdin? Spin The Dawn.

I wish I had the second book in the queue already because I'm broken after finishing this book and in dire need of the second installment, but I'll forego wailing to go into my review of the book.

The world was magnificent, a feudal Asian inspired setting, where females have little say in anything except for taking care of families. Maia Tamarin has a dream of one day being the best tailor in the country and become Master Tailor for the Emperor, except she is a woman and therefore it will never be—or will it?

Maia is a wonderful character who does grow by leaps and bounds but also stays true to who she is, too, which is a selfless individual who puts those whom she loves first and foremost.

Edan is a mysterious character, as the Lord Enchanter, this is supposed to be the point of them. They live for hundreds of years, and his job is to protect the emperor and therefore the country, too. But Edan evolves just as much if not more than Maia, and his clever, troublesome personality endeared himself to me.

The overall plot was truly enthralling—I picked this book up half wondering how Mulan and Project Runway could possibly be woven together, but it was done and seamlessly so by Lim. Do yourself a favor and pick this wonderful read up!

I received a copy of this book via Caffeine Book Tours for the upcoming blog tour in July! The full review will come soon, but here is a fresh, straight-out-of-the-oven (and non-spoilery) reaction to me finishing the book last night:

I'm a MESS. This book absolutely tore me to shreds and I need the sequel to feel whole again.

Half cutthroat tailoring competition (ala Project Runway, as the blurb suggests) and half traditional quest narrative, SPIN THE DAWN follows a headstrong Maia, disguised as her brother, into the treacherous grounds of the palace as an unlikely candidate in a competition for the role of imperial tailor. Maia is a brilliant and hardworking tailor, but as danger and magic lurk behind every corner, she's forced to make hard decisions just to survive.

And now for a smattering hodgepodge of thoughts because wow what are words anymore:

- I. loved. Maia. so much. Strong, female-led diverse fantasies are here to stay. I'm declaring this into existence. I will never have to read another book featuring a grapefruit of a white male MC of my own volition ever again. Edan also definitely carried a lot of the book with his enigmatic personality, and judging by the other reviews, I'm not alone in basically being heads-over-heels for this ridiculously charming enchanter oops.

- The world-building in this! was so good! I feel like descriptions in fantasy novels tend to make my eyes glaze over sometimes, but most of the book actually felt really grounded in details that you would like... actually notice. As a human being. With physical senses.

- The central romance had me swooning—and I think this aspect of the book works because I basically care way too much about the two main characters. There’s a lot of good examples of healthy relationships to be found here: from consent being a fundamental of their courtship, to taking down squicky romance tropes (such as one person deciding for the other that they would be better off without them). I’m very glad this will be in the hands of young readers who are just starting to form romantic relationships, is what I mean. ALSO I'm trying so hard not to spoil anything, but thank GOD this isn't a standalone book, my poor heart.

- I adored the magic in this! We don't actually know a lot about the in-and-outs of how it works because Maia herself isn’t an enchanter (and Edan’s pretty secretive about his own origins), but the glimpses we get into the role of enchanters in the kingdom absolutely hooked me. The system actually reminded me a lot of how magic works in the anime/manga series Magi too—especially the relationship between rulers and their enchanters.

Also, it should also be noted that early versions of this book contains a somewhat ableist sideplot, but I've been informed that it's been rectified in the final print.

ANYWAY TL;DR I really need everyone to pick up this book because. Um. If you couldn't tell from the 450ish words up there... I love it a LOT.

This is a wonderful debut! The writing is polished and full of wonder, awe and a rich world! I loved the competition aspect with Maia trying to become the tailor. Then the story gets so much bigger and it was quite the journey. I loved the chemistry between Maia and Edan and both characters feel so genuine and grow well throughout the book. The author really has great control on pacing on this epic journey of a story and I NEED all the food and fashion that's mentioned. I can't wait for this book to come out and I will recommend this for my library to purchase. This is a new release that people need to watch and pick up when it comes out. My review will be on my book blog and linked here once the post is live. A huge thank you to the publisher for the ARC!

*thank you to netgalley for the arc.

This was an .... okay read. It definitely won’t be memorable to me, but I would consider picking up the next book in the series (?)

I had quite a few problems with the overall plot itself, and from reading further into disabled people’s reviews, I have learned that there is some harmful representation of disabilities.

Spin the Dawn was definitely not what I was expecting, as I thought the entire plot was centred around the trials she had to face in order to because the imperials tailor, but that is not the main part of the book at all - it’s actually the journey of making the three dresses made out of the moon, sun and stars. I felt that the first part of the book(the trial) was, almost, unnecessary and did not add much substance other than setting up for the rest of the book. It felt disconnected to me, and like two different plot lines pushed into one story.

Although I felt the trial to be unnecessary, I did like the representation of Maia - she was portrayed as a strong, independent young woman who had a goal in mind and she had a reason to hide her true self. She was motivated by the thoughts of helping her family, and following her dream of becoming the imperials tailor. The second half, which follows her journey to create these dresses, loses her initial motive and completely centres around something else and this something else was much more juvenile, and brought the book down for me. I would have LOVED if Spin The Dawn was a family motivated story, but unfortunately, love got in the way of that.

Now, let’s talk about the love story. I LOVED the love interest and I so desperately wanted to know more about him. I want a spin off dedicated solely to him and his past, and everything about him. But, the love was a typical, ‘dislike to lovers but they didn’t really dislike each other and now they’re all the sudden in love with each other??’ type deal which wasn’t the best romance I’ve ever read, but I understand why it was there. I wish it didn’t hinder Maia’s character though, and unfortunately, it did for me.

Some highs - I was incredibly intrigued by the magic in this world, and wanted to know more about Enchanters and their goals/jobs to keep the world in order. I hope that in future books the magic is built upon, and the whole world is fleshed out a bit more.

Finally, the disability rep - in Spin The Dawn, Maia’s brother, Keton, comes home from war and his legs have been damaged so he is unable to walk. Maia pretends to be Keton when she goes to the trials, and so she acts as if she has this disability(walks with a cane with a rock in her shoe.) There’s also a part at the end of the story, which I won’t spoil, that I’ve heard is being changed in the final copy but just be aware that there was some harmful portrayals, and Maia acting as Keton has been viewed as harmful to some.

Spin the Dawn is a masterful story pitched as Mulan meets Project Runway. I agree with this for the first half of the book, but the second half was so much more powerful and complex. This book tells the story of a young girl who disguises herself as a boy to compete to be the master tailor for the emperor. She must make three dresses: one from the sun, one from the moon, and one from the stars. This spurs an epic adventure that tests her skills and determination. And I think it's now one of my favorite story adventures.

There's something for everyone to love in this book: magic, love, long journeys, sacrifices, discovery, fights, and the power of a young girl who can beat the odds with her skill and determination. All around, the story kept me engaged and I finished it in three days because I couldn't put it down. The characters are wonderfully real, burdened by their responsibilities and the deepest wishes of their hearts.

I loved Elizabeth Lim's writing style and I wouldn't hesitate before reading another one of her books. I'm despondent that I have to wait for the second book of this series, though. I need Maia's story to continue now! Until then, I'll recommend this one to anyone who loves fantasy, Chinese culture, and fairy tales.

Writing Aesthetic/Style: 4
Plot/Movement: 4.5
Character Development: 4
Overall: 4

Thank you Knopf Books for Young Readers (Random House) and NetGalley for the free review copy! This book will be released July 9th, 2019.

full review
In writing this book Lim has woven together classic stories from Chinese, Scandinavian, and Middle Eastern tradition to create a thoroughly engaging and enjoyable epic of a tapestry, enriched by vibrant characters, intricate detail, and thrilling storytelling. It is difficult to disengage from immersion in Lim's fantasy world, because she keeps the pace quick and flows from one plot point to another with facility.

It would be easy to compare the premise of this story to Project Runway and similar programs, but to do so would be to sell the book short. It is true that the main character must go to the palace to compete for the honor of becoming a court tailor, and that in order to win she must complete arduous and sometimes absurd design challenges, but that is only the beginning. It does, however, serve as an excellent introduction and allows Lim to incorporate the first of her classic stories: the legend of Hua Mulan.

With her father's heart broken and her brother incapable of sewing a strait seam, Maia knows she must be the one to answer the imperial summons, and in so doing she finds herself embroiled not only in a cutthroat contest where her rival competitors will stoop even to magic and attempted murder, but also in the political game between the emperor and his reluctant bride-to-be. Matters are further complicated by the interest the imperial sorcerer takes in Maia, and his insistence that she, too, will need to use the magic at her disposal, even though it feels like cheating, in order to win the title she covets - and survive! The contest is exciting and the challenges are fascinating, as are the descriptions of the contestants' creations, but once the challenge is finished and Maia is given another, apparently impossible, commission Lim looks to Scandinavian folklore for the next chapter of the story.

Maia's adventures beyond the palace walls as she braves foes both mundane and magical to gather the necessary materials to create three gowns out of legend expand Lim's fantasy world in new and intriguing directions, introducing more cultures and characters to the already richly-depicted world. Maia's developing relationship with her companion on this quest is lovely to watch unfold, and as more is revealed about his background it is possible to see the Middle Eastern influence Lim has brought in, although it is not until nearly the end of the book when we learn what story she has borrowed from in creating him. Figuring it out ahead of the reveal is satisfying. The ending leaves you wanting more.

This is a book that I recommend highly to fans of young adult fantasy. It does not read like the epic or grimdark fantasies which have flooded the market for the past decade, and instead delights in storytelling and interpersonal drama, making it a very easy, enjoyable read for those who like YA fantasy. If YA fantasy is not your cup of tea, you may be pleasantly surprised and enjoy this book anyway, but in my opinion this is an excellent example of how truly good YA fantasy should be written.

Buddy read w/ Dani at https://perspectiveofawriter.com
If you know me then you must know the love I have for foreign dramas, especially historical Chinese drama. There are many reasons why that is, but this post is not about my obsessive love for the Chinese culture. It is about this sweeping Chinese-inspired fantasy that brilliantly alters a new tale out of the original story of Mulan with its own design addition. Spin the Dawn has the dramatization and nasty twists that will get your blood pumping and your heart in a rage with anger, despair, and bittersweet emotions. And, I cannot wait for you guys to fall in love with Maia and Edan! Also throwing in some major cover love!

1. Elizabeth Lim’s novel immediately reminded me of Project Runway crossed with Mulan, even though it was a lot more than that. What fears did you have going into Spin the Dawn? Were your expectations met?
To be honest, I did not even remember what the synopsis of the story was let alone have any sort of fears about the book. All I truly remember was the pretty cover and that it centered on fictional Chinese history. An, if you know me then you'll know how much of a Chinese historical drama fan I am, and I may not have had any fears before diving into the novel but my expectations were high. I know it's bad to have such high expectations on a book, but I couldn't help myself and luckily for me, the book did meet my expectations. It is beautifully dramatic and Chinese and historical and so much more!!!

2. When Maia 's father learns of her decision to take his place he gives her a pair of scissors. What did you think about the scissors and how she used them? You asked me when we chatted what magical item I would want to improve my life. Now I'm asking you, what would you want?
When Maia's father first gave her the scissors I immediately knew that they were special! I knew it! I mean the whole situation and atmosphere made it obvious, whether this is good or bad is beyond me, but I knew those scissors were far from ordinary. I, however, did not like how she used them. It bothered me. This is my moral self coming out, but it was cheating of her to use the scissors. YES! I know very well that many of the other competitions use means much more cynical than hers, but it still did not sit right with me. And, anyway, I was kind of hoping/thinking that she would use her own strength and ability to showcase to her patriarchal world what amazing sewing ability she has. Her using the scissors made the moment less special and extravagant. I mean the whole idea of a magical object is intriguing and all, I just simply did not like the way it was used/represented in the story.
When it comes to what object I would want I'm going to change my answers to a microphone. I want the ability to be able to communicate my thoughts properly without hesitation and with the right wording and such.

3. Maia was greatly effected by her 3 brothers and the Five Winters War they were drafted into. What did you feel about her relationship with Finlei, Sendo and Kenton? Was there anything about these sibling relationships you wanted explored more?
Even though the relationship shown between Maia and her three brothers was very brief, I still felt a pang of sadness when they left. I found this to be my favorite thing/part about the story, how quickly the author was able to make me fall in love with, not one but three characters, in such a brief amount of time. Honest to goodness, I quite prefer how the three brothers were incorporated in the tale, and I would not want it any other way because their presence was minimum but their impact on my heart was very strong.

4. Maia is drilled on how to act like a boy. How did this make you feel as a woman? Do you think people really see what they want to see?
I really did not have any thoughts or feelings towards Maia being drilled on how to act as a boy. I mean, it really did not do anything to me, so...yeah! In some ways, yes, people do see what they want to see. I think that people sometimes just do not want to deal with things. Like, life already difficult enough to deal with so sometimes when a person sees something out of the ordinary or something that they know is not right its like they just pass over it. They're too bothered to bother with it. You feel me?

5. Maia finds herself sympathizing with Lady Sarnai and her situation even though the woman is quite hard on the tailors. How did you feel about the position Lady Sarnai was in? Do you think this effected how Maia felt about using her scissors?
I liked and sympathize with Lady Sarnai. Her attitude and treatments towards not just the tailors but the palace citizens overall were, I believe, her way of exacting what little freedom she has left in her current condition. However, Lady Sarnai hating magic or people who wield magic because of other magicians' and people controlling magicians' poor choices in how they use it is small minded. It like me saying I do not like a type of race because one person from the race did something bad and now I hate all of them. And, most definitely Lady Sarnai's position and belief of magic affected Maia in how she used her scissors.

6. Maia did not like the Lord Enchanter when she first met him. Yet they become quite close later in the book. Did you feel the change in their relationship was natural? What moment was the most important to their relationship?
Hate-to-love relationship is my favorite romance trope and the way it was unfolded between Maia and the Lord Enchanter was spectacular. It was not too fast not too slow but just right. To me, the moment when Edan decided to 'trick' the emperor and go behind his back to aid Maia in her journey is the moment that we get see just how much Maia already began to mean to Edan. It is where their relationship truly takes flight. 

7. There are quite a few moments of magic in Spin the Dawn. Which magic intrigued you the most? What moment of magic being used was your favorite? Do you agree with Lady Sarnai that magic is the root of all that is wicked in their world?
It is hard to explain without spoiling how they did it, but the way the story went about capturing each of these objects: the sun, moon, and stars, was something I found very interesting. I think it intrigued me so much because it was not what I was expecting, and the one that really captured my attention was the capturing of the sun. Like in the real world the already established greed and lust in the heart of mankind is the true evil of their world, not magic itself. Magic simply added a self-ego boost of confidence.

8. We learn about Edan as Maia grows closer to the Lord Enchanter. Were you satisfied with everything we learned about his back history? What questions do you still have about Edan that you want to see answered in book 2?
I thoroughly liked and enjoyed the mystery that surrounded the Lord Enchanter and how it did not impede his character turning him into the typical dark and self-brooding jerks. No, he had charms as well as he had secrets. Some of his masks is pulled off in the story but there are still some chunks left that need peeling off like I am really interested in learning about 

9. You asked me when we chatted what irritated me about Spin the Dawn. Now I'm asking you... what most irritated YOU? Did this effect your enjoyment of the book? Will you be reading book 2 when it comes out?
There is a part in the story where something happens between Edan and Maia which causes Maia to become just a tad bit irrational in her choice of which road to take [you'll know what I'm talking about once you read it]. It really irritates me when a character is in a somewhat dire situation and they began to let their emotions get the better part of them. Like, girl, this is a life and death situation I need you to get your act together! And, it's even worse when the reason for the character's emotion going haywire is some love, excuse my language, sh*t. However, this is just a minor detail that did not drag on, thank you, so it does not affect me or stop me from reading book 2. Which I totally am and is excited for!
My full review with images will be posted on my Blog on July 5th!

Review to be posted to Goodreads and retail sites, such as Amazon and Barnes and Noble, upon publication date, July 9, 2019.

I received this e-ARC via NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This book follows the journey of Maia Tamarin, a talented tailor in a small town who just wants her work to be recognized and her family to be happy. The book is extremely fast paced, especially at the end where it is rushed, but Elizabeth Lim still manages to weave a beautiful story through her descriptions of not only the clothing that Maia creates but the places she visits. The concept and plot of the story is reminiscent of Mulan and Project Runway at the beginning but grows into so much more. The way Lim presents magic in this world is creative and I can’t wait to read more about it.

Maia is a very likable character and you can’t help but want her to succeed. Her only fault would be that she is young and naive and with that makes some rash and questionable decisions. I fell in love with the love interest (for spoiler reasons I won’t say who it is) but I also felt that his character could have been fleshed out better. I just wanted to know more about his story.

The one thing that frustrated me about this book was actually the love story even though I really liked both main characters. I’m not sure if it’s because I read this book in 2 days or because the story was so fast paced but I felt the love story was very rushed. It really took a long time for Maia to even warm up to him but within a couple months of that she is in love and can’t live without him. They are constantly doing the love/hate trope throughout the book which was frustrating as a reader and made the book feel like it was geared to a younger crowd. They are both self-sacrificing fools and are continuously putting themselves in danger to save the other which usually causes the fighting between the two. They are both talented, powerful characters and I felt it would have been better to have them work together to save each other. I hope to see this happen in future books.

I also hope to learn more about the minor characters in future books, especially Lady Sarnai. I was surprisingly drawn to her and wanted to know more of her backstory. I felt that her story was not explored enough and it made it hard to form an opinion on her character.

Overall I did enjoy this book and could not put it down. I did feel that it was geared to a younger crowd (I am 27 years old) but I still liked all the characters, just questioned some of their decisions. I look forward to future books in this series and seeing how the characters and they storylines progress.

SPIN THE DAWN was an absolute delight to read. The "girl disguised as a boy" trope is one of my favorite tropes of all time and coincidentally, this story definitely had some Mulan vibes that I appreciated. The characters, the plot, and the prose sucked me and I NEVER wanted to leave. Speaking of which, the prose was SO silky smooth. I liked the fact that this debut novel felt like two stories woven into one. It changed the pace and presented new challenges for the characters. I would love to see more from this world. 5/5

All I have to say is WOW. This was a phenomenal book and I couldn't put it down. It's the Mulan meets Project Runway story that I never knew I needed! I will gladly accept book 2 anytime now!

The writing is wonderful and I easily lost myself in the world that Lim created. The settings and descriptions are rich and colorful, a perfect fit for a story about a tailor. The lush, Asian-inspired culture and scenery were enough to make me want to travel to the places of their origins.

I absolutely adored the characters, the love story I didn't really see coming, and the bravery of the female protagonist. She's the powerful character we need to be reading more of!