I am shook. I shouldn't even be here writing a review for this right now. I'm still so fragile after reading this masterpiece. I should sleep on it a couple more nights to quiet my mind so I can come to you with a sound, legible review that's not jumbled and hard to understand.
WELL TOO BAD.

I can't stop thinking about this book. It's consuming me. I WANT THE SECOND ONE.

Alright, alright.
So, first of all, this was marketed as "Mulan meets Project Runway".
Let me just say, that is false.
I get the Mulan aspect. Girl wants to bring honor to her family. Father is in bad shape. She can't legally go for him because she's a woman. She cuts her hair, wears boy clothes, and goes anyway. But that's where the Mulan likeness ends. And I guess I see the Project Runway likeness since it's a ruthless competition to see who the best tailor is but... yea, no. This book is so much more.

For me this was more a cross between the An Ember in the Ashes series and the Winternight series. Which are two of my ALL TIME FAVORITES. It reminded me of the An Ember in the Ashes series in that the characters made sacrifices regardless of what they wanted for themselves. It reminded me of the Winternight trilogy when it came to the characters and the adventures they set off on in order to save their worlds from war. I was super excited and delighted to see some likeness in the plots and the characters. The ending guys... THE ENDING.

I'm getting ahead of myself...

So Maia is incredibly family oriented. Her family means more to her than anything else. In the beginning, she has the perfect family. Her baba, her mama, and her three brothers Finlei, Sendo, and Keton. Her favorie brother, Sendo, tells her stories of the ocean and Maia longs for a life as a well respected tailor working in a shack by the ocean. But when her mother dies and her two older brothers are sent to the war to fight for the emperor, Maia's world falls apart and so do her dreams. Her dream becomes only to provide for what's left of her broken family. Becoming the emperor's imperial tailor? That would definitely bring honor to her family and would DEFINITELY provide for them for the rest of their days. But she faces sabotage and deceit and there's something special about Maia, she just doesn't know it yet.

If you're like me and like a strong female lead, you'll love Maia. She's pretty bold and stubborn in the beginning but the journey she takes hardens her even further. She's driven by that intense love for her family throughout the entire book.

"Seize the wind," I whispered. "Don't become the kite that never flies."


Edan. Edan, Edan, Edan. Trying to give Morozko from The Winternight trilogy a run for his money. Edan is a close second though. Morozko will always hold a special place in my literary heart. But definitely add Edan to the list of my fictional book boyfriends. He is so mysterious and for a long time you have no idea about his intentions... and remember guys, I have a soft spot for the "bad guys". But Edan is so much more than a "bad guy". I loved him a lot.

"Maia," he pressed, "tell me about your brothers."
... I swallowed, trying to picture my brothers... It hurt so much to think of them. "Finlei... Finlei was the leader. The brave one." My voice shook. "Sendo was the dreamer." ... "Keton was the trickster, the funny one... but not so much after he got back from the war."
"And you?"
"The obedient one."
"No," Edan said. "You are the strong one."
The strong one. The one who held the seams of my family together.
I inhaled, hoping that would be enough.


That. Passage. WRECKED ME. When you read it in context, trust me... it's going to wreck you too. If it didn't already just from reading it. I'm still so emotional over this damn book...

The book is told in three parts. In the second part of this story, Maia sets out on an adventure to find the necessary materials to craft three dresses for the emperor's betrothed. This is my favorite part of the book. The places she sees, the people she meets, the trials she takes on. I couldn't put this book down AT ALL. Especially during this part of the book. She takes on the blistering desert, a giant snowy mountain, and a dangerous, deep forest. All of these struggles shape her into the person she becomes and it makes me like her even more. She makes SO MANY sacrifices for the people she loves.

This book was everything I want in a fantasy book. Strong and likable characters, adventure, and the world building. I LOVED the world building. This book also had a good bit of history and culture to it that I adored.
As a kid, I was told the love story of the sun and the moon and it was my absolute favorite story. I couldn't, for the life of me, remember who told it to me or where it came from. THAT STORY IS IN THIS BOOK. A version of it anyway.

I knew the tale. "On the ninth day of the ninth month, the goddess of the moon is reunited with her husband, the god of the sun. Only for this one night each year can they be together. They walk towards each other on a starlit path, a bridge the god of thieves must hold up on his shoulders as punishment for once stealing the stars. When their time has passed, the bridge collapses and the stars bleed into the night, wrought with their pain from being apart."


I did a small bit of research but I was never able to find where it originated. If you know, drop me a comment and enlighten me! It's my absolute favorite and I always just assumed it had something to do with Greek mythology. But I would love to dive further into the meat of the history of this story.

Anyway, this book was rich in all of my favorite things fantasy and if you're a fantasy fan, I highly recommend this one. It was so beautifully written and I'm absolutely in love with this one. It has been added to my "favorites" shelf on Goodreads and I have every intention of reading it again next year before the second book is released. I can't wait to dive into this series. I have a feeling it's going to give me the same feels I got from the Winternight trilogy and I'm sooo ready for it.

This book hit me at a time when I was questioning if I had finally outgrown the young adult age group. Now, I am older than the original audience for young adult novels. However, I recently find that there has been a shift towards older readers (primarily women) in the young adult genre lately. This is a discussion for another post, but basically when I picked this up I was slogging through another young adult book wondering if I should just stick to adult now. And this made me believe that I can still appreciate a young adult novel. Also, this book is thoroughly feels like it is intended for a young adult audience and not for its newer and older audience.

This novel is described as Mulan meets Project Runway. However, I would argue that again the publisher’s have perhaps outdone themselves with that description as it really only works for the first half or so of the novel. The rest of the novel is a journey around this magical realm to gather materials for three dresses fit for goddess. So, don’t expect workroom drama for the whole novel. I can see where they draw the comparisons from, but these types of comparisons make me worried about them building more hype than a book can live up to (which is also a discussion for another post).

Spin the Dawn weaves a magical tale in an Asian-inspired world. I enjoyed learning about its myths, people, culture and magic system. I was left feeling that the author had done a lot of work creating the world, however, upon further deliberation I feel that she could have done even more. Many of the things felt familiar or similar to other Asian-inspired tales. However, the magic system was different from other systems that I have seen before. I still want to learn more about the magic system and the ins and outs of becoming an enchanter. Which will hopefully be fleshed out further in the second book.

I found the two main characters to be likeable enough. Maia has a strong enough story arc and matures over the course of the novel. And she is a very special snowflake. Despite that, there is really only one part of the book where I actively disliked her. My main draw, however, was Edan. He was funny and charming at times. He also had his own arc. His arc, however, did involve the main character and wasn’t completely separate and uniquely for him. It felt a little like a female romantic interest story arc. Separate, but still somehow wrapped up in the main characters story. Now beyond Maia and Edan the other characters are not fully fleshed out, which may not be required, but it would be nice if the author wants the characters to draw the reader in and make them care. I cared about Edan, weirdly enough, but I cared less about Maia. When I try to examine why it is harder to come to a clear conclusion. I think part of it is using her family as a motivation driver for her, which we don’t learn enough about for it to be a driving force for the reader to make it through the novel.

For me this book sets up nicely a world with a lot of potential for a great series. I hope that we explore somethings that help make Maia as sympathetic of a character as Edan. Also, I hope that the cover is as beautiful as this one, which I think will be quite the challenge.

This book was enchanting and beautifully written. A story about the love of family and the lengths you would go to for those you cherish. She also has to hide her abilities since that success is only granted to the male gender. Females are to live in their shadows. The relationship builds over time and there banter is endearing and snarky. A must read!

First off, the cover of this book is absolutely, positively stunning. One of the most beautiful covers I've seen so far this year.

This was such a fun and enchanting book, and I can't wait for everyone to be able to read this book when it comes out. It's definitely made the list of 2019 favorites.

It is touted as being a cross between Mulan (which is one of my favorite Disney movies) and Project Runway, which, I've never seen and episode of in my entire life *GASPS* shocking, I know. but I would definitely agree with the Mulan aspect, to an extent. It also had themes from Aladdin, too. Plus there were Zombies and Demons, and twists and turns.

It's also recommended for fans of Renee Ahdieh, and Sarah J. Maas. I would agree 100% on Renee Ahdieh, but only partially on Sarah J. Maas. It shared some themes, but Sarah's writing has a lot more action happening. This book is a little slower paced, which isn't a bad thing. But just don't go into it, expecting lots of action to be happening all at once.

I'm not particularly familiar with Chinese Mythology as I am with others so I don't know if any of it was based on real myths or if it was all made up, but I was fascinated by it, nonetheless

I was excited to hear that this book was going to have a Gender Bending theme Mulan, Ouran High school Host Club, Hana-Kimi are all some of my favorite books/movies. I don't know why I like the Gender Bending theme, but I do.

I love how determined Maia was, even though she was scared out of her wits at times. She knew she wanted to protect her remaining family, and she'd do whatever it took to make sure that they were taken care of, no matter what it cost her.

I do think that the rivalry between *spoiler redacted* and Maia ended up being kind of...anticlimactic. It was built up throughout the first section of the book, only for it to fizzle out. I was thinking there would be more of a confrontation, but maybe that's something that's going to happen in book 2?

Edan. Oh Edan. He's my Smol Little Bean (I use that word a lot) He is so amazing and beautiful, and absolutely insufferable at times... And I loved him SO much for it. I would compare him to Rhysand (my other favorite Smol Bean) except it's easier to make Edan blush. (which made him even more charming, in my opinion) I loved getting to hear more about his history and what made him tick. I like how enamored he was with Maia from the start, and how hard he had to work to earn her affection.

The end of the book had me all sorts of worked up. The plot twist at the end that I did NOT see coming. I cannot wait to see what's going to happen next.

Thank you so much to the publisher and Net Galley for allowing me to read an ARC of this title.

As per the Publisher's Approval Preferences, this review will go live on 6-25-19, which is 2 weeks before the release date.

After it has gone live the review can be found through the following links:

https://randomlykait.blogspot.com/

https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3001617-kaitlynne?order=d&sort=review&view=reviews

And I'll also have something posted on my Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/randomlykait/

This was a magical, enthralling read about an Asian-inspired world touched at with magic at the edges. And while the beginning threw me a little since things seemed to move far faster than I expected, the 2nd half of the book more than made up for the unexpected beginning. This is such a captivating story that reads like an old myth but still fits perfectly into the modern world. Maia and Edan were lovely together, their relationship blossoming at just the right speed and tension. I loved how the world was developed, magic slowly seeping into the story until the end when you cannot help but believe that magic is real in the world . . . just like Maia learned to accept. And that ending!! Oh, my heart! I'm beyond ready for the sequel now!!!!

"I received a copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review. Opinions expressed are my own."

In order to help her family and achieve her dream of becoming the Imperial Tailor, Maia Tamarin disguises herself as a boy and journeys to the capital to compete for the honor of designing the wardrobe of the future Empress. Embarking on a journey to gather the laughter of the sun, the tears of the moon, and the blood of the stars, to make them into three dresses in order to please the future Empress and to win the title of Imperial Tailor Maia learns much about herself and draws the attention of the Lord Enchanter.

I will try to be coherent in this, but Oh Man. This book was amazing. The description of being Project Runway meets Mulan does not do it justice. I knew from chapter one that I was going to love it. This book was so good, Maia developed so much over the course of the book. She grew more strong and she wanted different things for herself and for her kingdom.

Honestly, the reason I am so incoherent and loved it so much was the romance. Oh, I shipped it so hard. It was my favorite kind, she hates him but he almost immediately loves her and tries to make her fall in love with him and of course she did.

The story had so many turns that I didn't expect and that ending. I can't wait for the sequel. This is one of those books that I feel like I normally wouldn't have picked up had I not gotten the arc of it and that is sad because I think it will make to my top ten list at the end of the year. I kind of want the pre-order it just to have a physical copy on my shelf.

*Thank you to NetGalley for letting me receive an ebook in exchange for an honest review.*

This was one of my most anticipated books of 2019 and I can’t help but feel a little disappointed.

The entire premise of a young girl embarking on a quest to sew three magical dresses just so she can restore honor to her family really intrigued me. Especially because of the similarities between this and Mulan. I loved the magical aspect of the story and I kept wanting to see more and more of it. The worldbuilding started to pick up more towards the end which I enjoyed and maybe in the sequel, there will be much more of it.

My least favorite part was probably the romance, mainly because it was a bigger part of the story than I thought it would be. The romance wasn’t bad, it was just not for me. It wasn’t an insta-love, but I still felt that the characters did not have enough time to get to know one another before they got together. It did not feel genuine to me and I wished it had been more of a slow burn than it was. More importantly, I felt it took away from the main story and that was what had me so interested in this book in the first place.

Overall, I did enjoy this story, I just wish that the romance and characters were a little more fleshed out so that I could care about the story more and the characters.

3.25-3.5/5

This book was absolutely amazing, I seriously cannot get over how great it was. I dived in when I saw Mulan inspired and oh my gosh did this absolutely meet my expectations and go beyond!!! This book is going to be HUGE!!!

Spin the Dawn is being marketed as a Mulan x Project Runway story and it absolutely is — for the first half, at least. The second half is a classic quest story (as implied in the synopsis).

I loved the cultural references, the Chinese-based fantasy world and the descriptions of the clothing! This book would be SO beautiful in graphic novel form or as an illustrated edition. I wanted to see, touch, and wear every single beautiful piece Maia creates in the story.

The magic is intriguing too! Definitely more of the enchanting, mysterious type of magic (rather than a system with rules).

I do think Spin the Dawn was written for the true YA demographic — and probably those on the younger side of the YA age range. As an adult in her early thirties, I kept thinking that younger me would have loved this book. Which truly isn’t meant as a negative comment - more as a way to set readers’ expectations, going in. I think it’s just different from a lot of the popular YA new releases I’ve read recently, many of which fit more in the “YA with adult crossover appeal” category.

Spin the Dawn reads like a classic fairytale — the kind passed down from generation to generation. It also reminded me a bit of Jessica Day George’s fairytale retellings and I think fans of Jessica Day George and anyone looking for an interesting Chinese-based YA fantasy will love Spin the Dawn.

Advanced copy provided by Knopf Teen via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I've been heavily anticipating Spin the Dawn, and I was so, so excited when I was approved for an ARC! I mean, look at that cover and tell me you wouldn't be excited to read this book. I can definitely tell you that the gorgeous cover accurately captures how great this book was. Spin the Dawn is a tale of love, of magic, and of defying expectations.

The prose is exquisite; I loved every moment of it. This is the first book of Lim's that I've read, and I need to read more of hers because her writing is just so lovely. I was definitely pulled in just by the prologue alone. The plot was a bit more scattered than I would have liked because it was about three different plot lines in one book, but all of them were equally thrilling and exciting.

The world building was cool, although I think it could have been fleshed out a little bit more, especially considering that this is supposed to be inspired by the Silk Road. I loved the detail of the religion though; Maia and Edan embark on a quest to find the sun, the moon, and the stars to make the magical dresses of Amana. You all know that I love a good sun/moon/stars thread (pun intended!), and this was no exception.

I love Maia so much! Following her on her multiple journeys is exciting, and I can't wait to return to her story in the next book. I liked Edan as well, because we all know I'm a sucker for the trickster and/or seemingly arrogant and annoying love interest. I will say that I wasn't too into the romance, just because I'm never that into the mortal and immortal/incredibly old ship. The banter was so good though!

As you can tell from the summary, this is partially a retelling of Mulan. There's definitely something to be said about having yet another YA novel where the female protagonist has to dress up as a boy without giving any thought to trans and nonbinary people. However, I am a cis female, so I don't really feel comfortable criticizing this in detail; I would love to boost reviews by trans and nonbinary people on this.

Also, the book felt very narrow-minded to me in the fact that the book very much implied that gay relationships are wrong or, at the very least, glossed over them, almost like they don't exist. I say this because everyone thinks Maia is a boy, so she talks about how she and Edan can't be together when they return to court. It didn't seem like a "guys can't be into each other" way, more of a "it's completely unheard of," although the soon-to-be empress makes jokes Edan being into the little tailor boy (Maia). So yeah, this seemed to be a constant, underlying aspect of the book that, combined with what I discussed before, lessened the impact of the book to me.

I did think the depiction of women's roles in this world was accurate. The future empress and Maia are both prime examples of forced subservience in a patriarchal society, and it is so easy to relate to their frustrations. However, for this to be the only bit of injustice in the book seems to provide even more injustice in that it ignores any semblance of intersectionality.

Overall, though, I enjoyed Spin the Dawn. It's an enticing tale that depicts the intensity of love and magic. The romance is passionate, and the writing exquisite. I can't wait for the next book!

**This review will be up on my blog on May 26.**

I received this wonderful ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an awesome and honest review.

If the movies Mulan and Aladdin had a baby, this book would be it. Also, spoilers might be below. Read at your own risk bitches.

THANK GOODNESS I GREW UP ON DISNEY GUYS! Huge shout out to my parental units for raising me and my much older siblings (I joke.. 4-5 years isn't a big thing right?) on Disney movies. You are the real MVP's.

Spin the Dawn definitely gave me some Disney vibes. Again, it was a Mulan retelling.. but with some Aladdin thrown in. After meeting certain characters and watching them journey throughout this book and their trials, I was surprised when I reached the last page. A bit sad because it was over and I don't have the next book but mostly because I need to know what the hell is going to happen to Maia and Edan.

Maia, basically Mulan, pretends to be her brother. No, she's not going off to war to bring her family honor. Nope, she's going to so a sewing competition.. to ya know, bring her family honor. Of course there's some drama along the way and a hint of a romance. Enter Edan, who is basically the Genie. At some points, I was feeling them and things felt a bit rushed. Especially with the whole "I love you's" coming out of left field - it felt like a hallmark version of these Disney movies.

Besides all of that, I loved the addition of demons, ghosts, and a loveless marriage. I felt bad for the two in question but I can totally see these two acting the way they did (and now I'm not talking about the MC's). Other than all of that, I have so many questions about how things ended and I seriously need the next book. I hope/pray that I will be getting the answers that I want but will totally be okay with whatever I get.

Low-key loved this book.

I read the blurb about this book but got much more out of it than I expected. This is a lovely, enchanting book that is a YA Fantasy and I highly recommend it. I will look for the physical copy as well.

#SpinTheDawn #NetGalley

I loved this book! I will be recommending it to all my young adult readers! Thank you for this opportunity to connect books to their readers.

I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The world building and the character development and the plot and the description of the setting were all so amazingly well done. The author weaves (see what I did there?) an amazing story using evocative and vivid language to describe everything.

The characters were so well written and fleshed out. The book makes you care for the characters and their hopes and dreams. I found myself really rooting for the characters.

The atmosphere that the author has built in the book keeps you on the edge of your seat, eagerly flipping through the pages in anticipation. The plot of the story was suspenseful and intense.

I will be on the lookout for more from this author!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Spin the Dawn is a gorgeous, shimmering as light reflects and refracts, but also scorching itself in your eye as you walk away. Maia's love for her family comes across so strongly, her motivation to honor her family despite all the obstacles. Spin the Dawn is a story about legends, magical gifts, mythical quests, and the power of love to move mountains and inspire dreams. It is a story about grief, vengeance, responsibility, and sacrifice. Throughout Maia asks herself what the purpose of magic is - does it make us dishonorable, in trouble with the gods, question who we are? Spin the Dawn is a story of Maia's discovery, her quest for the impossible, and her attempt to keep a grip on her dreams. Full of magical chemistry, Spin the Dawn is a story about re-thinking our assumptions and figuring out what it is truly important.

Spin the Dawn
(The Blood of Stars #1)
by Elizabeth Lim
Published by Alfred A. Knopf Books
Release date July 9, 2019
Pages: 416

Ya Fantasy

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

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This book was received as an ARC from NetGalley,in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own

This story follows Maia Tamarin, a girl with aspirations to be a tailor, but because she was born female all she can hope for is to make a good match in marriage. However, when her father, a renowned tailor in his own right is summoned by the royal court, Maia decides to pose as a boy to save her father from becoming even more ill on the journey. Aware that the penalty of death is imposed for her actions, she’s determined to overcome the hardships to become the best tailor. Except she’s one of twelve tailors eyeing the coveted position. Despite her skills, she becomes caught up in the schemes of saboteur tailors and is saved by the royal court magician Edan, who has seen through her disguise; his motives unclear. Her final challenge is the most difficult: crafting three dresses for the king’s bride-to-be using the laughter of the sun, the tears of the moon, and the blood of the stars. Her journey will set her on a path that she never imagined,

Maia Tamarin, has aspirations to be a tailor, in world where women are subservient. Born the only girl in a family of three older brothers, with a Father as Tailor. She sacrifices everything to protect her family. In a turn of events she seizes the opportunity for a one in life time chance to become a Court Tailor. Maia decides to pose as a boy and Travel to court In disguise as her brother .while there she must avoid court intrigue and schemes of saboteur tailors .She must face her final challenge crafting three dresses for the king’s bride-to-be using the laughter of the sun, the tears of the moon, and the blood of the stars.

Her journey will set her on a path that she never imagined..


This is one of those books that you just have to read to know what feeling I’m getting at. It sucks you in and keeps you hungry for more until you reach the mind-blowing ending. It’s a unique and unforgettable magical storyline. Masterfully created spellbinding world. I devoured this one as fast as I could and was completely drawn into the lives of these characters.  I turned those pages as fast as I could and then slowly took in this beautifully written page turner.
What I especially liked is Elizabeth Lim imaginative writing style. I feel in love with the overall premise of the novel, and the quick pace it kept me engaged.

I highly recommend this book and look forward to reading more books by this author

I wasn't sure what to expect, but I enjoyed reading this. An interesting story with fun characters. Well written.

This book honestly blew me away. So far this is my favorite book of the year. Truthfully I wasn't very excited about this book but I requested it from Netgalley because I kept seeing it and I got curious.
However, Spin The Dawn was a book that I truly couldn't stop thinking about. It is beautifully woven and really draws you in.
It begins with Maia telling the story of her family, which I really enjoyed. It was a brief, but heartbreaking story that really sucked me in to her life and her hopes and dreams. Then her father gets summoned to be a tailor for the Emperor, but he has become old and a bit of a drunk since his wife died, and her brother has no skill as a tailor. As a woman though, she is not allowed to go on her own merits, despite being the only one with skill. So she has to pretend to be her brother to go and fulfill this calling from the emperor.
-- Just to side track for a moment, I will say that I thought the issue of women not being able to do the same things as men, was handled so well in this book. It is a horrible thing to be thought of as less or I imagine, being sold off in a marriage despite being promised otherwise. Just something about how nicely it was acknowledged and continually brought up really resonated with me. --

One of my favorite parts of this book was actually the Tailoring competition at the beginning. Maia, disguised as her brother Kenton, has to survive each challenge to be in the running to serve as the Emperors Tailor and save her family from poverty. The atmosphere in this part of the book, which takes up about the first half, is great. Suspenseful, informative, intense, and charming. You meet Edan, The Lord Enchanter, here. I truly loved his character. It was so interesting to see him develop and form a relationship with Maia.

I could go on and on with this one. The main characters were so well built and fleshed out, and so was the world. If felt big and was very much what I wanted from a book that consisted of so much traveling. The magic was well blended and works really nicely in the world that it is created in.

Definitely put this one on your list to look out for. I know I will be pre ordering it (there are also some great characters cards available for the pre-order campaign) and I hope you will check it out too.
Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read this wonderful book.

It has been quite a while since a book kept me up reading way past my bedtime. This was one of those, where the lyrical language describing seemingly endless impossible challenges kept me riveted and obsessed with seeing how Maia would react.
This is a classic fairy tale telling in the sense that a young woman sets out to save her family and achieve her dreams, encounters magic and hardship, and learns much about the world and herself. It is wholly original in its setting and details, though, pulling elements from other tales such as the dresses made of sun, moon, and stars. That was a large feature in one of my favorite fairy tales – the three miraculous dresses – but I somehow never considered the difficulties that would go into making them.
Maia employs one of my favorite tropes of girl-disguised-as-boy to enter the palace and compete to become the emperor’s tailor. She is assisted in the competition by a set of magic scissors. All of Maia’s challenges are of an impossible nature, but she employs magic sparingly, facing each challenge with a determination and strength that makes her fiercely admirable.
I’ve become obsessed with magic-and-sewing narratives since I fell in love with VALIANT by Sarah McGuire, a standalone retelling of The Brave Little Tailor features a girl-disguised-as-boy who must defeat the giants and save the city. Another book I hope to read next featuring magic and sewing is TORN, first book in The Unraveled Kingdom series by Rowenna Miller.
The setting of SPIN THE DAWN is a mythical world with east-Asian features spanning coastal towns, big cities, and expansive deserts, featuring a wide range of diverse characters. This is a beautiful world, though the realities of the ravages of war are addressed repeatedly. Maia has experienced the personal losses that come with war and, like the country, is struggling to recover. Though things are described realistically, the particularly horrifying details omitted make this book suitable for younger teens, though the romance involves some mature content. For a more detailed but brutal depiction of magic and violence, THE POPPY WAR by R. F. Kuang is the first book in a series describing a magic east-Asian war that is highly recommended for mature audiences.
This book is highly recommended for lovers of fairy tale retellings and original tales, east-Asian mythology, female adventurers, and beautiful descriptions of magical worlds. I look forward to the sequel.

Spin the Dawn is beautiful. From the cover to the words to the character and plot, I can only describe it all as beautiful.