4/5 stars

I need the next book NOW! Please tell me there's more!? I can't just have it end there!

My precious Maia... May Amanna bring you happiness! Ahhhh I loved this!

Also, can we just talk about how the synopsis is literally Mulan meets Project Runway? Because I love both of those and this is seriously it chief. The combonation I never knew I needed.

So anyways, Maia is the youngest in the family, who happens to be the best tailor. Unfortunately, in her land women are not allowed to become tailors. After the passing of her mother and her older brothers being sent to fight in the war, she must tailor in secret to keep food on the table. One day, the emperor sends to seek out a male member of her family to be a potential royal tailor, a dream of Maia's since she was a child. With her father ill and her last survivng elder brother unable to walk, she must disguise herself as a man in order to save what little she has left.

This was such a great book, and I seriously recommend it. There aren't enough Asian Fantasies out there, but this one has been on my radar for months now. After reading this, I seriously just fell in love with Maia, her love for her family, and her strength. She goes through a lot of pain in order to try and save her family, and she honestly deserves all my love and affection. I just want her to be happy ok!?

But yeah seriously. Book 2 please. I'm begging.

Thank you to the publisher for giving me an ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

I do not think the tag of "Project Runway meets Mulan" is fitting or gives this story justice at all. Neither is really true, and both kind of diminish the story here. The only ties to this are that Maia poses as a son to save her father and that there is a sewing competition. The Mulan tie is much closer, but that's it.

Maia's father is one of the best tailors in the land, but pretty much gives up on life when his wife dies, and then his sons in the war. Maia steps up and takes over for him, but women are not allowed to be tailors, so she has to pretend that her work is her father's. When a messenger from the Emperor comes and tells them that the Emperor's tailor has died and her father is required to go to the castle for the competition to replace him, Maia takes his place. There she takes on the identity of one of her brothers and acts in her father's place.

The competition is full of backstabbing and magic, but Maia is determined to win.

Elizabeth Lim's SPIN THE DAWN is a lush, exciting fantasy debut, perfectly straddling the line between fresh originality and a classic feel. Each of the novel's three distinct acts is rich and compelling, filled with pitch-perfect details about Maia's skill with tailoring and just the right amount of needle-sharp romantic banter. This is the perfect read for fans of Shannon Hale, Roshani Chokshi, or Renee Adieh!

I, uh, really did not like this book. At all.

I found the plot to be very cliché -- don't get me started on the competition -- and I did not like a single character. The romance was forced and awkward and, again, cliché. The writing was nothing special.

I also had a really hard time visualizing the setting, like I could describe parts of the palace to you, and about a hundred different things that Maia sewed, but the culture and Chinese aspects were so far from focus that I actually had to look up where the world was inspired by because I was so confused.

I enjoyed the first half of the book more than the first, but then the long journey was more boring than Alina's oft-complained-of journey in Shadow and Bone. I didn't feel that Maia was even that important to the story--the person journeying with her did most the hard work and made all the decisions and had all the knowledge on how to complete the task. I just...was so bored. And there was basically nothing redeeming about it.

This book is full of vibrantly beautiful writing, Chinese-based mythology, and a strong, hard-working protagonist.

Things I liked:
⭐️The writing itself is so beautiful and vivid, it made the world so clear to me while reading.
⭐️I loved seeing Maia’s relationships with her family and home.
⭐️ As a lover of mythology, I was not at all disappointed by myths told in this story.
⭐️It’s so refreshing to see a YA fantasy protagonist who’s good at something besides fighting, and is instead good at something that is classically feminine (in our world, in Maia’s it’s definitely not!)
⭐️The court intrigue, I only wish there was more of it.
⭐️The cover is absolutely stunning!

Things I didn’t like:
▪️The journey portion wasn’t my favorite, I liked the quests themselves , but the rest fell a bit flat. I think I would have like it better if more characters had been included.
▪️The plot is a bit formulaic at times, it would’ve been nice if the plots could’ve flowed together a bit better.
▪️The romance isn’t done in a way that I loved, it’s a bit rushed and over the top.

Overall a good debut, but there were a few issues here and there for me. Great for fans of Howl’s Moving Castle.

I wasn't sure what to expect going into this book but I knew it was good as soon as I got hooked literally 10 pages in. I've read many Mulan-like retellings which took FOREVER to get to the actually interesting parts, but this book jumps right into the exciting storyline and the plot only quickens. I think that describing this as "project runway meets Mulan" is a serious underselling and I want to have a little chat with whoever came up with that. I see why they'd say project runway because she IS a tailor but... are we really comparing this amazing fantasy and plot to a show that shows people making dresses out of gum wrappers? Anyways. This book actually focused on two tropes usually written separately: the royal competition and long, exciting adventure. They weirdly work well together and while I wish we'd spent more time during the competition I enjoyed the adventure parts a lot as well.

I thought the main character, Maia, was clever, determined, witty and honestly so entertaining to read from. She felt very genuine and it was kind of refreshing to see a badass female character that isn't entirely mean and murder-y. Sometimes it was a bit frustrating to see her not notice little details or avoid confrontation to further the plot but I'll let it slide. And ugh, I thought the romance was so cute. I was mad enough about the ending that I wanted to reduce my rating by half a star because while it left me very intrigued to read the next book it also made me think: "How could this work out the way I so desperately want it to?" The worst question ever.

The writing was honestly gorgeous and so easy to sink into. This book is 400 pages long and I read it in like 2 days because it was so easy to get lost in. It's been a while since I've been dying to sit down and read a specific book and nothing else but this book made me feel that again. The plot was very well done because it managed to balance two pretty big tropes and not feel too choppy and unnatural. Everything started super fast-paced and exciting and I felt that way almost all the way through the book except for a few parts where things slowed down a bit, unfortunately. Overall, I'd TOTALLY recommend this book to anyone especially because it surprised me so much. Honestly, it's just so good and exciting to read, PICK IT UP!!!

Project Runway is nothing something I had ever heard associated with a YA fantasy book before so of course I had to check it out. There was so much good about this book. From the setting's Asian inspiration which is something much needed in YA to the love story that for once didn't revolve around the girl being treated badly and manipulated by the man. In this one they were equals. Maia the main character is talented, brave, intelligent, and wonderfully flawed.

While I did enjoy the book, as it was a quick light read it was unfortunately a little young for me. There were moments where the main characters choices grated at me merely because of the differences in our maturity levels. But over all I'd recommend this story.

Thank you to Random House Children's and NetGalley for a digital ARC copy of this book!

WOW. This book was given 5 stars and deserves it 100%. I could tell from the first chapter that I was in for something unique and I was not disappointed. Maia is a strong character that readers will love and relate to. Edan is also captivating. Both of these characters are complex and compelling and certainly add to the perfectness of the book. The details about EVERYTHING in this book are absolutely wonderful. I felt like I was in the book itself watching the story as it went along. I loved the folklore tale of Amana's dresses and I felt like this tale brought magic to the book. I also very much enjoyed the adventure part of the story, although I wish it had lasted longer. The romance was also a nice touch. It wasn't an annoying romance like you might find in some young adult books but was subtle and added to the story. Edan also represents how someone should treat their lover and I appreciated that. I honestly can't come up with any flaws in this book! It captivated me from page one and left me amazed at the end. I cannot wait to see what the next book brings!

Project Runway meets Mulan.. umm yes please! That little blurb alone had me wanting to read this book. Though this book was nothing like what I expected, it was so much more. It’s deeply woven in a folklore way that grabs your attention and the magic, culture, and mythology are so woven beautifully that you’ll fall in love as well!

I’m not gonna lie, I jammed that “Add to TBR” button the second I saw this cover. And then I read “Project Runway meets Mulan” and I turned into the physical embodiment of the I Have a Mighty Need meme.

So, does this live up to the hype? For me, hell yeah.

This is a sweeping, romantic saga steeped in mystery and lore that went a long way toward rekindling my love for the young adult fantasy genre.

The world building in this Chinese-inspired land was phenomenal. The Project Runway portion of the story is mostly constrained to the grounds of the Emperor’s palace, and it’s filled with court intrigue set against the backdrop of a vibrant city bursting with life. The second half of the book is no less exciting. Because it turns into more of a quest-driven adventure romp full of danger and high thrills out on the open road.

Maia is everything I look for in a heroine. She’s driven, intelligent, talented, brave, and loyal. The love interest, Edan, was just as strong for me. There’s none of that pushy, borderline abusive bullshittery here. Their relationship is rock solid. Edan, while teasing and mischievous by nature, is always there for Maia. From the moment they meet, he lifts her up and supports her. He believes in her. And she, in turn, is there for him. This is what a healthy relationship looks like.

More of this in YA, please.

This book is also super sex positive. I’m not going to go into detail here, because the publication date is a long way off and spoilers. Let’s just say that progressive, feminist themes pervade these pages without ever feeling preachy.

I also adored all of the shades of gray that Lim added to her villains. One-dimensional bad guys are not my thing, so I always appreciate when we’re given insight into their characters. Lim excels at that. She reveals just enough of their motives and driving emotions that you think that maybe, possibly, there’s hope for redemption. Which makes it all the more painful when they do terrible things.

Throughout this book, I kept vacillating between empathy for one of the villains, and abject hatred. Bravo.

The last thing you need to know before going into this is that it is definitely a romance. While the blurb only mentions Edan, their relationship is one of the central pieces of this story, and it dominates the second half.

Also, these characters are fallible. While Maia is intelligent, she’s still a teenager, and she exhibits some behavior that a lot of curmudgeonly adult readers like myself might find borderline TSTL later on in the book, which is what kept this rating closer to a 3.5 than a 4 star read for me.

But honestly, the setting and the story more than made up for it, which is why I bumped this up to four.

If you love yourself a romantic fantasy, add this one to your TBR right the hell now.

I wasn't sure exactly what to expect with this book, but when I saw it described as a Project Runway Fantasy novel I knew I had to give it a go! The book delivered exactly what it promised, with a dose of Mulan thrown in! I really enjoyed this world of enchanters and strong, independent, driven women. This book was divided into three distinct parts. The last two I would absolutely give 5 stars, because for me, this is where the adventure truly began to grip me. The first part was intriguing and inspiring and I loved watching Maia take on a world dominated by men. This is where the Project Runway references truly came to life- for it absolutely was like watching a highly intriguing episode of one of my favorite shows! However, when the epic adventure came to light in the second part of the book?! Wow! That is where Lim began to "weave" her magic! I loved watching Maia and Edan hunt for the impossible and find the improbable. I very much enjoyed this adventure, and I cannot wait to find out what happens next!

*** A huge thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. ***

Do you like determined female characters who want to show the world their worth? What about tailoring competitions involving magic and backstabbing? What about fantasy worldbuilding inspired by Chinese culture? What about healthy and supportive romance where both characters help each other grow into better people?

If you answered yes to the above questions, then you just might love Spin the Dawn.

Maia Tamarin knows that she is an incredible tailor, but as a girl, the best she can hope for is a good marriage. When the opportunity comes, though, she disguises herself as a boy and competes against other skilled tailors to work in the emperor’s court. In order to survive in a complex game of politics and magic, she must team up with a magician and stretch her skills further than ever before.

This book is described as Project Runway meets Mulan, and while that’s true to an extent, don’t go in expecting that to be the only storyline. There’s a lot more going on – court intrigue, epic journeys, magic and shapeshifting, demons, ancient legends, and lots and lots of sewing.

Maia, our main character, is a girl who wants to prove herself even though the world she lives in doesn’t provide her opportunities. I liked her character – she isn’t a warrior and she doesn’t fight off enemies singlehandedly, but she knows her own strengths and makes her own place in the world.

The story ended up being more romance-focused than I expected, but I actually didn’t mind that at all! I liked both of the characters involved, and seeing their relationship grow softly, little by little, was very sweet. The romance doesn’t distract from the main story; it becomes a part of it naturally and helps to show both of the characters’ development.

The worldbuilding is based on Chinese culture and gives off a sense of deeply-rooted history and complexity that we don’t even touch on completely in this book. It’s clear that Elizabeth Lim has mapped this world out fully and will dive even deeper into it in the rest of the series.

(Speaking of which – I’m upset that I have to wait SO LONG for the next book now. Why did I read this so early???)

My biggest complaint: sometimes conflicts are resolved too quickly, without giving them adequate buildup or significance. A problem is introduced, and then within a chapter or two it might be solved. Of course, there were overarching conflicts that lasted the whole book, but some of the smaller ones lose their weight because they end so quickly, taking away some of the story’s tension.

Even so, I was lost in this world while I was reading it. The writing pulls the reader fully into a scene; I felt like I was beside Maia through her whole adventure. It was one of those worlds that I was happy to visit for a while.

This might not be the fastest paced fantasy book, but with its strong characters and beautiful writing, I definitely recommend it. If you’re interested in a romance-centric adventure with plenty of sewing (seriously, it almost made me want to pick up a needle and thread), you should go read this when it comes out in July!

*ARC PROVIDED BY NETGALLEY IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW.*

I suppose the elevator pitch for this book is that it is a YA Chinese inspired fantasy that is a unique combination of Mulan meets Project Runway. And you 100% do get that. However, I would advise you that if that is the only reason you're interested, amend your expectations. I would say the Project Runway aspect is only really apparent in about a third of the book. Throughout the book we have political intrigue, secrets, and a magically treacherous journey.

I thought the writing was fantastic. Very pretty and descriptive. The biggest issue I had with the writing were the intro chapters that went along the lines of "This occurred, and then this happens, and then this happened, and now we are here in the story." But if that doesn't bother you too much, you'll see that the story flows fairly well after the first few chapters. It's very easy to pick up this book and suddenly realize you lost hours of your day.

There is a romance in this book and I didn't mind it. It was cute and didn't suck up the majority of the story. And I can't lie, the love interest stole my heart.

Yes, I shed a few tears too.

I think Lim gave just enough to satisfy readers of the first book in the series but it feels like there's just so much more that we don't know apart from the obvious "what's next?!" I still feel like I don't have a great grasp on a lot of the characters, not a fault from Lim because everyone is so darn secretive. It simply feels like the author has so much more to tell and I'm 100% ready to get my hands on the next installment in the series.

Something that should be mentioned, though I won't give my uninformed opinion on is the possibility of ableism. I haven't fully comprehended ableism in literature and the ways it discourages a disabled reader but in this book we do see a disabled person being cured by magic as opposed to going through a physical therapy regimen. I feel like it's something that should be mentioned. Again, I'm not well versed in the topic so I suggest checking out own voices reviews. (I think I heard rumors that this would be changed but this is based on the ARC that I got.)

Thank you so much to the publishers for giving me an opportunity to read and review this ARC. It was a pleasure especially since Spin The Dawn was my first review.

I loved this book so much and I can't wait for you to read it when it's published in July!

In Spin the dawn, we follow Maia, a young girl who is very talented with a needle and thread. Even though only boys and men can become a "Master" of the art, her "Baba" (father) has taught her a few things and she was able to help her family when they needed it the most.

One day, an Eunuch comes to her dad's shop. The Emperor is looking for his new Imperial Tailor. Unfortunately, her dad is in no condition to travel and do the work and Kento (her brother) doesn't know how to sew. Maia knows then what she has to do : pretend to be her injured brother.

It starts this way but this book is so much more than what I just described! So many things happen and I don't want to spoil anything so I'll keep it at that. I think going into this book without knowing everything is the best way to go.

Overall, I enjoyed the author's writing! I cried at the beginning and at the end. I was hooked easily from the start and I will be waiting to get my hands on the sequel of this series. I really didn't expect one of the things that happened at the end and I'm really curious to see where the story is going!

(Thank you to the author and publisher for letting me read and review an ARC via Netgalley)

Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim is like my fantasy novel wish list come true. Magic and fashion mixing with action that can only be found in high fantasy, crushing the patriarchy and falling in love and the same time!

Elizabeth Lim is a master at worldbuilding, Spin the Dawn is a book that cannot be missed!

When I saw this book described as Mulan meets Project Runway, I was understandably disbelieving, but that is literally exactly the plot of the first half of Spin the Dawn. Our heroine, Maia, dresses herself up as a man and takes her fathers place as he is summoned to the palace to serve as the Emporer's imperial tailor (this opening premise is just unmistakenly Mulan-esque). However, when she gets there, she discovers that 11 other tailors have also been invited to compete for the title, and so we settle in for the first half of the book: the competition (this is the Project Runway of it all). To be honest, I preferred the second half for a variety of reasons but one of which was because I, personally, have become a bit tired of books that revolve around competitions/tournaments. It's just a trope I've read a lot recently and think is becoming a bit overplayed.

However, delightfully, the book continues into the second half, when Maia is tasked with creating three mythical dresses and sets out to find the magical ingredients she needs to create them. This is another staple plot: the Quest. However, the quest provides the author with more freedom to explore their world, which I really enjoyed in this book. Like Mulan, Maia struggles with impersonating a man and the book repeatedly drives home the message that, as a woman, society would never have let her get as far as she has.

I've been really into books that feel like fairytales lately, and Spin the Dawn is a perfect example of that. It's fun, the characters are lovable, it isn't trying to be anything it isn't. I really, really enjoyed Spin the Dawn and I wholeheartedly recommend it to all my fellow lovers of YA fantasy and fairytales.

"My whole life, I'd been told what I couldn't do because I was a girl."

Young Maia Tamerin wishes to be the best tailor in all of the land. Unfortunately, girls were not allowed to become Masters of their trade. When a messenger from the Emperor comes to extend an invitation for Maia's father or brother to enter a competition to become the imperial tailor, Maia poses as her brother to prove that a girl could become the best at her craft.

"This is where it would begin. Where I would restore honor to my family name. Where I would prove that girl could be the best tailor in A'landi.

Maia embarks on a beautiful journey that I was not expecting to love as much as I did. Spin the Dawn is pitched as Mulan meets Project Runway, but it is so much more than that. I thoroughly enjoyed the journey that Maia takes. I was not prepared for the love story that unfolds throughout this tale. I went into this novel thinking that it was to be a stand-alone. I am so excited that there will be a sequel and I cannot wait to continue Maia's adventures.

Spin the Dawn is a lush, vivid fantasy novel that follows the story of Maia, a tailor. Maia pretends to be her brother so that she may compete to be the royal tailor, hence the Mulan meets Project runway comparison. The premise of this book is so original, I couldn't wait to read. The mythology of the world in Spin the Dawn is one of the most interesting, well-thought-out parts of the story, and I'm looking forward to seeing how it develops in the sequel. The only thing that didn't vibe with me was the amount of exposition -- at times, it kept me from being fully immersed in the story and kept me from feeling close with the characters. Overall, Spin the Dawn was an enjoyable read, and I'll definitely be recommending it to my customers.

Favorite read of the year so far. I can not wait for this book to release, I will be pre-ordering it ASAP. I dread the long wait for the next book to release! I will be recommending this book to everybody. This may be my favorite young adult book I’ve read.

I absolutely loved this book. Wow! The "Mulan meets Project Runway" tagline does not do this justice. It's a story about a girl who takes her father's place at the imperial palace to join a competition to find the next tailor for the Emperor. But it's also sooo much more than that. That part of the story takes up about one third of the book. The adventure and romance that follows left me devouring each page. Maia and Edan are adorable and I love them both so much. I cannot wait until the next book!!

I received an advance copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalleyfor letting me review this title!