An absolutely gorgeous story. I was enthralled by the cover, and the story lived up to it. I love this, it felt unique and intriguing. The romance felt perfect. Just for me, I wish it didn't end on a cliffhanger!! Haha. But really, a delightful read. I can't wait for book 2!

I received an ARC from the publisher for an honest review.

Does my black heart deceive me? or did I just thoroughly enjoy a YA "basically retelling of Mulan"?

We are immediately introduced to Maia, a young girl living a calm life with her father and three brothers. Unfortunately war begins and each of her brothers leave to fight but only one returns very critically injured. We are then given information that the Emperor has passed away and when he calls on Maia's father who can't arrive steadfast, Maia dresses as one of her brothers and goes in his place.

All of the characters are super well done, actually... their decisions all make total sense (even the ones you hate to see happen). I liked how Maia's character has a ton of depth and is fighting a lot of inner battles, too. The pages are pretty much packed with his wise insights on life.

Elizabeth Lim also makes some amazing statements on the different kinds of strength of women. I've been getting tired of books that try to create strong female characters by showing how they don't need a man etc because that is STILL defining women through men... it's just by a guy's absence in that case. I wanted to hug this book for allowing the women to be complete characters in their own right without fitting any one particular image of strength.

You know a story's good when you don't want it to end and are still thinking about the characters later. It did kind of lose my attention a bit in the first half, but the last half just kept getting better and better! Honestly, the plot was really well paced. And I absolutely loved the setting, too – it's an amazingly detailed, gorgeous environment with hints of magic. There are political schemes, realistic social issues, and some seriously hilarious moments.

Overall, I highly recommend for anyone loving rich and beautifully written fantasy with strong female character.

I received an E-ARC of this book from NetGalley. This book will be published July 30, 2019.

When I first heard about this book I was so excited. I loved the concept and I was so excited to see the magic that is in Spin the Dawn. The main character was amazingly written. She had been through so much and was so strong throughout it all. She had to step up and be the responsible one and take on the jobs that her family couldn't do. It was so great to read about such a strong character who values family above anything else. Edan is also a character that I absolutely loved. You get to see him grow and open up throughout the novel and it was fantastic. The plot of this book was amazing. It was very engaging and fun. The magic that was in this world was very unique when it came to Maia using it. I loved everything about this book and I highly recommend it. I give this book a 5 out of 5 stars.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Listen I'm going to be 100% honest, this cover is what drew me into this story. I saw it the day of its reveal all over Twitter and it was just so gorgeous I immediately had to find out more. When I read "Project Runway meets Mulan" I was hooked. I'm not a religious Project Runway follower but I'll watch it if it's on and I always love seeing the amazing pieces of clothing the contestants turn out. I've loved Mulan since little 5-year-old me first saw her in the theater, I will always read a title comped to Mulan. I loved Maia, she was an amazing character. Her inner strength throughout this book was just really incredible to read, I loved her journey. There are some amazing moments where she saves the day in super creative ways and I don't want to spoil it but it blew my mind. Lady Sarnai is my second favorite character after Maia. We don't learn nearly enough about her in this book but I loved every scene she was in. I'm a little iffier on Edan. There were some moments where I really liked him and others where I was a little bored by his characterization. A lot of the mysteries surrounded him were easy to guess at.

I loved the various fashion in this book. Maia's creations are gorgeous and they are described so beautifully it's like imagination candy. I will say I expected the competition to be a much bigger part of the book than it was. It ends before the halfway point of the book and a new quest is thrown in front of Maia to complete. There are a few nitpicky personal things that kept me from fully loving the book, like the set up of the prologue and just the style of the character looking back to tell the story. It's just not a style that I usually like. Nonetheless, this is a fantastic book and I really enjoyed reading it.

I received an ARC of this book from Random House Children’s through NetGalley. This is my honest review. Some mild spoilers ahead.

The tagline for this book is Project Runway meets Mulan which totally fits. Our protagonist, Maia, pretends to be a boy in order to work as a master tailor for the emperor. But I’d like to offer an additional tagline: Spin the Dawn is what might happen if Tamora Pierce wrote a fairy tale. In other words, it’s perfection. Here’s my quick summary:

The emperor is in search of a new master tailor, and he calls on the Tamarin family to put forth an applicant. But Maia’s father and brother, weakened by war and tragedy, cannot sew for the emperor. So Maia does the unthinkable, she disguises herself as her brother and goes to the palace in his place, risking execution if she is caught. At the palace, she competes with eleven other renowned tailors, trying succeed in the face of their talent and ruthless ambition. However, nothing compares with the difficulties of the final challenge--to sew three dresses, from the laughter of the sun, the tears of the moon, and the blood of the stars. So Maia sets out on a journey, accompanied by the frustrating and enigmatic court enchanter Edan, to accomplish the impossible.

Did I mention I love this book? Because I love this book. Maia is such a fierce character; I was rooting for her from the beginning. She has complex motivations, wanting to become master tailor both to save her family and to be recognized for her sewing skills. I enjoyed seeing her growth throughout the story as she worked through her own feelings towards these goals. I also appreciated her relationship with Edan, who she initially sees as an annoying but necessary ally in her quest to become master tailor. However, as she gets to know him better on their journey, she begins to see him in a new light.

Still, much of her focus is dedicated to completing a seemingly impossible challenge: to capture the light of the sun, moon, and stars. I personally cannot get enough of fairy tale retellings and adaptations, so I loved this element of the story. I also thought Lim did a really good job incorporating these fairy tale elements into the world she built. What Maia must do and endure to accomplish these tasks offers a good blend of magic and personal strength, reinforcing what an awesome character Maia is.

I thought the novel’s ending was a little rushed, but this may be because I cannot wait for the second book in this duology. Maia’s journey hasn’t ended, only reached a turning point, and I look forward to seeing what she does next.

I recommend this novel for fans of fairy tale-inspired stories and Mulan, in particular. There’s definitely a scene in the book where you can practically hear the “Short Hair” song from the Mulan soundtrack playing in the background. I also recommend this book for fans of Tamora Pierce. Pierce is one of my all-time favorite authors, so this is definitely high praise. Maia reminds a bit of Alanna both with her disguise as a boy and with her initial attitudes towards magic. Edan also gives off serious Numair vibes--almost all-powerful magic combined with boyish charm. So if you liked Pierce’s Tortall novels, but wished they were less European and more high-fashion, you’ll love Spin the Dawn.

A five-star book... from me? Believe your eyes! It is true! Spin the Dawn is pitched as Mulan meets Project Runway, and hello??? It was AMAZING.

Maia Tamarin comes from a long line of imperial tailors. She works for her father in his shop, struggling to keep them afloat. Her three elder brothers--who never showed much aptitude for sewing--are away in the war for much of her youth. When the war is over, two of them have died, and one comes home depressed and paralyzed. Before she’s even had the chance to live, tragedy has changed Maia’s world.

Maia is the binding glue for her father and her only brother, and she is completely devoted to them . . . but she can’t help but resent that as a girl, she is incapable of doing more for the business. When her father is ordered to come to the palace and compete for the place of imperial tailor, Maia sees her opportunity to both provide for her family and prove her worth as a seamstress.

I LOVED this. It was un-put-downable, for real. All the twists, all the turns! The pace is fast but holds your attention, and I loved the way the competition was handled. Oftentimes, books centered around competitions or trials are either too vague or get shunted to the side, but that was not the case here. Project Runway indeed! There is backstabbery, alliances forged, cheating . . . and DRESSES.

The level of detail in this book is b-e-a-utiful. The writing is lush and descriptive. Every dress, shoe, glove, garden... they come alive. Reading this is a magical experience, like living a fairy tale, like going on a journey. Honestly, the whimsy and the love interest reminded me SO MUCH of Miyazaki’s Howl’s Moving Castle. As much as I love Diana Wynne Jones’ book, Miyazaki’s rendition suits Spin the Dawn so well.

Maia is a fabulous heroine--she has gumption, drive, talent. To be in the competition, she has to pose as her brother, and she makes no bones about it. She’ll get shit done! She is one of those heroines who you really root for. Her passion for sewing is apparent on every page and in every rich description. You want her to win SO badly. And the sacrifices she makes? Maia is kind of a badass, but she doesn’t have to sacrifice her femininity for it (outside of pretending to be a boy). Elizabeth Lim has created a great main character.

But what is a main character without a secondary ally . . . and love interest? Hon hon hon! You thought correctly! Remember when I mentioned Howl’s Moving Castle? Well, meet Edan. As the emperor’s magician, Edan has a complicated role. He is a master of magic, but he’s also a servant, and serving a debt. He takes an interest in Maia, but his quick wit and clever eye see much more than they should. He’s Maia’s greatest ally in this book, and though separated by years and status, theirs is a relationship of true equals. They FIGHT for each other.

I haaaave to see where they go from here. I have to! Write faster! I need the sequel yesterday!

I can sing the praises of this novel all day. Another huge aspect worthy of note is the Chinese and POC rep. Spin the Dawn is set in a Silk Road and Chinese-inspired fantasy world rich with folklore and mythology. Elizabeth Lim’s beautiful writing has brought this world to life.

Spin the Dawn has earned a place in this reader’s heart. It’s one of the best books this year.

I was really surprised by this book. I loved the description and was excited to dig in. I got so much more than I expected!

I thought most of the book would encompass the competition but I really like that it didn't. I know this is only the first book but I feel like I got so much more content. The writing flowed smoothly and I really liked Maia and her character development. The Lore in the book was fantastic. The way the author described the three dresses, the magical components, and the journey to get them,m completely roped me in with vivid detail. The detail was just the right amount. It painted beautiful pictures in my mind.

I can't wait to read the next one!

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Children's for providing me with an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

This book is described as Project Runway meets Mulan. The second I heard that synopsis I was instantly intrigued and requested an ARC of this book. I was so surprised and happy when I received this as I was looking forward to it. This book is based off Chinese mythology which interested me as well. I love seeing more representation in books, especially in YA.
However, this book was not for me. This book would be perfect for someone who is a first time Fantasy reader. I think if someone was to pick this up and was just trying to get into fantasy they would adore it. I, however, have seen a lot of the tropes that were played in this book and wasn't really surprised by any of the twists. I wanted to love this so much but the story just let me down. The pacing was also all over the place in this. There was parts that were stretched out that could be cut back and parts I honestly wanted to see more of.
The competition element was only half of this book and the other half was based on this quest that the main character, Maia, had to go on. I found that the stories that were apart of that quest, the mythology that was woven, really intriguing. I wanted to know more about the mythology of this world and the stories that they were talking about. I found the God's to be an intriguing idea to me and wish that more of that would have been explored.
I also had a small thing that kept throwing me out of the story. I did read an ARC of this book but I am hoping in the final version that they will remove all the exclamation marks. Every time I saw one, and it was pretty frequent for me to notice it, I would feel thrown out of the story. A period would work just as well at the end of those sentences. Again, I read an ARC and hopefully they address this problem before actual publication.
I do recognize that this book is going to be so important for YA readers who will get to see themselves in it. I have no say in representation and will not comment on it. I was intrigued by the Chinese mythology and what was talked about in this and will be seeking out more Chinese based novels by own voices authors.
Overall this just fell flat for me and I feel horrible saying that. As I said before, this book will be fantastic for readers who are just getting into YA fantasy. However, for me this story fell pretty flat. If this does interest you, I would recommend picking it up and seeing if you enjoy it.

Lim weaves an enchanting narrative, with all the magic of a fairytale and the guts and grit of an epic adventure. Diverse folklore, imaginative worldbuilding and a brilliant lead character who wields creativity as skilfully a weapon - this is a gem for all lovers of whimsical fantasy!

Have you read the myths and legends in books that are a couple paragraphs long and only shows the highlight of it? Have you ever wondered what is the depth, the full story, the miniscule details of those stories are?

This is what SPIN THE DAWN gave us readers. The full novel-length details of a myth, of something normal people would think impossible, of something they always shorten. SPIN THE DAWN weaved a story that takes us to a long and tedious journey of characters to make a legend come true and all the while they face a journey onto themselves that gave the story more depth and emotions.

This is the kind of story I would love to read as a teen, where I can relate to myself. The kind of story that will keep me up awake at night wishing I could catch the stars! This is the kind of story that make me want to love sewing tho my hands really hated that.

If you love stories like Mulan and how she fought for her family and her own honor, or you dream of beautiful and mythical dresses, or if you love your legends too much that you wish you can read every detail of them... SPIN THE DAWN is one for you.

The description "Project Runway meets Mulan" had me hitting that Request button on NetGalley <i>so</i> fast. In truth, the Project Runway part is only a very small part of it, but a description for the rest of the book would get me excited anyway. Plot points and descriptions come from folklore and you know the one thing I love more than a novel based on a folktale is one that takes many folktales and creates a new story that could fit in amongst the rest.

Maia is the only girl in a tailor's family, and the only one who loves the craft. Her father is summonsed to the Imperial Palace to compete for the chance to become the tailor to the Emperor. Not only is this her life's dream, she knows the journey would surely kill her older, heartsick father. I enjoyed her narrative voice, often a story about "a young woman outsider seeing palace intrigue for the first time" will have her be naive to the point of stupidity, but Maia never has that. She recognizes backstabbing and sabotage and realizes who not to befriend even as she is unfamiliar with this world and doesn't quite know what to do about it.

I really enjoyed the romance, it is the antidote to love triangles and silly games. <spoiler> It takes a little bit of time for her to figure out how she feels about him, but not so long that I, as an adult, got frustrated with the "he makes my heart race, does that mean I hate him?". For the audience this is meant for, it would likely read more as a slow burn. Still, the "does he love me? do I love him?" stage doesn't drag on and they quickly affirm their feelings, which I love. They are clear about their feelings and about what they want out of a relationship. At one point, they have fought and he asks for consent before he kisses her. I really found it refreshing to have a discussion of courting rather than dating, given that it ISN'T our modern world. It seemed like a healthy relationship and it was very sweet and fun to read. Even when they began to do the self-sacrifice cha-cha, no one was completely stupid or a martyr. The only sex is a fade to black, if that's something that colors your recommendations to teens, but there is an assault threat by clearly bad guys who say it has been a while since they felt a woman. It's not dwelled upon at all nor is it a real source of angst in the narrative.</spoiler>

Maia is a character who blends strength and softness and I really appreciated that. We don't get enough of it in adventure/fantasy YA. She isn't an endless font of sympathy and martyrdom, she wants to succeed on her own merits and she isn't going to stop chasing her dreams, but her motives revolve around her family and love and pride in her accomplishments.

I will definitely keep reading this series, and I recommend it to anyone who likes folklore themed fiction, YA fantasy with a strong romance, or anyone who likes palace intrigue/dangerous journey plot tropes.

Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to read this advanced copy of a Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim for an honest review.
I was so excited to read this book, the cover is beautiful, and it is a gender Bender book compared to Mulan, that completely caught my interest.
Spin the Dawn is book #1 to The Blood of the Stars fantasy series. It follows the story of Maia who grew up with her family in a tailor shop during war, which did not leave her family unscathed. It had always been Maia’s dream to become the Emperor’s tailor even though she is a woman, so when her father is summoned to the palace in order to help her family survive she disguises herself as her brother and goes to the palace in her fathers place to become the Emperor’s tailor, only to discover that she will be competing for the position.
Maia must go through many obstacles in order to survive. And is sent to complete an impossible task that takes her on a dangerous adventure with an Enchanter who is more than he seems.
This was a great read, a slow burn romance, an epic adventure, and magic. Elizabeth Lim’s writing is so fluent, for being the first book in a fantasy series I did not feel like a load of information was being given to me. The pacing is good, I didn’t feel that the story lagged ( since I didn’t find myself skimming) and Maia’s character had a great development arc.
I am excited to continue with the series :)

thank you to netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

One of my most highly anticipated novels of this year, and I am happy to say that this did not disappoint. I was intrigued by the gorgeous cover and blurb, and was completely immersed into this world. Just going to point out a few of my favorite things...

Maia: Honestly, it took me a little while to connect with her (and the plot at first if we're being honest), but once part II started, I couldn't put the book down because of her growth on her journey! She would do anything for the people she loves and is honest with her intentions, which I really appreciated in this heroine. I honestly cannot wait to see where she's headed in the sequel!

Edan: MY MAN! Ugh, he was so lovable and adorable. I just wanna give him a huge hug :( I would have liked to see more of his magic in some parts, but he still stays intriguing and an all around wonderful character and love interest. I thought him and Maia were adorable and developed beautifully.

Lady Sarnai: I love her and wanna see her development in the sequel. GIVE IT TO ME!

Plot and Worldbuilding: Like I said previously, it was difficult to get into at first because there was some awkwardness with the introduction of the characters, but once I got used to it, I loved it. The mythology and background were easy to understand and I thought the writing and development of it was gorgeous.

I would love to see some more LGBT+ representation in the series, so here's to hoping!

All in all, I absolutely loved this book and hopefully everyone else will too! A solid, solid 4/5 stars.

I’m trying to find a coherent way to talk about this book because all I want to do is gush. I'm so in love with Maia and her story. I loved seeing how her character grew throughout the novel. I've been reading so many books featuring strong female characters lately and I love how they are all strong in different ways. Maia is resilient and her grief only makes her stronger. My favorite part of the book was definitely the trials and how she tackled each one.
My other favorite part was the slow building romance. Like give me a scene where the dark and brooding male character has to huddle with the girl he’s so far kept at arm's length for warmth and I'm in. I want to learn so much more about Edan, he's such an intriguing and swoon-worthy character. (I feel like he might get to tell part of his story in the next one.) My heart is still aching from the depth and emotions of this story and the way it ended.
There is so much world building and history and adventure woven in as well and lots of complex, genuinely empathetic and interesting side characters (hi Lady Sarnai I want to learn more about you). I loved spending time in this world.
Like I know this book hasn’t even officially come out yet but how soon can I get my hands on the next one??

I did not know what to expect from this book, and was pleasantly surprised and amazed. This book is so much more than "Mulan meets Project Runway"! The story is woven expertly (no pun intended) and I was enthralled from the beginning. The romance was satisfying as well. I can hardly wait for the sequel. Normally I dislike having to re-read first books in series again before a second book comes out, but I will happily read this book again.

I took one look at the cover for this book, and decided that I needed to get my hands on this. I’m always on the look-out for #ownvoices fantasy novels, and it just so happens that this is a book set in fantasy Asia, based on the Silk Road, with an Asian dressmaker as the protagonist. The story’s been pitched as “Project Runway meets Mulan,” two of my favorite things, and I’ve yet to read a novel with this intriguing a premise.
Spin the Dawn starts off with an incredible hook that instantly sets both the fantastical tone and the echo of sadness that permeate the story. Maia Tamarin, the main character, endures great suffering even before she is chosen to compete to become the Imperial Tailor. In her war-ravaged world, women are not allowed to become masters of their craft, despite her incredible talent for crafting clothes. Still, Maia takes an active role in her tale, choosing to masquerade as a man in order to fight for her dreams and protect her family. The first third follows the competition, while the rest of the novel has her setting out to gather “the laughter of the sun, the tears of the moon, and the blood of the stars” in order to craft the three legendary dresses of the mother goddess Amana herself. Elizabeth Lim effortlessly weaves magic into her story, such that I have no problem believing that Maia can spin the sun, the moon, and the stars into dresses worthy of the heavens.
Despite others constantly underestimating her because of her humble origins, Maia rises to meet every challenge she faces. She is noble and stubborn, hardworking and compassionate. By contrast, the story also introduces us to Lady Sarnai, daughter of the ruler of an enemy nation, who serves as a character foil to Maia. Both women Though opposite in personality and in station, Lady Sarnai is a rude yet nevertheless compelling character who exists in the same predicament as Maia: they are both women in a world that refuses to let women be free. She is forced to marry Emperor Khanujin for the sake of peace between their two countries, and it is clear to all that she will do anything it takes to postpone their union, including tasking Maia with an impossible request. Lady Sarnai may be secretive and prone to cruelty, but she remains sympathetic enough that I have hope that she might display other facets of her character later on. As such, I’m interested to see where Lady Sarnai’s story goes in the next book. There is so much more to explore with her, especially given that she sits in the center of the political tension simmering in the background.
To me, perhaps the weakest part of the story is the romance. Both Maia and Edan are independently intriguing, likable characters, but the pace of their relationship felt almost rushed to me given the magnitude of their feelings. While certainly not instalove, certain story beats in their relationship felt oddly-placed. Still, they have an enjoyable rapport and are fun to read about. Edan is just mysterious enough that I need Maia to uncover more of the secrets of his past in the next book (sooner rather than later, please!). Edan and his magic represent a still barely-tapped source of even more worldbuilding for this rich narrative.
Spin the Dawn is a fantastical read perfect for those who love magic, whether it be of the supernatural sort or simply the poetry of an artist pouring her heart into her craft. Never before has dressmaking seemed so enchanting.

a tailor and a enchanter travel to make these 3 amazing dresses for the would be queen. loved this story and the romance. It almost reminded me of ladyhawke at times but not and there was a project runway in the beginning. seriously loved it and want to read the next book and what happens next with maia and edan. Loved this book and want the next one now.

Spin the Dawn starts off strong with a heroine who takes great personal risk in disguising herself as a man to take her ill father's place, and it has such a fun concept - project runway with magic! But the novel rapidly becomes predictable and dull with Maia having little agency after that first act. She repeatedly succeeds (or at least avoids failure) only because of other people and a magic that she clearly doesn't consider to be a reflection of her own effort. She's completely incompetent at pretending to be a man. There is a heavily telegraphed romance with a character whose eyes change color to reflect his mood (one of my least favorite YA tropes) and has very little personality. And the competition ends far too soon, leaving Maia to face a new challenge that isn't nearly as interesting. I gave up halfway through, having become bored with the book.

I really loved this book. I haven't read many books based around a female tailor, but I really liked how it gave me Mulan vibes at times. The fantasy elements were pleasant as well. Really hopeful for a sequel. I'd love to see what happens to Maia and if she finds her happily ever after.

*Spoiler free*

I think the magic scissors is what drew me to this book. While I don't sew myself, I am always awed at what sewing can create. And adding magic to that just makes it 10x cooler haha.

This book is fast. So much happens in such a short amount of time. I thought the whole book would be about the competition between the tailors who were competing, but that section is only about a third of the book! While I feel like this could have been stretched out in 2 books, maybe even 3, it didn't read squished or rushed. It felt natural. I would have liked for some things to have been slowed down and looked at a little more closely. I think at some instances the message of the situation was buried under the fact that a whole big thing happens in around two pages. I would have liked certain world elements to be explored more and for certain situations to have been more center stage.

I did enjoy the romance aspect, though I did feel like it was rushed. Maia and her love interest didn't interact very much, but I felt like the story just assumed they had enough development and put them together. I think this could have be caused by the hazy passage of time. Months pass over the course of the book, but it doesn't really feel like it. I wouldn't have been surprised if had found out that the book had only taken place over the course of a few days. Their development was mostly through small lines telling the reader that they talked a lot during their journey. I just would have liked to see more.

The world building was really unique. I haven't seen a magic system quite like this. It's very restricting, which I'm not used to seeing. The world was easy to get to know. It's explained in such a way where your given little snippets here and there, but they all fall into place and everything comes together nicely.

I feel in love with Maia's character. She was wonderful. She made such big sacrifices and I really, really felt for her. She knows what she wants and her world is doing everything in it's power to keep it from her. She was strong, passionate, and loving.

I really, really loved the sewing aspect of this. I'm a sucker for pretty clothes, even if I don't particularity enjoy wearing them haha. And while the focus is more on the creation of them, everything about it was so gorgeous and easy to picture!

While I would have liked for this book to be spread out a bit more, I still really, really loved it! The world was easy to be in and the characters were incredible to get to know!