Spin The Dawn was an amazing story of a young woman who disguises herself as her brother to win a competition to help her struggling family. Maia has been working with her father as a tailor while her brothers went off to fight in the war and when the Emperor requests her father, Maia has to make a decision. She decides to cut off her hair and pretend to be her brother, Keton, to compete in the hopes of being chosen as the Imperial tailor.

Spin The Dawn was a beautifully written tale that kept me spellbound as Maia competed in each task to win the position as the Imperial tailor. Maia was such a great character and she faced so many challenges as she tried to win against each of the more experienced tailors. Her designs were so beautiful and intricate and I got lost in this wonderful story. This is the first book in a new series and I’m dying to see what happens next for Maia.

This book was advertised as Mulan meets Project Runway, two things I love.

Aside from the fact that the main character pretends to be a man, there isn't much about this story that resembles that of Mulan. And only the first quarter of the book actually resembles Project Runway. So, what is this book about?  

Mainly, it's about a tailor and an enchanter/magician/Jinn? going on a pointless adventure in order to find impossible materials to make a magical dress for a spoiled and petty girl determined to not marry an emperor. 

Literally, the entire plot hung on the fact that Princess Sarnai decided she was going to postpone her wedding by making life difficult for everyone and asked Maia to create three impossible dresses made of sunlight, moonlight, and the blood of stars.

Even the characters point out the ridiculousness of it several times in the story.

"I wanted to reach unto my trunk and rip Lady Sarnai's dresses to shreds. They were the cause of everything- if I hadn't gone on this journey to make them, none of this would have happened."

And then again.

"Lady Sarnai's damned dressed. They were the reasons everything had gone wrong"

Basically, if Sarnai had been a little less out to complicate everyone's lives and asked for a regular dress, or like a shirt or a jacket or literally anything else, the later 75% of this book would not have happened. 

Most of the book took place on the road as Maia and Edan, our resident "enchanter" and love interest, try to find "sunlight so pure it can be spun...moonlight so dense it can be woven...and the blood of stars".

That means that the entire book is driven by these two characters and their interactions. I wouldn't have had a problem with this if I had loved these characters. 

Don't get me wrong. I didn't dislike these characters. I just didn't particularly care for them or their adventure. Maia was too passive. Nothing at all like Mulan. She didn't make the story happen. Things in the story simply happened to her and she reacted to it. As for Edan, I don't really have much to say. He was alright, I guess?

So, maybe its because I've read too much YA in my 22 years of life. Maybe I'm just not impressed as easily as I once was. Maybe these characters just weren't that interesting. Who knows? The point is, I had the same blank expression the entire time I read. When they were in danger when they were happy when they were using their magical powers. I simply didn't care.

And even then, she only reacted with the help of Edan. Even when she went on the trials and did something by herself, Edan would always have to carry her back 

That said, I kinda liked the romance of it. It felt a little rushed, especially since Maia kept pointing out that she knew literally nothing about Edan's past, but it was cute enough. Edan was really sweet. I'm glad this didn't go the way most YA tends to and give us an a**hole love interest that eventually develops feelings and starts behaving like a decent human. That's kinds how I thought this was going to go in the beginning. Thankfully, Edan was always a really nice guy.

In the end, I didn't dislike this book. It was fine. I'm certain that many people will like it. In fact, many people already do, according to all the positive Goodreads reviews.  If you're one of those people, I am glad. The book isn't bad and does have some interesting moments. I just personally didn't care for it. I also don't think I'll be reading the sequel. But also, I probably still might.

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

The short of it? This book is worth reading and I am sooooo looking forward to the sequel.

Oh, would you like to know more than that?? Alright, let's see...
Toting this book as Project Runway meets Mulan had me confused at first, but after reading it I see what they meant. This book is about a girl who pretends to be her brother in order to save her family (Mulan) and do what she loves -- which is being a tailor. What she doesn't realize is that the summons to be an imperial tailor is actual a competition for the job (Project Runway). This competition is only about half of the book though, with the rest of the book being an adventure to find needed materials to make three beautiful gowns. While the way I'm presenting this may make it seem like there is a disconnect between the first and second halves of the book, please believe me when I say there isn't. The way it is written with the princess giving the challenges makes everything flow and work together.
Speaking about writing, wow. If I had been able to read this in one sitting I would have. I spent hours at a time reading this and was almost late to work. Everything flows so, so well. I was hooked into the world and didn't want to let go. There is action, wonder, magic, romance, and that hint of something greater at play which all came together perfectly.
The characters were so likeable and fun. There is wonderful banter between Maia and Edan. I absolutely adored their interactions together. The growth of the romance was done at a smooth pace that I enjoyed.

I am so hyped to read the sequel because that ending has me left wondering what in the world will happen next! How will Maia get everything she deserves and wants in the world, because I really need her and Edan to be happy. I love them so much!

I recommend this one to fans of The Wrath and The Dawn and Mulan. If you like strong characters, fantasy, and great dialogue, then you should try this one out!

This ain't it, folks. The premise sounded really intriguing to me and I will say that the first half was actually okay (I would say the first half is a 3 star rating), but the second half just got so tedious and boring for me. This whole book just felt like Lim took her characters and an asian inspired setting and plugged them into a very stereotypical YA Fantasy formula.

The characters were bland, the romance was okay but not anything to write home about, and I just didn't care all that much about the story. I only finished this bc I hate DNFing something if I've gotten past the 50% mark. I honestly can't believe that this got published and is going to be a series while so many other authors out there have so much trouble even getting noticed by the publishing industry. There are soooooo many better YA Fantasy novels out there. I really don't recommend this one.

This book was so addictive. I just couldn’t put it down and the ending was absolutely brilliant! I can’t wait to read the sequel!

Retellings sometimes disappoint either because they deviate too much from the original story or because they are not different enough (I know, we readers are a bit contradictory in this matter), but I think Elizabeth Lim made a really good job at keeping the perfect balance between new and old in Spin the Dawn. The beginning definitely has some Mulan vibes going on and I loved it. Later on, the actual plot is revealed and we are absorbed by a world full of magic, sacrifices, betrayals, and love. Combine stars with magic and my heart is yours. I promise: there are several scenes in this book that are beyond beautiful.

Maia is so brave, direct, and loyal that is almost impossible not to adore her. She faces a lot of obstacles, she is severely hurt, and yet she keeps on fighting because she wants to protect her family and prove that she is the BEST tailor. Maia is such a badass protagonist. Edan is a peculiar man, he doesn’t seem to take anything seriously or at least that’s what Maia thinks at first. He helps her multiple times, breaking the rules of the Emperor’s contest, and she doesn’t know why. As she will soon realise, Edan is a tortured soul that has had to renounce to many things in exchange for magic. However, he is drawn to Maia’s kindness and he’ll end up joining her in a journey through mysterious and dangerous lands.

This was such a fun and fascinating read, much more than I had expected! Give it a try!

Very beautiful and lyrics. The plot was great and the characters were lovely. I liked seeing how the story of Mulan was taken and expanded and changed to fit the story. I look forward to the next one!

4.5 stars

To start off with, I am not a big fashionista; I don’t watch “Project Runway,” so that was not the reason I was interested in this story. But an intriguing competition story with a sort of Mulan retelling component? Yeah, that sounded interesting.

Thankfully this story ended up being as interesting as it sounded. Honestly though it reminded me of another fairy tale story I read growing up, I think it has been called by many different names, including the Many-Furred Creature. The important points of note with this particular tale is three dresses, one of the sun, one of the moon, and one of the stars.

The initially small bits of magic in this story were interesting, and the influence of magic increased as the story progressed. Plus all of the travel across the land, and the trials to earn the necessary components to make the dresses for the emperor’s bride-to-be. The landscape and the world-building were pretty well done, and this book was interesting enough that I just wanted to keep reading.

Also, hey, I thought the romance was pretty much a slow burn, which I’m finding I really enjoy in stories. Both Maia and Edan were really interesting as characters, and I’m definitely looking forward to seeing what will happen in the sequel. Maia is a really cool protagonist, and I especially enjoyed her attempt to imitate her injured brother.

So many stories of late are depicting a fairly strong family dynamic, in all of its complicated glory, and I am really happy about that.

Billed as “Project Runway meets Mulan”, this book is certainly original and lives up to that description surprisingly well. The main character, Maia, is a phenomenal tailor, who unfortunately lives in a strictly patriarchal society. She finds an opportunity to disguise herself as a boy, and enter into a competition to become the most prestigious tailor in the kingdom. Her skills are so good she has it in the bag. Except for the treacherous people she is competing against, the strange royal couple with their increasingly ridiculous demands and that strange magician in the court, Edan, who seems to see through all of Maia’s tricks.

What follows is an epic YA fantasy romance story with an imaginative magic system and a cute love story. Their attraction is believable, which is not always true in YA. If you like needlework, sewing, crafting (as I do) then this book provides additional interest as her magic is wound up with her ability to produce magical garments.

This book is a nice, easy to read introduction to this world and new series. I think a fan of YA fantasy will enjoy it.

Song for this book: I Will Be There – Odessa

Maia Mulas it when her secret attempts to keep the failing family business afloat results in a palace invitation, only it extends to a barely-there father and a brother who can barely stitch. I love competitions and watching her so involved in her artistic work was actually entertaining. Her constant need to keep her secret added to the suspense. The other tailors, the palace workers, they all made the story better for me. And a lot happened, so I didn't feel gypped.

The writing was beautiful and made the story as fantastical as the cover looks. It was almost addicting and enticed me to read on. Maia was a pretty stubborn character and I liked that. Edan was a musical note floating around and he made me laugh sometimes, especially when he bothered her. She opened up, and watching them interact was part of what made this whole thing enjoyable.

From competition to romantic adventure, I look forward to seeing what the next installment brings.

I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book so much! There was no way I wasn't going to, especially with a description like this one… Project Runway meets Mulan, it had to be an amazing book. I loved how interesting this world was. It really interested me. And the fact that I could so easily relate to Maia because she was Asian like me, made me like it even more. This story is full of competition, adventure, and some romance sprinkled in there. It was so hard to put this book down! It even kept me up at night a few times, which is hard because I am reading on my phone.

I really loved all the characters in this book, from Maia’s family, to her competitors and to the people of the palace. They were all very well described and I easily connected with them, especially Maia. Edan, the court magician, was one of my favorite characters. His parts were some of my favorite. He had the best personality and made me laugh on so many occasions. 

We follow Maia on this crazy adventure. Maia’s father is a very good tailor and owns his own shop. Since getting older, he hasn’t done work like he used to. So Maia has taken over for him and her tailoring is amazing. She dreams of being the Imperial Tailor but knows it could never happen. Only men can become the Imperial Tailor. Maia gets her chance when her father is summoned to the palace to become the tailor. She knows her father can't so she decides to dress up as her brother and go in her father’s place. 

What Maia wasn’t expecting was that she would have to compete for the tailor spot with 11 other men who also are amazing tailors. Not only does she have to be the best among these men and beat them in different challenges, but she also has to make sure that no one ever finds out that she is a girl because she could be put to death for it. Along with all that she has on her plate, she has also caught the eye of the court magician who seems to know the truth about her. Maia has so much to deal with while at the palace, but she knows she has to win. For herself and her family.

The mission that she ends up going on is super intense. There were parts that I had to put the book down because I felt like my eyes kept wandering to the next page. There were also parts where I wanted to yell at Maia and throw the book across the room, but thankfully I didn’t since I was on my phone. 

This book was a real page-turner and I loved everything about it. I am so excited to get my hands on the next book!! Also, the cover is beautiful, and I’m sure we will get an equally beautiful cover for the next one. I recommend this to everyone and I can’t wait for it to come out so my awesome book club can read it because I know they will love it as much as I did. I was soooo thankful that I got approved for a copy because I honestly didn’t think I would. Go out and get this beauty right now, you won’t be sorry.

Spin the Dawn was advertised as Mulan meets Project Runway, and that's definitely what the beginning of the book was. It was fabulous!

I was hooked on Spin the Dawn from the very first page. When I started reading I decided to play that very dangerous game of, oh I'll read one chapter before bed. So I did. And I didn't want to stop!

“Ask me to spin the finest yarn of thread, and I can do it faster than any man - even with my eyes closed. YEt ask me to tell a lie, and I will stumble and falter to think of one. I have never had a talent for spinning tales.”

With a first line like that, how can you not be pulled in?!

Also, I loved Eden. He was my favorite character. He talks about how he's not a morning person, he loves to read. I mean, book boyfriend, yes? I also liked Maia. She was strong and grew throughout the story. But she couldn't hold a candle to Eden.

The pace of this novel was good. About 30-ish percent through the competition ends and Maia is set on an impossible quest. Or so they think. The rest of the story is her and Eden gathering items to make a gown with the suns laughter, a gown with the moon's tears, and a gown with the star's blood. The quest is eventful, dangerous, and exciting.

I would recommend! This was our first club read this month and I really enjoyed it! I'm looking forward to her future works!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and feelings are my own.

This review will go live on my blog on 8/13/19

Maia is an extraordinary seamstress.  Unfortunately, she's also a woman, which means she will never be allowed the rank of Master Tailor, a designation that would allow her to support her ailing father and crippled brother.  When a royal summons demands a male member of her family travel to court to compete for the position of royal tailor, Maia disguises herself as a boy and answers the summons.  At the palace, Maia finds herself and the other competitors set to a series of increasingly difficult tasks by the emperor's betrothed.  For the final challenge Maia must make three dresses, each featuring a magical element: the laughter of the sun, the tears of the moon, and the blood of stars.  Maia must travel the land to collect the ingredients and craft the dresses before the deadline in three months, but she won't be alone.  The Lord Enchanter, the emperor's personal mage (and one of the few to guess Maia's secret), has decided to aid her in her quest.  The Lord Enchanter is a man of his own secrets, but Maia begrudgingly knows she needs all the help she can get if she's to succeed in her quest.  Besides, he might have answers about Maia's recently discovered family heirloom: an enchanted pair of scissors that enhance her already impressive tailoring skills.

SPIN THE DAWN  is a captivating fantasy of three acts, each with a different feel and with none overstaying their welcome.  The first act is the one that most holds up to the publisher's promise of "Mulan meets Project Runway."  While the Mulan comparison ends at "girl dresses as boy to protect family,"  the Project Runway feel is so prevalent you can practically feel Tim Gunn standing in the room telling the contestants what outlandish material they'll have to work with that week.  This element never distracts from the classical Asian feel of the setting, and I enjoyed this section quite a bit.  Once Maia gets to the final challenge and begins her travels, however, the tale takes on more of an Arabian Nights feel, both in its initial desert setting and the mythical trials Maia endures to claim her materials.  It was a surprising but completely enjoyable change in tone.  I can't discuss the third act without getting into spoiler territory, but suffice to say that some choices are made that create a delicious setup for Book Two of this duology.

As for the characters, I love the fierce determination of Maia.  Even when handed magical scissors that will make her life easier, she doesn't want to use them, wanting her work to stand on its own merits.  Her romance is also not one of love at first sight, but the slow blossoming of respect developed over time.  I vastly prefer these kinds of relationships and loved watching it grow.  Edan, the Lord Enchanter is a fun foil and partner on her adventures, and I enjoyed watching them grow closer.

SPIN THE DAWN is an excellent adventure, one which I devoured in just over a day.  Fans of YA fantasy should definitely check this out.  I, for one shall impatiently await the sequel!

This book had me at Project Runway meets Mulan, but it turned out to be more than that. The cover art is truly spectacular, and I was intrigued by the story from the start. The characters are compelling and the world is so magical. Loved it!

I was blown away by Elizabeth Lim’s Spin the Dawn.

When I first saw the synopsis, I was lured in by the first few words “Project Runway meets Mulan.” I was intrigued and fascinated, trying to imagine all the different ways it could be true. And now that I’ve finished? It was everything, and more.

I am fascinated by Chinese mythology, but weaved with fantasy elements and daring adventures, I couldn’t be happier that this book is around. Spin the Dawn is about a contest to become an Imperial tailor, and aside from becoming cut-throat, Maia disguises herself as a boy. Life is difficult, but this contest is even more trying. With a mix of politics, magic, and adventure, Spin the Dawn has become one of my favorite books of the year.

I love Maia. Not only does she handle life for her family, she handles anything that comes her way. I loved her tenacity and her determination, but I also love how complex she is. I had so much fun getting to know her. And the description of the garments that she made? LOVE! Edan was someone that stayed elusive, at least for me. I had such a fun time getting to know him, slowly peeling back the layers that is his character. He was filled with so much mystery, and I loved their adventure together.

This story is one adventure right after the other. The plot does not relax, slowly immersing you deep into the world and setting. I loved everywhere that Lim brought us, and all of the insane steps to get to where they wanted to go.

I highly enjoyed Spin the Dawn, and hope you will too!

*Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.*

This was brilliant! I wasn't expecting to have so much fun with this book, but I did! It's basically Project Runway meets Mulan, with a second act entailing an epic hero(ine)'s quest. I cannot WAIT for the next book, and I've been recommending it to many teens at the library!

Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim was pitched as Project Runway meets Mulan and believe it or not, for once we have a YA blurb that is completely accurate! Or at least, it perfectly described the first half of the novel. However, I was just pleased to discover that this was a story that evolved as it progressed, transitioning from a seemingly insurmountable challenge for our protagonist to a thrilling adventure that takes her on the road, complete with an extraordinary quest and a sweet romance.

Split into several distinct parts, the book first introduces readers to Maia Tamarin, the only daughter in a family of tailors who had to take on duties of taking care of her family after her mother died and her father grew weak and old. The situation only worsened with the Emperor’s war, in which her two older brothers were killed, while her youngest brother returned home alive but broken. Soon after peace was reached, a messenger from the palace arrives at their doorstep with orders for their family to send a representative to work for the emperor, but of course neither Maia’s father nor her brother are in any condition to do so. Problem is, Maia knows she’s perfectly capable doing the job, being quite the accomplished dressmaker and seamstress herself, but of course girls are forbidden to fill the role. Instead, she takes matters into her own hands, disguising herself as a boy to travel to the palace, posing as her injured brother.

Once there, however, Maia realizes how she had been misled. The invitation extended to her family was not for a position to work for the emperor, but for a competition to choose the best candidate for the role of palace tailor, judged by none other than the emperor’s bride-to-be, Lady Sarnai. Together with eleven other contestants, Maia must take on multiple challenges, creating the best clothes for her using what limited time and materials they have. The future empress is also a shrewd manipulator who likes to play games, bringing unwanted attention to Maia when all our protagonist wants is to keep a low profile. Aside from the fact she is a girl, Maia is also hiding a pair of magical scissors given to her by her father, and both secrets could get her killed if discovered. Worse, as the final challenge, Lady Sarnai has demanded three magical gowns made from the laughter of the sun, tears of the moon, and the blood of stars. To accomplish this task, Maia must put her trust in Edan, the court’s enigmatic magician who is the only one to figure out her true identity.

Readers who enjoy seeing a bit of everything in their YA are sure to be in for a treat. Court intrigue and palace politics are rife in the first half of Spin the Dawn, while the second half of the novel follows more of a quest narrative, focusing on Maia and Edan’s journey to fulfill Lady Sarnai’s wishes. I wish I had been better prepared for this drastic shift because the two parts are so dissimilar that they may as well be two different books, and I’m not going to lie, I think I was having way too much fun with the “Project Runway” aspect of the story! Even after finishing this novel and enjoying it overall, I still think the first half was my favorite part of the book.

Still, once the transition took place and we were well under way with Maia and Edan’s road trip, I was quickly won over by the beautiful dynamic between the two of them. Theirs is probably the most well written and healthiest romance in a YA novel that I’ve read in a while, starting with the fact that Edan is such a likeable romantic interest free of all the toxic bad boy stereotypes and lame hang-ups. I also love a good girl-disguised-as-a-boy story, and I thought the author did a fantastic job with the trope. Maia was brave, smart, and deeply devoted to those she cares about, and her personality created a lovely chemistry with Edan’s. Despite a slight slowdown in the middle, I was still pleased with the general pacing of the story and the fact that the premise expanded in interesting ways with every major plot development.

But of course, what drew me to this book was the world. And by that, I don’t mean so much the world-building or the culture and mythology of the setting, though those elements were quite impressive as well. What truly captured my imagination was Lim’s descriptions of the fabrics, materials, and techniques involved in clothes making, and the fact that this entire novel had its basis in a competition that didn’t involve the contestants forced to kill each other brutally Hunger Games-style, yet still managed to provide a high level of suspense and excitement. A sewing contest is not something you get to see every day, and I was pleasantly surprised how well the concept worked with some light magic thrown in.

Needless to say, I was quite enchanted by Spin the Dawn, a delightful and unique YA fantasy written in an evocative, flowing style by the talented Elizabeth Lim. It makes me very excited for the next book, which will hopefully continue many of the positive trends.

Hello, gorgeous prose. SPIN THE DAWN was absolutely stunning. The pitch didn't do this justice. The world building was absolutely brilliant. I loved the magic system and the folklore. The dialogue was clever and oh my heart--Edan. Absolutely delightful and everyone should read it IMMEDIATELY.

A gorgeous Chinese-inspired fantasy set in a lush world with fully fleshed out characters. Not sure how much this story was similar to Mulan aside from our MC dressing as a boy, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. A gorgeous read!

Full Review on blog!

A fantasy adventure about a girl who dreams of becoming the greatest tailor in the land? Who spins three gorgeous dresses instead of being gifted three gorgeous dresses? Whose love interest is . . . well, not the prince?

These concepts alone drew me to the book. The clincher was the Chinese-inspired culture and comparison to Mulan. (Confession: I have no idea what is Project Runway, but this novel is also being compared to that.) Pretty much every asian (and non-asian) girl loved Mulan when I was a kid. Asian girls especially because Mulan looks like us.

While there are subtle elements of Chinese culture worked into the world, it feels like its own world with its unique history and mythology. The world building is kept to a minimum. For the most part, the focus is on Maia’s journey. Her goal—and the magic that goes with this—is unique in today’s fantasy works. It’s not often that you see a girl wielding a pair of magical scissors to create gorgeous clothing and apparel. I don’t know anything about making clothes, but enough details are included that it felt like Maia knew what she was doing and had a genuine interest in it.

I love how family plays a prominent role in Spin the Dawn without being physically present. Like Mulan, Maia dresses as a man to take her father’s role for an imperial summon. (Unlike Mulan, Maia already has an interest and talent in her art.) During her journey, Maia constantly writes back home and thinks about her family. They are a constant motivation for her to do her job well, and we even learn a bit about her family’s history through the story behind the scissors.

My largest concern with this novel is how easy the quest seems. Maia has to make three magical dresses: one from the laughter of the sun, one from the tears of the moon, and one from the blood of the stars. The prologue and synopsis make out the quest to be of epic scope, wrought with peril. While I knew the personal stakes, I never quite felt the stakes, nor did I ever believe Maia was in any true danger. She passes through each trial and threat safely and immediately, entering the next phase no worse for the peril she just faced. This didn’t feel realistic, nor did it leave me worried for her. I ended up skimming most of the action to see what happens next.

While this book takes us on a quest, in the end it feels like it’s about the romance. I like Edan. He’s dark and mysterious and scholarly and an all-around nice guy. He does have his vulnerabilities and hesitations about romance. However, he gets over his hesitations too quickly for someone who had good reasons for his concerns. Furthermore, Maia makes some very important decisions based on a love that maybe a few months old by the end of this book, and she doesn’t consider the potential consequences to her country and those she cares about back home. This I can understand because she’s young and naive and besotted. I would have liked to see the consequences for her actions besides the personal ramifications.

All in all, this was an entertaining read. I would be interested in reading book two. I recommend this novel to readers who enjoy YA fantasy with a large dose of romance, an MC with a unique magic and interest, and an asian-inspired setting.

Thank you to Netgalley for giving me the chance to read and review, "Spin the Dawn" by Elizabeth Lim. A truly beautiful work! I was fully invested in everything this book had to offer. The world building and characters are incredible. The story does have hints of "Mulan" and "Project Runaway" along the way but this story has so much MORE to offer then that! The story centers around Maia Tamarin, a young woman who has a true talent for sewing and helps her father with his shop. Her father is summoned to try out for the role as the imperial tailor for the emperor. Maia decides to go, pretending to be her brother since her brother does not have a talent for sewing.. Maia goes on the journey of a lifetime between fighting to win the role of the imperial tailor to traveling to distant lands, Maia has such a wonderful story and I am truly looking forward to the next installment!