3/5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishing for providing this review copy !!

I was surprised with how romance centred it was but it ended up being fine

I've read other people's reviews of this book, and unfortunately I no longer want to read it. I just don't think it's a book I need to spend time on anymore, and I don't think my review would be positive.

I had pretty high expectations for this book, I’d say, as the first one was amazing!! This book was good, but it wasn’t as outstanding as the first one. It wrapped up the conflict and story well, but just not quite in the same intense and heart stopping way as the first book. I’d say Unravel the Dusk did everything right, but not quite to the “wow” level. Still a very good conclusion to the series though!

I'm going to officially DNF this one for the moment, because I think it's just not the right time for me to read it.

I loved Spin the Dawn. It was one of my best reads of 2019. I couldn't put it down because the characters were amazing (not to mention de love story) and the author's style was magical. The descriptions of the more fantastical parts of the book were so detailed and beautiful I was simply mesmerised. It was a solid 5/5 for me and I was super excited to read the sequel.

However, I've had to push myself through Unravel the Dusk and I hate that. I've read half of it but I'm not enjoying the story. Maybe it has to do with the fact that the main characters are not together; thus the lack of romance, which is something I wasn't expecting. Even the writing itself seems to be getting in my way and I find myself skipping paragraphs, so that's why I'm going to temporarily DNF. I hope I can get back to it in the future.

Unravel the Dusk was fantastic sequel of Spin the Dawn that revolved around Maia’s inner battle and her efforts in saving her country, her heart and her loved ones. It was about good vs. evil, pride, power, war, family, love, friendship, fighting the demon and darkness, and hope.

Isn’t that cover just amazing? I didn’t notice those claws and red thread wound around her wrist until I look at it again after finishing the book. It has all minor details so apt with the story.

Writing was beautiful, vivid, and whimsical that hooked me to the story from the beginning. It was first person narrative from Maia’s perspective. Her voice was mesmerising and now that she was changed, I enjoyed her view even more.

Plot was brilliant and even darker than previous book. Book started from where the first ended. Maia was touched by the demon, Bandur. She was changing, fighting over the darkness slowly taking over her and at the same time war was now looming over A’landi. All the efforts of Maia in saving her country and making sure the marriage of emperor brings peace, painstaking journey of making three dresses of Amana that cost her more than just life of her family, went in vain. She was forced to wear the dress of the sun and take the place of the emperor’s bride-to-be. Things went from bad to worst and Maia was now on run from both the emperor and the Shashen and was on journey to save herself, find Edan again, protect her family and bring back the peace to country.

I loved the prologue that again started with her family, Maia’s memory of her mother, her brothers and baba, her love for them, and how everything changed when she became imperial tailor. Book was divided in three parts– 1. Laughter of the Sun that told about what happened after Edan left, slow change in Maia, and how she realised she had to face her fate awaiting in Lapzur, 2. The Tears of The Moon that was about her journey to Isles of Lapzur, her meeting with Edan and her battle with Bandur, and 3. The Blood of Stars wrapped the story with final battle. Each part was exciting with lot of actions, brilliant twists, battles, and tense moments.

We get few answers that were left hanging in the first book on how Emperor’s father and brother died, I suspected he did something but it wasn;t the case, how The Shashen was stronger and could stand against the Lord Enchanter in the first book and why Edan was threat to him, where he was drawing his power from and what deal he struck and what was the ultimate cost of that deal. Apart from that it was interesting to read how Maia was going to stand against him and how she will save herself and everything that was dear to her.

Characters were complex and interesting. Maia’s family was lovely, I came to care for them along with Maia but in this we know them a little more. I loved Maia and Edan even more in this and events in the book changed my view towards secondary characters, specially Lady Sarnai and the emperor Khanujin.

The emperor was cruel and I hated him and many time I wished Maia had given control to her demon just for a bit to show him how weak character he was but I agreed to Maia on the point that whatever he was he loved his country. It was one thing respectful about him. Lady Sarnai was selfish and ruthless most of the time. But I came to admire and like her in second half of the book, especially in third part. She was amazing warrior and I admired her strength and determination.

Maia was so different from previous book. She has become strong and brave from previous journey and fearless and deadly because of touch by demon but one thing that remained the same was her love for her family, Edan and her country- love that kept her safe and protected from darkness throughout the book- and her caring, compassionate nature. Even with raging anger and vengeance of her inner demon, she didn’t stop caring for innocents and saving and helping those who weren’t good to her. I admired her and loved how she took right decisions.

Edan was shadowed by Maia this time as he was no longer The Lord Enchanter, just a boy touched by magic, and Maia was powerful and formidable one, the role he played in first book was taken by Maia. But he still brought book to life, gave the darker tone lighter touch, and was still was the voice of wisdom and logic. He kept the real Maia from getting lost to the inevitable change by his unwavering love. I loved the way he helped her, stood by her side even though she tried to push him away.

Maia’s friendship with Ammi was lovely. It was explored more and it became stronger by the end. I loved how Ammi stayed with Maia even in trying times. There wasn’t too much romance or I should say it came in second half of the book when Maia and Edan met again. Until then we feel it through Maia’s longing and her thoughts about Edan. It was slow burning, tense and heart aching. Edan and Maia’s time together and their conversations melted my heart. I could feel their longing, agony, and stress of uncertainty of future. I was dying to see what will happen at the end and if they could have their happily ever after or not and author kept that uncertain until the last chapter.

World, myth and legends was best part of the book. I enjoyed Maia’ journey to Isles of Lapzur and through that journey some new lands and places of A’landi were vividly described. There were ghosts, demons, Goddess and lots of magic. The enchanted mirror, carpet, and the cloth crane Maia created was gorgeously narrated. I enjoyed reading the legend of The Beggar God, story of Kiatan princess and Edan’s master’s vision of how Maia’s destiny was woven with the magic and myth and what fate has set for her.

Twist and turns were well written. I couldn’t predict anything in the book. It was amazing to read how Maia was going to resist the temptation and how she would defeat the Shashen and the demon. I loved the last battle and the end. I wasn’t sure what to expect at the end as author didn’t let me have any hope until last minute but it all turned out magical. I loved Maia’s title at the end.

Overall, Unravel The Dusk was fascinating, powerful, and perfect sequel with heart aching romance, blood soaked battles, and satisfactory end.

I enjoyed the diversity and world building. The story was a little overly focused on the romance (the romance definitely overtook the first book also). I would love to see more description and less dialogue/simple sentences.

Unravel the Dusk by Elizabeth Lim was one of my most anticipated books of the year. I loved Spin the Dawn so much. I dived right into Unravel the Dusk. I felt like this book really suffered from the sophomore slump. I felt like this book was so much darker and had way more action and battle scenes then the first book. Maia definitely has a lot of struggles within herself. Even though this book moved fast and kept a great pace, I felt like I really lost the emotional connection I had to the characters. The spark was gone.

DNF

Not bad necessarily, but I was bored and felt no excitement about reading more though I got to 28%. It might have helped if the love interest were around.

i really enjoyed reading this book, I enjoy Ms. Lim's writing anyway and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Overall I look forward to more from the author and hope there is more from this universe.

This book fell short of my expectations. Just felt a little more kiddish than a mature fantasy. I expected a lot after the first book and somehow I couldn’t connect with any of the characters at all.

It's been a month since I read this book and I still have a TON of feelings about it. I'm sad that it's over, I'm glad it ended the way it did, and for the first time ever I believed that something was going to happen and I honestly wasn't angry that it may happen. Let me try to put into words what I'm feeling about this book, okay?

Unravel The Dusk picks up rather soon after Spin The Dawn ended and we get to see Maia's journey and struggle with becoming a demon. She managed to convince the boy she loves that she is free of the deal she made with the demon, even though she's holding on to her sanity and her human side by a thread. Only through pure will is she resisting the voice inside her that tells her to just give up and embrace her new demon powers.

The transformation Maia goes through is awesome. I loved seeing her go from the loving, caring young woman just trying to keep people from finding out she's a woman to a magic wielding, calculating, and slightly scary woman-soon-to-be-demon. It's such a great journey and I loved every step of it. There's not much I can say about what I loved about Maia in this second book without giving away huge spoilers, so I won't even try. I will just say this: I thought her story was going one way, and for once in my life when I think a character's journey is leading to one specific event, I wasn't disappointed, I was actually.... I won't say happy, but I wasn't feeling as if that outcome would have erased any character development we've witnessed so far. And I believe that's the mark of a wonderful writer, because generally you're supposed to wish for other things to happen, but this was the one time where I would have been just as happy had the ending been different than what we got.

It was also very interesting experiencing Edan without his magic. In the first book he seems like this larger than life character, dangerous, mysterious, maybe even morally ambiguous because of how the magic made him behave. This time however we see his as vulnerable, not because he doesn't have magic to the extent that he had it, but because his life is his own now. He can choose what to do, whom to be with, where to live, and it's like he's gone back to being that vulnerable kid that was taken to the monastery by his parents. And I loved that. Again, it felt like yet another layer added to his character, rather than having it...destroyed. So, again, kudos to Elizabeth Lim for managing to write that so well.

There were a few scenes where I teared up. Some stuff that I probably should have anticipated happened and you know...they were sad. The pacing of this book was awesome. I didn't even feel the time passing while reading it, and I probably would have read it fast even if it were twice as long.

I won't lie, this is probably the best YA series/duology I've ever read. I loved being in this world, and I was very happy when I heard that the author is planning on another duology apparently set in the same world? I mean at least I hope it's set in the same world. I really hope you guys read this book, because it's truly awesome.

I had pretty high expectations for this book, I’d say, as the first one was amazing!! This book was good, but it wasn’t as outstanding as the first one. It wrapped up the conflict and story well, but just not quite in the same intense and heart stopping way as the first book. I’d say Unravel the Dusk did everything right, but not quite to the “wow” level. Still a very good conclusion to the series though!

This ARC was provided for review, but in no way affects the following impartial and unbiased review:
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3*
Pros: Beautiful world-building. Chinese myths, folklore and traditions. Flawed female lead, facing incredibly hard challenges on her own and prevailing. Enchanting fashion theme, focused in the lives of tailors and seamstresses. Important notes on endurance and finding humanity and kindness in the darkest moments.
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Cons: Lackluster romance, not improved in this sequence. Nonsensical reactions and sequences, leading to unnecessary scenes.

I was excited to receive a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review! I enjoyed Spin the Dawn, and Unravel the Dusk was even better.

While Maia’s identity was revealed at the end of book one, she’s now struggling to hide an even more dangerous secret, that she is fighting the demon trying to take over. Maia is a strong and more developed character in this book. She is now fighting against the external forces of war and the internal struggle against the demon. This struggle allows her to mature into her own power.

While her love for Edan is still important in the story, it’s less of a central driving force. Instead, epic battles drive the story forward. Lady Sarnai plays a larger role in this book, and we learn about her not-so-quiet strength. Adding to Maia’s growth, this made for a book with strong female characters, something that book one could have used a bit more of.

Title - Unravel the Dusk

Author - Elizabeth Lim

Genre - Young Adult Fantasy

These days YA fantasies are pretty much known for their predictable storyline with the main protagonist is thrown into a sudden adventure full of magic and adventure along with a companion who is usually someone from royalty leading it. While the adventure does happen, they eventually fall in love and the story is apparently them conquering the world. Unfortunately, the Blood of Stars trilogy pretty much falls into the same category and the sole reason I had picked up this book was because I had been hearing that it gets better.

The second book pretty much starts immediately after the first. With Maia now sewn the dresses has to battle her inner self so that she does not turn into a demon and how the same dresses help her tackle a lot of questions she has been asking herself and how she takes risks to protect Edan and her family.

The main issue for me with this series is the world building. I'm pretty much disappointed with how the world building is done here. The characters though have strong traits, kind of just does not justify their own self as the book progresses. The abrupt time leaps which could have been sorted somehow in this book repeats itself again and this added to the displeasure of my experience with the book. A book which claims to be high on Asian representation, also does not justify it and I wouldn't have even known about it, had it not been one of the other reviews on Goodreads.

Though this one has been rated high than the previous one, it is pretty much avoidable if one is not into fantasy reading and one could pick up other books with a slightly different storyline which might be fun.

This series ending was awesome! I'm personally glad that this series ended as a duology, otherwise Maia's transformation would most likely have been longer and more painful for us! Unravel the Dusk goes from pseudo-Chinese drama to action scenes, self-discovery from our protagonist, more action, some awesome side-character development, and then the climax of war and it's totally, again, awesome.

What I didn't like in Spin the Dawn - the somewhat-tame battle royale of a best-tailor contest - didn't also happen in the sequel, which I was thankful for because I wanted to see some real action. Also, Maia was super cool! And so was the Empress, whose name I'm forgetting, who was almost a complete opposite of Maia in terms of goals and maybe even morals but she was still pretty cool. Just not as cool as the main character. You know. Cause she's finding her way even with a demon trying to take over her insides (and outsides, too! And the world!)

Basically, Unravel the Dusk took what was good with Spin the Dawn and made it better. And I kind of felt like this book was less romance-y than its prequel? I appreciated that Maia's journey of self-discovery came before her man (but also they have a happy ending, which is great and I will happily accept). So, yeah. I loved it.

2.5/5 rounded up. Maybe it's just a me thing but all the fantasy I've read so far this year has been letting me down.

Spin The Dawn focused on Maia's journey of competing to become the imperial tailor and centered on her being put with the "impossible" task of sewing magical dresses that incorporated the sun, moon, and stars. Compared to its predecessor, Unravel The Dusk focuses more on the political side of things and is more action-packed. We see that Maia is left to deal with some severe repercussions due to the sacrifice she made in Spin The Dawn to save Edan, formerly known as the Lord Enchanter and that repercussion is the inevitability of her becoming a demon. In addition, having to face The Six Winter's War and trying to save her country from being overthrown by the shansen and his demon plays with Maia's internal struggles and the choices she makes throughout the book.

I enjoyed Spin The Dawn for what it was and was eagerly awaiting to read UTD to see how my feelings towards the conclusion of this duology would turn out. After finishing it, I just feel rather indifferent as a whole? I didn't really get that "on the edge of my seat" feeling-- events were just occurring with not much anticipation or build-up. The pacing was rather slow with Edan not showing up in the book (physically) until about halfway through. Given how much of a big part he was in the first book, I easily grew attached to his character and I expected him to be more involved in this one. Besides Maia, there wasn't much depth to the rest of the characters and that definitely led a bit to my disinterest.

However, the family moments were sweet. Maia is just as rooted with her family values as the first book. Her unwavering loyalty to her father and her brothers remained to be so strong and I loved that.

Although I didn't enjoy Unravel The Dusk as much as I would've wanted to, I'm still glad to have read this duology. Fantasy can sometimes feel so similar nowadays but Lim has created her own special take on a classic and made it her own. I'm interested to see what she comes up with next.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

First things first, thank you NetGalley for the ARC. The following review is my own.

I hate to say it, I was really looking forward to giving this book more stars but something was amiss for me. Maaaaybe I’d give it an extra half-star. Maybe.
When I picked up the first book, Spin The Dawn, it was with much trepidation; almost every review talked about it being a Project Runway of sorts, with the garment-making competition. I was so happy that I gave it a chance, I loved the book and the story! So you can imagine how much I was looking forward to returning to A’landi and Maya Tamarin’s story and see how it ends...

The Plot:
In the first book, Maya hides her feminine identity in order to compete in becoming the emperor’s royal tailor. To win, she uses her magical scissors to make the three sacred Dresses of the goddess Amana, out of the sun, moon, and stars. Helping her on her quest is Edan, the mysterious royal enchanter.
In this book, Maya is on borrowed time, trying to fight a curse and bring peace to her war-torn realm.
What I liked: as always, poetic language and subtle but clear Eastern folklore make this book/duology stand out from the usually more European pack. There is a story here, and it’s a decent conclusion to the first book.
What I didn’t like: this book pales in comparison to the first. The plot is slow to move and never quite picks up. The stakes seem high enough yet the book never moves quickly enough to catch up with them.

The Characters:
MAYA - the last daughter on the Tamarin family and the most talented tailor, Maya takes on a role far different than that of a seamstress in the second book, and perhaps that’s part of the problem. I feel like she had enough of an identity to fill the arc of the first book, and maybe this second one was unnecessary. The plot has little to do with Maya’s craft. Maya in this book did not make me love her as much or root for her. I hate to say it, but she kind of fell flat for me.
EDAN - Oh but where were you Edan? So charming, mysterious, multi-faceted in the first book, there’s nothing left but a puppy-dog eyed echo of the strong young man we had come to know. I needed more of him in this book and maybe he would have balanced Maya out better if he was there. Feels like a missed opportunity to give us some more of these two’s energetic dynamic.
KHANUJIN, SARNAI, BANDUR, ET. AL. - In the first book we got colorful, clear, supporting characters. In this one? Not so much. They all circle the plot in the shadows, not really scary And not really making a big difference for me.
AMI - The Saving grace of minor characters. Sweet Ami is round, thought-through and fun to read. I want some of her cookies!!

The Bottom Line:

Read, if only to finish what you have started. It’s not terrible, it’s just that expectation were high based on the first book.

While I adored the first book in this series, I liked this one quite a bit as well. It didn't have quite the same punch as the first one, but that's to be expected with a second book.

In this installment, Maia's story continues as she is forced to impersonate Lady Sarnai, the emperor's fiance. When things fall apart, she finds herself on a quest to save herself from her growing magic while trying to save the kingdom at the same time.

One of the things that I've loved about Maia is her strength. She will do whatever is necessary to save her kingdom and her family. She makes huge sacrifices for others even though she knows it will hurt her in the end.

I'm enjoying this series. I love the magic, the romance, and the grasps for political power. I can't wait to see what happens with Maia and Edan next!

Content: Perilous/suspenseful situations, kissing, and war. Movie rating would be PG-13.

“I will stay by your side until the fire in the sun grows cold and the light in the moon is no more. Until time blots out the stars.” ~ Unravel the Dusk by Elizabeth Lim

Unravel the Dusk was the perfect conclusion to this duology. This was entirely different from Spin the Dawn and rightly so, with Maia’s curse threatening to consume her and the future of the nation at stake.

As Maia plans to escape the clutches of the sickly but desperate king to find a cure for herself, she encounters a friend. Ammi stood by Maia’s side through everything and I loved to see this positive relationship among all the darkness in Maia’s path.
Another lady I loved was Lady Sarnai who we meet in Spin the Dawn, but she played a major role in this book. Of course, we get some glimpses of Edan and Maia’s relationship but at times, I was afraid that each time would be their last.

The writing was as expected: vivid descriptions, emotional, full of stories, and immersive. Overall, if you love stories with all kinds of magic, demons, destruction, bloodshed, warrior queens, love and destiny, then treat yourself to this duology.