While Unravel the Dusk was full of action, this sequel actually felt more introspective than Spin the Dawn. It's a sequel about survival. Not only of our country, our family, but of the essence of ourselves. In war, there is so much to lose. Our history, our identity, our future. But often we end up fighting wars in our heart as well - as pieces of ourselves fight against our dreams, ambitions, and hope. Unravel the Dusk asks us how we survive and also not lose ourselves.

Maia is stuck in the middle of this war with her people and their hopes. How can she fight against not only the forces of greed and ambition, but also the darkness within herself? The demon, like most demons, forces us to hurt the ones we love, to persuade us to give in, and to isolate ourselves. The urge to let people fall to their own whims, mistakes, and selfishness is strong. Unravel the Dusk shows us how Maia seeks the courage to fight. To try to bring peace when the forces around her descend into chaos.

There is a lot going for this book since the first one gained so much praise from me. Sequels always turn out to be kind of treacherous territory for me. Very few books on my list either surpassed the first book in the series. I hoped this one would be one of those.

I will say this book should not have been a two-part story It should have been a trilogy, and nothing more. Why? Because this book is rushed to the point where the character development and the predicament that befell the heroine by the end of book one was shot to hell by the first couple chapters in this.

Gone is the paced, plot and character driven writing that was in the first book. It was as if the author said, 'well, that takes care of all of that! action - action - action!' ... No, I mean, you gave us a demon that came out in the third act and now we hardly know or have spent time with this demon and it's whole backstory/demonology that we now just kind of accept that it is a part of her that we shouldn't care any more than that? Oh, now we're also going into war? Oh! Maia has some magical scissors? Oh, Maia has the power of three dresses.

I was honestly shocked on how quick this book navigated through when it came to the plot and how annoying the main character became. I liked her in book one, but without the character development and or the pacing being slower, I honestly found her annoying.

I really wish I could give this book a glowing review alongside book one but I'll settle for three stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and Knopf Books for Young Readers for providing this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

So I absolutely adored the first book in this duology! Spin the Dawn was such a fun, magical adventure! I'm so bummed to say that Unravel the Dusk was a let down.

The story picks up right after the events of Spin the Dawn . In this story, Maia must face becoming a demon after striking a bargain to create the dresses of Amana. I did not connect to this story at all. I didn't feel connected to any of the characters or the plot. I just wasn't invested in Maia's journey. And honestly, I was pretty bored. The plot just seemed to drag. This was one of those books where I kept checking how long I had left because I just wanted to be done.

I would never guess that this was the sequel to a Mulan inspired tale of a girl competing to be the imperial tailor and then going on an adventure to make three fantastical dresses. This book honestly felt like a whole different world. There was also just too much going on. Maia's battle against her literal inner demon should have been the focus. The addition of the emperor, the Shansen, and the impending war were just distracting. I felt like Lady Sarnai and the Shansen should have been a totally separate book. It just didn't fit with Maia's journey.
And the ending was . . . interesting. I definitely didn't expect it.

I am so disappointed that I didn't love Unravel the Dusk . I wish that Spin the Dawn was a standalone. I will say that the cover of Unravel the Dusk is STUNNING. The imagery throughout the story was also gorgeous.

Unravel the Dusk will be released on July 7th, 2020.

I really enjoyed Spin the Dawn and ths was no different! This picks up immediately after teh events of the first book (so…. there’s a big chance you’ll be spoiler for the first book if you keep reading! Beware! If you want to check out my review for the first one, click THIS LINK).

Honestly I don’t even know where to begin because as soon as you start this book you’re immediately thrown back into the world and it picks up RIGHT AWAY. I was immediately hooked and even though I had to go back and recap quickly what happened in the last book, I was able to enjoy this sequel even though I forgot a few details… like how Maia is literally struggling to become a demon and that Edan LITERALLY DISAPPEARED.

Anyway, once I was able to remember that, I just couldn’t stop reading. I really missed this world and I missed Maia so it was just so nice to be back with them. It was really interesting to see that darker side of magic. I can’t help it! I’m a fan of darkness and chaos!

I remember really enjoyed seeing Lady Sarnai and Maia’s relatonship and getting to see a bit more of that was also great! Honestly what really makes this book so interesting is seeing each character’s interactions and getting that depth. I’m very much a character person so that made this book much more interesting.

The inner struggle Maia had in this one was AMAZING. Some scenes that I can’t spoil just gave me CHILLS. AND THAT ENDING. IT WAS SO BEAUTIFUL.

Can you tell I’m having trouble putting my thoughts together? I really enjoyed this but without spoiling anything that happens, it’s SO HARD TO TALK ABOUT THIS BOOK.

If you love inner turmoil, demons and darkness, WAR AND CHAOS, having to pretend you’re the bride to keep the peace in the country and then promptly getting into an even bigger mess, and more magical dresses you will definitely love this thrilling sequel! You’re definitely in for an emotional ride!

Elizabeth Lim does not disappoint with this action-packed sequel, and she definitely gave the readers an epic book that certainly, will stay in the minds of those who decide to read it for a long time.

The worldbuilding once again blew me away. Lim makes a wonderful job at bringing this story to life, and it’s a very movie-esque experience to dive into this world, especially with the epic descriptions of the palaces. The mythology is amazing and I loved to get to know more about Amana’s tale and many others that were mentioned in the story, like the so-famous legend of the red string of destiny.

The characters improved a lot in this sequel and we can get to see them as more complex and determined to get what they want. Maia is, of course, my total favorite. We get to see those things that made us care for her in Spin the Dawn, she’s still a strong and determined girl that would sacrifice herself without a doubt for those she loves. It was interesting to see her inner battle in her way to become a demon and trying to hold on to her sanity.
I also loved Edan and his strong bond with Maia, though I’d like to see him in more scenes throughout the book. Ammi, Maia’s best friend, has a great role in this book by making Maia stay sane despite everything that’s happening inside her. And again I loved to see Maia’s family make an appearance and get to know more about the Tamarin family as a whole, because that family stole my heart entirely.

I want to make a special mention to the villains of this story. Though we get to see Lady Sarnai as some kind of villain in Spin the Dawn, I’d say she’s a morally gray character that doesn’t fit the mold of being good nor bad. Her character development in this book was just perfect and my expectations on her were met. Emperor Khanujin and the shansen also showed great development and proved to be very realistic and interesting villains.

The war element was perfectly executed. I loved how the author put everything together, the battle strategies, how the armies are made, and just everything related to the war felt so realistic to me. You can see the amount of effort that went into this particular element and I loved to feel like I was watching a fantasy movie of a war set in ancient China while reading this. That said, Unravel the Dusk is as immersive as it can possibly be. Totally recommended.

With immense changes taking place within herself and to the world around her as the role of magic begins to assert itself to a greater degree, Maia's adventure continues to unfold in Elizabeth Lim's Unravel the Dusk.

Burdened by the heavy cost of completing the three dresses of Amana crafted from the sun, the moon, and the stars, Maia returns from her journey across the kingdom to the emperor's palace, which is on the precipice of war. In an effort to keep the peace, Maia adorns herself with the dress of the sun as part of a disguise to stand in for the bride to the emperor, who was gravely injured while wearing the dress. Finding herself changing in increments after the demon Bandur touched her while gathering the necessary supplies to craft the goddess's dresses, Maia's control over her magic and mind seems to be slipping, but her desire to find Edan, protect her brother and father, and ensure her country's peace remains the same, though her methods of assisting in making these desires a reality now has a different source of magic.

The story launches headfirst into the space where Spin the Dawn left off, immersing readers back into the well-realized world without pause, presenting them with an abundance of battle-fueled action that concludes the duology rather tidily. With her previous secret revealed and replaced by a new secret of the demon within her slowly taking over, Maia's confidence has developed immensely but her life remains complicated, leaving her with difficult decisions to make and though the decisions have a magical component to them, the reading experience feels a little less magical than the first book as so much is packed into the page. There is less focus on the interpersonal relationships than there were in the first, which were entertaining, particularly as Edan is not present for a good portion of the narrative; instead focus is on the internal, ongoing dialogue that Maia has with the demon, which highlights the darker side to humanity that may be all too easy to give in to but, in resisting, true strength of character is displayed.

Overall, I'd give it a 4 out of 5 stars.

Elizabeth Lim's beautiful writing shines in the sequel to Spin the Dawn! I loved the more character-driven nature of Unravel the Dusk, as Maia faces an internal struggle with the demon she is slowly becoming. After the events of Spin the Dawn, Maia is more confident and brave than ever and the stakes are high. The story is so action-packed that I couldn't stop turning the pages. I was glad to see that the romance was not the center of the story, and loved the way it was inspired by the legend of the cowherd and the weaver. Lady Sarnai is once again a scene-stealer in Unravel the Dusk. The revelation of what her childhood had been like and her fierce bravery made her my favorite character. The only reason I'm not giving this book five-stars is because the ending tied things up so neatly and felt anticlimactic. Overall, a stunning conclusion to the duology!

I’m not kidding when I say this book was on my Top 10 most anticipated books of this year, because after finishing and absolutely loving Spin the Dawn last year I wanted to know how it ended, so I immediately added it to my TBR, and I absolutely adored this sequel as well, though I’m not sure if there is going to be a third book in the series.

I’m so glad I decided to re-read the first installment before diving into this one, because I noticed I remembered much less that I thought I would., so that made me go fresh into Unravel the Dusk and understand everything that was going on.

Something that I realized as I kept reading Unravel the Dusk was that even though the first one had a very clear plot, this sequel was more character driven. There wasn’t really a plot until we passed the half mark of the story, and the first half was more about Maia dealing with the consequences of what happened to her in the end of the first book, but I honestly absolutely adored that.

I know I always say I love me a good complex plot, but I feel in this particular case that couldn’t have worked because of everything that was going on with her. But instead, we got to know about her physical and mental changes, as well as her slowly reaching that point of insanity and then rising up from those ashes, which was such a great arc in my opinion.

We got to see a lot about Maia thoughts, as well as how much she cared and loved her family and Edan. Even though we knew exactly how much she cared about her family and how much she loved Edan in the first installment, I think this sequel we got to see a rawer side of her, where she knew exactly what was happening to her but couldn’t do anything, and how that internal fight affected her in her journey and her relationship with the rest of the characters.

And I have to say, if I loved Maia in Spin the Dawn, I was absolutely blown away by her in Unravel the Dusk. There was something about her actions and her inner monologue that made me empathize and connect with her so much throughout the book, and rooting for her and wanting her to be happy and safe.

I also really enjoyed seeing some characters again and watching them interact with each other. Though I wasn’t the biggest fan of Lady Sarnai at the beginning, I ended up really enjoying her evolution and the little friendship/partnership she formed with Maia, because that was one of the things I really wanted to happen in book one.

I was pretty surprised by how little romance was in this book. Though we got to see them interact and be together at some point of the story, and it was one of the main focuses of the entire series, since at the beginning they were apart, we didn’t see them together until the last 40% of the book, but I think with everything that was going on it would have been to much, so I can’t really complain.

One of my favorite parts about Unravel the Dusk was the ending. I adored how the plot was building up to have this amazing climax, full of action packed scenes that were keeping me at the edge of my seat to know how everything was going to end, and I cried and balled my eyes out during those last few chapters, but really enjoyed that ending.

Overall, I think Unravel the Dusk was such an amazing sequel, and even though I’m not certain if this is going to be a duology or a trilogy, I really enjoyed this cast of characters and the romance. Elizabeth Lim is such an amazing storyteller, and you could clearly see it in the way she crafted not only the first installment, but this one as well. This has become one of my favorite series, and I cannot wait to have Unravel the Dusk in my hands and re-read it and annotate it as I did with the first book.

A beautiful conclusion to the duology. Full of action, character development and magic. I can't recommend it enough.

I have no words. This was one of the top books I wanted to read this year and it did not disappoint. I missed Elizabeth's writing style.

What a beautiful way to end the duology. I absolutely loved the journey of Maia and Edan. I loved the adventure, the magic, the romance, I just had such a fun time reading this book! The journey that Maia goes through is amazing and seeing her grow from a simple tailor to a demon while battling to maintain her humanity was brilliant. I loved the way the story wrapped up. This was definitely a fairytale worth reading.

I absolutely loved this story. I always get nervous on duologies. Will the sequel rise to the occasion or fall flat? For me, this sequel was just as phenomenal as the first. I love Maia and her strength. Lim is a fabulous storyteller. While a frequent finished series request of mine is wanting more (and I do want more of this world and these characters), I finished this book satisfied. This will be a favorite reread series of mine. Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf Publishing for the eARC.

There was a lot of character development that I enjoyed in this book, especially from the first. The ending really got me, and seemed abrupt. I didn’t see it coming, and feel like there were other avenues to travel. Is there going to be another book? This made it seem impossible and that was disappointing.

I really enjoyed this book as much as the first. It is a great sequel and I think many will enjoy it. For more of my views, click the link below.

Spin the Dawn enchanted me with its beautiful twist to Mulan story. I always enjoy retelling and when I loved the first book of this duology, I couldn't miss the chance of reviewing the sequel! Unravel the Dusk was a great conclusion that's turning the wheel of a retelling into its own fantastic and magical story.

Right from the beginning, I could tell that this book will have a greater scale than the last one. The writing easily sucked me in, the words wove vivid images in my head. I couldn't stop reading! Suddenly, I was already halfways through the book in one sitting. The fast pace helped a lot. Every scene written is important, there were no such thing as overly described or paragraphs that's going on and on about stuff like a mere food.

Aside from the pace, I also loved the plot. Things were built up into one grand moment that took my breath away and managed to draw tears from my eyes. The climax was gut-wrenching, jaw-dropping, and terrifying. I didn't think that I'd be so sad when I finished this book but the story left me with a bittersweet feeling. The first book might give me the vibes of a fairy tale. Though the sequel still have some of its beauty, it was certainly darker than that. Maia's struggles were proof to that.

As our FMC, Maia was strong and brave. She wanted to sacrifice everything if it meant saving the lives of her loved ones. Her journey in this book wasn't easy, especially the part when she tried so hard to fight her transformation. My heart broke for her. I loved her development from the innocent girl with big dreams to a wiser and humble individual.
Edan, on the other hand, was still the same caring and gentle person. His life has changed since he no longer bound by his oath. This change hardened his already unbreakable mind but his heart forever belonged to Maia.
I feel the need to mention some of other characters. Lady Sarnai was basically amazing in every way. She was smart and bold. Her certain steps and skill as a warrior made me love her even more.
Ammi is the kind of person I aspire to be. She was kind and loyal. Her pure heart light up some of the dark moments in this book.

I still support Maia and Edan's relationship, even more so after I finished this sequel. I could see how much their love meant so much to each other. There were times when the romance in a book annoyed me because they were too cliché. That's not the case with this book, what happened it's the opposite. I totally engrossed with the romance because that made the whole story feel like a lovely fairy tale.

For me, Unravel the Dusk is a book that just not about a girl trying to be the hope of her kingdom.
It is about facing your demon straight on and never let it defeat you. It's scary and frightening but you are stronger than whatever it is that's dragging you under.
It is about knowing when to retreat from everything, to take a breath and rest. Even when you feel like everything is over, when it is not over yet, you can still fight in another day.
It is about relying to the people you trust and love. Even when it feels like all hope is lost, you still have those people who are going to show you the light.
It is about learning to let go. This is hard but you must open your heart and be free of the guilt, rage, and other feelings that weighing your soul.

Overall, I enjoyed every second spent reading Unravel the Dusk. It was a beautiful yet heartbreaking story with great characters, awesome world building, and touching love story wrapped in a powerful story. If you haven't read Spin the Dawn, I recommend you to add it to your TBR. For you who have read the first book but still hesitate to continue this duology, I'd tell you: the sequel won't disappoint.

Overall Enjoyment: 5/5
Characterization: 4/5
World building: 3/5
Diversity: 3/5

I've recently been really disappointed in a lot of the sequels of the books I've been reading so I was honestly a little hesitant about reading this book. If you're like me let me reassure you! I loved this book!!!! I feel like it has a very similar tone to it as the first book and this book was so lyrical at some points I just fell in love. Definitely recommend.
The characters. We focus as before mostly on Maia. Maia who is now facing the consequences of her actions in the first book. This book spends a lot of time focusing on Maia's thoughts and feelings about what's going on around her. I felt like the characterization was excellent. We do see Edan again which I was a bit worried about. We get a bit more of his background in this book, but we mainly learn about him through Maia. Let me tell you readers, the relationship between these two makes me heart melt and soar at the same time.
World building. Most of the world building happened in the first book so there wasn't a ton of new information added, but I kept the rating high because I think the writing stayed true to the world that had been built for us previously.
Diversity. The main character is Maia who is an Asian woman (Chinese-inspired I think). All the characters are people of color. There's even a vague mention of a man with a male lover, but its said it passing.
Overall, I loved this book. I loved the plot, I loved the character, and I loved the writing. This is a series I will continue to enjoy. I couldn't recommend it enough!

Note: this review is for the last book of a duology and may contain slight spoilers. You can find my review of the first book, Spin the Dawn, here: http://www.happyindulgencebooks.com/2019/07/02/blog-tour-spin-the-dawn-review-giveaway/.

“I had the laughter of the sun, the tears of the moon, and the blood of stars with me: three pieces of magic as old as the world itself. I just hadn’t known how to use them - until now.”

UNRAVEL THE DUSK was a magical, fulfilling conclusion to this beautiful fantasy duology that seeks inspiration from Asian cultures. The most notable one is a reference to a well-loved Chinese folktale, which really resonated with me. Readers will love Maia’s story as she battles the demon within her and fights for her country and people.

In the previous book, Maia dresses as her brother to become a tailor and is challenged to weave dresses of the sun, the moon, and the blood of stars. In this book, she has to deal with the consequences of weaving those dresses and the incoming civil war going on in her country between the emperor and the shansen. Previously, she had to deal with court intrigue and a journey that would change her life. This time, she emerges as someone more accustomed to lying and more resilient. She uses this resilience to pave the way towards revolution in her country and stop the demon-possessed shansen from taking over.

First and foremost is that this book is told from the first-person point of view of Maia, and readers are expected to see her overcome many obstacles. The biggest one is the emerging demon inside of her that demands attention. She grapples with doing what’s right and balancing that with the powers of the demon, as the demon gives her power. However, she’s only a girl, and she finds herself giving into the dark demands of the demon, which leaves readers on the edge of their seats as they fear for her future. Maia faces difficult paths, but her empathy and will to do what’s right may save her in the end.

Along for the ride is the shansen’s daughter, Lady Sarnai, who was a bully to Maia in the first book. She’s steely and strong and good with the bow. While her original role was to marry the emperor to achieve peace, her character evolves into someone more empathetic and patriotic - someone who could be the face of change in the tides of war. There’s also Edan, the court enchanter who disappeared after the end of the first book, and who she fell in love with. Although there is less progression in Maia and Edan’s relationship in this book, their bond towards each other is as strong as ever. I do think there could have been more evidence on the bond, since their feelings were an accumulation of the previous book and they started this book being separated. Either way, both characters play a critical role in the future of Maia’s country.

Lim paints a beautiful world with lots of star/sky aesthetics and hints of magic entangled in everything. The world-building isn’t in-depth, but it’s creative and fun and the perfect backdrop to Maia’s journey. Her character growth has been progressive, from the first book to now, and readers will enjoy seeing that development (even if it comes with some frustration).

Overall, this duology will remain in my heart for a while. The gorgeous covers will pull you in, but Maia’s incredible story and her introduction to magic and the power of a pair of enchanted scissors will keep you enchanted. I recommend SPIN THE DAWN and UNRAVEL THE DUSK to fantasy lovers who are ready to explore a new world with a tailor heroine. If you’re a romantic at heart, like me, you’ll also find this tale sooo fulfilling, leaving all the delightful, warm emotions at the end.

Content/Trigger Warnings: death of parent and grief, war, mild violence

Thank you Knopf Books for the review copy!

Thank you to Netgalley and Knopf for choosing me to receive an advanced copy of Unravel the Dusk!

Warning: this review contains some spoilers for the first book in the duology, Spin the Dawn

Maia Tamarin succeeded in her quest to craft the dresses of the moon, sun, and stars, but at great cost to herself. The man she loves has gone into hiding, the kingdom is on the brink of war, and something dark is stirring within her body. In a desperate bid to save the kingdom, Maia is forced to wear the dress of the sun and impersonate the Emperor’s bride-to-be. But how can Maia possible save the kingdom if she can’t even protect herself? As the rift grows within her, Maia will have to choose between her kingdom and her soul.

You can get your copy of Unravel the Dusk on July 7th from Knopf Books!

Elizabeth Lim did not disappoint in her conclusion of the Spin the Dawn duology! I actually found that I enjoyed this book even more than the first one! I felt like the characters had really matured in this story, truly coming into their own as forces of magic and willpower. As a costume designer, I loved the elements of design and sewing that were woven into the story. I was especially glad to get to see more page-time for my favorite character, Lady Sarnai! Every scene of this story was both thrilling and thoughtful!

My Recommendation-
I would recommend both Spin the Dawn and Unravel the Dusk to anyone looking for a rich fantasy world, with characters who love deeply and fiercely. If you are a fan of Girls of Paper and Fire or Sky in the Deep, this series would be a great pick for your next read!

Lim's sequel to 2019's Spin the Dawn provides a satisfying conclusion to this lush fantasy duology. Lim's writing continues to weave its own magic, continuing the story of imperial tailor Maia Tamarin as she fights to save her country, her family, and her own soul. Readers will delight in Lim's exquisite world-building, as Maia's journey to reclaim her humanity takes her across A'landi.

That being said, I frequently found myself wishing Maia's story had been stretched into three books. While her story is compelling, it also feels rushed. I wanted to be able to linger in A'landi; as it is, I feel like I was on a very brisk guided tour.


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Maia has battling the demon growing inside her. She knew she was losing herself a little each day. When things go wrong with the emperor's wedding to Lady Sarnai, Maia and Ammi left. Keton told Maia that the war would never end if this marriage didn't happen. Maia knew she had to see Edan again. Bandur was pushing her to get to Lazur and she finally relented. But she asks for time and she uses that to figure out what to say to Edan. Ammi had to be left behind after Maia attacks her when she wasn't in control of herself. She kept hearing the voices and was having nightmares. The voices called her Sentur'na and Maia knew that would be her demon name.

Maia and Edan work on a plan for what they should do to defeat Bandur. After leaving Lazur again, Maia knew she had a matter of days. Her eyes glowed red more often and she was getting claws. She decided that she needed to go back and fight for A'landi. The shansen had made a deal with a demon and he has that help. There is almost nothing left of himself. Maia was told that she would have a choice to make before she got back. But if she did what she wanted, she would die. Maia was willing to do anything to save her father, brother, and Edan. She tells Lady Sarnai and Edan how to kill her if she gets out of control. Edan refuses to believe that she won't be herself, even as a demon. He believes she is good and that she can fight it.

The book kind of took off right away, so I feel like most of the things I can mention will spoil a bit of the story. I think that you'll enjoy this if you liked Spin the Dawn. There is a lot of war and death, but Maia and Edan's story never got lost in the plot. They were tied together and that love wasn't going to be stopped for anything.

I gave this 4 1/2 stars rounded up to 5. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my review copy.

Warnings for war, blood, death, lashings, death of a horse, and beatings.