I'm so happy this is finally being published in the UK and that I've finally been able to read it! Spin the Dawn was such a treat to read, it really contained everything you could want from YA fantasy.

Spin the Dawn contains a relatable, endearing protagonist, whose journey through the world shows off Lim's spectacular worldbuilding, with a rich mythology and history. My only complaint was the pacing, especially with regards to the romance, but every other aspect was, in my opinion, spot-on.

A beautiful, fantastical story, Spin The Dawn by Elizabeth Lim is essentially a young adult fairy tale in an East Asian setting. It follows the story of Maya, a talented tailor who embarks on an adventure to become the official royal tailor and save her family from poverty.

There are three things that truly stood out to me about this book. The first being the world-building. To me, a fantasy novel that doesn't have an immersive world rarely qualifies as a good fantasy novel. But Elizabeth Lim masterfully creates such a stunning and vivid fantasy world that I couldn't help but be swept off my feet.

The second thing that I loved about this book was the character development (and by extension the romance too). Maya starts out as a sheltered, naive young girl but quickly grows into a strong=willed, determined woman and I loved watching her development with each of her adventures.

The romance was also beautifully written, and takes a very long time to happen. This was important and it only made the love story between the characters feel more authentic. We see them grow from being acquaintances, to friends and finally to lovers, and I loved how they treated each other as equals.

Finally, Elizabeth Lim's whimsical, captivating prose and narration style is what makes this book stand out. As I mentioned earlier, this book is essentially a fairy tale, and Lim masterfully captures that feeling with her whimsical prose.

Enchanting.

First I have to say that this cover is ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. It’s so beautiful and it fits so perfectly to the story. It’s both enchanting and promising.
It’s wonderful.


The story will remind some of Mulan. It’s about Maia, she is a very talented tailor,but that job isn’t supposed to be for girls, so she decided to support her sick father by secretly running his tailoring. When her father is invited to the palace, she seizes the chance and leaves in his place, disguised as a boy. A very brave decision if you’d ask me, which instantly made me love her. Courage and diligence accompany you here.
Maia is not easy to get down and accordingly it only gets more beautiful when magic comes into play. It was breathtakingly magical. The reader is finally able to see how much of an impact magic has. She has to go through multiple dangerous tests and luckily she got the right person to help. Edan is absolutely amazing. He’s a charming magician who really likes to annoy our lovely Maia, but who stands by her in dangerous situations. With him everything seems undemanding but it gets a bit dangerous.

That Book contains the right amount of everything: Love, Happiness, Fear, Sadness and Lots of „no dont do That, YES DO THAT AND NOOO DONT“. Let’s not forget that surprising ending. I loved loved loveeeed this book. And LUCKILY I don’t have to wait for the sequel either ;)

Absolutely recommend it for every fantasy lover out there.
#NetGalley #Spinthedawn

A weave of adventure, tailoring and culture mixed with this enchantingly stunning world and the beautiful writing style of Elizabeth Lim, makes this a tale to take you away from your life and into the life of the inspirationally talented Maia Tamarin and her dreams of greatest through fabric and thread. Enveloped in the world it is easy to connect and route for the heroines, wishing evil of those who try and get in her way.

For myself, the story was in two halves like two peas in a pod, the same casing but different sections. The first part was a narrative of discovery filled with love, passion, and the need to create the impossible a wearable fantasy of reality. It was addictive to read, like a beautifully written fairy-tale come to life.

The 2nd part was more adventure than discovery; like a mix between 'Hunt the Flame' and 'Shadow Frost' created in its our beautiful fairy-tale. A journey of romance which is very different from the first half. Ending with an interesting twist that left me intrigued for the sequel. Thank goodness I had applied for the arcs of both books, so I was able to go straight into the continuation of this wonderful fairy-tale of dreams and culture.

Thank you to Netgallery and Hodder & Stoughton for sending me this beautiful arc and the sequel aswell.

This arc was provided by Hodder & Stoughton, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

TW: sexism, misogyny, sexual harassment, parental neglect, violence, death (of loved ones), blood, imprisonment, ableism, and ableist language.

Before I dive into my review, I need to say that the covers created by Hodder & Stoughton are the most beautiful I have ever seen. It's so soothing to the eye and I want to hang the art on my wall. Beautiful!

Spin the Dawn is the story of Maia Tamarin, born to a tailor and a seamstress, the youngest of four children. She is known to be the obedient one, always cautious and worried about the people around her. She is an extremely talented seamstress but can never be a tailor as it's a title reserved for men. However, the war between the emperor and the shansen has taken her two oldest brothers and injured the third, leaving her father heartbroken.

One day, a eunuch appears to take her father or her brother to the palace for a competition to become the imperial tailor. Maia has been the one holding their family business together so she disguises herself as her brother (who can't sew) and leaves, hoping to win and make her father proud.

When I first started this, I was worried that there wasn't any depth to Maia's character as she seems to only be concerned with her family and doing what needs to be done. I was so wrong. Elizabeth Lim shows that this is a journey not only to help Maia's family but for Maia to discover who she is and what she wants for herself. Is she doing this because she has to or does she want to be a tailor? What else does she want? Can she be selfish enough for her dreams?

The plot is action-packed and I never felt bored with each chapter. It was also unpredictable in its nature which is nice to read. I had no idea where the story would go, what Maia would find and I truly enjoyed myself. The ending left me on edge and I'm eagerly waiting to pick up the sequel.

It's an adventurous story if you look at the synopsis but the real journey occurs within Maia. The romance was unexpected but very welcomed. As I said, I desperately need to know what is going to happen to my beloved characters.

A beautiful tale that I hope more people will pick up!

I chose to read this book because I was really interested in both the premise of fantasy Project Runway and a cross-dressing heroine (also the cover was gorgeous!). However, in the end I felt that despite some interesting elements, the book somewhat failed to live up to its promise.

it almost felt like two books - part 1 and part 2 did not mesh very well. I feel that maybe the author should have prioritised one of the parts, as ultimately, both sections ended quite fast-paced, which meant that the character development was not very grounded, and at times came out of nowhere. I also struggled to connect to the characters, as most of them felt relatively thinly sketched-out.

On the positive side, I really enjoyed the fairy tale vibe of the book, and the lush descriptions of both the setting and the clothes Maia made.

Overall, if you're looking for a fairy tale-inspired fantasy in an Asian-inspired setting, and a quick read, Spin the Dawn is a good option.

A beautiful take of love, loss, family obligation and believing on yourself. Absolutely loved it and the slowest burning romance was the cherry on top.

I really flew through SPIN THE DAWN and found it to be an enjoyable, very readable story.
I’m not going to lie, for me the second half of the book wasn’t as fascinating to be as the first, but that’s more to do with my interests and favourite tropes rather than anything the book did. The first half is the part that focuses on the dressmaking competition. Given I’ve been watching Great British Sewing Bee lately, I really enjoyed seeing each round in the competition and challenge. Maia has to make shawls, slippers and jackets from increasingly difficult materials. I loved this part of the book (I’m a sucker for challenge-based craft competitions on TV) and, to be honest, I could have happily had this expanded to the entire novel. The second part, an epic quest for mythical material was very good, but just not as original. I’d have loved to see more of Maia struggling to hide her identity and find a place in the palace.
All that said, SPIN THE DAWN is wonderful novel! The writing is smooth and enjoyable, the worldbuilding solid, and the characters compelling.
I really enjoyed the family dynamic between Maia, her father and brothers. Maia is utterly devoted to her family and the genuine affection they all feel for each other comes through strongly in their scenes together and in the flashbacks. The chemistry between Maia and Edan was dynamic! It was lovely to see their relationship develop from the slightly clueless bickering as they get to know each other better. The romance does jump to full blown ‘true love’ a bit quickly and abruptly for my tastes, but I did enjoy them together.
There’s a lot to enjoy in SPIN THE DAWN. The ending is a real cliff-hanger, and definitely sets up for the sequel, UNRAVEL THE DUSK. I’ll have to read that soon.

Thank you netgallery for the EARC in exchange for a honest review.

The premise of the book being a cross between Mulan and project runway was what originally had me interested straight away. Though these aspects are in the novel, I believe there is so, so much more to the story.

I love every aspect to the story and found it very difficult to put down. The folk lore that was weaved in and the magical aspects, and the witty romance. Just when I didnt think the book could get any better another twist and/or turn happened. I love the mc maia and can't wait to read more about her adventures in the next novel. Literally finishing this book to start the next!

In a perfect marriage, Mulan meets Project Runway and that's how Spin the dawn by Elizabeth Lim, first in The blood of stars duology, was born.

Maia Tamarin dreams of becoming the greatest tailor in her land, but being a girl, her only destiny is to marry a man.
One day, however, a messenger from the court shows up at her door, and the ruler requests her father's services, but he's not in a position to do any work and is forced to refuse.
However, the Tamarin family needs money to get by, so Maia, with the help of her brother, decides to disguise herself as a man and go to court herself, acting in her father's place.
Once there, however, Maia learns that she is not the only tailor to have been summoned.
A sort of competition has been called, a competition between the various tailors in town and there will be only one winner
"Seize the wind," I whispered. "Don't become the kite that never flies."

Things start to get complicated when Maia attracts the attention of the court magician, Edan, who apparently can see through her disguise.

The last challenge, the most arduous of all, involves creating three dresses for the bride-to-be.
Three magical dresses, from the laughter of the sun, the tears of the moon, and the blood of the stars.
From here begins her journey that will surprise her.

"Above, the stars faded behind the misty sky, and the sun fanned its light upon us. We melted into each other until the dawn slid into dusk, and the sun paled into the moon, and the stars, once lost, became found again."

Elizabeth Lim has created a very strong protagonist. Maia is in search of her independence and identity within a society where women are designated to be mere wives and nothing else.
She loves to sew, and what she creates astounds both herself and the other contestants in the competition.
She is a girl who cares about her family.
She is aware that if she were ever found out, she could put her father and brothers at risk, but she is also aware that she is not in good waters and the money from the contest could help support them.
Edan is a mysterious character and I believe he is yet to be discovered. In the second one we would certainly know more about him.

"You are my oath now, Maia Tamarin. And you'll never be free of me."

The worldbuilding is almost non-existent, the author focuses the attention on the sartorial skills, little on what surrounds them. Probably with more context development, I would have given even more.

Elizabeth Lim writes in a fluid manner, I devoured the book in one afternoon. I look forward to continuing the story with Unravel the dusk.

Received an Advanced Reader’s Copy from the publisher, Hodder & Stoughton, via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

Spin the Dawn has been on my TBR since it released and I'd heard such fantastic things about it. I'd even purchased the book and recommended it to my best friend (hey, babe!). But it's been more than a year perhaps and it completely slipped out of my mind (hello, Corona!).

I happened to scroll through NetGalley one day (hello, unread books, yes I see you) and saw Spin the Dawn and it’s sequel up for request and (completely forgetting I had already purchased StD) I requested for them.

I dived into the series as fast as I could because I’ve been waiting for a real real long time to start it and I won’t lie I was pleasantly surprised with how immediately taken I was with the book, especially because I had just finished the ACOTAR series. I was expecting a real book hangover to effect my next read, but Spin the Dawn was the perfect hangover cure and I was flying through the book faster than I expected.

The writing and narration itself was gripping in a soft, dedicated way that reminds me of the way that Maia threads her needles through cloth. With each pierce of her needle, you’re only drawn closer to and deeper into the story and its characters. The pace for me was indecipherable because I couldn’t feel it go by, but not because it was fast but because I was absorbed in the picturization and storytelling. It’s the perfect blend of a comfortable book with a fantastic plot that you can pick up after another heavy high fantasy read that will slowly ground you back to reality in my opinion.

The characters were all well defined with lots of grey and colour everywhere. Despite the story having Maia spending a large amount of time with herself and the threads she weaves and knots, that never stops the others from shining through at all the right moments.

I can't actually think of anything that I struggled with in this book. If anything I enjoyed that this book kind of challenged my imagination and my ability to visualize words in my mind. I certainly can't wait to start the next book. This was a very easily a 5 star read for me and of you've been hesitating I highly recommend this for to you.

Happy reading and stay safe! <3

Spin the Dawn was a magical fantasy tale beautifully weaved to grip the reader.

The story followed Maia Tamarin who dresses as a boy and faces trials to become the imperial tailor. But when Lady Sarnai demands the three dresses of Amana, Maia and the Lord Enchanter have to journey to fulfill her wishes and restore peace in A'landi.

The writing was beautiful and really made me want to read on. The world building was fantastic and made the reader immersed in the story. The characters in general were well rounded and made me invested in them.

My only problem was how the pace shifted abruptly. The first half that focused on the trials was more intense and fast paced which I really enjoyed. However the second half was slower and I didn't really like how the story's pace and stakes changed. The second half was just a drag and hard to get through.

Other than that this was a brilliant read and I would definitely read the sequel!

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the E-arc!

This is the first book in the Blood of Stars series. I really enjoyed this book - the plot was compelling throughout, the characters are well written and the world was an interesting one. I would have preferred if the romance was more in the background of the story but that's just personal preference. I look forward to seeing what happens next in the second book.

This was a fascinating, Asia-inspired and richly imagined fantasy from a new-to-me author that I will certainly be reading more from!

Part 1 was pretty much 5 stars for me – emotional, thrilling, intriguing and unexpected. Almost immediately, I was completely invested in Maia’s family and her relationship with her brothers and it was deeply moving to read. The themes of family and home throughout this book was one of the standout elements for me. I was also really pleasantly surprised by the brisk pacing of Part 1, galloping along with such energy and rising tensions as the trials progressed. The pacing (or my engagement?) dipped slightly in Part 2 but picked up again around 3/4 of the way through. There were some very shocking and dramatic plot twists (mostly in Part 1, though of course there were some great ones further along) and I was hooked by the layered revelations about certain side characters.

Speaking of side characters, I found Lady Sarnai (the emperor’s bride-to-be) to be the most interesting character in the whole book. The uncertainty around her motives, true feelings and scheming is completely engrossing and I really hope we’ll see more of Lady Sarnai in the second book!

Of course, I liked Maia too and it was nice to witness her character mature. She’s a very believable character (even if certain action scenes were less so), and you can tell Maia is down-to-earth and really works hard on her talent even before the magic comes into play, which made her easy to like. Maia’s romantic storyline also built up so sweetly and sincerely and it quickly became one of my favourite parts of the book! I honestly shipped it a lot more than I expected, especially given how I wasn’t actually expecting a romance-heavy novel.

Returning to the topic of magic, I also loved the imaginative way the ‘impossible’ materials (the laughter of the sun, the tears of the moon, and the blood of stars) Maia must work with in her tailoring were conceptualised and manifested in physical form. The detailed depiction of tailoring craftsmanship was really refreshing to see – I don’t think I’ve ever read a novel with a tailor as the protagonist? – and added to my interest in the book. The attention to Maia’s sewing, fabric painting and other crafting tasks also enrich the already complex world-building. The book’s map is just beautiful and I liked that the ethnicities, languages and customs were diverse across the regions that Maia travels.

I really enjoyed the banter between Maia and an enchanter she meets, Edan (one of my favourite characters in this) – it made me smile so many times! Edan’s sense of humour reminded me a bit of Nikolai from Bardugo’s Grishaverse (who I love), and his backstory and magic were quite interesting too.

With lingering questions, characters I worry for, a heart-wrenching bargain and rising court tensions in play, I’m definitely reading ‘Unravel the Dusk’ soon!

Omg! I loved this book so much!
Everything about it is marvellous! It’s an exquisite tale and has everything! I like the world it is in. The use of magic and how it gets into the heroine’s life. Her need to succeed in a men’s world. The way she fights for her love and her family. The plot has such a nice flow that you don’t want to put the book down. It’s easy to read but it doesn’t lack in depth. It is eventful without being packed in action that sweeps you along. Everything serves a purpose and blends together so well. Lim’s writing feels so effortless like she told the tale a million times and you are just one of the many listening to it. I really got lost in the story and felt like I was right there. Diving into the second book right away!

What can I say? I loved this book! Couldn’t put it down!

With a great mix of magic, sewing and dangerous adventure this book had me turning the pages as fast as I could!

Maia is a tailor in all but name and in order to become the Emperor’s official tailor (a very great honour) she must hide her femininity due to laws that only a man may be given the role and title of Master.

During her efforts she is tasked with creating improbably outfits and accessories that come from myth and legend. To help her is a mysterious Enchanter called Edan. He must help Maia navigate court life as well as defeat rivals, thieves and murderers.

There is never a dull moment in this book and yet we see great character development throughout.

Although I read an ebook this will definitely be added to my list of physical books to buy so that I can reread again and again.

Now if you’ll excuse me I’m off to read book 2!

I picked this up as I was intrigued by the comparisons to Mulan and Project Runway, two things I really enjoy. And at first, I was getting these comparisons, but after the first quarter I was really struggling. And then the big change halfway through to go on a quest for what felt way too long really killed my interest, but I soldiered on. Only to be faced with a romance that was at once the only thing on the page and yet insta-lovey, underdeveloped and uninteresting. Just not my cup of tea, I’m afraid.

This book was spectacular! I loved the story, drenched in culture. The story was amazing, and I read it in no time. I enjoyed every second of it, and I cannot wait to keep reading Maia's and Edan's story.

I'm in awe of Elizabeth Lim's writing. From the first sentence, I was completely drawn to the story. And within a few paces, the main character, Maia, became a favorite. This story, while bearing certain similarities to Mulan, was definitely unique and completely stood on it's own as a wonderful fantasy novel. One of the best things about this book was Edan; he had me completely charmed in a few chapters and he probably has some of the best dialogue in this book.

All in all, Spin the Dawn is a perfect mix of multiple cultures with great writing and great characters and I'm so excited to read the next book!

Quick summary is that this book follows Maia who has to disguise herself as her brother to partake in a trial/competition to become the emperor’s new tailor. It’s said to Mulan crossed with Project Runway, which sort of is true but also not.

I like the writing a lot here, and it’s an easy read that never really makes me stop and wonder what’s going on. It’s a straight line, easy to follow, good worldbuilding, nice characters and overall an okay read.

This book, however, doesn’t stand out to me. It’s kind of generic in a way, which is a shame because the premise is really good and the world could have been wonderful. There was so much potential here that perhaps I was just disappointed that my own expectations weren’t met.

The main characters is likeable, which is great, and I feel for her and I want her to succeed. I can’t really see the likeness to Mulan here though, apart from the “has to dress up as a boy” part of the story. But it feels like that part isn’t even developed well enough to matter. It’s never a problem for her posing as her own brother, and often times I forget that she’s pretending to be a man. It’s just something that’s written out and not really used in the plot enough.

And then we have the love interest, Eden. On one hand, he’s my favorite character in the book. He’s sort of broody, but at the same time a little fun and sarcastic. There’s a good chemistry between the characters. And he also has a really interesting backstory.

However, and this is a big problem for me in this book, the guy is over 500 years old and she’s what? 16-18 somewhere? I think she’s 18, but I honestly can’t remember. It still doesn’t really matter though because she’s romantically involved with a guy who’s over 500. And this is like the fourth YA book I’ve read in a very short timespan that features a romance between a girl 16-19 and a guy who’s like over 100 years old.

Sure, age is just a number, but come on? Had this guy been 87 (and looked 87) and there was a novel where he’s hitting on a girl who’s 18, well, reader’s wouldn’t exactly be swooning over that romance. So just because he looks the same age as her, does that make it okay? Does that make it okay for a guy who’s 67 to hit on a girl who’s 16 just because he looks young?

Now, I know this is fiction, and the romance between them was cute, but it's still creepy, and I can’t look past the fact that why on earth would a 500+ year old man act and talk like he’s still 18-23? Why would he be interested in someone who’s just 18? I get that she finds him intriguing, I get that she finds him hot etc, but him? He’s lived for more than 500 years and he still as immature as a young adult? It doesn’t make sense.

When it comes to the plot, I liked it. It was a good read and a well plotted story where things happened all the time and new revelations was made. It did, however, feel more like two books in one rather than one whole. This becomes especially clear when looking on how it was pitched as Mulan meets Project Runway, because both of those two parts have already played out before the halfway mark of the book. Meaning the book’s really about something else.

It’s, like I said, a good read, and I understand why many people have liked this book. It’s a little too generic in all aspects for my taste, and there was nothing that really surprised me or wowed me. So, I’m giving this book a solid 3 stars and I’ll dig into the second book in the series to see where that one takes me.