Spin The Dawn was such an epic story, that perhaps I had kept my expectations a little too high for the sequel. This is not to say that Unravel The Dusk was not amazing, but it lacked the charm and magic that the prequel had.

Sure, the world-building was still stellar, and I loved seeing my favorite characters return on page again. But there were several things that I believed the book could have done better.

For starters, the supporting characters and the antagonist was not well developed. Second, the lore seemed to be awfully lacking, And the action scenes were perhaps the weakest I had ever scene in a book.

I have mixed feelings about the ending as well, as it felt like the characters had it too easy.

Regardless, if you loved Spin The Dawn and want to know what happens next, then you should definitely read Unravel The Dusk.

Beautifully enrapturing! If I had to sum this book up in two words, those woulf truely describe every aspect of the book in its total. Lim's writing creates and connects the readser to every detail in the world whether it be at the character's fingertips or in the landscape itself, as if you are there expereincing them yourself. A world like the last book, but somehow more, where you are connected emotionally to the character at each turn, twist and fantasical challenge.

From the very beginning every page captured my heart, imagination and mind, until the very end where after the last syallable on the very last word, my heart was made and broken in the same moment. A perfect ending to a story I wish had never come to an end.

If you feel in love or simply liked the first book, that this sequel will capture you heart and soul, taking into the world and were you alongside Maia will struggle and fight not only for a country of peace without war, but also for her very self. This sequel is one you will love even more than the original.

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

This was exactly what I wanted for the end of the duology. Maia's character was so likable, I just couldn't help but keep reading. She's always true to herself where she can be, and sometimes you get a character that is happy to change their values and beliefs based on their situation but Maia doesn't do that.
Another beautiful novel from Elizabeth Lim, which only makes me more excited for Six Crimson Cranes!

Here we are at the final volume of the Elizabeth Lim duology.
If I liked the first volume, I liked this second one a little less.

Once embarked on her journey, Maia begins to sew the clothes of the sun, moon and stars.
But it's not all as simple as it seems, there is a war going on and Maia is forced to take the place of the bride-to-be to calm things down. It's not all that simple...
The man she loves is gone and she is forced to face an inner war, plus since she came into contact with the demon Bandur, she has changed radically ...

The first book from the beginning was engaging and adventurous, this one was the opposite.
Maia always proves to be the strong and independent girl, she is willing to do anything to protect her country and her family, but in short, it's all about her and only her, but unlike the first, this time I could not empathize with the protagonist.
In the review of the first volume I told you how curious I was about the development of Edan, one of the most mysterious characters in the series, but instead? He was relegated to a corner with no development.

I expected a lot from this duology, I still want to recommend it, because I really liked the first one, but here it goes downhill.

Unravel the Dusk is the sequel to Spin the Dawn and the conclusion to the duology. We continue to follow Maia as she returns to the court with her 3 dresses of the Sun, Moon and Stars and from there has to fight her demons both literally and figuratively, and save the empire from various threats whilst trying to retain her humanity.

I find this duology a really great, fast paced, fun YA read and reminds me of the reasons I still enjoy YA fantasy - it's the perfect thing to read at the end of a busy day that doesn't take too much brain power and you can just escape into another world. Elizabeth Lim has a really beautiful, peaceful writing style that really helps transport you. The characters are a little one-dimensional but honestly given how the books aren't very long and it's a very plot based book that didn't bother me too much - although it did mean I maybe didn't love the book as much as I might have had I loved the characters.

We don't see much of the relationship in this one, which was probably one of the things I enjoyed most in book one, I really liked Edan and how charming and sassy he was. Unfortunately he was absent for a lot of the book and when he came back he was very much a supporting character.

Sometimes the book is very fast paced, and as a predominantly adult fantasy reader soemtimes I would have liked to spend a bit more time on certain scenes or getting to know the characters a little better as I think the world the author has created is a fascinating one and the side characters have a lot of potential (especially Lady Sarnai and Lord Xina - I would have loved to get their backstory!!). I also thought the storyline of Maia slowly losing her humanity to becoming a demon was fascinating but I would have loved a bit more exploration on this theme - such as what it means to be human etc.

Alas I think I fall into the camp of having grown out of this style of YA. I liked the first book and I liked this one, but nothing wowed me. There was no challenge and nothing to make me really immersed. This is more me than the books. I think they’re probably perfect for the younger end of the YA spectrum. There’s action, adventure and strong sense of fairytale. The writing is engaging. Ejoyable but ultimately not for me.

I read Unravel the Dusk straight after Spin the Dawn. I loved the first book and I couldn’t wait to see how the story of Maia ends. The main character is so likeable that you cannot help but feel for her, with her. I loved through the duology how Maia tries to keep true to herself and her own values and eventually this is what keeps her going through war and hardships. That and her feelings for her loved ones that didn’t falter once in the story. This is what I valued most in the second book. Additionally, in the second book, we see how relationships between the characters grow. Some severed, some flourished. The unmistakable thing in all of them is Lim’s remarkable writing with the easy flow, the detailed descriptions, the way she weave the emotions in her books that come so naturally making the story vivid in front of your eyes. I urge you to the series! You don’t want to miss out!

UNRAVEL THE DUSK follows strongly after its predecessor, with a heroine who must battle all the odds, and herself, to save her country and preserve peace. UNRAVEL THE DUSK is pure, enjoyable reading, enchanting with its prose and characters.

In the last book I criticised Maia for being a little generic as the lead character, but here we explore the full breadth of her as she slowly but surely succumbs to the demonic oath she made in SPIN THE DAWN. With her we undergo a harrowing journey to hold back the darkness threatening to steal her feelings and memories, and it's wonderfully and poetically written. I will say she doesn't pop out quite as much as other characters, but in comparison to her journey in the first book she was a much more rounded presence here.

The very nature of this sort of story, however, doesn't leave room for upbeat wonder, so UNRAVEL doesn't quite possess the same magical flavour that SPIN did, but I still thoroughly enjoyed the story. The strength of this book is in its prose and beautiful lines, and UNRAVEL easily showcases that.

We also get to explore the characters of Lady Sarnai, the shansen's daughter sold off to a loveless marriage, and Ammi, a plucky servant at the palace, and let me tell you, I adored them both. Sarnai for her unwavering courage in adversity, and Ammi for her compassion and understanding. They round out Maia and Edan well. The pair's romance is tested to its limits as Edan has lost his magic and Maia has gained some unsightly version of her own, but they bounce off well against each other and their dynamic is enjoyable.

UNRAVEL THE DUSK is a satisfying conclusion to a fantastical duology, and the perfect read for casual fantasy fans.

WILL I READ ON? I'd be open to it, since I hear SIX CRIMSON CRANES is a prequel!

Going into this book after reading Spin The Dawn I had high expectations as I absolutely loved the first book, unfortunately, it felt like the second book had all the potential but completely missed the mark.

To start off with, it was really slow. I think I dragged myself through the first 60ish% because I was adamant on finishing it.

I am still extremely frustrated about the lack of character development. We could have had an amazing story and development of Eden’s character, but it kind of feels like he was only there to be the pretty boyfriend.

There were parts where I honestly thought ‘why is this even included?’

And what frustrated me the most was how easily all of their issues were solved? The end scenes could have be so much more, but they just kind of, fizzled out.

Unfortunately this is a 2 star for me. I finished it because I needed closure, but I really didn’t enjoy it.

Wow, there are not many books that I LITERALLY can’t put down but this is one of them. Had I started it earlier in the day I would have devoured it in one sitting. As it was I stayed up until 2am reading and immediately picked it up on waking and finished it in less than a day!

Following on from Spin the Dawn we follow Maia’s struggle with the consequences of her actions and decisions. Whilst the first half of the book is slower the second half is action packed and makes it difficult to want to stop reading.

Again the character development of Maia was strong throughout and despite her constantly doing what she is being advised not to she discovers her own self worth.

Despite the strong romance storyline in the first book the sequel does not have much more than a trickle, focusing instead on Maia’s struggle within herself, which honestly I enjoyed.

Now I have to deal with the envitable book hangover knowing that this series is finished but satisfied with a fitting ending.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an advanced readers copy.

First I have to commend the artist of the covers for this series, as they are just absolutely gorgeous and eye catching. Unfortunately, I think they just may be my favourite thing about these books. I wasn’t a massive fan of the first book, but I was interested enough to pick up the second book. I do enjoy the obvious Chinese influence and the mythology included, as I feel it really enhances the story and worldbuilding. Despite enjoying that aspect, I never felt really connected to any of the characters, and the romance was so bland, I was never rooting for them despite the obstacles. I also felt the ending was very sudden and worked out almost too perfectly and easily.

This was really good! I was immensely invested in this book, and I simply couldn't put it down. And the ending was to die for, it was perfect!

Once again, Elizabeth Lim's writing has me in awe. This book, rather than focusing on the romance, focuses on Maia's struggle with demons and the upcoming war in the kingdom. Maia has to go through a lot in this, but she comes out of it stronger. Her character development in this book was amazing.
Another great thing about this book was the climax; the battle scene is probably one of the best that I've ever seen in fantasy. I found myself completely drawn in and I could imagine some of the scenes playing out in front of me.
And the ending of this was lovely. I'm so glad Maia and Edan got their happy ending along with Maia's family.

Overall, I'm glad Spin The Dawn and Unravel The Dusk are a duology, instead of being a trilogy. All plot points are wrapped up neatly, instead of being too scattered and spread out and that elevates these two books for me.

I LOVED Spin the Dawn and had high hopes for this sequel. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. It was still an ok book, but after how much I had loved the first book I expected more.

I found the pacing of the first 2/3 of the book to be very slow - not a lot seemed to happen and most of what did was just Maia pushing everyone around her away and constantly running away from both the emperor's and the shansen's men. Things picked up a bit when Edan finally reappeared, but then everything involving Maia's impending demon-ness and the war almost felt like it resolved too quickly, and other plot points were brought up that then seemed to be resolved with no real depth to them at all.

The prose is still lovely to read and I zoomed through the book pretty quickly, I just wanted more. I did love the mentions of Shiori, knowing that her story is next.

This book was just great!
Strong female leads check
Swoon worthy male lead check
And awesome ending to a duology check.
One my favorite. It kept me on the edge of my seat!

A brilliant, whimsical follow-up to Spin the Dawn. I'm still not 100% sure what happened and what I read at every point, some of it did seem a little random, but I must admit, I loved the journey I went on with Unravel the Dusk.

And also, side note, I know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover but this one you totally should! The cover is beautiful and so is the story. Would wholeheartedly recommend it.

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

So I started reading this at the wrong time. I was busy and didn't have the time to give this book the attention it deserved, so I put it on hold. When I eventually could pick it up again I found it easier to be absorbed into the writing like I did with Spin the Dawn.

I love Elizabeth Lim's descriptions and easy flow. While reading, I could clearly picture everything and I think this series would make a brilliant film adaptation. I sincerely hope the film rights for these books gets picked up. Nudge nudge. I'm looking at you Netflix! 👀

In terms of pacing, this book is different to Spin the Dawn. The stakes were higher, and Maia is trying her best to cling to her humanity. I was terrified for her and just wanted my girl to be okay!

Maia and Ammi's friendship was a welcomed addition. I love Ammi and I love how she stood by Maia side through everything.

Another person I came to really like was Lady Sarnai. I had almost lost hope that we wouldn't learn more about Lady Sarnai, a character I've always been really curious about, but we did! Not as much as I'd like but at least we got more page time with her.

Because of Maia's curse and the state of the nation, we didn't get as much Edan-Maia time. Makes me sad but I still love these two dearly. There were still some cute moments that made me smile but mostly I was just concerned for how these two would make it out to the end unscathed.

I enjoyed learning more about the history of this fantasy world, every legend and story, every bit of Chinese culture that was stitched into this world — I loved it! This is what YA fantasy needs.

The ending was a little predictable, which isn't a bad thing, it was a perfect conclusion to this duology.

I liked the first book better. The prose is still magical as ever but unfortunately, I wasn't invested in lady Sarnai and her power. And the plot felt convoluted and contrived. I still recommend "Spin the Dawn" though.

Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton once again for providing me with an eArc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I'm going, to be honest, I couldn't wait to start this book after finishing Spin the Dawn and I am so glad I didn't have to wait 12 months for the sequel. I finished Spin the Dawn went to sleep for the night and started on Unravel the Dusk the next morning.

Unlike Spin the Dawn with its epic adventure to gather "materials" for the dresses, this book is more about Maia and her inner turmoil over what she is becoming. Even though we get a lot of Maia monologuing and inner dialogue the magic is so much more in Unravel The Dusk.

I also think the description is more detailed so I was able to picture more in this than I was able to in Spin the Dawn. What I wasn't overly keen on was the lack of Edan. I thought he brought some of the comic relief to book one but as he was missing for a bit of this book the witty banter between him and Maia was missing and this felt a lot more serious.

That being said, I think the lack of adventure made it not live up to the expectations of Spin the Dawn. Although yes I said there was more magic I felt something was missing from this. Maia didn't seem as confident in herself as Maia as she was when she was playing the part of her brother. I know that women were oppressed in this but since we know that the other cast of characters know she is a woman I just thought that she would have had more about her as she has already proven her worth as Master Tailor.

All in all, it was a good conclusion to the duology but it didn't have the same spark.

Unravel the Dusk follows Maia, the newly-appointed Imperial Tailor, as she struggles to cope with the raging war, her recent sacrifices and all of the traumatic events that she suffered in Spin the Dawn. She finds herself on a new mission, this time without the help of her Enchanter, to help end the war before she loses herself to the magic that is overtaking her.

Spin the Dawn is easily one of the best books I’ve read this year, and I’m so glad that I found myself as completely blown away by its sequel. Unravel the Dusk is much less of an adventure-based story than its predecessor, but the action is infinitely more dramatic. Maia’s inner turmoil and physical struggle with herself make up a large part of the book, but these slightly more reflective scenes were balanced really well by the intense battles, the scenes of war and some incredibly dramatic sacrifices towards the end.

My favourite thing about this book was definitely the character growth. Maia’s strength by the end of the story is incredible and it was so fascinating to see her develop from the brave-but-wary tailor at the beginning of Spin the Dawn to the powerful and motivational leader that she finally becomes. In much of book one, Maia is completely reliant on Edan and his magic, so seeing her grow on her own is both fascinating and empowering.

Lady Sarnai’s growth was equally incredible and she went from a character that I liked but didn’t love to one of my favourite characters in the entire duology. It was wonderful to see her also develop her own identity and fight for what she believed in, rather than following the people she had always been forced to listen to.

Reading Spin the Dawn is an absolute must before reading this book, but I cannot recommend the duology as a whole highly enough. It’s magical, beautifully written and completely gripping, and I will absolutely be buying everything I can get my hands on by Elizabeth Lim going forwards.