Spin the Dawn

This book, I am sure, will be one of my top books to read this year. It has a familiar but different story that feels so incredibly wholesome.

I have not connected with a character as quickly as I did in this book. I can't wait to read what happened next. I really enjoyed the wittiness of the characters and the love interests interactions and dynamics.

Spin the Dawn was such a magical book and I would really love to own some of the stuff that was created at the competition!

Spin the Dawn follows Maia, a young girl who takes her brother’s place in a competition to become the new Imperial Tailor, in an attempt to restore her family’s name and achieve a lifelong, impossible dream. After an intense competition to prove herself to the Emperor and his reluctant soon-to-be wife, Maia is tasked with making the most breathtakingly magical dresses, stitched from the sun, the moon and the stars, and, she finds herself on a quest, alongside the palace’s mysterious Enchanter, to do the impossible and alter more in the palace than she ever could have imagined.

I knew before I started this book that I would love it but I had no idea just how much. It combined my loves of enchanting, magical YA, with a love of fashion and elements of Mulan, and it was absolutely one of the most engrossing books I’ve read this year. Maia was strong-willed, determined and completely selfless, so she was a really exciting character to root for as she went on her quest. Edan, similarly, was determined and wise, so with him as a guide and Maia as a heroine, they made a fascinating duo. Add their obvious chemistry to that and reading about their journey became entertaining and addictive on so many levels.

The magical elements of this book are vital to the story, and the descriptions and imagery that came with these were incredibly well done. What initially felt implausible quickly became completely believable, and the scenes with Maia working her magic were simple but yet also so captivating that I found them just as entertaining as the more action-packed scenes in the book. Imagining the breathtaking designs that the tailors put together was so easy and I somehow envy the characters who got to wear the beautiful pieces that were put together throughout.

This was a whirlwind of a book that kept me hooked from start to end. The romance was swoon-worthy, the magic was enchanting, and the action was so constant that it made Spin the Dawn impossible to put down. I loved how it included minor elements of various fairytales without becoming at all predictable, and I’m already desperately awaiting the answers that I’m hoping for in Unravel the Dusk.

You had me at Mulan. You had me at Project Runway. You had me at fantasy. You had me with this cover. Spin the Dawn did not disappoint me! I loved it and absolutely flew through it. I'm a huge sucker for a forbidden love trope and a bit of magic too so Spin The Dawn was the full package for me.

Spin the Dawn keeps up a consistent speedy tempo, has excellent characters that you love and love to hate. Character development is strong, especially with our MC Maia.

It's really not going to be long until I dive into book 2!

5 magical stars - the blood of them, in fact.

Thanks to NetGalley, Hodder & Stoughton and Elizabeth Lim for an eArc copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

This story was incredible and i enjoyed every single minute!

The characters are so easy to like. The world building is spectacular and the different cultures were lovely to read about.

The pace of this book was perfect and i easily finihed it in one sitting.

Bring on the next book

*I was given an arc of Spin the Dawn in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and Elizabeth Lim*

Spin the Dawn follows Maia, who comes from a long line of tailors. After the death of her mother, the family tailoring business begins to struggle. This is pushed further by the ongoing war, in which Maia’s two older brothers Sendo and Finlei are enlisted. Her youngest brother Keton runs away to also join the war and to hopefully find their brothers. Keton is the only brother that returns and he comes back not able to walk.

Not long after Maia’s father, who has lost his touch of tailoring, is requested to join a competition to become the next imperial tailor. As he is not able to and only men are allowed to take the position Keton must take his place. Keton was never much of a tailor and so to bring honour back to her family, Maia pretends to be her brother so she can compete.

After making it through the competition, Maia is given one last challenge. The impossible task of creating three dresses from the laughter of the sun, the tears of the moon, and the blood of stars.

I have waited so long for this book to be available in the UK. Ever since I first saw people talking about it online I knew I needed to read it. Mulan meets project runway, yes please.

Spin the Dawn was everything I thought it would be and more. The story was beautifully rich and when it got around the halfway point I was surprised at how much deeper it could go.

I’ve always been a huge fan of books that have great attention to detail when it comes to clothing and this book is by far the best so far. I loved being able to vividly picture the garments that the tailors were creating and just thinking about a dress that may include the blood of stars was extremely exciting.

Character-wise this book was also very strong. I really loved Maia and the fact that no matter what challenge was thrown her way she would take it head-on. She was determined, selfless and courageous. The best type of YA female lead.

I can’t not talk about Edan and just how much I loved him. The chemistry between him and Maia was electric and any time they got closer I felt myself getting a little giddy. Oh and obviously he is a completely swoon-worthy heartthrob. I wouldn’t have expected anything else.

The magical elements were fascinating and the ways in which they were interwoven was vital to the story. Let’s just say there is a certain magical object of which I was completely intrigued by and I need to know more. It’s a good job there’s a second book so I can do just that.

Spin the Dawn had me hooked from the get-go. I had been in a huge reading slump before this and it was taking me weeks to finish a book. I finished this in just over two days and could not put it down.

Now I am pondering over what will happen next in this world of mystifying magic and gorgeous garments. Looks like I need to get reading book two right this second.

With Thanks to Elizabeth Lim and Hodder & Stoughton, for an advanced readers copy of this book.

This story was incredible! I loved every single minute of it.

The plot sucks you in from the first page and wraps you in a blend of charming characters, beautiful world building, and intriguing cultures. Edan and Maia are brilliant characters, ones you really love reading about. The author uses a blend of Asian and Eastern European folk law during the book, an interesting mix that I don't think I've come across before.

It was skilfully written, and kept a constant pace with no slow moments which meant I finished this one very fast, and I need the sequel like yesterday.

Lastly to address the reason I have an arc this far after publication. This AMAZING new cover! It's so eye catching, I liked the first cover but this one is definitely a huge step up. I really wish it was available in hardback, I really want one for my shelf, maybe that's just a UK thing.

What an excellent and fascinating story!
Great storytelling and world building, interesting and fleshed out characters, a plot that kept me hooked
I cant wait to read the next book in this series, this one is strongly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Weaving an epic tale as intricate as embroidery, SPIN THE DAWN is a magic-infused, romantic fantasy that will enchant you.

Lim creates a beautiful world suffused with Chinese influence. Undeterred heroine Maia must face bandits, demons, ghosts of old, finicky brides, tricky competitors and of course lots of sewing, all of which is gorgeously written, characterised and paced. The overall tapestry of this book is a vibrant, magical story sure to spin you around its pinkie finger as easily as thread.

WILL I READ ON? Yes.

Thank you to Netgalley, Elizabeth Lim and Hodder & Stoughton for and advanced readers copy of this book!

I don’t even know where to start. I absolutely adored this book! I really enjoyed the consistent pace of the storyline, there was never a dull moment and I definitely struggled to put it down!

The characters were perfect for the story, I felt like I knew them personally, they were witty, clever and so easy to connect with.

I was hooked from chapter one, and I cannot wait to read the second book! I need it, now!

Also, can we just all appreciate how GORGEOUS this cover is?!

I would highly recommend this book to those who have a love of YA Fantasy with an interesting magic system and the cutest love 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!

Project Runway meets Mulan in this sweeping fantasy about a young girl who poses as a boy to compete for the role of imperial tailor and embarks on an impossible journey to sew three magic dresses, from the sun, the moon, and the stars.
Spoilers ahead.
This book is such a delight to read, with an intriguing plot that I've never before seen and a way with words that truly makes it an easy book to read and an enchanting one to listen to as well.

The main plot sees our main character Maia take part in a competition and then being tasked to make three dresses made from the sun, the moon and the stars and then journeying through the country she lives with Edan to find these things -and it is an incredibly compulsive read that takes you on a journey with them which leaves you feeling emotional and holding your breath.

Beautifully written with descriptive writing and flowing prose, this book gives you a world and people that take you in from the beginning of the book - the descriptions of the places they travel and the people they meet are stunning throughout. The romance from 'enemies' to lovers is tropey, yes, but did I love it? Heck yes I did, and it's done so elegantly - Lim is an astonishing writer.

This book is a beautiful read, with stunning characterisation and gorgeous world building that really makes for incredible reading - I need to get myself the sequel as soon as possible as I need to know what happens next to Maia and this world.

5/5.

(I received an ARC from NetGalley for honest review).

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.

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!

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

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!

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

This book was amazing. I loved reading every word. The world building was beautiful and the characters were brilliant! Maia was such an amazing character to learn about and such a great character to follow through the novel. I ADORED Edan, he gave me such Jest from Heartless vibes I loved him so much, he was great!

I loved each part of the book, from the competition, to the journey and to the final chapters, the whole novel was beautifully crafted and could have worked as two separate novels but was seamlessly intertwined into one breath-taking narrative. I loved the mythology and culture that was featured in the novel and everything about it! I only wished that there had been more and I can't wait to read the sequel.

Spin the Dawn is described as a cross between Mulan and Project Runway, which is spot on, at least at first. The story follows Maia Tamarin, the youngest child of a well-respected master tailor. As the Emperor’s war against the Shansen continues to unfold, Maia’s father takes ill, and her family faces increasing hardship.

When an Imperial Minister requests the services of Maia’s father at the Summer Palace, Maia poses as her brother, attending in place of her ailing father. When she arrives at court, she finds herself competing against eleven master tailors for the title of Imperial Tailor, and these crafty men aren’t above playing dirty. As she fights to keep her gender a secret, Maia is given increasingly impossible challenges set by the Emperor’s vengeful bride, eventually leading to an epic journey that could determine the fate of the Empire.

“I, too, once journeyed beyond the stars.”
“What did you find?”
His voice turned lethally soft. “That it’s just the beginning.”

The second part of the novel shakes up the format set by Maia’s tailoring competition and instead focuses on her travels to complete her quest, the details of which I found magical and beautiful. Maia’s journey expands the novel’s setting beyond clothing design and throws her together with Edan, the court magician, for better or worse. The story also turns unexpectedly dark (thematically; no trigger warnings I can recall), which took me entirely by surprise. I’m now really excited to read the second book in the duology and see where Lim takes Maia’s journey next.

Being a YA fantasy with a healthy dash of romance, Spin the Dawn might not be for everyone, but for me, it was like reliving the magic of reading my first Tamora Pierce books in my early teens. I tore through this almost 400-page novel in a day, something I don’t think I’ve ever done before.

"A patchwork of thick, grey clouds drifted across the sky, the seams so tight I could barely see the light behind them.”

I was absorbed by Maia’s passion for tailoring and the vivid descriptions of her designs. The prose is beautiful, and I loved how Lim weaves it (pun intended) with allusions to Maia’s trade.

When I first started the book, I was worried that the worldbuilding detail was too light for my taste. But Maia’s journey expands the setting in exciting ways, and I particularly loved the mythology. However, Lim maintains a paired down, fairy-tale narrative voice which, for me, made the story all the more emotionally poignant.

The only thing that didn’t really work for me was how antagonistic Maia was towards Edan in the beginning. I thought he was charming and helpful, but she was so not into it. That said, I think the point was that Maia felt comfortable enough with him to treat him as if he were one of her three brothers.

Regardless, I’ve given this book a big old 5-star rating for the pure enjoyment it brought me. I can’t wait to read more of Lim’s work!

Big thank you to the publisher for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Trigger warnings: Sexism, death of family, bodily harm

This book was amazing. I read it in two days. I literally skipped some sentences (even though I tried to restrain myself) because I really wanted to know what happens. But you know what it means: I will reread it one day to know what I missed.
I loved Maia and I loved Edan (he has now become my book boyfriend). I cannot wait to see what becomes of them in the next book. They were so well-developed and had a real evolution which was great to see. The story is amazing too. It was intriguing and intense. It starts with Maia, who lives in a patriarchal society, and who wants to become the best tailor (a job reserved to men) of the country. The writing style really pulled me in the book and in this universe.
I recommend this book to people who are into fantasy and young adult books. Also to people who want to start reading fantasy.
5/5

Of course, is this only my personal opinion on the book and just because I give this rating to the book doesn’t mean, that everyone will have that opinion.

„Project Runway meets Mulan“ was a very interesting teaser sentence in my opinion but I think it fits the book perfectly.
I enjoyed the writing style and the book had me hooked from the first sentence. I spend every free minute of the day reading it.
Personally, I like both covers because they fit the vibe of the story really good!
I liked the characters and cant wait to read more about Maia and her journey.
The plot was also really interesting and there wasn’t a minute of my reading time that felt boring.

Conclusion
If you are looking for a good YA Fantasy book with an interesting storyline, I think this book might be for you

I give 5 from 5 Stars

first things first, this is a new favourite book for me. if you are on the fence about this book after hearing the tagline of 'Mulan meets Project Runway', I strongly urge you to ignore that description and just read the book. this story is so much more than a simple culmination of those templates; Maia's journey in this book is one that I wish everyone would read.

this book accidently splits itself into two halves: the first half is the competition that you expect going into it, and the second half takes our characters on a journey throughout their world. two of my favourite things in fantasy novels. because of these differing pathways, I really felt as though we got the know the characters and become comfortable with them, to a point in which the second half feels as though we are exploring the world through their eyes.

if you had told me when starting this book how much I would end up loving the romance, I would have laughed in your face. the journey Maia and Edan went through together, and the way that affected the progress of their relationship felt so real to me and I need them to be happy and reunited in the sequel. Edan in particular really grew on me throughout the book, at first I wasn't too sure of him but now I am absolutely besotted by him. I love that hawk man.

I am super excited to get my hands on the sequel and finish Maia's story. I would highly recommend this book if you are looking for a fantasy featuring a strong romance, a main character with a strong passion for their work and an expansive, diverse world.