Elizabeth Lim

'An amazing creation!' Tamora Pierce, #1 New York Times bestselling author A tailor in disguise. Three legendary dresses. The competition of a lifetime. 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. On the fringes of the Great Spice Road, Maia Tamarin dreams of becoming the greatest tailor in the land - but as a girl, the best she can hope for is to marry well. Then a royal messenger summons her ailing father to court, and Maia seizes her chance. Disguised as a man, she travels to the Summer Palace in her father's place to compete for the emperor's favour, and the coveted position of imperial tailor. If Maia's ruse is discovered, her life will be forfeit. But if she wins, she will achieve her greatest dream. Yet nothing could have prepared her for the challenge ahead: to sew three magic gowns for the emperor's bride-to-be. One from the laughter of the sun, one from the tears of the moon, and one from the blood of stars. Accompanied by the mysterious court enchanter, whose piercing eyes seem to see straight through her disguise, Maia's journey will take her to the far reaches of the kingdom, seeking the sun, the moon, and the stars, and finding more than she ever could have imagined. Steeped in Chinese culture, sizzling with forbidden romance, and shimmering with magic, this young adult fantasy is pitch-perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas or Renée Ahdieh. Praise for Spin the Dawn 'Looking for your next big YA fantasy series? We've got our eye on this stylist blockbuster' Entertainment Weekly 'Spin the Dawn is proof that casting a wider net not only gives us a fresh story that feels unlike everything else on the shelves beside it but also allows for richer and more nuanced storytelling' NPR 'All the cutthroat competition of a runway fashion reality show and the thrilling exploits of an epic quest . . . a stunning tapestry of adventure' The Washington Post

Spin the Dawn

Amira BEN

"I know one thing, Maia Tamarin-being with you makes me happier than I have ever been."

That’s it Edan is a new book bf of mine. 

 "It is an illusion to assume we choose whom we love. I cannot change how I feel about you. I would move the sun and the moon if it meant being with you. As for my oath...I cannot promise to break it, but I would do everything in my power to make you happy, Maia. That I can promise."

"I do care," he repeated. "But when you're an enchanter, there isn't much time for romancing. No girl has ever caused me to question this. "His voice became even softer, if that was possible. "Then again, none of the girls were you."

"And your favorite color is blue. Like the ocean." 

I gave him half a smile. "You're still a boy. No man would name his horse Valiant Grace." 

I wasn't as mortified as I thought I would be when Edan called me his wife. And that was mortifying in itself!

," I called after him. He was going to be the doom of me one day. I just knew it.

He set down the cup. “Which is why I saic I'm not sure it suits you," he said. "You have a remarkable journey ahead of you, Maia. I can see it in your tea leaves."

fc ♡

Christine

edan reminds me of hoid and idk why

GOOD BOOK

"“I'd battled ghosts and touched the stars. I'd climbed a mountain to the moon and conquered the fury of the sun.”"
--------------------
Have you ever watched Mulan and thought “This great, but I just wish it featured an episode of the Next in Fashion competition”? No? Me neither. We have been missing out.

Beautifully written with great world-building and mythological elements, Spin The Dawn is a fast-paced fantasy that combines the hidden identity trope with a super fun fashion aspect and magical themes. The characters, the plot, the lush descriptions… They were all very entertaining. Until the romance kicks in, that is.

I know, I know. I once again am not a fan of the romantic plot. What a surprise. But, aren’t we already tired of the 8000 year-old love interest trope? It is never convincing or non-predatory. It makes me -cringe-.

But, that being said, the overall story was so great. I enjoyed the journey immensely, so much that I kind of wish this book was a standalone. I loved the characters, but I am hesitant to pick up the sequel, because I worry that the story is going away from the fashion into the romantic fantasy too much. To be determined, I guess.

nina 

3.5 stars

we don’t talk about that second half

Kaede

becky oh

Disguising herself as a boy to compete for the position of imperial tailor, Maia must somehow complete the impossible task of sewing three magic gowns for the emperor's bride-to-be from the sun's laughter, the moon's tears, and the blood of stars.

Teeeeeesha

A retelling of Mulan. Maia has always dreamt of being a tailor but after she loses her brothers to the war she must disguise herself as a man to become an imperial tailor And not fall for an enchanter

'What an amazing creation! Every time I thought I knew where it was going, I was wrong. This is a white-knuckle read' Tamora Pierce, #1 New York Times bestselling author A gifted tailor in disguise. Three legendary dresses. The competition of a lifetime. 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. On the fringes of the Great Spice Road, Maia Tamarin works as a seamstress in her father's shop. She dreams of becoming the best tailor in the land, but as a girl, the best she can hope for is to marry well. When a royal messenger summons her ailing father, once a tailor of renown, to court, Maia poses as his son and travels to the Summer Palace in his place. She knows her life is forfeit if her secret is discovered, but she'll take that risk to save her family and achieve her dream of becoming the imperial tailor. There's just one catch: Maia is one of twelve tailors vying for the job. Backstabbing and lies run rampant as the tailors compete in challenges to prove their artistry and skill. Maia's task is further complicated when she draws the unwelcome attention of the court enchanter, Edan, whose piercing eyes seem to see straight through her disguise. And nothing could have prepared her for the final challenge: to sew three magic gowns for the emperor's reluctant bride-to-be: from the laughter of the sun, the tears of the moon, and the blood of stars. With this impossible task before her, she embarks on a journey to the far reaches of the kingdom, seeking the sun, the moon, and the stars, and finding more than she ever could have imagined. Steeped in Chinese culture, sizzling with forbidden romance, and shimmering with magic, this young adult fantasy is pitch-perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas or Renée Ahdieh. 'Looking for your next big YA fantasy series? We've got our eye on this stylist blockbuster' Entertainment Weekly 'Spin the Dawn is proof that casting a wider net not only gives us a fresh story that feels unlike everything else on the shelves beside it but also allows for richer and more nuanced storytelling' NPR 'All the cutthroat competition of a runway fashion reality show and the thrilling exploits of an epic quest . . . a stunning tapestry of adventure' The Washington Post

Beatrice

What a ride this book was! Spin the Dawn was just the magical adventure I needed, with its charming characters, adorable romance, whimsical magic, dangerous quests and Asian-inspired lore. This book basically has it all!

The story is essentially divided into two parts. In the first part, Maia disguises as a man to compete for the position of imperial tailor instead of her brother, both to fulfil her life-long dream of becoming the greatest tailor in the land and to help her poverty-stricken family. But the competition is fierce and her adversaries will stop at nothing to win the coveted position, and if Maia's secret were discovered it would mean certain death. The competition was so fun and easily one of my favourite sections in the novel. It really kept me on the edge of my seat as I never knew what to expect from these cutthroat tailors and from Lady Sernai, the emperor's bride-to-be who judges the competition. 

It was over way too soon, as we moved into Part 2, which is a magical quest as Lady Sernai tasks Maia with sewing three gowns for her: one made from the laughter of the sun, one from the tears of the moon and one from the blood of the stars. Maia sets out to retrieve these with the help of Edan, the court enchanter, and a pair of magical scissors. Perils and challenges abound, and I am totally here for it! I'm not usually a fan of long, arduous quests as I tend to get quite bored with them, but this one managed to keep my attention nicely until the end. And that ending? I am not ok!! I need the second book ASAP and I do not have the second book yet, so that's a problem.

One of the things that definitely made me love this book so much was the beautiful writing. The author's world-building and descriptions are just fantastic and I could almost picture everything. This was especially great because this book is so visual, with all the descriptions of dresses, colours, embroideries, and the lush and gorgeous settings. I also really liked how deeply it dives into the world's culture and its complexities, flawlessly mixing epic fantasy with fairy tale elements.

And the characters... how can I even begin to talk about the characters? Maia and Edan, I loved these two so much! Their banter was just fantastic and often had me hopelessly grinning or straight up laughing and I ship them so hard! I found them both to be characterised so well independently from one another, and I took to them almost immediately. Some of the secondary characters didn't get a lot of air time, but they very well might in the second book. And Maia and Edan were alone on the road for a significant part of the book, so it does make sense!

A minor complaint I have is around the marketing for this: I saw it pitched as a Mulan retelling but, honestly, I don't really see it? I mean, the only resemblance to Mulan is Maia dresses up as a boy to answer the emperor's call in her father's and her brother's place, and that's about where that ends. This book is so much more than simply a Mulan retelling!

Overall, Spin the Dawn was a fantastic read and one I'll be gushing about for a long while yet. It weaves together danger, magic, humour, romance, and a complex, Asian-inspired world in a beautiful and intricate tapestry. One not to miss!

For more reviews, visit Book for Thought.

I received an e-arc of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way.

Kelsey Joëlle

really liked this book, good storyline and great characters.

Well it was surprisingly solid for a YA fantasy debut by Elizabeth Lim.

Very atmospheric, immersive, good pacing. I liked Maia right away, she’s a girl full of dreams and ready to protect her family anytime. She felt quite selfless.

And then there was Edan 🫠🫠 it’s pretty rare to see a heart-swooning male character in YA. But here he is 😩 and damn he then again managed to higher my already insane standards. This dude can talk 🤌🏼 and he is now in my prize list of book boyfriends. Sorry not sorry

Also, the plot was quite solid and there was a good balance between emotional scenes, actions and cozy scenes. 

The only reason I won’t give it a 5 stars is that it 

 quite juvenile at times. Guess I’m getting too old. But few years back it would have been a 5stars I think. Still deserve its solid 4 stars.

Well it was surprisingly solid for a YA fantasy debut by Elizabeth Lim.

Very atmospheric, immersive, good pacing. I liked Maia right away, she’s a girl full of dreams and ready to protect her family anytime. She felt quite selfless.

And then there was Edan 🫠🫠 it’s pretty rare to see a heart-swooning male character in YA. But here he is 😩 and damn he then again managed to higher my already insane standards. This dude can talk 🤌🏼 and he is now in my prize list of book boyfriends. Sorry not sorry

Also, the plot was quite solid and there was a good balance between emotional scenes, actions and cozy scenes. 

The only reason I won’t give it a 5 stars is that it felt quite juvenile at times. Guess I’m getting too old. But few years back it would have been a 5stars I think. Still deserve its solid 4 stars.

Jenna H

it had me at magical dresses (and the romance was kinda(ahem very) cute)

menna

it had me at magical dresses (and the romance was kinda(ahem very) cute)



It started out so strong. I was really sure I'd love it, until the competition portion of the book was over. The quest for the dresses sadly didn't live up to the beginning of the book...

Ivy X

I enjoyed this a lot actually but I did have moments at the end where I was like “why are we doing this all for edan?”

The relationship seemed to build so fast that it was hard for me to jump on board with the second half of the story focusing a lot on romance.

Def enjoyed the beginning and I think it would’ve been cool to see that expanded throughout the story rather than the journey for the impossible things. The entire journey just left room for romance since there wasn’t much going on but I think that lost the initial draw of the book from the first half.

Amanda

Interesting story, great world building, falls flat in the end and I have little interest in continuing to the next book

This book was fun to read. It is a really fun combination of multiple fairy tales.

Elin Hakvoort

Ashley Wendt

I didn’t hate it. I didn’t love it. I feel very ambivalent about this one. I liked the first half. The second half felt like a different book. Some stuff didn’t really connect well, but I did feel like there were aspect to this storyline and this world that were so unique.

Mariah

I read Six Crimson Cranes a couple of months back and I just knew that I needed to read another book by Elizabeth Lim! 
I love that they both take place in the same world so getting to see so much more of this magical world was such a privilege. This book is part Mulan, part Project Runway, and just a dash of Aladdin. I absolutely adore this book! I love Maia and her ferocity. Maia's father also has such a special place in my heart. Despite being in a society where women are not accepted as "masters" of any trade I love that her father has always supported her. The family bonds in this are exceptional and well written.
The book had plenty of twists. I went in expecting the competition to be the imperial tailor to be a good portion of the book, but it was surprisingly short (in a good way). Seeing Maia develop and the budding relationship she has with the enchanter was exceptional.

Shay Henrion

Oh, my heart. 

I added this book to my TBR list, even though (despite?) the tag line of “Mulan meets Project Runway” - I’m all for giving books a chance. Then, I promptly forgot said tag and, fast forward a few months to me actually listening to the audio book, and I’m all like “wtf is this bs ripoff of Mulan, what does this author think she’s doing?!” Shay, has you reread the description, you would have known what you’re getting into. Except not at all. 

Part one of Spin the Dawn is the only portion that really resembles Mulan (and, it should be said, is not the portion I really enjoyed). Maia is a seamstress working in her father’s tailor shop, even though, as a woman she’s not supposed to truly be working. But she’s very skilled. Then a rep from the Emperor comes requesting her father go to the palace to compete to be the Royal Tailor. However, he father is sickly and can’t go. Maia disguises herself as her brother, and goes in his place (you can imagine how this plays out because, If you’re a 90s baby like me, you’ve seen Mulan). 

However, part two of the book is where things really take off and OH MY DID I LOVE IT. what is it about 500+ year old magical beings that dress all in black that gets my heart going? Maia and Edan, the royal sorcerer, go on a journey to make three magic dresses and have all kinds of adventures and it just made my heart sing with how good it was. I won’t add any spoilers, other than to say that (outside is the Mulan plot 🙄) it was unique, intriguing, and I really need the second book now, k?

Elisa Bieg

What can I say about this book?
It was original, unexpected, intriguing, magical, frustrating.

The world is fascinating, bordering on urban fantasy but with a more delicate touch, and beautifully illustrated in the gorgeous map at the beginning of the book. The characters are relatable and appealing, as are their challenges, despite the magic involved. And the slow-burn romance is pretty well executed and fairly satisfying.

Unfortunately the writing is a bit flat and uninspiring, and that affects how much the world truly comes to life while reading. The pacing is also a bit frustrating, and feels a tad uneven. 

Still, this is a wonderful fairytale, and as such it is memorable, it makes you think, and it makes you want to recount it to others, which isn’t something I always get from books.

I can’t say it’s a new favorite, but it definitely makes me want to return to this world, lackluster writing notwithstanding.

I’m giving this 3 1/2 stars  because the writing unfortunately pulled me out of the story a bit and I found myself wishing for someone with a more skilled hand and more lyrical writing; but I think this will stay with me for a bit, and I will most likely grab the next one, which comes out in July!

Check it out if you like Asian-inspired fantasy and mythology.

Kira Del Caro

** spoiler alert **
           I really enjoyed this book though it was not what I expected. I expected it to be more of a testing of skills with the tailoring contest but it was so much more than that. Even though it wasn't what I expected I still thoughly enjoyed this book and am eager to read the next one

Nicole Dykeman

I loved this! It was magical and romantic and it flew by. I love quest-based plots with a nice dose of magic and romance. The story was unique and the characters were lots of fun. I’m really excited for the next book.

Megan Lowe

Wow! This book was incredible! I loved the story that was woven, the characters, the world building. I do wish there was more Asian elements involved, but it’s still a solid story.
Most of all I enjoyed the romance aspect of this book and can’t wait for the next one!

Catarina Silva

3 stars

That was an enjoyable and cute read. It was cheesy sometimes, and i rolled my eyes a few times, but overall it was nice.

Spin the Dawn

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