I need to reread this 😩

** spoiler alert ** looks like shiori and crew weren’t completely successful if we are handling their issues now, but it’s because of their references that i’ll give this book 3 stars at all

“But hope was a valuable weapon, and we were sharpening its every edge.” Just finished reading it and I wonder why I put this on hold before. To my surprise, I like this book better than the first one. Sure there are a lot of things going on this book, but that makes this book interesting. Disclaimer, this book was waaaay darker than Spin the Dawn. There were bloodsheds, betrayals, and more! You just have to read it at this point, in case you are wondering.  I personally like Maia’s character development, it may not seem obvious but trust me, as the story unravels, you can see her growth. She was battling with herself all along, but she won eventually. I also love the relationship between Maia and Ammi, it’s so pure I THINK I COULD CRY.  If you are a fan of Maia and Edan scenes, I would like to tell you beforehand that this book has less Edan in it. He didn’t appear until halfway in, if I remember it correctly, but he did appear in the second half of the book. The lack of Lady Sarnai was such a bummer, I started to like her in this book and honestly the writer could’ve written more about this Lady but nope. Hence it deserves 4.75 stars from me. What a ride.

it was alright didn't grip me as much as the first book:(

This was a great duo. I love Asian fantasy and this one is so rich. The love story is refreshing and strong and sweet. I do think that at times some of the actions are a little simple, but I’m not a fan of the over complicated either. This is a great duo and I highly recommend it!

3.25 stars I liked this better than the first book, there was a lot more action. However, Maia was just kind of annoying the whole book, she kept making decisions and then going back on them and it was very very repetitive. I probably won’t read another Elizabeth Lim YA fantasy book

I really enjoyed this sequel to Spin the Dawn. I thought the stakes were raised even more and the character work was done very well. It's so Interesting to see where Maia started out as in the beginning of the first book and where she goes to the end of the second book. She grew so much through all the trials bombarded at her and she became a strong heroine. The magic was intriguing and I loved getting to know the world a little bit more. And there a couple characters who were minor in the first book and they got a place on this one and I loved that! The ending was also just perfect and it made me so happy! Highly recommend this fantasy duology!

** spoiler alert ** TAKE CARE MAIA YOU DESERVE A PEACEFUL LIFE AFTER GOING THROUGH THAT

3.75/5 stars not many thoughts, but this is so much more fast-paced than the previous book and definitely darker, but i like it better. maia is still annoying at times but she learned a lot and definitely not as much of a pain, especially in the latter half. it was ok, but the ending and resolution was worth an almost extra one star

4.5* i would die for maia and edan 🥺💘

An average book - nothing particularly special

The sequel to Spin the Dawn, Unravel the Dusk by Elizabeth Lim picks up right at Maia’s transformation into a demon. This book follows that transformation as well as the country headed to civil war. Maia will do anything to keep her country whole and at peace, but will it cost her everything? Pros: • Concept- Similar to Spin the Dawn I loved the world that Lim built and the lore that surrounded the gods, the magical dresses, and demons. • Descent into Madness- Maia’s transformation into a demon slowly had her losing her mind, body, and heart which was heartbreaking, but it raised the admiration I had for her. Cons: • Happily Ever After- I understand that this story has an almost mythical quality which warrants a happily ever after, but the ending seemed anticlimactic to me. Everything just worked out a little too easily with almost no causalities. • Slow Middle- I kind of lost it in the middle. There was just not a lot going on besides Maia turning into a demon. I’m giving Unravel the Dawn 3/5 stars. I was a huge fan of Spin the Dawn and I did like the overall story and characters, but this installment was kind of a letdown for me.

3.5☆ i enjoyed this well enough and i like maia as a character. i also think elizabeth lim is a very talented author. however, this book still felt somewhat pointless to me. the charm of the first book was that it followed a fairy tale plot and structure and it could have been wrapped up in one book. i felt like the plot of the first book did not necessarily cause the plot of the second book and ultimately, i caught myself getting increasingly less invested in the story.

It was an easy read, that’s why it took slightly less than 2 days. Again with this Chosen One thing, but it must have been SO super self-indulgent to write. I hope Six Crimson Cranes is better than this because it’s so much more popular and I’m thinking of reading that soon.

4.5 stars

The vulnerable Maia in this touched my heart. Maia in both the books has been a strong person who people have always depended on. Whether it was her family, the fate of the empire or Edan, everything has been hanging on Maia and in this book, she also has to deal with the darkness. But, Maia’s life could be so much easier if only she gave into the darkness. She could save her beloved empire from ruin, reinstate the emperor on the throne, save Edan and give him his magic and save her family. But she doesn’t give into the darkness and she persists. That is what I found unique about Maia. But, the question that comes to my mind is, if Maia had given into the darkness and saved so many lives, would she be considered a hero? Would she be considered ‘good’ even if she was ‘evil’ because she was fighting for a good cause? I, and so many other people would say yes. Isn’t ‘good’ or ‘evil’ subjective. If she did save the empire by fighting a war, she would kill countless Shansin people and she would be ‘evil’ for them. But to the soldiers of her empire who she saved, she is a hero, a ‘good’ person. At first I would say whoever saves more lives, would be a ‘good’ person in my opinion. But that would lead us to the argument, how do we decide what lives matter more? So, in the end we come to the conclusion, who do we call a saviour, and what do we call ‘good’? Comment your thoughts on this! I would give this book 5 stars for it’s thought provoking content.

"Not long ago, I'd thought my story was like a fairy tale. After all, there were demons and ghosts, an emperor ensorcelled, and a princess who'd become the greatest warrior of her generation." Wow, wow, wow! I thoroughly enjoyed Lim's first novel, Spin the Dawn. That book was a fun adventure story and I enjoyed the characters. I was not blown away by the story, but I did have fun reading it. So when I picked up this book, I was expecting the same caliber as the first, meaning I would enjoy it, but the story would not wow me. Boy, I was wrong! I cannot even believe this is the same author or the same story. Lim stepped it up in her second novel in relation to her imagery, topics, and character development. I found myself cringing (in a good way) throughout the book when she described some of the more brutal/bloody scenes of the novel. Maia is one of my favorite characters in any book I have ever read. Her story, her growth, and her struggles were amazing to watch. I felt so connected to her in so many ways. She wants to protect the people she loves, she wants to save her country, but she also doesn't want to lose herself in the process. She was strong without being fiercely independent. She knew when she needed to rely on people and when she needed to keep others at arm's length. I'm usually not completely satisfied with an ending, but I just loved his this duology ended. It was beautiful and hopeful. I love Maia and Eden so much and I hope others do too.

3.3⭐ This one is better than the first.

Spin the Dawn was one of my favorite reads of 2019, so naturally I was very excited for the release of Unravel the Dusk. However, I was wary of it at the same time, as I feared it would focus on the aspect of the story that I enjoyed least. Unfortunately, I was right. I am in love with Elizabeth Lim’s fairytale-like writing style, and I definitely enjoyed that aspect of the book. However, there were some discrepancies in pacing in. While the first part had a good balance between slow and fast pace, the middle and ending were either too slow or too quick. Edan and Maia were my favorite part of Spin the Dawn, and it was the case in this installment as well, though the scenes were few and often tainted by Maia’s demon story arc. Which brings me to the big reason I didn’t enjoy the book as much as I would have wanted. Don’t get me wrong, the author did a great job at showing Maia’s transition into the demon, and her emotional and mental struggles, but being limited to Maia’s perspective alone made for some heavy and sometimes dull moments. The demon aspect of this duology was always the dissonant note for me. Amid the magic of Amana’s dresses, the plot twists connected to the competition and the massive Edan content in the first book, the demons always gave me the impression of not fully belonging in the narrative, given how little page time they had. The emphasis on this aspect in Unravel the Dusk didn’t lessen the feeling, but enhanced it. I struggled to envision them as an integral part of this story, and it made it hard to grasp the ties with the first book I loved so much. It felt more like a separate story than a sequel, and I partly wish Spin the Dawn had been a standalone instead. The ending, however, was satisfying. There were no shortage of touching moments between Maia and her family, and despite my inability to connect to the secondary characters, I am happy of where everyone ended up in the end. The ending between Edan and Maia was especially satisfying, and I still love my babies, despite everything.

As always, Elizabeth hits us with a strong willed female lead that lives up to her name! I went through all possible stages and emotions while following Maia in her journey between the blood of stars. It only makes me even more excited for the second part of Six Crimson Cranes, I would def read it again somewhere in the future

An easy and overall smooth read, suitable for younger readers. In the previous book, I particularly enjoyed the description of the dresses however the writing style didn't entirely shine in this book. I also expected more character development and depth in worldbuilding which didn't happen - so these are the things that could had been better. On the other hand I did enjoy the symbolisms associated with the sun, moon, and stars. I think the writing style makes this quite an accessible read. The romance & relationships here is a bit shallow for my taste but it's also quite easy to get through hence I would still recommend this for people who want to get into YA fantasy.

like i can’t stop crying

oh i am WEEPING

This duology was so goddamn beautiful it might just be one of my favorites of all time. This second book was better than the first one, especially when it comes to the romance bit that I didn't enjoy as much in Spin The Dawn. It felt a lot more mature and real this time, I don't know. Everything else, I wouldn't change a single comma. The books weren't perfect, but hell if they weren't worth it.