Spin the Dawn (The Blood of Stars)

Spin the Dawn is one of those wonderfully crafted tales that weaves self-discovery, love, and adventure into a beautifully written story. I won’t lie, I had high expectations going into this book and let me tell you, Spin the Dawn exceeded all those expectations. Elizabeth Lim has created a spectacular tale rich with culture and magic and strength, and Spin the Dawn has become one of my top reads of 2019. Spin the Dawn is not just a journey; it’s about falling in love, believing in yourself, and following your dreams. This book is filled with heart and courage and spirit; Elizabeth Lim poured her soul into this story and it’s a magnificent story. The characters are well-developed and the world-building is breathtaking and illustrious. Maia was born with courage in her blood and magic in her soul. Her spirit and her courageous heart spill out through the words in Spin the Dawn. She defies the impossibilities that deem to hold her back; she, ultimately, proves those who wish to see her fail wrong. She proves to herself that she can accomplish anything she puts her mind to. Maia easily became a protagonist I loved. She’s true to herself and true to her word: she wants to win this competition without the help of her magical scissors and win solely based on her extraordinary skills. This doesn’t mean she never uses the scissors; on the contrary, they become very prominent further into the book; magic becomes prominent. And even better, Maia’s strength really takes charge in this story, especially when she must do the impossible. Her love for her family and her craft is what sets her apart from everyone else; she wants to prove to the world that a woman can be a tailor and just as talented as a man in the craft. Her spirit is really what made this story what it is: her will to fight and her unwavering belief in herself is what made me love this story so much. And, of course, Edan. Edan is the emperor’s imperial enchanter, and quite a charmer, if I might add. His relationship with Maia is one of my favorites. Their feelings for each other don’t just grow overnight; it takes a whole journey but nonetheless, their beautiful love story blossoms into something magical. Edan is such a bashful love interest that I easily fell in love with his character. Elizabeth Lim brought us readers a beautiful relationship with chemistry and charm and because of how well-written this relationship is, I could not imagine Spin the Dawn being what it is without their love. Elizabeth Lim crafts a story with beautiful prose, unending heart, and spectacular magic. Her writing brings to a life a story that will captivate the hearts of all readers. The Chinese culture mixed with shimmering magic and a blossoming romance truly make this story charming. Spin the Dawn is definitely a book I highly recommend and a beautiful fantasy you will not want to miss.

Spin the Dawn is a gorgeous, magical story of determination, survival, friendship, and family. When I first saw this book described as "Project Runway meets Mulan," I was immediately intrigued. I knew it would probably end up not being quite like that description, but I was still excited for what this book could be and I was not disappointed. Spin the Dawn has a lot of elements that feel similar to other books--a girl dressing up as a boy, a competition of sorts that the protagonist must win, and, of course, plenty of magic and characters who you never really know if they're on your side or not. Despite these familiar elements, Lim managed to craft them all into a wholly unique and magical journey that felt fresh and exciting. The story takes off when Maia enters a competition to follow her passion of being a professional tailor--a role that is usually left to men--in which the prize is to become the imperial. Once at the palace, things never completely go according to plan and Maia has not only the challenge of creating beautiful garments that pass the test of the Imperial Majesty's soon to be wife, but also the challenge of beating all of the other contestant, most of whom feel immediate rivalry towards Maia. I really liked how Lim handled this situation and had Maia react to the various pressures from those around her. She tries her best to stay true to herself and her morals, while also trying to survive the continuous sabotage of those around her. I really appreciated her strong independence and ability to handle a barrage of difficult obstacles that were constantly thrown her way. Another prominent character that I found easy to become enamored with is Edan, the Lord Enchanter. I can't really say too much about him without going into too many details that could give way some spoilers, but he has a fairly important role in this story, especially when him and Maia leave to embark on a journey to find near impossible materials for some important dresses. Edan is one of those characters that seems tricky and never completely trustworthy, but is still entirely compelling. He remains fairly mysterious throughout most of the book and constantly has secrets to unravel, but his personality and motivations also are revealed as the book goes on and I really enjoyed getting to know him and seeing his relationship with Maia develop. The world-building is also incredibly well done and I commend Lim for creating such a fully-fleshed and rich world. There is a lot of great mythology woven in that Lim has developed, as well as locations and culture that add so much depth to the story and characters involved. I didn't have any major issues with this book, but on a minor note I did feel as though some of the perceived "near-impossible" challenges that Maia and Edan had to overcome didn't seem quite as difficult as they could have been, and some things felt a little too convenient. Despite this, there was still a significant sacrifice made at one point that really increased the gravity and risks in the story. I truly enjoyed this one and cannot wait for the next installment. This really stood out to me from other YA fantasy books and I look forward to reading more books from Lim (especially Magnolia Sword, which comes out this fall!).

*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions in this review are my own.* Quick Stats Overall: 5/5 Stars Characters: 5/5 Setting: 5/5 Writing: 5/5 Plot and Themes: 5/5 Awesomeness Factor: 5/5 Review in a Nutshell: Spin The Dawn is a fun, fast paced fantasy. It was pitched to me as Mulan, Project Runway, and a hint of Aladdin, and honestly, that is the best way to describe it. "Artisans such as you are soldiers in times of war." // Content Warning: Violence, Death, Assault, Alcoholism, Animal Death, War Themes, Murder // - Premise - Spin the Dawn follows Maia, the only daughter of a skilled tailor. When her father is summoned to compete in a competition to become to Imperial Tailor, she disguises herself as a boy and takes his place. However, winning the title of Imperial Tailor is harder than she could imagine, as she must balance her secret, sabotaging competitors, and the impossible task granted to her. "'I, too, once journeyed beyond the stars' 'What did you find?' His voice turned lethally soft. 'That it's just the beginning.'" - Writing & Setting- I absolutely adore the writing in this book. Elizabeth Lim has a gorgeous writing style that adds to the fairytale feeling of this book. Her prose is beautiful, but not too flowery. She describes the setting well and builds the characters and their relationships beautifully. The world itself is well built with a fascinating mythology and plenty of history interwoven into the fantasy aspects. It's the perfect mix of grounded to reality yet completely magical and fascinating. "Ask me to spin the finest yarn or thread, and I can do it faster than any man--even with my eyes closed. Yet ask me to tell a lie, and I will stumble and falter to think of one. I have never had a talent for spinning tales." - Plot - Spin the Dawn is a fast-paced book. There is constant action to the point where I literally could not put it down. I tried and failed (and lost a couple of hours of sleep because of it). It’s split into parts, focusing on the competition and an epic journey. Typically, traveling in novels bores me, but despite the journey taking up a large part of the book, there was always something interesting going on, or a trial to undergo, which made the pages fly by. "'What keeps you up at night?' I asked. 'You're never in your tent.' A cloud passed over his face. 'Demons and ghosts.' With a faint smile, he added, 'And not having enough books to read.'" - Characters - The main character, Maia, is great. She loves her job, which isn't something often emphasized in YA, and her passion is something I really admired about her. She’s also a very strong character, who is determination, loyal, and kind. I just really liked her. There was also a great emphasis on her relationship with her family. After the war ended, her family was left in pieces and I love that Elizabeth Lim didn’t shy away from the tragedy and the pain it brings. The romance aspect was really well done, and absolutely adorable while still feeling realistic and earned (definitely not a case of insta-love here, thank god). Edan, the court magician, is fascinating. He’s mysterious, powerful, and always has the best banter with Maia. I can’t wait to learn more about him! I also found myself really interested in Lady Sarnai even though I probably shouldn’t. I’m really curious about her story, and that of the Emperor, and where it will lead in the sequel. Did I mention that I’m dying for this sequel?? Because I need it. "I want you to know that some journeys have ends, but not this one. This one will change you. Irrevocably." - Conclusion - Pros- Fast paced, cute romance, fascinating world Cons- sequel please?? I really, really need it Overall- 5/5 stars. Spin the Dawn is an utterly addictive read that will captivate you and give you dreams of dresses painted with the blood of the stars. *All quotes are taken from the ARC and are subject to change*

I’m starting this review off strong by confidently stating that currently, this is my FAVORITE book of 2019. No really. I loved EVERYTHING about this book. The characters were interesting and varied. The plot was fresh and clever and fun. The writing was exceptionally readable and descriptive. The romance was well paced and delightful. The synopsis says “Project Runway meets Mulan” and to be honest, that’s accurate. There’s more to the plot than that, but essentially that combination is what sets up the story. Maia wants to be the Royal Tailor for the emperor, but a girl could never hold such a position. So she pretends to be her brother and ends up in a Project Runway type competition that could get her killed. Fortunately, she has some tricks up her sleeves that the others do not. I really liked Maia. She was brave, but also 100% freaked out by everything she was doing because if she got caught she would be executed. So there was this palpable tension the entire time because she felt driven to be at the palace, but she also wanted to run away. It was great watching her grow into her destiny, which was even bigger than she had dreamed of for herself (and lets be honest, the girl dreamed pretty big). So if that plot isn’t already enough to intrigue you, the romance with a shady magician should really pull in you. Edan is one of my favorite types of love interests: not immediately romantic though terribly interested in our main heroine, obviously has a lot going on that we don’t know about, extremely clever and powerful, with uncertain motives that reveal themselves in time. I really loved him. He wasn’t even that present in the first half of the book, so much so that I wasn’t sure he was the love interest. And if you think it stops at the Tailoring Tasks, you’re very much mistaken. There’s an epic journey here was well my friends. Magical creatures, tasks solved by cleverness, tasks solved by courage, a quest no one expects our heroes to return alive from. Staring certain death in the face. All in all, this is the best YA Fantasy book I’ve read in a long time. Awesome plot with really likable characters, and a great ending leading into the next book! Book 2 can’t get here fast enough! See this review in it's natural habitat at www (dot) ramblingsonreadings (dot) com

Haven’t read yet but book came in ok condition. I ordered a used book and it came with a bunch of residue on the cover… There was also a really annoying sticker on the spine, which when I peeled off (it was two stickers stuck together) revealed that the shipper payed a total of 2.99 for the book. Meanwhile I payed around 7.99-10 dollars plus shipping and tax. Honestly I’m not too mad I’m just curious to where they got the book for that cheap. I also order two books from this exact author on accident and was meaning to return one (bc I figured out I didn’t like how she writes) only to find out I couldn’t :\ . Guess that’s my bad

"I received a copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review. Opinions expressed are my own." In order to help her family and achieve her dream of becoming the Imperial Tailor, Maia Tamarin disguises herself as a boy and journeys to the capital to compete for the honor of designing the wardrobe of the future Empress. Embarking on a journey to gather the laughter of the sun, the tears of the moon, and the blood of the stars, to make them into three dresses in order to please the future Empress and to win the title of Imperial Tailor Maia learns much about herself and draws the attention of the Lord Enchanter. I will try to be coherent in this, but Oh Man. This book was amazing. The description of being Project Runway meets Mulan does not do it justice. I knew from chapter one that I was going to love it. This book was so good, Maia developed so much over the course of the book. She grew more strong and she wanted different things for herself and for her kingdom. Honestly, the reason I am so incoherent and loved it so much was the romance. Oh, I shipped it so hard. It was my favorite kind, she hates him but he almost immediately loves her and tries to make her fall in love with him and of course she did. The story had so many turns that I didn't expect and that ending. I can't wait for the sequel. This is one of those books that I feel like I normally wouldn't have picked up had I not gotten the arc of it and that is sad because I think it will make to my top ten list at the end of the year. I kind of want the pre-order it just to have a physical copy on my shelf.

4.5/5⭐️) “You will hold the seams of our family together, Maia. No other tailor in the world can do that.” This poetic tale is a coming-into-one’s-own story of a girl who doesn’t let the world dictate what she can and can’t do. Maia is the only daughter of a once renowned tailor summoned to the Summer Palace by the emperor of A’landi. Her father is too old to answer the summons. Maia would go in his stead, but women aren’t allowed to be tailors, let alone “Master Tailor” even though she can sew better than every man alive. To everyone else, her purpose in life is to marry well. Maia knows she’s meant for much, much more. Her two eldest brothers died fighting in the war that wracked A’landi, and her youngest brother lost the use of his legs in that same war, so he can’t answer the emperor’s summons either. Maia is the only one. She makes the decision to chop off her hair and pose as a boy. She answers the summons as “Master Tamarin.” When she arrives at the Summer Palace, she finds that she is pitted against other master tailors in a competition for the position of imperial tailor to the emperor. She must fight her way through difficult tasks set before her without letting her secret be known. But someone sees right through her. The emperor’s Lord Enchanter, Edan, knows who and what she is. He takes an interest in her because she is not all that she seems. Even once she proves herself to the emperor, she must then show that she can create three dresses of legend for the emperor’s bride-to-be using the laughter of the sun, tears of the moon, and blood of the stars. If she cannot complete these three dresses in time, the emperor will not marry his bride, and her country will not see peace. Elizabeth Lim’s writing is rich with Asian inspiration. From the Mulan-esk circumstances that have Maia posing as a boy to take her father’s place, to the various palaces occupied by the emperor, to the culture and folklore inherent to A’landi’s people. It was so refreshing to read a fantasy of this kind. The world building drove me deep into the story and kept me reading on a path of enchantment and discovery. Maia’s story is made of two differing halves. Each half stitches together flawlessly to unite her journey of becoming A’landi’s imperial tailor. The first half is quite different from the second half. Yet, each half forces her down a path of self discovery. In the first half, she pushes her tailor skills to the limit and learns what her hands and creativity are capable of. In the second half, she conquers her heart, mind, and body which are pushed beyond imagining. For the second half, she is sent on a quest with Edan where she must gather the laughter of the sun, the tears of the moon, and the blood of the stars. It is a journey that will leave her irrevocably changed. But she will find love on this journey, and learn that such a love is worth sacrificing for. “I want you to know that some journeys have ends, but not this one. This one will change you. Irrevocably." "Don't all journeys change you?" "It isn't the same." He leaned forward. "I, too, once journeyed beyond the stars." "What did you find?" His voice turned lethally soft. "That it's just the beginning.” I read a lot of mixed reviews about this book. So I’d like to address some of them and give my two cents. From a broader standpoint, I adored the story. I can’t believe I waited so long to read it. Spin the Dawn is what I would call a “comfort read.” The stakes in the second half weren’t that high. Yet, I found myself captivated. I wanted to keep reading, to keep drinking in the blood of stars the way Edan did when he became an Enchanter. For those who complained that the stakes weren’t high enough: personally, I don’t need edge-of-your-seat anxiety inducing pearl for the duration of a book. I often enjoy relaxing and reading without having to hyperventilate every other chapter. This book fills that need for me. Another complaint I saw was regarding Maia’s decision at the end of the book. Maia is given the opportunity to make a single wish. She could wish for anything. She could wish for her brother to walk again, or to restore her family’s happiness, to bring peace to A’landi, etc. Instead, she wishes to free Edan because she has fallen in love with him. Because he’s a slave to his fate. This comes at a huge price. Many reviewers argued that her wish was unrealistic and immature. Many were turned off by this aspect of the book. My argument is this: Maia is eighteen!!! Of course her wish is going to be love-driven and perhaps lacking in logic. But she’s EIGHTEEN!!!! For crying out loud, how many eighteen-year-olds do you know that are capable of making good decisions? I’m tired of people expecting young adults to make the same logic-based decisions that adults are expected to make. Imposing adult mentalities onto teenagers is completely unrealistic. Flawed characters are more enjoyable and more realistic. So please understand that. If I’m being completely honest, I liked her decision. It felt genuine. Sure, it would have been great for her brother to walk again, but having her brother walk again and losing Edan to a fate more terrible than death are two completely different things. I’ll end my rant there. In terms of the writing, It was poetic. “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.” I loved the way the theme of sewing was woven into the story, and worked into various metaphors. You could tell that the art of sewing was deeply ingrained in Maia, who she was as a person. “I knew then that we were like two pieces of cloth, sewn together for life. Our stitches couldn't be undone. I wouldn't let them.” I mean ^^^^^ How beautiful is that?! Sewing permeated Maia’s very being. She was believable as a character. I will say, she was (at times) a product of the plot. But I liked that she took life into her own hands. “A girl isn't fit to be anything more than a prize.” She didn’t just sit around and wait to be married off. She took control and posed as a boy to take the life she wanted. After that, she did what she needed to achieve the outcome she wanted. Her sense of honor was evident, too. She didn’t want to win her sewing competitions with magic. She wanted to win them with skill. Even if it meant risking a win, she preferred to sew without magic so that she could be truly proud of her creations. That created a depth of character that I appreciated. This sense of honor followed her through the book. Edan’s character was somewhat predictable and didn’t have quite as much depth as Maia, but he wasn’t the MC so I’m not that concerned about that. However, this is ultimately why I’ve subtracted half a star. He is supposed to be five-hundred something years old. But sometimes he borders on “teenager” in the way he acts. However, I think that’s because we are seeing him from Maia’s point of view. Still, I think there could have been a bit more character development there. Now for the mushy-gushy stuff. I loved the romance of this book. I loved Maia and Edan. Fantasy-romance is my favorite genre and I liked the time Edan and Maia spent together on her quest. It gave them time to develop over the course of a couple of months. Too often we see deep romances develop over a few pages, a few days, a few weeks. This was a development stretched over two months. That felt more real to me. Their romance turned out to be one of my favorite aspects of this book. In closing, I loved the book so much that I pre-ordered the second one and bought the paperback of this version, even though I have the ebook. It’s a book I would read again...and again. I can truly say that I loved it. If you like fantasy inspired by unique cultures, a fresh take on Mulan, and gender-bending roles, you’ll definitely like this one.

For stylists of Miraland / fans of Infinity Nikki. I feel like I am reading lore found in the game. I'm honestly shocked no one has bought the rights to make an animated film out of this book series yet. Almost finished the first book and instantly ordered the sequel because it's so good. Chemistry between the two main characters is *chef's kiss* so good I will re-read a chapter I just read for the heck of it--sometimes more than once-- before moving on. Last night I thought one more chapter before bed and then suddenly it was 3 am (and the chapters are short, so idk maybe I was enchanted!)

This magic-filled fantasy story is set in an Asian-medieval like world, giving this tale a unique twist. Lim creates excellent characters.

Tra i fantasy YA usciti di recente, questo è stato decisamente uno di quelli che ho apprezzato di più. Per certi aspetti, soprattutto a livello di atmosfere, mi ha ricordato molto "L'orso e l'usignolo" e la trilogia di "Shadow and Bone", tutti libri che adoro molto. Lo stile di scrittura mi è piaciuto molto; l'ho trovato molto poetico e scorrevole. Ha una protagonista femminile molto forte, coraggiosa e determinata, e la storia d'amore mi ha completamente stregato. Il libro è stato descritto come Mulan x Project Runway, e credo non ci sia modo migliore per definirlo. Adoro i fantasy ispirati all'oriente, e questo mi è piaciuto di più di quanto mi aspettassi! Sono curiosissima di leggere il seguito.

As soon as I saw this book work, don’t hesitate to buy it and devour what haha should be. To start my favorite Disney princess is Mulan, I love that a warrior and brave character does to the best of his ability to make his dad proud of her and also his family. Seeing the spin the Dawn synopsis, I told myself what I need in my life!!! Having good reviews, which I make clear, sometimes I let myself be carried away by the instinct that it will be a good book, I have rarely failed with some books. The main characters: Mai is a character that evolves as the book progresses. Sometimes I felt very identified with her, that sometimes people tell you that you can’t, because you are weak or in this case Maia is a woman, but nothing stopped her and of course sacrifices many things to help her family her slime and her brother. Edan: the first entry this character had, I said mmm go, go, you’re getting a lot of attention, and I think you’ll be my favorite. And make no mistake, I know that I am very simple and easy to fall in love with the characters, but I love the way of being Edan, it is my cinnamon roll, in Truth, it is very tender, attentive, and with the personality that I love! And let’s not take away the fun, Mr. Charming wow! Its magic system is spectacular. Environment I loved too much the atmosphere that the author perfected! The description of the small town where Maia lives, her shop, the tree of worms that produce silk, the palace and all the adventures she and Edan have, which by the way that part was my favorite! I didn’t expect that much. Finding the three objects to be able to make three beautiful dresses! And magical suula – the laughter of the sun – the tears of the moon – the blood of the stars The main thing about the book that of course I won’t let it go! The food! All the desserts, that every thing I read made me want to eat them! Search for the recipes and make them immediately! Lol. And to my surprise there is a lot of magic! Magical scissors! Can you imagine? That a pair of scissors can help you create great and spectacular clothes! My older sister would be very happy if she had those scissors she loves both stone decorations or glitter… I think this book will be the best I could read this year! But as I always say! Everything can change! The year isn’t over yet. Haha If you like fantasy, romance, magic, a lot of magic this book you will love! I already need the second part to know what Maia will do! I can’t wait!

O livro é muito bom, não tem pressa de contar sua história. A competição dos alfaiates toma apenas alguns capítulos, que pode desencorajar ou desapontar alguns leitores. O foco central é a aquisição dos materiais e a confecção dos vestidos da Deusa mãe, que são muito bem feitos e encantadores. A Maia é uma protagonista extremamente impulsiva, teimosa e cabeça dura, o que a colocar em situações...complicadas... sem dar spoiler. É uma obra interessante, pra quem quer experimentar uma fantasia diferente, uma protagonista que não nega um docinho e uma trama que mistura a magia com o sobrenatural, moda e aventura em sua medida.

Book Introduction: This is the debut novel of Elizabeth Lim. The book is a fairy-tale retelling of the celebrated Disney movie – Mulan where she meets Aladdin and they dive in to the world of Devil wears Prada! Maia, the youngest child of her family - is a seamstress. She wants to be known as the best tailor in the land of A’landi. One day the opportunity knocks at her door for the same. But, it came with a challenge! Now, she is stuck in a situation of saving her family’s reputation or saving her life. What will she choose to do? My Feelings on Reading this book: This book has it all – fantasy, mystery, romance, thrill and MAGIC! It has a completely unexpected story line, different from the many fantasy books I have read. I was surprised by the pace of the book – such a fast paced book still it is so calm and all set to make you fall in love with it. The book has an Asian / Oriental vibe to it. I loved tiny hints of romance which is so tastefully written. I loved how strong willed Maia was and how she never gave up on any situation whatsoever and fought with everything she had in her arsenal. She was a character - worthy of all the appreciation. The character arc of Edan was beautiful as well. The words are woven in such a subtle manner. I could not get enough of this book. The mystery and thrill is crafted fluently and I was just hooked to it till the very end. I was not feeling bore at all. I was connected to the characters in every way. I felt like the book should open a portal for me to dive in. It will always hold a space in my heart forever. It ends with a cliff hanger and I am so thankful that I have the other book ready on my shelves to dive in as soon as I can. Recommended to: - YA lovers. - People who want to explore the world of fantasy – you can definitely start with this. - People who wish to read about Magic, or witchy stuff or want some subtle thrillers.