Project Runway is nothing something I had ever heard associated with a YA fantasy book before so of course I had to check it out. There was so much good about this book. From the setting's Asian inspiration which is something much needed in YA to the love story that for once didn't revolve around the girl being treated badly and manipulated by the man. In this one they were equals. Maia the main character is talented, brave, intelligent, and wonderfully flawed.

While I did enjoy the book, as it was a quick light read it was unfortunately a little young for me. There were moments where the main characters choices grated at me merely because of the differences in our maturity levels. But over all I'd recommend this story.

Project Runway meets Mulan? An East Asian fantasy written by the author of Reflection? Not to mention that GORGEOUS cover? Everything seemed like it was going right for this book - and it's not that anything went wrong exactly, just that I felt, upon finishing it, that it was really ... the same story we've seen so many times in YA.

Originality isn't generally a big critique point for me, especially because there are so many amazing retellings/stories that use tropes in clever, redefining ways, and I don't mind them at all. But with all my high hopes for Spin the Dawn, I was slightly disappointed that it didn't give me more. Maia is a perfectly likable protagonist, and Edan is a perfectly likable love interest, and the East Asian-inspired setting is nicely done, but all in all nothing really stood out to me. I would have liked a little more depth in both characterization and worldbuilding - we know there was a civil war, but for all the court intrigue we don't really get to see a lot of the forces behind it. Maia is fiercely devoted to her family, and she's certainly ambitious, but there wasn't much complexity to her motivations beyond that.

I did think, for a bit, if I was making these judgments based on the fact that a lot of the YA I read is older - because Spin the Dawn is definitely cleaner, on the middle-to-younger end of the YA spectrum, and there's nothing wrong with that at all. But even measuring against more comparable books in the genre, I felt that there was a spark missing for me. Overall, I still think that Spin the Dawn is worth a read, if not a rave review - especially if you're in the mood for lighter fare.

Thank you to Random House Children's and NetGalley for a digital ARC copy of this book!

WOW. This book was given 5 stars and deserves it 100%. I could tell from the first chapter that I was in for something unique and I was not disappointed. Maia is a strong character that readers will love and relate to. Edan is also captivating. Both of these characters are complex and compelling and certainly add to the perfectness of the book. The details about EVERYTHING in this book are absolutely wonderful. I felt like I was in the book itself watching the story as it went along. I loved the folklore tale of Amana's dresses and I felt like this tale brought magic to the book. I also very much enjoyed the adventure part of the story, although I wish it had lasted longer. The romance was also a nice touch. It wasn't an annoying romance like you might find in some young adult books but was subtle and added to the story. Edan also represents how someone should treat their lover and I appreciated that. I honestly can't come up with any flaws in this book! It captivated me from page one and left me amazed at the end. I cannot wait to see what the next book brings!

Project Runway meets Mulan.. umm yes please! That little blurb alone had me wanting to read this book. Though this book was nothing like what I expected, it was so much more. It’s deeply woven in a folklore way that grabs your attention and the magic, culture, and mythology are so woven beautifully that you’ll fall in love as well!

I’m not gonna lie, I jammed that “Add to TBR” button the second I saw this cover. And then I read “Project Runway meets Mulan” and I turned into the physical embodiment of the I Have a Mighty Need meme.

So, does this live up to the hype? For me, hell yeah.

This is a sweeping, romantic saga steeped in mystery and lore that went a long way toward rekindling my love for the young adult fantasy genre.

The world building in this Chinese-inspired land was phenomenal. The Project Runway portion of the story is mostly constrained to the grounds of the Emperor’s palace, and it’s filled with court intrigue set against the backdrop of a vibrant city bursting with life. The second half of the book is no less exciting. Because it turns into more of a quest-driven adventure romp full of danger and high thrills out on the open road.

Maia is everything I look for in a heroine. She’s driven, intelligent, talented, brave, and loyal. The love interest, Edan, was just as strong for me. There’s none of that pushy, borderline abusive bullshittery here. Their relationship is rock solid. Edan, while teasing and mischievous by nature, is always there for Maia. From the moment they meet, he lifts her up and supports her. He believes in her. And she, in turn, is there for him. This is what a healthy relationship looks like.

More of this in YA, please.

This book is also super sex positive. I’m not going to go into detail here, because the publication date is a long way off and spoilers. Let’s just say that progressive, feminist themes pervade these pages without ever feeling preachy.

I also adored all of the shades of gray that Lim added to her villains. One-dimensional bad guys are not my thing, so I always appreciate when we’re given insight into their characters. Lim excels at that. She reveals just enough of their motives and driving emotions that you think that maybe, possibly, there’s hope for redemption. Which makes it all the more painful when they do terrible things.

Throughout this book, I kept vacillating between empathy for one of the villains, and abject hatred. Bravo.

The last thing you need to know before going into this is that it is definitely a romance. While the blurb only mentions Edan, their relationship is one of the central pieces of this story, and it dominates the second half.

Also, these characters are fallible. While Maia is intelligent, she’s still a teenager, and she exhibits some behavior that a lot of curmudgeonly adult readers like myself might find borderline TSTL later on in the book, which is what kept this rating closer to a 3.5 than a 4 star read for me.

But honestly, the setting and the story more than made up for it, which is why I bumped this up to four.

If you love yourself a romantic fantasy, add this one to your TBR right the hell now.

I wasn't sure exactly what to expect with this book, but when I saw it described as a Project Runway Fantasy novel I knew I had to give it a go! The book delivered exactly what it promised, with a dose of Mulan thrown in! I really enjoyed this world of enchanters and strong, independent, driven women. This book was divided into three distinct parts. The last two I would absolutely give 5 stars, because for me, this is where the adventure truly began to grip me. The first part was intriguing and inspiring and I loved watching Maia take on a world dominated by men. This is where the Project Runway references truly came to life- for it absolutely was like watching a highly intriguing episode of one of my favorite shows! However, when the epic adventure came to light in the second part of the book?! Wow! That is where Lim began to "weave" her magic! I loved watching Maia and Edan hunt for the impossible and find the improbable. I very much enjoyed this adventure, and I cannot wait to find out what happens next!

*** A huge thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. ***

Do you like determined female characters who want to show the world their worth? What about tailoring competitions involving magic and backstabbing? What about fantasy worldbuilding inspired by Chinese culture? What about healthy and supportive romance where both characters help each other grow into better people?

If you answered yes to the above questions, then you just might love Spin the Dawn.

Maia Tamarin knows that she is an incredible tailor, but as a girl, the best she can hope for is a good marriage. When the opportunity comes, though, she disguises herself as a boy and competes against other skilled tailors to work in the emperor’s court. In order to survive in a complex game of politics and magic, she must team up with a magician and stretch her skills further than ever before.

This book is described as Project Runway meets Mulan, and while that’s true to an extent, don’t go in expecting that to be the only storyline. There’s a lot more going on – court intrigue, epic journeys, magic and shapeshifting, demons, ancient legends, and lots and lots of sewing.

Maia, our main character, is a girl who wants to prove herself even though the world she lives in doesn’t provide her opportunities. I liked her character – she isn’t a warrior and she doesn’t fight off enemies singlehandedly, but she knows her own strengths and makes her own place in the world.

The story ended up being more romance-focused than I expected, but I actually didn’t mind that at all! I liked both of the characters involved, and seeing their relationship grow softly, little by little, was very sweet. The romance doesn’t distract from the main story; it becomes a part of it naturally and helps to show both of the characters’ development.

The worldbuilding is based on Chinese culture and gives off a sense of deeply-rooted history and complexity that we don’t even touch on completely in this book. It’s clear that Elizabeth Lim has mapped this world out fully and will dive even deeper into it in the rest of the series.

(Speaking of which – I’m upset that I have to wait SO LONG for the next book now. Why did I read this so early???)

My biggest complaint: sometimes conflicts are resolved too quickly, without giving them adequate buildup or significance. A problem is introduced, and then within a chapter or two it might be solved. Of course, there were overarching conflicts that lasted the whole book, but some of the smaller ones lose their weight because they end so quickly, taking away some of the story’s tension.

Even so, I was lost in this world while I was reading it. The writing pulls the reader fully into a scene; I felt like I was beside Maia through her whole adventure. It was one of those worlds that I was happy to visit for a while.

This might not be the fastest paced fantasy book, but with its strong characters and beautiful writing, I definitely recommend it. If you’re interested in a romance-centric adventure with plenty of sewing (seriously, it almost made me want to pick up a needle and thread), you should go read this when it comes out in July!

*ARC PROVIDED BY NETGALLEY IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW.*

Can I just say this first...That cover! It is g-o-r-g-e-o-u-s. The plot was interesting but a little flat, and the characters put smiles on my face. Overall, it was an interesting read and held my attention until the end. I just wasn't a fan of the writer's style.

I suppose the elevator pitch for this book is that it is a YA Chinese inspired fantasy that is a unique combination of Mulan meets Project Runway. And you 100% do get that. However, I would advise you that if that is the only reason you're interested, amend your expectations. I would say the Project Runway aspect is only really apparent in about a third of the book. Throughout the book we have political intrigue, secrets, and a magically treacherous journey.

I thought the writing was fantastic. Very pretty and descriptive. The biggest issue I had with the writing were the intro chapters that went along the lines of "This occurred, and then this happens, and then this happened, and now we are here in the story." But if that doesn't bother you too much, you'll see that the story flows fairly well after the first few chapters. It's very easy to pick up this book and suddenly realize you lost hours of your day.

There is a romance in this book and I didn't mind it. It was cute and didn't suck up the majority of the story. And I can't lie, the love interest stole my heart.

Yes, I shed a few tears too.

I think Lim gave just enough to satisfy readers of the first book in the series but it feels like there's just so much more that we don't know apart from the obvious "what's next?!" I still feel like I don't have a great grasp on a lot of the characters, not a fault from Lim because everyone is so darn secretive. It simply feels like the author has so much more to tell and I'm 100% ready to get my hands on the next installment in the series.

Something that should be mentioned, though I won't give my uninformed opinion on is the possibility of ableism. I haven't fully comprehended ableism in literature and the ways it discourages a disabled reader but in this book we do see a disabled person being cured by magic as opposed to going through a physical therapy regimen. I feel like it's something that should be mentioned. Again, I'm not well versed in the topic so I suggest checking out own voices reviews. (I think I heard rumors that this would be changed but this is based on the ARC that I got.)

Thank you so much to the publishers for giving me an opportunity to read and review this ARC. It was a pleasure especially since Spin The Dawn was my first review.

I loved this book so much and I can't wait for you to read it when it's published in July!

In Spin the dawn, we follow Maia, a young girl who is very talented with a needle and thread. Even though only boys and men can become a "Master" of the art, her "Baba" (father) has taught her a few things and she was able to help her family when they needed it the most.

One day, an Eunuch comes to her dad's shop. The Emperor is looking for his new Imperial Tailor. Unfortunately, her dad is in no condition to travel and do the work and Kento (her brother) doesn't know how to sew. Maia knows then what she has to do : pretend to be her injured brother.

It starts this way but this book is so much more than what I just described! So many things happen and I don't want to spoil anything so I'll keep it at that. I think going into this book without knowing everything is the best way to go.

Overall, I enjoyed the author's writing! I cried at the beginning and at the end. I was hooked easily from the start and I will be waiting to get my hands on the sequel of this series. I really didn't expect one of the things that happened at the end and I'm really curious to see where the story is going!

(Thank you to the author and publisher for letting me read and review an ARC via Netgalley)

Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim is like my fantasy novel wish list come true. Magic and fashion mixing with action that can only be found in high fantasy, crushing the patriarchy and falling in love and the same time!

Elizabeth Lim is a master at worldbuilding, Spin the Dawn is a book that cannot be missed!

DNF at %54. 2 stars.

Spin the Dawn—2/5

I don't want to diss the author. God knows how hard she must've worked on this book and I had such high hopes, but it was so disappointing to me. Very flat writing, weird pacing, exclamation marks where they shouldn't be, characters I don't care about, all secrets spilled halfway through...Maia felt more like a plot moving machine than a character at times. It was impossible to feel anything for her. The one thing I did enjoy was the Enchanter, and I'd say even that wasn't particularly good. I love the character trope that he is but I've seen it done much better elsewhere. Overall, I felt like this great concept deserved better writing. Gets an extra star for the creativity on some of the clothing and the religious parts of worldbuilding.

When I saw this book described as Mulan meets Project Runway, I was understandably disbelieving, but that is literally exactly the plot of the first half of Spin the Dawn. Our heroine, Maia, dresses herself up as a man and takes her fathers place as he is summoned to the palace to serve as the Emporer's imperial tailor (this opening premise is just unmistakenly Mulan-esque). However, when she gets there, she discovers that 11 other tailors have also been invited to compete for the title, and so we settle in for the first half of the book: the competition (this is the Project Runway of it all). To be honest, I preferred the second half for a variety of reasons but one of which was because I, personally, have become a bit tired of books that revolve around competitions/tournaments. It's just a trope I've read a lot recently and think is becoming a bit overplayed.

However, delightfully, the book continues into the second half, when Maia is tasked with creating three mythical dresses and sets out to find the magical ingredients she needs to create them. This is another staple plot: the Quest. However, the quest provides the author with more freedom to explore their world, which I really enjoyed in this book. Like Mulan, Maia struggles with impersonating a man and the book repeatedly drives home the message that, as a woman, society would never have let her get as far as she has.

I've been really into books that feel like fairytales lately, and Spin the Dawn is a perfect example of that. It's fun, the characters are lovable, it isn't trying to be anything it isn't. I really, really enjoyed Spin the Dawn and I wholeheartedly recommend it to all my fellow lovers of YA fantasy and fairytales.

"My whole life, I'd been told what I couldn't do because I was a girl."

Young Maia Tamerin wishes to be the best tailor in all of the land. Unfortunately, girls were not allowed to become Masters of their trade. When a messenger from the Emperor comes to extend an invitation for Maia's father or brother to enter a competition to become the imperial tailor, Maia poses as her brother to prove that a girl could become the best at her craft.

"This is where it would begin. Where I would restore honor to my family name. Where I would prove that girl could be the best tailor in A'landi.

Maia embarks on a beautiful journey that I was not expecting to love as much as I did. Spin the Dawn is pitched as Mulan meets Project Runway, but it is so much more than that. I thoroughly enjoyed the journey that Maia takes. I was not prepared for the love story that unfolds throughout this tale. I went into this novel thinking that it was to be a stand-alone. I am so excited that there will be a sequel and I cannot wait to continue Maia's adventures.

Spin the Dawn is a lush, vivid fantasy novel that follows the story of Maia, a tailor. Maia pretends to be her brother so that she may compete to be the royal tailor, hence the Mulan meets Project runway comparison. The premise of this book is so original, I couldn't wait to read. The mythology of the world in Spin the Dawn is one of the most interesting, well-thought-out parts of the story, and I'm looking forward to seeing how it develops in the sequel. The only thing that didn't vibe with me was the amount of exposition -- at times, it kept me from being fully immersed in the story and kept me from feeling close with the characters. Overall, Spin the Dawn was an enjoyable read, and I'll definitely be recommending it to my customers.

Favorite read of the year so far. I can not wait for this book to release, I will be pre-ordering it ASAP. I dread the long wait for the next book to release! I will be recommending this book to everybody. This may be my favorite young adult book I’ve read.

I absolutely loved this book. Wow! The "Mulan meets Project Runway" tagline does not do this justice. It's a story about a girl who takes her father's place at the imperial palace to join a competition to find the next tailor for the Emperor. But it's also sooo much more than that. That part of the story takes up about one third of the book. The adventure and romance that follows left me devouring each page. Maia and Edan are adorable and I love them both so much. I cannot wait until the next book!!

I received an advance copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalleyfor letting me review this title!

Was an okay story and okay set of characters. Nothing that really worked for me. May read again. Wanted to really connect but I wasnt finding that spark.

Welcome to a fabulous Buddy Read Review! We’ve been trying to read books together over the last few months to try and motivate one another to get things off of our extensive TBR shelves, but this was a different situation! We both got approved for eARCs of Spin the Dawn, so we decided to read it together. The sign of a good buddy read is when you both throw the schedule to the wind and read it in a couple of sittings, and that is exactly what happened here!

WORLDBUILDING
Paige

One of my favorite things about this book was how steeped in magic and mythology we were, and how absolutely convinced I am that the author has planted countless seeds for future books. Sometimes I have issues with the trope of the main character not getting all of the information they need Because Reasons, but I feel like we were given information in a steady enough way that it balanced between being infodump-y and being too vague and confusing.

I also adored the descriptions. I am notoriously terrible at visualizing things, but I could see Maia’s creations coming to life in front of me. I truly can’t believe this is one of the author’s first novels – it read so beautifully. I read this book in basically three main chunks because the world was so compelling.

Kate

I loved the meandering way we were introduced to the world in this book. You found out what you needed to know when you needed to know it, and not a moment before. At the same time, somehow, there are enough bread crumbs dropped along the way that the reader is able to piece things together in a fun, but not “yeah, this is clearly what’s going to happen”, way.

Beyond that, the world was lush. The objects and colors and people and buildings and journeys were all so vibrant, both in their existence and their description. I felt like I was sewing garments, riding trails, and facing monsters alongside Maia, and I absolutely live for that immersive experience.

Paige

Yes! Some of my favorite books are ones that take their time with cultivating the world while also making sure enough information is present so, when you look back after a big reveal, you say “Oh, that makes sense” and not “*blink blink* …wait wut?” This sometimes is a hard balance to strike, and I think Lim really hit it out of the park throughout the book. I was also truly immersed while reading – I got legitimately grumpy every time I had to disentangle myself from what was going on and do something else.

CHARACTERS
Paige

Since Mulan is a comp title to this book, I’ll admit that I was waiting and watching a little bit through the beginning of the story to see who would be the Li Shang analog – and I was so not disappointed. Obviously I won’t tell you who they are, but it was excellent.

I adored Maia. She is a cinnamon roll Slytherin and you can’t tell me otherwise. Yes, she wants to save her family as you do. But she knows she is talented. She knows that sexism can be damned and that she has worked hard to become as skilled as she is. She truly believes she can become the tailor to the Emperor.

Kate

I LOVED Maia as a character. Just like Mulan, she is strong of mind and body, determined, talented, and still manages to remain human. I loved watching her grow and evolve, but more than that, I love that she starts the book with a backbone. This is not the story of a damsel in distress finding her way but of a talented young woman who wants to make something of herself in a man’s world.

Paige

Did someone say ancient magical being wrapped up in an attractive, presenting-as-slightly-older-than-the-main-character package? They did? Sign me up! I absolutely adored Edan, the enchanter to the emperor.

Kate

You took the words DIRECTLY out of my mouth about Edan. Perfection.

I honestly don’t know how to talk about the rest of this without ruining absolutely everything, so I’ll just keep it simple.

I loved that every character was treated with care. Sure, there was a hierarchy. You have to have a main character, but the baker’s son in Maia’s village was as well-crafted as the Lord Enchanter, the Emperor, and Maia herself.

PLOT
Paige

We were promised Mulan meets Project Runway, but I feel like we got so much more! These comparisons set me up, in my mind, for something light and dramatic and honestly, kind of fluffy. Mostly incorrect! I got a small part of the way through the book and realized that things were moving too quickly and wrapping up a little too nicely, and I was waiting for things to hit the fan, so to speak. They did, and I was absolutely hooked.

Kate

I agree! Plus, I think the fact that it was an eARC exacerbated that feeling. It felt like it was moving fast, and it was, but it was impossible to be sure when you couldn’t see the ratio of read to unread pages. Once you got into it and realized what was happening, the pacing was clearly well thought out, but it definitely threw me for a loop starting out.

The best way to describe the plot advancement I can think of is by comparing it to rolling snowballs for a snowman. It just gets bigger and bigger, building a stronger and stronger base for the books to come in this series. Every bit of info we get builds on itself and truly propels the story forward, instead of just giving the reader a bunch of seemingly unrelated information to be tied up neatly at the end.

Paige

I would be remiss if I didn’t talk about the romance. Because guys. G U Y S.


Ahhhh, perfection!
Forbidden love. The sweet, sweet angst. The slowest of burns. A character who falls hard while the other character takes their time. SO ABSOLUTELY PERFECT. This romance was crafted for me.

Kate

OH GOD THE ROMANCE. I was not going to touch the fishy, but you did, so here I am. I was worried when it started that would end up reading as little on the insta-lovey side, and I have never been more happy to be wrong. It was so angsty and delicious, and I HAVE TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS.

Paige

Same, brah. Same.


Gorgeous art of Maia by Alex Castellanos. Check out her Twitter and website for more of her illustrations.
Spin the Dawn is set to be released on July 9, 2019. There is a pre-order incentive, so be sure to check that out if you interested. It includes multiple art pieces, bookmarks, a signed bookplate, and a wearable item. If you pre-order from Books of Wonder, your book will be signed and personalized as well.

You can also follow Elizabeth Lim on Twitter and Instagram for updates and info. Plus, she’s super nice and interactive with her followers!

I hope you’re as excited as we are for this release this summer! This book, this series, and this author have an amazing path ahead, and we are excited to have the opportunity to have an early peek at that.

So I came for that gorgeous cover, stayed for the 'Project Runway meets Mulan' description, and walked away with a new favorite book and a name added to my authors to watch list!

Spin the Dawn is an incredible debut that I just fell in love with. Though the Project Runway/Mulan influence is clear, Elizabeth Lim's beautiful prose weaves them together with her own unique spin to create a magnificent story that is so much more than the sum of its parts. 💙

**Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC! All opinions are my own.**