“Project Runway meets Milan” is too trite to describe this book. It’s gorgeously written, the descriptions are more than just beautiful. The story is compelling and the main character is easy to love and root for.

This was a pleasure to read, I believe I’ll be reading this one again, as well as looking for more titles from this author. Amazing book. Captivating.

2.5 stars.

Spin the Dawn had such a promising premise (and cover), and at first I thought I might rate it higher, but the second half definitely underwhelmed me.

For a book pitched as being like Project Runway, there was a lack of competition; this aspect was only present for the first third or so, then it became a journey story that had too much romantic drama. I did think the world, though narrow in scope, was interesting, and the mythology surrounding Amana and the three dresses also made for a great task the main character had to embark on. I had fun reading most of the book—despite my issues with the writing and protagonist, which I'll get into later—and could overlook how there wasn't very much depth, but then the romance flared full force, and it kind of killed the book for me. I absolutely loved Maia and Edan's banter during the first half: it was fresh and witty, and they built a relationship that wasn't spoiled by an instantaneous romantic attraction. They could have been such an epic slow burn couple, so I didn't particularly like their declarations of love and the angst that followed. Edan was a pretty solid character, though I wish the side characters had been fleshed out to give them more agency. I mainly just didn't like Maia, which is one reason I disliked the romance: she was too passive, too petty for me to connect to and root for. The writing was decent and flowed well, but it did have a tendency to be overly dramatic, and exclamation points were used way too much outside of dialogue, which hardly ever works for me because of how immature it sounds.

The ending picked up enough to recapture my interest, but I don't think it's enough for me to read the second book when it releases.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Spin the Dawn is an excellent story - very much Mulan meets East of the Sun, West of the Moon (which, let's be very real, is one of my most favorite stories). The writing is gorgeous and the characters are well-fleshed out. I'm already looking forward to the next one (and I hope I get to review that one as well). Thank you so much.

There was so much to love in this book. The only thing I didn't love is that it's only book 1, and as such, there's no true resolution to the ending.

This book is being described as Mulan meets Project Runway, and for the first third of the story, that's a pretty acurate description. Maia's father has been summoned by the emperor to try his hand at being the official imperial tailor. Since her father cannot answer the summons, and since girls cannot be tailors, Maia dresses as her brother and takes his place. When she arrives at the palace, she finds that she will be competing with several other tailors for the honor of being the official imperial tailor.

I'm a sucker for fairy tale re-tellings, and there are also strong fairy tale vibes in this book. I recognized elements of Donkeyskin, and according to Lim, she was also inspired by other fairy tales and legends.

All the pieces are woven into an exciting, romantic adventure. I can't wait to read book 2!

I loved this so much, it went to my favorites list and I have the hardback pre-ordered!

Let me tell you people! Do not always go by what a summary says! When I read this was a cross between Project Runway and Mulan, I immediately put hitting that pre-order button aside. I'm not into those two descriptions. BUT, I saw it on Netgalley and thought I should take a chance. I'm so glad I did! SPIN THE DAWN is nothing like what I was thinking in that part of the description!

This book was everything for me. Let me try to keep this simple without any spoilers. Hmmm....okay, Maia is a tailor in her own right, but girls are not allowed to become tailors. <-- What?! I was like, are you for real?! Anyhoo, her dad was a famous tailor but since Maia's mom died he's not the same and he has become sickly. (I mean we all get old right?) So Maia is the one running the shop and doing all of the mending. Maia has three brothers but things happen to them so they are not doing any kind of tailoring.

THEN, one day some dude shows up saying Maia's father has to come to try out to become a Royal Tailor to the Imperial Majesty. We all know that's not happening...soooooo.. Maia pretends she is one of her brothers and goes up against some other men (some whom are real jerks) to try to win the spot of Royal Tailor. Maia is not just doing this for herself, she wants to get money to her family.

All kinds of shenanigans ensue and even some people trying to kill people! Geez!

Maia befriends Edan who is the Lord Enchanter and he's a bit of something else too. I wish I could tell you. I might come back with a spoiler section =) Edan takes a liking to Maia because he knows her secret and she's a good person; she has some magic too!

They end up on a quest to seek these amazing things to make dresses out of for the Imperial Majesty's soon to be wife. She doesn't want to be his wife but that's how it goes in these arranged things. Anyhoo, this that and the other happens. I was so happy and then I was sad because I'm not sure what the future is going to hold AND I don't have the next book yet!? Do I want to read the next book? I'm afraid! If I'm still alive, I will be reading it!

I love Maia and Edan so much and that's all that matters!

Happy Reading!

Mel ♥

*Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for giving me a digital copy of this book to read.*

I was initially drawn to this book because it's marketed as "Project Runway meets Mulan." I'm a huge fan of both so I was already sold but this book is so much more than a Mulan retelling! It's a total reimagining of Mulan.

The first half of the book focuses on Maia and the competition to become the Emperor's next tailor. There's challenges, back stabbing, interesting characters, and magic! I love the addition of magic into this tale and Maia's reluctance to take advantage. We're also introduced to the Lord Enchanter who is easy to become enamored with.

The second half of the book is more about a journey that Maia has to go on to finalize her position as the tailor to the Emperor. She needs to find and create three looks from otherworldly materials. The Lord Enchanter, Edan, goes on this journey with her. This is where I started to get a little loss of interest in the story. It's clear that Maia is a strong and determined woman, she loves her craft and wants nothing more than to provide for her family. Once she begins to realize that she has feelings for Edan, which don't get me started on the age difference, it seems like she changes a bit. It felt like it was more about their connection and romance than most anything else. The ending didn't feel like an ending at all, I hit the next page expecting a new chapter and NOTHING! I'm hoping there's a sequel because I need to know what happens.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this and would definitely recommend it.

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

I was not expecting to like this book as much as I did. I mean it is about sewing, I was not sure how they were going to pull off an exciting tale with something that seems as dull as sewing. But Elizabeth Lim did. I started this book because I had forgotten the one I was currently reading, and after the first page I was hooked.
This book takes the best aspects of some of my favorite fairy tales and wove them into a masterpiece that I just have to have. I think I was half way through this book when I decided this was going to be one I needed to add to my shelves and went to pre-order it.
I am in love with this book. It is going in the top ten of my favorite reads of 2019 so far.

I need the second book and this book isnt even actually out yet!
I really hope this is only going to be a duology because I dont want to see this wonderful story dragged out through 3 books.
Yes there is romance in this book but it is so good! I love it and I love them and I hope everything works out.

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review (thank you!).

Spin the Dawn is a Chinese mythology inspired YA fantasy. We follow Maia Tamarin, a young girl that wishes to become a Tailor. The problem is, only men can become tailors. Maia ends up disguising herself as a boy to take her brother's place in a Royal Competition for the title of Imperial Taylor.

The plot consists at first of Maia trying to achieve her dream and saving at the same time, her family. There are aspects that you will clearly recognize from Mulan and Aladin.
The first part of the book, the focus is on Maya and the endless competition between her and other tailors and royal intrigue between Emperor Khanujin and his bride-to-be, Lady Sarnai.

If you like hardworking heroines, Maia falls into that category. She is moved by her dreams and consequent ambition, even if, for a good cause. She also had a fierce desire to protect her loved ones and a lot of inner strength. I really loved how skilled, stubborn and determined she was. Her creations were amazing and reading about silky, flowery, gauzy dresses was wonderful.
Edan, our hero, is The Lord Enchanter. He is a mysterious boy but at the same time an open book. He is sweet, respectful but delights in teasing and helping Maia.
<spoiler>Their relationship is based on trust and consent and it was done well, with the usual trope of "all-consuming passion" absent, the author invested more in a slow burn romance and I was pleased as they spent time together to know each other better. However, I felt that Edan suffered a little bit from Insta-love. Maia, thankfully, did not and it was rewarding to see her feelings change through the chapters. </spoiler>

In the second part, the focus shifts between Maia and Edan as we learn more about Edan. This part is mostly about Maia's journey to obtain the "laughter of the sun", "Tears of the Moon" and "Blood of the Stars", in order to complete Maia's task of sewing three otherworldly dresses for Lady Sarnai. Despite that Maia possesses magical scissors since the beginning, through the journey is when the magical aspect of the story fully develops.

I really enjoyed the first part of the book, however, when the quest for the dresses began, somehow I started to lose interest. New supporting characters were introduced and clearly only intended as a plot device. "The journey" is a trope commonly used in the fantasy genre, it serves as something to make characters grow somehow. It was no different here.
Personally, I paid no attention to the second part until Maia reached the second destination to collect the Tears of the moon, in a particular scene in which my interest was picked again.
This book presents the love of a girl for her profession which I think is SO refreshing in YA, and it also relies a lot on romance. Thankfully, a girl can have both;)
The ending was quite surprising and honestly, it did not feel like an end to me but an open end that will probably lead to a sequel. I was very intrigued by the end and I'm fervently hoping there will be a continuation.

I really enjoyed this book, the author wrote it with a flowing writing style and amazing descriptions which I appreciated. Maia was the kind of protagonist we root for and the Mythology was beautifully done.
If you like Romance, Mythology, beautiful dresses, Magical journeys, and royal intrigue, you will probably enjoy it;)

Real rating: 3,90 Stars.

That was a stunningly, beautifully written story about family, love, loss, and doing whatever it takes for the people you care about. It was amazing and fast-paced and perfect. I really loved the Asian culture that came through with the clothing styles and the Spice Road. I loved the mythologies and the legend of the three dresses. I really loved that the MC was a tailor and how she helped changed the world with her sewing, how she showed magic into the world and changed everything.

I really loved Maia and how much she cared about the people she loved, how she never gave up, how she achieved her dream of becoming the Imperial Tailor, even as a woman. I love her ferocity and devotion, how determined she always was.

And then Edan was just grand. I loved his snark and how he saw through Maia's deception from the first moment, how he kept her secret and protected her when he could, and how he saw that she could stand up for herself. I love how he defied his orders to help her. His whole story was so great and I loved it.

I loved the quest they went on and how they fell in love and everything about their story. The ending left me needing the next book as soon as physically possible.

This was a really well-written book full of diversity and adventure and love and family. It is amazing. You all need to get your hands on this book as soon as it releases.

I loved this book. It was fresh, original, unique, and nostalgic of other tales. Spin the Dawn is the amazing story of Maia Tamarin and how she fights to become the Imperial Tailor and the amazing journey she goes on to create the dresses of legend. The plot was constantly intriguing, I never wanted to put the book down. This book is a Mulan inspired retelling but other than the fact that Maia has to disguise herself as a boy the similarities stop there. Spin the Dawn was its own original tale but like I mentioned some aspects of it reminded me of other stories. The plot was consistently moving, it was a nonstop battle to the finish. My only critique is that I think the romance leaned towards insta-love and that is not my favorite trope at all.

I really loved the characters. Maia is a wonderful female protagonist. She consistently worked hard no matter how many people undermined or teased her. Her talent as a seamstress knows no bounds. I think she got in her head a lot of the time but she was always strong enough to pull off the tasks required of her without Edan's help. Now let's talk about Edan! His character archetype is what I like to call the "Nikolai Archetype," meaning that his character personality and actions are similar to that of Nikolai from the Grisha trilogy. These characteristics include sarcastic, snarky, never takes anything seriously, fun, sly, secretive, very attractive, has some type of eliteness to them, mischievous, evasive of questions, usually lonely, and lastly has a 99.9% chance of being my favorite character in the book. Another character like this who Edan reminds me of in River Shara from Even The Darkest Stars. He was a wonderful character and as the Lord Enchanter there was no shortage of antics from him. He loved to tease Maia but also supported her along the way. Lady Sarnai is the character I am most interested in. I think she has a big role to play and I want to learn more about it. She acts cold and vicious but it is obvious to see that she is just a girl upset over being given to the emperor as a way to barter peace. More is going to come out of that storyline and I cannot wait to learn more about it. Emperor Khanujin is interesting and I can't really figure him out. He seems calm and peaceful but I can see those hints of his thirst for great power. I wonder what will happen with that.

Spin the Dawn is perfect for fans of Renee Ahdieh, Naomi Novik, and Heather Fawcett. Specifically fans of Uprooted and Even The Darkest Stars. I really loved this book and I cannot wait to read more. Even if this book doesn't sound like your cup of tea, I encourage you to try it out. I am sure that you will find it worthwhile. I certainly did.

If you love:

- Girls disguised as boys
- East-Asian fantasies
- Epic quests
- Mythology-based stories

...then Spin the Dawn is perfect for you. This was such a fanastic, sweeping retelling of Mulan. This is probably my favorite retelling to date!

What a tale! I was pleasantly surprised by this story, with many Mulan interpretations coming and going in YA, this one was a refreshing compared to most.

Our main protagonist is Maia, shy and forced to stick to the standards of her patriarchal society, yet strong and does the best she can, even if it means breaking the rules of said society. She is driven and talented, she loves her family even after all that has happened to them. She is believable, a herione I could relate to!

The romance was okay but it didn't wow me, but I didn't hate it despite being sceptical at first.

This book is also comped as Mulan meets Project Runway, you CANNOT go wrong with that. Just like reality TV, there is betrayal, cheating, rivalry, and alliances. Oh, and dresses. Beautiful descriptive, and unique dresses!

Overall, this book was great, I enjoyed Lim's writing, the overall diversity, and that cliffhanger! I will happily be waiting for the next book. Also... that cover is beautiful, one of the best of this year, just tbh!

Spin the Dawn is a sweeping, epic, romantic tale. I can’t remember the last time I’ve been so heartbroken for a book to end. I can say with certainty that it will take its place among my favorites.

Maia is the perfect heroine—timid, still discovering herself, yet resilient and strong. I would like to see more heroines like her in upcoming young adult books.

The story kept me on the edge of my seat for the day it took me to read. When life pulled me away, this book tugged me back, and my thoughts were always with its characters. I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed a book this much.

Recommend to eveyryone, but especially readers who love charactrer-driven, timeless epics like the work of Tamora Pierce. Edan gave me serious Numair vibes.

I am anxiously awaiting the sequel.

I don't think I would be able to give this book anything less than 5 stars and if I could give it more I absolutely would. For a while now I've been wanting to read a different kind of fantasy, usually fantasy is the usual medieval - princesses / princes type fantasy. The main reason I chose to read this is because it was not that, I've been seeing a lot of reviews that say this book is Mulan means project runway but that doesn't do it justice at all! This book is not mulan it is a story in itself. A story of Maia the Strong and as a woman its such a fan inspiring read. I loved pretty much everything, from the writing style, to the character development and the world building! I'm even okay with the fact that its not necessarily a happy ending but im still happy because there will be more of Maia and Eden and this word. This is one of the few books that I am glad its not a stand alone!

I would absolutely recommend this book to any fantasy lovers out there.
Elizabeth Lim keep doing what you're doing!

If someone were to ask me what my definition of perfection was, I'd thrust this book into their face.

I'm not even kidding.

I really didn't know what to expect from this book, which is why I was slightly hesitant to request an arc of it, but I couldn't be gladder that I went out on a limb and did so... Because Spin the Dawn was absolutely incredible!

Where to start?

Maia, our protagonist, was such a wonderfully crafted character! She was strong, rightfully ambitious, and independent, but didn't end up reading off as cocky, obnoxious, or immature (*cough cough* Calaena Sardothian *cough cough* no shade tho)! Maia was constantly inserted into seemingly impossible situations that few could even imagine withstanding but repeatedly refused to give up and never let the toxic individuals around her bring her down. I admired how far she would go to secure the well being of her family, and I loved how she didn't let the discrimination against her gender stop her from protecting those she loved.

Additionally, I simply appreciated the plot itself. It's been saddening to see how similar YA fantasy novels are these days (plot and character wise) and how few of them actually stand out. But, thankfully, Spin the Dawn was a VERY original novel with a premise that has not been featured in other Young Adult works. So yay for that!

I also thought I'd throw out the fact that I didn't mind the romance in this book! Typically, I'm the kind of person who avoids romance at all costs and sticks her tongue out in disgust at the slightest bit of romantic tension... But not for this book! The romance between Maia and Edan (da love interest) was something that I actually sort of rooted for. Elizabeth Lim did a great job at developing their relationship so it didn't feel rushed or unnatural.

Overall, Spin the Dawn was a book that I really, really enjoyed! I can't wait for this book's publication date because THE WORLD NEEDS TO READ IT! Seriously, guys, make room on your shelves for this gem of a book 'cause you will not want to miss out on all of its glory!!

Spin the Dawn was described to me as Mulan meets Project Runway but it is so much more than that. It quickly surpasses the expectations of a simple competition turned love story. The story follows Maia, a talented tailor who must hid her craft and sex, as she travels to the Summer Palace to compete with other tailors to please the Emperor. There she attracts the attention of the court Enchanter or Sorcerer, Edan. As the final challenge, Maia is tasked with making three gowns from sun light, moon beams, and the blood of stars. She has two months to complete this impossible task or face certain death. This twist is a nod to Grimm’s Allerleirauh, a dark fairy tale about a bride who asks for impossible gifts to avoid an undesirable marriage. Lim combines this tale with a delightful combination of Asian and Persian folk lore.

Maia sets out on the quest with Edan at her side. Along the way she finds love, adventure, demons and sorrow. Edan’s character is wonderfully complex and while their love story a bit predictable, it did not feel forced. I also appreciated that Lim took the time to explain how Edan came into his powers and the checks and balances in place for sorcerers.

I did not expect this book to be part of the series but the ending left a lot of loose ends so there must be a sequel planned.

4 stars for Spin the Dawn. I really enjoyed reading this and can not wait for the sequel!

Mulan is often neglected in the world of respun fairytales so it was refreshing to see an author fashion a fresh tapestry of delight. However, it is so much more than a fractured fairytale - try epic quest on for size! Like the best fashion, the story was original and smart.

At first, the writing felt formal and Maia's character a little stiff but quickly the story developed into the finest silk. I quickly got swept up into the Maia's tale and was all in when the tailor competition began in the royal palace. Elizabeth Lim's descriptions were lovely and fluid like silk shawls in the breeze. Her descriptions of the market and Silk Road were gritty and plunged the reader right in to a sun-choked desert. Maia is a tough heroine who shows you can be a bada** while you sew! This is definitely a book to mark on your calendars when it comes out! Set aside a weekend.

*** I can't wait to see some fine illustrators on instagram sketch Maia's designs!

I received ebook through NetGalley in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.

An absolutely gorgeous story. I was enthralled by the cover, and the story lived up to it. I love this, it felt unique and intriguing. The romance felt perfect. Just for me, I wish it didn't end on a cliffhanger!! Haha. But really, a delightful read. I can't wait for book 2!

I received an ARC from the publisher for an honest review.

Does my black heart deceive me? or did I just thoroughly enjoy a YA "basically retelling of Mulan"?

We are immediately introduced to Maia, a young girl living a calm life with her father and three brothers. Unfortunately war begins and each of her brothers leave to fight but only one returns very critically injured. We are then given information that the Emperor has passed away and when he calls on Maia's father who can't arrive steadfast, Maia dresses as one of her brothers and goes in his place.

All of the characters are super well done, actually... their decisions all make total sense (even the ones you hate to see happen). I liked how Maia's character has a ton of depth and is fighting a lot of inner battles, too. The pages are pretty much packed with his wise insights on life.

Elizabeth Lim also makes some amazing statements on the different kinds of strength of women. I've been getting tired of books that try to create strong female characters by showing how they don't need a man etc because that is STILL defining women through men... it's just by a guy's absence in that case. I wanted to hug this book for allowing the women to be complete characters in their own right without fitting any one particular image of strength.

You know a story's good when you don't want it to end and are still thinking about the characters later. It did kind of lose my attention a bit in the first half, but the last half just kept getting better and better! Honestly, the plot was really well paced. And I absolutely loved the setting, too – it's an amazingly detailed, gorgeous environment with hints of magic. There are political schemes, realistic social issues, and some seriously hilarious moments.

Overall, I highly recommend for anyone loving rich and beautifully written fantasy with strong female character.