It's official: Elizabeth Lim is one of my favorite authors. This book killed me. I'm not kidding. I actually cried. ACTUAL T E A R S. For those of you who don't know me, that's an extremely rare occurrence, especially at something in a book. And yet, here I am, still sniffling as I try to gather my jumble of emotions into a coherent review that tells you how much I loved this.

This was even better than I was expecting it to be. How is that possible, you ask? I'm not really sure. But oh my gosh, this book blew me away. I felt nearly every single freaking emotion it's possible to feel while I read this. How did she do that?? How did she make me care so much for these characters and for this world?

As this is a sequel, there isn't much I can say without going into spoilers but I can say this much: this book is more than beautiful descriptions, lush landscapes, and one of my favorite book romances (it definitely has all of that though). At its heart, it's a story of what it means to be human. It is a story of growth and loss and pain and change. When I finished 'Spin the Dawn' last year, I didn't know how to feel about the ending. I could see the potential, but I was worried the author wasn't intending to take the story in the direction I hoped she would. I had nothing to worry about. She exceeded my expectations and handled this book beautifully.

I am <i>still</i> freaking out that I was blessed enough to receive an ARC of this book. I can already say with 100% certainty that this is one of my favorite books of the year and that I will read anything this woman writes. I'm serious.

Spin the Dawn is one of my favorite books, and as soon as I saw that the sequel was on here I jumped to the opportunity to read it. Lim left us wanting more with Maia at the end of book one, and I just couldn't wait to know what would happen next. It was more than just her trying to show that women can do the same as men, it was about never giving up on your family and your dreams.

One of the main topics from the first book that I was really excited to see was the enchanted scissors. They were such a thrill, and I couldn't to see what would happen with it, and Maia would use them. Of course Lim had us captivated in the first chapter, she does so well at capturing the audience and having me at the edge of my seat wondering what is happening next. Even though it has been awhile since I read Spin the Dawn it was easy to be like "oh yeah" Maia did this so she could do that, and it was easy to keep up with what was going on.

5/5 stars and lots of excitement to have gone on this journey again.

This was an amazing book! I only read the first one a month ago and I thoroughly enjoyed it but this one is probably on of the best books I have read this year. My one complaint is that we don't see a lot of Edan untill 2/3 into the book but other than that I loved everything about this book. Maia is such a good character. At the beginning of Spin the Dawn she starts out not believing in magic and being so focused on her one goal to be the imperial tailor but we see her become part of magic and become a warrior. I also enjoyed that we saw some more of the Mulan influence even though through this book everyone knows she is a girl. My favorite part of this book was Edan. He is one of the best written love interests I have read. I enjoyed seeing him grow and even though he isn't in most of this book the parts he is in are some of the best. The ending of this book is so good and it made me so happy. This book has definitely pushed Elizabeth Lim into the group of my favorite authors and I will without a doubt pick up anymore books she writes.

This duology is just so fantastic! I adored where this sequel went in terms of the plot and the Chinese legend. The journey that Maia takes in this novel is harrowing, and my heart broke for her through the entire book. This duology is a wild ride from start to finish-so captivating with an adorable romance to boot! I recommend this series so very highly, and I cannot wait to see what Elizabeth Lim comes out with next!

*Thanks to the publisher for providing my copy of this book via Netgalley!*

Sorry this was posted for the wrong book please disregard this. I will update soon.
Sorry this says I have to at least add 100 characters to this.

Thank you, NetGalley for the e-arc!


In UNRAVEL THE DUSK, Maia is dealing with the demons inside of her, as well as protecting those she loves. I absolutely adored the world-building and action scenes in this installment. I also loved the tales centered around Chinese myths. But unfortunately, this suffered from second book syndrome, for me.

The bad:

First, we don't see much of Edan until much later in the book. I also did not feel connected to the characters as much I did in book one. This may be because of the lack of Edan and the romance felt very thin. I wanted to feel that tension again, but I couldn't find it. I did not feel disappointed with the ending, but it also wasn't satisfying, if that makes any sense. It felt rushed and a little weird.

Sequels are hard to write. Reading them is always a chore for me, but my expectations are always too high. Unfortunately, this was a miss for me.

I really liked this book, I think that it is even better than the first one. There is more action, adventure, and Maia being an all around badass. If you like fantasy then this book is one to check out, it gives readers a fresh and new twist on the beloved story of Mulan.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I loved every page of this brilliantly, breathtaking sequel to Spin the Dawn. Poor Maia is cursed to become a demon and has sent the love of her life away for his protection. She must assist in the marriage of the unwilling Sarnai to the heinous emperor.

Maia's struggles with her newfound powers that are destined to take away everything from her are a thrill to read about as are the thrilling battle sequences.

Spin the Dawn made my favorites last year and incredibly Unravel the Dusk improves on its brilliance.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy to review.

Gosh I ADORE this book so much!

I honestly loved this book so much more than the first (even though I gave them the same rating.) I think Elizabeth Lim has such a way with words, the writing in this was just incredible and there were so many quotable moments that I adored. The characters went through SO much in this, I was just rooting for them the entire time. I loved everything about this book but the one small detail that made me give it a four star instead of a five (which it is SO close to being!) was that some phrases in this book were repeated a lot. The reader was reminded often of certain details which I found a bit annoying since we, the reader, understood that already and didn't need a reminder quite so often.

Other than that, this is seriously one of the best sequels I have ever read. I adored every second I was back in this world and I can't wait for more in this series (if there will be more!) But even if this is the last book, I felt like it wrapped up very nicely and that another book isn't necessary (but I would love one regardless!) I highly recommend this series, it is such a unique YA fantasy that I just adore and cannot wait to reread in the future!

Ohhhh boy. Y’all buckle up for a wild ride! Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

When we last left Maia, she was becoming a demon and that’s where this book starts, more or less. In true style, this book starts with the wedding of Sarnai and the emperor and that entire failure. In an attempt to be spoiler free, let me say that it is a dousy to say the least. That being said, it sets up for an epic battle at the end and it helps Maia be able to face her future.

Maia has to fight her demon self and come back to Edan, her family and the nation and that fight makes the wait worthwhile. I will say that the beginning of this book is so fast paced that I didn’t even realise how much I read until I stopped for a minute, but that a certain event in the middle SLOOOWS it down. That event is also super short so it really makes you wonder why it took such a toll on the pacing. It is made up to us by the end though so I suppose all is forgiven. It’s the ending we truly deserve after all the heartbreak we suffer.

As I said, this is spoiler free so I can’t actually talk about much here, but I will say that, in my opinion, it’s the perfect sequel.

Spin the Dawn was my favorite YA book of 2019, and I've been anxiously waiting to read the sequel. First, the covers of this series are almost unmatched. They are simply stunning. Generally speaking, I enjoyed getting back to Maia and Edan, and the characters are well written and believable. For me, there was too much fighting/adventure and not enough creativity. I understand that there needs to be a conclusion to her demon curse, but I wish there had been a little more tailoring. Those magic scissors are the stuff of dreams!

Rating ~2.5-2.75

"If dying is this beautiful, then I wish I were a tree too. I'd be happy to die and be reborn in the spring."

It was better than the first book. But still, something was missing for me.

The Good:
Chinese Cultural Influence: I love myths and legends from other cultures, so some of my favorite parts of this book were when they spoke of the tales they had been told while growing up. Also, I enjoyed the world-building, even if I was not practically drawn overall storyline.

The Bad:
The Disconnect: Despite the fact that I wanted to love this book, I just never felt any real strong emotions toward the characters. Positively or negatively.
The Love Story:
The end of the thread is you, Edan, I wanted to tell him. It's always been you.
Again, it was just kind of there. The leads were a true ride or die pair and yet that never got me excited.

The Mixed:
The ending felt too happy, too easy, at least for me. After everything that happened for things to just work themselves out relatively perfectly seemed terribly odd. Like I'm not mad, I'm not sure I could think of an ending that would have been exactly better. But this ending just sat oddly.

So, if I had to equate this book to a feeling, I think it reminds me of the time I went to a buffet, grabbed what I thought was steamed custard bun only to bite into it and realize there was no custard inside. It was just a plain Chinese steamed bun. That is this book for me. It's an authentic bun, but it is just not the bun I wanted

I really loved this duology! This was a really great ending to the series. Honestly, at the end of the first book, I wasn't sure how everything would work out in book 2, going in with her becoming a demon. I thought it was a little over the top and wouldn't work well with the tale, but it actually ended up being really good. Maia is a strong character throughout, and even though she doubts herself immensely, her actions really show how brave and strong she is. She's such a solid character that never wavers in her devotion to her country and the people she loves, and very self-sacrificing. She was really admirable, all throughout the series. I think the only thing I didn't like about book 2 was that there wasn't as much about the beautiful garments and fantastic tailoring like the first book. I really loved all of that, and while I get that sewing really doesn't equivocate to a useful battle skill, I kinda missed it in book 2. She only mentions what the dresses look like a couple of times, and then she sews a few stitches here and there, but never any full garment of beauty like the first book. It's understandable given her situation, but I still missed it! Overall though, this was a great book, and I really enjoyed the whole series!

One of the best fantasy duologies I’ve read in a long time!! Amazing writing, wonderful characters. The world building makes you feel like you are there. This was a perfect ending, it did some scary things that made you think something was going to happen to the characters, but it wrapped up everything perfectly.

I was truly expecting this to be a trilogy for some reason, not a duology -- and it's rare that you read a book and think "actually, I do wish there was yet another book after this." I will admit that I thought the trilogy would be one book per mythical dress in the story (Stars, Sun, Moon), but now that I've finished the book, the duology of Dawn/Dusk should have made it obvious to me. I was delighted that this book further spun its way into exploring the weaver/cowherd myth as part of the backstory we get. The romance is still just as appealing, the pacing was good - although again, I wished for and thought (mistakenly) there would be a third book. Elizabeth Lim has a gorgeous way with words that is deeply enviable, and the characters and plot are engaging. I wished that we had more time with some of it - it didn't feel rushed per se, but I would have liked much more from the human antagonists and not just the magical ones. Overall I really enjoyed this, and will re-read again when it releases.

It's rare: but sometimes a sequel really outdoes the first volume. With Unravel the Dusk, Elizabeth Lim took a good book and made it even better. Main character Maya’s voice stays strong and resolute, never falters in her conviction, and with a great relationship to her love interest that never weakens her nor threatens to overshadow the great action. If anything, I enjoyed this second book in the series more than the first. I highly recommend both books in the series since they are a perfect example of what the YA genre needs more of in terms of depth and strength of characterization.

Story: Maya accomplished the impossible: she made Lady Sarnai robes made of the sun, the moon, and the stars. But she paid a terrible price for in order to do so: she took on the essence of a demon. Slowly turning into one herself, she is losing her connection to her humanity, including her memories and self. She knows she must return back to the well and confront the souls but at the same time, her kingdom is falling apart and war looks more and more imminent as the warlord's greed for power takes on an even deadlier turn.

What I enjoyed most about Lim’s book is that she managed to keep the female characters very strong but without losing their heart. There are no instances of ‘tell but not show’ syndrome; Maya and characters like Lady Sarnai prove they are equal to their male counterparts but also show why they are worthy of the partners who have chosen them. For once, we have no doubt that the love interests have chosen the women based on the strength of their personality and their heart. Neither are promoted for their looks and we don’t really see an instance of insta luv.

The action is excellent and the book flows smoothly. This isn’t a story of twists and turns so much as determination and strength. So our main character picks and chooses her battles but always with the best interest of her kingdom in mind. It will cost her much but she remains resolute that just saving her family isn’t enough. Along the way we get battles, subterfuge, court machinations, and everything from ghosts to very powerful demons.

When I started the first book I was wary: the description of a Mulan and Project Runway mashup sounded both silly and simplistic. But that was only in the first half or so of the book and I can say that the series built nicely, had excellent character development, and an ending that was about our main character accomplishing her goals (and not about getting a romance). I think the ending was best of all since it remained true to Maya’s ideals, the romance was light but well written, and the women never needed saving from the men. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.

Unravel the Dusk is the perfect conclusion for Spin the Dawn. The moment I started reading I immediately fell back into this world and felt as if I had never left. The story continues from where we left off and Maia is is battling demons literally inside and out.

In this story the stakes felt higher and the growth of both Maia and Edan as characters kept the story interesting. While there weren’t many new characters introduced into this book I enjoyed the additional details you learn about several of the characters from the first book. I only wish there was more time with Edan and Maia together. I loved all the time they spent together in the first book collecting the items needed for the dresses and I missed that peaceful one on one time. I understood that with the urgency of upcoming war that it wouldn’t have made much sense but I’ll still be over here wishing for a bit more Edan and Maia in my life.

Uhhh, I’m really trying to be creative with my wording here, but what else can I say about Unravel the Dusk other than I loved it?

Last year, after reading this book’s predecessor, Spin the Dawn (one of my favorite reads of 2019!), my expectations for Unravel the Dusk were very high. Unsurprisingly, I was not disappointed at all! Elizabeth Lim went above and beyond and gave us yet another wonderful book. It is rare to come across a sequel that is better than, let alone as good as, the previous book, but Unravel the Dusk manages to defy all odds with its amazingness!

Where do I begin?

For starters, the character development in this book was off the charts. I thought I loved Maia and Edan in Spin the Dawn, but in Unravel the Dusk, they are further fleshed out as the story continues to unravel (pun totally intended 😉), making me love them even more. In this book, we see a totally different side of Maia as she battles with the demon inside of her. Despite her inevitable fate of succumbing to darkness, Maia continues to prove that she is a strong, selfless, and courageous heroine. Even with the constant temptation to give into wickedness and embrace the demon she has been cursed to become, she remains true to herself and continues to fight for her country and the people she loves.

I loved how Edan was always so supportive of Maia throughout the story, even when she lost control of herself and lashed out. His love for her was unconditional, and he never gave up on her. Maia and Edan’s romance is an excellent portrayal of a healthy, realistic relationship, which can often be difficult to find in YA fantasy.

I also loved how family and friendship are important themes in this book. Maia’s love for her family was her primary source of motivation throughout the book. It kept her from giving up on herself and motivated her to keep fighting. Maia’s relationship with her deceased mother was more fleshed out in this book, and it was both heartbreaking and beautiful to read.

It was great to see the development of female friendships as well. Ammi and Maia made a great team, and I loved how strong their relationship became by the end of the story. All too often we see women hating on each other in both fiction and in real life, so Ammi and Maia’s friendship was such a pleasure to read. Same goes for Maia and Sarnai’s “alliance” (and eventual friendship by the end of the book).

The thing that puts Unravel the Dusk a step above Spin the Dawn is the emotional aspect of the book. There’s still all of the action and adventure we know and love, but there’s also messages of loss, love, heartbreak, and self-acceptance. These are themes that I think more books should have.

Overall, Unravel the Dusk was a beyond satisfying sequel to Spin the Dawn. It’s a fast paced and breathtaking story filled with beautiful themes that will stay with you long after you put the book down.

"I didn't dare pray. Who knew whether it would be gods or demons that listened to me"

I feel like I watched my request for this to be accepted FOREVER then BAM! I. ME. WAS APPROVED. AND. LET. ME. TELL. YOU. WHAT. If you liked the first one you better get some of those sock suspenders because this will knock ya socks off.

There was so much from the very start that I can not really say too much without giving something away.

The whole way you see just how passionate about her family, Edan and even her country and how even though she was told that she was the thread holding her family together they are the only thing keeping her together.

We also get this totally bad ass demon Gyiu’rak. And my favorite stone cold Princess being everything and more! ♥️

I had to pause Midway to go buy the physical copy

I was provided with a free ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I felt that this was a fabulous follow-up and conclusion to this duology. The plot moves quickly, as it should because all Hades breaks loose in this one, and it kept me engaged in the story. I really think that Lim's character development is wonderful, with the exception of Khanujin, the Emperor. I just feel that he is much more cruel in this one than in the previous one, so much so that it was a very blatant difference. I guess it could be written off as to the reader having more interaction with him in this one than in Spin the Dawn, I just wish it weren't so. He seems to have no redeeming qualities, however his behavior is explained as him only doing what he needs to do for his country. But I think there's more to it than that and that was just an easy way to write off what a jerk he was. I need a better reason than that.

Every thing else about this book was wonderful: vivid descriptions, fast-moving, engaging plot, and memorable characters (Can I get a shout for my girl Ammi?!). I was already recommending Spin the Dawn to my library patrons, and I have no doubt that I'll have a substantial hold list once this book releases!