Maia Tamarin, Imperial Tailor, has successfully crafted the three legendary dresses of the goddess Amana using the laughter of the sun, the tears of the moon, and the blood of the stars. All three dresses are to be the crown jewels at the wedding of the Emperor and Lady Sarnai, the Shansen's daughter. But making the dresses came at a horrible cost: Maia is slowly turning into a demon, doomed to become the guardian of the Forgotten Isles, sparing her lover--the former Lord Enchanter, Edan--from the punishment. Maia is determined to make it through the wedding, which will solidify peace throughout A'landi.

Fate has other plans.

The thrilling sequel and conclusion to "The Blood of Stars" duology takes readers back to the realm of A'landi, full of demons, ghosts, enchanters, and more as Maia and Edan fight for peace. Readers will also be thrilled to see the full extent of the power of the dresses Maia has created, and root for her in her external fight against the Shansen and her internal fight against the demon growing within her.

Brilliantly written and utterly fantastic, "Unravel the Dusk" is as gorgeous, thrilling, and captivating as "Spin the Dawn".

This was fabulous. Just as good maybe even better then the first. watching Maia struggle through her "transformation" into a demon was heartbreaking but she stayed strong and she ended up conquering the demon within.

Thank you, Netgalley, for the ARC. 3.5 stars. Satisfying ending, but I felt it lacked something the first book had. Still enjoyed seeing the end of this journey.

Well, this was quite a different book from the first one. While the first one dealt with the competition, the growing relationship between Maia and Edan, and their journey to find the things needed to create the gowns that were commanded by the Emperor, this one mostly dealt with how Maia coped or didn’t with the growing demon inside of her. This one was just as good as the first, it just had a different tone and journey for Maia than the first.

This book was more about the internal struggle for Maia, how to survive her choices in book one. But also about how to protect her family, Edan, and her country from the horrors that are coming. I found this to be a very interesting thing and enjoyed being in her head and listening in on her struggles. I also liked the friendship that developed between Maia and Ammi. I had liked Ammi in the first book so was glad to see more of her in this one.

I really liked how the author wove the dresses into the story and how their powers both helped and didn’t help Maia and her quest to save everyone. The descriptions of the dresses was also amazing and they are something that I would love to see.

I don’t want to give away too much of the story, but there were a couple of things I didn’t like that much. The first one being that Edan is pretty much absent from most of it. I know he was off doing what he needed to do, but it was one of the things I loved about the first book, and it just seemed like he should have been there supporting Maia a bit more. The second thing that bugged me was the end. Not how the whole demon thing was resolved, that was pretty epic and I loved that, but the epilogue was just too cheesy and Disneyish. It kind of turned me off of Edan and Maia’s relationship.

For the most part I thoroughly enjoyed this second book as much as the first. I really like the world and the magical system that the author has created here and would love to see more books written set in this world. They don’t even have to be about Edan and Maia, but that would be awesome too.

This was a beautifully done follow up to Spin the Dawn. We get to follow the characters more and see them grow and develop more. The writing is magical and lush. You will captivated by the atmospheric descriptions as well as the characters. Everything in the novel was well-paced and nothing felt overly done or rushed. I like that we have a strong female lead character and we see her grow into herself. This series is filled with romance, action, and is just magical overall. I highly recommend this series if you're looking for a great YA series.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review

My Rating: 4 Stars

Wow, this duology consumed my life for 24 straight hours! I read both of these gorgeous books back to back and was so relieved to have an ARC of Unravel the Dusk after the way Spin the Dawn ended. I’ll be honest, I can’t imagine waiting a year between books, it might have killed me. *Much like the wait for Empire of Gold is slowly killing me*

First of all, EDAN! Sigh, what a dreamboat cinnamon roll! He was definitely my favorite character in Spin the Dawn and I was so bummed when I discovered that he didn’t turn up in the sequel until 50% of the way through the book. I definitely understood that Maia had a journey that she needed to endeavor upon on her own, but damn, I missed him.

One of the things that I loved the most about Spin the Dawn was the Project Runway feel that it had at the beginning, and the overall focus on Maia’s love of tailoring. While there were parts of Unravel the Dusk that highlighted her incredible ability to craft, it was something that I missed overall as it was not nearly as prevalent in this book.

That being said, there was near constant action, heartache and stress in Unravel the Dusk. I genuinely could not see a positive ending in sight for the main characters and my stomach was in knots throughout most of the book. From the beginning, Maia threw herself into one dangerous situation after another and I enjoyed the overall character development that she showed over the course of her story’s arc.

It’s pretty hard to write a spoiler free review of a sequel, so I will leave you with this: overall, these books were incredible. The pacing was quick, the writing was beautiful, and the books were filled with main characters I easily related to, as well as villains both complex and endlessly deplorable. If you’re looking for a book full of gorgeous Chinese culture, a simultaneously heartwarming and heart wrenching love story, and a completely badass heroine, I definitely recommend picking these up.

As I was reading Spin the Dawn, I knew I couldn't wait for a sequel. Too many things were happening that I couldn't wait for. And now, here we are with an epic sequel. It is absolutely beautiful to me to see different cultures dominating the YA shelves at the bookstores.
Unravel the Dusk has memorable war scenes that will leave the reader on the edge of their seat. If you think Spin the Dawn was great, then get ready, because Unravel the Dusk will leave you NEEDING more of these characters. I truly can't wait for other readers to get their hands on this sequel so I can dive into their feelings about it. UTD is a breathtaking YA novel that is exactly what young readers need on their shelves and filling their creative minds.

I loved the first book in this duology, "Spin the Dawn", and Lim has managed to create a dark and tarnished mirror image in "Unravel the Dusk."

Where the beginning of this story was light and full of love and adventure, the conclusion carried a tortured darkness, a struggle that I couldn't have foreseen upon the onset of this journey. It was a bit more difficult to push through this novel, feeling the loss of hope and sense of despair present in Maia's journey. However, it was worth it to reach the conclusion, as the journey through darkness is often more interesting and fulfilling to witness.

"Not long ago, I'd thought my story was like a fairy tale. After all, there were demons and ghosts, an emperor ensorcelled, and a princess who'd become the greatest warrior of her generation."

Wow, wow, wow!

I thoroughly enjoyed Lim's first novel, Spin the Dawn. That book was a fun adventure story and I enjoyed the characters. I was not blown away by the story, but I did have fun reading it. So when I picked up this book, I was expecting the same caliber as the first, meaning I would enjoy it, but the story would not wow me.

Boy, I was wrong!

I cannot even believe this is the same author or the same story. Lim stepped it up in her second novel in relation to her imagery, topics, and character development. I found myself cringing (in a good way) throughout the book when she described some of the more brutal/bloody scenes of the novel.

Maia is one of my favorite characters in any book I have ever read. Her story, her growth, and her struggles were amazing to watch. I felt so connected to her in so many ways. She wants to protect the people she loves, she wants to save her country, but she also doesn't want to lose herself in the process. She was strong without being fiercely independent. She knew when she needed to rely on people and when she needed to keep others at arm's length.

I'm usually not completely satisfied with an ending, but I just loved his this duology ended. It was beautiful and hopeful. I love Maia and Eden so much and I hope others do too.

From the first few lines I was drawn into Lim's first book in this series "Spin the the Dawn". I think this book was even better. I loved this heroine. I loved how she defies gender roles and how she finds her strength. I also love the use of mythology and fantasy elements and their blending into something as seemingly mundane as needlework and sewing.

Book two had a satifying conclusion and plenty of drama and action from beginning to end. I will be reccomending this series to my friends and customers and eagerly await any new books that she releases. This series has definitely made me a fan of Elizabeth Lim.

Unravel the Dusk's predecessor Spin The Dawn was A LYRICAL TALE REMINISCENT OF FAIRYTALES LONG GONE AND PERFECTLY BLENDS THE CREATIVE PROCESS IN A MAGICAL APPROACH THAT COMPELS YOU TO READ MORE AND MORE.

and well... this sequel sure lives up to the feels AGAIN.

Elizabeth Lim creates a mellifluous melody in her prose with a nice touch of multilayered weaving in her metaphors. She literally incorporates literary devices relating to the art of weaving which reinforces the importance of this theme. This makes the book a compelling neat package with how she writes it constructively and objectively. There’s also a sense of continuous rhythm in her words that makes it hard to put the book down and, which is probably the reason why I’ve read this faster than I initially thought I would!

With this in mind, it is also quite a wonder how we get to see the creative process of weaving/ tailoring be incorporated in the magic system (albeit it wasn’t a super detailed one reminiscent of Brandon Sandersons’ works). I am a sucker for this kind of element in a book and I assure you that it is so much better than how meager I describe it! The sense of vagueness it has does not dispel its charm but instead elevates the fantasy vibe here.

Not only that but this kind of story is one that ironically blends an odd feeling of nostalgia and a sense of a new beginning. It reminded me so much of the fairytales I grew up reading with, like the tale of Amaterasu (a Japanese folk tale I’ve read in high school), the tale of Eros and Psyche and, it sets up a new take on the well-trodden path of YA Fantasy. This is a unique retelling but is also an elevated form of its roots. It simply uses the familiar archetypes we love in stories like Mulan and spins a whole different picture that makes an indelible mark on us readers.

IT HAS MOST OF THE ARCHETYPES A HEROINE’S TALE HAS FROM THE CHARACTERS DOWN TO THE IMMEDIATE SET UP WE USUALLY SEE YET, IT ALSO GIVES A UNIQUE FLAVOR WITH ITS EXECUTION THAT WILL LINGER IN YOUR HEART.

In all honesty, Unravel the Dusk for me was quite a little cliche because of the archetypes used in its storytelling that predominated YA Fantasy.
But what sets this sequel apart from all the other heroine tales is how organically it blooms in just the right time. I haven’t been reading much of YA Fantasy lately because I was quite tired of the usual roster I read. I was hoping to read more high fantasy this year but I never thought I needed to feel the familiar flutters of YA Fantasy again until I finished reading this!

Overall this was an entertaining and beautiful continuation of a tale that I will gladly reread again just to experience the fairy tale nostalgia it elicits!

I really enjoyed this duology, I thought it had a fresh take on the magic system and likable characters. The second book definitely has a different feel to it and but combined they made for a thrilling ride. I am living for all the Asian fantasy/mythology coming out, it is a wonderful addition to that genre.

I liked this one a lot less than the first one. Everything felt rushed and as if there were too many plot points/obstacles to overcome by the end of the book. We see very little of Maia's sewing skill or her connection with the goddess.

This book was the sequel to Spin the Dawn, and although I wasn't a big fan of the first book, it was still a good enough read to tackle the second book. This book may not be a favorite for me, but it was definitely a stronger book and the world-building and characters grew so much it's a great read. There were things that maybe weren't my favorite throughout, but overall a solid read with a good story and action packed for sure. A good ending to a nice series, will read more by this author!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!!

This duology has some of the most fun and unique magic I’ve come across in a while. It’s basically the story of a girl who impersonates her brother in order to enter a dress making competition but with magic involved. Spin the Dawn, the first in the series, was so fun and enjoyable. I was really excited to see where the story went in this sequel. I have to say, I was not disappointed. Unravel the Dusk was just as magical and action packed as the first. It did get a bit darker at times but that just helped add to the plot. I was very happy with the way everything wrapped up and concluded.

Unravel the Dusk is a satisfying sequel to Spin the Dawn in that it nicely resolves the plot elements left dangling in the first book-- Maia's worrisome connection to the demon Bandur, Lady Sarnai's father, Edan's fate, and so on.

However, what I enjoyed most about the first book were the Project Runway feel combined with fairy tale elements, and those are mostly absent and replaced by battles. Kudos for the author not giving us the same book again, but I'm disappointed.

On the other hand, I absolutely that we finally get more of Lady Sarnai, who, in my opinion, has far more interesting chemistry with Maia than Edan. Sadly, the book doesn't go THAT direction, but we get to see more of Sarnai's complexities. I thought the dichotomy between Maia (as the hero protagonist) and Sarnai (as the beautiful princess to be married/rescued) was one of the most interesting tropes Lim deconstructs and it was certainly my favorite part.

I can't decide whether I liked the first book or this book better. I enjoyed the plot of this book but couldn't really connect to some of the characters, the main ones being Edan and Maia's relationship. I found that in the first book they were friends and then at a random point fell deeply in love with each other. I felt like there was no development to get from their friendship to romance it just kind of happened spontaneously so in this book I couldn't really feel for their romance. The battle scenes were really epic I really enjoyed reading those parts. Maia went through a lot of character development throughout this book especially with her struggling to keep her demon side from taking over. I really didn't like the ending though because it was just way too easy and 'happily ever after. I felt really bad for Lady Sarnai in the end battle because although she was really rude to Maia I could understand why she wasn't a fan of her because of her past experiences with magic. Overall this was a very imaginative story and regardless of its faults I couldn't put it down.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. My opinion was not affected by the free copy.

I liked the first book well enough, which is why I requested the sequel. I didn't re-read the first book, but I did read my review and saw one of my issues was that it felt like several different books at once. This again feels like something completely different from the first book. I would have never guessed that a book about a girl posing as a boy in a competition to be the royal tailor would turn into this.

I was at first interested to see the consequences of Maia's deal with the devil in the last book, but became disengaged almost immediately here. I don't like spoiling things in my review, so let's just say something happens and Maia dresses up like the emperor's daughter. Not only was there no reason for her to do this, but people were actually fooled! I don't remember the last book mentioning that Maia looked or sounded anything like the daughter, and she hardly spent any time with the other woman that I can recall so she couldn't have believably pulled off the right mannerisms or attitude. But even ignoring all that, she wasn't even punished for the impersonation. You're thinking "Who cares?" but this is how the book opens. It only gets stranger from there.

The stuff with the demon trying to corrupt Maia would've been interesting on its own. We didn't really need a corrupt emperor or an impending war. This again may be coming from not having re-read the first book, but there were mentions of demons or gods in this one and I didn't know who or what they were. Plus, I guess I'm getting tired of the "girl finds herself in a revolution/war scenario and must become a leader" storyline. Especially when it comes completely out of nowhere like here.

It's honestly too bad that Spin the Dawn wasn't a stand-alone. This could have also worked as a stand-alone since it was so different from the first book. As it stands, this duology is just all over the place.

Unravel the Dusk is absolutely the conclusion that Spin the Dawn deserved.

After the events of Spin the Dawn, Edan and Maia are separated, and Maia's deal with the demon Bandur is beginning to take its toll. When she is forced to step in for Lady Sarnai as the Emporer's betrothed, tensions between her country and Sarnai's come to a boiling point, and Maia is forced to lose even more of herself in order to protect A'landi. How far will Maia go to secure the peace? What has become of Edan? After everything that comes between them, will there ever be a happily ever after?

While Spin the Dawn has a slightly more straightforward plot, Unravel the Dusk has moved away from those archetypes. Maia spends the entire book battling the demon growing within her, which makes for a fascinating character study. Can Maia be tempted to abandon her causes altogether? What happens when she loses parts of herself that make her who she is? Characters fighting the evil within them is an arc I've always enjoyed, and I think Lim did a good job with it.

In contrast, Edan has become a severely watered-down version of himself. I found it difficult to invest anything in any character but Maia, even though I'd cared about them when I read the first book just under a year ago.

Like the first book, Unravel the Dusk is divided into sections, which feature fairly different plotlines, but which keeps the plot moving at a shockingly fast pace (which I appreciate, truly). This meant that the book encompassed several battles, army v army, demon v demon, and that adventure level was certainly up from the first one.

It took me a pretty long time for me to get through this book, for whatever reason. Nonetheless, it was an ending I found deeply satisfying, and I would definitely recommend that anyone who liked Spin the Dawn pick up its sequel.

Overall a fantastic ending to this duology. Not quite as magical as the first book since Maia wasn't needing to craft anymore new dresses and her focus moved away from the creativity of creation towards more basic survival. The brutality and reality of the war also bit into the sweetness from the first novel. I wasn't quite sure how things would end, and I really enjoyed having to consider how I would feel with a bitter and sad ending verus a happy and hopeful one.