Hi, everyone! I’m super thrilled to be one of the first stops on the blog tour for Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim, hosted by Shealea at Caffeine Book Tours. This book was one of my most anticipated releases of 2019 and I’m glad I got a chance to read an advance copy.

Title: Spin the Dawn
Author: Elizabeth Lim
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication date: 09 July 2019
Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy
Synopsis:

Project Runway meets Mulan in this sweeping YA fantasy about a young girl who poses as a boy to compete for the role of imperial tailor and embarks on an impossible journey to sew three magic dresses, from the sun, the moon, and the stars.
Maia Tamarin dreams of becoming the greatest tailor in the land, but as a girl, the best she can hope for is to marry well. When a royal messenger summons her ailing father, once a tailor of renown, to court, Maia poses as a boy and takes his place. She knows her life is forfeit if her secret is discovered, but she’ll take that risk to achieve her dream and save her family from ruin. There’s just one catch: Maia is one of twelve tailors vying for the job.
Backstabbing and lies run rampant as the tailors compete in challenges to prove their artistry and skill. Maia’s task is further complicated when she draws the attention of the court magician, Edan, whose piercing eyes seem to see straight through her disguise.
And nothing could have prepared her for the final challenge: to sew three magic gowns for the emperor’s reluctant bride-to-be, from the laughter of the sun, the tears of the moon, and the blood of stars. With this impossible task before her, she embarks on a journey to the far reaches of the kingdom, seeking the sun, the moon, and the stars, and finding more than she ever could have imagined.
Steeped in Chinese culture, sizzling with forbidden romance, and shimmering with magic, this young adult fantasy is pitch-perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas or Renée Ahdieh.

Review:

I’m happy to report that Spin the Dawn lived up to my expectations. It was a gorgeous read from start to finish, filled with with evocative language that painted pictures in the imagination. My favorites were probably the descriptions of the clothes Maia created and the food she ate. Even though food wasn’t the main focus of the story, it still made an impression and contributed to the worldbuilding.

Overall, the worldbuilding was immersive and familiar due to its Chinese inspirations. The symbolism, the clothing, and yes, the food were all recognizable to me, and it was extremely satisfying to see those things normalized because they’re so often othered and treated as exotic decorations in fantasy.

The protagonist, Maia, was someone I couldn’t help but root for. She holds her family close to her heart and wants more than anything for them to be happy. (I’m a sucker for stories that center family ties.) At the same time, she has her own ambitions and dreams as a tailor, and as a fellow creator, I could relate to those sentiments.

If you love the classic quest fantasy, then you’ll probably enjoy this book, as Maia undertakes a journey to collect three magical items, each entailing a trial of some sort. Her physical journey is also an emotional and mental one, contributing not only to her greater goal but also to her growth as a character.

The romance in this book took some time to develop, which wasn’t a bad thing at all, in my opinion. I enjoyed the banter between Maia and Edan and their awkward but sweet steps toward greater intimacy. Something about their dynamic kind of reminded me of Sophie and Howl from Howl’s Moving Castle, but that could be because of something about Edan that’s a spoiler that I can’t talk about in detail. (Ha.)

The ending of this book was a surprise/twist for me and quite an interesting development that left me hungering for more, and now I can’t (but will have to) wait for the sequel, Unravel the Dusk.

About the Author:

Elizabeth Lim grew up on a hearty staple of fairy tales, myths, and songs. Her passion for storytelling began around age 10, when she started writing fanfics for Sailor Moon, Sweet Valley, and Star Wars, and posted them online to discover, “Wow, people actually read my stuff. And that’s kinda cool!” But after one of her teachers told her she had “too much voice” in her essays, Elizabeth took a break from creative writing to focus on not flunking English.
Over the years, Elizabeth became a film and video game composer, and even went so far as to get a doctorate in music composition. But she always missed writing, and turned to penning stories when she needed a breather from grad school. One day, she decided to write and finish a novel — for kicks, at first, then things became serious — and she hasn’t looked back since.
Elizabeth loves classic film scores, books with a good romance, food (she currently has a soft spot for arepas and Ethiopian food), the color turquoise, overcast skies, English muffins, cycling, and baking. She lives in New York City with her husband.
Author Links:
Author website (and newsletter): https://www.elizabethlim.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6926374.Elizabeth_Lim
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elimpix/
Facebook: http://facebook.com/elizabethlimbooks
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LizLim

Book Links:
Amazon: https://amzn.to/2VDCPwp
Book Depository: https://www.bookdepository.com/Spin-the-Dawn/9780525646990
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36683928-spin-the-dawn

Don’t miss the remaining stops on the blog tour:

At the end of the tour, there will be a Twitter chat about Spin the Dawn. Feel free to join in on the discussion.

Last, but not least, you can enter the giveaway for one of three (3) finished copies of Spin the Dawn using the link below:

Scope: Open to international.

Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/950d261633/