I had to really take a moment after reading this, because I was so angry I have to wait for the next one, and I just died over the descriptions of pretty clothing. It’s my downfall and Lim delivered.
I also waited until today because I was late on reviewing my eARC and decided to wait to post here until it hit the one month anniversary of its release. [I also read and reviewed my own preorder so no disclosure needed this go]
So congrats to Spin the Dawn on having hit the shelves a month ago!
Let’s get this party started!!
GoodReads:
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.
My Review
With a beautiful start, this had my heart from the prologue. And I can’t help but want to completely and utterly root for Maia and contain so much faith for her! I enjoyed the story in its entirety but I really loved the scenes between Maia and Edan.
By the way, Edan is the cinnamon-est of cinnamon rolls, and I’ll fight anyone who argues this. [Not really, I suck at fights. I’d rather not but you all get the point]
The book is divided into parts and the first part deals with the ‘Project Runway meets Mulan’ vibe, and then it branches out after that and becomes a quest that is a perilous journey to try and deliver the ‘unobtainable’ to make the intended of the Emperor satisfied. [I have sympathy for her but I still dislike her lol]
The magical aspect was fun and really weaved in there, get it, weaved? Anyway, I thought it was all threaded together flawlessly. Okay, okay, I’m done with the puns. For now.
Being a sucker for pretty clothes, I loved the parts with the clothing best and those dresses though, if you haven’t read it, I won’t spoil it but man, I want to see those in real life!
Maia clearly loves her family and her ultimate goal for them and more importantly for herself has always been to become the greatest tailor in the land. When the opportunity arises, she only hesitates briefly before taking it in both hands and running with it.
So, what happens you no longer what your life long dream?
The struggle for Maia is genuine and I loved how Edan was so supportive, and I could go on and on about the two of them, but, I’ll try to contain myself.
Another thing I thought Lim just totally mastered were the landscape descriptions, I just wanted to close my eyes at times and imagine all the beautiful lands, she painted them out for you and I was completely engrossed in this world while reading.
If you’re looking for a magical fantasy with amazing landscapes, fun world-building, pretty clothes, determined tailors, and cinnamon rolls, well this book is for you.
Four cups of coffee from me!
I reviewed my own copy of this but I also read and reviewed the eARC as well, so: **I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion…so…Thanks for the free book, @PRHGlobal **
The Caffeinated Reader 
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