Spin The Dawn by Elizabeth Lim

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.

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


Animation: Arthur Redhawk

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.* 

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