Young Adult

Spin the Dawn (The Blood of Stars #1) by Elizabeth Lim – Book Review

Fantasy, Romance, Retellings

Rating

Goodreads:

4.01

Novel Fables:

2/5

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Book Review

Spin the Dawn

Elizabeth Lim

2/5

Fantasy, Romance, Retellings

(The above links for Amazon and Kobo are affiliate links & I earn a small commission if you purchase a book through them)

Spin the Dawn

Elizabeth Lim

2/5

Buy a copy:

The above link(s) for Amazon and/or Kobo are affiliate links & I earn a small commission if you purchase a book through them at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support.

"

“It was a tale of a boy, too. A boy who could fly but not swim. A boy with the powers of the gods but the shackles of a slave. A boy who loved me. It was a tale still being written.”

Synopsis

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 enjoyed the beginning of this one. It had strong Mulan vibes.

The competition was exciting and suspenseful. The main character waxed and waned with imposter syndrome, which was too relatable right now. I enjoyed that quite a bit.

Suddenly, the competition is over, we leave the palace and travel through a desert which was… well, a desert. Nothing beautiful to see, and although we did discover a lot about the magical abilities, enchanters, and love blossomed, I lost interest at this point since the story took a turn, and the romance couldn’t keep me hooked.

I loved the prose, the beautiful descriptions; I immediately respected the main character for her motives. This book just wasn’t for me.

Best,

Ashley

From novelfables.com

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