Spin the Dawn [Blood of Stars, #1] by Elizabeth Lim

Hi all! Some of you may have noticed I didn't post anything on Saturday. Funny story behind that, honestly. I really don't have a good reason to give you... I just completely forgot it was Saturday until 3:00 in the afternoon. 
But I'm back now, with a review I wrote up months ago for a book I read months ago and just kept forgetting to post. Enjoy! 

Spin the Dawn [Blood of Stars, #1]
by Elizabeth Lim

Genre: YA high fantasy

My Rating: ★★★★

Description: 

The war is finally over. In its aftermath, with the Emperor Kanujin's wedding on the horizon, a decree is sent out to twelve of the A'Landia's finest tailors -- compete in a series of trials for a chance to become the Court Tailor. A prize some would kill for.
Maia Tamarin knows the risks of competing in her father's place. It's illegal for a woman to enter the competition, and if she's found out, she will be put to death. But Maia is not one to pass up such an opportunity. Disguised as her brother, she enters what soon becomes a tense and backstabbing competition for the place of Royal Tailor.
But even she could not be prepared for her final challenge: craft three dresses for the Emperor's betrothed -- one of the laughter of the sun, another of the tears of the moon, and the third of the blood of stars.
It's an impossible task... and with the day of the Emperor's wedding fast approaching, it's a race against time to finish the dresses before the peace treaty falls apart, and A'Landia is once again plunged into war.

Overall Thoughts

This book was different than what I expected, but not in a bad way. The writing style and plot had a way more fairy tale feel than what I first anticipated from a modern fantasy, but I enjoyed it. I thought that it was a breath of fresh air to read something different. (Also, I love fairy tales!)

The Characters

The characters were excellent. I liked Maia instantly. She really cares about her family, and I liked her different relationships with her father and brothers. I also liked that, unlike a lot of fantasy heroines in this day and age, she doesn't really know how to fight. Instead, she sews. And sewing is her superpower. I love that the author showed how Maia's sewing was something to be proud of, not something to be ashamed of because it's "womanly." Thank you, Elizabeth Lim! 

I also liked the love interest, even though I wasn't really sure what to think of him at first. He ended up becoming my second favorite character, next to Maia (obviously). He's interesting and well-developed, and I can't say any more because his character arc is rife with spoilers.

Plot/Pacing

The plot wasn't as strong as it could have been, but I still enjoyed it. It honestly felt like the story was divided into two pieces -- the first part, which focuses on the contest to become the royal tailor, and the second part, which focuses on Maia's quest to craft the three dresses. The plot was paced well, but I found myself wanting more from it... it felt as though certain scenes were shortened or skipped over to keep the pace going, and I almost wish those scenes had been included in the story. I feel it would have heightened my enjoyment of it as a whole.

Worldbuilding/Writing

The worldbuilding was engaging and interesting. I had a really strong sense of place in all of the scenes, different details helping me to imagine the wildly different settings -- from a desert to a snow covered mountain top to the Emperor's palace. The magic system, while loosely defined, was interesting, and I felt that it really fit the fairy tale vibe I got from the rest of the story. (For instance, magic scissors. Fairy tale lovers know how special they can be!) 

The writing style was what first clued me in to how much I was going to like this book. It really is a beautiful style -- slightly more old-fashioned than many books I've read recently, but not boring or slow in any way. It was just... pretty. And I adored it. Definitely one of the high points of the novel.

I really enjoyed Spin the Dawn, despite the issues I mentioned above, and will definitely be picking up the sequel, Unravel the Dusk, when it releases in 2020. 

Content

Recommended for ages 15 and up.

One or two instances of swearing, but nothing incredibly offensive. 

There was some kissing, as well as a few suggestive comments. Maia has to dress up as a boy to join the competition, and during this time some of the other characters believe that she is involved with another man: something they call a forbidden romance. 

There is a scene where a couple undresses, and a brief description (without being graphic) heavily implies sex. This part bothered me, both for personal reasons and because I didn't feel that the characters in question even knew each other that well. But it was only a small part of the story, and not enough to ruin my enjoyment of it as a whole. 

Violence is typical of an average fantasy, but nothing is graphically described. 

Men drink alcohol, and at one point Maia drinks too much and suffers a hangover the next day.