Hi everyone! Today I’m excited to participate in the bookstagram & creative blog tour for SPIN THE DAWN by Elizabeth Lim hosted by MTMC Tours & PRH International! Project Runway meets Mulan, this Silk Road-inspired fantasy is about a tailor who must sew 3 dresses of the Sun, the Moon, and the Stars to save her kingdom! This is the first installment in The Blood of Stars duology released on July 9th, 2019 from Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers. Check below my tour stop and make sure to visit all the bookstagram & creative stops for a chance to win an international edition of this book + swag!
About the Book: Title: Spin the Dawn
Series: The Blood of Stars #1
Author: Elizabeth Lim Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publishing Date: July 9th, 2019
ISBN: 9780593118443 Genres: YA Fantasy Buy: PRH International | Amazon | Book Depository
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:
What if you were a girl in a vast dangerous empire and had to save your family? What if your family’s survival depended on taking on an impossible task?
Make me the dresses of Amana. One woven with the laughter of the sun, another embroidered with the tears of the moon and lastly, one painted with the blood of stars.
Maia Tamarin is a seamstress and she has to put her life in danger for the future empress of A’landi. Masquerading as a boy, she pretends to be the greatest tailor of the land…when in fact she is the best seamstress of her region. But can a girl serve as the royal tailor? She is about to find out.
In a palace where enchantment and magic is both condemned and celebrated, Maia will risk her future and her heart. Facing the future wife of the Emperor, the Emperor himself and the Emperor’s Enchanter, she will go on an impossible quest!
This was such an empowering read. I absolutely fell in love with the writing and the heroine. Female characters in YA are always a hit or miss for me but in this case, I adored our heroine. A powerful debut that comes to challenge every single theme and trope in YA fantasy. This is the kind of book that clicks all the boxes for me. Magic, strong characters, deep emotion, love and solid writing!
I devoured the book. I was never bored. The characters spoke to me and I felt deeply connected to Maia.
I also loved Edan. He was so unique and not your usual macho, brooding male we see in most fantasies nowadays. He was charming, funny and incredibly swoony.
I would give up the moon and stars if it meant saving him.
Him-the boy with no name and yet a thousand names. The boy whose hands are stained with the blood of stars.
The book is full of beautiful descriptions!!! One of the best reads of 2019 for me!!! I recommend it!
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Stars!
Thank you Penguin Random House International for the free copy.
About Elizabeth Lim:
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.
Website | Goodreads | Instagram | Twitter
INTL Tour-Wide Giveaway! Head over to my Instagram account for a chance to win an international edition of Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim + swag! And don’t forget to check all the accounts/blogs participating for extra entries!!!
Tour Schedule:
July 15 @thereaderandthechef – Bookstagram + Blog
July 16 @Bookslovereaders – Bookstagram
July 17 @paperfury – Bookstagram + Blog
July 18 @erhibiscus – Bookstagram
July 19 @book_rambler – Bookstagram + Blog
July 20 @annreads – Bookstagram
July 21 @linathebookaddict – Bookstagram + Blog
July 22 @womanon – Bookstagram
July 23 @paperbacksandpen – Bookstagram + Blog
July 24 @giota_the_reader – Bookstagram
July 25 @Shaked_reads – Bookstagram + Blog
Hosted by:
MTMC TOURS
