Blog Tour: Review – Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim + Giveaway

I have been hyped for Spin the Dawn ever since it was announced, Project Runway meets Mulan, and then I read it and fell absolutely in love. Spin the Dawn is a lush story about a girl who is passionate about family, sewing, and her ability to defy the legends.

Summary

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.

Review

(Disclaimer: I received this book from Netgalley. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)

Spin the Dawn is a gorgeous, shimmering as light reflects and refracts, but also scorching itself in your eye as you walk away. Maia’s love for her family comes across so strongly, her motivation to honor her family despite all the obstacles. Spin the Dawn is a story about legends, magical gifts, mythical quests, and the power of love to move mountains and inspire dreams.

It is a story about grief, vengeance, responsibility, and sacrifice. Throughout Maia asks herself what the purpose of magic is – does it make us dishonorable, in trouble with the gods, question who we are? Spin the Dawn is a story of Maia’s discovery, her quest for the impossible, and her attempt to keep a grip on her dreams. Full of magical chemistry, Spin the Dawn is a story about re-thinking our assumptions and figuring out what it is truly important.

Just when you think you’ve fallen in love with Spin the Dawn completely, you’ll turn a page and read a new myth, witness a new interaction of Maia’s, or imagine a new sewing creation. It is a testament to the necessity of agency, to the battle for control over our own future and possibilities, and our desires to watch our hearts unfurl on the breeze. It is a story that asks us how we can come to terms with the mistakes of those we love, to see them completely, as they are.

Find Spin the Dawn on Goodreads, Amazon, Indiebound & The Book Depository.

Giveaway

Prize: Three (3) finished copies of Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim (3 winners) and then if you participate in the Twitter Chat there will be 2 more winners!

Scope: US residents only

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Author

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.

Author website (and newsletter) — https://www.elizabethlim.com/

Goodreads — https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6926374.Elizabeth_Lim

Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/elimpix/

Facebook — http://facebook.com/elizabethlimbooks

Twitter — https://twitter.com/LizLim

Tour Schedule

July 01 (Monday)

• Blog tour launch (from Shut up, Shealea)

July 02 (Tuesday)

• Review, creative feature post, and aesthetics/moodboard from Book Freak Revelations
• Review from Happy Indulgence Books
• Review from READING (AS)(I)AN AMERICA
• Review, creative photos, excerpt and favorite quotes from Snow White Hates Apples
• Review and creative photos from Star is All Booked Up

July 03 (Wednesday)

• Review, favorite quotes, and own playlist from BookwyrmBites
• Review and aesthetics/moodboard from Holed Up In A Book
• Review and aesthetics/moodboard from Librae Paints Pages
• Review, aesthetics/moodboard, creative feature post, excerpt and favorite quotes from mybookcastle
• Review, own art, and own quote graphics from The Sparrow’s Perch

July 04 (Thursday)

• Review, creative photos, excerpt and own graphics from Artsy Draft
• Review, excerpt and favorite quotes from Caitlin Althea
• Review from Literaery Adventures
• Review and favorite quotes from Moonlight Pages
• Review and aesthetics/moodboard from Read By Tiffany

July 05 (Friday)

• Review, creative feature post, and own quote graphics from Beyond Secret Pages
• Review, aesthetics/moodboard, creative feature post, and own quote graphics from Crowing About Books
• Review, aesthetics/moodboard, creative photos, and own quote graphics from Lyrical Reads
• Review, creative photos, excerpt, and own quote graphics from String of Pages
• Review and own quote graphics from Utopia State of Mind

July 06 (Saturday)

• Review, creative photos, and own quote graphics from Hana Book Review
• Review, aesthetics/moodboard, creative feature post, and own quote graphics from Phantom Paper
• Review, excerpt, favorite quotes, and own art from R E A (D) I V I N E
• Review, creative feature post, and creative photos from Unputdownable Books
• Review from Wavy Pages

July 07 (Sunday)

• Review, aesthetics/moodboard, creative photos, and favorite quotes from Forever and Everly
• Review and creative photos from The Quiet Pond
• Review and own art from Read at Midnight
• Review, own art, and own quote graphics from The Ultimate Fangirl
• Review, aesthetics/moodboard, creative feature post, creative photos, and favorite quotes from Your Tita Kate
• #CBTTC Twitter chat hosted by @CaffeineTours
  • 9:00 AM Eastern Standard Time (EST)
  • 9:00 PM Philippine Time

Discussion

Would you rather be a tailor, soldier, hunter, or enchanter?

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