Book Title: Spin the Dawn
Author: Elizabeth Lim
Series: The Blood of Stars #1
Date Started: December 30th 2025
Date Completed: January 6th 2026
Genres: Fantasy, Historical, Romance, Adventure
Quality Rating: Four Stars
Enjoyment Rating: Four Star
Final Rating: Four Stars
Review:
◆ Thank you NetGalley for this eBook copy for review ◆
I always love an Elizabeth Lim adventure. Her magical weaving of myth and folklore into thrilling stories was the perfect choice to start off the new year. Spin the Dawn took a bit of time to get into, but thoroughly enjoyable once the real stakes were introduced.
It's fun and lighthearted in the romance, but really creative in its epic fantasy. The plot devices are really satisfying and carefully placed throughout. It's a great example to demonstrate that just because the reader can sense where the story is going, it doesn't mean it's poorly written; it's just accessible and takes full advantage of the anticipation that dramatic irony builds in the reader.
I really respect the duology structure rather than squeezing out a mediocre middle book in a trilogy - it worked great for Six Crimson Cranes, and I have a feeling it'll work wonders for this story too. I'm struggling with what to say, as it's just a good time - I won't wait long to read the follow-up.
It's fun and lighthearted in the romance, but really creative in its epic fantasy. The plot devices are really satisfying and carefully placed throughout. It's a great example to demonstrate that just because the reader can sense where the story is going, it doesn't mean it's poorly written; it's just accessible and takes full advantage of the anticipation that dramatic irony builds in the reader.
I really respect the duology structure rather than squeezing out a mediocre middle book in a trilogy - it worked great for Six Crimson Cranes, and I have a feeling it'll work wonders for this story too. I'm struggling with what to say, as it's just a good time - I won't wait long to read the follow-up.
