This book was 1000% a cover buy and I'm not ashamed to admit it. Then, when I actually read the synopsis, I was hooked in by the idea of a fashion competition combined with hints of Mulan! Most of the time the books don't really fit those comparisons, but I have to admit Spin the Dawn hit close to both.

There's a lot I loved about this book, even if it didn't necessarily grip me as much as some recent reads. Admittedly, this may have been my growing boredom with first person POV, as I've been liking the distance between narrator and characters + the writing style that often accompanies that. But honestly, this book had a LOT going for it in terms of characters, world, magic, etc.

This book was actually quite a refreshing read, especially the more that I read it. While it takes a lot of its beginning from the story of Mulan (a daughter pretending to be a son to protect the father from a forced job that would probably kill him), the story quickly develops into its own. There weren't a lot of cliche tropes, and it definitely didn't feel like anything else I had read before! The magic system was fascinating in its uniqueness (almost similar to genies in some sense but then also not fully!). Additionally, the politics were far from clear cut, unlike a lot of recent fantasy novels where it's clear which side should prevail by the end of the series. Like, I honestly have no idea where this series is building to overall because there's no clear idea of who so far is "right."

The main character was also so far from the normal YA fantasy MC's lately. She wasn't some super badass, somewhat cold/sarcastic, and a diamond in the rough. She was a lot softer and less cunning than most, but it fit the story well, and she wasn't a weak character by any means either. She had her strengths, and she knew how to play them well, and picked up quickly on what she should share and what she should hide. This ability to learn is showcased really well throughout the story too, sometimes in a heartbreaking way. You really see the change that the story forces on Maia, and the character she grows into because of it. I'm honestly really excited to see what happens to her in book 2!

There were a few things that made my enjoyment 4 stars rather than 5, but the more I think on the book now, the more minor they feel. The first I already mentioned, the first person POV. I also wished the competition itself lasted a lot longer, as it seemed to be over so quickly, and with it, we lost a lot of the fashion design for a while too. The magic and beauty of what Maia could create was always wonderful to read, so the middle portion of the book lost a bit of its luster because of the lack of it. There were also moments where I wasn't as into the romance, though for the most part I did really like the pairing, and I always liked the characters individually!

Overall, I think a lot of people will enjoy this read, and I cannot wait to see what happens next!