Spin the Dawn (Blood of Stars #1)

A tailor in disguise. Three legendary dresses. The competition of a lifetime.

Project Runway meets Mulan in this sweeping 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.

On the fringes of the Great Spice Road, 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. Then a royal messenger summons her ailing father to court, and Maia seizes her chance. Disguised as a man, she travels to the Summer Palace in her father's place to compete for the emperor's favour, and the coveted position of imperial tailor. If Maia's ruse is discovered, her life will be forfeit. But if she wins, she will achieve her greatest dream. Yet nothing could have prepared her for the challenge ahead: to sew three magic gowns for the emperor's bride-to-be. One from the laughter of the sun, one from the tears of the moon, and one from the blood of stars.

Accompanied by the mysterious court enchanter, whose piercing eyes seem to see straight through her disguise, Maia's journey will take her 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 Renee Ahdieh.

'Spin the Dawn is proof that casting a wider net not only gives us a fresh story that feels unlike everything else on the shelves beside it but also allows for richer and more nuanced storytelling' — NPR

'All the cutthroat competition of a runway fashion reality show and the thrilling exploits of an epic quest . . . a stunning tapestry of adventure' — The Washington Post

ISBN: 9781529362909 | Published: 9 March 2021 (first published 2019) | Paperback | 416 pages