Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim (The Blood of Stars book 1)

“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.” - taken from Goodreads.com

This! This was an amazing fantasy read to start the new year off with. With undertones of Mulan, Maia poses as her brother to compete for the role of the emperor's new tailor. Don't despair thinking this book is nothing but a competition, it's not. Without saying anything more, this story ends on a bit of a cliffhanger that will be resolved in book two, Unravel the Dusk is out July 7, 2020.

Visit Elizabeth Lim’s website.