First in a Spin-off Duology

 Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim 

This book takes place in the same universe as Spin the Dawn and Unravel the Dusk, but in a different country across the sea. It follows a princes, Shori, the youngest of the Kings seven children. She starts to realize that she has magic even though it has been removed from the kingdom. She runs away from her engagement ceremony. Then, she starts to mistrust her stepmother so she follows her. Turns out, her stepmother is actually a snake and as she is running away from her, her stepmother curses her and her brothers. She has a wooden bowl on her head and tells her that if she speaks her brothers will die. She then gets sent to the far reaches of the kingdom where she works as a kitchen girl until she can get enough money to buy a boat. A soldier shows up, she gets caught searching his room, and he takes pity on her, gives her some money, his dagger, and a token that will get her into the castle in the northern part of the kingdom; the same area her betrothed is from. She flees, finds her brothers, and they start working on a plan because they turn back human after the sun goes down. But, she gets captured and taken to the dungeon in the northern castle. She gets released and is made into a kitchen girl. Then the nice soldier shows up; turns out he is her betrothed and the prince of the castle. He gives her a room in the castle instead of the cellar. She befriends his little sister. She searches for the dragon she met, and who helped her after she stole from the Dragon King. She ends up saving the prince's life. The trusted friend of the family is super mean to her and I didn't trust her from the beginning. Turns out, I was right, and she was there trying to kill Shori. But, she, the prince, his army, and her brothers kill the mean girl and save Shori. She goes home to try to break the curse, but gets captured by a demon. Her stepmother saves her; she has been hiding her magic and protecting her this whole time. But, the rescue killed her. It also breaks the curse on her and her brothers. This was good, but not as engaging as Spin the Dawn. I will read the next book, but I am not desperate for it.