Tag: elizabeth lim

ARC/ALC Book Review: A Forgery of Fate by Elizabeth Lim

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Rating: ★★★★
Audience: YA FantasyRomance
Length: 480 pages
Author: Elizabeth Lim
Publisher: Knopf Books
Release Date: June 3rd, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A breathtaking romantic fantasy inspired by Beauty and the Beast about a girl who paints the future and a cursed dragon lord, bound by love and deception in a plot to bring down the gods.

From the New York Times bestselling author of Six Crimson Cranes!

Truyan Saigas didn’t choose to become a con artist, but after her father is lost at sea, it’s up to her to support her mother and two younger sisters. A gifted art forger, Tru has the unique ability to paint the future, but even such magic is not enough to put her family back together again, or stave off the gangsters demanding payment in blood for her mother’s gambling debts.

Left with few options, Tru agrees to a marriage contract with a mysterious dragon lord. He offers a fresh start for her mother and sisters and elusive answers about her father’s disappearance, but in exchange, she must join him in his desolate undersea palace. And she must assist him in a plot to infiltrate the tyrannical Dragon King’s inner circle, painting a future so treasonous, it could upend both the mortal and immortal realms.

Thank you to PRHAudio for the gifted audiobook and Get Underlined for the final copy.

ANOTHER GEM.

I really liked this book!! And the audiobook was such a great listen. This had some beauty and the beast vibes I was all over. Add in some dragons and this was a winner.

I loved that this had three sisters who all loved and supported each other. The bonded family dynamic was powerful and a theme I appreciated throughout. It’s beautifully written and brought to life all of the nuanced layers of the story. I loved all of the mythical creatures + creatures of the deep. The world is gorgeous.

I loved Truyan. She’s a strong and loyal FMC who continually made me want to cheer her on. I loved her character arc and journey. And y’all know I LOVE a marriage of convenience. Tru and Elang had some good banter and there were a lot of sweet moments too. I found myself with the feels at those closing scenes!! Thank heavens for great epilogues.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy Romance
  • Language: low
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: moderate

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Book Review: Her Radiant Curse by Elizabeth Lim

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Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: YA Fantasy
Length: 432 pages
Author: Elizabeth Lim
Publisher: Knopf Books
Release Date: August 29th, 2023
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

One sister must fall for the other to rise.

Channi was not born a monster. But when her own father offers her in sacrifice to the Demon Witch, she is forever changed. Cursed with a serpent’s face, Channi is the exact opposite of her beautiful sister, Vanna—the only person in the village who looks at Channi and doesn’t see a monster. The only person she loves and trusts.

Now seventeen, Vanna is to be married off in a vulgar contest that will enrich the coffers of the village leaders. Only Channi, who’s had to rely on her strength and cunning all these years, can defend her sister against the cruelest of the suitors. But in doing so, she becomes the target of his wrath—launching a grisly battle royale, a quest over land and sea, a romance between sworn enemies, and a choice that will strain Channi’s heart to its breaking point.

Weaving together elements of The Selection and Ember in the Ashes with classic tales like Beauty and the Beast, Helen of Troy, and Asian folklore, Elizabeth Lim is at the absolute top of her game in this thrilling yet heart-wrenching fantasy that explores the dark side of beauty and the deepest bonds of sisterhood.

Thank you Get Underlined for the gifted copy.

FANTASTIC BOOK.

I love a good origin story/prequel novel. And I kind of wish I had this book before the two other duologies in this world because I really think it set-up a lot of wonderful context and world building to those duos.

I loved how deep this sister relationship went and what they both did to each other. There’s an imbalance they have and I like how that was represented and handled between them. There’s many poignant moments and things that made me feel ALL THE THINGS. The interwoven romantic, politicking and magic plot lines really brought this book home.

These characters absolutely had my attention and I loved seeing Channi’s story come to life. There’s plenty of action and mystery and honestly wondering how things were going to wrap up. Highly recommend this book!!

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy
  • Language: very little
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: moderate-high
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of parents, loss of loved ones, battle scenes

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Book Review: The Dragon’s Promise (Six Crimson Cranes #2) by Elizabeth Lim

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Rating: ★★★☆
Audience: YA Fantasy
Length: 482 pages
Author: Elizabeth Lim
Publisher: Knopf Books
Release Date: August 30th, 2022
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A journey to the kingdom of dragons, a star-crossed love, and a cursed pearl with the power to mend the world or break it…

Princess Shiori made a deathbed promise to return the dragon’s pearl to its rightful owner, but keeping that promise is more dangerous than she ever imagined.

She must journey to the kingdom of dragons, navigate political intrigue among humans and dragons alike, fend off thieves who covet the pearl for themselves and will go to any lengths to get it, all while cultivating the appearance of a perfect princess to dissuade those who would see her burned at the stake for the magic that runs in her blood.

The pearl itself is no ordinary cargo; it thrums with malevolent power, jumping to Shiori’s aid one minute, and betraying her the next—threatening to shatter her family and sever the thread of fate that binds her to her true love, Takkan. It will take every ounce of strength Shiori can muster to defend the life and the love she’s fought so hard to win.

A BIT LETDOWN.

I was hoping that this would be an ending I could fully fall in love with, and while there were some good moments…it also was missing some stuff too.

I really liked the father/daughter relationship. I love seeing a good parental relationship. Also, the BROTHERS. I could read a novella spin off about each one of them and be content with everything. I love their dynamic and the love they clearly show for one another.

The romance could have had a heavier hand. I don’t think the love triangle should have even been used. It just made me sad for one of the characters rather than being satisfied with how things wrapped up.

I was confused by the book defeating the bad guy with 80+ pages left? Things got stagnant at that point and then the ending was a bit lackluster. I felt like it was reminiscent of Daughter of the Moon Goddess but in a lesser manner.

I think I’ll go the library route next time for her books. I always seem to LOVE the first one and then the second is a bit meh.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy
  • Language: very little
  • Romance: kisses
  • Violence: mild
  • Trigger/Content Warnings: loss of loved ones, battle scenes, demon attacks, physical and magical altercations

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Book Review: Six Crimson Cranes (Six Crimson Cranes #1) by Elizabeth Lim

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Rating: ☆☆☆☆ 1/2
Audience: YA Fantasy
Length: 464 pages
Author: Elizabeth Lim
Publisher: Knopf Books
Release Date: July 6th, 2021
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

A princess in exile, the boy she left at the altar, six enchanted cranes, and a dragon from the deepest sea.

Shiori, the only princess of Kiata, has a secret. Forbidden magic runs through her veins. Normally she conceals it well, but on the morning of her betrothal ceremony, Shiori loses control. At first, her mistake seems like a stroke of luck, forestalling the wedding she never wanted, but it also catches the attention of Raikama, her stepmother.

Raikama has dark magic of her own, and she banishes the young princess, turning her brothers into cranes, and warning Shiori that she must speak of it to no one: for with every word that escapes her lips, one of her brothers will die.

Peniless, voiceless, and alone, Shiori searches for her brothers, and, on her journey, uncovers a conspiracy to overtake the throne–a conspiracy more twisted and deceitful, more cunning and complex, than even Raikama’s betrayal. Only Shiori can set the kingdom to rights, but to do so she must place her trust in the very boy she fought so hard not to marry. And she must embrace the magic she’s been taught all her life to contain–no matter what it costs her.

From the author of Spin the Dawn comes a breathtakingly original fantasy inspired by East Asian folklore and perfect for fans of Leigh Bardugo or Tomi Adeyemi.

STUNNING.

I looooved this y’all!!!! I think it could easily be my new favorite of Lim’s.

It was extremely well written. I flew through this. And for a fantasy that’s not an easy feat. The writing style is engaging and smooth. I was caught up from the first few chapters because who doesn’t love someone running away from their arranged marriage?

There definitely was a subtle romance that I adored. It was so dang sweet!! Perfectly fit the story and didn’t feel forced. The progression matched the expectations and I can’t wait to see it blossom in the next book.

While there is a little romance, the bigger focus is on the sibling relationship of Shiori and all of her brothers. I liked the approach to their dynamics and how the fought and loved well. There was incorporation of many fairytales that I can recognize the tiny additions. It was neat to look up the many different ones and see how they were used.

I love the complicated morally gray step-mother. What started off as an obvious evil step-mother plot became much more nuanced and layered. She played a much bigger roll than I initially thought. It’s always great having a villain who gives is as complex as the rest of the cast.

Overall audience notes:

  • YA Fantasy
  • Language: none
  • Romance: almost kisses
  • Violence: physical altercations, magical weaponry, poison, curses, loss of loved ones

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