Elizabeth Lim is one of my favorite authors, and the Spin the Dawn duology one of my favorite series, but Six Crimson Cranes might be even better than Spin the Dawn. Shiori, the main character, is spunky and witty, but she also has an absolutely huge heart and will do anything for her older brothers. When her brothers are turned into cranes by her stepmother and Shiori herself is told she will kill her brothers if she speaks a single word, Shiori risks everything to save them. There are so many layers to this story: dragons, magic, paper cranes that come to life, and above all, unconditional love for family. The plot never drags, and I loved all of the characters. I'm already so excited for the sequel, and if I could give this more than 5 stars, I would.

Lim did it again! Her writing is as flawless as always. The whimsy and magic in her fantasy worlds always reminds me of Dianne Wynne Jones.

This story is a fairy tale Mashup that becomes original and exciting all on its own. Shiori is a wonderful heroine, whose determination to learn to he strong comes across beautifully on the page. Her growth feels organic and relatable, in ways that are important and not often found in today's YA world.

Romance light, but adventure heavy, I would recommend this book to younger teens, just stepping into adventure fantasy.

4.7 stars


THAT.WAS.AMAZINGLY.GOOD!!!!!! Like effingly wow!

That was a whirlwind of emotions! This put me into a rollercoaster ride of emotions!

During the second half, it almost gave me a heart attack!

I tried my best to make this spoiler-free, but just read it at your own risk

I actually did not expect to love this very much! Mainly because Lim's Spin the Dawn received so much love but also disappointed SOME readers. I did not want to get my hopes up and this is the first book I read written by her. Very slowly as every page I turned, I came to accept that this was better than I wanted to admit.
1. I felt a little dread and fear when I started,
2. ALMOST halfway through I decided with a few nods that this is good,
3. reaching the second half of it I was fixated with a rollercoaster ride of emotions (frustration, anger, restlessness, kilig,sadness), kilig means romantically happy or giddy in Tagalog
4. upon reaching its end this book is slowly crawling inside my heart and wanting to settle itself in my 'Favorite' shelf despite my stubbornness of not considering it 'one of my favorites'. I am still contemplating if this is a Favorite, but so far I am leaning towards yes.

There was no dull moment and I still couldn't quite perceive how all of that happened in just one book! I felt like I read two books already with everything that happened.

The vibe was magical and enchanting for me, like it's a fairy tale story intended for YA readers! With the world-building, the festivities, the landscapes (geographically and the man-made buildings), stories, legends and folklores. There are thousand of stories with all the things I just mentioned, but I can't help think that Lim was able to maintain that magical atmosphere for me despite the perils and threats that she wove into the story. I also liked the romantic chemistry of
Shiori with both two guys actually. The romance here was not that excessive but deep enough to make you swoon and excited. Though just a bit lacking because it did not progressed to an extent that I had hoped for. It was like interrupted intentionally by Lim and we will get to know in the next book and I have a feeling I will be swooned again in second book by another love interest.

And that bowl! That wooden bowl! I found it frustrating and ridiculous at first, but then I got over it.

My doubts toward Raikama kept turning ON and OFF over and over again throughout the story. In the end, what my gut initially told me at first was really the deal and it made me happy and sad.

During the early parts, I can't decide who to ship with Shiori. Then I was slowly shipping her with Takkan, but I felt a little lacking on the romance department. But I guess Lim is still not finished yet with the romance department especially after that ending.

I am also contemplating whether to buy this book or not. (Don't get me wrong! This book is freakingly amazing!) It's just that I have already accepted in my heart that I can't buy ALL the books I want since I am not rich. So I have just decided to spend on books I so dearingly love! We booklovers have our own Favorites. Up to now, this book is still crawling into my heart to be pre-ordered and be included in my Favorite shelf.

Thank you to Penguin Random House for the e-ARC thru Netgalley. This review is based in an advance reader's copy, so there might be some changes in the published book. I am having an urge right now to pre-order a copy which is so unlike me since I don't really do pre-orders

Elizabeth Lim's retelling of the Six Swans is everything you could want in a YA fantasy. The lead character, Shiori, starts out as a spoiled brat, but through her trials becomes a strong woman who will do anything to save the people she loves. The East Asian aspects made the details of the story rich and added cultural elements to the story that made the plot and characters really come to life. I loved the twist at the end of who the real villain was, and the ties to Lim's The Blood of Stars duology. While several of the major plot points were resolved at the end, there was still enough story left to take the reader into the sequel. I am really looking forward to the continuation of Shiori's adventure and what that means for her and her kingdom.

I highly recommend this book to other fans of Elizabeth Lim's books and anyone who loves fairy tale retellings. You will not be disappointed.

This book was just as exciting as the last series by Elizabeth Lim. Her love of mythology shines through and gives the reader a really great main character and love interest to follow.

I was excited to read this book as a fan of Elizabeth Lim, from reading Spin the Dawn, and a lover of fairy tales. The story Is predominately based on the Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale, The Wild Swans. But, as the author explains in a really great forward, the book draws on Chinese and Japanese stories and legends. This led to a fascinating fictional country inspired by Eastern Asia and other magical details like dragons and living origami.
Shiori, the main character, is a princess and the youngest of six bothers. Her life is quite idyllic but for the fact she is betrothed and soon to be married to a stranger. She does not wish to leave her home and family. Like many fairy tales, Shiori also has a stepmother. Stepmothers are not always evil, but in a fairy tale the odds are not in their favor. This is true in the story and it is at the hands of her stepmother that Shiori, and her brothers, are cursed and cast away from their home. They then must find a way to survive, reunite, and figure out how to break their curse and defeat their stepmother. There is of course much more than this to the story, like subplots of political scheming and war. As a whole it makes for a very well rounded tale.
The story is very well written and despite the set up, I found myself shocked by the turn of events toward the end of the story. The cast of characters had good depth and did not feel shallow. I appreciated the fairy tale aspects woven through the story. There are a lot of fairy tale retelling out these days but an interception of The Wild Swans felt fresh, especially with Lim’s interpretation.

Following a strong character that Lim has obviously crafted with much care, Six Crimson Cranes follows Princess Shiori: a princess, the youngest out of her and her 6 brothers who does not want to marry and let go from the pleasures of royal life. Having been promised to a Prince from another kingdom, Shiori wants nothing to do with him. After a chance encounter with a dragon draws the unwanted attention of her stepmother. After being cursed to not speak or else her brothers will die and her brothers being turned into cranes during the day to then turning back to humans after sunset, Shiori makes a surprising alliance with the one person she hates, finds out the truth about her stepmother and the truth about her blood, this blend of The Wild Swans by Hans Christian Andersen and East Asian folklore makes for a stunning first book in a new series. Highly recommend for those that want a refreshing re-telling of The Wild Swans with hints of East Asian folklore featuring a strong main character who would do anything to break the curse on her and her brothers and protect her family.
**Thank you to the author and publisher for sending an e-ARC**

This story is intriguing from the beginning to the end! It's emotional yet action packed, frustrating yet loveable and it definitely does not leave your thoughts after finishing it. The mental development of the main character feels realistic, which makes if easier for the reader to feel connected. It sometimes feels as if you are watching a movie, since it the chapters are written so vividly. The writing style is pretty straightforward which helps you turn the pages more swiftly, which is always helpful during exciting scenes!
A few notes: sometimes it could feel as if important moments come and go in an abruptly manner. This does not influence the reading experience much though, as a reader you can still feel involved to the story.

Six crimson cranes was one of my most anticipated reads. With the extraordinary cover, it did live up to the expectations. Compelling, beautiful and intriguing this novel is such a great and enjoyable read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me this arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Elizabeth Lim is such an incredible storyteller. She takes these stories that we’re familiar with and not only elevates them to a new plane, but creates something entirely unique and new out of them. This amazing story will leave you breathless and aching to keep reading it long after you’ve finished the story. From start to finish, I found myself in nail-biting suspense attempting to figure out what was going to happen next. No character is safe, and there’s so much more beneath the surface than what there seems to be. People will fall in love with the characters, but even more, they’ll fall in love with the incredible world that Elizabeth has set up for her readers. Add this to your TBR, because you won’t want to miss this book.

Shiori is the princess of Kiata, and she’s got a secret. Through her veins runs magic forbidden to use in her father’s kingdom. She’s used to hiding her power, but on the morning of her betrothal, she loses control. It manages to stall her betrothal, but puts her under the eye of her stepmother, Raikama. With dark magic of her own, she banishes Shiori and turns her brothers into cranes, forbidding Shiori from speaking, because for each word that crosses her lips, one of her brothers will die. Shiori starts her search alone, penniless and mute, and the journey will be gruelling and long. She’ll uncover a dark conspiracy for her father’s throne that is even more complicated than her stepmother’s betrayal. Shiori’s only choice will be to embrace the magic she’s hidden for so long.

The beginning of this book makes it very clear that Shiori is a headstrong, but spoiled, princess. While she is not afraid to speak her mind, she does tend to do things her own way, but with her impending betrothal, she’s having to step into more of an obedient role that she doesn’t want. She essentially suffers from the consequences of her own actions, and while you might imagine that her being a little spoiled might make her a less likable character, it doesn’t. She’s quite smart, which allows her to realise when she’s faltered, but not until it’s too late. My favourite aspect of this book is her relationship with her brothers, because you can see how her personality melds and clashes with each of them…but their love is still prevalent. Even more interesting is Shiori’s relationship with Raikama. Shiori is weary of her, but also misses the relationship that they used to have.

The magic in this story is what truly stands out and creates this beautiful fantasy world that makes you want to stay. There’s Shiori’s version of it which she doesn’t understand, but has managed to use somehow, and then there is the magic of some of the others. I loved how Elizabeth uses the magic system to enhance the plot of the story further, and makes you want to know more about certain aspects of it. Something that stands out to me is how magic can be bright, but it’s easy to taint and turn into something darker and sinister. Moreover, there’s also a message about the consequences of having good intentions that I think really stands out in this story.

If you’re wanting to read a story with a light focus on romance, then I highly suggest this because there’s no one better at writing a light romance plot than Elizabeth Lim. There’s a little bit of a romantic triangle, but by the end it’s clear which relationship is more developed and you’re absolutely cheering for their romance to work out. Moreover, there’s such a deep respect between the characters that you want for their relationship to work out. There’s lots of little things I want to shout about because I just love how they enhanced the story, but I can’t without spoiling it, so please take my word and go add it to your TBR list!

I’m always a huge fan of retellings, and I love Elizabeth’s take on this particular fairytale. Not only does it add an incredible amount of depth, but it’s refreshing to see lesser known fairy tales retold and moulded into something new. I’m absolutely blown away by this story, and the ending left me in tatters because I cannot wait to see what the next book will have in store for us. It’s certainly going to be more exhilarating, because after the ending reveal, I NEED TO KNOW WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT.

Shiori is the only princess of Kiata, the youngest of seven siblings who are as tightly knit as can be. Tragedy strikes when a sorceress curses her to silence and her brothers to become cranes during the day, unable to return home. To save her and her siblings, Shiori must harness forbidden magic and survive the looming threat of demons that seek to engulf Kiata in darkness.

I really enjoy the fantasy Asian setting that Lim has created, one that we were already introduced to in her Blood of Stars duology. Having read those books already, it's fun to pick up on the references and see where she expands on the worldbuilding. And it's just nice to step into a culture that's both familiar and fresh, all while being full of magic.

I thought that the characters for the most part were very well done. Shiori was resilient in the face of so much adversity that my heart ached for her so many times. Her bond with her brothers is very sweet, and I actually kind of liked the romantic subplot for once. It's definitely paced better than the romance in Blood of Stars, and in general is just pretty wholesome. I was also very intrigued by Raikama, as she is completely shrouded in mystery, and her role in the story has you constantly guessing and second-guessing yourself. On the other hand, the villains were almost outlandishly villainous, to the point where I just had a hard time taking them seriously because they felt like cartoons.

In terms of plot, things flowed at a good pace to keep everything exciting as we chugged along on this adventure. Especially compared to her first duology, I feel that this one moved at a better pace with an appropriate segue into the 2nd book, so it feels both like a completed arc and the first half of a story. Still, I wasn't a fan of how the "twists" just slapped you in the face with how overt they were and ended up being just told rather than shown. I also think that Raikama's backstory could have been hinted at more, although as a Chinese person, I certainly caught the allusions to a certain myth about snake women, which was a nice touch.

All in all, this was a fun ride in fantasy Asia with some heartwarming characters. I look forward to the sequel!

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for the ARC.

This story was so beautiful! I really enjoyed it and cannot wait for a sequel. I liked the main character and the love interest along with a few of the side characters. I was so excited to pick up the book when I had time and was trying my hardest to make more time to finish it. When I had to stop reading, it was really hard to stop. Books don't do that often for me so I was presently surprised when I got into this one. Elizabeth Lim has a magical way of gripping her readers into the story.

4/5 stars

This read a bit like a middle grades novel at the beginning, but it was almost as if the book transitioned into a young(er) adult novel as the main character grew as well. Six Crimson Cranes well paced with an intriguing plot that definitely had some twists I didn't see coming. I always love a good spin on a retelling and this was for some one of those books!

Elizabeth Lim has such a lush and beautiful writing style. Some of her books have things in them that are not for me but I am drawn into her writing every time.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an advanced ecopy!

I would rate this newest novel from Elizabeth Lim at 4 stars! I loved the cover art and it definitely catches the eye, however the plot is the real winner here. I loved Shiori’s relationships with her brothers and the interweaving of Asian folklore and fairytales in this story. The chapters were brought vividly to life by Ms Lim and made it hard to put this story down! I would rank this novel just as good as her other novels and vibrant in its own way. Well done!

I really love this author’s writing so much. This was a wonderfully told story with a really creative plot and magic. I really loved the dragon! This story was so magical and Shiori was a great character to follow along with. Her character grew so much through the book. I loooooved her bethrothed sooo much. He and his sister were the best. This was a Beautifully crafted book.

I only recently discovered Elizabeth Lim's books, and I'm so glad I did! I love her world building and how she weaves fairy tales and folklore into her stories. This was a wonderful read and I thoroughly enjoyed Shiori's story.

I've read books by this author before and although I was excited about it, sometimes the world building tends to be a little drab. This was the same case for this book; however, the characters were lush and enjoyable and the storyline had twists and turns that I didn't see coming, which is always nice! Shiori is a great main character and most of the time I liked her, but she had her moments that I didn't love either. Raikama was exceptional and did not see myself liking this character as much as I did, very interesting for sure. There is some romance mixed into this fantasy/action book, but it's low key and Takkan is enjoyable, just a little passive. Overall a decent read with a cliffhanger. The hard part is that even though it ended the way it did, I'm not anxiously awaiting the next book. And that's why it's more of a 3 star book for me. A decent read with possibly great moments.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

This book slaps! Halfway through reading it I texted my friends that they would like to read it when it came out. By the time I was done I had preordered it for myself so I could have a copy to loan out.

I’m a sucker for a fairytale retelling - and I’ve had a tenderness for the story of the Six Swans for a long time. I think “Daughter of the Forest” might be the first fairytale adaptation I read, in fact. But Juliet Marillier can step aside because Lim has done a masterful job in this retelling. There is a tendency to make the stories more feminist - to make the women in fairytales stronger and more independent than in the original. I love that. What there isn’t, though, is a tendency to make the stories kinder.

This book is incredibly kind.


*I was provided a free review copy of this by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

I love Elizabeth Lim and all her books, and this one was no exception. What a stunning premise, characters, and a well crafted and executed plot. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with in the future!