The slow burn! I ate it up! There was Beauty and the Beast vibes and it was so good. That mixed with the Eastern mythology made for perfection. I loved the different mythical creatures throughout the story. The action was heart-pounding and it was an over amazing read!

This book takes a form of Beauty and the Beast, wherein Tru, an art forger with magic to "paint" the future, agrees to marry a dragon lord who rescues her. Tru supports her mother and sisters after her father died, but is desperate to get out of old debts of her father's - the marriage allows a fresh start of sorts for her and her family. However, the dragon lord dwells undersea and requires something in exchange - help to infiltrate the Dragon King's innermost circle.

I loved the mix in this book of Beauty and the Beast with a world under water. This was a great blending of story and details, of which were so vivid and descriptive I felt present there myself. The world building in this book was phenomenal. True to the story, Tru begins to see that the monster that is the dragon lord is not as bad as seems, and their connection grows.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's/Knopf Books for Young Readers for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was beautiful. From the set up to the finale, I couldn't ask for a better journey. Loved it.
First off, Elizabeth Lim is a master storyteller. She captures sibling relationships so well. I love the dynamics she writes. You can feel the love in the family unit. And the sweet and clean romances are heartwarming and just perfect.
It was fun being back in Ai'long and seeing a familiar half dragon.

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC.

I loved this book so. much! I simply could not put it down - Elizabeth Lim has spun such a spellbinding tale here. I love Tru so very much, but the entire cast is genuinely so spirited and memorable, something which other books tend to struggle with. Definitely worth picking up!

Another absolutely solid entry to the Alandi fairytale series (as I've dubbed it), diving back into Ai'long, the underwater world of dragons, with a Beauty and the Beast retelling.

Lim's heroines always have such grit, and Tru is no exception. She will fight tooth and nail to protect her family, and she's not above a little bit of scheming to get there. Her romance with Elang has a fun balance of banter and vulnerability with some classic "marriage of convenience" shenanigans. Once again, Lim plots a well-paced adventure story full of lush magic and enough twists and turns to keep you just a bit stressed. Plus, you'll perhaps see a familiar face at some point. Admittedly, Beauty and the Beast is one of my favorite fairytales, so I definitely delighted in seeing her spin on the story. Bonus shout-out goes to Tru's family—they're bursting with character and I loved every moment with them.

I devoured A Forgery of Fate faster than Tru could devour a bowl of noodles. From the moment I picked it up, I was completely immersed in this beautifully written, emotional journey. This book took me on a ride. I laughed, I gasped, I felt torn in two. It was a roller coaster of emotions in the best way, and I truly think this is Elizabeth Lim’s best book yet.

Truyan immediately won me over with her strength, wit, and determination. She’s the kind of protagonist you can’t help but root for, and her journey was nothing short of captivating. “Fortune finds those who leap” sums up her story so well, and I loved watching her take risks and grow.

The world-building was breathtaking. Every setting felt rich and immersive, and I could picture each scene so vividly. It was also incredibly character-driven, which made every moment feel personal and high stakes. And the turtles? Adorable and formidable. They were such a fun and unique addition to the story, and I loved every moment they were on the page.

The final action scene had me glued to the pages. I couldn’t look away, especially everything that happened in the little boat. The tension was perfectly built, and I held my breath through every twist and turn.

And then there’s Elang. Elang. He was my absolute favorite. I loved him, I hated him, I wanted to shake him and hug him all at once. He was such a fascinating character, and I felt everything when it came to him.

By the end, my heart was wrecked in the best way possible. If there hadn’t been an epilogue, I honestly don’t think I would have ever recovered.

If you’re a fan of Elizabeth Lim’s books, you need this one on your shelf. It’s stunning, emotional, and absolutely unforgettable.

Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
# Pages: 480
Publication Date: 06.03.25

“When I heard his heart, beating wildly against mine, I held him close, desperately worried that if I let go, he might disappear from the fabric of the universe forever.”

🐲 YA Romantic Fantasy
🐲 Beauty & The Beast Inspired
🐲 Fairytale Vibes
🐲 Fake Dating
🐲 Art Heists
🐲 Court Intrigue
🐲 Marriage Contract
🐲 Family Love
🐲 Dragons

Book Description:
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.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.

“A Forgery Of Fate” by Elizabeth Lim was rich and immersive. Per the usual, the world building was vivid, descriptive, whimsical and lush. Her writing is always consistent and this didn’t fail. Beautiful blends of reimagining of Beauty and the Beast, Chinese folklore, the underwater world and mythical creatures. Who doesn’t love dragons??

I loved the character development. They were easy to love and easy to feel for them. The FMC, Tru Saigas, showed growth, bravery, love for her family, and more.

Overall, i think this was a very well put together story that flowed. I loved how enchanting and captivating it was. The twists and turns were perfect. I highly recommend this book.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Children's | Knopf Books for Young Readers for this ARC copy.

STUNNING

with a unique take on the classic, beauty and the beast lore set in an underwater world with surprising and unique creatures, beautifully developed characters, gripping twists and the moist breathtaking heartfelt ending

I've been a fan of Elizabeth Lim for some time now but this novel has absolutely put her in my auto read list. Will absolutely be recommending this title.

Huge fan of the author and devoured this in one sitting. It was mysterious and captivating and kept me engaged. I loved the plot and character development.

I had forgotten how much I love Elizabeth Lim's worlds. I have been in a mood for Asian inspired fantasies and I keep falling in love with covers and blurbs, but then, when starting to read, not finding a spark.

This book had that spark. I was hooked immediately and finished so quickly, reading in all my spare moments.

I loved the world building, the characters and all the descriptions. Tru was an artist and the author captured her paintings with her words.

Highly recommended.

This book made me go through so many emotions. This is one of the best books I've read in quite a while. I loved every moment of it and hated when I had to put it down. The world that was built is so captivating, the characters were all spectacular in their own rights. From beginning to end, I had the best time reading this book.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House for allowed me to read this early!

Yes yes yes a thousand times yes I can not explain how much I love this retelling of beauty and the beast.

I was glued to the book and could not put it down I love the characters and how it’s written I love the detail the author puts into her books and how much it draws me into the story.

I have already recommended this book to several people I know and I will keep recommending it because honestly this book needs awards for how good it is .

Thank you Netgalley Random House Children's | Knopf Books for Young Readers for the arc

‘A Forgery of Fate’ is a mesmerizing new fantasy tale filled with magic, intrigue, and romance like no other blending ‘Beauty and the Beast’ with high-stakes workd building.

We have Tru, a compelling heroine, torn between duty, survival, and the allure of a cursed dragon lord. You’ll follow along an epic adventure of love and hurt, but most of all an amazing world sure to set your heart ablaze. The slow-burn romance and tension-filled plot kept me turnibg rhe pages turning. A constant giggle with every interaction between the two love interests.

This book was filled with breathtaking prose and setting. I easily fell in love with this book.

wish I loved this book as much as I loved the last 10% but it was still a solid read. I liked the writing but it felt kinda overwhelming at times, I feel like I would’ve been way more invested if there was more romance throughout the story bc they had soooo much potential 😭 all things considered, it was totally worth the read (especially since it’s a standalone) and it made me want to check out the author’s other books

thanks netgalley & random house for the arc! 💙

This is my third Elizabeth Lim novel, and it was just as enjoyable as the other two. The worldbuilding, characters, and story were all fairly well done and fun to read. This is definitely the standalone we needed from this author, and I can't wait to own this, cause it's so pretty. My only complaint is that this felt a little too similar to the other works that I've read from her, which were the Spin the Dawn duology. The character's personalities, siblings, general storyline, and love interest felt nearly identical, but it's been a few years so maybe my memory is faulty. Overall, entertaining and a quick read.

THIS BOOK WAS AMAZING, THE CHARACTERS WRRE FLESHED OUT, THE PLOT WAS SO GOOD , AND THE TIE-INS FROM THE OTHER LEGENDS OF LORYAN BOOKS WERE SO CUTE , I WAS SCREAMING AT THE PLOT TWISTS ,THEY WERE SO UNEXPECTED. I NEED A SERYU BOOK NOW PLS WRITE ONE. Content was a few kisses. Age I would say 11 to 12 year olds.Overall I give the book 5 stars.

*thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

Absolutely stunning!Elizabeth Lim has done it again—A Forgery of Fate is an absolutely breathtaking story that weaves magic, fate, and emotion into something truly unforgettable. From the first page, I was completely lost in this world, feeling every hope, every heartbreak, and every triumph alongside the characters.

The storytelling is rich and immersive, with stakes that feel so real. The characters are beautifully complex, their struggles deeply moving, and their journey one that lingers in your heart long after you turn the last page. There are twists that took my breath away, moments of quiet heartbreak, and scenes so powerful they made my chest ache.

This book is more than just a fantasy—it’s about resilience, love, and the choices that define us. If you want a page-turner that will leave you utterly wrecked (in the best way), A Forgery of Fate is a must-read.

Any type of beauty and the beast retelling and I’m happy. Elizabeth Lim did remarkable on her world building and merging folklore in to the mix. I plan on finding more books from this author asap.

4.5

I swear Elizabeth Lim must weave magic into every single word she writes because her work is always just so incredibly enchanting.

Tru is an art forager who paints the future just trying to scrape by and take care of her family. By a twist of fate she is pulled into a marriage of convenience to the brooding half dragon prince who wants to use her talent to try and break the curse set upon him by the Dragon King.

As someone who loves the Six of Cranes duology I was so excited to see some familiar characters! Especially Elang, since I was so curious about him before. (you absolutely do not need to read the other books to read this one) His character ended up being so incredibly complex and my heart ACHED for him and his tragic back story.

Tru was an outstanding FMC. I thought she was stong, determined, and so easy to love. You couldn't help but want to root for her. The writing was fast paced and easy to follow. Lim knows how to world build in a way that it paints a vivid picture in your mind. The plot twists were executed brilliantly and had me on the edge of my seat and the magic system was so unique and whimsical! (bc what do you mean he enchanted pockets onto her dresses. POCKETS. I love him your honor) Now, don't get me started on that ending. It felt like it jumped straight out of a Cdrama and had me smiling while tears streamed down my face as emotional background music appeared out of nowhere.

Thank you to Knopf books for young readers/Random house & netgalley for the ARC

YAYY I FINISHED THE BOOK!!! IT IS JUST GOOD AS IT IS. BUT WAIT, IS THIS STANDALONE?????????? NO WAY I WANTED TO SEE ANOTHER CHARMING DRAGON PLEASE😭

Its fast-paced, light reading, and the most important is the trope **chef's kiss** MARRIAGE CONTRACT!!!!!! For people who love Seryu, then you should try this one too! I AM BEGGING YOU! AND I hope there is another book coming because SERYU is finally **hiding the spoiler,** hihi.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Children's for this arc!