What can I say other than wow! Elizabeth Lim has outdone herself with this beautiful and truly encapturing tale of love, magic, curses, and secrets set in a world that with her writing skills she makes vividly real through her creative imagination to yours. As soon as you start reading it is as if you are transported to Shiori's world; watching everything happen around you through the tale, utterly able to lose yourself in the magnificent realm.

I could not put the book down from start to finish, constantly wishing for my work day to end so I could cuddle up and fall back into the pages. It was like a piece of magic enclosed in a fairytale-like story. The way in which Lim writes, paints this more-than-real world around you as you read with characters that not only feel real, but you can truly see and envision with every essence that makes them them. Each with their own personality and role to play.

I thought that I loved Spin the Dawn, but it seems with each book this amazing author writes she creates a new favourite. I can not wait to read the tale we are lucky enough to enjoy next.

A massive thank you to Hodder and Stoughton for making me one of the lucky few to receive an early review copy, and letting me lose myself in this beautiful tale early.

Six Crimson Cranes was an interesting fantasy retelling, following the story of a cursed princess, whose six brothers are cursed to become cranes. Although I loved the concept of this novel, and the gorgeous descriptions of food and palace life, especially in the first portion of the book, I felt a lot of the story dragged, and I felt some plot points went on for too long, whilst others weren't explored in enough depth. The middle of the book especially felt slow, and I didn't find myself particularly bonding with the main love interest, wishing for Seryu to make more of an appearance and influence.
As well as this, I also did not find Shiori to be particularly unlikeable or spoiled, as she seems to believe she was by the end of the novel- I actually think I found her more likeable at the beginning of the novel, when she was more spirited and carefree.
That being said, I think this is a beautiful book (with completely charming cover art), and I am intrigued to see where the rest of this series will go.

(Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Staughton for this eARC!)

This book was such a wonderful read. The world building is vivid and imaginative and just so lush that you could really see the world in your head. I absolutely love when books have such vivid descriptions. I loved that we got to travel to several places in the world with Shiori and I loved the folklore and mythology woven into the story.

This is a story of family bonds and sibling love and how sometimes we may not understand the motives behind something that someone we love does but that it may not always be what it seems. A story of self-development and learning how our actions can affect others and to what lengths we will go to, to protect those we love.

When we first meet Shiori she was rash and didn’t consider how her actions may affect other people. She was sheltered and because of this was always yearning for a life outside the palace she lived in and not truly appreciating what she had. I found her a bit childish at first but I loved her character arc and growth throughout the book. I also loved seeing her relationship with her brothers and how they collectively cared for and looked out for each other. But I especially loved seeing how they each had their own special relationship with Shiori. It felt so real and relatable and I love seeing loving sibling relationships in books. It was one of my favourite parts of the book seeing how they joked and had fun but also looked out for each other and how Shiori was willing to go through dangerous situations for them and they risked being killed to help her.

The story starts with Shiori escaping meeting her betrothed and ending up meeting a dragon who decides to help her and someone we meet several times in the book. She has magic which is forbidden in her kingdom and is discovered by her stepmother who banishes her and turns her brothers into cranes. The banishment means that no one will recognise Shiori or her brothers so they can’t get help from anyone. Her brothers only become human again at night so during the day they fly to different places in search of answers while Shiori has to build a magical net to help her fight her stepmother. Things are even more complicated because of one part of the banishment which could be deadly for her brothers.

At first it may seem like a straightforward story with an evil stepmother and the children of the king saving their father but not all is as it seems and is the villain truly the stepmother or someone or something else? I was completely hooked watching the story unravel and slowly piecing things together as Shiori learns more about everything happening and who is trying to overthrow her father. We learn more about her stepmother and their relationship and we also learn about her betrothed.

Takkan was a breath of fresh air. I loved him from the moment we are introduced to him and we see that he is nothing like Shiori imagined him to be. He is kind and sweet and caring and I loved his relationship with his little sister. She was such a wonderful character and I loved her friendship with Shiori. Seeing Shiori slowly warm to Takkan and Takkan caring for Shiori even while thinking she is just a maidservant. I loved Shiori and Takkan so much and just how much he loves Shiori and is only truly open and vulnerable with her. I cannot wait to see more of him in the sequel.

I absolutely loved this book and the character driven story but also weaving mythology and forbidden magic into the story and the hints we get about where the sequel may take us, I am so excited to know what will happen next!

This was a beautiful read with beautiful landscapes and delicious food..

I loved spotting all my favourite fairy tales woven into this gorgeous yarn.

The plot twists are both enjoyably predictable and surprising. There's a rebel princess who is forced to question her actions, a step-mother with secrets and dragons and demons and wolves (oh my).

A perfect read to snuggle up with on a rainy weekend.

Looking forward to the second part.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for this digital arc.

Let’s start by saying I absolutely adored ‘Six Crimson Cranes’ and I’m so glad I had the chance to read an early copy, even if I finished after the release date! I didn’t know too much about the story going into this but the following things had me captivated the full way:

- Fairytale retelling
- Magic, dragons, curses
- Unconditional sibling love

I loved the character development of Princess Shiori, she was definitely my favourite character. Also enjoyed all the interactions with the other characters, i.e. her brothers, Raikama, etc. (being vague to avoid spoilers). The twists in the story had me hooked, and although I guessed the story roughly from the beginning it didn’t take away any enjoyment I had. There were still enough surprises as well. The overall world building was amazing and I know it will just get better in the sequel. The ending had me in tears, I’m not going to lie but now I actually can’t wait for the next one. Will definitely re-read before then.

I would like to thank Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I enjoyed The Blood of Stars duology, so I was really looking forward to Elizabeth Lim's new book. Thankfully, it did not disappoint! Six Crimson Cranes is a solid start of another whimsical, fairytale retelling of love, magic, and family, blended with Eastern Asian mythology and folklore.

The story followed Princess Shiori. On the day of her betrothal ceremony, her best kept magical ability was almost revealed. However, this caught the attention of her stepmother, Raikama, who was also concealing a dark magic of her own. She banished Shiori with a curse, while Raikama turned her brothers into cranes. Shiori was now on the mission of finding her brothers to break their curses, while also stumbling into the web of conspiracies to take over the throne and Raikama's betrayal.

I was not aware that this novel took place in the same world as The Blood of Stars, so I was very excited when I saw some Easter eggs while reading. The plot itself was engaging and fast. I like reading Shiori's journey of saving her brothers. At first, she was a bit spoiled, impulsive and hotheaded before her curse, but after enduring lots of adversaries to save her brothers, her character growth and development were well-written. Moreover, the slow-burn romance in this novel was incredible too. I really like the protagonist's love interest and how their relationship was build in trust and respect.

Although the plot elements were quite familiar since most of them were common archetypes, the author's writing style made it unique. Lim seamlessly combined folklores and creatures to the narrative. Humor was also injected in this novel. There were some scenes that I found quite ridiculous that I could not help but laughed. Also, there were lots of food here that made my mouth water. The only minor issues for me were how some of the landscape and scenery descriptions felt quite flat, and the lack of magic system details. Nevertheless, these things did not affect much of my reading experience.

What I loved and noticed on Lim's novels was how they highlighted having a strong family connection. It was such a common cultural value and practice in Asian families even nowadays. Shiori and her brothers' love and loyalty to each other became the source of their protection against the hardship they encountered.

Overall, Six Crimson Cranes is a delightful fairytale retelling. If you like novels woven with South-East Asian myths and culture, this one is for you.

4/5 stars!

Magical, fast-paced, stunning

Six Crimson Cranes is my first foray with Elizabeth Lim's work, and wow, it was magical!
It's a reimagining of Hans Christian Andersen's "The Wild Swans" mixed with Japanese and Chinese folklore.

To start, I really love the stunning cover and map. Both are a work of art. It's detailed and enchanting.

The world that Elizabeth Lim created transported her readers to Kiata. She has seamlessly weaved the mythology into her story resulting in a world with a fairy tale vibe. The world-building was well-crafted and slowly incorporated. No info dump happened. The magic was imposing, mysterious yet enchanting.

One of the best things in this book is the writing style. It's beautiful. Elizabeth Lim skillfully introduced her characters. I grasped who's who immediately specifically Shiori's brothers.

The characters are well-developed. I completely loved them.
Shiori started as a spoiled yet nice person. Throughout her journey to break the curse, we see her struggles and her transformation. She became a strong and courageous person. I really love her character arc. Her relationship with her brothers is my favorite. They bicker and fight, but they would do anything for each other at the end of the day. Also, her friendship with Kiki made me so happy.

Takkan is a great guy. It's nice to read about a non-toxic love interest. He's sweet and tells the best stories. What more can a girl ask for?! The romance was perfect. It felt natural and it was a slow burn one.

My only issue is that some descriptions felt flat or lacking. I can't picture some scenes clearly and at some point what I imagined looks silly, and looks like a product of anime and comics. Other than that, everything is great.

Overall, Six Crimson Cranes was a delightful read. I finished it in one sitting and it left me wanting more. Thank the stars, it's a duology! Enchanting, fast-paced, beautiful, and has wonderful characters.

Big thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for the DRC. All thoughts and opinions are mine.

Characters – 9/10
Where do I even begin with this amazing book? I absolutely loved Shiori. She grows so much throughout this book and I loved her journey. Another one of my favorite characters was Raikama. I love a layered villain with motivation. Six Crimson Cranes has quite a large cast of characters, but Lim balances them quite well. Takkan, Kiki, and Meguri were some of my favourites.

I do wish that we spent a bit more time with Shiori’s brothers. They’re a big part of the story but I can’t really tell them apart. I would have liked some more details about them.

Atmosphere – 9/10
Six Crimson Cranes reads like a fairytale and I was there for every second of it. Could it have used some more physical world-building (map & geography)? Maybe. But I’m not complaining. The worldbuilding is done through stories and legends and it really adds to the fairytale atmosphere. I think Lim nailed this book.

Writing – 9/10
At this point, I would read anything Lim writes, even the back of shampoo bottles. Her writing is very atmospheric and emotional. She knows how to reel you in and keep you hooked. I read this book in like two sessions. It’s amazing.

Plot – 8/10
My only (minor) gripe with the plot is some of the time jumps feel awkward. However, the plot really hits its stride around 30% and I could not put the book down. I am super excited for the second book and seeing where the story goes.

Intrigue – 9/10
I can’t say much about the conflict because I don’t want to spoil the book. BUT the conflict is so good. The primary conflict between Shiori and Raikama is just *chef’s kiss*. The secondary conflict could have been more fleshed out at the beginning of the book. I’m sure we’ll get more of it in the second book and I cannot wait.

Logic – 8/10
The magic system wasn’t really explained, but we get all of the puzzle pieces through the story. I liked that Lim didn’t hold our hands with the magic and I am excited to see more of it in the next book. Also, if you want dragons, read this book.

Enjoyment – 9/10
This book was everything I wanted it to be and more. I have a feeling it will be one of my favorites of the year. Please read it ASAP.

six crimson cranes is an enchanting tale that marries the grimm brothers’ 'the six swans' with east asian folklore and it is purely magical as well as so, so much fun!

elizabeth lim is one of the most talented spinner of tales, scc is my first book of hers and i was pleasantly surprised with how much i loved this first book in this magical ya fantasy duology. i found everything from the characters, story and plot to the world, magic and writing was well done.

the writing is positively one of my favorites and helps carry the atmosphere in this world, the scenery is vivid and—yes, i'll say it—very pretty! i don't think i can compare the cozy, warm feeling i got from this book (even though the characters were most definitely cold and freezing in the north) to anything but the way studio ghibli's anaimated movies make me feel. lim's writing is like a dream and it's just wonderful to go on this adventure with such beautiful imagery.

speaking of the adventure, i loved following shiori around in her journey to save her brothers, herself, and the things and loved ones close to her. jumping hurdle over hurdle, i sympathized with shiori and found her so easy to love. her relationships stuck with me and each represented a different aspect that i quite enjoyed getting into. (i am excited to tackle more of those in the sequel, too.)

the plot was a teeny bit predictable, in my opinion the author revealed hints a little too early or too clearly—which is why the rating is not a full 5 stars. but i've rounded it up the 4.5 to 5 because i can forgive the predictability aspect (and what i hope to be not-plot-holes and not-loose-ends) to be tied up and resolved in the sequel.

however, i am certain elizabeth lim laced this book with dark magic and now i'm in a trance and need to read whatever else this author has written or will write in the future.

this is most definitely a new favorite; highly recommend!

— digital arc provided via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

You guessed it right. I fell for that stunning cover. Maybe it's a good thing that the review copy didn't include the cover, else I would never have finished the reading. Well, what else is there? A princess forced to be mute, a dragon, magic and fairytale vibes . . . did I tempt you enough?
I have seen some rave reviews about Lim's "Spin the Dawn" duology but never got around to reading it (my bookish radar seems to be malfunctioning these days). Now I have gotten used to the incredible world created out of that brain, nothing is going to stop me from adding them to the ever-growing TBR pile.
So here are the things that I loved: The well-developed characters, especially Shiori and her stepmother Raikama, the nameless queen. Being a fan of fairytale retellings, the ending was something that I anticipated. It didn't spoil anything though; rather it was quite gratifying to see that somewhat tragic ending. Bitter yes, but I wouldn't have it any other way.
There is romance for all those looking for it (a really slow burn one) but the story more or less concentrates on our princess with the voracious appetite. She is brave, humorous and in her mother's words 'the knot' keeping together the family. I was expecting more magic and . . . dragon though. Well, looks like Lim has reserved all those for the next book. Looking forward to your adventures in the dragon world, Shiori. Happy reading!

" "We all have our secrets. One day, Shiori, you'll have your own." Magic. Magic was my secret. What was hers?"
Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an EARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.
This book had so many elements in a fantasy that I love, forbidden magic, dragons and curses, so many great things. Overall it is charismatic and whimsical and just a pure joy to be enthralled in. The setting was vivid and the whole worldbuilding was so interesting and all encompassing. Reading each chapter was like watching a scene out of a gibli film, watercolour esque colour palette and all.
The writing style was so easy to get ingrossed into and was super fast paced and engaging throughout.
Shiori as a main character was likeable whilst still having a lot of character development and growth, her determination as well as her strength and ability to recognise her own faults was really enjoyable to read about. So many of the side characters were lovable and also had some interest dynamics. Even the mild romance was well thought out and really charming.
By the end, I was very much invested and was even a bit emotional at some points. I would definitely recommend it to people and I cannot wait for the second book to release. Not only that but I will be checking out the authors backlist as soon as possible.
Rated: 4.5 Stars

Princess Shiori almost drowns on the day of her betrothal ceremony and is saved by a dragon. That dragon who can turn into a boy starts teaching her how to use her magic, which is forbidden. She then witnesses her stepmother's dark magic, and Raikam turns the princess's brother into crimson cranes. She also magicks an upside-down bowl on Shiori's head and banishes her.

Unrecognizable and not being able to speak cause her brothers will die according to the curse, she must find a way to save her brothers and ultimately her empire from a plot to overthrow the throne more devious than her stepmother.

An innovative twist on Hans Christian Andersen's Wild Swans weaved with East Asian folklore, to create a rich and enchanting tale. The narrative is flowing and quite engaging, full of smiles and fairy tale vibes. Stunning worldbuilding and figurative speech, that is sometimes almost poetic, but always paints immersive pictures. A plethora of imaginative details that made me read in awe and gasp in childlike wonder. Lim has imbued this tale with a magnificent mythology.

Shiori is instantly likeable as is her sassy, unique sidekick. Determined, more courageous than even she expected, this character's evolution is a thing of beauty. Actually, all the characters are interesting and done so well, the author has brought such life to them like Shiori did to Kiki. After Kiki, my heart has a soft spot for Seryu and the radish sentinel. And Megari of course.

I love the outlandishness of her predicament and her resourcefulness.

With things not always being as they initially seem, this is a story of hope that reminds us of the power of sibling love, of having a purpose.

A breathtaking adventure, a heart-jolting fairy tale, with unbelievable twists masterfully done. As the finale loomed I felt like screaming. That's how good it was! OMG I need the next installment now!

Overall I enjoyed this book, however it did take me a while to get into it and the pacing felt a little off at times which made it a bit difficult to be entirely consumed. The pacing seemed a little rushed at the beginning, especially, which made it difficult to connect with the characters at first. Like with Spin the Dawn, this book was lyrical and beautifully written.

oh. my. god. this book. this book. THIS BOOK.

this is my first elizabeth lim book and i can’t believe that it is. i am utterly in love with the way she writes and her ability to breathe so much life into her characters. i immediately bought her blood of stars duology on my kindle after finishing this. i am in LOVE.

six crimson cranes is an amalgamation between the grimm brothers’ ‘the six swans’ and east asian folklore and it is pure MAGIC. the way that lim combined the two was so effortless and her world building was spectacular. shiori’s world felt so alive with its characters, folklore and creatures and it was so easy to imagine that it had been lived in for so long.

with dragons, cranes, snakes, forbidden magic and a journey to break a curse, six crimson cranes is unforgettable and enchanting.

shiori is bold, resilient and so easy to love. she faces adversity and challenges with so much strength despite the curse that she bears that claims that if she utters a noise, her crane brothers will die. she really knows her own mind and is unwilling to allow anyone to smother it, as seen through her opposition to her betrothal.

overall, this book enchanted me just as much as shiori’s stepmother enchanted her. i am utterly in love and cannot wait for the sequel. you will now be finding me reading spin the dawn.

Just finished this book and can't wait for the next

The book follows princess Shiori who thinks the worse thing to happen to her is being
Betrothed to a man she has never met. Until her stepmother curses her and her brothers, sending them far away and turning her brothers into cranes. Shiori must use her own forbidden gift of magic to break the curse and save her kingdom with the help of a smug dragon, a paper bird, and her betrothed she ran from.


I really liked this book |t's very simple and very easy to follow I think the only thing that tripped me up a little whilst reading this was my lack of knowledge of east Asian folklore. Although this book is for a young adult audience, I don't see why younger audiences couldn't read it.

I know the main character is supposed to be in her teens however she comes off a lot younger and a lot more childish which could be endearing to most people for me it made it hard to relate to the character sometimes however overall great book definitely recommend picking it up the as I stated it earlier the writing was easy to follow Anne the world-building was great and had me really immersed into the world of 6 Crimson cranes. For me, Elizabeth Lynn has created a superb duology and I cannot wait for the next book.

#SixCrimsonCranes #NetGalley

Six Crimson Cranes tells the story of the magical princess Shiori as she finds herself thrown out of her palace home on discovering that her stepmother isn’t who she says she is. In a beautiful YA fantasy take on the classic tale ‘The Six Swans,’ Shiori is cursed and forced to live as a voiceless, unknown peasant girl, whilst her six brothers suffer their own kind of curse by being turned into cranes, unable to return home.

As Shiori works to break her curse, she embarks on a dangerous adventure that takes her into the North, where she encounters danger in so many forms that it’s hard to keep track. From cruel royals to magical creatures, Shiori must face numerous challenges as she fights to find her way home and protect her brothers, and the kingdom, from the dangers that they suddenly face.

As I’ve come to expect from Elizabeth Lim’s books in the past few months, Six Crimson Cranes is a beautifully written, magical book. The setting is described in perfect detail and the magic throughout, both in Shiori and in some of the creatures that she encounters, is so believable that it’s really easy to get sucked into their world and find yourself adventuring right alongside Shiori.

Shiori is a fascinating protagonist and her growth throughout the story is really well done. She begins as an entitled, spoiled princess, but as she faces struggle after struggle, the change in her is evident. Character growth is so important to this story and it was amazing to be able to root for Shiori as she fought to become a better person. Other characters that I adored were Takkan, Megari, Sheryu and, most surprisingly, Kiki, Shiori’s paper bird companion who I was rooting for just as much as Shiori.

I loved this book so much and it’s definitely solidified Elizabeth Lim’s position as one of my new favourite authors. Her writing has a magical quality that I’ve found to be quite rare, and Six Crimson Cranes is a story so beautifully told that I’m already desperately awaiting its sequel.

This is a book that totally deserves the hype it has received. A stunningly enchanting fairy tale that will pull you in and not let you go.

Six Crimson Cranes was fantastic YA retelling and mythical fantasy that revolved around Princess Shiori and her six brothers turned into Crane trying to break their curse and save their kingdom. The story was about family, friendship, love, betrayals, trust, magic, power, greed, resilience and courage.

Writing was beautiful, mesmerising, lyrical, magical and fast paced. It was written in first person narrative from Shiori’s POV. Setting of Kiata was amazing.

Plot was full of curse, magic, adventure, politics and secrets.

It started with Shiori grumbling about her betrothal ceremony. She had her secret. There was no magic in Kiata and those with magic were sent away as they can turn into demon but Shiori was born with it. In trying to keep it secret she missed her ceremony but she also caught attention of step-mother, Raikama. Raikama too had magic, much more powerful and dark and she kept it secret. When Shiori caught Raikama performing it in her secret garden, Raikama turned Shiori’s six brothers into Crane and banished Shiori with curse, if she utters or write a word about herself or the curse each of her brothers would die.

It was interesting to read how Shiori, stripped of title, money and voice survive in the world, find her brothers, a way to remove the curse, who would help her and who would betray, what conspiracy could be more shocking than Raikama’s betrayal, and how she was going to save her home and kingdom.

First half of the book was super-fast paced with introduction to characters, world, curse and it’s effect, and characters trying to find a way to lift it. While the second half was about romance and revelations. Some readers might find second half a bit slow and meandering from the main goal of lifting the curse but to be honest I enjoyed it. I’m glad it slowed for a while and I get to know Takkan and his family more.

Shiori was amazing heroine. She was seventh and youngest princess of Kiata. At first, she looked mischievous and petulant but also lonely even with her six brothers who now didn’t have time for her and not happy with her betrothal ceremony as she didn’t want to be married off to a lord from far away province. But as we read more, we see so many sides and characteristics in her. She was great friend and sibling, loyal, courageous, smart, reckless but confident, kind but no fool, determined and resilient. Her love for her brothers and country was admirable. And she was foody. She made me so much hungry in this book.

Her development was amazing. I was really amazed the way she handled all situations from working in inn to kitchen in palace without her title and ever uttering a single sound. She started to appreciate her life at palace through hardship of her journey of breaking curse. She discovered many things about herself, her country and people around her. I loved how she trusted her gut feeling and how her views towards her betrothal and step-mother changed a lot.

Takkan was Shiori’s betrothal and Bushian heir. He was mysterious and I knew from their first meeting who he was. He was kind, lovely, understanding and brave. His story telling trait was unexpected. I enjoyed reading legends through his stories. He won my heart every time he protected Shiori and took her side without knowing who she really was. I felt for him when he told about his heartbreak and pain when Shiori didn’t appear for their ceremony (it my most favourite moment in book) and I loved him even more for the way he reacted when he knew who Shiori was (another amazing moment).

Seryu was lovely surprise. He was grandson of dragon king who saved Shiori in the beginning of the book. He made story even more intriguing. He seemed wise and patient for his age but also cocky. He didn’t appear often in book but I enjoyed every moment between him and Shiori. I have feeling we will know him more in next book.

I almost missed mentioning Kiki! She was cheeky, feisty, logical, and loyal paper bird brought to life by Shiori’s magic. She made the story fun and entertaining. She made me smile and laugh at her comments on perks being ‘paper’ bird and not having actual real bird’s body. I loved her for staying with Shiori all the time in all kind of situation. I wish I have my own bestie paper bird like her.

I enjoyed reading all secondary characters. Family dynamic was my favourite aspect. I enjoyed reading about all six brothers, their characteristic, and bond between all seven siblings, their love for each other and how they all came out of their journey stronger and closer than they were. Stepmother was mot interesting character of all. She was mysterious and we don’t know her real name until the end. I hated her most of the story. I thought I knew why she put the curse and what she wanted but author had surprised me. There was so much more to her than it appeared.

World was best part of the book. It was amazing the way author seamlessly woven retellings of Grimm’s The Six Swans/ Andersen’s The Wild Swans with East and West Asian folklores. Walnut wood and it’s property to contain any kind of magic made more sense in this book than it did in Blood of Stars duology. We explore other side of Alandi, kingdom of Kiata, ocean separating both kingdoms. In Kiata no person had magical ability, magic was forbidden, Alandan enchanters cannot enter Kiata, demons were chained to mountain, and if anyone were found with magic, they were banished from Kiata. I enjoyed reading about lands, history, legends of Kiata, festivals and traditions, gods and goddesses, Taijin sea, dragons, magical plant and objects, dark magic, royal politics and conspiracy. It was all vividly described and was enchanting to read.

Romance was slow built. Both Takkan and Shiori didn’t know much about each other or at least Shiori didn’t and never tried to know him until she actually met him and their meeting was amazing. I loved every scene of them together, their growing friendship, feelings, and relationship. I enjoyed reading how Shiori’s thoughts and feelings for Takkan changed. There were many lovely moments that made me smile.

Twists and turns were well written. Few I could guess but some were surprising and major twist in climax was shocking which came around after 70% of the book. I honestly didn’t expect that and couldn’t guess how this will end. So much happened in this last 30% of the book keeping me on the edge until the end. It was tense, adrenalin filled and so sad. Damn, it almost made me cry. End was perfect, not exactly a cliff hanger, but it made me want to get second book right now (even though it’s title is not released yet). I can’t wait to see what happens in second book.

Overall, Six Crimson Cranes was refreshing, magical, enchanting, intriguing and beautifully written YA fantasy.

I highly recommend this if you like,
Hidden identity
Forbidden magic
Curses and journey to lift them
Dragons
Intriguing world and characters
Great family dynamic
Arranged marriage trope
Foody Main Character

If you were to permanently shift to another country, where would you go?

"Find the light that makes your lantern shine", she used to say. " Hold on to it, even when the dark surrounds you. Not even the strongest wind will blow out the flame."

A kingdom that forbids magic. An empress who mysteriously consorts with snakes. Seven siblings against the world. A warlord who's more than what he seems to be.

If it were up to me, I would name this book 'Shiori and the Six Cranes', as a tribute to 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs'. This might explain the plot, but you're in for a surprise.

'Six Crimson Cranes' is a story that happens in the same universe as 'Spin the Dawn' but in a different dimension. Shiori and her six brothers have to fight against the evils that ravage their kingdom of Kiata.

While the first half of the book was slow and didn't explain much, the second half blew me away. So many things happened in so few pages.

This book is more of an emotional tale of family and bonds than an adventurous magical trip. The author has 'spun' a tale of loss, love, and hope in what comes across as a world we can only dream of living in.

This being said, I'm eagerly waiting for the next book!

4.5 Stars
This was such a fun read. It has a real fairytale quality to the plot. It takes a fantastic and twisty journey. I really loved all the references to the various fairytales through out the book too. There are nods to the familiar western tales of Cinderella, Rapunzel as well the Japanese tale of the Wooden bowl.

The world building is as gorgeous as the cover, detailed and enticing, drawing you into the world and the story. we get to travel a lot and experience snow covered mountains, deep forests, volcanos presided over by dragons, small fishing villages and lavish palaces. They all have such a rich textures to them that you can imagine them with such detail. The descriptions of the food are also amazing. You will find yourself craving sticky rice balls, rich soups and persimmons by the end.

Shiori is such an interesting character, determined and brave, she acknowledges her faults and really isn’t afraid of hard work. With all the awful things that happen to her over the course of this book she doesn’t whine, she lets herself feel the despair before charging on with the task. I love the dynamic of her and her brothers. There is a real feel of them being siblings, the sibling love and connection is there but they are also adults with their own lives so there is a shifting in the attention they pay each other that feels really real and natural even when they are cranes.

I also really adored Takkan. The arranged marriage trope can be fun when it is played off like this. We really get to know him right from his first appearance and I really loved how Shiori reacted to that. How her respect for him and friendship with him grew through out the book. I really loved his intelligence and his romantic soul. He was a sweetheart.

I really liked all the twists and turns to this plot, it was really interesting how they all started to weave together and I am really looking forward to book two!