I know one thing for sure, this book (and series) was made to break my heart. I hope Elizabeth Lim is happy, because the Six Crimson Cranes series wrecked me.

Both books were so emotional that I kept wanting to cry. This one maybe even more so? I can't tell right now, I STILL WANT TO CRY.

Everything I loved about the first book is present in this one too. Incredible world building, amazing characters, a good storyline and writing style. The only thing slightly different is the lack of Seryu.

Based on the title, cover and about a third of the book, it seemed it was finally Seryu's time to shine (I said in my review for the first book that I hoped he would, since Takkan got his chance before) and it kinda was, but only for that third.

Other dragons do appear while in the underwater kingdom, and then even after, but I really missed Seryu in that after. And it kinda felt like Shiori forgot about him while she was off on another adventure, and we don't see him again till the end.

So my heart broke pretty early on, and stayed that way till now. AND SO IT WILL STAY, UNTIL WE GET A SPINOFF. Not that it was announced or anything, I'm just putting that thought into the universe, hoping it'll come true because this world and its characters are way too good to be contained to only two books.

ALSO, I will never emotionally recover from those Kiki scenes near the end. My poor heart was ripped out and stomped on. That was so cruel. I love all characters equally, but Kiki might just be my ultimate favourite.

I'm BEGGING you to read this series, you won't regret it.

*Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*

I received an electronic advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. Thank you to Elizabeth Lim and Hodder & Stoughton for allowing me to read the Dragons Promise before it’s release.

As a sequel to Six Crimson Cranes I was eager to read The Dragons Promise, and I was certainly expecting a lot from the book. Unfortunately, like many sequels this book didn’t quite live up to the brilliance of its predecessor. Six Crimson Cranes could easily have been a stand-alone book, and while I enjoyed returning to the characters, a large portion failed to hit its mark.

Characters that I enjoyed within the first book grew frustrating ( a particular male dragon) and while I appreciated the difficulties Shiori faced throughout the story and I enjoyed several elements relating to the demons, this book was lacking the charm that the first book had.

While the romance wasn’t over the top, I felt it worked within the concept of the book and I enjoyed seeing more of her relationships with her family. Her brother Hasho was a standout character again and I was eager to read more about him.

I've read a lot of fairytale retellings in my life. I think I read about one a week on average and sometimes I read even more of them. As a fairytale retelling the first book felt a little slow, since the elements of the fairytale were far apart and waiting for them distracted me from enjoying everything in between. I was therefore really curious about this second book, that clearly would stand more on its own. I'm therefore very happy Hodder and Stoughton granted me an arc via Netgalley.

Where the first book felt a little slow for me, this book felt a little fast and overpacked. There's so much happening, there are so many plot-lines and at times it feels like the characters have absolutely no idea what they are doing. We start with the dragons, then we have to deal with the demons and then there's also the people and priests to take care of. It ensures it's impossible to get bored while reading this book, but it also made the book a little chaotic.

However, I really loved how the last few missing elements of the fairytale were incorporated in this book in the most surprising and strangely enough natural way. Although this book is more about mythology, and a very interesting one, than about the story of the Wild Swans/Six Swans, it was nice to see that the author didn't forget that book 1 was a fairytale retelling and that we hadn't entirely reached the end of it yet.

Since the characters are constantly running around and go from solving one problem to the next, there is not too much time for them to really stand still and have emotional moments. However, Lim makes sure we never forget that those characters love each other, each in their own way. With small moments, small gestures and a few really great sentences she manages to show that love despite the chaos and the constant action.

Even if the first book wasn't entirely your thing, it might be worth it to check if this second book is a better fit. You might be positively surprised!

What is more dangerous when it breathes out than when it breathes in?

Book review: The Dragon's Promise by Elizabeth Lim 4/5 ✨️

This is the conclusion to the Six Crimson Cranes duology and it was everything I needed! I have been obsessed with Asian fantsy this past year bit this series is now one of my all fime favorites. I mean we go to the land (sea) of the dragons!!😭🙌

In this series we follow Shiori, princess of Kiata who has a secret forbidden magic. In the first book she tries to save her kingdom and curse on her brother cranes, while befriending a dragon called Seryu.
In the second book we follow her on her journey to the dragon kingdom Ai'long to fulfill her promise to return the dragon pearl to its rightful owner. Of course this involves a lot of dragon politics.. "Dragons are bound to promises, not the truth"..

The begining of the book felt like a Disney movie, it was incredibly enjoying and heart warming.💗 I also have to say that while I do not care for romance the puppy love our main character has is adorable.

The reason this isnt a five stars is that the main conflict in the second half felt a bit dragged on. Also, I dont care for demons in mountains I only really care for dragons🙈
I mean the evil stepmother in the first book was more scary and a better villain than Bandur the demon imo.

Thank you so much to Hodder and Netgalley for the e-arc. I cannot wait to see what Elizabeth comes out with next!🤩

Let me preface this by saying I really enjoyed the first book of this series. Unfortunately this novel fell into the macguffin trope, which I found quite tedious and irritating. It felt like a large portion of this book could have been cut and it wouldn't have made much of a difference to the overall plot. But I continued to like the characters, and the folklore inspiration

A wonderful end to the Duology!
A bit of a slower start than I was expecting, as Six Crimson Cranes was action packed from the start, but still gripping nonetheless!
I fell in love with the characters even more than I already was (especially Kiki, what’s not to love). The beautiful bond between Shiori and her brothers is developed and her relationship with Takkan will tug at your heart strings. A beautiful ending, I could not put this book down!!

Thank you for the opportunity to review. Unfortunately, I didn’t like the book because the MC is very immature throughout and it spoilt what is actually great world building.

After promising her stepmother she would return the Dragon's Pearl to it's rightful owner, Shiori realises this task may be harder than she expected. It takes her to the mystical Ai'long, land of the Dragons, rife with political scheming and Dragon's that would do anything to get their hands on the Pearl, even hurt Shiori, to Lapzur, the mythical Island filled with Demons. All the while, Shiori is having to fight against the Pearl itself. It helps when it wants, and leaves Shiori in danger on more than one occasion. But Shiori is determined to deliver this dying wish, even when the task puts not just herself in danger, but those she loves. For Kiata is not ready for magic, but magic is here, and it isn't going anywhere.

I LOVED Six Crimson Cranes so much, which is why this book disappointed me so much. There were bits that I loved, and others that just really took me out of the story, but I'm going to try and not make this too negative a review because, as a whole, I did enjoy the story.

Shiori was a character I loved in the first book, she was headstrong, determined, but also a little scared and wholly in over her head, and while she remains similar in this story it started to annoy me, how little she asked for help, how she just went off and did things, dangerous things that ended up putting other people in danger, how little she thought before she acted. I understand she's a teenager, but there was very minimal to no character growth throughout the story and by the end some of her choices and actions annoyed me. Side character wise, we stay pretty close to book one with a few new additions thanks to travelling to the Dragon Kingdom. None of them are overly developed, Lim chose to solely focus on Shiori with the exceptions of Kiki, her pet paper crane & Takkan her husband to be. I enjoyed seeing these relationships develop throughout the story, and these interactions were the sole source of the growth that Shiori made as a character.

The plot was... badly paced. The first part of the book flew by, and then the middle kind of meandered up to an ending that seemed to both drag and be rushed. I did think the book had finished, and then a whole new addition was included that dragged it out a little too long for me. It almost felt like we were reading lots of little stories set in the same world, the Pearl was the underlying theme through them all, but it wasn't strong enough to tie them all together & not make the story feel disjointed. I also felt that, because the story was so rushed in parts, the story lacked any real consequences, and the dire/dangerous situations Shiori found herself in never really had that emotional hook to make you worry for her.

All that being said, Lim is one of those authors whose writing I just love reading. She writes fairytale-esque stories filled with mythology and lore that completely drag me into whatever world she creates. I enjoyed the little easter eggs she included that link back to her previous duology set in the same world, and It did make me want to go back and re-read it because those books are set after this duology. Her descriptive writing completely brings her world and character to life and, even though the pacing issues made sure that the dangerous situations Shiori got into never really felt truly dangerous, she does have a knack for writing fight/battle scenes that absolutely jump off the page.

I enjoyed the romance between Takkan and Shiori, they spend the first part of the book apart so we get plenty of longing on Shiori's side. What I didn't love was the almost, but not quite love triangle that was put in. It was hinted at at the end of book one and I was kind of dreading it making an appearance and, while we knew that Shiori would 100% always pick Takkan, I felt like the other relationship could have been better had it been a platonic one & I would have enjoyed it more.

Overall I did enjoy this book, thanks in large part to Lim's writing style, but the pacing issues made sure that I didn't love it. Despite that I will still be picking up whatever Lim writes next!

First time, I discovered Elizabeth Lim books was the time I saw a fanart of Edan and Maia from Blood Of Stats Duology. I picked Spin The Dawn and fell in love with the world building and Edan !! (Sad thing, I haven't read the second book until today). And after reading TDP, I completely known which part of this story that Linked to Blood of Stars Duology.

I always love Elizabeth Lim's worldbuilding, but not the magic system. I found sometimes she just put the "magical power" here and There without any reason. Just to fit in. Also, I thought this series would be better in trilogy than duology, because this series has an amazing and Wide worldbuilding. Shiori's adventure took place in many places, so There wouldn't be a plot Rush like this. Also the epilogue 🥺

And, the last thing is... Takkan is the best guy in this series!!!!

3 out of 5 stars.

The Dragon's Promise picks up where Six Crimson Cranes left us and is non stop action from the very beginning. Elizabeth Lim paints a very vivid picture and her world building is a incredible but I didn't enjoy it as much as Six Crimson Cranes. Although it is still a very good read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for providing an eARC to review!

This is the fourth book by Lim I've picked up, and sadly I think her writing style and I just don't mix very well. I find it hard to engage with her stories above the surface level, or to connect with her protagonists especially after they've undergone their arc and we're told that they're now very different.

I was intrigued by the underwater setting, but I didn't like Seryu in this book at all and didn't really understand why Shiori likes him so much. He seemed to do nothing but beg for a chance with her and lament that she's engaged to someone else, and Shiori kind of plays it off as him putting on bravado? It just rubbed me the wrong way, especially as it felt like every interaction was going this way.

I think also that Lim's style - the very fairytale-esque tell not show method - skews younger which is fine, but just not my cup of tea. I could see readers newer to YA really enjoying her stories, but I just don't think that they're for me. Would definitely recommend the series to younger readers though!

I started reading the arc for this book as soon as i finished the prequel and as much as i loved the story and the pace of THE SIX CRIMSON CRANES the sequel did not live up to the standards that the first book set up.

The book picks up right after events of first book with shiori going to the water kingdom with seryu, but for some reason the plot for the book seems overly extended and as if too many ideas were tried to be stuffed in one book with no clear ending it felt like reading summaries of different plots in one book.

As for the characters I loved how the author still prioritised Shiori’s family along with Takkan. Though as much as I liked their dynamic in the first book, in the second book they kinda stood flat for me (it was cute but at the same time felt a little unnecessary ), also we learned a little more about some of the other characters who really had some good potential.

Other than that the pace of the book is still fairly high, the writing style being comparatively smooth to understand. I still think it would have done well as a stand alone cause for some reason the ending just didn’t sit right. You can always choose to read if you love the characters and just miss them generally.

It was great to be back in Kiata, reading about my favourite character after a year. I read this book in one sitting just like six Crimson Cranes on a weekend. I was completely captivated by Elizabeth Lim’s writing, which is why I love reading her stories.

Shiori was a royal PIA in this book. The curse humbled her in book 1, but she was back to being a troublemaker, attracting dangers everywhere she went and escaping by luck and her clever tongue.

Takkan must really love her because he put up with everything she did. He was a sweetheart as usual. I was expecting to see his sister in this book but she was only mentioned a few times and hardly made an appearance.

This story was fully about the Wraith Pearl handed to Shiori by her stepmom to find its rightful owner. She was dragged to the dragon realm underwater and was chased by ghosts, demons, and Bandur himself for that powerful pearl.

The first half and second half of the book felt disconnected to me. Not that they aren’t connected but it felt as if two different storylines were running through the story. Though there were dragons in the story, mighty creatures flaunting their powers, I enjoyed reading more about Shiori getting back to her family.

I’m glad that there was the stepmom’s backstory provided in this book. She ultimately played a huge role in Shiori‘s life.

There was a part in the climax which had me choked up, leaving me worried if things were really going to end on a bitter note. It was quite the turn of events that almost made me put down this book. But the ending, sighs, was perfect.

(Thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for providing me free eARC of the book in exchange for an honest review!)

I got a free arc from Netgalley, thank you to the publishers, all opinions are honest and my own.
This review might contain spoilers.

4,5 stars from me!

The Dragons Promise starts right where we left of in Six Crimson Cranes.
The book is so good! I was instantly pulled in, I loved all the characters. I even found a new book boyfriend, because yes he is amazing and we all need a sweet man like him. I won't tell who he is because that would kind of be a spoiler.
Shiori really shows her growth throughout this book, compared to the start of SCC, which I really enjoyed.
I really liked both Seryu and Takkan.
The six brothers, I did have a little hard time differentiating, but overall I still did like all of them, and I enjoyed their banter etc with Shiori.
This book is action packed. We start out in Ailong the dragons underwater realm, where Shiori tries to fulfill her last promise to her step mother Raikama. Here we learn that dragons are quite devious and power hungry. We meet more characters in the dragon realm, little spoiler, but one of them is of course our very own favourite enchanter from Lims Spin the Dawn duology.

The romance in this book was so pure, innocent and sweet. I absolutely loved and adored it!

The climax was so good and the ending was even better.
I really enjoyed this book, and in general I really enjoy Lims books, she has definitely become one of my instant buy authors!

I loved Six Crimson Cranes so much, and the worlds Elizabeth Lim creates in her books are always so vivid and beautifully written and her characters are always so easily brought to life, that it makes for such incredible reading.

The plot of the story is good, I liked it, I think sometimes Shiori can be a frustrating lead with such an indecisive way about her and chapters feel like some of the plot being covered multiple times, which feels like you can begin to skim read and I don’t want to do that when this world in the first was so incredibly immersive and beautifully written.

The characters I feel are this book’s greatest strength, I think Shiori though complicated is a strong lead and is just being human, well as human as possible in fantasy about the worries and fears she faces as she holds the pearl in her grasp, but other characters didn’t seem to fare as well with little character growth. I feel like the whole love triangle subplot was needless, especially after the struggle of the romance in the first book, it felt futile, I mean after all that she’d really just give it up? I didn’t get it at all.

I really wanted to love this book and I love Elizabeth Lim’s writing so she’ll always be an automatic read for me, I think Takkan and Shiori are cute as heck, and where there is world building, especially the dragon underwater city, it really does really read brilliantly and I wanted so much more of that, and I hope maybe in other books if we continue you to see more of this world, we get to see more of that.

All in all, a good read.

From a spoiled princess to an incredibly brave and resourceful woman. Shiori’s journey in “The Dragon’s Promise” picks up immediately after the events in the first book. It’s not much I can tell without spoiling that wonderful book (which you should read) so let’s say that because of what happened our heroine Shiori and her paper crane companion Kiki follow their friend Syriu, the young water dragon, to the Dragon King’s realm deep under the sea. The must find the ‘Wraith’, and return its heart-pearl. I can’t tell you how that precious yet dark pearl happens to be in Shiori’s hand but it belongs to the dragon and she was told to give it back, leaving her six brothers and Takkan back home in Kiata. She must be quick because time runs differently in the deep blue sea, much slower than in the human realm.

In this book Shiori will meet new friends and foes and she will have to be brave and smarter than the Dragon King Nazayun and his court of marine fauna. There’s magic in her but that doesn’t guarantee that she will succeed in her mission and there is still darkness under the mountains back home which may or may not be restrained.

This book is darker than the previous one, for the perils Shiori and Kiki find along their journey are difficult and quite dangerous. The tension is almost overwhelming for them and the reader can feel themself more and more engaged in the story. Shiori can trust no one in the dragon realm with the exception of her loyal companion; the dragons and the demons are wondrous creatures but they are also twisted and untruthful and terrifying. Once again Elizabeth Lim delivers an utterly compelling story, masterfully crafted and mesmerizing. She’s like one of the storytellers of old and I need to read everything she’s written in the past and whatever she writes from now on.

Magic, myths, legends and untrustworthy creatures. All set in a fantasy world with a beauty that comes from the east and Studio Ghibli, sometimes. I couldn’t put his book down until I finished it. It is the second and final book of a bilogy, one in which Shiori, Takkan, and her brothers grow, mature, and become a true family with unbreakable bonds and faithful loyalty that will resist and vanquish everything, even death.

For a beginner, this book has no problem and maybe will have a slightest only and definitely enjoyed it.

For readers who already read a lot, it might have some problems.

3 stars.

Going to the plot, why it is so thick and packed? You can make some parts to be a little bit shorter and not forced everything to it. I love the adventures, very challenging but not so tense maybe to suit with young readers. Idk. Anyway, love the Ai'long journey, it is very fast pacing and interesting. The disappointment part is that THE ENDING OF SERYU'S CHARACTER. Seryu is so sweet and deserve more but his character was put aside just to give chances to Takkan. As well as, Bandur's plot was almost abandoned like you can easily forget the real reason for this fighting in this book. I even though that it ends at Lake Paduan but nope, surprise!!! so it becomes more lengthy because of another adventure which should be balance and not too packed. YA should be not too way thick.

Going for characters, we also got less characteristic of her brothers. Her brothers doesn't have enough chances to shine a bit. This is the imbalance of characters as we speaking. As for Shiori, I don't know on how many times she has to be so reckless, when will she has her character development? Not having it. As for Takkan, he's a loveable character as much as Seryu although Seryu will be higher spot in loveable characters. He's nice and gentleman. Adore that. For the villains part, Bandur seems easy to forget as his characters did not give much villainous impact. He's jus plain boring villain.... even Raikama gives an impact.

Tbh, the world-building saves and some 70% of plot. we have so much things and story to be discovered in this book's world. So much potential but yet a bit loose from it's target.

This was a good sequel! I will admit that I loved book 1 more but it doesn't take anything away from this book.

I loved the beginning, it was action packed and full of chaos! Lost me in the middle but redeemed in the end!

I needed more dragons!! Shiori and Kiki though, love them!

I read the first in this duology 'Six Crimson Cranes' and loved it, So when I spotted 'the Dragon's Promise', I had to read it too.
This is a really brilliant book and a very good follow on from the first. However, there is something i found with this book which I also found when I read the 2nd book in Lim's other duology 'Spin the Dawn/Unravel the Dusk' that although the story was completed, and it was wonderful, there felt like a tiny bit of a disconnect in the stories. I think perhaps the first books are a bit more relaxed and laid back (though still very full of an amazing story) and the second books are a lot darker and full of battles. I'm not saying this is really a bad thing, but it's just something I noticed with both series that took me a while to settle into when reading.
I wouldn't read this book unless you've read six crimson cranes, as it'll make no sense at all. It really is very connected to the first book.
It is a wonderful tale. I love the main character, Shiori. She feels very real, strong and capable. Her little paper bird Kiki is her constant companion, and a brilliant character in her own right.
It took a while to get going, as Shiori spends quite a while in the Dragon realm at the start of the book, which I found a tad slow. But once she leaves there, it's just go go go! which kind of made up for it. And without spoilers, the ending is fantastic.
I highly recommend this book and series. It was just wonderful. A truly excellent tale that feels like reading a properly fleshed out legend in the making.

4.25 stars
Lim expertly balances romance and fantasy in the final book of the duology. Not to mention the way Shiori is written is a breath of fresh air when you’re used to ‘strong female characters’ who are just Mary Sues. I’ll upload a full review soon but this is certainly a worthy successor to Six Crimson Cranes. And, as always, bonus points for dragons!