OMG, I loved this one so much!

Princess Shiori is the youngest sibling with six brothers. Shiori realizes that she has some magic, but she needs to hide it from everyone. Magic isn't allowed in her home and she'd be sent away. She's already upset about being betrothed to a young man from the north, Takkan. Shiori makes a paper crane and brings it to life. Kiki, the crane, becomes her best friend. They're able to communicate without speaking out loud. Shiori meets a dragon one day after almost drowning. No one believes her when she tells them though. Her stepmother makes a face that seemed odd, but even she told her that there were no dragons and that dragons are dangerous. Shiori practices magic with Seryu, the grandson of the dragon king. Seryu tells Shiori that her stepmother is a sorceress. Shiori started watching her and followed her one day. She sees things and thinks that her stepmother is actually a demon. After telling her brothers, stepmother tries to erase their memories. When that doesn't work, she puts a curse on them. Shiori has a bowl stuck to her head and she can't speak or make a sound out loud. If she does, a brother will die. The brothers all become cranes.

Shiori searches for her brothers and they try to find a way to break the curse. Luckily Kiki can communicate with them. Shiori is treated like a demon because of her appearance. She's given a job as a cook where she finally meets Takkan. After awhile, she saves his life and is given safety in his kingdom. She quickly adores his younger sister. But there are others there that do not treat her well. Every day is a challenge for Shiori and she finds out more about her magic. What she finds out isn't good and she now knows why she was told that her magic would be dangerous one day. Not everything is as it seems and there are some twists throughout the book.

I loved the relationship that started and loved the closeness between Shiori and her brothers. She was brave and strong. I loved her growth throughout the book. Shiori is definitely a new favorite character. Takkan, too.

I gave this book 5 stars.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my earc.

Warnings for captivity, fire, blood, poison, death.

**Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Children's/Knopf Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. This in no way changed my rating**

To start with, to the artist who created this cover: Bravo(a). This is beautiful and definitely a selling point of the book that will make many a curious reader pick it up from a shelf at their local book store or library.

In this book, Lim weaves together many fairy tales/folk tales, including The Wild Swans, Cinderella, the legend of Chang E, and the Tale of the Bamboo cutter. Not being familiar with any of these stories but Cinderella, the only other one I could for sure pick out as I was reading was the Wild Swans. However, having done some research into them, the influence of the other stories is definitely there for readers who are more familiar. I also would add references to Sleeping Beauty and the Little Mermaid.

While I enjoyed this book from an entertainment standpoint, I do think the attempt to mix so many stories together is a detriment. There are parts of the narrative that feel unnecessary or that seem to be there just for a plot twist. My hope is that these elements are there as set up for book two and that this feeling will be rectified then. For example, the dragon part seems like it will take more precedence in the next book, but in this one, Seryu felt a little like a deus ex machina who shows up kind of randomly. There are other ways that Shiori could have learned what she needed to learn without Seryu's inclusion, which doesn't work for me. There are also two side characters once she gets to Iro whose plot kind of drag and go on forever, which made the red herrings and reveal kind of a let down.

That aside, there are also side characters and relationships that work very well. I loved Shiori's relationships with her brothers, each of whom has a unique personality which makes them easy to remember despite there being six of them. I also liked her relationship with her paper crane, Kiki, and thought that was an interesting touch. It almost reminded me of the Baba Yaga stories in that the protagonist has a relationship with a supposedly inanimate object. Kiki was a lot of fun to read.

I would have liked more of the romance aspect from this book and I suspect a love triangle is being set up, which I'm not fond of. I really liked Takkan and Megari and thought the way Shiori interacted with both him and his sister was a stronger point of the book.

While I was entertained by this book, I'm unsure if I would continue the series. The elements that work don't outweigh the elements that don't for me. I'm sure there are many readers who will love this, but for me, the pacing was a bit off and made it feel like maybe there were too many stories being woven into this one narrative.

3/5 stars

Six Crimson Cranes is a beautiful retelling of Hans Christian Anderson’s classic tale the Wild Swans. When Shiori’s brothers are turned into swans by her stepmother and she is cursed to silence, lest one of her brothers die for each word, they must seek help from unconventional and unexpected allies to break the curse, all without being unable to reveal their true identity.

Shiori is a fun character, full of life, wit, and tenacity. The growth she experienced from a petulant child to a passionate yet responsible princess was done wonderfully. I also love how her relationship with takkan developed and was so natural and wholesome. He was a solace to her throughout her journey without ever taking away from the core familial theme of the story.

I do wish that Shiori’s brothers had been explored a lot more. Assigning a few traits to them whenever Shiori goes through her list of brothers did not seem sufficient to me, and although they were not with Shiori the entire journey, I think there was sufficient opportunity for their dynamics to be explored further, rather than them being predominantly plot devices. I also do think that some complications were resolved a little too easily, when they had the potential to add depth to the players in the game.

Despite these criticisms, Six Crimson Cranes was such an enjoyable read and I feel a strong warmth towards this book. The relationship between Shiori and her stepmother was beautiful and it’s complexity a clear highlight. I can’t wait for the sequel to see how Lim develops this world and these characters further.

Huge thank you to Knopf Books for Young Readers/Random House Children’s and Netgalley for providing this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review. I was a huge fan of Spin the Dawn by Elizabeth Lim so I was thrilled to see she was coming out with a new book! Six Crimson Cranes immediately grabbed my attention with that absolutely G O R G E O U S cover! I could seriously stare at it all day. Major props to the cover artist!

Overall, I really enjoyed Six Crimson Cranes! It is part fantasy part fairytale that features East Asian folklore and tells a truly beautiful story. Elizabeth Lim is a fantastic storyteller. My favorite part of Six Crimson Cranes was the imagery and setting. Every single scene . . . from the snowy mountain view in Iro to the nettles on Mount Rayuna and even Raikama’s garden . . . was stunningly crafted. I am in awe of Lim’s ability to create a scene and truly pull the reader in.

I also really loved Shiori’s interactions with the dragons plus her relationship with her brothers. I was initially a bit concerned about this story because there were several plot points that seemed to be very similar to those in Spin the Dawn. Both books feature a female lead with brothers + the female lead is on a mission to craft/sew/weave a magical object in order to save her family. I’m happy to say that the similarities ended there.

The reason that Six Crimson Cranes was only 3.5 stars for me was the pacing. The first part of the book was good, but it didn’t really capture my interest. It wasn’t until Shiori arrives in Iro that I was fully hooked by the story. The climax and last part of the story were so exciting and had me on the edge of my seat. I wasn’t surprised by any of the twists or the ending, but I still was totally captivated. However, the last line of the book totally blew me away because I did not see that coming.

Six Crimson Cranes was a really good story that featured some truly beautiful scenery. If you are a fan of Spin the Dawn then I definitely recommend this one. I can’t wait to find out what happens in the next book!

SIX CRIMSON CRANES BY ELIZABETH LIM IS SET TO BE RELEASED JULY 6TH, 2021.

Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for sending me a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review (Review published @MorningStarlitPages on 6/18/21).

Synopsis: Shirori is the princess of Kiata who has forbidden magic running through her veins. She has a kept it a secret for a long time until she reveals it by accident on the morning of her betrothal ceremony. Her stepmother and a sorceress, Raikama, banishes Shirori and turns her brothers into cranes. A curse has been cast on Shiori: If she speaks one word, one of her brothers will die. Voiceless and alone, Shirori goes on an adventure to search for her brothers and uncovers a dark conspiracy to seize the throne. On the way, she puts her trust in a paper crane, a dragon, and even the boy she didn't want to marry. Will she also embrace the magic she has been hiding all this time? No matter what the cost?

This book is MAGICAL and the cover art is absolutely gorgeous. For those who are familiar with the fairytale, "The Wild Swans" and Hayao Miyazaki's "Spirited Away", you need to pick this up! Lim's lyrical storytelling is breath-taking with beautiful imagery, captivating characters, and a plot line filled with twists and turns you do not want to miss.

Shiori's character development stood out to me the most. I watched her grow from a stubborn princess to a resilient heroine who needs to survive and save her brothers. And as soon as I read the very last page, you bet a rush of emotions swept right through me for everyone in the story. But I can't wait for more!

Read this if you like:
-Arranged marriage troupe
- Sibling bonding (I wish there was more!)
- Amazing world-building

This book had major fairytale energy. Read this when you’re in the mood for something that will remind you of a classic folk tale. Apparently this is a retelling of the Wild Swans fairytale with many other elements mixed in. I believe I did read the Wild Swans tale in college, but it’s been a long time and I don’t remember. I did notice that this book had a lot of Cinderella elements. It also featured a strong heroine, sweeping plot, and a kind, gentle romantic interest (which is my favorite kind.) Loved this one!

I literally need time to recover from this one. Such beautiful writing, characters, and I could not put this down. Elizabeth Lim really can't ever go wrong.

The story was left me without words. We open to Shiori as a selfish teenager, and her journey takes us all on an adventure of personal growth. Listen, watch, and be patient. Stand up for what’s right. Above all, put family first.

I felt it was a positive portrayal of Asian culture and strength. I did not see issues in representation.

When her stepmother turns her six brothers into swans, a princess cannot speak until she has found a way to break the curse.

A one sentence summary cannot do justice to the complexity and beauty of this novel. The number of folktales Lim twists into this story could have been overwhelming, but every one serves the character development and relationship growth which drive the narrative. In addition to uniquely Asian folklore (such as the dragons), Lim incorporates the Asian variants of tales that are also common in the Western canon (e.g., the Chinese fish-girl "Cinderella" and more prominently, using cranes in her reinterpretation of Andersen's Wild Swans). The world she builds through this interwoven folklore is exquisite. For any reader who enjoys reimagined fairytales, this is a must-read!

*Review to be posted on my blog on 6/28/21*

I was hooked from the first chapter and never let go. This is the second series I’ve read from Elizabeth Lim and I will say it again, she writes beautifully. I love how her stories read like fairytales. The story is beautifully written and flows so nicely. As the author states, this is a reimagined story of “The Wild Swans” by Hans Christian Anderson but she wove other Asian folklore into the story which makes it so rich and such a fantastic adventure.

Shiori is the youngest of seven children and being the only girl, she’s been protected and indulged. She loves her family, her six brothers, her doting dad and once upon a time she even loved her stepmother. It’s this tense relationship with her stepmother that sets Shiori on an unexpected and challenging journey. Shiori really grows from being cursed – she sees how she took a lot of things for granted, and how much she loves her family. Now it’s her turn to do her part in saving her brothers. She realizes too late though the person who has betrayed her is the very one protecting her.

There is magic in this book and dragons, especially a dragon named Seryu who has a lot of personality. This is a story about family and the bond they share through thick and thin. There is betrayal. There is also an evil enchanter who wants to free the demons trapped in a mountain and events that take place to ensure it from not happening but the plan goes haywire. And of course there is romance which made my heart melt a little. This book really had everything and I could not put the book down once I started.

Random Notes:
Remember how the Spin the Dawn series had demons? This is set in the same world as Spin the Dawn! I loved Spin the Dawn but I didn’t love Unravel the Dusk so I am hoping so hard that the sequel for Six Crimson Cranes doesn’t disappoint me. The ending sets up another amazing adventure for Shiori and I can’t wait to see who the dragon pearl really belongs to!

Final Thoughts:
This is the kind of fantasy I’ve been craving to read lately and it checked all my boxes! An asian retelling of a western fairytale but with dragons, demons, brothers that change into cranes, family love, betrayal, a girl who has magic but is cursed, and a girl who is falling in love with the boy she had been avoiding all her life. I couldn’t put down the book and I already need the second one.

If I had to use one word to describe this book it would be: addictive. this book is so rich with culture and intrigue surrounding it’s world. There are so many small glimpses that Lim gives us at the world she has created, a world an island away from the lands where her other books, Spin the Dawn and Unravel the Dusk were set, and while there is some intersection of lore and a character or two, the book still creates a completely comprehensive and new world and mythology. There are so many enchanting bits of folklore and songs in this story that it’s incredible. The characters of this story are absolutely enchanting as well. Now the descriptions of say clothes or food or landscapes are not as vivid or finessed as the descriptions in the Spin the Dawn duology, which I thought was one of the finer points of the books, but if you prefer less prose and more simplistic writing, you’d prefer this book. Though if we’re comparing, I loved the plot of Spin the Dawn, less so with it’s sequel, but this book is on a whole new level plot and story wise. It is a wild ride with so many well done twists that I adored. The last 20% or so of the book is a rollercoaster and honest make the book, and when you hit the end your emotions will just be there like wait... what just happened.

Shiori is a spectacular heroine that subverted my expectations in almost every way, to be honest, in the first couple of pages I thought I would despise her, she was so reckless, rude, stubborn, and headstrong, traits ever present in YA heroines, and ones that irk me to no end as they create unsympathetic and selfish protagonists, but Shiori isn’t that. Through her curse and her harrowing journey she grows into this smart, strong, selfless, intuitive heroine who cares deeply for the people around her and considers her actions. She becomes considerate and the book doesn’t tell us this, it shows us this through her action, especially the ending (which admittedly made me tear up). The bond she has with her brothers is so strong and it makes her all the more resilient and motivated, and I’ll say that Takkan, her betrothed might be perfect in my eyes. He is so genuine and so sweet, and despite her ill-treatment of him in the past, they grow to love eachother and there is genuine forgiveness and regret instead of a complete brush over of the love interest’s feelings as there are in many books. They are truly strangers to betrothed to unknown identities friends to lovers excellence. Also for those of you who like your brooding powerful men, there’s a hot sarcastic, arrogant dragon guy so take him as you will. I do wish that Shiori’s brothers were more developed, as the bond overall with them was very strong, but with each brother, I could not differentiate by name or their relationship, there’s the one with an A name, the young one, the angsty one, the one that we’re told repetitively how handsome he is, and then 2 others that exist but I remember nothing about. However, based off pure enjoyment and plot this book is absolutely a 5 star.

Six Crimson Cranes follows the story of a girl named Shiori as she journeys through Kiata to try to break a curse her step-mother put on her and her six brothers. Shiori starts this book stubborn, obnoxious, and pampered, but throughout her travels she learns to hone her magic and save Kiata.

By the first few chapters, I knew this would be a fantastic read. The plot pacing is immaculate, not going so fast that you miss the world-building and story telling, but not so slow that you instantly want to put it down. The magic system in this book was fantastic and easy to understand. The author really nailed making the whole book feel like the reader was along with Shiori and her brothers with a lyrical writing style and amazing flow. I never felt stuck or like the plot was at a standstill and each twist was more exciting and intriguing than the last. The entire book had a distinct "folky" feel to it but still stuck to a highly descriptive, but not fluffy, writing style. I admit, when I first read the blurb of the book, I was a bit daunted by the amount of high fantasy world building, and I was unsure if I would be able to follow along. Despite this, I understood it all perfectly and I didn't feel intimidated at all once I got into the first few chapters of the book. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves fantasy and Asian legends.

Overall, the book was amazing and I look forward to whatever comes next in Shiori's story.

I could tell by the first chapter that this was going to be a 5 star book. This book flowed so easily that, before I knew it, I I finished it in one day. Elizabeth Lim has a way with words that I found absolutely enchanting in Six Crimson Cranes.

This book had hints of various fairytales but the plot itself was so unique. I loved reading about the magic system in this book. This book follows an arranged marriage trope with several twists that were absolutely addicting. This book had angst, an independent FMC/princess, a curse, and enough chemistry to make my head swim.

I loved the world building in Six Crimson Cranes so much. Elizabeth Lim slowly eases the reader into this amazing plot line with admirable skill and deft. I really enjoyed reading about Shiori’s character development as things progressed throughout this plot.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves Fantasy !

this book was incredibly entertaining, adventurous, and magical. the family relationships in this book were really well done and the ending was spectacular. i really enjoyed this book!!

Shiori is a young princess with six older brothers. Everything seems to be going fine until she stumbles on a dangerous secret that leaves her outcast from the palace and speechless along with her brothers who have been turned into cranes. As she searches for a way to break this spell, she goes through many adventures, some good and some bad.
Even without a voice, princess Shiori goes through major character development and learns to use her actions to speak for her.
There are lots of twists and turns coupled with fast-paced action that kept me reading nonstop. This is a dreamy fairytale with a sweet romance, a talking paper bird and dragons! What more could a reader want?
And can I just say... THIS COVER IS BEAUTIFUL!!!!

Another beautiful story by Elizabeth Lim. If you have read Spin the Dawn, you may remember small nuggets about Princess Shiori and now we finally meet her. Just in this first book, we see a HUGE change in her. Her character development is phenomenal.

One thing I love most about this book is the message about your voice and actions. Shiori loses the ability to speak for MOST of the entire book yet she still goes through major character development, makes so many friends, and learns a lot about herself. She also learns how to listen and observe before taking action which serves her well.

The whole cast of characters was fascinating. Takkan is definitely a new book boyfriend for me. My only complaint is that we don't get enough of him! Kiki and Megari are my favorite side characters. Even more so than the 6 princes and Seryu - who was also a fun character but I wish we saw more of!

And finally, the baddies. You think you know, but be prepared. There are lots of twists and turns and the ending was very fast paced. I didn't want to put it down. And I am not at all ashamed to say that I cried a lot during chapter 39.

Solid story and I CANNOT wait to for the sequel to explore more of the Dragon sea palace.

I asked to read the ARC of this book because Spin the Dawn and Unravel the Dusk were so enjoyable! This is another excellent fairytale retelling. I think I liked Spin the Dawn slightly better because I liked the character slightly more, but that’s a mild personal preference and your mileage may vary. If you like fairytale retellings you should read Both series!

Thanks to NetGalley & Random House Children's for the early copy in exchange for an honest review.

"Six Crimson Cranes" is at its heart, a fairytale focused on redemption, perseverance, and love. Shiori is the narrator and a spoiled pampered princess until her step-mother curses her and her brothers! Her brothers all turn into, well, cranes, and she is forced to never speak word, lest one of her brothers die as a result of her speech.

Frankly, if you've read Elizabeth Lim's previous work with "Spin The Dawn" it's similar in structure and content, so if you've liked that one you'll like this one as well. She does a great job with the fairytale angle and "teaching" lessons to the protagonist (and the reader) and as a result, weaves a fascinating action-adventure-packed story. She also includes a really sweet romance, which I adored. The protagonist grew and developed which was wonderful to see. I also really enjoyed her conversations with her magic...paper...crane friend/sister? The banter was snarky and fun to see!

I had trouble putting this book down! Sooo good! I will say the pacing could be off sometimes and I feel like it could've used another couple of pages to help expand on the world, but it worked anyway. Lim meant to tell a fairytale and fairytales don't usually bother with extreme details of everything so it works, honestly.

A very entertaining & fantastical story that's sure to please all fairytale lovers!

An absolutely jaw dropping and unique entry into the YA Fantasy World. If your like me and you are tired for reading the same story retold over and over again under the YA genre then this book will knock your socks off. Not only is the story uniquely beautiful it will stick with you for YEARS to come!! This is not a story you will soon forget!

I loved The Blood of Stars duology from Elizabeth Lim so I was so excited to hear that Lim was coming out with another duology set in the same world!

Six Crimson Cranes follows Shiori, the only princess of Kiata who is on a quest to break a curse placed on her and her six brothers by her stepmother. This is a whimsical story with magic, family, dragons, and romance that is perfect for YA fantasy lovers. The strong sibling relationship and Shiori's character growth were some of my favorite parts of this book! The ending was an unexpected twist and I cannot wait to read the second book to see where Shiori's journey takes us next!

Thank you Knopf and NetGalley for an advanced reader's copy of this book!