Am I supposed to care what happens to Shiori? She’s just awful. So self-centered and reckless. I think if this had focused on a different main character (or even been in third person so I didn't have to listen to Shiori whine quite so much), I would have been more on board. As it is, I'm 15% in and very little has happened and I have no character worth rooting for. So I'm steping away.

Six Crimson Cranes is absolutely just as gorgeous as its cover. It is a story woven deeply with forbidden magic, curses, strong familial bonds, and mythology. The story telling is strongly reminiscent of the fairy tale it drew inspiration from, with a vivid folklore atmosphere throughout. Key fairytale elements - an evil stepmother, royal secrets, and a curse - are heavily leaned upon, but not in a way that impacts the original story Lim has woven.

The familial relationships depicted are strong, tangled, and complex, and a true highlight within the book. Even the trope of a mysterious, soft love interest was introduced in an interesting way, that avoided cliche that such a trope typically holds. A stunning story, that no doubt will have a stunning sequel in the future.

Special thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC version of this amazing and wonderful book. All opinions here are my own.

Beautifully written and breathtaking. I pretty much loved everything about this book and really loved that fact that the main character, Shiori, really had to learn and grow in the novel to make it. I loved the characters and really enjoyed so much of the adventure because the worldbuilding was PERFECT. Definitely one of the books that I would recommend to others.

I loved the writing style and the unique retelling of the classic story. Will definitely handsell and recommend to customers

Thank you to penguin team for sending me an eARC of this book and exchange for an honest review.

I don’t know where to start but I absolutely loved this book so much! I devoured it in less than 24 hours I could not put it down and I could not stop reading. And I’m not someone who tends to read books fast.

First off this story follows Shiori, A princess who is a beloved by her father and her six brothers. In the beginning, she is on her way to meet her betrothed which has been in the works for the last seven years, when she runs into a lake And meets a dragon. She soon finds out that she actually has magic. Little did she know that her stepmother also has magic and she puts a curse on her and her brothers. She turns her brothers into cranes, and if she speaks a word every word she speaks a brother with die. Desperate to break the curse and save her brothers, she heads out until her world to find a way to break the curse.

This book has everything. Family relationships, fantasy, world building, interesting creatures, magic, folklore and so much more. When I was reading this book, it literally felt like I was reading a fairytale. The relationship that Shiori has with each individual brother is so fun to read. I was able to grasp who each brother was, his relationship with Shiori and what order they were in (in terms of oldest to youngest). That’s hard to do with so many characters in the beginning but Lim made it easy. The character development is very well written and I love that Shiori doesn’t need a man or her brothers to save her. She really grows from a princess to a strong woman.

Elizabeth Lim has done a wonderful job in fusing Asian culture and folklore into the world. I do not have words to describe how much I enjoyed this book. Although I do not believe this is going to be a five star raid for everyone, I think if you really enjoy Asian culture, anime,KDrama and fantasy you’ll really enjoy this book.

I cannot wait for book to. It is going to be a wild ride I already know and it is on my anticipated releases this year!

this was so good, i loved it. a bit predictable, but it’s a fun, whimsical and magical read, and made me feel warm.

I loved the book from the first page on. Intriguing characters, a reluctant-bride-princess, her brothers, her is-she-good-or-is-she-bad step-mother, magic and even a Chinese Dragon! While it was reminiscent of fairy tales I read as a youth, it evolved into a more involved story where we’re never quite sure whom to trust and whom to be wary of. One of the signs of great writing is that when you’re done reading, you yearn for more. And yes, this left me wanting MORE!
Full review to come on YouTube.

Thank you so much to Random House Childrens/Knopf Books for Young Readers and Netgalley for sending me a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.



“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.”

I absolutely loved this book. The combining of mythology and classics fairytales was breath-taking. The way the Elizabeth Lim wrote this story was beautiful and magical and lyrical. The world she created was just so enchanting and like a breath of fresh air. It totally feels like its own fairytale, and it just put me in the best mood while reading.

The characters were so well developed and fleshed out. I really felt for the main character, Shiori, throughout the whole book. But as fresh as Shiori is, the other characters are even more a delight. From her friends, a mercurial dragon, an enchanted, sassy paper crane named Kiki, her brothers, her betrothed, and even the villainous stepmother; the whole cast of characters was spectacular! Shiori is a princess of Kiata and she has a big secret, she possesses forbidden magic. On the day of her betrothal ceremony her magic gets out of control, so she runs away. Unfortunately, it caught the eye of her stepmother, Raikama; a sorceress in her own right. Raikama curses and banishes Shiori, turns her 6 brothers into cranes and gives dire warnings not to speak of the curse, because if she does, her brothers would die.

Overall, I was completely enchanted with this new fairytale, and I think it would make an excellent Disney film! Would scream from the rooftops, highly recommending this book to anyone and everyone!

Shiori is the only daughter of the Emperor. She is also one of the only people in the land of Kiata to have magic, a practice forbidden by her ancestors. One day she learns that she is not the only magic wielder in Kiata when she and her brothers are cursed. The journey to find a cure to the curse leads Shiori down a path of self discovery filled with magic and some of the best characters I have read in a long while. I highly recommend this compelling fantasy read!

A fantastic fairy tale, retold in a new and exciting way. I loved the imagery of this book, it felt lush and like I'd fallen into the story so completely. Can't wait for the next installment!

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this one. I love fairytales and this read very much like one, which was nice for a change. I always find retellings tricky, and I can be quite the picky reader.

Highly recommend this one for those who enjoy East Asian mythology and character driven stories.

Wowww! What a wonderful adventure! Elizabeth Lim writes a compelling and enchanting tale.
Shiori is the only princess of Kiara, and one with a very strong will. She is not afraid to take control of her own destiny, to the point that she misses her own betrothal ceremony. Little does she knows that it will only be the beginning of her own misfortune, bringing a curse upon her and her family, and awakening a thousands year old legend.

The characterd were endearing and the plot unpredictable! I can't wait for the second installment to continue to explore more of this magical world and its lore that Elizabeth Lim has creatievly penned. Especially since we'll probably see more of the dragons :)

4.5/5

My first read of February was a blast to read! I absolutely loved how Elizabeth Lim brought this world of Kiata to life with the descriptions of customs, food, and legends. We follow our protagonist Shiori, a princess of Kiata, who has hidden magic that is revealed after she runs from her wedding ceremony. Her step-mother, Raikama, transforms Shiori's 6 brothers into cranes and warns her that she not speak or write of this situation to anyone. Shiori - forced to be a mute and have a bowl on her head making her unrecognizable - is now navigating her way to seek the answers to break the curse.

What I loved:
- Fantastic world-building with fairytale vibes
- Magical cranes, dragons, quests
- Tasty descriptions of food and cooking
- Strong protagonist + you grow to care for her
- Sibling bonds
- Arranged marriage trope & slow burn romance with Takkan

What should be improved upon:
- Not enough dragon lore with Seryu
- Cliffhanger ending
- Action sequences were rushed, making pacing a little off
- Emphasized "chosen one" trope

I highly recommend this book that has Asian mythology and made me nostalgic for childhood dishes. I can't wait to read more the sequel and the Spin of the Dawn duology!

Before I begin the normal cadence of one of my reviews, let me first say that as soon as I finished this, I immediately moved forward and devoured the first in her Blood of Stars series, Spin the Dawn. I absolutely adored both and I am sitting on my hands waiting for the sequel to this one.

Shiori’anma of Kiata is preparing for her betrothal to Lord Takkan, who lives far in the north within a land of barbarians. She is not looking forward to any of it. However, on the day of her betrothal ceremony, she escapes from the palace and retreats to a nearby pond, into which she falls only to be rescued by a dragon. Of course, no one believes her. Magic was banned in Kiata a long time ago and no one has seen dragons for longer than that. However, Shiori knows magic exists. She has some of it herself, some that she has hidden to the best of her ability since she was a young girl. However, when the dragon returns and begins to teach her magic, she unwittingly learns that she is not the only one in the palace with secrets. Her stepmother, Riakama, has magic of her own.

When Shiori tries to expose Raikama, she finds herself at the center of a curse involving her and her brothers, who are turned into cranes and sent far from the palace. Shiori is banished far away, a magic bowl is stuck to her head and covers her eyes, and is told not to utter a word or for every sound that escapes her lips, one of her six brothers will die.

Shiori, silenced and alone, must fight her way to her brothers as best as she can and find some way to break their curse and return home before the kingdom is plunged into war. However, Shiori finds that the world is not as it seems, and there are underlying plots that are taking place she never could have imagined. She must find the resilience and strength necessary to not only save her brothers and herself, but also everyone and everything else she loves.

This was an absolutely magical retelling of the Six Swans fairy tale mixed with a heaping helping of the Goose Girl. I honestly had the hardest time sleeping while reading this as it invaded all of my thoughts. This was my first introduction to Elizabeth Lim and I can honestly say that it has made me a fan for life. The heartbreak in her stories caused tears, the triumphs lead to audible sighs of relief, and the twists to gasps and held breathes.

Every character came to life on the pages. It was like the ink leaped from my e-reader to paint gorgeous shadow shows full of dragons, forests, jewels, and far away castles. I was so absorbed that I felt like I was there at times. I also kind of feel like I am waiting for the rest of my life to start. I am so psyched to read the next one.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House Children’s for a copy of this incredible story in exchanged for this fair review. I loved it.

the writing style was stupendous but the plot was 10x better. it was interesting and original and had a steady pace. really good plot twists and the last few chapters were so nerve-wracking I kept flexing my toes anxiously 😭 can't wait for the next one

I love Lim's writing so much. Each of her novels feels like reading a fairy tale and this one certainly felt like an instant classic. It was a true journey from the exposition, fall out, and redemption. I was on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen next.

Lim has written another excellent fantasy series starter! Shiori undergoes excellent character development throughout the text and the supporting characters were well-developed. In particular, the dragon elements she incorporated were interesting and leave readers wondering if Lim is setting up for a love triangle in the second book. Though the book lagged a little in the middle, overall the plot and world-building were engaging. Additionally, Lim did a great job playing with the source material while also pulling in fantastical elements and Asian mythology. The twist with the stepmother was genuine and very interesting. On the whole, it's a solid fairy tale retelling, but also a YA fantasy novel that can stand on it's own.

I absolutely loved this book. I loved the world and the characters and the plot. I’ve never heard the Wild Swans fairy tale but this was a beautiful story and I can’t wait for the sequel. It was a little slow to start but I once it came to the curse, I quickly became enthralled and breezed through the rest of the story. 4.5 stars.

It's not you, Six Crimson Cranes, it's me.

A fantastical tale of magic, family and change - of character and opinion - that has really well flowing and descriptive writing, this book should have swept me away but it just didn't. I felt like too little time was given to build up the relationship between Shiori and her brothers - given, there were six of them, so it would have taken a while - before the curse was cast. I didn't feel the love Shiori felt for her brothers and as such didn't really believe in her quest as much as others did. From the very beginning it seemed obvious there was something not right about Zairena, and it was frustrating that it took Shiori so long to figure it out - having said that, the follow up twist about Zairena took me by surprise, so well done!

It felt like this book was really setting the scene for the next book which is not what I hoped it would be.

Still, if you enjoy folklore inspired fantasy with a character who grows into herself and has a plucky paper bird sidekick, who discovers she was in the wrong about things and then admits it and tries to change and help, then this book is for you!

Honestly loved this book so much more than I had expected. I held off reading it because I was not too excited about the whole "brothers being turned into swans" idea and I'm not usually a lover of fairy tale retellings. This book was so refreshing and had strong world-building, well-fleshed out characters, and a well-envisioned storyline. Can't wait for book 2.