Her Radiant Curse is a beautiful and vividly written fantasy. It drew me in to its intricate world and fascinating characters almost immediately. Love, friendship, hatred, adventure, despair, and so much magic. Channi is my favorite type of character: deep, loyal, a bit broken and fierce. I loved every moment of the story of these sisters. Now I need to reread Six Crimson Cranes to see that story in a different light. Wonderful.

(3.5/5 stars) Elizabeth Lim's writing has always been so beautiful and lyrical! I was looking forward to this release back in the Six Crimson Cranes universe, but this time a spin-off prequel about Channi (who eventually becomes Shiori's stepmother, Raikama). Starting out with another BEAUTIFUL cover, this book pulled me in! Asian mythology is so lush and vibrant, and I was excited to jump back into the SCC world. Lim delivers a strong standalone that is easy to read (though if you're not big on YA might be a bit frustrating). We love a story of the strength of sisterly love.

steeped in a lush asain mythology. this was able to be read as a standalone even though its a prequal

fans of ‘six crimson cranes’ will really enjoy being back in this world and seeing it expanded. and readers who have not read the series will come to love ELs storytelling and magic.

I've enjoyed Elizabeth Lim's books before, which is why I chose this one, and it didn't disappoint me at all.

The protagonist, Channi, was cursed by a witch, bitten by the Serpent King and lost her mother on the same day. Also, on the same day, she swore to protect her younger sister, Vanna, at all costs. This book is about sibling bonds, the one that is beautiful and painful.

The sisterhood bond between Channi and Vanna was expressed in a very heartwarming way. The love and affection Channi has for Vanna was so beautiful. I love the author's writing style so much.

There are many things I love in this book. One of them is Channi's ability to talk to snakes. Ukar, the Serpent, was Channi's closest friend, and I really enjoyed his sense of humour. His deep and caring friendship with Channi was truly heartwarming.

The dragon's unexpected arrival surprised me. But I loved every scene where he was present. The fight between Channi and the dragon was so descriptive and awesome. The constant turns in the plot kept me hooked till the end.

Everything in this book was outstanding, from the plot and characters to the twists, magic, and the way everything came together at the end. Filled with action and magic, this is a perfect fantasy novel with a wealth of emotions in play.

I really base my reviews on how much I enjoy reading, so i’m giving this 5 stars. We get to know more about “Raikama” or “Channi”. It’s such a wonderful read. Elizabeth’s writing will forever feel like a fairy tale. So excited for more of her books!

I really enjoyed this spin-off of Six Crimson Cranes. I enjoyed the characters and their relationships as well as the lore and development of the story. Even though I knew how the story would end, I was not expecting the journey to take the twists and turns that it did.

Definitely recommend!

A bittersweet tale of love, friendship and the lengths two sisters will go to protect each other.

I will start off by saying I have yet to read the duology for which this book is a prequel. But I don't think it affected my enjoyment of the story at all. I was able to follow along with ease. The writing for good and the pacing was quick but not overly so.

This was most definitely a story about sisterhood and destiny above all else. There were hints of romance but they were far and few between. I admit I wish there was a little more development in the romance department. And while I enjoyed the story, for the most part, I found things a touch too predictable. I also never quite connected with the characters. That lack of an emotional connection made it difficult to truly fall in love with this tale.

The ending, I would say, is the strongest part. Only at that point did I truly feel for the characters. The hurt and the betrayal. I truly found myself wishing things had turned out differently. Alas, by then it was a little too late.

Long story short, I liked the story enough to finish it but I would not say it was a stand-out book.

I’m a fan of Elizabeth Lim (Spin the Dawn, Six Crimson Cranes) so I was excited to get my hands on Her Radiant Curse. I was not disappointed.

One of the best things about Lim’s writing is her ability to drop you into an unknown world and make you feel at ease. Her world-building is on point and works seamlessly with her characters. And Her Radiant Curse is very much a character-driven fantasy.

The story unfolds from Channi’s point of view. Channi has a single-minded purpose — kill the witch and save her sister. Channi is cunning and bold. She’s imperfect and a bit dark, and you want things to work out for her.

As with Lim’s other work, Her Radiant Curse is an immersive read. It’s pacing is spot-on, and you won’t want to put it down.

Elizabeth Lim never disappoints me. I loved this book so much, especially since it is connected to her other books. I love how every single one of her books takes place in the same world. It's such a cool part! I loved the characters in this book and I especially loved the sister relationship in this. Sibling relationships are one of my favorite aspects of books especially when one sibling will do anything to protect the other. That's how Channi was and I loved it. I can't wait for the next book!

Channi's father tried to offer her to a witch as a child, only for Channi to escape. However, she was cursed with the face of a snake while her sister, Vanna, shines with luminous beauty (literally). To protect Vanna, Channi is pulled into a whirlwind of betrayal and struggle that will end with terrible loss, unless she can build alliances. Lim's writing shines and her characters are excellent, complex yet archetypal, heroes of a fairy tale that feels breathtakingly real. The novel reads like a fable, but one where logic and loss prevail. I was grateful for the lack of compulsory romance, and for the depth of the characterizations. A great choice for fans of Lim's Six Crimson Cranes series, or who like transcendent YA.

When SIX CRIMSON CRANES came out, so many of my bookish friends told me it was a must-read, and I’ll admit I slept on it. I vowed it would be a priority on my #backlistbooks23 picks & I was thrilled to listen to the audiobook before picking up this prequel.

I’m not normally an out of order reader, but I loved that each title could be read as a standalone, and had such a strong tie in — I’ll definitely be picking up The Dragon’s Promise ASAP! This story weaves together whimsical folklore with strong family bonds, thrilling adventure and the consequences of beauty and love. While I’m not familiar with Asian mythology I really enjoyed the backstory, and how Lim beautifully creates a world around these two sisters and their curse, I was hooked immediately with this intriguing story.

Thanks to Penguin Random House Audio, for the audiobooks of both titles, I loved being able to read and listen to this one and for TBR & Beyond Tours for having me on the book tour! I find it easier to follow along with fantasy titles when I can listen to and this was just such an exceptional title.

I was a little nervous about Her Radiant Curse because I'm generally not a fan of villain origin stories (and yes, I know Channi is more of a misunderstood antagonist-turned protagonist than a villain,) but I'm always wary of any anything that might have a "cool motive, still murder" kind of a story.

So no one is more surprised than I am when I say that I think I like Her Radiant Curse more than the Six Crimson Cranes duology.

Six Crimson Cranes might've passed the vibe check, but Her Radiant Curse delivered the more compelling story. I actually thought the worldbuilding was a bit lacking in this prequel, but what it was missing in vibes, it more than made up for in feels. Her Radiant Curse is the angsty Asian stories I love in a YA fantasy. At its heart, it's a story about two sisters willing to do anything for the other (and if you're familiar with C-drama tropes, you'll know to expect lots of sacrifice and heartache along the way.)


For a story centered around sisterhood, a good portion of it has one sister conspicuously absent for a good portion of it. I thought Vanna's character arc was a bit awkward and would've liked to see her developed more. In general, I think the pacing could've been better. The book got off to a slow start, and the best, most emotional parts (which coincidentally coincide with the heart of the story) didn't come until the end.

I am a huge Elizabeth Lim fan and will continue that streak with newest novel, Her Radiant Curse. Channi, cursed and monstrous, and her younger sister Vanna, blessed and beautiful, share many differences, but a similarity is the loving sisterly bond that makes them near inseparable. When they are forced apart, Channi does all she can to get to her sister, setting off on an epic quest to break her curse, battle demons and kings, and save the only person who cares about her. Lim weaves a tale of imagination, action, and magic that is easy to read as the reader will undoubtedly get caught up with the story. When the ending came I was not prepared and at first not happy, but I soon came to appreciate the true quest of the story for what it was, along with the realistic aspects that the author creates to make this a memorable tale.

Her Radiant Curse is easily a 5 star read for me. The hold Elizabeth Lim has on me is a ferociously tight one. Every book she writes, I'm counting down the days until it's released. The emotions I felt for Channi? Holy cow. I was rooting for her since page 1. My love for how she handled her emotions and knew how her relationship with her dad was bad versus how her relationship with her sister was codependent. Channi is quite possibly my most favorite book character of Lim's to date. Did I not like her in Six Crimson Cranes? Yeah, I hated her from Shiori's POV and now I just want to bundle her up. Maybe give her a cake. Vanna was so interesting to me because she had all the makings of a main character, but we got her from Channi's POV. Channi only ever wants to protect her and have Vanna be happy. To make her own choices.
Please read this book. I beg you.

This book had me from the prologue. Just that tidbit of information was enough to know that my emotions would be tossed everywhere. There’s so much to say and so much to love. Elizabeth Lim is a rare gem that can deliver a story with such eloquence. Channi, the demon sister, has faced adversity her whole entire life and you find yourself rooting for her the moment you get to know her. She is strong and so selfless that you just want to pour all of your love to her. While she has faced rejection, her younger sister Vanna has lived in glory and love. You would think she is vain because of it but the love and loyalty between these two sisters is so intricately woven together that nothing can come between them. She met the evil witch in her Tiger form when Channi’s father sacrificed her in hopes of saving their mother. Although Channi lives, she lives with a curse that will plague her throughout her life unless she sacrifices her younger sister whose beauty is radiant like the sun and pure like none other. Even with snake-like face, Channi never hesitates when it comes to her sister. She is willing to do anything to protect her and I think it is her loyalty to Vanna that makes this story so captivating. Channi does not have inferior complex, but she knows where she stands and that makes the beauty of this sisterhood even more incredible. Even though we don’t get to know Vanna as much, we see the love and bond between the two sisters is strong. When the witch goes hunting for Vanna, Channi stops at nothing to save her. On her journey, she befriends Hokzuh, a halfling – half demon, half dragon. Their dynamics with each other is comforting and something Channi has yet to experience. I can read about them all day long and not be bored. What they have with each other is special but witch Hokzuh being half-demon is already a red flag. Did that make me like him any less? Of course not. Haha. Elizabeth Lim told Channi’s story so well. I was entranced and there wasn’t a single moment where I felt I wanted to skim past. Every moment of the story meant something and the story itself was just so enthralling. I did not expect my emotions to be pulled every which way. It was heart-wrenching, bittersweet, and just oh so sorrowful in certain moments. I cried much more than I expected. Emotions running high and you just don’t know what to do with yourself. As previously mentioned, there is so much to love about this book. It makes you see Crimson Cranes in a new light and then your heart just wrenches again because you know now. I have read everything from Lim and while I love all that she has written, I would say this one has been one of her best if not THE best. Join the club and make yourself known to the Lor’yann world. You won’t regret it.

I have read both Six Crimson Cranes and The Dragon's Promise and I knew that Elizabeth Lim's amazing writing would take me on a journey into the same world with Dragons, Demons and Fight Scenes which I did not expect at all. I knew though at some point Elizabeth would tug at my heart strings but I did not expect it to start during the first Chapters of the story and I knew then that this would a special book. I was right and if you were expecting romance it is fleeting but for me it was about Sisterly Love and how powerful it can be.

I finished the book on the 10th August and had to take myself to bed a bit emotional and woke up with a massive book hangover and it is only now the day before my stop on the blog tour that I can actually put into words how much I loved this book.

For all the above reasons Her Radiant Curse scores 5 big fat stars

I enjoyed this book, however not reading the duology to this book I feel that I didn’t get the full experience out of because I wasn’t invested in the character that was in the duology. With all that being said, it was an enjoyable book regarding of not having read the other books. The story is very heartfelt and emotional. I appreciated the relationship between the sisters and how Channing was so dedicated to Vanna. The father in this book makes you so upset with how poorly he treats Channi. I would recommend this books, however I think it’s best to read the duology then Her Radiant Curse.

Thank you to Random House Children's, Knopf Books for Young Readers and NetGalley for an electronic ARC of this novel.

Her Radiant Curse by Elizabeth Lim is a well-written tale of 2 sisters, one cursed with a serpent's face by a demon witch when she is sacrificed to save her sister. Surviving only through the poisoned bite of the King Serpent, Channi grows up hiding her face in contrast to her beautiful sister Vanna, who literally has a heart light and has suitors visiting from all over the world.

When Vanna turns 17, there is a ceremony to pick her hand in marriage, and Channi is caught up in the lies from her father. She fights to rejoin her sister and to try to break the curse that the demon witch has put upon her.

I enjoyed this book and now want to read more, it sounds like it's part of a series so I'm looking forward to discovering more from this world.

I always have this habit of thinking the ecopy of this book is enough and every time it is an Elizabeth Lim title I end up buying a physical one anyway. They are just that good! It’s cozy, but there is still plenty of action and I think that is a hard medium to find. Its beautiful sisterly love made me ugly cry at the end. All in all an amazing prequel to our Duology. However, those who have not read the other books need not fret as this one stands on its own!

Her Radiant Curse is a prequel to The Six Crimson Cranes, is the ¨villain origin story¨ of the stepmother.

Channi had it all, loving parents and soon a sister, but everything is about to change, her mother has a difficult birth and to save her life, her father will sacrifice one of her daughters to the demon witch. She should be Vanna, but she's such a beautiful baby, she literally radiates light that her dad would rather sacrifice Channi. She is abandoned in the jungle, but instead of being eaten, both sisters were cursed; Channi will spend the next 17 years protecting her sister and trying to break the curse.

While Vanna is grace in person, Channi is the opposite, her face now has a scar similar to the scales of snakes which makes her father and the town despise her, they call her a monster, everyone except Vanna. Vanna is lovely, a little naive thanks to her beauty, radiance, and sister protection, meanwhile, Channi is more pessimistic and complex

Channi has many reasons to hate her sister, instead, they have a strong bond, they are different, but both want to protect the other, Channi seeking and killing the demon, Vanna marrying the highest bidder to get her sister out of town and both start a new life together and happy.

I love romance, but I adore that this story is focused on sister love and friendship, also is a little about accepting us as we are, Channi struggles with her appearance, she is smart and brave but what everyone sees is the mark on her face. I wanted more scenes with Channi and Vanna together, mostly Channi in the jungle hunting for the witch with Ukar her sassy and loyal snake companion, and Hokzuh a dragon who deserved better 🥺

This was a character-driven and emotional story, from the duology we already know how it ends, but that does not mean that it will keep you captive and you will empathize with the sisters. Love the setting, the world-building was magical, woven with folklore We have snake besties, sisterly love, dragons, witches, demons, princes, magic, curses, and prophecies. There's a lot of action too, we travel to different settings, all wonderful and we have a lot of fight scenes, it's a fantastic prequel (maybe can be read as a standalone) if you already read The Six Crimson Cranes you will love this one.

Read it if you want:
• A fairytale style story
• Asian folklore inspiration
• Sisterly bond and least romance
• Animal sidekick