I've enjoyed previous books by Lim and was looking forward to her latest release, it did not disappoint.

One sister must fall for the other to rise, this is the curse of Channi and her sister Vanna. After Channi is sacrificed by her father to the Demon Witch, she becomes cursed with a serpents face, while her sister is blessed with inner light. Vannas inner light comes with its own curse, the Demon Witch intends to kill Vanna for her inner light on her seventeenth birthday. Channi is determined to ensure this does not happen and trains every day in preparation for when she must fight the Demon Witch, Angma.

Channi is a strong character who not only has been cursed with a serpents face and poisonous blood, as a result Channi faces a lot of ostracization from her town and parents. Channi has made friends with the snakes in the town and Ukar is one particular snake who looks out for her and often advises Channi on her training in defeating Angma. I enjoyed seeing Channis journey as she works to save her sister. Channi goes through a lot of trials and tribulations along the way. I also liked seeing Channi learn more about the inner light that inhabits her sister Vanna and the truth behind her lightness.

If you've read previous books by Lim, you will see some tie-ins from her previous books, particularly the Six Crimson Cranes series. That was fun to see the connections.

This was a quick, fast paced read with action, betrayal, curses, and one particular dragon.

"She didn't love me until the end. She loved you from the beginning."

This book was everything I could have ever asked for. My heart was ripped out repeatedly throughout the story. I knew it was going to be heartbreaking just based on my feelings of Channari in the rest of the series and hearing the snippets of her past.

The prologue has me absolutely sobbing because she never deserved that kind of cruelty. I am so glad she at least had one person who loved her unconditionally where her father was cruel.

This was so well done. The storytelling is always so vivid and beautiful, I just love how it perfectly connects with Six Crimson Cranes and The Dragon's Promise. We finally get the answers we were looking for in those books and I feel like even though my heart has been pummeled through her losses, it is also full knowing what we have been missing from the other two books.

Elizabeth Lim exceeds her expectation of being my favorite author and her stories continue to warm my heart and feed me with so many emotions.

Having been a long time fan of EL’s Lor’yan verse (SCC and STD duologies) I was terribly excited when she announced she would be writing a prequel about Raikama. It was such a blast to read and pick out little tidbits (easter eggs!) that made into into the other books.

Having read the novels that take place after this one I knew that Channi’s tale was full of betrayal and loss. Nevertheless I enjoyed this deeper look into her character and the strong bond between the sisters. It was very easy to identify with Channi as a protagonist . Who growing up hasn’t felt like they didn’t belong among their peers, that they were set apart for being different, through no fault of their own? But what I enjoyed most was the fierce love the sisters had for each other, and the lengths they both went to in order to protrct each other.

As always EL’s writing style and world building will draw you in, even to the point of surprising you with new details of a story you thought you were already familiar with. For the first time I actually highlighted a quote in one of my books (gasp!).

“Find the light that makes your lantern shine,” I say softly. “Hold on to it, even when the dark surrounds you. Not even the strongest wind will blow out the flame.”

I think this quote perfectly sums up the book. Channi and Vanna were each other’s light, and it was that light that gave Channi back her smile and a family to love.

“Her Radiant Curse” tells the story of two sisters: Vanna, who is beautiful, and Channi, who had been cursed with the face of a snake. After Vanna’s life is threatened by the very same witch who cursed Channi, Channi must fight to save her sister.

This story was wonderful. With vivid storytelling and mythology, and beautiful writing, I was SO impressed by this. The narrative was very face-paced, and I rarely found myself bored. I loved how unique the premise was, and I felt like overall it was just a very fresh take.

I really really loved Channi. It’s hard to put into words, but she was just so refreshing. I loved her determination and fierce loyalty towards those that she loved. The only thing was that she didn’t go through much character growth, because she started out a badass and ended as one too.

I took a star off because of some personal preferences. I found that I wasn’t very emotional attached to this book. Without spoiling anything, the climax and ending did NOT hit hard for me at all, and I found myself not really caring what happened to some of the characters. Which is saying something, because I cry at EVERYTHING. Also, Hoksuk’s ending was… interesting to say the least. I won’t spoil it, but I was not a fan.

All in all, I think this was a very enjoyable book! I’m a sucker for Asian fantasy and mythological stories, and this did not disappoint. Definitely pick this one up when it comes out!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Knopf Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.

Thank you Netgalley, Elizabeth Lim, and Hodder & Stoughton for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

“A promise is not a kiss in the wind Channi, it is a piece of yourself that is given away and will not return until your pledge is fulfilled.”

"Her Radiant Curse" by Elizabeth Lim is, a spin off to the "Six Crimson Cranes" focusing on Shiori's stepmother Channi and her sister Vanni before "Six Crimson Cranes."

I would give "Her Radiant Curse" by Elizabeth Lim a 4-star review because, I loved learning more about Channi, I love the idea of two sisters one blessed and the other cursed, Lim wrote this novel wonderfully, and I liked how it stayed true from Six Crimson Cranes.

Her Radiant Curse was a great meditation on beauty, love, worthiness, and inner strength. For that, this is the kind of story meant for someone struggling with their own self-worth, and doing everything in their power to take what the world has given them, and create something new from that. With that being said, I very much enjoyed the beginning of Her Radiant Curse, and the end. However, the middle for me seemed a little muddled and confused, with a plot that became meandering, and even boring at times. And even with me saying I enjoyed the ending, there was some haziness there too that couldn't necessarily be ignored. I want to reiterate that this wasn't a bad story by any means, and that my three stars isn't meant as a condemnation. Elizabeth Lim can most definitely craft a world, I only wish some of her characters didn't get a little washed out in the process.

I couldn’t put this book down, it was so good! For starters, the characters are so layered. They have so much depth and life, it made reading this book easy. Her Radiant Curse is written beautifully with really great themes and imagery, I didn’t have any problems envisioning any of the characters or story. Channi might also be one of my favorite characters that I’ve read so far this year as well!

I enjoyed #SixCrimson Cranes, so I was looking forward to reading #HerRadiantCurse by #ElizabethLim. It follows the story of Channi who is cursed with a snake face as a child in exchange for the life of her radiant babysister. Shunned by her father and step-mother, Channi spends her time in the forest, speaking with snakes, training, and waiting for the day to avenge her curse and keep her sister safe. Years later, the time of the curse is at hand, Vanna is to be married off, and Channi must protect her from the Demon Witch.

The story is full of action and multiple varied detailed locations. There are battle scenes, dragons, magic, and demons. There is even a small light romance. Fantasy readers will enjoy the storyline and many other fantasy elements. However, the story seemed a little oddly paced at times with chapters passing in the matter of days and other chapters passing in the matter of years. Some characters appear for the whole book and disappear quickly (which is the point, but still a bit uneven). That being said, teen readers will enjoy the fast-paced nature, and I will be purchasing it for our library.

Many thanks to the publishers and Net Galley for this ARC!

Elizabeth Lim takes us back to before Six Crimson Cranes to delve into the life of Channi and Vanna. It’s a beautiful blend of folklore and hardships. A Beauty and the Beast vibe among the sisters.
It is a lovely and vivid read. The descriptions are painted perfectly for your imagination.

Thank you Netgalley for an arc of Her Radiant Curse by Elizabeth Lim

This was such a good book! The characters were full of life and so interesting. I love when stories keep moving and I get sucked more and more into the characters journey and this book really did that. I will be recommending this book to all of my friends and family.

I absolutely loved this book! This beautiful fairytale story is rich with culture and stunning imagery and Channi is a strong heroine that's easy to root for. Definitely recommended for high school libraries.