Beauty and the Beast has always been my go-to Disney story, so you can bet I was over the moon when I found out this was a reimagining. My expectations were sky-high—and this book totally lived up to the hype! A Forgery of Fate” plunges you deep under the sea, right into the heart of a decaying palace where Truyan ends up roped into a marriage pact with Elang—a dragon lord hiding a shattering secret. I really got a kick out of how this book builds on the world we’ve already delved into through Elizabeth Lim’s earlier series, layering in even more fascinating spots to check out. If I had a knack for drawing, I’d totally be down to whip up a map that pins down every single place we’ve come across—not just in this one, but across all the stories that came before.

It’s easy to pick up on the Beauty and the Beast vibes early in the story, with some familiar plot beats, but the book quickly steps out of that shadow and finds its own voice. Tru is a gifted forger and painter, doing what she can to keep her family afloat. But her art is what draws Elang in, leading her straight into a deadly mess. From the first to the last page, Tru goes through the wringer and comes out the other side a changed person. Her arc feels earned, layered, and does her justice as a protagonist. The marriage contract between Tru and Elang is born out of necessity—a last-ditch effort to turn things around for her family and get to the bottom of her father’s disappearance. She’s clearly at odds with him in the beginning. But as the plot peels back its layers, and secrets bubble to the surface, her perspective starts to take a turn. Their romance unfolds with so much heart, and by the end, you’ll be choked up for sure.

Elizabeth Lim is a master at mixing cultures—she knows her Western legends inside out, but what makes her books stand out from the crowd is how she seamlessly folds in Eastern mythology. Her fantasy worlds are more than magical—they’re layered, alive, and packed with dragons, destiny, and daring twists on familiar tales. The pacing in this book is absolutely spot-on—it pulls you in, gives you time to settle into the setting, and then ramps things up with a burst of action. There’s never a dull moment, and the larger plotline always keeps things moving. I honestly thought the middle part packed the biggest punch—it’s where the heart of the story comes to light, and where Truyan and Elang’s goals start to take shape. Her writing has this lyrical, almost dreamlike vibe, but it never weighs you down. It’s lush yet light on its feet, and she knows just when to pull at your heartstrings—whether it’s to make you swoon, sob, or shout. Her world-building hits the sweet spot—detailed but never over the top.

With A Forgery of Fate, Elizabeth Lim delivers the goods once more—a gorgeously crafted journey that takes you across mythical worlds and shows how far someone will go for the ones they love. It’s a story that sticks with you, and I’m counting the minutes until I can add the physical book to my collection.
Thanks to Random House Children’s and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

The Queen of Slow Burns has returned! A Forgery of Fate is Elizabeth Lim’s most gorgeous book to date. Loosely based off of Beauty and The Beast, it combines aspects of the beloved tale with the whimsy and beauty of the world we’ve come to know and love in her books. I loved this so much I’m considering opening my e-arc back up and starting over again.

Truyan Saigas is an art forger, continuing to nurture her love for painting in order to feed her family after her father’s disappearance five years ago. But when her mother and sisters are in danger, and she trips into a mysterious prince’s garden, trampling his roses- she finds herself making a dangerous deal in order to save her family.

Elang is a banished half dragon prince, whose pearl, his heart, is missing. In order to reclaim his heart and break his curse, he must defeat the dragon king Nazayun. He recruits Truyan, as she is the Painter that’s been foretold, and they enter a false marriage. But Elang is hiding more from his wife than he lets on, and Truyan can’t help but find herself drawn to him.

As time begins to run out, can they defeat Nazayun and save each other?

Thank you to Random House and Netgalley for the e-arc! A Forgery of Fate is one of my most anticipated releases this year and it did not disappoint- look for it on shelves on June 3rd!

Review will be up on socials next week- will edit review on here when posted!

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for the ARC!

This was my first Elizabeth Lim book and it won't be my last. This book felt like a fairytale. Inspired by Beauty and the Beast, this book felt like if Studio Ghibli and Disney came together. The reason this wasn't rated higher for me was the ending. It felt rushed and left me with some questions I would have loved answers to. However, I can't get over how beautiful the writing is and how descriptive the world was. This was beautiful and I can foresee many people loving this story.

Title: A Forgery of Fate
Author: Elizabeth Lim         
Genre: YA, fantasy  
Rating: 5 out of 5

Truyan Saigas didn't choose to become a con artist, but after her father is lost at sea, it’s up to her to support her mother and two younger sisters. A gifted art forger, Tru has the unique ability to paint the future, but even such magic is not enough to put her family back together again, or stave off the gangsters demanding payment in blood for her mother’s gambling debts.

Left with few options, Tru agrees to a marriage contract with a mysterious dragon lord. He offers a fresh start for her mother and sisters and elusive answers about her father's disappearance, but in exchange, she must join him in his desolate undersea palace. And she must assist him in a plot to infiltrate the tyrannical Dragon King's inner circle, painting a future so treasonous, it could upend both the mortal and immortal realms. . . .

This was such a good read! I liked Tru from the beginning, and loved getting to know her. Her sisters were great, too, but I didn’t really like her mother. The world was unique and I enjoyed getting to explore it through Tru’s eyes. (I did have a few quibbles with how easy living and breathing underwater was handles, but I can let that go. The turtles and other undersea characters were fun, and I’d love to read more set in this world.

Elizabeth Lim lives in New York City. A Forgery of Fate is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Random House Children’s in exchange for an honest review.)

(Blog link live 6/6).

Truyan is an art forger. She didn’t plan to live a deceitful life, but after her father is lost at sea, she must help support her mother and sisters. Unfortunately, her mother has accrued large gambling debts and Truan is pressed into repayment. She tries to raise the money by herself, but it is not enough. A new option is presented. She can marry a dragon lord who will pay off her mother’s debts, spend time in his undersea home, and help him work against the Dragon King. Will Tru learn what happened to her father? Will she survive the conspiracies that are rampant in the undersea world?

A Forgery of Fate is a stand-alone fairy-tale retelling of Beauty and the Beast. This fantasy world has an Asian feel with dragons, sorcery, and romance. Lim’s reimaging was so seamless I enjoyed this story without wanting to compare it to the original. Although this is a longer book, since it is a stand-alone story, we don’t have to wait to discover how everything ends. This is a great read for all fairy-tale retelling fans.

E-arc provided by Netgalley

I loved this, Elizabeth Lim knows how to write a fantasy and this story was just what I needed. I don't necessarily think this is a beauty and the beast retelling even loosely but overall this was really great

I think Elizabeth Lim might be my favorite YA fantasy author. I love the details, the characters, the plot twists. Teensy-tiny note on this one: I think the ending needed about 3 more pages. Otherwise, excellent fiction.

5/5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A mesmerizing Standalone Full of Magic and Romance!

A Forgery of Fate is an utterly enchanting tale that swept me away from the very first page. Set in a lush world of sea dragons, underwater kingdoms, and ancient magic, this standalone fantasy is filled with heart, high stakes, and a slow-burn romance that left me breathless.

Truyan Saigas, or Tru, is a heroine you can’t help but root for. Clever, loyal, and full of quiet strength, she paints forgeries to support her family but her art holds a deeper power. She can paint glimpses of fate itself, and that rare talent draws her into a reluctant marriage with the brooding Demon Prince Elang. He’s not a true demon, but a half-human, half-dragon with secrets of his own and watching their connection unfold, layer by aching layer, was one of my favorite parts of the book!! 📖

Lim’s writing is as magical, weaving in beautiful themes of family, sacrifice, and destiny. The undersea world is richly imagined and full of unforgettable characters, including talking sea turtles!🐢

If you’re a fan of emotional fantasy with rich world building, unforgettable characters, and a romance that sneaks up on you in the best way,
A Forgery of Fate belongs at the top of your TBR. I can’t wait to add the hardcover to my shelf!!
It’s just as gorgeous as the story inside.

Thank you to Knopf books for giving me this book in exchange for an honest review!

Content Warning: gambling debt, violence

+ I always expect this author to write a beautiful story and she never disappoints. Here we are again in a world of water dragons and it’s as magical as ever. There is even a cameo from someone in the Six Crimson Cranes duology so I think it’s safe to say this is the same world. A lot of this story takes place in the undersea which is so unique.

+ Truyan, or Tru, paints forgeries to help her family survive. But she also has the ability to paint prophecies and it’s this talent that gets her into a marriage of convenience with the Demon Prince who is actually not a demon but half human and half dragon. I love Tru, she’s quick thinking, loves her family, a bit sassy but filled with hope and strength.

+ The romance is a slow burn. Elang, is closed off, a grump, but he’s keeping some secrets and by the end their love story is an epic one. I loved them together and was rooting for them.

+ The story had a lot of action and the sea creatures like the turtles, were amazing characters. I even loved Shani who is the most infuriating, mischievous demon but definitely matches sass with Tru. I thought their reluctant friendship was so heartwarming (after from betrayal and secrets). I loved that Tru was a good person and didn’t give up on Shani, even after everything.

~ I felt the romance was too slow building – it was amazing by the end of the book but maybe a hint of Elang’s feelings earlier would have been nice because this is a standalone.

~ I love the world-building but maybe wanted a tad bit more in the undersea just to get a full grasp of the world.

Final Thoughts:

Elizabeth Lim’s novels are magical! I love the writing, the characters, the magic, the theme of family, and the slow building romance with it’s yearning at the end did crazy things to my heart. This is another wonderful book from this author and I look forward to everything else she writes next.

I loved this one!! I absolutely adored the six crimson cranes duology & it was so fun to continue exploring that world along with a few characters we had met on Shiori’s journey!

Elizabeth Lim’s writing is so beautiful & never fails to hook me!

I had such a great time with Tru & Elang. They were both such strong characters that managed to be sweet & funny & grumpy & brave & so many other things!! The beauty & the beast x little mermaid vibes were amazing & the world was so whimsical & magical.

I wish we would have gotten a little more of the romance bc what we did get was so good & I couldn’t get enough! I also would’ve liked the beginning to move just a bit quicker but overall such a great time!

I definitely recommend reading six crimson cranes & the dragon’s promise first for more background on the world, Elang, & Nazayun but it could also stand on its own just fine.

Thank you to Penguin Random House (Knopf Books for Young Readers) & Netgalley for sending me an early copy!

Mixing Asian folklore and bring inspiration of Beauty and the Beast Elizabeth Lim bring you a fun and beautiful story that you won’t want to put down.
Truyan, Tru, is a Forger. She recreates paintings and sellers them as the originals of well known artists. She has to turn to this when her father went missing at sea. When a sale goes wrong and she Mets Elang she makes a deal to save the rest of her family.
What I loved about this world is that not only is our prince a dragon! But instead of them being in the air or something like that, it’s out to sea in the water. Which is something different especially in “dragon books”. Not only do we have dragons but other creatures as well from mermaids to demons. The world building was fantastic, which I expect nothing less from Elizabeth Lim. The pacing was amazing. I wanted to continue on and never wanted to stop reading. In the end, I finished it in one sitting.
This is a book you won’t want to miss.!
Thank you Random House Children's Knopf Books for Young Readers for the complementary copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A creative, unique, imaginative story. The writing is lyrical and clever, I LOVED the yearning!! Read this if you love slow burns and beauty and the beast.

i liked a romantasy!! who am i??? this is like if ACOTAR and FOURTH WING blended into an ACTUALLY GOOD BOOK?? and dang do i want noodles right now.

thank you to netgalley for the e-arc

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Childrens for this e-ARC! This was my first book by Elizabeth Lim, and it will not be the last. A Forgery of fate exceeded my expectations. The world building was excellent, with great pacing and a good story outline. I also loved the characters. Tru, the FMC, is determined, strong and tenacious to her core. Elang, our MMC, is deliciously broody, with a clear, warm heart. You could see Beauty and the Beast in their romance, which I enjoyed.


Overall, I greatly enjoyed this book and can’t wait to check out more of her books! I’d recommend to any fan of YA and fantasy.

First, I’d like to say thank you to Knopf Books and NetGalley and of course Elizabeth Lim for the eARC of this book!



A Forgery of Fate by Elizabeth Lim – Pub Date 06/03/2025



“…you are only here because by some forgery of fate, you seem to be capable of the impossible”.

Personally I really love when the book title sneaks its way into the story and this was also one of my favorite lines from the book as well. In A Forgery of Fate we meet Truyan Saigas, her baba taught her and her sisters a game called Magic Paintbrush when they were younger. But Tru has a secret she hasn’t told anyone before… its more than a game.

Tru is an art forger, she does this to help her family survive and she’s not bad at it either. All of her paintings always sell, and sometimes for more than she would have expected. Unfortunately, even her best selling painting isn’t worth enough when her mother’s debt comes for them.

This is how she finds herself suddenly married off to a stranger, setting forth to fulfil the contract she signed with him to keep her family safe. Tru will have to paint her biggest and most complex piece yet.

A Forgery of Fate brings us a magical tale of family, honor, love and loss. This is my third book to read by Elizabeth Lim and it’s another amazing 5 star read for me. I love the way her writing wraps me up in the story and makes me feel like I’m there with the characters. I also really enjoyed that this story is a standalone but touches on a place and a few characters that we have seen before in the Six Crimson Cranes duology. I’m really happy with this book and I’ll be buying a UK Hardcover copy for my shelf (no hate to the US cover but the UK one is stunning!).

I received this book as an eARC, thank you to NetGalley and Random House Childrens | Knopf Books for Young Readers for sending this to me. This book specifically was one of my most anticipated releases of 2025 and I am still giggling and wriggling my feet because I loved it so much.

A Forgery of Fate is a beauty and the beast retelling, mixed with asian mythology and folkore. We follow Truyan Saigas, a talented art forger as she forges art to support her family, after her father was lost at sea. Her secret? She can paint the future. She then meets Elang, a cursed dragon prince, who offers her and her family protection from her mothers gambling debts. The caveat, they have to marry and pretend to be in love and travel to the underwater realm of dragons in order to help each other.

I love how seamlessly Lim blends a variety of asian folktales with western fairytales. I can smell the market and dive into a fantastical world, full of dragons, water demons, mermaids and heroic turtles. Her stories are always lyrical and full of whimsy. I loved the slow burn romance budding between the two characters, despite it being a marriage of convenience. There are many little details that made my giddy. He protects her, makes an effort with her family and even creates pockets in her dress!!

I enjoyed the references and easter eggs that could be found if you read all her other books, but I didn’t feel like you would miss important details if you hadn’t read those books yet. This book is a standalone in her interconnected world.

This book is perfect for any reader who loves whimsical stories and wants a new spin on fairytale retellings.

Dare I say this is my favorite Elizabeth Lim book yet.

Truyan Saigas is an art forger. Five years after her father goes missing in a mysterious boat wreck Tru is doing everything she can to keep her mother and two sisters afloat. On top of that, Tru has a rare gift. She can paint the future. But when things go sideways and the gangsters that are after Tru’s mother for her gambling debts start demanding blood, Tru strikes a deal with a mayerious dragon lord. Filled with whimsy, mermaids, dragons and art this unique beauty and the beast retelling will sweep you off your feet.

This was everything I love in a fantasy and more. Right from the first page I was hooked and couldn’t stop reading. The pacing, the characters, the setting, the plot, everything was perfect.

I love the unique twist this story was on Beauty and the Beast. It was refreshing and engaging. Tru and Elang were such great characters by themselves and together. I adored how brave and resilient Tru was and appreciated how connected to art and her family she was. And I don’t know how someone couldn’t love Elang. The enemies to lovers trope in this story was well paced and written. Nothing felt too rushed or insta lovey. I especially loved the little plot twists the story threw at us along the way.

One of my favorite things about this book was the relationship between Tru and her sisters. It was so wholesome and filled with a realistic sibling love. It was a nice contrast to some of the familial differences between Elang and his dragon family. Speaking of which, I loved getting to explore more of Ai’Long in this book and really, really loved seeing the nods to the Six Crimson Cranes duology. It was so fun and it made me want to re-read the duology. Elizabeth Lim just has such fun books filled with such whimsy and lyrical, easy writing.

Overall, I fell in love with this book and could go on and on about it. I enjoyed every second I was reading this book from the relationships to the setting. I would highly recommend it if you're already a fan of Six Crimson Cranes or a Studio Ghibli fan.

Thank you so much to Random House Children’s and NetGalley for an arc in exchange for a honest review.

*Happy sigh*

I knew I was going to love this because I love all of Lim’s books. However, this one was particularly special. This is a delicious slow burn fantasy. I love Tru’s persistence, her talent, and how absolutely funny she is. I have a feeling we would become fast friends in the real world. I liked Elang, prickly and standoffish, there was so much more to him than meets the eye.

The world building is spectacular. While this is a standalone, I would love to revisit this world as I’m not ready to let the characters go. What an absolutely perfect read.

Thank you so much to Random House Children's Books for allowing me access to an ARC through NetGalley.

For starters this book was perfection. I’m always a sucker for a fairytale retelling, but this book might be one of my favorites. Some retellings can start to feel old, but this book was so inventive and took such a unique and whimsical spin on Beauty and the Beast. Seamlessly blending Eastern mythology into the fairytale is part of why I enjoyed it so much. The story was paced beautifully and never felt that the story was too slow/fast. I managed to correctly guess the plot twist for once, but it made it more enjoyable for me. My only complaint is I wish the ending was a bit longer because I wanted even more cute moments between Tru and Elang. 🩷

I appreciated the crossover between the book and the Six Crimon Cranes duology, but if you haven’t read those two books, you can still totally read a Forgery of Fate.

Tru and Elang had the cutest romance and I was giggling and kicking my feet throughout the book.

Read if you love
- Fairyale retellings
- Grumpy x sunshine
- He fell first
- Arranged marriage
- Indifference to lovers
- Mermaids/dragons/magical turtle servants

Such a great story. I wasn’t sure what to expect but it had such a great plot which kept me interested in what was going to happen next with the ending to a great love story!

Truly a great read