Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
# Pages: 480
Publication Date: 06.03.25

“When I heard his heart, beating wildly against mine, I held him close, desperately worried that if I let go, he might disappear from the fabric of the universe forever.”

🐲 YA Romantic Fantasy
🐲 Beauty & The Beast Inspired
🐲 Fairytale Vibes
🐲 Fake Dating
🐲 Art Heists
🐲 Court Intrigue
🐲 Marriage Contract
🐲 Family Love
🐲 Dragons

Book Description:
A breathtaking romantic fantasy inspired by Beauty and the Beast about a girl who paints the future and a cursed dragon lord, bound by love and deception in a plot to bring down the gods.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.

“A Forgery Of Fate” by Elizabeth Lim was rich and immersive. Per the usual, the world building was vivid, descriptive, whimsical and lush. Her writing is always consistent and this didn’t fail. Beautiful blends of reimagining of Beauty and the Beast, Chinese folklore, the underwater world and mythical creatures. Who doesn’t love dragons??

I loved the character development. They were easy to love and easy to feel for them. The FMC, Tru Saigas, showed growth, bravery, love for her family, and more.

Overall, i think this was a very well put together story that flowed. I loved how enchanting and captivating it was. The twists and turns were perfect. I highly recommend this book.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Children's | Knopf Books for Young Readers for this ARC copy.

STUNNING

with a unique take on the classic, beauty and the beast lore set in an underwater world with surprising and unique creatures, beautifully developed characters, gripping twists and the moist breathtaking heartfelt ending

I've been a fan of Elizabeth Lim for some time now but this novel has absolutely put her in my auto read list. Will absolutely be recommending this title.

I had forgotten how much I love Elizabeth Lim's worlds. I have been in a mood for Asian inspired fantasies and I keep falling in love with covers and blurbs, but then, when starting to read, not finding a spark.

This book had that spark. I was hooked immediately and finished so quickly, reading in all my spare moments.

I loved the world building, the characters and all the descriptions. Tru was an artist and the author captured her paintings with her words.

Highly recommended.

This book made me go through so many emotions. This is one of the best books I've read in quite a while. I loved every moment of it and hated when I had to put it down. The world that was built is so captivating, the characters were all spectacular in their own rights. From beginning to end, I had the best time reading this book.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House for allowed me to read this early!

Yes yes yes a thousand times yes I can not explain how much I love this retelling of beauty and the beast.

I was glued to the book and could not put it down I love the characters and how it’s written I love the detail the author puts into her books and how much it draws me into the story.

I have already recommended this book to several people I know and I will keep recommending it because honestly this book needs awards for how good it is .

Thank you Netgalley Random House Children's | Knopf Books for Young Readers for the arc

‘A Forgery of Fate’ is a mesmerizing new fantasy tale filled with magic, intrigue, and romance like no other blending ‘Beauty and the Beast’ with high-stakes workd building.

We have Tru, a compelling heroine, torn between duty, survival, and the allure of a cursed dragon lord. You’ll follow along an epic adventure of love and hurt, but most of all an amazing world sure to set your heart ablaze. The slow-burn romance and tension-filled plot kept me turnibg rhe pages turning. A constant giggle with every interaction between the two love interests.

This book was filled with breathtaking prose and setting. I easily fell in love with this book.

wish I loved this book as much as I loved the last 10% but it was still a solid read. I liked the writing but it felt kinda overwhelming at times, I feel like I would’ve been way more invested if there was more romance throughout the story bc they had soooo much potential 😭 all things considered, it was totally worth the read (especially since it’s a standalone) and it made me want to check out the author’s other books

thanks netgalley & random house for the arc! 💙

This is my third Elizabeth Lim novel, and it was just as enjoyable as the other two. The worldbuilding, characters, and story were all fairly well done and fun to read. This is definitely the standalone we needed from this author, and I can't wait to own this, cause it's so pretty. My only complaint is that this felt a little too similar to the other works that I've read from her, which were the Spin the Dawn duology. The character's personalities, siblings, general storyline, and love interest felt nearly identical, but it's been a few years so maybe my memory is faulty. Overall, entertaining and a quick read.

THIS BOOK WAS AMAZING, THE CHARACTERS WRRE FLESHED OUT, THE PLOT WAS SO GOOD , AND THE TIE-INS FROM THE OTHER LEGENDS OF LORYAN BOOKS WERE SO CUTE , I WAS SCREAMING AT THE PLOT TWISTS ,THEY WERE SO UNEXPECTED. I NEED A SERYU BOOK NOW PLS WRITE ONE. Content was a few kisses. Age I would say 11 to 12 year olds.Overall I give the book 5 stars.

*thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

Absolutely stunning!Elizabeth Lim has done it again—A Forgery of Fate is an absolutely breathtaking story that weaves magic, fate, and emotion into something truly unforgettable. From the first page, I was completely lost in this world, feeling every hope, every heartbreak, and every triumph alongside the characters.

The storytelling is rich and immersive, with stakes that feel so real. The characters are beautifully complex, their struggles deeply moving, and their journey one that lingers in your heart long after you turn the last page. There are twists that took my breath away, moments of quiet heartbreak, and scenes so powerful they made my chest ache.

This book is more than just a fantasy—it’s about resilience, love, and the choices that define us. If you want a page-turner that will leave you utterly wrecked (in the best way), A Forgery of Fate is a must-read.

Any type of beauty and the beast retelling and I’m happy. Elizabeth Lim did remarkable on her world building and merging folklore in to the mix. I plan on finding more books from this author asap.

4.5

I swear Elizabeth Lim must weave magic into every single word she writes because her work is always just so incredibly enchanting.

Tru is an art forager who paints the future just trying to scrape by and take care of her family. By a twist of fate she is pulled into a marriage of convenience to the brooding half dragon prince who wants to use her talent to try and break the curse set upon him by the Dragon King.

As someone who loves the Six of Cranes duology I was so excited to see some familiar characters! Especially Elang, since I was so curious about him before. (you absolutely do not need to read the other books to read this one) His character ended up being so incredibly complex and my heart ACHED for him and his tragic back story.

Tru was an outstanding FMC. I thought she was stong, determined, and so easy to love. You couldn't help but want to root for her. The writing was fast paced and easy to follow. Lim knows how to world build in a way that it paints a vivid picture in your mind. The plot twists were executed brilliantly and had me on the edge of my seat and the magic system was so unique and whimsical! (bc what do you mean he enchanted pockets onto her dresses. POCKETS. I love him your honor) Now, don't get me started on that ending. It felt like it jumped straight out of a Cdrama and had me smiling while tears streamed down my face as emotional background music appeared out of nowhere.

Thank you to Knopf books for young readers/Random house & netgalley for the ARC

YAYY I FINISHED THE BOOK!!! IT IS JUST GOOD AS IT IS. BUT WAIT, IS THIS STANDALONE?????????? NO WAY I WANTED TO SEE ANOTHER CHARMING DRAGON PLEASE😭

Its fast-paced, light reading, and the most important is the trope **chef's kiss** MARRIAGE CONTRACT!!!!!! For people who love Seryu, then you should try this one too! I AM BEGGING YOU! AND I hope there is another book coming because SERYU is finally **hiding the spoiler,** hihi.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Children's for this arc!

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this book. This is an beautiful retelling of Beauty and Beast with East Asian influences and dragons. I love the main character who is brave and strong. I also love how all of Elizabeth Lim's novels connect to each other in fun ways. If you enjoy fairytale retellings and epic storytelling, then you will enjoy this book.

I liked this book. I think the world building was good and I enjoyed the characters. I found myself struggling to get into the book in the beginning but I really liked it once it got started and the plot started the move

I was a huge fan of Six Crimson Cranes so when I saw this was available I didn't even read the summary. I simply hit request. I am so glad I did! I love a beauty and the beast retelling. I loved the twist of the mmc being half dragon.

Dragons, démons and half dragons! I love Elizabeth Lim she’s and automatic read/ buy for me and this didn’t disappoint. We got to see some old faces and some fun new faces. I remember liking Elang during his appearance ( seryu remains my favorite of Lim’s dragons) but this was a fun story. It was a unique retelling of beauty and the beast. I liked that Tru so not a complete badass and actually needed help and had this she could and could not do. She was very relatable and I liked her relationship with Gaari and Elang. Overall it’s a classic beauty and the beast story with a fun world and interesting take on the OG characters

Okay, that was so good. I loved the story, I loved the characters, and I even enjoyed the romance, which is surprising for me. I did want the setting to be a little more flushed out, but that's a rather tiny problem. I forgot just how good Elizabeth Lim's books and writing style were before I picked this book up, but I enjoyed it so much.

If you like retellings, loveable characters, a whimsical story, and slow-burn romances, this book is for you!

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Children's for this arc!

Thank you Random House and Netgalley for letting me read A Forgery of Fate by Elizabeth Lim! This author continues to blow me away with her stories, the imagery and sense of immersion in her books really is masterful, I recommend her to literally everyone, and this book in particular if you’re a reader who wants a standalone fantasy.

this might not be my fav Elizabeth Lim’s book, but Truyan is now my fav MC from the Legends of Lor’yan universe.

Truyan is an art forger, an eldest sibling, loves soup noodles, and that alone speaks deeply to me lol. she’s also determined, selfless, responsible, basically the exact opposite of Shiori’s personality (this isn’t a slander to Shiori, I love her too). then there’s Elang, an aloof and mysterious half-dragon who offered an arrangement that would benefit both of them if the goal is fulfilled.

this book was just as magical as the rest of Lor’yan books, this time it’s mostly from Ai’long’s perspective. i enjoyed the story, especially Truyan and Elang’s dynamics. the plot twists were layered, there’s some betrayals, but the food galore and light humor and sarcasm balanced the tension. there’s also a cameo of my second-favorite character of the Lor’yan books🥰

unfortunately for me the final action scene felt confusing and the ending felt like missing something. still had a great time reading this! since this is also Lim’s first standalone book that is completely separated from other Lor’yan books story-wise, i think she did well.