Thank you to Knopf Books for Young Readers and Elizabeth Lim for the e-arc of this book! As a massive fan of the Six Crimson Cranes duology, I could not believe I was granted an opportunity to read this before publication day! It delivered everything I needed and more. It swept me off my feet into A’landi and the underwater kingdom of Ailong, with brilliant side characters and gorgeous descriptions. The whole book; the characters, the settings, the foods, felt tangible from the beginning. Breathtakingly romantic with such a strong journey, A Forgery of Fate is a must read!!!

4.75 🌟

A delightful new twist on a familiar tale, I loved this reimagined Beauty and the Beast. The fast paced story telling kept me interested and the updates to the story kept me guessing and wanting to find out what would happen next.

I had a good time with this one. When I heard that it was a beauty and the beast retelling I knew I had to give it a go and not to mention how gorgeous this cover is - another sell!

I enjoyed Tru as a main character and loved that she was equal parts brave, bold and caring. Elang seemed like a bit of a jerk at times but their interactions were fun and it kind of all comes together and eventually it makes sense why he acts the way her does. There was one trope in particular that I didn’t know to expect and I was so pleasantly surprised by it!

I think my favourite thing though was the uniqueness of the world building - at least to me. This was the first time that I read a book where an over half of it actually took place in the undersea. I enjoyed the way that is was described and the uniqueness of having a mix of mermaids, turtles, sea dragons, sharks and jellyfish.

Oh and the ending totally got me. Those last 4 chapters totally had me in tears, it was romantic, tragic and hopefully and couldn’t help the tears. I was grateful that it did wrap up still with a happily ever after and I liked how we got there. All and all a good plot overall and satisfying ending.

A Forgery of Fate is a romantic fantasy that beautifully blends elements of Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid within an East Asian-inspired world. Truyan Saigas is a gifted art forger with the unique ability to paint the future. To save her family and discover the truth behind her father's mysterious disappearance at sea, Tru enters a marriage contract with a mysterious dragon lord with a hidden agenda of his own.

I’ve always loved the magical realms Elizabeth Lim creates, and this book was no exception. My nostalgic heart delighted in the echoes of Beauty and the Beast, while the underwater dragon realm of Ai’long offered its own unique charm, sprinkled with small nods to The Little Mermaid. Tru and Elang’s journey captivated me from the start. The tension between them was undeniable, and I found myself fluttery with anticipation (and butterflies - if you know, you know). Just when I thought I had the twists figured out, the story would pull back another layer and surprise me all over again.

Though this novel works wonderfully as a standalone, I’m so glad I read the Six Crimson Cranes duology first. As soon as I saw this was part of the Legends of Lor’yan and a Beauty and the Beast retelling, I couldn’t help but hope: "Please be about Elang!" You don’t need prior knowledge to enjoy the story, but having a deeper connection to the world and its characters made the experience all the richer for me.

This is a beautiful journey of fantasy by Elizabeth Lim, and I cannot wait for more Legends of Lor'yan!

Thank you to Random House Children's and NetGalley for this ARC!

Rating: 4.25 stars

A beautiful retelling of Beauty and the Beast. I loved how the author preserved the essence of the original fairytale, but yet still made it her own. It was magical, whimsical, and adventurous, filled with high stakes and secrets. The world-building was deeply inspired by Chinese folklore. Very unique and captivating. The characters were well developed and relatable. I loved Truyon’s (aka Tru) strength, compassion, protectiveness, and loyalty. She was a very genuine character and I loved how perceptive she was in difficult situations. With regard to Elang, he was very mysterious and calculating. At first, he may come off kind of cold hearted, but as we slowly learned about his past, you realize he is not the demon people made him out to be. He may not be someone who openly expresses his emotions, but his actions show how much he cares and cherishes the people around him. However, my favorite character was probably Shani, the water demon. Morally ambiguous, sarcastic, and sassy as hell, but I loved her! As for the romance, it was a beautiful slow burn filled with stolen glances, near-touches, and yearning. I just wished we had more moments with them together. However, I loved the mystery surrounding their relationship, and the reveal at the end was definitely emotional.

Overall, I loved that this story is rooted in family (both immediate and chosen), friendship, and love. Definitely recommend!

Oh! One last thing, be prepared to be hungry when reading this story. My recommendation is prepare a bowl of noodles on the side just in case :).

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Children’s Books for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC. All opinions are my own.

When con artist and forger Tru finds herself unexpectedly engaged to a mysterious dragon lord, it'll take all her wits to survive. These were fun characters with a solid slow-burn romance, great worldbuilding, and a twisty plot that kept me guessing until the end.

I’m a HUGE fan of Elizabeth Lim and this book solidifies her as an auto-buy author for me.

The story of Tru and Elang was heartwarming and fun. I love their banter and relationship so much. I kept wanting to squeal throughout the book. A Forgery of Fate is definitely Lim’s most romance-forward story and I’m LOVING that.

Lim weaves a wonderful journey for her main female character in a beautiful setting of A’long. This time, with a marriage of convenience!!

Definitely recommend!!

Tropes: marriage of convenience, forced proximity, beauty and beast vibes, dragons, fated mates, Chinese fantasy

Book: 4.5
Spice: 1

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for the eARC! I always appreciate it!! My review is honest and not contingent on receiving the ARC.

Thank you Netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review. This book was so good ahhhhh!!! Tru and Elang are just adorable. The intricate underwater world of Ai’long was so well thought out and fascinating! I’m obsessed with the magic. I love how this story is woven and how Tru is so defiant and such a cool character. I love her family as well and how much she loves her sisters. As the oldest of 3 girls this was captured very accurately. The expectations of the oldest sister to put on a strong face so your sisters don’t have to worry. Or to take on everything alone. I’m looking forward to reading more Elizabeth Lim in the future!

A Masterpiece Forged in Wonder: "A Forgery of Fate" by Elizabeth Lim
From the moment I turned the first page of "A Forgery of Fate," I was once again completely immersed in Elizabeth Lim's storytelling magic. What truly elevates a novel for me are the characters, particularly Tru and Elang. Lim has a rare gift for crafting protagonists who feel so achingly real, so beautifully flawed, and so incredibly resilient. Their individual journeys are compelling, but it's the evolving dynamic between them that truly shines. They both navigate a complex web of loyalty and duty, and it's particularly poignant to witness their internal struggles to understand the true character of each other. Their bond, tested by trials and revelations, forms the beating heart of this narrative, making you root for them with each page you read. Beyond the characters, the pacing of "A Forgery of Fate" is nothing short of masterful. Lim weaves a narrative that is both beautifully deliberate and thrillingly swift, guiding you through moments of quiet introspection and heart-pounding action with seamless grace. There's never a dull moment, yet every beat feels earned and perfectly placed.
And the world-building? Simply wonderful! Each location visited in this book is so well drawn, so vividly imagined, that I feel as though I am walking alongside Tru and Elang, breathing in the air of these fantastical realms. From bustling markets to ancient, mystical landscapes, every setting is painted with such rich detail that I found myself yearning to explore them firsthand. It's a testament to Lim's descriptive prowess that these places feel utterly alive.
Elizabeth Lim has an unparalleled ability to create stories that are profoundly immersive. Every time I open one of her books, I do so with a thrill of anticipation, knowing I'm about to be swept away into a world I won't want to leave. "A Forgery of Fate" delivers on that promise and then some, wrapping you in its embrace from the very first sentence.
While categorized as Young Adult, I wholeheartedly recommend "A Forgery of Fate" to readers of all ages. Its themes of identity, sacrifice, understanding, and the enduring power of love transcend genre and age categories. This is a book that will resonate deeply, leaving you with a sense of wonder and a profound appreciation for a story well told.
"A Forgery of Fate" is a triumph – a truly stunning adventure that will linger in your heart and mind long after you've turned the final page. Don't miss this phenomenal book!

Thank you to NetGalley, Knopf Books for Young Readers, and Random House Children's for this advanced copy! You can pick up A Forgery of Fate on June 3, 2025.

Elizabeth Lim is an absolute master of incredible world-building and creating an immersive atmosphere. I loved exploring the dragon realm alongside Tru and Elang, a place full of mythical creatures and gorgeous (or decrepit) palaces. I definitely picked up on the Beauty and the Beast vibes in this story, and I loved the use of Tru's painting as a magical device. People using art to express visions of the future is prevalent throughout several different histories and mythologies, so I was excited to see it used here!

While I loved Tru and Elang individually as characters, I wish we saw a bit more from their romance. There's a plot point in the book that I won't spoil here but that's used to excuse their lack of time spent together/his attitude toward her up until the last third of the book. The twist felt a bit like a cop-out to me because Elang maintains his "beastly" attitude toward her for so long that their switch to lovers felt a bit jarring. For this being a standalone novel, I would've rather seen his iciness toward her melt on page rather than having this mask unveiled, so to speak.

Other than that, I thought this was a fun YA fantasy with gorgeous writing and an engaging story.

Once again, Elizabeth has exceeded my expectations! I love the way she writes! I get sucked into the world that she creates and I fall in love with the characters! So addicting, that I was up until 2 am to finish reading lol.

This retelling blends Beauty and the Beast with Chinese folklore while adding dragons and a reverse Little Mermaid subplot.

Overall, it was a pretty solid 4-star read. I did find the set-up took more time than necessary, though, and I wasn't really interested until the 25% mark when the Fake Marriage trope was introduced.

The writing was pretty and easy to understand, and Tru was a strong FMC. The MMC was aloof and brooding and actually quite mean for the first half of the book, but there were reasons, and I liked them together.

It was also nice to see a Beauty and the Beast story where the FMC has loving sisters, and I appreciated Tru's relationship with them.

I felt the two big twists needed more explanation, though. Tru just suddenly realized her husband's secret identity and how to break the curse, and I have no idea how she connected the dots to solve those

I would recommend this book to any teen who likes fantasy, especially romantasy, and I will be going back to read more Elizabeth Lim! This retelling of The Beauty and the Beast is sweet, fun, and not spicy. But I liked it more than I have liked previous YA romantasy.

What I loved:
✨Age gap of 3 years instead of 3000
✨Eastern inspired dragon folklore, plus merfolk, soldier turtles/sharks, and did I mention DRAGONS? I’m a sucker for dragons
✨My favorite part was the relationship between Tru and her two younger sisters. It felt very genuine and was a nice antidote to the plague of fantasy sisters that hate each other and treat each other badly
✨what impressed me most was the writing itself. I think Lim’s writing is really good prose, especially compared to other YA romantasy.

What could have been better:
🫧I need more world building in my fantasy books, so I would have loved to see more of the underwater world. There were some strongpoints, like the potion used to travel between worlds was a cool detail, but I typically read much heavier fantasy and needed a more immersive world to really hold my attention. It’s a pet peeve of mine when authors slip a random god’s name into the writing—in this case, a “Thank Amana”— and think that counts as world building. I don’t think most teens will feel as strongly as I do about this.
🫧More banter/camaraderie between secondary characters. This is one of those tropes in romantasy that I don’t mind. The main reason I end up liking the male protagonist is usually from his banter with his friends/servants, and there wasn’t much of that, just a few isolated scenes that didn’t do it for me.

I love reading the books written by this author! Full of magic, familiarity of certain fairy tales with the delightful Asian mythology twist to make them fresh and beautiful works of art that flow easily and keep me hooked the whole time! This one has touches of Beauty and the Beast (though Tru is awesome and an art forger along with a touch of magic to see the future through her paintings) and a Demon Prince with a curse that only Tru can lift. This book is full of dragons, turtles (who knew they could be such great warriors, even against sharks), demons (I love Shani, complicated character though she is!) and a rebellion to overthrow the Dragon King and free the land from his wrath. That is no small task and that does not include awkwardness of Tru and Elang pretending to be in love to fool the Dragon King long enough to get to Yonsar and finalize the plans for ending his reign.

So you get a love story, an adventure, and thrills and tears. This book has it all and it flows so well, though I wish I could see the art that Tru makes (she is so talented, even if she totes herself as just and art forger) and I loved every minute of it. All of the characters are interesting, from Tru's family to the court of Elang with the mermen and mermaids, turtles, and of course Shani. It was all woven well for the reader to feel all the emotions and while there are tears at the end, there is also a sweet sigh and a wonderful ever after!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me a chance to dive into this book and experience and wonderous story!

This was probably my favorite Lim book so far. The Beauty and the Beast retelling mixed with other myths and fairytales in ways that made this story unique. Returning to parts of her world and seeing a few characters from her other stories. Spending time in the dragon realm. The epilogue, which about destroyed me.

Overall, a wonderful story that stands alone but does contain some richness for those who have read Lim's work previously. Highly recommended.

I've not yet read an Elizabeth Kim novel, but boy am I behind! This novel has a special feel to it. It's rich and colorful, with so many incredible elements and a vicious king who'd rather destroy his own kin than share the empire he has.

It has an enchanting underwater setting, some gripping twists that had me begging to turn the page, and the ending? Well, it left me out of breath. Absolutely marvelous and left me with a need for more of her books.

4.5/5 stars.

Truyan is an art forger by necessity, hoping to earn enough coins to search for her missing father and take care of her mother and sisters. Her art leads her to a “demon prince” and a bargain is struck in which he takes care of her family and helps her search for her father, if she will help save his kingdom.

It was a slow start for me. It takes quite a few pages to get to the bargain, but once she meets the "demon prince" it becomes a page-turner. The start of their story feels very much like a twisty Chinese retelling of Beauty and the Beast. It has a similar feel to many of the old fairy tales in which you aren’t sure whether you are reading one that will have a HEA or end in tragedy.

The world building was fantastic. I could absolutely picture the underwater kingdom they’re trying to save and the many varied creatures within. I adored the turtle army and the mermaid friends, and booed the shark and jellyfish enemies and the dragon lord.

I enjoyed the very slow-burn romance between Truyan and her prince and was rooting for them wholeheartedly. A+! There were such sweet and tender moments in between his brooding grumpiness.

I loved the family dynamic. It felt like a family I’ve known in which the children are the ones trying to keep it together while their mother loses herself because of the loss of her husband. The sisterly dynamic is wonderfully explored in the limited time they had on the page.

When it was over and the twists and turns had been revealed I wanted to go back to the beginning to see if I could find breadcrumbs or if they were entirely hidden from the reader, but mostly I just wanted to reread this lovely story from the beginning!

I would love to see made into an animated series. I highly recommend this for anyone who loves retellings, Chinese dragons and mythology, and/or slow-burn romances.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House Children’s / Knopf Books for Young Readers for providing this incredible fantasy as a digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

So incredible. I was shocked by every twist, and the love was so warm and tender. I can already tell this will be one I want to revisit.

A Forgery of Fate is the kind of fantasy that reminds me why I love the genre. The premise is bold and full of tension: a young woman who can paint the future agrees to marry a dragon lord to protect her family and uncover the truth about her father’s disappearance. From there, the story unfolds into something both intimate and sweeping.

Tru is easy to root for. She’s smart, burdened, and constantly navigating impossible choices, but she never feels like a cliché. The magic is beautiful without being over-explained, and the emotional stakes feel real. Lim’s writing is elegant and immersive, and the world she’s built is rich with myth and quiet menace.

I was hooked early and read it fast, but it’s the kind of book that lingers afterward.

Marriage of convenience!!!!!!!! Drop everything and read this if you love that trope because this was just so, so good. He’s a surly half-dragon, she’s a blue-haired art forger, together they have to destroy his grandfather. Honestly if that doesn’t say true love to you (you probably have a healthier idea of love) then I don’t know what will.
Tru was such a fun character to be stuck in the head of, and my only complaint is that I’m finished and don’t get to spend more time with her.
Thank you Knopf Books for Young Readers for the review copy!