Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Six Crimson Cranes was one of my favourite reads of last year, making The Dragon's Promise one of my most anticipated releases of 2023. I couldn't wait to dive back into Shiori's sort and see what would come next for her, Takkan & Senyu.

Overall, I'm happy with how the story developed and ended and a duology was definitely the right choice over a trilogy. Revisiting the enchanting world the author developed in book one was so wonderful, and I'm glad we got to know Shiori's family more as well as learn more about Raikama.

I definitely feel like this was a bit weaker than book one in certain areas - I wasn't a big fan of how the plot shifted from the dragon city & Senyu's grandfather hating on Shiori, to what seemed like a disconnected plot about demons. I would have LOVED if Senyu remained a guide/support for Shiori through her journey to return the pearl, but I'm glad there was no love triangle dragging on.

If you enjoyed book one I would still definitely check this out - it does provide much more depth to the characters we learned to love in SCC. I just wouldn't have expectations for something as beautifully enthralling as the first instalment was, it's hard to maintain pure perfection after all!

This book was so stunning and everything that I expected it to be! I was so happy to receive an arc of it after reading all of Lim’s novels with NetGalley. It took a moment to reimmerse myself back into the world of Shiori but once I was back I knew I never wanted to leave.
The characters were just as perfect as the first book and they’re development was effortless as they transferred and settled nicely into the new instalment.
I really appreciated seeing the origins of Bandur and Gen/Edan as a fan of Spin the Dawn and Unravel the Dusk. I loved how these books created the foundation for the characters and felt that they were perfect reflection of the past selves of these already developed characters.
Lim never fails to impress in her creation of setting and her world building was beautiful as it she created the underwater Dragon Kingdom, the Unholy Mountains and we were reintroduced to Lapzur.

Overall I loved this book so much and found myself enthralled in the narrative unable to stop reading it! The perfect sequel and continuation of the story and a beautiful addition to the world of both Spin the Dawn and Six Crimson Cranes.

With thanks to NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was nervous this second part of the duology wasn’t going to live up to first. Much like Six Crimson Cranes with the intro to Shiori’s history, The Dragon’s Promise takes a little while to get going as we are introduced to the Dragon realm.

That’s not entirely fair. I struggled with the first third because although there is action and people (of a sort - dragons, mermaids, enchanters…) to meet most of it is Shiori fighting against the Dragon King without even fully understanding the rules. As per standard fairytale narrative. The trouble is Shiori is spectacularly powerful on home ground and has just gained confidence in herself. She doesn’t exactly lose that confidence or tenacity at least but the odds are stacked against her and I was frustrated at how little agency she has. After the climatic conclusion of book one… The action sequences also lack an energy.

Back in Kiata even with everything going wrong Shiori is able to act far more on the narrative and we rejoin characters we love (as well as Seryu and Kiki from the beginning) and more villains. I loved the touch that she is still mourning her step-mother and the discoveries she makes on her quest rang true in the search for information about who our family were before we knew them. Points as well for the fiancé trying his best but not really being as useful as the magic lot (he does try and manages to be very helpful sometimes!) - especially Shiori who doesn’t quite go down the noble idiocy route. And the stakes are real, the ending… well, I was very satisfied. It could have been so easy and it isn’t which is wonderful.

I could continue waxing lyrical about the motifs and underlying plot structure in terms of who fights who and the added complications which don’t distract from the narrative. I could. I won’t. It is very much an epic fairytale story based on our times though with countries and people behaving in recognisable ways which was another touch I appreciated. Ultimately I wish the first segment was shorter but that’s probably personal preference. Push through! The story builds up to the second half and becomes strong enough to be a worthy end to the series you won’t want to miss.

This gorgeous gorgeous book picks up where Six Crimson Cranes left off as we follow Shiori to the underwater Dragon Kingdom as she’s set on returning the pearl to its rightful owner while trying to prevent a demon from escaping its prison. I loved being able to glean more information about the characters from SCC in this book, especially Shiori and Serhyu, as character growth is important in books and this one is no exception! I managed to whip through this one in 3 hours and the ending left me in tears. Lim is an absolute master at world building and although this was the perfect ending of this duology, I will miss this world so very much.

I loved six crimson cranes after getting it in a fairyloot box. The story was beautiful.

This book was one of my most anticipated books of the year and I was hoping to love it. I felt like there was something missing from the book. Maybe I should have reread síx crimson cranes before I read the arc.

I might give this book a second change when I get my fairyloot edition but for now I give it 3.5 ⭐️

3.75 - I wasn't a huge fan of Six Crimson Cranes, despite the fact I rated it 4 stars it didn't really stand out to me. I'm afraid to say the sequel failed me as well. I wasn't really sure what to expect, but I was hoping for a story that was more character-driven rather than plot-driven. It took me ages to get through this book, mainly because I wasn't interested in the story and the romance (although very heartwarming) got boring quickly. I believe other people could like it. Personally, it wasn't for me.

Thank you to the publisher for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I've thought about my review for long time and I'm going to state all my feelings honestly. I was very excited for this ARC as I loved Six Crimson Cranes when I read it, I even reread it before reading this because why not? Compared to the prequel, The Dragon's Promise falls a bit short. SCC was highly intriguing and immerse while TDP was dragged on and on for too long. I couldn't figure out what was wrong and why I wasn't liking it but now I have my answer, TDP was very slow and so many things could be removed. I loved Seryu in SCC but he changed a lot in this book which I didn't like, he wasn't the same in some way. The conclusion is also one I didn't like but to get what you want you have to sacrifice a bit I get it. Overall, I loved Takkan a lot.

3 stars!🌟

Elizabeth Lim is pretty much an auto-read/buy author for me. I have adored every book she's written and this is no exception. I will say that I perhaps didn't find this one to be as strong a novel as 'Six Crimson Cranes' but I definitely still enjoyed it so much and the ending was great.

I think it was the part with the dragons and Shiori's adventures revolving around that didn't fit the vibe of the duology for me but really that's not a complaint as much as an observation. This was still a fantastic book and a satisfying ending to this duology. I can't wait to have a physical copy in my hands.

4/5 Cups of coffee from me, thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Okay so I can not say that I did not enjoy this book I just felt a little lost having not read the first one. I am sure it will do well but was not for me as I was confused having not read the earlier book

i fell in love with this book. It has amazing storytelling and a brilliant plot and i couldn't put the book down gave it 4 stars! i can't wait to pick up whatever this author writes next.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I absolutely loved Six Crimson Cranes, so I was very excited to read this, but honestly, I was underwhelmed by the sequel to such a fantastic book, and I think Six Crimson Cranes could have easily been a standalone, and it would've been stronger for it.

The Dragon's Promise picks up immediately after the end of Six Crimson Cranes, diving into the dragon realm - and this covers around the first 30% of the book, after which point it becomes a completely different story that is not connected to the first 30% in any way shape or form. It was so disappointing to have this magical underwater dragon city at your fingertips, only for it to be snatched away in favour of a demon plotline which was just pretty average.

I found the plot to be pretty repetitive, it felt like you were just going back and forth all the time. It felt like every single chapter ended with Shiori facing danger or being attacked or being betrayed, and it just got tedious after the first few. I also found the villain was nowhere as compelling as that in the first book. It just felt like the magic and wonder and whimsy of the first book was lost to some pretty repetitive action sequences. It was very fast-paced which made it easy to read, but I just found myself not wanting to pick it up, which I am absolutely devastated by, because I was really expecting to adore this sequel.

A Dragon’s Promise-Review

Author: Elizabeth Lim
Genre: Fantasy
Page Count: 496 pages
Age Ranting: YA 12+
Representation: Chinese inspired setting and characters
Publication Date:30th of August 2022 (UK)

Beautiful conclusion to the duology!!

Thank you to @netgalley for providing me with this e ARC before publication

Review;
The book started right where the first one ended which was great because I found the first one quite slow to start. I felt this book was a lot more to do with the world building than the retelling aspect of the story. But I adored this book simply because dragons, my love for dragons is never ending I will forever love them.

The relationship between Takkan and Shiori is so sweet and I loved reading about it so much they are so cute together. Shiori is determined and wants to do right for her stepmother. It was a great read and my favourite of the two books in the duology. I also enjoyed reading about her relationship with her brothers and family.

The only reason it wasn’t a fav was because the pacing just didn’t sit well with me at the start of the book is it was very dragon contently but towards the end of the book the pace picked up and changed out of the dragon world quite fast and not blended well together.

Overall, it was a good book and definitely worth a read but not one I’d reread. My favourite part was probably the dragon’s and the relationships Shioir had with her family.

Rating;
4 stars

TRIGGER/CONTENT WARNING
-Blood
-Grief
-Murder
-Death
-Violence
-Torture
-Death of Parent

THE DRAGON'S PROMISE has lost the charm that made the first one so enchanting, instead a watery, slow drag.

I think the biggest problem I had with THE DRAGON'S PROMISE was that it was set-up to begin a great adventure through Ai'Long, the underwater dragon realm, and follow Shiori's attempts to reunite the pearl with its dragon. Obviously they weren't going to spend the whole time in Ai'Long, not with the demon threat of Bandur and most of the other characters based on land. What I didn't expect was for Shiori to go, have her adventure there, and then return and leave all the characters behind. The first 30% of the book feels so disconnected from the rest of the story because of this. Seryu's family dynamic was much more interesting than Shiori's copy-paste brothers, but we never see them again. The trip to Ai'Long could've been another story in it's own right.

And actually, I think a love triangle here would've improved the story since Shiori and Takkan's romance was extremely dull. With little conflict between them there was nothing stopping them from being together (despite Shiori's best, and contrived, efforts). Takkan was sweet in the first book, but his flat personality isn't enough to carry through here.

Frustratingly this ultimately contributes to how slow the book is. Shiori spends most of the book making food, talking, meeting new people, and exploring places, instead of using the time to advance the plot. It was pure padding, and the villains were so poorly rendered, in a cartoonishly non-threatening way, that she got away with it.

Then when you think the book is over, the climax drags into another problem. I actually skimmed the last 40% in one go just to get through it. The only thing I can really say I enjoyed is the wonderful writing. Poetic, beautiful, and not too complicated.

I can forgive a lot in a Lim novel but this was really difficult to get through. Sadly SIX CRIMSON CRANES would've been better as a standalone.

WILL I READ MORE BY THIS AUTHOR? Yes.

Thank you Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for providing an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

This was one of my highly anticipated sequels of this year! I dove into this book with an open mind and no expectations since I do not know this mythology or where the writer was taking the rest of the story. This was a great follow-up to Six Crimson Cranes, and I greatly enjoyed it!

The story follows Shiori, the only princess of Kiata. It picks up immediately after the events of Six Crimson Cranes as she embarks on her quest to return the dragon pearl to its rightful owner. This book is the second book in the Six Crimson Cranes duology.

Just like with Six Crimson Cranes, I loved Elizabeth her writing. It was smooth and easy to follow, but with plenty of depth to the scenes and the characters. I did not know upfront what to expect from this book and where the story would go. Despite having no expectations, this did not disappoint! I loved how the story was set up: action-packed, exhilarating and interesting! I enjoyed this book and am excited to read more of Elizabeth her books!!

‘Dragons are bound to promises, not the truth.’

The Dragon’s Promise is the second part of a duology and follows directly on from the events of Six Crimson Cranes, and is more than just its gorgeous cover.

After making a deathbed promise Shiori must now keep it and return the dragon’s pearl to the dragons' realm, a feat that is easier said than done. Accompanied by Seryu and Kiki, Shiori’s path does not run smoothly, and it takes every ounce of her strength to defend the life she has fought hard to live.

Gripping action, political intrigue, adventure and friendship…this book has everything you’re looking for in a YA fantasy. I loved the development of relationships and the characterisation in this book, particularly Takkan and the back and forth between Shiori and Seryu, although Shiori was still as reckless as she was in book 1!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for an E-arc of this book.

The Dragon's Promise is everything you could ever hope for in a sequel. Lim doubles down on the elements of epic adventure taking Shiori on another wild ride that twists and turns and at its core is full of heart. Picking up right where Six Crimson Cranes left off Shiori is bound to her promise to return the pearl to it's rightful owner and naturally it is more involved than she hoped for. I highly recommend both books in this series for anyone looking for a light fantasy full of adventure, minimal chaste romance and easy, plot-driven prose. It's great!

Spellbinding and utterly beautiful storytelling. This might be the best conclusion to a story that I've read in a very long time and I absolutely loved the time in the dragon world.

Shiori made a promise to Raikama on her deathbed to return the pearl to its rightful owner. Now Shiori must face the Dragon King, her father's council, Priestesses of the High Mountain and demons to fulfill her oath. With the help of her brothers, Takkan and faithful Kiki, Shiori must face her fate as the Bloodsake.

This... oh this book broke me in more ways that one by the end. Yes, there were actual tears. Shiori goes on one turbulent journey through this book, starting with the dragons and then the Holy Mountain then the journey to return the pearl and then back to the mountain - jeez! For a 400 page book I feel like I've been on journey to Hell and back.

Our favourite beloved characters are back - I freaking love Kiki being the sarcastic voice of obviousness, bringing some comedic value, and our Takkan; this story would not be the same without him. I just love him and our heroine deserves him!!

This world just took me by storm and I loved every single second of it and this book is just a treat. I loved it, it was just a fantastic book. Just love.

I received an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from netgalley, thank you Hodder and Stoughton
This book left off where Six Crimson Cranes ended, with Shiori following Seryu to the dragon's kingdom with the dragon's pearl.

Following her journey throughout the book was exciting because I didn't know how the events were going to turn out.
All of the characters had their own charm, personality, and morals that they stuck to, influencing the events that arose during the story.

I really enjoyed the story and breezed through the last 200 pages.
However, it took me a while to get into the story as the plotline under water seemed like a different story and had a different feel to what I remembered from Six Crimson Cranes, but by the middle, the writing had that fairytale and mythology kind of feel to it again.

There were two things that annoyed me: one was Shiori's attitude. She sounded really privileged, thinking everyone would be able to help her and acted like there were no consequences for her or the people who would help her. Like at the start of chapter 8. She completely ignores other people's instructions, such as (SPOILER) when Elang told her to drink the potion when it could have saved her from capture but instead she says that everyone betrayed her.

The second was the ending. I understand that it is supposed to reflect the myths and legends within the story and the genre that it is going for, but it felt a bit too much like plot armour to me.

*4.5 stars

Thanks to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for this arc.

I adore Elizabeth Lim's books and after the ending of Six Crimson Cranes, I couldn't wait to get my hands on The Dragon's Promise!

However for some reason it took me a while to get into this story. I found the part in Ai'long (the underwater dragon city) very rushed and overall it didn't even seem that integral to the story, other than to meet Gen. What I wanted to see was more Seryu but we didn't even get that, however I am glad that there wasn't a love triangle storyline.

After leaving Ai'long, the story picked up for me. Once Shiori reunited with her family and Takkan, and they were trying to solve their problems together, it reminded me of some of the many reasons I loved the first book.

This book almost felt like three shorter stories in one, there was cohesion but each one could've been a story in its own right.

I found the look into Raikama's past really interesting and loved that Shiori was able to really connect to her now that she has her memories back.

Also because this book is technically a prequel for The Blood of the Stars, you knew what some of the outcomes would eventually be, especially with Bandur, which did lessen the peril slightly.

This book was a solid 4 stars throughout but the ending made me give it that extra half star. It was utterly heartbreaking for me and very bittersweet. I love Takkan so much and the romance between him and Shiori was so refreshing and the ending felt very mythical.

I also love how Lim likes to flip your character expectations, especially for characters who are 'villains'.

There were some typos in my copy but it's an arc so that's to be expected.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and I think it's a good sequel. I can understand some people's views that Six Crimson Cranes could've been extended to be a standalone instead but I appreciated being able to spend more time with Takkan and looking into Raikama's story.

CW: injury, blood, imprisonment, fire