Firstly, this cover, o m g. The covers that Elizabeth's books have had recently are so beautiful and on point.

I have always loved Elizabeth Lim’s books; they are impossible not to. In a world full of dragons, daemons, and an intriguing magic system, Elizabeth has a way with how she writes her book, and it's so beautifully done, from the world building to how she develops all the characters to how she weaves everything together to tell a fantastic story. I really enjoyed reading this book, and I cannot wait to see where it goes in book 3!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to have this e-ARC.

A satisfying conclusion for this duology. I loved "Six Crimson Cranes" and this one didn't miss. I will miss these characters and universe so much.

In "The Dragon's Promise" by Elizabeth Lim, readers are treated to an enthralling and magical adventure that will sweep them off their feet. With its captivating storytelling and rich Asian-inspired world, this book is a perfect read, especially during AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islander) month, showcasing the talent of the author and celebrating diverse narratives.

The story revolves around Princess Shiori, a strong-willed protagonist who made a deathbed promise to return the dragon's pearl to its rightful owner. Little does she know that keeping this promise will lead her on a dangerous journey filled with political intrigue, mythical creatures, and the constant threat of those who desire the pearl's power for themselves.

Elizabeth Lim's writing shines brightly in this novel. Her ability to blend fantasy and real-world elements, seamlessly infusing Asian cultural nuances and traditions, is nothing short of masterful. The world she creates is vivid and immersive, transporting readers to a realm where dragons soar and magic pulses through the pages.

Princess Shiori is a remarkable heroine, possessing both courage and vulnerability. Her determination to fulfill her promise while navigating the complex dynamics of both human and dragon societies is truly admirable. As she faces numerous challenges and uncovers shocking truths, readers will find themselves rooting for her at every turn.

Elizabeth Lim did it again. What a wonderful writer, story and plot. I loved the characters and it was a beautiful sequel to the first book

The Dragons promise is a slightly disappointing sequel and after loving the first one I was so excited to read this. Its not bad- just wasn't what I was expecting.
Many Thanks to NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Review:
Plot- I prayed and prayed for no love triangle. What did i get? A love triangle. I'm sorry it just felt unnecessary! Right that's my main gripe over, the book felt like it would be better as a standalone in the same universe as opposed to a sequel. I don't quite know how to explain why, but it was really long and just didn't quite keep me as engaged as the first book.

The continued worldbuilding however was delightful and the pacing was just right. This lovely whimsical writing style is genuinely one of the main reasons I stuck with the book.

Characters- pretty much all exactly the same as the first book, honestly I felt like I didn't learn much about any of them? I just don't understand how in nearly 500 pages they don't seem to have changed from book 1?

Final Thoughts,
Slightly disappointing sequel after such a fantastic first book, but I will say it's still worth picking up if you enjoyed the first book

THE COVERS (BOTH EDITIONS) OF THIS SERIES ARE AMONG MY ALL-TIME FAVORITE COVERS I ADORE THESE WAY TOO MUCH BEST COVERS THEY LOOK SO GOOD OMG-

objectively, not as good as six crimson cranes but also: i loved this book so much <3 it was just so sweet and so fairy-tale like, like those in a book of fairytales (very descriptive, aarushi. you should really be a writer).

the only things i really have is that i LOVED the ending (it was very very out of the blue and felt much different than the rest of the story and i've definitely seen that trope before (in a very famous story, actually) but i liked it- i didn't expect it at all!)

and that i wish we spent more time in the dragon realm ☹️ the title of the story is literally "the dragon's promise" but we spent more time above land with the demons than we did with the dragons. i was really hoping that this would be an underwater-type adventure, but it was very different than what i expected.

in true elizabeth lim style, it feels like the plot never stops. it keeps going, plot twist after plot twist, and lim's writing is so magical and unique. this book actually reminded me of unravel the dusk (spin the dawn #2), and how i feel like lim doesn't write as great second books but also makes the second books have this INSANE plot that veers off completely from the original story- which is both a good and a bad thing.

six crimson cranes felt very complete and just a fluffy fairytale and besides the threads left hanging loose in the end, i felt like there wasn't really any need for a second book (i was happy i got to return to this world, though- it feels so fun).

I am disappointed..

Six Crimson Cranes was one of my favorite books so I dived into the sequel with high expectations. Unfortunately, The Dragon’s Promise failed to fulfill them. For most of the times, the plot feel dragged and my love for the characters were not enough to keep my attention engaged. Still, I love them and enjoyed the part where Shiori visited Seryu’s home.

DNF at 32%

Six Crimson Cranes was literally one of my best reads of last year, so needless to say, I was hyped for this book! The former ends with Shiori needing to go into the dragon realm and it's exactly that. The magic system was very great (as in the first book!) but I think what didn't really work was the pace of the plot. There wasn't much happening in the beginning, and also the inclusion of the love triangle trope made me drop the book. I hope that I can pick this up in the future and enjoy it, but now's clearly not the time

Thanks to the Publisher for sending me an e-ARC via Netgalley.

The pace of the book is quite moderate, yet the action is never still for the characters. As soon as one issue is remedied, a new one needs to be addressed right away. This may help to avoid tale lulls that would cause a reader to lose interest, but it also creates a fast-paced environment that makes reading tiresome. Even supposedly tranquil times, like when Shiori bakes cakes in Sundau, don't last for more than a few paragraphs before a fresh catastrophe strikes the group of people. Shiori isn't as impulsive today as she was at the beginning of the duology, so perhaps the reader should also be given a rest from time to time? I know this speed mirrors Shiori's own temperament.

This could have been a fantastic sequel if the focus of the first book had been the realm of dragons. It didn't feel necessary in the way it was written, and it made me question if Six Crimson Cranes would have been better off as a solo novel that was a few chapters longer to wrap up loose ends.

A great read to learn more about our MC, I enjoyed learning more about the dragon kingdom and seeing KiKi again!
Exploring Shioris relationship with her family and learning more about her step mothers past. All the way through I was thinking I'd love to read a book about her and then saw the news about the new book!
Shioris romance I love in this, it really moved me. Their connection and the threads that connect us through life.
I found this a bit more young adult, and know that is who it is directed too! Loved revisiting her brothers and the journeys they have been on to.
Highly recommend this read!

Elizabeth Kim’s books are impossible not to love, the world building, the character development and the storytelling are just exquisite. I always worry with a sequel that it won’t live up to the first but I adored it.
This world filled with magic and daemons and dragons and wonder is incredible and I never want it to end! Magical!

While I enjoyed this and was overall happy with it I did feel it lacked some of the atmosphere and warmth from the first book. The characters were still all great but this fell a little flat compared to the first one. But it was still enjoyable and I did like reading it. The audiobook was done well and I really appreciated the narrator.

This book was written so well. The setting, the characters, the plot. I enjoyed how all the characters interacted with each other and how they gelled

I was immediately drawn into this series with the author's whimsical and enchanting world-building. It's a fairy tale come to life, with soft pastels and a magical ambiance that transports you to a different realm. This book offers the perfect blend of comfort and action, making it an ideal read for anyone seeking an adventure without all the anxious moments that you’d typically encounter. A real comfort read for me.
Although this book was unlike anything I've read before, I was captivated from beginning to end. I enjoyed learning about a different way of life and immersing myself in the camaraderie and folklore that infused the story with charm.
While the second book didn't have the intensity of the first, it was still a good read. The first book set a high bar.
Elizabeth Lim has crafted a masterpiece that I would highly recommend to anyone seeking a captivating and enchanting read. She appears to effortlessly craft magical kingdoms that the reader is immediately immersed into without any laborious world building or info dumping - something rarely seen in other fantasy books. I'm eagerly looking forward to more work from this talented author.

As with many YA fantasy duologies, I'm not sure this second book was as strong as the first, Six Crimson Cranes. It's still an enjoyable story, but it seemed to lack the narrative oomph of the first book - I read them back to back and I think I would have been satisfied to end with Six Crimson Cranes, but I did like the extra time I got to spend with these characters. The writing and atmosphere are still beautiful, so that's worth a lot!

I absolutely loved continuing the story of Six Crimson Cranes and diving back into the work Lim created.

Very well written story by the author. A great sequel to the first book. Loved the Chinese traditions. Beautiful story.

4.5 stars
I loved being back in this magical world and with these amazing characters. Elizabeth Lim is an amazing author whose writing is just pure bliss and I cannot wait to read more of her work in the future.

I think I enjoyed this one even more that the first and whilst I'm sad it's over I feel like this story wrapped up well!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Sorry the review is so late!

I really struggled to build a picture of the setting and characters in this series as a whole. I was s so excited to read this and explore the mythology that inspired it but i just could not get into it, perhaps it was just slightly too young a YA for me.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Characters: 6.5/10
Enjoyment: 6/10
Plot: 5.5/10
Worldbuilding: 7/10
Writing: 10/10

Unfortunately, after reading more than half of the book, I found myself no longer invested in the plot. Shiori started getting on my nerves. Her brashness can be endearing for only so long. A lot of her actions in this book were dumb. Luckily, for her, Takkan had enough patience to put up with her. Kiki was amazing as ever. I didn't really see the point in the love triangle with Seryu. It seemed as if that (and helping her out of Ai'long) was the only reason he even existed as a character, which is a pity. He had potential.

Too much was crammed into the book, as some things felt rushed and resolved a bit too easily. Brotherly and sisterly love was probably supposed to be one of the main themes. That aspect wasn't done quite well. Yes, we're told how much they love each other. But that's just about it. Her brothers are more of a backdrop. They aren't very developed and don't have any distinct personality that would differentiate them from each other. Readers do not get to know them the way Shiori does. The relationship between Takkan and his sister Megari was portrayed better. Unlike Shiori's brothers, Kiki is an amazingly developed character and I absolutely adored her.
Six crimson cranes left a really good impression on me, but the sequel was a miss and did not conclude the duology in a satisfying manner. The first book would have been near perfect, were it a little longer and with a different conclusion to make it a standalone.