Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc of this title in exchange for this honest review.

This book was absolutely incredible. Elizabeth Lim has such a talent for creation beautiful fantasy books that feel like the perfect mix of a ghibli movie and a fairytale. What aa delight to read, truly.

Her Radiant Curse is set in the world of Six Crimson Cranes/ The Dragons Promise, although you do not have to read the duology to read this book, I would say, since this is technically a prequel, you have the added understanding of the characters and what comes after if you have read them first.
There is something very captivating about Elizabeth Lim’s writing, luscious world building and captivating story telling, and a strong sibling bond between characters is featured in all three books.
That being said I do feel as if this could have benefited being a little shorter, the pacing felt off and a little drawn out in parts. All in all, I enjoyed my time with this story and Channi.
I look forward to reading whatever Lim is cooking up for future books!

This book is both a stand-alone and a prequel to the author's 'Six Crimson Cranes' duology. The story is centred on Channari, whom I found (after some web searches) is called Raikama in the duology, the one who curses Shiori, the protagonist of 'Six Crimson Cranes'.

I haven't read the duology even though it has been on my TBR for a really long time, and now that I have read and thoroughly enjoyed this beautiful tale, I am excited to start reading the duology.

It is surprising to me that I actually finished reading this book in one sitting because I haven't done that in a long time. That is evidence enough of how engrossing and captivating this story is. I had missed the feeling of being submerged in eloquent narration, of losing track of time solely because I could not stop reading. Absolutely loved this book!

This book was so good. Honestly it's been a while since I read a book that I enjoyed so much. Honestly it was such a ride so many twists and turns I was mesmerised. But once I was half way through I saw that it was a spin off lol which doesn't matter much to be honest because the writing was so good that it wasn't confusing at all.

I will always love any book set in the Six Crimson Cranes world!

I wasn't sure about it, just cause prequels sometimes are not books that are needed.
But with this one, once again I fall in love with the characters and the magical aspect of the story.

I wanted to know more about this character from six crimson cranes and I was not disappointed.

First off, thank you to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton for allowing me the opportunity to get this book as an ARC.
I honestly went in with little to no expectations due having read the Spin the Dawn series before, so the entire experience with this book turned out more enchanting than I’d have hoped. There’s definitely an improvement in Elizabeth Lim’s storytelling and worldbuilding, and even more so in terms of her character’s relationships. This time around, you could see the sisterly love and affection even better than in her previous books, and the rest of the interactions were quite believable too.

Just a couple of thoughts before I refine them (on Goodreads, if I can no longer edit my post here):
- I was blown away by the progress EL made with her storytelling!
- There were quite a few spelling and grammar errors in the file I got and I hope the publisher got to them before printing the book (part of the reason why I gave this four stars).
- The world-building was done well, so it was easy to envision the small village, along with the other two countries, though it still felt a little bit rushed, the traveling bit. It seemed like the characters reached from point a to point b a bit too quickly, to me. I think with a bit more diverse interaction between the characters, it would have been better.
- EL’s covers are just amazing every single time and I love what the artists do with them.
- The theme was well executed and the sisterly love shone through (though there were a few contradictions at times);
- The descriptions can be improved (I saw so much blue green it made me mad lol).
- The title is well reflected, definitely!
- I think, even though this was not the focus of the story, the author could have flashed out the relationship between Channi and Hokzuh a bit more.

A really big thank you to Negally for allowing me to read this ahead of publication!

Her Radiant Curse was a really big surprise. I didn't expect Elizabeth Lim to delve into the "Evil Queen"'s backstory, and I didn't expect it to be so touching.

I've been a fan of Elizabeth Lim since I read Spin the Dawn, and her world has always been intriguing. It is important to note that these are not based off of any mythological tales, but are rather interpretations of fairy tales that have been adapted to reflect some Asian cultures.

Her Radiant Curse tells the story of Channi, who was cursed because of her father's rash decision by a tiger demon. And it follows her life, where she is the older sister to the most beautiful girl in the realm - who quite literally radiates light. Channi's curse has left her with the face of a snake - and the contempt of her father and all the other villagers.

When her sister is auctioned off for marriage, Channi sets out to save her and that's where her story really starts. On this adventure she will meet so many different characters that will influence her decisions and her heart for a lot longer than she would have liked.

I really enjoyed this story. I liked both of the sisters, although at times Vanna seems ignorant of what is at stake. This story doesn't need the Six Crimson Cranes duology to be understood, although I'm very curious how those will read after understanding where the queen originated from.

I look forward to reading more from Elizabeth Lim in the future! And seeing where her universe will expand to next!

4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for the e-arc for an honest opinion.

Miss Elizabeth what are you putting in your books??? This was honestly good just like any other book you’ve written!

The story had everything I wanted. It might have been predictable at one point but that didn’t stop me from reading it. I liked the main character, she was such a bad ass.

I’ll definitely read any book she’ll write.

It took me a really long time to read Her Radiant Curse, but once I stopped I had to keep going.

I always have to get anything written by Elizabeth Lim - her worldbuilding is always excellent and her stories are always so engaging. Plus, her book covers are always beautiful - kudos to the artist!

I often get excited about spinoffs and then am ultimately disappointed, but Channari's story is so beautiful and heartbreaking and I'm so glad we got her story in a spinoff! Sibling stories can be hit or miss for me but this worked so well. I enjoyed every minute of it!

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC of Her Radiant Curse by Elizabeth Lim!

I wasn’t aware that this book was a prequel for Six Crimson Cranes but I really enjoyed it and need to read the duology!!

The writing was incredibly magical and easily immersed me into the world and characters. The book is filled with beautiful magic, sisterhood, and love in multiple forms! The writing, magic, and world building was enchantingly woven into the story and really brings together the story of the two sisters.

I loved the myths, legends and fairytales, that Lim crafts and builds to her beautiful universe, really does bring the story to life.

The sibling relationship between Channi and Vanna was also beautifully portrayed and demonstrates how powerful this type of love can be! I loved seeing their character growth both individually and together it was wonderful.

[ARC provided by NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton, Hodderscape. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review Her Radiant Curse.]

Rating: 4.5/5

If you have read Six Crimson Cranes and wanted to know more about Raikama, the Nameless Queen, and the events that made her into the woman we know, then Elizabeth Lim has brought us Her Radiant Curse which answers those questions and more. Much like other books from this author, the writing is as beautiful as it is magical and it’s incredibly easy to get sucked into the plot. Surrounded by a magical world and mythical creatures, we’re shown an origin story that will shine a light on some characters we know as well as some new ones.

I wasn’t sure how to approach Her Radiant Curse as I went into it. On one hand, this was my first Elizabeth Lim book as I hadn’t read Six Crimson Cranes yet which this book is a prequel to. This made me wonder if I should read the main duology first and I deliberated on that for a while. On the other hand, I’m not a massive fan of reading prequels after the main story because I prefer to read everything in the order that they happen. So I read Her Radiant Curse first, and as I write this review I’ve now also read Six Crimson Cranes and I’ve made a start with The Dragon’s Promise. This worked for me but I’d recommend that if you want to read this book and haven’t read the main duology, definitely start there first. Spoilers don’t bother me too much so although I’d taken away some of the mystery in Six Crimson Cranes, it didn’t spoil the story for me. Also, if you’re wondering where to start first, take into consideration how you deal with spoilers and if you’re really against even the smallest reveal that could ruin your enjoyment down the line, read Her Radiant Curse last.

This is a story packed with magic, sisterhood, and love in its many forms. We follow Channi, a young woman cursed with a serpent's face due to her own father offering her as a sacrifice to the Demon Witch. Many fear and despise her, calling her a monster for how she looks. The only person who sees beyond the curse is her sister, Vanna, a girl who is widely considered to be one of the most beautiful young women in the world. As Vanna prepares to be married off in a vulgar contest, Channi vows to do anything to protect her younger sister from the cruellest of her suitors, but in doing so, becomes a target herself.

As I went into this knowing nothing about the world, I tried to keep my expectations at a minimum, and that might have been easy if Elizabeth Lim hadn’t written such complex and lovable characters. Channi felt so real and I admired her strength as much as her weaknesses. I also grew to love Vanna as time went on and as the story progressed, I really sympathised with the two sisters and appreciated that they both approached adversity in ways that made sense for them as individuals.

If you have read the Six Crimson Cranes duology then I absolutely recommend checking this out asap. You will love returning to this world and finding out more about what led to the events in the duology. If you’re just looking for a great fantasy standalone (and don’t mind some spoilers if you end up reading the next two books) then consider giving this a try. Elizabeth has such a beautiful way of telling a story so I think anyone who loves mythical tales will enjoy Her Radiant Curse a lot.

There is something about Elizabeth Lim's writing that I find so hard to put down. Enchanting, enriching and beautifully woven, this story brings us the story of two sisters yes, but brings us a new slice of the world Elizabeth is sharing with us and new characters brought to life by her incredible way with words, which shines here in her new book.

There is something so sumptuous about how Elizabeth Lim writes about her world. Tangling up perfectly, myths, legends and fairytales, this author crafts a universe that really does bring the story to life. Throughout this book it feels like you are there watching the story unfold as you feel taken in by the story from the moment it begins and it's such a pleasure to fall into.

The characters though introduced a little I think in Six Crimson Cranes a little bit, these characters grow so much throughout this book and really become some of my new favourites. Strong, brilliantly developed and leaves you needing an epilogue as long as the book, Chennai is a fantastic character and her story shines out on every page.

I love this author, I don't think she's ever let me down and Her Radiant Curse is another fine example of her incredible writing.

My favourite Elizabeth Lim so far! I read this straight after The Dragon's Promise and I think this enhanced my reading experience. It is written as a standalone but works so much better after reading the later duology as it explores the backstory of a misunderstood character from those books.

The sibling relationship between Channi and Vanna is beautifully portrayed and demonstrates how powerful this type of love can be. They each want to protect the other and ensure they live a happy life but circumstances are against them. Knowing what is going to happen but not how it will happen made the story even more poignant and emotional.

The curse element was brilliant as it explores what makes a monster. Channi is cursed with the visage of a snake and this causes others to fear and despise her. Her father's behaviour was especially complicated and, despite disliking his character, the author ensured the reader understood why he acted the way he did.

As is typical of this author, the plot is fast-paced with elements from mythology and folklore. The action is always engaging and it's a very easy book to devour. Ukar was my favourite character and definitely had the best lines. I'd highly recommend this book to fans old and new.

I've read the other books by Elizabeth but I truly feel like "Her Radiant Curse" is like a dazzling blend of magic and mystery that'll keep you hooked from start to finish. Her storytelling is on point, whisking you away to a world where enchantments and secrets collide. Our heroine is fierce and relatable, and her quest to unravel the curse is nothing short of riveting.

I adore Elizabeth Lim's books (Six Crimson Cranes being an all time favourite!) and in this companion novel to that series, she builds a new magical tale full of captivating adventure.

Her Radiant Curse has all the elements one could hope for from a prequel - a return to the world you know but with a focus on a different aspect, nods to the elements that made the original
Series so enjoyable twinged with their own flavour, and a satisfying, well rounded conclusion to the deeper origin story of a character we didn’t get to explore in depth before. When you add themes of love, sacrifice, family, & friendship to all of that, you get an enjoyable story.

I loved six crimson cranes when I read it after getting it in a fairyloot box. I was lucky to get the arc of The dragon's promise on here and also enjoyed that one.
I'm happy I got this arc. I really enjoyed reading the backstory of what happened to make Channi the way she is in the Six crimson cranes duology, It did take me some time to get into it but when I did, I flew through it

3.5 stars

as much as i like elizabeth lim's storytelling i found the characters here so predictable. i'm tired of this type of dynamic between sisters and that we end up following the 'bad' one, the 'underdog', who isn't into 'feminine' things like clothes etc..come on.

This book was pretty meh BUT I guess it's just me getting older. The characters were quite predictable and so was the plot. I could see the plot twist coming off from more than a mile away and as much as I adore Elizabeth Lim, I have to say this book fell short.

I’m very excited about this review — 1. because this was my first arc and 2. because it’s a beautiful story that I loved reading.

the tropes in this book are flawless: found family, forced proximity, a vengeful heroine, not everything is as it seems. however, the story is so much more.

I love prickly characters that you can’t help but have empathy for, and channi is just that. she’s passionate, vicious and highly capable, and yet we see a completely different side of her when she’s with her sister. while channi and vanna are diametrically different, both are strong female characters in their own ways and the devotion they have for each other is heart-wrenching.

outside of the characters, the world lim creates is vibrant and ethereal. the food descriptions had me hungry the entire time, the action scenes are visceral and there are plenty of moments of levity courtesy of ukar the snake. also, there are dragons.

the more I read, the more I fell in love. by the end, I was on amazon adding elizabeth lim’s other books to my kindle.

a final note - I didn’t realise going in that this is a prequel to the six crimson crane’s duology. I haven’t read the the duology yet, but this didn’t detract from my reading experience and I think her radiant curse could be read as a stand-alone. that said, six crimson cranes is now at the top of my tbr and I’m even more excited to read them.

thank you netgalley for the chance to read this arc in exchange for an honest review. all opinions are my own.