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.

I'M OBSESSED!

Elizabeth Lim has done it again! Six Crimson Cranes is one of my favourite books of all time, so having a prequel story following the misunderstood stepmother was something I couldn't wait to get my hands on! As always, the writing was whimsical and enchanting. The plot was engaging and meeting new characters while finding out about Channi's origins was so cool. I had a blast reading this book and would urge everyone to pick up books by this author- you will not be disappointed!

This has everything- from swoony romance to serpents, curses, battles and tons of intrigue and politics woven throughout.

Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publishers for the e-arc!!

5 Stars does not do this book justice. Channi's story was filled with sadness, love and hope. Her loneliness was a contributing factor to the events that happened in Six Crimson Cranes and I liked reading about her backstory in Her Radiant Curse.

Channi grows up as a person who has to face the challenges of doing things by herself and bowing to her father's and stepmother's whims. After the birth of her younger sister, Vanna things changed as her sister was born with light in her very soul. It was the relationship between the sisters that I greatly enjoyed and cherished. The plot was wonderfully written and the pacing was fast and did not drag. I felt myself being immersed into the world of Her Radiant Curse and can't wait to read more books by Elizabeth Lim.

A huge thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Elizabeth Lim has become one of my auto-buy authors. I really enjoy her writing & her stories. Her Radiant Curse, her newest book, was no exception.
The book is set in the same world as her previous books and in this one we follow the stoey of Channi, who appears in the Six Crimson Cranes duology.

The world-building was really good as always and the story was whimsical, very engaging & action-packed. It also has very good friendship and sibling dynamics between the characters.

I haven’t read the duology that this precedes so I may be missing some important foreshadowing in this book. Easy to read, beautiful cover art but unfortunately the story just didn’t work for me. I found the motivations difficult and unsatisfying. I suspect I may have been more in the story had I read the other books by the author set in this world. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.

I'm really enjoying the increased visibility of Asian authors in an otherwise white majority genre. The inclusivity of Asian history and folklore being told in this manner is really refreshing and intriguing for me (someone outside of that culture) . The world building is thoughtful and thorough and the characters devout and complex. It is a prequel but you would be able to read with without having read the other books in her world first.

Thank you Netgalley and E. Lim for the eArc.

Really enjoyed learning the story if Channari and her sister Vanna, and how the Queen became as who she is in Six Crimson Cranes,.
The backstory is interesting, keeps you turning pages. The worldbuilding is well-written and describes, amkes you easily transported into the story.

The side characters are also really crucial to the plot and I enjoyed their character arc as well!
This was easily a good read, fast paced, emotional and gripping! Cannot wait to read more from Elizabeth Lim!

I have to give this book 5 stars because I sobbed while reading it. What an amazing story. If you have a sister, I think you will find this particularly impactful. I know I did.

First of all, thank you to NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton for this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Her Radiant Curse is Elizabeth Lim's fifth book in this Asian mythology-inspired universe (sadly there is no name, I would suggest "The Lor'yan Tales" haha) and the prequel to the Six Crimson Cranes duology, in which we follow Channari as she tries to defend her sister Vanna against the cruellest of the suitors and becomes the target of his wrath.

How can I describe and express my love for Elizabeth Lim's books? I love them soooo much, and Her Radiant Curse is no exception to this. It is a really nice addition to the worldbuilding previously created in the Six Crimson Cranes duology and the Blood of Stars duology, and I loved learning more about Channari and how she became the person she is in Six Crimson Cranes and The Dragon's Promise.
The plot is amazing and I found myself very invested in it, the writing is easy to read and understand, and the descriptions are really magical and make you want to live in this fictional realm. I really enjoyed the characters present in this book: Channari, the strong woman lead, her friendship with Ukar, a snake, and her relationship with Hokzuh, a dragon prince.
I felt like Her Radiant Curse was loosely inspired by The Beauty and the Beast, where Vanna would be the Beauty and Channari, the Beast.

Reading this prequel made me want to reread all of Elizabeth Lim's books in this universe, so it is a win for me! I highly recommend her books if you love East Asian mythology and folklore-inspired books.

I would really like to learn more about this universe, and why not have another prequel about Angma, the Demon Witch? Or Edan, the mysterious magician present in The Blood of Stars duology? Just saying 👀

"𝒜 𝓅𝓇𝑜𝓂𝒾𝓈𝑒 𝒾𝓈 𝓃𝑜𝓉 𝒶 𝓀𝒾𝓈𝓈 𝒾𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓌𝒾𝓃𝒹. 𝐼𝓉 𝒾𝓈 𝒶 𝓅𝒾𝑒𝒸𝑒 𝑜𝒻 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓇𝓈𝑒𝓁𝒻 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝒾𝓈 𝑔𝒾𝓋𝑒𝓃 𝒶𝓌𝒶𝓎 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓌𝒾𝓁𝓁 𝓃𝑜𝓉 𝓇𝑒𝓉𝓊𝓇𝓃 𝓊𝓃𝓉𝒾𝓁 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝓅𝓁𝑒𝒹𝑔𝑒 𝒾𝓈 𝒻𝓊𝓁𝒻𝒾𝓁𝓁𝑒𝒹."