Well, Elizabeth Lim did it again !
First of all, thank you Netgalley for letting me reading this book, I'm so happy about it.

For Her Radiant Curse it's not an obligation to read her previous series The Dragon promise but, in it you will say hello to Channari and that's our main character so it could be good to do it. And to be honest that's a wonderful duology so what are you waiting for ?

So ! Here's my review !
It's the perfect amount of fantasy, retelling, love and action. From page 1 to the last one, my heart was with Channari and I just so sad to let her go. When I talk about love is about love of two sisters and it's so delicate.
Elizabeth create a spin off of all her other works and she's doing it perfectly.

Just read this book, you won't regret it.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the eARC.

I enjoyed this book a lot more than I thought it would- there were moments where I did not want to finish, only because I knew it would break me. Elizabeth Lim creates a world filled with wonder and builds the world and expands it, I enjoyed the build up from start to end.

This book is a prequel to Six Crimson Cranes, it explores the backstory of the stepmother, it begins with her childhood and it follows her journey in saving herself and her sister from the exploitation of the world. Her biggest fear is the "witch demon" who started the whole curse and pain she had to endure. Throughout this story we are introduced to a variety of characters and we explore the adventures of Channi and her friends.

Overall, I rate this book 5 stars due to the beautiful writing and world that was created alongside the emotions that were felt along the journey.

I absolutely loved this book. While it is telling the backstory of Shiori’s stepmother from Six Crimson Cranes, it can be read just as easily as a stand-alone. In some respects I actually feel it is the stronger story of the two and it is neatly and succinctly, satisfyingly tied up in one volume.

Channari and Vanna are both very sympathetic characters and I loved their character arc. This is a beautiful fairy story about both sister and motherhood, with dragons, competitions and witches.

A solid 4and a half stars, rounded up to 5.

Actual rating: 3.5 stars

I love Elizabeth Lim’s writing: she is great at creating fairytale-like settings and characters.

While I loved the character of Channi and her relationship with her sister, overall I felt that the plot of this book was a little weaker than ‘Six Crimson Cranes’. However I would still definitely recommend this book for anyone who enjoyed that series (and it was great to learn more about Channi, who had always been a somewhat enigmatic character in the original series).

This was a really cute prequel, such a nice was to see more into stepmothers life. I really enjoyed learning more about this world.

This was AMAZING. Gave me the same feels as her first book Spin the Dawn and I was worried I wouldn't get those feels again (didn't much love Six Crimson Cranes duo) but this gave me faiiith. However I feel like I need to read these damn books backwards so they're in chronological order and things make sense. I was Googling so much stuff both in SCC duo and this book to make sure I was putting the pieces together again. I will however be re-buying the FL editions of SCC because I just love the way it pulls everything together.
This is super fun, this story. I loved the ending, the lack of romance, yet also how easy it was to read. Nothing complicated about it. Anticipating her other books!
Thanks to @netgalley and @hodderscape for accepting me for an early copy

Channi has been cursed to have the face of a serpent, unless she sacrifices her beautiful sister Vanna. But she adores Vanna and is determined to keep her safe, in this beautiful fantasy novel full of adventure.

Her Radiant Curse is a prequel to Elizabeth Lim's Six Crimson Cranes duology, but it can easily be read in any order or as a completely separate standalone. It is brilliantly written with detailed world building and a plot that sweeps the reader up right from the first page. I absolutely loved it!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Her Radiant Curse by Elizabeth Lim
This was a fantasy story set in the world of Six crimson cranes. I haven’t read Six Crimson cranes yet, but I did enjoy Her Radiant curse as a standalone.Am a huge fan of @elimpix books. This one was no exception. Most of them were coverbuys, (Her books have absolutely gorgeous artwork u guys!😍) and loving them after reading them.
This was the story of Channari and her beautiful sister. How a curse in childhood puts them in danger and how Channi overcomes it. It was fast paced and character centric and as usual was woven into a beautiful tapestry rich in colour and culture. Loved it!!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

A very interesting and fun story filled with magic and sisterly love. I do recommend reading Six Crimson Cranes duology first. It'll make more sense if you do.

i just love this world. i love elizabeth's lim whimsical adventurous writing and the way she weaves these characters into their respective roles so seamlessly. i've enjoyed this duology immensely and hope to read more from elizabeth lim.

— thanks to the publisher and netgalley for the free digital ARC.

My favourite Elizabeth Lim book yet!

Her Radiant Curse follows the backstory of the evil stepmother from Six Crimson Cranes, Raikama, back when she was still called Channari. The story follows her as she tries to break a curse put upon her by a demon and tries to save her sister. We know how this story ends, so there’s an extra challenge to keep the reader hooked regardless. Lim definitely manages to do this. Channari is such a loveable main character you can’t help but root for, even though you know her story probably won’t end happily. The side characters could’ve been more fleshed out, I would have especially like to have seen more of Hokzuh and Vanna, but this doesn’t really matter because the book spends most of its time just with Channari alone, and she’s entertaining enough to carry the book. I appreciate that she’s badass, but also an actual person, unlike many YA protagonists.

I wasn’t sure about a prequel to Six Crimson Cranes, which already was kind of a prequel to the Blood of Stars, but this book pleasantly surprised me. My worries mostly were about the story, I liked Raikama a lot in Six Crimson Cranes, but her backstory was already an important element of that book, what more could be told in this one? I shouldn’t have worried, because it turns out that Elizabeth Lim is just really good at prequels. She now has two duologies and one standalone book all set in the same world, but they all feel so distinct. Lim only seems to be growing as a writer, so I’m very curious to see whats she writes next.

A fantastic prequel to Six Crimson Cranes duology, with an adventurous ride of a girl named Channari to save her sister, but at the cost of being cursed by a face of a serpent instead. This book is full of thrilling adventures, mythical creatures, and beautiful world-building. This backstory makes me understand Channari even more after reading Six Crimson Cranes series. Not only that, this book also highlights the unbroken bond and loyalty between two sisters. When I read this I feel like I am watching a fantasy movie on screen. It doesn't feel like reading and I enjoyed it tremendously. The sacrifices, the bravery, the betrayals, everything is perfect! The plot was well-done and executed perfectly, gripping and left me wanting more and kore of this story. Overall, Her Radiant Curse is a must-read prequel if you love Six Crimson Cranes.

*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

Wow! I have no words.This book had no right to make me cry like that. Few times actually. By the end I could barely see the text from my vision going blurry. This was the most beautiful story I have read in a while.I loved SCC but I adored this.I am so glad we got a story on Channi .I even went back to refresh my memory how it all ended and it made me cry even more. I was a wreck. Beautiful! 10/10 recommend. I am so looking forward to more work by this author.

Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for sending me an E-arc of one of my most anticipated releases of this year.

I absolutely adored the Six Crimson Cranes series and was dying to know more about Raikama, and this book delivered and then some!

In this prequel (that you can also read as a one shot), we meet Raikama, or should I say Channari as a child and follow her story, who she was and how she became Raikama.
Once again we fall for the wonderful build-up world of Elizabeth Lim, The magic and mythological influences are all around us, making us travel through the Asian mystical world like always.

I especially liked the different dynamics and relationships present in the book, as the amazing characters development.

I could not recommend this book enough,you will for sure spend an amazing time!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this eARC.
I have to say that I really enjoyed reading this book. It was a pure delight. The book's main focus is on sisterly bonds and trying to survive as an outcast in a hostile environment. I really liked the connection between Vanna and Channi. And even though I knew how the story will end it didn't make it less sad. It was great to see the whole story through Channi's eyes and learn more about her childhood and her as a character. I really recommend this story to anyone.

— 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 —

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: Her Radiant Curse
𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬: Prequel to Six Crimson Cranes Duology
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫(𝐬): Elizabeth Lim
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Fairytale/Fantasy
𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭: eARC
𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝: 29th August 2023
𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝: 16th July 2023
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 4.5/5

“A promise is not a kiss in the wind, to be thrown about without care. It is a piece of yourself that is given away and will not return until your pledge is fulfilled.”

A gorgeous and emotional tale that depicts a sisterly bond like no other. One considered goddess-descended in her beauty and manner, one considered a frightful monster to be kept away from the village. I loved that Elizabeth Lim chose the monster’s perspective of this story.

This is a prequel to the Six Crimson Cranes series, which I have not read yet, so I cannot acknowledge any references made to that story yet but I do look forward to reading the duology with the added context the prequel lends. Saying that, I believe this works as a standalone, perhaps the ending would be more impactful if I’d know the implications but I genuinely loved it nonetheless.

I thought that this would be loosely based on the Asian folklore legend of The White Snake, but it only borrows some elements (such as the snake-girl and the enemy being able to occupy mortal form) to turn this into a rich and fast-paced story.

In fact, whilst The White Snake is a story based on love and devotion between husband and wife, the romantic component in Her Radiant Curse is a flutter of a butterfly’s wings compared to the prowling tiger of the fierce and protective bond between the two sisters, Channi and Vanna, in the story.

I really enjoyed the exploration of ‘pretty privilege’ in the story. I believe this is where the Beauty and The Beast component comes into play as this story depicts how the village saw Vanna and Channi as ‘good and evil’ simply based on their aesthetic. It does show the other side of the coin though, hence the title ‘Her Radiant Curse’ and how the pretty privilege can transcend into the pretty problem based on the eye of the beholder.

Her Radiant Curse is a stunning story that struck me as fairytale-esque. The pretty writing, the magical elements, prophecies and curses, dragons and demons, witches and kings. It is definitely a fairytale with darkness, depth and with feeling that will be enjoyed by many.

—Kayleigh🤍

Thank you, Netgalley, for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Truth be told, I requested this book without ever having read the Six Crimson Cranes duology and I also had no idea that this book was set in the same world, let alone was a prequel to it!

In this book, we follow Channi, who lost her mother when she gave birth to her sister, Vanna. In hopes of trying to save their mother, their father then decides to sacrifice one of his children to a Witch. He leaves Channi in the jungle alone, offering her in exchange for his wife to be restored back to health. However, before any of that could take place, Channi gets poisoned by a snake and becomes useless to the Witch - and for that, she curses her to become a monster. The only way the curse would be broken would be by her bringing offering her sister Vanna to the Witch before she turned seventeen or there would be consequences for both sisters.

Channi gets the ability to talk to snakes by the poison running in her blood and so she gets raised by them. Vanna is the only human who is capable of loving Channi, especially since she scares everyone because of the scales on her face. Channi feels like she cannot lose the only person who was ever really capable of loving her and so she vows to never let the Witch hurt them. Does she have what it takes to be successful?

Her Radiant Curse is a magnificent tale inspired by Asian mythology, sprinkled with whimsical storytelling and a thrilling action-packed plot who will keep you entertained for the whole duration of the book.

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this arc!

4.25 ☆'s.

This is my first Elizabeth Lim book, and definitely will not be my last. Elizabeth Lims writing is so lyrical and easy to read, and the way she crafted the story of Channi was absolutely beautiful. I got emotional over reading what Channi had to go through because my god did that girl go through a lot of things.

This book is the prequel to Six Crimson Cranes, the author's most popular duology, and though I haven't read that, I didn't find myself feeling like I was missing something.

Channi's story is so heart-wrenching, and the love that she shares with her sister, Vanna, along with all the other relationships she had in this book, had me sobbing. I loved the connection she and Hokzuh shared, and I was truly heartbroken by how it ended. I absolutely loved the snake, Ukar, who's Channi's best friend. He was so funny.

The ending of this absolutely broke me. I found myself sobbing about how everything ended. Sibling relationships in books always leave a big impact on me, and this one has a piece of my heart.

"Butterflies celebrate all love, Channi, because every love is precious. And mine for you, above all. That love is forever." 😭😭

Overall, I absolutely loved having my heart broken bit by bit as I followed Channi's journey. Highly recommend this!!

This was a fantastically written epic fantasy that kept me hooked from the first page to the last. I was slightly disappointed with the ending, and having not read Six Crimson Cranes meant it went over my head slightly, but the rest of the story was so engaging and thrilling it definitely deserves 4 stars!

Thank you netgalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review. I absolutely loved every aspect of this book, from the characters to how the plot developed. Because of this, I would recommend this book to absolutely anyone, and cannot wait to read the other works from this author. 5/5 stars!