Magic, mischief and adventure! The Dragon’s Promise by Elizabeth Lim

Synopsis

From the New York Times Bestselling author of Six Crimson Cranes comes a thrilling new adventure! A journey to the kingdom of dragons, a star-crossed love, and a cursed pearl with the power to mend the world or break it… Fans of Shadow and Bone will devour this soaring fantasy.

Princess Shiori made a deathbed promise to return the dragon’s pearl to its rightful owner, but keeping that promise is more dangerous than she ever imagined.

She must journey to the kingdom of dragons, navigate political intrigue among humans and dragons alike, fend off thieves who covet the pearl for themselves and will go to any lengths to get it, all while cultivating the appearance of a perfect princess to dissuade those who would see her burned at the stake for the magic that runs in her blood.

The pearl itself is no ordinary cargo; it thrums with malevolent power, jumping to Shiori’s aid one minute, and betraying her the next—threatening to shatter her family and sever the thread of fate that binds her to her true love, Takkan. It will take every ounce of strength Shiori can muster to defend the life and the love she’s fought so hard to win.

Review

4,5 stars

“But a promise is a promise,” I said softly. “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.”

Thank you Hodder & Stoughton for sending me this advanced reading copy through Netgalley!  This has no influence whatsoever on my review.

I was so glad to be back in Shiori’s world where dragons visit mischievous princesses and where danger, magic, adventure as well as romance lurks at every corner!

This is the sequel of Six Crimson Cranes and you must read the first story before The Dragons Promise.

The Dragons Promise begins right where we left, when Shiori will accompany Seryu, the dragon prince, to find the rightful owner of the dragon pearl her dying mother in law gave her.

Shiori made a promise to reunite the pearl with its rightful owner and she intends to be true to her word!

Even if in the meantime demons threaten to leave the mountain and invade her beloved Kiata.

What will follow is first the journey in the dragon beautiful but also deadly underwater realm. The Dragon’s king is fierce and determined to get the pearl at all costs.

Shiori will face danger after danger and I had to hold my breath more than once thinking all was lost! Shiori has magic but it will truly be her wits and her friends help, that will save her from what the dragon king has in store for her! Her strength of mind and heart is admirable. It will help her endure frightening ordeals!

But the story was far from finished and will go on dry land, in the air, on an island, in the heart of a mountain… There was never a moment of respite for Shiori, her brothers and her beloved Takkan! Oh and lets not forget the magic paper crane: Kiki!

That story races from one magical universe to another, embarking our vivacious  heroine on a very dangerous path where she will have to sacrifice many things if she hopes to reach her goal and fulfil her promise.

Shiori is a very likeable character! Always prone to mischief, reckless with a huge love for food, she wears her heart on her sleeve and loves her family and her country dearly. She also would rather sacrifice herself than her beloved ones even if her intended Takkan matched her in stubbornness and dedication.

These two were really made for each other!

“Your heart is your home. Until you understand that, you belong nowhere.”

Family is also a big theme in that story and this is something that I loved reading about seeing how tight the family bonds were between Shiori and her six brothers. For someone without siblings like me, this was really heartwarming and a sweet dream.

What I also loved in this sequel was that we got to see her mother in law not as a villain but as someone who loved Shiori deeply and had made great sacrifices to protect her and her brothers. I was all misty eyes learning about her youth and what she went through. Knowing that she was finally loved was a balm for the heart.

Cherry on top was Shiori’s encounter with a young enchanter that we get to know very well in another duology of Elisabeth Lim!

Elisabeth Lim has created a story filled with magic and action that will sweep you off your feet and make you forget the world for a few hours, wishing that you could make magic paper cranes, go on dangerous adventure and eat rice cake with Shiori while playing prank on her brothers!

Thanks for reading!

Sophie