2022 seems to be the best year for sequels. And I absolutely adored The Dragon’s Promise. It’s full of adventure and mystery, quests and swoon. If you loved Six Crimson Cranes, this is a must read. Keep reading this book review for my full thoughts.
Summary
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
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
The Dragon’s Promise is one of those books where I was delighted at the turn of events and twists. You know those books where you can’t quite predict where a story will go? But you just become swept away in the adventure. Lim delivers a sequel that is action packed as Shiori tries to figure out what is right. With the odds against her, Shiori must fight for her future and the ones she loves. The Dragon’s Promise is a story that – in a meta way – explores the consequences of a culture of fear.
How trying to control what we fear can backfire on us. The Dragon’s Promise has emotional highs and lows with suspense and joy. I loved how multi-layered The Dragon’s Promise is. It became impossible to stop reading because of these layers of adventure and action. When promises come calling, readers will wonder if everyone can make it out unscathed. How we can try to protect the ones we love, even as we hurt them becomes a theme Lim explores again in this sequel.
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Ultimately, if you enjoyed Six Crimson Cranes, this is a must read. This duology is perfect for fans not only of retellings of “The Seven Swans”, but also for YA fantasy reads full of action and heroines who are fighting for their future. Find The Dragon’s Promise on Goodreads, Amazon, Indiebound, Bookshop.org & The Book Deopository.