A review by morininung
Her Radiant Curse by Elizabeth Lim

adventurous emotional reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

a romance that broke my heart & a sisterly bond that helped put the pieces back together

going in knowing exactly how this story was supposed to turn out did not help. i cried through most of the book anyway and had to look back through SCC and DP hundreds of times just to connect all the tiny details, which only hurt me more.

channi and vanna possess a special kind of connection, and their shared empathy makes them a fun pairing to read about. no matter how far her quest takes her, no matter if she found a piece of her heart in someone else, channi proves, time and time again, that her sister comes first. it's a selfless act that lost her the one person, besides vanna, who understood and accepted her as she was, in all her flaws and all her wrongs, but it's a necessary sacrifice. it's expected yet refreshing, even if i am incredibly torn about the fate of her lover.

the chokehold EL has over me grows stronger each day, and i am now confident that if she ever wants me to rake all my life savings over to her, all she will need to do is ask. i wouldn't even blink. i would die defending this woman and her books.

anyway, this is, by far, her best work. i take no criticism.

quotes that made me want to gouge my eyes out

Is it the cage that makes them admire him and revile me? Would I be an attraction like the dragon if I were chained and imprisoned?

"Are we enemies then?"
A muscle ticks in his jaw. "Enemies want to hurt each other. I don't want to hurt you."

Never will I apologize for being the monster they made me.

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

"She didn't love me until the end. She loved you from the beginning."

The snakes will be your family no matter where you go. From this life to the next, they will remember you. Ukar dips his head. Lady White Snake.

quotes that made me kick my feet

We're a breath apart, and it's an odd sort of intimacy: how well I know the chart of his veins, the throbbing pulse points across his body, the lean muscles cording his arms. How much I want to best him in a fight.

"Finally, you admit you like me."
"I didn't say I liked—"
"You're going to be the doom of me, aren't you?"
"What?"
He winks. "It's those snake eyes. I can't resist them."

"Why did you come back?" I ask.
Another bite. He takes a sudden interest in his plate and I almost think he won't answer. Then he says: "Isn't it obvious?"

I hold my breath as our fingers uncurl at the same time, palms flat against each other. It's as intimate as a kiss, standing like this, locked by our hands.

"Did I ever tell you that green is my favorite color?"
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