A comprehensive guide to Elizabeth Lim’s published works, including fantasy novels, interconnected series, Disney retellings, short stories, anthology contributions, collected editions, Romanian translations and recommended reading orders.
📖 About Elizabeth Lim
Elizabeth Lim is an American bestselling author known for fantasy inspired by fairy tales, mythology and East Asian folklore. Her novels frequently explore family relationships, identity, sacrifice, love and the consequences of extraordinary magic.
Before becoming a novelist, Lim worked as a composer for films and video games. Her background in music contributes to the lyrical quality and atmosphere of her storytelling.
Her bibliography includes two major fantasy duologies, several connected standalone novels, contributions to Disney’s A Twisted Tale series, original short fiction and an adult historical fantasy novel.
This bibliography follows the original publication dates, identifies works belonging to the same fictional universe and separates original writing from collected editions and subsequent reprints.
📚 Elizabeth Lim — Complete Publication Chronology
The following list presents her principal published books in the order in which they originally appeared.
| Year | Title | Category |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Reflection | Disney’s A Twisted Tale |
| 2019 | Spin the Dawn | The Blood of Stars #1 |
| 2020 | So This Is Love | Disney’s A Twisted Tale |
| 2020 | Unravel the Dusk | The Blood of Stars #2 |
| 2021 | Six Crimson Cranes | Six Crimson Cranes #1 |
| 2022 | The Dragon’s Promise | Six Crimson Cranes #2 |
| 2023 | When You Wish Upon a Star | Disney’s A Twisted Tale |
| 2023 | Her Radiant Curse | Standalone fantasy; connected prequel |
| 2023 | A Twisted Tale Anthology | Edited anthology and original short-fiction contributions |
| 2025 | A Forgery of Fate | Standalone fantasy |
| 2026 | Fishbone Cinderella | Adult historical fantasy |
The anthology is listed here because it includes original fiction by Lim. Its individual contributions are identified separately below.
Later paperback editions and repackaged collections are not counted as new original works.
🧵 The Blood of Stars — Complete Bibliography
The Blood of Stars is a completed fantasy duology inspired by fairy tales and East Asian mythology.
It follows Maia Tamarin, a talented young tailor who enters a dangerous competition and becomes involved in a quest involving magical fabrics, powerful beings and imperial politics.
1. Spin the Dawn (2019)
Series: The Blood of Stars #1
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Original publication: 2019
Maia disguises herself as a man to compete for the position of imperial tailor. What begins as a competition gradually develops into a dangerous magical adventure.
2. Unravel the Dusk (2020)
Series: The Blood of Stars #2
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Original publication: 2020
The concluding novel follows Maia as she faces the consequences of her earlier choices and struggles against a growing supernatural threat.
Recommended Reading Order
- Spin the Dawn (2019)
- Unravel the Dusk (2020)
The novels should be read in publication order because the second book directly continues the first.
🐉 Six Crimson Cranes — Complete Bibliography
This completed fantasy duology follows Princess Shiori, whose forbidden magical abilities lead to a devastating curse affecting her family.
The series combines elements of traditional fairy tales with East Asian-inspired mythology.
1. Six Crimson Cranes (2021)
Series: Six Crimson Cranes #1
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Original publication: 2021
Princess Shiori must find a way to rescue her six brothers after a curse transforms them into cranes.
The novel draws inspiration from traditional tales including The Wild Swans and The Six Swans.
2. The Dragon’s Promise (2022)
Series: Six Crimson Cranes #2
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Original publication: 2022
Shiori’s adventures continue as she enters a wider world of dragons, dangerous magic and political intrigue.
The sequel expands the mythology established in the first novel.
Recommended Reading Order
- Six Crimson Cranes (2021)
- The Dragon’s Promise (2022)
Both novels form a continuous narrative.
✨ Connected Standalone Fantasy Novels
Elizabeth Lim has also written independent novels connected to the broader fictional world of Lor’yan.
Her Radiant Curse (2023)
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Original publication: 2023
Relationship to other works: Prequel connected to Six Crimson Cranes
The novel explores the relationship between Channi and Vanna, two sisters whose lives are shaped by a terrible curse.
Although it takes place before Six Crimson Cranes, it was published after the duology.
Recommended reading position: After The Dragon’s Promise, particularly for readers discovering the setting for the first time.
A Forgery of Fate (2025)
Genre: Young Adult Romantic Fantasy
Original publication: 2025
Reading status: Standalone novel
Inspired by Beauty and the Beast, the novel follows Truyan Saigas, a young woman whose extraordinary gift allows her to paint visions of the future.
The story introduces a cursed dragon lord, an underwater palace and a dangerous struggle involving mortal and immortal powers.
It belongs to Lim’s wider tradition of folklore-inspired fantasy but can be read independently.
🏰 Disney’s A Twisted Tale — Elizabeth Lim’s Novels
Disney’s A Twisted Tale is a multi-author collection of alternate versions of familiar animated stories.
Elizabeth Lim contributed three original full-length novels.
Reflection (2018)
Series: Disney’s A Twisted Tale
Original publication: 2018
Inspired by: Mulan
This retelling imagines an alternate story in which Mulan must journey into the Chinese underworld to save Captain Shang.
So This Is Love (2020)
Series: Disney’s A Twisted Tale
Original publication: 2020
Inspired by: Cinderella
The novel explores what might have happened if Cinderella had never tried on the glass slipper.
When You Wish Upon a Star (2023)
Series: Disney’s A Twisted Tale
Original publication: 2023
Inspired by: Pinocchio
This reimagining focuses on the Blue Fairy, her past and the consequences of granting a wish against the rules of magic.
Reading Order
- Reflection (2018)
- So This Is Love (2020)
- When You Wish Upon a Star (2023)
These novels are independent and can be read in any order.
Readers interested in Elizabeth Lim’s development as an author may prefer their publication order.
📖 Short Stories — Complete Identified Bibliography
Elizabeth Lim contributed three original short stories to A Twisted Tale Anthology, published in 2023.
A First Mission (2023)
First publication: A Twisted Tale Anthology
Genre: Fantasy short story
Disney connection: Mulan
The story imagines an alternative development in Mulan’s life involving service as an imperial adviser.
The Secret Exchange (2023)
First publication: A Twisted Tale Anthology
Genre: Fantasy short story
An original contribution to Disney’s collection of alternative fairy-tale narratives.
The Rose and the Thorns (2023)
First publication: A Twisted Tale Anthology
Genre: Fantasy short story
Another original work by Lim, included in the same anthology.
Short-Fiction Publication Notes
All three stories were first published together in 2023.
They should be identified individually in a complete bibliography, but the anthology itself should not be mistaken for a collection written entirely by Elizabeth Lim.
No separate first-publication dates have been established for these three stories.
📚 Anthologies Edited by Elizabeth Lim
A Twisted Tale Anthology (2023)
Original publication: 3 October 2023
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Editor: Elizabeth Lim
Contributors: Multiple authors
Contents: 16 original short stories
The anthology brings together established A Twisted Tale contributors and other fantasy authors.
Elizabeth Lim served as editor and contributed three original stories:
- A First Mission
- The Secret Exchange
- The Rose and the Thorns
Other contributors include Liz Braswell, Jen Calonita, Farrah Rochon, Livia Blackburne, M. K. England, Micol Ostow and Kristina Pérez.
This volume is an edited multi-author anthology, not a collection containing only Lim’s fiction.
📦 Collected Editions and Boxed Sets
Legends of Lor’yan 4-Book Boxed Set (2023)
Publication: 2023
Format: Four-volume boxed set
This collected edition contains:
- Spin the Dawn (2019)
- Unravel the Dusk (2020)
- Six Crimson Cranes (2021)
- The Dragon’s Promise (2022)
The boxed set brings together four previously published novels.
It is not a separate original novel and does not add four new titles to the bibliography.
Other Collected Editions
Selected Disney retellings and anthology contributions have also appeared in later collections and regional editions.
These are repackagings of existing works rather than new original publications.
For bibliographic clarity, the original books and stories remain listed under their first publication dates.
🌸 Adult Fiction
Fishbone Cinderella (2026)
Genre: Adult Historical Fantasy
Original publication: 2026
Publisher: Del Rey (US)
Elizabeth Lim’s adult debut explores the relationships between mothers and daughters across generations.
Set partly in 1940s Hong Kong and 1960s San Francisco, the story combines family history, migration, loss and inherited trauma with elements of fairy-tale magic.
Unlike her earlier young adult fantasy novels, Fishbone Cinderella draws more extensively on historical and family experiences while retaining the supernatural elements associated with her storytelling.
It is an independent novel and does not belong to either of Lim’s major fantasy duologies.
🇷🇴 Elizabeth Lim — Romanian Translations
Several of Elizabeth Lim’s fantasy novels have been published in Romanian by Editura Corint, through its CorinTeens imprint.
The following table distinguishes the original publication dates from the Romanian editions.
| Original Title | Romanian Title | Original Year | Romanian Edition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spin the Dawn | Urzeala zorilor | 2019 | CorinTeens, 2020 |
| Unravel the Dusk | Destrămarea întunericului | 2020 | CorinTeens, 2021 |
| Six Crimson Cranes | Șase cocori stacojii | 2021 | CorinTeens, 2022 |
| The Dragon’s Promise | Promisiunea dragonului | 2022 | CorinTeens, 2023 |
| Her Radiant Curse | Un blestem strălucitor | 2023 | CorinTeens, 2024 |
Sânge de stele — Romanian Edition Details
Urzeala zorilor
- Original title: Spin the Dawn
- Series: Sânge de stele #1
- Publisher: CorinTeens
- Romanian publication: 2020
- Translators: Iordana Ferenț and Ștefan Ferenț
Destrămarea întunericului
- Original title: Unravel the Dusk
- Series: Sânge de stele #2
- Publisher: CorinTeens
- Romanian publication: October 2021
- Translators: Iordana Ferenț and Ștefan Ferenț
Șase cocori stacojii — Romanian Edition Details
Șase cocori stacojii
- Original title: Six Crimson Cranes
- Series: Șase cocori stacojii #1
- Publisher: CorinTeens
- Romanian publication: 2022
- Translator: Simona Ștefana Stoica
Promisiunea dragonului
- Original title: The Dragon’s Promise
- Series: Șase cocori stacojii #2
- Publisher: CorinTeens
- Romanian publication: September 2023
- Translator: Simona Ștefana Stoica
Standalone Romanian Edition
Un blestem strălucitor
- Original title: Her Radiant Curse
- Publisher: CorinTeens
- Romanian publication: September 2024
- Translator: Simona Ștefana Stoica
Romanian Publication Notes
The five titles listed above have confirmed Romanian editions.
Romanian translations of Reflection, So This Is Love, When You Wish Upon a Star, A Forgery of Fate and Fishbone Cinderella have not been verified for this bibliography.
Foreign-language editions imported into Romania should not be confused with Romanian translations.
🗓️ Recommended Reading Order — All Major Fantasy Books
Elizabeth Lim’s fantasy novels can be approached in several ways.
For readers interested in discovering her work in publication order, the following sequence preserves the development of her fictional universe.
Legends of Lor’yan — Publication Order
- Spin the Dawn (2019)
- Unravel the Dusk (2020)
- Six Crimson Cranes (2021)
- The Dragon’s Promise (2022)
- Her Radiant Curse (2023)
- A Forgery of Fate (2025)
The first four books form two separate duologies.
Her Radiant Curse and A Forgery of Fate can be enjoyed independently, although familiarity with the earlier books may add context to their shared fantasy setting.
Recommended Order for First-Time Readers
For readers who prefer to complete each series before moving on to another:
The Blood of Stars
- Spin the Dawn
- Unravel the Dusk
Six Crimson Cranes
- Six Crimson Cranes
- The Dragon’s Promise
- Her Radiant Curse — connected prequel, best approached afterward
Additional Standalone Fantasy
- A Forgery of Fate
Adult Fiction
- Fishbone Cinderella
Disney Retellings
- Reflection
- So This Is Love
- When You Wish Upon a Star
- A Twisted Tale Anthology
No prior knowledge of the other Disney retellings is required.
🦋 Elizabeth Lim on BookFairy
The Dragon’s Promise — BookFairy Review
In my review of The Dragon’s Promise, I explore Elizabeth Lim’s expansion of the mythology established in Six Crimson Cranes.
I particularly enjoyed Shiori’s character development, the atmosphere created by the dragons and ancient magic, and the way the novel gradually establishes its own fantasy identity.
Although some sections of the story move more slowly, the sequel remains an imaginative and emotionally engaging continuation of Shiori’s journey.
📖 Read the Full BookFairy Review — The Dragon’s Promise
Additional BookFairy reviews will be linked here as they are published.
📚 Bibliographic Notes
This bibliography distinguishes between:
- Original novels and their subsequent editions.
- Connected fantasy stories and independent novels.
- Series reading order and chronological publication order.
- Individual short stories and the anthologies containing them.
- Books written by Elizabeth Lim and multi-author works she edited.
- Original English-language publications and Romanian translations.
- Collected editions and genuinely new works.
A later paperback, audiobook or special-edition release does not create a new original bibliographic entry.
Likewise, translations are identified in their own section rather than being counted as additional original titles.
The chronology is current through October 2026.
📚 Bibliographic Sources
- Elizabeth Lim — Official Website
- Elizabeth Lim — Official Books Catalogue
- Elizabeth Lim — Penguin Random House
- Elizabeth Lim — Disney Books
- A Twisted Tale Anthology — Disney Publishing
- Editura Corint — Official Publisher
💭 Final Thoughts
Elizabeth Lim’s bibliography demonstrates her versatility as a storyteller, from young adult fantasy rooted in folklore to Disney retellings, short fiction and adult historical fantasy.
Her two major duologies provide accessible introductions to her imaginative worlds, while her standalone novels explore different interpretations of curses, sacrifice, family relationships and magical power.
For readers discovering her books for the first time, Six Crimson Cranes and Spin the Dawn offer two excellent starting points.
This bibliography brings together her original publications, related works, Romanian editions and recommended reading orders in one place, providing a guide to Elizabeth Lim’s writing without unnecessarily duplicating later editions.
