Overall, really liked this book. We follow our mc, Mariko, through an incredible journey written beautifully as only Renee Ahdieh can write. Our story is interesting from the start, watching and waiting to find out about where the story will take me. The storytelling is lush and filled with easy to picture settings and people. It was exciting to see where this story went. The hardest part was trying to keep some of the names straight throughout the story and trying to remember them all. Beautiful and gorgeous story, very enjoyable read! Would highly recommend.

I adored this book. I don't even have the words to say how much I loved it. Well-crafted, nuanced characters, fantastic world-building, one of the prettiest covers I have ever seen! Can't wait for more!!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me a digital ARC of “Flame in the Mist” by Renée Ahdieh. I read Renée Ahdieh’s first series “The Wrath & the Dawn” and loved it so I am not surprised that I loved this book even more. The world building is fantastic and everything is so luxurious. This is a Mulan retelling and the story is fabulous! Her fans will love this story and uninitiated readers will love her new work as well.

If I could I would give three and half stars to the book. I think the world the author created is new a different from other YA books out there. I felt like this was more of a set up nothing was resolved in this book. No major plot. I also felt most of the characters were not done being set up or given enough description. We did get several different POVs not all of them were "fleshed out" as much as I want them to be. I am on fence about this book and recommending it to people. I guess it depends on the next book.

A few dozen pages in to Flame in the Mist, I found myself regretting that I hadn’t yet read Renee Ahdieh’s first duology (The Wrath and the Dawn) because, hoo-boy! Can she write! Her words are beautiful and set the tone so perfectly. And her descriptions are so visceral that I was able to clearly visualize each scene and setting of Mariko’s world; it is not often that I am able to create such immersive mental images. There’s a simmering tension in this book that keeps the pages turning: anxiety as lies are threaded and we await their unwinding, as intentions are masked and manipulated (and we hope that one character we kind of like doesn't do anything awful), and as uncertainty persists as to who is pulling the strings in this story.

The latter is certainly a question that plagues both Mariko and her twin brother, Kenshin, who acts as a secondary protagonist, driving the B plot, and I found both their stories to be equally investing. (Hoping to see more of Kenshin in the next book and to get some quality sibling interaction.) Mariko is a clever, determined, and brave, but also flawed and believable. She knows her assets and how to use them, and rather than transforming into an uber-insta-warrior the second she picks up a blade, she maintains her limitations and manages to use them to her advantage.

Also, there is a romance, and it is very well-developed. The word smolder comes to mind.

So, yes, this a good one. The pieces all seem to be in place for the second book, and I can't wait to read it.

As always, Renée Ahdieh's writing is beautiful, lyrical, and mesmerising. Full of action, adventure, and a delicious romance, Ahdieh sweeps you up in Mariko's tale and easily keeps you enraptured throughout the story. Fans of her debut series will not be disappointed with this one!

This book was so good. I was caught up right from the start; I couldn't put it down and read it all in one sitting! Mariko was such a wonderful character and the plot was so engaging. Excellent!

Oh my God, this book was amazing! What an epic start to Renee Ahdieh's new series! The world-building was fantastic—I loved the whole japanese/samurai era vibe. The characters were very unique and interesting, I instantly fell inlove with the members of The Black Clan. The romance was totally swoonworthy! Mariko and Okami's chemistry was so palpable, it hurts! I'm shipping them so hard! This book was so unputdownable I finished reading it in three hours! Renee Ahdieh definitely outdid herself with this series, I loved it more than The Wrath & the Dawn. I can't wait for book two! I highly recommend it!!!