We first meet our main character as she was travelling in her litter to the emperor’s city of Inako, and from the very first page the rollercoaster of events started pouring out and never stopped until the very last page! I flew through the book in one sitting and immediately craved for more.

Mariko is nothing like an ordinary girl, born and raised in a wealthy family, promised to become a wife of the emperor’s first born son. Throughout the book we find out more and more details of her traits: brave, persistent, curious, inventive, passionate, at some points naive and reckless. The only thing she was not is boring.

I have to admit though, we heard a lot about how intelligent and smart Mariko was, and sometimes it seemed like a lot of talking and not a lot of showing, but the plot and all the characters were so different and interesting that it did not bother me not for a second.

And then we meet Okami! At exactly 51% through the book I posted on my GoodReads about how much I loved Okami. He was dangerous, fearless, full of secrets, – the perfect “bad boy” of this book (what is it about those bad boys that we love so much??)

The story takes us through small villages, through the deep dark forest to the majestic city. We see small glimpses of the world, ruled by the wealth and power. We see glimpses of richness and festivity, as well as the completely opposite livelihood of villagers and workers around the area.

There are samurais, Japanese swords and the art of samurai warriors. There is also a tiny drop of magic, that seems to come more to life in the next book (that I can’t wait to get my hands on!!). There are rivalry, lies, treachery and murders = What else would you want to see in a new YA series? Oh, yes! The perfectly measured romance!

I never seek for romance in fantasy books. Nevertheless, it’s always there. Most of the times it is too overpowering. Most of the times it will make me cringe. But not this time!

This romance was perfectly flirtatious. Just enough for you to get interested but not enough to wear you down, or even worse, to overpower the main story.

A great beginning to this new series – «Flame in the Mist» will introduce you to the magical world of Japanese folklore, amazing main and side characters and treacherous plot! Highly recommend this to any Fantasy, Romance or YA lover in general (or just anyone! Please, read it!!)

I was provided with an e-arc of this book by Netgalley and was super excited to read it. The Wrath and The Dawn is one of my favorite duologies so I was hoping this book would be just as good. Unfortunately, it took me two weeks to get through.
This book was kind of a Six of Crows situation for me. The story was good, but to me it felt kind of.. flat. I missed the magic that the TWATD duology possesses, what made those books so wonderful. Flame In The Mist did not have that. It has the potential for me to love the characters, but it felt like Ahdieh just missed her shot with me. The writing style was immediately identified as Ahdieh’s, but yet again, something felt off.
It took me two weeks to plough through this book, even though the story was not bad at all. But whenever I put the book down, I just did not feel like picking it up again. I’ve seen a lot of people give it 5 stars, and for the story I’m still giving it 3 stars, but that’s it. It’s sad, because I absolutely loved TWATD and was hoping to love this one too. But alas, it was not meant to be.

I have been waiting all my life for a YA Mulan retelling, and I am so thrilled that we finally have one! This story is about a girl who disguises herself as boy to get revenge on a group of men who attempted to assassinate her. The main character is brave and intelligent, and I adored the Feudal Japanese setting. This book is just so original and I definitely encourage everyone to read it.

It is shocking to me that I have never read a Mulan retelling before. Mulan is probably my favourite Disney movie, so when I saw that one of my favourite authors had written a retelling of it, I knew it was going to be good. This book tells the story of a girl who is attacked by a group of bandits and secretly joins their group while disguised as a boy to figure out who is responsible. I loved the whole secret society idea, and of course Mariko’s attempts to ensure that she isn’t found out. This book is so action-packed and will definitely keep you on the edge of your seat!

I adored Mariko’s character! She is so strong and intelligent. Her plan to attack the Black Clan from within is so daring, and even though she is treated horribly at first, she remains determined. Mariko discovers her many talents while she is in the Black Clan and is committed to proving her worth as a female. She is the epitome of strength, courage, and independence, and I was definitely rooting for her the whole way.

The Feudal Japanese setting in Flame in the Mist is so original! I’ve read books set in Japan before, but I’ve never read anything set in Feudal Japan. The Japanese mythology and terms throughout the book are so interesting to me, and I feel like I learned a lot while reading. The descriptions of the scenery and culture are also so vivid, making the story come to life. After reading this book, I really need more books with this setting.

Flame in the Mist is the Mulan retelling that I’ve always wanted. The main character is headstrong and independent, and the setting is very unique. I can’t wait for the sequel to be released!

Why did I not know this was the first book in a series? I saw it coming because of how it was ending but I still thought it was a stand alone! Anyway, this was a super interesting and engaging book that once I got into it, I couldn't stop reading until finishing it because new things were happening all the time. Everything, from the writing to the characters to the plot was enticing and atmospheric and it was really easy to lose myself in this world. I love the play on magic that's here because it's not something super overbearing or a big high fantasy magic system that you have to understand, but it's quiet and unassuming and it matches everything in the book. Even though Renee Ahdieh is known for not explaining how the magic works in her books, I don't know if it would have worked with this big magic system. You just go picking up some things as you go along but it's so in the background, that you don't see some of the things that happen at the end of the book coming at all. The pacing between the action and the quiet moments was so well done and it's something that I've admired Renee Ahdieh for doing before. Apart from that, the writing of this book is absolutely gorgeous but I know it's not for everyone. Like with her previous books, it was lyrical and poetic and that's the kind of style I love. 

I must say, she really likes writing hate to love relationships but I think this one was much better done than the one in The Wrath and The Dawn (much less sexual harassment in this one) (also, much less falling in love with an actual murderer, whatever the excuse). It flowed so beautifully and it presented characters that are morally ambiguous, who don't do things by the rules but who have good plans and good goals and who are much more than meets the eye. I almost wished that we could have gotten more POVs from the people in The Black Clan but I know a lot of the things depended on the narration being told by Mariko alone. I also loved that there was so much Japanese culture and mythology interwoven in the story, it really made it special and unique. There were great discussions on gender inequality and different and complex badass women trying to get shit done in a society that keeps putting them down. I loved that it wasn't only Mariko, like we get in a lot of books. There were so many women with different struggles and different situations in life trying to do what they could to not only survive, but thrive. Also, nobody will convince me that Okami and Ren are not at least bi. 

What really bothers me of these books that features a girl dressing up like a guy is that we still get a lot of the gender binary and I wished we could have explored more of the things that come with someone doing that. As a result of this being seen as such a terrible thing in the eye of this society and mainly in the eye of Mariko, there was a bit of transphobia. It wasn't much just because the problem with the Black Clan wasn't that she was a girl, but that she lied to them. But I just keep wondering what if she would have been a guy who had been born with a vagina, what then? Everything was so: genitals = gender. At the same time she was the only girl there so at the end of the day, there were still problems with sexism within their group and I would have liked for them to talk about them but we still have more books (book?) and maybe that will be explored there. I also wished we could have gotten more story and explanation for everything. Like I said, the magic system maybe I could accept it without an actual explanation behind it, but I have so many questions about The Black Clan and the history behind them. I just have a problem with Renee Ahdieh's books about always wanting a little more from the construction of the plot. Hopefully we'll get answers in the next one!

FLAME IN THE MIST is, so far, one of the best books i've read in 2017. i read a lot of mixed reviews about it lately, and i completely understand why it may be not enjoyable for some people, but i personally loved it.

this is my first ahdieh novel, and the subtle writing style gripped me from the first sentence. it felt so...beautiful. everything was so well written and so well described, but sometimes too described. some actions took too long to happen, and it bored me a TINY LITTLE BIT. but this is my only complaint.

i'm certainly not the first to tell you, but renée ahdieh is born to write slow-burn romance that hits you right in the feels. the story between mariko (the main character) and the love interest (whose name i'm not going to say because REASONS) is one of the best romances i've ever read (and believe me, i read a lot of romance). AHDIEH JUST KNOWS HOW TO DO IT OKAY.

another thing that ahdieh knows is build a setting, a plot, a character development, and EVERYTHING ELSE. that book was just a rollercoaster of feels, action and plot twists.

to conclude, FLAME IN THE MIST was really amazing. for me. i don't know if it's a book for everybody, as i've seen a lot of mixed reviews about it. but i suggest you to give it a try.

[moving on to a spoiler-filled discussion, so if you haven't read the book yet, stop here (seriously, you wouldn't want to get spoiled on it). but if you like spoilers, you can always stay...]

HOW CAN YOU EVEN END A BOOK LIKE THAT JUST HOW.

do i seriously have to wait a whole year to know what happens next? why is life so unfair? i have so many questions:

+ who plotted to kill mariko in the first place? (i mean i feel like i kind of know but i need PROOF.)
+ what is the real reason behind kanako killing the emperor of wa?
+ DID YOSHI DIE? (it's pretty obvious but i need it officially WRITTEN.)
+ who made kenshin kill those innocent people in the forest? WHO WAS HE CONTROLLED BY?
+ who's who?
+ WHAT FREAKING HAPPENS NEXT?

but let's first talk about what actually happened in the book:

the cross-dressing trope? i fall for it every time. i just love it and i don't know why. and FLAME IN THE MIST was not an exception.

okay, but can we talk about mariko and okami because i'm sHOOK. that was amazing. the enemies-to-lovers trope got me hooked. the scene where he discovers she's actually a girl is so intense and so good. all the passion inside them just explodes and...wow. there's also the fact that okami looks like he's the tough guy but he's actually the soft boy. AND. I'M. SOLD. so many feels guys, so many feels. I JUST WANT MORE TELL ME THERE'S MORE IN THE NEXT BOOK.

and then we realize that ranmaru (or the one "called" ranmaru) already knew that she was a girl, and that he's the fox in the forest? and that okami is the one who's really named ranmaru? i was honestly not prepared for that. there were just so many plot twists at the end.

i want to end this discussion with the theories i have for the next book, because that's the only thing that can keep me waiting:

+ raiden (the prince who was suposed to marry mariko in the first place) or his brother are the ones who tried to kill mariko in the beginning of the book
+ the witch who was with the emperor (i don't remember her name, but she was the one who he used to love), is the one behind everything: she's the one who controlled kenshin, raiden, roku and kanako to kill and manipulate people, and THAT would the final plot twist.

aaand i think that's it. but don't get me wrong, i can talk about this book for hours, it's my new obsession.

As I’m writing this review, I’m thinking to myself, how it must be a tall order for an author to write a story of different race and culture other than their own. You must really abandon your “own voice” to breathe life and authenticity into your character’s voice. And with Flame in the Mist, I think Miss Ahdieh created something really special. A brilliant and authentic tale of lies, love, and good ‘ole fantasy.

Set in feudal Japan, the story follows Hattori Mariko, the daughter of a prominent samurai, who is promised to the emperor’s son, Minamoto Raiden. But en route to the imperial city of Inako, she narrowly escapes an ambush by a dangerous gang of bandits known as the Black Clan, who she she learns has been hired to kill her before she reaches the palace. Devising a plan to infiltrate the ranks of the Black Clan, she disguises herself as a peasant boy and earns the trust of the clan’s leader, rebel ronin Takeda Ranmaru, and his best friend, Okami.

First of all, kudos to Miss Ahdieh for setting up a rich historical backdrop. Going into the book, I wasn’t sure how much of feudal Japan I was going to see, but thankfully, it wasn’t a mere plot device. There was actual talk of feudal lords and land properties, and the best thing is it wove around the lives of the characters, making for some interesting developments. The inner history nerd in me is delighted.

Can we talk about how Hattori Mariko is such an awesome lead? Besides her being badass and all that, she’s exceptionally cunning. She had some of the best comebacks in the book (out of the many banter with other characters), and it’s characters like her that I really enjoy reading about. Reminds me of Nikolai Lantsov from the Grisha a bit hihi. I also liked her decision-making process as if it were a chess game, thinking three moves ahead the enemy. Though there were multiple instances where it backfired, it made for great character development. Because that’s what matters at the end of the day, right?

Let’s also talk about the wonderful side characters! Starting off with Okami or the Wolf, as he is called by some of the clan. I love his character. His constant bickering with Mariko is one of the highlights of the book, to be honest. There’s also the other members of the clan: Ranmaru, who I felt deserved more screen time because he is witty af; Yoshi, the clan’s cook and sage, as I like to call him, because he had some of the quotable lines ever.

I should also note that the book is told in third-person, and besides Mariko’s point-of-view, we also get to see from the eyes of some characters albeit rather cloudy. I found that it made things more interesting especially the last chapter.

Lastly, let me talk about how the ending totally left me hanging from a cliff. I must have looked insane whilst going through the last chapters of the book. So. Much. Revelations. UGH. You just have to read it for yourself to see what these revelations are.

Overall, this book blew me away in all possible directions. Though I knew I was in for a whirlwind read, I didn’t expect the winds to completely carry me away. This is also my first book by Ahdieh, and so far, so good! I know there’s already a lot of hype surrounding this book, but take it from me when I say that: it’s worth it.

The daughter of a prominent samurai, Mariko has long known her place—she may be an accomplished alchemist, but because she is not a boy, her future has always been out of her hands. For political gain, Mariko is promised to Minamoto Raiden, the son of the emperor's favorite consort. But on the way to the imperial city of Inako, Mariko narrowly escapes an assassination attempt by a the Black Clan, who she learns has been hired to kill her before she reaches the palace.

Disguised as a boy, Mariko seeks to infiltrate the Black Clan, determined to track down the person responsible for the target on her back. But she's quickly captured and taken to the Black Clan’s secret hideout, where she meets their leader, the rebel ronin Takeda Ranmaru, and his second-in-command, his best friend Okami. Still believing her to be a boy, Ranmaru and Okami eventually warm to Mariko, impressed by her intellect and ingenuity. As Mariko gets closer to the Black Clan, she uncovers a dark history of secrets, of betrayal and murder, which will force her to question everything she's ever known.

Ahdieh excels at writing a detailed, compelling narrative a cut above that typically found in YA fiction.  While the story is steeped in Japanese tradition and history, she's able to blend an air of modernity through fantasy and budding romance that will appeal to many readers. Mariko is a fantastic female protagonist who years to be seen as more than just a girl whose body and dowry will provide her father with power and standing. 

I did feel as if the pacing slowed a bit toward the middle; however, the ending was solid with plenty of action, secrets and betrayals. There are several cliffhangers that will have readers clamoring for the next book. 

Final rating: 4 out of 5 stars

I love Japan. I’ve never been there, but it’s in the top 3 on my travel wishlist. I got so incredibly excited when I found Flame in the Mist, mainly because of its setting. I was able to imagine everything so vividly! Renée did a wonderful job at worldbuilding and it absolutely did not disappoint.

The plot is a little bit slow at first. When I put the book down the first time I didn’t continue until days later, simply because I didn’t feel the need to know what would happen next. Once I did pick it up again, though, I just could not put it down! Renée’s writing is absolutely beautiful in a way I can’t really explain. It was a bit difficult at first (English is not my first language…) but once I got used to it, I just wanted more! I kind of literally want to quote all the quotes because man, I highlighted a lot.

Flame in the Mist is told through multiple POVs, mostly through the main character Mariko’s and her brother Kenshin’s. It was a bit confusing to me sometimes. That was probably because new chapters didn’t start on new pages, but right below the ending of the previous chapter. I did really like the multiple points of view, though. It really moved the story along. Plus, I’m sure it’ll be easier to switch between POVs when chapters start on new pages, hehe!

Mariko is an amazing main character. She’s super smart and there’s not a single thing I don’t like about her. I mean, she was ambushed and nearly killed but then she turns into this badass and I just LOVE IT. And it’s super realistic too. Sometimes the badass-ness is just overdone but it was developed so nicely! Her brother Kenshin is a whole different story for me. But I can’t quite put my finger on why I don’t like him, to be honest. Maybe it’s this whole Dragon of Kai thing? Like, what is it even supposed to mean? I don’t feel like we got to see his badass samurai side… But that could just be me, ha!

The romance was a little predictable but still so wonderful. AHH! ***spoiler!(-ish? hehe…) and Mariko are my new OTP! They’re the CUTEST! Again, it was predictable but I so did not mind at all. I just want more!

Flame in the Mist is absolutely wonderful! I know that when this review goes up, the book won’t even be officially out yet, but I’m already so excited for the sequel! I still have some unanswered questions which will probably be answered in whatever comes next. Be sure to get yourself a copy, because you do not want to miss out on the beauty that’s Flame in the Mist!

I WANTED TO LOVE THIS BOOK SO BAD i was so happy when i received an arc but damn what a disappointment

the problem of this book that it's SO DAMN BORING. i can't figure out why exactly, the pacing is pretty ok, the story had its potential but i just couldn't FOCUS on it.
but i also had other problems with this book.
first of all, i couldn't connect with characters. i didn't dislike them, but i didn't like them either. mariko, the main character, was pretty flat to me. she was supposed to be SO SO SO SO CLEVER MORE CLEVER THAN ANYONE (but she was also the only one who didn't figure one of the twists), but tbh i couldn't see it. i also feel a little icky about her literally inventing shuriken, smoke bombs, e.t.c. i'm not against this idea or something but i feel very weird about it i can't explain why.

i also had problem that ahdieh didn't show us mariko's struggles while she pretended to be a boy and lived in a all-boy camp. hellloooooo i picked this book because it was marketed/presented as mulan-ish but her pretending to be a boy almost didn't cause her any trouble.

also, i hated how ahdieh handled the reveal™, it was unimaginative and not well done (in my opinion).. consindering this was a major thing in the story, it should've been handled better.

also, I HATED THE ROMANCE. it was so random and far-fetched. i realized who was going to be the love interest pretty soon and i tried to see some chemistry BUT THERE WAS NONE. hellooooo, i'm a sucker for romance, but you don't pair up people all of sudden! there wasn't anything spicy, no sexual tension, nothing. it was just like "ohhhhhhh they hate each other ohhhh they're talking ohhh they're ignoring each other OHHH SHE'S THE GIRL THEY'RE MAKING OUT NOW OHHH SUDDENLY THEY'RE IN LOVE". like WHATT where did it even come from??? 

i also kind of disliked one thing in the ending, it is just boring and literally done in every second book??? i don't think it worked well tbh. 

what i liked:
i actually enjoyed last 15% of the book, because there was unexpected stuff happening and some of twists actually surprised me. i wish the whole book was like its last 15%.
there were a lot of important messages regarding being a woman. that was amazingly done. there are authors who were trying to include feminist ideas in the historical-ish setting but it didn't work well because all these ideas were explained too modernly and stories lost integrity. here it was handled very well and that is what i applaud ahdieh for, i loved so many words!

thar's it i guess. i lowered the rating to 4 out of 10 because i don't feel like i can give it more. im not sure if i would read the sequel :/

Mariko is the daughter of a wealthy Japanese, who has been recently betrothed to the emperor's elder son by his consort, who is not in line to lead the country.  While be escorted to the capital city, her carriage is attacked, all are killed and Mariko is left for dead.  She escapes her burning carriage and sets off through the forest to find the legendary Black Clan, whom she believes is responsible for the attack on her life.  When she infiltrates the Black Clan disguised as a boy, she start to discover that there is more to this group of renegades than what she originally believed.  This was an interesting book, but somewhat confusing at times.  Due to some mature themes, I would not recommend this book to my middle school students.

I received this book a little before its release and I must confess that I was curious to read the new novel by Renee Ahdieh, unfortunately, I think this author and I are not book friend. 

I love the heroine, Mariko is the daughter of a popular samurai in her country. The latter managed to arrange a marriage between Mariko and the son of the emperor. Everyone would like to see her flourish in the role of a discreet but attentive young girl however, she is far from it. She is independent, curious, does not hesitate to break the rules of society around women and the feminist message behind her character touched me a lot. Another very nice point, the romance, it is built slowly but it was sexy at times, so many flirts.

Another nice point, the Asian mythology (Japanese, I think), I do not think I've read many books with this kind of mythology and I found it very interesting. There is also a little magic touch that shows a very big potential for the sequel, however, I would have liked the author to go further in this mythology, to know more about it.

Let us now start from what disturbed me, the plot. I feel like, I'm the only one, but for me this book is a copy of The wrath and The dawn. In TWATD we follow Shahrzad who will infiltrate the khalid to take revenge, we follow in parallel her cousin who will do everything to save her. Here we see Mariko who will infiltrate the black clan to have answers, we will follow in parallel her brother who tries to save her. I already struggle with everything I read to find an innovative book, but when an author uses the same strings, I'm kind of disappointed. I got this feeling pretty quickly and I have to admit that even if I find this book better than TWATD I remain ambiguous with it, it has good elements but the impression of reading a stuff I have already read 2 years ago, I did not like it.

I am overwhelmed with love for this story. The feudal Japan setting is unique and richly constructed. The characters are complex and wonderfully flawed. this story kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time, with action and intrigue and perfectly timed romance. I cannot get enough! I am so happy there will be more to this story, I need these amazing characters in my life!

*** Advanced copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley***

The daughter of a prominent samurai, Mariko has long known her place—she may be an accomplished alchemist, whose cunning rivals that of her brother Kenshin, but because she is not a boy, her future has always been out of her hands. At just seventeen years old, Mariko is promised to Minamoto Raiden, the son of the emperor’s favorite consort—a political marriage that will elevate her family’s standing. But en route to the imperial city of Inako, Mariko narrowly escapes a bloody ambush by a dangerous gang of bandits known as the Black Clan, who she learns has been hired to kill her before she reaches the palace.

Dressed as a peasant boy, Mariko sets out to infiltrate the ranks of the Black Clan, determined to track down the person responsible for the target on her back. But she’s quickly captured and taken to the Black Clan’s secret hideout, where she meets their leader, the rebel ronin Takeda Ranmaru, and his second-in-command, his best friend Okami. Still believing her to be a boy, Ranmaru and Okami eventually warm to Mariko, impressed by her intellect and ingenuity. As Mariko gets closer to the Black Clan, she uncovers a dark history of secrets, of betrayal and murder, which will force her to question everything she’s ever known.

 

AAAAAAAAAAA!!!I love this book so much I could scream forever. When I first found out that I got an ARC I was so excited I couldn’t stop jumping up and down. It’s my first book by Renee, but it definitely won’t be the last. Not only did the plot sound very exciting, but the praise surrounding Ahdieh and her previous works was huge, so I know I had found a gem. Flame in the Mist, however, managed something I almost thought impossible: to surpass my expectations.

 

The first 15-20 % of the book was a bit slower than the rest; and it was absolutely vital to the story. I think that, by making the first part – where Mariko is still the daughter of noble family – slower than the rest – when she lets go of her identity and follows the Black Clan – Ahdieh managed to show the contrast of Mariko’s previous lifestyle to her current one, without confusing flashbacks or endless inner monologues; the book’s pacing solely showcases these differences.

 

I looooved this book’s setting. Set in feudal Japan, its time and place were vital and played key-roles in the story. This particular story could not have been set in another country. Which brings me to a point I’ve wanted to make for quite some time now: the setting (both time and place) should actually play a part in the story. How often, while reading a contemporary set somewhere in the US, have I thought “I seriously have no idea where this book takes place” or “Switch a few street names and this could literally be a million different american cities” ? See, setting is actually vital for giving your story life, for making it stand apart from the rest. And Flame in the Mist uses its setting to its full potential; all it takes is a few simple, beautiful lines from Ahdieh and the places materialize in front of your eyes, offering a unique story.

 

Probably the book’s best part and highest asset is its characters. Ahdieh’s characterisation shines throughout her pages: more “show” and less “tell”, she creates three-dimensional, well-developed characters, each one unique in their traits, agendas and interests. Even characters that seemed unimportant, irrelevant or shallow at first, quickly develop into almost fleshed out human beings and it’s wonderful. The relationships between the characters, their love, their hate, their need for one another, move the story forward; especially the bonds of the Black Clan, a pleasant surprise that I can’t wait to see explored and developed even more into the second instalment.

 

So, is this book a Mulan re-telling as has been said? No, not really. It may have been inspired by Mulan, but no more than the Throne of Glass series is inspired by Cinderella – which, until someone pointed it out, had completely escaped my notice. There are some similarities, but neither the place nor the way this story goes will remind you of Mulan.

 

**An ARC was provided via Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.**

This is my very first Renée Ahdieh’s novel and unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy this book as much as I would like to. 
I think the author had some pretty good ideas for this story, I loved how fearless and feminist Mariko’s character was. and I also think Ahdieh did a very great job at describing that haunted wood and all the spirits that lived in here. 
But, these were the only good things about this novel. After the first few pages, I found myself very boring. Nothing really happened and the characters didn’t do anything interest. The romance between Mariko and Okami was also very disappointing and predicable. The mystery around who wanted to kill Mariko wasn’t enough to keep me entertain. And the setting / the world building were practically nonexistent, since the author didn’t seem to bother to write those important things.
Therefore, I’m hoping to have better luck next time, with some of her other novels, because this one was a very difficult and frustrating read.

As soon as I saw the cover and the mention of Mulan, I was sold. Flame In The Mist has been on my list of most anticipated 2017 releases ever since I first heard about it... I read a teaser back in January in one of the Buzz Books editions, and what I saw was GOOD. So good that my expectations were extraordinary high when starting this new series by Renee Ahdieh, but somehow Flame In The Mist managed to be ever better than expected. I practically devoured its pages and loved every single minute of it. The setting, the writing style, the characters (Mariko, Okami!!!), the plot... It doesn't happen often that I hand out the full five star rating, but I just couldn't give this story any lower. Both the worldbuilding and the writing style feel rich, engaging and very well developed and executed. I also enjoyed that Flame In The Mist is set in Japan and talks about a culture I'm personally not all that familiar with. The characters started to grow on me almost instantly and I LOVED Mariko as a main character. A little note though: even though this story basically blew me away, I did feel my love would have been even greater without the romance... It's not all that distracting, but there is a hint of a future love triangle I'm not that sure/happy about. It was too insignificant to influence my rating though. I just cannot wait to find out what the future has in store; the wait for the sequel is surely going to be a long one! If you like the genre, this is definitely a must-read.

FLAME IN THE MIST definitely is a book everyone should get. Renee Ahdieh comes back with an A+ book about feudal Japan, revenge, a girl dressing a boy to enact that revenge, found family, royals that lie, an enemies to lovers otp that burns my insides, and so much more. 

This book is magic. You go find a dictionary and search for magic and a picture of Flame in the Mist appears, I assure you. In many ways is magic; the writing itself, gosh Renee writes beautifully and my heart stops every single time I encounter one of her books. I've read every single one and I will continue to do so. The words inside speak louder and the settings she writes are always so wonderful. 

But also because there is definitely some magic involved in this book. There are SO MANY secrets, I don't even know the full things yet. At the end of book #1 you're still like WHAT IS HAPPENING. It has so much inside and everything is so important. A single detail says a lot in this book so be careful and pay attention. There are many characters and we all know how Renee loves to write multiple POVs in third person, this is the same. We have Mariko, our MC who gets attacked in the first chapter and decided to have revenge on the Black Clan for killing her guards and friend. We have Ranmaru and Okami, two Black Clan boys, one a leader and one the "Wolf" of the clan, the one who is so powerful and dangerous. We have Mariko's brother, Kenshin, who is searching for her and knows she isn't dead. We have the royal family, we don't know a lot about them, they have SO MANY SECRETS. I want to know sob.

The otp/ship is my favorite thing about this book. Just like with THE WRATH AND THE DAWN, Renee delivers fireworks and angst and enemies to lovers and iconic couple. Just saying, this will be the favorite of many. 

I am desperate for book #2. FLAME IN THE MIST hasn't even come out yet and I need book 2 in my life. It's a VITAL FOR ME TO LIVE. This always happens with Ahdieh's books and will keep happening, I'm sure. She draws emotions out of you with her books and make you feel everything. I adore it.

Ahdieh has created another amazing world, this time a place inhabited by samurai. Mariko is a twin who is close to her brother Kenshin. On her journey to marry the Emperor’s son, her party is viciously attacked and slaughtered. Kenshin was not with his sister and he immediately investigates the carnage left behind, determining that his sister is still alive. Mariko barely escaped the attack and is determined to find out who ordered her murder and why. To do this, she disguises herself as a boy and fixates on the Black Clan, a group she suspects ambushed her entourage. The Black Clan take her prisoner and she is forced to do their bidding. One of the leaders, Okami, is mysterious and so intriguing. The leader Ranmaru is Okami’s close friend and he wants Mariko as a new recruit. The relationships are fascinating and the action heats up when Kenshin and Mariko’s former fiancée team up to find her. There is so much intrigue here and it is riveting. Besides well-drawn characters, the forest itself has a personality. There are supernatural elements in the woods that add mystery to the story – plants that attack, a boy who is almost magical, animals that watch and listen and an eerie feeling that permeates the forest. This book has romance, adventure, mystery and is nearly impossible to put down. The writing is wonderful and the ending is masterful. A delight that will captivate readers.

I've heard of this book for a while and the reviews were mixed: there are some people who say it's phenomenal (like me) and who says that this book is absolutely not up to the first duology written by Ahdieh. Guys I have read both and I personally believe that this book is definitely a span ahead of the others. I do not know why, since the style is the same, descriptive but not too much and the reader is not overwhelmed by the information dumping, perhaps it is the new setting or the fact that the plot (very similar to that of the first duology) is better developed. In short, I like this first book a lot.
I loved the characters (I hated the bad guy), I loved their interactions (especially those between Mariko and the Wolf) and I also loved the story, that despite being sold as Mulan's retelling (there are bits of 47 Ronin too!!), with Mulan history has nothing to do with. As many say, the only common point with the story we're used to is that Mariko has to mask herself as a man. Nothing else. (And I really wanted to see a bookish Mushu! Sigh.) If I have to really point a flaw that would be that I expected more magical creatures, or at least normal animals ...
The setting is very realistic and detailed but not too much to annoy. I don't know you but at least once in a lifetime I want to go to Japan and enjoy myself in traditional clothes (kimono, yukata depends on the season), going for a walk in a garden full of flowered trees ... ^^
The finale is a show full of things that happen that the reader doesn't expect and, oh boys, I want the second book right now, in my hands.
Ah, I found out that I love books with ambiguous titles that turn out to be sentences inside the book ... ^^