*Thank you to NetGalley and Norton Young Readers for a copy of this eARC in exchange for my review*

Let me dive into one of January’s best reads, "The Smoke That Thunders.” This carefully crafted narrative skillfully weaves a tale that resonated with my inner teen reader, making me feel a wave of all the nostalgic emotions.

Naborhi, the central character, stands out as a wonderfully portrayed female lead, challenging the conventional norms of storytelling. What struck a chord with me was her resolute decision to defy societal expectations, particularly the concepts of an arranged marriage and the conventional roles expected of her. Naborhi's journey was a breath of fresh air as she remained committed to pursuing her own ambitions. Beyond the incredible character dynamics, the plot and storyline held my attention effortlessly. The narrative was both engaging and cohesive, showcasing a seamless blend of adventure and character development. My only minor critique would be that the resolution felt a bit hurried. However, it's worth noting that this pace is not uncommon among some of my favorite YA authors.

Kome deserves so much praise for creating such vivid depictions, expert world building, and lovable characters. The beauty of this book lies not only in its fantasy elements but also in its ability to balance action and adventure without delving into excessively dark or graphic territory. This nuance made the reading experience thoroughly enjoyable and very appropriate for YA or younger readers.

This book promises a delightful experience for readers of all ages. Make sure to include it in your TBR list—missing out on it would be a literary loss.

I picked this up as a Read Now offer and I wasn't disappointed. Naborhi's drive and certainty while respecting tradition was stunning. Naborhi is reminiscent of Woman Kings Warriors with her prowess and need to take action for not just herself but everyone around her. But she isn't alone in that Atai and Tamunor are ride or dies. I hope that Naborhi and Atai are endgame because they are way too perfect for each other. I will admit they style was a little weird. I was waiting for an audience to be revealed. I did call the big reveals before they happened but the predictability was made up in later events. For anyone looking for an adventure with minimal to no blood or gore.

More than anything, I enjoyed the addition of Urhobo/West African folklore and seeing a young girl want to break the mold and make decisions for herself. Naborhi’s desire to experience and be more than her kingdom allows girls and women to be is what kept me reading. I wanted to see her achieve her dream.

I think early teen readers who enjoy a more simple story with low level action and adventure will like this. I’m an adult who frequently reads YA fantasy, so my issue isn’t that it’s YA. I found the conflicts to just be too easily overcome. The lack of tension and a prolonged sense of high stakes made the journey less exciting. Things were just too nice and neatly wrapped up. I’ve read middle grade plots that were more exciting.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced eARC.

The cover of this book is what drew me in, and then I read what the book was about and was thoroughly intrigued.

This story follows Naborhi who is a 16 year old girl that wants to follow her dreams and not be tied down by marrying a man that she does not care for.

This story is a perfect book for people who are looking for action, adventure and a coming of age story. Who wants to learn a little bit more of African culture. It was beautifully written and inspiring.

I received this book from NetGalley as an ARC (Advanced Readers Copy) and this is my honest review.

I was drawn to this book to review based on the title and the cover. I had never read any books by this author, but was willing to try it since I like to review young adult literature. This is a fantasy story set in a region that would be like Africa. It is a time period of tribal communities within kingdoms. The women have one role--to get married and provide sons. This is how it's been done and what is expected for Naborhi who is almost of age when marriage happens. But she dreams of more. She wants more. And she's willing to do anything to get it.

This is a coming of age story for Naborhi who rises above what's expected to do what she is meant to do. There is story of family, of friendship, of heroism and bravery, and of so many ways there is beauty and value in a woman. You will get to enjoy Urhobo and West African folklore and mythology in this story.

I would consider this to be a choice for the 14+ age range who may be interested in fantasy and learning more about African culture.

4 Stars

*I received this book as a complimentary ARC from the publisher and Net Galley. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions are my own.

Thank you to netgalley and W. W. Norton & Company, Norton Young Readers for allowing me to read this book. This was such an immersive story and the characters were so well developed.

The Smoke that Thunders
By Erhu Kome

A review by Jamilla (@Landsawaybooks a wordpress.com blog)

As soon as I saw the cover, I knew I had to request this! Naborhi had her knif to my throat daring me to enter her world and read her story.

And what a story it is! This is a story of a girl who knows she wants more for life than what she’s been offered, she desires more than just the path laid out in front of her by others. This is a story of her journey across deserts and through jungles to save the life of a child she doesn’t know. Of a fresh, intriguing world of The Smoke that Thunders.

I’m captivated by this world crafted by Kome, of its deities, of its religions, of the mysterious Ikere, an all female warrior tribe, who live in and control the forest but are rarely ever seen. I hope to see more work set in this enchanting place.

Although this is YA, I think that it’s very accessible for the younger end of the age range, a group I feel are left in the gap between the very popular upper YA genre and MG. So I definitely recommend this adventure focused novel for them!

Thank you to the publisher & Netgalley for providing a review copy.

such a beautiful story and i was obsessed with the characters, although it was extremely detailed and soo long, the story still intrigued me

This was a cute coming of age story, perfect for the early teen reader. It had a good balance of action with adventure. The characters were likable and the story was intriguing and inspirational. The implementation of elements of the authors culture was done well and really painted a detailed picture. Some parts of the story were a little long/ overly detailed but overall it was a good read. Felt like a story that your elders would share with you while sitting around the campfire.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC