As far as sequels go, wasn't the worst, wasn't the best. The love triangle continues to shine, but I am tired of love triangles and now prefer everyone just get together. Also, Sky really was acting like an asshole and was forgiven a bit too quick. I also feel like the end of the first book was a bit pointless. I still overall enjoyed this one and being back in this world with those characters

What a great addition to an amazing first book. This is exactly what I needed in my summer reading! Will there be a book three ;)

I AM ALWAYS GRATEFUL TO GET EARLY COPIES ON NETGALLEY BECAUSE I HATE WAITING!!! After the ending of the first book, I couldn't wait to devour this one and let me tell you I did. I couldn't put it down. Seeing the characters grow and the plot deepen man it was just perfect.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

What a breathtaking, soul-stirring continuation of Meilin's story that left me in AWE!! This is not just a sequel, it's a storm of myth, power, and heart that strikes deep and lingers long after the final word. Hai Meilin's journey shattered me and stitched me back together, page by page.

The war may be over, but Meilin's battles have only just begun. After sacrificing everything to secure victory for her kingdom, she returns to find herself shackled, silenced, and punished for daring to fight as a woman. But the fire in her spirit cannot be caged! Not by walls, not by thrones, not even by the gods.

Meilin's journey is fire-forged and heart-wrenching. Every step she takes is laced with betrayal, with impossible choices and unbearable truths. She struggles not just to survive, but to be, to claim her truth in a world that insists she hide it. Of knowing the spirits will take what they will and still daring to love, to fight, to live.

The romance is tender, aching, beautifully restrained. The friendships are layered and fragile. The ending, I wanted more! And maybe that's the sign of a story that matters. When you finish and your soul whispers, "Not yet. Please, not yet." ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥

Without question, The Dragon Wakes with Thunder is one of my top books of 2025!!! A MASTERPIECE and a reminder that even the fiercest warriors bleed, break, and rise again!! I wholeheartedly recommend this book and it deserves all the infinite stars!!! ♾️💫💫💫💫💫

K.X Song has woven yet another literary masterpiece known in her newest book The Dragon Wakes with Fire. As the second book in The Dragon Spirit Duology we continue our journey from Meilin’s perspective as she continues down a dark path of power, politics and temptation. Qinglong is only growing in power as her tether to her world begins to weaken. Torn between her first love, a former enemy and a rebellion leader full of promises Meilin has much work to do and time is running out, Qinglong has come to collect his dues and he has never been known for his patience.

I didn’t think that anything could ever measure up to The Night Ends With Fire, but Song has done it again. Meilin is such a unique and complex character who is also at her core morally gray. I cannot get enough of Song’s characters and how they are brought to life. The balance of the original story of Mulan combined with new perspectives and storylines makes this Duology so addicting and engaging - this one will stick with me for a long time.

I was really looking forward to The Dragon Wakes with Thunder because I genuinely liked the first book—but this one just didn’t land the same way. The pacing dragged, and by the time I hit the 50% mark, I honestly stopped caring about what was happening. The emotional pull and momentum from book one felt missing, and the ending left me more disappointed than satisfied.
I’m still on the lookout for a book with a strong, complex female lead who wants power, gets it, and is willing to keep it—no matter the cost. This just wasn’t that story.

#IndigoEmployee

My Rating: 4.5 stars!!!!

I can’t believe Li Shang from Disney’s Mulan would do me dirty like that.

This book was incredible, even better than the first. While I admit the beginning was a little slow to get into, mainly because palace life was not my forte, but when the action started coming it really amped everything up. I loved the multitude of spirits, the different people met along the journey, and Meilin’s change and growth. The implications of addiction as well really were something I found beautiful. The ending was a perfect ending to the story. I absolutely love it and admit I would without hesitation jump back into the world of Tianjia.

ARC Read - thank you NetGalley! Releases August 2025.
The final book in the Dragon Spirit duology. This is a Milan inspired, Asian fantasy novel that follows Meilin as the FMC.
This book picks up right where we left off in The Night Ends With Fire - Meilin is exposed as a woman in the army and given the choice of returning to being a powerless woman or being imprisoned. Knowing that both are cages, she chooses to be imprisoned. So after defeating the Phoenix cardinal spirit and saving everyone - she loses everything. Until - Sky comes up with a plan to marry her and free her from prison. But thus begins a complex game of politics, royalty and revenge. And with the tricky handsome rival kingdom prince Lei also in the picture, Meilin is confused by her own loyalties and heart. Also, the dragon spirit that lives within her has plans of its own, and might just drain the life out of her to see its will done. It's a complex tale with many aspects - brings to light issues of gender equality and what true freedom is.
I found this book a lot slower than the first. I found it took me a lot longer to get through - that being said I have a lot going on at the moment and that could also be why I had some times of waning interest in the story. Such a beautiful world and setting this author has created though.

The way I requested this eARC the moment it dropped on NetGalley? Unreal—yet so perfectly believable. Why? Because I had to know what happened to Hai Meilin after that massive cliffhanger in book one. I needed to see how she would escape that prison—and more importantly, how she would reclaim herself.

And let me tell you, it’s a bit of a doozy.

I won’t go into too much detail because this sequel deserves to be experienced fresh. What I will say is that so much happens, I’m still thinking about it days later. This is not just a fantasy sequel—it’s a deep, sometimes painful exploration of what it means to be true to yourself when everything around you says don’t.

After a year in a literal prison, Meilin walks free… only to realize that the palace is just another kind of cage. She plays the part they expect of her, even as the truth claws its way to the surface. Watching her struggle—not just with external forces, but with the fear of being who she really is—was gut-wrenching and incredibly real.

This is what makes the book shine. Written by a wonderfully talented author from a diverse background, this story breathes with authenticity. The Asian cultural influences aren't just window dressing—they're deeply woven into the story’s heart, its politics, its language, its magic. Meilin’s journey, both personal and political, is steeped in those roots, and it’s powerful.

If the first book had you clutching the pages in suspense, this one will leave you wrecked and inspired. Meilin’s path isn’t easy. But her fight to live as her true self? It’s one of the most compelling arcs I’ve read in a long time.

The Dragon Wakes With Thunder is the sequel to The Night Ends with Fire (which was one of my favorite reads of 2024) and I loved how KX Song took the Mulan inspired retelling of book one and really made book two her own. Hai Meilin really is that girl and I am obsessed with her fierceness, flaws and courage.

This was non stop, action packed and picks up right after book one. There’s so much that happens between the politics, the ongoing war, the restless spirits, a new rebellion that wants to use HER for their own goals, the twists, the heart aching choices we make…I was SOBBING at the end.

This is a duology I won’t soon forget.

Thank you Ace Publishing and NetGalley for an early copy of the book!

I was unfortunately pretty disappointed with the second installment in this series. The pacing issues that plagued the first novel were overwhelmingly present in the second, and it only gets worse from there. A very large section of this book felt entirely too similar to a certain Beauty and the Beast retelling, and because of that, the second half of this book felt predictable and boring. After cautiously giving the first novel 3 stars, I can't, in good faith, give this book any higher than 2. What a monumental disappointment.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Oh my gosh I’m in love.

Now that that’s out of the way let’s return to our regularly scheduled book review. First I would like to thank the author K. X. Song for writing such a beautiful story. Next I would like to thank NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for a copy of this eARC.

I would like to preface this by saying that I finished book 1 not even 24 hours ago and devoured this book in less than 6 hours. When I started this book I wasn’t totally sure what the ending was going to entail. I broke out into tears in the very beginning when Sky told Meilin something and I had a flashback to ACOTAR actually and realized what was going to happen. This book is full of sorrow, loss, and grief. It makes you cherish those who make it to the end.

The Dragon Wakes with Thunder by K. X. Song is a sweeping, emotionally rich fantasy that blends rebellion, identity, and myth with lyrical prose. Fierce, evocative, and unforgettable.

So so so happy with this book! *Cue: evil maniac happy laughter* Thank you for the ARC!

Something weird happened when I read the book, I kept thinking the story was moving slow but then I would look at my progress and I was 75% done! I'm not saying that as a bad thing but as a the way that the story is written is done so well that I didn't find anything rushed or nothing happening because the story was moving. I'm interested in if another book will be written, but I quite liked how the story ended so I don't feel like I need to read the next one UNLESS it's written in a different perspective.

4.5
Beautiful follow up and a perfect conclusion. I’m so happy I had the privilege to read these books. The writing and characters are so rich and exciting.

Overall I enjoyed The dragon Wakes with Thunder more than the first book! The sequel felt more original and had a more distinct identity as we moved further away from the initial Mulan comparisons. Plus we get more character development, action, and political intrigue than we did in the first book. For me the best part of the book was Meilin's journey and character development. Her growth in this book was great to see especially since she is dealing with betrayal, her power, and her relationships. This book does a better job of fleshing out her romantic relationships but they still seemed a little confusing at times. Her relationship with Sky was confusing at the beginning based on how the first book ended with him throwing her in prison but then immediately gets her out of prison and proposes at the start of book two. Now while we get more from the love triangle it still felt rushed at times. I'm not the biggest fan of love triangles but truly I never mind when it's the villain and the girl.

The stakes were higher in this book and I enjoyed the added suspense from the political tension throughout the book. I love the continued use of mythological elements and really enjoy the main character and world building. Overall I enjoyed this book and would recommend to those who love fairytale retellings!

A wonderful conclusion to this breathtaking duology. I'll admit that it did take me a little time to get into the second volume. The first book took me by surprise and didn't let go, even after the last page. Needless to say, I had high hopes and expectations of this book. However, once it gets going it surpasses it's predecessor by far and doesn't stop until the final page. My only complaint is the heart break it left me with after the final page knowing my journey with the characters of this world are over. At least until the next time I read through both books. A tremendous success, this duology deserves a place in the hall of fame, your book shelf, and your heart. Thank you so much for the wonderful series you have created.

Let me start off by saying both of these books were beautifully written. These books are suspenseful and just so fun. If you read the first one you need to read this one. And if you haven’t read the first? Well then you need to read them both.

Overall I liked this. I find the main character both infuriating but also she is unlike many other female main characters I've read. I like the world and will definitely read the next book in this series. However, this felt rushed and weird in places - like thing's weren't completely explained or you jumped around too much.

was SO excited to be able to get this as an uncorrected proof before its release date. The Night Ends with Fire was so different and fun, and this one is no different!
Suspenseful, fun, mythical, exhilarating are just a few words I would use to describe this book!
It folded in little tidbits from Ends with Fire, so you're not confused with what had happened before. It introduced new characters and new problems.
If you loved the first one, I'm pretty sure you'll love this one as well!
I hope there's more in the future!