"'What is love—if not care for one another? Pride in all that you’ve done. Belief in what you will continue to do. And hope—hope that we will grow together, as one.'”

Oh my heavens. KX Song has done it again! Created an devastatingly beautiful historical romantasy. Perfect for fans of "Mulan" and The Daughter of the Moon Goddess, The Dragon Wakes with Thunder is the conclusion to a stunning duology guaranteed to keep you on the edges of your seat with epic battles, quests to the spirit realm, and yearning for a prince...or two!

I thoroughly enjoyed journeying across the realm with Meilin, and I will be thinking of her story for days to come. Thank you, NetGalley and ACE, for an ARC of The Dragon Wakes with Thunder. Pub Date: August 19, 2025.

Content Considerations: Death, Gore, Mentions of rape/assault, Murder, Death of a child, and War.

This was a very enjoyable conclusion to this duology. The ending left me satisfied and I think I enjoyed this book more than the first! I felt that the plot in this one was much more engaging and had me trying to guess what was going to happen. The side characters also seemed more personable in this one compared to the first. I did have a little of a pacing issue, sometimes we were flying and others it felt like we slowed to a snails pace, this was an issue I had in the previous also. All in all id recommend this for someone looking for a unique fantasy that will keep you guessing with a headstrong MC who never gives up.

3.5 stars

thank you to Berkley for the ARC via netgalley.

This was a really satisfying end to this duology with a great character arc for Meilin. I did enjoy Night Ends With Fire more, but I do love how this duology wrapped up overall.

This is definitely slower paced with more character development and political maneuvering than the first book. I’m glad we got more character work and really got to see Meilin continue to work through her need to maintain her power to feel free and the possibility that she is a prisoner to her need for power. You can really tell how much she is struggling to figure out what she wants, what the dragon wants, and what she will do. With more character depth and politics, the pace was a lot slower than the first book and that’s something I wasn’t expecting so it took a while for me to adjust to that. The pace is pretty slow up until the end where it does pick up quite a bit and it feels a bit rushed to get to the end. There was this big build up the entire book and I feel like we rushed through it and we could have spent more time with that plot point.

Meilin’s character was written so well and I really felt the duality between wanting power and the consequences of seeking that power. The character depth in this book expanded so much more from the first book and we really got to see Meilin’s selfishness and drive, but also her desire to break the pattern and not fall prey to being consumed by power. This was done so well throughout this duology and I appreciate this aspect so much.

While the romance was a small subplot in book 1, it took more of a prominent role in book 2. I didn’t like the love triangle. It’s not my favorite trope in general, but I just didn’t really like how the romance was done in this book. It felt more organic in book 1, like things were slowly connecting and developing. In this book, it just went 0-100 and felt like insta love even though they had spent time together before. With how much slower paced this book was, I feel we could have drawn out the romance plot to not feel like we immediately jumped into level 100.

Regardless, the ending was really strong and I love how it ended. I really felt the struggle for Meilin throughout the duology and I really had no idea what she would end up doing, which solidifies how well done her internal struggle was written.


I really enjoyed this conclusion to the duology and remember, never trust a dragon.

A wonderful follow up to the first book. It had everything the first book had, fault and strengths, and was even a bit better. I loved the ending so much.

At times I found the pacing confusing, unsure of how much time had passed. But it didn’t hinder my enjoyment at all.

A really fun duology! Excited to see what K. X. Song writes in the future!

The Dragon Wakes with Thunder picks up right where book one left off—Mei Lin has been exposed as a woman to the army and given two choices: imprisonment, or give up her sword and return to the powerless life of a “ruined” woman. Revered by the common people as the Phoenix-Slayer, she quickly learns that the battlefield strategies do not compare to the backstabbing machinations of the political world of the Forbidden City. As Liu Sky’s future bride, she’s allowed some freedom, but every step comes with a trap.

I have to admit, this one felt slower than the first book. A lot of the court politics came across as petty and dragged the pace for me, but once Mei Lin left the palace in the second half to find a way to restore balance between the human and spirit realms, I was hooked again. The ending wrapped things up in a satisfying way… mostly. It did feel a little rushed—Mei Lin knocks out several big plot points in the last 40 pages—and the open ending didn’t have quite the punch I hoped for. Still, I really enjoyed spending more time with Mei Lin, Sky, and Ming Lei, and I think this gave their story a solid conclusion, even if I wish the romantic arcs had been tied up just a bit better.

I’m torn on what to rate this. The first book was such an intoxicating ride that I was feral in my attempts to read the sequel soon after. And yet it didn’t hold my attention the same way. I’ve come to realize Song excels in the second half of her stories. The slower, uphill battle of the first half is still interesting but it isn’t until she has to tell the climax and resolution that she exceeds expectations.
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I wasn’t too into the palace setting and its politics. It was the complete opposite of the first book. And in it I see a representation of Meilin’s character: first, she is free and able to explore her power in the world and then she is confined, cut off from her power and her sword taken.

Even though I love watching c-dramas I never watch the historical ones for the same reason I don’t enjoy the beginning of this book: they’re all the same court politics of hating on women and then women hating on other women. So boring and overdone. I was under the impression Meilin and Lei were going to be in prison together at the palace in Anlai only to find out Lei was never imprisoned but a prisoner of war enjoying court life with the rest of the royals as a foreign prince situation while Meilin was imprisoned for like one day before taken to be a lady of the court.

The actual magic present in this world, spirits and the spirit realm, was confusing at times and maybe not fully explained but by the end it was obvious enough. Song kind of threw terms out there but really she was laying a foundation that would make sense later on.
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I found myself struggling to reach for this story. Unlike the first book which I read physically, reading the ARC of Dragon wasn’t as fun. The physical copy has the beautiful map, the epigraphs, etc. the ebook does too but it’s much harder to appreciate.
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Now for the love interests!

The differences in their love: one loves you and shows it in public (Sky) one loves you and shows it in private (Lei). Hhmm which is the pure love? 😌

Meilin seriously. “Why is he asking me to run away with him when he’s engaged to a different girl?” You’re considering it while engaged to a different guy! 🤣

From lovers to enemies (Sky) & enemies to lovers (Lei) 😅

(There is an explicit scene in chapter thirty-nine. I find this annoying because although the story is labeled as “adult” it looks catered to young adults and reads like young adult until that point. Plus Meilin is only nineteen.)

The Dragon Wakes with Thunder by K.X. Song was well worth the wait. Mailin’s journey in this installment is intense and emotional. She’s both power and pain wrapped in one compelling character. Everyone around her seems to want a piece of that power, and the constant manipulation takes a toll. At times, her descent into chaos feels raw and unhinged, but it only makes her final path all the more satisfying. A gripping continuation full of heart, struggle, and strength.

Rounding up to 4 stars. I loved the first installment and the character development. This second installment was good but I started to dislike some of the characters. I found it hard to forgive them for past actions. I understand that no one is perfect, but there are deal breakers. Still the story was good. There was a lot to keep me interested. I loved how this duology ended. It was sad though to lose a character I liked 😭.

3.75 ⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley & Berkley Publishing Group for the digital advance reader copy.

A really good sequel, however I’m rating it slightly lower than the previous book because I had minor issues with some of the characterization in the story (like one of Meilin’s biggest flaws being her trust in everyone, but the single character she doesn’t trust is the one who repeatedly sticks their neck out for her & also Sky abruptly calling her a whore 💀..)

I didn’t love the ending and thought it felt a bit sudden, but overall not terrible.

"A young woman who wields the unimaginable power of the dragon spirit must decide who to support—and who to love—in this enthralling fantasy that reimagines the legend of Mulan."
Meilin's story is absolutely brilliant! While the war is over, she is now an outcast inside of the palace because she was a woman who wielded a sword. Feminism raged within me at this. However, outside the palace was a different story. She was wanted (in a good way mostly) everywhere. Meilin's journey was gut wrenching and heart breaking. The love and friendships were carefully crafted, and this story has stayed with me for a while (and probably longer after). I wish I could read this duology again for the first time!

The Dragon Wakes with Thunder is a strong, emotionally charged conclusion to the Dragon Spirit duology, and a powerful continuation of Meilin’s journey. The Mulan inspiration is still present, but this sequel carves out its own path with heavier political stakes, deeper mythological threads, and an even more nuanced portrait of Meilin herself.

I loved watching Meilin hold her ground amidst palace vipers, power struggles, and spiritual forces far beyond her control. Her arc is compelling, and while this book isn't a romance, there are romantic elements woven through. Ming Lei—who truly sees and accepts her—is the standout for me. I found myself craving more time with him and Meilin. As for Liu Sky, I was less invested in his storyline this time around.

The lush worldbuilding and the looming presence of the sea dragon Qinglong added a haunting tension I really enjoyed. Though the pacing lagged slightly in the middle, the stakes felt higher, and the ending struck a bittersweet but satisfying note. Definitely a duology worth finishing.

Review: 3.75 stars

Thanks so much to @berkleypub @berkleyromance or @acebookspub for the free book!
#BerkleyPartner #AceBooksPartner

I find this one better than the disaster of the first book. The story plot for book 2 is uniquely its own when the book 1 is loosely based on the retelling of Mulan making it predictable. This book focuses more on the political intrigues of the palace, alliances, backstabbing, choices vs consequences and saving the world. The challenges the characters faced come with such intense stakes that you want to continue reading to know what happened - so the grip factor is on for this one!

While I am still not a fan of the Meilin, I find myself rooting for what she was looking to accomplish. An acknowledgement of her deeds and recognition for what she did and accomplished. I still struggle with the moments where she acts like an oblivious character leaving others to always have to save her because she never thinks before she acts. But, I cannot deny that her character went through a steep character growth making her a strong female lead despite all the huddles she is forced to go through and overcome. She is such a determined character who never gives up til the bitter end.

I also love that this book took a completely different turn from Book 1 where you have to continue reading to understand and know what happened. The author took amazing liberties with this one and with a lot of unique plot lines and some twists I did not see coming. Hence, the grip factor of needing to know what happened!

While there were hints of a love triangle to come, it wasn’t a surprise who she ended up with given the groundwork laid on Book 1. Without giving much away, I do love how she, Sky and Lei stories somehow interconnect with both leads loving Meilin in their own way and the love they have for her is so different based on their natures.

This book also brings in some solid supporting characters with high stakes in play. I was devastated to see some characters killed off but understand the use of it to drive the storyline! That crazy ending, though! I’m not sure how I feel about it but I applaud the author for giving us a realistic ending..although, I would like a small epilogue to tie off that loose end.

If you can get through the huddle of reading book 1 (audio would be a great way), I do recommend this series for the craziness of Book 2!

It may be because I read this one very slowly but I just had no patience with anything in this book - Part I and Part III especially. I found that I only liked one character and it was not our leading lady, who I do remember liking more in the first book. I will say that the choice made at very end with the reveal about a certain spirit summoner was really cool. I still love the magic system and the worldbuilding in this series as well.

What a strong and emotionally charged sequel! The Dragon Wakes with Thunder delivers more depth, higher stakes, and richer political intrigue than the first installment. While I felt the early chapters leaned a little too heavily on the palace politics, dragging the pace just a bit, it didn’t take long for the story to pull me right back in.

Meilin’s journey is truly the heart of this novel. I loved seeing how much she matured and how her experiences shaped her resolve. She’s no longer just the girl who defied the odds with a sword. She’s a legend carrying the weight of expectations, betrayal, and duty on her shoulders. Her emotional growth in this book felt earned and powerful.

The worldbuilding remains one of my favorite aspects of the series. K.X. Song has created such a lush, mythologically infused setting that feels alive with history and spirit. The continued presence of the sea dragon Qinglong adds an eerie, otherworldly layer that raises the tension and makes Meilin’s inner conflict even more gripping.

This was a truly satisfying and bittersweet conclusion. The character arcs were handled beautifully, and even the morally grey choices felt justified. It’s a story about sacrifice, legacy, and the painful cost of power, told with care and emotional resonance. I’m so glad I stuck with this series, and I’ll definitely be watching for whatever K.X. Song writes next.

My copy of this book was provided by NetGalley and Ace for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

As someone who adored the first book, The Night Ends in Fire, I was so excited to see Meilin's story continue. The Dragon Wakes with Thunder was fantastic! I had a great time with all the action, betrayals, and courtly politics. Meilin grows into her newly required scheming for the throne with the same ruthlessness we saw on the battlefield, and her struggle with her own addiction whilst simultaneously heavily resenting her father for his gave her character additional depth and development I felt was absolutely needed. I'm curious if this was the conclusion of this series, of if we'll get a third featuring the newest spirit dweller. I believe my favorite part was the development of Meilin and Lei's relationship. There wasn't enough of him in the first book, in my opinion, so I was delighted to see him take a more direct role in the story. I completely ship them and totally wanted Meilin to choose him out of the love triangle. My only complaint was that the epilogue left me wanting a little more in terms of explanation of how a character ended up not being harmed due to the previous events, and the way Meilin chooses to go by herself. If there's another book to be published in this series, I think my qualms would be very easy to brush over, seeing as there's more to come - but since I'm not entirely sure, I wanted to mention it. Overall, I have loved K.X. Song's writing, especially with this series, and can't wait to see more from her!

Thank you to Ace Books, NetGalley, and the author for sending me an early copy!

“The Dragon Wakes with Thunder” is almost the opposite of the first book—where book one was fire, this one is water. It leans more heavily into politics and the slow, deliberate repercussions of the choices made previously. I enjoyed seeing the characters face new challenges and appreciated the chance to spend more time with them. Overall, it’s a solid and intriguing conclusion to the duology.

I absolutely loved THE NIGHT ENDS WITH FIRE so I was super stoked for this one. Sadly I DNF’d it at 40% I hope to pick it up again some day because I really do like Song’s writing style. I just couldn’t get into this.

I have to be honest and say I’m a bit let down by this one 😬. I adored the first instalment & it was a 5⭐️ read for me; this one just felt not as cohesive?

Positives:
- Lei…. & Meilin’s dynamic with Lei was the hard carry of this book
- the first 1/3 I was pretty locked in and felt like this was gonna be another 5⭐️
- I gotta give it to K. X. Song, her writing style is very addictive

Negatives:
- I feel like the story/plot/world all felt a little rushed and thrown together in this one?? It honestly kind of lost me :(
- Sky bro 🫠 He was so insufferable to read and I was down with his character arc but I also kinda feel like it felt forced and kinda out of nowhere after the build up of his character in the first book??? Idk, but he was actually so fucking annoying to read that it killed some of my enjoyment of this book
- the fucking love triangle dude oh my god……. Sky became actually insufferable and irredeemable and Song continuously toying with this “will they won’t they” even after all the heinous bs Sky was doing…… insane work (derogatory)

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

I just finished The Dragon Wakes with Thunder and I’m honestly still thinking about it — it was so good. I loved The Night Ends with Fire, but this sequel completely pulled me back into Meilin’s world in such an intense, emotional way.

The story picks up right after the events of the first book, and wow… the stakes feel higher, the emotions deeper, and the pacing tighter. Meilin goes through so much, and I loved how strong and vulnerable she is at the same time. She’s not perfect, but she fights for what matters, and I was rooting for her the whole way.

The writing is beautiful without being overdone, and the world feels even more alive here — full of rebellion, political games, and touches of magic that just fit. There’s romance, there’s heartbreak, and there are moments where I literally held my breath.

It’s the kind of book that makes you feel like you’ve lived through something by the end. Definitely one of my favourite reads of the year so far. K.X. Song is such a powerful storyteller — I can’t wait to see what she writes next.

*thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*