Flame in the Mist

Flame in the Mist & Smoke in the Sun 

by Renee Ahdieh 

5/5 & 3.5/5 

“ Never worship any man, Hattori Mariko.” 

 Okami steadied her.

“But always be worshipped.”

      Can I just say quickly that I think audiobooks have ruined YA Fantasy for me? I love listening to them as audiobooks, but the moment I physically pick it up I find it lackluster. The reason I’m saying this is because I listened to Flame in the Mist and gave it five stars, and then I physically read Smoke in the Sun and gave it 3.5! And Smoke in the sun has such high ratings and reviews! My number one problem with that book was at parts I was bored, I kept wanting to fast-forward! I’m not sure if it was just the book or if audiobooks have spoiled the fantasy experience for me. It’s almost like watching the movie, with all the sound effects and narration. Excellent audiobook for sure, I was so captivated and literally wanted the second book as soon as I finished the first. My library however didn’t have the audiobook for the second, but it did have the physical copy. I almost waited, but I just needed to know what happened asap.... I wish I would have waited!!!! Smoke in the Sun wasn’t bad, like 75% of it was awesome and then that other 25% had me yawning. It also took me a few days to finish, so I was a little bummed! If my library does get the audiobook I’m going to listen to it and see if it really does make a difference! Either way this duo had me captivated. I was invested not only in the plot but the characters, the history, and of course the romance!

      
      The only daughter of a prominent samurai, Mariko has always known she’d been raised for one purpose and one purpose only: to marry. Never mind her cunning, which rivals that of her twin brother, Kenshin, or her skills as an accomplished alchemist. Since Mariko was not born a boy, her fate was sealed the moment she drew her first breath. 
      So, at just seventeen years old, Mariko is sent to the imperial palace to meet her betrothed, a man she did not choose, for the very first time. But the journey is cut short when Mariko’s convoy is viciously attacked by the Black Clan, a dangerous group of bandits who’ve been hired to kill Mariko before she reaches the palace.
     The lone survivor, Mariko narrowly escapes to the woods, where she plots her revenge.
Dressed as a peasant boy, she sets out to infiltrate the Black Clan and hunt down those responsible for the target on her back. Once she’s within their ranks, though, Mariko finds for the first time she’s appreciated for her intellect and abilities. She even finds herself falling in love—a love that will force her to question everything she’s ever known about her family, her purpose, and her deepest desires.


      This really reminded me of Mulan. I’m not sure if that’s where the author was going or not, but that’s the vibes I got. The first few pages I will say were a little overwhelming. The author keeps throwing words at you like Hattori and Geisha, and Samurai. (Which Samurai was the only word I knew) Eventually you do get the hang of it, and if you do read the physical book I think there is like an index in the back with the words and their meanings. Once Markio gets taken in by the black clan though I was hooked. I had no idea what was going to happen especially since the author makes you think it’s the black clan themselves who attacked Mariko when she was on her way to marry the Prince! The author kept me on the edge of my seat, and I loved seeing Mariko prove her worth and become part of the black clan. There were parts that were a little easy to guess, but I still wasn’t 100% sure my guess was right ! All of the characters you get to know you end up loving! Like Yoshi, and Ren! Definitely loved seeing the class disparity and how Mariko learns really quick that the pampered life she’s been living is a mirage and that royalty is really the only one living that way. I’m just saying that this duo literally has everything and it’s such a well rounded series!
     Now the romance! This is the perfect book for lovers of Fantasy because the author doesn’t blow the romance up and let it consume the entire plot, it’s subtle and oh man I feel like that adds the tension to it. I had no idea who the love interest was going to be until she actually gets to the camp. Okami though, man! The scenes between him and Mariko, literally steamy! Some of the things he said to her, I was freaking dying. Like come on! I felt like the author paced it just right, and I was so worried how the reveal would go when Okami found out that Mariko was a girl. The author teases you and you’ll be like yep this is it, and then nothing. The hot springs scene though!!!! I thought for sure something was going to happen! Their entire relationship is such a freaking tease! I was so so so happy when they FINALLY got together though. If I thought their relationship was steamy before, D-A-N-G. There is one scene in the second book that had my mouth dropping, like it’s so subtle on the authors part but man! It was freaking sexy, the only word to describe it. This book is YA though, nothing is really in detail but ti is implied! So just beware, but like I said before I feel like the author did an amazing job with their relationship and all I can say is Okami made my list of book boyfriends! Here are a few things he says to Mariko, just something to show you that Okami is literally perfection!

“I may lie every day of my life, Hattori Mariko. But my heart will always be true.”


“To me, you are magic.”

"A word of warning..." He bent closer. The scent of warm stone and wood smoke emanated form his skin. 

Mariko blinked.

"Don't bare your neck to a wolf."


      UGH. Okami had me swooning this entire book. Even in the second book which I didn’t like as much. We get to see Okami and Markio so close, but so far away and the emotions are really heavy in this one. During some of the scenes I wanted to cry and be like, “Girl, go save your man!!!! Run away!” Mariko is so strong-willed though, and she'll do whatever is best even if it’s best for everyone else, but her.
     There were a few things I didn’t see coming. For starters like the end of the first book, WHAT. I never would have guessed!!!! There were also a few things that I felt like were left unanswered. Like Kenshin, what’s up with him? And did Amaya die or ? Yumi, what will happen to her? ALSO the black smith was clearly in love with Tseunoki!!!!!! Nothing happened with that though, and also Yoshi’s like grandson or cousin? He was introduced and then like in the book for five minutes! So yeah the second book had a few unanswered question and I felt like some of the book was unnecessary (Kanako and her weird magic stuff). Really overall this could have been one book if the author made it a little longer or it could have been a series and a little drawn out, maybe throw in a slow burn romance?!! I just felt like the two books were a little wrong for this story, but I still enjoyed them! If you love YA fantasy then definitely check out this duo! If you’ve read Renee Ahdieh’s other books (Wrath and the Dawn) and that threw you off a bit, don’t worry!! These are SOOOO much better and not as drenched in romance. Give it a try, you won’t be disappointed !

If you did read this duo and loved it you should check out Cinder by Marisaa Meyer!