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so_likeuandme's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
sahramahtab's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
"Flame in the Mist" by Renée Ahdieh is an enjoyable read that, while not my favorite of Ahdieh's works, still managed to capture my interest enough to warrant picking up its sequel. The pacing was slow for the majority of the book, only picking up in the latter half, which made it a bit of a struggle to get through at times.
One aspect I particularly enjoyed was the setting, which evoked memories of a favorite virtual novel, adding an extra layer of enjoyment to the reading experience. The characters were likable, although I couldn't help but feel disappointed that Ranmaru wasn't the love interest. While Ōkami was certainly likable, I found Ranmaru to be the more intriguing character.
Overall, I would rate "Flame in the Mist" a solid 4 stars. Despite its slow pacing and minor disappointments, it still managed to captivate me enough to keep me invested in the story and eager to see where the sequel takes us.
One aspect I particularly enjoyed was the setting, which evoked memories of a favorite virtual novel, adding an extra layer of enjoyment to the reading experience. The characters were likable, although I couldn't help but feel disappointed that Ranmaru wasn't the love interest. While Ōkami was certainly likable, I found Ranmaru to be the more intriguing character.
Overall, I would rate "Flame in the Mist" a solid 4 stars. Despite its slow pacing and minor disappointments, it still managed to captivate me enough to keep me invested in the story and eager to see where the sequel takes us.
yokinami's review
4.0
The writing style of this book is very beautiful. I really liked the mc(Mariko) and how her views on life and herself changed throughout the book. The plot is pretty entertaining. I knew what to expect from this book because I had searched it beforehand, but it may not be for everyone. The magic is there and it gets even bigger in the end, so be prepared if you're not a fan. There is romance, although it may seem a little rushed, it is still very sweet and cute. They have tension. Her love interest thinks she's a guy at first and it's funny. There were times when I was nervous or worried and it was really good and not boring.
Tw:
There is also a ritual suicide(seppuku) in the opening pages. Nothing like that will happen in the rest of the book, but be careful.
Tw:
There is also a ritual suicide(seppuku) in the opening pages. Nothing like that will happen in the rest of the book, but be careful.
doodayoussef's review against another edition
5.0
IT IS A NEW KIND OF ADDICTION. SINCE I AM A FAN OF ANIME THIS WAS WHAT I LOVE THE MOST ABOUT THE BOOK. IT MADE ME WANT TO GO BACK AND WATCH ANIME AGAIN, WATCH JAPANESE DRAMA AGAIN, IT REVIVED MY LOVE FOR JAPAN AGAIN AND AGAIN LIKE I AM SCREAMING. some of the magic in the book and fantasy I didn't catch at first because I wasn't sure if it was just a metaphor and a description or really magic is going on here. Renee writing is confusing at first, hard to read for beginners but surely it draw you into the novel world. I can't wait to have the second book in my hand!!!
STILL BELIEVE IN MAGIC. IT DOES HAVE MAGICAL STUFF IN IT AND A BEAUTIFUL ROMANCE WITH A LOT OF LIES. BE READY FOR MAGIC AND LIES!!
STILL BELIEVE IN MAGIC. IT DOES HAVE MAGICAL STUFF IN IT AND A BEAUTIFUL ROMANCE WITH A LOT OF LIES. BE READY FOR MAGIC AND LIES!!
slsj_'s review
5.0
This book was everything I wanted and needed.
I can list the good things about this book at the drop of a hat.
Romance = Perfection
Setting = Amazing
Strong female lead = yaas
Character arc = smooth and well thought out
Plot = not so much original, but very well done.
Flame in the Mist blew me away. I was IN LOVE with Renee's other book––The Wrath and the Dawn, so I just had to get this one right away, and it did not disappoint. She has this way of storytelling while mixing elements of magic and romance that just do it for me every. single. time.
Mariko was fierce. Maybe not with her strength as most heroines are these day, but with her brain. She prides herself on being the one that will outsmart them all. It was refreshing to see her use her brain to get out of countless situations instead of the "powers, brute strength and agility" that most female characters use these days. She was strong, she was powerful and she was beautiful.
Also props to Renee for not turning this into a love triangle, which it could have totally turned into. I love that Mariko fell in love, and fell in love ONCE to someone who her heart calls out to.
I wish I'd seen more members of the Black Clan. They were totally interesting and fun.
I loved the setting of Japan. Their whole culture being portrayed in this lovely way that just made me want to learn more. Also shoutout to ownvoices. I really needed to read a book that was not set in America, but also wasn't set in this imaginary land.
I was a bit confused towards the end, things started moving rather fast and a lot of names were dropped at one time so it took me a while to work everyone out, but either way it was a solid ending. It ended in a way that got me excited for the next book, but waiting a year won't damage me in the process.
Overall this was a great read. Renee is easily one of my favourite authors now, and I can't wait to see what else she has in store for us.
I can list the good things about this book at the drop of a hat.
Romance = Perfection
Setting = Amazing
Strong female lead = yaas
Character arc = smooth and well thought out
Plot = not so much original, but very well done.
Flame in the Mist blew me away. I was IN LOVE with Renee's other book––The Wrath and the Dawn, so I just had to get this one right away, and it did not disappoint. She has this way of storytelling while mixing elements of magic and romance that just do it for me every. single. time.
Mariko was fierce. Maybe not with her strength as most heroines are these day, but with her brain. She prides herself on being the one that will outsmart them all. It was refreshing to see her use her brain to get out of countless situations instead of the "powers, brute strength and agility" that most female characters use these days. She was strong, she was powerful and she was beautiful.
Also props to Renee for not turning this into a love triangle, which it could have totally turned into. I love that Mariko fell in love, and fell in love ONCE to someone who her heart calls out to.
I wish I'd seen more members of the Black Clan. They were totally interesting and fun.
I loved the setting of Japan. Their whole culture being portrayed in this lovely way that just made me want to learn more. Also shoutout to ownvoices. I really needed to read a book that was not set in America, but also wasn't set in this imaginary land.
I was a bit confused towards the end, things started moving rather fast and a lot of names were dropped at one time so it took me a while to work everyone out, but either way it was a solid ending. It ended in a way that got me excited for the next book, but waiting a year won't damage me in the process.
Overall this was a great read. Renee is easily one of my favourite authors now, and I can't wait to see what else she has in store for us.
joana_stormblessed's review
3.0
3.5
I'm not entirely sure how I feel.
I mean I was loving it and the audiobook narrator was great but at some point I think I got a bit confused and I know the main lines but I don't know it was intersting...
maybe it is just my fault for not paying close enough attention to the audiobook.
I'm not entirely sure how I feel.
I mean I was loving it and the audiobook narrator was great but at some point I think I got a bit confused and I know the main lines but I don't know it was intersting...
maybe it is just my fault for not paying close enough attention to the audiobook.
astheplotthickens24's review
5.0
“Be as swift as the wind. As silent as the forest. As fierce as the fire. As unshakable as the mountain. Rise from the ashes, and take your rightful place.”
Wow! Just wow! I love this book so damn much! It feels like it actually took me to Japan, the description, the writing, the culture, the names. It was just perfection.
It has the anime feels on it with a little bit of Attack on Titans vibe.
It's been a while since I read something that I really loved and I am so glad to have stumble onto this book, it was like dreaming with my eyes wide open. I can smell the cherry blossoms inside my room, feel the silky kimono on my fingertips and fangirl the shit out of my OTP.
I can't wait to read the sequel!
serenity043's review against another edition
4.0
Political drama meets Mulan, but Japanese with magic.
A fun tale of political drama complete with espionage, backstabbing, revenge, bushido, and magic. The magical element is interesting but not talked about in depth, which makes me wonder if it will be explored more in the second book (which I will obviously be reading). Standard YA romance, but still good with no triangles. A fun little read!
A fun tale of political drama complete with espionage, backstabbing, revenge, bushido, and magic. The magical element is interesting but not talked about in depth, which makes me wonder if it will be explored more in the second book (which I will obviously be reading). Standard YA romance, but still good with no triangles. A fun little read!
rlisaacs's review
3.0
I have... mixed feelings about this book. It somehow exists right on the line that divides books that I think are good/great and books that I didn't particularly enjoy. (It's maddening, I tell you, but let me try to explain.)
Please note before continuing, and because I'm paranoid, that there are probably slightly spoilerish things ahead. You've been warned. Also, if you don't feel like reading all of this (I'm going to ramble people), then please just know that, while this story did not in anyway blow my mind or grab and keep my attention for hours... I do fully intend to read the second book. I do want to know what happens next and I want to see if, whatever that is, if Mariko will come out victorious or not. So don't let the three stars fool you. This wasn't the greatest thing I've ever read, but I do intend to finish it rather than just stop right here from lack of enjoyment. (Hope that makes sense. Anyways, onward!)
Firstly, I have heard that this, in someway, is supposed to be a Mulan retelling. I think that's a bit of a false statement. I don't mean that in a bad way! Just that I didn't get "Mulan" vibes out of this. The only true similar feature I really saw, was the fact that a girl disguises herself as a boy so she can infiltrate a camp full of guys. Beyond that, the story really takes on it's own vibe, it's own storyline, that veers quite a bit away, in my opinion, from a Mulan story. So while I can definitely see how this could be called a Mulan inspired work, I don't get 'retelling' out of this. (Does that make sense?)
Second, is Mariko. I liked her, I really did. But so many times throughout this book, we hear her and all the others think and talk about how clever she is. How her mind is so different from other girls and how impressive it is to watch her think her way through situations and find solutions or new ideas. And I do think she's an incredibly clever and smart individual. But... I mean, I felt like I kept waiting to see it. Like, she's supposed to be so impressive, based on everyone else continuously bringing it up in thoughts and conversations. And yes, she did some cool things, came up with some great ideas, and I don't doubt the woman's intelligence, I really don't. But, after what felt like a lot of build up from everybody else... I just felt like there should've been something she did or said or came up with that literally just blew everyone's minds. And perhaps that is something that happens in the second book, but I didn't get that here, and it was kind of disappointing to me.
Thirdly, was the pacing. I can't really say it was slow, although it felt that way at times. And I can't really say it was too fast, although it also felt that way at times. So, we'll settle on choppy, even though that also somehow feels wrong. (See what I mean about the dividing line I mentioned earlier?) I just... I wanted more. Less descriptions, first of all. Some of them were merited, but others I could've done with a lot less and I still would've been impressed with whatever building or place or person was being described. And then more action. Half of our time here is spent watching Mariko get bullied, though I think that's also just how the Black Clan treats all new people. It got so old! And then when there were action scenes, I felt like there wasn't enough to make me really feel the danger, the suspense of the moment. I mean, I knew what was happening (even though I admit I did start skimming when I saw long sections that I new were going to just be descriptions). But I wasn't scared or sitting on the edge of my seat while reading it like I felt I should've been.
I loved the mythology (is that the right word?) in this book though. I liked the magical elements we got to see. I liked the forest they were in, and I even ended up liking most of the Black Clan. Even Ren (which you'll have to read the book to understand.) I also enjoyed the romance that finally flared to life here. It's minimal, in my opinion, in this book. It takes us a while to get there, and at times I felt like we weren't given enough. But I did like what we were given.
I liked Ranmaru and Okami, and the bond they share. And I actually enjoyed how confused I was and still am about everyone else in the story. The Black Clan I like. Mariko I like. But everyone else, like her brother, her father, the emperor himself, and so many others? I have no idea. And it's because you get a lot of points of view in this story, not just Mariko's. You don't just see all these situations through her eyes, you get to see the emperor's as well, and Kenshin's, etc.
All in all, I'm happy to have read it. Will I reread it? Probably not. But I'm happy to have finally read it, and will be reading the second one at some point. I'm not racing to get it, but it's going on my TBR and I will get to it eventually.
Please note before continuing, and because I'm paranoid, that there are probably slightly spoilerish things ahead. You've been warned. Also, if you don't feel like reading all of this (I'm going to ramble people), then please just know that, while this story did not in anyway blow my mind or grab and keep my attention for hours... I do fully intend to read the second book. I do want to know what happens next and I want to see if, whatever that is, if Mariko will come out victorious or not. So don't let the three stars fool you. This wasn't the greatest thing I've ever read, but I do intend to finish it rather than just stop right here from lack of enjoyment. (Hope that makes sense. Anyways, onward!)
Firstly, I have heard that this, in someway, is supposed to be a Mulan retelling. I think that's a bit of a false statement. I don't mean that in a bad way! Just that I didn't get "Mulan" vibes out of this. The only true similar feature I really saw, was the fact that a girl disguises herself as a boy so she can infiltrate a camp full of guys. Beyond that, the story really takes on it's own vibe, it's own storyline, that veers quite a bit away, in my opinion, from a Mulan story. So while I can definitely see how this could be called a Mulan inspired work, I don't get 'retelling' out of this. (Does that make sense?)
Second, is Mariko. I liked her, I really did. But so many times throughout this book, we hear her and all the others think and talk about how clever she is. How her mind is so different from other girls and how impressive it is to watch her think her way through situations and find solutions or new ideas. And I do think she's an incredibly clever and smart individual. But... I mean, I felt like I kept waiting to see it. Like, she's supposed to be so impressive, based on everyone else continuously bringing it up in thoughts and conversations. And yes, she did some cool things, came up with some great ideas, and I don't doubt the woman's intelligence, I really don't. But, after what felt like a lot of build up from everybody else... I just felt like there should've been something she did or said or came up with that literally just blew everyone's minds. And perhaps that is something that happens in the second book, but I didn't get that here, and it was kind of disappointing to me.
Thirdly, was the pacing. I can't really say it was slow, although it felt that way at times. And I can't really say it was too fast, although it also felt that way at times. So, we'll settle on choppy, even though that also somehow feels wrong. (See what I mean about the dividing line I mentioned earlier?) I just... I wanted more. Less descriptions, first of all. Some of them were merited, but others I could've done with a lot less and I still would've been impressed with whatever building or place or person was being described. And then more action. Half of our time here is spent watching Mariko get bullied, though I think that's also just how the Black Clan treats all new people. It got so old! And then when there were action scenes, I felt like there wasn't enough to make me really feel the danger, the suspense of the moment. I mean, I knew what was happening (even though I admit I did start skimming when I saw long sections that I new were going to just be descriptions). But I wasn't scared or sitting on the edge of my seat while reading it like I felt I should've been.
I loved the mythology (is that the right word?) in this book though. I liked the magical elements we got to see. I liked the forest they were in, and I even ended up liking most of the Black Clan. Even Ren (which you'll have to read the book to understand.) I also enjoyed the romance that finally flared to life here. It's minimal, in my opinion, in this book. It takes us a while to get there, and at times I felt like we weren't given enough. But I did like what we were given.
I liked Ranmaru and Okami, and the bond they share. And I actually enjoyed how confused I was and still am about everyone else in the story. The Black Clan I like. Mariko I like. But everyone else, like her brother, her father, the emperor himself, and so many others? I have no idea. And it's because you get a lot of points of view in this story, not just Mariko's. You don't just see all these situations through her eyes, you get to see the emperor's as well, and Kenshin's, etc.
Spoiler
Not gonna lie, when I read the first scene from the emperor's perspective, I thought I was gonna like him. Thought he was gonna be a good guy that I could get behind. Nope! Or at least, I'm pretty sure it's a nope. See! I'm confused!All in all, I'm happy to have read it. Will I reread it? Probably not. But I'm happy to have finally read it, and will be reading the second one at some point. I'm not racing to get it, but it's going on my TBR and I will get to it eventually.