Laura P. (hemmputnam) reviewed Flame in the Mist (Flame in the Mist, Bk 1) on + 1117 more book reviews
I don't often read YA so I am probably not the target audience for this book. I liked the setting and world building but it wasn't quite enough. I still don't understand one of the character's abilities after finishing the story and didn't like it enough to continue reading the series.
Karissa E. (ophelia99) reviewed Flame in the Mist (Flame in the Mist, Bk 1) on + 2527 more book reviews
I got this book through the Amazon Vine program to review. This was a very well done YA fantasy book set in Feudal Japan. I can tell a lot of research and time went into creating the setting.
The book is well written and overall I enjoyed the characters and the setting. The story is a fairly typical power struggle type of story between factions. Entwined within this is the more personable story about a lord's daughter who decides to join the very men who tried to kill her by disguising herself a man in order to learn the purpose behind the attack on her.
While I thought everything about this book was well done for some reason it didn't really grab me and suck me in like some fantasy stories. I wasn't ever really dying to know what happened next. I just kind of read it and thought "Huh, well that was pretty good."
Overall this was a well done book that I enjoyed reading. I would recommend to those who enjoy YA fantasy set in an Asian setting. While I enjoyed the book, I didn't absolutely love it so right now I am unsure whether or not I will continue the series.
The book is well written and overall I enjoyed the characters and the setting. The story is a fairly typical power struggle type of story between factions. Entwined within this is the more personable story about a lord's daughter who decides to join the very men who tried to kill her by disguising herself a man in order to learn the purpose behind the attack on her.
While I thought everything about this book was well done for some reason it didn't really grab me and suck me in like some fantasy stories. I wasn't ever really dying to know what happened next. I just kind of read it and thought "Huh, well that was pretty good."
Overall this was a well done book that I enjoyed reading. I would recommend to those who enjoy YA fantasy set in an Asian setting. While I enjoyed the book, I didn't absolutely love it so right now I am unsure whether or not I will continue the series.
Not remembering much about the Mulan story, other than what I remember from watching the Disney movie version, I was very excited to read this story. It started off with a bang. Mariko is on her way to be married to the Emperor's son. Her wagon is ambushed and everyone is killed except for her. She ends up finding her way through an enchanted forest and becomes part of the Black Clan, a notorious group of thugs. The kicker is that she joins this group dressed as a man. Everyone is fooled-really how did she live with them for weeks and they didn't suspect?? Anyways, after Mariko joins the Black Clan and we get to know its' members the story starts to sag and the action fades. I didn't need the romance. I wanted more action, more myth and magic. I realize that the author is creating a series here and needs to build up characters and plot, but I struggled to finish this and won't be continuing the series. Thank you First to Read for the free galley in exchange for an honest review.
