Flame in the Mist by Renee Ahdieh

Genre: Fanstasy (YA)
Series: Flame in the Mist #1
Pages: 400
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Publication Date: 18th May 2017
Format: Ebook
Rating: 4/5 stars

Review: Flame in the Mist is a dark, and thrilling retelling of the story of Mulan, complete with murderous intrigue in the palace of the Japanese Emperor, corrupt feudal lords (daimyo), morally complicated samurai, and a band of outlaws camped out in a man-eating forest.  

Mariko is the seventeen year old daughter of a feudal lord, recently betrothed to the illegitimate son of the Emperor. While her family celebrates the extra prestige this marriage will bring to their name, someone else has other ideas. On their way to the palace, Mariko's train is attacked, leaving everyone, apart from Mariko herself, dead. 

Following her escape, Mariko decides that for the first time in her life, she is going to take her fate into her own hands. Rather than return to her family, she vows to find out why the attack was ordered, and by whom. Dressed as a boy, she seeks out the infamous Black Clan who she believes were behind the attack, and infiltrates their ranks. Here she meets Okami, a mysterious warrior with unexplained powers, and the clan's leader Ranmaru, the disgraced son of the former shogun (military leader).

While in their camp, Mariko is forced to question everything she believed to be true; about the Black Clan, about her family, and about herself. She is tested, mentally and physically, by the challenges and opportunities of being a boy, and an outlaw. Her gift for invention blossoms with the encouragement of the Clan's chef, Yoshi, and its leader, Ranmaru. She grows into her strength as she is taught how to fight and to defend herself. And, amongst all the secrets and unanswered questions, Mariko even falls in love. But the attack on Mariko is part of a much larger plot, and in this first book of what promises to be a gripping series, we see tantalising hints of its deeper workings.

Flame in the Mist is a novel packed with intrigue, beauty, and drama. The blend of history and fantasy in the Japanese setting is both beautiful (traditional gardens/architecture, the natural landscape), and unnerving (man-eating trees!), and provides a rich stage for the multi-layered action of the book. Mariko's journey of self-discovery, and the fresh view she gets of the world beyond the Japanese elite is truly compelling, and Mariko herself is a kickass character with guts, brains, and a heart to match. As a huge romance reader, I also adored the love story, and look forward to seeing where that and all of the other threads of this novel lead in the next books of the series. A definite recommend from me.

Falling for the Beast by Victorine E. Lieske

Genre: Paranormal Romance
Pages: 163
Publisher: Self-Published
Publication Date: 10th March 2017
Format: Ebook
Rating: 3/5 stars

Review: Falling for the Beast is a contemporary romance retelling of the Beauty and the Beast fairytale. Aribelle "Belle" has recently lost her father following a prolonged illness during which she acted as his carer. She is now 25, her online English degree has been put on hold, and she is searching desperately for her first ever job. It is at this point of desperation, when Belle is under threat of eviction, that the temp agency organises a trial period for her to work as a housekeeper for one Thaddeus Walker.

Thaddeus is a rude, surly man. covered in scars, and prone to night time excursions that leave him battered, bruised, and bleeding. And no, he doesn't want to talk about it. Thaddeus has grown used to his solitude, but Belle's continued presence, even with his rudeness and his yelling, finds him caught between his growing feelings, and the dark secret that means they can never be together.

As the relationship between Aribelle and Thaddeus evolves, we see a softer side to the "beast." He has a sense of humour, a library (of course), and a desire to protect Belle from harm: he stands between Belle and the sexual threat posed by her neighbour, Gavin, and takes care to protect the precious unfinished jigsaw puzzle belonging to Belle's father. As Belle eventually learns Thaddeus' secret, we also begin to understand the years of hardship he has faced, and their physical and emotional cost.

Falling for the Beast is a quick read at under 200 pages, and the romance is nicely done. Thaddeus is a suitably sexy and strong but vulnerable hero, which I love, and Belle is sympathetic and, for me at least, quite relatable. My only criticism is that things such as the threat posed by Belle's neighbour Gavin, and especially the "curse" element of the story could have been fleshed out a bit more, but I would still recommend this novel for a sweet evening read on the sofa.