I enjoyed reading Flame in the Mist a lot. It was one of my most anticipated books in 2017. I wasn't a big of the Wrath and the Dawn but come on, this is set in Japan. And here's the thing, I'm obsessed about Japan, especially the Edo period. So this is a Mulan retelling (one of my favorite Disney movies), set in the old Japan times, and with a promising summary, what's there not love? The Resist Fire Aura is attractive because it applies to anyone in range of it, so mercenaries and summoned creatures would benefit. The penalty to enemy Fire Resistance, the bonus to Fire Skills, the reduction to Freezes and Poison Length, and the Enhanced Defense are all solid, although you’ll certainly want to replace this Rune Word in most cases well before you try higher difficulty levels. For the most part, this book is far less romantic than Ahdieh's The Wrath & the Dawn. Which was fine by me. And the romance that did surface was... perfection. I won't spoil anything but I'll just say it's one of those rare occasions where I almost felt myself swooning. Look, there's just something sexy about the whole wolf thing, 'kay? Yes, I know, I have problems.

How have I not reviewed this book? FLAME IN THE MIST is the first in a new series from Renee Ahdieh and it is FANTASTIC. I adored THE WRATH AND THE DAWN, of course, and thought the story wrapped up beautifully in THE ROSE AND THE DAGGER. But to be honest, no one can live up to smart, badass Shazi, right? Right? Mariko was a bit bland character. I admired her determination to matter, to survive and prove her value, but such determination could be tedious at times. She was smart and resourceful, but her lapses of judgement could turn fatal, and cause tragedies. I was more invested in the stories of the secondary characters, their ties to the fallen samurai and their plans to unravel their enemies, but I wanted something more. More time inside their head. More information about their past, and the betrayals that marked them. As for the romance? Even in the long line of fictional females who pose as male to thwart patriarchal restrictions, Mariko stands out. . . .The novel’s surprising, tumultuous ending leaves the reader eagerly anticipating a sequel, impatient to find out what iteration of herself Mariko will invent next.”— Chicago Tribune With] Flame in the Mist, Ahdieh has gifted us a new series to obsess over. If you live for books that have lush worlds, swoony romance and non-stop action, you’ll want to read this.”— Paste MagazineAs in Renee's other books, you can expect incredible descriptions of food and clothing and people and scenery--all the lush writing that makes you feel like you are living the story. The research that went into this book was intense, and it shows. I genuinely felt like I had been dropped into Mariko's world. The pacing is non-stop--I tore through this. But my FAVORITE part of the book was the romance. Insert all the fire emojis here. We should probably be thinking oh Mariko is so smart. She is taking care of herself. Now she did have a couple badass moments, but these were so far and few between. We kept being told how smart she is. And I mean consistently by not only Mariko but her brother Kenshin as well. I still feel we never saw this.

I did have a few small complaints - one being the magic system. It was really confusing and not really explained at all - no rules were mentioned and it seemed very random. I'm assuming this will be explained much more in the next book, but it was odd to me that it was so sporadic. I'll be honest. The first part of this book is kinda slow. There is just a lot of haning around, not doing much in the woods. But once you prevail into the last part, everything becomes worth it. It seems I hold the unpopular opinion in regards to this book. While all my friends complain, I’m sitting here like ??? it was epic, where were you??? Okami is the love of my life. Okay, okay, I know the whole romance build up was kind of sudden but who the hell cares, its beautiful and intense and heated and just I loved it so much

This electric fire features Optimyst 3D flame effect which can be used with or without heat, which instantly adds an inviting, warming glow to the room. This fire can be operated by the manual controls located on the unit or the easy to use remote control. Optimyst uses ultrasonic technology to create the world’s most realistic flame effect, with an ultra-fine water mist that mimics flame and smoke. As the mist rises through the logs, warm light is emitted which reflects against the water, creating an incredibly realistic 3D illusion of flames and smoke which is commonly mistaken for the real thing. Opti-myst fires look amazing, and the clue’s in the name to how they work! It uses a patented smoke effect (which is actually an ultra fine water mist) that really does look like actual fire, giving it a real sense of depth – easily one of the most realistic electric fires around! Samurais. I love Samurais (watched many anime about them) and oh, the heroine's brother is a Samurai named Kenshin. Seriously, that's so awesome. Be as swift as the wind. As silent as the forest. As fierce as the fire. As unshakable as the mountain. And you can do anything...” Many of us don’t have the setup at home to have a real wood burning fire, whether that’s due to building regulations, chimney type or a variety of other factors. Some of us don’t even want a fire like that!