Smoke in the Sun

Renée Ahdieh

Jun 2018 · Flame in the Mist Book 2 · Sold by Penguin

About this ebook

The highly anticipated sequel to New York Times bestselling Flame in the Mist--an addictive, sumptuous finale that will leave readers breathless from the bestselling author of The Wrath and the Dawn.

After Okami is captured in the Jukai forest, Mariko has no choice--to rescue him, she must return to Inako and face the dangers that have been waiting for her in the Heian Castle. She tricks her brother, Kenshin, and betrothed, Raiden, into thinking she was being held by the Black Clan against her will, playing the part of the dutiful bride-to-be to infiltrate the emperor's ranks and uncover the truth behind the betrayal that almost left her dead.

With the wedding plans already underway, Mariko pretends to be consumed with her upcoming nuptials, all the while using her royal standing to peel back the layers of lies and deception surrounding the imperial court. But each secret she unfurls gives way to the next, ensnaring Mariko and Okami in a political scheme that threatens their honor, their love and the very safety of the empire.

Ratings and reviews

The sequel/finale to Flame in the Mist was as unexpected in its storyline as the first - though I don't know why I expected familiar tropes to play out in the book. It takes the story in a different direction than I had assumed, with more depth to the characters in this installment, with some backstories, and continues the theme of duty and honor. Mariko is in the palace, trying to get Okami out, while also trying to be a backup for the Black Clan over there. Meanwhile, Raiden's mother has put in motion plans that would help her son take the throne; plans which not many people know about and in which Kenshin is trapped. As for Raiden, who seemed to be brute, there is another side of him coming to light in this book, as he starts to see Roku for who he really is. There were some plot points that I thought were going to be significant but didn't turn out to be (like that enchanted sword) and I did feel that the ending was a bit too rushed, even if it ended well. Overall, it is a satisfactory sequel and good conclusion to the duology.

Good but felt as though it was set up to be a series and it had a rushed ending.

Wished there was an epilogue cause I didn't want it to end

About the author

Renée Ahdieh is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In her spare time, she likes to dance salsa and collect shoes. She is passionate about all kinds of curry, rescue dogs, and college basketball. The first few years of her life were spent in a high-rise in South Korea; consequently, Renée enjoys having her head in the clouds. She lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with her husband and their tiny overlord of a dog. She is the author of The Beautiful, Flame in the Mist, and Smoke in the Sun as well as the #1 New York Times bestselling The Wrath & the Dawn and its sequel, The Rose & the Dagger.