I read through this book in a day and have no regrets! Even better than Flame in The Mist and I absolutely loved how everything tied up! All the stars in the world! Smoke in the Sun is a heart pounding and breathtaking finale to the duology!

Stars: ✦✦✦✦✧
So as usual, I'll tell 4.0 things I liked about the book and 1.0 thing I didn't like.

+1 | The idea and premise is clever and intriguing. The first one was slightly based on Mulan and I loved that aspect. But in this book we're moving from the forest to the palace

+1 | The characters are so layered and well balanced, and even though there are lots of them they pull you into the book

+1 | World and world building. The story takes place in Japan (with a mini dictionary at the back again!), and Ahdieh has really excelled in transporting us there

+1 | The writing is what I've already come to love with Ahdieh's other books, and she doesn't disappoint!

-1 | There's some magic, like in the first one, but I felt like it was overpowered by politics. I would've preferred more of the former than the latter - but I know lots of readers will love that aspect

Read on lovelies,
S