I am really enjoying The Queen's Council! Each book is about a different Disney princess, what happens after their happily ever after and end credits roll, and a continuation of their stories. Feather and Flame by Livia Blackburne continues Mulan’s story, picking up several years after she saved the emperor. Action packed and full of adventure, the story grabbed my attention and kept me up late into the night to finish it.

Mulan is enjoying her days at home, training an all female militia and helping the surrounding farms and towns. She is content in her life, yet struggles to find a balance and peace with what she is doing. When the emperor names her as his heir, Mulan is shocked and honestly wants to turn it down. What does she know about running a country? Also in accepting, she’d have to give up the possibility of Shang.

I love Mulan! She is one of my favorites. I love that she constantly pushes the boundaries and does what she needs to for the people she loves. In this case, her love for her country, for China, comes out in full force. I liked seeing her in her role as empress and how she handles the transition. I felt it was very true to life and true to what we know of Disney’s Mulan (I stress the Disney part because there is little of the original story here).

In addition to Mulan, there are some great new characters we are introduced to as well as an old favorite. Liwen is her second in command and her best friend. I love the relationship they have. It is born of loyalty and duty, but also has a kinship attached to it. The women would do anything for each other. And then of course there is Shang. I love him as much here as I did in the cartoon. He is a fantastic supporting character for Mulan. He pushes her to be her best and supports her at every obstacle.

Overall, I really enjoyed Feather and Flame. This story moves at a quick pace. There is a lot of palace intrigue and of course some skirmishes with the Huns. There is even a little romance 😉 If you enjoy fantasy and fairy tales, I highly recommend it.

🎉𝙃𝘼𝙋𝙋𝙔 𝙋𝙐𝘽 𝘿𝘼𝙔 𝙇𝙄𝙑𝙄𝘼 𝘽𝙇𝘼𝘾𝙆𝘽𝙐𝙍𝙉𝙀!🎉

𝘍𝘌𝘈𝘛𝘏𝘌𝘙 𝘈𝘕𝘋 𝘍𝘓𝘈𝘔𝘌, 𝘉𝘠 𝘓𝘐𝘝𝘐𝘈 𝘉𝘓𝘈𝘊𝘒𝘉𝘜𝘙𝘕𝘌

𝘗𝘜𝘉 𝘋𝘈𝘠: 𝙏𝙊𝘿𝘼𝙔, 6/14/22

Well, for those of you that have followed me a while, you probably know I am a Disney FANATIC!!! So, as soon as I got wind of the fact that a sequel to Mulan was coming out, I was all over it!

@lkblackburne did NOT disappoint! This novel lured me in from the first sentence, "𝐴 𝑑𝑟𝑜𝑝 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑤𝑒𝑎𝑡 𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑘𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑑𝑜𝑤𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑜𝑙𝑑𝑖𝑒𝑟'𝑠 𝑛𝑒𝑐𝑘. 𝐼𝑡 𝑠𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑓𝑙𝑦 𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑝 ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑠𝑢𝑛𝑤𝑎𝑟𝑚𝑒𝑑 𝑠ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑𝑒𝑟 𝑏𝑒𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒 𝑎 𝑣𝑖𝑔𝑜𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑠 𝑠𝑤𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑜𝑓 ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑟𝑚 𝑗𝑜𝑠𝑡𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑖𝑡 𝑙𝑜𝑜𝑠𝑒."

That gives you just a glimpse of the imagery you're in for when you pick up this fabulous book! I don't know if Ms. Blackburn was hand-picked by Disney to write the sequel, but I was sure impressed!

The story picks up after Mulan has saved China, and has settled down training a group of female warriors. She is suddenly beckoned by the emperor and a familiar face accompanies her on the journey. From there, she embarks on another adventure that is filled with action, suspense, and excitement as she ascends in power. It's full of girl power from the get-go and I just loved it! Throw in a little Disney romance, and I'm sold!

I just hope they make this into a movie sequel too; what fun that would be! Now, I must read the first book in The Queen's Council series, Rebel Rose, about none other than, Belle🌹!

Many thanks to @disneybooks and @netgalley for gifting me with this advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review!

Feather and Flame is the second book in Disney-Hyperion’s Queen’s Council series. This YA historical fantasy series reimagines Disney Princesses as rulers coming into power, aided by a mysterious force that weaves between their individual stories. The first book, Rebel Rose, by Emma Theriault, follows Belle as she struggles with her role within the gentry. Feather and Flame is the second book. And Alexandra Monir is writing the third, still untitled book about Jasmine that will likely come out in 2023.

While I struggled a little bit between the loss of magic going from the movie to Rebel Rose, I had no such problem with Feather and Flame. Perhaps that’s because the shifts are more subtle in Feather and Flame or perhaps that’s because I know less of Chinese history than I do of French.

I think the biggest reason, however, is that Livia Blackburne was able to capture Mulan’s essence from the first pages of her book. To put it bluntly — Mulan still feels like Mulan, the world in which she lives remains familiar — even though it does change from village to court.

Blackburne’s pacing is to be lauded, as she balances the quieter more introspective moments with those full of danger and action.

At approximately 330 pages, Feather and Flame is a fairly quick read. Blackburne hooks you at the first chapter, and you’ll be disappointed when there’s nothing more to read. I’m excited to see where the next book in this series takes readers.

*Note I have received a free digital copy of the text and it will not affect my thoughts or feelings towards it*

I LOVE the original Mulan film so I was excited to jump right back into the story. It felt like Blackburne understood the characters really well because the film to text for the characterization is perfect! It was so easy to imagine these classic characters in this new story. I enjoyed the concept of the plot and the things that would come with it but I thought the execution was done poorly due to the slow pacing and for the first 1/3 it felt like it was just the same thing happening in every scene besides the opening of the book which I would say was a highlight of the book. I did enjoy the new characters because they all felt different from each other and could hold their own against Mulan in scenes. Overall it was a enjoyable read and for me was 3.5/5 stars.

Feather and Flame by Livia Blackburne is an excellent fictional novel that has action, suspense, and is the second book in the amazing series: The Queen’s Council. I loved it!

This book is the second book in this series, and because I enjoyed The Rebel Rose so much, I knew I had to read this one. The previous book highlighted Belle, and this one focusses on Mulan. I just loved Disney’s Mulan, so I was so pumped to read this one.

This book is almost a continuation of sorts from where the classic Mulan tale finished. Mulan is thrust into the middle of a power struggle with court intrigue and dynamics when she is placed in a position of utmost power after the death of the emperor. We get to see the internal struggles within Mulan as she tries to gain confidence and strength as well as the external as well. I also enjoyed seeing the progression of her self-determination and confidence as the novel continues as well as her relationship with Shang. ( I particularly loved this thread and the super awesome ending!!!!)

I also loved the weaving into the narrative of the ancestral ties and the Queen’s Council itself. I loved the messages of confidence, self-worth, empowerment, determination, love, and loyalty.

Such a great book, with a great message, and an excellent ending. A perfect additon to this series. I can’t wait to see what happens next.

5/5 stars

That you NG and Disney Hyperion for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 6/14/22.

Feather and Flame is the second book in The Queen's Council series by Livia Blackburne. The series gets better with each book I read. This is a well-written read that left me wanting more.

Feather and Flame is the sequel to Disney’s Mulan set in ancient China. Mulan has returned home from the war and is training a troop of female warriors. The emperor summons her to the palace. The emperor tells her that he has no heirs, and since Mulan once saved China, he wants her to be his heir. Mulan is hesitant about becoming the next Empress of China. However, she is loyal to the emperor and agrees. As she prepares for her new role, she is confronted with Huns threatening to invade the country, scheming ministers, and sacrificing her love for General Shang. Could Mulan find solutions to these difficulties and become the empress she was meant to be?
Mulan is one of my favorite childhood movies. I was interested in this sequel to see what lies in store, and I was not disappointed! Mulan is still a tough warrior. She questions the role of her responsibility as the next Empress of China and wonders whether she will be a good ruler. However, her devotion to her country matters the most of all and she struggles with her insecurity. In the end, she becomes the confident ruler she was meant to be. She believes that love and duty can co-exist. Because of this belief, she is determined to get what she wants. I really loved Mulan because she was a relatable heroine. I admired her strength, intelligence, and tenacity. She was not only a strong warrior but a leader. Thus, I loved seeing her in a leadership role because I felt that is where she belonged.

Overall, this novel is about responsibility, loyalty, and confidence. I found all the characters to be very realistic. However, I was disappointed that Mulan’s friends from the movie did not appear in this book. Nevertheless, Feather and Flame is an enthralling fast-paced novel filled with action, court intrigue, and romance! The writing is very beautiful with vivid descriptions of ancient China! I recommend this for fans of Bound, Silver Phoenix, and The Magnolia Sword! Feather and Flame is a novel that you do not want to miss if you love the Mulan legend!

Somewhere between 3-4 stars. I couldn’t decide.
I really enjoyed Feather and Flame. BUT! I really wanted to LOVE this book—It’s based off one of my favorite Disney movies—and I couldn’t help being a smidge disappointed.

Feather and Flame picks up after the war with the Huns. Mulan has gone home, and now trains a militia of women from her village. One day Shang (cue the heart eyes) comes with a message: the emperor would like to meet with Mulan. Why? Because he wants her to be his heir, and Mulan is left with little choice. What follows is full of intrigue, court politics, war. The whole shebang.

Now, before I semi-rant (I swear I don’t hate it!), let me just say I did like this book, don’t get me wrong. Feather and Flame was great—it showed Mulan’s journey to becoming an empress. I loved the look into China’s politics, feminism, the war. There were some badass moments. While I liked what we got, I felt like there was so much missing.
• My #1 issue: I was so confused about what happened from the movie and what didn’t. There were particular characters that were just totally wiped out (see next point) and things that were just never mentioned. However, there were tons of nods to both movies. Mulan did cause the avalanche in the pass, and that entire scene definitely played out the same. It even mentioned the 3 princesses married commoners. But where are Ling, Chien-Po, and Yao? I would’ve been fine with this if it was a complete retelling—but I didn’t like that the author seemed to pick and choose what she wanted to use.

• Mushu, Ling, Chien-Po, and Yao are all absent and not even mentioned. Do they even exist? Instead they’re replaced with Liwen who is written as basically perfect and gets to do whatever she wants (I couldn’t stand her!). I missed the old crew.

• I love Mulan’s original story. I love that she was determined to do what she had to do for her family and China. She doesn’t give up. She kicks ass. But we didn’t really get that Mulan here. Now don’t get me wrong—I know being a soldier and an empress are two totally different things, but the character seemed off. She was ready to give up at every turn and really, until the turning point, she did nothing as empress.

• This book just didn’t know what it wanted to be. Like one minute, Mulan and Shang are like “I would like to marry you” and “ok” then they ride off, later they’re making out against a tree. One minute, Mulan just be “cutting down” her enemies, and then she slits someone’s throat. I literally said “dammmmmn, Disney” several times. This is a young adult book so I think it wouldn’t have hurt for it to be a bit more mature. I felt like I got whiplash every time it hit those moments, then went right back.

• I know I know I know. This is not a romance, but try telling my little fangirl heart that! I love Shang and Mulan. And all I wanted was some cute little shy moments. Did I get them? No, not really. Maybe one *ahem* see tree scene. Mainly we just got a lot of insistence that they liked each other, but not much follow through. It sounds like this was something the author struggled with though, from what you can read in the acknowledgements.

• Finally, I would have preferred more feeling, more description. I didn’t totally love the author’s writing style. I wanted to see where we were more, get into Mulan’s head more. I just wanted more.

This review is getting long and I didn’t mean for it to, so I’m going to wrap it up. One thing I did want to add was that the magic included in this book was really cool. I loved the inclusion of the spirits and their role in the story. There’s also a bit toward the end where you’ll find out about the “Queen’s Council” and that was done really well I thought.

In the end, I couldn’t help but be a little disappointed. I thought I was getting one thing, and I really thought that’s what we were getting at first, but the book changed into something different. It was just a little lackluster for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Disney Hyperion for the ARC!

Really, really loved this. The girl power theme is fantastic and I really enjoyed more of the familial and other spirits being brought into the story. I could've really seen this being made as a Disney sequel for Mulan and it sucked me right in.

Who doesn't love a good twist on a familiar story? Growing up Mulan was my favorite disney movie and Feather and Flame did not disappoint. It was engaging a gave enough variation to the story we love to breath fresh air into it. It was compelling and well written

Short and Sweet Review
Feather and Flame shows Mulan’s life after fighting the war, now she’s back home and training a militia of female warriors. Shang comes bringing news that the Emperor wants to see Mulan. While in the Imperial City the Emperor announces that he wants Mulan to be his successor and become the Empress. When Mulan takes the throne it becomes evident that not everyone is happy to see her there, now Mulan has to navigate this new life in power and figure out who she can trust.
I love how this series shows us the possible futures of our Disney characters. I can definitely see Mulan having her own militia who are as fierce as she is. We follow Mulan from her village to the throne and see her try to figure out if she can handle this new position she’s been put in. We also see the Huns and they’re ready to spot out any weaknesses. Mulan also has to deal with advisors who aren’t quite trustworthy and have their own agenda. The book really starts picking up when Mulan figures out that someone in the palace is not to be trusted. My favorite thing about this book was seeing Mulan go from doubting herself to fully believing she has the ability to be a great empress and be the leader China needs, she also had a great support system behind her. I do think the ending was a bit rushed but nonetheless this was a great book! If you like Disney Princesses and want a glimpse into what their futures could be like after what we’ve seen in the movies than this series of retellings is for you!

So this is the second in the queens council series that I’ve read. I’m going to say that I like this one much better than the first, but there were a lot of slow parts and I had a hard time getting into the story. I feel like Mulan was very true the character as well as Shang. I felt like the storyline was a little cliché, especially compared to the first one. I don’t want to reveal too much and give spoilers. This was an OK read I didn’t hate it, but I didn’t love it.

*I received this book as an Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC) through NetGalley. I received this copy free in exchange for my honest review.*

It has been a bit from when Mulan helped win the war. Now Mulan spends her time training a group of women to be warriors just like her. But what she never sees coming is an invitation to the Imperial City and what is asked of her next.
This was a really fun book if you ever wanted to know what came next for Mulan and Shang. There is still a bunch of action and suspense in this book and it is so much fun to catch up with the characters we like so much. I really hope we get to see more of Mulan and the women.

Feather and Flame by Livia Blackburne
“A soldier never gives up the fight. Even in death, an army can turn a war’s tide.”
~~~
Mulan saved China, now she’s being asked to do what?! She might be thinking saving China was the easiest thing she’s ever done!
This was book two in The Queen’s Council series; and it was amazing. Loved the details, the emotions for every scene. Blackburne really did cover the personality of Mulan, even Shang, astonishingly well!
If Mulan is one of your favorite Disney characters, role models, etc. I highly encourage you to check out Feather and Flame! Thank you Livia Blackburne, NetGalley, and Disney Hyperion for the eARC!

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes,

This is how a Disney spin-off novel is created. I like Mulan, and I adored the way the author handled her story and the what-if scenarios of the "Happily Ever After," especially given Mulan's lack of one.
(It also had Li Shang, who was spot-on in character, so YES)

This narrative had so much to love about it! I was cautious going into it because I wasn't a fan of the previous part in the series and because I adore Mulan. I, on the other hand, had nothing to be concerned about.

This was a celebration of womanhood, commitment, and the value of self-confidence. It stayed faithful to the beloved classic's messages while improving on some of the flaws and proved to be a worthwhile novel for readers of all ages.

Overall, while it wasn't flawless, it kept me smiling practically the entire time, which is a full win in my book.

3.5/5 stars

FEATHER AND FLAME is my first dalliance with the Queen's Council series. I own REBEL ROSE as well but this is the first book I have read. I'm really relieved to say that, indeed, books in the series may be read as standalones without confusion. I appreciate that a lot. I loved revisiting the story of Mulan that we all know and love, but through a more traditional view of Chinese history without the animated antics (which I loved in the movie). Watching Mulan find herself as Empress in a world of men who seek to control her and take her power was super compelling. I loved seeing her after the movie and training other women in the militia. The friendship between Liwen and Mulan just gave me life. I loved the women supporting women dynamic here. I also loved seeing the maturation and development in the romance between Shang and Mulan in this one as well. Just like the movie, FEATHER AND FLAME is a story about staying true to yourself while balancing duty, and I thoroughly enjoyed this!

I don't know if Livia Blackburne's writing style is for me, but I'd definitely be interested in picking up this book at a later date. I love fairytale retellings/sequels, and I enjoyed the first chapter. I'm hoping to pick up this book again soon. Feather and Flame is an excellent title. The fact that this is a continuation of Mulan's story excites me to see where her journey goes.

Mulan is fighting a different kind of battle, one with hidden enemies and once again, the fate of all of China on her shoulders.

The plot is gripping and well paced, the world building effortlessly fused with Chinese history and folklore. The Mulan characters you know and love also can be found in this book, along with a few terrifically crafted new additions.

An easygoing, enjoyable, comforting read!

I found this book a delightful story about what became of Mulan after the war with the Huns and her assistance in ridding the Imperial City of them. It is a well written book that stays true to the characters personalities. Since I have seen the original movie; I could hear Mulan, Shang, and the Emperor's voices in my head as I was reading.

We all question our own judgement at times; especially when we feel we don't know enough about a situation and trust others to help guide us along the way. Mulan finds out the hard way that one must be careful about those we surround ourselves with and to trust our own instincts to help us as well.

This is a wonderful installment in The Queen's Council series.

I wanted to enjoy this…..
The first novel was decent, this one I had to push forward intently. I wanted more in everything. I didn’t feel any thing for any of the characters, and kinda wanted it to hurt itself up.