Thank you for an advanced copy of this book!

Genre: YA Fiction
Pub Date: February 1, 2022
Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Feather and Flame is the second book in the Queen's Council series, and it is such a fun retelling/reimagining series. One thing I love about Disney books taking on beloved characters is the new avenues for stories, and Feather and Flame does not disappoint. I was engaged with this story about Mulan from start to finish.

I loved that this story explored Mulan's need for independence, her need to prove herself, and her personality. It gave me a character to cheer for and a character to adore. I really enjoyed this book, and I think this series as a whole is such a clever reimagining of the Disney World.

Two thumbs way way up!

Even though this was a sequel in The Queen's Council series this reads like a standalone and I really enjoyed that and think it will be great for students that connect with a princess and they do not feel like they need to read other books to pick up the right one for them. This kicks off after Mulan ends up saving the Empire and is now thrown into her next adventure. It may not be the adventure she had planned or hoped for but the one thing I love about Mulan is her heart and determination. She is loyal to her country and care fiercely. I will definitely be adding this to my classroom recommendation list and library.

I really enjoyed Feather and Flame. The second book picks up with Milan being back at home after saving China. The story was magical and captivating. I absolutely love Mulan and this book was wonderful. I loved how Chinese Culture was included in the book!

Feather and Flame, by author Livia Blackburne, is the second installment in The Queen's Council series which alternates between several different authors. In the second novel within the sweeping YA historical fantasy series Queen's Council, Mulan takes center stage as she is named empress of a people who do not want her, forbidden from marrying the man she loves, and facing a potential coup, she must return to the battlefield to fight for her right to rule. Mulan is older, wiser, and bolder—but still true to the personality, character traits, and values that made her beloved by generations of Disney fans.

Mulan is still considered to be Hero of China after she helped defeat the Huns and stopped the Hun leader from killing the emperor and taking over. I would say that this book sticks pretty close to the Disney version, rather than the recent Mulan movie version which was cleaned up and approved by the Chinese Communist Party before distribution. Mulan is now Commander of her own militia. A militia made up entirely of women who wanted more out of live than the mundane of every day life.

But things change when General Li Shang shows up and tells Mulan that the Emperor requests her presence in the Imperial City. Mulan’s relatively peaceful life is upended once more when the aging emperor decrees that Mulan will be his heir to the throne. Such unimagined power and responsibility terrifies her, but who can say no to the Emperor? As Mulan ascends into the halls of power, it becomes clear that not everyone is on her side. Her ministers undermine her, and the Huns sense a weakness in the throne. When hints of treachery appear even amongst those she considers friends, Mulan has no idea whom she can trust.

The Queen's Council, a collection of badass former female warriors, helps Mulan uncover her true destiny. With renewed strength and the wisdom of those that came before her, Mulan will own her power, save her country, and prove once again that, crown or helmet, she was always meant to lead. This fierce reimagining of the girl who became a warrior blends fairy-tale lore and real history with a Disney twist. The story richly blends Chinese history, folklore, and magic to tell the next chapter of Mulan’s epic story.

There are some excellent relationships in this book. From Mulan and her grandmother via Oracle bones, as well as her parents, to Liwen her second in command who is probably the most skilled fighter in her militia, to Zhonglin who is as mysterious as they come, until she reveals who she is and why she's here now. Then of course there is Mulan and Li Shang. The two have been separated for a long time. When he comes back into her life, and then she's thrust into powerful position, he has to stand back and take it all in. Empress's are supposed to marry for political reasons and Li Shang begins to question any future they might have once had.

When I first requested this title, the release date was November 9, 2021. After finishing this book, I learned that release date has now been pushed back to February 2022. Goodreads "claims" that the delay is due to supply chain issues. Really? You don't say! The first book in this series was Rebel Rose a retelling of Beauty and the Beast centering about Belle. The next book in the series is a retelling of Jasmine. As I mentioned, I would brush up on my Disney Mulan version before jumping into this story. Also, there's no MuShu in this story. Sorry!

I loved this book! I don't know where to begin really as I loved everything about it. The story picks up where Mulan has saved China and is back at home. It is intriguing and fascinating. I was enchanted from the start. It as if they author knew Mulan's tale from beginning to end! Very well written and characters very well developed.
It is woven with Chinese Culture that is so fascinating. I love how Mulan grew more confident as they story progressed. Many favorite characters from the story are back along with some awesome new ones too!
So many surprises. I can't say enough how much I am loving this series.

Many thanks for the ARC from Disney Publishing Worldwide thru Net Galley for a wonderful story and escape!

This was an amazing continuation of the Mulan story. Directly connecting to the characters of the animated story, we find Mulan suddenly being given a tremendous responsibility amidst a world that still is having trouble accepting a woman. It was incredible seeing her character grow and come into her own. Even without Mushu there for levity, Blackburne created a wonderful balance in the storytelling. The world felt real, as did all the new characters. It was really interesting realizing there was a time jump after the original movie and getting to catch up on what everyone has been doing. This choice leads to one of the original characters being presented in a new and beautiful way that also touches on the culture. I would recommend this to everyone who wants to escape and be completely enveloped in this world and be inspired by Mulan all over again.

What a magnificent and inventive story concept this book is! I am so pleased to say that it was as dynamic in the composition as the idea when I first heard of it! Essentially, after the war ends, Mulan builds a strong and impressive army composed of females whose purpose is to help protect China and also give the women a sense that they are all needed and useful. The story is written very well and builds a descriptive and interesting series of events that are full of delightful twists and turns.

I highly recommend this!

I really enjoyed this book! I'm a sucker for books that highlight different cultures and it was great seeing so much culture in this book. The author did a lot of research in order to include as much details as she did. The story follows Mulan after the end of the movie. While she is training her own militia of women, she gets summoned by the emperor to the Imperial City and is announced as his heir. As you can imagine, being the first woman leader of China, things don't exactly go smoothly. Such a great book with many twists and turns along the way!

I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is a sweet story, and I enjoyed it overall. There was an excessive use of pronouns making the text often hard to follow. I also feel like the plot development and character development could have been in more detail.

I absolutely love this book and the Queen's Council! Feather and Flame did Mulan justice and perfectly added to the original movie that we all know and love. It was an action packed continuation of what happens after she saves China, and I couldn't put it down!

Another great Queen's Council story. Another strong female helping to save the world.

I really enjoyed seeing a strong female character who didn't give in to marriage just because she felt obligated or forced too.

After the war,Mulan builds a strong female army to help protect China and to give the women a sense that they are needed and useful. This army helps protect China and the Empress Mulan from the Huns.

The story was well written and kept my attention from the beginning.

Never fear, there are no spoilers here! There is a trigger warning at the end of the post, but no plot details are given away. Happy reading!

If you’ve been around here for a minute, my Disney love is not a surprise. Combining my two biggest entertainment obsessions, Disney and books, is peak goals over here. So when I had the opportunity to read an advanced reader’s copy of Livia Blackburne’s Feather and Flame, I was beyond excited.

What I did not consider was the emotional distress of seeing one of my favorite characters once again placed in danger, because of course this is not a book where nothing bad happens to our favorite warrior. As a side note, am I the only one that would read books featuring my favorite characters, where they don’t struggle or make impossible choices, and just live their quirky, happy lives? Because I would read the heck out of that.

Feather and Flame is the second book in Disney’s Queen’s Council series. This YA series shows our beloved Disney princesses as young rulers of their own lands, aided by a mystical group of strong female leaders.


Feather and Flame is set in the time shortly following the events of the Mulan film, and many beloved characters make an appearance. Shang, the Emperor, and Mulan’s parents are all moving pieces in this new story. While Mulan has been training an all-female militia, China has been patiently waiting for the Emperor to name his heir. The Emperor’s council and Mulan are equally surprised when Mulan herself is chosen as the next leader of China.

As Mulan works to understand court life and the multilayered, nuanced language of politics, she once again finds herself fighting an uphill battle against sexism. Plus, it seems someone is working to undermine her. Mulan is fighting a different kind of battle, one with hidden enemies and once again, the fate of all of China on her shoulders.


We’re fairly accustomed to page to screen adaptations, but recently Disney publishing has been giving us books that continue on, or have some unique twist, on our beloved childhood films. It’s interesting to see how these characters are adapted from film to into bookish form. Original characters are given even more depth, and the new characters are fully developed, relatable, and lovable. Though the plot is well done, the characters really stood out in this one. Of course, I already loved Mulan and Shang, but this continuation of their story makes me like them even more. New characters, like Zhonglin and Liwen, are well developed and memorable. If Liwen got her own spinoff, I would not complain!

The plot is gripping and well paced, neither being too slow nor too fast. Chinese history and folklore are expertly woven into the world of Mulan, as Blackburne expands on the world-building Disney animators began. With a touch of magic, this continuation of Mulan’s story fits perfectly within the Mulan universe. As a complete and total Disney nerd, I am always excited and then terrified about these kinds of projects. But Blackburne really captured the heart of Mulan, and continued her story in the most wonderful way.

Blackburne kept the inspiring feminist heartbeat of Mulan while staying true to the tone of the films. The vibe and setting fit perfectly within my expectations, and I immediately felt pulled back to ancient China each time I opened my Kindle.

Feather and Flame will be available February 1 from Disney Publishing. Thank you to Livia Blackburne, Disney Publishing, and NetGalley for an advanced e-arc so I could share my honest opinions.

Trigger warning: there are small descriptions of blood, death, and battles. It is not overly graphic.

Thank you Disney Hyperion for sending me an eARC of Feather and Flame through Netgalley to read and review.

"We can't expect to be carried by fate toward what is worthwhile and good. We have to reach for it."

Feather and Flame by Livia Blackburne is a great continuation of Mulan with all the action, strength, and feminism of the Disney movie.

In this second book in The Queen's Council series, we follow Mulan after the events of the Disney movie. After her victory against the Huns and saving all of China, she is a renowned hero. However, she decides to stay in her village versus joining the emperor's personal cabinet of advisors to train women into warriors.
When Shang arrives in her peaceful village with a message from the emperor, Mulan's life is upended. She returns to the Imperial City, and the emperor tells her that he wants to name Mulan his heir. He soon dies and the weight of the responsibility and power of being empress terrifies her. In addition, it is clear that not everyone in her country is happy with a woman ruler, and Mulan doesn't know who to trust. When treachery appears even in her village's militia, Mulan is afraid she isn't fit to rule.
However, with the help of the mysterious Queen's Council, Mulan uncovers her true destiny and owns her own power to save China once again.

Blackburne exquisitely wrote Mulan. She was the same heroine we saw in the Disney movie, which allowed me to connect with her more. The dashes of real Chinese history gave a nice twist to the continuation too. The worldbuilding was well-done, and it was clear Blackburne did her research.

The major twist in the book - who betrayed Mulan - seemed obvious to me since the quarter-done mark. There was one section, probably the 75-80% mark, where I found myself skimming because a lot of the writing had no real bearing on the story. Besides that though, I did NOT want to put it down!

I felt emotional for most of the story - Shang and Mulan's exchanges killed me every time - and my heart raced during the action scenes. I wish it wasn't SO PG because it could have been SO much for detailed, but I understand why Blackburne wrote it that way (I mean, it IS being published by Disney, which is family-friendly).

My only real issue with this book was that it seemed a bit rushed, and the writing wasn't as good as I hoped it would be. Overall though, a great book for Disney lovers and especially Mulan fans!

Mulan is my favorite Disney princess, so I was a little apprehensive about this retelling, but I ended up really enjoying it. Blackburne captures Mulan's character and spirit perfectly and brings in old friends and new (as well as new enemies) as a supporting cast.

Mulan's troubles felt very real and believable, and I was transported to ancient China throughout. I felt for Mulan and grieved for her friends who fell and rejoiced with her triumphs.

There were a few places I felt like the writing could have used some improvement, and where things got a little shaky, and it did strike me as a tad Disneyfied and perhaps a bit more PG than it could have been, but overall it was a wonderful adventure.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Disney Hyperion for providing an e-arc for review.

Thank you first off Netgalley for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review for my honest opinion.

What drew me into this book was first off the cover, it is spectacular! I have pre-ordered a hard copy!

Second was the overview. I am so glad I was provided the opportunity to read this book!

Although it is the retelling of the Disney story, Mulan it is so much more!

It is packed full of Chinese history, folklore, and best of all MAGIC!

Truly a magical story, what more could we expect from Disney?

Mulan was always underrated as a Disney Princess - and I'm so glad that she gets a badass warrior novel written about her and the Shang 'ship that we all wanted after watching the original cartoon over a decade ago. The vibe felt very authentic to the original movie, but a part of me did wish that Mushu had made a cameo appearance, Overall, I'm not disappointed. Mulan has never lived her life for the love of a man, and has always done everything for her family, friends, and those who are loyal to her.

(Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review)

Initial Thoughts
I didn't love the first book in this series. I loved the premise but found the plot lacking. But, when Disney announced that book 2 was going to be about Mulan, I knew I had to read it.

Some Things I Liked
Mulan. I loved her story and I loved the way this felt like a believable sequel to her story. The first book was about Belle and I felt like I couldn't see the Belle I saw in the Disney movie as the character written in the book. This Mulan and the Mulan of my childhood were one in the same.
Grandmother. I loved Mulan's grandma in the movie and loved here here too. As always, she was wise and hilarious.
The Romance. While I wanted more, what we got felt right for Mulan and Shang. Most of the movie was spent with both of them being shy and I liked that the shyness carried into this story.

One Thing I Wasn't Crazy About
I missed Mushu and the more magical elements of the original story. While everything else was great, this book almost took the magic out of Mulan (and the original story did have a magical element). It felt too realistic.

Series Value
Since each book is about a different Disney character and is written by a different author, it wouldn't be fair to say this book is a reason to or not to read the next. However, I like this series and am interested in continuing it.

Final Thoughts
I liked this story much more than Belle's story. I think I'd even enjoy a direct sequel to this book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

When I found out about this Mulan retelling I was so super excited! And it definitely did not disappoint! I absolutely loved Livia Blackburne’s take on the story!

A new take on the story of Mulan, set in world that takes on the events of what happens after Mulan saves China (after the first movie essentially), now she si a renowned hero who spends her day in her home vilalge training a militia of female warriors. However, one day she is summoned by the Emperor and is escorted by General Li Shang, whom she has not seen since she left him healing. The Emperor has decided that she is the new heir to his throne and that she will be the Empress of China since he is dying and no one else fits the position as well as her. Mulan now is struggling with accepting the responsibilities and sacrifices of being the Empress, and following her heart.... it does not help that the ministers are all plotting against her and want her to marry the Hun prince... when her feelings for Shang have grown complicated. Soon Mulan must deal with assassination attempts, politics, and the threat of the Huns invading China while juggling her emotions and struggles with being the ruler of China.... and seeing if she is truly fit to be the ruler of China. This was a wonderful spin off of the original story. It was so well done and definitely a great continuation of the Mulan story! It is the second book in the series but can be read as a standalone. I loved seeing the dynamic between Mulan and Shang, and the struggles she is constantly dealing with, with being a warrior and just a girl who wants to follow her heart.

*Thanks Netgalley and Disney Publishing Worldwide, Disney Hyperion for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Don't be put off by the fact that this is the second in a series-Feather and Flame works as an excellent standalone novel and sequel to Disney's Mulan, and it WORKS.

This book gives you everything you would want to see after the movie ends: what Mulan does, what happens to Li Shang, how is Mulan rewarded for saving everybody? It gives you all of that while keeping Mulan a strong, fierce, intelligent, feminine and feminist character. (It could be really easy to allow a simple happily ever after, everyone's married and popping out children immediately, but Feather and Flame stays super true to Mulan's personality.) Mulan is summoned to the Imperial City, where the Emperor tells her he has chosen her as his heir. Mulan doesn't feel ready for this, and besides Li Shang, she also doesn't feel very supported. Plot twists ensue, and Mulan faces a lot of hard decisions.

I was unsure how I'd enjoy this book, because like I said before, sometimes sequels give cookie-cutter endings that are no fun. Feather and Flame gives so much more than that and really delivers a more realistic idea of what would happen next. I appreciated a lot in this book, and didn't want to put it down.

Recommended for you if:
-You are a huge Disney fan
-Mulan's your favorite
-You love to see a strong female protagonist rocking it
-You crushed on Li Shang.
-You want a fast, action-packed, exciting read.

Thanks to Netgalley and Disney Publishing for the e-ARC!