A fantasy story inspired by Mulan? Oh hell yeah. Meilin is a girl being forced to be married to an abusive man by her equally abusive father but saves a prince... and discovers that maybe she can use her martial art skills to enlist in the army and pretend to be a man to escape from her forced marriage. Meilin yearns for freedom, but being a woman in this time gives her very few options. When she enlists in the army in her father's place the last thing she expects is to be in the same platoon as the very prince she saved. Prince Sky begins a friendship with her and a true partnership between them begins... but when she is captured by the enemy kingdom.... Meilin's secret is exposed and she meets Lei, a prince with his own agenda who seems to have a soft spot for Meilin. Meilin finds herself trapped between two princes, a prince who offers her everything she could ever want but that means going against her kingdom and everything she thought she wanted and the prince who was her partner and friend... yet puts duty and honor above all... even if it might cost him her. On top of that Meilin has begun hearing voices in her head and her own abilities have grown.... a much larger game is afoot and everyone is searching for powerful jade seals... and Meilin is not the only individual with gifted abilities and powers... and if her secret is revealed to all she will be executed. What path will she take and who can she trust when she is being pulled in every direction? This is the first book in a series and the ending has me beginning for the second book. This is definitely a unique and fun take on the legend of Mulan and I loved the twist and turn at every part. You feel for Meilin as she gives her trust to others and is constantly betrayed... all except for Lei who keeps playing her game and trying to warn her (oh how I loved Lei). Honestly I can't wait for the second book and i just know Meilin will be out for revenge (as she should). This is such a fun read and I would absolutely recommend it!!'

*Spoiler: Meilin and Len spend 40 days together and end up hooking up... only for Meilin to steal her jade back from him. She had helped Sky and co escape... only to later kill the third jade holder (the chancellor). Meilin has the voice of a dragon spirit talking to her and telling her to get the jade. Meilin is gifted with the ability to compulse people to do as she waants. Lei is captured during the battle against the chancelor... and when it is revealed to the emperor that Meilin is a woman he gives her two options: give up being a soldier and be forced into a marriage or be imprisoned, she picks imprisonment. Before this lei warns her not to trust anyone especially those closest to her (her two soldier comrades rat her out and betray her while Sky doesn't really do anything to stop what is happening), The book ends with both Lei and Meilin imprisoned by the emperor and Meilin vowing to get out and seize her fate.

Release Date: July 2, 2024

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group | Ace for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

I didn’t know I needed another Mulan retelling but this was a good debut! The character of Meilin is well fleshed out, her consequences are high and she’s going to do what she needs to do anyway. I’m definitely following this author on Goodreads so I see what they do next. I’m probably rounding up for the four stars but I liked it and I think a good debut deserves attention.

3.5 stars!

Disney's Mulan is one of my favorite movies ever and I think that's a big reason to why I liked this book. Though the first half of the book pretty much follows the movie, I enjoyed it. There were still some differences that the author threw in and I was very interested to learn more about Meilin's qi. However, I struggled more with the later half. The story started to drag and it felt very repetitive, specifically the situations that Meilin found herself in. The characters could have been fleshed out more and I wish we got to see more of how Meilin developed her friendships with the men around her as well as her relationship with Sky. I'm still unsure about how to feel about the characters because we don't really get much about them. I like the twists that the author threw in to make this her own story but the pacing was choppy. I did like the ending though and I'm interested to see how Meilin will proceed after everything that happened.

Thank you to the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me a chance to read this book.

I really enjoyed this book. The pacing felt like it was on point and didn't have any spots that really dragged. It has the familiar story line of Mulan mixed with some new material. I am looking forward to reading more in this series and from this author!

This book is a Mulan retelling and it was absolutely fantastic. I have a confession to make though, I’ve never actually seen Mulan. That being said, I don’t think it matters either way. This book has all the things you need in an epic fantasy adventure including action packed fight scenes, dragon spirts, Kung Fu, magic, and romance. It was rich in character building but did not shy from the action. It had feminist vibes with a kick ass strong FMC with a cliff hanger ending that left me wanting more! I cannot wait for the next installment.

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this e-arc! 3.5 stars rounded down, this was an enjoyable, if at times frustrating, read

overall the writing was solid - I don't think there was anything particularly terrible or amazing about the writing - but I think the characters were what really stole and sold the show. meilin as a character was interesting to me in the sense that despite the fact that I agreed with and sympathized with her on many things, I just got frustrated with the decisions she would make. she makes a lot of very valid, and depressingly relatable, statements on how women are treated in her world and their expected roles and how they're practically just tools for men to use, and every single one of those statements hit like a blow to the chest. she makes such mature and introspective observations, so for her to then turn around and constantly and consistently make the same mistakes throughout the plot is kind of frustrating for me to read - I think it makes sense for her character, having grown up relatively sheltered and limited from the outside world and how people really are, but you'd think that she'd catch on maybe a little quicker and wouldn't make the same mistakes over and over. so while I actually like meilin and rooted for her, I was constantly getting frustrated with her at the same time. I'm also not a big fan of her love interests - I liked sky at first, but some of the statements he would make or the way he'd act later on were a little annoying and kind of patronizing, at times, despite his idealistic and gentle personality. and don't even get me STARTED on lei - I am not a fan of romances between women and their captors. that's not to say he's not a complex character with some crazy trauma, but that is not an excuse. I'm not a fan of love triangles either so I'm not really liking the direction this is going towards, but fingers crossed it doesn't head in that direction. overall though, a pretty enjoyable read, and I'm actually waiting expectantly for the second book, mostly because I think women should be allowed to go crazy, just as a little treat :)

The Night Ends with Fire by K.X. Song takes the idea of Mulan and turns it into an emotional and stirring fantasy that is full of complexity and unexpected turns. Meilin as the protagonist is treated realistically and the story clearly highlights how women were treated in the historical past.
As I read, I loved the way Meilin takes her future into her hands, even when her future is dark or clouded by the dragon spirit, she consistently resolves to try and change her outcome, to save her kingdom even at risk of her own survival and happiness. And she refuses to compromise her freedom. From the very beginning, even when tempted by the dark nature of the dragon, Meilin finds a way to challenge her own emotions and desires even though she wants so badly to be recognized for the strong person she is. The story is full of intrigue and I love the way the magic works in this story inspired by Mulan. Even though the ending is dark, it is a believable and authentic ending for this story of female empowerment.
If you love novels that revolve around triumphant women and are inspired by Mulan, this novel will make you think about Mulan in new and different ways. The story is a sweeping fantasy that is emotional and stirring. While it does have a darker ending, it is believable and authentic and the character of Meilin stays true to herself throughout the novel.

4.5 out of 5 stars (4.5 / 5) Look at that cover! I’m in love. When I found this was a story about Mulan, I had to grab it, it is one of my favorite Disney movies. While I know she is a fictional character in Chinese legend, I adore the fact that she was created to show the strength women have in many ways.

I think I love Meilin (this book’s version of Mulan) even more than any others. She had a strength that was admirable combined with a personality that was easy to relate to.

I love a book about a strong female character fighting against a future others have chosen for her. Meilin fought hard against a marriage to a violent man when she was just hoping to get away from her violent father. This is a turning point for her. She makes the decision to determine her own fate and while she was able to get away from her father and betrothed, there is so much more that will continue to stand in her way.

“He thought I didn’t belong here. The only difference was I knew I didn’t belong here so now I had to prove both of us wrong.”

That quote! Yes! She continues again and again to determine her own fate. As she enters the military, that meant extra hours training. But in others ways, finding truth in what she’s always been told, she let her heart lead her. With war getting closer, her decisions take on more weight and the sea dragon spirit inside her pushes for more.

The magic within Meilin was a interesting addition. A piece of jade made it so she could use compulsion and elemental magic while the sea dragon guided her. Throughout the story was always the thought of what is the best choice for her, and she learns the hard way who she can trust, even with her magic.

The interesting part of the story is that it wasn’t a happy ending. This was a surprise but almost better because it was more realistic. As the author notes, “What does our ambition cost us?” In Mulan tales she rarely gets the ending she wants. In life too, there is more to life than a few actions to ensure our “happy ending.” That ending definitely solidified my interest in the story and what is more to come!

AUDIO REVIEW: Natalie Naudus had a voice that demonstrated Meilin perfectly. She could embody determination and frustration at the exact intensities needed. Meilin changed from an oppressed woman with a dream to one that tests the boundaries of this life. The narrator changed her voice as needed for the perfect accompaniment to the story.

Thank you to PRH Audio, Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the copies!

4.25/5 stars

A nostalgic hitting read that took me back to my childhood and my love for Mulan!

An epic tale that follows a women desperate to leave the demise of her life so she disguises herself as a man to join the army and fight for her freedom. This book was filled with a powerful female protagonist, spirit realms, adventure and the perfect amount of romance.

What I really enjoyed about this book:
- The retelling of Mulan was almost identical in the first half of the book to the movie and it made the reading experience feel very fun and nostalgic. Honestly this was my favourite aspect of the book!
- The magic system was very unique and made for a more complex story line.
- The love triangle that seemed to manifest. As much as I didn't think I was going to like it (because I really enjoyed our first love interest) I found myself taken in by the second as the story progressed.
- The world building was really atmospheric. I felt I knew what every character and terrain looked like.

Things that did not quite work for me:
- I felt as if the final conflict was resolved WAY too quickly and I would have liked to have seen it play out longer/differently.
- The second half of the book fell a bit flat for me as some of the scenarios were rushed and didn't give us enough time to care or connect with the new surroundings and characters being introduced.

Overall this was such a great read! The writing was exactly what I wanted from a fantasy book, the romance was not the main aspect of the book which I really enjoyed and the retelling of Mulan was done SO well that I felt attached to the book and made it hard to put down.

<i>Many thanks to Netgalley for the Arc in exchange for an honest review.<i>

- review is posted to Goodreads right now and will be posted to instagram in the next few days (will add link)

Though I struggled in the beginning to really get into the "kung-fu movie" vibe of this book, after about 30% I really started to enjoy it. Describing 'The Night Ends with Fire' as a Mulan retelling is doing it a bit of an injustice (although, to be fair, I'm only familiar with the Disney telling). If you wish Mulan had more black magic, realm jumping, mind control, and gravity-defying kung-fu, you'll love this book. The ending really surprised me!
Packed with magic, action, romance, and bravery, I definitely recommend this novel and look forward to its sequel.

Thanks #NetGalley for allowing me access to the #ARC !

DNF at 37%, ~`160 pages

The Night Ends with Fire is a Mulan inspired, Asian fantasy in which Meilin, a young girl who is abused and mistreated by her father, runs away to avoid being trapped in a similar, abusive marriage. Meilin joins the army and works to become the best of the best. She is driven by her ambition and her desire to hold power for herself. She learns along the way that she is accompanied by a sea dragon spirit, forbidden magic in her kingdom and has to decide whether or not she trusts it, or whether she should forge her own path.

That is about as far as I got. There is clearly going to be a romance with the prince/head of her squadron of soldiers. I think that thus far in the novel, the plot is interesting, but the characters felt very flat and I felt like I was just being told over and over what Meilin's motivations were, and that they were bad. Honestly, I didn't really see why they were considered greedy. Really, it was more of a commentary on the state of women's lives in this world - they can't hold any power for themselves, so Meilin was wanting to hold it for herself. But it kept being called "greed" for power, and I didn't love that connotation. Perhaps that is cleared up later.

So that was starting to grate on me, and as I got further into this, I realized that I just wasn't super interested in the story that was being set up, or the way it was being told. Not at all a bad book, just something that wasn't for me. Honestly, it reminded me a LOT of the Poppy War up to the point where I stopped. I liked that first book, but it was ultimately too dark for me, and I never continued in that series. So I definitely think that fans of The Poppy War could potentially like at least the first 37% of this one!

I definitely think this book will find it's audience because It was not by any means bad, just something that I wasn't actively interested in, and after not picking it up for a week or two, I ultimately think that I will go ahead and DNF it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley for an eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own. The Night Ends with Fire releases on July 2, 2024.

I loved the Asian-inspired fantasy world, the magic and mythical creatures, and the immersive world-building.

However, I thought the character development could use a little more attention, and the ending was not to my liking. I hope there will be a second book because I’d hate for the story to end like that, but I don’t know that a second book is planned.

My opinion is a bit mixed, but overall, I enjoyed it and am in love with the attention and the beautiful physical edition that was given.

The Night Ends with Fire (The Night Ends with Fire #1) by K. X. Song, 432 pages. Ace (Penguin Group), 2024. $21. Centering me
Language: PG (8 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: R; Violence: PG13
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL
APPEALS TO: SEVERAL
In order to save her family, Meilin (18yo) needs the matchmaker to arrange a betrothal to a wealthy suitor. The matchmaker does her job, but Meilin is unable to do hers. Instead of marrying the merchant chosen for her, Meilin calls herself Ren and joins the army, determined to be the best and force everyone to acknowledge her.
This retelling of Mulan focuses on the gray areas between ambition and greed, between equality and pride, between duty and mercy. Meilin struggles with herself and how she fits into the new situations she has placed herself in, which is the focus of the majority of the internal conflict and becomes repetitive since she struggles with the same issues again and again. Readers feel this struggle as well, trying to fit Meilin into either the box of hero or villain—but few things are that simple.
Meilin is described as having “dark” skin, and Sky is described as having “pale” skin, though the overall impression is that the characters are implied Chinese as it is a retelling of Mulan. One significant side character is lesbian. The mature content rating is for drug and alcohol use, innuendo, sexual harassment, mentions of concubines and prostitutes, rape, and sexual touching. The violence rating is for assault, child abuse, war and battle, murder, and mentions of suicide.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Now that I’ve had a little bit to process what I just read, damn this was a great book!

Mulan is one of my favorite stories no matter how many times I read a variation of it. And this one did not disappoint. It was a little on the nose with everything, and to be quite frank it reminds me a lot of Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan. But there is nothing wrong with that. I’m also very grateful to have read a lot of Chinese literature that gives me some insight into the mythology this is based around.

Meilin is a bit like any typical female protagonist in the beginning with how she’s ‘not like other girls’ in her want of freedom and independence. And with the time period this is based in the trope works very well. She does hold onto her weakness very tightly, and ultimately that leads to her downfall/rebirth at the end of the book.

It’s also worth note that this love triangle is going to drive me up the wall until she ends up with who I want or not. If she doesn’t choose Lei I’m going to lose it. Sky is just too soft and tied to duty.

The betrayal at the end was hash, but and inevitably. I hope those shit die with her new madness that we’re going to see later on.

My only hang up with not giving this five stars was how much I could predict the plot. It’s a wonderful story and is worth the read, but it’s still easy to understand. I hope this encourages someone to read this beautiful story!

I really wanted to like this one, but I struggled the whole way through. Some scenes didn't feel "inspired by" as much as copied from. It was also very frustrating to have the same doubts repeated in the thoughts of the main character. She should not want to be more than her father's tool and a husband's property. This somehow makes her extremely greedy and self-serving. We got that in the first part, but it is harped on extensively.

I will likely not recommend this to anyone who doesn't just love everything about a Mulan retelling. Until I got about 30% of the way into this book, I was annoyed and had to force myself to continue. At that point, the story starts to get a little bit interesting, but it was still a bit of a slog to finish.

Also, if you are not familiar with how little women are valued, be prepared, as you will be angry for the whole book. It had great potential, and I am sure some people will love this, but it was definitely not my cup of tea.

Thanks to Netgalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

A captivating retelling of the Mulan legend that masterfully blends suspense, emotion, and vivid storytelling! This book kept me hooked from the beginning! The characters feel so realistic and you get to watch them grow and learn from their mistakes. This book definitely gave me the vibes I was looking for, The Poppy War, Six Crimson Cranes and of course Mulan!! I truly enjoyed this read and can't wait to see what happens next!!
Favorite Quote(s) from the book:
"I told you not to underestimate me" Meilin girl, show them who the boss is!!
"I want to treat you right, Meilin." Sky STOP IT! My heart!

Asian inspired fantasy is one of my favourite subgenres so I knew this book would be right up my alley. If you love She Who Became the Sun then I highly recommend this one. It is certainly not the same story but has a similar setup with a young woman finding herself in a male driven world. The book is compared to Mulan and I would agree with that.

If you enjoy character driven novels with rich worldbuilding, set in a historical China, then you will likely love this one too.

Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

The legend of Mulan is one of my favorite stories of time. I was so excited to get an adult fantasy reimagination. I am not going to say a ton about it because I think the fun of reading retellings is that we basically know the outline of the story and it’s fun to be surprised by the twists and turns the author takes to make it their own. But I definitely feel like I struck gold on this one. It’s got everything - elemental magic, a dragon, a phoenix, war, romance, betrayal. I really enjoyed the writing style and the world felt very familiar and realistic but also unique and interesting.

I am mildly depressed that this is a duology because the book isn’t even officially out yet and I’m already pining away for the next book. But I can’t be too mad because it was very self-contained story. I feel satisfied that I got a complete book with enough setup at the end to get me excited for the next one. I love this world that K.X. Song created….but I want to watch it BURN in the best way possible.

The romance is very lowkey. A little kissing, a lot of pining, a few declarations of love, and a good amount of banter. Also a little triangle action. There are TWO princes??? One who cares about duty above all else and one who cares about….well we’re not really sure what exactly he cares about just yet….but boy does he have a tragic backstory. Not my favorite trope ever. But it worked for the story she’s telling and I am gonna love whatever ending she gives us in the next book.

If you like stars with your reviews, I’m going with a 4 on this one. The vibes were immaculate. I could probably find things to nitpick, but I had so much fun reading it that I’m not going to go looking. I’m so excited to find out what happens.

**review to be posted to instagram on 6/29. I usually add to Goodreads and Storygraph. I will add those links once I post the review to those platforms.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing me with an egalley of this book to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
The three kingdoms are at war. Meilin decides taking her father's place in the draft will ensure she can become more than just the wife of an abusive husband. Posing as a boy, she joins the army and quickly forms friendships, specifically with the prince. When she begins to have visions, she realizes she may be just like her mother, who went insane with a similar affliction. But through the visions she is offered power beyond her wildest dreams. While fighting to save her kingdom, she needs to decide who to trust.
I'll start by saying right before I read this book, I read another Mulan inspired book, that one YA. I was expecting some similarities between the two books but in all honesty, they were very much the same. As I read through this story, all I could think of was the one I had just finished from another author and how the similarities were almost too much of a coincidence. Yes, I understand the books are based on Mulan, but the characters, the story line, the magic, it all was the same. I'm not very familiar with Asian folklore. While I've seen Mulan, long ago, and know the basis of the story, I was interested to see how this author infused the story with her own ideas. I love the idea of a female role taking her power, I don't love the idea of her having to hide in order to do it. It makes me angry. But, that is the point of this story, is it not? To show how women have been treated over the course of time (they shall be seen not heard).
Meilin is a strong female character. The author does a fabulous job of developing her into someone who is willing to put it all on the line to gain what she wants. And she's not willing to let anything stand in her way of doing so, slashing stereotypes as she goes. She does not rely on anyone to do things for her. She relies only on herself. Her friend/love interest, Sky, wasn't as well developed. Perhaps because we see him only from Meilin's point of view. I felt like I was missing a bit of his personality. I kind of wish the book was dual point of view, or at least third person omniscient for this reason, though I do understand that would have defeated the point of having the female character in the role she was put in. I wanted to see the relationships grown more, as well. The author, for me, only scratched the surface of them.
I'll address the romance a bit more here. I was expecting it. And I knew who it would be and where it would go for the most part but I honestly did not feel the connection or the growth of the romance. Did I see a friendship starting to build, sure. But overall I didn't see how it made the leap over the barrier of friendship to love interest. Especially given the nature of Meilin hiding that she is actually a woman. It was too easy for her to fall back into Sky's good graces given the level of her deceit. Also, there is a sort of love triangle that happens in this book. At first, I was unsure if I was truly seeing it as it was almost a Stockholm Syndrome type of relationship, but then at the end I saw I was right. Not sure where the author might take that in future books of this series.
The story was interesting. I love fantasy and there are some great elements of that here. Magic, dragons, powers beyond understanding. I liked how the author built the world, though I almost felt I needed a bit more background. Since I don't know much about Asian folklore, I would have liked to see a bit of a deeper dive into the world building in order to understand it better. I needed a bit more depth. There were also so many instances where Meilin was just in trouble and then able to get out of it. It happened throughout the book. I had a hard time with the suspension of disbelief in many of these instances. it just seemed to easy for her to escape from the perils in which she was placed. At times it was very repetitive, which made it boring and made me want to skim more than read the story.
The pacing was ok for me, not too fast, not too slow. I wanted to pick the story back up but at the same time, if I let it sit for a bit, it wasn't calling my name. Plus, there was way more telling than showing, which definitely slowed the pace for me.
Overall I did enjoy the story and I'm intrigued to see where it goes in future books. I would recommend this to anyone who likes retellings or reimaginings.

A Mulan inspired fantasy that is definitely NOT the Disney retelling that most are accustomed to.

This story is a woman’s desperate escape of her opium addicted, abusive father and his attempts to sell her off for a dowry to another abusive man. Meilin decides to take control of her own fate by enlisting in the army in her father’s…but of course, her problems only start there.

It’s clear that K.X Song poured herself into her adult debut that was seeped in mythologically based dark magic, gruesome battles, female rage, brutal training, and betrayal.

I immediately fell in love with Meilin for her determination and grit. And even though there is a romance sub plot to this story, it is minimal. This story is about Meilin coming into her strength and doing whatever it takes to escape the hell that women are expected to endure.

I can’t wait to get more of Meilin and watching her burn the world down around her.

Thank you Ace Books & Berkley Pub for providing a review copy.