I was drawn to this book to review based on the title and the cover. I had never read any books by this author, but was willing to try it since I like to review young adult literature. This is a fantasy story set in a region that would be like Africa. It is a time period of tribal communities within kingdoms. The women have one role--to get married and provide sons. This is how it's been done and what is expected for Naborhi who is almost of age when marriage happens. But she dreams of more. She wants more. And she's willing to do anything to get it.

This is a coming of age story for Naborhi who rises above what's expected to do what she is meant to do. There is story of family, of friendship, of heroism and bravery, and of so many ways there is beauty and value in a woman. You will get to enjoy Urhobo and West African folklore and mythology in this story.

I would consider this to be a choice for the 14+ age range who may be interested in fantasy and learning more about African culture.

4 Stars

*I received this book as a complimentary ARC from the publisher and Net Galley. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions are my own.

Thank you to netgalley and W. W. Norton & Company, Norton Young Readers for allowing me to read this book. This was such an immersive story and the characters were so well developed.

The Smoke that Thunders
By Erhu Kome

A review by Jamilla (@Landsawaybooks a wordpress.com blog)

As soon as I saw the cover, I knew I had to request this! Naborhi had her knif to my throat daring me to enter her world and read her story.

And what a story it is! This is a story of a girl who knows she wants more for life than what she’s been offered, she desires more than just the path laid out in front of her by others. This is a story of her journey across deserts and through jungles to save the life of a child she doesn’t know. Of a fresh, intriguing world of The Smoke that Thunders.

I’m captivated by this world crafted by Kome, of its deities, of its religions, of the mysterious Ikere, an all female warrior tribe, who live in and control the forest but are rarely ever seen. I hope to see more work set in this enchanting place.

Although this is YA, I think that it’s very accessible for the younger end of the age range, a group I feel are left in the gap between the very popular upper YA genre and MG. So I definitely recommend this adventure focused novel for them!

Thank you to the publisher & Netgalley for providing a review copy.

such a beautiful story and i was obsessed with the characters, although it was extremely detailed and soo long, the story still intrigued me

This was a cute coming of age story, perfect for the early teen reader. It had a good balance of action with adventure. The characters were likable and the story was intriguing and inspirational. The implementation of elements of the authors culture was done well and really painted a detailed picture. Some parts of the story were a little long/ overly detailed but overall it was a good read. Felt like a story that your elders would share with you while sitting around the campfire.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC