5 ⭐ CW: violence, domestic violence, death of a parent mention

"Despite those obstacles, despite those boulders, the water moves fast and strong. It cannot be held back. It cannot be less than it is. That is how you are Naborhi. Like the unstoppable waters."

The Smoke That Thunders by Erhu Kome is a YA fantasy focusing on Urhobo and West African folklore. I was gifted this ARC by a friend, and I cannot recommend this enough! This was such a great stand alone book. It had such a unique voice and vibe unlike a lot of Western stories. The magic and fantasy was subtle, but the Black Girl Magic was fantastic! 

We follow Naborhi Tanomare, a girl from a small village who wants so much more than to be valued by her bride price and what she can bring to a husband. When Naborhi starts getting visions of a boy needing help and a spirit fox, she is plunged into a journey to save him, stop a war, and leaves her provincial life behind. 

We get to learn so much about what I assume is Urhobo culture, and there is a lot of background and world-building at first that sets us up for a hero's journey type of story. I love Naborhi, she is so strong willed and only wants freedom for herself and adventure. I also really liked her companions Atai, the cute son of an Oracle, and her comic relief cousin Tamunor. They were all such great characters that all had their own similar struggles around their parents' expectations of them. 

Although this story was about saving a boy and stopping a war, ultimately it was about the importance of freedom and choice. The ability to choose your own happiness despite how difficult it might be to attain. I loved seeing all the different cultures and climates as our group travelled across the continent, and the multitude of strong, capable women. This was such a fun, short read.