Amanda Bouchet - Heart on Fire

Who is Catalia Fisa?
With the help of pivotal figures from her past, Cat begins to understand the root of her exceptional magic, her fated union with Griffin Sinta, and Griffin's role in shaping her destiny.
Only Cat holds the key to unlocking her own power, and that means finally accepting herself, her past, and her future in order to protect her loved ones, confront her murderous mother, and taking a final, terrifying step--reuniting all three realms and taking her place as the Queen of Thalyria.
What doesn't kill her will only make her stronger...we hope. 

Comment: This is anticipated last installment of the Kingmaker chronicles trilogy by Amanda Bouchet. At the time the books were published they made quite an impression on so many readers and I know I'm late to the hype but that's the beauty of books, they can last for a long time to be appreciated by anyone.

In this final installment, we have the conclusion of the adventures Cat, Griffin and the rest of the team have faced in order to unite the kingdoms again and make the new ruling a better one for everyone. The gods have helped putting the players in motion but it's up to Cat to finally own her heritage and her powers to defeat her evil mother. However, there are more obstacles in the way than what thy believed. What if Cat can't overcome the challenges thrown at her? What will happen to those who help her? If Cat wants to ensure the union of the kingdoms, then she needs to face the things she has always dreaded...

I had high hopes for this last story. I admit what motivated me the most was how invested I was, by this point, in all the characters, including the secondary ones, and what would happen to them in the final moments leading to the big battle which would certainly happen in the conclusion of this story. I was looking for to see not only what tasks Cat and Griffin had ahead of them but also how their supporting friends and family members would offer key help in the decisive moments.

Sadly for me, this book was slightly depressing, the fun bantering and cute scenes between friends in arms, between characters who learned to care for each other was not there as I expected. It wasn't so much that the focus was on Cat, after all she is the main character. But I hoped the same "sense" I got from the other books was still present but I ended up the book with the feeling the author wanted to convey too much why Cat was special, why she was destined, why her goal was meant to be, why she had to face adversity and so on... I think this book didn't have that amazing flavor of the first book, when everything felt special because of the interactions with the other characters.

I have also liked the little hints, the almost unobtrusive clues about potential paths to follow... I also really liked the way my imagination run free on what might happen between this or that character and here too I created expectations about where the author would lead the characters into. However, besides a few important moments, most characters simply played a role and didn't feel as vital to this installment.

The big battle was not so big after all. I suppose most readers would expect epic and the result was too mild. It was even more disappointing to me because before there were great fights/battles and now that the big finale was approaching, the balloon deflated quickly. I don't mind how the clash of forces went and the end chosen for the villain but after such much leading to it, I think the taste was one of not enough. Added with the lack of definite development for the secondary characters...oh well.

The book was rushing to the end, the villain was defeated, the heroine had learned her lessons and she was as in love with her hero as he was with her, some reveals had been done, but once the big last scene of the last chapter ended, I turned the page and... nothing. Where was the sweet epilogue with the confirmation of the couple's HEA and a last explanation on the few loose ends addressed through this book but which weren't explained to the reader? I won' share spoilers but there were some things left in the air about three characters which I wanted to see solved/clarified.

Seriously, for me what a disappointment! I was glad some characters found their HEA, others a compromise, but no matter how good my imagination, I wanted closure and to me, this was not given to the reader. The book worked well for many people, I know, but for me, I wished there was a cherry on top of the cake too. 

Grade: 7/10

Amanda Bouchet - Breath of Fire

Catalia Fisa has been running from her destiny since she could crawl. But now, her newfound loved ones are caught between the shadow of Cat's tortured past and the threat of her world-shattering future. So what's a woman to do when she knows it's her fate to be the harbinger of doom? Everything in her power.
Griffin knows Cat is destined to change the world-for the better. As the realms are descending into all-out war, Cat and Griffin must embrace their fate together. Gods willing, they will emerge side-by-side in the heart of their future kingdom . . . or not at all.

Comment:This is the second installment in the Kingmaker Chronicles trilogy by author Amanda Bouchet. The first book of this trilogy was quite well liked by many readers, had quite a publicity but, of course, the following books weren't as read or as reviewed. Nevertheless, I really liked the first book and I was quite curious to see how things would progress.

In this second installment, Cat and her new boyfriend, as well as their team, are bound to search for help to protect their territory which will allow them to go on a mission to conquer another territory. This will make it possible for them to get enough power to hopefully defeat Cat's mother, the terrible queen of Fisa. By doing so, they will be able to bring peace to the realm but, of course, nothing is gained without effort and odds of not being successful. Will Cat be able to control her powers and her natural need to help those she cares about in order to make everyone survive another trial before the big conflict?

I think this is yet another example of a "middle book". It's filled with situations which could be easily put aside, summarized in a chapter or interwoven into a bigger book focusing on the big event, which is to defeat Cat's mother. Obviously that will be the big plot of the last book. This means that there are many scenes in this 2nd story which don't advance things that much and could even been seen as simply "fillers". I suppose this could bore people and in some moments it does - especially after such a vibrant first book - but personally, I could hold on to the positives and still see this book as a good enough one.

I also couldn't help but think of another (completely different) series while reading this book. You see, the whole games competition Cat and her crew get on so they can reach a goal brought to mind another series with the exact same thing. I bet it might not be fully intentional, who knows, but I just couldn't help but compare it. I'd say this was the element I liked the less, I think the author could have thought of another tactic for the team to reach their goal. Another less appreciated element by me was how the book starts, with a fight between Cat and Griffin. So easily solved, I just think it was also easily avoidable.

What is still as addictive to read about is all the magical content the author included, as well as the Greek myths and the adaptation she made of them to this story. Some things seem a bit too convenient yes, but for the most part I had a great time looking through clues and seeing how some details were chosen and played a part in the plot. This might not be the best thing about the books for some readers, but I like how rich the story seems to feel with these things in it.

Cat continues to be this energetic character, always something to do, something to react to, something hidden to be discovered... although any reader pretty much knew all secrets from the start. It's one of things where the secret isn't that amazing, but the path leading to how she deals with it can certainly be so. Her interactions with the secondary characters keeps intriguing and we do find out some interesting things about her family because of that. I didn't have the impression this book as as captivating as the first in this regard, most relationships are already established (if not cemented/settled) so this element wasn't as elaborated as before.

The romance didn't change much from what was expected. Apart from a pointless first chapter, the rest of the book maintains the (happy) relationship they have and how much they care for one another. There's quite a surprise for them but nothing truly spectacular or innovative. I'm just curious to see how they will be when everything is solved, finished. Will they be a mushy, act-like-married-for-long or will they continue this trend of demonstrations of love and setting the example for any other couples who want to be together despite the pairing not being traditional? Something to think about.

All in all, this was still a good story, entertaining to read. I think some mild changes could have made it better but I'm confident the last book will tide things neatly.

Grade: 7/10

Amanda Bouchet - A Promise of Fire

Catalia "Cat" Fisa lives disguised as a soothsayer in a traveling circus. She is perfectly content avoiding the danger and destiny the Gods-and her homicidal mother-have saddled her with. That is, until Griffin, an ambitious warlord from the magic-deprived south, fixes her with his steely gaze and upsets her illusion of safety forever.
Griffin knows Cat is the Kingmaker, the woman who divines the truth through lies. He wants her as a powerful weapon for his newly conquered realm-until he realizes he wants her for much more than her magic. Cat fights him at every turn, but Griffin's fairness, loyalty, and smoldering advances make him increasingly hard to resist and leave her wondering if life really does have to be short, and lived alone.

Comment: As usual, I'm late to the "party" and only now did I manage to read this book, which was so well received and well liked by many readers when it was published in 2016. On the other hand of not being in the middle of the hype, is the fact I can now enjoy all the books without having to wait for them to be published.

In this fantasy story we meet Cat, an apparent inconsequential soothsayer who travels with a circus in disguise. One day, things change because a man seems to be following all her movements during the circus' performances but Cat can't escape and the man, Griffin, and his four friends catch her and force her to do a divination for them in which she discovers one of the men is actually an enemy of the others. Since Cat proves her worth, the leader decides she is someone he needs to help with his family new power status and he sort of kidnaps her. As they travel to his hometown, many obstacles come their way but a bond between Cat and the guys becomes stronger, especially with Griffin, whom she can't see to ignore. Will there be something more for Cat at the end of the journey except duty?

I was really surprised by how much I liked this story. It was a very enjoyable adventure, filled with fantasy and magic and a main couple I had fun seeing falling in love. The story is not just about the suitability of a couple, though, and I had a great time understanding the world the author created and keeping up with rules and the little things that made it so captivating.

The story is quite simple, if one has read other fantasy books before. The heroine is running from her family and her past, where she was ill treated and tortured for who she is and her powers. She is hiding among the members of a circus where some of her abilities aren't that special and she can go undetected. She is the narrator of this story and usually first person is not the best choice in my opinion, but here is wasn't too bad because the focus is on the plot and Cat is an intriguing character, we get a lot not just by what she says but mostly because of her actions and her personality. It's very different when the narrator is someone whose voice is appealing!

The hero was fascinating too. Of course we don't know his thoughts but his behavior and his actions speak for themselves. We realize very early on that he is a man of honor as are his fellow companions. All characters are interesting on their on, even those that aren't as developed. As a reminder, this is the first of a trilogy so although we do get more on the main characters, I bet the secondary characters will play a continuous role throughout the three books which will give them more development.

The romance is sweet and funny and not too quick. In a word: perfect. Both Cat and Griffin hide secrets, she more than he, but although we see by their actions they like one another and feel attracted, this is only depicted as escalating, meaning they slowly get to spend more time together and their increasing intimacy is as slow as the progress of the plot. Besides, it's just so much fun to see their interactions... although their relationship starts because Cat is kidnapped, in reality things aren't as heavy toned as that and the journey has hilarious situations, as well as dangerous ones. It was greet to see them all bond and become friends and care for one another.

The plot isn't too hard to grasp but we aren't told absolutely everything, so the information given is well paced (to me it is). Cat's family will prove to be the biggest hurdle for the plans the main characters want to happen. With this I mean the success of Griffin's role as a ruler along with his sister and his family and the peace between regions.. although there are hints the trilogy will be about more than just this. 

I'm very eager to know what happens next and I hope the author keeps up with this trend and tone.

Grade: 8/10