Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Breath of Fire by Amanda Bouchet


SHE'S DESTINED TO DESTROY THE WORLD…

"Cat" 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 girl to do when she knows it's her fate to be the harbinger of doom? Everything in her power.

BUT NOT IF SHE CAN HELP IT

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.


Add to Goodreads


Book 2
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  Kobo



Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Jordan☆☆☆☆☆
I read the first book in the Kingmaker Chronicles, A Promise of Fire, and I absolutely loved it, which means I was very excited to get my hands on book #2. Thankfully, Bouchet did not disappoint. Breath of Fire pretty much picks up where A Promise of Fire left off and keeps you enthralled until the very end. The book has just the right amount of action, Greek mythology, and romance neatly woven together. I will say that the beginning was a little slow for me, but it quickly picked up and kept me reading late into the night. I cannot get enough of Cat and the rest of Beta Team, I love them all! I think Bouchet has found a compelling combination and I look forward to seeing what all my favorite characters are up to in book #3 and anything else she does in the future! A solid 5 star read! *****

I encourage fans of Fantasy Romance to start reading this series. Also, for fans of Sarah J Maas' Throne Of Glass series, this one definitely belongs on your TBR List!


Jacki☆☆☆☆
I had easily fallen in love with this story after reading the first book and was excited for this installment. I was not disappointed.

Book two of the Kingmaker Chronicles was not any less action filled or exciting as book one had been. It is difficult to review this book without giving too much away.

Catalia's secrets are slowly unraveling one by one, and as they do, her problems keep piling up. She not only has to be even more vigilant of her own safety, but now her relationship with Griffin will face even more tests in the midst of danger being around every corner. She knows that the world needs to be changed, but unlike everyone else, she isn't sure that SHE is the one capable of changing it.

The secondary characters that I loved so much return in this book, and I was just as delighted to see them this as I was before. Griffin's brothers and Cat's friends keep me completely entertained. That is one of my favorite parts of these books. The characters have so much personality that you can't help but love (or hate) them. Cat is a complete firecracker of hilarious sarcasm, and Griffin is an amazing complement to her. Their butting heads is just as entertaining as the fireworks they create together in bed.

Overall, I devoured this book in a very short amount of time and loved every minute of it. This series is one of few of its genre that I have actually liked, let alone fallen in love with. I look forward to the next book and highly recommend it.


Erica☆☆☆☆
4.5 Stars.

Breath of Fire had a difficult task ahead of it – living up to the anticipation the debut in the series created. While that was an impossible task, as everything was new and exciting during book one, the sequel made a strong attempt.

Cat and Griffin take on the realms in this installment. Mission 1: Protect their territory. Mission 2: Infiltrate. Mission 3: Stay alive during Missions 1 & 2.

The opener was slightly difficult to digest and felt out of place, as if Griffin suffered from a character trait lobotomy, where he acts out of character. It’s resolved as quickly as it started, but if I were to don my editor hat, I would have told the author to reel it in and find another path to the same conclusion. This tainted my reading experience for a few chapters, because it was written in a different writing style, perfect for a different genre, and at odds with how book one ended. Book two literally picked up where book one ended, which I just finished, so it was whiplash and confusion for both me (the reader) and Cat, followed by nonstop makeup sex.

I will state the novel takes some time to get moving, maybe a quarter of it, where I was unsure what the plot would be for the entirety. (I felt the author didn’t know either, and that’s my professional opinion). But once it’s revealed, the book takes off at light-speed, flowing fluidly, making the reader ravenous for more.

On the adventure front: the novel had this in spades. It reminded me of dungeon looting in an MMORPG, mixed with the ability to respawn of a first-person shooter. The dungeon (cave and arena, and everything in between) was filled with imagery that was lifelike and exciting, creating creatures in my imagination. However, knowing Cat could respawn, took the emotion out of her nearly dying nonstop – this took my enjoyment away and became repetitive. (Not that I want the author to kill anyone.)

On the romance front: the author could’ve chosen to break up Cat and Griffin or make them a stronger couple, and I thank the gods the readers weren’t subjected to unnecessary angst (after that opener). With book one including the build-up to their relationship, book two is working out the relationship kinks while kicking butt and taking names – partners. However, where I felt the lusty tidbits in the predecessor added to the overall enjoyment and anticipation in the novel, there was a ton of between-the-sheets action by our couple in Breath of Fire – it felt like filler in a wash-repeat style and at inopportune times. A few scenes would have added value to their relationship – I ended up skimming past about four more. But that’s my reading style: I need tension and buildup, but once a couple is together, it becomes boring and repetitive in an ‘I’ve read it before’ sort of way. That’s how my mind works, and I don’t assume another reader’s does. Since there are many fantasy traditionalists who don’t enjoy it turning more erotic, I felt the need to add it to my review. I’m in the ‘less is more’ camp, but I do want some, which is why I praised it in book one but not two.

There is a strong thread of family throughout the series thus far. Family doesn’t necessarily equate blooded either. I enjoyed the bits of human emotion displayed by Griffin’s family, and the side stories shown. I’d love a more in-depth look into the romances happening beneath the surface, as they seem to promise an angsty read, but I’d want it from their points of view. (Hoping)

Book three is set by the events in this installment, and I can’t wait to get my greedy little hands on it and see how it all plays out. I truly look forward to anything this author publishes next.


Also Available in the Kingmaker Chronicles

Book 1
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca

For reviews & more info, check out our A Promise of Fire post.



Award-winning author Amanda Bouchet grew up in New England and studied French at the undergraduate and graduate levels, first at Bowdoin College and then at Bowling Green State University. A Promise of Fire won several Romance Writers of America chapter contests, including the Orange Rose Contest and the Paranormal Category of the prestigious Golden Pen. Amanda moved to Paris, France, in 2001 and has been there ever since. She met her husband while studying abroad, and the family now includes two bilingual children who will soon be correcting her French.

Connect with Amanda

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Google+  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads


http://www.sourcebooks.com/


Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Breath of Fire (Kingmaker Chronicles #2) by Amanda Bouchet to read and review.

No comments:

Post a Comment

All comments are reviewed by a blog admin before being published. We thank you for visiting our blog & leaving a comment.