Wednesday, January 18, 2017

Review: Breath of Fire (Kingmaker Trilogy #2) by Amanda Bouchet


2.5 stars for Breath of Fire (Kingmaker Trilogy book 2) by Amanda Bouchet.

I dread writing this review. Seriously, I do not enjoy singing the praises of a debut author in one review and then turn around to criticise the same author in my next post. But still, I grit my teeth and get it done.

Having thoroughly enjoyed Book 1 Promise of Fire, this book is a disappointment. I feel bad for saying this but the author has set the bar too high in book one of the trilogy which, unfortunately, cannot be kept up to in the subsequent instalment.

Though I still enjoy the story, there are actually more things to dislike than like in Breath of Fire. More often than not, I feel like I am the one breathing fire because the story does not seem to get moving. The dynamics and special relationship between the protagonist and the hero is overplayed; whereas in book 1, it ignites fire and makes my heart skip a beat, in this book, it sets fire and makes my blood boil instead. To put it simply, the story goes stale - as the chemistry between the lovey-dovey duo fizzles out - because it feels like listening in to a radio station that has gone haywire and kept looping the same songs over and over.

Above all, I cannot help but feel that the story and plot mirrors that of my favourite Kate Daniels series by author Ilona Andrews; the gladiator style Agon games bears too much resemblance to the Midnight games in Magic Strikes. It is not in me to compare authors and their books as I have never done so in any of my earlier reviews. I guess the increasing lack of originality brings out the worst in me. But I am sure hard-core fans of Kate Daniels will agree with me.

A fantasy romance that oft feels much more like an urban fantasy, I am not sure if I will have the heart to read and review the final book, Heart on Fire, which is likely to be published and available one year from now.


Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Publication date: 3 Jan 2017

@}--->>--->>-----

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.

*Blurb from author's website*

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