Love this series and would love to interview Amanda on our show.

Heart on Fire is the conclusion of Amanda Bouchet's thrilling Kingmaker Chronicles trilogy. Bouchet mixes magic and Greek mythology against a backdrop of royal intrigue and war.
Catalia "Cat" Fisa has a special power: She can divine the truth through lies people tell, making her "the most coveted diplomatic weapon in the realms . . . the Kingmaker."
Cat's mother rules the kingdom of Fisa and raised her children by the family motto: Kill or be killed. Not caring about physical or mental harm to the children as long as she can use them to gain ever more power, she ruthlessly trains them from childhood to use weapons and their own innate magic to fight off power bids from scheming relatives. She wants to exploit Cat's special power, so the daughter runs away.
Cat may have escaped her mother, but not her destiny. She learns she has been favored by the gods of Olympus to help overthrow local corrupt rulers and unite the kingdoms.
Only Cat doesn't feel like a confident heroine at all. She can barely get her other magic abilities to work. She is sarcastic, wary, and hot-tempered. But she is completed by the powerful warlord Griffin Sinta. He is cool-headed and confident, and they can't fight their feelings for each other.
In Heart on Fire, the kingdoms are at war, with everything pointing to a final confrontation with Cat's mother. Bouchet doesn't bog down her books with long recaps of what happened in the previous volumes. The second book of the series, Breath of Fire, takes up right where the first book left off, and this continues with the latest. So readers will want to start reading about Cat's struggles from the first book, A Promise of Fire.
Bouchet has created a remarkable romance heroine. Cat is smart, resourceful, strong-willed, and deadly. But she is also flawed and full of self-doubt, making her believable and relatable. The action scenes have you on the edge of your seat, wondering when Cat will break through her self-doubt and finally come into the full breadth of her untapped power.

Let me start off by saying that I've never been the biggest fan of The Kingmaker Chronicles but I enjoyed the first two books for it's highly addictive and entertaining qualities. They were cheesy but nevertheless fun. I can't say the same for Heart on Fire.

The finale to The Kingmaker Chronicles is a bit of a mess. Most of the story felt like fillers, added to lengthen the book. I just couldn't muster up any feelings to care about anything anymore. What was happening on the pages just seemed so irrelevant and dragged out.

The worst thing about the book was how whiny Cat was. I enjoyed her growth up to a certain point. Just when you think she's got things figured out she revert backs to the self-doubts. "Regret is a part of life, and if only is a bottomless well where wishes don't come true." (eARC, Loc 4041). It took her so long to figure her own s*** out. Don't even get me started on her Little Bean talks. "Compassion has no rules. And Elpis (meaning hope) abandons no one." (eARC, Loc 5457). In Cat's case, I've lost my respect, patience and hope for her.

Now let's talk about Griffin and Cat. It was already established that they're super in love but they had to reiterate it at almost every turn because she felt insecure. Their words were just too over the top. I cringed every time Cat talked about Griffin's size. Yes, his size. In all manners. Too much. Too often. The only upside to their relationship was how they were equals. The two were stubborn as hell but they respect and talk to each other.

I guess my favourite thing about Heart on Fire is Beta Team and their newest additions. Ianthe, Cat's younger sister, was as loyal as ever. Bellanca, a Tarvan ex-princess, conjured up some laughable moments which both helped to defuse tense scenes and to serve as some comedic relief. Also props to the author for her ability to retain my interest in the side characters. She baits us with possibilities. If I'm sniffing the air right, a certain bickering pair might become a thing. Then I'll be curious enough to pick up the spinoff book(s) should there be any.

Compared to books one and two in the series, Heart on Fire was weak. Many parts of the story felt unnecessary and dragged on for too long. Besides the equal partnership between the two main characters and the positive relationship with others I didn't enjoy this finale at all. I also apologize for the ranty nature of this review.

I enjoyed the first two books in this trilogy immensely, and fully expected to fly through this one just as quickly. Instead, I felt like it dragged... I got to about 60% of the book and there had been a couple of exciting action sequences, but nothing had happened to further the plot - I had to force myself to pick it up and read a chapter each night. I'm not saying it was bad, or poorly written... I just don't think it lived up to the potential of the first two books.

I really had high expectations with this book, I thought this will be be the book that Cat finally realises her powers and comes into them, but that isn't really the case although. We see her go through constant moments of self doubt which do make sense given her brutal upbringing. Griffin is Griffin. But some amazing GODS make their appearance that have me really excited for possible spin-offs the author could do. I will honestly admit I enjoyed the hell out of this series.

3.5 Stars

It’s come to that time that all bibliophiles both eagerly anticipate…and yet dread. The last book in the series. After faithfully following a series we finally get to see the peak of the action; finally see how it all ends; see who ends up with who; see if our favourite character finally reaches their full potential and see the dastardly villain be smote down by our hero or heroine. Which leads me to HEART ON FIRE, you see all of the above and more. Kind of. Lets take it point by point:

Peak of the action...

Bouchet has definitely delivered a book with some action in it, both magical and with good old fashioned fisticuffs. However, between the exciting action scenes there’s an awful lot of naval gazing and pondering of what it all means. Honestly, it got a bit tiresome. Cat couldn’t seem to take any action without having a deep philosophical conversation with herself about whether she’s turning into her evil mother or contemplating how much she loved Griffin. It slowed the pace of the book and even worse than that; it was boring and repetitive.

How it all ends (no spoilers)...

There is a nice satisfying conclusion to the trilogy, all of which seems to happen in the last 5%. So, if you get to 90% and are wondering if this is really the last book, as I did, keep reading!

Who ends up with who...

Okay, I may have lied a little about this one! We all know Cat and Griffin are solid and I loved seeing their relationship develop to the deep abiding love they have one another. However, now that they’re sorted I want to see what happens with their friends and family! There are lots of hints at couplings, but nothing conclusive. Which gives me hope! I can’t be the only person keeping my fingers crossed for a spin off series, right?

Character reaching their full potential...

Does Cat finally stop the incessant monologue in her head about what kind of person she is…whether she’s too ruthless…too closed up…too damaged and actually get on with it? Yes she does. Cat has come a long way since book one and  her character growth is one of the things I like about this series. So, although she may not be my favourite heroine I have enjoyed taking this journey with her.

Villain smiting...

Ha! I am giving no spoilers…you will need to read it to see what happens and if/how the evil queen is defeated. I think we all know the answer to that one. However, it's not always the destination but the journey that's important and although the ending is ultimately predictable (or is it?!) that doesn't mean I haven't enjoyed the ride.

Conclusion...

This particular book wasn’t my favourite of this trilogy, there was too much talk and not enough action for my tastes. The series as a whole though has been great, the friendships and the romance, the new world that Bouchet has created have all combined to give us a fantastic new voice in fantasy romance. I can’t wait to see what Bouchet brings out next, but whatever it is, I know I will be picking it up, especially if it is a spin off!

In Heart On Fire we have a stunning finale of the Kingmaker Chronicles and this book was a BLAST of goodness, delights, shocks and terrors and with typical Bouchet flare, keeps you on the edge of your seat. We get more into the head of our daring heroine Catalina Fisa. Catalina we have seen through in the previous two books, as she grows and learns into her powers and abilities with her husband and mate by her side Griffin. And boy did I love seeing Griffin and Catalina together in this book. Their relationship is stronger than ever. I just love how well these two are in tune with each other.
In this book, Cat and Griffin will need to face up with Cat's mother and also Cat's insecurities. I ADORED how Griffin believes and trusts in her so much. He never gives up on her succeeding, he knows what she is capable of, and stands by her in everything. You just have to admire a hero like that.
Cat is strong and has many abilities, however in this story we see how she really struggles with herself. We see the way she has to face up to who she is, and to overcome doubts and fear to become who she was born to be. It’s not an easy road for Cat----not in ANY way. But she faces it head on, and we see the love she has for her family, her devotion to her people and how much she is willing to fight for them no matter the cost to herself. There are definite moments that this book just about broke my heart. So much emotion was displayed that I had a difficult time keeping my emotions in check. But we also have a book where we see the delights and joys too.

Catalia "Cat" Fisa has more work cut out for her. Even though she and her husband, Griffin, have won over two kingdoms, they still have one left to conquer. That one will be the hardest, considering Cat's mother is queen of that realm. Cat is going to need every weapon at her disposal so with a close group, Cat sets off to learn how to gain control over her magic abilities.

Cat is tested in every way, but she is determined. She survives through every obstacle she encounters and steels herself for the challenge of facing off against her mother. If Cat does not succeed in overthrowing her mother, then her life may as well be forfeit as will all those Cat holds dear. Cat will have to look inside herself for the answers to unlocking her magic, but will she be in time?

NetGalley allowed me to read this book for an honest review so here it is! Cat is back and more bad*ss then ever! She is by far one of my favorite heroines to read about. The only thing I wanted to kick her for is not believing in herself, but she does get there. Every challenge thrown Cat's way, she has accepted and come out the winner. She is strong and resilient. Cat is willing to do whatever it takes to care for those she loves so it is no wonder people feel such a strong connection to her. Griffin is her the perfect half to her whole. Together they can accomplish anything. Their journey has it's ups and downs, but oh the thrill of it all! **SPOILERS** Readers looking for a good paranormal/fantasy, look no further than author Amanda Bouchet's KINGMAKER CHRONICLES. It consists of three gloriously satisfying novels and each will touch your heart. Don't miss out on A PROMISE OF FIRE, BREATH OF FIRE and HEART ON FIRE.

I thought Heart on Fire was the perfect ending to Cat’s quest of understanding her magic and her place in the world (you can read my reviews of A Promise of Fire and Breath of Fire on the blog).

All through the story, Cat is moving towards who she should be and acceptance of the shades of grey and opposites which gives us plenty of action … a family betrayal, Cat’s sister being used to bargain (willingly) with the Ipotane, an epic fight at FrostFire and a knock down from Zeus that leads to banishment. Cat’s banishment felt barren, heavy and saturated with failure and loss. This is one quest she has to take on her own without the help of the pantheon of Greek Gods/Goddesses and without Griffin by her side. I felt everything alongside her.

Through Cat’s maturity there’s more understanding for her about the relationship she has with her mother. I didn’t think for one moment this would end the way it did. Cat is certainly a force to reckon with once she’s come into her power …

I didn’t want this world to end – and was excited to find out that Amanda Bouchet will indeed return to this world. I need to know about Kato and want to see what happens with Little Bean. What will happen with Ianthe? and so many other questions. I’ve subscribed to the author’s newsletter so I don’t miss a thing 🙂

The Kingmaker Trilogy has been awe inspiring and one hell of a ride through myth and magic, love and hate, the gift of death, new life growing. I’ve experienced a whole gamut of feelings and these characters feel like they’re family. I’ve been with them through their triumph and their losses and seen them grow. I’m not ready to let them go yet …

Where to start the review for Heart of Fire? I liked the last installment in the series, but at the same time I was disappointed by some aspects of the story.

First, the good. I still loved Griffin, although he seems to be obsessed with Cat (I mean, more than usual), but with good reason. Griffin and Cat are a strong couple and grow more in love all the time.

It pains me to say this but Cat became a whiner. Indeed, it seems that’s all she did.

I have powers, I don’t know how to use them…

I don’t know what I’m doing…

I which my power came with instructions…

I can do this…

I can’t do this…

And so it went around and around. It took a lot from the story and it was unnecessary. Also, how is she getting all these weird powers, without notice, without reasoning. It’s like all the gods put powers in a big pot, stir them together and voila: one nice Cat was born.

The ending was a disappointment. So much hype about the Fisa, the war, how horrible Cat’s mom was, to then end up with a non-conflict. A lot of plot points were tied with a nice pink ribbon and I don’t like this type of ending. It’s lazy, to say the least. Also, there were some loose ends without resolution and at the end of the series didn’t give closure to all of it.

Something was just missing… and I’m sorry for it, since the Kingmaker Chronicles was otherwise a great series.

I have mixed feelings about (what I assume is) this final installment of The Kingmaker Chronicles. I absolutely loved the first book, A Promise a Fire. Book two was strong as well. My issue here is that I felt like this book was a little all over the place and the ending was a bit anti-climactic.

This story picks up right on the heels of Breath of Fire. Cat and Griffin are king and queen of Thalyria and expecting a baby. Cat now has her younger sister with her and a powerful new guard in the form of a former Thalryian Princess. All that is left to do is to conquer her evil mother.

But things take a detour right off the bat. First of all, I have to admit being a little overwhelmed by all of the characters. I honestly couldn’t remember who all of these people were and it hasn’t even been that long since I read the last book. A little reminding would’ve gone a long way to help me marshall my thoughts. Then there’s the fact that a big betrayal happens at the beginning. It felt more like a plot device to reveal the identities of two undercover Gods than to move forward any other arc. In fact, what happens with the offending character seems to just fall off into nowhere. I kept expecting it to come full circle, but it never did.

I thought this book would be all about Cat preparing for the confrontation with her mother and, in a way, it was, but there were tangent adventures first. They weren’t bad, but they felt disconnected to a big build that I wanted for the end. Cat’s mom shows up a few times, but it feels like… you know those scenes in romance novels where the couple is about to have sex and there is this great build up and something ridiculous happens that kills the moment and you know it’s just about teasing you for the pay off later in the book? It’s like that. Part of me tells myself that the point of the aborted confrontations is to maybe show Cat’s indecisiveness about whether she can kill her mother. But after the second time this happened, I was just irritated. Then when the big battle finally did arrive, it was pfft. Same thing with Cat’s struggle to control her powers. It’s this big deal for the whole book and then she just figures it out (*snaps fingers*) like that. In both cases, there is all this building and the payoff is underwhelming.

All of this is not to say the book is bad. It’s not bad. There we’re parts I enjoyed. Particularly, I was a big fan of Aries and his relationship with Cat, and of course I love Cat and Griffin. I just found the book uneven. And vaguely–not unsatisfying, but underwhelming. There are also so many threads left hanging, like Kato… like Cat’s sisters… Carver. Maybe this means more books. Maybe this is just the end of a particular arc and we will see these characters again. I hope so. I’m invested in them.

I don’t know. Obviously I’m conflicted here. There are great characters and a fabulous world constructed in this series. If there ends up being more books, I will read them. But that is probably based more on what I know the author is capable of in the previous books than this one.

Still, if you read the other two books in the series, you can’t miss this one. And who knows, maybe it will be a better hit for you.

Rating: B-/C+

I received a free ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

WHEW. That was a heck of a ride. From the moment I read Chapter 1 of the first book in this series, I've been on the edge of my seat. That's not the easiest thing to do in a romance series (seeing as there's a sort of HEA contract between the author and readers, given the genre). And I'm even more impressed that Amanda Bouchet has managed to raise the stakes, ratchet up the tension and deliver the goods without introducing elements of unnecessary and annoying drama. WHO KNEW that characters could be in a relatively stable and loving relationship and still be interesting? Very refreshing to see in a series.

This is the third in the Kingmaker Chronicles, and I've seen it marketed as the 'finale'. It may be the final book in this branch of the series, but there are hints that there's more to be built in this world. Which brings me to the only thing I didn't like, and unfortunately it's a big thing...the final third of the book felt MAJORLY rushed. Major events happened so fast they were practically piling up on each other, and then suddenly the book was over with a number of things left unresolved. Which is the strongest hint yet that there's more to come - there's so much left to discover, and I hope we get the chance.

Excellent world-building and nice characterization throughout. I'll be watching for more from this author, be it with these characters or new series entirely.

Loved this third book in the series. It's a fantastic world with lovable yet flawed characters. I sometimes shy away from fantasy books because of the complexity but this is a fun series to rea. Looking forward to more.

Powerful seer and Kingmaker Cat Fisa is about to fight the biggest battle of her life…but is she ready for it?

As always, the Greek mythology-inspired world building in this series is delightful. In HEART ON FIRE we learn more about the unique relationship that Cat has with the gods of the Greek pantheon…which means that we get to see them up close and personal. And as you might expect, with heavy-hitters like Ares involved, it’s a wild ride! Seeing Cat, Griffin, and the rest of the Beta Team working together to neutralize threats and unite the kingdoms was also fun, and those scenes reminded me of how much I enjoyed the first book in this series.

Much to my chagrin, the romantic aspects of this fantasy-romance story were some the least enjoyable for me to read thanks to shaky characterization. Despite the progress made in previous volumes, Cat reverts back to old habits and wallows in crippling low self-esteem while Griffin is over-protective and seems to forget what a total badass his wife is. When she’s not out there saving everyone’s butt, Cat falls prey to the whole “I’m a hero and therefore anything bad that happens ever is my fault” thing. Had this happened a handful of times in the story I would’ve been fine with it, but she had a guilt-induced meltdown after every semi-negative event in the story.

HEART ON FIRE being the final book in a trilogy, there are many “bad things” going on and the characters have to grapple with significant loss. There are a lot of loose ends and ambiguous endings for certain characters, which I found somewhat frustrating. The confrontation between Cat and her mother, the Big Bad of the series, finally comes to pass and it was underwhelming. Since the entire series was building up to that moment, I didn’t expect it to be over and done with in a few pages.

I’m also disappointed that Bouchet didn’t follow up on the character who was raped in the second book; personally, I thought it was brushed aside in the previous book BREATH OF FIRE and it was completely forgotten in HEART ON FIRE. Using sexual violence to manipulate readers is a cheap tactic, and given the conversations going on in the publishing world and in society at large, I’m genuinely surprised that any editor would let that slide.

Ultimately, I thought that HEART ON FIRE was the weakest book in the Kingmaker Chronicles trilogy. The world is still fascinating and the action fun, but for me, the magic of the series is gone.

Another example that confirms the rule. The third books (when it is a trilogy) are generally the worst. And yes, I, who had loved the first two volumes, was overwhelming and hallucinating when I understood at the end of my reading the disappointment that this book had been.

There are still plenty of unanswered questions, the dialogues go in circles, even the action goes in circles! I didn't find the characters I didn't want to leave any more and the ending would have deserved a proper epilogue. We are told of a character from book three, but there is not even an epilogue on it!

In short, if I liked the beginning, the whole thing quickly became boring and repetitive. This final would have deserved more excitement and a more developed plot (The final battle is so unspectacular...).

Amanda Bouchet brings to a stunning conclusion the Kingmaker Chronicles in Heart on Fire.. Cat is the foretold Origin, the destroyer of kingdoms and the maker on the new age; the gods intervene in her behalf and she has superhuman powers. However, she doubts her abilities and Griffin, her husband, is her necessary partner. Humor, action, and romance give depth to this saga. Read the original 2 stories and this conclusion. It won't let you down.

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

Heart on Fire by Amanda Bouchet
Book Three of the Kingmaker Chronicles
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Publication Date: January 2, 2018
Rating: 2 stars
Source: eARC from NetGalley

Summary (from Goodreads):

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.

What I Liked:

Heart on Fire was not a fun ride for me. It wasn't all bad, but it definitely wasn't all good. I found myself more annoyed with the book than anything else, despite enjoying parts here and there. The book felt lackluster compared to the previous two books - in fact, I think it's safe to say that the series went straight downhill after book one. Book two was good but not as good as book one... book three lacked a lot of quality.

In this sequel novel, Cat and Griffin must defeat Cat's mother once and for all. But to do so, Cat must reach into her powers and control them, which she has yet to do. The kingdom of Thalyria is in her hands. If she can't find control, everything falls.

Things I liked... I enjoyed the romance. Griffin and Cat are a strong, solid pair, and this book proves that they are good for each other and good together. There are moments when Cat is afraid of how much the Gods interfered with their lives to direct their fates, but nothing ever comes between Griffin and Cat. I love how devoted they are to each other - it's absolutely not one-sided, not by far. Their trust and respect for each other really grows and strengthens in this book.

I adore Griffin, though he seemed to be a little one-dimensional in this book (i.e. only obsessed with Cat's safety and well-being). On the one hand, this is great theoretically... on the other hand, the man should have other priorities and interests. I love Griffin, with his strength, loyalty, and warrior/warlord overprotective, dominating nature, but I wish he had more to him besides being up Cat's a**. Boys today have hobbies like video games and sports. Griffin needs hobbies. I still love him. He's my favorite character of the series. But. One-dimensional.

The pacing of the story is good - I never got bored and I rolled right along to the end. I didn't necessarily like the story but I had no trouble getting through the book. So that's a plus! The author's writing has improved with each other. (I can't say the same about other things).

Cat is something I will talk about in the next section. I couldn't stand her. However, I will say that I'm glad she finally realized her potential and got over herself (girlfriend has been moping and wallowing for the entire series).

Hmmm, I thought there was more that I liked. I'll have to reconsider my rating. I didn't even really like the ending!

What I Did Not Like:

I could not staaaand Cat. I understand that the author was trying to portray her as feminist and strong and kickbutt and blah blah blah but Cat came across as very self-centered and self-involved in this book. Everything was about her, especially with the amount of wallowing and self-pitying she was doing. Throw in the fact that she is suuuuuper special on all fronts and we have a girl with a massive ego! Take it down a notch, sweetie! I don't like it when male protagonists have huge egos. I like it just as little when female protagonists have huge egos.

And on that note -- why is it that Cat has every single special power conceivable? She has the powers of the Gods, just because? How is it that she is so magical and powerful and a special snowflake? I didn't understand this - it seemed like a lot of deus ex machina. Cat had absolutely no flaws when it came to her abilities - abilities kept manifesting and manifesting and again, it seemed to be a lot of deus ex machina. I wasn't buying the whole "hard to kill" thing. I wasn't buying the "child of the Gods" thing. It seemed like a lot of luck and a free-for-all when it came to Cat claiming abilities left and right.

Back on the whole egoistical thing - please explain to me why Griffin was so wholly and utterly obsessed with Cat and only Cat. The man lived and breathed for her - I don't understand why? It was beyond obsession - I mean, he was literally created for her therefore he is her puppet? Like I said in the previous section, men tend to have hobbies... why is Griffin only focused on Cat? Isn't he the one conquering realms, leading his (royal) family, etc.? He seemed so one-dimensional because his priority was only Cat, and that to me is FAKE. Not sexy.

Seguing into my next complaint - WHY is Cat the queen of Thalyria and HOW is she such. I don't understand. She literally does N O T H I N G for Thalyria (other than face her mother three times in the book and hesitating every single time and letting her mother the evil witch escape every time). Everyone else fights for Thalyria, dies for Thalyria, goes to the ends of the earth for Thalyria, but Cat... Cat lets everyone do the work for her. Instead, she drags Griffin on some merry quest to find a magic potion that will magic help her control her powers... meanwhile her powers are utter crap and when they find the potion, it doesn't work (you'll see what I mean). Cat. Is. Useless. The author elevated Cat to Queen (and put her over Griffin even though he is King) because that's the ~feminist~ way to write fiction these days -- bulls**t. Cat has no experience being a royal and no business being a queen. She. Is. Useless.

Let me repeat: U S E L E S S.

The author has YET to address Kato's trauma from book two! Helloooo, the man went through rape and we don't see any kind of PTSD or lasting emotional or mental impacts? Did he just magically forget about the experience? There is no mention of it, and Kato pretty goes about his business as usual. This is TERRIBLE storytelling. You can't put a fairly "main" character through some serious trauma and NOT ADDRESS IT.

The ending was awful! It was one of those endings in which the war is over and la dee dah, the book is over! Everyone lives happily ever after! Never mind that they are uniting three realms, which is ALWAYS very peaceful and happy. Sure, Jan.

This book was a mess.

Would I Recommend It:

I actually do not recommend this book. I mean, don't leave the series hanging, if you've read books one and two. If you've only read book one, I would recommend stopping there. Book one is the best of the series. Book two is okay but not amazing. Book three is crap and a big mess. Of course, these are my opinions. I'm pretty upset that the series is concluding badly (for me), with this mess of a book. There was a distinct lack of quality, and I think that comes from a lack of experience and a desperate needs to force a "feminist" character with feminist themes into the book. Instead we have a Mary Sue that gets all the credit but does no work.

Rating:

2.5 stars -> rounded down to 2 stars. I tried! I really did. This series had so much potential. Now I'm glad I didn't preorder the book because I would have surely cancelled the preorder. I'm not sure I'll read anything by this author again - maybe? Maybe not.

This is such a good read on so many levels. It is introspective and emotionally complex. Yet, the story also moves seamlessly from drama to action and to comedy. I particularly like the inclusion of mythology. However, this book is not a stand alone. It is a trilogy designed to be read in sequence and preferably close to one another. There are a lot of people and events. You will enjoy it more if you are not struggling to place characters and locations. I loved the overall message of the story.

As a huge fan of the series, I have to say that this is a SOLID finish to Cat's story. However, I would have liked more to add to the story of Cat and Griffin. I was definitely left wanting more there...

“My heart is on fire, Griffin. I don't know when it'll stop.”

Heart on Fire is the emotional conclusion to Amanda Bouchet’s spectacular Kingmaker Chronicles trilogy which blends magic, mystery, mythology and wonder with Amanda’s storytelling genius. I have utterly inhaled this series from the beginning and genuinely could not wait to dive into this finale.

This is veritably a series that needs to be read in order as Catalia Fisa, the fabled Kingmaker, and Griffin Sinta, her match in every way, have undergone a compelling and breathtaking journey spanning all three books in their noble quest to re-unite the three realms in the kingdom of Thalyria. There’s still much in store for the couple herein including multiple gut-wrenching confrontations with Cat’s powerful and heartless mother.

Heart on Fire takes up right where Breath of Fire left off as the power couple of Cat and Griffin are mobilizing their forces for the upcoming invasion of Fisa. Throughout the series to this point, Cat has been becoming more familiar and proficient with her powers; but they are hit and miss, and lately, more absent than not. So, the two leave their Alpha/Beta team to continue training the masses who are joining with them daily and just the two of them embark on a dangerous pilgrimage to visit the hermit of Frostfire, a powerful witch who resides in Cat’s childhood home of Fisa, her monstrous mother’s domain. The witch is purported to have a potion to unlock magic. It almost seems too simple and easy. Indeed, it is…

I loved this installment, but not quite as much as the previous two. That is not to say that it didn’t hold my interest and that I didn’t enjoy it. The story is still addictive. There are thrills and chills galore with plenty of action and tense suspense. Griffin is still Cat’s relentless stalwart rock. Their love is verily timeless and their love scenes are intoxicating - literally taking my breath away with their fervor. However, Cat has her kickass moments – but, instead of continuing her metamorphous into the powerful, confident super being she is meant to be, she doubts herself and her ability to do what she needs to do for much of this installment. Cat and her power, when they do manage to coalesce, lack balance. It’s frustrating! Thankfully, she does pull it together at the end, but I – along with her strong support structure of gods and goddesses - wanted to thoroughly shake some sense into her too many times to count along the way.

Following please find a few of my favorite quotes from Heart on Fire:

“You'll still be my light in the dark, Cat. Even if you fall.”
---

“I thought you of all people would understand.”
“Understand what? Being an idiot? I am an expert idiot,” I say. “I practice all the time.”
---

“How do you know?”
I look at him like he’s one Centaur short of a herd. “Soothsayer, remember? I know stuff.”

I’ve read that Amanda is writing more stories set in this world and I couldn’t be more thrilled! I want to be there when Little Bean makes her appearance! I also want to read more about Griffin’s family and his team including their recent fiery addition and, please, we need Ianthe’s story and Kato’s too!

I’m so glad to have been onboard for this phenomenal epic romantic fantasy series. I’m an avowed mythology lover and have been since I was little. I also enjoy suspenseful mysteries with plenty of fast-paced action and this series has delivered all of those elements and more. Heart on Fire is the happily-resolved, captivating ending to a beautifully written series.