Review: Heart on Fire

Author Amanda Bouchet 

Format e-ARC 

Print Length 418 pages 

Publisher Sourcebooks Casablanca 

Published Jan. 2, 2018 

The riveting conclusion to the Kingmaker Chronicles, available January 2018!

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. 

My Opinion 

Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and Netgalley for allowing me to review this novel. This in no way influenced my review. 

Heart of Fire was one of my most anticipated reads of 2018. When it was released though, there were so many mixed reviews that I was scared to read it. I loved the first two books in the series- (A Promise of Fire and Breath of Fire) both were five star reviews from me. Am I going to feel like some of my fellow bloggers and if I do which camp? Team What the What or Team Heck Yay… 

Cat and Griffin were hit with some unexpected news in Breath of Fire. News that will be front and center in this book. While it was life changing news at times it was irritating. She took unnecessary risk to prove that she still could. She created a pet name which proved even more grating. Cat was just annoying on and off throughout the book, which hasn’t happened before. Griffin was too- what happened to alpha male King? Now he is all lovely dovey-huh? Where does this come from with either of them? Darn it- I wanted to demand they take a truth serum and tell me how their personalities did a 180 between this book and the previous. There is little banter between the two this time and that is what made their relationship before. 

Cat has always been the main character and Griffin has always been the main hero, her love interest. Yet in the previous two books, the secondary characters were an intricate part of the story. Here they are gone within a flip of a page. The story pretty much is Cat and Griffin. While that is fine and dandy with some books, in this one it took away from the Kingmaker’s Chronicles as a whole especially since we have been so wrapped up in the other characters lives through the previous two books. 

The ending was well an ending. There wasn’t much to it and that was frustrating for someone who was expecting more from a villain that has lasted over the span of three books. I was also expecting more from Cat when facing said villain. 

It physically pains me to rate this 3 out of 5 stars. Yet, it felt like I was reading about different characters. What happened to everyone in the beta team? They were on a few pages of the book but for the most part they were gone. Also there are so many open questions- Kato? Flynn and Jocasta? Carver? And dare I even ask about the Piers? Nah, don’t really care about him but he does have a something pop up in this book. Where is the rest of Griffin’s family? Ummm…they were alive the last time I checked-barely showed up here as well. Maybe there are so many unanswered questions for spin-offs but it made me pout and doubt. What if there isn’t a spin-off or another book to answer these questions? Beta team…Beta team…where are thou- Beta team? 

So there you have it my dear followers- I am Team That Is It? Shaking my head wondering about my beloved secondary characters that were left behind by Cat and Griffin. 

My Rating 3 out of 5 stars 

Favorite Quote “You only say you love me or you’re sorry when you’re scared or almost dead. You’re not almost dead, so what’s scaring you?” 

Other People 

Mom- Cat's

Thanos- Cat’s childhood mentor 

Selena- Cat’s young adult mentor