About the Book:
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.
Kingmaker Chronicles #2
Romantic Fantasy
Sourcebooks Casablanca | January 3, 2017
My opinion of this series isn’t glowing, sadly. The first book wasn’t what I thought it would be. While there were things I enjoyed, they were overshadowed by what felt like a forced romance and too many throbbing loins. I began veering away from books that went on and on about shivering spines and being slick, or engorged, long ago, so for me reading it now is a turn off. I would much rather read subtlety in a romance, one where the slide into love is slower and more heartfelt.
I think in particular the slower romance would have helped the relationship between Griffin and Cat. When I peruse the reviews I see a lot of complaints about how he’s domineering, and I don’t disagree. Unfortunately, the way Kingmaker Chronicles was written, I also didn’t care for Griffin. I don’t feel connected to him, and I don’t feel any chemistry between him and Cat. I tried to remind myself that he is a Warlord, and a progressive Warlord would have felt dishonest. Then I wonder whether there wouldn’t have been as many complaints if we’d seen their relationship develop slower. Would it have given us a deeper understanding of why he was the way he was. There are other domineering men who are beloved, like Jericho Barrons, and did we love Barrons simply because the slower progression was like baring more of his soul?
Anyway, despite my less than impressed opinion I’m still hanging on with this series. I want to know how it ends, and I fully intend to read the third and final book in the series. I’m sure you’re wondering why I would continue, and I can give you two very good reasons.
- What Griffin and Cat lack in their romances is completely revived in the friendship developing between Cat and Kato. It’s not romantic, but that almost makes it better. I love how his feelings for Cat are brotherly, and how he would do anything to protect her. I love that Cat worries about his welfare as much as she worries about Griffin, sometimes more. Not to mention, Kato IS the best character in the entire series. I’d love a story for him, one that’s well written, with a slow moving romantic love interest. (And without engorged or slick anything.)
- I’m really interested in what’s happening between Flynn and Jocaste. In these two characters I’m getting the kind of development I would have liked between Cat and Griffin. I love the attraction mixed with the animosity. I love when Jocaste doesn’t let Flynn get away with his crap, and how Flynn gets flustered around her. These two are the love story I want to focus on.
Those are the reasons this book is getting 3 stars, and they’re the reason I’m looking forward to completing the series. They’re side characters only, but they should be more.
Birdie Bookworm 
Great honest opinion Wendy. And I get that you want to know how it ends even if you don’t like it as much as you hoped. Curiosity killed the cat? Lol
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Right, haha. I mean, it’s only a trilogy, but I’ve already read two, so now I need to know what happens.
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Fingers crossed for the others ❤
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I see where you’re coming from about the romance. I didn’t know it was going to be that level of romance when I first picked up the series but I was invested in the story enough to overlook it. I gave the first book a 5 and this book 3.5. My biggest issue with Breath of Fire was the pacing, that is, they stayed in one place too long and things dragged. I am looking forward to the third book because I really want to to know how it ends.
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I think maybe I agree that it did drag. And I probably would have given a higher rating to the first book, but every time it got too cheesy romantic I felt pulled out of the story. I do love Kato though, so I want to keep reading.
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