Blog Tour and Giveaway: Nightchaser by Amanda Bouchet

Happy Friday! Today I've got an excerpt from Amanda Bouchet's latest novel, Nightchaser! This book is now available. You can win a copy of the book, and more!


About the Book:

Nightchaser by Amanda Bouchet

Book One of the Endeavor series

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Publication Date: January 1, 2019

Official Summary:

Tess Bailey: the galaxy's Most Wanted.

Captain Tess Bailey is in deep trouble. She and her crew are on the run, pursued by a tyrant who'll take them dead or alive. Tess's best hope is a tall, dark, and much-too-appealing stranger, Shade Ganavan, who says he can help her. But his motivations are far from clear...

Shade Ganavan: arrogance, charm...and that special something that makes you want to kick him.

With the dreaded Dark Watch closing in, what Tess and Shade don't know about each other might get them killed...unless they can set aside their differences and learn to trust each other before it's too late.

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The Excerpt:

Shade flipped the sign to Closed and locked the door. He didn’t care who might need a spare part today, tomorrow, or any day. He cared about Tess Bailey and her little stream of lies.

Unexpected asteroid belt. He shook his head.

Under her pale skin, her firework of a blush, and her rabbiting pulse, there was a woman running scared. She looked like she’d been that way for a while, like she never stopped. Never came down. No one got that white unless they spent all their time in the Dark.

Shade’s blood still pumped harder than usual from certain parts of their exchange, and something a little crazy had happened in his chest when she’d looked so terrified of the Dark Watch. Her poker face had sucked, but then she’d managed to pull it together and be as cool as a cloud after the initial shock and assessment had passed.

He’d seen that there had been just one soldier, a man like any other poking around the shelves. A lot of the men and women who joined the galactic military wore their uniforms all the time because it gave them a power trip—always knowing people would get out of their way, say they were right, and look at them like they were a sight. The guy probably hadn’t even been on duty, not if he was shopping for razors in the seedy district around the docks.

Shade had been testing her when he’d said the Dark Watch had followed her into his shop. And her reaction had told him exactly what he’d wanted to know—she was definitely in the hot seat right now.

But he’d gotten more than he bargained for. Her chest had stopped—no breath—and her blue eyes had gone so wide they’d practically swallowed him whole. And then she’d asked the same question he would have. Uniform? Not how many, but what echelon. She’d wanted to know if there was someone important at her back.

Some of the blood had come back into her face when he’d said the uniform was black, which meant that whoever was looking for Tess Bailey wasn’t just some grunt solider; he or she was a higher-up.

But the savvy space rat hadn’t taken his word for it, had she? She’d held up that cartridge box to use as a mirror and checked for herself. She’d made sure it wasn’t someone who knew her, and then she’d paid for her bullets like nothing had happened, even getting all high and mighty again when he’d teased her about walking off with the ammo.

He had no idea why he’d done that.

Shade ran a hand through his short hair, still not used to feeling it so close to his scalp. The movement wasn’t very satisfying without anything to shove back.

He strode into his office, still seeing the freckles across Tess’s nose. They weren’t very dark; she’d have needed more sunlight for that. She also had a few on her chest. They’d looked like a constellation, a pattern to follow between her straight collarbones and the upper swells of her breasts.

Tension like he hadn’t felt in a while whipped through his body. Rosy lips and a cute ass were just the start of it. He hadn’t been crass enough to add NT to the acronym, but he’d noticed her nice tits as well.

Shade frowned as he tugged out his chair. She was attractive all over, but blue eyes, freckles, and an atomic blush were what had left him feeling like he’d been punched in the chest.

Sitting at his desk, he pushed aside the remnants of the late lunch he’d been eating when Tess had come in and then powered up the tablet that might give him some answers about his latest guest. While it got going, he rummaged through some paperwork, not really seeing it. He was still too focused on the way Tess had frozen, going from a little flirty and confused to petrified all at once.

Who had she pissed off? Some galactic officer? Was she a deserter? A rebel? Despite not having much of a game face, she’d seemed ready to put up a good fight.

And then there was the fact that she’d bought ammunition, when not that many people had guns. LW-9 bullets were for Grayhawks, and there was nothing illegal about buying them, but it sure as hell raised questions in his mind.

Shade wanted to call her scrappy, but it didn’t quite fit. For the spirit maybe, but not for the physical part. She’d been tall and strong and fit. Her eyes had looked older than the rest of her, though, like she’d already been to hell and back and made choices most people never had to face.

Determined. That was it.

She’d looked like she could take care of herself. So why did he have this itch under his skin, like he wanted to make sure she wasn’t in trouble too deep?

The Giveaway:

Win Nightchaser, courtesy of Sourcebooks! Ends 01/22. Good luck!

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Win a $250 prize pack, courtesy of Sourcebooks! Ends 01/22. Good luck!

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Blog Tour and Giveaway: Heart on Fire by Amanda Bouchet

Happy Boxing Day/day after Christmas/December 26th! For the unfortunate souls that have to work today (like yours truly), I wish you the very best. For those that do not, I am jealous! Either way, enjoy a fun post about Heart on Fire by Amanda Bouchet, which publishes in one week.

A Promise of Fire review | Breath of Fire review | Heart on Fire review

About the Book:

Heart on Fire by Amanda Bouchet

Book Three of the Kingmaker Chronicles

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Publication Date: January 2, 2018

Official Summary:

GODS. I’M AN IDIOT.

Without Griffin—and apparently a few meddling Gods—to push me along, I’d still be telling fortunes at the circus, lying about my past, ignoring my future, and living as far away from my tyrant mother as humanly possible.

True understanding thuds into place. Hope isn’t just an abstract concept; it’s me. Flesh and blood me. Griffin knew it all along. Probably everyone did. I’m an idea in human form.

I have the power of the Gods at my fingertips.

The only thing ever stopping me has been me.

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Check out the series:

  

(Click on the covers for more information!)

About the Author:

USA Today bestselling 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. She 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 her at www.amandabouchet.com. 

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

The Excerpt:

Flynn’s jaw hardens. “You’re putting words in my mouth again.”

“Am I?” Jocasta smiles vaguely and without humor. “I guess you talk to me so little, I’ve started to invent.”

Flynn freezes, staring at her. Emotional conflict makes him shut down completely. With Jocasta, anyway. He’ll get into a roaring good fight with me.

“Cat and Griffin—they listen to people. Take advice,” he finally says in a low, almost toneless voice. “Cat was Griffin’s advisor at first. In a way, she still is.”

If you ask me, Griffin’s the sage one, but Jocasta eventually nods, conceding the point. “I’ll think about it,” she says.

“Thank you.” Flynn seems to relax. “Get yourself a guard as well,” he adds.

“I can take care of myself.”

“I could take care of you better,” he mutters irritably.

Jocasta grips the edge of the table like it’s the only thing keeping her upright. Or like she might heave the whole thing up and over in a fit of rage. One or the other. I can’t tell. When Flynn realizes what he just said, or rather how it could be taken, he pales until his shock of bright-red hair is his only color.

“I mean…” He clears his throat, looking up, around, anywhere but at her. “I mean you’d be twice as safe with a warrior guarding you. Me. Or someone else.”

Jocasta slowly uncurls her fingers from the table. “Someone else?”

Flynn frowns. “I’m leaving today. I won’t be here. You fought well in the arena, but we were all there. That doesn’t mean you’re ready for this.” He waves his hand in an all-encompassing gesture. “Everyday danger? The insidious kind? It doesn’t always come at you with a sword and a snarl. You might not see it coming.”

That vague smile is back on Jocasta’s lips, the one that speaks of utter disappointment. “So that’s what you want? Some man following me around day and night? Sleeping outside my bedroom door? Taking walks with me? Guarding me in the bathhouse?”

Flynn doesn’t answer. He’s too busy grinding his molars to dust.

“Well, I won’t do it,” Jocasta says. “I’m in a fortified castle and don’t plan on leaving it. There are plenty of guards, high walls, and beyond them, there’s a constant, swelling crowd that seems to genuinely love us. I’m not in any danger.”

Flynn scoffs. “There’s always danger. And it’s most dangerous when you don’t expect it. You can’t let your guard down, Jo, especially while we’re away.”

Jocasta pushes the soggy, herb-soaked cloth farther down the table, wiping up a spill. When there’s nothing left to keep her busy, she finally looks up at Flynn.

“Don’t worry about me. Worry about yourself.” She shifts from foot to foot, looking uncomfortable. “I certainly do.”

Flynn leans in, his hands braced on the table again. Their eyes meet. “You do?”

Jocasta swallows so hard I can see it from here. Softly, she says, “You know I do.”

Flynn’s gaze drops to her mouth. Jocasta’s lips part, and her tongue darts out to wet them. He targets the movement with his eyes, tilting his head slightly and suddenly looking like a hungry and very focused predator. She sways toward the man she’s loved for so long, slowly closing the distance across the worktable. Flynn doesn’t back off for once, and I start to feel like the worst sort of thrill seeker, because my heart is pounding for them, and I can’t look away.

Do it. Kiss her. Claim her. It’s all she wants.

Flynn’s head drops a slow inch. Jocasta tilts hers up.

This is finally happening!

Bellanca charges into the kitchen through a side door. Flynn and Jocasta jump apart. I jump, too, my hand flying to my chest where my heart starts kicking like a deranged donkey. Everywhere Bellanca goes, she goes like a bloody tornado. A bloody flaming tornado.

“What in the Underworld is that awful smell?” Bellanca waves her hand in front of her nose, looking at Flynn and Jocasta like it’s probably them. Then she storms over, peers into Jocasta’s bowl, and scowls. “What’s that?”

“It’s going to be a sleeping draught,” Jocasta says tersely.

Bellanca wrinkles her freckled nose. “Who for?”

“For me,” Jocasta answers from between gritted teeth. She’s usually friendly to Bellanca, or at least neutral, so I know her crossness comes from being interrupted before her first kiss ever, and that from the man she’s been waiting for for years.

Bellanca huffs. “You can’t be that stupid.”

Flynn’s brown eyes narrow. The look he turns on Bellanca is truly terrible, but she doesn’t seem to notice.

Jocasta takes a slow breath, her expression suddenly such a careful mask of politeness that I have no doubt she’s erupting underneath. “Excuse me?”

“Why would you want to sleep that heavily? Only an idiot would do that.” Bellanca looks genuinely confused. As usual, she’s oblivious to anyone’s reaction to her…forthrightness.

“Do you suggest I sleep with one eye open?” Jocasta asks coolly. “Or possibly not at all?”

Bellanca reaches between them and grabs an apple that somehow escaped the splattering of herbal sludge. “Good idea.” As she straightens, she knocks Jocasta’s bowl over, giving it a hard enough shove to dump it on the floor. The earthenware vessel shatters into tiny pieces, hopelessly contaminating the concoction.

Jocasta’s mouth drops open.

Bellanca winks. “Eyes open.” She crunches into her apple as she moves backward in a tinkle of gold bangles and a froth of sky-blue skirts.

Flynn steps after her, his voice lowering in pitch. “Did you just threaten her?”

Bellanca stops halfway across the kitchen, looking increasingly surly. She dabs a fingertip to her lips, wiping off a drip. “I’m trying to protect her.”

“Do you know something?” Flynn growls, stalking forward until they’re only a pace apart.

Bellanca takes another bite and then shrugs. “I know lots of things.”

“Like what?” Flynn demands.

“Like potions such as that one are better left alone.”

Jocasta stiffens. “I know what I’m doing. I’m not likely to overdose.”

Bellanca shakes her head. “That’s not what I mean.”

“Then what do you mean?” Flynn asks, menace still heavy in his voice.

“Good Gods!” Bellanca rolls her eyes. “I was just trying to help. I’m going to change and pack.” She takes another bite and then throws her apple at Flynn, hitting him square in the forehead.

I slap my hand over my mouth, stifling a gasp. Laugh. Gasp laugh. I can’t believe she just did that!

Stone-faced, Flynn wipes apple juice from his brow. Jocasta stares in horror. Bellanca whirls on her heel and then stomps from the room, going out the same way she came in—fast and flaming.

As soon as the Tarvan woman is out of sight, I back away from the open door before dissolving into fits of quiet laughter. Soon after, I hear Flynn and Jocasta do the same.

The Giveaway:

Enter to win a bundle containing A Promise of Fire and Breath of Fire, the first two books in Amanda Bouchet’s Kingmaker Chronicles!

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Review: Heart on Fire by Amanda Bouchet

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.

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Was this review helpful? Please let me know in the comments section!

Swoon Thursday (#256): Heart on Fire by Amanda Bouchet

- From the book you’re currently reading, or one you just finished, tell us what made you SWOON. What got your heart pounding, your skin tingling, and your stomach fluttering

- Try to make the swoon excerpt 140 characters (or less), if you are going to tweet about it. Use the hashtag #YABOUND when tweeting

This week, my swoon is from Heart on Fire by Amanda Bouchet!

I glance up at him, trying to tame my sudden smile. Domineering and overprotective doesn't even begin to describe my husband. There's also deliciously jealous, but that's another subject all together. The black stubble framing his mouth makes his full lips look impossibly kissable. It's been hours since they were on mine. And I love to kiss the hawkish curve of that nose. So strong and masculine. And the rest of him? His powerful body. Muscle. Sinew. Bone.

I gaze up at him, nearly sighing. "I love you."

- eARC, page 109

A Promise of Fire review | Breath of Fire review

I'm hoping to have my review posted tomorrow! I love Griffin and Cat. 💙💙

Blog Tour and Giveaway: Breath of Fire by Amanda Bouchet

Hello and welcome to the Breath of Fire spotlight tour! If you've been following my blog, you know how much I love A Promise of Fire and Breath of Fire. Today, I'm featuring Breath of Fire, which publishes in a week! 

But first, a note from Amanda Bouchet:

Breath of Fire comes out on January 3rd and I couldn’t be more excited about it! I hope that readers who met Cat and Griffin and followed their exploits in A Promise of Fire will be looking forward to this second installment in The Kingmaker Chronicles, and I hope that new readers will be interested in giving this fantasy romance trilogy a try. The story picks up right where A Promise of Fire left off and with a shocking moment of truth: Cat’s secrets are finally revealed to all. But with the cat out of the bag (pun definitely intended!), important plans can now form to move Thalyria toward unification under Cat and Griffin’s joint rule—plans that will certainly keep Beta Team on their toes. But while Cat’s violent past and lingering self-doubt still haunt her on a deep level, Griffin won’t let her back down from the fate she’d love to avoid. As Griffin propels her toward her inevitable destiny and Cat tries to come to terms with the prophecy that’s haunted her for eight years, readers can expect plenty of adventure and danger, more of Cat’s smart-mouthed humor, exciting Beta Team moments, and a romance that heats up to positively scorching levels. Friendships solidify into unshakable bonds, and perilous quests lead the members of Beta Team into uncharted territory where monsters, magic, and mayhem abound. With Breath of Fire, I hope that readers get swept away and caught up in the emotion and adventure as Cat and Griffin try to navigate their developing and intensely passionate relationship while also taking on the daunting and dangerous task of conquering the world. But most of all, I hope you simply enjoy the book!

About the Book:

Breath of Fire by Amanda Bouchet

Book Two of the Kingmaker Chronicles

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Publication Date: January 3, 2017

***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers***

Official Summary:

SHE'S DESTINED TO DESTROY THE WORLD… 

BUT NOT IF SHE CAN HELP IT

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

Griffin knows Cat is destined to change the world—for the better. As the realms are descending into all-out war, Cat and Griffin risk sacrificing everything they’ve fought for. Gods willing, they will emerge side-by-side in the heart of their future kingdom...or die trying.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble | The Book Depository

About the Author:

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. She 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.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

Check out the Hunks of Beta Team!

The Excerpt:

We assemble in the Athena courtyard after breakfast on the fourth day. Griffin and I are already mounted, but the rest of Beta Team—Kato, Flynn, and Carver—are still finishing their good-byes, strapping on the last of their gear, and readying their horses. If I’m not mistaken, Flynn is moving slowly because he keeps shooting discreet glances toward Jocasta from under lowered auburn brows. Carver, his long, leggy gait slower than usual, only just left his family under the shaded arcades that band the castle’s ground floor like an ornate, marble ribbon. And Kato, all blond hair, blue eyes, and corded muscle, moves with casual purpose and lionesque indolence—unhurried in his stride but powerful and inherently ready for action. Despite the stakes of the journey, none of them seems to feel any real urgency to leave.

I don’t like lingering over farewells, and their lagging makes me feel like I have ants in my pants. It’s all I can do not to start hopping in the saddle. Panotii is champing at the bit, and so am I. He prances sideways and bumps into Brown Horse. Brown Horse doesn’t move an inch and regards us with calm, intelligent eyes. He’s so much like his rider that I almost laugh.

Unable to hold back a smile, I drink in Griffin with my eyes. Actually, I look at Griffin all the time. I think about him even more, and every time I do, it’s like a wild kick of adrenaline straight to the heart. It’s distracting. He’s distracting.

A tingling warmth spreads beneath my skin. “I can’t wait to gallop.” I haven’t been outside the city walls since Ios. Panotii and I need to stretch our legs, see for miles, and feel the wind in our faces. It’s good for a horse. For a person who’s been confined to a cage, it’s cathartic. Castle Sinta and its grounds may be big, beautiful, and full of Griffin, but in some ways, it’s still a cage. Real freedom is answering to only yourself, and being responsible for no one. Since that’s a moral vacuum, none but the truly wicked are ever truly free.

That must be how Mother feels—free.

Panotii keeps dancing, and I stroke his sleek, chestnut neck, trying to soothe him. “Panotii wants to run, too.”

“You’ll burn yourselves out.” Griffin’s silver-hued eyes hold a hint of warning. “And you’ll burn us out chasing you. We have a long way to go.”

I make a sour face. “Did I ever tell you I detest the voice of reason?”

“Did I ever tell you you’re adorable when you’re riled up?”

I scowl. “I’m never adorable.”

“You’re right,” he says mock-seriously. “You’re very scary. Especially with that curl bouncing over your cheek.”

I shove the stupid curl behind my ear. My wavy hair is turning even more unruly with the approach of the rainy season. It’s overcast for the first time in weeks, and I can smell the moisture in the air, somehow both sultry and refreshing, as if a cloud were about to burst over the scorched land, but the Gods aren’t quite ready to stick a dagger in it yet. My hair doesn’t know the difference. Anything too short to stay firmly in my braid is now springing out with gusto and frizzing all around my head.

Out of habit, I check my knives. My old set hangs from multiple belt loops. My new set is secured to flat, leather straps circling my thighs. My sword is on my back in a sling Griffin had fashioned for me along with the thick boar’s hide armor that hugs my upper body from shoulders to waist in a sleeveless, close-fitting shell. A direct hit will pierce the leather, but it’ll provide protection from slices or glancing blows, as will the new vambraces on my forearms.

I told Griffin I’d be too hot and confined, which I am, but he insisted in that steady, intractable voice of his that if I want to ride with warriors, I’d better have the equipment.

He knows I’ve been fighting without any of this since before I could walk, but I humored him because I love him. Apparently, that’s how couples work. Compromise. Gah! Now there’s so much metal and leather weighing me down that I almost couldn’t get on my horse.

The Giveaway:

Win one of ten copies of A Promise of Fire by Amanda Bouchet, the first book in her The Kingmaker Chronicles series, plus a signed bookplate! (USA only... I think)

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Review: Breath of Fire by Amanda Bouchet

Breath of Fire by Amanda Bouchet

Book Two of the Kingmaker Chronicles

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Publication Date: January 3, 2017

Rating: 4 stars

Source: eARC from NetGalley

***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers***

Summary (from Goodreads):

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.

What I Liked:

Only two books into the series and I'm already declaring this trilogy a new favorite. I don't think I've ever read anything quite as unique as this fantasy romance series. I also can't remember the last time I was in love with a sequel novel as much as I was the first book - or almost as much. While A Promise of Fire is still the better of the two (in my opinion), I loved Breath of Fire. 

This book is nonstop action from start to finish. Cat and Griffin and the rest of Beta Team are back in the Sinta castle, but there is much to be done, with the Power Bid in full effect. With the Sintan borders unprotected, Cat and Beta team leave home to journey to the Ice Plains, in order to find Centaurs who might be persuaded to defend the Sintan borders. But reaching the Ice Plains is obstacle enough, let alone finding the fabled Chaos Wizard who can help them find the Centaurs. And even if they get the Centaurs to help - Cat and Griffin must find a way to take down the Tarvan royalty. Cat may be the key to Sintan success - or their destruction.

I think the most unique aspect of this series is Cat's voice. She is hilarious and sarcastic and so prickly. This series is written entirely in her first-person perspective - there is no dual perspective - and I actually love this because it's fun to follow the story from her perspective. She's so entertaining! I love how Bouchet writes Cat's voice, and the story.

In general, this book is so well-written. Bouchet has a strong writing style, and it shows. She also does an amazing job with the world-building. I thought this series was influenced by Greek mythology - but really, it's full of Greek mythology! This sequel throws us headfirst into a ton of Greek mythology, which is spun to Bouchet's liking, for the world-building. We get up close to hydras, centaurs, nymphs, even goddesses. And a cameo appearance from Cerberus! 

I adore Cat. I couldn't love her more, to be honest. She's so funny, but she's also tough as nails and very selfless. She doesn't want to be Beta Fisa, or any kind of royal in charge, but she's a natural. She's intelligent and experienced in so many different things, but she isn't a hardened, jaded person. She's got a mean streak and she is fierce, and she has a low opinion of herself at times, but she's a warrior and a fighter, and I love how she keeps going. I especially love how she allows herself to be surrounded by people who care about her. Her relationship with Griffin goes from solid to airtight and cemented in this book, because she really really lets him past her defenses. I am glad to see Cat let the walls down, with Griffin and with his family.

Griffin! My favorite. He's the big bad Beta, an overprotective and loyal warrior, but he's more than that. He is clever and considerate, a gentleman and at the same time, an alpha to the core. His temper is a live wire, so it's fun to see him and Cat bump heads constantly. They are perfect for each other! I love how he looks out for her all the time, but he also backs down a little in terms of dictating orders (when it comes to Cat). He lets her be, and trusts her judgement, which is wonderful to see.

I mentioned this already, but Griffin and Cat's relationship gets even stronger and more unbreakable, in this book. Cat lets Griffin in, and it's amazing how different and how strong their bond becomes, because of that. Emotionally, their relationship strengthens, but also physically. Let me tell you - Bouchet turns the heat up, in this book. Like, woah. The first few chapters? Be prepared to fan yourself. I loved seeing Griffin and Cat lose control! And throughout the book, not just in the beginning.

One thing that I was worried about was Griffin and Cat getting separated, or one of them getting captured and hence the separation. This is a common and annoying trope in sequel novels in trilogies. But I am happy to say that there was no "sequel separation" in this book! Griffin and Cat are almost always together in this book, which was a relief. I was so worried that I'd spend the whole book anxious and worried sick about one of the characters.

I love the secondary characters! I don't consider Griffin a secondary character (he is definitely a protagonist, even if he doesn't get his own perspective), but Kato, Carver, Flynn, and several others definitely are. I love Griffin's family, and Beta Team. We get to see more of Kato in this book, and I adored him and his (brotherly) relationship with Cat. There was a part of this book that broke my heart for him - like I was almost physically sick for him. Hopefully there is some silver lining to that part of the story, because I'm still sad about it. In any case, the secondary characters were almost as entertaining as Griffin and Cat!

The story gets more and more complex, as a good sequel novel will do! We see a lot more Olympian/mythological stuff (creatures, abilities, etc.), and more is revealed, in terms of Cat's past, what she expects from the future, and her family. Griffin (and everyone else) finds out about Cat very early in this book, which was also a relief (that was a huge secret!). Cat and Griffin and the team travel to find the Centaurs in the Ice Plains, but the story isn't finished there. Finding a way inside Tarva isn't easy, but Griffin and Cat are determined to do so.

Overall, I am quite pleased with this book! I especially love the sweet news at the end (though, like Griffin, I suspected certain things early on - there was a lot of foreshadowing). I also like that this book does not end on a cliffhanger - phew! There is a lot that needs to be taken care of and resolved, in Heart on Fire, but I like that Bouchet ends this book without needing a cliffhanger. Artfully done!

What I Did Not Like:

But Alyssa, why didn't you give this book five stars? You clearly loved it! I did, but some part of me didn't love it quite as much as I loved A Promise of Fire. There were parts of this book (Breath of Fire) that broke my heart, from Kato, for Carver, even for Cat and Griffin. In adult romance novels, you expect your main couple to be "fine" at the end of the book (or series), so I'm not too worried about Cat and Griffin. It's the secondary characters that I worry for - and in this book, not everyone comes out "fine".

Also, keep in mind that I really really loved A Promise of Fire. Sometimes it's hard to come close to things that I really loved. Additionally, maybe I miss how much simpler things were in that book! Everything is do-or-die in this book (and rightfully so). 

Would I Recommend It:

I highly highly highly recommend this book, and series! If you love adult romance novels, give the books a chance. And especially so, if you like adult fantasy romance novels. If you liked The Winter King by C.L. Wilson (my favorite adult romance novels of all time), then you will like this series. This is adult romance, by the way. Not Young Adult - Cat is twenty-three!

Rating:

4.5 stars -> regrettably rounded down to 4 stars. I can't quite give this 5 stars because for me, it wasn't as good as A Promise of Fire (not by much though). This book lost none of the wow factor that A Promise of Fire held, and it definitely didn't fall under the sequel slump spell. I eagerly await Heart on Fire!

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— Alyssa Susanna (@Alyssa_Susanna) November 23, 2016

Blog Tour and Giveaway: A Promise of Fire by Amanda Bouchet

Welcome to the blog tour for A Promise of Fire by Amanda Bouchet! This novel is one of my favorite romance novels of 2016, and it got a rare five stars from me. You want to read this book, trust me! Find out more below. :)

Review | Swoon Thursday

About the Book:

A Promise of Fire by Amanda Bouchet

Book One of the Kingmaker Chronicles

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Publication Date: August 2, 2016

***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers***

Summary (from Goodreads):

KINGDOMS WILL RISE AND FALL FOR HER…

BUT NOT IF SHE CAN HELP IT

Catalia "Cat" Fisa lives disguised as a soothsayer in a traveling circus. She is perfectly content avoiding the danger and destiny the Gods—and her homicidal mother—have saddled her with. That is, until Griffin, an ambitious warlord from the magic-deprived south, fixes her with his steely gaze and upsets her illusion of safety forever.

 Griffin knows Cat is the Kingmaker, the woman who divines the truth through lies. He wants her as a powerful weapon for his newly conquered realm—until he realizes he wants her for much more than her magic. Cat fights him at every turn, but Griffin's fairness, loyalty, and smoldering advances make him increasingly hard to resist and leave her wondering if life really does have to be short, and lived alone.

Website | Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

About the Author:

Award-winning author Amanda Bouchet grew up in New England and studied French at the undergraduate and graduate levels. She moved to Paris, France, in 2001. Her first novel, 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.

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The Excerpt:

Chapter 1

I pluck at my crimson tunic, tenting the lightweight linen away from my sticky skin. The southern Sintan climate isn’t my worst nightmare, but it sometimes ranks pretty high, right along with the stifling layers of cosmetics masking my face, my leather pants, and my knee-high boots.

Heat and leather and heels don’t mix, but at least looking like a brigand means blending into the circus. Here, discreet only gets you noticed.

Craning my neck for a breath of fresh air, I navigate my way through the beehive of tables already set up for the circus fair. The performers on the center stage are the main attraction. The rest of us surround them, carving out places for ourselves amid the crowd. Tonight, hemmed in on all sides in an amphitheater lit by hundreds of torches and filled to capacity, I feel like a Cyclops is sitting on my chest—suffocated.

Damp curls cling to my neck. I peel them off and tuck them back into my braid, scanning the crowd as I walk. I recognize some of the regulars. Others I don’t know. My eyes trip over a man and get stuck. He’s looking at me, and it’s hard not to look back. He’s striking in a dark, magnetic way, his size, weapons, and bearing all telling me he’s a tribal warlord. His build is strong and masculine, his gait perfectly balanced and fluid. He walks with predatory confidence, unhurried, and yet there’s no mistaking his potential for swift, explosive violence. It’s not latent or hidden, just leashed.

Watchful, alert, he’s aware of everything in his vicinity. Especially me.

Our gazes collide, and something in me freezes. His eyes remind me of Poseidon’s wrath—stormy, gray, intense—the kind of eyes that draw you in, hold you there, and might not let you go.

Adrenaline surges through me, ratcheting up my pulse. My heart thumping, I blink and take in the rest of him. Intelligent brow. Strong jaw. Wide mouth. Hawkish nose. Black hair brushes a corded neck atop broad shoulders that have no doubt been swinging a sword since before he could walk. Body toned to perfection, skin darkened by a lifetime in the sun, he’s battle-chiseled and hard, the type of man who can cleave an enemy in two with little effort and even less consequence to his conscience.

He keeps staring at me, and a shiver prickles my spine. Is this man my enemy?

There’s no reason to think so, but I didn’t stay alive this long without the help of a healthy dose of paranoia.

Wary, I sit at my table, keeping an eye on him as he weaves a bold path through an array of potions, trinkets, and charms. He’s flanked by four similar men. Their coloring varies, but they all have the same sure look about them, although they pale in comparison to the warlord in both authority and allure. The man with the gray eyes is a born leader, and only an idiot would mistake him for anything else.

He stares for so long that I start to wonder if he can somehow bore through my layers of face paint and unmask me, but I’ve never seen him before, and he can’t possibly know the person underneath. I’m from the north of Fisa, where magic is might. He’s from the south of Sinta, where muscle and cunning decide who lives or dies. Our paths would never have crossed in the past, and warlords don’t usually frequent the circus.

I look away, hoping he’ll do the same. There are plenty of reasons a man stares at a woman. An exotic face and generous figure attract as much attention as a good mystery, if not more, and the warlord’s intense scrutiny feels more appreciative than alarming.

Ignoring the flush now creeping into my cheeks, I smooth the wrinkles from the coarse wool blanket covering my table and arrange my paraphernalia like usual. My glittering, gold-lettered sign advertises Cat the Magnificent—Soothsayer Extraordinaire, even though flashes of the future only come here and there, usually in dreams. Luckily, it only takes a few questions for truths to reveal themselves like flowers opening for the sun. I read people’s body language and glean who they are, what they want, and maybe even what they’re capable of. It’s about knowledge and illusion. I get a copper for it, which is more than a fair deal for me. I won’t peddle futures. I have an idea of my own, and that’s more than enough.

My leg starts a nervous bounce. Prophecies can be interpreted loosely, right?

The audience gasps, and I turn to see what’s happening on the stage. Vasili is throwing knives at his wife. She’s strapped to the flat side of a vertical, rotating wheel, and he’s blindfolded. He’s never hit her, but my heart still comes to a complete standstill every time they perform. Tonight is no exception, and I hold my breath, both riveted and terrified, until he runs out of knives.

The crowd is too caught up in the circus to take advantage of the fair, so I get up again and head to the performers’ gate to watch the end of the show and put some distance between the warlord and me. He’s still looking when he shouldn’t be.

The air coming through the gate is fresher, bringing with it the sound of Cerberus’s chuffing breaths and the scent of sweaty dog. He’s Hades’s pet, so I doubt the heat bothers him. I toss him a wave, and two of his three upper lips curl in a snarl of acknowledgment. One of these days, I’ll get all three, although in eight years I never have. I think his middle head just doesn’t like me.

Finished with his performance, Vasili unstraps his wife while Aetos launches himself onto the stage with a triple flip and lands in a fighter’s crouch that shakes the platform. The solid wood creaks under his colossal weight, and the rapt crowd murmurs in awe. Aetos straightens, pounds his chest, tears the horse pelt off his giant back, and catches fire. His roar shakes the amphitheater. No one can roar like Aetos. I’ve seen him perform hundreds of times, and I still get chills.

Seven and a half feet tall, muscle-bound, and tattooed blue from head to toe with Tarvan tribal swirls, he moves his hands in an impossibly fast dance, weaving fire until he’s encased in a sphere of living flame. He bursts through the crackling barrier with another roar. The explosion blasts the hair away from my face and dries out the inside of my nose. I’m forty feet away but feel like I’m in the furnaces of the Underworld. Fanning myself is useless. I’ll never get used to the southern heat, and with Aetos performing, it’s even worse.

The Sintan Hoi Polloi can barely contain themselves. It’s like doing tricks for children—everything enchants. For them, the circus is a whirlwind of power and impossible magical delights. Everywhere from the hard-packed dirt floor surrounding the fair tables and stage to the high, far reaches of the circular stone seating, people jump up and down, hooting and stomping their feet.

My feet tap along with the crowd’s, my eyes following Aetos around the stage. What a relief to be back in Sinta, even with all the dust and heat. I do whatever I can to stay on the west side of Thalyria. Our recent sojourn in the middle realm of Tarva made my lungs tight and my fingers itch for a knife. I’d probably start jumping at shadows if the circus ever went all the way east to Fisa. Just the thought of my home realm makes my sweat turn cold.

Sinta. Tarva. Fisa. West to east. Here to… Nothing I’m going to think about.

The audience whoops in approval of Aetos’s fiery moves. Hoi Polloi in the amphitheater are ecstatic—and not only with the show. They’ve been celebrating ever since a warlord from the tribal south hacked his way north to Castle Sinta to put his own sister on the throne. You’d think Dionysus had dumped a three-month supply of wine over the entire realm. Temples are overflowing with Sintans offering prayers of gratitude, their holy men overcome with gifts to help clothe and feed the poor. Statues of Athena, who is apparently well loved by the conquering warlord, have been spontaneously erected in towns and villages from here to the Ice Plains in Sinta’s north. Happiness and generosity abound, and I don’t even want to think about how many sheep have been slaughtered for celebratory feasts.

For the first time ever, the magicless majority is in charge, and Hoi Polloi are literally dancing in the streets—but only when they’re not throwing themselves in abject loyalty at the feet of the new royal family. Or so I’ve heard. I haven’t actually seen the new royals, but news spreads fast when there’s something to say. After the warlord and his southern army secured the Sintan throne last spring, his family took weeks just to move north. Not because they’re slow, but because of the sheer number of adoring people in their way.

It’s no secret the northern-born Magoi royals here in Sinta were despots, just like everywhere else in Thalyria. Hoi Polloi know they’re better off with one of their own in charge.

But royals without magic? My cynical snort is lost in the boisterousness of the crowd. It’ll never last.

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