ephemeralreader's review
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
nicoleriskin's review
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
4.25
kdf_333's review
3.0
not as good as the first cuz of so very many sex scenes. not enough witty repartee between her and team beta like the first book. the action was also too spread out cuz of the very many sex scenes. i mean whole chapters (or 2!) just sex. no action. no fun conversations. the very thing that made me love the first book.
i almost gave up on it but then the sex scenes let up and the second half of the book was better. also Cat not accepting her fate was annoying and again i almost skimmed ahead. luckily she stopped and her crazy emotions were explained.
SIDENOTE: love how the author reveals plot twists or secrets to the reader but not the characters in the book. it's subtle and gradual. i like it.
i almost gave up on it but then the sex scenes let up and the second half of the book was better. also Cat not accepting her fate was annoying and again i almost skimmed ahead. luckily she stopped and her crazy emotions were explained.
SIDENOTE: love how the author reveals plot twists or secrets to the reader but not the characters in the book. it's subtle and gradual. i like it.
wanningtwilight's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I'd like this book a whole lot more if the male lead wasn't such a controlling asshole. He never lets her make any of her own decisions and he always thinks he knows best and no one can contradict him. He keeps things from her and springs new responsibilities on her she has said she doesn't want or isn't ready for then says she has to make certain decisions and act a certain way because of the new role he foisted upon her. It's kinda icky not so into the power dynamic of their relationship. However, I love the side characters and am more invested in then than the main couple. The plot is entertaining and I enjoy the overall story.
claire_thebookreader's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Loved this book, fantastic character development and world building
Thoroughly enjoyed the continued development of the relationship between Cat and Griffin.
Thoroughly enjoyed the continued development of the relationship between Cat and Griffin.
susanatwestofmars's review
3.0
In the end, this felt like it was focused more on the battles and action and less on the storyline. Yeah, yeah. Mom's bad, Galen's bad. They're beyond bad, really. They're sociopaths, caught in a fight between themselves.
They also have no character depth, which in and of itself wouldn't be a problem. It's that too many characters fawn over Cat. "Oh, you're the Harbinger! You're the Origin!" (and I love how her name conveniently changes when it suits the story and the whole world just magically knows it) -- and the only people who push back are Mother and Galen and their few equally awful and vicious allies.
We saw the focus shift to action over storyline and its implications early-ish on, with the journey to ask the Ipotane for help. There's all this STUFF going on (and really, the fact that Kato had zero longterm issues from his little adventure? I don't buy it) and then... the Ipotane are on the border and life is good and yay and let's forget about them and go do something physical and violent that may or may not work but of course it will because we have the Origin. Or the Harbinger. Or the Kingmaker. And no matter what you call her, the gods favor her to the point that they intervene all over the place and it's like Cat's unkillable because they keep swooping in.
So we've got sociopaths who are totally one-dimensional, more action than plot, and a lead heroine who yeah, is a Mary Sue but also a different sort in that she does struggle and does take damage, but... she's still so protected by the gods that she could probably jump into an active volcano and they'd save her. What's at stake here?
And then to further dampen the feeling of what's at stake -- namely the future of the land -- everyone just accepts the regime change. Just... "Yeah, okay, whatever."
It's too easy. It's not satisfying.
I won't be finishing the series. There's too much else out there to read and this one's lost me.
Oh! And I guessed the ending surprise really early on. Like... REALLY early on.
They also have no character depth, which in and of itself wouldn't be a problem. It's that too many characters fawn over Cat. "Oh, you're the Harbinger! You're the Origin!" (and I love how her name conveniently changes when it suits the story and the whole world just magically knows it) -- and the only people who push back are Mother and Galen and their few equally awful and vicious allies.
We saw the focus shift to action over storyline and its implications early-ish on, with the journey to ask the Ipotane for help. There's all this STUFF going on (and really, the fact that Kato had zero longterm issues from his little adventure? I don't buy it) and then... the Ipotane are on the border and life is good and yay and let's forget about them and go do something physical and violent that may or may not work but of course it will because we have the Origin. Or the Harbinger. Or the Kingmaker. And no matter what you call her, the gods favor her to the point that they intervene all over the place and it's like Cat's unkillable because they keep swooping in.
So we've got sociopaths who are totally one-dimensional, more action than plot, and a lead heroine who yeah, is a Mary Sue but also a different sort in that she does struggle and does take damage, but... she's still so protected by the gods that she could probably jump into an active volcano and they'd save her. What's at stake here?
And then to further dampen the feeling of what's at stake -- namely the future of the land -- everyone just accepts the regime change. Just... "Yeah, okay, whatever."
It's too easy. It's not satisfying.
I won't be finishing the series. There's too much else out there to read and this one's lost me.
Oh! And I guessed the ending surprise really early on. Like... REALLY early on.
atwade's review
3.0
(3.5) This series is actually really good… the concept, the characters, the mythology. It could/should be 5 stars but I just can’t seem to connect with it. It took me a week to listen to and that’s a long time for me. I just never felt like picking it up. It did get better towards the end, but I wish it could have felt like that the entire time.
izzy_happyfornow's review
3.0
I finished up Breath of Fire this month and found myself feeling okay about it. We definitely see a lot of dragging through way too many battle scenes. Some things could have been better developed like side romances instead of way overdone fight scenes.
Bouchet really crafted an interesting world here though and at the end of the day keeps me coming back for more with this series. I want to see where Griffin and Cat end up at the end of book three. Hopefully in a good place and not a bad one. Where does their team end up as well. I can't help but be rooting for them all as I read the book. Overall this was a good read, but not amazing. I'm definitely finishing the trilogy though and reading Heart on Fire sooner than later.
Full review on my blog.
Bouchet really crafted an interesting world here though and at the end of the day keeps me coming back for more with this series. I want to see where Griffin and Cat end up at the end of book three. Hopefully in a good place and not a bad one. Where does their team end up as well. I can't help but be rooting for them all as I read the book. Overall this was a good read, but not amazing. I'm definitely finishing the trilogy though and reading Heart on Fire sooner than later.
Full review on my blog.
tlandrews's review against another edition
4.0
This installment definitely kept you hopping the whole time.
starrynightky's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0