A review by hellobookbird
Breath of Fire by Amanda Bouchet

5.0

"A heart of iron means I do not break. You cannot break me."

"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.

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.

"You can beat me until I’m bloody. You can break my bones. You can tear my skin. You can burn me. You can crush me until I can’t breathe, and you’re sure I’m dead, and then do you know what? [...] I will get up, and I will fight some more."

Be braced from page one because Bouchet pulls no punches. Straight off, Griffin finds out Cat's real identity—the missing princess of Fisa—and things start out rough. And as a forewarning, now that Cat has given in to her attraction to Griffin she goes all in and as often as she can manage. Love is in the air! Even Jocasta gets a bit of love drama in with her unrequited interest for Flynn (which, actually, I kinda want to see more of this...).

With love (and gods) of course comes war. The Power Struggle is heating up and Tarva looks to be the next threat. Acantha (Delta) Tarva is plotting to attack Sinta rather than making a bid for her brother's throne. Unfortunately, Griffin's army isn't near ready for an attack and sending them to the border would spread them too thin. Thus starts the hair-brained scheme to borrow magical creatures to guard the border...and a plague of trials one after another without hardly a breath to recover in-between.

He’s still being a grump. Probably because he knows I get flippant and verbally reckless when I’m scared.

We get more Alpha Fisa! More monsters! A Chaos Wizard

Spoiler

who grossly upchucks a snake only to have it force itself down Kato's throat because mysterious godly reasons why else?

! Riddles! Need more? A Hydra (because it needs it's own mention)! A godly competition (which was a seriously cool addition because I always liked the mythology stories that involved competitions)! A gladiatorial competition (because who doesn't love a good bloody fight to the death every now and then?)!

Sintan gold. Tarvan rubies. Fisan pearls.

And holy wow the epic fight and that reveal!!!!!!!!!! After a momentary shock of disbelief

Spoiler

because she died for a second how the heck would that not effect the fetus?!

, I squealed so loud because FINALLY!

I need the third book now. If you haven't started this trilogy yet, what are you even doing with your life?