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Larapinta by Annie Seaton
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    Action/AdventureAdvanced Reader CopyFantasyMagic/ParanormalNetgalleyReviewsSpeculative Fiction

    A Curse of Queens by Amanda Bouchet

    written by Dísir
    A Curse of Queens by Amanda BouchetA Curse of Queens by Amanda Bouchet
    Series: Kingmaker Chronicles #4
    Published by Sourcebooks Casablanca on 4th October 2022
    Pages: 496
    Buy on Amazon
    Goodreads
    five-stars

    The queen has been cursed, and no one knows who’s behind the plot to threaten the realm’s fragile peace. Desperate to help, Jocasta hatches a plan to find Circe’s Garden, a fabled island where she hopes to discover an antidote.

    But she can’t do it alone. She needs the strong arm and unflinching bravery of the warrior she’s loved since childhood—her brother’s right-hand-man and captain of the guard, Flynn of Sinta.

    Together they can do the impossible. Yet with treachery brewing on Mount Olympus, one thing is clear: Thalyria and its new royals are still pawns in an epic game of power—one that might end in a War of Gods.

    A happily-ever-after isn’t guaranteed for Cat/Griffin, which is how ‘A Curse of Queens’ begins–even if you do know it’s just temporary. But take a few steps in and you’ll enter into Amanda Bouchet’s world: one that’s a very, very slanted reframing and recollection of Greek mythology–purists, look away right now–cut and pasted piecemeal into a fraught land that is of her own imagination, where the pantheon of gods still behave as badly as the humans who populate the lands they apparently created.

    But as much the last few books didn’t exactly sit too well with me, ‘A Curse of Queens’ is a relatively self-contained story within the larger universe built of the series: a new couple who should have been together from the start but weren’t, a quest archetype to save a newly-remade land, and a hastily-assembled team of varying gifts taking on insurmountable odds in order to save their queen.

    Jocasta’s and Flynn’s relationship, written with so much heart, longing and angst (and short-lived unrequited feelings of a brother’s-best-friend kind of trope) helped anchor these elements and the result is a potent mix of high fantasy, adventure, unexpected humour and a portal into an alternate universe that sucks you right in. That both Jo/Flynn were neither magical nor immensely gifted by the gods, relying on their human strength, wits and cunning to get through the obstacles set before them, made them even memorable.

    ‘A Curse of Queens’ can be a standalone; Bouchet’s map of her world and a very, very generic idea of Greek mythology will get you through it, though not without much difficulty in following the story from where the last book left off. The story grew on me as I went on and to immediately want more after the somewhat rushed conclusion probably meant that this has to rank as one of my unexpected finds of the year.

    five-stars
    A Curse of Queens by Amanda Bouchet was last modified: May 2nd, 2022 by Dísir
    16th May 2022 0 comment
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  • Action/AdventureAdvanced Reader CopyFantasyNetgalleyReviewsSpeculative FictionSyfySyfy Romance

    Starbreaker by Amanda Bouchet

    by Dísir 24th February 2020

    Starbreaker by Amanda Bouchet Series: Endeavor, #2 Published by Sourcebooks Casablanca on 28th April 2020 Pages: 448 Buy on Amazon Goodreads THEY NEVER WANTED TO BE HEROES Captain Tess Bailey…

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  • Action/AdventureAdvanced Reader CopyFantasyNetgalleyReviewsSpeculative FictionSyfySyfy Romance

    Nightchaser by Amanda Bouchet

    by Dísir 6th October 2018

    Nightchaser by Amanda Bouchet Series: Endeavor, #1 Published by Piatkus Books on 1st January 2019 Pages: 416 Buy on Amazon Goodreads Captain Tess Bailey and her crew of Robin Hood-like…

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  • Advanced Reader CopyFantasyMagic/ParanormalNetgalleyNew AdultReviewsSpeculative Fiction

    Heart of Fire by Amanda Bouchet

    by Dísir 24th September 2017

    Heart on Fire by Amanda Bouchet Series: Kingmaker Chronicles #3 Published by Piatkus on January 2nd 2018 Pages: 448 Buy on Amazon Goodreads Who is Catalia Fisa?With the help of…

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  • FantasyNew AdultReviewsSpeculative Fiction

    Breath of Fire by Amanda Bouchet

    by Dísir 19th January 2017

    Breath of Fire by Amanda Bouchet Series: Kingmaker Chronicles #2 Published by Sourcebooks Casablanca on January 3rd 2017 Pages: 448 Buy on Amazon Goodreads “Cat” Catalia Fisa has been running…

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  • FantasyMagic/ParanormalNew AdultReviewsSpeculative Fiction

    A Promise of Fire by Amanda Bouchet

    by Dísir 18th January 2017

    A Promise of Fire by Amanda Bouchet Series: Kingmaker Chronicles #1 Published by Sourcebooks Casablanca on August 2nd 2016 Pages: 448 Buy on Amazon Goodreads Catalia “Cat” Fisa is a…

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