Publisher: Avon
Author: Ilona Andrews (aka Ilona and Andrew Gordon)
Release: August 27^th, 2019
Received: NetGalley
Rating:

I received a copy of Sapphire Flames through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Sapphire Flames is the fourth novel in the Hidden Legacy series, but it doesn’t follow Nevada anymore. Instead it follows her younger sister, Catalina. Like Nevada, Catalina is an amazing investigator, one with unique abilities. Unlike Nevada, Catalina is afraid of her powers. She doesn’t trust herself with them, and one can hardly blame her for that.

Also like Nevada, Catalina has a way of taking on cases that are significantly more dangerous than they first appear. In this case, it’s a house war with so much at stake. To make matters worse, House Baylor’s three year period is almost over, making the family fair game for attacks. It’s a lot for any one family, or person, to handle.

Before starting Sapphire Flames, make sure to read the novella Diamond Fire. This is the first piece written in Catalina’s perspective, and it really sets the scene for the rest of her series. Plus it’s fine, so why would you want to miss out on that?

Sapphire Flames was so much better than I had even dared to hope it would be. Catalina is an amazing main character. She’s strong, determined, and conflicted. She fears her abilities, but loves her family and her job more, and will do anything to take care of them.

There was so much to love about this novel. Everything from Catalina herself (and the cameos from the rest of the Baylor family, of course), to the romantic subplot, and the antagonists. It was so perfectly written, and a brilliant follow-up to Nevada’s series.

Honestly, at first I was heartbroken at the idea of moving on from Nevada’s series. Even while being excited to see more of her sisters. This novel? This erased any lingering concern I had about Catalina’s series. It was perfect.

The antagonists in this novel were…dare I say bone chilling? There were brutal, dangerous, and more than a little bit crazed. I think in a way Catalina needed to face somebody like them. Best of all, this whole plot established a longer running plot for Catalina to chase down.

I adored the reason for Catalina taking on this case. It was so her. Actually, I believe that almost any member of her family (not counting her grandmother, of course) would have made this decision. Speaking of her grandmother…ouch. I don’t think I need to say more than that. I don’t want to spoil things, and if you’ve read the novel then you’ll know exactly what I mean by that.

Nevada herself doesn’t make a physical appearance in this novel, nor does Rogan. But that was for the best. It would be too easy for them to take over the plot, so they had to be out of the way the whole time. I do like the reason behind their absence though.

The romantic subplot was…intense. At first I wasn’t on the ship train at all, but by the end the writers had managed to win me over. I can’t wait for the next novel to see how that plot progresses.

I’m almost sad that I’m already finished with Sapphire Flames. Part of me wishes I had savored it more. The rest of me is pretty pleased that I binged it. Of course, the downside to that is it’s going to be at least a year before the next novel is out…