Mini Reviews: Diamond Fire & Sapphire Flames by Ilona Andrews!

I love Ilona Andrews books!

Every single time I pick one up I know that I'm in for a treat because they have never let me down. Even when I like a book less than usual, it's still better than most books on the market.
I love their characters, their worlds and their humour and both these books in the Hidden Legacy series lived up to expectations!

Nevada Frida Baylor and Connor Ander Rogan cordially invite you to join their wedding celebration. Summoning, weather manipulation, and other magical activities strictly forbidden.

Catalina Baylor is looking forward to wearing her maid of honor dress and watching her older sister walk down the aisle. Then the wedding planner gets escorted off the premises, the bride’s priceless tiara disappears, and Rogan's extensive family overruns his mother’s home. Someone is cheating, someone is lying, and someone is plotting murder.

To make this wedding happen, Catalina will have to do the thing she fears most: use her magic. But she’s a Baylor and there’s nothing she wouldn't do for her sister's happiness. Nevada will have her fairy tale wedding, even if Catalina has to tear the mansion apart brick by brick to get it done.

Diamond Fire is a bridging novella between the first three books in the Hidden Legacy series, which focused on Nevada, and the next three books in the Hidden Legacy series which focus on Catalina - Nevada's sister.

Novellas are often a hit or miss because it's pretty darn hard to fit in character building, world-building and an interesting story into 100 or so pages but Ilona Andrews are really kinda good at it and Diamond Fire was no exception!

As per the blurb, the book focuses on Catalina having to use her particular brand of magic - which she has kept locked down and hidden as it's dangerous to her - in order to solve a crime and save Nevada's big day!

The book was funny, fun and fabulous.

Catalina is an interesting young woman with deep-rooted fears and genuine concerns when it comes to her magic but she is also determined, loyal and smart. I loved seeing her push her limits in this one and can't wait to see what she's like a few years down the line!

I love the Hidden Legacy world where magical families essentially rule, fued with each other 'like medieval warlords' and are laws unto themselves.
If you are new to the world then this is a great place to step in and pick it up!

(Although, I'd 100% recommend starting at the beginning because Nevada and Seth Rogan are the shizzle!)

❤

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Ilona Andrews comes an enthralling new trilogy set in the Hidden Legacy world, where magic means power, and family bloodlines are the new currency of society…

In a world where magic is the key to power and wealth, Catalina Baylor is a Prime, the highest rank of magic user, and the Head of her House. Catalina has always been afraid to use her unique powers, but when her friend’s mother and sister are murdered, Catalina risks her reputation and safety to unravel the mystery.

But behind the scenes powerful forces are at work, and one of them is Alessandro Sagredo, the Italian Prime who was once Catalina’s teenage crush. Dangerous and unpredictable, Alessandro’s true motives are unclear, but he’s drawn to Catalina like a moth to a flame.

To help her friend, Catalina must test the limits of her extraordinary powers, but doing so may cost her both her House–and her heart.

Be still my heart! This was a fun one!

Fun and quirky with a plot that had me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end.
I loved it.

Catalina is now 21 years old and the head of her house.
She's grown into her power and has become an outwardly confident character with a take-charge attitude who is absolutely determined to do what needs to be done to defend her family, her house, and her friends.
However, she retains deep insecurities about her power and the effect it has on other people and is remarkably vulnerable for one so powerful. My heart broke for her more than once throughout this novel and I imagine it'll continue to do so throughout the series.
She's such a likeable character that I just want her to be happy... But her burden is a heavy one so happiness isn't going to come easily!

I loved her reactions to Alessandro.
How she both wanted him and was scared to want him and I absolutely adored how he was immune to her power for more reasons than his own power cancelling hers out!
I enjoyed getting to know a bit more about Alessandro... But I need to know so much more!
Why does he do what he does for a 'living'? Why does he walk away at the end of this novel? What is he hiding?
More than anything, I need to know how he and Catalina can bridge the gap that opened at the end - because that's going to cause wounds - nevermind Catalina's bargain with her wicked grandmother!
Does all that sound cryptic? Good! Because if I say anything else it'll be too spoilery but all the questions need to be said because there are nothing but questions as far as Alessandro is concerned!

Sapphire Flames is a kick ass start to Catalina's trilogy and she stepped so far out of Nevada's shadow here that I didn't even miss the fact the Nevada and Rogan were in Europe so barely part of the story... That's how kick ass Catalina was.
I'm so excited to see what comes next in this world!
If you've never dipped a toe into this world then Sapphire Flames would be a good place to start!