Sapphire Flames

Sapphire Flames (2019) Ilona Andrews

Nevada’s arc ended with Wildfire. Catalina’s story started there, then moved on with the novella Diamond Fire, and this is her first novella.

It’s…. fine.

I liked spending time with Catalina and her family. I appreciated that Nevada was being kept out of the way and gave up control of the house for good reasons. I found the mystery interesting.

I just wasn’t that enamored of Alessandro and his hotness and although he was kind to Catalina, and although I understand that she wanted to make sure someone loved her for her and not because of her magic, I just really didn’t get her obsession with Alessandro that lead to her falling in love with him–he really did everything he could to hide precisely who he was and tried to give the world only superficial glimpses.

And I had some issues with the mystery as well.

Catalina has to be sworn to secrecy to learn secrets but Alessandro doesn’t have to do or swear anything special even though he’s just a paid body guard? That is just not right, and I have a hard time believing Catalina didn’t see that as an issue either.

And then there are the action scenes.

Arabella crouched by me. “You’re in charge and if you order me, I’ll take you. But you’re tapped out. You can’t even stand. My car sits four. I’ll take Runa, Leon, and Mom.”

She was right. I hated it but she was right. Every second counted, and they needed to pack as much firepower as they could into four seats. “Go,” I said. “I’ll come with the second wave.”

Catalina is exhausted. There isn’t really a logical reason for her to go along other than for the plot, so she could face the bad guy. It was illogical and foolish and it made me question the rest of the story more than I would have otherwise. I mean, the story could have ended multiple times before that, but instead the tension had to keep building and building to the point that it started to feel ridiculous.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I did enjoy the story, and I will read the next book, but I am getting tired to stories where the heroine can do all the things–and has to do all the things.

The older I get, the more unrealistic it feels.

And I also had some issues with Alessandro’s magic. Why would temporary weapons even work? Are they made solely of magic? Why would the damage remain after the weapon disappeared? What if he grabbed a technical nuke? Or a grenade? Do the pieces disappear? If he walked away from someone he shot would the bullets magically dissolve? If he stabbed someone and wanted them to leave, would he have to remain with them all the way to the hospital to the weapon from disappearing and the person bleeding out?

The whole thing just feels too easy and convenient, and since he’s already ridiculously handsome and rich and charming…. It’s just too much.

But, as I said, I will read the next book. It just feels very week compared to the other series.

Also, Avon cover. I hate it.

Publisher: Avon
Rating: 7/10

• Browse the archives:
  
• Can’t Escape Love » »
• « « Skin and Bone