Review – Emerald Blaze (Hidden Legacy, Book 5) by Ilona Andrews (5/5 stars)
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Urban Fantasy/Paranormal
Length: 399 pages
Publisher: Avon
Release Date: August 25, 2020
ASIN : B081ZGKN7H
Stand Alone or Series: 5th book in the Hidden Legacy series
Source: Bought for Kindle
Rating: 5/5 stars
“As Prime magic users, Catalina Baylor and her sisters have extraordinary powers—powers their ruthless grandmother would love to control. Catalina can earn her family some protection working as deputy to the Warden of Texas, overseeing breaches of magic law in the state, but that has risks as well. When House Baylor is under attack and monsters haunt her every step, Catalina is forced to rely on handsome, dangerous Alessandro Sagredo, the Prime who crushed her heart.
The nightmare that Alessandro has fought since childhood has come roaring back to life, but now Catalina is under threat. Not even his lifelong quest for revenge will stop him from keeping her safe, even if every battle could be his last. Because Catalina won’t rest until she stops the use of the illicit, power-granting serum that’s tearing their world apart.”
Series Info/Source: This is the 5th book in the Hidden Legacy series and the second book in Catalina Baylor’s story arc. I bought a copy of this book for my Kindle.
Story (5/5): This story is absolutely amazing. Someone has been using the Osiris serum illegally and Catalina is given this case to solve. Unfortunately for her, her liaison on the case is none other than Alessandro. This story was fast-paced, complex, and tied in well with previous books. It was masterfully done and I enjoyed every minute of it.
Characters (5/5): I love Catalina even more than I loved Nevada. Catalina has been dealt a pretty rough hand but she is super tough in her own way and determined to protect her family. I love her determination and enjoy watching her grow, both into her role as house head and into her amazing powers. Alessandro was a lot of fun too and it was amazing to learn his history and watch him in action. Of course, all the side characters are incredibly well done and interesting as well.
Setting (5/5): This is an absolutely amazing, complex, and well thought out world. Andrews always does an absolutely fantastic job building complex worlds with complex magic systems. They are always well thought out and completely immersive, absolutely loved this!
Writing Style (5/5): This husband/wife writing team really is one of the best urban fantasy writers out there right now. Every story is the full deal, and this story is no exception. The dialogue is witty, the action is amazing, the world is perfect, the characters are intriguing and complex, and everything just comes together to create such an excellent story. Every time I read an Andrews book I suddenly remember how mediocre everything else I have been reading is…
My Summary (5/5): Overall this was just absolutely amazing and an excellent installment in this series. I was blown away by the amazing world, the characters, the action, the magic, the mystery…this is just a perfect blend of so many elements. I highly recommend this whole series to urban fantasy fans. This book was my favorite of the series so far and I can’t wait to see how Catalina’s story plays out.
