Diamond Fire A Hidden Legacy Novella

Just like everyone, I expected this novella to be a romance-fest set during the wedding of Nevada. I almost didn't read it, but since I pre-order anything by this duo I thought that I might as well. So Worth it! Diamond Fire is not an epilogue to the original trilogy, but more like an introduction on who Catalina is and what we can expect from her in her new trilogy. Among many things, it looks like she'll take the reigns of the family business and have a little romance herself. Can't wait for the next book!

This review was originally posted on Addicted To RomanceI received this book for free from Avon in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Diamond Fire is where we get to see one of our favorite couples from Ilona Andrews....tie the KNOT!! Yep Connor and Nevada are getting hitched and the beginning of the story starts our fantastic. Connor is taking Nevada to meet his mother, and boy I have NEVER seen Nevada like this. She is so nervous and almost scared and its hilarious. I felt such a kinship to her in the beginning here, because I am sure everyone has these moments. And boy the meeting was SO GOOD. I just was laughing and crying so hard, you see how well Rogan takes care of his mother, not that she needs it, but they have a close bond. We get to meet his family but then something goes terribly wrong and Catalina is brought in to save the day and find the true culprits that are trying to sabatoge the wedding. We see some fun family dynamics, the complexities of dealing with a picky bride, and seeing  a more focused spotlight on Catalina. This is such a short sweet book that carries on this wonderful world and you just know that this writing team will deliver. I had a blast with this novella and if you are fan of the series or Ilona Andrews...you need to grab it up!! Overall I found Diamond Fire to be thrilling, packed with intrigue and barrels of laugh...A LIVELY READ!!

Give me the full-lenght book now, pls.

Previous rating: 3.5 stars. New rating: 3.53245869 stars. Go me and stuff. ➽ And the moral of this reread is: I’m so in 💕lurve💕 with Nevada’s MY dragony lovely mother in law that I’m seriously thinking of asking her to marry me. Which might a teensy little bit awkward given that she’s my deliciously tactile husband’s mommy, but they both have very open minds, so I’m pretty fairly reasonable certainly sure they won’t, um, you know, mind and stuff. So here goes and stuff: There’s no way the Tactile Mum can resist such a Superbly Extra Sexey Sensible Loving Face (SESSLF™), if you ask me. So expect to receive the wedding invites by NSCPS (Nefariously Speedy Crustacean Postal Service) pronto, my Little Barnacles. P.S. I want a Runa + Leon spinoff. I might unleash my murderous children on the Mostest Awesomest Authorlords if doesn’t happen post haste. But hey, no pressure and stuff. · Book 1: Burn for Me ★★★★★ · Book 2: White Hot ★★★★★ · Book 3: Wildfire ★★★★★ · Book 4: Sapphire Flames ★★★ · Book 5: Emerald Blaze ★★★ · Book 6: Ruby Fever - to be released 2022 [Original review] Actual rating: 3.5 pathetic stars. I nearly almost rated it 3.345862 stars and a half but then thought that if I did the Mostest Awesomest Authorlords might force me to relinquish my harem rights over the Scourge of Mexico, so I didn’t. It is a truth universally acknowledged that I read this novella wrong and have Despicable Book Taste (DBT™). There, I said it. Happy now? Moving on and stuff. Okay. So. When I started this book, I had no particular expectations. I mean, I was somewhat kind of excited at the prospect of reading a new instalment in this series (which I like a little), especially since it was supposed to be about my wedding to the Yummy Butcher of Merida. (He was supposed to marry someone else, you say? Don’t be ridiculous now, Mr Tactile and my little nefarious self have been affianced for decades and our nuptials were announced eons ago. Didn’t you get the invite and stuff?). In short, I very logically assumed that because this was IA and because this was Hidden Legacy, I could expect to experience something akin to this: Don’t ask. The thing is, I never stopped to think how the change in POV from Nevada to Catalina might affect the tone of the story, and how different it would be from previous instalments in the series as a result. (Goes to show you can be both utterly nefarious and ever-so-slightly harebrained.) And after reading three stupendously scrumpalicious books written from a kick-ass, independent, strong, adult woman's perspective (Nevada might be only in her mid-twenties, but she is much, much more mature than your average female UF juvenile nitwit lead of the same age), the switch to Catalina’s POV was a bit, err, you know, um, unsettling and stuff. Don’t get me wrong (or do, it’s not like I'm going to lose any sleep over it and stuff), I don’t dislike Catalina as a character, but she doesn’t make a convincing lead for me. Not yet, anyway. She is too young, too inexperienced and isn’t that charismatic, to be honest. Yes, I know, this is a bridge story and the next instalment will take place three years in the future, so Catalina should be more mature and a solid MC in it. In the meantime, she isn’t, and this novella feels revoltingly YA-ish as a result. You got that right, Hot Stuff. This might not be a problem for most of you, Little Barnacles, but I happen to think that YA should be outlawed, so you can imagine how I felt when reading this story. (Then again, maybe not. I mean, I’ve heard that barnacles have zero imagination and stuff, so...) Of course, this novella being Mostest Awesomest Authorlords-type YA, it’s entertaining and enjoyable and fun and stuff, and didn’t repulse me like awakens-the-homicidal-in-me-type YA usually does. So yay and stuff. The story itself was alright, if a bit lite and decaf and GMO-free by IA standards. I have nothing against tiaras or overabundant Spanish relatives (I have a few of those myself and haven’t unleashed the murderous crustaceans on them. Yet) but I can’t say the plot was particularly gripping. Also, its resolution was slightly very meh. One of the things that bothered me most is the way Nevada and Rogan are portrayed in the novella. YES, I KNOW, we are seeing them through Catalina’s eyes, which explains why they would seem different than what we are used to, but it doesn’t account for the fact that they sometimes act like they had personality transplants. My Scourge of Mexico mostly acts detached and indifferent, as if he didn’t give a fish about the life-threatening situation his family and wedding guests are in. (But apparently I read this extremely wrong, and we are to assume he wasn’t as uninterested as he appeared, and involved in a way we aren’t aware of, so don’t mind me and stuff.) And don’t get me started about Nevada Bridezilla. Most Some people seem to think that it’s natural for all women to lose their mind while they’re preparing their wedding *eyeroll*, which implies that we shouldn’t be surprised to see Nevada act this way *eyerolling intensifies*, but: 1) They are wrong. 2) I don’t agree with their wrong opinion. 3) Sexist crap is sexist. 4) Notwithstanding what most some people think, the way Nevada sometimes behaves in this story is completely out of character. (I personally think that the real Nevada was abducted by villainous aliens and replaced by a malevolent clone, just so you know.) “Is there a point to this GIF,” you ask? No, why? Should there be? Now let’s pretend I didn’t write any of the moderately negative above-mentioned stuff and that you didn’t read it (you couldn’t have, since I didn’t write it), and focus on the good stuff: ① Catalina’s Siren powers: they are Slightly Very Wondrous (SVW™) so I’m stealing them from her and stuff. They will greatly help me in my nefarious undertakings, methinks. ② My new mommy-in-law, Arrosa: I fell in 💕lurve💕 with her at “Connor Ander Rogan” (and the subsequent “Yes, Mother” she got from my dearly beloved). Also, she kicks major derriere. So QED and stuff. ③ Leon: I’m demanding (very politely, of course) a Dark Horse spin-off. In which Leon will be 40+ years old so I don’t feel like a total creep for lusting after him. Thank thee kindly, Mostest Awesomest Authorlords. ④ Runa Etterson and her yummy magic: I might possibly maybe want to be her and have her delicious powers when I grow up. Perhaps. Because poison makes everything cooler. Ergo Magus Venenata = ➽ And the moral of this You I Might Have Read This Wrong Not Entirely Right But It’s Okay You Are I Am Entitled To Your Erroneous My Almost Nearly Legitimate Opinion Crappy Non Review (YIMHRTWNERBIOYAIAETYEMYNLOCNR™) is: a good thing I had planned to write a short review for this novella. Had I decided to write a long one, Catalina’s great great grandkids would have been old enough to have great great grandkids by the time I finished. So go me and stuff. [Pre-review nonsense] Most shameful, lamest rating EVER for a Mostest Awesomest Authorlords (MAA™) book, I know. BUT. I have a very valid excuse here. (Of course I do. Who do you take me for, anyway? A second-class villain or something?) I am NOT the one who read and rated this book. Nope nope nope. My Evil Twin of the Despicable Book Taste (ETotDBT™) did. Ha. Explains a lot, doesn't it? I knew you’d understand, my Comely Decapods. Ha again. ➽ Full Don’t Blame Me Blame The Despicable One Crappy Non Review (DBMBTDOCNR™) to come. ➽ September 7, 2018: non-spoilery excerpt from chapter one available here!!! ➽ July 8, 2018: the book is officially finished! Time for a Tiny Yet Yummy We Lurves Leon Snippet (TYYWLLS™)!! ➽ July 1, 2018: we have a cover!!! ➽ June 22, 2018: it's Snippety Snippet Day! ➽ May 31, 2018: all hail the very first Diamond Fire Snippet! ➽ May 2, 2018: It’s official!!!!!!! We have a title!!!!!!!!!!! ➽ April 30, 2018: we have a tentative title! It's Diamond Fire! And we should have a cover posthaste! Wheeeeeee and stuff!!!!! ➽ April 21, 2018: If you want to know more about tactile stuff the upcoming Hidden Legacy novels (don’t know why anyone would but what can I say, people are weird sometimes) follow the yellow brick road click on this link and stuff. You are quite welcome. ➽ April 19, 2018: I think there might perhaps be a very minor announcement on the blog. Maybe. Not sure though. I'll just copy/paste it here so you can judge for your little selves and stuff: "Three more novels in Ilona Andrews' Hidden Legacy series, focusing on the emerging powers and personalities of previously-introduced House Baylor family members, for publication starting in fall 2019, plus a novella to bridge the gap, published by Avon Impulse in November 2018." Did I just die and go to shrimpy heaven? I think I just died and went to shrimpy heaven. Either that or my daily puny human sacrifices to the Most Glorious Authorlords finally paid off nightly prayers to Saint Shrimp have finally been answered. P.S. Don't tell anyone, but I think two virtual unknowns just invited us to their tactile wedding in November: Ooops, sorry, wrong invite. Now that's more like it. What. Shrimping. Huh? Hell. Stinking. Bloody. Fish. Real. Thing. This. Damn. Is??!!! Date. Release. There. Is??!! Pre-order. For. It. Up. Is??!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

Ilona Andrews does Poirot, House Baylor-style. Full review to come. I’m a humongous Ilona Andrews fan. I’ve been reading their Kate Daniels series since the first book came out in 2007, and I’ve happily consumed their Edge and Innkeeper novels as well. My favorite, however, is their latest series, Hidden Legacy. I adored Nevada, her strong moral compass and her dedication to her family, so while I’m sad we’re moving on to a new character, I’m also excited to learn more about Catalina and the rest of House Baylor. This novella is meant as a bridge between Nevada’s novels and Catalina’s novels, so while the prequel is from Nevada’s point of view, the rest of the story is from Catalina’s POV. The best way I can describe this is “Ilona Andrews does Poirot.” A Rogan family heirloom has gone missing, and the only possible perps are the members of Rogan’s extended family, who are staying at his mom’s mansion in advance of the wedding. Nevada’s busy being a bridezilla in the most Nevada-way possible, so Mrs. Rogan enlists Catalina’s help, and what ensues is a ridiculously fun investigation, Baylor-style, that gives us a taste of Catalina’s unique style and also manages to tie up a few loose plot threads. Catalina shares many of the Baylor family characteristics with Nevada – her commitment to family and doing what’s right, even if it’s difficult, for starters. The similarities end there. While Nevada, as the oldest, has been shouldering the family’s burdens since her father died, Catalina, due to her Siren magic, has been much more sheltered. While we got a bit of that in the previous novels, the full ramifications of her gift are explored more here. Catalina is a very different young woman than Nevada, but she is just as kickass. The plot moves along quickly, with lots of hurdles to overcome, from a possible poisoning attempt to finding a bedazzler for Rogan’s niece’s stuffed unicorn. There was one particular plot thread left dangling that I had a major quibble with at the end of the third book, as it felt like was more specific to Nevada and Rogan than the overarching “Primes will take over the world!” plot line, and that’s finally wrapped up here. My one criticism – there are so many characters for a novella of this size! Even with the family tree at the front of the book, I had issues keeping the characters straight. I can’t help but wishing this was a full-length novel, but I understand the constraints behind that. For one thing, there’s not much here in the way of romance, besides the obvious romantic setting of a wedding, though for very good reasons in Catalina’s case. I think a lot of people would’ve been confused by a whodunit mystery smack dab in the middle of a romance series. It does appear to set up Catalina’s romantic interest for the next novels, and I am ALL IN for that couple! Overall, this was a delightful cherry on top to Nevada and Rogan’s HEA, and a deft handover to Catalina. I am ever so excited to see what comes next for her! I received this book for free from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

4.5 I loved the mini-mystery in the wedding prep setting! It may be a bit too premature to state this but I think Catalina is going to be a fantastic MC in the next HL trilogy. Her powers are fascinating and I'm looking forward to her development as a character. It was a cool set-up and I'm looking forward to having more of Mrs Rogan around. Ilona Andrews has a gift when it comes to crafting charming, interesting, fleshed-out secondary characters without breaking pace or taking the spotlight away from the main threads of the story, and even in a short compact story such as this one, all the characters still manage to shine.

I put off reading this novella forever. I just couldn't accept the change to Catalina's POV when Nevada and Rogan were the couple who drew me in to the Hidden Legacy series. Thankfully my last reread of the first 3 books had me far more intrigued by Catalina and I was excited to see how this quiet sister would hold up with the focus on her. If this novella is anything to go by I'll have a great time. She may be quiet but doesn't make her any less strong than her sister. Actually makes her interesting as she surprised me either personality. I mean a novella is never going to have a groundbreaking story but Ilona Andrews have proven they write good novellas with some of their Kate Daniels ones and this was no different. It was a fun story which provided a good transition to the next trilogy and introduced us properly to Catalina. It showed us her skills and let us see Nevada and Rogan finally get married. Also loved Nevada was a bit of a nightmare bride not because she's a bridezilla but just hates not having control in the process.

The story began with Nevada panicking about meeting her future mother-in-law. We see Catalina being asked by Alessandro to go for a ride. She is refusing, as she believes her magic is responsible for his being attentive to her. Fast forward two months and two weeks later Catalina and Arabella are planning Nevada’s wedding. In the midst of the planning, Connor’s mom approaches Catalina requesting she locate the tiara she wants Nevada to wear at the wedding. She believes a member of her family is responsible for it being missing. What follows is a tale of intrigue as Catalina digs deep and uses her magic, something she has avoided for fear of its adverse effects on persons, but drastic times call for drastic measures. To save her sister’s wedding she will have to wield the big guns. I enjoyed seeing Catalina in action. She can surely hold her own. She is definitely not someone to mess around with, as one particular wedding guest would discover. I also enjoyed meeting Rogan’s mom. She is awesome. The way she embraced Nevada and her family was heartwarming. Diamond Fire is a well-written story filled with fun moments that had me smiling from ear to ear. Betrayal, greed and hate was centre stage. I could not wait to know who wanted to sabotage the wedding. It was a delight watching Catalina uncover the treachery. Conclusion/Recommendation This is a great addition to the series. I eagerly await the next full-length novel, as I would love more information on Catalina. This is not one to miss.

A lovely novella, perfect to bridge the Hidden Legacy series from Nevada and Rogan to Catalina and her arc! I loved getting a chapter in Nevada and Rogan's POV, then switching over to Catalina. The mystery was fun, and just fraught enough to be high stakes, but nothing where it threatened the loves of my heart's wedding for real. I'm so very interested to see Catalina's journey, cannot wait for Sapphire Flames!

I absolutely loved Diamond Fire. I'm sad that we won't be getting more of Nevada and Rogan, but I'm so happy with the way their story ended. This novella is the perfect setup for the spinoff series – now I'm dying for more of Catalina (and possibly Alessandro)!! Review to come! Thanks to the publisher for generously providing me an ARC to review.