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Available
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Series
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Publication
Avon (2020), 384 pages
Description
Fantasy. Fiction. Romance. HTML: Ilona Andrews, #1 New York Times bestselling author, continues her spellbinding series set in the Hidden Legacy world where magic controls everything...except the hearts of those who wield it. 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.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member Cats57
I have always considered myself one of the Andrew's team top fans. I'm very nearly a 'squee girl'. Rarely; very rarely do I not love and adore one of their books. Unfortunately, with this and the last edition being more teenaged based, I am not a happy camper.
The dissatisfaction I had with the
I will be re-reading this book (and series), but it may not end up on my 'comfort reads' shelf like the Kate Daniel's series! We shall see with the next book. I have high hopes, and the Andrews team has never let me down yet!
*ARC supplied by the publisher and author.
The dissatisfaction I had with the
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growth (at least at the beginning) of the character's in this book aside, the rest of this book is an exciting, action-filled, plot-driven story. There is a great mystery, and the ending is nearly mind-boggling. I'm not totally thrilled with the sort of cliff-hanger, but with this series, it has come to be expected.I will be re-reading this book (and series), but it may not end up on my 'comfort reads' shelf like the Kate Daniel's series! We shall see with the next book. I have high hopes, and the Andrews team has never let me down yet!
*ARC supplied by the publisher and author.
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LibraryThing member LisCarey
Catalina Baylor and her sisters are Prime magic users, possessing impressive powers. One of their grandmothers, Victoria Tremaine, would love to control those powers, and is less inconvenienced than one might think by the fact that she's locked up in a prison for magical offenders.
But that's not
One of the Primes involved, Felix Morton, has been murdered. His father, Lander Morton, is not actively involved in the project, but is the major source of funding. He wants his son's killer not just found, but killed. He's hired an assassin to do the killing, and an investigative firm to find the killer. Linus Duncan, the Warden of Texas, has ordered Catalina to take over the case. And she's to do it without revealing to Lander Morton or the other Primes involved in the project that she's the Deputy Warden.
Oh, the assassin Morton has hired is Alessandro Sagredo, the handsome Italian who broke Catalina's heart not many months back.
But Alessandro has his own reasons for wanting to be in Houston and working with Catalina. Someone is out to get Catalina, and will attack other members of her family to get her distracted and vulnerable. He had his reasons for leaving her behind, but he has no intention of letting her be killed.
Soon Catalina is juggling a major investigation, an attempt to kill her and possibly destroy her family, her distrust of Alessandro, and her grandmother's manipulation of her and threats against the granddaughter she feels betrayed her, Catalina's very pregnant sister, Nevada.
This is number five in a series, but while there were a few points where it took me a moment to catch up, overall I was able to follow it and enjoy the story. Catalina, her family (well, not Victoria Tremaine), and the family friends are likable and interesting. It's fun finding out what Alessandro is really up to, and several of the Primes involved in reclaiming the Pit are better people than I initially expected them to be.
Who murdered Felix Morton, and why, turns out to be the tip of a dangerous iceberg.
Worth noting here that the magic system has real rules and limitations that make it definitely not just a form of cheating.
Recommended.
I received a free electronic galley of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, and am reviewing it voluntarily.
But that's not
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Catalina's most pressing problem right now. The Warden of Texas, responsible for the enforcement of laws governing the use of magic, hired Catalina as his Deputy six months ago. He's now giving her a very big job. Five Primes, of different Houses and of varied talents, have formed a company to clean out and redevelop the Pit, a sort of magical brownfields site in Houston. This would be very profitable, if they can pull it off.One of the Primes involved, Felix Morton, has been murdered. His father, Lander Morton, is not actively involved in the project, but is the major source of funding. He wants his son's killer not just found, but killed. He's hired an assassin to do the killing, and an investigative firm to find the killer. Linus Duncan, the Warden of Texas, has ordered Catalina to take over the case. And she's to do it without revealing to Lander Morton or the other Primes involved in the project that she's the Deputy Warden.
Oh, the assassin Morton has hired is Alessandro Sagredo, the handsome Italian who broke Catalina's heart not many months back.
But Alessandro has his own reasons for wanting to be in Houston and working with Catalina. Someone is out to get Catalina, and will attack other members of her family to get her distracted and vulnerable. He had his reasons for leaving her behind, but he has no intention of letting her be killed.
Soon Catalina is juggling a major investigation, an attempt to kill her and possibly destroy her family, her distrust of Alessandro, and her grandmother's manipulation of her and threats against the granddaughter she feels betrayed her, Catalina's very pregnant sister, Nevada.
This is number five in a series, but while there were a few points where it took me a moment to catch up, overall I was able to follow it and enjoy the story. Catalina, her family (well, not Victoria Tremaine), and the family friends are likable and interesting. It's fun finding out what Alessandro is really up to, and several of the Primes involved in reclaiming the Pit are better people than I initially expected them to be.
Who murdered Felix Morton, and why, turns out to be the tip of a dangerous iceberg.
Worth noting here that the magic system has real rules and limitations that make it definitely not just a form of cheating.
Recommended.
I received a free electronic galley of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, and am reviewing it voluntarily.
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LibraryThing member Narilka
Emerald Blaze is the fifth book in the Hidden Legacy series by Ilona Andrews and the second of Catalina's trilogy. Even more over-the-top action ensues as House Baylor finds itself under attack when Catalina, through her role as Deputy Warden for the state of Texas, is sent to investigate the
Good grief there is a lot of teenage angst in this installment. The way Catalina has matured in her role as head of house it's hard to remember she's only 21 right up until Alessandro enters the picture. Then it's hard to remember she's not 16. I understand why it happens, as a way show the emotional growth of both characters, but boy was it painful to read. At least we get Alesasndro's background finally.The fact that they get their HEA with one more Catalina book to go seems kind of early. Makes me wonder how Andrews will add tension back into the relationship in book 6.
That main gripe aside, this was a pretty fun book. The mystery was fairly simple for our characters to solve yet difficult to resolve. It takes most of the book for the heroes to plan out how to deal with the situation with minimal impact to Houston. I absolutely love the Baylor family and it was great spending time with them all again. Even Nevada and Rogan make an appearance! That epilogue was downright creepy and provides a nice hook for the remainder of the series.
As with the previous book it safe to say that if you're a fan of the series you are likely to enjoy this book. I know I did even with all the angst.
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suspicious death of Felix Morton, Prime of house Morton. His four business partners, all Primes of their own houses, are suspects and there is something odd going on in the Pit Reclamation project they are working on. To complicate matters, Alessandro Sagredo is assigned to guard Catalina during the case and they are forced to work together no matter how much it pains her.Good grief there is a lot of teenage angst in this installment. The way Catalina has matured in her role as head of house it's hard to remember she's only 21 right up until Alessandro enters the picture. Then it's hard to remember she's not 16. I understand why it happens, as a way show the emotional growth of both characters, but boy was it painful to read. At least we get Alesasndro's background finally.
That main gripe aside, this was a pretty fun book. The mystery was fairly simple for our characters to solve yet difficult to resolve. It takes most of the book for the heroes to plan out how to deal with the situation with minimal impact to Houston. I absolutely love the Baylor family and it was great spending time with them all again. Even Nevada and Rogan make an appearance! That epilogue was downright creepy and provides a nice hook for the remainder of the series.
As with the previous book it safe to say that if you're a fan of the series you are likely to enjoy this book. I know I did even with all the angst.
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LibraryThing member kmartin802
Catalina Baylor has gotten over her broken heart from when Alessandro Sagredo left after their case together. Or, at least, she has managed to convincer her family that she is over it. But when a Prime is murdered and his father hires Alessandro to kill the one who killed his son and Catalina has
Alessandro knows that the man who murdered his father when he was a young boy has added Catalina to his hit list. Alessandro has been tracking him for years; that's why he left Catalina after their case together. Now he is determined to protect Catalina from that man no matter what the difficulties might be.
The man who has added Catalina to his list isn't opposed to targeting her family to get to her. When an attempt to out her sister Arabella fails and an attempt to get her cousin Leon arrested for murder, Catalina knows she has to solve her case and find him to keep her family safe.
The murder victim was part of a group who were trying to reclaim an area in Houston that is called the Pit and, besides being a swamp, is contaminated with all sorts of magical residue. Catalina is attacked by residents of the Pit on a few occasions and barely manages to escape. It becomes even worse when she learns that the Pit itself is an entity that was dosed with an illicit serum that was the original cause of the magic and psychic talents that some people have. The serum was declared illegal and should all have been destroyed but a few samples are still around and the Wardens need to collect and destroy all of them before some idiots create chaos again.
I liked the story and love the worldbuilding. Catalina is a great character who is smart, talented, and driven to take care of her family. I liked her growing relationship with Alessandro despite the legions of reasons why a relationship could never work. I also really like Catalina's relationship with her family and the respect and caring they all have for each other.
Fans of this series won't want to miss this latest episode.
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to find the murderer as a part of her job as Deputy Warden of Texas, the two of them need to work together.Alessandro knows that the man who murdered his father when he was a young boy has added Catalina to his hit list. Alessandro has been tracking him for years; that's why he left Catalina after their case together. Now he is determined to protect Catalina from that man no matter what the difficulties might be.
The man who has added Catalina to his list isn't opposed to targeting her family to get to her. When an attempt to out her sister Arabella fails and an attempt to get her cousin Leon arrested for murder, Catalina knows she has to solve her case and find him to keep her family safe.
The murder victim was part of a group who were trying to reclaim an area in Houston that is called the Pit and, besides being a swamp, is contaminated with all sorts of magical residue. Catalina is attacked by residents of the Pit on a few occasions and barely manages to escape. It becomes even worse when she learns that the Pit itself is an entity that was dosed with an illicit serum that was the original cause of the magic and psychic talents that some people have. The serum was declared illegal and should all have been destroyed but a few samples are still around and the Wardens need to collect and destroy all of them before some idiots create chaos again.
I liked the story and love the worldbuilding. Catalina is a great character who is smart, talented, and driven to take care of her family. I liked her growing relationship with Alessandro despite the legions of reasons why a relationship could never work. I also really like Catalina's relationship with her family and the respect and caring they all have for each other.
Fans of this series won't want to miss this latest episode.
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LibraryThing member phyllis2779
Great follow-up book in the Hidden Legacy series. Lots of action and suspense and two very strong lead characters. I will definitely be looking forward to the next one.
LibraryThing member quondame
A perfectly fine potato chip book. What you expect is what you get. Magic, love, and messy family fun. Chomp chomp.
LibraryThing member krau0098
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
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.
Story (5/5): This story is absolutely amazing. Someone has been using the Osiris serum illegally and Catalina is given this case to
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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.
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LibraryThing member Carolesrandomlife
I really enjoyed this book! I have been a big fan of this series from the start and really everything Ilona Andrews writes for a very long time so I went into this book expecting to love it so I was very pleased that it was just as good as I had hoped. I usually read any Ilona Andrews book in quick
The story starts off with a bang and the excitement held until the very end. I love how creative some of the enemies are in this series. As I read this book, I was reminded by just how well done the world-building in the series has been. It was really easy to slip into this story and focus on the mystery at hand and this mystery really kept me guessing. I had no idea how Catalina and Alessandro would pull it off but I knew that it would be fun to watch.
Catalina is a great character and I feel like she has grown a lot in this installment. She heads House Baylor efficiently and with authority and she is willing to make any sacrifices necessary to protect her family. She also plans to protect her heart, namely from Alessandro. Alessandro was more of a mystery to me. I liked him coming into this book and thought that his abilities were impressive but I feel like he opened up a bit in this book. I do think that he is the perfect match for Catalina and I hope to really see some sparks fly in the next installment.
I would highly recommend this book to others. This was just a fun read. It was great to catch up with all of the key players from the series, including Nevada and Mad Rogan. The mystery in this book was very well done and the characters were easy to care about. I cannot wait to read more from this talented writing pair soon!
I received a digital review copy of this book from Avon Books via Edelweiss.
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order just as soon as it makes its way to my hands but I was forced to take my time with this book due to things going on in the rest of my life and I think it was actually really nice to savor this story one piece at a time. I looked forward to the time that I did have to dedicate to this story and I found it to be a fantastic read.The story starts off with a bang and the excitement held until the very end. I love how creative some of the enemies are in this series. As I read this book, I was reminded by just how well done the world-building in the series has been. It was really easy to slip into this story and focus on the mystery at hand and this mystery really kept me guessing. I had no idea how Catalina and Alessandro would pull it off but I knew that it would be fun to watch.
Catalina is a great character and I feel like she has grown a lot in this installment. She heads House Baylor efficiently and with authority and she is willing to make any sacrifices necessary to protect her family. She also plans to protect her heart, namely from Alessandro. Alessandro was more of a mystery to me. I liked him coming into this book and thought that his abilities were impressive but I feel like he opened up a bit in this book. I do think that he is the perfect match for Catalina and I hope to really see some sparks fly in the next installment.
I would highly recommend this book to others. This was just a fun read. It was great to catch up with all of the key players from the series, including Nevada and Mad Rogan. The mystery in this book was very well done and the characters were easy to care about. I cannot wait to read more from this talented writing pair soon!
I received a digital review copy of this book from Avon Books via Edelweiss.
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LibraryThing member samnreader
read, 2020_08, fantasy, really-just-ok, romance
I guess my problem lies with this arc not deciding what it is. It reads more action, the fantasy leaves me a little meh, and it remains confusing as a romance. I guess I'd file it under not romance.
Catalina was better fleshed out. I don't know if I'm
I guess my problem lies with this arc not deciding what it is. It reads more action, the fantasy leaves me a little meh, and it remains confusing as a romance. I guess I'd file it under not romance.
Catalina was better fleshed out. I don't know if I'm
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going to continue... Show Less
LibraryThing member murderbydeath
I’m a fan of this series, but admittedly I prefer Nevada and Connor over Catalina and Alessandro. Even so, this was a lot of fun to read and I was fascinated by the Abyss. What I appreciated most though, was that Andrews didn’t drag out the romantic interest story line; I expected another ‘Oh
As a bonus, Nevada and Connor played a part in this story, although it was much too small, and a lot of backstory was filled in about Nevada’s split from the family.
All up it was a fun story I was disappointed to see come to an end. I hope there will be more with Catalina as the central character if only because I’m hugely intrigued by the Warden role and Linus.
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no! Will the couple ever find true happiness?’ cliffhangers, but instead it was all wrapped up rather neatly a little past midway. Nice. This allowed me to more fully enjoy the actual plot of the story, which involved a lot of fighting and magic using, which I prefer to the romance.As a bonus, Nevada and Connor played a part in this story, although it was much too small, and a lot of backstory was filled in about Nevada’s split from the family.
All up it was a fun story I was disappointed to see come to an end. I hope there will be more with Catalina as the central character if only because I’m hugely intrigued by the Warden role and Linus.
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LibraryThing member jennybeast
Delightful! I’ve been waiting for this one and it did not disappoint. Picks up right where the last let off, and the action doesn’t slow down.
Advanced readers copy provided by edelweiss.
Advanced readers copy provided by edelweiss.
LibraryThing member Glennis.LeBlanc
Review to come. This series and it’s epilogues.
This book is set six months after the previous one. Catalina is doing Warden work alongside cases for Baylor Investigations. Alessandro shows up again hired publicly to find out who killed his client’s son. Lander Morton was working with 4 other
Digital review copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley
This book is set six months after the previous one. Catalina is doing Warden work alongside cases for Baylor Investigations. Alessandro shows up again hired publicly to find out who killed his client’s son. Lander Morton was working with 4 other
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Houses to reclaim the Pit. He was murdered and there are no obvious suspects. Thanks to some creatures that attacked both Duncan and Catalina the Wardens are now involved. The mystery is good and the romance between Catalina and Alessandro really heat up. Also the epilogue kills it. There is also someone from the novella, Diamond Fire that shows up but you don’t have to read that one before this one. But read them all because they are great. Digital review copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley
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LibraryThing member Lauren2013
Emerald Blaze
4 Stars
Set six months after the events of the previous book, Catalina Baylor, the newly minted deputy Warden of Texas, is tasked with investigating the murder of a Prime in the area known only as the Pit. Unfortunately, she must once again work with Alessandro Sagredo, who has been
Once again, this installment illustrates the Andrews' exceptional world-building skills and characterization. The mystery is also compelling, and the eventual explanation and resolution are intense and exciting.
Unfortunately, the book suffers from two problems. To begin with, the first-person narration places irritating restraints on the plot. Any event to which Catalina is not witness takes place off-page, and this includes important plot threads, such asthe events following Nevada and Rogan's takedown of Adam Pearce , as well as significant characterization, for example, Alessandro's vendetta against Arkan . As a result, there is too much telling and not enough showing.
The second issue is Catalina and Alessandro's romance. Their relationship in the previous book had barely gotten started, and yet from Catalina and the other Baylors' reactions, one would think he had left her at the alter. It is all very exaggerated. Moreover, their chemistry is still rather flat, and as a couple, they are a pale imitation of Kate and Curran and Nevada and Rogan.
Despite these issues, the superb world-building, compelling characters, interesting twists and hints at revelations to come keep me coming back.
4 Stars
Set six months after the events of the previous book, Catalina Baylor, the newly minted deputy Warden of Texas, is tasked with investigating the murder of a Prime in the area known only as the Pit. Unfortunately, she must once again work with Alessandro Sagredo, who has been
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hired by the man's family. As both Catalina and Alessandro come to terms with their rocky relationship, they learn that a powerful force in the Pit threatens humanity's very existence. Will they be able to stop it in time?Once again, this installment illustrates the Andrews' exceptional world-building skills and characterization. The mystery is also compelling, and the eventual explanation and resolution are intense and exciting.
Unfortunately, the book suffers from two problems. To begin with, the first-person narration places irritating restraints on the plot. Any event to which Catalina is not witness takes place off-page, and this includes important plot threads, such as
The second issue is Catalina and Alessandro's romance. Their relationship in the previous book had barely gotten started, and yet from Catalina and the other Baylors' reactions, one would think he had left her at the alter. It is all very exaggerated. Moreover, their chemistry is still rather flat, and as a couple, they are a pale imitation of Kate and Curran and Nevada and Rogan.
Despite these issues, the superb world-building, compelling characters, interesting twists and hints at revelations to come keep me coming back.
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LibraryThing member amberwitch
I keep coming back to this series, as I generally like Ilona Andrews, and the concept and world building is intriguing. However, the paranormal romance aspect just does not do it for me at all. I don't care about the angst and pain the characters are suffering for their romantic involvement, I
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don't care about the carnal lust they are feeling or the actual sex they are engaging in. Show Less
LibraryThing member wyvernfriend
Would probably have given this more if this wasn't the first of this series that I've read.
Catalina Baylor's grandmother is power hungry and Catalina finds herself and several of the other local houses having to discover which one is trying to backstab hard, it's her job as deputy to the Warden of
It's several books into a series but I did think it stood on it's own quite well and made me want to read more in this world.
Catalina Baylor's grandmother is power hungry and Catalina finds herself and several of the other local houses having to discover which one is trying to backstab hard, it's her job as deputy to the Warden of
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Texas. Plus the sexy assassin Allesandro Sagredo is back and she's not sure what his motives are.It's several books into a series but I did think it stood on it's own quite well and made me want to read more in this world.
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LibraryThing member comfypants
B+ (Very good).
A magical Texas ranger investigates a murder. This book's a lot of fun, but I felt like it could have been 100 pages longer - too much cool stuff is over as soon as it happens.
(Dec. 2023)
A magical Texas ranger investigates a murder. This book's a lot of fun, but I felt like it could have been 100 pages longer - too much cool stuff is over as soon as it happens.
(Dec. 2023)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2020-08-25
Physical description
6.63 inches
ISBN
0062878360 / 9780062878366
Local notes
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.