Andrews - Sapphire Flames [Sept 3, 2019]

[Angela, I'm Silverfox lost]

Buddy read starts 3rd September.

[Karishma]

Spot!

[Timelord Iain]

Always in...

[Narilka]

In. Can't wait :)

[Charlie]

Excited for this!!

[Timelord Iain]

Downloading now... gonna start early, for sure... need a UF fix that's new to me :)

Still waiting for Sweep the Blade to come out on audio :(

[Loriidae]

Timelord Iain wrote: "Downloading now... gonna start early, for sure... need a UF fix that's new to me :)

Still waiting for Sweep the Blade to come out on audio :("

I was looking for a time frame on their website but of course it's all about this new release.

[Narilka]

I'm starting just as soon as I finish my current read. Tomorrow or Monday is my guess.

[Timelord Iain]

@Loriidae: they said 6-8 weeks back in July when the ebook came out...

[Karishma]

I finished this today morning, can't wait to see what you all think about it!

[Timelord Iain]

Karishma wrote: "I finished this today morning, can't wait to see what you all think about it!"

Runa: (view spoiler)[the second she returned, I wondered if she would join the firm like Cornelius... (hide spoiler)]

The dog: (view spoiler)[ the second s/he was introduced, I was waiting for it to have transformation magic like every other Ilona Andrews' animal... (hide spoiler)]

Alessandro: (view spoiler)[ Not sure how I feel about his transformation, early on... seems like a conscious effort to make Catalina/Alessandro more like Nevada/Rogan... (hide spoiler)]

^^^ These are all first feelings, safe to read early on... ^^^

Tremayne Face: annoying phrase...

Tremayne herself: (view spoiler)[ this scene really reminded me of Roland, and has me wondering if Alessandro is going to pull a Curran and leave his House for House Baylor... (hide spoiler)]

Linus: (view spoiler)[these developments really muddy the waters, considering the open belief among readers/fans that he is Caesar... should be interesting, either way... (hide spoiler)]

Nevada: (view spoiler)[I really missed her in the book... hopefully she appears more in the next ones, and isn't always conveniently in another country... I can understand the need to distance Catalina from Nevada, and let her grow into her own for readers... and the way Catalina's powers have grown, I'm unsure Nevada's truthseeker powers are really needed... but still... (hide spoiler)]

Grandma Frieda: (view spoiler)[I love that she's trying to knit, now, lol... (hide spoiler)]

Arabella: have we ever been told how big her Beastform is before? (view spoiler)[I didn't realize she was near on the size of Godzilla... I'd love to see her laughing towards the end of the book, lol... (hide spoiler)]

The epilogue: (view spoiler)[damn these books for dropping teasers... sounds like Alessandro and his sister are separate from their family... I wonder if they're hunting their father... it definitely sounded like Alessandro rigged the conversation so Catalina would take it the opposite way he meant it... Catalina thinks he thinks she isn't good enough to meet his family, but really it's the opposite... (hide spoiler)]

^^^ These should be read towards the end of the book... ^^^

[Charlie]

Ooh exciting! I haven't started yet so must NOT click the spoilers.

[Charlie]

Amazon is holding my paperback hostage, according to them, it doesn't release until Sep 5th (even though the ebook is out now!) so I won't get it until Friday. Gutted!

[Narilka]

I started last night and am about 25% in. This is a tricky case Catalina has picked up.

Through Ch 6 (view spoiler)[So glad they kept that opener. It displays Catalina's magic perfectly. The authors had posted an early version on their blog many months back.

AND they worked in references to Arabella's short story about collecting on that payment :D If you haven't read it, it's on their blog here: https://ilona-andrews.com/a-misunders...

Loving how we see more of the various magical abilities. Seems the Andrews are having a blast making them up :)

I'm not sure where Alessandro fits in other than he appears to be some sort of hit man? The dots aren't connecting for me yet.

I hope they can find Runa's sister alive but I have a bad feeling about that. (hide spoiler)]

[Narilka]

Charlie wrote: "Amazon is holding my paperback hostage, according to them, it doesn't release until Sep 5th (even though the ebook is out now!) so I won't get it until Friday. Gutted!"

Ouch, that sucks :(

[Narilka]

Couple pages into Ch 9. Not really a spoiler, but just in case (view spoiler)[I'm such a softie. I love the little dog :) She defeated the rubber hamburger! (hide spoiler)]

[Narilka]

Random comment (view spoiler)[Funny how the Andrews have a thing for Mellow Yellow. Bug love it (Hidden Legacy) and so does Calednia (Innkeeper). (hide spoiler)]

[Narilka]

Another random comment (view spoiler)[I love how they worked in Ilona's love of knitting into Grandma Freida LOL!!! (hide spoiler)]

[Charlie]

Narilka wrote: "Random comment [spoilers removed]"

I have no idea what this is since we don't have it in the UK, I'm assuming (view spoiler)[ some kind of pop but the name just reminds me of warm pee... gross. (hide spoiler)]

[Loriidae]

Charlie, now I am grateful we don't have it in Australia either. :)

[Timelord Iain]

Mello Yello is another citrus soda, similar to Mountain Dew... google shows it's actually meant to be Coke's competitor to Pepsi's Mountain Dew...

[Narilka]

@Charlie & Loriidae (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)]

Hopefully I did that right.

[Timelord Iain]

Mello Yello used to be my soda of choice when going to the movies, before the movie theatres all changed to the touch-screen contraption with all the fruit flavors you can add to sodas at the click of a button... I tried using that thing 2-3x before I decided it was a waste of money, because the flavors leak and make everything taste like ass... now I get an ICEE instead, when I bother going to the movies...

[Charlie]

Timelord Iain wrote: "Mello Yello used to be my soda of choice when going to the movies, before the movie theatres all changed to the touch-screen contraption with all the fruit flavors you can add to sodas at the click..."

So it is essentially lemonade? Because I love lemonade, but I don't think I could drink anything with that name...

[Timelord Iain]

Charlie wrote: "Timelord Iain wrote: "Mello Yello used to be my soda of choice when going to the movies, before the movie theatres all changed to the touch-screen contraption with all the fruit flavors you can add..."

More like essentially Mountain Dew

[Charlie]

Timelord Iain wrote: "Charlie wrote: "Timelord Iain wrote: "Mello Yello used to be my soda of choice when going to the movies, before the movie theatres all changed to the touch-screen contraption with all the fruit fla..."

Never tried Mountain Dew, I'm not even sure you can get it here, I've never looked though. I've realised this whole thread is essentially a pop discussion. I can't wait until my book arrives so I can have something meaningful to say!

[Timelord Iain]

Charlie wrote: "Timelord Iain wrote: "Charlie wrote: "Timelord Iain wrote: "Mello Yello used to be my soda of choice when going to the movies, before the movie theatres all changed to the touch-screen contraption ..."

I have no idea how to describe Mountain Dew... it's one of those flavors invented by soda companies...

I will say, tho, that the very vagueness and poppy aftertaste of Mountain Dew and Dr. Pepper, have what made it possible for me to continue drinking them, since I started exploring Diet Sodas, to still have soda sometimes while avoiding drinking calories (my doctor has me calorie counting now, since I weighed in at nearly 380lbs last month... and I've lost 20lbs already, since I started paying attention to how many calories I take in each day)...

Most Diet Sodas taste weird or too different from the original... but when you can't really pinpoint what the taste is in the first place, the soda companies can work some magic... Mountain Dew has dozens/hundreds of flavor fusions on the shelf these days... Livewire, Voltage, Code Red, Baja Blast, Berry Monsoon, Game Fuel, Supernova, Typhoon, VooDew, etc...

[Narilka]

I finished yesterday. That was over the top fun :)

(view spoiler)[Like Iain mentioned above, I think that Alessandro will abandon his house for House Baylor. Seems like the scene with Treymane set that up nicely.

Speaking of Alessandro... so that epilogue. It mentioned that it was a familiar female voice he was talking to. Makes me think we've met his sister and not even realized it. And I have absolutely no idea who it might be! Maybe before book 5 I'll do a full reread and see if I can figure it out.

I feel bad for Catalina but I'm pretty sure it's just a relationship setback. We haven't seen the last of Alessandro. (hide spoiler)]

[Zaara]

Now I came here because "VooDew" sounds intriguing + I really really REALLY have an insane, delinquent urge to derail this thread for another dozen posts by wearing the dumb face and sweetly asking what an ICEE is...😂😂😂

I had that exact same thought, Charlie!!! What were the folks at Coke thinking bcuz no way in hell I'm putting ANNNNNY'fing called *revolted snort* Mello Yello into my mouth without knowing in detail how the yellow got that way...especially after he described it as being "vague"....
I guess together we nicely grossed Iain out out from drinking his favourite soda for the foreseeable future.
Heh Fin, are you nicely traumatised? Feeling the need to rinse your mouth out with gallons and gallons of water?
*bitchy face*
GOOD!
Congratulations on twenty pounds lost. Well done, man!
[image error]
The Ilona Andrews Grotty Soda Thread is in support and solidarity with your aims and ambitions...

Also Charlie I too love lemonade 🍋🍋🍋...all citrus actually...but now since I'm kinda grossed out myself...won't hurt giving up soda for a bit...mind, it's no big loss for me since I get maybe 2-3 Vanilla Coke in a year.
Never heard of VooDew tho..........

[Timelord Iain]

Zaara wrote: "Now I came here because "VooDew" sounds intriguing + I really
really REALLY
have an insane, delinquent urge to derail this thread for another dozen posts by wearing the dumb face and sweetly as..."

An ICEE is a brand of Slushie drink, where they basically churn ice to keep it drinkable and add flavoring... you can get fruit flavors or soda flavors: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gI-r2...

Most places just have a 3 flavor machine with 2 fruit and a soda... my workplace has Cherry, Blue Raspberry, and Pepsi... the movie theater I go to has Cherry and Mango, I think...

[Timelord Iain]

Zaara wrote: "Now I came here because "VooDew" sounds intriguing + I really
really REALLY
have an insane, delinquent urge to derail this thread for another dozen posts by wearing the dumb face and sweetly as..."

I'm happy with my weight loss... down another 5lbs already, altho I fluctuate... doctor expects my weight loss to slow after 40lbs loss, but to keep going and aim for 60... I figured a month ago, that I would aim for 80 and drop below 300 for the first time since I graduated high school... I was pretty steady at 310 for most of a decade after high school, until my metabolism stopped keeping up...

Next followup with the doctor is in December... he's also watching my blood pressure... has me on meds to lower it... probably won't need the meds if I get my weight down... I'm only 32..................

[Zaara]

Zaara wrote: "wearing the dumb face and sweetly asking what an ICEE is..."

Timelord Iain wrote: "An ICEE is a brand of Slushie drink, where they basically churn ice to keep it drinkable and add flavoring... you can get fruit flavors or soda flavors"

😂😂 lookit this...he actually believed it, sent a link n all...haha where is Anni???

No worries Iain, you'll crush the 80 goal. Everyone here knows how you get once you set yourself a challenge.
You're inexorable.
As Death.

No soda until December then *spit oath handshake* that's easy...not so far away. Altho I still feel I got off really light (kinda like how Iain must've felt when I was superspazzing last year about having ten buddy reads 🙈😱 in a month) since I don't ever get soft drinks that much and meanwhile you'll be tempted everyday at work.
Uhhh stay strong, man. Pull your DeathCloak over your head and resist!!!

Timelord Iain wrote: "has me on meds to lower it... probably won't need the meds if I get my weight down... I'm only 32.................. "

Hmmm. Yes. This was what I thought to myself too. Especially if he has you tracking sodium as well as sodas for a few months.

Oh dear 😂😂😂 if you ever make a S Squared Resistance Spreadsheet with all the pies and bars...share it with the Doc...ok...so he can lend it to other people...I know it'll be useful...

@SirAnni...where ARE you, woman? What do you bet Fibar already has some sort of digi counter/tracker to count cals...track sodium...make gold...find new water sources...run the world......😝

[Timelord Iain]

Zaara wrote: "Zaara wrote: "wearing the dumb face and sweetly asking what an ICEE is..."

Timelord Iain wrote: "An ICEE is a brand of Slushie drink, where they basically churn ice to keep it drinkable and add fl..."

They say diet soda isn't really good for you either, but in a pinch, Diet Mt Dew and Diet Dr Pepper are good for giving you/me that soda taste without tasting weird... they taste enough like the original to be enjoyable... I went on a tasting spree last month buying, trying, and throwing away most Diet XXX and XXX Zero sodas... they have 0-10 calories, similar to diet fruit drinks... I also drink diet Green Tea when I want something other than water... I really just explored the juice and flavored water aisles the last couple years...

Re:tracking: I don't really do too much tracking of calories/etc... I did a lot of research early on, and read the labels a lot more now, but in general, I don't need to write everything down because I eat the same things every day...

Banana + Yogurt in the "morning" is 180 calories

Sandwich is 500-600 calories (with the bread I use and a mayo packet)

Toast OR pre-packaged breakfast you crack an egg into is 200-300 calories (the one you supply your own egg for is healthier than the one where scrambled egg liquid comes in a KCUP) (toast could be less calories if I got lower calorie bread/butter)

Cooked meals are 600-800 calorie servings... eaiest long-term meal is chicken boiled in broth + broccoli + 5 minute rick in that absorbed chicken broth + optional corn/mashed potatoes occasionally... flavored with cheese/BBQ sauce mixed in... sometimes I vary it tho

Oranges are 50 calories each... I tried grapes for awhile but like oranges more...

Cheese puff balls are great low calorie snack, too... 4-5 calories each... a handful at a time are usually enough for me, since they get stuck in my teeth...

That's most of the things I mix and match together into 2000-2300 calories per day...

They should rename this thread NOT Sapphire Flames, lol...

[Zaara]

So he made a list instead....😂😂😂
You just know that if Vriginie were here she would put that sentence with cheese puff balls in bold...
Nah...nobody's here anyway. And this thread/this entire group could do with some good ol' fashioned wake me up chaos from the days of yore...even Satan would agree if he were here....
But he isn't...he's away on vacation/being seduced by SkyNet....😜😝😂

[Timelord Iain]

Definitely been quiet lately... still haven't hit 10,000 comments, despite all my projections months ago, lol... less to say when I'm not doing a BR every day...

[Charlie]

Amazon are the worst!! They didn't deliver my book on Friday and now the projected deliver date says Monday! I pre-ordered ages ago, this is not cool.

[Charlie]

My book has arrived! I'm 100 pages in and loving it. (view spoiler)[ Even though this book isn't about Nevada, I'm really into it and feel thoroughly immersed in the world. Catalina is a force to be reckoned with. It's great she's been taking lessons from Rogan's mum, she needed to toughen up.

I feel awful for Runa, she seems like a genuinely nice person. Unfortunately, genuinely nice people don't seem to do too well in the world of Primes. I really hope her sister's alive.

I enjoyed the little cameo from Augustine at the start, it was nice to see a character we know. Even if he's a bit heinous, I actually like him and I hope we see more of him. (hide spoiler)]

[Timelord Iain]

Charlie wrote: "My book has arrived! I'm 100 pages in and loving it. Even though this book isn't about Nevada, I'm really into it and feel thoroughly immersed in the world. Catalina is a force to be reckoned with..."

IA bowed to the masses after the outcry when book 2 released... they didn't realize how attached everyone was to Augustine and watching the Baylor's maneuver around his machinations... so they brought him back more in the 3rd book and made sure to use him a bit here...

[Charlie]

Timelord Iain wrote: "Charlie wrote: "My book has arrived! I'm 100 pages in and loving it. Even though this book isn't about Nevada, I'm really into it and feel thoroughly immersed in the world. Catalina is a force to b..."

I'm glad they brought him back, I'm hoping he gets more involved in the case.

148 pages in and that was a great scene! (view spoiler)[ What a fight! Catalina was pretty amazing. Her Siren ability is really cool, that girl could rule the world if she wanted to. I want to know what Allessandro has to do with everything, he's frustrating me with his secrets.

I love the little dog! She's adorable. IA usually have great animal companions in their books so I'm really pleased there's one in this book too. Grendel the attack poodle and the alien shh tzu are perfect additions to their respective series so hopefully this doggo will fit right in. (hide spoiler)]

[Narilka]

Charlie wrote: "Timelord Iain wrote: "Charlie wrote: "My book has arrived! I'm 100 pages in and loving it. Even though this book isn't about Nevada, I'm really into it and feel thoroughly immersed in the world. Ca..."

Good catch! All the doggy love :)

[Charlie]

245 pages in (view spoiler)[ Catalina and Allesandro are great together! They kicked ass killing that fear mage and insect guy. His power is also super cool, being able to summon pretty much anything into existence as needed is epic.

So the assassins are making genetically altered magic users, I don't think this will end well! (hide spoiler)]

[Charlie]

Finished! (view spoiler)[

This book lived up to and succeeded all of my expectations. Catalina isn't Nevada, but she doesn't need to be, she's amazing all on her own. She really came into her own in this book and it's great to see her as something other than just Nevada's sister.

I loved the relationship between Catalina and Alessandro, it was sizzling. Their chemistry was off the charts and they fought so well together, they made an insanely formidable team.

The magic in this book was brilliant. Catalina's demonstrations of power were epic but so were all of the other character's.

The cliffhanger killed me! I didn't want it to end and I wanted more! (hide spoiler)]

[Charlie]

Timelord Iain wrote: "Karishma wrote: "I finished this today morning, can't wait to see what you all think about it!"

Runa: [spoilers removed]

The dog: [spoilers removed]

Alessandro: [spoilers removed]

^^^ These are..."

Grandma Freida is amazing, I'd love to see her knitting attemot!

The ending with Alessandro was torture, just communicate already!

Arabella scares me. I'd love a book from her perspective!

[Narilka]

Charlie wrote: "Finished! ..."

Yay! So glad you enjoyed it :)

I think after Catalina's trilogy is done they may be doing a trilogy for Arabella. I'm soooo looking forward to that.

[Charlie]

Narilka wrote: "Charlie wrote: "Finished! ..."

Yay! So glad you enjoyed it :)

I think after Catalina's trilogy is done they may be doing a trilogy for Arabella. I'm soooo looking forward to that."

That would be amazing! I'd also love a grandma Freida prequel trilogy too. All the books in this world are fantastic and I never want it to end. I may even love them as much as KD!

[Narilka]

I would LOVE a Grandma Freida prequel :D