The Sapphire Storm by Amy Lignor

September 26th, 2013 Kimberly Review 41 Comments

26th Sep
The Sapphire Storm by Amy Lignor
The Sapphire Storm
by Amy Lignor
Series: Tallent & Lowery #2
Genres: Suspense
Source: Author
Rating: One StarOne StarOne StarOne Star

After going up against a man who believed he was the Devil, himself, the beloved characters from 13 - Leah Tallent and Gareth Lowery - are beyond exhausted. Now they are about to embark on the most terrifying journey imaginable…a trip to meet Leah’s parents. When Leah arrives where the ‘home fires burn,’ her sarcasm burns even brighter, while Gareth Lowery - the handsome adventurer - uses his charm to sway the ‘odd’ Tallent clan. But when a frightening call from Gareth’s sister arrives telling him that her love has disappeared, the daring duo is soon running away from one horrific situation directly into another. A new puzzle from the past has come to life. Following clues left behind, the courageous couple becomes embedded in a world filled with liars, killers and greed. And when the riddle of a famous ‘Bard’ is solved, a strange woman appears who has far more in common with Leah than she can possibly imagine! The heart-stopping suspense of this new quest takes them from Coptic Cairo to the magical world of Petra, in search of a cave deep underground that once housed a true ‘Illuminator.’ Yet again, they must find the answers and stay one step ahead of true villains who are determined to make sure that – this time – Tallent & Lowery do not survive.

I read and enjoyed 13 the first book in the Tallent & Lowery series by Amy Lignor and was delighted when she sent me a signed copy of book two, The Sapphire Storm. Filled with suspense, conspiracy theories, ancient relics, danger and a quest to unlock secrets it offered up an exciting ride. Three word review: fascinating, well-paced and action-packed.

Leah Tallent and Gareth are recovering from events from the previous novel and its heart-stopping climatic ending. Leah has taken Gareth to her family home for the holiday when they receive a disturbing call from Kathryn, Garret’s sister. Her fiancé Emmanuel was researching something and has gone missing. The tale that unfolds sends them on a maddening quest as we travel from Cairo to Petra in search of a cave that once housed an “Illuminator”. I quickly found myself caught up in the quest, the banter and tid-bits of historical information.

I ended up liking Leah Tallent even more in Sapphire Storm. This library curator is a wealth of knowledge, and her ability to link things is uncanny. Of course her love of all things coffee makes her my new bestie. Gareth is strong, and trying to keep both woman safe, tempering his jealousy and finding Emmanuel is quite the challenge. He is a charmer, and I enjoy how he and Leah complement each other. New and secondary characters along with villains help propel the plot and offer key clues keeping the tempo fast paced.

If you are a fan of quests, conspiracy theories, Greek mythology, Shakespeare, and the royal court Sapphire Storm will quickly draw you in. Lignor skillfully weaves famous historical figures, Christianity, and secret societies into this fast-paced quest keeping you riveted. She lends enough historically arcuate facts to make the story feel authentic. I love how well researched Lignor’s books are, and found myself using Google to find characters, places and events. She has this gift for making the reader inquisitive! There are twists, turns and danger at every corner, with just enough humor and romantic moments in between to give the reader a chance to catch their breath. We see character growth and get to know the characters more added another layer to them. New characters and the quest made this an exciting addition to the series. The ending has a cliffhanger, but sets us up perfectly for the next book.

If you love mystery and quests Sapphire Storm provides an excellent adventure. The adventures of Tallent & Lowery are ones I will continue to enjoy and I am looking forward to their next quest.

Four cups of coffee out of five
One StarOne StarOne StarOne Star

Photo of kimbacaffeinate
About Kimberly
Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

41 Responses to “The Sapphire Storm by Amy Lignor”

  1. Berls

    Another great sounding series that I hadn’t heard of before! You really got my attention with “If you are a fan of quests, conspiracy theories, Greek mythology, Shakespeare, and the royal court Sapphire Storm will quickly draw you in” Umm yeah – I’m a fan of ALL that! LOL so I guess I need to add this one to my tbr too. Great review – thanks Kimba!

    • kimbacaffeinate

      :snort; I am not sure Gareth would appreciate that, he tends to get a little jealous..LOL

  2. Melissa (Books and Things)

    Oh I’m very intrigued by this book and it sounds so well researched. Total WIN for me. I love looking up tidbits to see if they are true or even just for more info. Yep, going on the wishlist!

    • kimbacaffeinate

      These are fun and I love all the tid-bits. Have you read her Angel Chronicles?

  3. Heidi

    I do enjoy good suspenseful quest mystery books, this sounds a bit like a Dan Brown book. I have read Lignor before but not this series, I need to check it out!

  4. Lauren

    I love quests and conspiracy theories and this one sounds full of so much win! Need to grab the first book though. Thanks for introducing me to this! 🙂

    • kimbacaffeinate

      I would recommend it, although each deals with a particular quest I think it is better to read them in order 🙂

    • kimbacaffeinate

      I loved all the weaving of information and blending of lore and mythology 🙂

  5. Maja (The Nocturnal Library)

    I so rarely read suspense, but a library curator as an MC sounds wonderful to me. Plus, I do enjoy all those things you listed, especially mythology and conspiracy theories. I can’t help it. 🙂
    Lovely review.

  6. Jenea

    Mythology, Shakesspeare and danger all sound like a good mix to me. Great review, so glad you enjoyed it.

  7. Nick

    This does sound very Dan Brownesque with all the conspiracy theories and all. It definitely sounds like it’s a lot of fun and is an entertaining read.
    I’m glad that you enjoyed the characters even more in this book.
    I think I’ve already read something by this author, but I can’t figure out which book.
    Anyways, lovely review, Kim! 🙂

    • kimbacaffeinate

      You probably read her Angel Chronicles….Until Next Time and Gilded Wings 🙂

  8. Candace

    I’ve been enjoying thrillers and mysteries a lot lately and this one sounds fantastic! I’ll keep the first in mind when I’m ready to add to the TBR. 🙂

  9. Sam

    Quests, conspiracy theories, Greek mythology and Shakespeare?! This sounds brilliant! I haven’t read the first book in this series yet (though the author’s name looks familiar), but I’ll be sure to check it out now. Lovely review, Kimba. 🙂

    • kimbacaffeinate

      Thanks Sam, she also wrote a YA series about angels called The Angel Chronicles.

  10. kindlemom1

    Crap! I still have the first book to read and I just haven’t had the time yet. I feel so bad now, especially since you really seem to like this series. I must push this one up!

  11. Jenny

    Sounds like this one didn’t suffer from middle book syndrome at all Kim, love it when that happens! I’m a huge fan of all things Greek mythology, so I’m excited about that aspect of this one, though I’m wary of the cliffhanger ending. It doesn’t seem to have bothered you to much though, lovely review!

    • kimbacaffeinate

      No, it wasn’t an I am going to die ending it was more of a gasp what will happen next kind of ending..LOL

  12. Mary

    A fellow coffee lover? And a librarian? Sounds like true love! Heh. Actually, this does sound really good… *adds to TBR shelf*

    • kimbacaffeinate

      I would love working in the museum like she does surrounded by those archives..eep! 🙂

  13. Tanja

    This sounds like something Dan Brown would write. I mean some elements that you mentioned there. I haven’t read any book similar to this one in a while and it does sound really interesting. I’m happy to hear you enjoyed this one 🙂 Great review 🙂