The Cool Aunt

Hidden Legacy #5.1

by Ilona Andrews

One minute you are doing your make up and making plans, and the next your oldest sister is giving birth to a baby who awakened as a Prime mage while in the womb. You think Exorcist is scary? Connor and Nevada’s baby says, “Hold my milk. You ain’t seen nothing yet.”

Timeline: Takes place at the end of Emerald Blaze.

Genres: Urban Fantasy, Fantasy, Paranormal, Magic, Short Stories, Novella, Romance

12 pages, ebook

First published September 14, 2020

About the author

Ilona Andrews is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing team. Ilona is a native-born Russian and Gordon is a former communications sergeant in the U.S. Army. Contrary to popular belief, Gordon was never an intelligence officer with a license to kill, and Ilona was never the mysterious Russian spy who seduced him. They met in college, in English Composition 101, where Ilona got a better grade. (Gordon is still sore about that.)

Gordon and Ilona currently reside in Oregon with their two children, three dogs and a cat. They have co-authored two series, the bestselling urban fantasy of Kate Daniels and romantic urban fantasy of The Edge.

Reviews

[Maureen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A short story from the Hidden Legacy series. TBH there was a warning DO NOT READ UNTIL AFTER EMERALD BLAZE. I ignored that advice, so it didn’t make much sense to me! My fault entirely.
Anyway it gives Arabella's POV of her sister Nevada having her baby.

[Tadiana ✩Night Owl☽ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wait, what? "Grandfather"? Who the crap is this guy? And how does Arabella even know? Thinking it over, I'm going to stick with the guess I had when I read the ending of Emerald Blaze, even with this new info: My money is on Linus.

Also starring the Childbirth from Hell.


Short story from Arabella's POV that follows immediately on the heels of the ending of Emerald Blaze. So DO NOT read this story before EB, but definitely read it right afterwards! I'm actually quite relieved ... there was a potentially very unpleasant cliffhanger in the book that's answered here. And Arabella's character is really growing on me.

Free online at the authors' website: https://ilona-andrews.com/the-cool-aunt/

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Free Here

Awwww! Cute short story from the Hidden Legacy series about Nevada giving birth.
And, as anyone who has ever given birth will tell you, it's a good time to be had by all.



It's only a few pages long, but make sure you don't read it until after Emerald Blaze.
Recommended.

[Aisling Zena · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

Short bonus story from Arabellas POV following Nevada giving birth.

https://ilona-andrews.com/the-cool-aunt/



DO NOT READ unless you have finished Emerald Blaze!

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute story told from Arabella’s perspective! In case you are wondering what happens after that last few pages -that made me sick with worry- of Emerald Blaze, we get the answer here.

[Jessica ❁ ➳ Silverbow ➳ ❁ · Rating 4 out of 5]

The world according to Arabella. If you panicked at how EMERALD BLAZE ended, I recommend you read this immediately.

Available here: https://ilona-andrews.com/the-cool-aunt/

[carol. · Rating 3 out of 5]

“The father isn’t always the best person,” Dr. Maier said.
“In this case, I am the best person,” the Scourge of Mexico informed her.

https://ilona-andrews.com/the-cool-aunt/

[Trish · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG, YES!!! After that ending in Emerald Blaze I needed this SO MUCH!

We follow neither Nevada nor Catilina but Arabella to the hospital where she is keeping an eye on her sister, brother-in-law and nephew! Yep, this is the scene where the baby boy is being born and it clears up something I've suspected for a while now. That epilogue in the last novel was hell on my nerves, but this took at least the most immediate tension away so the long wait for the next novel will be slightly less torturous. ;)

Nothing too much on what the story is about except for what I said above. If you want to know more, check it out for yourself here: https://ilona-andrews.com/the-cool-aunt/

I don't think I need to say anything about the writing. I'm an IA fan for a reason. Though I might have to mention that Arabella was indeed different from her sisters (very nice move by the authors, clearing the way for novels about her, perhaps) but her voice worked very well, as did her perspective on things. I very much enjoy the authors' ability to make all of the characters so distinct.

[h o l l i s · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reread, August 2022 : Still great. Still a horrible tease. Still want Arabella stories! Can't wait for tuesday.

----

If the end of book five made you sweat, never fear! IA released this little short to soothe and, possibly?, amuse. As I made clear in my (still pending) EMERALD BLAZE review, I now want an Arabella-centic POV story. But no one is surprise. I just want IA to write everything and always and forever.

[Bradley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This short story is entirely for the fan boys and girls of the series. I can’t see who else would get much out of this. But for us fan boys and girls?

It’s all about the payoff.

And it’s all about Nevada. The cool aunt doesn’t matter.


(I duck, run, and take cover.)

[Lucie V. · Rating 3 out of 5]

**Mild spoiler about the series below**




This short story shows the moment when Nevada goes into labor, near the end of Emerald Blaze, but from Arabella's point of view, and it can be found here.


1.Burn for Me ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
2.White Hot ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
3.Wildfire ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
3.5 Diamond Fire ⭐⭐⭐⭐
4. Sapphire Flames ⭐⭐⭐⭐
5. Emerald Blaze ⭐⭐⭐⭐


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[Zero (semi-hiatus) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Arabella's POV of Nevada having her baby. Cute.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now I can survive the wait until the next full novel is published.

[Just Josie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay I can breathe again🤭🤭


Love Arabella. Please let her have a trilogy also. 😍

Read: 07/02/2022
1st rating: 4 stars
Genre/tropes: Paranormal
Cover: 3 stars
POV’s: Single 1st person (Arabella)
Will I recommend: Yes

[Mariah · Rating 4 out of 5]

WHAT THE WHAT WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAT

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this short! I can’t believe I’ve only just discovered it

[εllε · Rating 5 out of 5]

oh wow, I needed this after the scary ending of Emerald Blaze.

she said grandfather :D

Arabella might be my favorite sister and I can't wait for her books. But I would prefer another love interest for her, not Stephen Jiang. He just didn't sound interesting enough. I hope this is a teenage crush only.

[İlkim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kim ya bu grandfather? Arabella nasıl tanıdı şak diye? Aklımda deli sorular...

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short story following Emerald Blaze. Answers the cliff hanger of book #5 and left me wild for a full Arabella POV, hopefully we will get one in book 7?
Delightful.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

The end of Emerald Blaze left me a little worried about the status of a certain situation, but this book set my mind at ease. For now. ;)

[Somia · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute short story told from Arabella’s POV.

Freebie on: https://ilona-andrews.com/the-cool-aunt/

[Renegade ♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 1/2 stars

[Ann Lou · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nevada is giving birth in this one. It was fun to read.

[Thenia · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Cool Aunt on Books On Track


Arabella's traumatic experience of Nevada's labor and the first meeting with her nephew.

I really hope we'll get a trilogy about Arabella, especially after reading this short story from her POV.


Previous book reviews:
✦ Emerald Blaze (Hidden Legacy, #5) ~ ★★★★★ (04/09/2020, 30/08/2022)
✦ Pay Me (Hidden Legacy, #4.2) ~ ★★★★★ (30/08/2022)
✦ A Misunderstanding (Hidden Legacy #4.1) ~ ★★★★ (30/08/2022)
✦ Sapphire Flames (Hidden Legacy, #4) ~ ★★★★★ (05/09/2019, 03/09/2020, 30/08/2022)
✦ Diamond Fire (Hidden Legacy, #3.5) ~ ★★★★★ (07/11/2018, 02/09/2020, 29/08/2022)
✦ Wildfire (Hidden Legacy, #3) ~ ★★★★★ (25/07/2017, 01/06/2020, 06/06/2021, 29/08/2022)
✦ White Hot (Hidden Legacy #2) ~ ★★★★★ (25/07/2017, 01/06/2020, 05/06/2021, 28/08/2022)
✦ Burn for Me (Hidden Legacy #1) ~ ★★★★★ (28/10/2014, 18/02/2017, 01/06/2020, 04/06/2021, 28/08/2022)

[Jeanny · Rating 4 out of 5]

I 💜 Arabella & hope she gets her story told. This book was short but intriguing.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Added bonus

[Gio Listmaker · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the bonus short story from Arabella’s point of view.



https://ilona-andrews.com/the-cool-aunt/

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Apparently I should have read this straight after Emerald Blaze. Set directly afterwards, bonus short story from Arabella‘s point of view.

The birth of Nevada‘s and Mad Rogan‘s baby, short and fun.

Free online at the authors' website: https://ilona-andrews.com/the-cool-aunt/

Here is my review of Emerald Blaze: https://cathysreadingbonanza.wordpres...

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

I REALLY enjoy reading from Arabella’s POV. I hope we get books with her as the primary MC.

[Mindy Lou's Book Review · Rating 5 out of 5]

That was awesome and this is a must read!