Advance Review: THE SECRET OF THE SAPPHIRE SENTINEL

by | Sep 29, 2025 | Author News, Book Reviews, Reviews, The Horror Review News | 0 comments

The Secret of the Sapphire Sentinel
J. Dianne Dotson
Android Press (October 21, 2025)
Reviewed by Nora B. Peevy

In the second book in the series, The Secret of the Sapphire Sentinel,  J. Dianne Dotson brings back the beloved Gen Lightworth and her Fireflies. Something is amidst in the moonlight world of Glimmberbight. Gen and the Fireflies have been able to get the Amethyst Lantern open, but they haven’t learned all of the history of the inn or how to restore it completely when strange things start happening again. Gen is called before the Gallant Twilight Society and tasked with saving The Sapphire Sentinel, a source which could be of great help protecting the people and animals of Glimmerbight. The only problem is, how to get through the giant wall of thorns and who can they trust besides the Fireflies to help them on their mission? And just how will they fix the source in time to save all of Glimmerbight?

Ms. Dotson has done it again with her whimsical imagination and wonderful cast of characters. This book took me back to my childhood and made me smile. If I could meet a talking fox, take classes in botany, and have a few house robots at my disposal, along with my current cats, I’d jump at the chance. These teenagers are delightful and charming and filled with courage and determination. We could learn a little something from them and the town of Glimmerbight.

I’m rooting for them and hoping when the third book comes out that even more of the Amethyst Lantern is restored. It is a place where I could rest my head for a while and forget about my troubles. These characters are dear to my heart and I’m sure if you pick up the series beginning with The Inn at the Amethyst Lantern, they will stay with you. Oh, and you’ll be hungry too because the food in the book sounds delicious. Be advised and keep snacks at hand.

About Nora B. Peevy

Nora B. Peevy is a cat trapped in a human’s body. Please send help or tuna. She toils away for JournalStone and Trepidatio Publishing as a submissions reader, is a co-editor for Alien Sun Press, the newest reviewer for Hellnotes, and has been published by Eighth Tower Press, Weird Fiction Quarterly, and other places. Usually, you can find her on Facebook asking for help escaping from her human body or to get tuna. Tuna is nice. Cats like tuna.

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