Sapphire Blue is the second book in the Precious Gems trilogy. After I finished Ruby Red, I wasn’t sure I would continue with the trilogy. But the ending made me curious and the next book was available at the library, so I checked it out.
In Ruby Red, Gwyneth learns she has inherited the time travel gene, which everyone in her family had assumed her cousin Charlotte would inherit. Suddenly, Gwyneth is thrown into the world of time travel without any of the necessary preparation in history, languages, dancing, and fencing. Gwen is told that she and time traveler Gideon are the final members of the Circle of Twelve and it is their job to close the circle. Gwen’s mom tells her not to trust anyone, stating that Gwyneth’s cousin Lucy fled the Guardians for a reason.
At the beginning of Sapphire Blue, Gwen and Gideon are charged with getting samples of blood from all of the previous time travelers in order to close the circle. Gwen and Gideon are ambushed by the fugitive time travelers Lucy and Paul, who warn them not to close the circle. Gwen wants to trust Gideon and Guardians, but with her mom and her cousin Lucy telling her not to, she doesn’t know what to do. Gwen befriends the ghost demon Xemerius, who turns out to be a great spy since no one else can see or hear him. Gwen, Xemerius, and Gwen’s best friend Lesley try to piece together what will happen if the circle closes. Just as Gwen and Gideon’s romantic relationship starts to take off, Gideon is attacked on a solo mission and the Guardians suspect Gwen.
I liked Sapphire Blue so much more than Ruby Red. Gwen and Lesley seemed less childish and more like 16 year olds should be. We learn more about Lucy and Paul, and why they stole a chronograph. I thought Xemerius was a cute addition; he was sort of like a talking pet. While science and logic are both still lacking from the series, I found it easier to suspend disbelief and just go with it. Overall, it was a fun read, but I couldn’t really remember much about the plot after I finished it.