Amethyst by Emilie Vainquer – A Book Review

Posted November 17, 2019 by Booksandblurbs in Dark, Fantasy, Reviews / 0 Comments

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Amethyst

(The Jewel Series – Book 1)

by Emilie Vainqueur
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Dystopian Dark Fantasy, Serial
Available on Kindle and Kindle Unlimited

Down and Dirty

The start of an interesting serial series, part Dystopian, part dark fantasy and part mystery. It ebbs and flows with little explanation, but still hooks in a lyrical way. Free on Kindle Unlimited.

What is it about?

(Blurb from GoodReads)

She’s 1 of 12 reincarnated beings in her world, and she has no idea.

Amethyst, named after her birthstone, was born with the powers of Mother Nature. Oblivious to the full extent of her abilities, Amethyst rifles through the Devil’s Backbone and borrows the night as a jewel thief. She’s always snuck around in the dark because of her glowing eyes.

It was something she was forced to get used to, but when she meets the Black Flame for the first time, she discovers just what her powers are capable of, and together, they open a new portal of life—

or death.

Along the way, she discovers friendship, rivalry, and love. Everyone wants a piece of her—whether it be her limbs, her body, or her heart—but all Amethyst wants is to be left alone.

Thoughts on Amethyst

Lyrical.. but….

I want to like this book, I really do, but so much is going on and so much is left unexplained that it makes little sense. I get that it is a serial, but even serials offer up some solid plot points. The blurb gives away far more than the actual story does, and that is just strange.

The first party of the book is a first person dystopian haunt through a horrific part of a town, running from worse thieves. Suddenly, the view switches and we are 10 years in the past in third person… but from the same perspective (mostly) of the original character. It’s…. odd.

Yet, despite these complaints, there is a certain poetry to the words, a lyrical bend that makes it interesting, if convoluted.

Pros:

Unique.
Amethyst is interesting.
What really happened??

Cons:

Really have no freaking idea what is going on.
…. or why.
Not really invested in these characters. Why should book 2 be read? I don’t care about them yet, but I feel like I might if I kept with the series.
A serial. This is not a secret, the author clearly states it is a serial, but just a note anyway.
Not necessary to learn or even reference the made up language, but it is jarring none the less, takes you out of the story.

Perspective

Both first and third person, multiple POV without explanation.

Ending Type

Cliffhanger (serial)

Rating

R for violence, not sexual content… that part feels more YA.

Romantic Dynamic

M/F…. if there is one.

Character Age Range

20+

Final Verdict on Amethyst

I am on the fence with this book, and while I cannot fully recommend it, I cannot dismiss it either. There is something compelling about it – if only the urge to figure out what the heck is going on. I avoid most serials on a simple cash principle, but this gem (see what I did there?) is free on KU and ready to fill a spot in your queue.

Published June 23rd, 2019
167 Pages

If you enjoyed this review of Amethyst, please consider checking out a few of my other articles.

Your Turn

What are you reading today? Have you read this serial yet? What are your thoughts? Are you a fan of Emilie Vainquer? Leave a comment, I would love to talk!