The Jewel by Amy Ewing: Book Review

The Jewel means wealth. The Jewel means beauty. The Jewel means royalty. But for girls like Violet, the Jewel means servitude. Not just any kind of servitude. Violet, born and raised in the Marsh, has been trained as a surrogate for the royalty—because in the Jewel the only thing more important than opulence is offspring.

Purchased at the surrogacy auction by the Duchess of the Lake and greeted with a slap to the face, Violet (now known only as #197) quickly learns of the brutal truths that lie beneath the Jewel’s glittering facade: the cruelty, backstabbing, and hidden violence that have become the royal way of life.

Violet must accept the ugly realities of her existence... and try to stay alive. But then a forbidden romance erupts between Violet and a handsome gentleman hired as a companion to the Duchess’s petulant niece. Though his presence makes life in the Jewel a bit brighter, the consequences of their illicit relationship will cost them both more than they bargained for.

SPOILER FREE REVIEW

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Being a debut novel of an author who once considered this story to be a "thesis project" made me really think about how much talent this author has. When I picked up this novel at the library, I did because I was continuing my infatuation with books about empires and princesses and all that jazz. Little did I know that when I would finish it, I would be completely pulled into the storyline and love interests that plagued the book. I found myself laughing at hilarious dialogue and literally almost crying at parts where Violet was being treated badly. The level of emotion and relatable moments was unbelievable and I don't think I've ever read such an emotional book since Breaking Dawn. I have to say well done to Amy for doing so well on her first YA fantasy series.

The main idea of the story intrigued me as so far I have never read anything about young girls in a kingdom who are born with a mutation that allows them to bear children which keep the royalty alive. They are taken away from their families living in the slums and are sent to a school that teaches them how to control their powers and acts accordingly in order to be presented to the royalty of the Jewel. The Jewel is the wealthiest area of the Kingdom being the very centre of a whole city which surrounds it in a circle, and each circle around it is a different type of reality and wealth. From the Jewel outwards it becomes a poorer and poorer state of life. Violet is from the very edge of the city where everyone is poor and is ripped from her family at the age of twelve to go stay at this school for four years before she is finally transferred to the Jewel to be prettied up for an auction and then bought off to the highest bidder as a surrogate to be their bearer of children.

Throughout the novel I constantly noticed Violent rebelling to certain things and feeling like she did not want to be controlled which is exactly how I would feel in that certain situation. Feeling like she was nothing but a tool to be used and then thrown away without feeling like she was even part of a family or to even have the chance to mother her own child. Knowing that her best friend, Raven, has to go through the same thing she does kills her inside - even more so knowing that she or her can't do anything about it. A forbidden love emerges too soon for her to even process it but she has to remind herself that in her position, she is not allowed to have any sort of relationship with anyone. The only friendship she has, and is really allowed, is the one with her mute servant, Annabelle. I feel a major pang of sympathy for Violet because she will never see her family again through this experience but she discovers some things and not everything as it seems. In terms of her powers she does better than others with growth which is why she was bought by the Duchess of the Lake. She wants to have a baby faster than any other so that it will be chosen and betrothed to the Electress' newborn baby son. All this seems so overwhelming to such a young girl at sixteen years old and I feel so bad for her being a mother myself and knowing that if I were in her situation, I would be going a little bit mental about the whole idea of it too.

Things I loved about The Jewel:

* Violet and Ash are a match made in heaven! These two were so obvious from the start. I absolutely loved every moment they managed together and the fact that they cared so much to even risk possibly being found out and executed. They're so cute and I can't wait to see how they develop in the second novel!

* The idea of the image, shape and growth powers is so unique and awesome! Considering the fact that most novels these days are writing about either the same "superpowers" or ones that just seem too typical, it's nice to see an author come up with something that's different and challenges the minds of the readers that have been buried in literature with every trope on the surface of the earth (a little dramatic but seriously though).

* I need a friend like Annabelle, although it would be nice if she could actually speak! She was the sweetest person to Violet the whole time she stayed at the Duchess of the Lake's house and always spent time with her when she had nothing to do. I loved that she was caring and was so amazing at dressing Violet up in clothes and makeup for any event she was expected to attend. I would probably cry if she ends up being killed off in the future.

* How unique and different the storyline and themes were! If every author managed to have an open mind like Amy then we'd have a hell of a lot more readers! I think some can get very bored of the same thing over and over like a love triangle or a rebellion rising and as much as I tend to love books like that, it's nice to read something that has never been written about before and it brings competition to the writing game. Readers want this to be fun and so that it's more challenging to choose who should win a book award.  We want fresh content and new names and places that are completely made up. We want stuff like this and that's why I loved it so much.

Overall I have given this book a four out of five stars for being such a dramatic change in the writing game. It has different themes and even Violet thinks a little differently from most protagonists which is what I really enjoyed. I can't wait to read the second one and find out what happens after that devastating ending which you'll have to read if you want to know what that is!

Go add The Jewel to your Goodreads list HERE

Go buy it on MightyApe with 1 day delivery in New Zealand HERE

Buy it on Book Depository with free shipping world wide HERE

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http://ellafleming-christie.weebly.com

My YouTube Channel: FeathersandFaith

Demon Road by Derek Landy: Book Review

Full of Landy’s trademark wit, action and razor sharp dialogue, DEMON ROAD kicks off with a shocking opener and never lets up the pace in an epic road-trip across the supernatural landscape of America. Killer cars, vampires, undead serial killers: they’re all here. And the demons? Well, that’s where Amber comes in...Sixteen years old, smart and spirited, she’s just a normal American teenager until the lies are torn away and the demons reveal themselves.

Forced to go on the run, she hurtles from one threat to another, revealing a tapestry of terror woven into the very fabric of her life. Her only chance rests with her fellow travellers, who are not at all what they appear to be…

SPOILER FREE REVIEW

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There is nothing like a sharp, sarcastic, action-packed novel to get you going. Derek Landy has been known for his wittiness from his original series, Skulduggery Pleasant and he seemed to have brought it all back with him this time around. From killer cars to vampires to serial killers, this was bound to be the craziest yet coolest novel yet. You wouldn't think that reading a book about demons would be a good thing, especially if you're a hardcore Christian and think that everything is a symbol or is of the devil. Well if you are, you're 100% correct as this story couldn't get any better with the rowdy and hell-bent characters (pun not intended) and emotional roller coaster ride of the century. If anybody knows what it is like to not feel loved by anyone in the entire world, it would be Amber Lamont, and God knows what will happen while she's on the road! (No seriously, we're talking about demons here!)

Amber was a really cool chick to me. She was totally selfess and cared about how other people felt, proof of that was letting the principal keep her job and keeping calm at the diner while those two idiots gave her shit. Personally I don't see what point there was in having them in the story apart from Amber's little outburst (this happens later on), but when she is trying to change into her demon form and she tries to remember the guys name. It must have been a trigger for her to get that confidence to become the person she wanted to be, the one who no one would mess with. Amber finding out about her heritage and being a demon obviously was a major shock to her at first, I think anyone in her shoes would feel the same way and feel disgusted about themselves. She seemed to take refuge in this new-found information and use it as a tool - yeah it made her a little more attractive and she definitely preferred it over her human form but she seemed to enjoy feeling like having power over others so that she doesn't get hurt or feel scared. This was a great defensive mechanism physically and emotionally, especially due to having parents who never really cared about you and actually wanted to kill you all along. Throughout this book Amber went through a major transformation and I feel like her development was symbolism for coming of age and maturing by realising that everyone has a monster inside of them but you have to learn to hone it and mould it into something useful.

The side characters who join Amber in her journey were the perfect pick and filled the right gaps; the quiet one and the one who won't shut up. A perfect combination for a drastically hilarious novel! Like Amber, at first I was a little weary of Milo and didn't really trust his motives and constantly felt like he was hiding something but eventually as time went on during the road trip and they found themselves in more and more sticky situations, he eventually proved himself worthy enough to trust and I ended up not minding him. Glen however was completely hilarious and I loved the fact that he was so quirky and had so much to say all the time. Maybe because he reminds me of myself in a way although I don't think I would take the level of annoying that he seemed to reach on multiple occasions. Apart from that, he made the long journey seem bearable with complete innocent, blatantly obvious and sometimes sarcastic lines. Some people might find him annoying, I personally found him stupidly entertaining. Amber's parent's were arguably the worst parents of any YA written and I think that a lot of people who don't like their parents or hate being told what to do will really enjoy this novel. If you love your parents and you would trust them with your life, I feel like this novel would do everything to frustrate the hell out of you (haha that pun WAS intended! I feel like Derek Landy has influenced me way too much).

The overall story line was thoroughly thought through and carefully planned. The characters and their personalities keep you on your toes, the many different types of monsters popping up all over the place along Demon Road keeps it interesting and the ending will break your heart (in a good way, I promise!) It was dragging on a little at the end and I honestly found myself skipping a few lines because I was so anxious to find out what would happen, but I'm sure that's meant to be a good thing. I rate this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars because it was one of the best horror fantasy's I've ever read and I personally can't wait to receive Desolation in the mail when it is released! Landy has made a great first impression on me and I shall now try to find some time to check out Skulduggery Pleasant!

Thank you HarperCollins New Zealand for the review copy! Go like their Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/Harpercollinsnz?fref=ts

Go add Demon Road to your Goodreads list HERE

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Darkened Shadows: The Call by A.L. Terry: Book Review

Cameron Evans never had a typical childhood with the death of her mother, her father leaving at a young age, and the disappearance of her older brother Abraham. Everyone knew about her life’s story and everyone gossiped about it even now. After the death of her mother her step-father, Richard, being the only living person eligible to keep her adopted her and thus raised her until the events during her senior year of High School. The summer before Cameron's last school year she joined her friend Kelsey to a party that was said to be the party of the year. Little did Cameron know that night would be the start of a very up and down spiral in her life. It had been years since she had nightmares about her brother Abraham and years since she had spoken to her ex-boyfriend Adam whom on the night of the party brings terror to Cameron at which introduces Sawyer a male who unknowingly to Cameron was sent to protect her against the unknown creatures that were coming after her.

SPOILER FREE REVIEW

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From reading the description of this novel, I didn't quite know what to expect or what I was really getting myself into when I decided to read and review for my friend, A.L. Terry. At first, a mystery/thriller novel is what popped into my mind while reading the blurb and not one bit of a hint was given as to what else it could have in store. I was shocked to find that this was everything I was looking for in a dark fantasy read. For a debut novel, I feel overwhelmed after reading this as I have been given off an "experienced writer" vibe - this book has definitely been another of which has reminded me why I love reading so much and A.L. Terry has brought back the memories of when I first started to write stories for the love of a good plot and romance between two individuals in need of attention.

In terms of suspense and a gripping storyline, I felt like I was pulled in deep and I couldn't return, nor did I even want to (not to mention I read this book in the time frame of about 4 hours!). Thinking about how werewolves and vampires were a big topic a few short years ago, it's not hard to see the similarities and likabilities in this story. I feel like the two different species gives a sense of a side to choose and how hard it is to make a certain decision. In Cameron's case it's very clear that she is to become a Gathien due to her bloodline, but aspires to be as loving, caring and understanding as the werewolves. The development of the plot was well done as everything pieced itself together perfectly and no little details were left out. Everything in terms of powers, gifts or changing was explained in a way which I understood and made sense of for something that I have never actually read about before, specifically in terms of the Gathiens and their abilities.

Cameron is a very strong character and I like the way she is able to stand up for herself and not be the damsel-in-distress as almost every main female character seems to be; with the exception of Katniss Everdeen, Rose Hathaway, Celaena Sardothian, etc! Cameron knows how to handle things in a way that will deem her as someone who is smart but will sometimes make acts out of love and sacrifice which is another thing I like, although sometimes can lead her into trouble she could have avoided. Then again, who likes a story where there is no trouble?

The love for her brother seems to be stronger than what she has towards Sawyer and I appreciate that also as she knows where her loyalties lie and she will not go down without a fight knowing that there is a possibility that she can save him, even if it does cost her life. The relationship with Sawyer however I feel like I didn't see enough development with. I recall a passing time period where she stays at the mansion for a few weeks to stay safe but there wasn't enough times with them slowly getting used to each other for me to really see how they could have gained a good relationship with each other. I feel like the kiss on the head was moving a little too fast at first but either way, it still left a little tingle in my stomach. I don't not like how they ended up, in fact, I definitely ship Cameron and Sawyer! I just feel like there could have been a little more development between the two love birds.

Overall I really loved this book and I am itching to read the next one as the plot twist at the end gave me a shiver of excitement and confusion which I love! So I have give this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars because I really couldn't see much I didn't like about it, if any and I actually got more into this novel than I originally thought I would. I feel like this will be a series that will stay with me for a long time to come! Don't forget to let me know if you buy this book too!

Go add Darkened Shadows: The Call to your Goodreads list HERE

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Redeemed by P.C and Kristin Cast: Book Review!

In the final electrifying novel in the HoN series, Neferet has finally made herself known to mortals. A Dark Goddess is loose on Tulsa and the world. No single vampyre is strong enough to vanquish her - unless that creature has the power to summon the elements as well as the ability to wield Old Magick. Only Zoey Redbird is heir to such power…but because of the consequences of using Old Magick, she is unable to help. Find out who will win and who will lose in this epic battle of Light versus Darkness.

SPOILER FREE REVIEW

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For me personally, reading the very last book of my favourite series was a massive tear-jerker and had my heart paining for more, despite already having 12 books in the series. House Of Night was the guide to my teenage-hood and got me through some tough times, but also was an aid to me making multiple friends online through our mutual love for the story and all of the characters. Zoey and her friends went through a major journey throughout these books bringing them all to a final end where their teenage lives have turned to adult ones and there is nothing left to be told... for now!

Redeemed for me was an almost satisfying end to the 12 book series. It had it's pro's and it had it's con's, but overall it was a good book that kept me intrigued and wanting more. Although I am still left wanting more! The main points of the story were all explained and everything we wanted to happen plays out quite nicely. I have to say in this particular book I was enthralled by Neferet and the way she seemed to be so crazy. Yeah she was crazy in the books prior to this one but this book took her to a whole other level of nuts and it even involves her having a few humans as her minions (under the control of darkness of course) but with one woman named Lynette who uses her survival instincts to get free of Neferet's controlling urges which means she gets to be her own person with her own free will but does everything against her free will just to keep Neferet happy. Personally I didn't see why Lynette had a role in this book as she really served no higher purpose than as another POV for Neferet's side and to show us what it would be like if we were trapped with Neferet in a building as a human with no powers and no way of defending yourself against such a powerful immortal. In a way this slightly annoyed me but more than usual I found myself enjoying Lynette's POV and wanting to know how she would react to certain things. The twist halfway through the novel really confused me though, I guess it was just another reason for Lynette to serve a purpose as a character of the book. Other than that, it was highly intriguing and kept pulling me back to the book every time I seemed to be interrupted by someone.

I noticed that Stevie Rae and Rephaim didn't really have as much of a part in this book as they did earlier on in the series. I thought about it for a while and realised that their story had already been told, they had already been fully accepted and they had grown into the people they were meant to be already, plus Stevie Rae had already completed her change earlier on in the books and had overcome the overwhelming position of becoming the first ever red High Priestess. I feel like that's another thing that could have been discussed more as we don't really know what became of the red fledglings apart from them joining the original House Of Night as a new type of fledgling. Also I remember Zoey once thought about turning the tunnels into a potential House Of Night because it was safer for the red fledglings and vampyres with being underground and having no sunlight to disturb or worry them. That would have been awesome to read about and see Zoey and her nerd herd leading it.

The ending was everything I'd wanted for everyone although there are a few things I realised didn't end up being solved. Also I feel like it ended too quickly and I don't know whether the authors were just set on finishing the book around 300 pages but I felt like the last book could have been a tad longer so we could enjoy it for that little bit more before we had to say goodbye to our favourite series for good. I wouldn't have minded if it was a 500 page book or even a 1000 page book! I never wanted to say goodbye to Zoey, Stevie Rae or even Sgiach without having a proper explanation or novella on how she came to be where she is in the Isle of Skye in Scotland. I was happy that she made an appearance again in this book which made me smile as she needed to be brought back, mainly for the readers' satisfaction but also so she could be a little reminder to everyone of how powerful she is and that Zoey and her friends needed to look to her for help on how to use the Old Magick to defeat Neferet. Who knows, maybe P.C and Kristin might decided to revisit the series in the future and continue as a spinoff with Sgiach and Seoras, or Stevie Rae and Rephaim!

Overall I really loved the book, I just think it could have been longer as it ended too quickly. I miss the characters already and wish that I could know more about their new lives and what they're going to do next. Fortunately I am currently satisfied with the book and the ending and I am happy to say that the very popular House Of Night series has come to a long awaited end. It's good to know that there are still people discovering this amazing series and we're still waiting on movies or a tv series to be made so hopefully we'll be able to revisit this amazing vampyre world once more very soon!

I have given this book a 4.5 out of 5 due to some things not being as good as I'd hoped and lack of information given (being such a short book for an ending to the series!) but I honestly really loved it and so happy that P.C and Kristin have received so much praise for this amazing book series. I wish them luck for their success in future novels and their careers.

Go add Redeemed to your Goodreads list HERE

Find out more about my writing career at: 

http://ellafleming-christie.weebly.com

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Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard: Book Review!

The poverty stricken Reds are commoners, living under the rule of the Silvers, elite warriors with god-like powers.

To Mare Barrow, a 17-year-old Red girl from The Stilts, it looks like nothing will ever change.

Mare finds herself working in the Silver Palace, at the centre of

those she hates the most. She quickly discovers that, despite her red blood, she possesses a deadly power of her own. One that threatens to destroy Silver control.

But power is a dangerous game. And in this world divided by blood, who will win?

SPOILER FREE REVIEW

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At last I have found another novel that I can pine over for a few years like my previous obsessions which included Twilight, Vampire Academy, The Hunger Games and House Of Night. Red Queen was such an amazing and gripping read, the reviews I saw/read prior to reading this novel obviously did not lead me astray.

Red Queen is the type of fantasy novel you would read if you enjoyed The Hunger Games or series I've heard of that are similar such as Red Rising or The Selection. This read had me constantly wanting more; as much as it confused me and had me writhing in emotional pain, it has to be one of the best books I have ever read. I love how Mare is so straight forward in her thinking and how she feels about the superiority of the Silvers over the Reds. She doesn't give two shits about what anyone thinks of her and she would do anything for the ones she loves, even if it means that the Silvers will take Mare and leave her loved ones to live their lives in peace and safety.

I felt like the relationship between Mare and Cal wasn't really developed as much as I would have liked it to be, but now that I think about it, too many novels have ended up making the protagonist and love interest fall in love or develop a relationship too fast and this makes me realise that this is more of a realistic situation which makes the whole story all the more interesting. Maven was definitely a great character and I loved him through the majority of the novel. He was so convincing and made me even ship him and Mare even though I wanted Mare and Cal to be together so badly - for some reason there's always something intriguing about a forbidden romance. Unfortunately I never really thought that Kilorn had a chance with Mare because the relationship between the two at the beginning was more of what a friendship would be or a relationship between a sister and a brother. Funny enough I always thought that Maven was better suited for Mare's sister, Gisa. Imagine that plot twist!

The plot twist at the end was so mind blowing and confusing that I had to stop reading for a moment and let it process in my mind for a bit. I never saw that coming and I definitely think it will stun readers alike. I knew of a plot twist whilst reading the novel and never did I think that it would be what it was. My mind has been reeling ever since my eyes left the last page.

Victoria Aveyard has done an amazing job writing this novel. I have never read anything by her before, nor had I heard about her or any of her screenplays that she has created. Thankfully I can advise my readers and viewers that she is definitely an author to consider as her book has been written so beautifully and has been thought through so well that it has made me rethink my approach on how I want to write my own book.

I have given Red Queen 5 out of 5 stars because I really can't find anything I don't like about it (apart from someone who I really liked ended up dying which kind of hurt my feelings!)

Go add Red Queen to your Goodreads list HERE

Find out more about my writing career at: 

http://ellafleming-christie.weebly.com

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Writing Inspiration - Quotes from Ella Fleming-Christie

Find out more about my writing career at: 

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My YouTube Channel: FeathersandFaith

Book Reviewing Blog Introduction - "Words Of Euphoric Nostalgia"! By Ella Fleming-Christie

Book Reviewing Blog Introduction!

Ella Fleming-Christie

Hello everyone! My name is Ella Fleming-Christie and I am an avid reader and aspiring author. I love to read whenever and wherever I can on the off chance I'll get to sit down and enjoy a hot coffee and an intriguing novel. This is my chance to show my opinion of a book that I've read and to express my opinions and ideas which keep cramming up in my head.

I've been thinking of creating a reviewing blog for a while now but never quite got around to it. Every book I have read in the past I have felt the need to tell someone about it and inspire another to try take a dip into the unknown waters like I once did thanks to a handy review or someone like me who just had to tell me about it. The one series that really inspired me to start this was the House Of Night books by P.C and Kristin Cast. The way this series and these gorgeous authors have inspired me to do or try things I wouldn't normally is such a powerful thing for me and it inspired me to help promote their books as well so that when the movies come out that they will hopefully be a success. So I started making a project I am part of grow into a much bigger thing. A few friends I made online and I created a page called The House Of Night Online which we decided to be an online representation of the books and audition for more parts so that we can start making videos of scenes and create pictures as extra content so that the fans passion for the series will reignite and will hopefully attract more readers.

An old edit of the cast in a "Destined" book cover poster

The current main cast of The House Of Night Online
(from left: Kelly Dodds as Goddess Nyx, Sway Sherman as Zoey Redbird,
Amber Terry as Stevie Rae Johnson and myself as Neferet)

I am currently writing my own novel which will be called, "The Inked Fae". It will be about a girl called Faylinn who just after her 16th birthday finds out that she has this watercolour tattoo of a grey horse appear on her arm and her mom tells her that she was born a faerie with the ability to wield the element, Spirit. At the moment, I am still in the process of finishing and editing but hopefully in the next year or two I will have it all published and ready to be shown to you all.

My interpretation of the cover art for my book, "The Inked Fae"

I can't wait to start reading more books and posting reviews for you all. I hope that in at least a years time I will still be doing this and have developed many friendships with fans and authors alike over our love for literature.

I hope you stay with me and continue in my journey for a lifetime of stories that will change us for the better!

Ella Fleming-Christie xoxo

Find out more about my writing career at: 

http://ellafleming-christie.weebly.com

My YouTube Channel: FeathersandFaith