I loved the concept but the actual ‘how?’ behind it tripped me up. Surrogates are forced to carry the children of the royal families, who can’t have children of their own because of a genetic defect. So, Violet, our main girl, is a surrogate, who at the beginning of the book is auctioned off to the highest bidder, wanted because of her beauty and mastery of all three auguries. Auguries of Colour, Shape and Growth seemed well thought out for the world they were set in. While I thought the first few chapters of this book were a little too expositional, what dystopian series isn’t? The Lone City itself was well explained, easy to imagine, and the magic system was simple to grasp. I wasn’t expected magic to play a role in the series, just because that’s outside the box of what I’ve read before, but it was so cool. The first thing I have to praise is the world building. I love The Selection by Keira Cass and Wither by Lauren DeStefano, and The Jewel fits perfectly into that category of girl-in-pretty-dresses-doing-badass-things. This was the perfect dystopian style book for me. Luckily, The Jewel lived up to every expectation I had of it, and was one of the most lovely reading experiences I’ve had all year! I’m so pleased to have found another favourite series in The Lone City and it’s time to share the love! It’s been nearly a whole year since I read my last dystopian series, and I was reading to get sucked into a world for a few days and love every second of it.

In our Last Minute TBR video, I made a list of five books I couldn’t finish 2016 without reading, and this was at the top of that list. The Jewel is one of the books I’ve had on my shelves for ages and have been dying to read. And toeing the line between being calculating and rebellious, Violet must decide what, and who, she is willing to risk for her own freedom.The Jewel, The White Rose and The Black Key by Amy Ewing A forbidden love sparks.īut their illicit affair has consequences, which will cost them both more than they bargained for. But before she can accept her fate, Violet meets a handsome boy who is also under the Duchess's control. Violet must accept the ugly realities of her life.all while fighting for her survival. And she quickly learns that beneath the Jewel's glittering fa ade lies the cruelty, backstabbing, and hidden violence that have become the royal way of life. She is trained as a surrogate for the elite and is bought by the Duchess of the Lake at auction. But for Violet, the Jewel has always meant servitude.īorn and raised in the Marsh, Violet is destined for the Jewel. The Jewel has many meanings: wealth, beauty, royalty. New York Times bestselling author Amy Ewing delivers a dark and riveting tale that will have fans of Oliver's Delirium, Cass's The Selection, and DeStefano's Wither breathless.'*

Amy ewing the jewel series in order