There are no rules in the Devil’s Backbone, and people only come here for two reasons…So, what did he want with her?
I was sent a copy of the book in exchange for a paid review and would like to, once again, thank the author, Emilie Vainqueur. If you didn’t read my review for the first book of this series, you can check it out here. I highly recommend it and was pretty excited for the second installment.
Amazon
Black Flame
Book Two of The Jewel Series
Author: Emilie Vainqueur
Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Dystopian
Publication Date: August 9, 2019
Rating: 4.5/5 Stars
Synopsis
Amethyst is caught by the Black Flame.
After nearly making her way out of the Devil’s Backbone, He knocks her unconscious before she can figure out who he is beneath that hood.
There are no rules in the Devil’s Backbone, and people only come here for two reasons . . . So, what did he want with her?
Review
As I said in my last review, which again you can read here if you’re interested in the series, I was excited to learn what Amethyst has been up to for ten years.
A lot of questions are answered such as what happened to her sister, Diamond, and who the Black Flame is. The story even goes into their (“their” being the Black Flame) point of view for a chapter. I had my theories as to who the Black Flame is, it may not be that hard to figure out, but there is a reveal at the end of the chapter as to what the Black Flame’s been up to and what they have to do with Amethyst that I’m excited to learn more about.
Aside from her interactions with the Black Flame and learning more about them, we are also introduced to Epaminondas and his son, Tyryn, a shop owner who sells weapons and armor and has been helping Amethyst presumably since she started stealing jewels.
Their interactions are a nice change of pace from the Black Flame. Where Amethyst is on guard and doesn’t trust them, Nondas and Tyryn allow her to be a bit more comfortable. However, Tyryn’s unrequited love for Amethyst can be awkward (in a good way.)
I did like reading the interactions between Amethyst and the Black Flame. They’re similar, which means they’re both stubborn and do things their way. It’ll be interesting to see if they can work together as I feel they could get a lot more done, especially as we learn how the Black Flame’s been able to get around without getting caught.
Overall
Since this book takes place solely in the present time, we get to learn more about Amethyst and who she is as a person. She still struggles with her powers and sees them as a curse, but most importantly she steals jewels not only to help herself but for others. She doesn’t trust easily but is loyal to those she does.
Black Flame is a strong second installment of the series. Like the first book, it’s not a long read, just above 130 pages, but it’s quick to get immersed into the world and what it’s become. I do wish it were a bit longer, but that’s only because I enjoy reading it.
And like the first book, I’m excited to read the next.
Quibbles and Scribbles 
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