Review: The Jewel by Amy Ewing

Publication Date: September 2nd 2014
Publisher: HarperTeen
Series: The Lone City #1
Source: Purchased
Rating:
 ★★★

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.

The Jewel is kind of like a retelling of the Handmaid's Tale so I was really intrigued to read this book. Though I've heard mixed reviews on Goodreads so I was undecided for a while. Then the curiosity got the better of me, I picked this book up at last. I started reading The Jewel without having any expectations on the romance. But still, it irritated me to the point that I had to stop reading for a few minutes. You might or might not known but insta-love is not my forte. Sometimes I can just ignore it and enjoy the story instead. However I had no luck this time. Every time the word "love" or when Violet mentions/thinks about or being with her love came up, I just wanted to strangle Violet. Now that I think about it, I wouldn't be so against that love if I could actually feel the connection, the spark, the chemistry, you name it. I just wanted to feel something that's all. 

Anyway, I really liked the first half of The Jewel. It went so well that I thought maybe I'd be a black sheep this time around.  No action in the first half but I enjoyed reading about the life in The Jewel, the society and why there's a need for surrogates. And then it came to a part when I felt like wow The Jewel reminded me of Wither by Lauren DeStefano. In Wither though, you are pumped up to be one of the wives. Ok back to the topic, the whole reminded me thing didn't bother me until the romance made an appearance. That's where everything went down hill for me. Just nope not for me.

Will I read the next book? I don't know since The Jewel ends with a cliff hanger and the next book is not coming out until Fall 2015 I believe. So I have a long time to think either I want to continue with this series or not.