Review: Amethyst Bound by L. Shannon

Title: Amethyst Bound

Author: L. Shannon

About the book (from Goodreads)

Toni Giovanni is a thief although she prefers to call it the high-risk recovery business. Her current job feels suspiciously easy until a mysterious artifact draws her into an ancient prophecy and binds her soul to a spirited dragon named Amethyst.

But Toni isn’t quite ready to be taken over by a dragon, even if Amethyst’s appetite for sexy archaeologist Dr. Ben Davis mirrors Toni’s own. And she’s got a big problem on her hands: turns out the prophecy predicts that dragons will end the world and there are many more dragons out there.
Toni’s going to need all the help she can get.


Genre: Urban Fantasy Romance
Series: Amethyst Series #1 (trilogy)
Published: 7 June 2010

Publisher: Carina Press

L. Shannon's website: L. Shannon
Excert: Excert

*Received for review form Netgalley*

My review

Toni Giovanni is an international thief with a hard exterior who has had a hard life when we meet her about to steel an ancient artefact from an archaeological expedition. Turns out it’s not just a another assignment when she tries on one of the pendants from the ancient box and can not remove it again. Toni’s connection with Amethyst is born.

Amethyst is an ancient purple dragon who has been trapped in the pendant, once bound with Toni she is very happy to be free and surprisingly straightforward, friendly and helpful. Luckily she shares Toni’s attraction to Davis. Amethyst is actually a really likeable character in her own right and seems to form a trio with Toni and Ben despite being inside Toni.

Archaeologist Dr. Ben Davis has been obsessed by dragon myth and legends from various cultures for years. He manages to translate fro the box the prophecy that nine dragons will bring about Armageddon. Ben is a wonderful celebration of the geek, he’s also adventurous and good looking.

Toni greats her new destiny with confusion and reluctance causing us to empathize with her and understand how she thinks and feels. The relationship she has with Amethyst is amusing and feels very real.

L. Shannon has created a world full of magic and myth that is easily woven into the story and never feels over done. Mix this with bad and dangerous enemies and a love blossoming, you find a potent and powerful story.

I enjoyed Amethyst Bound, an interesting, passionate, action filled and well paced novella. The outcome of the dangers the trio find themselves in is far from clear and keeps you reading. I look forward to the rest of the trilogy.

One final thing, just take a look at the cover - it’s great and it’s really purple!!