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A review by annica_reads_books
Emerald Bruises by Pepper Winters
5.0
The second installment of the Jewelry Box series is here, and just as I predicted, the level of darkness escalates and goes deeper in Emerald Bruises than we saw in Ruby Tears.
Ruby Tears ended on a cliffhanger, and readers can rest assured that the cliffhanger is immediately addressed as Emerald Tears commences. I was very pleased at the level of detail described in that scene - an attribute I’ve come to expect in any work written by Pepper Winters.
Emerald Bruises went places that I was expecting and also places that I was not expecting. Henri is embracing his inner darkness, but still frequently feels turmoil and anguish over it in certain situations and hasn’t fully committed to the level of depravity that I expect him to eventually get to. His morals, while occasionally buried or pushed to the side, do resurface several times through the story, and this has left me feeling that I still don’t understand his character (he’s a mystery that I need to read more about to unlock). Truthfully, I think Henri is a mystery to himself - he’s not sure what he really wants because the war within him continues to rage on.
Ily’s reaction and adaptation to Henri’s darkness took a refreshing turn - one that I haven’t seen in a Pepper Winters book. I always admire the fact that while Pepper Winters has written many books and series that revolve around the theme of human trafficking, her characters and their stories remain unique and able to stand on their own, and Emerald Bruises is no exception to that. Ily can still be quite naïve on occasion, but she’s adapting and learning as she remains a captive in Joyero.
There are many side characters that added a lot of depth to the story - Peter, in particular, is someone I’m anxious to read more about because I feel like he adds so much value to Ily’s survival and journey under the Master Jeweler’s watchful eyes. 👁️👁️
I had a few ideas on what Emerald Bruises could mean, but when it came time to announce what it was, I wouldn’t have guessed THAT!
I need the next installment, Sapphire Scars, as soon as possible! I knew that Emerald Bruises would end on a cliffhanger going into it, and wasn’t surprised when it did.
Ruby Tears ended on a cliffhanger, and readers can rest assured that the cliffhanger is immediately addressed as Emerald Tears commences. I was very pleased at the level of detail described in that scene - an attribute I’ve come to expect in any work written by Pepper Winters.
Emerald Bruises went places that I was expecting and also places that I was not expecting. Henri is embracing his inner darkness, but still frequently feels turmoil and anguish over it in certain situations and hasn’t fully committed to the level of depravity that I expect him to eventually get to. His morals, while occasionally buried or pushed to the side, do resurface several times through the story, and this has left me feeling that I still don’t understand his character (he’s a mystery that I need to read more about to unlock). Truthfully, I think Henri is a mystery to himself - he’s not sure what he really wants because the war within him continues to rage on.
Ily’s reaction and adaptation to Henri’s darkness took a refreshing turn - one that I haven’t seen in a Pepper Winters book. I always admire the fact that while Pepper Winters has written many books and series that revolve around the theme of human trafficking, her characters and their stories remain unique and able to stand on their own, and Emerald Bruises is no exception to that. Ily can still be quite naïve on occasion, but she’s adapting and learning as she remains a captive in Joyero.
There are many side characters that added a lot of depth to the story - Peter, in particular, is someone I’m anxious to read more about because I feel like he adds so much value to Ily’s survival and journey under the Master Jeweler’s watchful eyes. 👁️👁️
I had a few ideas on what Emerald Bruises could mean, but when it came time to announce what it was, I wouldn’t have guessed THAT!
I need the next installment, Sapphire Scars, as soon as possible! I knew that Emerald Bruises would end on a cliffhanger going into it, and wasn’t surprised when it did.