A Jewel Bright Sea

This novel weaves a tale involving magic, adventure, betrayals, and political intrigue. The jewel that the Emperor had was stolen and it is a plot even more sinister than Anna Zhdanov first thought when she began her mission to retrieve the jewel so she can earn her freedom as a bond servant. She magical abilities help her tremendously with following the thief. Along with someone who she considers a friend, they track down the thief but instead find themselves captured by the pirate captain Andreas Koszenmarc, who is much more than he appears to be. Anna and Andreas have more trouble on their heels than before, each having a different motive for wanting the jewel. They form an uneasy alliance, but it slowly grows into trust but both still have truths they have not told the other. As they get closer to finding the thief and the jewel, there feelings for the other begin to deepen even with their secrets. There is a deeper plot at play, one that was rather unexpected. The question becomes, who will betray the other first and can they overcome it that betrayal. Look forward to more adventures with Anna, Andreas, and the rest of the pirate crew!

I found myself wanting to read this because I loved the idea of mixing pirates with magic. Our heroine is Anna and she's indentured to a very ambitious man who sees her magical ability as a way to further his own dreams. Anna is sent in disguise as a noble woman to track down the thief of a very important gem but unfortunately ends up kidnapped by pirates ! Can she trust these felons because if she's going to fulfil her mission then she definitely needs help but will the price be too high ?
As this adventure began Anna is traveling with two men who also work for her Master but it's not initially apparent who can be trusted. I will say straight away that it felt rushed initially, almost as if the author forgot to give the reader vital information which was eventually coming but if blunt didn't quite work. Once Anna got taken by the pirates I did find myself much more engaged I'm happy to say and here's were it got just a tad predictable. The Captain is conniving, secretive and downright sneaky but he is set up as a love interest which honestly to me all felt a little too trite .
What really did work for me was Anna and her progression as a protagonist I wanted to succeed. The uneasy alliance she forms is full of doubt and the reader is frequently wondering if betrayal is just around the corner. I might not have been convinced by the romance angle but I absolutely adored Mate, Anna's friend as he was so loyal and the author introduces many others who stand out from Nicholas a cheeky boy to Thea , a healer with a remarkable gift.
The pace of this story just kept building with action and surprises and the second half of the book definitely made up for the way the author threw us into the beginning. This fantasy has very interesting magical elements and I feel Anna's adventures are far from over so I look forward to finding out just what happens next.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

I reqested for this book on Netgalley seeing that Martha Welss gave it 5 stars. And she is one of my favourite authors so I decided I give her recommendation a try. And I am glad that I did. It is very good fantasy novel with likeable characters and well constructed plot. Plus there is an interesting magic system, strong female protagonist and pirates. What's not to like?

Our protagonist is Anna a woman with magic skills who is on a quest from his master to find the stolen jewel. She and her friend Mate are kidnapped by a bunch of pirates and then the adventure begins. I really liked Anna and Mate friendship and her relationship with othe side characters.

Pacing of this book is good for the novel of this size. Nothing's happen too fast or too slow, but all the time something's going on, so it's definitely not a boring story. It was my first introduction to Claire O'Dell prose, but I think that she can create an engaging story for fantasy fans.

This was an enjoyable well written, nicely plotted book. The protagonist Anna was an excellent character. The plot started off fairly simple in the first few pages then expanded and became more intriguing as the book went on and additional well developed characters were introduced. The use and explanation was magic was well done. A bonus for me in this book was the friendships, I tend to enjoy books with well developed non-romantic relationships as well. This was my first Claire O'Dell book but I've read and enjoyed her books written as Beth Bernobich so if you liked those books, I think you'd like this too.

This novel was very action-packed that has intrigue, magic, and pirates! The novel immediately swings you into action on the first page. I loved Anna! She was a heroine that was tough as nails! I thought she was an adept spy! The only thing I did not like about this book was the world-building. It took me awhile to understand it. Still, if you are looking for a light, fast-paced fantasy, this is the perfect novel for you! I recommend this for fans of Cage of Deciet, Daughter of the Pirate King, and Throne of Glass!

Well written, sweeping drama as Anna hunts for a stolen magical jewel. Bonded servant, the promise of freedom leads her into the den of pirates on the same course as she. Mystery, action, swashbuckling adventure, this behind doors read has a slow burn romance in between the lies. Everyone has an agenda, and it is a great reveal. I really liked it, and would recommend it to anyone. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC from Netgalley.

A well written and entertaining mix of fantasy and adventure, a book that kept me hooked till the end.
I liked the interesting world building, the fleshed out cast of characters and the plot that I found engrossing.
I look forward to reading other books by this author.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Kensington Books and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

I was provided with an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.

A stolen jewel that can lay the foundation of an empire must be recovered at all costs. The bondservant Anna is dispatched on a perilous mission of disguise and intrigue to ferret out the thief.

But there is a shadowy puppetmaster with a hidden agenda. When Anna is kidnapped by a pirate and his crew, she worries that she will never see her bond-debt paid. But the wily pirate is adept at spinning narrow escapes and self-preservation.

In a reckless quest to find the jewel and avert disaster, Anna and the pirate captain Andreas are drawn ever closer.

I was completely captivated by this tale of uncommon courage and unexpected love. I can't wait to read the sequel!

A Jewel Bright Sea by Claire O’Dell
Mage & Empire #1

Anna Zhadanov is impersonating a wealthy woman as she hurries to finish a quest that could mean her freedom. Her “owner” has sent her to find a precious jewel stolen from t he emperor and if she finds it and hands it over in the specified time then her debt will be paid and she will be free...in more ways than one. With two capable men at her side she has chased the thief for a LONG time and her time is in short supply when the story begins. She will be captured by a pirate, threatened by another pirate, be accused of murder, use magic, learn more about magic, escape, be saved, save others, heal...and a whole lot more. She also might just find herself liking someone enough to spend more time with him in book two of the series.

What I liked:
* The world this book takes place in
* Anna’s strength of purpose, willingness to help and a lot more
* Andreas’s poker face, tenacity and derring-do
* Anna’s friend in servitude
* The belief system of the people in the story
* The magic and how it was used and explained
* The plot
* The writing
* The secondary characters
* The fact the book ended without a cliffhanger but left me wanting to see what will happen next

What I didn’t like:
* What happened to the gem – am hoping that it will find its way to a safe place eventually
* The evil people and what they did – wasn’t supposed to like them so the author did well to make me dislike them

Would have liked more about:
* Backstories of some of the characters - BUT with more books to look forward to am wondering if some of the characters will tag along and I will learn what I want to know then.
* The empire and its history, the ruling family, etc
* The religious beliefs, customs, class system of people, etc – again, this may come out more in future books of the series...world building is the term I was looking for

Did I enjoy this book? Yes (and I am not a fan of fantasy)
Would I read more in this series? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington-Rebel Books for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4-5 Stars

Anna grew up with her father encouraging her academic and magical tracking skills until she finds herself sold into bond servant. Given a choice to earn her freedom, Anna chooses to take on a task for her master, find the stolen Emperor’s jewel.

Heading to the wilds of the Eddalyon province, Anna finds herself head to head with a pirate crew also searching for the jewel. Eventually Anna has to make a decision if she should join forces with the untrustworthy pirate captain, Andreas, or face murder charges. Of course, she jumps on the pirate adventure where they hold a very uncertain amount of trust for each other’s motives.

When you crack this book open be prepared for a rollercoaster adventure because magic, mayhem and pirates infuse A Jewel Bright Sea in this politically charged twisty, turning plot.

I received this ARC copy of A Jewel Bright Sea from Kensington Books - Rebel Base Books. This is my honest and voluntary review. A Jewel Bright Sea is set for publication Sept 3, 2019.

My Rating: 4 stars
Written by: Clair O'Dell
Series: Mage and Empire (Book 1)
Paperback: 246 pages
Publisher: Rebel Base Books (September 3, 2019)
ISBN-10: 1635730813
ISBN-13: 978-1635730814
Genre: Romantic Fantasy

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