Amethyst Eyes (Amethyst Eyes, #3)

by Debbie Brown

[littleread1]

I really hate it when I am Twitter friends with an author, they send me their book to review, and all I can say is it is ok. I really want to love all books, but I just can't. They aren't all for me. This happened to be one of those books.

You know those books that suck you in, you get wrapped in the stories, feel like you become one of the characters, and actually care what happens to them? That didn't happen here. I just couldn't get into this book. It felt more like I was being told a story than experiencing one.

The characters didn't seem real to me. Let's start with Tommy. What 15 year old boy has an ideal relationship, so much so that it is almost creepy, with his mom? And likes to be home-schooled? And calls the dad he has never met father? He just accepted the fact that his dad was from another planet, and was whisked away without being asked, not to mention being taken from the hospital. People would have been freaking out. He just seemed too grown up for what his character was supposed to be going through. And after all Jayden puts him through, he still wants to be her friend. Maybe I was a horrible teenager, but if any of the things that happened to Tommy happened to me as a teenager (or even now to a point) would have had me screaming curse-words at anyone who would listen.

And his dad, The Commander. What was with all the "knowing looks?" What did he know? Because I was never told. I get that as a reader I shouldn't know everything, but I also shouldn't be left in the dark. I just never connected with him.

The bad aliens; it was implied that they were the same race, just different beliefs (like a different region of sorts). They had spies on the ship, obviously. It would have been silly to not have them be on the ship. Then suddenly they were these scary creatures. But I did think it was pretty cool that the Native Americans knew about all the aliens, and were able to help out.

I was also a little put-off by the not so subtle hints that anyone that eats meat is a savage. I was actually reading one of those parts while I was eating dinner, which happened to be chili with beef and pork in it (which was delicious and homemade). I have nothing against people or characters that choose to not eat meat. But that is a hot button topic for me when people are trying to push their choice on me. There is actually not enough protein in the world for everyone to be vegetarian ... but that is a topic for another day. I actually put the book down for a couple days when I read that being hinted at for the third time, and that may be why I was more critical as I continued to read.

Lastly, what makes the amethyst eyes so special? Do they (or the people who have them) actually have special gifts? Is that just a myth or is there basis in fact?

Like I said at the beginning, I really wanted to like the story, there were just some things that got under my skin, and other parts that felt too forced. But you should read it, and decide for yourself. I give this 3 stars, but it just wasn't for me.