Synopsis

Present Day
When best friend Dani suggests a break, Jess jumps at the chance to finish recuperating away from the shadows of the place she no longer thinks of as home. Until the desperate plea of a voice calls to her. A faraway voice connected to the amber pendant she knows she has to buy.

Bronze Age Norfolk
With the passing of her mother shrouded in mystery and her home lost to torrential floods, Amara has no choice but to leave with her father for their new settlement. In her bid to find answers, she turns to the gift entrusted to her care by her mother. The gift that now brings her disjointed visions.

Review

Magic, myth and history, combined with dual timelines that collide always make for an interesting book. There’s something intrinsically human about stories that link our ancestors with our present selves.

For the most part, Amber has a good plot. It begins with intrigue and mystery, providing us with a sense of foreboding as we read on. We know Jess and Amara are linked somehow and we know both are threatened by something. It’s a compelling start and the author has done her research.

Unfortunately the writing is not quite as strong as the idea. The book is short, but if one were to remove the pleonasms and excessive description the pace would dramatically improve. The author is clearly a visual person, but Mark Twain had a point about adjectives.

The edits will also provide the author with extra pages to add in a few missing elements (such as why shortening their names is a nod to their parents) and flesh out the final chapters which feel rushed and don’t quite provide the impact expected.

The book does show promise – and my rating takes into consideration the fact that this is a proof awaiting further amends – but sadly it isn’t quite there yet.

Book provided by the author and Insta Book Tours. Opinions my own.