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.
L. Shannon, the author, came into existence in June of 2004. Shannon’s always been a reader and lover of books, but never considered writing until one night when she ran out of books to read… She began writing that very night as the first line of defense in a battle against insomnia. Her writing has steadily grown into a full-out war against reality. Her friends kindly say reality never stood a chance.
The L. Shannon novels have expanded to fill an entire world with paranormal wonders including Valàfrn werewolves, Tascryn demons, blood-sucking vampires, sexy selkies and many, many more. Be careful if you choose to enter Shannon’s hunk-filled world. You may never wish to leave…
In the time Shannon doesn’t spend writing, she’s kept busy by bothering her super supportive husband, showing dogs, gardening and watching over her Butterfly Koi ponds. You can learn more about her writing and her life at www.lshannon.net.
Really liked it. Dragon shifters, goodlooking geeky archeologist and a confused and broken international thief AND a fab purple cover - what's not to like.
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!
I was really excited for this book. Dragons are a special love of mine, and there just aren't that many books out there, especially compared to vampires and werewolves, that focus on them.
Honestly I sit here a couple of days later and I'm finding it hard to remember what I liked about this book. I thought the premise was interesting, but for me it was just lost in Toni's endless musing, thoughts and (surprisingly) conversation.
The book moved at a pretty slow pace, with lots of discussions on what they were going to do, and very little time spent on any action. While I normally love discussion between characters, because it lets me get to know them better, I felt that they were constantly treading over the same stuff - again and again. Despite being inside Toni's head all the time, I never really felt I got to know her. And because we never got Ben's point-of-view I feel even less connected to him.
There were a couple of moments that made me very interested. L. Shannon has obviously put some thought into the world, and I would have liked to see more development here. I do think that things moved along a little too easily in this book. Toni seemed to accept being bonded to a dragon with hardly any qualms. Even Ben didn't seem to be too shocked (even enjoying his first ride as a dragon passenger, moments after his first sight of a dragon).
Also there were a couple of things that came up later in the book that just made me wonder why they were there. Two other supernatural beings show up out of nowhere. And maybe they'll have some further significance later. Or perhaps I was just really looking forward to a book more focused on dragons and didn't want the other stuff.
I was very, very interested in a character that showed up at the end, and I may just pick up the next book in this series to see if more story helps me like it better (and to see Weaver).
I went into this book expecting romance, and while there is some I would more classify this as urban fantasy. I do think that this may have colored my initial expectations and could have had some impact on my final thoughts, but that's not completely it because I usually don't mind whichever one I happen to pick up.
Exotic treasure thief tangles with nerdy-but-hot archeologist. It kinda sounds like a story you've heard before. However when Toni, the thief, meets Ben, the archeologist, things don't quite end up the way you imagine. Stealing an ancient box, housing precious gemstone pendants is Toni's goal. However a moment of curiousity plunges both Toni and Ben into a unexpected battle involving dragons, vampires, werewolves, and demons.
Amethyst Bound is a very unique take on dragon mythology. The binding of the human to the dragon was very imaginative. And the inner dialogue was both touching and, at times, hysterical. There is still so much to learn about how the relationship works, and what can and can't be done, but it's a very interesting concept. It appears that this will be a series and possibly have as many as six more books (count based purely on my interpretation of what's going on in the story, we'll see if I'm right, lol) so I'm sure we'll get some clarification along the way.
The characters, Toni, Ben, and Amethyst are all very different from each other. It was nice to see some of their individual quirks showing highlighted in the story. Shannon did a good job creating characters I cared about in such a short amount of time.
Speaking of a short amount of time. One of the things that bothered me about the book was the pacing. I'm not used to reading short stories. Most all of what I've read in the past have been 200-300+ pages, so I'm sure that has everything to do with my feeling that things were rushed in this story. Toni's acceptance of the situation, although it's forced on her, seemed a little too easy. Yes, she freaked a little, and yes, she knows there's nothing she can do to change it, but she just seemed to go against her "me against the world" persona entirely too easily. And the romantic relationship between Toni and Ben progressed too quickly for my taste. It was hot, and fun to read, to be sure, but considering the whole story lasted only a couple of days, it happened way too fast for me.
I think I would have been completely fine with all the elements of the story if it had just been a bit longer. There is so much that could have been explored to lengthen the story and allow for some much needed adjustment for Toni and Amethyst, and some relationship building for Toni and Ben.
All in all, I really enjoyed the book. It was a quick read, and it wasn't like anything else I'd ever read. I'm looking forward to the next part of the story.
***on a side note... LOVE LOVE LOVE the cover :-) **
If you love a fantasy story full of dragons and magic, adventure and passion, then prepare to fall in love with Amethyst Bound.
Tony Giovanni is in the recovery business, otherwise known as burglary and her latest job is shaping up to be an easy ride. Well it may be a ride, but it is far from easy. When Toni opens the box she is to "recover" from an archeological expedition and touches what is inside, she finds herself inexplicably bound to a dragon, Amethyst, who is thrilled to be free from her long captivity.
Archeologist Dr. Ben Davis has a fascination with dragon legends in various cultures and is thrilled at his latest discovery. However, when that find is stolen by a beautiful thief, his troubles are just beginning. Suddenly the mutual attraction between Toni and Ben ignites a conflagration that results in Ben being Amethyst Bound as minion and... mate? to Toni.
However, the danger is just beginning when this unlikely trio discovers an ancient prophecy stating the world will be destroyed by dragons. Can Toni and Ben and Amethyst put a stop to Armageddon before it's too late?
L Shannon has created a magical world in Amethyst Bound that I look forward to exploring on future visits. This fantasy story is populated with strong and sexy heroes and dark and deadly enemies. While Amethyst Bound is a shorter story, don't let that full you. It is every bit as action packed as any full length novel. While we do have some closure to this chapter in the Amethyst saga, much is still left hanging, to carry over into later books.
Toni's confusion and reluctance to take on her new destiny are real, causing readers to empathize with her and understand how she thinks and feels. Her relationship with Amethyst is often amusing and always exciting. Ben's delight in meeting a dragon first hand after a lifelong drive to learn about them shines through, adding a touch of contrast to the darkness they are facing. Passion is strong and fierce between Toni and Ben, amplified in Amethyst's bond to Toni and through her, to Ben.
I cannot recall if I've read stories by L Shannon in the past or not, but after finishing Amethyst Bound, I am eager for more by this talented author, especially additional installments to the Amethyst series. Giver this one a try, you won't be disappointed.
Amethyst Bound by L. Shannon * I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
Would you risk your life for 2 million dollars? That is what Toni did when she accepted the job to find the priceless artifact. She is a master at blending in so she is not worried about retrieving the object from the dig site without being seen. Things go as planned until Toni somehow opens the mysterious box and is drawn to the amethyst pendent inside. Little did she know that the dragon inside the pendent was calling to her, wanting her to put it on.
Dr. Ben Davis is a sexy archaeologist that has devoted many years to the exploration of dragons that has led him to this dig specifically because of the ancient box. Not only does he find himself face to face with a sexy thief that needs his help but a group of assassins out to kill them.
Together Toni and Ben team up to find a way to find the other jeweled necklaces and stop the dragons from taking over the world. They have to fight off assassins and another dragon along the way. Toni comes to terms with the fact that she is bound to Amethyst and only death will set her free.
The characters are complex, especially Toni. I love for my female leads to be strong and able to take care of themselves but ask for help when they need it. Toni definitely fits the bill. She has been taking care of herself since she was a young girl. To protect herself, she developed a method of blending in to her surroundings so she would not be noticed. She develops a bond with Amethyst because she is tired of being along. She wants Ben to stay to help her but she is afraid he will leave and struggles with trusting him throughout the story. Amethyst was a fun character too.
This story has action and adventure to right along with the love scenes. From the start this novella draws you in and keeps you hooked. The characters are well developed and the story flows smoothly and the ending leaves you wanting more.
I loved this story and hope there is more to come. I give Amethyst Bound 4 Flaming Hearts
Amethyst Bound is a short, romantic, action packed and suspenseful story. It will leave you wanting more and looking forward to the next book.
Toni Giovanni is one tough cookie. She’s strong, confident, but also very alone and has a big wall around her. Luckily when her entire future changes she gets some help from Ben. Ben’s character is reliable, smart and very loyal. I truly believed that he cared for Toni and that they where perfect for each other. Though something keeps telling me that there’s more to him than meets the eye. Hopefully we get to know the real him in the next book.
The scenes that really stood out in this story where the ones where Toni changed into the dragon form. They where really good described and you could vision it in front of you. From the first page till the last there was a lot of action. The pace was fast and I loved every minute of it. When you think you know who the bad guys are there comes more to the story and Shannon brings vampires and werewolves into it.
If you are looking for a short, romantic story that has vampires, werewolves and dragons in it, don’t look any further! I'm looking forward to the sequal and hope that the writer brings more vampires to the story.
This will be a short review to reflect on this short book- 102 pages short. It took me just over 2.5 hours to read.
There was not a lot wrong with the book other than it was too short, but that in itself was enough to cause the enjoyment factor to plummet. The problem with short stories and novella-length works (unless they are part of an existing series with already established characters) is that there just isn't sufficient time to do any real word-building or character development or any kind of clever twists and turns within the plot. There just isn't. So even though I quite liked some aspects of this book, there just wasn't enough there to satisfy. I will have forgotten all about it by tomorrow.
It basically follows Toni (Antonia) as she accidentally finds herself bound to an ancient purple dragon called Amethyst. Ben Davis is the geeky nerd archaeologist that gets brought a long for the ride to provide a couple of sex scenes. That's pretty much it.
So if you want a really, really quick read and you like dragons and dorks, knock yourself out.
That wasn't actually that short was it? Man I talk a lot.
This was a very interesting story. It appears to be the first book in a series. Sadly it seems the author dropped the series as there have been new books in a few years. I hate that!
I really liked Toni and found her to be a fun strong female character. She was a touch insecure but had her reasons.
I liked Ben but wished he were a touch more Alpha at times. He was also just a bit more judgmental than I would have liked.
This book really sets up a possible series with the other Dragons and the main characters quest to locate them. Too bad it appears we will never know what the author intended.
A nice spot of steam with a touch of kink, is it a three way if two characters in habit the same body?
I listened to the audiobook read by the deliciously wicked voice of Maia Guest. She does a superb job of creating the smexy scenes. Women's voices do not usually get me all hot and bothered, but she really steamed things up! Great pace and terrific voices.
This was a really fun read! Toni is a broken girl who has a rock-like exterior. She doesn't let anyone close, until a Purple Dragon comes along. Ben was a likable character but I definitely want to see him developed more in the next book - yes NEXT! At least there had better be after that ending!
I really enjoyed how the, for lack of a better term, shifting between human and dragon took place. I thought it was a very awesome way of doing this, having the dragon be it's own being inside of Toni. It was almost like a menage during the sex scenes *grin*
Who do I recommend to? If you like dragons, if you like paranormal, if you like witty banter, if you like kick-ass heroines, then you will definitely like this book.
A quick and fast read. I was super excited for this because of the dragons. I love paranormal and fantasy and not many combine the two especially with dragons. The story was short, maybe a little two much. And the female character bothered me a tad. However, probably not in a way that would bother most. Tori had issues and a difficult past especially with men and then all of a sudden bam, she lets her entire guard down and becomes all about t this guy she has known for two weeks only by watching him in a cave. I call bs. yeah it's sweet but I like when the female lead keeps her wits about her and her personality and just doesn't let everything go for a guy.
Overall I did enjoy it and will probably read more on this series.
The Lesson: Never put on any ancient necklaces when you don't know its history.
Ignoring this rule could change your life forever. Luckily for Toni although her old life as a self-reliant thief is over she gains a family in Amethyst, the dragon she's now been merged with and a sexy geek who in helping her has become her "minion" much to his chagrin.
This was an easy read, the writing flowed and the three main characters were likeable in their odd but endearing relationship as a threesome.
I Loved the imagery used to describe the details in this book, The author did amazing. I also love the characters in this story, they are different from each other but that's what makes it work. I love amethyst, she is amazing, she is just what I figure a dragon would be like! I love the story line and can only hope that the author will soon have more of this story. The only thing I didn't like was the length of this story I know it was a novella but I wish there was more to it cuz I loved it! I love dragons and this was an amazing story about them.
For such a short book not much to keep my interest. I'd expect less time spent on the pov character's inner musings and more trying to get me to like the characters and get the plot going. So I was somewhat dissapointed. Didn't like the characters or really have much of a feel for them, so didn't much care about the romance.
Amethyst was a quick read - tho even with the short length nothing held my interest for long, the premise sounded cool but I feel it lacking in delivery and I can't relate to the protagonist at all. I was also disappointed that in the first few pages she was already at it with Ben.
Meh. Novella length, so the characters had sex and fell in love within a very short time. Also because it was short, the characters weren't very well developed and therefore it was difficult to empathize with them.
I really enjoyed this book but the ending was not to my liking. It left a lot open and unsettled like what happens to them? that's a big deal. I wished the story continued.
This was a good little novella. Smart, sassy, and sexy, it made for a great in between activities read. I liked the dragon mythology and Toni's unique "blending" skill.