The Black Jewels trilogy takes place in a world where some people and animals have magical powers, depending on the color of the Jewel they wear. The Dark Kingdom is preparing itself for the arrival of a new Queen, a Witch who is the fulfillment of an ancient prophecy and who will wield more power than even the High Lord of Hell. However, this new Queen is quite young and vulnerable to influence and corruption. When three sworn enemies start a ruthless game of intrigue, politics and betrayal, the destiny of an entire world is at stake.
The first book in the series introduces Jaenelle, who is Witch (or Dreams Made Flesh). She holds an immense amount of power (which she's pretty unaware of) and has a charming, open personality that endears her to those she encounters. However, because she has this power, she is in danger; however, she is also quite dangerous. This first book lines up some of the characters who are integral to the entire trilogy and the next two books take Jaenelle through her teen years and into adulthood, with the danger building to a climax at the end of the third book.
If there's a silver lining to the bad cold I've been suffering through for a few days, it's that when I get up in the middle of the night, I have some prime reading time. I've read these books before (and own them) and it was nice to revisit the stories again. These are what I call "light fantasy fiction,." although readers should be forewarned that there are descriptions of sex and violence in this book (especially since sex ties into power in the world of the Jewels). While the author's writing style sometimes rubs me a bit the wrong way (for example, she uses the same descriptive terms over and over again), I like the world and magic system she creates here, and I like some of the characters. I also like that there aren't happy endings for all of the characters, which makes the story a little more realistic. Bishop clearly defines the Jewel system and has an explanation of the different societal levels in each book, so it's easy to get the hang of things right away.
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