Review: Light Read
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 09 22, 2011
In The Uruguay Amethyst (second in the Ainsley Walker Gemstone Travel Mystery series), Ainsley accepts a job to find and purchase a rare amethyst, El Arbol Negro.  Her search, unfortunately, doesn't go as easily as planned and leads her on a chase across Uruguay.I received a complimentary copy of this book in order to review it.Although author J. A Jernay writes well, there are no layers to this story--no subplot, no romantic tangles, no real sense of urgency.  I didn't read the first book so maybe I missed some key backstory.  However, I never felt a vested interested in whether Ainsley found the stone or not.I enjoyed the descriptions of Uruguay and it's people.  Too often, though, the Rioplatense words throughout made me feel like I was being force-fed language lessons.  For instance, "The rolling hills, the cuchillas, were dotted with hundreds of grazing cows..."Many of the situations were unrealistic, ludicrous, and irrelevant.  It's amazing how many people set out to harm Ainsley, or others, only to stop at her command.  Yes, one of Ainsley's friends is beaten, possibly raped (Ainsley isn't there to stop the bad guy with her word), but in the end goes on her merry way, no lasting harm done.  Really?Much of the dialogue is unnatural.  Jernay provides a direct translation to give Uruguayan conversations the feel of the foreign language while keeping dialogue in English.  Still, the technique often creates stiff, odd exchanges.Overall, The Uruguay Amethyst is a quick, light read.