Bargain in Silver: Josie Jaffrey

Within the pages of this novel you had better be aware of a deadly infection that has infiltrated our population and you might be one of the unlucky carriers. Outside in public humans are in danger and the end result would be instant death for some and others forced to give their blood to a group of people called the Silver. Vampires, others infected that walk in a trance like a zombie and all who have to adhere to the new rules of society of their form of government set in place by the Silver.

Emmy is strong willed and brazen and realizes that there are people around her including close friends that will be eliminated by the Silver because the other race out there are called The Weepers and they are the ones that carry this deadly virus. Anyone thought to be a carrier or a carrier must die! Emmy works at Parker’s Bar with her friend Jeffrey Parker, Danny Sarah and several others and although they seem to be safe for a while when she goes out to go home little did she expect to be taken captive by one of the Silver and forced to become part of their group. Solis and Drew are the two that are attracted to her and at first Emilia is drawn to Drew who is angry when she finds herself under the protection of the head of the Silver and is branded with a tattoo: Solis letting everyone know she is untouchable. Solomon is his real name and he offers to protect her and not one can dare go near her but she wants none of it and if she is not within his protection at all times she might be another death. Emmy tells the story in the first person and we learn all about where the Silver lives, how they live, their rules and why she feels threatened at times with their presence. Drew and Solomon are vampires and the bloodletting rituals are painful but after her friends are killed and sacrificed by one of the Vampires she is forced to live among them and work for them in Parker’s bar. Cam, Tommy, Drew, Solomon are now her world but Emmy is not willing at first to submit to Solomon until she can’t resist him. In order for them to live they have feed on human blood. Would you want to be the object of desire of two deadly Vampires? But if she goes out into the world where she lives alone she might become a victim of the Weepers. Emmy is drawn to Drew yet at times to Solomon but she is hardheaded and has a mind of her own but will she remain inside with them or will she turn and leave? A deadly infection that can take your life and tyour only recourse is submission to their wills. Slavery living under their thumb of the disease

A dystopian novel, dark and called A Bargain in Silver book one of Josie Jaffrey’s Solis Invicti series that takes place and is set in London when the world is about to come to an end and Vampires rule. Emmy is staunch in her principles, Drew seems to want to rock her world but escaping might be her only salvation but would she live on the streets alone? Not wanting to become part of their group, giving into their every demand and wanting Drew yet attracted to Solomon, Emmy’s is living an emotional rollercoaster. The Weepers walk around in a trancelike state and the Silver are the ones who consider themselves better than anyone especially the humans. Emmy’s only recourse if to become one of the slaves giving them her blood in order to for them to survive and having to decide whether to submit, betray herself or defy them.

The Silver agency is run by Primus: Solomon and Emmy is his personal want and to submit to him even though he shows no emotional attachment, no warmth and yet it makes it clear she cannot leave and needs his protection to live. Three races: Humans, Weepers, Vampires struggling for survival and one the Silver in control almost like three branches of government and a dictatorship rule that wins out. At times you think that Drew and Sol or Solomon are in competition for Emilia’s heart or is that it’s their own contest to see just how far the can push each other and Emmy to see who will win her heart but does it matter?

Emmy appears to create a wall around herself and she is crude, unappreciative of their kindness and yet at times apologizes for her words but at best she can be impulsive and demands that they allow her to be what she wants and do whatever suits her.

This is a story about control, power and possession. Emilia seems to be what Sol wants but only for his own need to fulfill the blood she can supply for him and the pain she incurs would be difficult for anyone to endure yet she craves him and much more. When Drew calls her on it and wants to take over her protection and heal her wounds and bites, he’s told what will happen if he does. She demands to be alone and leave both of them and at times you wonder just where she is going with this and why she seems so bent on paying Sol with her blood for saving her life yet, Drew was the one who rescued her.

Conflicts within herself and two Vampires vying to control her in more ways than one and the Weepers in the outer parameter who could take it all away from her in a flash.
Things take a turn in a different direction as Emmy rebuffs Sol’s protection, loses his mark and his scent and someone close to her that she thinks is her protector turns out to be anything but. Would she decide to save herself and become Silver? What happens when her life is in danger and she might not survive? What about the attack by the Weeper just how did it break into the barrier? Someone reveals that the Silver was revealed as a result of the sections of one foolish boy. Someone wants to take control and rid the Silver of Drew and Sol but can it be done? Drew if the Secundus and next in line after Sol. Just what is this non-human’s motive? Why are humans expendable and what happens when Sol and Drew realize that Emmy’s fate might be sealed? Emmy used Sol for her own purposes and this person is going to use her liaison with Sol to take control but will that happen? The ending provides a twist that you won’t see coming and the final outcome and her fate won’t be revealed until the next installment comes out. When they realize that the Weeper might have infected her they have several choices regarding Emmy but which will they choose? She is rebellious, rambunctious, and defiant and yet they seem to have some loyalty towards her even though she’s human. A novel that brings to light the differences in classes, control, a society comprised of Vampires that are in office and Weepers that would give anything to take their place and humans that have to fight to survive. A tightly knit group of Vampires who appear to be loyal to their cause and each other. But, just what is their ultimate goal and author Josie Jaffrey created a society not that different from groups today who want to take over and rule others into submission. Drew, Sol, Ben, Emmy: What will their final fate be? Who wins: the Weepers, Silver or Humans? Within the pages each reader will decide what you would do if you were Emmy: Silver or Human!

Fran Lewis: Just reviews/MJ magazine