I don't usually write posts about books that I haven't read ALL the way through, but sometimes I think that it's actually helpful to see how your initial impressions match with your whole reading experience. Also, it's helpful to see what a person thinks of the beginning - I mean, will this book capture you from start to finish? Anywho, today I thought that I'd share with you my current reads, Eon by Alison Goodman and The Golden Specific by S.E. Grove.

 

I also really liked how romance was handled in the duology. Since Eon is actually Eona and Eona is pretending to be a 12 year old boy, there's not much opportunity for romance; if Eon did have a romance with someone at 12, it probably would've been a different book. But the relationships between characters are set for the next book, which then allows for a gradual development of the romance. I loved how gender identity was discussed in Eon. There are a lot of books with cross-dressing girls; rarely is it actually discussed why that girl has to hide herself as a boy and the repercussions of that. Here we got to have Eon(a) unpack how her culture treats her differently as a boy vs. girl, and her own biases about what it means to be female, male, etc. And that's especially challenged in some of the side characters: Ryko, a Shadow Man (aka eunuch) who takes steroids that enhance Sun energy (masculinity), and Lady Dela (a twin soul; a man who dresses as a woman and is accepted to be both - probably simplifying this). It's the rare fantasy that actually discusses the cross-dressing instead of using it to make the character seem more "badass" or give the character the opportunity to have traditionally masculine characteristics.

Wow! This is getting to be long. Okay, well, other things I liked: the cinematic feel of the book (there's a reason why Rites of Passage are what we focus on in so many different books - choosing ceremonies and the like - and man, this book doesn't disappoint on the climax and the dragon choosing ceremony and so many other extremely visual scenes) and the side characters and development of the characters (the emperor can't be touched because of rank; actual development of class rank, and how class rank affects each character! and side characters who have their own stories!). I didn't like the ultimate villain (the quickest way to make a villain is to have them hate difference or be cruel, etc. but the most fascinating villains, to me, are the ones most like the protagonist), the Dillon side plot, and how Eon's disability was handled. But otherwise, wow, I read those books so quickly and just ATE THEM UP.

The Golden Specific by S.E. Grove | Goodreads
Release Date: July 14, 2015
Published by: Viking

You can read my review of The Glass Sentence (book 1) here. You can also read my discussion of Sophia (main character) as a great heroine to follow.

I'm reading this along with Mel at The Daily Prophecy. I've stopped at around page 85. If you haven't read book 1, The Glass Sentence, it's based on the premise of The Great Disruption, a worldwide event that slid the different continents into different ages. We're following Sophia, who lives in New Occident (sort of New England) in the nineteenth century with her explorer uncle, Shadrack, because her parents went on an expedition and never return. Shadrack is kidnapped in The Glass Sentence, and Sophia goes searching after him. In The Golden Specific, Sophia is searching for her parents.

First off, just as Eon had AWESOME world-building and definitely fulfilled the Cultural Iceberg premise, so does The Glass Sentence/The Golden Specific world. SO MANY INVENTIVE DETAILS. For instance, S.E. Grove has created this religion called Nihilimanism (sp.?). Believers think that the world which Sophia and co. live in is the Age of Delusion, and they are trying to restore the Age of Verity, the time from before The Great Disruption. So much love for that creation. In general, I love Grove's discussion of different religions and different ways in which people cope with this HUGE event, and I love how she develops the cultures of each individual place.

I love the characters. Sophia is this wonderful, determined heroine who is often left by herself because the adults around her are dealing with other things or have to work late nights (in The Golden Specific, the latter is true). It actually feels realistic - it's not parents being neglectful, more that jobs can be really demanding and sometimes there isn't time for the kids. So Sophia is forced to be resourceful. The character relationships established from The Glass Sentence are really getting developed in this second book, and the inventive details also apply to the characters. For instance, there's this fixation on a potential villain as having REALLY WHITE TEETH. Has anyone ever seen the episode in Friends with Ross and his white teeth? It's this small detail, yet it's also again something that I think a lot of people would relate to. Teeth can totally creep people out. I don't even know the full details behind the teeth at page 85, and I'm creeped out.

In short, The Golden Specific is promising to be every bit as awesome as its predecessor, The Golden Sentence.

What are you all currently reading? Have you read either of these books? Would love to discuss!

Absolutely loved these books! The sequel was even better than the first book, and that one was already amazing. It's rare that I love everything about a book from beginning to end, especially YA novels. Alison Goodman showed that even overused tropes, such as love triangles, can be exciting and likable.

I think I am going to put it all behind a cut. There will be spoiler ahoy for books if you want to get spoil then go ahead and click on the cut.

 

Mine till Midnight by Lisa Kleypas

 

“You’re not like any man I’ve ever known,” she said. “You’re not even someone I could have dreamed. You’re like someone from a fairy story written in a language I don’t even know.” 

“The prince, I hope.” 

“No, you’re the dragon, a beautiful wicked dragon.” Her voice turned wistful. “How could anyone have a normal everyday life with you?” Cam took her in a safe, firm grip and lowered her to the mattress. “Maybe you’ll be a civilizing influence on me.” He bent over the slope of her breast, kissing it through the muslin veil of her gown. “Or maybe you’ll get a taste for the dragon.” He found the bud of her nipple, wet the cotton with his mouth, until the tender flesh pricked up against his tongue. 

“I th-think I already have.” She sounded so perturbed that he laughed. “Then lie still,” he whispered, “while I breathe fire on you.” 

 

(Cam to Amelia)

Funnily enough I don't have nearly as many favourite female characters as I do male ones. Is it because I seek out particularly strong or ruthless females to like and soft ones I like but never truly get to love? Perhaps I just answered myself.

 

Allison Sekemoto in Blood of Eden Series by Julie Kagawa, Allison is a strong, ruthless character who will anything and everything to survive including becoming the very thing she hates the most. A vampire. She confronts the world she lives in with such a practical and cold manner you can't help but be in awe when she faces situation most people would crumble under.

 

Ekaterina "Kate" Daniels in the Kate Daniels Series by Ilona Andrews, Kate is a ruthless, at times bloodthirsty, character who is a skill assassin with a cool head on her shoulders. She kills with no compunction, stares death in the eye and does not blink but makes it pee in its pants and gets together with a guy who is even scarier than she is, and Kate is darn scary folks. 

 

Penryn Young in Angelfall by Susan Ee, Penryn is thrown into a post apocalyptic world with gangs and killer angels stalking the street of the city she lives in. She survives by sheer strength of will and does not flinch in doing what is necessary even when such a thing is unthinkable. Like saving the life of her enemy to get her sister back or killing a murdering angel in cold blood to save herself and her sister. She faces the adversities to life with the kind of unflinching strength that is remarkable.

 

Eona in the Eon Series by Alison Goodman, Eona is a girl pretending to be a boy in a patriarchal society that looks down on her gender and brutalizes and subjugates it. It is a big theme of the book for Eona to stop denying her womanhood and fully embracing it as that is the source of all her magical powers. Book 2 in the series is especially good as she comes to embrace her powers and becomes the most powerful woman in the land.

 

Eve Dallas in the In Death Series by J. D. Robb, Eve is a New York police lieutenant who hunts down cold blooded killers. Her no nonsense approach to life and emotions is particularly appealing to me as we see so very few cold blooded women in fiction. Often times the mothering female is the epitome of womanhood and the cold, calculating ones get the shaft. I must say I am really enjoying peeling away at the layers of her character and getting to know her slowly in each installment.

 

Amelia Hathaway in Mine Till Midnight by Lisa Kleypas, Amelia is a practical young woman who is labelled a spinster because of the conventions of her time. I like her because she takes this offensive label and starts beating people over the head with it. She takes charge of her sibling when her brother goes off the deep end with grief, is opinionated and headstrong and terribly likable and funny at times. She gets seduce and ensnared into marriage by Cam but really who can blame her when a hot guy like that is seducing you?

 

Catherine Marks in Married by Morning by Lisa Kleypas, Cat is a strait laced woman, I liked how she didn't believe everything she was told, how she questioned everything and tried to choose what was best for her. I liked how she handled her man and was touch by her vulnerabilities.

 

Evangeline "Evie" Jenner, later on Lady St. Vincent, in Devil In Winter by Lisa Kleypas, Evie is a strong girl, shy and soft spoken but with a core or steel. Once she makes up her mind about something no power on Earth can dissuade her. She makes up her mind that she wants to be with her mortally ill father and knows that for her to succeed she must come out from under her families thumb. The only solution? Marriage to a scoundrel who will anything and everything to keep her away from them for her inheritance. Her unflinching and bold proposition to Sebastian is awe inspiring, she corners him in his home at a late hour and proposes they marry, he gets her money and she gets her freedom. I really liked how when Sebastian tries to bully her she stands her ground and does not let him get his way. She is also a sweet girl, understanding and kind. You can't help but love her.

"Eona - Das letzte Drachenauge" von Alison Goodman ist der 2. Band um die Geschichte von Eona.
Eona ist weiter auf Flucht und möchte sich dem Wiederstand anschließen. Sie kann sich zwar mit ihrem Drachen verbinden, aber die Macht kann sie nicht kontrollieren. Ryko ist dabei seinen schweren Bauchverletzungen zu erliegen. Dela bittet Eona ihn zu heilen. Dabei stürzen sich alle Drachen in der Geisterwelt auf sie und ihren Drachen. In der realen Welt wird deswegen ein ganzes Dorf zerstört. Ido hilft ihr in der Geisterwelt sich zu wehren. Eona erfährt, dass sie jeden Menschen, den sie geheilt hat, geistlich kontrollieren kann. Doch nur Ido und das schwarze Buch können ihr helfen.

Das Buch ist wieder aus Eonas Sicht geschrieben. Sie muss einiges durch machen dieses Mal. Zwar entscheidet sie jetzt selbst, doch steckt sie in Intrigen und Gefühlen fest. Auf der einen Seite möchte sie neue Freunde und Vertraute finden, auf der anderen Seite steht ihre neue Machtstellung im Weg. Deswegen hat sie oft das Gefühl, dass man ihr nicht traut und sie nur um sich hat weil sie ein Drachenauge ist. Auch ihre Beziehung zu Kaiser Kygo macht es nicht einfacher. Ido merkt dies, versucht sie auf seine Seite zu schlagen und gibt ihr die Macht der Drachenaugen als Kostprobe.
Auch andere Charaktere haben es nicht leicht. Dela muss wieder wie ein Mann aussehen und kämpft um ihre Liebe zu Ryko. Ryko muss damit zurechtkommen, dass Eona ihn immer kontrollieren kann.
Kygo muss lernen Kaiser zu sein und seine persönlichen Gefühle von den Eindrücken des Kaisers zu trennen.
Der zweite Teil ist spannender als der Erste. Durch Intrigen, Verrat und Wendungen bleibt der Ausgang der jeweiligen Situation oft nicht vorher zu sehen.
Auch erfährt man jetzt mehr über Eonas Vorfahrin und somit über die Drachen mit ihrer Macht. Schade ist nur das Eona beim Wiedersehen mit ihrer Mutter nur wenig mit ihr redet. Da hätte sie sicher noch mehr erfahren können und eine versuchen können eine erneute Bindung zu schaffen.
Der Weg bis zu Idos Befreiung war in de Länge gezogen und hätte kürzer sein können oder spannender gemacht werden können. Auch die Rivalität zwischen den Beiden und Eonas Gefühle hätten ausgeprägter sein können.

Das Buch ist auf jeden Fall besser als der erste Teil, doch fehlte mir das gewisse Etwas. Die ganze Idee mit den Drachen, dem Buch und der Perlenkette ist wunderschön. Doch hätte es an manchen Stellen eben spannender und tiefgreifender sein können.
Ich verteile 4 1/2 von 5 Wölfen.