Lili V

Even though I can say that the Kara Gillian series is “wordy”, like my English teacher would say, it lets you enjoy every stickin' detail that the author could possibly squeeze out of this murder-mystery supernatural-romance. Indeed, it does contain more expletives and explicit sex scenes than I've encountered at such an early point of a series, but it adds so much to the southern Louisiana charm. As precisely outlined in book 1 and 2 of the series, Kara is thrown into completely new territory with the arcane powers running a muck in her small town of Beaulac. It's thrilling to go through the procedures of detective work right along with her because you can practically feel how she's finally getting the hang of being a homicide detective. Exhilarating though it is to watch her jump through hoops to catch the killer, Rowland doesn't let it interfere with the true gut-twisting roller coaster romance that Kara has between Rhyzkahl, the demonic lord and Ryan, an arcane-tainted FBI Agent.

As I was saying about the wordy thing, it is something that a lot of authors–with their complex Urban Fantasy stories–fall into: repeating the previous books' details in a not-so-subtle way. Some do it magnificently, merely reminding you of details one might have missed in the book before, and others fall a little flat, as in “I knew that already, get on with the current happenings!” It drives me a bit batty sometimes because I feel like I have to skim most of the book in order to get to the real essence of it. However, with Secrets of the Demon–as well as Blood of the Demon–Rowland was able to keep me entertained immensely otherwise, with all the crime-solving and personal-life strife that Kara slugs through. This third installment really cleaned up a bit and was marginally shorter and more precise than the second. It definitely felt like Rowland answered some long overdue questions that were subtly present in both book 1 and 2, mostly speculations pertaining to the two FBI agents in Kara's life.

Rowland does seem to follow a pattern with each installment in the Kara Gillian series, one that's vaguely noticeable if you read the book consecutively. It's an addicting thrill to find out who the murder is at the end, but I always seem to be skimming the final action scene because I would be too lost with all the baggage that surrounds it. It would definitely draw back from the initial punch I imagine is intended every single time that the murderer is confronted. Then, of course, comes the minute epilogue that Rowland concludes with at the very ending that leaves you craving for the next book in the series, because she does answer the last conflicting nuggets that are left tickling the back of your head, but it really leaves you with only more questions that could only be answered through the gradually growing series.

I greatly anticipate the fourth book in the Kara Gillian series, if only to see where exactly the big unveiling at the end of Secrets of the Demons leads to.

Grade: B-

This installment in the Jane Yellowrock series delves even deeper into the supernatural lore of the world as weres come out of the closet. It was kind of sad to see the short romance between Rick and Jane so quickly and spectacularly throughout the book. The investigative aspect in this installment was perplexing and invigorating to unravel as Jane got more and more clues to solve the big murder mystery.

I have to say that the only bad thing about this installment–that I have also seen in previous installments–is the overly descriptive writing style. While at times it helps with setting up the backdrop of the city of New Orleans and the further reaches of the state of Louisiana very well, it also pulls me out of the story when there's a page-long description of something nonsensical and not part of the plot-line at all.

Also not a huge fan of the cliffhanger but it does entice me enough to buy the multitude of side short stories about the world that are available.

Loved the story, confused about dialogue.

So in this installment Kitty and Martini are still going strong and Kitty is now head of Centaurion's Airborne Alpha Team.

The things that I enjoyed about this installment are continuous from the first book. Kitty's ability to figure things out was still on point, but more so Alpha Team in general was amazing to read about in action. The murder mystery plot situation was by far the best story line this book had to offer. I say this because I had some issues with the overarching romance plot that will be discussed down below.

For now, I want to talk about the writing and characters. The writing was brilliantly suited to the action-packed pacing of the thrilling plot lines. There was the dueling plots of jealous whacko wannabe girlfriend of an ex-boyfriend, and the evidence that humans are way more evil than A-Cs give them credit for. Both were unbelievably titillating and the use of certain large swamp reptiles was a nice touch.

But how can I not mention the biggest evolution in the book when Kitty finally gets to meet Martini's family. Oh boy was that fun to read. I can only tease because you have to read it for yourself to truly grasp the enormity. All I can really say is that the authors writing doesn't fail in drawing you in with the high-level emotions. (My professional way of saying “All the feels!”)

Some of the things that I didn't enjoy had to do mainly with the ending. There were some parts that didn't seem like they could be happening because their explanations hadn't been revealed yet and the plot twists seemed too extreme to be plausible. However, it wasn't the appearance of the plot twists that I had a problem with–because once they were explained, they made more sense–but Kitty's reaction as well as the events that happened after. They just seemed like a convenient way to introduce a character that had been teased about since the first book.

The second thing that I didn't like about the ending was the immediate cutoff after the resolution. Kitty and Martini weren't given a chance to communicate about their issues which I would have really liked to see because I'm finding it to be a pretty scarce occurrence.

However, overall, in no way is that ending going to stop me from continuing this series until the end. I've officially committed to the characters and their individual stories. I need to see what other shenanigans they get caught up in and how they work their way out. And I'm holding out hope that one day Kitty and Martini will sit down and talk. (Hell, I don't even care if it's in the middle of sexing, I just need some clarity about their relationship, is that too much to ask? ;)

Not going to continue this series... :(

After spending about two weeks recovering in the hospital after a terrible accident, Zoe Dodd decides to start life with a different approach. When her previous guardian angel disappears, she's left more confused than ever. Keeping up with the surroundings happening in her current life take a back seat to the thoughts and sights that Zoe now experiences with a new view. Getting a new guardian angel is the last thing she expects, and when she knows who and what he really is she's gets more questions than answers. As she contemplates what this new “angel” might bring upon her world, she slowly sees signs of her life becoming more dangerous by the minute.

In this sequel of Zoe's life touched by the spiritual, Penitence brings more background on it's cast of characters, and adds a new one that's yet to be dealt with. More somber than Heavenly, Penitence digs deeper into Matthias' past, and progresses in Zoe's friendships and blossoming relationships.


Having tasted an entrancing debut with Heavenly, Penitence was just made to add to the growing suspense of future actions in Zoe's life. Dealing with her family and friends intermingles with her daily dose of dealing with the spiritual. I loved the way Laurens really developed the cast of characters in this book. She was able to explain through voices and actions the reasons for some past occurrences and build up to the present challenging events. What was deeply unexpected was Zoe's internal chaos of sensations that was the result when she slowly realized there's more to the people around her than she originally thought. It was a refreshing wave of something new in an already deeply touching tale. Leaving off on a cliffhanger just added to the thrill of waiting for the third installment in the Heavenly series, Absolution.


Quotes:

“You're the first girl who's had the guts to touch my controls.” –pg. 234



Grade: A

Adarlan's Assassin was never supposed to be more than that. The Crown Prince saw her as an escape from the routine life of royalty, the Captain of the Guard saw her as nothing more than a killer for hire, and the King has nothing but a means to an end. Nobody expected her to be their savior, but that's exactly what she was.

After suffering through Endovier's torture of a jail, after being betrayed by someone she thought was the most loyal, Celaena Sardothien has to agree to win the fight to be the King of Adarlan's Champion. She knows she has what it takes to put up with four years of following the King's orders to get her freedom, but the challenges soon become nothing to worry about when Champion candidates start turning up mauled to death.

I liked the fact that Throne of Glass was told through third-person perspective as well as from multiple points of view because it gave this mythical yet medieval world more depth. The love triangle could be spotted a mile away in this book, but I do have to give it points for originality. However, with all the little hints made that Celaena came from Terrasen's royal family, I got the vibe that the Crown Prince and Celaena would do better as siblings than love interests. I was probably far off in that assumption but I can't really say that they go well together, romantically speaking. I guess this puts me in a more Team Captain Chaol than Team Prince Dorian. Chaol was more of a repressed character in this book and I would like to see him subtly get closer to Celaena, as well as both of them getting to know each other better.

As far as the writing goes, I had no problem with the flow of the novel, and have to say that the descriptive portions with the creatures and otherworldly power was honestly spot on and thrilling. I know this has to do more with the plot than with the writing, but I liked that Ms. Maas was able to incoporate the gruesome scenes and Celaena's fighting scenes so flawlessly into the story line. The true problem that I had with the plot was that there were so many hints and clues that there was more going on with the kingdom, the castle, and its King, but there were very little answers. I understand that there's going to be more installments but I would have appreciated a more concrete standing in this world that these amazingly dynamic characters live in.Overall I think it was a decent start to a series with a haunted assassin with too many demons and only freedom in mind. Though there were too many questions about her past that were not addressed in this installment and perhaps a bit too many secret plots, there's hope for Celaena and her mismatched crew that consists of a besotted Crown Prince, a no-nonsense foreign Princess, and the hardy Captain of the King's Guard.

Also, for those who really liked this book I would highly recommend reading Maria V. Snyder's works, especially Poison Study, the first in the Study series.

C+

Nothing too spectacular but I did enjoy it. Thought the ending was a bit abrupt, though. It felt like the whole book was about this band of characters–characters outside the band as well–and their major flaws. The content of the book was basically exploiting the flaws and then just reading about they're fixed.

I can't really give my full opinion about this book since I didn't read the entire thing but what I did read left me unsatisfied. The descriptions of Lorien and the seventeen other planets that supposedly inhabit the universe seem very dull and not fully developed. Actually even the actors left me wanting more. Besides the basics, the characteristics of all the characters seemed very bare. I really though that there was going to be more action and lack of depth dose not make I Am Number Four any more relatable.

Grade: D-

(Update 09/28/12) This is such an empowering and lachrymose novel. This is my second time reading it and it was just as disarming as the first.

A masterpiece that was indeed flawless.

With an attitude that takes no prisoners, you won't be prepared for the onslaught that Sarah Burke isn't afraid to dish out. Beautiful writer, studious student, killer looks are what frames Sarah's character but she can't get over the fact that what's in the center–of her face–is what grabs people's attention first. She can take the ridicule and even pay it back in kind but each time leaves an unavoidable scar that has constructed the wall Sarah keeps herself behind, in order to not get hurt.

However, because of her best friend in the world, she can withstand it with Kristen by her side. When a new boy comes to town, all the girls are crazy about his good looks but Sarah is interested in his fresh, intellectual presence as well. When Kristen decides she'd like to him hers, being the loyal friend and repaying her debt to her friend unwavering kindness, how can she say no when she asks for help in making her sound intellectual, too?

Opening with a thriving beginning, Flawless had no flaws that I can air out in this review. Honestly, not only was Sarah's writing something to behold but Chapman did an amazing job at creating each character's voice uniquely. Once you've started reading, you find yourself interested in how exactly Sarah is affected when she has a gorgeous mother that wants her to get a nose job–because she knows Sarah's pain–and a best friend she knows she can't compete with–and doesn't wish to–in the looks department. Her self-respect is admirable but as you continue reading, you ask yourself if it was all just words and rationalization in order to do what her best friend pleaded for. Reading through Kristen's constant nagging, of course she wasn't my favorite character–and I did ask myself how could she not see how Sarah felt–but she had a wholesome personality that was well thought-out and had a basis to stand on; in other words, there was more to her than her looks.

Rock was an interesting character to observe throughout the duration of the book. It was delightful to see his carefree mannerisms and free-spirit temperament when Sarah was going through so much turmoil. Chapman's rendition of Cyrano de Bergerac was beautifully written and tearfully read. Yes, I'm a mush when it comes to these things but only the skillful can squeeze some droplets of salt water out of me.

I highly recommend Flawless to those looking for a quick read that will spear your heart but have you sympathizing and hopeful along the way.

Grade: A-

Blair & Ardith. Two life friends telling a two-perspective story, from the transition of junior high–which ends with ninth grade, allegedly–to the battle that is high school. There is intent and there are consequences, and in the story you will learn how to get one done and take “precautions” against the other. Unlike Such a Pretty Girl, I did not read all of Leftovers–actually I skipped a good chunk of the middle section of the book, only to look back on the crucial details. But, also unlike Red-headed Stepchild, I did it–not because I couldn't wait till the end, though that was part of it the reason, but–because the frustration and confliction between the main characters were weighing me down.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this book to any hard-steel YA readers, though it has a bit of sexual content–but you kind of have to be prepared for some emotional baggage, you know? The author–Laura Wiess–was undoubtedly brilliant in catching the essence of the characters–every last one of them. If you thought Such a Pretty Girl–if you've read it that is–was spectacular, then I would recommend this novel/story in a heartbeat.

From frozen yogurt (California), to frozen custard (Kansas), to derby pie (Kentucky), to Dairy Queen (Virginia), Amy Curry and Roger Sullivan travel the nation on in unrestricted journey from Cali to Connecticut and discover that meeting new people and overcoming old pains is just some of the many things that life may throw at you when you are completely unprepared. After a horrible car accident, Amy feels beyond repair when for so long her father had been a constant figure in her world who loved Elvis and Life Savers hard candy, and now she feels like moving across the country is the worst betrayal of all to his death. With her brother, Charlie, in a North Carolina rehab facility and her mother in their new house in Connecticut, Amy must go with Roger–a guy she barely remembers playing Spud with–on a road trip she's dreading for its significance. Only, when they take one small detour, they discover that there may be room for more if they take the scenic route instead of the convenient one.

I truly enjoyed the pace of this book because I felt that although it took its time in explaining many structures that made up the plot–the states, Amy's past, Roger's current conflicts and interests–Matson made the road trip feel like a fulfilling quest of independence and freedom. I learned the motto to a state I've actually been to and a meal that is so famous in the most expensive hotel there–I'm exaggerating. I love learning tidbits I've never known about the things that I've only bypassed and didn't spend the time to discover.

My favorite aspects of this book had to be the many people that Amy and Roger met while traveling Middle America. Walcott being my dream guy because I loved his soul-bearing rocker attitude so much and I could pretty much picture his future in my head, which of course would reside in Kansas since he has so much pride in his state, his home I should say. He would definitely be one of those mental heart breakers because you'd fall so deep you wouldn't begin to know how to get back up. Roger had the most fantastic college friends that I just adhered to because of their genuine personalities and wholesome feel.

While Amy helps Roger with his ex-girlfriend breakup, her problems take a backseat till you reach closer to the end of the book. This was fine with me because while he was taking of his problems Amy did not become an inactive character at all. She learned how to start to break down the barrier surrounding her and let loose some unbearable pain and resentment for the things that haven't been said aloud.

I believe that Matson is an artist at building relationships, situations and emotions between characters that bring them to levels of familiarity where none was expected to be found. I cannot recommend Amy & Roger's Epic Detour enough to adults and young adults who will appreciate the view into America and its winding roads.

Grade: A

One thing you must know is that this is my second time reading this whole book. Granted they were different editions, but I couldn't really tell the difference–besides the cover, of course.
The dialogue sort of gives you insight that the first edition was written in the seventies. Of course, I didn't actually belive that the first time I read the edition above. Katherine is pratical, but she's also somewhat of a romantic. Guess I should give you a heads-up now, before you read read it. There is some sexual content, very mild language–pretty much explains the seventies, doesn't it? But, hell, what do I know, I was born in the 90s. In fact, that's what makes it more cherishable to me, the book I mean.
Katherine's story is mostly about her experience and love relationship with her boyfriend, Micheal. It lacks, for me, a bit of depth between the characters' devotion for eachother, lacking emotion here and there. It is in first person but by the narration, it knid of makes me feel like it shouldn't be. Mostly because the characters in general play a big part in this one girl's first love experience. And at the first real challenge, first real seperation, where there was other people involved, makes Katherine question the difference between first love and true love? We all have our first love,–whatever and/or whoever it may be–does that mean you'll be together forever...
Recommended to all teens, all ages, because we should all be prepared–good Lord, I sound like my mother.

After winning a grueling case against a serial killer, prosecutor Sara Constantine had only planned to celebrate with a drink at the local bar; not expecting a one-night-stand with a delicious hunk of a stranger. And when she gets to work the next day, she definitely did not expect that same stranger to be defendant in her new high profile case, or the fact that he has the daemon in him and is a vampyre. Lucious (Luke) Dragos is the last of his lineage, and undoubtedly the only suspect in the murder of a Division 6 judge. He knows this of course, and that is why he has to convince Sara to believe in him and his reasons behind the murder and it's motive.


When Blood Calls is an action-packed, beautifully written debut of the new Shadow Keepers series. With strong-willed, justice-believer Sara Constantine, it seems from the very beginning that Luke doesn't stand a chance in court. However, being born in 122, Luke knows that things are never black and white; and it doesn't hurt that he has friends working inside the system.In When Blood Calls, you get to see from almost all the co-characters perspectives which only adds to the slight suspense that builds towards the end of it. While reading, I kept speculating who might have been behind the master plan in the end, even when everyone pretty much had a solid idea on who it was. However, never did it lose the intensity to keep the reader interested in every little detail that could possibly change the outcome. The different creatures/characters in this book have remarkable powers, especially the vampires that are not like any others. Instead of having no soul at all, what creates a vampyre in When Blood Calls is actually activating the darker side of your soon and fighting against it for control that brings out all their ugly.


I recommend this to whoever likes some of sexual content with an intricate plot full with on-the-edge-of-your-seat suspense. I can't restrict this to a specific age because some people would be a bit hypocritical if they knew mine. :)


Grade: A

Fast read, read it in one sitting. Some things I had a problem with but overall a great pleasure read.

I definitely enjoyed the second half more than the first because the latter was so–I hate to say it–desperate to be contemporary that the mystical was lacking. I appreciated the the final BIG scene and the irony of it–big chunk of irony, let me tell you–but I really disliked the ending.

Grade: C-

Victoria cheats. Belle tricks. Valentin lies. Bice hides. Christian steals. Everything and nothing is connected, by the most invisible, inaudible things around the world. The darkness you trust to protect, the governesses–maids, nannies, baby-sitters–you trust to protect your children, is/are what betrays you when the right moment strikes for what they truly want and will give anything to have. The most five differentiated children are brought together by one governess because of their “weaknesses.” Every person and nuisance they encounter or interact with is eventually ultimately used as an amusement for Madame Vileroy, no matter how humiliating or degrading it may be for them; beware if Madame gets a laugh out of your mortification of your most embarrassing moment, for she may come back to you for more.
Okay, why is it that the best books always take me forever to read? Of course, I don't know they're the best books until I actually read them.
The beginning of every chapter, after chapter two, has a specific capture of time in Madame Vileroy's life, mostly, anyway; past or future. At first I did not understand why they were there, until I actually got the whole understanding of the chapter still to come. The book is not necessarily told in anyone's perspective but that does not mean their feelings and emotions don't contribute to the narration of the novel. Another Faust tells the children's/teen's stories individually and, at times, mesh together because they're “siblings.” All have their insecurities–no matter how confident they appear–and in that, their weaknesses. Another Faust is the opposite of every book I've been reading lately, yet the same in different ways. In a lot of books there are the good and the bad. In this book it also has both sides but from the opposite perspective–the bad one. Instead of the teens talking about the latest fashion for the New York holiday event, they're planning devious schemes, like paying the waiter to introduce himself to their enemy's high maintenance mother as an ex-boyfriend of her daughter, their enemy, just for kicks. Another Faust is smoothly written and doesn't frustrate you into skipping pages and finding out the secrets of others, it makes you want to go over every detail just to make sure you haven't missed anything.

Another changed my life type of book. Still SO relevant today. Highly recommend.

Thrown into such life-challenging situations, the reader can witness for themselves how irrevocably engaging Kelly's writing soon comes to be. She takes being an ordinary girl with an extraordinary talent to a whole new level. That's how I came to love Jasmine's realistic view of the obstacles taking over her life and debating which path she should–and wants–to take. She ultimately had the perseverance to work out the inner demons stopping her from going full-out on her dream of being a rock star. Not once did I hate any of the characters in Amplified, at most I was just mildly annoyed with a few. As a supporting role, Veta was eccentric and sometimes dramatic but totally trusting, and as a love interest, Sean had the baggage and barbell but unexpectedly dependable when he wanted to be.

It was easy to see how Kelly's writing portrayed Jasmine as such a captivating character because of her obvious vulnerability, from the history with her father to being left to her own devices in an unfamiliar situation. Jasmine encounters grueling life decisions at the brink of adulthood when most of the population would still categorize her as a child. Shining a light on her weaknesses, Kelly was easily able to pinpoint them as attributes that eventually manifest themselves to progress the story. The music and her love of playing the guitar gave support to all her choices and mistakes, coinciding to become the basis of her life. Dealing with a whole new scene, this contemporary read rocked hard.

Grade: A-

Pretty awesome, funny, and very entertainingly informative.

With varying levels of reapers attacking, ice-cream-eating, loves-shopping Ellie is unprepared when her nightmares become, not only reality but years of memory. With the help of her mysterious Guardian, Will, she must find a way to enable her powers accessibility for the hunt of these terrible reapers. Along the way, Ellie confronts copious obstacles that prevent her from gaining the strength she's going to need for the ensuing battle to establish Lucifer's return in the Second War, the Apocalypse. Fighting with her swords, her Guardian by her side, Ellie believes that in order to keep her normal, stable life, she must to everything she can to keep a balance between both worlds. However, as she drifts away further and further from her friends, she knows that the inevitable is bound to happen when she gets all her memories back, the bad and the dreadful. But will there be time to gain enough knowledge of this new world she's always known with demonic reapers and archangels, in order to save all of humanity?

In Angelfire, Ellie is portrayed as this ancient bad ass that seems to be humanizing more and more every time she's reincarnated. I'm all for the kick-butt heroine persona, but Ellie she actually trying to avoid becoming someone she knows she can be, but will destroy her inside if she allows it. With chilling arch foes coming out of the Grim–a parallel dimension where reapers can be clearly seen–she fights to survive and control what little she can of her life. A motif in the book that I really enjoyed reading were the flashbacks into “The Preliator's” memory bank. It was thrilling to go through all the action that she got in her previous years as a warrior.

As an overall character, I understood what Ellie was going the through throughout the duration of the novel. She's constantly looking for any guidance provided that will lead her to a saner road in the pandemonium that outlines her existence. Will really seems like the complex, moody macho-man when he's introduced in the book, however, his underlying layers soon became clear as his bond with Ellie becomes ostensibly evident. And really, his depiction just adds to his brooding persona and the visual of a nice hot-bod; it never hurts to create a character like him, even though it has been done before. While Ellie is older than him originally, he acts as a mentor when trying to influence her memories, even if he keeps his secrets. Just one of those characters that love to drive you crazy; when Ellie wanted to slap him, so did I.

I think that Moulton did a wonderful job in creating the overall background to set Angelfire in. Everything truly was connected in a sense that it was titillating to follow along through the building of the angels history and Will's theory of why Lucifer really fell from Heaven. I would be excited to read future works by Moulton, and hopefully with less trashy best friends and more fight scenes.

Grade: B

LiLi

Starting this book I was leaning towards giving it a 3.5 stars but towards the middle, there was a plot twist that was too sudden between to characters that was probably very predictable to those that have read this book but it was too big of a change that my interest in the rest of the book dwindled. Although I did end up skimming through the latter half of the book, and it was more of an excitement, there was just too much lacking from the first half for me to credit the characters and the book overall with 3 stars. I think it was the main character herself that made me reduce Picture the Dead to two stars, because the whole book seemed a bit self-centered to me. Even though her love for her brother and fiancé were evident and a solid fixture in the book, it was more like the book focused too much on Jennie, her pickpocketing, and her scrapbook. And while that may have been the point I just didn't like that main focal point and ended up giving it 2 stars.

Very enjoyable read. Liked the MC a lot because she shares a trait that a lot of my favorite protagonists have: being a know-it-all and not ashamed to let the whole world know. But she's not cocky about it which makes her all the more likable. I went into this book not knowing what it was about expect for the obvious of course: aliens. For some reason, I had the preconceived notion that it was going to take place in space. Color me surprised when I discover Kitty kicking (superbeing/parasite) ass after just getting out of jury duty in the first few pages.

I kind of want to give a heads up to those who want to know what the book is about before they pick it up. For those who don't, look away–however, what I'm about to write is NOT a spoiler but may spoil some of the read-it-for-yourself fun. This book does a lot of telling and not much showing in terms of learning who the aliens are and explaining the background of how they got to earth and why they are there. Personally, I didn't mind all the exposition and dialogue. While the writing was a lot of dialogue it definitely let the personality of the characters shine through. All of the main gang of characters were allowed enough “air-time” for me to get a solid feel for who they were as individuals.

Only main issue I had was the romance. In the beginning I was a little shocked by how fast it developed but eventually got used to the matchup. I don't think the love triangle was necessary because the other guy's interest was oddly portrayed. (Just seemed like a failed plot device for the main couple to grow closer. However, I wouldn't mind seeing the other guy become more prominent in the plot of future books.) What bugged me was that the main couple was developing their relationship at hyperspeed. I could understand the main guy's motives because they were explained to a certain extent but Kitty went from lust to love at a convenient time. While it was entertaining to read it really wasn't that believable. I will explain more with the spoiler below.

The sex scene in the elevator made me a little uncomfortable because while it was consensual, I didn't like how Martini just assumed it would be. Yes, we are in Kitty's head and know that she wants it but the way it was written didn't make that fact immediately apparent. And after what happened with Chris in the elevator I didn't think it was necessary for Martini to instigate that just to make Kitty less uncomfortable with him in the elevator. I wish they could have communicated better without having to default to sex every time they are near each other.

When I first attempted to read Eon, I was all for it; as in, I loved the Chinese Zodiac animals and how they were incorporated into the book was genius. However, when I actually started to read the book, this is how my mind spoke to me: “Nice visuals I'm getting with all the descriptive detail...whoa, the dragons are so majestic...gah, more descriptive detail? Where's the action?....I can't take it anymore, must know how it ends...” In fact, I only ended up reading the first quarter of the book and then skimming the rest. That, I knew later, made for a very bad understanding of the series of events that occurred in the book. So that is why I decided to give Eon another chance.

Take Two:

Eona was in a serious dilemma when she was approached by her new master while she was working the salt farms. She had seen so many of her “colleagues” and friends die from a coughing sickness induced by just being there. If she wanted to survive and have a chance to come into riches herself, she would have to follow her new masters orders and become a boy forevermore. Eon was then known as one of the twelve candidates vying for the position of Rat Dragoneye Apprentice. Being cripple and one of the smallest boys in the bunch, the odds were not in his favor. (Actually, since the ceremony of the choosing would be somewhere the whole town could watch, they were placing bets and Eon's was 1:1000. Yikes.)

Characters: Eon was going through what manga readers know as a “gender-bender” situation, meaning he was so undercover that he couldn't be a girl if he tried. Pros of his character would be his ambition (ironically, enough), his...Well, there wasn't much else. Cons of his character is a different story; his constant fears and worries of what others would do to him if they knew the truth got annoying real fast. His cowardice to face the problems and deal with them made me want to punch him numerous and say, “Grow a pair.” His indecisiveness was frustrating and the constant doubt made me want to skip pages again. Through all of this, I still didn't think badly of him because I knew the full extent of the circumstances he was in. All of the pressure that was on him to succeed was overwhelming to say the least. In one interaction that Eon had with another very important character made me question, “Has anyone ever told Eon that they love him?”

The other characters and people who are introduced became far more prudent to plot line than side characters would normally be. In fact, while I enjoyed every interaction that Eon had with all the other characters, Eon would barely speak twice in their whole conversation. Rilla and Chart were most dear to my heart because their loyalty to Eon's master's house was unquestionable, and Chart's “deformity” just pulled at my heartstrings. Speaking of Eon's master, Heuris Brannon was indeed a terrifying man but it was clear the underlying emotion he felt toward his trainee. Lady Dela and Ryko were two of my favorite characters because they made a great team and their opinion of him mattered very much to Eon. Now, I must mention the dragons because their role in this book meant everything to the other characters in the story. Like I said before, these beasts were definitely majestic, but they were also calculating, cunning and cooperative in times of worldly distress. Their faculty was to help when the land was in crisis, whether it be to a monsoon, an earthshake, or anything else that could affect the land and its harvest from prospering.

Plot: Eon was one of those books that follows the constant of taking the hero/heroine to their lowest point before even thinking of capitalizing on their strength and courage to help others. I was dreading the time when all his secrets would come light and the possible punishment it would mean for all who helped get to where he is. And this is where the twists and surprises in the plot came in, because I remember when I first skimmed the book, I spoiled one of the best secrets for myself, so when I went back to read it the second time, I knew the best thing that could happen and didn't have anything to look forward too. But boy was it a good secret...and it made Eon look like an absolute fool which I liked because I knew that he could only grow as a character from that point on. His desperate decisions and his deception were all seen to by the end of this book

Another consistency that I read through more thoroughly the second time around was the descriptive detail, and yes it drove me crazy to read through it all but I was able to fully appreciate the pain-staking process the author went through to provide such vivid imaginings and in my mind's eye it was beautiful.

Originality: Its obvious how much thought and love went into creating Eon because after reading all about all its characters and the world-building, there's no doubt in my mind that this book is one of a kind. Where else will you find a society that depends on the magical power of a multitude of twelve dragons and their handlers to keep you and your property safe from natural disaster? However, while the mythical aspect of this book is unique, the protagonist and his struggles were interesting but more of the same: rookie mistakes, slow learning curve, and final revealing revelation.

Overall: I have to recommend this to readers who have been in a reading slump but only to those who want to slowly get back in the game. Mostly due to the fact that while there are battle and fight scenes, the book isn't as fast-paced as an action-packed book would be.

C+