Review: Eon (Eon #1)

Author: Alison Goodman
Goodreads Rating: 4.00
Pages: 531

Swordplay, dragon magic--and a hero with a desperate secret

Twelve-year-old Eon has been in training for years. His intensive study of Dragon Magic, based on East Asian astrology, involves two kinds of skills: sword-work and magical aptitude. He and his master hope that he will be chosen as a Dragoneye--an apprentice to one of the twelve energy dragons of good fortune.

But Eon has a dangerous secret. He is actually Eona, a sixteen-year-old girl who has been masquerading as a boy for the chance to become a Dragoneye. Females are forbidden to use Dragon Magic; if anyone discovers she has been hiding in plain sight, her death is assured.

When Eon's secret threatens to come to light, she and her allies are plunged into grave danger and a deadly struggle for the Imperial throne. Eon must find the strength and inner power to battle those who want to take her magic...and her life.

Throwback Thursday

Hey all! I wanted to do a little Throwback Thursday post this week to highlight the book I was reading this time last year.

Author: Julie Kagawa
Goodreads Rating: 3.79
Pages: 449
Original Review

Long ago, dragons were hunted to near extinction by the Order of St. George, a legendary society of dragon slayers. Hiding in human form and growing their numbers in secret, the dragons of Talon have become strong and cunning, and they're positioned to take over the world with humans none the wiser.

Ember and Dante Hill are the only sister and brother known to dragonkind. Trained to infiltrate society, Ember wants to live the teen experience and enjoy a summer of freedom before taking her destined place in Talon. But destiny is a matter of perspective, and a rogue dragon will soon challenge everything Ember has been taught. As Ember struggles to accept her future, she and her brother are hunted by the Order of St. George.

Soldier Garret Xavier Sebastian has a mission to seek and destroy all dragons, and Talon's newest recruits in particular. But he cannot kill unless he is certain he has found his prey: and nothing is certain about Ember Hill. Faced with Ember's bravery, confidence and all-too-human desires, Garret begins to question everything that the Order has ingrained in him: and what he might be willing to give up to find the truth about dragons.

Oh Julie Kagawa! I remember getting this book at BEA one year and my face being like....

It doesn't seem like it's been a year since I read this fabulous book by this equally fabulous author. Since Talon's release, she has come out with the sequel, Rogue, and has a third installment set to grace us in 2016. 

 (oh yea... I'm excited!)

I re-read my review for it, along with other friend's reviews of it, and find myself wanting to read it over again (I most definitely will before reading Rogue anyway). This was in a time period of review for myself where I wrote the review immediately after finishing the book. Now, I like to let the book stew for a day or so and then review notes that I make throughout reading the book to make sure my reviews cover all the emotions, feelings and such that I had while reading. My review with Talon I think should be changed slightly.

This isn't a bad thing at all though!! I still have fond memories and it's still probably one of my favorite books to read. I do remember there being more of a romancey side to the book that I wasn't overly thrilled about. The main character, Ember, I remember being just overly-gullible and naive (I remember often yelling at her for not seeing things that were blatantly in front of her face) I found myself doing this....

I attributed her gullible nature to her just being secluded her whole life but.... sometimes she really needed to follow her instincts. The ending I remember absolutely loving though, hence my overzealous review.

I gave the book 5/5 stars before and looking back, if I had stopped to absorb the book as a whole, it probably would get 4.5 stars from me.

HOWEVER!!! I am now beyond excited to re-read Talon to see if my re-thinking holds true and to pick up Rogue!

So Tell Us!!! What's your Throwback Thursday book??

Talon (Talon #1)

Author: Julie Kagawa
Goodreads rating: 3.95
Pages: 400
Format: Final Copy BEA14

Long ago, dragons were hunted to near extinction by the Order of St. George, a legendary society of dragon slayers. Hiding in human form and growing their numbers in secret, the dragons of Talon have become strong and cunning, and they're positioned to take over the world with humans none the wiser.

Ember and Dante Hill are the only sister and brother known to dragonkind. Trained to infiltrate society, Ember wants to live the teen experience and enjoy a summer of freedom before taking her destined place in Talon. But destiny is a matter of perspective, and a rogue dragon will soon challenge everything Ember has been taught. As Ember struggles to accept her future, she and her brother are hunted by the Order of St. George.

Soldier Garret Xavier Sebastian has a mission to seek and destroy all dragons, and Talon's newest recruits in particular. But he cannot kill unless he is certain he has found his prey: and nothing is certain about Ember Hill. Faced with Ember's bravery, confidence and all-too-human desires, Garret begins to question everything that the Order has ingrained in him: and what he might be willing to give up to find the truth about dragons.

Incarnate

Author: Jodi Meadows
Goodreads Rating: 3.82
Pages: 374
Format: Hardcover borrowed from Lili

New soul
Ana is new. For thousands of years in Range, a million souls have been reincarnated over and over, keeping their memories and experiences from previous lifetimes. When Ana was born, another soul vanished, and no one knows why.
No soul
Even Ana's own mother thinks she's a nosoul, an omen of worse things to come, and has kept her away from society. To escape her seclusion and learn whether she'll be reincarnated, Ana travels to the city of Heart, but its citizens are afraid of what her presence means. When dragons and sylph attack the city, is Ana to blame?
Heart
Sam believes Ana's new soul is good and worthwhile. When he stands up for her, their relationship blooms. But can he love someone who may live only once, and will Ana's enemies—human and creature alike—let them be together? Ana needs to uncover the mistake that gave her someone else's life, but will her quest threaten the peace of Heart and destroy the promise of reincarnation for all?
Jodi Meadows expertly weaves soul-deep romance, fantasy, and danger into an extraordinary tale of new life.

Eldest (Inheritance #2)

Author: Christopher Paolini
Goodreads Rating: 3.88
My Rating: 3 Stars
Pages: 679
Reviewed By: Nicole

Darkness falls ...Despair abounds ...Evil reigns ...Eragon and his dragon, Saphira, have just saved the rebel state from destruction by the mighty forces of King Galbatorix, cruel ruler of the Empire. Now Eragon must travel to Ellesmera, land of the elves, for further training in magic and swordsmanship, the vital skills of the Dragon Rider.
It is the journey of a lifetime, filled with awe-inspiring new places and people, each day a fresh adventure. But chaos and betrayal plague him at every turn, and Eragon isn't sure whom he can trust. Meanwhile, his cousin Roran must fight a new battle back home in Carvahall - one that puts Eragon in even graver danger. Will the king's dark hand strangle all resistance? Eragon may not escape with even his life.

Dual Review: Eragon

Author: Christopher Paolini
Goodreads Rating: 3.67
My Rating: 4 Stars/3.5 Stars
Pages: 503
Reviewed by: Nicole and Amy

When young Eragon finds a polished blue stone in the forest, he thinks it is the lucky discovery of a poor farm boy; perhaps it will buy his adopted family meat for the winter. But when the stone brings a dragon hatchling, Eragon realizes he has stumbled upon a legacy nearly as old as the Empire itself. Overnight his simple life is shattered, and he is thrust into a perilous new world of inescapable destiny, magical forces, and powerful people. With only an ancient sword and the instruction of an old,mysterious, hermit storyteller for guidance, Eragon and the fledgling dragon must navigate the dangerous terrain and dark enemies of an Empire ruled by a Emperor whose evil and power knows no bounds. Can Eragon take up the mantle of the legendary Dragon Riders? The fate of the Empire may rest in his hands….

Hidden (Firelight #3)

Author: Sophie Jordan
Goodreads Rating: 4.41
My Rating: 4 Stars
Pages: 272
Reviewed by: Nicole

Jacinda was supposed to bond with Cassian, the "prince" of their pride. But she resisted long before she fell in love with Will—a human and, worse, a hunter. When she ran away with Will, it ended in disaster, with Cassian's sister, Miram, captured. Weighed down by guilt, Jacinda knows she must rescue her to set things right. Yet to do so she will have to venture deep into the heart of enemy territory.
The only way Jacinda can reach Miram is by posing as a prisoner herself, though once she assumes that disguise, things quickly spiral out of her control. As she learns more about her captors, she realizes that even if Will and Cassian can carry out their part of the plan, there's no guarantee they'll all make it out alive. But what Jacinda never could have foreseen is that escaping would be only the beginning....
Loyalties are tested and sacrifices made in the explosive conclusion to Sophie Jordan's Firelight trilogy.

Vanish (Firelight #2)

Author: Sophie Jordan
Goodreads Rating: 4.06
My Rating: 4 Stars
Pages: 294
Reviewed by: Nicole

I got this book from the library for my mom, and wound up having to renew the book several times before I got around to reading it.

Goodreads Synopses:

An impossible romance.
Bitter rivalries.
Deadly choices.

To save the life of the boy she loves, Jacinda did the unthinkable: She betrayed the most closely-guarded secret of her kind. Now she must return to the protection of her pride knowing she might never see Will again—and worse, that because his mind has been shaded, Will’s memories of that fateful night and why she had to flee are gone.

Back home, Jacinda is greeted with hostility and must work to prove her loyalty for both her sake and her family’s. Among the few who will even talk to her are Cassian, the pride’s heir apparent who has always wanted her, and her sister, Tamra, who has been forever changed by a twist of fate. Jacinda knows that she should forget Will and move on—that if he managed to remember and keep his promise to find her, it would only endanger them both. Yet she clings to the hope that someday they will be together again. When the chance arrives to follow her heart, will she risk everything for love?

Firelight

Author: Sophie Jordan
Goodreads Rating: 3.99
My Rating: 4/5 stars
Pages: 323
Reviewed by: Nicole


I initially got this book for my mom to read during her week off with the intention of reading it afterward. My mom loves dragons, so this book was right up her alley when it came to her reading preferences. I got the chance to read it (it is a library book so I do have to return it). Another great trilogy, that luckily strays away from the usual dystopian theme.


Goodreads Synopses:


A hidden truth. 
Mortal enemies. 
Doomed love.

Marked as special at an early age, Jacinda knows her every move is watched. But she longs for freedom to make her own choices. When she breaks the most sacred tenet among her kind, she nearly pays with her life. Until a beautiful stranger saves her. A stranger who was sent to hunt those like her. For Jacinda is a draki—a descendant of dragons whose greatest defense is her secret ability to shift into human form.

Forced to flee into the mortal world with her family, Jacinda struggles to adapt to her new surroundings. The only bright light is Will. Gorgeous, elusive Will who stirs her inner draki to life. Although she is irresistibly drawn to him, Jacinda knows Will's dark secret: He and his family are hunters. She should avoid him at all costs. But her inner draki is slowly slipping away—if it dies she will be left as a human forever. She'll do anything to prevent that. Even if it means getting closer to her most dangerous enemy.

Mythical powers and breathtaking romance ignite in this story of a girl who defies all expectations and whose love crosses an ancient divide.

Fly into my review after the jump!