Jennifer M. Eaton

Well folks I did it. I made it through this book. It was HARD y'all. I almost gave up seven times.

What I liked:
- Dobby
- the natives
- the ecosystem and the carefully thought out ways it worked*
- Emily

What I didn't like:
- just about everything else

The opening with Mia getting excited for her new job and then super wary because protocols are being tossed out faster than you can blink, had me interested. The fact Stevenson sent her out for exploring DESPITE het not being certified for it, also interesting but in a more "dafuq dude" way (incidentally later on we find out she minored in "indigenous people" at the academy and I eye-rolled hard)

And then we get the Vincent and his gang of bullies.

This is 2020 and the bad guy has devolved into an insane (military commander) tyrant who considers himself not a monster because he doesn't force himself on women (he said this not two paragraphs after telling Mia he'd enjoy breaking her spirit, tying her down on a bed would be fun and she'd learn a woman's place is on her knees). This isn't the extent of his tyranny - he also wants to destroy the planet for power and profit.

Mia and Jason are busy falling into a tense kind of mistrustful love which is mildly icky because he's 30 years older than her technically (timey wimey age things not withstanding) and she grew up worshipping his legend. The author also references a lot of recent history to the reader pop culture and events.

Mia alternates between using the brain she was born with and being so annoyed by Jason that she doesn't listen out of a misplaced arrogance that nearly kills her. Twice. Jason for his part spends more time agonizing over the fact Mia may not like him to be useful.

Anyhow, not recommended, read Carol Van Natta, Linea Sinclair or Veronica Scott for better scifi romance that blends aspects of genres together.

(* Being barely conversant in science, the world built here sounds reasonable and therefore the science spoke sounded likely. I have no idea if any of what's written here holds up.… (meer)

Going on vacation to New Zealand to get over a horrible breakup, Anna and her sister end up in a local pub. And so began the start of a startling life event. Anna is hit on by a quiet young surfer guy when a very creepy and forward guy puts his hands on her. Out of nowhere the heavy lighting structure plummets straight toward her until Joe (cute surfer guy) swoops in with no effort and stops it from crushing her. Her heart still racing as she has a very rare blood type....if she'd been harmed it would've been near impossible to match her blood type. Anna and her sister are relieved, but thst lasts mere moments. Anna is kidnapped and suddenly airborne within seconds of creepy guy trying to fight Joe for her. Her sister is also taken....next thing she knows shes in the air in the talons of a.....DRAGON?!?!?! What the heck is going on??? Is she losing her mind? So begins a crazy day where it seems dragons exist and it's up to her to help save them??? Her sister is missing, Anna is alone and terrified among strangers who all seem to believe in these dragons. Will she believe these tales they tell, and will she end up helping? Lots of dragon.politics, Maori.legends, generational stories and truths, mortal.men.become heroes and one woman must find her courage. A fun read!… (meer)