Honored by M.A. Wilder

Blurb:
Beckit Wright thought she would be safe on Traterra. However, she soon discovers that safety is no longer a possibility thanks to a shaky relationship with her new erone and the ever-increasing unrest across the planet. As she confronts issues of love, loyalty, and responsibility, Beckit must do her part to protect Traterra before Crimson stops her once and for all.

WARNING: This book contains some adult language, violence, and sexual content. Reader and parental discretion is advised.

 

     

My Review:
4 stars — YAAYYYYY!!!  Much better!!!  I’m not sure if I just got used to it, or if it was really done better (I’m convinced it’s the latter), but the 3rd person felt more limited and less omniscient to me…or else it just wasn’t as jarring.  But really, the majority of it was in Beckit’s head, and I just loved it a lot more.  I was able to stay absorbed in the story.  And I didn’t notice the use of “the human” and “the poh iverstànt” as much.  I’m not sure if they were eliminated, or if I was just so absorbed in the story it didn’t matter, but whatever it was it was MUCH BETTER!!!  And the editing in general was much better, a lot less missed typos…

Holy schnike a lot happens in this book.  Well, a lot of different things.  We have a few strange twists and turns, some villains to play out, and new creatures to meet.  And overall I really enjoyed myself along the ride.  There was tension, and action (some gruesome), and oh the feels!!

Normally I’m not a fan of drawn out romantic drama, but I kind of felt for what Beckit was going through, and her reluctance made sense in terms of her background.  But I did enjoy how that all developed and played out over the story line.  And the steamy scenes fit better somehow, or maybe I’d just accepted them…it’s funny how things that will bug me about a first book just won’t matter as much in later books b/c it’s my choice to continue on, so I just accept that this is the way it’s going to be.

I also really enjoyed that Beckit put Aaron in his place a bit about the jealousy and high-handedness.  *high fives Beckit!*

And the secondary characters are still freaking amazing, and make up a great cast for this story.  And we just ended up with even more in this story, from ones that were constantly present (Xoe, Denzin and Dozen are da freaking bomb), to ones that only appeared for short times (Penn).

And as always, the diversity is still quite present in this book, even adding a little glimpse at transgender as well.  I kind of like that not a lot of time is spent on it, it’s just present.  You know, like real life.

So on the reasons this didn’t make 5 stars, I still feel like some of the plot devices? used felt a bit contrived (the whole tension and action at the end of a chapter that is quickly resolved)…or maybe not contrived, but just not my favourite tactic in writing?  And I was disappointed that more people didn’t clue into what was going on with Beckit and the villain in the first half of the story.  It was sort of explained away with other things occupying her friends minds, but it didn’t feel like enough for me.  And finally, I wish we had learned more about what the heck is going on in the overall plot.  Like who is Crimson?  What is the Té-Trad supposed to be doing?  When is she going to get her abilities?  How in the world is this war going to play out?

But despite those little things, I am so sucked in and already eagerly reading the final book.  And can I just say that the humour is fantastic?  It’s the little bits of levity and sass that really win me over every time.