This can make citing pages and chapters quite difficult, so if I mention something about a particular scene, but seems vague, this is why. (This can also be true for Kindle books, not a whole lot of page numbers there...)
Book 2. Dust by Elizabeth Bear read for Dreams and Speculation's Women of Science Fiction Book Club.
Very conflicted about this book. I liked the beginning, even tough it was a bit confusing, but the ending felt waaaay over contrived. No, I am not sure why. The sex scene in the first third was really unexpected and kinda out of left field and made me a bit uncomfortable. Rien was a very honest, truthful narrator and watching her experience her journey was really neat. Percerval was...interesting. I was never real sure if she was all that trustworthy.
I did like the interaction between Rien and the adults that she came into contact with. I was a bit miffed that Tristan's story was not really explained. I really wanted to know WHY he had been abandoned in that area. :(
The final result of the melding at the end, just felt too...Deus ex Machina to me. Again, can't really point my finger on it, but it felt way to contrived. *shrug* ymmv.