Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Unavailable
    Poison Study
    Unavailable
    Poison Study
    Unavailable
    Poison Study
    Ebook424 pages6 hours

    Poison Study

    By Maria V. Snyder

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    Listen to the audiobook instead

    About this ebook

    Murder, mayhem and magic.

    Locked in a coffin-like darkness, there is nothing to distract me from my memories of killing Reyad. He deserved to die, but according to the law, so do I. Here in Ixia, the punishment for murder is death. And now I wait for the hangman's noose.

    But the same law that condemns me may also save me. Ixia's food taster--chosen to ensure that the Commander's food is not poisoned--has died. And by law, the next prisoner who is scheduled to be executed--me--must be offered the position.

    Editor's Note

    Politically & emotionally fraught...

    The first book in Maria Snyder's critically acclaimed fantasy series introduces Yelena and the politically & emotionally fraught universe she inhabits. An incredibly engaging blend of fantasy, romance & suspense.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarlequin MIRA
    Release dateAug 15, 2012
    ISBN9781459248267

    Read more from Maria V. Snyder

    Related to Poison Study

    Related ebooks

    General Fiction For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Child Of Light

      Oct 6, 2021

      Child Of Light
      1 min read

    • Article

      'Farewell For Now:' Leigh Bardugo On 'Rule Of Wolves'

      Apr 7, 2021

      Leigh Bardugo is winding up her Russian-inflected Grishaverse series (at least for now) with Rule of Wolves, which continues the story of the dashing King Nikolai of Ravka and his demonic interloper.

      3 min read

    • Article

      Daughter Of The Moon Goddess

      Jan 26, 2022

      RELEASED OUT NOW! 496 pages | Hardback/ebook/audiobook Author Sue Lynn Tan Publisher HarperVoyager On paper, this story has so many familiar elements (a plucky runaway protagonist trying to help an imprisoned parent, cruel monarchs, a handsome prince

      1 min read

    • Article

      The Bone Shard Daughter

      Sep 9, 2020

      RELEASED 10 SEPTEMBER 448 pages | Hardback/ebook/audiobook Author Andrea Stewart Publisher Orbit Books Epic fantasy has long had a thing for One True Kings. You know the drill: a dreadful tyrant is murdering people for fun and generally imperilling t

      1 min read

    • Article

      'Dread Nation' Is A Rollicking 'Gone With The Wind + Zombies' Adventure

      Apr 20, 2018

      But don't underestimate the latest YA novel by activist Justina Ireland – it's also a biting commentary on contemporary race relations in America.

      3 min read

    • Article

      Dark Tales

      Dec 2, 2021

      Dark Tales
      6 min read

    • Article

      The Pain Jar

      Dec 3, 2020

      The Pain Jar
      7 min read

    • Article

      100-WORD-STORY COMPETITION Winners

      Aug 16, 2022

      We’ve been delighted by the huge response to our 100-word-story competition. The entries have flooded in thick and fast during the past few months, but while we’ve enjoyed reading every story, only a few can come out on top! You, our readers, voted t

      5 min read

    • Article

      The Paper Wasp

      Jun 3, 2019

      The Paper Wasp
      13 min read

    • Article

      Equinox

      May 18, 2022

      In this strange world, where identities change with the rising and setting of the sun, supernatural forces are at work – and they’re causing trouble… St Leonars prison was an appropriately imposing building. It rose out of the surrounding shacks and

      5 min read

    • Article

      Where Night Stops

      Jan 15, 2018

      Where Night Stops
      6 min read

    • Article

      Estella’s Fate

      May 17, 2023

      Estella’s Fate
      7 min read

    • Article

      Estella’s Fate

      May 17, 2023

      Estella’s Fate
      7 min read

    • Article

      Yara And The Witch Queen

      Oct 1, 2019

      I knew the dangers of witchcraft. My parents had told me about the time before I was born, when magic plagued our desert kingdom of Bahati. Untrained witch doctors trying to cure warts ended up paralyzing their patients or turning them into crocodile

      10 min read

    • Article

      What The Magpie Says

      Oct 16, 2022

      What The Magpie Says
      8 min read

    • Article

      Intelligent Creatures

      Jul 6, 2023

      Intelligent Creatures
      19 min read

    • Article

      Two Poems by Phillip B. Williams

      Dec 15, 2017

      The masters are yet dead. Wanting to be human,I tried to rewrite The Waste Land. The canon’s reachcasts ruinous light. The masters’ pens breachthis page where, above, my own hand spectates. Babylonrisen, exorcism in reverse, whose nature upended now?

      6 min read

    • Article

      TheBattle For Peace

      Nov 1, 2021

      Hi, I am Alice, welcome to my nightmare. Trouble always finds me. I was one of the one hundred people in this world who had magic running through my veins. I was placed in the school of magic. It was sick! You could learn to brew up good potions for

      4 min read

    • Article

      Mothers As Makers Of Death

      Aug 14, 2018

      Mothers As Makers Of Death
      8 min read

    • Article

      Voyage around My Cell

      Oct 10, 2019

      Voyage around My Cell
      10 min read

    • Article

      The White Fox

      Oct 13, 2017

      The White Fox
      10 min read

    • Article

      Penny

      Jul 2, 2020

      Penny
      6 min read

    • Article

      Averted Vision

      Sep 1, 2022

      Averted Vision
      25 min read

    • Article

      The Family Plot

      May 7, 2020

      The Family Plot
      10 min read

    Reviews for Poison Study

    4/5

    2,163 ratings198 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 5/5
      Firstly, I loved this book. However, when I finished the book I couldn’t really figure out WHY it has been marketed as YA. It features a not so young-adult protagonist, deals with rape and brutality, violence as a means of defence and and features a very complicated romance. It has none of the markers of traditional young adult fantasy, and yet, it has been marketed that way. This is really the only problem I have with the book - everything else is amazing. The characters in Poison Study are captivating - they have lots of layers and complex relationships that come to light over the course of the story. Yelena is incredibly strong willed and tenacious, and the mystery that surrounds her past intrigues me. My initial impression of Valek was that of an unthinking henchman, but he is revealed to be much more. He eventually became my favourite character - especially because a lot of the humour in the book came from him as well as Yelena. While simple, the plot of Poison Study is enjoyable. There are some twists that are immediately obvious, but others that take the reader completely by surprise. One of the best aspects of the book is the writing. Maria V. Snyder shows she has complete mastery over her intricate story by telling it using deceptively simple techniques.While I had been wanting to dip my toes into the works of Maria V. Snyder for a while, I had not anticipated to enjoy Poison Study as much as I did. It was wonderful for me to read some YA in the vein of more traditional fantasy, and I look forward to reading the rest of the Study series. If you love fantasy, you should check it out!You can read more of my reviews at Speculating on SpecFic.
    • 5/5
      The Little BookwormTo escape a horrific life, Yelena does something horrific in turn; she murders the son of her orphanage's benefactor who is also the General of her District. Sentenced to execution, she is offered the chance to live if she take the job as the food taster for the Commander of Ixia, a job that comes with many risks of its own. Now she chances death with every taste all the while dodging assassins from the General and magicians from the southern continent who seem to have it in for her as well.Question: How awesome is this book?Answer: Pretty freaking awesome!I've seen this around and finally got around to reading it. I wish I had read it sooner because it was really really good. The main character reminded me a bit of Katsa but without the awesome Graceling powers. Yelena had such a strong spirit and great survival skills. When she is offered the poison as food taster, she immediately begins to calculate her escape. Even after she is tied down to the position by the poison she is given to prevent this escape she does everything she can to prevent being killed by the General whose son she killed, learning a lot about herself along the way.All the characters were well drawn and, in addition to, Yelena, I especially liked Valek, the chief of security and the Commander who is a very interesting character that surprised me at the end. I liked how level-headed and fair the Commander is and the friendship between him and Valek. I also liked the dynamic between Yelena and Valek. The story really sucked me in and it was one of the first books I've stayed up late to finish in a long time. It was intriguing and sad and fantastic and hopeful.
    • 4/5
      Poison Study was fun to read, with a lot of action from beginning to end. The plot was interesting, even if at times entirely predictable. Even so, knowing how it was going to play out didn't take the joy out of reading, and the few times it did manage to surprise me were good ones.The greatest thing about Poison Study were the characters. It wasn't so much about the story but how the characters related to each other and what made them tick. I especially liked Yelena, the main character, and Valek (of course), but the others were close behind in likeability.The worldbuilding in this book is also very good, even if simple. We have two countries: Ixia, where the action takes place; and Sitia, a country that is seen as a haven for those who want to flee Ixia. Ixia is under a military dictatorship, but what is great in Poison Study, is that the inclusion of a “bad” type of government is not a green card to assume everyone in power is bad. Sure they have their flaws, and lack of freedom is something I never like, but as I got to know the Commander (the one who rules Ixia) I realized he wasn't going to be portrayed as evil and manipulative. I should have been expecting it, with a main character that is an assassin and spy, but I was impressed with the shades of grey of most characters, which is a thing that I always love.I really liked Poison Study and, even if the plot was predictable at times, the characters made the book a page turner. I'll keep on reading the rest of the series because I really want to know more about these characters and this world, especially about Commander and Ixia.Also at Spoilers and Nuts
    • 4/5
      Snyder weaves an entire tale around a food taster’s life. Nineteen-year-old Yelena has been sentenced to death for the murder. She is given a choice, either serve as the Commander’s food taster, or swing from the gallows. She, of course, chooses to live. What she doesn’t know is that this means a life of captivity, fear of constant death, and involvement in political intrigue. It only gets worse when the reader discovers that Yelena is also being pursued by the father of the man she killed, a powerful General and ruler of one of the military districts that make up the military dictatorship of Ixia.The characters are what really make this work shine. There are two primary characters, Yelena and Valek. Valek is the Commander’s chief of staff, and the man who has put Yelena into the awful position is in, at least as concerns the food tasting. But he is also an assassin with compassion. He serves his commander ruthlessly but not blindly, and his empathy and care for Yelena give her a juxtaposition she is quizzical about for much of Poison Study. The story is told entirely through the heroine’s eyes, giving the reader the ability to empathize and agonize with her. Yelena becomes a character we care about, and would like to be. She is strong-willed and intelligent, but still a woman through and through. Snyder has created a well rounded character not too perfect but not grotesquely flawed either but simply a woman doing her best in difficult situations.I highly recommend that you read Maria V. Snyder's Poison Study. It’s a little different from the standard fantasy, but still fulfills all the expectations of the high fantasy connoisseur.Full Review at Grasping for Wind
    • 4/5
      Imprisoned for murder, nineteen-year-old Yelena is given a choice - face execution or become the food taster for the Commander of Ixia. She chooses the latter despite the daily risk of poison and so an exciting story begins. There is a wonderful blend of adventure, fantasy and romance in this book making it a page turner. Yelena is an ideal heroine - brave, resourceful, intelligent, feisty and at times vulnerable. Narrated by Yelena, the reader quickly comes to empathise with her and with the position she finds herself in. As Yelena makes friends, she also makes some powerful enemies who are determined to kill her whenever the opportunity arises.Thankfully, Valek, the Commander's chief assassin, is on her side. He teaches Yelena to recognise the taste and smell of various poisons, and is strong, imposing, protective and, of course, handsome. Gradually the relationship between Valek and Yelena moves from teacher/student to something more intimate.While the the plot is a bit weak at times and it is difficult to form a complete picture of Ixia, this is still a satisfying read filled with suspense, intrigue, betrayal and friendship which will appeal to a wide range of readers.
    • 3/5
      3 stars and a half

      Well, where to begin? To be honest, I almost dnfed the hell out of this book after the first couple of chapters due to the writing style, but ended up being too caught into the plot to give it up.

      The writing is really strange and threw me off multiple times. I think the major issue is the emotional attachment, and I think up to reading that book I hadn't realised how important infusing the book with emotions is important. There are some emotions displayed, it's not that it's totally absent (otherwise it wouldn't be readable), but it's almost as if it's told from a far away POV which is still acknoledging how such or such character must feel, but not really care about said characters and rather describes the emotions kind of flatly instead of making you actually feel for the characters.
      Another issue, from my point of view, is the time lapse. It's like you've got entire really important scenes happening and then it's cut, and you don't really hear or see about the aftermath (especially the emotional and psychological one) since some time has passed (and I say "some" but it happened that suddenly two months had gone by).

      The characters are enjoyable, and I particularly appreciated reading about Ari and Janco. Valek grew more multilayered with time, which I was quite fond of as well, and I quite liked Yelena. But as though some of her faults are shown, it still seems to me that she's a bit too perfect for my liking. She doesn't master everything, but still doesn't take long in almost-mastering so many things that it didn't always seemed realistic. I still liked reading about her past and present situations and what she had to go through.

      Plot-wise, I'd say it was good. I was surprised by some turns of events, and now that I think about it so much happened in that book that I wouldn't be able to retrace everything from memory. So many good and bad surprises, betrayals, assassination attempts, and so on. Maybe less things could have happened and more emotions infused into the book to make it a better read, but at least the plot kept me entertained and going.

      I probably wouldn't really recommend this book, and thus the series. I myself don't think I'll be reading the next books, from the comments I've seen and my own thoughts on this first book. Also, the ending felt rushed, [spoiler]especially Yelena and Valek mutual confession of love. Sure, some (I think between 6 and 9) have passed and I'm really fond of romance and couldn't wait for these two to open their eyes, but it felt like they said "Hey, I love you" "I love you too" and yay, they're happy but let's not dwell on that or see the emotional impact of it or turn this scene into something which would make you smile because that would be too much.[/spoiler] But hey, to each their own! Be aware of the writing style before going in, though, it's really kind of strange at first.
    • 3/5
      Trigger warning for rape and abuse.Maybe I was expecting to much? I’d heard a lot of good things about Poison Study, but it wasn’t anything more than okay. It was certainly very readable. I stuck with and got through it pretty fast, and the pacing stayed fairly consistent. In general, it was very easy to read.From the back blurb: “About to be executed for murder, Yelena is offered an extraordinary reprieve. She’ll eat the best meals, have rooms in the palace—and risk assassination by anyone trying to kill the Commander of Ixia.And so Yelena chooses to become a food taster. But the chief of security, leaving nothing to chance, deliberately feeds her Butterfly’s Dust—and only by appearing for her daily antidote will she delay an agonizing death from the poison.”I liked Yelena okay. While I didn’t adore her or anything, she was interesting to read about and I emphasized with her well. I liked her drive to survive.The idea behind the world building was really interesting. The country used to be a monarchy until about fifteen years ago when the Commander led a revolution that killed the king. Now, the Commander is the supreme authority and the country is divided into districts, each headed by a military general. Strict laws called the Code of Behavior govern the citizens, and no exception is ever made.Unfortunately, the world’s development was never more than cursory. There was no sense of place, and the world came off as rather bland, despite the interesting set up. Yelena herself never thinks much about the Code of Behavior, the government system, or anything. Basically, this felt like a fantasy version of a mediocre YA dystopian.The focus of the book was on Yelena’s character. There was a plot outside that, but it was never enthralling. In fact, it was rather ludicrous.This being a YA novel there is of course, romance. I didn’t like this one. Yelena’s nineteen, but she ends up with a man significantly older than her… like, he has to be over thirty. I just find this creepy, especially given their initial relationship. Besides, the relationship didn’t seem to fit with the rest of his character and just ended up feeling forced.Lastly, the trigger warning. While this stuff is not described graphically, it’s there as flashbacks. The plot involves the villains torturing teenage girls (and some boys too, but more girls) to break their minds. Yelena was one of these girls. One of the men doing this was a psychopath/possible serial killer who eventually rapes her. It’s pretty dark, especially for a young adult book.I would recommend this one to fans of young adult dystopians looking to try out a fantasy book. I won’t be hanging onto my copy, and I am unlikely to read the sequel either.Originally posted on The Illustrated Page.
    • 4/5
      *Originally Reviewed at Witchmag's Boekenplank*It’s summer. Summer means vacation and vacation means: LOTS and LOTS of time for me to read ^^ So when I went to the library to check out as many books as I could, I saw this book standing on a shelf. As soon as I read the blurb I just knew I had to take this book (and the other two books in the series that were fortunately standing next to it) with me. I’m so glad that I made that decision! It’s a fantastic book that sucked me right in.The first reason why this is such a good book was easy to find: Yelena (like the name very much ^^). She’s about the be executed and gets the following choice: to die or live a little longer as the food taster of the Commander of Ixia. With the hope to live, to escape, Yelena chooses the latter, not knowing what the consequences of that decision will be… As reader you follow every step she makes on her journey. From learning how to be a taster to performing life threatening missions. You’ll see how Yelena, despite everything she encounters, stays strong, how she won’t let anything get the best of her. She’s obviously a real fighter. Who’s able to keep her cool in even the most dire situations and finally, she’s someone with a heart of gold. Aka my favorite type of main character ^^Another reason is that Maria V. Snyder managed to create a fascinating world. Where a dictator has seized the power. This time, however it’s not as bad as it looks. It’s even a vast improvement for the “common” people compared to when they were ruled by a king. The dictator himself, the Commander, too is unlike other tyrants you may have heard about. He has some aspects that will simply blow your mind. It was also intriguing to read about the magic that you can find in this world. I’m looking forward to get to know more about it in the next book, Magic Study, that will probably answer all my questions regarding magic ^^The last but not least reason: the writer wrote a very captivating story. Where nothing is as it seems and with amazing twists. With an endearing romance, that for once is not as important as the story. It’s more in the background. You read about it between the lines and all the big events. It felt like a rather nice bonus, especially that lovely romantic scene at the end!Conclusion4 HEARTS. A great story with an amazing lead cataract, a captivating story and an intriguing world. What more can a girl want when on holiday? I definitely look forward to the next book!
    • 4/5
      The story opens with Yelena in prison for the crime of murder. Although it was in self-defence, the Rules that the Commander set in place, when he overthrew the corrupt magician King, do not allow for mitigating circumstances. Yelena has accepted her fate, but is suddenly reprieved when the Commander's food taster dies. The Rules say that the next prisoner in line to be executed will be offered his place; and so Yelena finds herself at the political centre of Ixia. We follow her as she learns how to taste food for poisons, meets people in the castle, takes up self-defence and learns she can do magic - which is strictly forbidden under the Commander. Her past still haunts her, and she is still in danger from General Brazell, whose son she killed. But Brazell has his own agenda concerning Ixia, which runs counter to the Commander's even-handed communist-like Rules. Will Yelena manage to evade his clutches again, and help to save Ixia?I found this fun to read, though it wasn't as detailed or rich as other books I've read recently. Somehow it lacked depth; even though it is narrated in the first person I didn't really connect with Yelena. Though there are constant hints at the tortures she encountered under Brazell, when we do finally find out what happened (towards the end of the book), it isn't detailed, and so I wouldn't say it's a dark story. There were some parts that could have used a bit more polish, I feel, (the 'romance', for instance, which was more 'frustrated desire suddenly requited') and some parts where the details were a bit sketchy, which is why I think the YA rating is justified; but all in all, a light, entertaining story.(e-book)3.5 ***
    • 4/5
      I originally reviewed this book on my blog - The Cosy Dragon. For more recent reviews by me, please hop over there.It is against the Code of Behaviour to kill, but that is exactly what Yelena has done. Stored in a dungeon for jut under a year, Yelena is willing to die to forget what she has been through already. When offered a second chance as a poison tester for the Commander, she's willing to make the most of what comes her way.Yelena is a great strong female protagonist. She seems to bounce back from a bunch of problems. One of the reasons I liked her so much was because she wouldn't give up. She's very smart, and maybe a little bit too athletic to be believable, but then, usually the protagonist of most books is like that.I found the romance of this book a little unconvincing. I was sure that the age gap between them was quite large, and also that it seemed to be a semi-dependant relationship. It also seemed to sneak up on Yelena without her noticing - something odd for a character who seemed to know herself well.Plenty of foreshadowing going on in this book. Some of the smallest details end up being important. I love the way Yelena's back story is gradually revealed, as it adds nice emphasis to her circumstances. I was unsatisfied with the Rand subplot. I wanted something better for his end. Yelena also seemed to about turn on him so abruptly. I could understand where Rand was coming from, but it seemed like there were more ways out of his situation. It was certainly a great way of showing the harsh side of the Commander and Valek thoughOh, those damn beans. I was so sure they were cocoa beans, but then they ended up being something different. Someone else give me an opinion here - did you think they were cocoa beans? Coffee beans? Something else? It was obvious that those were the cause though.Sorry about the cover photo being so blurry. I had horrible lighting conditions, and it just wasn't working for me. I'll take this photo again if I've got time. UPDATE: I took a new photo! On a similar note - do you enjoy seeing my actual copies of books? Or would you prefer a plain old version from Amazon?I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and would recommend it without hesitation. I've got the next two books of this trilogy sitting on my shelf, but I can't have them yet! I'd say this book was ideal for teenagers, and perhaps some adults - but don't go looking for too much depth. Pick the books up, and you'll be hooked for sure.
    • 4/5
      This book has so many exciting twists and turns, that I’m checking the standard description to make sure I don’t give anything away! We start when Yelena, about to be executed for murder, is instead offered the position of royal food taster. The catch is that she’s intentionally fed a poison that will kill her unless she shows up every day for the antidote. Although to an extent this attaches her loyalty to the king, Yelena is put into a variety of situations where she has to decide where her loyalty truly lies. And just for an extra challenge, Yelena starts to develop magical powers, the possession of which is punishable by death.The plot in Poison Study ( and the other two books of the trilogy) is very complex, but masterfully brought together. There’s just so much going on in each one and it’s amazing watching Yelena juggle all of her concerns. She’s a very admirable heroine: brave, smart, observant, sometimes very funny, and often too independent for her own good. She was also fairly unique, relying a more on brains, agility, and stealth than many other strong female protagonists.The complexity of the plot was only one of the book’s many good qualities. The pacing was perfect, with all of the threads of the plot building throughout the story, then coming together at the end for a final epic showdown. Many of the secondary characters are well developed and all of the characters make believable choices given their knowledge and motivations. Not always the best choices, but still believable. The only thing I disliked was the occasional clunky phrase and the plot was so engaging that these never distracted me from the story. Overall, a minor flaw and easily overlooked in favor of the many other stellar qualities.
    • 5/5
      Wow. Not what I expected, but simply amazing. If you wanted a world to try and submerge yourself into a new world, this is it!
    • 4/5
      I surprised myself by really enjoying this simple story and am looking forward to the next book in the series. The descriptions about this book were a bit deceiving in the sense that it moves quickly past the idea of the Food Taster/Poison Expert and turns into a drama with some hints of fantasy. The story is simply told, but I enjoyed this simplicity and I enjoyed the black and white backgrounds and actions of the main characters. The world building was subtle and leads to many options in future books. It is nice to find a story that you can simply enjoy without a lot of deep thought and this book was it for me.
    • 5/5
      Very good! A bit heavy-handed with the symbolism towards the end, but enjoyable just the same.
    • 3/5
      I am a little torn, to be honest. On the one hand, I enjoyed the story of Yelena and Valek coming together despite their damaged souls and I enjoyed the cast of characters. The world of Ixia/Sitia was presented as a colorful backdrop and the social commentary was minute; I agree with the reviewers who point out that we're left to draw our own conclusions about whether life in Ixia is truly improved underneath the rule of the Commander. On the other hand, I felt a little like the author was drawing from the current YA formula too heavily and not in a logical way. The writing style didn't bother me, and while I often felt like I was right there with Yelena as she faced down her fears, I definitely knew what was coming before Yelena did. The whole thing with the Criollo source was drawn out too long.Other reviewers have made points regarding the level of sexual violence, and in my opinion they are not without merit, but that's a "to each their own" for me. If you are a rape survivor prone to triggers, I would skip this book. If you can handle a story in a world where all but 3-4 men seem unable to keep from violating, abusing, and otherwise subjugating women and girls, then you should be okay.
    • 4/5
      Would give it a 5 stars but the end was weak especially when it came to Valek.
    • 5/5
      LOVE'D IT!!!!!!!!!
    • 5/5
      I really enjoyed this book. It's been a while since I've read the first book in a series and been dying to get onto book 2 - with Poison Study that's exactly how it went.I loved all the characters in this book. Yelena is a strong heroine - the perfect main character. This book is also written in first person, which sometimes comes off as a bit awkward for me as a reader but really worked here.The secondary characters are all well developed and intriguing in of themselves. While Yelena is definitely the focus of the book, the other characters are equally as believable and important to the tale.The pacing in the book is also great. The plotline grabbed my attention from page one and I had to keep going and see where Snyder went with the tale. I love stories like this.Reminiscent of Graceling for me, I highly recommend Poison Study!
    • 4/5
      My publisher, Stephanie Smith, recommended this to me and finally it's out on Kindle. Diving in!

      I really enjoyed this book. The characters are rich and deep and the dynamics engaging. There are dark places in Mary Snyder's world that makes the kindnesses and compassion in the people shine all the brighter. Our protagonist is very engaging, resourceful, resilient . . . a true hero in her ability to face dire events and come out, not unscathed, but on top!
    • 4/5
      I loved the strong female character, Yelena. I could identify with her "voice". She takes a seriously bad situation and improves it, using common sense and her own abilities. And she knows when to ask for help, to not go it only on her own. It's particularly nice to see the fantasy genre have a heroine that is tough on the outside (but secretly amazed by that toughness on the inside) It's also refreshing to have male characters that are good supportive buddies, not out to twist a decent relationship with back stabbing or hidden agendas. A bit of romance didn't hurt either but it was nice that it wasn't over the top of very explicit.

      Some of the story line is weak and can be seen through, the growth of the heroine and of those around her, combined with a dash of fantasy, made this a fun, fast read.
    • 2/5
      The story was fast-paced and exciting, and the romance aspect enjoyable, but the uneven world-building spoiled this one for me. Sometimes Ixia seems like a typical medieval fantasy world, with castles, seasonal festivals, and swords; then, suddenly, it's almost contemporary or even futuristic: characters talk about "screwing up" and having "a boss to die for," wear camouflage uniforms or gym shorts, and style their hair in ponytails. Yelena's narrative voice is completely modern. I found the discrepancies way too distracting.

      On another note, there's a rape scene that, while brief, is fairly graphic.

      Overall, it was a great concept that fell a little flat in execution. I don't feel any particular desire to continue on to the second book of the series.
    • 4/5
      I picked this one up based on all the glowing reviews I saw here on Goodreads. Thanks, Goodreads friends! ;-)

      This is a purely enjoyable fantasy. I'd classify it as a 'comfort read,' but I don't think that's a bad thing at all. There's room set aside for escapism in my library!

      Yelena has been sentenced to die for the crime of murder. At the last minute, she is dragged out of the dungeon and offered a reprieve: she can opt to avoid execution if she agrees to take the job of food taster to the king. In this chaotic kingdom, the post tends to have a high turnover rate as poisonings are quite common. Still, even a small chance at life seems better than no life at all, and Yelena (unsurprisingly) jumps at the opportunity.

      The chief of security, Valek, takes her under his wing as he trains her to recognize the known poisons and identify them. But while he seems kind at times, he also has Yelena chained to his service by the threat of a slow-acting poison. Although she begins to grow comfortable and even to enjoy her new life, she is increasingly driven by the growing realization that she may be capable of magic - a magic that is strictly forbidden in this kingdom. This magic may also be related to Yelena's traumatic past - and the murder that she admits that she committed.

      I've already got the sequel, and am about to start it!
    • 5/5
      This won't be a very helpful review because not a really specific reason for enjoying this series so much. It's just a very good, engrossing story with a main heroine you can get into. It's set in a fantasy world and written for adults versus the YA genre author also writes for (although by adult I don't mean too graphic, violent or explicit for YA audience to enjoy just that it's not geared to YA and full of teenage angst and love triangles). The world building/fantasy aspect not mindblowing so much as the characers but somewhat original and fleshed out enough to make the story work. Author avoided taking a formulaic route with plot/characters (a common pitfall when you take the alone-in-the-world, sad background, mistreated, whatever protagonist).
    • 1/5
      The main character is clearly a Mary Sue, her love interest is excrutiatingly obvious, and the writing style is workmanlike at best. This story contains no flair, no ingenuity, and certainly no well-written characters.
    • 3/5
      Very enjoyable. It's a ya adventure/romance with an interesting twist which you get right from the start.

    • 1/5
      Saw everything coming, hardly original.
    • 5/5
      Yelena's about to be executed for murder when she gets offered the chance to be the commanders new food taster, a quick, almost painless death, or a prolonged, excruciating one? She chooses the latter and it goes from there.

      Valek is awesome, might as well just start there. He strikes me as the intimidating type who people just assume came from a pod or something, that they can't even imagine what kind of private life he could have. He definitely gains depth throughout and is more than just an assassin by the end.

      Yelena's a great character too, head-strong, independent, and way more intelligent than most heroines these days.

      I really liked the relationships between all of the characters, particularly Ari and Janco, I always love books that have the light-hearted friends in the background.

      This is a great book, I definitely give this 5/5.
    • 5/5
      I can't even tell you how many times I have read this book. There is a strong hero and heroines, wonderful plot, twists and turns, also the promise of something more. I read this one upon hearing the news there will be a 4th book (this is the 1st) and I just couldn't wait to dive back into this realm and characters. This is one of my all time favorite fantasy series.
    • 5/5
      Very dark. Very exciting. Hard hitting (not a phrase I would have expected myself to use). Very imaginative premise. Very imaginative story. Do you want a strong female lead? I haven't finished this yet and I've rated it. I don't expect to have to change the rating. I'll be back.

      Wow! I'm finished. It's very late. I was not going to sleep tonight until I finished this. Layers of complications kept on being added. Dramatic things kept catching me completely off guard. It all flowed so well. Nothing seemed contrived at all. This was very exciting.
    • 4/5
      I found this really gripping throughout but I think the ending was a bit rushed. I know it's a trilogy but it left me slightly disappointed. I'm hoping it continues to be a worthwhile read in the next books.