Magic Study by Maria V. Snyder

So far, I've managed to survive. You would think after being kidnapped as a child, imprisoned in my teens and released to become a poison taster, I would have endured enough. But no. The discovery of my magical abilities—powers forbidden in Ixia—has resulted in an execution order. My only chance is to flee to Sitia, my long-lost birthplace.

But Sitia is unfamiliar. I'm treated like an enemy—even by my own brother. Plus I can't control my powers. I want to learn about my magic, but there isn't time. A rogue magician has emerged and I'm targeted as his next victim.

Will my magical abilities save me…or be my downfall (barnesandnoble.com)?

I must say that I was a little disappointed with this one. This is the second book in the Study trilogy. It is still a good book but not nearly as good as Poison Study.

In this book Yelena is in Sitia. One majorly bad thing, for me at least, is that Valek is missing for most of the book. When he shows up it gets a lot better. New characters are introduced, one being Cahil. I think that he is supposed to be "into" Yelena but I am just not felling it. The interactions between them are not all that great.

Yelena also meets her family in this story but I felt like those interactions were weak as well. I didn't really like the character development of her brother either. Shouldn't we have spent more time getting to know him? They are in the same place for most of the story but he is hardly mentioned.

I don't really like where Yelena's character development has gone. She was locked in a dungeon and tortured for years in the first book. Now all of the sudden she is saving the world, over and over again? I am just glad that Snyder didn't make her a master magician right away (maybe in the future she will). That would be laying it on a little thick. Maybe by the third book Yelena will be Queen of both world's? I will have to read on to find out...

All-in-all this is a sequel and definitely worth reading if you liked Poison Study but don't expect it to be as good as Poison Study.

Almost a four! But overall: 3/5

Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder

About to be executed for murder, Yelena is offered an extraordinary reprieve. She'll eat the best meals, have a room 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.

As Yelena tries to escape her new dilemma, disasters keep mounting. Rebels plot to seize Ixia and Yelena develops magical powers she can't control. Her life is threatened again and choices must be made. But this time the outcomes aren't so clear...(barnesandnoble.com)

This book is enthralling! I was hooked from start to finish and could not put it down! My favorite things about the book are: the time setting, the world created, Valek, Yelena, Ari and Janco.

The time setting is awesome. I love when a book is set when there is no electricity. Don't ask me why, I just do. The world that Snyder created is really cool. I get really excited when a book starts out with a map that the author created, like this book did. I don't think I could ever be creative enough to create an entire world and a map to go along with it.

Valek is hot. Throughout the book Valek is such a great male character. Sigh. He is stoic, smart, a fighting machine. I really love how he loves Yelena. Yelena's character is so strong and smart I can't help but loving her too. She has gone through so much and I really like how she fesses up to what she's done and doesn't rat anyone out. She want's to take care of things on her own. My favorite thing about her is that she wants to learn and she's hardworking.

Ari and Janco are the brother you have always wanted! They teach Yelena so much and protect her and are there for her when she needs them.

This book is truly great.

Overall: 5/5