Review: Fire Study by Maria V. Snyder

Series: Study Series Book #3
Format: Paperback
Pages: 441
Rating: 5 Stars
How I Got It: Purchased
Genre: Fantasy, New Adult, Young Adult
Publisher: Mira

Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads

When word that Yelena is a Soulfinder—able to capture and release souls—spreads like wildfire, people grow uneasy. Already Yelena's unusual abilities and past have set her apart. As the Council debates Yelena's fate, she receives a disturbing message: a plot is rising against her homeland, led by a murderous sorcerer she has defeated before...

Honor sets Yelena on a path that will test the limits of her skills, and the hope of reuniting with her beloved spurs her onward. Her journey is fraught with allies, enemies, lovers and would-be assassins, each of questionable loyalty. Yelena will have but one chance to prove herself—and save the land she holds dear.

Review

This book was a roller coaster and kept me on the edge of my seat. The stakes were pretty high in this one and I never knew what would happen next.

Yelena goes through so much. She also grows into her magic a lot. She makes some dumb decisions, but I understand why. The story also showed more about other characters like Lief, Moon Man, and the Commander. The characters are very realistic which makes the story unnerving.

Poison Study continues to be my favorite, but this was a great conclusion to the trilogy. It explored all of the themes throughout the series to their fullest. Characters, politics, magic. They were all fully developed. And it was a very realistic finale.

I know I'm being very vague, but I'm trying to avoid spoilers.

I am happy wiht how this ended. I'm excited that there are more books, but I'm also nervous. What if the books aren't as good as the main series? That is always the struggle. And it isn't going to stop me from still reading them.

Thanks for reading!
Holly

Review: Inside Out by Maria V. Snyder

Series: Inside Out Book #1
Format: Ebook
Rating: 3 Stars
How I Got It: Borrowed from Library (Overdrive)
Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian
Publisher: Harlequin

Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads

I'm Trella. I'm a scrub. A nobody. One of thousands who work the lower levels, keeping Inside clean for the Uppers. I've got one friend, do my job and try to avoid the Pop Cops. So what if I occasionally use the pipes to sneak around the Upper levels? The only neck at risk is my own…until I accidentally start a rebellion and become the go-to girl to lead a revolution.

Review

This is a hard one. I still enjoy Maria V Snyder's writing but the story doesn't really work for me. I read it rather fast and it was gripping but didn't fully connect. It isn't something I can explain.

The concept is an interesting me, but a lot of information is withheld. I believe this was a conscious choice, but it's still frustrating. I just wish I knew more about what the "Inside" is and the people. There's also a lot of terminology to wrap your mind around.

This is a duology and maybe I'll read the second book some day. But for now, I'm perfectly content with how this one ended.

Thanks for reading!
Holly

Review: Magic Study by Maria V. Snyder

Series: Study Book #2
Format: Paperback
Pages: 419
Rating: 5 Stars
How I Got It: Borrowed from Library (Then bought)
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, New Adult
Publisher: Mira

Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads

elena is a survivor. Kidnapped as a child, held prisoner as a teen, then released to act as a poison taster, she is now a student of magic. But these magic skills place her in imminent danger, and with an execution order on her head, she has no choice but to escape to Sitia, the land of birth
But nothing in Sitia is familiar. As she struggles to understand where she belongs and how to control her powers, a rogue magician emerges - and Yelena catches his eye. Suddenly she is embroiled in a situation not of her making. And once again her magical abilities will either save her life... or be her downfall.

Review

I'm obsessed right now. I want to live in this world. And I have like the hugest girl-crush on Yelena. She is amazing, strong in so many ways, and very kick-ass. To me, she is who Celeana from Throne of Glass is trying to be.

This book caused me a lot of stress just like the first one. I never knew who to trust and I felt betrayed when Yelena was. And it's hard to guess what's going to happen. I think this is because Ms. Snyder writes deep realistic characters. A character can be likeable and have positive attributes, but make a mistake or give into selfish desires.

Sitia is definitely different, but I'm so glad the world is expanding. In this world there is less good versus evil and more how to navigate diplomacy. This is definitely something I love reading about and I expect it will only continue.

Based on the title, it should be no surprise that the magic system is explored. I am still confused by some of it, but I think I just need to spend more time with it. It is cool that the magic works in different ways and strengths. Plus, the clans handle it in unique ways.

I'm so excited to read more about this world-especially Yelena. Good thing there is so much out there. Well, not good for my bank account.

Thanks for reading!
Holly

Review: Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder

Series: Study book #1
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 361
Rating: 5 Stars
How I Got It: Borrowed from the Library
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult, New Adult
Publisher: Luna

Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads

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.

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...

 
Review

Where has this book been all my life? I must have the next book now, but I can't because it's late at night as I write this. And I feel a serious book hangover coming on.

I didn't read the synopsis before going in and I think that was the best decision. I had no idea what was going to happen. The tension was really high because of that. And I never knew who to trust or like. I still don't completely know.

Yelena was an amazing protagonist. I don't even know if I can explain why I love her so much. She wasn't perfect, but I understood why she did everything she did. And she didn't frustrate me at all which is pretty rare.


The other characters were also great. They were well-developed and intriguing. I want to know more about so many of them like the Commander. I basically want them all to have their own books.

And of course, Ms. Snyder did a good job with the world-building. Especially the government and politics. It felt very real and made sense. It was also different than I normally expect in these kinds of stories. She also laid a lot of groundwork for the magic system which I'm sure will be explored in the rest of the series.

I was hoping writing this would calm me down so I could go to sleep, but it hasn't. I can't wait until I get out of work tomorrow so I can go to the library and get the second book. I would've bought the whole series, but my local Barnes and Noble doesn't have them. Boo!

I haven't felt this way about a book in a long time. Curse you Maria V. Snyder and whatever crack you put in this book.

Thanks for reading!
Holly