Poison study chapters 26-32

Here's my last blog regarding Poison Study...

In the last seven chapters even more happens, at this point If i were Yelena i would just want to curl up and hide for a week, maybe more.

The southern delegates arrived and at their meeting Irys pours everyone a drink and Yelena just has time to look at Valek and say "My Love". I really like this, firstly because Valek predicted this months ago and said how if she could at least say that in those few seconds she'd be giving him information to go on, but also because of us knowing the feelings developing i feel like it's really poignant.

Yet again, we get to see how protective Ari and Janco are. Later Yelena also gets to discover what the meaning on her switchblade from Janco means... I think it's very sweet and he obviously knew she'd discover it, it's more sentimental than we might think would come from Janco, as he's normally the joker.

She finds out she's got to go to Brazell's, i don't even know how she can walk there, i would be a mess. Going back to where she ensured all that torment on top of going somewhere without Valek, or so she thinks, to a place where so many want her dead.

She gets ambushed again! And Rand gets killed and she kills Star's guards and then Valek turns up and she's annoyed with him questioning whether killing has become her formula.

Later her on, she ends up locked up with Valek, they work together to fool the guards and use their smarts to get free. They decide that the safest place to hide is where they would never look for them, in their cell. They get close and Valek ends up telling her how he feels and they have their moment.

We get to see just how awful the plan was for Yelena if she hadn't of got away and she is so sad to find out what happened to her friends.

The whole gang work to stop Mogkan and Irys links with Yelena and they manage it.

Yelena discovers that the commander is transgender and she fights with him in his mine to help him come back from the mental prison he's been held in by Mogkan. She also finds out that even Valek does not know his secret.

She finds out that she might have a family out there as while at Brazell's she is told she might be part of the Zaltana clan.

The commander puts an execution order in place for Yelena, i think he does it reluctantly but he always sticks to the code and he can't deviate from that but he does give her long enough to get away and so she leaves with Irys.

The books ends with her and Irys and the other children from Brazell's on their way back to find their parents. Valek finds her, unsurprisingly and they have an evening together and he promises that they will be together. Love this and leaves me wanting to read the next one.

Ph x

Poison study Chapters 18-25

I know I've said it before but i really think you should re-read these.

So, in these chapters we see Yelena at the training ground with Ari and Janco. We get to see just how smooth and skilled Valek is and i like that he let's himself be challenged to find his second in command. He also surprises her by saying he thinks it's a good idea for her to train.

She's surprised when the commander sets her the task of finding out more about the mysterious beans. Which leads her to that library and he finding that book on magic. I think i would have had to keep it hidden in the library I'd have been too scared to take it back to Valek's suite.

She's a very cool female lead as she's strong, determined, kind and stubborn as hell.

On Valek's suggestion they start training in secret and ask Maren to join them. I love how protective Ari is already by telling Maren not to call Yelena puker even though they haven't known each other long, love those boys.

She's later approached by Margg, she knew it, she knew she was bad news and she just has to figure out how to prove it. At the same time Valek gets angry with her and it clearly bothers her more than she thought it would. When she finally, i don't know why she took so long tells him she's been approached he says he is ready to believe why she killed Reyad, but she's not ready to tell him.

We finally know what happened, which is really horrible.

Valek and her get a lot closer in these chapters even if they don't realise it yet. He calls it 'our suite', which she loves and she thinks 'my Valek', she is also giddy when Dilana talks about Valek being interested in her.

She is attacked again!! Seriously I'd be a weeping mess by now!! She shows some serious fighting skill because not only does her training kick in but she's very calm about the pain she's inflicting, which is quite like Valek i think.

She lies to the medic about how she's been hurt but Valek is alerted anyway. I think he likes that she didn't immediately point the finger, and he's clearly impressed she could handle herself. We see his protective he's become too saying he will kill Nix...she replies coldly if she wanted him dead he would be.

When she has to drink all the brandy and tells him he looks stunning in his uniform, i love that bit. Plus who doesn't like a man in uniform!!

He tells her she could have everything if she was a loyal part of his team to protect the Commander, i feel like he's letting himself be a bit vulnerable here, which i really like. And i cringe for her when she later gives him a drunk neck massage.

The chapters end with us knowing something isn't right with the Commander, because of his decisions in the brandy meeting. An insight into him being a man born into a woman's body, her worrying as Valek sensed a magician at the meeting, which was Mogkan but she thinks was her dream of the commander and then later Irys arriving. Lots and lots going on!

Ph x

Poison study chapters 9-17

So chapters 9-17...a lot happens in these chapters.

Yelena moves into Valek's suite, and i loved seeing their conversations develop and getting more of an insight into Valek and his possession, which there are more of than i think you'd expect an Assassin to have. I also love how many books he has.

Valek brings up the idea of Yelena playing the fugitive and we get to hear her weighing up the danger versus the benefit of gaining knowledge for the future.

I really like how resourceful she is using his books and i love that he tells her she can read all the books she wants.

We get to hear more about Yelena's past as an acrobat and see her away from the castle at the festival. Love (feel like I'm writing that a lot) seeing Valek in action, i imagine him so smooth and quick, especially as all he has is a beer mug, think it is obvious though that the drunk that bumped into her earlier was Valek.

She really can't catch a break can she as this time she's almost killed by a magician...and Valek saves her yet again by telling her to recite the poisons in her mind.

She deals with having magic a lot quicker than i might, so maybe she always was curious/suspicious.

I was really surprised when i first read it, although i shouldn't have been, at again how resourceful she was. I would never have thought to be able to camouflage myself and using the trees and putting the dogs off the scent, very clever!! I love dogs, but the idea of hearing them hunting you down is very scary.

Ari and janco are two of my favourites, so really enjoy seeing this introduction to them and hearing their banter so close below her. Later on how quickly they accept her and decide to help train her i think shows how genuine and nice the two of them are.

Knowing that later Valek and her are heart mates, i really enjoy hearing them talk. He calls her unbelievable and obviously respects what she achieved on the chase.

No let up though as that see the smugglers and she has to allow herself to be caught and is worrying about Valek finding out she has magic. The poor girl doesn't get five minutes to just sit back and relax.

Ph x

Poison Study chapters 1-8

So, as you know as part of Maria v. Snyder's 10 year anniversary of Poison Study I'm taking part in the read along.

I've been meaning to reread the trilogy FOR AGES! Last time i read them was 2012.

Week one is chapters 1-8 (although i have really raced ahead and finished it a few days ago, as i couldn't help myself).

I love Yelena and Valek individually and loved reading from Valek's point of view in Shadow study,  but I'd almost forgotten how much i loved it when they were getting to know each other.

*spoiler alert in case anyone reads this who hasn't read the book*

In chapters 1-8 we meet Yelena as she makes her choice to live and become the commander's food taster.

The first part of this book sets the scene and even though I've read it before I'm just as compelled by Yelena's story of how she ended up in the dungeons, why she killed Reyad and how being the food taster will work out for her (although that is easier when you've finished the trilogy before) ;-)
I'm still completely taken with Valek, i think he's awesome! Would i ever want to get on the wrong side of him, obviously not, but i just think he's great. Plus dark curly hair  and sapphire blue eyes and moves like a dancer, what's not to like?

We also see Yelena become friendly with Rand and Dilana,which is lovely as she must feel so alone but even though she's making friends she still has her guard up and is worried about the little taste of freedom she could have slipping away i think by doing something to annoy the commander, although she's more worried about Valek.

The snippets of back story are just as enticing and disturbing as they were when i first read them and it's presented in a good way, just enough to keep you wanting to know more but also so that you are already sympathetic to why Yelena has ended up where she is now.

Even in these first few chapters she's endured a lot of crap. Having a poison in her system and being reliant on Valek's giving her the antidote daily, having to recover from taking My Love which sounds awful for something that sounds so sweet, Margg being a cow and trying to intimidate her, Brazell's men trying to capture her and kill her  and having to come face to face with Brazell himself.

That's a lot to take in.

As it did last time, all of the above completely hooked me in again and i wanted nothing more than four Yelena to triumph.

Here's to the rest of the book...

In other news :-)...

I've also absolutely loved Banished by Liz de Jager, flew through that one too. I do so love a YA fantasy novel, as well you know. So am very excited to read the next installment of this series too, next is Vowed.

Ph x