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