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Healer #2
Scent of Magic
Hunted, Killed—Survived?
As the last Healer in the Fifteen Realms, Avry of Kazan is in a unique position: in the minds of her friends and foes alike, she no longer exists. Despite her need to prevent the megalomanical King Tohon from winning control of the Realms, Avry is also determined to find her sister and repair their estrangement. And she must do it alone, as Kerrick, her partner and sole confident, returns to Alga to summon his country into battle.
Though she should be in hiding, Avry will do whatever she can to support Tohon’s opponents. Including infiltrating a holy army, evading magic sniffers, teaching forest skills to soldiers and figuring out how to stop Tohon’s most horrible creations yet; an army of the walking dead—human and animal alike and nearly impossible to defeat.
War is coming and Avry is alone. Unless she figures out how to do the impossible ... again.
As the last Healer in the Fifteen Realms, Avry of Kazan is in a unique position: in the minds of her friends and foes alike, she no longer exists. Despite her need to prevent the megalomanical King Tohon from winning control of the Realms, Avry is also determined to find her sister and repair their estrangement. And she must do it alone, as Kerrick, her partner and sole confident, returns to Alga to summon his country into battle.
Though she should be in hiding, Avry will do whatever she can to support Tohon’s opponents. Including infiltrating a holy army, evading magic sniffers, teaching forest skills to soldiers and figuring out how to stop Tohon’s most horrible creations yet; an army of the walking dead—human and animal alike and nearly impossible to defeat.
War is coming and Avry is alone. Unless she figures out how to do the impossible ... again.
414 pages, Paperback
First published December 18, 2012
527 people are currently reading
20019 people want to read
About the author
Maria V. Snyder
74 books17.4k followersWhen Maria V. Snyder was younger, she aspired to be a storm chaser in the American Midwest so she attended Pennsylvania State University and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Meteorology. Much to her chagrin, forecasting the weather wasn’t in her skill set so she spent a number of years as an environmental meteorologist, which is not exciting...at all. Bored at work and needing a creative outlet, she started writing fantasy and science fiction stories. Over twenty four novels and two short story collections later, Maria’s learned a thing or three about writing. She’s been on the New York Times bestseller list, won a dozen awards, and has earned her Masters of Arts degree in Writing from Seton Hill University, where she is now a faculty member.
Her favorite color is red. She loves dogs, but is allergic, instead she has a big black tom cat named…Kitty (apparently naming cats isn’t in her skill set either). Maria also has a husband and two children who are an inspiration for her writing when they aren't being a distraction. Note: She mentions her cat before her family.
When she's not writing she's either playing pickleball, traveling, or taking pictures. Being a writer, though is a ton of fun. Where else can you take fencing lessons, learn how to ride a horse, study marital arts, learn how to pick a lock, take glass blowing classes and attend Astronomy Camp and call it research? Maria will be the first one to tell you it's not working as a meteorologist.
Readers are welcome to check out her website for book excerpts, free short stories, maps, blog, and her schedule at http://www.MariaVSnyder.com.
Her favorite color is red. She loves dogs, but is allergic, instead she has a big black tom cat named…Kitty (apparently naming cats isn’t in her skill set either). Maria also has a husband and two children who are an inspiration for her writing when they aren't being a distraction. Note: She mentions her cat before her family.
When she's not writing she's either playing pickleball, traveling, or taking pictures. Being a writer, though is a ton of fun. Where else can you take fencing lessons, learn how to ride a horse, study marital arts, learn how to pick a lock, take glass blowing classes and attend Astronomy Camp and call it research? Maria will be the first one to tell you it's not working as a meteorologist.
Readers are welcome to check out her website for book excerpts, free short stories, maps, blog, and her schedule at http://www.MariaVSnyder.com.
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January 8, 2015Please excuse me while I go and cry in a corner about having to wait so long for this book. Those who loved the first should totally understand how I feel.....
*goes and wails pitifully*
UPDATE: *stares zombie-like at the cover* Ooooooh. Purdy!!!
*goes and wails pitifully*
UPDATE: *stares zombie-like at the cover* Ooooooh. Purdy!!!
August 12, 2016
What?!? Why?!? Maria V. Snyder!!! How could you?!?
I had the opportunity to read the ARC of "Touch of Power" over a year ago and absolutely loved it. Avry, Kerrick, Belen, Flea and the monkeys had such great chemistry, and their adventures really sucked me in. Although, I would have to say I loved the first book way more, but worry not because this one far from disappoints.
First of all, I really liked how Snyder found a way to continue the concepts from the first book. The gang has to find a way to stop Tohon before he brings war to the 15 Realms. In the meantime, they have to warn everyone about the unusual army and figure out the secrets of the Peace and Death Lilies, as well as any possible connection tying them together.
The other thing is, usually when a character goes through so much, they tend to change in the second book as they either become depressed or really angry. I liked that Avry continued to be the character that I loved so much in book 1. She was so selfless, no matter friend or foe. She was brave and determined, and she had that spark that made her so admirable.
HOWEVER...
One of the reasons why I thought the first book was so great is because of the supporting characters. In this one, they kind of had their own roles, and even though it's all part of the big plan and the camaraderie is still there, this book lacked that interaction between the gang. Don't get me wrong, there are scenes where they are together, and you do see that fondness they have for each other, along with the great dialogue. Along with that was that Avry and Kerrick had their own roles to play, so this book doesn't have that tension and the constant bickering that intrigued me. And there are new friends, but it's just not the same. And my favorite character was hardly in the book!
The other thing is this book alternates between Avry's and Kerrick's point of view, and as much as I love Kerrick, I almost wished his part - or maybe the majority of it - was cut out for this book. Now before all of you Kerrick-fans start grabbing your pitchforks, his POV was kind of a side story because they did not share the length as Avry's. Also, I kind of felt his adventures were kind of insignificant, for lack of a better word, at least in this book, especially compared to Ryne's or other characters in this book.
I'm sure his scenes lead up to the next one, but I almost felt as if Snyder used his POV because they had to be separated and TOP fans would be upset if Kerrick wasn't in it. For me, however, it was frustrating because it kept interrupting the story, especially because of the way she ended each chapter - just about all of them were so climatic they were a mini-cliffhanger. It's like watching TV, and they give you that surprising "dum, dum, dum" right before you cut to commercial break. It was infuriating because I wanted to kno what happened next. And by the time I got back to Avry's point of view, some of that anticipation has kind of worn off so I just didn't feel as excited about it. I don't think I would have missed much if he recounted his tale, as other characters did, or even make his story a novella or make them longer scenes and fewer parts that constantly interrupt Avry's story.
And the end. OMG. Only this time, there wasn't another chapter for me to find out. Why, oh, why?
Sigh... I guess I'll just have to wait another year, as Snyder has announced that "Taste of Death," the conclusion to this trilogy will be out December 2013. However, the name does not sound to promising, now does it?
I had the opportunity to read the ARC of "Touch of Power" over a year ago and absolutely loved it. Avry, Kerrick, Belen, Flea and the monkeys had such great chemistry, and their adventures really sucked me in. Although, I would have to say I loved the first book way more, but worry not because this one far from disappoints.
First of all, I really liked how Snyder found a way to continue the concepts from the first book. The gang has to find a way to stop Tohon before he brings war to the 15 Realms. In the meantime, they have to warn everyone about the unusual army and figure out the secrets of the Peace and Death Lilies, as well as any possible connection tying them together.
The other thing is, usually when a character goes through so much, they tend to change in the second book as they either become depressed or really angry. I liked that Avry continued to be the character that I loved so much in book 1. She was so selfless, no matter friend or foe. She was brave and determined, and she had that spark that made her so admirable.
HOWEVER...
One of the reasons why I thought the first book was so great is because of the supporting characters. In this one, they kind of had their own roles, and even though it's all part of the big plan and the camaraderie is still there, this book lacked that interaction between the gang. Don't get me wrong, there are scenes where they are together, and you do see that fondness they have for each other, along with the great dialogue. Along with that was that Avry and Kerrick had their own roles to play, so this book doesn't have that tension and the constant bickering that intrigued me. And there are new friends, but it's just not the same. And my favorite character was hardly in the book!
The other thing is this book alternates between Avry's and Kerrick's point of view, and as much as I love Kerrick, I almost wished his part - or maybe the majority of it - was cut out for this book. Now before all of you Kerrick-fans start grabbing your pitchforks, his POV was kind of a side story because they did not share the length as Avry's. Also, I kind of felt his adventures were kind of insignificant, for lack of a better word, at least in this book, especially compared to Ryne's or other characters in this book.
I'm sure his scenes lead up to the next one, but I almost felt as if Snyder used his POV because they had to be separated and TOP fans would be upset if Kerrick wasn't in it. For me, however, it was frustrating because it kept interrupting the story, especially because of the way she ended each chapter - just about all of them were so climatic they were a mini-cliffhanger. It's like watching TV, and they give you that surprising "dum, dum, dum" right before you cut to commercial break. It was infuriating because I wanted to kno what happened next. And by the time I got back to Avry's point of view, some of that anticipation has kind of worn off so I just didn't feel as excited about it. I don't think I would have missed much if he recounted his tale, as other characters did, or even make his story a novella or make them longer scenes and fewer parts that constantly interrupt Avry's story.
And the end. OMG. Only this time, there wasn't another chapter for me to find out. Why, oh, why?
Sigh... I guess I'll just have to wait another year, as Snyder has announced that "Taste of Death," the conclusion to this trilogy will be out December 2013. However, the name does not sound to promising, now does it?
December 9, 2012
Update 12/21: Check out my interview with Maria V. Snyder where she takes my questions about Scent of Magic on my blog.
I'm disappointed, really disappointed. I've heard of Maria Snyder's sequel 'curse', but I've never experienced it firsthand, having never read any of her sequels. Though that's probably a good thing, because from what I can tell, Scent of Magic is Magic Study all over again: a letdown that wastes much of the promise of the first book.
I hate to say it, but everything I loved about Touch of Power has been completely leeched from this sequel. When I first met Avry, she was this awesome character, on the run from everyone, the last healer in the Fifteen Realms. She had me at that first scene when she was agonizing over whether to heal that little girl, and scene after scene after that, as she's facing her impending execution, slowly building relationships with Kerrick and his gang, deciding whether to heal Rhyne, facing off against Tohon, I just kept thinking, wow, she's such an enormously complex and conflicted character. Well, no more, because Scent of Magic drops all that in favor of plot development which barely treads water, and I'm sorry to report that there's almost zero character development. Where's that girl who impressed me with her inner turmoil over her role in a world destroyed by plague? I never found her, because this entire book is just Avry doing whatever the plot mandates, mostly by Tohon's machinations, occasionally by someone else, Jael, the soldiers Avry's training, or, when she has the time, angsting over Kerrick. Avry's few scenes with her sister, one of weaker parts of the first book, provide one of the few glimpses into her character and just left me deeply unsatisfied.
Part of it is also Snyder's choice to split up Avry from Kerrick, and the two of them from everyone else. The camaraderie of their little group was one of the highlights of the first book, and I highly question Snyder's decision to send Kerrick off to do his own thing in alternating chapters of third person point of view, while separating Avry from Belen and the others - who we barely see - and introducing new characters who just couldn't fill the hole left in the group dynamic. It's not like Kerrick's mission was all that integral to the plot of the story - I can see how it'll turn out as a Gondor calls for aid type situation in the next book, but the whole thing felt oddly out of place in this book, in the fight against Tohon, like Snyder’s saying, here’s some new stuff that doesn’t fit with anything else but it’ll be important later, trust me... but it only ends up making the chapters focusing on Avry's 'plan', training Estrid’s army against Tohon’s undead while undercover, really really repetitive and boring, like she’s in a holding pattern. Then there are the parts where Avry thinks Kerrick is dead, and her reactions when she gets news about him is just unbelievable and weird. Actually, the emotions just never felt right – including with a big spoiler concerning the status of a favorite character from the last book. Oh, and the constant cliffhangers every time the point of view changes gets really old really fast.
Worse still, Scent of Magic highlights a lot of the weaker aspects of the first book I'd been able to brush aside previously, but really can’t ignore anymore. Setting has never been this series’ strong suit, but it’s pretty obvious now the heavy character focus really carried Touch of Power. Because the first chapter of this book? A recap of the world building done before, and it really shows how shallow the Fifteen Realms are, with the characters just reciting a bunch of names, lines, and dots on a map. What sets Kazan apart from Sogra? What’s unique of Pomyt? These are the little details that make reading sentences basically saying we’ve just spent X days getting to town Y on the map fun, well, unless the characters make the journey enjoyable, but this time around, they didn’t, they were just traveling. And Tohon... I’m appalled, he was a serviceable villain in Touch of Power, but now... I’m embarrassed from him. He lets Avry get away with way too much without any rational reason – basically, he’s only a threat because Avry’s got too much of a conscience to actually kill him. The handling of the Death and Peace lilies too, there are some new developments and mysteries but I don’t think I learned anything new about how they work, that, Tohon’s undead, the fill in the blanks geography made worse by the ‘training’ and the ‘patrols’, the slow pacing at the beginning and the almost blink and you’ll miss it resolution of an ending, it really shatters the fantasy immersion.
Hmm, the only thing that doesn’t bother me is the cliffhanger ending. If you pay attention to the writing, what we know about Death and Peace lilies, and particularly the foreshadowing, it’s quite obvious what’s going on. But... I don’t know what to say, between the incompetent villain, the flat setting, Kerrick’s mess of a B-plot, the supporting gang almost vanishing into thin air, and Avry losing every interesting aspect to her character, Maria Snyder, what happened?
I'm disappointed, really disappointed. I've heard of Maria Snyder's sequel 'curse', but I've never experienced it firsthand, having never read any of her sequels. Though that's probably a good thing, because from what I can tell, Scent of Magic is Magic Study all over again: a letdown that wastes much of the promise of the first book.
I hate to say it, but everything I loved about Touch of Power has been completely leeched from this sequel. When I first met Avry, she was this awesome character, on the run from everyone, the last healer in the Fifteen Realms. She had me at that first scene when she was agonizing over whether to heal that little girl, and scene after scene after that, as she's facing her impending execution, slowly building relationships with Kerrick and his gang, deciding whether to heal Rhyne, facing off against Tohon, I just kept thinking, wow, she's such an enormously complex and conflicted character. Well, no more, because Scent of Magic drops all that in favor of plot development which barely treads water, and I'm sorry to report that there's almost zero character development. Where's that girl who impressed me with her inner turmoil over her role in a world destroyed by plague? I never found her, because this entire book is just Avry doing whatever the plot mandates, mostly by Tohon's machinations, occasionally by someone else, Jael, the soldiers Avry's training, or, when she has the time, angsting over Kerrick. Avry's few scenes with her sister, one of weaker parts of the first book, provide one of the few glimpses into her character and just left me deeply unsatisfied.
Part of it is also Snyder's choice to split up Avry from Kerrick, and the two of them from everyone else. The camaraderie of their little group was one of the highlights of the first book, and I highly question Snyder's decision to send Kerrick off to do his own thing in alternating chapters of third person point of view, while separating Avry from Belen and the others - who we barely see - and introducing new characters who just couldn't fill the hole left in the group dynamic. It's not like Kerrick's mission was all that integral to the plot of the story - I can see how it'll turn out as a Gondor calls for aid type situation in the next book, but the whole thing felt oddly out of place in this book, in the fight against Tohon, like Snyder’s saying, here’s some new stuff that doesn’t fit with anything else but it’ll be important later, trust me... but it only ends up making the chapters focusing on Avry's 'plan', training Estrid’s army against Tohon’s undead while undercover, really really repetitive and boring, like she’s in a holding pattern. Then there are the parts where Avry thinks Kerrick is dead, and her reactions when she gets news about him is just unbelievable and weird. Actually, the emotions just never felt right – including with a big spoiler concerning the status of a favorite character from the last book. Oh, and the constant cliffhangers every time the point of view changes gets really old really fast.
Worse still, Scent of Magic highlights a lot of the weaker aspects of the first book I'd been able to brush aside previously, but really can’t ignore anymore. Setting has never been this series’ strong suit, but it’s pretty obvious now the heavy character focus really carried Touch of Power. Because the first chapter of this book? A recap of the world building done before, and it really shows how shallow the Fifteen Realms are, with the characters just reciting a bunch of names, lines, and dots on a map. What sets Kazan apart from Sogra? What’s unique of Pomyt? These are the little details that make reading sentences basically saying we’ve just spent X days getting to town Y on the map fun, well, unless the characters make the journey enjoyable, but this time around, they didn’t, they were just traveling. And Tohon... I’m appalled, he was a serviceable villain in Touch of Power, but now... I’m embarrassed from him. He lets Avry get away with way too much without any rational reason – basically, he’s only a threat because Avry’s got too much of a conscience to actually kill him. The handling of the Death and Peace lilies too, there are some new developments and mysteries but I don’t think I learned anything new about how they work, that, Tohon’s undead, the fill in the blanks geography made worse by the ‘training’ and the ‘patrols’, the slow pacing at the beginning and the almost blink and you’ll miss it resolution of an ending, it really shatters the fantasy immersion.
Hmm, the only thing that doesn’t bother me is the cliffhanger ending. If you pay attention to the writing, what we know about Death and Peace lilies, and particularly the foreshadowing, it’s quite obvious what’s going on. But... I don’t know what to say, between the incompetent villain, the flat setting, Kerrick’s mess of a B-plot, the supporting gang almost vanishing into thin air, and Avry losing every interesting aspect to her character, Maria Snyder, what happened?
Want to read
September 16, 2012OMG THERES A SECOND ONE?
"healer #2" *click*
*scrolls down*
Expected publication 2013
* what the — ! *
UPDATE
Phew, It's been changed to December 2012!
But still.......
WHY CAN'T THE BOOK BE ALREADY PUBLISHED :(
"healer #2" *click*
*scrolls down*
Expected publication 2013
* what the — ! *
UPDATE
Phew, It's been changed to December 2012!
But still.......
WHY CAN'T THE BOOK BE ALREADY PUBLISHED :(
January 30, 2013
Spoilers
I wasn't planning on reading this since I disliked the first book.
When I saw it at the library I decided to give the author another chance (I'm nice like that) since I loved her Study trilogy so much. I also reasoned that it couldn't possibly be as bad as the first book. Thankfully, it wasn't. However, it wasn't any better either. So, I guess that's something — right?
I had a lot of issues with this… I think it's easiest if I just list them below in a disorganised and ranty way:
-The writing and dialogue didn't suit the fantasy type setting — it was too modern. The slang, speech and inner monologue took me right out of the story. For example:
'I missed a lot of cool stuff' and 'we're screwed' and 'Kill. me. now' and 'ewww' and swell and super.
With writing like that, I'm hardly going to be thinking of magic, fantasy, kings, kingdoms and swords. No, I'm going to be thinking of high school, malls and Gossip Girl. The writing should reflect the setting of the book.
-The characters called each other stupid nicknames, like: the monkeys, Mom and poppa bear. Belen aka 'poppa bear' was meant to be a strong deadly soldier but every time someone would call him 'poppa bear', I could no longer buy his role as a respected and formidable warrior. No, instead I just thought of him as a giant dumb cuddly bear. The nicknames felt completely out of place.
-Kerrick's POV was dull, he made Avry's bland narration seem almost exciting. For the majority of the book, they were separated … Usually I hate it when authors split the couple in the sequel but I didn't mind it this time around since Avry and Kerrick were even more boring together than when they were apart.
At times I felt like I was reading two different stories as Kerrick's POV rarely reflected or intertwined with Avry's. I'm guessing that Kerrick's journey to his own kingdom, his capture and his time with the tribes will play a role in the final book but that doesn't change the fact that for the most part his POV felt out of place.
-I noticed that Snyder attempted to redeem Kerrick's abusive behaviour towards Avry by giving him a taste of his own medicine. However, his 'redemption' didn't work on me. Kerrick ends up beaten, tied to a tree and starved — was I meant to care? I didn't. Him being tortured didn't lessen or erase what he did to Avry.
I also felt that Tohon was only depicted as a rapey violent douche just so Kerrick could look good in comparison. It was a bit like 'Ooh… Kerrick beat Avry but it's okay he's a decent guy because he only did it because he was stressed and he was remorseful afterwards… and when you compare him with the other 'love interest' he's the best guy for her. He's dreamy compared to Tohon who is an unapologetic sadistic fucker that kills kid.' Yea, I'm not buying it. Kerrick should come across as a decent hero on his own merits and not because he seems good in comparison to someone else.
I have no doubt in my mind that Kerrick would hit Avry again if he ever lost his temper. Sure, he made a vow not to hit anyone again… but if he struck out at a defenseless girl before when he lost his temper, then I hardly think him saying he won't do it again would stop him. He didn't even seem all that passionate about his 'vow'. I really don't think that he felt remorse or regret for slapping and torturing Avry.. the most emotion he had in regard to his past treatment of her was a little bit of sheepishness. He didn't redeem himself at all.
-I had no respect for Avry AT ALL. She was such an annoying martyr and I couldn't stand her. She excuses Kerrick hitting her and mentions the fact that she managed to forgive him for it… And the way it was written was as if it was the right thing to do to learn to forgive the man that slapped, hurt and starved her. That's right girls, when a guy hits you… you just need to get over it and not be a bitter, hateful, resentful bitch. A goodheroine girl forgives guys for beating and torturing them!!
'I remembered my own hatred when Kerrick had backhanded me. Even after his apology and promise never to do it again, I couldn’t trust him. It took time and courage to change my mind.'
What utter bullshit and lies! It didn't take time or fucking courage! She was pissed at him for all of 5 seconds — she trusted him more or less straight away even though he'd done nothing to earn her trust. And since when has it been courageous to forgive and trust the guy that's beaten you?!
-Avry's forgiving ways irked me a great deal. Her so called friends (Ryne, Quain, Flea and Loren) abandoned her when war broke out. They purposefully planned on leaving her on her own so they could be safe themselves… they also left knowing that she would be captured by Tohon - an evul bastard that they knew wanted to rape her. They left her without a second thought when they were well aware of all the dangers she'd have to face. Did Avry feel mad? No. Did she feel betrayed? No. Did she feel angry or bitter? No. She was just slightly pissed at her 'friends' for a couple of paragraphs and then she was totally cool about them fucking her over… Because that's just the way she rolls. Ugh.
-Ryne pissed me off. In the last book he was at death's door, and Kerrick desperately searched for a healer/Avry to save him. Avry didn't want to heal Ryne because he was responsible for the execution of thousands of healers (including her friends) but Kerrick and co convinced her that they needed Ryne to defeat Tohon and his evil zombie army… apparently no-one else had the brains or skill to win a war against Tohon. Avry gave her life for Ryne because he was going to save everyone. Naturally, I was expecting Ryne to wow me with his genius tactics since he was made out to be so vital to the war. Kerrick's motto was that they couldn't possibly win without him. So I was expecting to be blown away by this character that would use his superb skill and superior knowledge to best Tohon. Is that what happened? No. Sure, the characters were all saying that the strategies Ryne was coming up were brilliant but nothing he said or did struck me as particularly intelligent or inspired. Where was the so called military genius? After all the drama about Ryne the speshul snowflake in Touch of Magic, I thought I'd actually get to read about his super speshul snowflake abilities. Instead, he came across as mediocre and easily replaceable… everything he did was more meh than genius.
His 'genius' ideas to win the war were as follows:
-Team up with another army (Estrid's) so they would have a chance at beating Tohon. Yea, that was just common sense not genius.
-Take his own soldiers and leave Estrid's to fight so he could run away and hide from Tohon's army. That wasn't genius — it was cowardly and disgusting.
-Fight Tohon's army by ordering small groups of soldiers to sneakily attack some of Tohon's men. Again, anyone could have thought of that… it wasn't a brilliant or brave move.
-Safely hide in a cave whilst his soldiers do all the work.
What exactly was genius about any of that?
It's not enough to just be told someone is a genius, I need a character to display it in some form or another… I need to be shown it through characters actions, decisions and choices. And Ryne didn't… which just makes the driving force behind the first book (Avry giving up her life to save Ryne so he could save everyone else) a joke.
-Quain was a dick. The way he acted towards Avry when he found out she was alive was vile. He was pissed at her for pretending she was dead. That was fine, but he stayed angry at her for ages and ages even when she apologised and explained her reasonings. She only hid the truth to protect herself and make sure she didn't end up with a sadistic rapist. Quain had no right to act like such a bitch and throw such a hissy fit. He should have just been glad she was alive but no, he wanted to lord her one lie over her for as long as possible because he was a dick.
I hate that heroines can't ever be anything other than 100% honest otherwise they are evul lying whores… yet heroes can lie and it's perfectly okay because they have reasons but no reason is valid enough for a heroine to lie. Heroines must always be punished for lying.
And the funny thing was that after he made a huge song and dance about Avry lying he went ahead and did much worse. He hid Ryne's plan to hide from Tohon's army and then abandoned her in a middle of a war when he knew that Tohon would get her and act rapey towards her. Avry lying and hiding from Quain and co didn't put his life in danger whereas Quain's deception not only put her life in danger but also put her at risk of being raped by a sadistic fucker. Is Avry mad at Quain's betrayal? Not really. She was a bit bitter for a few minutes and then she forgave him… you see he had reasons and heroines should understand those reasons and just forgive.
The moral of the story is that a good decent girl should understand that guys have legitimate reasons for lying and they should forgive and forget accordingly — they cannot be angry, bitter or upset. They should also realise that they themselves have NO excuse or reason to lie. Whereas, a guy can lie because of course he has reasons and he can also be bitter and pissed for long periods of time if he should discover that a girl has ever lied to him… Ugh. I'm so sick of the double standards in books.
-Avry only seemed to care about the guys in her life. Even her sister didn't come across as all that important to her. It was all about Kerrick, Belen, Flea, Ryne and the other men in her life. Heaven forbid she actually have a close friendship with a female character. She did make a couple of female friends but I didn't think they counted since 1. She wasn't particularly close to them 2. They were barely in it and 3. One of them ended up dead and the other ended up evil.
Avry should have had at the very least one prominent female character that she was close to.
-Too many cliched characters — the boring overly forgiving Mary Sue heroine, the emo hero, the evul ex girlfriend, the one dimensional villain who wants to rule the kingdom just because he's evul.
There were no original or complex characters — they were all rubbish.
-What was the point of the cliffhanger? Its obvious Kerrick's not going to die. He'll probably be saved by some stupid deus ex machina. Then he'll declare his wuv to Avry even though he's never actually shown it before and then they'll run off into the sunset together… and Kerrick will beat Avry everyday and she'll love all that sweet sweet abusive love… Ugh.
All in all, a huge disappointment.
I wasn't planning on reading this since I disliked the first book.
When I saw it at the library I decided to give the author another chance (I'm nice like that) since I loved her Study trilogy so much. I also reasoned that it couldn't possibly be as bad as the first book. Thankfully, it wasn't. However, it wasn't any better either. So, I guess that's something — right?
I had a lot of issues with this… I think it's easiest if I just list them below in a disorganised and ranty way:
-The writing and dialogue didn't suit the fantasy type setting — it was too modern. The slang, speech and inner monologue took me right out of the story. For example:
'I missed a lot of cool stuff' and 'we're screwed' and 'Kill. me. now' and 'ewww' and swell and super.
With writing like that, I'm hardly going to be thinking of magic, fantasy, kings, kingdoms and swords. No, I'm going to be thinking of high school, malls and Gossip Girl. The writing should reflect the setting of the book.
-The characters called each other stupid nicknames, like: the monkeys, Mom and poppa bear. Belen aka 'poppa bear' was meant to be a strong deadly soldier but every time someone would call him 'poppa bear', I could no longer buy his role as a respected and formidable warrior. No, instead I just thought of him as a giant dumb cuddly bear. The nicknames felt completely out of place.
-Kerrick's POV was dull, he made Avry's bland narration seem almost exciting. For the majority of the book, they were separated … Usually I hate it when authors split the couple in the sequel but I didn't mind it this time around since Avry and Kerrick were even more boring together than when they were apart.
At times I felt like I was reading two different stories as Kerrick's POV rarely reflected or intertwined with Avry's. I'm guessing that Kerrick's journey to his own kingdom, his capture and his time with the tribes will play a role in the final book but that doesn't change the fact that for the most part his POV felt out of place.
-I noticed that Snyder attempted to redeem Kerrick's abusive behaviour towards Avry by giving him a taste of his own medicine. However, his 'redemption' didn't work on me. Kerrick ends up beaten, tied to a tree and starved — was I meant to care? I didn't. Him being tortured didn't lessen or erase what he did to Avry.
I also felt that Tohon was only depicted as a rapey violent douche just so Kerrick could look good in comparison. It was a bit like 'Ooh… Kerrick beat Avry but it's okay he's a decent guy because he only did it because he was stressed and he was remorseful afterwards… and when you compare him with the other 'love interest' he's the best guy for her. He's dreamy compared to Tohon who is an unapologetic sadistic fucker that kills kid.' Yea, I'm not buying it. Kerrick should come across as a decent hero on his own merits and not because he seems good in comparison to someone else.
I have no doubt in my mind that Kerrick would hit Avry again if he ever lost his temper. Sure, he made a vow not to hit anyone again… but if he struck out at a defenseless girl before when he lost his temper, then I hardly think him saying he won't do it again would stop him. He didn't even seem all that passionate about his 'vow'. I really don't think that he felt remorse or regret for slapping and torturing Avry.. the most emotion he had in regard to his past treatment of her was a little bit of sheepishness. He didn't redeem himself at all.
-I had no respect for Avry AT ALL. She was such an annoying martyr and I couldn't stand her. She excuses Kerrick hitting her and mentions the fact that she managed to forgive him for it… And the way it was written was as if it was the right thing to do to learn to forgive the man that slapped, hurt and starved her. That's right girls, when a guy hits you… you just need to get over it and not be a bitter, hateful, resentful bitch. A good
'I remembered my own hatred when Kerrick had backhanded me. Even after his apology and promise never to do it again, I couldn’t trust him. It took time and courage to change my mind.'
What utter bullshit and lies! It didn't take time or fucking courage! She was pissed at him for all of 5 seconds — she trusted him more or less straight away even though he'd done nothing to earn her trust. And since when has it been courageous to forgive and trust the guy that's beaten you?!
-Avry's forgiving ways irked me a great deal. Her so called friends (Ryne, Quain, Flea and Loren) abandoned her when war broke out. They purposefully planned on leaving her on her own so they could be safe themselves… they also left knowing that she would be captured by Tohon - an evul bastard that they knew wanted to rape her. They left her without a second thought when they were well aware of all the dangers she'd have to face. Did Avry feel mad? No. Did she feel betrayed? No. Did she feel angry or bitter? No. She was just slightly pissed at her 'friends' for a couple of paragraphs and then she was totally cool about them fucking her over… Because that's just the way she rolls. Ugh.
-Ryne pissed me off. In the last book he was at death's door, and Kerrick desperately searched for a healer/Avry to save him. Avry didn't want to heal Ryne because he was responsible for the execution of thousands of healers (including her friends) but Kerrick and co convinced her that they needed Ryne to defeat Tohon and his evil zombie army… apparently no-one else had the brains or skill to win a war against Tohon. Avry gave her life for Ryne because he was going to save everyone. Naturally, I was expecting Ryne to wow me with his genius tactics since he was made out to be so vital to the war. Kerrick's motto was that they couldn't possibly win without him. So I was expecting to be blown away by this character that would use his superb skill and superior knowledge to best Tohon. Is that what happened? No. Sure, the characters were all saying that the strategies Ryne was coming up were brilliant but nothing he said or did struck me as particularly intelligent or inspired. Where was the so called military genius? After all the drama about Ryne the speshul snowflake in Touch of Magic, I thought I'd actually get to read about his super speshul snowflake abilities. Instead, he came across as mediocre and easily replaceable… everything he did was more meh than genius.
His 'genius' ideas to win the war were as follows:
-Team up with another army (Estrid's) so they would have a chance at beating Tohon. Yea, that was just common sense not genius.
-Take his own soldiers and leave Estrid's to fight so he could run away and hide from Tohon's army. That wasn't genius — it was cowardly and disgusting.
-Fight Tohon's army by ordering small groups of soldiers to sneakily attack some of Tohon's men. Again, anyone could have thought of that… it wasn't a brilliant or brave move.
-Safely hide in a cave whilst his soldiers do all the work.
What exactly was genius about any of that?
It's not enough to just be told someone is a genius, I need a character to display it in some form or another… I need to be shown it through characters actions, decisions and choices. And Ryne didn't… which just makes the driving force behind the first book (Avry giving up her life to save Ryne so he could save everyone else) a joke.
-Quain was a dick. The way he acted towards Avry when he found out she was alive was vile. He was pissed at her for pretending she was dead. That was fine, but he stayed angry at her for ages and ages even when she apologised and explained her reasonings. She only hid the truth to protect herself and make sure she didn't end up with a sadistic rapist. Quain had no right to act like such a bitch and throw such a hissy fit. He should have just been glad she was alive but no, he wanted to lord her one lie over her for as long as possible because he was a dick.
I hate that heroines can't ever be anything other than 100% honest otherwise they are evul lying whores… yet heroes can lie and it's perfectly okay because they have reasons but no reason is valid enough for a heroine to lie. Heroines must always be punished for lying.
And the funny thing was that after he made a huge song and dance about Avry lying he went ahead and did much worse. He hid Ryne's plan to hide from Tohon's army and then abandoned her in a middle of a war when he knew that Tohon would get her and act rapey towards her. Avry lying and hiding from Quain and co didn't put his life in danger whereas Quain's deception not only put her life in danger but also put her at risk of being raped by a sadistic fucker. Is Avry mad at Quain's betrayal? Not really. She was a bit bitter for a few minutes and then she forgave him… you see he had reasons and heroines should understand those reasons and just forgive.
The moral of the story is that a good decent girl should understand that guys have legitimate reasons for lying and they should forgive and forget accordingly — they cannot be angry, bitter or upset. They should also realise that they themselves have NO excuse or reason to lie. Whereas, a guy can lie because of course he has reasons and he can also be bitter and pissed for long periods of time if he should discover that a girl has ever lied to him… Ugh. I'm so sick of the double standards in books.
-Avry only seemed to care about the guys in her life. Even her sister didn't come across as all that important to her. It was all about Kerrick, Belen, Flea, Ryne and the other men in her life. Heaven forbid she actually have a close friendship with a female character. She did make a couple of female friends but I didn't think they counted since 1. She wasn't particularly close to them 2. They were barely in it and 3. One of them ended up dead and the other ended up evil.
Avry should have had at the very least one prominent female character that she was close to.
-Too many cliched characters — the boring overly forgiving Mary Sue heroine, the emo hero, the evul ex girlfriend, the one dimensional villain who wants to rule the kingdom just because he's evul.
There were no original or complex characters — they were all rubbish.
-What was the point of the cliffhanger? Its obvious Kerrick's not going to die. He'll probably be saved by some stupid deus ex machina. Then he'll declare his wuv to Avry even though he's never actually shown it before and then they'll run off into the sunset together… and Kerrick will beat Avry everyday and she'll love all that sweet sweet abusive love… Ugh.
All in all, a huge disappointment.
June 7, 2018
⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱*Can't beat book one*⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱
This review is purely for me and might contain spoilers and facts from the book to keep myself in the known at all time. It's also long and somewhat detailed.
Re-read: 07.06.2018
We're back with Avry of Kazan (21), who is a healer; she absorbs their wounds and diseases into herself by laying hands upon the injured and dying. She and Kerrick split up to do different things; Kerrick has to meet up with Ryne, while Avry needs to find her sister, and while doing that, gather intel. Avry pretends to be Irina of Gubkin Realm to keep up the false news of her being dead and to join Estrid’s army to teach them to be silent. She becomes a Sergeant and start teaching in the hopes it will help against Tohon. Meanwhile, Kerrick has an own enemy to defeat. Overall, though I like that we get to have both Avry's and Kerrick's POV, I didn't like how they are apart for the whole book. The book also can't measure up to book one. It was, at times, boring.
“We don't take orders from you, Sergeant.” Quain said. “Your man tried to assassinate-”
“"He isn't mine. My man has eyes that change color with the seasons.”
Other characters:
I've put these in a spoilers tag simply because it's a long list; contains spoilers.
“You sound like Kerrick.”
“Thank you.”
“Uh-huh. You do know I disobeyed almost all of his orders. Right?” I suppressed a grin.
“I do. But I’m smarter than Kerrick.”
“You are?”
“Oh, yes. I know the magic word.”
“And that would be?”
“Please.”
Quick basic facts:
Genre: - (Young Adult) High (?) Fantasy.
Series: - Series, Book Two.
Love triangle? -
Cheating? -
HEA? -
Favorite character? - Kerrick ‘Kerry’ of Alga.
Would I read more by this author/or of series? - Yes.
Would I recommend this book/series? - Yes.
Will I read this again in the future? - Who knows.
New Rating - 2.5/3 stars.
First read: 20.12.13
Rate: 3 stars.
January 13, 2013
Review: Once again I was swept into the world of Avry, Kerrick, and the rest of the characters as they experience love, loss and many adventures. I almost wish I had waited to read this second book of the Healer trilogy until the third book was out, just because of the way this book ended!
Scent of Magic starts off with Avry and Kerrick going their separate ways in hopes of being able to get a bigger army together to go up against Tohon and his army. AT first I was worried this meant way less Kerrick, but actually, instead of just seeing Avry's point of view, we also get to see Kerrick's, which was really nice. Even though we still got a lot of Kerrick throughout the book, I found myself wishing for more Kerrick and Avry together, I just love them as a couple.
There were a few losses, some bigger than others, while another one actually got brought back, which I wasn't expecting at all. I love how instead of having so much detail that it takes half the book to explain stuff, Maria V. Snyder just gets right into the action and adventure right away, and I really love that, especially with this Healer trilogy.
When I got near the end I was SO happy about Kerrick and Avry, until the VERY LAST FREAKING PAGE. I seriously wanted to cry. REALLY?! THAT'S IT?! Total freakin' cliff hanger ending, and now I have to wait until 2014 to find out what happens! There is just not enough words to explain how amazing this book was. It was definitely just as good as the first book, but that's about all I can say without giving anyway way, it's just one you HAVE to read if you've read Touch of Power.
(When the book first had a cover and description)OOOMMMGGGG!!!!! I sssooo can't wait to read this!!! I LOVED Touch of Power, it was freaking amazing, one of my top most favourite books! I have NO doubt this book will be just as freakin' amazing!! I might die of excitement when I get this book in my hands! :)
This is my review in images to better explain how I felt:
When I started reading it:
When I found out Kerrick was still in the story:
The ending of the book when I read the very last page:
then:
September 11, 2013
I am so very, very glad I picked up another Maria V. Snyder book by getting my greedy little hands on Touch of Power, because I so very much love Avry and the world Snyder has constructed in Healer. The question is, can it hold up to the first book? Maybe it depends on the type of reader you are. For me it almost did, but not quite. That’s not to say that it wasn’t still a pretty damn enjoyable book.
There was much less of the long walking scenes in this novel and much more of Avry doing what she should be doing. Avryfying the world with her badassery. Allow me to list the good things about Scent of Magic:
1. Avry rocks.
2. Kerrick’s around but he’s not (Yup. You can see why I’m such a well-regarded reviewer, right?)
3. Kerrick becomes like 20% cooler. Like he went from being Douchetastic to likable. It was amazing, actually. Like magic.
4. The shit that happened that I can’t tell you about because – Spoilers! (Doctor Who fans, just imagine I said that in a River Song voice with a cheeky wink.)
So this book is a lot more suspenseful and has a whole lot of new characters – which is the plus. Less walking, also a plus.
But it wasn’t perfect. If you’ve already read the reviews then you’ve likely heard the desperate pleas of fans for the ending which was just… no. I refuse to speak of it. That ending? Gah!
But the issue with the book was inherent in Touch of Power too, so it’s a little silly to complain about. But those Death/Life lilies are turning into a deus ex machina – and they were already a little bit like that in book one. However the magical discoveries of this majestic plant keep cropping up. It’s weird. You’re immersed in a magical, high-fantasy world where a woman can absorb people’s injuries but these freakin’ lilies seem unrealistic?!
Anyway, end result is that I am definitely reading the next one. This series isn’t perfect but there is addictive qualities to it as well as my not-insignificant crush on Avry.
The review, and others like it, can be found on my blog, Cuddlebuggery Book Blog.
Review copy provided for me by Harlequin AU for reviewing purposes. No money or gifts were exchanged for this review. Only love. Sweet, sweet loving.
There was much less of the long walking scenes in this novel and much more of Avry doing what she should be doing. Avryfying the world with her badassery. Allow me to list the good things about Scent of Magic:
1. Avry rocks.
2. Kerrick’s around but he’s not (Yup. You can see why I’m such a well-regarded reviewer, right?)
3. Kerrick becomes like 20% cooler. Like he went from being Douchetastic to likable. It was amazing, actually. Like magic.
4. The shit that happened that I can’t tell you about because – Spoilers! (Doctor Who fans, just imagine I said that in a River Song voice with a cheeky wink.)
So this book is a lot more suspenseful and has a whole lot of new characters – which is the plus. Less walking, also a plus.
But it wasn’t perfect. If you’ve already read the reviews then you’ve likely heard the desperate pleas of fans for the ending which was just… no. I refuse to speak of it. That ending? Gah!
But the issue with the book was inherent in Touch of Power too, so it’s a little silly to complain about. But those Death/Life lilies are turning into a deus ex machina – and they were already a little bit like that in book one. However the magical discoveries of this majestic plant keep cropping up. It’s weird. You’re immersed in a magical, high-fantasy world where a woman can absorb people’s injuries but these freakin’ lilies seem unrealistic?!
Anyway, end result is that I am definitely reading the next one. This series isn’t perfect but there is addictive qualities to it as well as my not-insignificant crush on Avry.
The review, and others like it, can be found on my blog, Cuddlebuggery Book Blog.
Review copy provided for me by Harlequin AU for reviewing purposes. No money or gifts were exchanged for this review. Only love. Sweet, sweet loving.
Want to read
June 9, 2012Saw the cover.....
was like this:
Saw the publication date
was like this:
Also:
does this mean no Kerrick?!?! Noooooo!
was like this:
Saw the publication date
was like this:
Also:
does this mean no Kerrick?!?! Noooooo!
June 6, 2016
On The Bookshelves Full Review
Scent of Magic is the second book in the Healer series by Maria V. Snyder and it was a fantastic read. Second book slump? Not for this book as it was equally as entrancing as the first!
In the first novel, Touch of Power, we meet Avry of Kazan who possesses the ability to heal.. well, more like transfer the injuries to herself and then heal more quickly than others. However, after a plague tore through the land, the healers were blamed and now very few healers are left. Her power becomes needed by a band of rogues who have been after a Healer to cure Prince Ryne of the plague, who has been in a magical stasis to prevent it worsening.
The group encounter many setbacks in the journey to Prince Ryne and Avry is stubborn against saving him, because she knows it would kill her life. But as their journey continues, she grows closer to them and they soon become her friends. With threats far greater to Avry's world, she makes the decision to heal Prince Ryne, but the magic in her world saves her as it's not done with her just yet.
When it comes to picking up the sequel to a book, I always go into it very hesitantly because very often the second installment can be very disappointing after such a fantastic opening. I felt this way when starting Scent of Magic as this was the first series I had read by Maria V. Snyder, so I had no prior knowledge about what to expect. However, as I gradually read further into the book, I realised this book was equally as good as the first!
The book opens with Avry and Kerrick together - I quite like this couple and it's cute that they both have powers (healer and a forest mage) and somehow they make each other stronger! Avry is back from the dead somehow and soon the two are discussing what to do next. They decide to reluctantly part ways - Avry is to go find her sister and Kerrick is to join Prince Ryne. Naturally, of course, things don't go to plan and Avry finds herself joining Estrid's army as a sergeant. I loved this whole plot of Avry joining the army to train them to 'go silent' within the forest and the other characters that were present during this were fantastic - lots of banter, fun and tension.
Since Avry and Kerrick are separated in this book, each chapter is from Avry's point of view and at the end of each one, there's about 5 or so pages from Kerrick's POV which contains what's going on with him. With some books, POV's can come off as the same 'voice' which really irks me and I usually end up hating it. However, Snyder has given the two characters their own individual voices and I found it great to be reading Kerrick's POV so we knew what was happening with him and being captured by the tribes.
At first I wasn't really sure about the whole Death and Peace Lily concept when reading Touch of Power, but now it seems more interesting after learning more details about what Tohon was doing (attempting to create healers like Danny and Zila) and now discovering that the Peace Lily has preserved Flea and he lives! It's very interesting that Flea seems to have some kind of power and I hope to see what it is exactly in the next novel.
This novel kept me on my toes and I was shocked about some of the twists that Snyder incorporated, such as the end scene with Avry, Tohon, Kerrick and Cellina. I definitely wasn't expecting it at all and it makes me really happy when I don't go guess what's going to happen early on and at the end go 'so I was right', even though it's quite satisfying knowing you were right.
Overall, I really like Snyder's writing. It flows so well, the storyline is interesting and the magic concept is fantastic. I'm intrigued to try one of her other series and see what they are like. Even though Snyder was around first, if you're a fan of Sarah J Maas, I think you'd really like this series to read whilst you're waiting for the next book release. It's also very refreshing to still be reading YA books and have the main character be older (Avry is 21). I think it causes the character to feel more developed and creates a better storyline. I have no complaints about younger protagonists, because that's what YA usually is, but I just think once in a while, it's nice to have a bit of a change.
Scent of Magic is the second book in the Healer series by Maria V. Snyder and it was a fantastic read. Second book slump? Not for this book as it was equally as entrancing as the first!
In the first novel, Touch of Power, we meet Avry of Kazan who possesses the ability to heal.. well, more like transfer the injuries to herself and then heal more quickly than others. However, after a plague tore through the land, the healers were blamed and now very few healers are left. Her power becomes needed by a band of rogues who have been after a Healer to cure Prince Ryne of the plague, who has been in a magical stasis to prevent it worsening.
The group encounter many setbacks in the journey to Prince Ryne and Avry is stubborn against saving him, because she knows it would kill her life. But as their journey continues, she grows closer to them and they soon become her friends. With threats far greater to Avry's world, she makes the decision to heal Prince Ryne, but the magic in her world saves her as it's not done with her just yet.
When it comes to picking up the sequel to a book, I always go into it very hesitantly because very often the second installment can be very disappointing after such a fantastic opening. I felt this way when starting Scent of Magic as this was the first series I had read by Maria V. Snyder, so I had no prior knowledge about what to expect. However, as I gradually read further into the book, I realised this book was equally as good as the first!
The book opens with Avry and Kerrick together - I quite like this couple and it's cute that they both have powers (healer and a forest mage) and somehow they make each other stronger! Avry is back from the dead somehow and soon the two are discussing what to do next. They decide to reluctantly part ways - Avry is to go find her sister and Kerrick is to join Prince Ryne. Naturally, of course, things don't go to plan and Avry finds herself joining Estrid's army as a sergeant. I loved this whole plot of Avry joining the army to train them to 'go silent' within the forest and the other characters that were present during this were fantastic - lots of banter, fun and tension.
Since Avry and Kerrick are separated in this book, each chapter is from Avry's point of view and at the end of each one, there's about 5 or so pages from Kerrick's POV which contains what's going on with him. With some books, POV's can come off as the same 'voice' which really irks me and I usually end up hating it. However, Snyder has given the two characters their own individual voices and I found it great to be reading Kerrick's POV so we knew what was happening with him and being captured by the tribes.
At first I wasn't really sure about the whole Death and Peace Lily concept when reading Touch of Power, but now it seems more interesting after learning more details about what Tohon was doing (attempting to create healers like Danny and Zila) and now discovering that the Peace Lily has preserved Flea and he lives! It's very interesting that Flea seems to have some kind of power and I hope to see what it is exactly in the next novel.
This novel kept me on my toes and I was shocked about some of the twists that Snyder incorporated, such as the end scene with Avry, Tohon, Kerrick and Cellina. I definitely wasn't expecting it at all and it makes me really happy when I don't go guess what's going to happen early on and at the end go 'so I was right', even though it's quite satisfying knowing you were right.
Overall, I really like Snyder's writing. It flows so well, the storyline is interesting and the magic concept is fantastic. I'm intrigued to try one of her other series and see what they are like. Even though Snyder was around first, if you're a fan of Sarah J Maas, I think you'd really like this series to read whilst you're waiting for the next book release. It's also very refreshing to still be reading YA books and have the main character be older (Avry is 21). I think it causes the character to feel more developed and creates a better storyline. I have no complaints about younger protagonists, because that's what YA usually is, but I just think once in a while, it's nice to have a bit of a change.
August 25, 2015
Ah,Kerry.You've found your heart.
And I lost mine with that ending...
I get it,life isn't fair,not even in books.But I suppose that's what makes them realistic,if there is no pain and agony they don't resemble reality.Still,Avry and Kerrick had their fair share of troubles and sorrow.After her fake death,Avry wanted to spend some time being someone else,she wanted to make amends with her sister and gather intelligence on their allies' whereabouts.The real reason though behind the decision that took her away from Kerrick was that she feared Tohon's reaction to her survival.Pretending she was an army sergeant,she changed her appearance and tried to contribute to a war that seemed like a lost cause,since Tohon's walking dead were not easy opponents.Meanwhile,Kerrick returned to the north to help Ryne and fight the tribes that attacked his kingdom.As much as he wanted to hold Avry in his arms again,he couldn't leave his country defenceless against the barbarians,who turned out to be quite fascinating people.
Betrayals,huge revelations,backstabbings and so many plot twists made Scent of Magic a unique novel.It was more intriguing than the first and narrated in dual POV and for that I am thankful since Avry and Kerrick were separated during most of the book and made my heart ache. My man has eyes that change color with the seasons .They didn't deserve all these hardships.The war was ruthless,cruel,you could not guess anyone's loyalty or motives,only waiting in utter frustration and desperation their next move,their next plan and the next obstacle.Maria V.Snyder did a great job setting the reader on edge,there were times I was shaking and could not properly breathe.I hate Tohon,he is one of the worst villains because he actually thinks he is doing the right thing.His jealousy over Kerrick is so sick and twisted,he gave me goosebumps!I suffered with my heroes,their deaths and their heartbreaks and mostly when Avry and Kerrick were not together.Kerrick has become one of my most beloved heroes,he was willing to sacrifice himself to save others,and his affection towards Danny was heartwarming!I missed the dynamic between the original gang but this made their scenes even more precious.Scent of Magic was a wonderful second book in Healer series,and I hope I will not bawl like a baby in the finale.Highly unlikely,but a girl can dream.
And I lost mine with that ending...
I get it,life isn't fair,not even in books.But I suppose that's what makes them realistic,if there is no pain and agony they don't resemble reality.Still,Avry and Kerrick had their fair share of troubles and sorrow.After her fake death,Avry wanted to spend some time being someone else,she wanted to make amends with her sister and gather intelligence on their allies' whereabouts.The real reason though behind the decision that took her away from Kerrick was that she feared Tohon's reaction to her survival.Pretending she was an army sergeant,she changed her appearance and tried to contribute to a war that seemed like a lost cause,since Tohon's walking dead were not easy opponents.Meanwhile,Kerrick returned to the north to help Ryne and fight the tribes that attacked his kingdom.As much as he wanted to hold Avry in his arms again,he couldn't leave his country defenceless against the barbarians,who turned out to be quite fascinating people.
Betrayals,huge revelations,backstabbings and so many plot twists made Scent of Magic a unique novel.It was more intriguing than the first and narrated in dual POV and for that I am thankful since Avry and Kerrick were separated during most of the book and made my heart ache. My man has eyes that change color with the seasons .They didn't deserve all these hardships.The war was ruthless,cruel,you could not guess anyone's loyalty or motives,only waiting in utter frustration and desperation their next move,their next plan and the next obstacle.Maria V.Snyder did a great job setting the reader on edge,there were times I was shaking and could not properly breathe.I hate Tohon,he is one of the worst villains because he actually thinks he is doing the right thing.His jealousy over Kerrick is so sick and twisted,he gave me goosebumps!I suffered with my heroes,their deaths and their heartbreaks and mostly when Avry and Kerrick were not together.Kerrick has become one of my most beloved heroes,he was willing to sacrifice himself to save others,and his affection towards Danny was heartwarming!I missed the dynamic between the original gang but this made their scenes even more precious.Scent of Magic was a wonderful second book in Healer series,and I hope I will not bawl like a baby in the finale.Highly unlikely,but a girl can dream.
October 28, 2018
Nope nope nope nope nopity nope. Guys, you may want to buckle in for a (possibly) long rant, because I have a lot to say, and none of it is good. This is by far the worst book I have read by Maria V Snyder, and makes me hesitant to ever pick up another of her books again. And this was so disappointing because I enjoyed the first book! Sure, it wasn't a masterpiece, but it was addictive and there were things I liked about it. I had a great time reading it. I was looking forward to finishing the series. And now I don't know if I ever will, because this book destroyed anything I ever liked Touch of Power . And I don't want to have to go through this experience again in the last book. It was painfully bad, okay? Ugh. *shivers*
T H O U G H T S
- OK, so by far the worst thing about this book has to be the writing itself. I don't even know how to describe it - it is just appallingly bad . It is just so ineloquent, the vocabulary choices are poor, and the whole thing just needs a load more editing. It honestly feels like a fist draft, because there are awkward sentences, bad structure and it is just so poorly executed. Snyder also uses jarringly modern phrases in such a medieval world. The constant use of "too bad" at the beginning of a sentence began to make my eye twitch towards the second half of the book. And using titles like "mom" or "poppa bear" in a fantasy world just - argh. It just throws the whole thing off. And the speech was so cringe worthy, and the reveals/cliffhangers at the ends of chapters just felt so clumsy and awkward. And even when I'm not twitching with annoyance at every sentence, the writing itself is very basic and simplistic, and I'm not sure why this is at all marketed as an adult fantasy. It has none of the maturity or complexity of an adult book.
- However, I really hate the characters now too. Which is sad because I actually liked them in Touch of Power. But Avry is so cocky and just knows everything. She can just work everything out and draw conclusions from things that don't entire make sense or you're not sure how she got there, but it is a way to progress the plot. And she just wants to heal everyone. She feels so plastic and fake and I just can't deal with reading from her perspective. And her attempts at badassery are just laughable - and not in a cute, awkward way. In a "i think i'm sooo cool" way when we all know she actually isn't. And we also got landed with Kerrick's POV chapters and can I just say that this added nothing to the book? I honestly could not care less about him and Avry pining for each other the whole time. And the side characters? Um? Bye? Everyone just speaks so immaturely and act so immaturely and I CAN'T.
- The book is so weakly plotted. Things happen that almost don't fit into the rules of the world, or rather, this wasn't something that we were told about until it was needed to make something happen. This whole thing with Death Lilies and Peace Lilies feels so random and out of place, makes no sense, and is literally just a way to make a nonsensical plot happen and make Avry look clever. Some of the events just seem so disconnected and random and almost unrealistic. The characters are also in and out of character depending on what the plot is doing. So, thanks. And the whole thing with Tohon is literally the stupidest thing I have ever read. Please can we just stop with this? There is no reason for him to be attracted to her! Oh, and lastly, this book makes a half-hearted attempt at being feminist, but it just doesn't pull it off.
Okay, so this was a disappointment and actually made me pretty angry. I don't give out that many one star books. I save 2 star ratings for books that I don't care about, and 1 star ratings are for books that make me angry, or that I hate with a burning passion. This...is one of those books. Yay? I don't know whether I'll read the last book. I'm not going to go out of my way to read it, that's for sure. If I see it in a library somewhere...maybe. If I don't have other books to read. And if I can even bear to ever read from Avry's POV again. Now, that's a tricky one.
T H O U G H T S
- OK, so by far the worst thing about this book has to be the writing itself. I don't even know how to describe it - it is just appallingly bad . It is just so ineloquent, the vocabulary choices are poor, and the whole thing just needs a load more editing. It honestly feels like a fist draft, because there are awkward sentences, bad structure and it is just so poorly executed. Snyder also uses jarringly modern phrases in such a medieval world. The constant use of "too bad" at the beginning of a sentence began to make my eye twitch towards the second half of the book. And using titles like "mom" or "poppa bear" in a fantasy world just - argh. It just throws the whole thing off. And the speech was so cringe worthy, and the reveals/cliffhangers at the ends of chapters just felt so clumsy and awkward. And even when I'm not twitching with annoyance at every sentence, the writing itself is very basic and simplistic, and I'm not sure why this is at all marketed as an adult fantasy. It has none of the maturity or complexity of an adult book.
- However, I really hate the characters now too. Which is sad because I actually liked them in Touch of Power. But Avry is so cocky and just knows everything. She can just work everything out and draw conclusions from things that don't entire make sense or you're not sure how she got there, but it is a way to progress the plot. And she just wants to heal everyone. She feels so plastic and fake and I just can't deal with reading from her perspective. And her attempts at badassery are just laughable - and not in a cute, awkward way. In a "i think i'm sooo cool" way when we all know she actually isn't. And we also got landed with Kerrick's POV chapters and can I just say that this added nothing to the book? I honestly could not care less about him and Avry pining for each other the whole time. And the side characters? Um? Bye? Everyone just speaks so immaturely and act so immaturely and I CAN'T.
- The book is so weakly plotted. Things happen that almost don't fit into the rules of the world, or rather, this wasn't something that we were told about until it was needed to make something happen. This whole thing with Death Lilies and Peace Lilies feels so random and out of place, makes no sense, and is literally just a way to make a nonsensical plot happen and make Avry look clever. Some of the events just seem so disconnected and random and almost unrealistic. The characters are also in and out of character depending on what the plot is doing. So, thanks. And the whole thing with Tohon is literally the stupidest thing I have ever read. Please can we just stop with this? There is no reason for him to be attracted to her! Oh, and lastly, this book makes a half-hearted attempt at being feminist, but it just doesn't pull it off.
Okay, so this was a disappointment and actually made me pretty angry. I don't give out that many one star books. I save 2 star ratings for books that I don't care about, and 1 star ratings are for books that make me angry, or that I hate with a burning passion. This...is one of those books. Yay? I don't know whether I'll read the last book. I'm not going to go out of my way to read it, that's for sure. If I see it in a library somewhere...maybe. If I don't have other books to read. And if I can even bear to ever read from Avry's POV again. Now, that's a tricky one.
February 17, 2013
This book was such a disappointment to me. I had high expectations for this new series, the world is intriguing, but there is too much going on, the action is too spread out, and there are way too many characters involved. My head positively spins trying to keep track of everything.
The first book was bad enough, but in this one, the action is so split that I found it hard to keep track of where everyone is. Even harder is keeping track of WHO everyone is. From the enemies to the enemies-turned-friends, to friends, to friends' friends and family...my god, for me, it was like memorizing every single muscle for an anatomy exam. I couldn't keep track of everyone. The action moved between one POV to the next, and I had trouble just focusing. This is also a subjective thing, but there's too much politics and grand scale warfare plotting for my enjoyment. I really enjoyed the new world in this series and the magical system, and I would have liked more of that instead of an overly complicated plot.
Too much, just too much of everything, this wasn't a relaxing read.
The first book was bad enough, but in this one, the action is so split that I found it hard to keep track of where everyone is. Even harder is keeping track of WHO everyone is. From the enemies to the enemies-turned-friends, to friends, to friends' friends and family...my god, for me, it was like memorizing every single muscle for an anatomy exam. I couldn't keep track of everyone. The action moved between one POV to the next, and I had trouble just focusing. This is also a subjective thing, but there's too much politics and grand scale warfare plotting for my enjoyment. I really enjoyed the new world in this series and the magical system, and I would have liked more of that instead of an overly complicated plot.
Too much, just too much of everything, this wasn't a relaxing read.
November 17, 2013
Finishing thought: "Loved it, but hated it at the same time... Maria what are you doing to me!?"
Review:
Once again MVS takes us into a fast paced, action filled, epic fantasy story.
One thing is unlike the other stories. Kerrick gets some chapters to tell his part of the story as well! I've read this story in one amazing sitting, i just couldn't put it down.
Writing 5/5
Since MVS is my favorite writer in the whole universe. And I've loved everyone of her stories till this one, it shouldn't surprise anyone I loved this story as much as the rest. MVS' writing is fast paced, and keeps you guessing about what'll happen next.
Plot 5/5
When I think MVS is going to zig, she zags. I'm a huge sucker for plot twists, and Avry's story has a lot of them!
The ending broke my heart, but damn, it's left me craving for more!
Characters 5/5
There isn't a single character, in any of MVS' books, that I didn't fell in love with.
Even the bad guys I love to hate!
The first, and my favorite Healer character is Belen. Belen is a big teddy bear you just want to cuddle. He reminded me a lot of Ari. He's just as soft but though at the same time. Belen and Ari are both protective teddy-bears you don't want to mess with!
And what would Ari be without a Janco? I see a lot of Janco's unconditional love and devotion in Flea. And both of them seem to never be short of energy.
And now Avry the healer and heroin of this series. She's an act first, think later kinda girl, she puts the needs of others before her own and she doesn't react well to authority. Does that remind you of someone? LOL! Avry has a lot of Yelena, but she's softer and more innocent. More like Opal.
I love Avry, as a nurse I totally understand the way she puts the need of others before her own.
The only character I 'missed' in the Healer series so far is a Valek. But Kerrick has grown on me like he did with Avry.
Creativity 5/5
I love the new politics, the new enemies and all the other stuff!
Overall Appeal 5/5
It's an novel written by MVS, need I say more?
Overall Rating 5/5 Stars
And even that doesn't seem to begin to describe my love for this story and everyone in it!
Review:
Once again MVS takes us into a fast paced, action filled, epic fantasy story.
One thing is unlike the other stories. Kerrick gets some chapters to tell his part of the story as well! I've read this story in one amazing sitting, i just couldn't put it down.
Writing 5/5
Since MVS is my favorite writer in the whole universe. And I've loved everyone of her stories till this one, it shouldn't surprise anyone I loved this story as much as the rest. MVS' writing is fast paced, and keeps you guessing about what'll happen next.
Plot 5/5
When I think MVS is going to zig, she zags. I'm a huge sucker for plot twists, and Avry's story has a lot of them!
The ending broke my heart, but damn, it's left me craving for more!
Characters 5/5
There isn't a single character, in any of MVS' books, that I didn't fell in love with.
Even the bad guys I love to hate!
The first, and my favorite Healer character is Belen. Belen is a big teddy bear you just want to cuddle. He reminded me a lot of Ari. He's just as soft but though at the same time. Belen and Ari are both protective teddy-bears you don't want to mess with!
And what would Ari be without a Janco? I see a lot of Janco's unconditional love and devotion in Flea. And both of them seem to never be short of energy.
And now Avry the healer and heroin of this series. She's an act first, think later kinda girl, she puts the needs of others before her own and she doesn't react well to authority. Does that remind you of someone? LOL! Avry has a lot of Yelena, but she's softer and more innocent. More like Opal.
I love Avry, as a nurse I totally understand the way she puts the need of others before her own.
The only character I 'missed' in the Healer series so far is a Valek. But Kerrick has grown on me like he did with Avry.
Creativity 5/5
I love the new politics, the new enemies and all the other stuff!
Overall Appeal 5/5
It's an novel written by MVS, need I say more?
Overall Rating 5/5 Stars
And even that doesn't seem to begin to describe my love for this story and everyone in it!
November 15, 2017
I refuse to accept this ending and demand immediate rewritting of the story or else I'll stage a strike or something.
#FansOfKerrickUnite
#FansOfKerrickUnite
June 2, 2024
Read This Review & More Like It On My Blog!
2.75 out of 5
A swing and a miss for veteran fantasy author Maria V. Snyder. The first novel, Touch of Power, was a great introduction to the newest series by this prolific writer, but much like what happened for me with her Study series, the sequel left a lot to be desired. It took me a while to sort out how I felt about this novel after finishing it, especially deciding on the rating. 3 stars? 2.5? I just split the difference and settled with 2.75/5. What I have decided is that this is a far cry from its action-packed predecessor. All the key elements are here - Avry, Kerrick, their chemistry [for the 30ish pages they're together...], the monkeys, the new spin on magic. Where Scent of Magic fell apart for me was the slower pace, and the complete and utter lack of any actual plot momentum. I was bored for a lot of this read - and for a novel that clocks in at a hefty 416 pages, that's a lot of time to be bored.
I had to sit and think on this, but I seem to see a pattern with Snyder's inability to follow-up awesome first novels. It's a shame, because this series, with these likeable, usually interesting characters, has a lot of potential. I was frustrated with so much of whatdoesn't happen over the duration of the book. There's a lot of Kerrick missing/worrying about Avry, and her the same about him. EVERY CHAPTER, it must be stated how worried one is about the other - give me a break. It feels like filler, and it doesn't help that in the first 120 pages, nothing important happened. I distinctly remember thinking, "C'mon, Snyder, you're better than this." Another irk for me was the POV shifts from Avry's first-person to Kerrick's third person. They go their separate ways early on, and while I can see why Snyder's used multiple POVs to show the larger story at play, I will never be a fan of such rapid, and vastly different POV styles.
For all the POV headjumping, all the trekking around from one place to another, the endless woods-training and all the hidden identities and secrets and foul play, not much of note happens in Scent of Magic. While the characters can pick up some of the slack, there isn't a whole lot of evolution going on for them, either. It's unfortunate, but it doesn't seem like Avry or Kerrick or anyone else really grew or changed from the version shown of them in the first novel. Avry is well-written and a strong female character in a fantasy world (which are few and far in between), but her trials and tribulations seem small - except in the case of her sister. Kerrick, whom I loved in the first book, was somewhat..... wooden and flat in this. He had moments of brilliance and interest, but I didn't invest in him the same way I had before. Sequel syndrome struck with a vengeance here, for both plot, characters, pace, and momentum. It's a shame, because this series (still) has the potential to be awesome. I'll hold out hope for book three - Taste of Death - but not my breath.
I always want to like Maria V. Snyder's novels, but I can't help but see patterns and similarities the more of them I read. Even characters can read reminiscently of ones from before (like the "monkeys" from this series and Ari and Janco from the Study series, or Valek/Kerrick). Snyder really seems to struggle and end up disappointing with sequels after a promising first novel (see also: the Study series rapid decline from awesome to blah to baaaad). With so much potential and so many plotlines to engage with, it's a shame that Scent of Magic fails to live up to its predecessor and fails to advance the plot in any meaningful way. So - 2 stars for fun, interesting - if stagnant - characters, and .75 for all themess rest.
2.75 out of 5
A swing and a miss for veteran fantasy author Maria V. Snyder. The first novel, Touch of Power, was a great introduction to the newest series by this prolific writer, but much like what happened for me with her Study series, the sequel left a lot to be desired. It took me a while to sort out how I felt about this novel after finishing it, especially deciding on the rating. 3 stars? 2.5? I just split the difference and settled with 2.75/5. What I have decided is that this is a far cry from its action-packed predecessor. All the key elements are here - Avry, Kerrick, their chemistry [for the 30ish pages they're together...], the monkeys, the new spin on magic. Where Scent of Magic fell apart for me was the slower pace, and the complete and utter lack of any actual plot momentum. I was bored for a lot of this read - and for a novel that clocks in at a hefty 416 pages, that's a lot of time to be bored.
I had to sit and think on this, but I seem to see a pattern with Snyder's inability to follow-up awesome first novels. It's a shame, because this series, with these likeable, usually interesting characters, has a lot of potential. I was frustrated with so much of what
For all the POV headjumping, all the trekking around from one place to another, the endless woods-training and all the hidden identities and secrets and foul play, not much of note happens in Scent of Magic. While the characters can pick up some of the slack, there isn't a whole lot of evolution going on for them, either. It's unfortunate, but it doesn't seem like Avry or Kerrick or anyone else really grew or changed from the version shown of them in the first novel. Avry is well-written and a strong female character in a fantasy world (which are few and far in between), but her trials and tribulations seem small - except in the case of her sister. Kerrick, whom I loved in the first book, was somewhat..... wooden and flat in this. He had moments of brilliance and interest, but I didn't invest in him the same way I had before. Sequel syndrome struck with a vengeance here, for both plot, characters, pace, and momentum. It's a shame, because this series (still) has the potential to be awesome. I'll hold out hope for book three - Taste of Death - but not my breath.
I always want to like Maria V. Snyder's novels, but I can't help but see patterns and similarities the more of them I read. Even characters can read reminiscently of ones from before (like the "monkeys" from this series and Ari and Janco from the Study series, or Valek/Kerrick). Snyder really seems to struggle and end up disappointing with sequels after a promising first novel (see also: the Study series rapid decline from awesome to blah to baaaad). With so much potential and so many plotlines to engage with, it's a shame that Scent of Magic fails to live up to its predecessor and fails to advance the plot in any meaningful way. So - 2 stars for fun, interesting - if stagnant - characters, and .75 for all the
September 5, 2024
✅ Magic/powers
✅ Action and Betrayals
✅🆗 Plot
✅🆗 Characters
🆗 World-building
🆗 Romance
3.5 stars
Wow, that was an action-packed novel. Again, Maria V. Snyder gave us a story full of action, betraying, spying, and emotions. We have the chance to read the story from Avry and Kerrick's point of view, which is new and the end... What a cliffhanger!
This book was a wonderful sequel to Touch of Power. I was happy to follow the story of Avry and Kerrick, although I was a little sad that they were apart for the most part of the book. I mean, their relationship had just evolved (a little bit out of nowhere) and it was still so fresh and then they had to go on their separate ways and not see each other for months! It was so frustrating, I couldn't wait for them to be reunited.
Kerrick's errand with the northern clans' people was interesting and I assume that it will become an important part of Taste of Darkness, they will probably become the allies that Ryne's army desperately needs. Avry on the other side... I admire her resilience very much, but at the same time, going through everything that she had, I would have probably curled in a ball and cry until I was numb. I would have expected her to become depressed or angry, but she managed to stay the same kind and caring healer. I liked her character very much in the first book, but I was hungry for a more ruthless Avry. I must admit though that the end is promising. We get to see a new side of Avry, which I hope she will keep in the last book of this series.
1. Touch of Power ⭐⭐⭐⭐
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✅ Action and Betrayals
✅🆗 Plot
✅🆗 Characters
🆗 World-building
🆗 Romance
3.5 stars
Wow, that was an action-packed novel. Again, Maria V. Snyder gave us a story full of action, betraying, spying, and emotions. We have the chance to read the story from Avry and Kerrick's point of view, which is new and the end... What a cliffhanger!
This book was a wonderful sequel to Touch of Power. I was happy to follow the story of Avry and Kerrick, although I was a little sad that they were apart for the most part of the book. I mean, their relationship had just evolved (a little bit out of nowhere) and it was still so fresh and then they had to go on their separate ways and not see each other for months! It was so frustrating, I couldn't wait for them to be reunited.
Kerrick's errand with the northern clans' people was interesting and I assume that it will become an important part of Taste of Darkness, they will probably become the allies that Ryne's army desperately needs. Avry on the other side... I admire her resilience very much, but at the same time, going through everything that she had, I would have probably curled in a ball and cry until I was numb. I would have expected her to become depressed or angry, but she managed to stay the same kind and caring healer. I liked her character very much in the first book, but I was hungry for a more ruthless Avry. I must admit though that the end is promising. We get to see a new side of Avry, which I hope she will keep in the last book of this series.
1. Touch of Power ⭐⭐⭐⭐
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December 3, 2018
I don't want to say I'm disappointed in this book...but I'm a little disappointed in this book. I feel it suffered from the middle book syndrome a little. Hopefully the next one is better!
January 21, 2018
Oh, my gosh scent of magic was more intense then touch up power was with a lot more action than the first book.
February 18, 2016
*4,5 stars*
“We don’t take orders from you, Sergeant,” Quain said. “Your man tried to assassinate—”
“He isn’t mine. My man has eyes that change color with the seasons.”
Loren laughed at Quain’s perplexed expression. “Oh, man, you’re not very observant, are you.”
“Wait,” Quain said. “Whose eyes change color?”
Scent of Magic is better than the first book, more fast-paced, even though Kerrick's chapters were sometimes slower, I liked him better than in the first book (But still, he's not Valek). Plus there are some interesting new characters - Danny and Zila (The kids Avry rescued from Tohan) and Kerrick's Great-Aunt Yasmin.
"She snapped her fingers at him. “Boo-hooing will not help you. If you think it’s impossible, then it will be. Go.” She shooed. “Make the impossible possible.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He kissed her on the forehead before leaving. Ever since he was little, he knew to never argue with Great-Aunt Yasmin."
All in all, Scent of Magic is fast, engaging read with interesting world and amazing heroine.
“We don’t take orders from you, Sergeant,” Quain said. “Your man tried to assassinate—”
“He isn’t mine. My man has eyes that change color with the seasons.”
Loren laughed at Quain’s perplexed expression. “Oh, man, you’re not very observant, are you.”
“Wait,” Quain said. “Whose eyes change color?”
Scent of Magic is better than the first book, more fast-paced, even though Kerrick's chapters were sometimes slower, I liked him better than in the first book (But still, he's not Valek). Plus there are some interesting new characters - Danny and Zila (The kids Avry rescued from Tohan) and Kerrick's Great-Aunt Yasmin.
"She snapped her fingers at him. “Boo-hooing will not help you. If you think it’s impossible, then it will be. Go.” She shooed. “Make the impossible possible.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He kissed her on the forehead before leaving. Ever since he was little, he knew to never argue with Great-Aunt Yasmin."
All in all, Scent of Magic is fast, engaging read with interesting world and amazing heroine.
January 21, 2013
EDIT:
You.did.not.just.leave.me.with.that.ending... Grrrr!!
Apart from my strong resentment towards the cliffhanger, this book had so much to deliver. Gotta sleep on it and then write a review.
Prior-to-release-edit:
Is that...Is that hot guy in the background Kerrick? I had imagined longer hair but HOT dayum!
You.did.not.just.leave.me.with.that.ending... Grrrr!!
Apart from my strong resentment towards the cliffhanger, this book had so much to deliver. Gotta sleep on it and then write a review.
Prior-to-release-edit:
Is that...Is that hot guy in the background Kerrick? I had imagined longer hair but HOT dayum!
February 15, 2015
AHH THIS BOOK THE ENDING MADE ME WANNA TEAR THE ENTIRE GALAXY APART I literally swear under my breath xD I didn't enjoy this book as much as I did with the first one, I thought the plot really drags on a lot. But I still like it :)
October 4, 2017
4.25 Star
This is a second book in this series as fist book this one is also a great book. In the star feel bad for avry and kerrick, they have to goes different way. In this book story flow great, some twist and turn appear on path take U down by surprise. In this book to much going on in the story. I like that that Snyder find a way continue her story to grow this beautiful world of healer. The main characters development is good as well as new addition of characters. Snyder has done good Synchronization of characters in to the book.
Avry and her friend try to warn other but they did not believe them about king Tohon’s dead army. They prepare as much they can but it’s not enough bcz they have out number and every man they lose its add in tohon’s army. It is not enough on northern realm invade by tribe so they have to split their forces. They struggle to fight back. They have to find a way to stop Tohon’s dead. If anyone find a way it is Avry. In the end she find it. The reunion of avey and kerrivk is so well written. The end feels like left you on halfway. So have to pick next book.
This is a second book in this series as fist book this one is also a great book. In the star feel bad for avry and kerrick, they have to goes different way. In this book story flow great, some twist and turn appear on path take U down by surprise. In this book to much going on in the story. I like that that Snyder find a way continue her story to grow this beautiful world of healer. The main characters development is good as well as new addition of characters. Snyder has done good Synchronization of characters in to the book.
Avry and her friend try to warn other but they did not believe them about king Tohon’s dead army. They prepare as much they can but it’s not enough bcz they have out number and every man they lose its add in tohon’s army. It is not enough on northern realm invade by tribe so they have to split their forces. They struggle to fight back. They have to find a way to stop Tohon’s dead. If anyone find a way it is Avry. In the end she find it. The reunion of avey and kerrivk is so well written. The end feels like left you on halfway. So have to pick next book.
January 3, 2014
OK - 4 stars, despite that ending!
I’m the kind of reader that appreciates a short recap of events of an earlier book. Usually by the time I’ve reached the next book in a series some time has passed and a memory jog is helpful. There is a fine art of doing this right and in the case of Scent of Magic, the massive info dump at the beginning of the book was a little distracting. It slowed down the narrative for the first few chapters. Once all the recapping was over, Scent of Magic became an incredibly captivating read. I lost myself in the wonderful world the author created. I literally did not put the book down until my ereader battery conked out.
It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what I loved. The characters, the plot, the fantasy world – I loved them all!
The author writes such complex and interesting personalities. Take Avry, for example. Avry is a young woman with the ability to heal. She is also brave, talented, resourceful, and she has a way of influencing those around her. Each time Avry needed to deal with a difficult situation, she managed to figure out a solution to her problem.
Women play a central role in this world and their power and influence is refreshing. From the Purity Priestess (yup, can you believe it?) to General Jael, Estrid and even Avry’s little sister Noelle, each has some sort of influence in this world.
The villains in this book are so deliciously evil. I kept picturing Tohon twirling a Snidely Whiplash mustache (sadly, he doesn’t have one). Talk about power hungry and evil – Tohon’s scheme to become King of all the Kingdoms was evil incarnate. I mean, who makes a zombie army complete with zombie wolfish creatures?
At times it felt like so many things were happening in this book, yet I still felt like there was a lot of waiting around for things to happen. Not that this was bad, the story did move along. I barely stopped reading. I think that if you enjoy political intrigue and manoeuvering, you’ll love this book.
The author creates a fascinating world full of different kinds of magic. Kerrick’s magic came from the forest and he was able to use the vegetation, blend into the woods, and hear changes in the forest. Avry was a healer and used her magic to heal or incapacitate. Others controlled water, fire, life, and death. I liked how the magic had a price. In Avry’s case, when she healed someone, she took on that person’s pain or injury. This world also has some interesting plant life. Peace Lilys and their deadly and identical counterparts Death Lilys were really neat. I loved how they were attracted to Avry's magical abilities.
As I was reading this book, I thought that it would make an awesome movie or television series. In a way, Scent of Magic was better than its predecessor Touch of Power. It’s going to be a long wait for the next book. Taste of Death is expected to be published in 2014. I can’t wait!
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for a review copy of this book.
I’m the kind of reader that appreciates a short recap of events of an earlier book. Usually by the time I’ve reached the next book in a series some time has passed and a memory jog is helpful. There is a fine art of doing this right and in the case of Scent of Magic, the massive info dump at the beginning of the book was a little distracting. It slowed down the narrative for the first few chapters. Once all the recapping was over, Scent of Magic became an incredibly captivating read. I lost myself in the wonderful world the author created. I literally did not put the book down until my ereader battery conked out.
It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what I loved. The characters, the plot, the fantasy world – I loved them all!
The author writes such complex and interesting personalities. Take Avry, for example. Avry is a young woman with the ability to heal. She is also brave, talented, resourceful, and she has a way of influencing those around her. Each time Avry needed to deal with a difficult situation, she managed to figure out a solution to her problem.
Women play a central role in this world and their power and influence is refreshing. From the Purity Priestess (yup, can you believe it?) to General Jael, Estrid and even Avry’s little sister Noelle, each has some sort of influence in this world.
The villains in this book are so deliciously evil. I kept picturing Tohon twirling a Snidely Whiplash mustache (sadly, he doesn’t have one). Talk about power hungry and evil – Tohon’s scheme to become King of all the Kingdoms was evil incarnate. I mean, who makes a zombie army complete with zombie wolfish creatures?
At times it felt like so many things were happening in this book, yet I still felt like there was a lot of waiting around for things to happen. Not that this was bad, the story did move along. I barely stopped reading. I think that if you enjoy political intrigue and manoeuvering, you’ll love this book.
The author creates a fascinating world full of different kinds of magic. Kerrick’s magic came from the forest and he was able to use the vegetation, blend into the woods, and hear changes in the forest. Avry was a healer and used her magic to heal or incapacitate. Others controlled water, fire, life, and death. I liked how the magic had a price. In Avry’s case, when she healed someone, she took on that person’s pain or injury. This world also has some interesting plant life. Peace Lilys and their deadly and identical counterparts Death Lilys were really neat. I loved how they were attracted to Avry's magical abilities.
As I was reading this book, I thought that it would make an awesome movie or television series. In a way, Scent of Magic was better than its predecessor Touch of Power. It’s going to be a long wait for the next book. Taste of Death is expected to be published in 2014. I can’t wait!
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for a review copy of this book.
January 12, 2016
**Re-read Jan 2016
I confess I was apprehensive before starting this book. I liked Touch of Power so much but I’ve heard from friends that Ms. Snyder’s series start great but tend to fizzle in the following books. I was afraid this would happen here; however, my fears were totally unfounded.
Scent of Magic was exciting, fast paced and with so much action that I had my heart in my throat at the end of every section. Each chapter is told alternatively from the points of view of Avry (in first person) and Kerrick (in third person) so we can follow both as they move about in the Fifteen Realms. Besides fighting Tohon, this book is about their separation and the hurdles they face before they are together again.
It was really good to have Kerrick’s POV. First, it allowed the reader to know him better and second, it helped us understand the depth of his feelings for Avry. For her part, Avry couldn’t be a healer for a good chunk of the book (which was really good for her health) but also allowed her to take other responsibilities that really helped to round out her character.
There were some unexpected developments that added some richness to the tale because they touched upon conflicts between different groups and how each side interprets historical events in whatever manner is more convenient to them. How are we to move forward if we cling to past hostilities that have no bearing in today’s world? How can we change and adapt to present circumstances and try to see things from a different point of view?
I didn’t like some things. It was somewhat disappointing that Tohon still gave Avry too many chances. Not as many as in the first book but more than enough for her to get the better of him. I guess that’s what happens when you make such a powerful villain that you need him to act in crazy ways to give the main characters a chance to overcome him. At this point though, he definitely should have learned his lesson so I really hope I won’t see any of that in the last book.
I was also a bit mad with the way the book ended. We know there’s lots to come in the third book and nothing much was resolved regarding the conflict with Tohon so I didn’t see the need to leave us with that bad taste in our mouths. How will we wait a year to know what happens!
Overall, a really strong second book full of exciting action. I’ve already started counting the days to see how it all ends!
Check out this review and others at badassbookreviews.com
Thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin for providing a review copy of this book!
I confess I was apprehensive before starting this book. I liked Touch of Power so much but I’ve heard from friends that Ms. Snyder’s series start great but tend to fizzle in the following books. I was afraid this would happen here; however, my fears were totally unfounded.
Scent of Magic was exciting, fast paced and with so much action that I had my heart in my throat at the end of every section. Each chapter is told alternatively from the points of view of Avry (in first person) and Kerrick (in third person) so we can follow both as they move about in the Fifteen Realms. Besides fighting Tohon, this book is about their separation and the hurdles they face before they are together again.
It was really good to have Kerrick’s POV. First, it allowed the reader to know him better and second, it helped us understand the depth of his feelings for Avry. For her part, Avry couldn’t be a healer for a good chunk of the book (which was really good for her health) but also allowed her to take other responsibilities that really helped to round out her character.
There were some unexpected developments that added some richness to the tale because they touched upon conflicts between different groups and how each side interprets historical events in whatever manner is more convenient to them. How are we to move forward if we cling to past hostilities that have no bearing in today’s world? How can we change and adapt to present circumstances and try to see things from a different point of view?
I didn’t like some things. It was somewhat disappointing that Tohon still gave Avry too many chances. Not as many as in the first book but more than enough for her to get the better of him. I guess that’s what happens when you make such a powerful villain that you need him to act in crazy ways to give the main characters a chance to overcome him. At this point though, he definitely should have learned his lesson so I really hope I won’t see any of that in the last book.
I was also a bit mad with the way the book ended. We know there’s lots to come in the third book and nothing much was resolved regarding the conflict with Tohon so I didn’t see the need to leave us with that bad taste in our mouths. How will we wait a year to know what happens!
Overall, a really strong second book full of exciting action. I’ve already started counting the days to see how it all ends!
Check out this review and others at badassbookreviews.com
Thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin for providing a review copy of this book!
April 7, 2021
Firstly let me scream about that ending! AAAAAAAAAAH
OK, now that had better not be true as Avry cannot have to deal with that again. I am glad the final book is here next to me.
The plot is brilliant. We get the dual POV of Avry and Kerrick and every chapter so it seems ends on a cliffhanger. There were no slow moments either, it was a great pace. There are many shocks and betrayals and lots of plotting that is revealed throughout. I did have to flick back to recap what had happened once or twice when I picked up to continue reading as it was that intense.
I like all of the characters, Belen is great and Avry is a good stubborn MC. We get introduced to a lot of new side characters too who are all really interesting too.
Looking forward to seeing where the finale takes us, there is still so much that needs to be put right I am sure it will be really action-packed again!
OK, now that had better not be true as Avry cannot have to deal with that again. I am glad the final book is here next to me.
The plot is brilliant. We get the dual POV of Avry and Kerrick and every chapter so it seems ends on a cliffhanger. There were no slow moments either, it was a great pace. There are many shocks and betrayals and lots of plotting that is revealed throughout. I did have to flick back to recap what had happened once or twice when I picked up to continue reading as it was that intense.
I like all of the characters, Belen is great and Avry is a good stubborn MC. We get introduced to a lot of new side characters too who are all really interesting too.
Looking forward to seeing where the finale takes us, there is still so much that needs to be put right I am sure it will be really action-packed again!
December 29, 2016
I really loved reading this book like the first book it has an easy flow to the story an keeps you drawn in to every page without wanting or feeling the need to skip ahead.
February 20, 2014
Originally Read: December 14-16, 2012
Re-Read: December 18-20, 2013
*A copy was provided by Maria Snyder for review purposes*
I'm not sure how to even begin this review. This is the kind of book that is hard to find the right words for. Amazing would be one, I guess.
This book was very different than the first book, Touch of Power, in that it was written from to POVs, Kerrick's and Avry's. This was a good thing and a bad thing, in my opinion. Well I guess they're both bad in a way. The good/bad thing was it enabled Snyder to make every chapter ending a cliffhanger and then force us to read the other person's point of view while still needing to know what happens with the cliffhanger. So that was pretty painful. But then the really bad thing was the fact that Kerrick's POV was much less interesting than Avry's. However, his POV still met up with the story so it was okay in the end. And that's a minor when you think about it.
I did notice that Synder's writing improved from the first book. It was much less choppy and flowed more. As usual her story was intricate and breathtaking. The action scenes were described so vivedly that it was like I was right there in the story. The humor added a lot to the book as well, especially in the end.
I was really impressed with how Synder was able to stage everything. After the first book there are a lot of things left to be explained, Throughout the book more mysteries were added that Avry had to figure out, and I was absolutely amazed at how Synder was able to stage and explain these mysteries to that I, as the reader, figured them out with Avry.
And then there were the part of the book that literally had me screaming and yelling. There were so many twists in this book, and I never saw them coming. The ending had me screaming the most. I couldn't believe all the twists and I was just sitting on my bed yelling for like 5 minutes straight as I read each twist. It was an absolutely amazing ending and it was funny in a way to see each part of the game to win the realms in the same place at the same time. It was very interesting to see how they worked and who they worked for and how they strove to survive.
The ending to this book was very open and set up a grand finale for the next book. This next book is going to be fucking crazy.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, I love his cast. Avry and Kerrick are so perfect together and I ship them 100%. Their ship name is KAVRY. Yep. Their romance is so beautiful and awesome and they just fit together perfectly. They are both very strong, willful, loving, and protective, and willing to sacrifice for the greater good. That might end up being a problem though because one would be with out the other. NO EMILY DON'T THINK LIKE THAT!
I feel like I have to mention Avry's sister Noelle because that girl is sneaky and lying and I don't like her. Tohon is evil as usual. Loren and Quain...I know it's hard, but just try to behave please ;P
I absolutely cannot WAIT for the third book. Like is said, that book is going to be absolutely crazy and I'm kind of scared, honestly.
Check out more reviews and other bookish things at my blog, Emily's Crammed Bookshelf
Re-Read: December 18-20, 2013
*A copy was provided by Maria Snyder for review purposes*
I'm not sure how to even begin this review. This is the kind of book that is hard to find the right words for. Amazing would be one, I guess.
This book was very different than the first book, Touch of Power, in that it was written from to POVs, Kerrick's and Avry's. This was a good thing and a bad thing, in my opinion. Well I guess they're both bad in a way. The good/bad thing was it enabled Snyder to make every chapter ending a cliffhanger and then force us to read the other person's point of view while still needing to know what happens with the cliffhanger. So that was pretty painful. But then the really bad thing was the fact that Kerrick's POV was much less interesting than Avry's. However, his POV still met up with the story so it was okay in the end. And that's a minor when you think about it.
I did notice that Synder's writing improved from the first book. It was much less choppy and flowed more. As usual her story was intricate and breathtaking. The action scenes were described so vivedly that it was like I was right there in the story. The humor added a lot to the book as well, especially in the end.
I was really impressed with how Synder was able to stage everything. After the first book there are a lot of things left to be explained, Throughout the book more mysteries were added that Avry had to figure out, and I was absolutely amazed at how Synder was able to stage and explain these mysteries to that I, as the reader, figured them out with Avry.
And then there were the part of the book that literally had me screaming and yelling. There were so many twists in this book, and I never saw them coming. The ending had me screaming the most. I couldn't believe all the twists and I was just sitting on my bed yelling for like 5 minutes straight as I read each twist. It was an absolutely amazing ending and it was funny in a way to see each part of the game to win the realms in the same place at the same time. It was very interesting to see how they worked and who they worked for and how they strove to survive.
The ending to this book was very open and set up a grand finale for the next book. This next book is going to be fucking crazy.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, I love his cast. Avry and Kerrick are so perfect together and I ship them 100%. Their ship name is KAVRY. Yep. Their romance is so beautiful and awesome and they just fit together perfectly. They are both very strong, willful, loving, and protective, and willing to sacrifice for the greater good. That might end up being a problem though because one would be with out the other. NO EMILY DON'T THINK LIKE THAT!
I feel like I have to mention Avry's sister Noelle because that girl is sneaky and lying and I don't like her. Tohon is evil as usual. Loren and Quain...I know it's hard, but just try to behave please ;P
I absolutely cannot WAIT for the third book. Like is said, that book is going to be absolutely crazy and I'm kind of scared, honestly.
Check out more reviews and other bookish things at my blog, Emily's Crammed Bookshelf
February 18, 2013
There’s a comfort returning to the pages and world of a favourite author: a sense of familiarity and trust that where she leads, you will follow. With this firmly in mind, I enter any Maria V. Snyder novel with excitement, and, in Scent of Magic, was well rewarded. With romance, intrigue, magic and war, I was thrilled, but even more delighted to find myself surprised.
After healing the dying Prince Ryne at the cost of her life, no-one’s more surprised to find herself alive than Avry of Kazan. We join Avry and Kerrick where we left them, together at last, but Avry’s ‘death’ provides opportunities too good to ignore, and the couple are soon separated, providing the catalyst for the first of many surprises Scent of Magic has in store.
As Avry and Kerrick separate, so too does Scent of Magic’s narrative, a first in Snyder’s novels. While Avry assumes a new identity, travelling to join the army of High Priestess Estrid, Kerrick reunites with Prince Ryne, helping to rally his troops and join Estrid in the fight against the evil King Tohon. If this has you confused, you’re not alone. While Scent of Magic is not the place to enter this series, and it took some few chapters to acclimate, its world and characters re-emerge from the shadows swiftly, and at this, it takes off.
Scent of Magic is, perhaps, Snyder’s most action-packed novel to date. When ‘The Plan’ goes awry, Avry and Kerrick’s paths careen off in disparate directions and, with each alternating chapter ending on a high-stakes note for both leads, maintains a rocketing pace, an element sometimes lost to the minutiae of High Fantasy — though a typical fantasy novelist this author is not.
Snyder has a particular talent for writing strong, capable and intelligent leads, and Avry is, of course, no exception. Even better, Avry’s grown since Touch of Power , and been shaped by her experience. No longer running from danger, she confronts it. She assumes a ‘woman of action’ role in Scent of Magic and, separated from her lover and protector, readers are shown what she’s truly capable of. With magical healing abilities, feared powers, and a knack for finding herself desperately entangled with the Powers That Be, Avry could easily be compared to Snyder’s most memorable heroine, Yelena, but possesses a spark and a special magic all of her own.
Kerrick, meanwhile, gets his moment to shine like no other Snyder hero has, and his job is harder, even, than Avry’s. Beaten, kidnapped and held captive, he becomes a more flawed and relatable hero, and through his eyes we learn more about the magic and construct of the Fifteen Realms. Kerrick’s intimate knowledge of his world’s workings is a welcome addition, offering form and familiarity to a complex world system that would otherwise prove confusing.
While it’s no surprise a Snyder novel offers wonderful leads, there's an interesting moral ambiguity in the Healer series’ characters, one which seems absent from Snyder's previous work, at least in comparison. It boasts a vile, narcissistic, megalomaniac villain, made all the worse as he genuinely believes his evils are justified in the scheme of things, for the greater good – and may just have a point. Meanwhile, the ‘good guys’ themselves don't seem quite ‘good’, and it offers a plethora of opportunities for unexpected twists, turns, and surprises.
The Verdict:
High stakes, gripping intrigue and an immersive magical world, Maria V. Snyder delivers yet another fantasy romp which will appeal to fans of Kristin Cashore, not to mention the inimitable Maria, herself. This is Snyder at the top of her game. Filled with unexpected betrayals, double crosses and an expansive cast of warm, wonderful supporting characters, Scent of Magic is surprising and compulsively readable, and one of Snyder’s finest offerings to date.
After healing the dying Prince Ryne at the cost of her life, no-one’s more surprised to find herself alive than Avry of Kazan. We join Avry and Kerrick where we left them, together at last, but Avry’s ‘death’ provides opportunities too good to ignore, and the couple are soon separated, providing the catalyst for the first of many surprises Scent of Magic has in store.
As Avry and Kerrick separate, so too does Scent of Magic’s narrative, a first in Snyder’s novels. While Avry assumes a new identity, travelling to join the army of High Priestess Estrid, Kerrick reunites with Prince Ryne, helping to rally his troops and join Estrid in the fight against the evil King Tohon. If this has you confused, you’re not alone. While Scent of Magic is not the place to enter this series, and it took some few chapters to acclimate, its world and characters re-emerge from the shadows swiftly, and at this, it takes off.
Scent of Magic is, perhaps, Snyder’s most action-packed novel to date. When ‘The Plan’ goes awry, Avry and Kerrick’s paths careen off in disparate directions and, with each alternating chapter ending on a high-stakes note for both leads, maintains a rocketing pace, an element sometimes lost to the minutiae of High Fantasy — though a typical fantasy novelist this author is not.
Snyder has a particular talent for writing strong, capable and intelligent leads, and Avry is, of course, no exception. Even better, Avry’s grown since Touch of Power , and been shaped by her experience. No longer running from danger, she confronts it. She assumes a ‘woman of action’ role in Scent of Magic and, separated from her lover and protector, readers are shown what she’s truly capable of. With magical healing abilities, feared powers, and a knack for finding herself desperately entangled with the Powers That Be, Avry could easily be compared to Snyder’s most memorable heroine, Yelena, but possesses a spark and a special magic all of her own.
Kerrick, meanwhile, gets his moment to shine like no other Snyder hero has, and his job is harder, even, than Avry’s. Beaten, kidnapped and held captive, he becomes a more flawed and relatable hero, and through his eyes we learn more about the magic and construct of the Fifteen Realms. Kerrick’s intimate knowledge of his world’s workings is a welcome addition, offering form and familiarity to a complex world system that would otherwise prove confusing.
While it’s no surprise a Snyder novel offers wonderful leads, there's an interesting moral ambiguity in the Healer series’ characters, one which seems absent from Snyder's previous work, at least in comparison. It boasts a vile, narcissistic, megalomaniac villain, made all the worse as he genuinely believes his evils are justified in the scheme of things, for the greater good – and may just have a point. Meanwhile, the ‘good guys’ themselves don't seem quite ‘good’, and it offers a plethora of opportunities for unexpected twists, turns, and surprises.
The Verdict:
High stakes, gripping intrigue and an immersive magical world, Maria V. Snyder delivers yet another fantasy romp which will appeal to fans of Kristin Cashore, not to mention the inimitable Maria, herself. This is Snyder at the top of her game. Filled with unexpected betrayals, double crosses and an expansive cast of warm, wonderful supporting characters, Scent of Magic is surprising and compulsively readable, and one of Snyder’s finest offerings to date.
April 2, 2016
I really liked this book. More world-building than the previous book of the trilogy. Getting to see some of the realms that were just mentioned before was fun. And seeing the fearsome northen tribes was an added boom - I expected to see them in the last book. Again I found similarities between this series and the Study one especially regarding the romantic plotline. Otherwise the story is interesting - some parts just drag you right into the world and keep you there until the end. The characters are getting more complex with each chapter. I think I hate Tohon even more now and something tells me that's not the last time we see him. The resurrection of Flea was a surprise - I'm still not sure if I like it or not ( I like him and I was sad when he died but I've always had a problem with killing and bringing characters back). But it made for a nice plot twist at the end. All in all it was a good experience and I'm starting the next one right away.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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