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The Study Chronicles: Valek's Adventures #1
The Study of Poisons
Fierce, determined, dangerous. No wonder her soul called to his.
As Chief of Security of Ixia, Valek has spent the last fifteen years keeping Commander Ambrose and his citizens safe. With his complex network of spies, informers, and soldiers, it’s his job to hunt down and capture criminals, including the intriguing Yelena.
Sensing there is more to the story of why she killed a general’s son, Valek arranges for Yelena to become the Commander’s new food taster, training her in the delicate art of detecting poisons. As mysteries and a devious plot to harm the Commander unravel, Yelena’s presence becomes crucial. Will her intelligence, stubbornness, and survivor instincts be a help to Valek’s investigation, or a hinderance?
A companion novel to Poison Study, The Study of Poisons reveals Valek’s side of the story. Return to the world of Ixia and discover just how the lovely Yelena got Valek’s cold heart pumping!
As Chief of Security of Ixia, Valek has spent the last fifteen years keeping Commander Ambrose and his citizens safe. With his complex network of spies, informers, and soldiers, it’s his job to hunt down and capture criminals, including the intriguing Yelena.
Sensing there is more to the story of why she killed a general’s son, Valek arranges for Yelena to become the Commander’s new food taster, training her in the delicate art of detecting poisons. As mysteries and a devious plot to harm the Commander unravel, Yelena’s presence becomes crucial. Will her intelligence, stubbornness, and survivor instincts be a help to Valek’s investigation, or a hinderance?
A companion novel to Poison Study, The Study of Poisons reveals Valek’s side of the story. Return to the world of Ixia and discover just how the lovely Yelena got Valek’s cold heart pumping!
328 pages, ebook
First published April 11, 2023
215 people are currently reading
2868 people want to read
About the author
Maria V. Snyder
76 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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Displaying 1 - 30 of 391 reviews
June 14, 2023
Valek returns
Typically, I'm not inclined to enjoy novel retellings, so I approached this one cautiously. However, when told from Valek's perspective, we are given a firsthand account of the moments he fell in love with Yelena and the immense weight of responsibility he carries. Admittedly, there are some elements that appear borrowed from "Poison Study," yet it offers a deeper understanding for fans of the "Study" series.
Typically, I'm not inclined to enjoy novel retellings, so I approached this one cautiously. However, when told from Valek's perspective, we are given a firsthand account of the moments he fell in love with Yelena and the immense weight of responsibility he carries. Admittedly, there are some elements that appear borrowed from "Poison Study," yet it offers a deeper understanding for fans of the "Study" series.
December 12, 2023
4.5/5.0
Oh my goodness, this story was an absolute joy! It has been over a decade since I first picked up the book, “Poison Study”. I remember it grabbed me from the first page and I have considered it one of my top 10, all-time favorites ever since. So when I realized this book takes us back into that amazing world - but from Valek’s (the male MC) POV, I couldn’t wait!
And it did not disappoint one iota. It is absolutely fabulous! And weirdly, I think everyone, whether they have read the first book recently, haven’t read it in forever or have never read the Poison study series, will thoroughly enjoy this story. For me, it had been so long that I remembered the characters and their personalities but didn’t remember the exact plotline enough to know what was coming next, so it was like catching up with old friends but learning all kinds of new stuff!
I was especially impressed, considering it is being told from a male POV, at how well it actually read like a male! That might sound odd, but so many times when an author writes a book from the male POV, the voice still sounds female (or from the author’s voice… which is often female). This one doesn’t do that. Valek’s thoughts, his actions etc. read exactly how one would expect a man in his position to think and act. For instance, we don’t get a lot of flowery descriptions, it is facts and explanations of the events, period. Valek doesn’t spend time waxing poetic, he brushes over stuff like what everyone looks like in every meeting he is in. He doesn’t know how to “win” Yelena so he often says things that come across as harsh, yet he doesn’t apologize. It is who he is. Still, we see his thoughts and they are filled with concern, care and eventually love. He also acknowledges that… to himself.
The only (very small) glitch (if one could even call it that) is in *Slight spoiler alert!* the revelation over Yelena’s magic. It was brushed over so quickly with no explanation that anyone who hasn’t read the previous books would be terribly confused. It came out of nowhere, and we didn’t even get to learn if it was a minor amount, or a major gift.
Still, the book is written so superbly that even the most critical readers will look over that and just relish a story very well told!
Oh my goodness, this story was an absolute joy! It has been over a decade since I first picked up the book, “Poison Study”. I remember it grabbed me from the first page and I have considered it one of my top 10, all-time favorites ever since. So when I realized this book takes us back into that amazing world - but from Valek’s (the male MC) POV, I couldn’t wait!
And it did not disappoint one iota. It is absolutely fabulous! And weirdly, I think everyone, whether they have read the first book recently, haven’t read it in forever or have never read the Poison study series, will thoroughly enjoy this story. For me, it had been so long that I remembered the characters and their personalities but didn’t remember the exact plotline enough to know what was coming next, so it was like catching up with old friends but learning all kinds of new stuff!
I was especially impressed, considering it is being told from a male POV, at how well it actually read like a male! That might sound odd, but so many times when an author writes a book from the male POV, the voice still sounds female (or from the author’s voice… which is often female). This one doesn’t do that. Valek’s thoughts, his actions etc. read exactly how one would expect a man in his position to think and act. For instance, we don’t get a lot of flowery descriptions, it is facts and explanations of the events, period. Valek doesn’t spend time waxing poetic, he brushes over stuff like what everyone looks like in every meeting he is in. He doesn’t know how to “win” Yelena so he often says things that come across as harsh, yet he doesn’t apologize. It is who he is. Still, we see his thoughts and they are filled with concern, care and eventually love. He also acknowledges that… to himself.
The only (very small) glitch (if one could even call it that) is in *Slight spoiler alert!* the revelation over Yelena’s magic. It was brushed over so quickly with no explanation that anyone who hasn’t read the previous books would be terribly confused. It came out of nowhere, and we didn’t even get to learn if it was a minor amount, or a major gift.
Still, the book is written so superbly that even the most critical readers will look over that and just relish a story very well told!
April 18, 2023
Is he canonically bi? is he actually a baby killer? how many times will he mention their inappropriate age gap? questions i didn't have 10 years ago that are now answered thanks to this book. Valek, you'll always be one of my first loves, but growing up and maturing means realising that you're really just a weird guy. 3.5 ⭐️
June 24, 2023
"It confirmed what he´d been pushing away and denying. Confirmed that there was someone else besides the Commander that he would gladly die for. That a world without Yelena would be a world not worth living in."
This is a one POV book, told by the POV of Valek.
I really loved to finally get "Poison Study" from Valek´s perspective. While reading it, I always wanted Valek´s POV of things and I have to say I am really happy about it. He definitely does fall first and is crushing on her long before she is. I love how he saw Yelena´s strength and willpower so early on and admired it. It was one of the things I loved most about her in "Poison Study". The pining is so cute, especially with him trying to deny that he has feelings for her but slowly having to acknowledge them.
I love Ari and Jenko, I already did in Poison Study and I am glad there is a good dose of them in this book as well. I liked how you get to see more of the Commander and get a few more backgroud information on him as well.
Really enjoyed this pespective of "Poison Study" and it was really interesting to me to see how Valek was pulling some of the strings in the background that we didn´t get to see in "Poison Study" and how we got certain scenes like the Fire Festival from his perspective. The book is fast paced and action filled, however if you expect a lot of spicy scenes, this probably is not the book for you. The romance in here is more on the sweet side, without smut and a slow slow-burn. The vibes are more enemies to lovers but he does fall really fast for her. I´d definitely recommend reading the "Poison Study" series first before reading this one.
Overall I enjoyed the book and loved the newly added insights to the story.
trigger warnings: torture, rape (mentioned; not caused by the love interest), death/murder
This is a one POV book, told by the POV of Valek.
I really loved to finally get "Poison Study" from Valek´s perspective. While reading it, I always wanted Valek´s POV of things and I have to say I am really happy about it. He definitely does fall first and is crushing on her long before she is. I love how he saw Yelena´s strength and willpower so early on and admired it. It was one of the things I loved most about her in "Poison Study". The pining is so cute, especially with him trying to deny that he has feelings for her but slowly having to acknowledge them.
I love Ari and Jenko, I already did in Poison Study and I am glad there is a good dose of them in this book as well. I liked how you get to see more of the Commander and get a few more backgroud information on him as well.
Really enjoyed this pespective of "Poison Study" and it was really interesting to me to see how Valek was pulling some of the strings in the background that we didn´t get to see in "Poison Study" and how we got certain scenes like the Fire Festival from his perspective. The book is fast paced and action filled, however if you expect a lot of spicy scenes, this probably is not the book for you. The romance in here is more on the sweet side, without smut and a slow slow-burn. The vibes are more enemies to lovers but he does fall really fast for her. I´d definitely recommend reading the "Poison Study" series first before reading this one.
Overall I enjoyed the book and loved the newly added insights to the story.
trigger warnings: torture, rape (mentioned; not caused by the love interest), death/murder
April 23, 2023
valek icefaren you will always be the loml
April 23, 2023
The events from "Poison Study" told from Valek's POV.
The risk with these books is that they can be really repetitive as we already know the story. This one was different enough that it kept my interest and I enjoyed the new parts while appreciating the known story from a different point of view. I wouldn't recommend reading this without reading "Poison Study" first as it does lack detail for some significant events.
I liked Valek in the other books and enjoyed reading his POV - he's certainly more likeable and relatable. Until we get to his relationship with Yelena and you really start to realize just how messed up that 'relationship' is.
From Poison Study we know that Valek is older than Yelena, but this book really emphasises the fact that there is a fourteen year gap between them. Emphasises like it seems to be mentioned every freaking chapter. And she's only 19.
Think about it - if your 19 year old sister, friend, daughter, whatever was starting up a relationship with a 33 year old man, you'd be concerned. You'd wonder what was wrong with the man that he's targeting a teenager. In this case the teenager was raised in an orphanage where she was horrifically abused, killed her abuser and was sentenced to death, only to get a reprieve to become a food taster where she risks death every day and is essentially still a prisoner. She's not exactly 'mature' or experienced with romantic relationships. This is the girl (I refuse to call a 19 year old a woman) that Valek, a 33 year old former assassin, 2nd in command of a Kingdom, and Yelena's jailer who has the power of life or death over her, ends up in a relationship with.
Yeah that's pretty fucked up.
Also, he decides really early on that he's in love with her. Why? It's certainly not explained in this book. Look, Yelena is a bad-ass character which we know from "Poison Study", but nothing in their interactions here explains why he develops these feelings for her. Not only that, but he decides he loves her, then believes she betrayed him so he has to kill her, then realises she didn't so loves her again, then thinks she betrays him again so actually he does need to kill her, only to realise she didn't so he's free to love her, only to....
Well you get the point.
Take the 'romance' aspect out of this book and I would have enjoyed it a lot more. Unfortunately, Valek is written to be sympathetic and even somewhat heroic, but his skeezy feelings and actions towards a teenage girl just reduces the whole thing to being quite icky.
The risk with these books is that they can be really repetitive as we already know the story. This one was different enough that it kept my interest and I enjoyed the new parts while appreciating the known story from a different point of view. I wouldn't recommend reading this without reading "Poison Study" first as it does lack detail for some significant events.
I liked Valek in the other books and enjoyed reading his POV - he's certainly more likeable and relatable. Until we get to his relationship with Yelena and you really start to realize just how messed up that 'relationship' is.
From Poison Study we know that Valek is older than Yelena, but this book really emphasises the fact that there is a fourteen year gap between them. Emphasises like it seems to be mentioned every freaking chapter. And she's only 19.
Think about it - if your 19 year old sister, friend, daughter, whatever was starting up a relationship with a 33 year old man, you'd be concerned. You'd wonder what was wrong with the man that he's targeting a teenager. In this case the teenager was raised in an orphanage where she was horrifically abused, killed her abuser and was sentenced to death, only to get a reprieve to become a food taster where she risks death every day and is essentially still a prisoner. She's not exactly 'mature' or experienced with romantic relationships. This is the girl (I refuse to call a 19 year old a woman) that Valek, a 33 year old former assassin, 2nd in command of a Kingdom, and Yelena's jailer who has the power of life or death over her, ends up in a relationship with.
Yeah that's pretty fucked up.
Also, he decides really early on that he's in love with her. Why? It's certainly not explained in this book. Look, Yelena is a bad-ass character which we know from "Poison Study", but nothing in their interactions here explains why he develops these feelings for her. Not only that, but he decides he loves her, then believes she betrayed him so he has to kill her, then realises she didn't so loves her again, then thinks she betrays him again so actually he does need to kill her, only to realise she didn't so he's free to love her, only to....
Well you get the point.
Take the 'romance' aspect out of this book and I would have enjoyed it a lot more. Unfortunately, Valek is written to be sympathetic and even somewhat heroic, but his skeezy feelings and actions towards a teenage girl just reduces the whole thing to being quite icky.
May 27, 2023
I loved getting to see more of Valek in this companion to Poison Study. It provided some great insights into Valek's relationship with the Commander, more Ari and Janco scenes, and fleshed out some of the story events we only heard about in Poison Study (since that was written in first person from Yelena's POV).
I do want to note that I don't think it would have been as enjoyable if I hadn't already read Poison Study (many, many times). It does skip over some of the events and world-building. You will still get the gist of what's happening if you haven't read Poison Study, but you'll get more out of it if you read Poison Study first.
Anyway, I'm kind of tempted to figure out how to do a tandem read of this with Poison Study at some point in the future.
I do want to note that I don't think it would have been as enjoyable if I hadn't already read Poison Study (many, many times). It does skip over some of the events and world-building. You will still get the gist of what's happening if you haven't read Poison Study, but you'll get more out of it if you read Poison Study first.
Anyway, I'm kind of tempted to figure out how to do a tandem read of this with Poison Study at some point in the future.
November 24, 2023
The Study of Poisons is a comapnion novel of Poison Study written entirely from Valek's POV.
As a huge fan of the Chronicles of Ixia universe, I very much enjoyed this new addition in the series from Valek's POV and definitely wouldn't mind reading the rest of the original trilogy (Poison Study, Magic Study, Fire Study) from his POV as well - especially Magic Study might be interesting and add a whole new storyline we didn't see in the original.
I would recommend this book 100% to fans of the series. I think the original first book - Poison Study - is still one of the best (it's between Poison Study and Night Study for me, but from technical standpoint I'd say book 1) books in the Chronicles of Ixia, but this was once again a great addition to the ever expanding universe of Ixia and Sitia. Recommended for fans, or at leat those who have read Poison Study first.
As a huge fan of the Chronicles of Ixia universe, I very much enjoyed this new addition in the series from Valek's POV and definitely wouldn't mind reading the rest of the original trilogy (Poison Study, Magic Study, Fire Study) from his POV as well - especially Magic Study might be interesting and add a whole new storyline we didn't see in the original.
I would recommend this book 100% to fans of the series. I think the original first book - Poison Study - is still one of the best (it's between Poison Study and Night Study for me, but from technical standpoint I'd say book 1) books in the Chronicles of Ixia, but this was once again a great addition to the ever expanding universe of Ixia and Sitia. Recommended for fans, or at leat those who have read Poison Study first.
May 11, 2023
YES!! It’s been so long since I read the poison study, so I have been craving more! I was so excited to listen to this and it did not disappoint! Maria’s writing is so beautiful. The characters and new perspective was exciting and engaging. I loved seeing things from a new viewpoint and getting to know Valek more! Now I want to go back and listen to the series again.
April 23, 2023
How can I be surprised by a story I know?
I have read Poison Study many times. I know this story inside and out!! Or at least I thought I did.
Maria has brought in more surprise, more intrigue. It truly is Journey before Destination (borrowed that phrase from Mr Sanderson).
We find out where Valeks first shows interest in Yelena from a political view point, and how that interest soon becomes romantic.
I loved the interactions between Valek and Ambrose.
I have read Poison Study many times. I know this story inside and out!! Or at least I thought I did.
Maria has brought in more surprise, more intrigue. It truly is Journey before Destination (borrowed that phrase from Mr Sanderson).
We find out where Valeks first shows interest in Yelena from a political view point, and how that interest soon becomes romantic.
I loved the interactions between Valek and Ambrose.
April 29, 2023
SHUT UP who didn’t tell me about this
January 17, 2023
As a huge fan of Poison Study, I was so excited to find out Snyder was writing a version of it from Valek’s point of view! We get many of the same scenes from PS, but they have so much added depth because we now see what Valek was doing behind the scenes.
There is also an excellent new subplot involving his corps!
I highly recommend this for anyone that’s a fan of the Study Series.
Thank you to the publisher for the ARC!
There is also an excellent new subplot involving his corps!
I highly recommend this for anyone that’s a fan of the Study Series.
Thank you to the publisher for the ARC!
April 19, 2023
4.25 stars
I just re-read the first three books in the Study series last year and since Poison Study is one of my favorite books I dropped everything to read this. I freaking LOVE Valek. He was so smitten with Yelena from early on and you can see the behind the scenes of his thoughts and what he was up to during the events of Poison Study.
I didn’t give this a 5 star just because it didn’t have the heart and soul like Poison Study had. I mean Yelena is the heart of the series and soul (finder). I really enjoyed the book though and this is a gift for fans of the series.
P.S. I also stared at the end illustration for like 5 minutes. Love it.
I just re-read the first three books in the Study series last year and since Poison Study is one of my favorite books I dropped everything to read this. I freaking LOVE Valek. He was so smitten with Yelena from early on and you can see the behind the scenes of his thoughts and what he was up to during the events of Poison Study.
I didn’t give this a 5 star just because it didn’t have the heart and soul like Poison Study had. I mean Yelena is the heart of the series and soul (finder). I really enjoyed the book though and this is a gift for fans of the series.
P.S. I also stared at the end illustration for like 5 minutes. Love it.
May 23, 2023
Lovely, but I believe I would have enjoyed it more when I was first introduced to the Study series about a gazillion years ago.
April 17, 2023
Poison study is one of my favourite young adult fantasy novels.
Sadly, I read Magic Study and even though I enjoyed most of it, the ending let me down so much I couldn't read Fire Study and after checking the reviews, it feels like I did the right thing.
However, I still cherish the first book and I couldn't resist reading that story from the point of view of Valek.
It was a joy to revisit this universe, these characters and the tense plot. However, I did have issues that prevented me to enjoy it as much as the original.
But first, I want to warn that you should definitely read Poison Study first in order to enjoy that book. In my opinion, I wouldn't have enjoyed it so much without having seen it from the point of view of Yelena first so, please, take my advice.
I want to start by mentioning the positive things. I loved how Valek was depicted behind the scenes. In Poison Study, you always see him as a very badass, intelligent, clever and always being many steps ahead of others. I feared that I would loose this vision after reading his point of view but it wasn't the case. Indeed, it was a pleasure to discover what a very capable warrior, spy and chief he was. I even realised he knew so much more than he let us know in Poison Study. That was pretty cool! He was a very busy man and very dedicated to his job. You could feel how experienced he was and I enjoyed that.
I also liked to explore more of his relationship with the Commander. I enjoyed the complicity between these two and despite all the flaws of the Commander, I could easily see why Valek is so loyal to him (her). I also feel like I learned more about Ari and Janco, two of my favourites.
Sadly, it is his relationshi with Yelena where I was the least convinced.
In Poison Study, the romance is very slow. That's because it takes a long time for Yelena to trust Valek and develop feelings for him. Therefore, the romance from her point of view is very amazing and we can see why she starts to care for him.
However, in the case of Valek, he falls for her way faster. While it is to be expected since it had been revealed in Poison Study he had feelings for her since a long time, still I didn't like how his feelings were presented.
Somehow, there was a lot of tell don't show. Like way too much. Poison Study didn't possess the greatest writing but it was still effective. In here, I swear if I hadn't previously read the other book, I would have found this story lame and it would have impacted my enjoyment a lot. Yelena seemed to have less characterisation while surprised me (I hardly recognized her).
Also, in order to explain Valek's sentiments, there were a lot of mistakes of writing. The "why he reacted like that?" "Why he cared so much?", etc. I'm sorry but every time I read the trope of something he couldn't explain, I cannot help but feel like this is writing laziness. A pity because when it was the point of view of Yelena, it was perfect. It is because the male point of view is so much harder?
I wished there was more depth in their relationship. We could have seen scenes of them interacting in the evening in his suite, a thing unseen in Poison Study. Valek could have investigated into her past and made paralleles with his own. That could have explained his fascination and his empathy for her (sometimes, he even seemed to forget how much trauma she went through).
There were many opportunities for the author to execute this side of the romance better but sadly, they were missed.
However, I still enjoyed this book despite its flaws. I read it in one week-end and I recommend it to all the fans of Poison Study.
Sadly, I read Magic Study and even though I enjoyed most of it, the ending let me down so much I couldn't read Fire Study and after checking the reviews, it feels like I did the right thing.
However, I still cherish the first book and I couldn't resist reading that story from the point of view of Valek.
It was a joy to revisit this universe, these characters and the tense plot. However, I did have issues that prevented me to enjoy it as much as the original.
But first, I want to warn that you should definitely read Poison Study first in order to enjoy that book. In my opinion, I wouldn't have enjoyed it so much without having seen it from the point of view of Yelena first so, please, take my advice.
I want to start by mentioning the positive things. I loved how Valek was depicted behind the scenes. In Poison Study, you always see him as a very badass, intelligent, clever and always being many steps ahead of others. I feared that I would loose this vision after reading his point of view but it wasn't the case. Indeed, it was a pleasure to discover what a very capable warrior, spy and chief he was. I even realised he knew so much more than he let us know in Poison Study. That was pretty cool! He was a very busy man and very dedicated to his job. You could feel how experienced he was and I enjoyed that.
I also liked to explore more of his relationship with the Commander. I enjoyed the complicity between these two and despite all the flaws of the Commander, I could easily see why Valek is so loyal to him (her). I also feel like I learned more about Ari and Janco, two of my favourites.
Sadly, it is his relationshi with Yelena where I was the least convinced.
In Poison Study, the romance is very slow. That's because it takes a long time for Yelena to trust Valek and develop feelings for him. Therefore, the romance from her point of view is very amazing and we can see why she starts to care for him.
However, in the case of Valek, he falls for her way faster. While it is to be expected since it had been revealed in Poison Study he had feelings for her since a long time, still I didn't like how his feelings were presented.
Somehow, there was a lot of tell don't show. Like way too much. Poison Study didn't possess the greatest writing but it was still effective. In here, I swear if I hadn't previously read the other book, I would have found this story lame and it would have impacted my enjoyment a lot. Yelena seemed to have less characterisation while surprised me (I hardly recognized her).
Also, in order to explain Valek's sentiments, there were a lot of mistakes of writing. The "why he reacted like that?" "Why he cared so much?", etc. I'm sorry but every time I read the trope of something he couldn't explain, I cannot help but feel like this is writing laziness. A pity because when it was the point of view of Yelena, it was perfect. It is because the male point of view is so much harder?
I wished there was more depth in their relationship. We could have seen scenes of them interacting in the evening in his suite, a thing unseen in Poison Study. Valek could have investigated into her past and made paralleles with his own. That could have explained his fascination and his empathy for her (sometimes, he even seemed to forget how much trauma she went through).
There were many opportunities for the author to execute this side of the romance better but sadly, they were missed.
However, I still enjoyed this book despite its flaws. I read it in one week-end and I recommend it to all the fans of Poison Study.
April 7, 2023
The original Study Series (which later expanded to become the Chronicles of Ixia) is by far one of my favorites. Valek has been my book boyfriend all this time. Genuinely, no other fantasy guy has held a candle to him. So you could imagine my delight when I found out there was going to be a book from his point of view!
This book is purely fan-service, as it doesn't really bring anything new to the table. That being said, it's still such a fun read! We get to experience all of Yelena's mysteries and tragedies from his point of view. Not to mention the Commander's situation?! Oof! I don't think I had truly processed how rough Valek's life was during this time. Yet, reading about his thoughts and feelings has made me fallen in love with him all over again.
I knew from that first book with his POV that I needed more Valek. Well, I'm going to say it again: Give us more Valek! I would read every single one of Yelena's books from his POV. Mind you, Fire Study would be rough... But all the more reason! I remember how they cross paths from time to time! And I really can't handle the end of Study of Poisons. (It was very well done, but I need more! I want us to have a play-by-play of what will happen in a future book- instead of the fade to black.) Pretty please?!
Valek deserves all the love. He deserves to retire. And for all that is good in the literary world, I know Maria V Snyder could deliver! She surely did deliver with Study of Poisons!
OH! Right! Back to the book: IF YOU LOVE VALEK - IF YOU LOVE THE STUDY SERIES - IF YOU LOVE ASSASSINS AND SPIES AND MISUNDERSTOOD MEN WHO HAVE ALL THE FEELS: Please read this book!
That is all.
This book is purely fan-service, as it doesn't really bring anything new to the table. That being said, it's still such a fun read! We get to experience all of Yelena's mysteries and tragedies from his point of view. Not to mention the Commander's situation?! Oof! I don't think I had truly processed how rough Valek's life was during this time. Yet, reading about his thoughts and feelings has made me fallen in love with him all over again.
I knew from that first book with his POV that I needed more Valek. Well, I'm going to say it again: Give us more Valek! I would read every single one of Yelena's books from his POV. Mind you, Fire Study would be rough... But all the more reason! I remember how they cross paths from time to time! And I really can't handle the end of Study of Poisons. (It was very well done, but I need more! I want us to have a play-by-play of what will happen in a future book- instead of the fade to black.) Pretty please?!
Valek deserves all the love. He deserves to retire. And for all that is good in the literary world, I know Maria V Snyder could deliver! She surely did deliver with Study of Poisons!
OH! Right! Back to the book: IF YOU LOVE VALEK - IF YOU LOVE THE STUDY SERIES - IF YOU LOVE ASSASSINS AND SPIES AND MISUNDERSTOOD MEN WHO HAVE ALL THE FEELS: Please read this book!
That is all.
May 9, 2023
It's been...oh at least 12 years since I first read Poison Study. I've read the entire series more than once since. I was very very excited to see Valek's POV for the first book as he's pretty mysterious for most of it. Yelena is dealing with a lot of internal shit so they don't actually have a lot of in-depth interaction. It was great to see Janco and Ari again too, I forgot how fun they are!
I am glad to have read this because a lot happens behind the scenes that we didn't see previously, but when it came to Yelena and Valek's interactions it was a little simpler than I had hoped it would be. If I didn't already know Yelena's side I would think she's written pretty flat and not a great character. I didn't sense the simmering chemistry from his side, like I did in the OG book. Maybe it's cause Valek's mind was very 'dude'ish? He was like "gah, what are these FeELINgs!!!" and then threw rocks. and I feel like in my head he was a lot deeper than that. Hey, it's a fictional story, I'm allowed to assume guys have deep emotional connections in romance - not talking about irl here.
IMO the writing was just a tiny bit average and had a handful of typos and errors, but that is probably due to this being self-published as opposed to the traditionally published series it is a companion to.
I am glad to have read this because a lot happens behind the scenes that we didn't see previously, but when it came to Yelena and Valek's interactions it was a little simpler than I had hoped it would be. If I didn't already know Yelena's side I would think she's written pretty flat and not a great character. I didn't sense the simmering chemistry from his side, like I did in the OG book. Maybe it's cause Valek's mind was very 'dude'ish? He was like "gah, what are these FeELINgs!!!" and then threw rocks. and I feel like in my head he was a lot deeper than that. Hey, it's a fictional story, I'm allowed to assume guys have deep emotional connections in romance - not talking about irl here.
IMO the writing was just a tiny bit average and had a handful of typos and errors, but that is probably due to this being self-published as opposed to the traditionally published series it is a companion to.
April 29, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
🎧🎧🎧🎧
Let me count the ways that I love Valek.
He’s the one and only book boyfriend to survive almost two decades. And you want to know why?
He’s stoic, at times grumpy, but when you get to his gooey center he’s sarcastic and has a wicked sense of humor. He’s super complex and he doesn’t wear his heart on his sleeve which makes reading this book, which is Poison Study from his POV, totally worth reading. Not to mention he’s a badass!
Plus, he was only in Poison Study for like what? 35-45%? So, you can imagine he packed quite a punch to become one of my all time favorite heroes. But with this book, my greedy heart gets all the Valek she can get!
I also really liked the narrator, Raphael Corkhill. He had that gravelly British accent that sends shivers up and down your spine.
🎧🎧🎧🎧
Let me count the ways that I love Valek.
He’s the one and only book boyfriend to survive almost two decades. And you want to know why?
He’s stoic, at times grumpy, but when you get to his gooey center he’s sarcastic and has a wicked sense of humor. He’s super complex and he doesn’t wear his heart on his sleeve which makes reading this book, which is Poison Study from his POV, totally worth reading. Not to mention he’s a badass!
Plus, he was only in Poison Study for like what? 35-45%? So, you can imagine he packed quite a punch to become one of my all time favorite heroes. But with this book, my greedy heart gets all the Valek she can get!
I also really liked the narrator, Raphael Corkhill. He had that gravelly British accent that sends shivers up and down your spine.
August 22, 2024
This was everything I hoped for and more!!!
Being inside Valek's head and watching the story unfold from his POV was amazing. Some may think that it is just a repetition of the same story but it's not. There's so much new content and Valek was such a mystery in Poison Study that I was surprised along with Yelena with the intensity of his feelings for her in the end of book 1.
Of course it's been almost 7 years since I read the series so I was alternating my reading between Poison Study and The Study of Poisons and I had so much fun remembering the facts and how Yelena met all the characters I later came to love and care for so much..
And I think it worked so well this parallel reading that I intend to do it with the rest of Valek's books.
Being inside Valek's head and watching the story unfold from his POV was amazing. Some may think that it is just a repetition of the same story but it's not. There's so much new content and Valek was such a mystery in Poison Study that I was surprised along with Yelena with the intensity of his feelings for her in the end of book 1.
Of course it's been almost 7 years since I read the series so I was alternating my reading between Poison Study and The Study of Poisons and I had so much fun remembering the facts and how Yelena met all the characters I later came to love and care for so much..
And I think it worked so well this parallel reading that I intend to do it with the rest of Valek's books.
November 6, 2023
DNF at 66%
The Chronicles of Ixia is one of my favourite YA series so I was really excited to read Valek's point of view but wish I hadn't bothered; it just didn't add anything to the story. The only real addition was some of the dialogue between Valek and the Commander which was quite entertaining but otherwise, it was just very repetitive.
I was excited to read Valek's side of falling in love with Yelena but instead of the slow burn romance I expected, it was very instalove which is one of my biggest peeves in stories. It just feel like lazy writing.
I'm honestly just going to forget I read this and preserve the sanctity of one of my favourite series.
The Chronicles of Ixia is one of my favourite YA series so I was really excited to read Valek's point of view but wish I hadn't bothered; it just didn't add anything to the story. The only real addition was some of the dialogue between Valek and the Commander which was quite entertaining but otherwise, it was just very repetitive.
I was excited to read Valek's side of falling in love with Yelena but instead of the slow burn romance I expected, it was very instalove which is one of my biggest peeves in stories. It just feel like lazy writing.
I'm honestly just going to forget I read this and preserve the sanctity of one of my favourite series.
July 6, 2023
3.5* I don't read a lot of young adult anymore so I was worried I wouldn't enjoy this as much as I loved the original series, and although I found the writing style a bit basic and clunky at times I was pleasantly surprised to really enjoy returning to the world of Poison Study, and to a familiar story from Valek's perspective. I don't think this is as engaging on it's own, but a good addition to flesh out the Poison Study series and give fans some more context.
Ari and Janko continue to be the stand out characters
Ari and Janko continue to be the stand out characters
April 6, 2023
Brooooooo!!!! I got to read the ARC (Advanced Reading Copy) of this novel!
My teenage heart is screaming from no longer having to wait for this book to exist! I have waited over a decade for this book! One word. Valek! The world always needs more Valek. Fierce, determined, dangerous. Finally being able to see his perspective, his behind the scene missions and him falling in love with Yelena was like reading Poison Study for the first time all over again!
My teenage heart is screaming from no longer having to wait for this book to exist! I have waited over a decade for this book! One word. Valek! The world always needs more Valek. Fierce, determined, dangerous. Finally being able to see his perspective, his behind the scene missions and him falling in love with Yelena was like reading Poison Study for the first time all over again!
August 18, 2023
I started this book back in May, but I hit a reading slump and it took me a while to pick the book back up. I did read a few books in-between, but this one I sort of forgot and finally came back to it in August when I was off work, and I remembered that I never went back to it.
I really enjoyed the book and loved reading the retelling of the first book of the Study series, Poison Study, from Valek’s POV. Not all books should have or could have this kind of retelling, but Maria V. Snyder really made it work for hers and I can’t wait for the next books since she did confirm that there will be at least 2 other books from his POV which will probably follow the books Magic Study and Fire Study.
What I hoped though was to have more insight about the Commander since Valek is the closest to him, but she also has a book coming out next called The Study Chronicles: Tales of Ixia & Sitia and I think we will get more about him in those.
But I will not lie and say that many times I wanted to throw my book because he got on my nerves and even if I knew the reason and why it was happening, it didn’t lessen my annoyance with the Commander.
But I did love seeing how Valek actually fell for Yelena and how he was throughout everything that was happening because of her or to her. I loved to see him in action and not through someone's eyes. It was nice to finally get into his head.
I do recommend re-reading the first Poison Study if possible because it had been years since I last read it and some details had been forgotten, but unless you have a better memory, its best to re-read it before or at the same time too which would probably make things even more interesting.
It also reminded me that I still need to finish the series as I haven’t read the final book of the series, Dawn Study, and I’m starting to wonder if I should re-read the whole series along with the Spin-off Glass series because attacking that last one, but I will see, but I think it might be in my next-books-to-read pile in the following weeks.
But overall, I was happy to plunge back into this series and I can't wait (as previously stated) for the next books.
And if you enjoyed the series or at least the original trilogy (3 more books were added years later), I think you will enjoy it too.
I really enjoyed the book and loved reading the retelling of the first book of the Study series, Poison Study, from Valek’s POV. Not all books should have or could have this kind of retelling, but Maria V. Snyder really made it work for hers and I can’t wait for the next books since she did confirm that there will be at least 2 other books from his POV which will probably follow the books Magic Study and Fire Study.
What I hoped though was to have more insight about the Commander since Valek is the closest to him, but she also has a book coming out next called The Study Chronicles: Tales of Ixia & Sitia and I think we will get more about him in those.
But I will not lie and say that many times I wanted to throw my book because he got on my nerves and even if I knew the reason and why it was happening, it didn’t lessen my annoyance with the Commander.
But I did love seeing how Valek actually fell for Yelena and how he was throughout everything that was happening because of her or to her. I loved to see him in action and not through someone's eyes. It was nice to finally get into his head.
I do recommend re-reading the first Poison Study if possible because it had been years since I last read it and some details had been forgotten, but unless you have a better memory, its best to re-read it before or at the same time too which would probably make things even more interesting.
It also reminded me that I still need to finish the series as I haven’t read the final book of the series, Dawn Study, and I’m starting to wonder if I should re-read the whole series along with the Spin-off Glass series because attacking that last one, but I will see, but I think it might be in my next-books-to-read pile in the following weeks.
But overall, I was happy to plunge back into this series and I can't wait (as previously stated) for the next books.
And if you enjoyed the series or at least the original trilogy (3 more books were added years later), I think you will enjoy it too.
January 27, 2024
I DEVOURED this book! The masterful way in which Snyder entwines the fate of a murderess turned poison tester with the fate of a fledgling empire on the cusp of a coup is stunning.
This is told from the perspective of Valek, the second in command and assassin turned spymaster of the commander of Ixia.
I'm so impressed with all the moving pieces Snyder creates in this fantasy. It was easy to follow the story and what was happening while still adding layer upon layer of complexity, from the inner working of being a poison tester to recruiting spys and agents to infiltrate potential threats. I'm blown away. I read this book in 2 days, it was that good.
I also really appreciated that Yelena was a force to be reckoned with. Rather than rely on the age old damsel in distress tropes to build sexual tension between the characters, Snyder subverts this time and time again as Yelena becomes a badass in her own right and does not need saving at all. It was delightful every time Valek tried to and she just took care of it herself. It was also refreshing that he came to accept her ability to take care of herself instead of being overly protective and micromanaging like way too many romances out there.
When the romance happens tho, I do wish the scenes were a tad more developed. I'm not really a fan of smut, and I understand this is YA, or at least, the first book was from Yelena's pov, but the sexual tension was just so good I wanted the pay off to be just a little more involved. There was a time or two where I wanted Yelena's reaction to Valek described a little more too, but these are mostly nitpicks and personal preferences.
I enjoyed this book so much! If you're looking for a slooooow burn spymaster badass FMC story with an admirable and capable male protagonist who isn't cringy or over the top, then you'll definitely like this book. Highly recommend!
This is told from the perspective of Valek, the second in command and assassin turned spymaster of the commander of Ixia.
I'm so impressed with all the moving pieces Snyder creates in this fantasy. It was easy to follow the story and what was happening while still adding layer upon layer of complexity, from the inner working of being a poison tester to recruiting spys and agents to infiltrate potential threats. I'm blown away. I read this book in 2 days, it was that good.
I also really appreciated that Yelena was a force to be reckoned with. Rather than rely on the age old damsel in distress tropes to build sexual tension between the characters, Snyder subverts this time and time again as Yelena becomes a badass in her own right and does not need saving at all. It was delightful every time Valek tried to and she just took care of it herself. It was also refreshing that he came to accept her ability to take care of herself instead of being overly protective and micromanaging like way too many romances out there.
When the romance happens tho, I do wish the scenes were a tad more developed. I'm not really a fan of smut, and I understand this is YA, or at least, the first book was from Yelena's pov, but the sexual tension was just so good I wanted the pay off to be just a little more involved. There was a time or two where I wanted Yelena's reaction to Valek described a little more too, but these are mostly nitpicks and personal preferences.
I enjoyed this book so much! If you're looking for a slooooow burn spymaster badass FMC story with an admirable and capable male protagonist who isn't cringy or over the top, then you'll definitely like this book. Highly recommend!
September 7, 2024
I've been putting this one off for ages! And I'm glad I finally had the chance to get back to it. Reliving all the epic storytelling, from Valeks POV has been an absolute delight. One of my favourite collections from Maria V Snyder! Can't wait to get into the next one!
5/5 would recommend
5/5 would recommend
October 19, 2023
This review was originally posted on The Moonlight Library
3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 because I can't be bothered creating a half star graphic.
"The Study of Poisons" is a modern high fantasy companion novel to "Poison Study," and it's narrated from the perspective of the beloved assassin, Valek. The story retells the events of "Poison Study" from Valek's viewpoint, offering readers a different lens through which to view the narrative.
As someone who cherished Poison Study from Yelena's perspective, I knew that revisiting the same scenes but from Valek's point of view would present challenges. I was also aware that this was the whole premise of the book, and I was fully supportive of Snyder writing it, but despite my awareness, I found it difficult to fully immerse myself in the story. I can't help but recall that when I was super into Animorphs, KA Applegate tested out telling the same scenes from different perspectives in the first Megamorphs book. It was not a very popular choice, and from then on, all of the Megamorphs delivered the narrative without retelling the same scenes from different perspectives. So I think it may be a fundamental flaw with retelling the book from another POV. I do recall that I quite enjoyed Stephenie Meyer's Midnight Sun, so I thought I would be OK with The Study of Poisons. Noting that Poison Study was nearly perfect in its original form, this 'retelling' loses some of the magic. It can't be helped comparing the two in this review.
Since this book fills in the gaps when Valek wasn't present in "Poison Study," it occasionally feels lacking. Valek's role as head of security, though essential, can be somewhat uneventful since he excels at his job. The pace at which he falls in love with Yelena feels rushed compared to the slow-burning, enemies-to-lovers development we witnessed in Yelena's perspective. Valek, as expected, is the standout character, representing the best assassin in Ixia. Yet, it's worth acknowledging that the romantic dynamic between Valek and Yelena raises different considerations now than when Poison Study was initially released. Back in 2009, I think readers were more accepting of the 14 year age gap, whereas now in 2023 I think a fair amount of readers recognise that it is problematic - and that's not even including the part where Valek is Yelena's boss, and as far as she knows, he has poisoned her so she can't escape. Yelena remains an exceptional and admirable character, displaying intelligence, bravery, and an endearing quality that draws readers in. However, I found that Ari and Janco were again scene stealers. Their presence injected energy, intrigue, and a whole lot of nostalgia into the story. Seeing the 'power twins' in more of their soldier roles added valuable elements to the narrative, contributing to the series' overall charm. I also appreciated the interactions between Valek and Commander Ambrose, which add unique layers to their nuanced characters. Due to their close working and personal relationship, we were able to see Commander Ambrose shine, delving into his complicated history and relationship with Valek.
Snyder's writing style is typically engaging, but I felt that The Study of Poisons fell slightly short in certain areas. At times, the narrative seemed rushed, leaving me wanting further expansion and descriptive prose that would make the text sing. The shift to a third-person point of view might have contributed to this feeling, as it wasn't my preferred perspective.
Overall, I would recommend The Study of Poisons primarily to readers who have already enjoyed and loved Poison Study and have a craving for more Valek (because who doesn't?!). I want to make it clear that I believe my struggles with this book were possibly influenced by my current difficulties in rereading books. If you have a deep attachment to the world and characters Maria V. Snyder has crafted, this companion novel can provide a few fresh insights. However, it's essential to approach it with the understanding that it's a revisit of Poison Study from a different, albeit less captivating, viewpoint.
3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 because I can't be bothered creating a half star graphic.
"The Study of Poisons" is a modern high fantasy companion novel to "Poison Study," and it's narrated from the perspective of the beloved assassin, Valek. The story retells the events of "Poison Study" from Valek's viewpoint, offering readers a different lens through which to view the narrative.
As someone who cherished Poison Study from Yelena's perspective, I knew that revisiting the same scenes but from Valek's point of view would present challenges. I was also aware that this was the whole premise of the book, and I was fully supportive of Snyder writing it, but despite my awareness, I found it difficult to fully immerse myself in the story. I can't help but recall that when I was super into Animorphs, KA Applegate tested out telling the same scenes from different perspectives in the first Megamorphs book. It was not a very popular choice, and from then on, all of the Megamorphs delivered the narrative without retelling the same scenes from different perspectives. So I think it may be a fundamental flaw with retelling the book from another POV. I do recall that I quite enjoyed Stephenie Meyer's Midnight Sun, so I thought I would be OK with The Study of Poisons. Noting that Poison Study was nearly perfect in its original form, this 'retelling' loses some of the magic. It can't be helped comparing the two in this review.
Since this book fills in the gaps when Valek wasn't present in "Poison Study," it occasionally feels lacking. Valek's role as head of security, though essential, can be somewhat uneventful since he excels at his job. The pace at which he falls in love with Yelena feels rushed compared to the slow-burning, enemies-to-lovers development we witnessed in Yelena's perspective. Valek, as expected, is the standout character, representing the best assassin in Ixia. Yet, it's worth acknowledging that the romantic dynamic between Valek and Yelena raises different considerations now than when Poison Study was initially released. Back in 2009, I think readers were more accepting of the 14 year age gap, whereas now in 2023 I think a fair amount of readers recognise that it is problematic - and that's not even including the part where Valek is Yelena's boss, and as far as she knows, he has poisoned her so she can't escape. Yelena remains an exceptional and admirable character, displaying intelligence, bravery, and an endearing quality that draws readers in. However, I found that Ari and Janco were again scene stealers. Their presence injected energy, intrigue, and a whole lot of nostalgia into the story. Seeing the 'power twins' in more of their soldier roles added valuable elements to the narrative, contributing to the series' overall charm. I also appreciated the interactions between Valek and Commander Ambrose, which add unique layers to their nuanced characters. Due to their close working and personal relationship, we were able to see Commander Ambrose shine, delving into his complicated history and relationship with Valek.
Snyder's writing style is typically engaging, but I felt that The Study of Poisons fell slightly short in certain areas. At times, the narrative seemed rushed, leaving me wanting further expansion and descriptive prose that would make the text sing. The shift to a third-person point of view might have contributed to this feeling, as it wasn't my preferred perspective.
Overall, I would recommend The Study of Poisons primarily to readers who have already enjoyed and loved Poison Study and have a craving for more Valek (because who doesn't?!). I want to make it clear that I believe my struggles with this book were possibly influenced by my current difficulties in rereading books. If you have a deep attachment to the world and characters Maria V. Snyder has crafted, this companion novel can provide a few fresh insights. However, it's essential to approach it with the understanding that it's a revisit of Poison Study from a different, albeit less captivating, viewpoint.
June 12, 2023
…
Wow.
I absolutely loved it. Valek, my love❤️ Yelena, my goddess❤️ Ari and Janco, my hoes❤️ I missed you all.
I’ve reread Poison study a creepy amount of times, and it was amazing to be able to read another version of it
———————————————
OH MY FUCKING GOD THE WAY I GASPED
THERES NO WAY
NO FUXKINGGG WAYYY OMGGG I’M SI EXCITED
TES YES YES YES CURRENRLY DANCING AROUND MY ROOM
OMG IS THIS REAL
I SCREAMED WHEN I SAW THIS
AND I AM CURRENTLY CRYING
THIS IS CRAZYYYY
PLEASE PLEASE TELL ME I’M NOT DREAMING
Wow.
I absolutely loved it. Valek, my love❤️ Yelena, my goddess❤️ Ari and Janco, my hoes❤️ I missed you all.
I’ve reread Poison study a creepy amount of times, and it was amazing to be able to read another version of it
———————————————
OH MY FUCKING GOD THE WAY I GASPED
THERES NO WAY
NO FUXKINGGG WAYYY OMGGG I’M SI EXCITED
TES YES YES YES CURRENRLY DANCING AROUND MY ROOM
OMG IS THIS REAL
I SCREAMED WHEN I SAW THIS
AND I AM CURRENTLY CRYING
THIS IS CRAZYYYY
PLEASE PLEASE TELL ME I’M NOT DREAMING
April 28, 2023
Lets get this out of the way first:
Did I enjoy the original trilogy? Yes, very much
Did I like the sequel, or books Snyder has written since? Absolutely not
Why did I bother reading this book? Nostalgia and masochism
Poison study from Valek's perspective, could have been great but ends up being sappy and dull. There is no romantic tension. Valek realises pretty much immediately that he's in love with Yelena, and we're told extensively. Unfortunately we are never actually shown anything. There is nothing really that explains why he's in love, no build up or tension. I know part of this is my bias, I prefer a slow burn. The 20% mark is much to early for the 'oh' moment. The 'my love' episode would have been perfect.
Valek's perspective doesn't add much to the story, mostly because Snyder isn't great at politics or diplomacy. It all comes across as half baked and juvenile and it doesn't help that, again, the plot is often recounted and not properly described. At times it feels like the plot just bumps into Valek. It also highlights the weaknesses in the original plot. How exactly does a a master spy and head of security not notice this orphanage where children disappear into and no adults come out?
It's not all bad though, I did enjoy the bits with Valek and Ambrose. Those were actually fun to read and added something to the overall story.
I really wonder if this book had an editor, because there are serious issues with the writing.
-Snyder uses the word 'smart' 43 times in this book. Many of them as comment or tag from Valek on something someone has done. These little tags get seriously annoying, especially because it rarely describes something that is actually smart.
-Language errors: eg "He's a genius in the kitchen. Some kind of protégé." The word you're looking for is prodigy
-Factual error: "Anything that's not black tea. Tea is very popular in ixia, but with out cooler climate, we can only grow black tea." All tea-tea comes from the same plant, it's treated differently after harvest. If you can grow black tea, you can have green, oolong etc. And if you can grow black tea you can grow shit for herbal or grain teas.
-Thoughtless language: "Achilles tendon", so Achilles and ancient Greece exists in this universe? Pet peeve of mine.
Did I enjoy the original trilogy? Yes, very much
Did I like the sequel, or books Snyder has written since? Absolutely not
Why did I bother reading this book? Nostalgia and masochism
Poison study from Valek's perspective, could have been great but ends up being sappy and dull. There is no romantic tension. Valek realises pretty much immediately that he's in love with Yelena, and we're told extensively. Unfortunately we are never actually shown anything. There is nothing really that explains why he's in love, no build up or tension. I know part of this is my bias, I prefer a slow burn. The 20% mark is much to early for the 'oh' moment. The 'my love' episode would have been perfect.
Valek's perspective doesn't add much to the story, mostly because Snyder isn't great at politics or diplomacy. It all comes across as half baked and juvenile and it doesn't help that, again, the plot is often recounted and not properly described. At times it feels like the plot just bumps into Valek. It also highlights the weaknesses in the original plot. How exactly does a a master spy and head of security not notice this orphanage where children disappear into and no adults come out?
It's not all bad though, I did enjoy the bits with Valek and Ambrose. Those were actually fun to read and added something to the overall story.
I really wonder if this book had an editor, because there are serious issues with the writing.
-Snyder uses the word 'smart' 43 times in this book. Many of them as comment or tag from Valek on something someone has done. These little tags get seriously annoying, especially because it rarely describes something that is actually smart.
-Language errors: eg "He's a genius in the kitchen. Some kind of protégé." The word you're looking for is prodigy
-Factual error: "Anything that's not black tea. Tea is very popular in ixia, but with out cooler climate, we can only grow black tea." All tea-tea comes from the same plant, it's treated differently after harvest. If you can grow black tea, you can have green, oolong etc. And if you can grow black tea you can grow shit for herbal or grain teas.
-Thoughtless language: "Achilles tendon", so Achilles and ancient Greece exists in this universe? Pet peeve of mine.
July 9, 2023
Update: there's going to be another, yassss!
----------------
5 stars as pure as my love for Valek
FIRST OF ALL, WHY THE COVER IS NOT VALEK IN HIS FORMAL UNIFORM??? (ft. Yelena mooning over him on the backover)
It's not like anyone expected his pov to be less the perfect, but there's a lot of book-one-retold-from-pov-of-the-love-interest published these days, and they are usually a bit... Meh.
But I think that Snyder just outdid everyone, including Frost (whose Bones POV retelling was so far the best one to happen) - i kinda did not expect this to be THAT GOOD after i dnf-ed book one of her final Ixia/Sitia trilogy, and not only was it as exciting as reading "Poison Study" for the first time (actually, that book is equally exciting during rereads....) but it's crystal clear that this story remained 100% true to its characters.
Ugh, i have so many feelings!
He was so in love, asfshjjc - and still, in the age of fictional man who hype themselves up and never deliver, Valek is exactly who he says he is... and more.
I wish I could sing Valek's praises forever - he really is the most perfect male character and most perfect book boyfriend. I guess my type are those guys that are their loved one's no.1 cheerleader - Killian Jones, Aaron Warner, Keefe Sencen, and our beloved Valek...
Now, i haven't deleted the third trilogy from my Kindle, so i guess i knew i will give it another chance one day. I think Valek's pov was that final push to do it. (Fingers crossed the so-called Chronicles of Ixia will actually take more place in Ixia at least near the end...)
------------
Before reading:
VALEK?! VALEK'S POV OF POISON STUDY????
yes, i could not get into the sequel trilogy (or like, third trilogy) but this is my favorite character's retelling of my favorite book!!!! assdfsjdhfkc
shut up and take my money-
----------------
5 stars as pure as my love for Valek
FIRST OF ALL, WHY THE COVER IS NOT VALEK IN HIS FORMAL UNIFORM??? (ft. Yelena mooning over him on the backover)
It's not like anyone expected his pov to be less the perfect, but there's a lot of book-one-retold-from-pov-of-the-love-interest published these days, and they are usually a bit... Meh.
But I think that Snyder just outdid everyone, including Frost (whose Bones POV retelling was so far the best one to happen) - i kinda did not expect this to be THAT GOOD after i dnf-ed book one of her final Ixia/Sitia trilogy, and not only was it as exciting as reading "Poison Study" for the first time (actually, that book is equally exciting during rereads....) but it's crystal clear that this story remained 100% true to its characters.
Ugh, i have so many feelings!
He was so in love, asfshjjc - and still, in the age of fictional man who hype themselves up and never deliver, Valek is exactly who he says he is... and more.
I wish I could sing Valek's praises forever - he really is the most perfect male character and most perfect book boyfriend. I guess my type are those guys that are their loved one's no.1 cheerleader - Killian Jones, Aaron Warner, Keefe Sencen, and our beloved Valek...
Now, i haven't deleted the third trilogy from my Kindle, so i guess i knew i will give it another chance one day. I think Valek's pov was that final push to do it. (Fingers crossed the so-called Chronicles of Ixia will actually take more place in Ixia at least near the end...)
------------
Before reading:
VALEK?! VALEK'S POV OF POISON STUDY????
yes, i could not get into the sequel trilogy (or like, third trilogy) but this is my favorite character's retelling of my favorite book!!!! assdfsjdhfkc
shut up and take my money-
August 4, 2023
I loved this so much!! There are a few spots that I wish weren't glossed over or rushed in regards to Yelena, especially at the end, with some of the big reveals, but I loved this so much. I didn't know how much I needed this book. I do really like how it was written. While it's the first book ( Poison Study) just from the male main character point of view, you still got to learn some new things about the characters and some of the world.
The biggest sad, is that I can't move on to the next book with his POV. Fingers crossed that we get more 🙏.
Note:
I had just completed a reread of the Poison Study right before reading this book. Which might have something to do with how much I enjoyed this book.
The biggest sad, is that I can't move on to the next book with his POV. Fingers crossed that we get more 🙏.
Note:
I had just completed a reread of the Poison Study right before reading this book. Which might have something to do with how much I enjoyed this book.
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