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Yelena is now in Sitia, where she meets her long-lost family and starts to learn how to control her magical powers. But life isn’t really any easier for her here than it was in Ixia. Sitians believe she’s a spy from the north, sent to pave the way for the Commander’s takeover of their country. Others believe that her magic is too powerful and think she should be…neutralized. While she’s trying to acclimate to her new surroundings, a serial killer starts preying on young women, and Yelena is next on his list.
Too much. Just too much.
I still love Yelena, and I was a little lost without Valek (although I still dislike his name). But this book seemed to lack focus. I know that life is rarely neat and tidy with only one thing going on, but there are so many people out to get Yelena for wildly different reasons that it just got a little ridiculous.
I did enjoy seeing Yelena learn to interact with her family and her tribe again. She’s so endearingly awkward and uncomfortable that you can’t help but feel bad for her. It’s nice to see that she’s not perfect! Her relationship with her brother is not what I expected and it bothered me at first, but it’s explained toward the end of the book.
But Yelena is still Yelena with all that implies. I loved watching her kick some butt and readjust some nasty attitudes. The Sitians really don’t know what to make of her. I liked that she has a big heart and will do pretty much anything to help someone out. It can be small, like helping beggar children, or big, like laying her life on the line for someone else. She stays true to herself no matter the external pressures to conform. It seems like she’s really starting to heal after her ordeal in Ixia, and she’s healing by helping others.
This was a very quick read and I had a hard time putting it down. But after loving Poison Study so much, I was a little disappointed that this book fell to the second-in-a-series curse. I will still read the third book though, and I recommend it for others who love Yelena and Valek.
Read an excerpt.
My 5-star review of Poison Study
Find author Maria V. Snyder on her website, her blog, and Facebook.
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4 Comments
I really enjoyed Poison Study but I havent gotten to Magic Study yet
Thank you for sharing your review for the Eclectic Readers Challenge
Shelleyrae @ Book'd Out
I agree that this book isn't as great as Poison Study although after how awesome PS is, how could anything live up to that 😉
I have heard the same thing from others about this book. Since I started with the spin-off series, a lot of the secrets from the first series were spoiled for me. I am still planning to read Magic Study but it isn't a priority. I'm sorry to hear that this book wasn't up to the standards of Poison Study.
I've heard good things about this series and I have the first one on my shelf but I've yet to get to it. I'm slightly disappointed to hear this one fell into the second book curse, though.