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3.78 AVERAGE
3.78 AVERAGE
Poison starts off with our bad-ass heroine, Kyra, committing a B&E at the former residence she shared with fellow Master Potioners Ned and her ex-fiance Hal. She is on the run from the Queens Guard after a failed attempt to kill the future Queen Ariana, who also happens to be her best friend. Or was. Before the whole attempted murder thing.
With her poisons ready and a newly acquired pig with an extraordinary sense of smell, she sets off to find the princess and finish what she started. Along the way she meets the charming, witty and handsome traveler Fred who is more than he appears. And Kyra just can't stop thinking about him.
If I had to sum up Poison in one word it would be "fun". I really enjoyed this book even though it was aimed at teens. It has all the fantasy elements you'd expect- action, adventure, magic, weapons, humor and just a pinch of romance.
I loved Kyra, Fred and even the princess Ariana who could be annoying at times. But my favorite character was Rosie. The magical little pink pig was just too cute.
There were quite a few twists and surprises at the end that I really did not expect. However, the ending seemed a bit rushed and storylines were wrapped up too smoothly. I think the author intended for Poison to be the first in a series. Sadly Bridget Zinn died of colon cancer in 2011 and never got to see her work published.
I'm a sucker for happy endings and this book did not disappoint! If you're looking for a fast and easy read that will leave you satisfied, this is it!
Man, I'm always looking for a good book to read, and this one did it for me. The story was original, and I loved the humorous comments by some of the characters. Kyra was spunky and independent, and I thoroughly enjoyed her and Fred together.
This book was so fun, and just the thing to get me back into reading. The pace was wonderful and the plot was very well thought out and exciting! The characters were awesome and there was a lot of growth. And so many fun reveals. I would suggest this book to anyone who likes cute, funny, endearing fantasy-type YA books. Bridget Zinn has done a wonderful job with this book!
It took me a little while to get into the book, but I'm really glad I saw it through.
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Characters: 7, there's not much depth to the characters and they don't grow (this is very much a plot-driven story), but they serve a purpose and they're entertaining.
Atmosphere: 7, it's a standard pastoral fantasy setting, but I really liked the parallel between potions and chemistry.
Writing: 8, there's plenty of humor and I could hear the voice of the characters through their dialogue. This debut appears to have been published posthumously, but the writing was solid enough that if the author had published more books, I'd probably read them. Be aware there is use of the Romani slur.
Plot: 8, there were twists I saw coming and twists I didn't. Overall, the book was amusing and deliberately tongue-in-cheek, which is fun to get in a YA fantasy. Nothing groundbreaking, but a fun, lighthearted read.
Intrigue: 7, I wasn't terribly compelled to pick it up throughout the day, but it was like popcorn in that the short chapters and cute story made me happy to keep reading once I'd started.
Logic: 7, hard to say if everyone was acting in accordance with their motives, as the MC's flawed perceptions lead us astray on some assumptions. But the world is generic fantasy so it seemed to run by those standard rules.
Enjoyment: 7, it was fluffy fun that helped distract me from feeling ill.
Oooh, what a happy read!!! *Smiles* Poison is just a spectacular read that most people will enjoy! While the plot is not deep or heart pounding, it is just so fun that it keeps you on your toes.
Most parts in Poison are easy and light. And in "stressful" situations (such as running into a witch worthy of Hansel and Gretel) the author add enough humor into the predicament that the laughing readers will be more worried about their aching sides than the characters lives!
I loved, loved, loved all the fantasy elements. I prefer daggers in my stories to potions, but still Potioneer Kyra's mixtures were pretty cool. Also, magic, witches, and pigs with spells are always around the corner!
Kyra is a pretty darn awesome narrater. Although I did have tiny problems about her trying to kill her best friend, but in the end you learn more about that :) Plus, the whole assasin thing fit the story so I didn't mind that much. Kyra is feisty and a lot of fun. I am pretty sure everyone will enjoy reading about her!
Fred and the pig deserve their own separate paragraph. They are both so funny, cute, and sweet. Rosie, which is what Fred named the little pig, is a real unique sidekick for Kyra! Normally MC's have cats, or dogs, or even dragons as sidekicks. Not Kyra. She has a sweet pig that I would kill for. Fred fits Kyra perfectly. They are both somewhat ridiculous and have awesome banters.
This book is switched from present to past. We learn about Kyra before and after the assassination attempt. I found reading about Kyra and the princess's escapades as children highly amusing and lots o fun! Especially since both girls were strong willed and unique.
Overall, Poison is a masterpiece worthy of that pink little pig shown on the cover. The adventures of Kyra and Rosie are not to be missed.
4/5 bookcases
Most parts in Poison are easy and light. And in "stressful" situations (such as running into a witch worthy of Hansel and Gretel) the author add enough humor into the predicament that the laughing readers will be more worried about their aching sides than the characters lives!
I loved, loved, loved all the fantasy elements. I prefer daggers in my stories to potions, but still Potioneer Kyra's mixtures were pretty cool. Also, magic, witches, and pigs with spells are always around the corner!
Kyra is a pretty darn awesome narrater. Although I did have tiny problems about her trying to kill her best friend, but in the end you learn more about that :) Plus, the whole assasin thing fit the story so I didn't mind that much. Kyra is feisty and a lot of fun. I am pretty sure everyone will enjoy reading about her!
Fred and the pig deserve their own separate paragraph. They are both so funny, cute, and sweet. Rosie, which is what Fred named the little pig, is a real unique sidekick for Kyra! Normally MC's have cats, or dogs, or even dragons as sidekicks. Not Kyra. She has a sweet pig that I would kill for. Fred fits Kyra perfectly. They are both somewhat ridiculous and have awesome banters.
This book is switched from present to past. We learn about Kyra before and after the assassination attempt. I found reading about Kyra and the princess's escapades as children highly amusing and lots o fun! Especially since both girls were strong willed and unique.
Overall, Poison is a masterpiece worthy of that pink little pig shown on the cover. The adventures of Kyra and Rosie are not to be missed.
4/5 bookcases
Well written female-led fantasy is my catnip and Poison was great fun. Kyra was fantastic, Rosie was adorable and the story was extremely clever - lots of flashbacks and smart twists meant we never were fully sure what was going on, despite following only Kyra throughout.
It breaks my heart that this is the only Bridget Zinn book the world will get to read, but at least it's one she should have been incredibly proud of.
It breaks my heart that this is the only Bridget Zinn book the world will get to read, but at least it's one she should have been incredibly proud of.
This was a good story and I did not see the end twist of her being the princess’ cousin coming. That was really good. I think the end was wrapped up too quickly and that Arlo was a weak villain. It would have been more interesting if it had been her mother or ex-fiance. But otherwise a cute and quick read thR grabs your attention from page one.
This book could have been SO GOOD. It had lots of potential. The execution, however, was quite awful. Yep, nope, this book is not for me. :(