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3.78 AVERAGE
3.78 AVERAGE
Kyra is the Master Potioner of the kingdom and best friend to Arianna, heir to the throne, but when our book opens she is on the run after attempting to kill Ari. Kyra's motives are not immediately revealed, although we are privy to her inner turmoil and guilt over hunting her best friend. Determined to follow through on her plan, Kyra scours the Kingdom for Ari, who has disappeared in the wake of the assassination attempt, acquiring Rosie, a tiny yet special pig that has the ability to track anyone, and eluding the King's guards who are tracking Kyra herself. As we follow Kyra on her journey, Kyra's motives are gradually revealed and we become aware of a potentially greater plot and threat to the kingdom.
Poison was fun to read and kept my interest throughout it, however I feel that the entire story was unfortunately in need of more fleshing out. There was a need for more world building and development throughout the whole storyline to make it truly engrossing and seem more realistic. The book just had a whole sense of being 2D rather than popping off the page pulling me in. Despite having some interesting ideas about potions and magical creatures and their role in the kingdom and plot against it, there just wasn't enough depth and detail included about them, and there were plenty of fantasy cliches throughout the book. Not to mention some cringe-worthy moments on behalf of Kyra and some of the pivotal plot moments themselves.
Zinn's strength lay in her characters, my favorites being Fred and the animals. Fred was just so cheerful and generous, it was hard not to like him and want to read more of his story. And Rosie and Langley had so much personality for a pig and a dog! The friendship between the two of them was the sweetest. And although I wouldn't call the Duchess of Genria likeable, she was very intriguing, and I spent most of the story wondering about her greater role in the story and the mystery behind her. The one rather unpredictable thing in the entire story!
Fun, lighthearted, but not a lot of depth and originality. 3 stars.
Poison was fun to read and kept my interest throughout it, however I feel that the entire story was unfortunately in need of more fleshing out. There was a need for more world building and development throughout the whole storyline to make it truly engrossing and seem more realistic. The book just had a whole sense of being 2D rather than popping off the page pulling me in. Despite having some interesting ideas about potions and magical creatures and their role in the kingdom and plot against it, there just wasn't enough depth and detail included about them, and there were plenty of fantasy cliches throughout the book. Not to mention some cringe-worthy moments on behalf of Kyra and some of the pivotal plot moments themselves.
Zinn's strength lay in her characters, my favorites being Fred and the animals. Fred was just so cheerful and generous, it was hard not to like him and want to read more of his story. And Rosie and Langley had so much personality for a pig and a dog! The friendship between the two of them was the sweetest. And although I wouldn't call the Duchess of Genria likeable, she was very intriguing, and I spent most of the story wondering about her greater role in the story and the mystery behind her. The one rather unpredictable thing in the entire story!
Fun, lighthearted, but not a lot of depth and originality. 3 stars.
I loved this book. Kyra is my perfect heroine, and Fred an excellent foil. The author drops us into the world in the middle of the action, and somehow makes us feel we're there without dumping information on us or leaving us with too few details. The story moves along at a perfect pace, a high achievement in any book with characters traveling long distances by foot.
At the end, I wanted to cry, because even though all of the important elements are satisfyingly concluded, there is just a hint of what would have come next had Bridget Zinn been able to continue the story. That she was unable to see the result of her success is tragic for her and her family and friends, but that we are unable to lose ourselves in this world again is tragic for us.
At the end, I wanted to cry, because even though all of the important elements are satisfyingly concluded, there is just a hint of what would have come next had Bridget Zinn been able to continue the story. That she was unable to see the result of her success is tragic for her and her family and friends, but that we are unable to lose ourselves in this world again is tragic for us.
Official review to be posted closer to publication date.
Procurement
ARC from publisher by request. Thank you Disney!
My Grade
Plot: 5
Setting: 5
Writing: 5
Originality: 5
Characters: 5
Romance: 5
Overall: 30/30! 100% A+++!!!
Title/Cover Bonus: 5
Overall
An adventurous tale of a master potioner set to save her world with the help of a piglet, Rosie, a traveler, Fred, and his wolf-dog Langley. Full of mystery, laughter and loyalty. A must read by an amazing author.
Trailer
None at time of review.
First Line
not available at time of review.
Most Memorable Scene
When Kyra crosses the river with Rosie.
Plot
Kyra is on a mission. This magical fantasy adventure is full of magic, odd creatures, handsome men, adorable and honorable animals and full of mystery! There's so much mystery I didn't see most of it coming at me. I like that I didn't realize it was a mystery because I am not a fan of knowing elements are missing. I want to be surprised to know that those elements of the story were missing. Does that make sense? I want to be like "OH!" not "Hmm, I wonder what's going on....?". There were several "OH!" moments for sure. I can't name any of them, of course, or I'd spoil all the fun! :)
Setting
Beautiful. The hidden cottage in the clearing was one of my favorite scenes. The hay barn was another. I enjoyed the setting very much.
Writing
Brilliant. I was filled with such sadness upon reading the ending to this because I knew that I will never read anything else written by Bridget Zinn. Since she was taken from us at such a young age and full of such talent there's nothing we can do but be thankful she was able to grace us with this lovely story. Thank you, Bridget, for this beautifully written story.
Originality
I am a huge fan of fun, funny, cute, and action packed epic fantasy. While this book was more along the cute and fun, it was also packed full of action. Kyra can kick some major butt. Her potions were very cool and unique. I loved the unique creatures too: goblins, flying things I can't remember their names, and an obeeka shape-shifting thing and witches!
Characters
Kyra is smart, extremely talented, strong, and loyal. She is way more than what we meet in the beginning and it was so much fun to walk on this adventure with her and her companions she picked up along the way.
Rosie is Kyra's person-finding piglet. She's adorable. I want a piglet.
Fred is a traveler Kyra meets while crossing the river with Rosie. He has a wolfish looking dog named Langley. Fred is handsome, an amazing cook, thoughtful and super nice and funny. He's hard to shake though when Kyra tries to sneak off to do her sneaky potioner acts.
Romance
There is instant attraction between Kyra and Fred. Their meeting scene is, of course, to blame. Their relationship is sweet, funny and real. I enjoyed their relationship.
Title/Cover Bonus
This cover is amazing. Beautiful and right on for the entire book. The title is fine and fits perfectly as well.
Ending
Beautiful. The ending ends perfectly. Nice and tidy but in a perfect way. I would love to rejoin these characters but, alas, the author is no longer with us and these characters leave with her.
Series
Standalone as far as I know.
Connect with Bridget Zinn
Get a look into how POISON came to be from this awesome blog post by Bridget: What I'm Not Going to Blog About. http://www.bridgetzinn.com/blog/?p=2754
Procurement
ARC from publisher by request. Thank you Disney!
My Grade
Plot: 5
Setting: 5
Writing: 5
Originality: 5
Characters: 5
Romance: 5
Overall: 30/30! 100% A+++!!!
Title/Cover Bonus: 5
Overall
An adventurous tale of a master potioner set to save her world with the help of a piglet, Rosie, a traveler, Fred, and his wolf-dog Langley. Full of mystery, laughter and loyalty. A must read by an amazing author.
Trailer
None at time of review.
First Line
not available at time of review.
Most Memorable Scene
When Kyra crosses the river with Rosie.
Plot
Kyra is on a mission. This magical fantasy adventure is full of magic, odd creatures, handsome men, adorable and honorable animals and full of mystery! There's so much mystery I didn't see most of it coming at me. I like that I didn't realize it was a mystery because I am not a fan of knowing elements are missing. I want to be surprised to know that those elements of the story were missing. Does that make sense? I want to be like "OH!" not "Hmm, I wonder what's going on....?". There were several "OH!" moments for sure. I can't name any of them, of course, or I'd spoil all the fun! :)
Setting
Beautiful. The hidden cottage in the clearing was one of my favorite scenes. The hay barn was another. I enjoyed the setting very much.
Writing
Brilliant. I was filled with such sadness upon reading the ending to this because I knew that I will never read anything else written by Bridget Zinn. Since she was taken from us at such a young age and full of such talent there's nothing we can do but be thankful she was able to grace us with this lovely story. Thank you, Bridget, for this beautifully written story.
Originality
I am a huge fan of fun, funny, cute, and action packed epic fantasy. While this book was more along the cute and fun, it was also packed full of action. Kyra can kick some major butt. Her potions were very cool and unique. I loved the unique creatures too: goblins, flying things I can't remember their names, and an obeeka shape-shifting thing and witches!
Characters
Kyra is smart, extremely talented, strong, and loyal. She is way more than what we meet in the beginning and it was so much fun to walk on this adventure with her and her companions she picked up along the way.
Rosie is Kyra's person-finding piglet. She's adorable. I want a piglet.
Fred is a traveler Kyra meets while crossing the river with Rosie. He has a wolfish looking dog named Langley. Fred is handsome, an amazing cook, thoughtful and super nice and funny. He's hard to shake though when Kyra tries to sneak off to do her sneaky potioner acts.
Romance
There is instant attraction between Kyra and Fred. Their meeting scene is, of course, to blame. Their relationship is sweet, funny and real. I enjoyed their relationship.
Title/Cover Bonus
This cover is amazing. Beautiful and right on for the entire book. The title is fine and fits perfectly as well.
Ending
Beautiful. The ending ends perfectly. Nice and tidy but in a perfect way. I would love to rejoin these characters but, alas, the author is no longer with us and these characters leave with her.
Series
Standalone as far as I know.
Connect with Bridget Zinn
Get a look into how POISON came to be from this awesome blog post by Bridget: What I'm Not Going to Blog About. http://www.bridgetzinn.com/blog/?p=2754
Potion master Kyra is on the run. She's attempted to kill the princess, who also happens to be her best friend. Now she needs to find the princess (and kill her, for real this time) before her worst fears come true. When she asks a fellow potion master for help in tracking the princess, she's given a piglet that supposedly has an exceptional sense of smell. Armed with only her wits, her poison, and her piglet, Kyra is forced into a cat-and-mouse game with the king's guard and her ex-boyfriend. When Kyra comes across an alluring adventurer named Fred, she tries as hard as she can to ditch him, but he will not be ditched. Kyra lies and tells Fred that she's a dairymaid (that just happens to have a full array of deadly poisons in her pack); whether he believes her or not is unclear. What is clear is that he's not going away anytime soon and maybe, just maybe, he might even be of some use.
Poison is a sweet and charming fantasy/adventure. Kyra is an expert in her trade, but she's got quite the sense of humor as well. Rosie the piglet is not only helpful, but totally adorable. Fred also has a great sense of humor, making his interactions with Kyra quite amusing. Even the princess, though she isn't in the book all that much, is a fun character. One can see how she and Kyra became fast friends. The reader won't know right away why it is that someone as nice and smart as Kyra would want to kill her (equally nice and smart) best friend. As it turns out there are some good reasons; reasons even the princess herself would approve of, if she had any say in the matter. The ending is satisfying and even includes a bit of twist, but still manages to tie up the loose-ends. A sweet, charming adventure.
Poison is a sweet and charming fantasy/adventure. Kyra is an expert in her trade, but she's got quite the sense of humor as well. Rosie the piglet is not only helpful, but totally adorable. Fred also has a great sense of humor, making his interactions with Kyra quite amusing. Even the princess, though she isn't in the book all that much, is a fun character. One can see how she and Kyra became fast friends. The reader won't know right away why it is that someone as nice and smart as Kyra would want to kill her (equally nice and smart) best friend. As it turns out there are some good reasons; reasons even the princess herself would approve of, if she had any say in the matter. The ending is satisfying and even includes a bit of twist, but still manages to tie up the loose-ends. A sweet, charming adventure.
Read this one in my teen years and I absolutely loved it, read it in a day. I just got it in hardcover to read it again!!
It was fun, light, intersting and romantic at the same time. I didn't have a single dull moment reading this one. A good read worth reading, overall. If you like fantasy but aren't up for an information overload and too intrincate plots and just want to relax and enjoy, then this one is for you.
It's been a long time since I've read a book that made me giggle so much! I loved Kyra from the beginning, ever since she was described as a badass potions master sneaking into a tightly warded apartment but STILL had the chance to grimace at her reflection in a mirror and insult her ex-fiance at the same time. I tell you, she cracks me up.
The story revolves around the above-mentioned Kyra and her attempts to find the princess, who's her ex-best friend who she tried to kill, while being hunted down by the royal guards and her former comrades. Fun stuff. Along the way, she's joined by a cute pig named Rosie and a charming rogue named Fred and his wolf. The book was a pretty light and fun read. I thought the gradual revealing of what happened prior to the events in the novel was a great technique that definitely made things more interesting, especially towards the end. I had to go back and reread a few things once certain things were brought to light. The romance was also very light and adorable, and I didn't feel like the plot was sacrificed for the love story. The ending was a little abrupt for me, but I still ended feeling bubbly and happy- a cute read!
Note: I suddenly remembered that when I turned to the back flap, I learned that Bridget Zinn had passed away. I'm very sorry- I would have loved to read more of her books.
The story revolves around the above-mentioned Kyra and her attempts to find the princess, who's her ex-best friend who she tried to kill, while being hunted down by the royal guards and her former comrades. Fun stuff. Along the way, she's joined by a cute pig named Rosie and a charming rogue named Fred and his wolf. The book was a pretty light and fun read. I thought the gradual revealing of what happened prior to the events in the novel was a great technique that definitely made things more interesting, especially towards the end. I had to go back and reread a few things once certain things were brought to light. The romance was also very light and adorable, and I didn't feel like the plot was sacrificed for the love story. The ending was a little abrupt for me, but I still ended feeling bubbly and happy- a cute read!
Note: I suddenly remembered that when I turned to the back flap, I learned that Bridget Zinn had passed away. I'm very sorry- I would have loved to read more of her books.
THIS IS A TRULY FUN READ. That is how I would describe my experience of reading Poison.
I am very much awed with the idea of Ms. Zinn. A sixteen year old princess assassin? Who's not going to be lured by that?
This novel started out with the adventure of Kyra, the poison master, and also the one who attempted to kill the princess. I was trying to figure her out hard because she seems to be a really good person, so why does she want to kill the princess?
THE PLOT THICKENS!
So I read on and found out about her sight. Well, it was pretty understandable. She was thinking of many other people, except for her self, apparently... since she hasn't even been feeding her self well! Oh, the horror of reading about her food dilemmas. I mean, if she has the time to concoct poisons, she should've had the time to find food! I was so glad when she met Fred. At least she was already eating! (Me and my food crisis! hah!)
Even before she met Fred, I was already having fun with her thoughts. She is kinda hilarious. Then Fred came into the picture and everything was just bright, jolly and super sarcastic. Haha. Let's add the pig to the fold and we have one good laughing party. I mean, yes, the main problem of the story is kinda serious, but their banters were totally humorous! Even Ari is funny!
The ending? *DROPJAW*
YES, I NEVER EXPECTED THAT.
I DIDN'T SEE IT COMING.
THAT WAS A SERIOUSLY GOOD SURPRISE.
IT'S AWESOME!!!
Of course, it all ended well... Happily ever after even... but then, it's just so sad that the book hinted on a possible sequel and we'll never have one since the author already died. :(
I really hope that, wherever she is, (if there's an afterlife) she gets to see how people are taking her book.
I for one, love it.
I wish more YA books are like this. Lighthearted, with bits of action here and there, a humongous percentage of laugh out loud moments and a really good plot.
All cheers to you, Ms. Zinn. I am a fan. :)
I am very much awed with the idea of Ms. Zinn. A sixteen year old princess assassin? Who's not going to be lured by that?
This novel started out with the adventure of Kyra, the poison master, and also the one who attempted to kill the princess. I was trying to figure her out hard because she seems to be a really good person, so why does she want to kill the princess?
THE PLOT THICKENS!
So I read on and found out about her sight. Well, it was pretty understandable. She was thinking of many other people, except for her self, apparently... since she hasn't even been feeding her self well! Oh, the horror of reading about her food dilemmas. I mean, if she has the time to concoct poisons, she should've had the time to find food! I was so glad when she met Fred. At least she was already eating! (Me and my food crisis! hah!)
Even before she met Fred, I was already having fun with her thoughts. She is kinda hilarious. Then Fred came into the picture and everything was just bright, jolly and super sarcastic. Haha. Let's add the pig to the fold and we have one good laughing party. I mean, yes, the main problem of the story is kinda serious, but their banters were totally humorous! Even Ari is funny!
The ending? *DROPJAW*
YES, I NEVER EXPECTED THAT.
I DIDN'T SEE IT COMING.
THAT WAS A SERIOUSLY GOOD SURPRISE.
IT'S AWESOME!!!
Of course, it all ended well... Happily ever after even... but then, it's just so sad that the book hinted on a possible sequel and we'll never have one since the author already died. :(
I really hope that, wherever she is, (if there's an afterlife) she gets to see how people are taking her book.
I for one, love it.
I wish more YA books are like this. Lighthearted, with bits of action here and there, a humongous percentage of laugh out loud moments and a really good plot.
All cheers to you, Ms. Zinn. I am a fan. :)