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3.96 AVERAGE
3.96 AVERAGE
I really really really wanted to love this book. The original Study series is in my top five trilogies of all time and Yelena is one of my favorite characters. But this book just felt like a cheap knockout to be perfectly honest.
What happened to the tough kickass Yelena who was always the underdog but came up kicking? There was way to little action in this book, it was mostly dialogue and yes we were introduced to a lot of mystery and things that will need to be solved. The commander plot was interesting as were the Valek flashbacks but honestly it all felt rather sloppily put together.
Yelena spent most of this book feeling miserable, and we didn't see a lot of her because of the rotating point of views and Valek spent most of it pining over Yelena and seeming really really old. It felt like both had lost their game. These two have been one of my book OTP's for over six years and know after reading this, I'm feeling king of meh about them. I felt very little throughout the entire book, I laughed maybe twice (both over Janco I think) and I much prefered Opal to Yelena in this (even though she's only in it a little) and this is saying something since the Glass books really didn't do it for me and I despised Opal until I re-read them last year. Onara was rather interesting, I paused somewhere along the way and thought that a story about her would be intriguing which again shows how lackluster the main one was. I paused quite a bit through reading this; mostly to cringe.
Also that ending. Gah! Ok, so I had sort of guessed it about halfway through but I was crossing my fingers and inwardly hoping that I was wrong. I was not. My first reaction after reading that last sentance was to get the book away from me. It was... maybe it's just me but it just doesn't make sense for those characters and well I'm really disappointed.
If this were any other book I'd probably give it two stars but I'm still attached to Yelana and the whole world so it gets that third star because I'm sentimental. I'll probably read the next one but it might take me a while. When this happened in Arcadia Bell it took me months to work up the nerve to read book four after the last page in the third one. Banishing the Dark sat on my shelves for months. Anyways I can hope Night Study will be better.
What happened to the tough kickass Yelena who was always the underdog but came up kicking? There was way to little action in this book, it was mostly dialogue and yes we were introduced to a lot of mystery and things that will need to be solved. The commander plot was interesting as were the Valek flashbacks but honestly it all felt rather sloppily put together.
Yelena spent most of this book feeling miserable, and we didn't see a lot of her because of the rotating point of views and Valek spent most of it pining over Yelena and seeming really really old. It felt like both had lost their game. These two have been one of my book OTP's for over six years and know after reading this, I'm feeling king of meh about them. I felt very little throughout the entire book, I laughed maybe twice (both over Janco I think) and I much prefered Opal to Yelena in this (even though she's only in it a little) and this is saying something since the Glass books really didn't do it for me and I despised Opal until I re-read them last year. Onara was rather interesting, I paused somewhere along the way and thought that a story about her would be intriguing which again shows how lackluster the main one was. I paused quite a bit through reading this; mostly to cringe.
Also that ending. Gah! Ok, so I had sort of guessed it about halfway through but I was crossing my fingers and inwardly hoping that I was wrong. I was not. My first reaction after reading that last sentance was to get the book away from me. It was... maybe it's just me but it just doesn't make sense for those characters and well I'm really disappointed.
If this were any other book I'd probably give it two stars but I'm still attached to Yelana and the whole world so it gets that third star because I'm sentimental. I'll probably read the next one but it might take me a while. When this happened in Arcadia Bell it took me months to work up the nerve to read book four after the last page in the third one. Banishing the Dark sat on my shelves for months. Anyways I can hope Night Study will be better.
Unlike the last two books in the series, this one actually had a decent plot, which honestly doesn’t even matter at this point since I’m reading this for the characters. I feel like I should have read the series about Opal before I started reading this one, but it’s all good I’ll just go back and read it later. I was really glad that there were different POVs in this book, it was kind of nice to see other perspectives that weren’t Yelena. I especially liked learning about Valek’s childhood or rather his assassin training. I’m curious to see what’s going on with the commander and whether or not he ends up being a “bad guy”.
This was much, much better than Fire Study and I really enjoyed that we got the additional perspectives of Valek and Janco.
I felt a little lost at first because I skipped the novellas and I think some stuff happened in the novellas that this book heavily built on, but overall it was fine as most things were explained well enough.
I felt a little lost at first because I skipped the novellas and I think some stuff happened in the novellas that this book heavily built on, but overall it was fine as most things were explained well enough.
I must say that Yelana and Valek are one of my favorite literary couples and I am truly glad to have them back. I'm also really glad I waited to read this book because the ending was a total cliff hanger. Without giving anything away, I read the last sentence and just yelled you can't just end there, but that's exactly what Maria V. Snyder did, she left us hanging. Fortunately,there isn't that long of a wait, the next book is out on January 26th.
BEFORE PUBLICATION THOUGHTS:
OMG OMG OMG!!! I'm only on Magic Study but I am SO glad I don't have to leave Yelena after Fire Study!! I think I'm going to faint.... Or run around screaming and singing and laughing. Can't decide yet. Too freaking excited!!!!
YES!!! YES YES YESSSSS!!!!!!!!
THANK YOU, MARIA V. SNYDER!!!! I OFFICIALLY LOVE YOU EVEN MORE THAN I LOVE VALEK.
And trust me. That's a serious declaration. I freaking love Valek!
Ok I've decided. I'm going to sing and dance and scream and then faint.
Now: Ta-ta til 2014. I'll be celebrating until this one is released. :D
UPDATED REVIEW:
“Dead air surrounded me.
My magic was gone…”
When you miss your days as a poison tester, you know your life is crazy.
Yelena Zaltana, former poison tester for the Commander of Ixia, now Liason between Ixia and Sitia and powerful magician, is just looking forward to some quality time with her heart mate, Valek, when she is shot by a poisoned arrow. Thinking she expelled all the poison before it had a chance to take effect, she leaves the hunt for her assassin to Valek.
But she didn't get it all out. And now her magic is gone, leaving her defenceless against a magical enemy she thought she'd defeated.
Meanwhile, Valek attempts to find Yelena's attempted-assassin, take down a smuggling ring (with the help of Janco and Ari) and also deal with a newcomer who is vying for his job.
Can Yelena save her own life, let alone the ones she loves, when she is deprived of the very thing that makes her strongest?
“Run and hide? That was so not my style…”
When I found out Yelena's story would continue in a brand new trilogy, I freaked out; I was just so, so excited. In fact, I did many a happy dance. But when I got my hands on Shadow Study, I found myself a bit nervous, since I haven't actually read the Glass series yet. I shouldn’t have worried: it didn't take long for me to figure out what had happened – and I'm sure I'll reread Shadow Study after I read the Glass series, so it doesn't matter much!
But anyway: I was also worried Shadow Study wouldn't live up to the original series. But I was, of course, wrong. From the very start, it was all action and just as magical as ever – and we even had Valek and Janco chapters, two of my other fave Study characters! Can I hear a HELL YEAH!
Yelena has grown up so much in the time between Fire Study and Shadow Study. Not surprising, given the time that has passed, but she's matured a lot. I love her – how badass and brave she is, even without her magic. We got to see more of the human Yelena, the one who was cunning, Valek's student and who needed her friends – I liked that a lot.
Valek. I loved learning more about Valek's past, about how he became Valek. About why he makes animals form the black stone with silver specks. About why he's so rational. About how and why he became an assassin. About how he was told to not feel, how emotions were weakness, but he's embraced them anyway because of his good heart, how he is so so caring. It has made me love him even more – something I thought impossible.
Janco: oh how I love him! He's my favourite soldier ever, my favourite comedic release in this suspenseful series. He's also man after my own heart – not a morning person. I get it, Janco. "Bright sunlight, chirping birds and those obnoxious morning people" make my stomach churn too. Seriously though, I am so in love with this bonkers, hilarious, brave soldier – as-much-as-I-love-Valek kind of love.
Now for our supporting cast. First up Ari, who sadly we didn’t see as much of, but he was so brilliant when we did! And Leif has become such a protective big brother! He killed me at time – the boy has serious snark! And little Fisk! Not so little now – and such an entrepreneur! Oh, and Reema killed me – the lines that kid came out with were amazing! And then there’s Onora, who just intrigues me – I can’t wait to learn more about her, and I see a future love connection with my favourite little Janco (though does anyone else totally want Janco and Ari to be a couple? Is that just me? Just think – they could be Jaari or Arco or Janri: too cute!).
I must say, I loved this triple but linked storyline. The way we followed Yelena, Valek and Janco made the action and suspense just nonstop and full on. Of course, I occasionally wished it was easier to skip ahead on my Kindle – sometimes I just wanted to continue with the storyline I read in that chapter, because they were always left on cliffhangers! Noo! But seriously: loved it to pieces. And that ending... Oh. My. Gods. I need the next book – like right now. Or, even better, yesterday!
And the writing: OH MY GODS, I love split POVs. So so much. I mean, we got to read daring quests from the perspectives of the lovely and kickass Yelena, the gorgeous and badass Valek and the hilarious and brilliant Janco. It was just so much awesome to fit into one book – and I loved it so much! I've always loved Yelena, but it was so great to get to know Valek and Janco better! And Maria is always so good at writing brilliant action scenes, scenes of comic relief and sparkling dialogue – and Shadow Study had all of these in spades!
I've said so many times and I'll say it again: I love this world! I love Ixia and I love Sitia and I love the magic and the politics and the spying and the mad adventures. I want to move here – live in Sitia with the Zaltanas, or live in Ixia and be one of Valek's spies. I just love Maria's world building so freaking much and I can't get enough of this brilliant world she's created.
Damn, I love this world, this series and these characters. It feels so much like home – like one of my favourite places to be – and I'm so glad I get to spend even more time here. Shadow Study managed to exceed every single one of my expectations and left me shaking for so much more. I just... God, I loved it so much! Maria V. Snyder is always amazing, always a true artist, but Shadow Study exceeds all the others in the Study series so far. Night Study can't come quickly enough!
OMG OMG OMG!!! I'm only on Magic Study but I am SO glad I don't have to leave Yelena after Fire Study!! I think I'm going to faint.... Or run around screaming and singing and laughing. Can't decide yet. Too freaking excited!!!!
YES!!! YES YES YESSSSS!!!!!!!!
THANK YOU, MARIA V. SNYDER!!!! I OFFICIALLY LOVE YOU EVEN MORE THAN I LOVE VALEK.
And trust me. That's a serious declaration. I freaking love Valek!
Ok I've decided. I'm going to sing and dance and scream and then faint.
Now: Ta-ta til 2014. I'll be celebrating until this one is released. :D
UPDATED REVIEW:
“Dead air surrounded me.
My magic was gone…”
When you miss your days as a poison tester, you know your life is crazy.
Yelena Zaltana, former poison tester for the Commander of Ixia, now Liason between Ixia and Sitia and powerful magician, is just looking forward to some quality time with her heart mate, Valek, when she is shot by a poisoned arrow. Thinking she expelled all the poison before it had a chance to take effect, she leaves the hunt for her assassin to Valek.
But she didn't get it all out. And now her magic is gone, leaving her defenceless against a magical enemy she thought she'd defeated.
Meanwhile, Valek attempts to find Yelena's attempted-assassin, take down a smuggling ring (with the help of Janco and Ari) and also deal with a newcomer who is vying for his job.
Can Yelena save her own life, let alone the ones she loves, when she is deprived of the very thing that makes her strongest?
“Run and hide? That was so not my style…”
When I found out Yelena's story would continue in a brand new trilogy, I freaked out; I was just so, so excited. In fact, I did many a happy dance. But when I got my hands on Shadow Study, I found myself a bit nervous, since I haven't actually read the Glass series yet. I shouldn’t have worried: it didn't take long for me to figure out what had happened – and I'm sure I'll reread Shadow Study after I read the Glass series, so it doesn't matter much!
But anyway: I was also worried Shadow Study wouldn't live up to the original series. But I was, of course, wrong. From the very start, it was all action and just as magical as ever – and we even had Valek and Janco chapters, two of my other fave Study characters! Can I hear a HELL YEAH!
Yelena has grown up so much in the time between Fire Study and Shadow Study. Not surprising, given the time that has passed, but she's matured a lot. I love her – how badass and brave she is, even without her magic. We got to see more of the human Yelena, the one who was cunning, Valek's student and who needed her friends – I liked that a lot.
Valek. I loved learning more about Valek's past, about how he became Valek. About why he makes animals form the black stone with silver specks. About why he's so rational. About how and why he became an assassin. About how he was told to not feel, how emotions were weakness, but he's embraced them anyway because of his good heart, how he is so so caring. It has made me love him even more – something I thought impossible.
Janco: oh how I love him! He's my favourite soldier ever, my favourite comedic release in this suspenseful series. He's also man after my own heart – not a morning person. I get it, Janco. "Bright sunlight, chirping birds and those obnoxious morning people" make my stomach churn too. Seriously though, I am so in love with this bonkers, hilarious, brave soldier – as-much-as-I-love-Valek kind of love.
Now for our supporting cast. First up Ari, who sadly we didn’t see as much of, but he was so brilliant when we did! And Leif has become such a protective big brother! He killed me at time – the boy has serious snark! And little Fisk! Not so little now – and such an entrepreneur! Oh, and Reema killed me – the lines that kid came out with were amazing! And then there’s Onora, who just intrigues me – I can’t wait to learn more about her, and I see a future love connection with my favourite little Janco (though does anyone else totally want Janco and Ari to be a couple? Is that just me? Just think – they could be Jaari or Arco or Janri: too cute!).
I must say, I loved this triple but linked storyline. The way we followed Yelena, Valek and Janco made the action and suspense just nonstop and full on. Of course, I occasionally wished it was easier to skip ahead on my Kindle – sometimes I just wanted to continue with the storyline I read in that chapter, because they were always left on cliffhangers! Noo! But seriously: loved it to pieces. And that ending... Oh. My. Gods. I need the next book – like right now. Or, even better, yesterday!
And the writing: OH MY GODS, I love split POVs. So so much. I mean, we got to read daring quests from the perspectives of the lovely and kickass Yelena, the gorgeous and badass Valek and the hilarious and brilliant Janco. It was just so much awesome to fit into one book – and I loved it so much! I've always loved Yelena, but it was so great to get to know Valek and Janco better! And Maria is always so good at writing brilliant action scenes, scenes of comic relief and sparkling dialogue – and Shadow Study had all of these in spades!
I've said so many times and I'll say it again: I love this world! I love Ixia and I love Sitia and I love the magic and the politics and the spying and the mad adventures. I want to move here – live in Sitia with the Zaltanas, or live in Ixia and be one of Valek's spies. I just love Maria's world building so freaking much and I can't get enough of this brilliant world she's created.
Damn, I love this world, this series and these characters. It feels so much like home – like one of my favourite places to be – and I'm so glad I get to spend even more time here. Shadow Study managed to exceed every single one of my expectations and left me shaking for so much more. I just... God, I loved it so much! Maria V. Snyder is always amazing, always a true artist, but Shadow Study exceeds all the others in the Study series so far. Night Study can't come quickly enough!
I found it brings me back to my love for these characters, yelena, valek and specially janco. I’m happy that he included as one of pov in this book. A bit slow pace in my opinion but happy that finally valek’s past being shared in this book.
REREAD 2016
4.5 stars. It's still a solid novel. My only negative is that it references a lot of things that happened in the Glass trilogy which was a bit confusing, but other than that I adored this book! So many great characters in these books!
READ APRIL 2015
4.5 stars. Amazing fourth book in the Study series. I was just amazed by how good this book was and how much I enjoyed it.
Shadow Study starts off some years after Fire Study. Yelena and Valek are yet again in a sticky situation with corruption, danger, magic and lives are at stake. We get to see both old characters and new characters introduced in this book. It's a very exciting book with a solid plot that really kept me on the edge of my seat during the whole book.
I just really loved everything about this book. It was so addicting, so fun and just so GREAT to read about Yelena and Valek again. I've missed their adventures so much and I was deeply satisfied in seeing that there was going to be a whole new trilogy in the Study series. Shadow Study was a great start to this trilogy with exciting moments, twists and turns and just pure awesomeness. Solid world-building with a lot of immense elements. Fleshed-out characters that you grow on during the book. Solid plot (with lots of backstory and character development, that's a huge plus for me). If you haven't read the Study series, PLEASE PICK IT UP. You won't regret it. It's an incredible YA-fantasy series that truly opened my eyes to a lot of other Fantasy books. I think that's why I love this series so much, because it introduced me to a genre that I love with all my heart to this day. Starting with this book.
4.5 stars. It's still a solid novel. My only negative is that it references a lot of things that happened in the Glass trilogy which was a bit confusing, but other than that I adored this book! So many great characters in these books!
READ APRIL 2015
4.5 stars. Amazing fourth book in the Study series. I was just amazed by how good this book was and how much I enjoyed it.
Shadow Study starts off some years after Fire Study. Yelena and Valek are yet again in a sticky situation with corruption, danger, magic and lives are at stake. We get to see both old characters and new characters introduced in this book. It's a very exciting book with a solid plot that really kept me on the edge of my seat during the whole book.
I just really loved everything about this book. It was so addicting, so fun and just so GREAT to read about Yelena and Valek again. I've missed their adventures so much and I was deeply satisfied in seeing that there was going to be a whole new trilogy in the Study series. Shadow Study was a great start to this trilogy with exciting moments, twists and turns and just pure awesomeness. Solid world-building with a lot of immense elements. Fleshed-out characters that you grow on during the book. Solid plot (with lots of backstory and character development, that's a huge plus for me). If you haven't read the Study series, PLEASE PICK IT UP. You won't regret it. It's an incredible YA-fantasy series that truly opened my eyes to a lot of other Fantasy books. I think that's why I love this series so much, because it introduced me to a genre that I love with all my heart to this day. Starting with this book.
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes