A review by reynoldsreads
Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

An utterly engrossing fantasy!

After wasting away in prison for a year while awaiting her execution for murder, Yelena is surprised to be offered a second chance at life as the new food taster for the Commander. She accepts the job, but there is a catch: the Commander’s right-hand man, Valek, immediately poisons her with Butterfly’s Dust, so she must return daily to take the antidote and postpone the poison’s effects by another day. 

In addition to the potentially lethal training she must endure to learn to identify poisons by taste and smell, her new position holds other dangers. The father of the man she killed is hellbent on vengeance; she doesn’t know who among the castle servants she can truly trust; and now there is a mysterious woman with powerful magic trying to kill Yelena too!

It’s absolutely gripping and I flew right through it! Although I do wish someone would #GiveYelenaABreak from being attacked every other chapter, poor girl deserves a chance to just breathe for a moment (literally!) 
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