A Land of Fantasy Addicts discussion

Hi Mimi and Maria!

Ok, I know it's just the three of us and we don't exactly need a whole group to do a buddy read, however, one of the few things I found extremely annoying in Goodreads is the word limitation in the Status Updates. Here, at least, we'll have plenty of space to post updates on our progress and comment to our hearts' desire! :D

There are no rules whatsoever! Except for one maybe: spoilers should generally be hidden if the rest of us are still behind. And that's pretty much it! With this out of the way, I just want to say I am absolutely ecstatic to be doing a buddy read with you, girls! This is my third buddy-read and I still feel like a newbie - jumping up and down!

And I was just wondering:

What made you decide to read Poison Study in the first place?

For me, the thing that grabbed my attention almost 3 years ago was the cover (the creepy, purple one). Then I read the synopsis and saw the word "sorceress" and right away my mind came up with the logical conclusion: This must be a grown ups version of Harry Potter! Maybe it was the old mysterious (spell?) book and the empty potion bottles. Maybe it was the medieval castle in the background. I was already sold! Yep, back then choosing books to read was simple.

So what about you? Do you remember what it was that grabbed your attention?

Let's get started...tomorrow! :D

Don't worry, this is my third buddy read too. Usually I'm not very good with these things because I tend to get sidetracked by other books while reading--don't know why, maybe short attention span?--but I will try to stay on task this time. Promise heh. :)

When I first noticed Poison Study, a lot of similar books became popular around the same time, and I used to get them mixed up (Throne of Glass, Graceling, Grave Mercy, etc etc). But what initially drew me to Poison Study specifically were GR friends' reviews. Even some of the people who didn't like or read YA liked it and thought Maria Snyder was a good writer. I don't really know what to expect, but it's always good to have low expectations when reading new authors. So I will keep an open mind and just enjoy.

Since you gals have already read this book, have you read the next one? Or finished the trilogy?

Starting in a bit! I'll be listening to the audiobook while I am working!

Mimi wrote: "Since you gals have already read this book, have you read the next one? Or finished the trilogy? "

Yes! I even read her second trilogy, Glass, and the first book of Healer. Surprisingly, I didn't enjoy any of them as much as Poison Study. There was something that bothered me, but I wont say what it is yet ;)

Is the rest of the Poison series as good as the first book? I know it was planned as a trilogy, but then Snyder decided to expand it. A 4th book is written and it looks like she plans to write 2 more.

Her Glass trilogy looks interesting. If I really like Poison Study, I might give it a try. This might be too spoilery to say, but the thing that bothered you, Gergana, is it characterization?

Mimi wrote: "This might be too spoilery to say, but the thing that bothered you, Gergana, is it characterization? "

No, not characterization. At least for me, I really like Miss Snyder's characters. It was something else, but I didn't pick it up in Poison Study when I first read it, so I want to see whether you will notice it. If you don't - there is a big chance you will enjoy the rest of her books!

I am 5% in already :D Gods! I love the narrator's voice for Valek! She makes it sound so boyish and cheerful, a total opposite of what he does for a living!

By the way, Maria started rereading this book a little bit before I invited her to the buddy read, so she has paused it at 30% and will wait for us to catch up :)

I'll have to pay more attention then. As long as it's not characterization and as long as Snyder continues to write like she did in Poison Study, I think I can get through another one of her books without much issue.

My ebook is a library copy and there's something wrong with the %. So I don't really know what % I'm at. It's the part where Yelena is told she's been poisoned by Butterfly's Dust and has to come to Valek for the antidote every day.

I like Yelena so far, but am neutral about Valek. If I didn't know he was the love interest ahead of time, I would never have guessed. Do they fall in love gradually or immediately? So far there's no hint of love and Yelena is focused on survival.

You're about 5-6% in. Haha! Valek and Yelena? You'll have to wait and see!

Just started Chapter 6. I think I'll have a break around Chapter 10 (if I can resist the temptation to keep reading XD)

Hi girls,
This is my first buddy read but I have always wanted to do one, and I am very excited.
I read the first book shortly after the first trilogy came out, so quite a while back now :). I don't remember very clearly what else drew me to it, but I found the title really intriguing. I blazed through the books, so details are very blurry now; however, I remember I liked the second one as much or even more but it somehow lost momentum for me with the third book and I did not enjoy it as much. I read the second trilogy and liked it rather a lot and I am planning to try out the Healer trilogy, too.
My plan now is to reread all six books in italian, combining pleasure with a bit of self-improvement, as I am not as fluent in Italian as I would like to be, yet. Then I'll read the new Shadow Study, if all goes as planned.
How are you enjoying Poison Study so far, Mimi?

Yey! Welcome to our humble party, Maria!
You are reading them in Italian! Wow! I'm impressed! I have a couple of books in French that I would like to read, but I always feel intimidated by them...Too many bad memories from high school :D
I remember I liked the second one better than the third, which felt a little bit disorganized. The Healer trilogy is actually pretty good, the only thing that stopped me from continuing the series was this one "thing" that I'll mention once we've all finished Poison Study.

I like it so far, Maria. Snyder's writing is really good, not at all what I was expecting. Since this book is YA, I expected it to be like other YAs--somewhat tedious, somewhat self-absorbed--but both plotting and characterization are great. I look forward to continuing the read. I'm at the part where Yelena has been introduced to My Love and she's just waking up after a terrible night of suffering.

I took French in high school too, Gergana, and had a difficult time with it, but I did manage to be proficient enough to read a few children's book in French. I'll try YA next. Maybe... hah.

If all goes well and our schedules match up, should we finish the trilogy?

I'm so glad I still love this book! I'm 24% in, about to start Chapter 11. I don't think I'll be able to pause yet :D I'll get to 30% and that's it for today.

Mimi wrote: "I took French in high school too, Gergana, and had a difficult time with it, but I did manage to be proficient enough to read a few children's book in French. I'll try YA next. Maybe... hah...."

I used to study in a French language high school and had to read a lot of old classics in French for Literature class. Biology, Geography and a couple other subjects were in French too and I hated it! Had to cheat on the exams :D There is something about old French novels that I find really depressing; maybe it's the fact that almost always everybody dies or ends up unhappy. The french book I want to read is Arcadia.

Mimi wrote: "If all goes well and our schedules match up, should we finish the trilogy? ..."

Not a 100% sure yet XD I'll probably need to finish Dhampir first. I've paused it for the buddy read, but I can hardly wait to get back to it too!

Oh, I don't mean right away or read the whole trilogy back to back. There should be a break in between group reads so everyone can catch up or finish their other reads.

And not trying to rush you or anything, but I'm really looking forward to your thoughts on Dhampir. It sounds like an great dark fantasy with interesting creatures and an interesting world. I haven't read a good vampire book in a long time, so I'm hoping Dhampir is one of the good ones.

Mimi wrote: "And not trying to rush you or anything, but I'm really looking forward to your thoughts on Dhampir ..."

Dhampir is turning out to be everything I ever wanted in a Fantasy book! For now. I'll keep you updated ;) I love the fact that it is an epic fantasy with vampires mixed in it! Also, the main heroine rocks!

Ok, 34%! Chapter 14. And I'll stop here for today or I'll miss my dinner! I got to the part right before the "hunt".

I made it to the hunt too! I'm really liking Yelena, and Valek is growing on me. But whatever's going on with Brazell and Margg makes it too hard to put the book down. And what is up with Rand and those mood swings of his? This read is going by a lot faster than I thought which means I might be able to finish the book this weekend, hopefully.

You make Dhampir sound so exciting! And I'm glad it's not Dungeons & Dragons with vampires like the cover art seems to suggest lol. I will have to look for it at the library next time.

Yey! So we are all pretty much at the same place now :D

To be honest, I don't remember who the traitor was, so I am quite in the dark as well. I also forgot how much I love Valek! I get the feeling he might be a little bit jealous and secretly over-protective of Yelena. Love the snappy dialogue between them!
Margg is driving me crazy, and I truly don't remember this, but I really don't know whether she is he traitor. I kind of wish it's her. But it might be too obvious.

Dhampir - definitely not Dungeons & Dragons style. Our characters don't have any epic missions to save the world or retrieve powerful artifacts. They actually just bought a tavern and are planning to settle down in a "peaceful"small town. :D

Hey Mimi, if the flow takes you, definitely do not try to slow down you pace for us. The pleasure of a good read is so amazing, no external pressure should crampp your style.
It is a personal failing of mine, when I find a delightful book, I feel like I am floating on a cloud of pure pleasure.
Unfortunately, that often translates into "not being able to put the book donw until the last page" which could be, say, at 6 am.
I am lucky I have a somewhat floating work schedule, but still, I really need to get a grip one of these days, as I've been telling myself these past ten years :)

On another note, I don't know where this series is described as an YA, but for me it is not. Yelena is not a teen, and Valek even less so. I'm not remembering any mature content but still...

Agree, I don't think this book is YA either, even without mature content. Yelena seems more adult in her personality and thoughts than most YA heroines, and the other characters in the book are much older than her. Maybe it was the publisher's choice to place the book as YA since YA books are popular? YA books sell much better than books in other genres. But this is a disservice to Maria Snyder and the whole Study series since I know a lot of fantasy readers would like these books but they're put off by the YA label.

You're right, Ajyram. This book is hard to put down, and I think I will continue reading the rest of the trilogy immediately. Hopefully you and Gergana will be able to join me. It's a lot more fun reading in group.

I just got to the part where the traitor is revealed and Yelena is heartbroken. :( On the other hand, Valek's feelings for her are slowly showing themselves. Almost everyone in the castle is aware of his attraction to her, except Yelena herself.

Irys is an interesting character. I have a feeling we're gonna see more of her later in the book.

70%, Chapter 24. The Massage scene *_* oh boy.
I think Yelena was 16 when they started torturing her. So she must be in her twenties now. Definitely not a YA.

Mimi, I am super happy that you are enjoying Poison Study :D My first buddy read was of Red Rising and to be honest I wasn't a huge fan of the book. It's a different feeling now! I think I might actually finish today, or tomorrow morning.

Oh good! I'll be right behind you. I think I will finish it tomorrow night and start Magic Study on Monday.

It was the same for me with Red Rising. Liked it the first time I read it, but on the second read, I couldn't not notice all the flaws in the writing. There were so many and they stood out so much; it was a wonder I was able to ignore them before. But this group read is a lot more fun, and it helps that Poison Study is better than Red Rising.

I definitely prefer Poison Study to Red Rising, but I am sure many of my friends will disagree XD

I actually can't believe that we've read this book for less than 3 days! Usually I'm much slower, but buddy-reading really makes it more fun! Maria? How are you doing?

Yay we gained 2 members overnight! :D

I don't see what other people see in Red Rising either. It's an okay story with too many poor plotting choices and too much unnecessary violence. Not bad for a first book and certainly not terrible for YA dystopian, but too many elements of the overall story are derivative and frankly not well executed. Sorry, end of rant.

Poison Study is surprisingly a fast read for me too. I thought I'd need a few more days to finish, but nope, I should be done by tonight. And now I have a sudden craving for chocolates...hah.

Sorry if we're going too fast, Maria.

Sorry, all!
I got distracted by other things and some work during the weekend, feeling smug with my 30% starting advantage but you've been lightning fast. I suppose the fact that the book is so good is to blame :)
I'll step on it tonight and tomorrow and hope to finish by Monday evening. Please, don't wait for me to discuss spoilers and final impressions, these things are best when still fresh.
I am reading fast now and enjoying every minute of it.

DOOOONEEE!!! Yey! Minor spoilers below.

No worries Maria :) I want to say take your time, but I am also very curious to find out what you thought about it! XD


Rereading Poison Study was absolutely amazing! I actually liked this book even better than the first time I read it and I don't even know where to begin discussing!

Ok, although I loved Valek, his chemistry with Yelena, the multiple plots that were perfectly balanced and came together rather nicely, the setting (which was unusual for it depicted the bad AND THE GOOD sides of a Dictatorship system) and the wonderful characterization, there were 3 things that bothered me.

But I won't mention them yet (soooon), for now I just want to hear what everyone's thoughts are :D Positive and Negative!

All I can say for now is: Valeeeeek! I am in love with way too many fictional characters, but I have to admit, Yelena is perfect for him. When Valek handed her the bloody sword and said "My love, for you!" - I squeaked! I don't know what it is about him, he just feels real to me! Yes, he's dangerous, but he has his limits, he has a romantic side, but has trouble showing it without offering to test poisons on you first, he's cool and recollected, yet embarrassed to wear his finest clothes for official meetings. In real life, I would call the police to arrest this psychopath, but in the fictional world...

I also appreciate the fact that Miss Snyder kept the love aspect of the novel at a background level. So my main focus was on Yelena's adventure and the scenes with Valek were something I could squeek about meanwhile. XD

I like how the dictatorship under the Commander is featured in the book too. Too often, we see what terrible a system it is. It's interesting that Maria Snyder chose to highlight the positive side as well as showing the negative effects following the Commander's coup. And the Commander himself is quite an interesting character. I did not see that revelation coming at all, but it does explain a few things about him that's vastly different from his predecessors.

As for Valek, you girls will have to convince me because I'm still neutral toward him. I mean, it's great that he's a complex character with lots of shades of gray in his personality and I think him very interesting, but I'm still not feeling the love interest angle of his characterization. He still seems more like a guardian to Yelena than a romantic partner.

Did anyone feel that the ending was rushed? The dispatching of Brazell and Mogkin seem too swift to me. I thought the fight be last longer, but it was over before I could work out what was happening. Or maybe I'm just used to these confrontation scenes being dragged out for too long in fantasy novels.

Yes, pacing could definitely be improved.The fight with Mogkin didn't bother me, Brazell on the other hand... I think he deserved to die just as much and Maria Snyder could at least have let Yelena fight him and spare his life in the end if the author needed him alive.

Which brings me back to one of my main problems with Miss Snyder's books and that is: REPETITION! Don't get me wrong, I am an absolute fan of Poison Study and I thought Miss Snyder's other books were very well done, just not my cup of tea. But I was so so so tired and emotionally exhausted hearing how many times Yelena was in mortal danger . The first book is better in my opinion, but still she is constantly poisoned, threatened, attacked, glared at and hurt every 5 minutes of the audio book! At first it feels absolutely thrilling and you become emotionally invested in the character, you don't want her to suffer. But after the 20-th attack by a random side-person you just loose the tension and start rolling your eyes. Maybe that's why the final battles felt rushed compared to the rest of the book.

I was also definitely not happy with her leaving Valek and moving to the Southern Country.

I have finally finished, too, sorry for the delay, guys.
I enjoyed the book a lot, but I have to say, that although I definitely remember it as a 5-star book from my first read, this time around, it more more of a 4-stars for me. What poisoned it, ha-ha, from the start for me was a glaring inconsistency, which I hoped to the very last would be resolved in some way, but didn't. I simply cannot believe that Valek, being the uber spy that he is, would not research Yelena's past and the reasons for the murder. After all, he was entrusting the life of his precious Commander into her hands. It's a classic case of "If only they had talked", like so many romance plots revolve around. Because then he would have been forced to investigate the reason for the "experiments" and discovered Brazell and so on.
Also, Yelena seemed much too mature and well-balanced for a young girl with barely any education and subjected to torture since 16.
Also, like Mimi, I am still not warming up towards Valek, and the incident with Rand's mother, quickly brushed off and excused by Yelena, does nothing to endear him to me.
Anyway, on to the good stuff. I loved the world-building. Yelena describes life in Ixia for us, shows us how it functions on a practical level, but doesn't go into lecturing mode on the ills of the military regime, she leaves the social commentary to us.
Also, I, for my part, liked the pacing. There was never a dull moment in this book (although I seem to remember some of those in the second one, and especially the third). There were many unexpected plot twists which kept me turning the pages.
I also liked the Commander, portrayed as a realistic, flawed human being, rigid, but with potential to "see the light" and perhaps allow some positive change to the good of all Ixia.
I will continue with the second book as well, I remember I loved the Yelena in Magic School part.
Geri, you mentioned 3 things bothering you. The all-out-to-kill-Yelena-today is obviously the first one, what are the other two?
Mini, how are you finding Magic Study so far?

Hmm, good points Maria. I still find the whole "you are in a constant danger coming from literally ALL directions ALL the time" aspect to be a little bit bothersome for me. I am also starting to understand yours and Mimi's point about Valek - he SHOULD have at least figured it out by himself - people don't kill their benefactors for no reason. When Valek came out from the torture chamber in Brazell's house looking shocked, my first thoughts were: what? you didn't know already? Brazell was up to something since half-way through the story - Valek could've investigated his house...


The 3 things that bothered me:

1. "The all-out-to-kill-Yelena-today" :D

2. This one you already guessed too - if the author didn't say it, I would have never guessed that Yelena was tortured and humiliated for years. It bothered me how calm and recollected she seemed, even when reading from her point of view. I kept expecting her to snap or have a panic attack. AND, she spent (half a year? was it?) sitting in a small cell in jail and there are almost no physical, mental or emotional long-term damages to her. Yes, reading about a broken person is not fun, and she probably came to terms with her physical abuse while in jail, yet, I wanted her to just snap sometimes and go medieval on Bazell! Rip his throat out, break his arms, use magic to cut him to pieces...Anything! She didn't even feel the need to murder him in the end for all he did to her and her "sisters"! Just couldn't buy it.

3. The third is just me, but I AM NOT happy with her leaving Ixia. I would've enjoyed at least one more book with her in Ixia before going to the Southern country. For me the second book was just a repetition of the first - everyone hates Yelena and she hates them back. They try to kill her, she fights back and gets more powerful. And most importantly, we don't get to see Valek that often in the other books and that just killed it for me XD Without Valek, it's just Yelena running away, training and fighting for her life while learning how to defend herself. Same story, but without Valek.

And why didn't Yelena ever try to speak with the haters? At least don't act all smug and "in your face"! Of course you'll drive them even madder!

Now I'm doubting my 5 stars too XD

Glad to see that you're also reading Magic Study, Ajyram. :) Now that you mention it, it does seem strange that Valek being a master assassin (with a keen ear for rumors) didn't know what Brazell and Mogkin were planning. I mean, the whole ordeal had been going on for over 10 years. It's hard to believe Mogkin's kidnapping & smuggling mission had been so successful that no word of it reached Valek or Valek's people, or that Mogkin was able to continue his "work" for so many years...is just hard to believe. Valek has spies everywhere; it's strange that none of them sensed anything wrong at Brazell's castle.

I like Magic Study so far. It reminds me of Harry Potter's early days at Hogwarts when he was all alone and almost everyone had a score to settle with him even though people barely knew him. You're right, Gergana, a lot of Yelena's troubles with people could be solved by just talking and getting everything out in the open. Her instinct to keep to herself is what others translate as smugness. If she didn't keep to herself so much, they might not see her as a threat? Maybe. If she were more open and talkative, it would solve one problem at least: Leif. I know a confrontation between the two of them is coming, so I'm anticipating a good fight. :D

As for Yelena's calmness and control, I see that as her own coping mechanism. It's her way of claiming dominance over all those horrible things. Putting her past away while she goes about her day is her way of dealing with it while trying to live with it. It's actually very common for survivors of abuse to do this, especially people who have been abused since they were children. But the facade doesn't last. When Yelena is alone or under a lot of stress, her past comes back to haunt her in the form of Reyad's ghost. While she's able to overcome the ghost's taunts and banish it away, it still comes back to her when she's stressed or when something triggers a painful memory to resurface. So in that, I think her characterization is believable and sympathetic. She may appear calm on the surface, so as not to give her enemies any more ammunition to use against her, but she still carries the past with her.

I don't mind Valek's absence in Magic Study, and Yelena's decision to go to Sitia is good timing. It would have been awkward and stifling for her to stay in Ixia after her magical abilities were revealed to the Commander. He can never fully trust her and having her around would be an unnecessary danger to him, since she alone knows his secret identity. So letting her escape to the South makes sense to the progression of the narrative.

I guess the first time I read Poison Study I wasn't bothered by any of these things. They do seem more prominent on my second read though, and they also remind me of the reasons why I didn't enjoy the rest of Maria Snyder's books as much. It's funny, but despite my issues with Poison Study, I am still in love with it. It is a case where you completely understand why people would hate the book and yet, you are more focused on the good aspects of it to pay too much attention to its flaws.

Mimi, you do have a good point about Yelena's psychology that has convinced me to be more acceptable of her behavior and outer calmness and the appearance of Reyad's ghost whenever she's under stress does make more sense and shows her inner vulnerability. Yet, I so wish she could have the chance to exact her revenge in the end...

Although I am not a huge fan of romance or reading about relationships, I missed Valek too much. I missed one of the few characters who actually cared for Yelena and didn't want to hurt her (well, at least now he doesn't). Maybe I should read Shadow Study before making any final conclusions.

I can see why you love these books, Poison Study especially. I feel the same way about the Hunger Games trilogy; the first book will always be dear to me, in spite of all its flaws. There's just something about the writing and how the story unfolds that always pull me in, and I'm able to momentarily forget most of its glaring issues. We each have books that are so enjoyable to us that the good parts outweigh the problematic ones. So I totally understand.

For me though, I like Magic Study a little more than Poison Study because there's more action and adventure. The vibrant jungles of Sitia are much more interesting than the cold forests of Ixia. Also, there's a lighter tone and mood to the story. Yelena's life is still always in danger, but now that she's more confident in her power and abilities, she's taking a more activate role in the story, which is fun to see.

My main issue with the Yelena and Valek pairing is timing and how quickly it came about. The relationship kind of came out of nowhere and blossomed overnight into true love, and that's somewhat difficult for me to grasp, that it happened so suddenly for these two characters. Maybe I need to reread Poison Study to pick up on all the subtle things between Yelena and Valek that I missed on the first read.

Oddly enough, I'm slowly warming up to Valek now that he's not around lol. Every time Yelena thinks of him, I feel more of that strange connection between them.

I'm really glad you are enjoying the series! In fact...I was wondering if you would like to do a buddy read for Shadow Study too. XD I'll have to check with Maria too. I already rented the audiobook from the library. I'm not in a hurry, so if you feel like taking a break after Fire Study or you can't find a copy, no worries. I am getting quite hooked up on the Dhampir (Noble Dead Saga) series. Second book is turning out to be far better!

About Yelena and Valek, maybe I have read way too many YAs with insta love, but I thought their relationship was generally slow to develop. Yes, although time is passing by, we don't get to see them interact that often after Yelena's training is done, but I did feel Valek's fascination with her very early on (as well as his jealousy XD). I think it was mentioned that nobody has ever seen the assassin with another girl (they were even wondering whether he's into boys), so if Yelena is his first love interest in a while, it's no wonder he would be shy to express his feelings and openly flirt with her.

Yelena also spoke of her conflicting feelings about him and was even surprised by herself whenever she had a positive thought about Valek, but maybe she was trying very hard to suppress any attraction to avoid getting hurt again. Besides, how could she trust anyone when everyone is trying to kill her all the time.

Although both were hiding their interests, they did give eachother hints. Besides exchanging the occasional compliment, the most obvious one for Yelena was when she tried to give Valek a massage -___- which he refused, (afraid that she was too drunk to think clearly, or that she was doing it in order to influence him in some way, or that she might have genuine feelings for him and he has no idea or experience of knowing how to deal with it). And Valek did get overly-protective of her around the middle of the book, expressing his desire to even kill a soldier who hurt her or just generally fussing over her well-being. And he did react way to passionately when he thought Yelena might be betraying HIM by selling information about the commander. If he did not care about her, would it matter to him if she fails his test?

So when they both end up captured in Brazell's home (faced with the prospect of seeing the other in mortal danger) they finally come to terms with their own feelings and therefore are able to admit them.

I guess we all see and relate to different aspects in every book. For example, what I saw was two young people who have led unstable and miserable lives with almost nobody they could trust or confide in. Valek is generally feared and despised, and his choice of career would not allow him to get attached to anyone. Yelena had to live a secluded life with only her torturers as company. So I was not surprised that they both have learnt to suppress their emotions and not be able to recognize even their own feelings at first. And the whole romance in Poison Study felt a little bit angsty and frustrating, until they opened up.

As a conclusion, their mutual attraction was barely noticeable, mainly because both characters were trying their hardest not to show it until they found good reasons to trust one another.

Phew, sorry for the long post. I think this is my first time consciously analyzing this book.

You might notice the Valek is quite different in Magic Study and Fire Study.

Thanks for the long post, Gergana. :) It did help me understand Valek better and see him from a different angle. I like him more now than in Poison Study, mostly because I kept these things you mentioned in mind as I finished the last quarter of Magic Study, and it really helped.

And whew! That ending. I should take some time off to analyze the book, but I will probably end up starting Fire Study tomorrow. Hopefully I will finish it by the end of the week. Which means I will be ready to start Shadow Study next week, but I can wait if you girls want to do a Shadow Study group read. When is a good time for everyone?

Next week's fine by me! But not earlier. :) I'll add the book to the group (I'll set the date for the 23rd although we can change it to suit everybody).

You are fast! I am actually really glad that you enjoyed the second book too! Looking forward to the review!

Hmm, now that I think about it, I am quite bad when it comes to openly expressing my feelings to someone too. So maybe that's why I found the romance between Valek and Yelena so believable and relatable. XD

The 23rd would work for me. I'll finish Fire Study just in time. Looking forward to continuing Yelena's journey. :)

I don't usually read this fast, but Maria Snyder's writing just pulls me in and I don't realize how much time has passed until I reach a lull in the story. I started Fire Study last night, and so far it's also an easy read. The story picks up where Magic Study left off, so I was able to jump right in again.