Monday 2 November 2009

POISON STUDY

Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder
Book 1 of the Yelena Zaltana trilogy.

Verdict: Good start to a series.

My Take On This Book:
I've read this book sometime ago so this is a retrospective review. I'm reviewing this book now because I have chosen this book to give away this month!

I enjoyed reading this book and thought that the rest of the books in this series would be good too. But I've been coming across a not-so-brilliant reviews about the other books in this series. So I stopped buying Maria Snyder then. However this book is actually good. The world building is quite convincing and I would give it a 4.5 out of 5. The characters stays with you long after you've read the book. They felt like old friends. The cover of the one I've read was different to the pic on the left. The version I've read was an older release, I think. But this is the cover on the giveaway. I liked the older cover(don't have a pic) better than this one. I would give the cover art a 5 out of 5. I find the story telling quality quite good too. It's not grab-you-and-take-you-along-for-the-ride but it kept my attention for long periods of time. I gave the story telling quality a 4 out of 5. The story itself while still good, isn't that substantial from my point of view and gave it a 3. The story ended well with a good climax but it is also the start of the next book which therefore had a cliffhanger effect and I would rate it a 3. Over all this book garnered a 4 out of 5.

Cherry's Rating: 4 out of 5 cherries


Genre: fantasy

About This Book:
About to be executed for murder, Yelena is offered a reprieve. She'll eat the best meals, have rooms in the palace, and risk assassination by anyone trying to kill the Commander of Ixia. And so Yelena chooses to become a food taster. But the chief of security, leaving nothing to chance, deliberately feeds her Butterfly's Dust, and only by appearing for her daily antidote will she delay an agonizing death from the poison. As Yelena tries to escape her dilemma, disasters keep mounting. Rebels plot to seize Ixia and she develops magical powers she can't control. Her life’s at stake again and choices must be made. But this time the outcomes aren’t so clear.
Source: Info in the About This Book was taken from the author's website at http://www.mariavsnyder.com/books.php on 01/11/09.

**Contest Closed**
Because I enjoyed reading this book I thought I would share the reading happiness with someone else. This November I have decided to give away a new(never been read) copy of Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder.

How To Enter:
Post in a comment that you are a follower. To gain extra chances of winning:
  • +1 entry credit - post a comment about the book, ask a question, talk about the author and/or anything related to the book, the Study series, this contest, the author, etc.
  • +1 entry credit - re-post this contest and tell me the url in a comment here
Open to international readers. You have to be a follower to enter the contest. If this contest is not in concordance to your local legislations, then it is up to you to abide by your rules. Will mail to any valid address in the world as long as the postman can get to you. No hand deliveries folks! Contest ends on November 30, 2009. Winner to be announced on December 1, 2009. And please, please make it easy for me to contact you just in case you win, and leave an email add. But if you do not want to leave an email add, please make sure that you come back on Dec 1 to check if you won. Good luck ppl!
CherryMischievous

28 comments:

  1. Great contest. Poison Study sounds like a really good book.

    everythingtodowithbooks@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love a good series! This sounds great!

    june.mmix@gmail.com

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  3. Hmm.. when's the rest of the books gonna be out? anyway, the book series seems interesting. wonder how the author got the idea to write this sort of series in the first place?

    rubs.escalona [at] gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  4. I would love to read this book. I am a follower.

    freda.mans[at]sympatico.ca

    ReplyDelete
  5. I blogged giveaway: http://fredamans.blogspot.com/2009/11/contests.html

    freda.mans[at]sympatico.ca

    ReplyDelete
  6. don't include me I already have this, just wanted to say i really enjoyed this book but found the end a little disappointing. I wasn't inspired to read the rest of the series.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I am a follower.

    +1 I have been wanting to read this series for awhile. I think it sounds really interesting.

    Raelena
    throuthehaze at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  8. I am happy that its the first book in the series, and it does look interesting.

    Please enter me, icejew at gmail dot com

    I have written a post for this contest at http://icejewel.blogspot.com/2009/11/win-poison-study-by-maria-v-snyder-at.html

    I'm a follower.

    Thanks for the giveaway.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I'm a follower.

    +1 I haven't read anything by Maria Snyder yet but this sounds like a good mystery/suspense book!

    austenfanblogs at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  10. Adore this series!

    mojo09226@yahoo.com
    Monica

    Also added to my giveaways!
    www.bibliophilicbookblog.com

    ReplyDelete
  11. Great contest, would love to read this series...heard many great reviews for it.


    Littlebookaholic(at)yahoo(dot)com

    - I'm a follower.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I'd like to enter, thanks!

    ninefly(at)gmail.com

    +1 I'm really interested in the poison-taster aspect of the story; I hope this can get me interested in the whole series
    +1 linked on sidebar: http://angeltyuan.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  13. I would love to read this, count me in! Im a follower.
    thanks!
    battyaboutbats at gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  14. This book seems interesting. I've heard form this author but I've never read anyting. I hope I win so I can read it! :)
    estereta(at)ymail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  15. I'm a follower

    I've heard lots and lots of good things about this series but I haven't had a chance to pick it up yet. Please enter me!

    Ladytink_534(at)yahoo(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  16. I'm a follower.

    +1 Poison Study sounds like an interesting book. I'd like to read it!

    +1 Blogged.
    http://aik-friendsnfamily.blogspot.com/2009/08/list-of-worldwide-giveaways.html

    aikychien at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  17. A super book to win, count me
    in.
    I am a new google reader follower.

    cenya2 at hotmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  18. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  19. I'm a follower.

    I've had the second book in this series since early summer, but can't start it until I read this one. =)

    jump_up_thrice[at]hotmail[dot]com

    ReplyDelete
  20. Great contest! I loved this series :) granted the third wasn't my favorite, but the first holds an oh so special place in my heart :)

    kikala.street@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  21. i've heard for some times about Maria's books. Looking forward to start to read one of her works. She's a new Author for me !

    - I'm a follower

    uniquas at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  22. Great contest, I am a follower.

    +1 Is this a series book or a stand alone? I have not heard of this one before.

    zenfoxflowerATyahooDOTcom
    Elie (Ellz Readz)

    ReplyDelete
  23. Cool contest!!!

    emilyb3342@bellsouth.net

    ReplyDelete
  24. great contest!

    adbcoz(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  25. Thanks for commenting on my review. ;)

    Yeah, I gotta say that the next two books in the series are a bit disappointing... but I can't not finish a series once I've started it; plus I did still enjoy them, they just weren't as good as Poison Study.


    ~Aye.Me?
    Reversing The Monotony

    ReplyDelete
  26. I love reading books so I joined:
    Win Poison Study

    Thanks!

    ReplyDelete

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