Month: February 2016

musings

Author Spotlight: Maria V. Snyder

Andge @ Down the Rabbit Hole

Hello, lovelies.

It’s been a while since I’ve written anything beyond book reviews. Since I’m currently procrastinating from things that “actually matter”, I have decided to start a new series where I put some of my favourite authors in the spotlight. In celebration of the recent release of Night Study, I have chosen Maria V. Snyder for my first post.

Maria V. Snyder has been one of my favourite fantasy authors since I first read her debut novel, Poison Study, way back in 2010. Here’s the quick blurb from Goodreads about it.

poison study -maria v. snyderChoose: A quick death…Or slow poison…

About to be executed for murder, Yelena is offered an extraordinary 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 new dilemma, disasters keep mounting. Rebels plot to seize Ixia and Yelena develops magical powers she can’t control. Her life is threatened again and choices must be made. But this time the outcomes aren’t so clear…

Poison Study was a fast-paced, high-action novel that held me at the edge of my seat. It’s one of those novels that I go back to every once in a while because this is what I compare other books to in the fantasy genre. It has set the bar, threshold and goal for any book that wishes to get a 5 star rating in this category.

Besides the enthralling plot as a new life as the Commander’s food – er, poison – taster, there has never quite been someone like Yelena, in my opinion. Celaena Sardothien of Sarah Maas’ Throne of Glass series probably is the closest comparison, with their strong personalities and ability to take care of themselves. However, that’s where the comparison ends. Yelena comes from a crazy background of abuse and torture, almost dying for a crime that was really more self-defense than murder. Upon her deal with the Commander’s assassin to be the new taster, life gets crazy for her from there.

From action to the wittiest friends (in the form of two soldiers named Janco and Ari) to her sweet and unexpected romance with Valek, Maria V. Snyder set the world afire in 2005 as readers from all over the world found themselves enthralled by the militaristic world of Ixia.

As with all good series, the following novels Magic Study and Fire Study were amazing additions to Yelena’s adventures as she dives into her newfound abilities. Unfortunately, they weren’t as heavily steeped in romance as I would’ve liked it – my only criticism as Valek always shows up so late into each book – but Maria had created a world that no fan could quite forget.

And from the urgings of these said-fans, a new trilogy has sprung up continuing Yelena’s adventures with Valek and Ari and Janco, along with a new cast of amazing characters set in a world you didn’t quite wanna escape from.

Shadow Study came out last year in 2015, and now, its sequel Night Study has just come out in stores.

 

For those who haven’t read any of these books, I urge you from the deepest part of my heart to give them a try. You won’t look at fantasy in the same ever again. This is my golden standard for fantasy books.

Besides the Study series that propelled her to fame, Maria V. Snyder has also written a companion Glass series following a character from the original Study trilogy. (Personally, this was the one series that didn’t sit well with me from her, for which I’m sad to admit.) Along with that, her Healer series (Touch of Power, Scent of Magic, Taste of Darkness) has all your characteristic Snyder fantasy elements but set in a totally new world that captures you as much as Ixia and Sitia did.

To read more about Maria V. Snyder’s works and read about the latest things going on with her, below links you to her website and Goodreads account where she actively updates with blogs.

Website: http://www.mariavsnyder.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/445303.Maria_V_Snyder

I encourage you to explore the worlds in which Maria V. Snyder has created. Happy reading, my fellow bookworms!

YA

Review: The Crown of Embers by Rae Carson

Andge @ Down the Rabbit Hole

Series: Fire and Thorns #2

the crown of embers -rae carsonShe does not know what awaits her at the enemy’s gate.

Elisa is a hero.

She led her people to victory over a terrifying, sorcerous army. Her place as the country’s ruler should be secure. But it isn’t.

Her enemies come at her like ghosts in a dream, from foreign realms and even from within her own court. And her destiny as the chosen one has not yet been fulfilled.

To conquer the power she bears, once and for all, Elisa must follow a trial of long-forgotten—and forbidden—clues, from the deep, hidden catacombs of her own city to the treacherous seas. With her go a one-eyed spy, a traitor, and the man whom—despite everything—she is falling in love with.

If she’s lucky, she will return from this journey. But there will be a cost.

4 Drink Me Potions

Following a few months after the previous novel, The Crown of Embers was even more exciting. This sequel was just as steeped in the religious practices that Elisa and her people follow, but now it’s taken another mysterious turn. Realizing that her destiny wasn’t quite fulfilled by the actions of the previous book, there’s crazier things in store for her as the only bearer of a living Godstone.

Right from the beginning, danger continually creeps against her. Whether from the crazy blue fire-wielding Inviernos or rumblings of people contesting her rule of the kingdom, Elisa is far from safe. I admired her in the first book, but in this one? I plain adore the change in her. She has gone from someone who didn’t really believe in her worth to trusting that God was right in choosing her.

Whispers of a deep source of magic underneath the ground that powers her Godstone sets her off on a new adventure. Along with her comes a cast of interesting characters. Some of these are familiar faces from her previous adventures, although not as many of my favourite people return. Some are new ones that are just as cool with back stories and realistic personalities that Carson has creatively crafted. One such person is a traitor Invierno who doesn’t understand sarcasm and perpetually seems to be either displeased or downcast.
Continue reading “Review: The Crown of Embers by Rae Carson” →

YA

Review: The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

Andge @ Down the Rabbit Hole

Series: Fire and Thorns #1

the girl of fire and thorns -rae carsonOnce a century, one person is chosen for greatness.
Elisa is the chosen one.

But she is also the younger of two princesses, the one who has never done anything remarkable. She can’t see how she ever will.

Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king—a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs the chosen one, not a failure of a princess.

And he’s not the only one who seeks her. Savage enemies seething with dark magic are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people’s savior. And he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake.

Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn’t die young.

Most of the chosen do.

3 Drink Me Potions

The Girl of Fire and Thorns was an interesting fantasy adventure with a huge religious backstory weaved throughout it. The world building was intriguing, with our protagonist Elisa being married off to the King of another kingdom for who knows what purposes. That sounds familiar enough, right? Something you may see in another fantasy adventure book? But the world building wasn’t as special as the huge amount of work that went into describing their religion and quotes of the religious scriptures that they believed in. After all, Elisa was the bearer of a physical stone embedded into her navel, known as the Godstone. She was God’s chosen one, so therefore, this story was gonna be heavily influenced by what she perceived as her duty to fulfill God’s will.

The world and all the people in it felt like it was heavily influenced by a Spanish-speaking community. The religion felt oddly familiar, like it too was influenced by Catholicism in its traditional rituals and sacraments. I found this unique and strange all at the same time. Religion and magic interweaved into a story together in the YA genre is not very common. Coming from one who personally believes in God, Carson wrote something that wouldn’t necessarily offend people as Elisa’s religion wasn’t quite the same as what people in our world believe in, and it wasn’t urging people to believe in what she did. I found myself oddly enjoying this aspect. As this God had characteristics like my God, I could personally understand Elisa’s struggles in figuring out her path as His chosen one.

In this world, she is a very special person to be born with a Godstone. Throughout the story, Elisa was my favourite part of it. There was so much inner struggle in finding out where she belonged, in how she could possibly do something of great service for the world and complete her “destiny”. She had self-esteem problems. Continue reading “Review: The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson” →