Yelena is discovered to have magic which is outlawed in the North. Valek views Yelena as a mere tool to advance his goal which is protector of The Commander. Yelena is quite fearful of Valek in the beginning, after all he holds the keys to her imprisonment. Because we only get Yelena’s side of the story, we can only guess at Valek’s feelings which makes the romance a bit more unpredictable. The romance was a bit of a delight between Valek and Yelena, with both falling for each other without really realizing it. But as time goes on and with the aid of some allies, she grows physically and emotionally stronger. In the beginning of the book, Yelena is a frightened, timid thing trying to enjoy being alive for one more day.

Whatever the source, it was creative and interesting. I wonder where you discovered this information – whether that was actually the training given or whether you made it up. We aren’t just told that Yelena is a food taster, we are shown in great detail the skill involved in being a food taster and how one learns to be a food taster. Her training as food taster was one of my favorite parts of the book. The caveat is that Yelena is given a poison and the antidote, administered by Valek each night, is only good for a short period of time. At the time of her execution, she is offered the position of food taster by Valek, chief of security, right hand man of the Commander, etc. Yelena is sent to the dungeons where she stays for 1 year. According to the Code of Behavior that governs her country, Ixia (north), anyone who kills regardless of reason is sentenced to death. The story is a first person narrative by Yelena, a condemned criminal who is given a chance to live. I figured it was worth the risk (it was not an inexpensive book).

I did minor research and found it received a starred review from PW. It had a gorgeous cover and an interesting summary. I came across this book when I was perusing ebook releases. Jane B Reviews Category / B+ Reviews / Book Reviews / Ebooks Fantasy Romance / Luna / Maria-Snyder 11 Comments

Poison study series reading order