Review Detail

Reader reviewed by Lizzy

I really enjoyed Poison Study,
the first book in this series, so I was looking forward to reading this
one. I had set pretty high standards, and hoped that this book would
hold my attention like its predecessor had. Well, I'm happy to say that
it did. This story felt new and refreshing, while maintaining the
likability of the characters (well, at least SOME of them). There are
new villains, and the reader gets to experience Yelena's new life in
the south, a life which is extremely different from the one she had in
Ixia.

I liked the new family dynamic. It was nice to see
Yelena show a softer side, even though she seemed to perceive it as
"going soft". Similar to the first book, there are some scenes
involving sexual/physical assault. They're certainly not easy to read,
but that doesn't mean the book should be passed by. These
scenes/memories allow readers to understand Yelena better as a
character. We are forced to relive her worst memories, and watch as she
grows and overcomes them.

I was glad to see the return of a
few of my favorite characters (the flawed Valek, and of course, Ari and
Janco). They didn't appear until the second half of the book, so I'm
hoping they'll play a larger role in Book 3, Fire Study. Overall, this book was a great sequel, and I can't wait to read more.