Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Unavailable
    Magic Study
    Unavailable
    Magic Study
    Unavailable
    Magic Study
    Ebook430 pages6 hours

    Magic Study

    By Maria V. Snyder

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    Listen to the audiobook instead

    About this ebook

    A lesson in loyaltya master class in intrigue

    So far, I've managed to survive. You would think after being kidnapped as a child, imprisoned in my teens and released to become a poison taster, I would have endured enough. But no. The discovery of my magical abilitiespowers forbidden in Ixiahas resulted in an execution order. My only chance is to flee to Sitia, my long-lost birthplace.

    But Sitia is unfamiliar. I'm treated like an enemyeven by my own brother. Plus I can't control my powers. I want to learn about my magic, but there isn't time. A rogue magician has emerged and I'm targeted as his next victim.

    Will my magical abilities save me or be my downfall?
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarlequin MIRA
    Release dateAug 15, 2012
    ISBN9781459248274
    Author

    Maria V. Snyder

    Maria V. Snyder is the New York Times bestselling author of the Study series, the Glass series, the Healer series, Inside Out, and Outside In. Born and raised in Philadelphia, she earned a Bachelors of Science degree in Meteorology from Penn State and a Master of Arts degree in fiction writing from Seton Hill University. Unable to part ways with Seton Hill, Maria is currently a teacher and mentor for the MFA program. Find her on the Web at MariaVSnyder.com.

    Read more from Maria V. Snyder

    Related to Magic Study

    Related ebooks

    Fantasy For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Daughter Of The Moon Goddess

      Jan 26, 2022

      RELEASED OUT NOW! 496 pages | Hardback/ebook/audiobook Author Sue Lynn Tan Publisher HarperVoyager On paper, this story has so many familiar elements (a plucky runaway protagonist trying to help an imprisoned parent, cruel monarchs, a handsome prince

      1 min read

    • Article

      The Bone Shard Daughter

      Sep 9, 2020

      RELEASED 10 SEPTEMBER 448 pages | Hardback/ebook/audiobook Author Andrea Stewart Publisher Orbit Books Epic fantasy has long had a thing for One True Kings. You know the drill: a dreadful tyrant is murdering people for fun and generally imperilling t

      1 min read

    • Article

      Child Of Light

      Oct 6, 2021

      Child Of Light
      1 min read

    • Article

      For The Wolf

      Jun 16, 2021

      ⏵ RELEASED 17 JUNE 480 pages | Paperback/ebook/audiobook ⏵ Author Hannah Whitten ⏵ Publisher Orbit Books Wolves run through fairy tales, flashing a tooth here, a tail there. But if you pick this up expecting to see familiar motifs popping up, you’ll

      1 min read

    • Article

      Yara And The Witch Queen

      Oct 1, 2019

      I knew the dangers of witchcraft. My parents had told me about the time before I was born, when magic plagued our desert kingdom of Bahati. Untrained witch doctors trying to cure warts ended up paralyzing their patients or turning them into crocodile

      10 min read

    • Article

      The Wise Ones

      Sep 1, 2020

      Victoria Ruskin, 35, from Windsor Sitting in my hidden high walled garden on the borders of Surrey, a place with many connections to the fae folk, I smiled as I watched the fairies dance around me. As always, I was delighted that they were courteou

      4 min read

    • Article

      100-WORD-STORY COMPETITION Winners

      Aug 16, 2022

      We’ve been delighted by the huge response to our 100-word-story competition. The entries have flooded in thick and fast during the past few months, but while we’ve enjoyed reading every story, only a few can come out on top! You, our readers, voted t

      5 min read

    • Article

      Cherry Season

      Sep 3, 2020

      1. My mother’s mother kept a set of painted wooden nesting dolls on top of her television. When I was small and went to her house, I would take the set apart and line up the five dolls on her living room floor, side by side, from biggest to smallest.

      16 min read

    • Article

      The Family Plot

      May 7, 2020

      The Family Plot
      10 min read

    • Article

      Belonging In The Body

      Oct 31, 2018

      The lawns were crusted in silver frost when my mother and I left the house to go power-walking at five in the morning. We crunched across people’s front lawns, leaving footprints upon the grass. She walked hard and fast, as if using her body to smash

      7 min read

    • Article

      A Path Through the Woods

      May 30, 2023

      A Path Through the Woods
      3 min read

    • Article

      “Adversity Can Be Your Friend”

      Mar 25, 2020

      “Adversity Can Be Your Friend”
      8 min read

    • Article

      Worlds Of Ink And Paper

      Nov 22, 2022

      As a young girl, I still remember my dear mother, smile on her face, curled up with Family Circle magazine in her lap. She was engrossed in an article titled “Butternut Wisdom,” written by Gladys Taber. At my age, it didn’t mean a thing to me. But as

      6 min read

    • Article

      Hit T He Books

      Nov 28, 2021

      Travel through some of the most beautiful and unusual gardens in the land, learning the stories of how they were created and finding inspiration for your own backyard. Brimming with gorgeous photography, the places it will take you to include a dry g

      2 min read

    • Article

      The Age of Apricot

      May 27, 2022

      The Age of Apricot
      3 min read

    • Article

      “Adversity Can Be Your Friend”

      Mar 25, 2020

      “Adversity Can Be Your Friend”
      7 min read

    • Article

      Bundles

      Feb 15, 2021

      Bundles
      4 min read

    • Article

      Great Read

      Mar 22, 2023

      Great Read
      8 min read

    • Article

      This Back Is a Familiar Back

      May 1, 2023

      This Back Is a Familiar Back
      8 min read

    • Article

      A Story Pilgrimage

      Jun 8, 2021

      A Story Pilgrimage
      3 min read

    Reviews for Magic Study

    4/5

    1,344 ratings88 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 4/5
      This is a good sequel to Poison Study, the story continues where it was left off on the first book, with Yelena going to Sitia, ready to start to learn about magic. Of course, with Yelena being Yelena trouble does not take long to appear. This means that there is a plot full of action, danger, and Yelena doing what she does best – saving the day! This book reminded me somewhat of the English tests I used to take, where I was asked to compare and contrast two photos. Here I have two countries to do just that, each with its problems and differences. The southern country of Sitia is nothing like Ixia – it is a much warmer country, where there are no military districts (actually there seems to be very little military) but clans, ruled by a council, and where magicians are treasured and educated instead of hunted down and killed.Like in Poison Study, I liked that the author showed that no place is perfect, that people in power have different motivations, and, above all, that nothing is as simple as black and white. And just like the previous book, this one also features very good characters, that you wish you could spend more time with. This is true for both new and old characters, even if the latter (with the exception of Yelena and Irys) take some time to appear. While I was engrossed with learning about Sitia, having a lot of fun with my new charcters, in the back of my mind I was always wondering what was happening in Ixia, and how my favourite characters were faring. And yet, to me, the best character on this book was a horse. This shows how good Maria V. Snyder is at creating great characters!Being set in Sitia, where magic is not outlawed and is actually a predominant part of its culture, meant that I got to learn more about the magic in the series, the hows and whys. Unfortunately I wasn't entirely convinced about it, it seemed to me a bit vague, and unformed. Also, for something that is seemingly random, that you either have it or not, a lot of the characters appeared to be lucky on that aspect (although the fact that most part of the book is set on a magic school contributes to this), and it did irk me a bit that all of them were such powerful magicians.I liked Magic Study as much as I did Poison Study, it was a good follow up book, where I got to know more about the those two lands, and was presented with more great characters. Also at Spoilers and Nuts
    • 5/5
      After being exceptionally impressed with Poison Study, I eagerly dove into Magic Study. I must say it is, if anything, better than its predecessor. Magic Study still has all the things I loved about Poison Study - great characters, riveting plot, lots of action and romance - and improved upon the previous book because of the level of world building. Yelena's return to Sitia and her family opens up Snyder's world so that the politics of Ixia and Sitia can be compared. To be honest, I see the merits of both types of political system and didn't mind one bit that Yelena stood up for the old home.I thought that Valek and Yelena's separation would play out like similar situations in YA, but Snyder minimises any sappy pining and ensures that no stupid decisions are undertaken through a feeling of abandonment, and most importantly, that Yelena never even glances at another man. Their eventual reunion was much-anticipated for me, and I was gratified to find that Valek's regard for Yelena had not dimmed. However, his ready acceptance of Yelena's magical powers after dedicating his whole life to eradicating magicians continues to mystify me, and I hope this aspect will be examined in the next book.The long-awaited reunion of Yelena with her family is one of the most interesting aspects of the novel because it examines how she deals with the familial burdens that are suddenly thrust upon her. The destructive hatred her brother harbours for her is offset well with the easy and open relationship Yelena cultivates with her father. I loved the gradual development of love and trust between Yelena and her family, but also liked that some members (like Nutty) easily accepted her.Overall, Magic Study is a great follow-up to Poison Study, and a book I thoroughly enjoyed. I still don't agree with it being marketed as YA, and believe many fans of more traditional, adult fantasy will enjoy this series as well as young adult readers.You can read more of my reviews at Speculating on SpecFic.
    • 4/5
      This is the second book in Yelena's story, and events follow almost straight on from the end of Poison Study (so I'm trying to write this review without spoilers for the first book). Yelena is taken, along with the survivors from her 'orphanage', to find her family and - since she must learn to control her magic before it kills her - to study with Master Magician Irys. She finds herself in an unfamiliar situation with people who are not sure of her motives.Yelena not only studies magic at the Magicians' Keep - it would have been nice to see more of her life there - but learns about different types of magic practices in different parts of Sitia. She discovers that she is strong in a magic that has not been seen in a long time, which makes people more suspicious of her. She also meets the last member of the royal family of Ixia who, having escaped the assassination of his family, wants to use Yelena to help him get his throne back.While she is at the Keep, she is asked to try and help a girl who has been horrifically treated, and is the only surviving victim of an unknown killer. Yelena, and the magicians, then do everything they can to save the girl and catch the killer before he strikes again.I thought this was a stronger book than the first one, though the plot was more straightforward and not quite as interesting. The world-building is quite solid.Although I picked this up from the YA section of the library, I should warn you that, once again, the evil magician gets his powers through torture and rape. Though we are not given gruesome details, we do get told about some of the devices and the torturers' intents.This was fun to read, and was more detailed than Poison Study. I liked meeting Yelena's family, although her mother did have an annoying habit of disappearing up the nearest tree when stressed. This series is not a 'must read' for me, but rather 'if I see it on the library shelves, I'll pick it up'.Three and a half stars.
    • 4/5
      *Originally Reviewed at Witchmag's Boekenplank*As soon as I finished reading the first book, Study of Poison, I ran to the library to get my hands on this book. I just had to know how the story continued. After a couple of pages, it was obvious that I, once again, had found a real page-turner! I even took it with me when I went to visit my sister, so I could continue to read. It was so hard to put this book down! Maria V. Snyder has yet again managed to write a captivating story about a most intriguing world. This time you’ll get to discover the South. To Sitia, the place where Yelena was born and magic has not been banned. No, instead it is embraced and encouraged. However, something is wrong. A ruthless murderer is on the loose, leaving lifeless bodies of young girls in his wake. Then there is Cahil, the cousin of the dethroned king of Ixia…Despite everything thrown her way, Yelena stood tall, but sometimes took on too much. She was also focused too much on fixing things by herself. I understand that for years she has been on her own and that her trust was shattered and stomped on. Still, not everyone is out to be your enemy. Sometimes it comes in handy to share things cause some people might know more than you. So why not tell them? The worse that could happen is one scary and life threatening situation less, so why not go for it?Notwithstanding Yelena’s behavior at times, it was a delight to discover new characters and re-acquaint the old. I was especially happy to see Janca and Ari, Yelena’s “big brothers”, again. Their antics always make me smile. While reading, though, I noticed something: we hardly get a detailed description of the characters. At first I thought I must have missed them, but with every new character Yelena encounters there was still no description. Even though my mind has already created an image, I’d still like to have some handles, something more than the most beautiful blue eyes she’s ever seen or a bunch of blond curls.I also noted that I could not really feel the connection, the emotional bonds between the characters. There are not many words spent on describing the emotions Yelena feels, the focus here is more on the adventure. A vast difference between all the Young Adult and New Adult books I’ve read, where feelings are THE most important thing. It’s not annoying, though, just different. Still, at some points I totally wished I could see a bit of her real feelings. It felt a bit dull now (I think you understand WHICH scenes I’m talking about don’t you? *wiggles eye brows*).Conclusion4 HEARTS. Although it looks like I did not enjoy the book much, with my focus on less stellar moments, as I said in the beginning, I LOVED reading this book! Yelena continues being an amazing and strong woman, who is not afraid to make her hands dirty. She has some control and trust issues, but she’s learning to cope with them ^^ It was great to return to my beloved characters and meeting new ones. There are some things I noticed, like the lack of a detailed character description, but they did not have any influence at all on the joy I felt while reading. Therefore I can heartily recommend this book to anyone who likes a good adventure with a strong female lead. Now on to the next book!
    • 3/5
      "Magic Study" continues to follow the adventures of Yelena, the apprentice magician. Back in Sitia with her family, Yelena manages to find herself in all sorts of situations where her life is at risk. In a completely different world with new characters, adventures and magic, this book failed to captivate me in the way "Poison Study" did. Sadly, the wonderful relationship between Yelena and Valek is missing. Whilst Yelena remains the feisty heroine of the first book, Yalek's character is severely lacking. In "Poison Study" he was a fabulous hero, but in this book he has been robbed of the humour, strength and passion that made him so attractive originally. He only appears in the second half of the book and is too syrupy sweet for my liking.However, despite my disappointment in "Magic Study" I intend to read the final book in the series in the hope that it delivers in the same way as the first book did.
    • 5/5
      So far this is a series I would re multiple times.

      The first book had an old world feel to it. But at the same time I don't know if it's just me or not, but it kind of gave me an Alice in Wonderland feel. When I say that I don't mean the trippy colors, creatures talking, flowers singing, and all that. No, but it did give me that impression. Could just be me, but I loved it.

      So in Magic Study, she's in a whole new land. Completely different. Almost as if you Canadian going to Peru. Different cultures, and different rules, is something you learn pretty fast. You meet Yelena's family, and her "tribe" (clan is what they're called in the book, but some of the clans were more of a tribe than a clan. I know that doesn't make sense but to me it does. HA!)

      Anyways, she meets her tribe, and her long lost brother. Only to have his announce that her soul is stained by the blood on the people that she has killed and she doesn't feel like his sister anymore. Yea, fourteen years in different countries had nothing to do with that. Especially with all that she went through... So right off the back you think, "Wow, her brother is a D-Bag." The only thing that saves you from hoping he dies, is the fact that he uses his magic to find criminals.

      - BONUS ROUND -

      Her mother helps find the criminals too. Her mother is a little odd. She reminds me of someone but I can't put my finger on it. Perl, the momma, creates perfumes and is little clingy and emotional. I think with a dash of eccentric, not sure though. :P (I'm so bad with words, I can't never remember the real word I'm looking for til it's too late.) So the perfumes that perl creates are to help jog memories. Sometimes, hearing, feeling, or smelling certain things with bring back a memory. So, they use this technique to help the victims remember stuff about their killer.

      Yelena's father, is a neat character that I would really like to see him integrated into more of the future story. I would like to see him in cross country relations, that would be a HEA idea. He is a man who believes they can find anything they need in the forest. That the forest provides all. (forgot to mention, their tribe lives in the forest. ) He finds plants in the forest and uses them to find out what they can help or destroy. And also he supplies the flowers and stuff for the perfumes.

      So Yelena gets into A LOT OF TROUBLE again. I really like how everything goes down. Some of the books that I've read over the years, where there's kidnappings, murder, and espionage, the scenes arn't written smoothly. Now, when I say that I mean about roughly 25% of them are like that. I'm not saying the other books are bad, I'm saying this story flows perfectly. From meeting everyone, to the build up of their distrust/love, to abushes, to magical attacks, to mental plane linking (i don't even know what to call that, but that's close enough), it all runs very well together. Your anticipating what's going to happen, at the same time, it's like watching an action movie. Your guessing who the bad guy is, knowing every other corner something is going to {insert magical blow, sword fight, sneaking around, getting caught, chase scene... here

      This book reminds me of traveling. Like it's some creepy subliminal thing. JK LOL. But just not realizing the chance the enjoy what you have when you have it. Oh, and to not be selfish. Even from the first book that's something you know about Yelena. She has always put herself in danger, with nothing more than the thought of others.

      Can't wait to read the next book!!










    • 4/5
      Well, now that was a good book! It was well-paced, with excellent world building, and awesome characters! Super enjoyed it :)
    • 5/5
      Excellant!
    • 5/5
      This is the second book in the Study series by Snyder and I loved it as much as the first! And that's saying a lot when it comes to books in series (usually I'm disappointed with the second book).What I liked the most was that we got to follow Yelena's continuing story, with some familiar characters along with a whole group of new characters. As with her first book in the series, Magic Study is a fast paced read. There is plenty of action and tense moments. That, along with Yelena's development as a character made it hard for me to put down. I was keen to see what would happen.One of the questions I get when reading a series is whether the first book is essential to understanding the second book. I think that I would recommend you read the first book, for sure, but that it isn't required to enjoying and understanding what happens in the second book.This is one of my favourite series at present. I would strongly recommend you check it out!
    • 4/5
      This is a wonderful sequel to [Book:Poison Study], which I read this from start to finish in one session. The natural progression of the story as well as great character development hold this book to the same standards as it predecessor.

      Janco and Ari who appear in the first book provide the comic relief in this one, a new character Cahil provides some mystery and becomes a short-lived love interest, and new friend Dax who loves to tell Yelena of the astounding rumours about her as they crop up.

      I loved Yelena's close relationship with Cahil's horse Topaz and her own incredibly loyal horse Kiki and their love of apples and peppermints.

      I felt the Commander was ingenious in his/her disguise as an Ambassador visiting Sitia, with only Yelena knowing the truth of his/her identity. I also liked the way the Commander handled Yelena's order of excution - a very wise decision was made.

      Valek was as ruthless as always still protecting Yelena the best he can at risk to his own life. Yelena's ability to get below Valek's tough magic-immune exterior is nice but we still do not know much about Valek's past for me to truly love him as a character.

      As for Yelena herself, her Soul-Finder status was brilliantly put across. Her compassion towards the beggar boy Fisk and his friends, the way she reached the catatonic Tula when others had given up on her, her ability to forgive her brother Leif and helping him heal his soul and her extraordinary ability to comfort and heal others is what makes this book worthy of all the praise it deserves.
    • 5/5
      I was really impressed with this novel. It is very different from the first, but has an interesting plot and wonderful new characters (as well as old ones!) I think I might have even liked it more than the first, mainly, I think, because we learn more about Sitia in this book which I really enjoyed. Sitia is absolutely fascinating. Yelena learns a lot about herself and her family in this book. Self-discovery is weaved throughout. There is also much danger and action, of course. Yelena never seems to have it easy! I loved this book and recommend it fully to others.
    • 5/5
      Everything I said in comment about Poison Study holds true here. This is my favorite adventure to date. I liked Poison Study better but that by no means is a negative comment on Magic Study. I'm very much looking forward to Fire Study - already on order at B&N. I should have it this week.
    • 5/5
      So as a sequel to a great book, how does it compare? Not as good as I would have hoped. Don't get me wrong, its great, but I just don't like how different it is to the first book. It's set in a completely different place, the nature of the story has totally changed and an army of new characters are introduced, not all of them that interesting. However, I do like getting really far into Yelena's background, one she didn't even know she had.

      The real problem though? Way too little Valek. I know it makes sense considering how events in the last book finished, but still, hes a favourite, he needs more pages devoted to him.
    • 5/5
      I really like where the author is taking the story. The first part was a little slow, but it got better once all the good characters came back. Can't wait to see how it ends.
    • 3/5
      This book started slow but it picked up in the middle. I would have liked more detail about her studying magic... which was barely even a sub-plot. At times I was engrossed, but mostly not.
    • 3/5
      Magic Study is the follow-up to Poison Study. It features a whole new setting, a new country, which is just as thinly described, and Yelena unsurprisingly turns out to be Even More Special. No real surprises here, although there are some fun subplots added into the mix and some more of the kind of characters which could be good but don't quite make me care. It's disappointing that the characters I liked a lot from the last book aren't in this book so much, although they come into it again. Yelena's family are interesting, but again, I don't really feel any of it and I find Yelena's crying fits and her mother's tendency to hide up in trees slightly ridiculous.

      There was also rather more sex in this book, and kind of pointlessly. Don't tell us they have a connection and make them have sex, show us the goddamn connection. Also, the magical healing powers of sex with one's true love to get over abuse and rape are amazing, but completely unrealistic. I actually find it somewhat offensive that Yelena's problems magically go away when she's with her man. Fuck that in the ear.

      Also, it's unrealistic that Yelena is so special that everywhere she goes, people dislike her. So many of her problems are caused by that and it's ridiculous, when she hasn't done anything to arouse such hate. Case in point, Roze. What's with that?

      Still, again, a couple of interesting new characters -- Kiki, Cahil, Lief -- and another quick and easy read. Fun enough.
    • 3/5
      An enjoyable sequel, misused words and all. Not a fantastic book by any stretch, but it was OK.

      There are a few things that drive me mildly bonkers.

      1) Yelena's hair is described as being varying lengths. If it is only just shoulder length, it would be very difficult to braid and then twist into a bun. My hair is longer than that and I can barely braid it and twist it into a bun.

      2)The soul stealing bit is getting old.

      BOOK ONE SPOILER: 3) Yelena's relationship with Valek. I am not one to judge, but he always read as being much older than her. He doesn't respect her wishes. i.e. killing Alea, killing Goel And yeah. I just don't like their relationship all that much.

      4) Why does Roze hate Yelena so much? And what the heck is up with spelling it "Roze"?
    • 3/5
      As a follow-up to Poison Study, Magic Study sees Yelena go to Sitia to learn about her magic - because if she stays in Ixia, she will be killed. They've a zero tolerance policy there regarding magicians, of course.But even in Sitia, Yelena isn't safe. People are suspicious of her and she isn't having as much success as she'd hoped in learning to use her magic. And then she learns of a rogue magician - or someone - who is ritually murdering teenage girls in order to amass power, and when she tries to help find him, Yelena becomes a target again.Or...something like that. I found that the book ended somewhat unsatisfactorily and rushed to read the next one, so my memory of the plot for Magic Study blurs with that of Fire Study. But they're really the same book split into two.I don't think that Magic Study is quite as good as Poison Study in that the world-building feels a little haphazard and overly coincidental, and almost too much happens. There aren't many places to pause and catch up. The writing style itself is also a little awkward - while some of the clumsy sentence structure I noticed in the first book was improved (I didn't notice it nearly as often), it seemed like once Valek appeared, every other sentence he spoke towards Yelena ended in "love" which nearly drove me up a wall.But, again, although it isn't necessarily the best fantasy book, I found myself intrigued and continuing to read despite the problems, just like with Poison Study. Snyder does know how to capture my interest, even if I think there are many ways to improve the book.
    • 1/5
      I could go on quite a why-I-hated-this-book rant, but other people have done it far better than I can. It was so ridiculous. And I can't figure out why we are supposed to like Valek as a hero. He's a mass murderer, for heaven's sake. I wasn't really drawn to any of the characters, and the plot was very weak. Seriously didn't like this book!
    • 5/5
      This second installment was better than the first! I was very impressed by Maria Snyder's writing style and her incorporation of all the characters from the previous novel.In this second book, Irys takes Yelena away from Ixia, to the Citadel in Sitia where Yelena is to learn the ways of magic. On the road to the Citadel, Yelena reunites with her loving parents and guilt ridden yet spiteful brother, Lief, who conspires to thwart Yelena's chances of becoming a trained magician, saying she is a spy sent by the Commander in Ixia in order to glean information to conquer Sitia.Once at the Citadel, not only are the current students jealous of her powers and her close ties to Cahil, the heir to the Ixia throne, but they are also envious of her link with Irys, a Master Magician who has never seen fit to mentor a student until Yelena. While making friends and enemies, a young girl is brought to the infirmary, beaten within an inch of her life and driven out of her mind. Now Yelena, with the help of her friends, must race against time to keep the killer from kidnapping another girl. And ultimately Yelena must decide if she's willing to walk into the killer's den and sacrifice herself to keep the killer from striking again...What I Liked: The best part about this book is that there are no love triangles!! Woot woot!! So many YA novels nowadays incorporate a love triangle that is totally unnecessary. I'm so happy that Yelena stayed strong and true for Valek, and he the same for her. Yelena is INDEED a strong heroine and I absolutely love her resolve to help people no matter the threat to herself. She's very self sacrificing and I like her character all the more for it. I'm also very glad that Ms. Snyder brought back Yelena's friends from the first book as well as added new friends in this one.A big aspect that struck me in this novel was that no matter where Yelena goes, she always has a strong "mentor"-type person that aids her in whatever adventures she has. In the first novel, it was Valek while in this novel, it was Irys. Plus, Yelena always seems to make cheery friends whom I absolutely adore *giggle*. I love Yelena's interactions with everyone. LOVE IT!What I Didn't Like: There wasn't a thing I didn't enjoy about this novel. The story flowed well and the characters stayed true to form. Ms. Snyder is indeed a master story weaver and I loved every moment of it.Great book! Get it!5 stars out of 5.
    • 4/5
      Summary: Yelena, exiled from Ixia despite her service as poison taster to the Commander, journeys south to Sitia, both to be reunited with her family, and to learn to control her magic at the Keep. But as tough as Yelena is, things in Sitia might be more than she can handle: the sudden reappearance of doting parents she can't even remember and an older brother who hates her; the southern prejudice against Ixians in general - and her lover, Valek, in particular; the constant suspicion that she's actually an Ixian spy; the palpable hostility from the head magician and the other students; and the separation from everything she's ever known. On top of all that, young girls are disappearing from their families in Sitia, and turning up horribly tortured and murdered. This hits Yelena too close to home, and she vows to stop it, whatever the cost, despite not yet being fully trained... or trusted.Review: I had a better time with Magic Study than I did with Poison Study, although in retrospect, I liked the plot somewhat less. Either Snyder's writing style has improved, or I had just gotten used to it over the course of the two books, but it bothered me less in the second book. It'll never be my favorite, but at least it wasn't particularly intrusively noticeable this time. I also found Yelena less annoying than I had previously, although her interactions with the secondary characters - particularly her newly-rediscovered family - didn't really win me over, and I found myself missing Valek, Ari, and Janco. (The one character whose introduction I wholeheartedly approved of was Kiki, the horse, who was thoroughly charming, and provided some lighter touches in what was once again a fairly dark book.) The plot wasn't bad, and although it felt fragmented at times it all came together in the end fairly well, but I thought it lacked the freshness and originality of the condemned poison-taster plot, which was one of my favorite parts of the first book. In sum, while I'm interested enough in the story that I'll read the third book, Fire Study, I'm just not in raptures over the series the way some people seem to be. 3.5 out of 5 stars.Recommendation: Better than Poison Study in some ways, not as good in others, it's different enough from the bulk of YA fantasy that the series is at least worth checking out, even if it has yet to blow me away.
    • 5/5
      What can I say about Magic Study that I didn't already say about Poison Study? I read many reviews in which readers claimed that Poison Study was the superior book and Magic Study fell short of their expectations, but for me that was not the case. This book was certainly different from its predecessor and had something different to offer but I found that refreshing.All of the old characters we fell in love with in Poison Study were back along with a cast of new characters who didn't disappoint. We are given a tree climbing mother, a bitter "king" without a throne, "talking" horses, a family of glass blowers, head magicians, etc.While Poison Study was a book primarily composed of "Who can Yelena trust?" moments and endless intrigue Magic Study presented us with a story about family and a Hogwarts-esque magic school. In this sequel Yelena had all of her old friends (and her lover) from Ixia to support her.One of my favorite parts of the book was Yelena's ability to communicate with horses. I adored Kiki and Topaz and thought they added a necessary lightness to the book and to Yelena's otherwise complicated and dangerous life. I highly recommend this book and will continue on with the series. I've already got Fire Study, the third and final book in the series (not including its spin off series "Glass" that is), sitting in my to be read pile.
    • 4/5
      Book 2 of this series from Maria V. Snyder moves forward with the story of Yelena and her coming to grips with coming back to her homeland and learning of her magical abilities. In my opinion, this book is much better than book 1 (Poison Study). While much was the same, there was more excitement in this one. And for good or bad, I'm an action oriented reader, so this was much easier to read and held my interest much longer. At the end of the first book, I was intrigued, but not overwhelmed with excitement for this series. Now, I can't wait to finish book 3 (already a few chapters in) to see how this all plays out. I could do without the romance, but it really is just a sidebar to the main story and not very detailed so good for the youngins. I think I may end up recommending this series as it is entertaining and worthy of the time to read through it.
    • 4/5
      Yelena was raised in an abusive orphanage and grew to become the commander's food taster. She discovered two things: she was not an orphan but kidnapped, and her growing skills in magic are illegal within her adoptive home of Ixia. She travels to the south to a homeland she can't remember. Her reunion with her family isn't all joy and mirth, nor is she openly welcomed as a student of magic in the capital. A series of murders draws her attention and she applies her magic in tracking the killer... unless he tracks her first.Like the first book, POISON STUDY, this is a fast read. It's off-Earth fantasy in first person, and reads more like urban fantasy than epic. Yelena's confidence has grown and she's a spunky heroine, witty and skilled in physical defense. However, I found myself missing a lot of the elements I loved in the first book, though, such as the roles of the poison and her training in identifying them. That initial hook is gone as she Yelena becomes more powerful in her magic and outright brash. There were two points of aggravation, too: Yelena chooses to stay willfully ignorant about her family and what a Soulfinder is, something was convenient for the plot but seemed contrary to her intelligence; also, I get tired of there being a man in every book who wants to rape her. I'm not sure if I'll continue with the series since it has changed from what initially attracted me, but the books have been an enjoyable read.
    • 5/5
      Of course not as amazing as the first in the series, but this is definitely an impressive sequel. It still holds up the second time through.
    • 5/5
      Absolutely loved this! Had been looking forward to it, following the first one and I was not disappointed! I couldn't put it down. Now for the third..... :o)
    • 5/5
      Having left Ixia, Yelena must now learn about her family and Southern heritage in this second book of the 'Study' trilogy. The book continues where the first left off as Yelena has new adventures, makes new enemies and begins to develop her powers. The writing is good and makes for an easy read.
    • 2/5
      Wanted something fluffy to ready over the rainy weekend. This did the trick.
    • 4/5
      This second installment of the Study series was another fast paced, quick read, entertaining book. We are introduced to some new and interesting characters, and I would have liked more time spent on them, rather than some of the numerous times Yelena got herself into trouble. Magic Study didn't have the wow factor of the Poison Study and Yelena's continual recklessness gets a bit annoying by the end. BUT overall compulsive reading!
    • 4/5
      Yelena is traveling to Sitia to her land of birth, finding a family she never knew she had and learning how to control skills she never wanted but now has to deal with. Valek has to let her do this and she has to try to find a life outside of her previous life and now she has to discover her place in life. She also finds herself the focus of a serial killer, a killer whose latest victim is in the hospital with injuries that aren't just to her body. It appears that Yelena has caught the attention of this killer. She doesn't seem to be able to catch a break, trouble seems to find her no matter what she does and where she goes.I enjoyed it, not quite as much as the first in the series, but it was enjoyable. Yelena seems to be floundering to find answers and none of the ones presented to her seem to be enough. I'm looking forward to book 3.