Book Review: Magic Study by Maria V. Snyder

Magic Study by Maria V. Snyder
Release Date: May 16, 2008 (UK)
Publisher: MIRA (UK)
Series: Study #2
Rating: 5 out of 5
Recommended? Yes!
Buy the Book: Amazon US

Yelena is a survivor. Kidnapped as a child, held prisoner as a teen, then released to act as a poison taster, she is now a student of magic. But these magic skills place her in imminent danger, and with an execution order on her head, she has no choice but to escape to Sitia, the land of her birth.

But nothing in Sitia is familiar. As she struggles to understand where she belongs and how to control her powers, a rogue magician emerges—;and Yelena catches his eye. Suddenly she is embroiled in a situation not of her making. And once again her magical abilities will either save her life…or be her downfall.

With her greatest enemy dead, and on her way to be reunited with the family she'd been stolen from long ago, Yelena should be pleased. But though she has gained her freedom, she can't help feeling isolated in Sitia. Her Ixian background has changed her in many ways—and her new-found friends and relatives don't think it's for the better.

Despite the turmoil, she's eager to start her magic training—especially as she's been given one year to harness her power or be put to death. But her plans take a radical turn when she becomes involved with a plot to reclaim Ixia's throne for a lost prince—and gets entangled in powerful rivalries with her fellow magicians.

If that wasn't bad enough, it appears her brother would love to see her dead. Luckily, Yelena has some old friends to help her with all her new enemies. - Goodreads page

Okay, warnings. More heavy gushing (obviously, did you expect anything else?) and spoilers from book 1. If you want to read my spoiler-free review of Poison Study, then go and do so!

Magic Study picks up a few weeks after Poison Study ended, with Irys taking all of the kidnapped children home to Sitia. Yelena is the next one to be reintroduced to her family, and she’s worried. She’s been away for fourteen years – what if they don’t want her? Or, what if she’s not really a Zaltana? Luckily, she is.

Meeting Yelena’s family was, in a word, strange. I had expected them to be like Yelena, but they were nothing of the sort. Although, it is explained how Yelena’s love of walking amongst the treetops came about. Hint: It’s in her blood. Anyway...

After a few major events, and Yelena getting into even more trouble, she makes her way to the Keep, where she studies magic with Irys. She’s not very good, but her mind reading skills are incredible. It’s obvious she has a lot of power stuffed in there. But will she tap into it?

Magic Study was fast paced, emotional and – in some places – very mysterious. It felt very different to Poison Study, but it also felt the same. I’m not making much sense. But I think the whole “feeling different, but feeling the same” thing was intentional, as Sitia is a very different place to Ixia. For one, no one wore uniforms in Sitia. Secondly, there were no beggars in Ixia. Which did I prefer? To be honest, I love Ixia a little bit more, and I’d prefer to live there. As long as the Commander and Valek liked me, of course ;)

Which brings me onto my next point. Valek?! Where were you? Sure, he’s in this book, but not as much as I’d hoped. He shows up over 250 pages in, and we hardly see him! And when we do see him, we don’t see him being the intelligent self he was in PS, we just hear about his ventures. And whenever Yelena and Valek are together, all they seem to be doing is having sex. Sure, this may be realistic, but can’t they do something else? Like go on a proper adventure, or have Valek save Yelena... not that she needed it anymore, because she was badass with her magic skills. But anyway, when he was in a few of the scenes, he was HOT. And the way he showed up was just... *swoons some more* Hilarious!

I did love Magic Study, but just not as much as Poison Study. I can’t wait to read the next book, and I hope Valek, Ari and Janco are in it a lot more! I love them all. Best. Cast. Ever. Oh, and Kiki was the best horse in the world. I want her <3