Shadow Study - ARC Review

Shadow Study by Maria V. Snyder

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What they say: Once, only her own life hung in the balance…

When Yelena was a poison taster, her life was simpler. She survived to become a vital part of the balance of power between rival countries Ixia and Sitia.

Now she uses her magic to keep the peace in both lands—and protect her relationship with Valek.

Suddenly, though, dissent is rising. And Valek’s job—and his life—are in danger.

As Yelena tries to uncover her enemies, she faces a new challenge: her magic is blocked. And now she must find a way to keep not only herself but all that she holds dear alive.

Coming March 12th 2015 in the UK by Harlequin (UK) Limited / Mira Ink 

ISBN: 9781474013185 (releases 24th Feb in US).

Pre-order:
Amazon US * Amazon UK

I received a copy from the publisher (via NetGalley) in exchange for an honest review!

What I say: As a big fan of Maria V. Snyder's Study & Glass series (I read them before I started this blog) I was equal parts excited and anxious about more Yelena and Valek. I was excited because, hello, it's Yelena and Valek, but at the same time I was worried about what conflict they were going to have to face and whether it would ruin my love for their original books. Thankfully the book picks up seamlessly where the series left off and I jumped back right into the story. 

If you haven't read the original Study trilogy or Glass books (Opals story) then you may be a little confused at times because a lot of the narrative relies on you having knowledge of past events.

As ever Yelena is a trouble magnet (I swear everybody has it out for her) and the plot takes some unexpected turns. With her magic blocked and nobody knowing why, Yelena has a battle on her hands. The action moves across Ixia and we get to see some old friends and enemies. There are a couple of newbies who seemed to shake certain characters up - come on team romance! 

Not only do we get Yelena's and Valek's POV but we're also treated to some chapters from Janco - love him! I loved getting an insight into Valek's past (lets face it the dude is mysterious) and about the Commander.

My hope for the next book Night Study is that we get to see Valek and Yelena as a couple a bit more because I did miss some of their special brand of banter. But after certain revelations (THAT ENDING!!) I'm guessing this is going to happen. Snyder's writing is pretty descriptive so it's easy to become immersed in her world. I cannot wait to see what happens next. In the meantime I'm off to read the entire series again!!

4 Stars in my Sky!