169) Taste of Darkness by Maria V. Snyder

The Blurb :


She's fought death and won. But how can she fight her fears?

Avry knows hardship and trouble. She fought the plague and survived. She took on King Tohon and defeated him. But now her heart-mate, Kerrick, is missing, and Avry fears he's gone forever.

But there's a more immediate threat. The Skeleton King plots to claim the Fifteen Realms for his own. With armies in disarray and the dead not staying down, Avry's healing powers are needed now more than ever.Torn between love and loyalty, Avry must choose her path carefully. For the future of her world depends on her decision.

My Thoughts :

Maria V. Snyder's books are exceptional and I have enjoyed reading each and every one of them.  However Taste of Darkness, the third and final book in the Healer trilogy was not my favourite.

Finally presented with the last installment of another original and captivating story made me want to read it straight away.  However I took my time and waited till the holidays were coming around because I knew I would have more time to read Taste of Darkness without many distractions and with more time to give it the attention it deserved.  In retrospect maybe I should I have began this one as soon as I received it because I ended up having to take a break halfway through because it was not at all what I expected.

I am not giving this book a bad review, I am just saying that this time around I wasn't feeling the story and characters.  I couldn't follow the story, there was so much going on.  Add the fact that I forgotten most of the story due to the length of time between the books being released.  Such stories with so much depth are hard to follow with long pauses and this is one series that needs to be read after another to be fully enjoyed.  Little things but still they made their mark.

However, what I think ruined the book for me was that the copy I was given to review had no chapters and no breaks.  This meant I didn't even know when the POV was changing until a paragraph or so later.  It gave me a headache and can't believe publishers would give reviewers such a bad edition of the book to read.  I ended up having to back track and re-read a lot of the book to figure out the when, where and who.  It was frustrating and made the story practically unreadable.

So any fans who are reading this review, don't take my words too seriously.  I think anyone who has been following Avry's story will enjoy this book and be happy with the way it ended.  There were some special moments, some interesting twists and of course the concept is just wonderful.  Maria gets another thumbs up for creating yet another unforgettable world, set of characters and plot.  I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.

If you haven't already had the pleasure of reading Maria's work then I suggest you start with the Study Series.  Still one of my all time favourite reads and one I make sure family and friends get a copy of.







 

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164) Scent of Magic by Maria V. Snyder

The Blurb :

As the last Healer in the Fifteen Realms, Avry of Kazan is in a unique position: in the minds of her friends and foes alike, she no longer exists. Despite her need to prevent the megalomanical King Tohon from winning control of the Realms, Avry is also determined to find her sister and repair their estrangement. And she must do it alone, as Kerrick, her partner and sole confident, returns to Alga to summon his country into battle.

Though she should be in hiding, Avry will do whatever she can to support Tohon’s opponents. Including infiltrating a holy army, evading magic sniffers, teaching forest skills to soldiers and figuring out how to stop Tohon’s most horrible creations yet; an army of the walking dead—human and animal alike and nearly impossible to defeat.

War is coming and Avry is alone. Unless she figures out how to do the impossible ... again.

My Review :

I am a huge fan of Maria's work and when I got hold of this ARC I couldn't wait to start it. However I kept myself in check and got through a few other to be read books before rushing to this one. However when I started it I realised I should have found time to re-read the first book, Touch of Power, before diving back into the world I haven't been to for a year. I was completely lost.

After a few chapters I started to warm back up to the world and the main characters but I still couldn't place all the other characters. It was hard, especially as they had all split up and were going their own way. In the previous book everyone stuck together and it was easy to know who was who. This time around I admit I felt a little out of my depth.

By the halfway mark I had to take a break. Not because the story was bad but because the Kindle ARC I received had no chapters and no breaks in the text. So I was reading along and finding I was suddenly back to Avry's perspective when I had just been following Kerrick's and vice versa. It was very annoying and it meant I often had to stop and go back to read places (where I can only assume were chapters or breaks in the story) again.

However when I went back to the book I was in the loop and extremely hooked. The last half flew by and before I knew it I had come to that horrible ending. Yes I will call it horrible and Maria, once again, deserves to be boo'ed at for the way she insists on leaving us with such nasty endings. Although I have to also give her credit for the amazing way she ends her books, making me sure to come back for more.

All in all this was once again a super Snyder book. I love the characters and the concept which is developing quite nicely. There should be some really interesting events to come in book three and even though this second part wasn't as good as the first it was still well worth reading.

If you haven't already read any of Maria's work then I highly recommend you do. Even if it doesn't sound like something you would like you need to start with the Study series. I didn't think I would like it but I loved it and it will always be one of my favourite reads.

Scent of Power is due for release at the end of the month.

Contest Reminder!

One of my author guests this week is Maria V. Snyder!

Her ninth book, Touch of Power, is now out and it is an amazing read. If you are a fan of Maria's books then this is the one you want under the Christmas Tree. Any book vouchers from Santa need to be traded in for this first in a new series. I loved it by the way ;)

Did you read the interview with the main character Avry? You have the chance to get to know the healer and a bit about the story. Also you could win a copy of Touch of Power signed by Maria!

You have till Sunday 25th December (Yes Christmas Day!) to enter!




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For more chances to win -

Post about this giveaway somewhere on the internet eg. Facebook, Myspace, Twitter etc. Make sure you post the link here so I can confirm your extra entry.

Email your friends about this giveaway. Make sure you add my email address so I also get a copy and can confirm your entry. Amberkatzes_Book_Blog@gmx.eu

Do you 'Like' Amberkatze's Book Blog? Facebook It!





Use the Bookdepository or Amazon links/banners to keep the prizes coming! Oh and advertise Amberkatze's Book Blog wherever you can ;)

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149) Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder

The Blurb :

Laying hands upon the injured and dying, Avry of Kazan assumes their wounds and diseases into herself. But rather than being honored for her skills, she is hunted. Healers like Avry are accused of spreading the plague that has decimated the Territories, leaving the survivors in a state of chaos.

Stressed and tired from hiding, Avry is abducted by a band of rogues who, shockingly, value her gift above the golden bounty offered for her capture. Their leader, an enigmatic captor-protector with powers of his own, is unequivocal in his demands: Avry must heal a plague-stricken prince—leader of a campaign against her people. As they traverse the daunting Nine Mountains, beset by mercenaries and magical dangers, Avry must decide who is worth healing and what is worth dying for. Because the price of peace may well be her life.

My Review :

I am a huge fan of Maria Snyder's work and have been lucky enough to read and enjoy all of her nine books so far. If you haven't tried Poison Study yet then I highly recommend you do. It is one of the best books I have ever read. So when I saw Maria had a new series starting with the same subtle hints of the Study series, well I couldn't wait to get a copy. Luckily I got an ARC version!

Touch of Power was one of those reads that you can't put down. It is the book you read on the bus and miss your stop because you are just pulled so deep into the fantastic story. I hated not having enough time to read this book in one go and kept grabbing for it at every opportunity. I was addicted within pages and couldn't let go.

With an amazing range of characters in a strange new world, Maria has managed to once again leave me with that 'WOW' feeling. There are always books you like, want to read again etc but Maria's really have a magical effect on the reader. This powerful new series was special, emotional and extremely good. I loved every moment.

The author manages to create a world with so much depth but doesn't go too over the top that you can't imagine how it would look. The characters were easy to get to know and within the first pages I was in love with Avry. Kerrick took some time to warm up to but his comrades felt like instant friends for me.

I don't want to give away much about the story but I can tell you all that the concept is unique and fantastic. The story and plot flow nicely and the writing style is easy going but exciting. If you haven't tried this author before then it may just be time to give her a go. Oh and don't think fantasy isn't your thing because it wasn't my thing either. However Maria Snyder is definitely my thing and my friends and family love her too.

Due for release late this month, Touch of Power is the book you need to start off the new year. However be prepared for all other books in 2012 not to reach up to the standard of the beautiful and powerful book. I can't wait for more from this series.