Review: Storm Glass by Maria V. Snyder

Storm Glass

Author: Maria V. Snyder
Publisher: Mira
Series: Glass #1, The Chronicles of Ixia #4
Pages: Paperback, 488 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Release Date:

Summary:

As a glassmaker and a magician-in-training, Opal Cowen understands trial by fire. Now it's time to test her mettle. Someone has sabotaged the Stormdancer clan's glass orbs, killing their most powerful magicians. The Stormdancers—particularly the mysterious and mercurial Kade—require Opal's unique talents to prevent it happening again. But when the mission goes awry, Opal must tap in to a new kind of magic as stunningly potent as it is frightening. And the further she delves into the intrigue behind the glass and magic, the more distorted things appear. With lives hanging in the balance—including her own—Opal must control powers she hadn't known she possessed… - powers that might lead to disaster beyond anything she's ever known.

Review:

Great start to a new trilogy in the same world as Yelena and Valek. Forgotten how much I missed all those characters, and now there are new ones that I'll be missing! (Read: Kade).

Snyder is just so good at making her characters come alive, and their character growth! Even the villains never remained static. Opal has her issues, which is totally understandable because of what happened in the Study series. Just because it's understandable didn't mean I didn't want to shake her a few times so she would get that she was awesome! Her self-esteem and confidence issues were astronomical. BUT! She slowly starts coming into herself. She starts seeing the flaw in her thinking that she is useless, that she doesn't amount to much, etc, and Snyder just does it so well.

The even better part is that it's not just Opal doing some growth, it's everyone else too. It's Kade getting through his sister's death and accepting his growing feelings for Opal. It's Zitora figuring out how to get people to respect her Master Magician status.

The plot wasn't half bad either :P There was one major bit that leads to the main show down which I thought was ridiculously obvious and yet Opal was so damn oblivious. Like not even a tiny seed of doubt or suspicion about the whole thing. Trying not to hold it against Opal and Snyder too much though:P

All in all, great start and now, on to the next one!


Rating: 

Ella

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ARC Review: Taste of Darkness by Maria V. Snyder

Taste of Darkenss by Maria V. Snyder




Publisher: Harlequin MIRA
Series: Healer #3
Pages: 464Pages (Paperback)
Genre: Fantasy
Release Date: December 31, 2013
Summary:
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

Rating: 

Review:

If I had to describe Taste of Darkness with one word, I would probably choose lacklustre.
Sadly so, and with great regret because Touch of Power was one of my favorite reads in 2012, not only that, one of my favorite fantasy book. I adored Avery and her boys. Loved the storyline and world building, but my favorite part was the character building. And we all know I am a sucker for great character driven novels.  Scent of Magic was more plot driven. And one of the disappointing sequels of 2013- i chalked it up to second book syndrome. But sadly Taste of Darkness wasn't better, it was worse in my opinion.

Look if I am honest, if Touch of Power wasn't so awesome, I would have had less expectation. So I all fairness I rounded the 2,5Stars up.

Snyder writes really well. I love her writing style. But this time around the great dialogues felt a bit flat. They were way more fun the first time around. She definitely know her craft extremely, and this come through in this novel as well.

The character building was mainly made in the first book, there are some new developments. Flea is the biggest change, I actually loved how he grew and changed and took on the change of things. Kerrick was less stoic in this book, one of the things I found a bit annoying in Scent of Magic about him. But I found his desperation for Avery a bit grating, let's not even talk about his jealousy. Annoying deluxe. Avery was same old same old, and while her stubbornness was fun and cute in the first couple of novels- well let's just say the fun and cute factor wore off. A lot.
But in general it was fun to revisit the group- and the group has become quite a number of people. And I knew who they were despite my rather nonexistent name memory, which speaks for Snyders writing skills. And while I am being super critical about the characters, I should mention, that the character building is still pretty awesome.

The story line was well - a mash between first and the second book somewhat. Be prepared for a million and one rescue ops. I don't find them quite as enticing as I did in the first book. Then there was the "big"showdown. Which was not that big after all. And the end, while it was satisfying at some level, it was kinda well underwhelming. If I would have to describe the plot in a few words this would be it: rescue operations (like a million of it), research, arguing, friendship, fighting, discoveries and tidbits of lovey-dove- the end. In my opinion the story line was a bit all over the place, it felt like there were some event just added up and then at 90% the show down happened. By that point I was actually wondering if Snyder is planning to finish the story or writing another book. Which quite frankly I probably wouldn't have read. But then it did happen, a rather underwhelming and lacklustre experience actually. The finishing bits were actually rather nice and left me pleased. Still it took me 4days!! to work through this. Because it felt mechanic and to a degree tedious.

Which leads me to the question that plagued me from about 20% into Taste of Darkness. Why did Snyder write 3 Books?! Why not do a standalone? Why pull this over more than a 1000pages? Ok maybe two books I would understand, but three? It makes no sense, because not much is gained reading this third book. So sadly a totally underwhelming finish to a series. Though it does give you closure

A book for the fans of the author and the series. Still be warned it will take you one a ridiculous amount of rescue ops and there will be plenty of not so cute arguing.


ARC was provided by Publishers through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

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Touch of Power

Healer #1

by Maria V. Snyder

 Summary:

 Laying hands upon the injured and dying, Avry of Kazan assumes their wounds and diseases into herself. But rather than being honoured for her skills, she is hunted. Healers like Avry are accused of spreading teh 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 rogue 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, the 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.

My Rating: 4.5 / 5

My Review:
Snyder had me from the first sentence and I was sucked into the story until the last one.
While at first glance it was simply a really good book, it is the details that made me love it so much.
The question I was left with was was this a really good book or was it awesomely great?

The main character and narrator is Avry a young healer in her early twenties who finds herself in a changed and world after a plague has broken out. She has been on the run for 3 years, ever since the law changed and healers are being persecuted.
At the beginning of the story we find Avry destitute and ready to give up. She is accept her fate readily and is ok with it. She is tired of running and feels she has nothing to loose
Into this situation enter a bunch of guys. They rescue her from her holding cell. And as she finds out they were looking for her to take her to Prince Ryne to heal, which she blatantly refuses…
Kerrick the leader of the little band, and Avry butt heads from the get go. And she totally loathes him. He catches her in her attempt to flee and treats her rather roughly.They journey together through countries and difficulties, in an attempt to save what seems to have gone wrong due to the plague

Avry, is headstrong, intelligent, compassionate, witty and brave. She tries to do her best to live her life in a broken-down society. She isn't kickass but she definitely is not a damsel in distress. She is a young women trying to find her way through life, after it was pulled apart by the plague.Naturally with inexperience she makes mistakes but she is aware of her limitation and still ties to learn and change things despite the difficulties that are thrown her way.
Her magic, the healing, is an extension to that. She didnt have the opportunity to finish her training before the plague so she is inexperienced with it, to a degree. I love her describitons of her experiences with her magic and how she starts to understand things her teacher had told her

Kerrick is just as headstrong and leads with example. He is loyal and convinced that he is doing the right thing. He is on a mission to save Prince Ryan and as he hopes with that the 15realms.The men trust him totally, which is annoying to Avry but she learns soon why and does trust him as well.
He hides many secrets and is due to that really cold and harsh to Avry.
He's magic is interesting and the way he treats it as well. Just like Avry's it is somehow an extension of his character

Belen was my favorite character of the guys, he is loyal, strong and compassionate. He is the glue of this little band. He is one of the few people who understands Kerrick and does try and notch him into the right direction.

The relationships between the characters are fabulous. I really love the banter between Kerrick and Avry, but also how the boys grow on her and how she starts thinking of them as friends.
The romance was good as well. The fact that she isn't head over heals, and that she does discover the difference between desires is refreshing.

I think the reason that I loved this book is that the characters were well formed they grow and change during the book, one gets to know them as Avry does. The villains aren't just bad, they have their own personality and reasons for the way they behave. I found myself wondering why people did things, trying to first get to know them before judging them.
But besides that the world building is flawless there are many aspects that are uncovered as one reads, the countries the kings and the plague all questions that arise and are tackled in a way that when there are still questions at the end of the book, one is ok with it. Because everything grows and expands slowly so even after reading I thought of details and things I liked and I have been wondering where these characters are going to take me.
Having said that. I should mention that there is non-stop action, too. While you are taken on this beautiful journey of emotions and relations you are running through it. Its not a slow book! You thrown into the action from the first line and until right to the last one things are happening. The world is in turmoil and are thrown into the middle of it!
But there are hidden secrets to be uncovered and one is guessing about many things. Like the different meaning of the Lilies or the political situation…
Snyder has managed to created a story that takes you in and then stays with you. Again while at first glance this is a well written and well thought out story, but its so much more its has hidden depth and is full of subtle and beautiful details.

So here I am still pondering it its a great but or plain out amazing... what I can say, it is definitely one of my favorite reads this year. And I am looking forward to the sequel.

This book is a poster book to explain why I love fantasy! It is a must read if you love the genre or if you wanna get to know it!




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