Showing posts with label Night Study. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Night Study. Show all posts

Wednesday, 13 April 2016

Author Spotlight & Giveaway - Maria V Snyder

Today's post is kind of a different one.  Its a combination author spotlight/Thursday Throwback/event  post along with the give away you will find at the bottom.

Last night I was lucky enough to attend a Bloggers Evening at HarlequinTeen Australia in Sydney.  There we got to meet the amazing Maria V Snyder.

I had met Ms Snyder before back in my very first year of blogging in 2011 but at that stage I had yet to read any of her books.  That was soon remedied however when I read and fell in love with the poison study series, the glass series, the inside out, outside in dystopian duology, and Healer series.  Basically all the books she has written so far :-P

So basically I was extremely excited to be meeting Ms Snyder last night.

When I arrived, people were already there and we were able to chat with Ms Snyder and enjoyed some snacks as we waited for everyone to arrive.


Ms Snyder then talked to us about her books and answered any questions we had.  As there were only 15-20 of us in total in was like having a big group chat as we got to hear about how Poison study came to be and how it was originally supposed to be a stand alone novel! We also learned how Ms Snyder's degree in meteorology came in handy when she was writing the glass series and that if you are going to swing a broadsword you need two hands!

Lastly we all had our books signed before receiving a goodie bag from HarlequinTeen Aus before we left.


It was great to meet and chat books with fellow Sydney bloggers and makes some new bookish friends.

Huge thank you to Theresa and Harlequin Teen Australia for making this happen and of course big Thank you to Maria V Snyder for taking the time to come and say hello :-)

Now for the Thursday Throw back portion of this post.  Here are some of my favourite Maria V Snyder novels and what I had to say about them:


Scent of Magic (Healer #2)




Hunted, Killed—Survived?

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.

Add to Goodreads


See My Review


Purchase:  Book Depository 

Shadow Study (Soulfinders #1) by Maria V. Snyder




New York Times bestselling author Maria V. Snyder wowed readers with Poison Study, the unforgettable story of poison taster Yelena. Now she's back with a new tale of intrigue.

Once, only her own life hung in the balance.

Oddly enough, when Yelena was a poison taster, her life was simpler. But she'd 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, they are beset on all sides by those vying for power through politics and intrigue. Valek's job - and his life - are in danger. As Yelena tries to uncover the scope of these plots, she faces a new challenge: her magic is blocked. She must keep that a secret - or her enemies will discover just how vulnerable she really is - while searching for who or what is responsible for neutralizing her powers.

Yes, the days of tasting poisons were much simpler. And certainly not as dangerous,


Night Study (Soulfinder #2)) by Maria V Snyder

 


New York Times bestselling author Maria V. Snyder transports readers back to the realms of Sitia and Ixia in an exciting new Study novel full of magic, danger and intrigue.

Ever since being kidnapped from the Illiais Jungle as a child, Yelena Zaltana’s life has been fraught with peril. But the recent loss of her Soulfinding abilities has endangered her more than ever before. As she desperately searches for a way to reclaim her magic, her enemies are closing in, and neither Ixia nor Sitia are safe for her anymore. Especially since the growing discord between the two countries and the possibility of a war threatens everything Yelena holds dear.

Valek is determined to protect Yelena, but he’s quickly running out of options. The Commander suspects that his loyalties are divided, and he’s been keeping secrets from Valek...secrets that put him, Yelena and all their friends in terrible danger. As they uncover the various layers of the Commander’s mysterious plans, they realise it's far more sinister than they could have ever imagined.


The Giveaway


Do you have a mismatched set  or a set you still need to complete?  Maybe you want to start one of Ms Snyder's series you haven't read yet or may your reading copy and been read to death and you need a new one.  This giveaway is for you!

Open to anyone who lives where the Book Depository delivers, I am giving one person the chance to win their choice of 1 x  Maria V Snyder novel up to the value of $30 AUD

You can see list of Maria V Snyder's books here

You need to be 13 or over to enter and please make sure you have parent/guardian permission to enter if you are under 18

Giveaway end 11.59 pm 21/4/16

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday, 1 February 2016

Review: Night Study (Soulfinder #2) by Maria V Snyder

Title: Night Study (Soulfinder #2)
Author: Maria V Snyder
Published: 25 January 2016
Source: Harlequin Teen Australia in exchange for an honest review
Reviewed: Sapphired Dragon
Rating: ****

My Review:
Man I love this story, these characters and this world! I can't believe I now have to wait another year to find out how this story turns out. Again it has finished at a point where I just want to keep reading on and find out what happens next but alas I have reached the last page of this book

I struggled with the first half having to make myself persevere through it. i am not sure if it was the pace, the amount of set up or something else entirely but I was struggling to connect with the characters at first and constantly found my interest waning and looking for something else to do. This was a little disappointing given how much I love this series

Once I hit half way however, I couldn't put it it down, with each of the three main point of views keeping me interested and intrigued and ending so that again i am frustrated that i have to wait another year to find out what happens next

The first half of the novel felt like mostly set up and as mentioned I had to struggle through parts as it didn't always manager to hold my full attention. It was moving the story line along and was necessary to the story but I had to push myself through it a little until I could really experience that complete immersion in the story like I had in Ms Snyder's previous books. It was definitely worth it through because the second half of the book moved beautifully. All of a sudden all three main threads were keeping me interested and all that had gone on before suddenly made more sense. All the elements I have come to expect from a Maria V Snyder novel were there; The balance of threads, expertly woven into a thrilling story, characters that came alive off the page and loaded with intrigue so that the twists and turns keep you guessing until that last exciting precipice on which Ms Snyder then leaves you hanging for the next book.

I had forgotten just how much I love these characters, not just Yelena and Varlek but Ari and Janco, Leif and Mara, Maren and Fisk. There is also a number of new characters introduced who will definitely be up there with my favourites. I love the dialogue, banter and interaction between Ms Snyder's characters. It is almost always completely on point and there were genuine tears in my eyes in a different parts as the story rolled on as well as genuine fear when ever one of these characters is in danger which is essentially the majority of the book :-P

Overall I loved this and gave this novel 4 stars.

Sapphired Dragon xx




About The Book:






Night Study (Soulfinder #2)
) by Maria V Snyder


New York Times bestselling author Maria V. Snyder transports readers back to the realms of Sitia and Ixia in an exciting new Study novel full of magic, danger and intrigue.

Ever since being kidnapped from the Illiais Jungle as a child, Yelena Zaltana’s life has been fraught with peril. But the recent loss of her Soulfinding abilities has endangered her more than ever before. As she desperately searches for a way to reclaim her magic, her enemies are closing in, and neither Ixia nor Sitia are safe for her anymore. Especially since the growing discord between the two countries and the possibility of a war threatens everything Yelena holds dear.

Valek is determined to protect Yelena, but he’s quickly running out of options. The Commander suspects that his loyalties are divided, and he’s been keeping secrets from Valek...secrets that put him, Yelena and all their friends in terrible danger. As they uncover the various layers of the Commander’s mysterious plans, they realise it's far more sinister than they could have ever imagined.



 check out the good reads link

Publication Date: 25 January 2016
Pre-Order: Booktopia  | Book Depository | Harlequin Teen Australia | Amazon

Tuesday, 8 December 2015

Waiting on Wednesday #16 : Night Study (Soulfinder #2) byMaria V Snyder



Welcome to Waiting on Wednesday!  Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly featured hosted by Breaking the Spine to spotlight the not yet released books that I wish were in my hot little hands right now.

This week I am waiting on Night Study which is the second book in the Soulfinder series and the fifth in the overall study series and continues on with Yelena and Valek's story.

The previous book ( see my review here) left in a bit of a cliff hanger with a revelation that I had gleefully guessed earlier but was only revealed in the last few pages so I am completely hanging out for this book to see what will happen as a result. 

This has got to be one of most favourite series in recent time, with Yelena and Valek's being two of my favourite characters and one of my favourite couples.  It's one of those series where you immediately drop everything to read as soon as the newest book makes it into your hands. So I cannot cannot wait to find out what happens next.







Night Study (Soulfinder #2)) by Maria V Snyder


New York Times bestselling author Maria V. Snyder transports readers back to the realms of Sitia and Ixia in an exciting new Study novel full of magic, danger and intrigue.

Ever since being kidnapped from the Illiais Jungle as a child, Yelena Zaltana’s life has been fraught with peril. But the recent loss of her Soulfinding abilities has endangered her more than ever before. As she desperately searches for a way to reclaim her magic, her enemies are closing in, and neither Ixia nor Sitia are safe for her anymore. Especially since the growing discord between the two countries and the possibility of a war threatens everything Yelena holds dear.

Valek is determined to protect Yelena, but he’s quickly running out of options. The Commander suspects that his loyalties are divided, and he’s been keeping secrets from Valek...secrets that put him, Yelena and all their friends in terrible danger. As they uncover the various layers of the Commander’s mysterious plans, they realise it's far more sinister than they could have ever imagined.



 check out the good reads link
Publication Date: 25 January 2016
Pre-Order: Booktopia  | Book Depository | Harlequin Teen Australia | Amazon


What book are you 'waiting on' this week?