Fire Study (Original)

I'm not sure how I managed to hold off from reading this book for so long--I guess my TBR pile had gotten so big I forgot I had it! I am happy to say that I enjoyed Fire Study just as much as the first two books in the series. (Although Poison Study is probably my favorite of the three books, by a slight margin.) Snyder's writing style feels so effortless and natural that I was swept into the story upon reading the first few words. The pacing is just right, with twists and turns in the plot that urge you to press further on to discover what happens next. Snyder also has a gift for writing strong characters; whether you love them or hate them, they make the story. Yelena finally discovers more about her talents and what it means to be a Soulfinder in Fire Study, and I am glad that she finally begins to gain more insight into the world of magic. Of course, it does take her most of the book to really start to understand the truth, as she faces numerous conflicts and hardships (of course) along the way, both impeding her progress and aiding it at the same time. I really enjoyed how Snyder finally tied everything together with this last book and we finally see where everyone's loyalties really lie. And while there are a few sad losses, eventually justice does prevail and I truly thought the end was very satisfying. I was intrigued by the fact that while most everything was resolved, the door is left open to other possibilities--perhaps this is where Storm Glass, the first book in Snyder's next series will take us. (That is pure speculation, however, as I actually have not read much about that book yet.) I really thought this was a wonderful, original series, and am looking forward to reading Storm Glass soon. In fact with this rating, I will have given all three books in the Study series 5-star ratings!!

I pined away waiting for Fire Study to be released. I enjoyed Poison Study and Magic Study so much that I re-read them waiting on this one. There are many new concepts and characters introduced in this third installment - namely the "Warpers", who are renegade magicians and who gain power by killing and absorbing souls. So naturally, Yelena takes off in a fast-paced adventure to find and destroy them before they take over the world. The world that she encounters, which now has all kinds of evil and double-crossing agents in it, forces the story to a darker and more urgent place than the first two books did. I found myself having to re-read a few chapters to keep up with everything that was happening. And of course, Moon Man is back with more riddles than ever. To nitpick - I found Yelena's inability to grasp one of the concepts that Moon Man was trying to teach her frustrating. Even her horse tried to get her to see what was happening and of course, we had figured it out long before. This is the only time in the three books where I felt that the plot dragged a bit. It was a minor annoyance and didn't diminish my overall love for the book, but it bothered me that with everything that had happened to Yelena, that she could disregard Moon man's advice and not even try to see what was happening. The conclusion was satisfying. Once again, I was blown away by the author's ability to conclude a story as involving as this in a way that was realistic and very respectful to her characters. Not everything has a disney-ending and I appreciate that. I highly recommend the "Study" series to anyone who likes a smart read with great character development and doesn't mind the absence of elves, ogres, and magic swords. Yelena is a delight to follow as the herione, strong and yet vulnerable at the same time. Valek played a lesser role to some degree in this book and I thought that was appropriate. I would have liked Roze's character to have been developed more as it was hard to understand her motivation and how she grew to feel and act the way she did. I enjoyed that this book was primarily about the relationship between Yelena and Moon Man and how he was more integral to Yelena's discovery of herself than Valek was. This is not typical in a fantasy where there is a "romantic" angle and I was impressed that the author did not use the romance angle as a way for Yelena to grow. Her relationship with Valek was only a part of her self-discovery and everyone in Yelena's life, even Ari and Janco (my favorite characters) help her in her journy. As an avid reader, I don't find many books that I enjoy in this genre. This is a shining example of fantasy adventure at its best. I found it completely refreshing to follow Yelena's journey. It is a story of a girl who finds herself in a highly problematic circumstance and how she uses her wit and skills to overcome and discover herself and her destiny. Highly recommend this series, even if you do not typically read

Courtesy of CK2S Kwips and Kritiques A CK2S Recommended read! Please note I am reviewing the audio version of this book. So I cannot guarantee all of my spellings are correct. When word got out that Yelena Zaltana was a Soul Finder, the magicians in Sitia start to worry. (See Magic Study) Sitian history has only recorded one other case of a Soul Finder and that one had created an army of zombie warriors to take over Sitia. It's only natural they fear Yelena would be corrupted and attempt the same. It's not long before Yelena uncovers a plot to force Sitia and neighboring country Ixia into war. The leader of the plot is the same magician, a Soul Stealer, that Yelena defeated once before. He escaped with the help of Cahil who has his own plans to take over Ixia. He also has the Daviian Clan who use blood magic to increase their powers and a mysteriously powerful Fire Warper, behind him. It's up to Yelena to defeat her enemies once more. With the help of her loyal friends it should be easy, but who is friend and who is enemy? When the lines begin to blur, Yelena is in for the greatest magical battle of her life. In Fire Study, the conclusion to the Study trilogy, we find Yelena really come into her own in the magical community. Be forewarned, this is not a series easily read out of order. Each preceding book leads into the next one and with each book, we learn many more intricacies about the lands of Ixia and Sitia, but especially about the magic that Sitia thrives on. Yelena continues to grow and adapt and learns how important it is not to abuse her gifts. Her fears are very real as she understands the immense responsibility she has to wield her powers appropriately. All of our beloved friends from Ixia are back, from Ari and Janco to Commander Ambrose and of course, Valek. Iris is back too of course, Yelena's mentor and one of the few people in Sitia who truly understand Yelena. We are also introduced to more of the Zaltana clan, as well as visiting with those we've already met. One of Yelena's greatest strengths is the love and loyalty she shares with her friends and family and in Fire Study she needs them more than ever. Fire Study is a highly emotional read. Yelena is really put through the paces and has to reach deep down inside herself to find her true power. She has several very difficult choices to make and as she struggles to weigh what must be done against what she wants. These struggles provide some very poignant moments, especially when she fears she may very well lose Valek and all she holds dear if she hopes to defeat the Fire Warper. I had tears in my eyes more than once, sometimes sad tears, other times joyful ones. As Yelena finally comes to understand what magic is capable of, we find some very powerful scenes. Be forewarned too, there are some mind blowing surprises revealed. A few you may have already guessed, but let me tell you, even the ones you think you know will shock you. Make sure you have plenty of time to spe

If you liked Poison Study and Magic Study, you'll love Fire Study! I have read Fire Study, and it's definitely, by far my favorite of the series! It has a big boom of a climax and very conclusive ending. I was not able to put it down. I stayed up until 8am reading it. There is nothing else to say about this book except that it was hands down amazing. Thank-you so much Maria V. Snyder, for writing such a beautiful series. Great novels like these are few and far between. Even though it was a VERY good ending to a series, I won't deny the fact that I was sad that the series was over. I am looking forward Opal's story in Storm Glass. Make sure you pick up a copy. Definitely worth every penny!

This review is for all you wonderful people who have read Poison study and Magic Study. If you haven't, then stop reading this and go out and buy the books! Now as far as Fire Study goes, it is brilliant. Maria Snyder knows her stuff. Her dialogue is natural and flows along without any awkward pause. Her characters are well rounded and real enough to care about. Snyder brings such a lively voice to Yelena, she is a strong character who isn't perfect. She has strengths and weaknesses just like anyone else. Snyder knows how to catch your attention at the end of each chapter bringing this 441 page book to its ending far too quickly. And of course the romance between Valek and Yelena is as sweet and believable as Edward and Bella's for Twilight fans. And best of all Leif gets a sense of humor! I can usually see surprises in plot turns way before they happen, but this book threw even me for a loop. A good word to describe it would be intense. The writing is beautiful, the plot is original, and the characters will warm your heart. You will not be able to put this book down, Snyder has done her job right and created a world that you can really sink your feet into. Enjoy it. Snyder has a very long career ahead of her. This reviewer will always stand in line to buy her next book.