Poison Study

Yelena is about to be executed for murder and is offered an alternative: food taster to the king. She herself is poisoned and must appear for her daily antidote or die a painful death. What she does with the hand dealt her is fantastic. She is a capable, educated heroine who takes responsibility for her own actions, and plans ahead the moment she begins to see options opening up, then works hard for her future. Watching her grow from desperate orphan into a competent, deadly fighter was fantastic, and strong character development anchors Yelena and Valek into your soul as you weave your way through this magic combo of assassins, spies, and intrigue. I love that romance took a seat in the background and let us focus on the action at hand. Themes of mortality, freedom of choice, and tests of loyalty predominate and make it more than just a fun read.