Shadow Study

By Maria V. Snyder

Once, only her own life hung in the balance…

When Yelena was a poison taster, her life was simpler. She 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, dissent is rising. And Valek’s job—and his life—are in danger.

As Yelena tries to uncover her enemies, she faces a new challenge: her magic is blocked.And now she must find a way to keep not only herself but all that she holds dear alive.

A CHRONICLES OF IXIA NOVEL

'A compelling new fantasy series’ – Rhianna Pratchett, SFX on Poison Study

The Chronicles of Ixia

Poison Study

Magic Study

Fire Study

Storm Glass

Sea Glass

Spy Glass

Shadow Study

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins UK
• Release date: Feb 24, 2015
• ISBN: 9781474013185

Maria V. Snyder

When Maria V. Snyder was younger, she aspired to be a storm chaser in the American Midwest so she attended Pennsylvania State University and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Meteorology. Much to her chagrin, forecasting the weather wasn't in her skill set so she spent a number of years as an environmental meteorologist, which is not exciting...at all. Bored at work and needing a creative outlet, she started writing fantasy and science fiction stories. Over twenty novels and numerous short stories later, Maria's learned a thing or three about writing. She's been on the New York Times bestseller list, won a dozen awards, and has earned her Masters of Arts degree in Writing from Seton Hill University, where she is now a faculty member. Her favorite color is red. She loves dogs, but is allergic, instead she has a big black tom cat named...Kitty (apparently naming cats isn't in her skill set either). Maria also has a husband and two children who are an inspiration for her writing when they aren't being a distraction. Note that she mentions her cat before her family. When she's not writing she's either playing volleyball, traveling, or taking pictures. Being a writer, though, is a ton of fun. Where else can you take fencing lessons, learn how to ride a horse, study martial arts, learn how to pick a lock, take glass blowing classes and attend Astronomy Camp and call it research? Maria will be the first one to tell you it's not working as a meteorologist. Readers are welcome to check out her website for book excerpts, free short stories, maps, blog, and her schedule at MariaVSnyder.com. You can also follow Maria on Facebook and Goodreads.

Reviews for Shadow Study

[kmartin802_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It has been a while since we have had a book focused on Yelena and Valek from Snyder. It is nice to see them again.Yelena is attacked on her way to a rendezvous with Valek. She is shot with a poison-laced arrow. She thinks that she has gotten all the poison out. Valek goes out to try to track down the assassin but has not success. Also, Valek has been called back home to Ixia and leaves before the next effects kick in. As a result, Yelena loses her magic. She heads back to Sitia to try to find out if there is a cure.Meanwhile, Valek is dealing with a new assassin. A young woman named Onora has broken into the Commander's palace. She wants Valek's job. Valek is ready to give it to her - if she can pass his tests. The Commander has set Valek the task of stopping a smuggling ring operating between Ixia and Sitia. He brings in Janco and Ari and assigns them to the task while he tightens security around the Commander and worries about Yelena.Yelena learns that one of her old enemies has escaped from his prison and has targeted her. Without her magic, she is vulnerable. She visits her old colleagues who have no solutions for her. She decides to go off to her friend Opal to see if she knows anything. Her brother Leif goes along to protect her.This was a great story with immediate problems - Yelena's loss of magic and Valek's issues with Onora - and larger political problems - the Council keeping secrets in Sitia and the Commander plotting in Ixia. All of these threads are nicely woven together. We also get some flashbacks about Valek's early life - how he became an assassin and how he came to be the Commander's head of security.I really hope that there will be more stories starring Yelena and Valek. They weren't left in a nice, safe place at the end of this one.

[wagner5sarah35 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Mixed feelings on this one...I loved Poison Study when I first read it several years ago, and I enjoyed picking up with Yelena and Valek's stories again. While Yelena and Valek are as enjoyable characters to read about as ever, I am remarkably less fond of the supporting cast. I did appreciate getting more into Valek's backstory and I enjoyed the ending, but this book still lacks the electric tension of Poison Study.

[brandileigh2003 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I wanted to read Shadow Study, because I loved the first Study books in her series, and have liked the other series she has written. Her books are exciting, engaging, and I love the fantasy world that she builds and the brave and dynamic characters she writes. They are strong women and they have hot romances. I really enjoyed getting back into Yelena's head. She is strong and smart, and the same girl I remember loving in the previous books. Her and Valek have a great relationship except that now they have to be apart so much since he works for the Commander and she is the liaison between Sitia and Ixia. Valek is still madly in love with Yelena, and though he wants to protect her, he also respects and acknowledges her own strength. We get both their perspectives in this series, as well as Janco's. Janco is still funny and outgoing. He is also a great spy and helper for Valek. They are tracing some black market rings as well as tracking the person who tried to assassinate Yelena at the beginning of the book. There is a lack of communication and Valek doesn't realize that Yelena has lost her magic, and she doesn't realize what he is doing for the commander. But we get to see more of the characters from other series Leif, Yelena's brother and Fisk, the street kid that Yelena helped start his own business. The plot is fast paced and a lot of fun even with our main characters in trouble, and working their way out. The mystery of the smugglers and the vulnerability of Yelena kept me flipping the pages and guessing. There was something that I suspected that turned out to be true and I can understand the introduction of another strong girl who is motivated and snuck up on everyone. I enjoyed this new saga and continuation of the series, and I can't wait for the next book, and see what our heros get themselves into this time. Bottom Line: Fast paced look into beloved characters.

[4leschats · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Yelena once again finds herself in danger when struck by an arrow on her way to rendezvous with Valek. While she heals her wound, she finds that the poison may have serious long term effects. In the meantime, Valek is called back to the Commander to find a smuggling ring but he finds lax protocol and possible threats to himself and the peace of Ixia-Sitian relations. This book had a bit less action but filled in some holes relating to Valek's training and relationship to the Commander. Also, the questions of the Commander's motives suggest there may be another book in this series.

[lisa.isselee · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Waah that ending <3 !
So many questions that still need to be answered... I need the sequel to this !!

[jdifelice-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I love this story :D Yelena and Valek are amazing, and I aspire to be them with my SO.
This was another great instalment in the Study series :D I like the skip in time, but it was a bit confusing at the beginning because not a lot about what had happened in the six years since the last book was explained. Once I caught on, I was in it and it was soo good! :D
Thumbs up!

[cherylk_44 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I can remember first discovering this author and the Study books. I instantly fell in love with the books and Yelena and Valek. The world that Mrs. Snyder created was a magical one. It was great to see Yelena as she grew and gained more abilities. I tried to read the Glass books but they did not draw me in as much. One thing that was missing was Yelena. Yet I could appreciate that the author was branching out with the Glass books. So when I learned about these new Soulfinder books that would feature Yelena and Valek again I was thrilled. Yet, I don't know if it is because I have been away from these books for a while or what but I was not loving this book as much as I hoped for and craved from the Study books. While I did like to revisit again with Yelena and Valek at times it was slow reading for me.

[krau0098 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I got a copy of this book through NetGalley to review. It is the first book in a new series featuring Valek and Yelena, although technically it is more like the 4th book in the Study series. It starts up a short time after the events in Fire Study. I would definitely recommend reading the Study trilogy before reading this one. Although Snyder does say in the Afterward that she worked to write this so it could be read separately from the Study series. I was a huge fan of the first two books in the Study series, but I honestly haven’t really enjoyed any of the other books Snyder has written all that much. I read the first two books of the Glass series but just didn’t enjoy it that much. I also read the first two books of the Healer series and didn’t enjoy it either. So it was with some trepidation that I picked up this book. It ended up being better than I expected but still somewhat flawed.Yelena and Valek are struggling to find time to spend together. One of their rare moments together is ruined when Yelena is attacked on they way to meeting Valek. Despite this Valek has to return to Ixia to deal with security and defense there, he is trying to track down the origins of a smuggling ring. Shortly after Valek leaves, Yelena finds out that during the attack she was poisoned and can no longer use her magic. She is now determined to track down her attacker and solve the mystery behind her magic loss. Instead she discovers that Ben Moon has escaped from prison and she has to enlist the help of her Sitian friends to track down both a cure to the poison and Ben Moon.The absolute high point of this story is that we get to spend a lot of time with Valek and we get to learn a lot about his history. The story switches between a lot of characters, but we mainly hear from Valek and Yelena. About half of what we hear from Valek are flashbacks into his past as he was training to become an assassin. We learn about the path Valek took to get to where he ended up today. These parts are incredibly interesting and entertaining and Valek remains my favorite character in this series.The other high point in this series is the introduction of another assassin named Onora. She is fierce, witty, and very fun to read about. I really enjoyed reading about her.The low point of this book is, again, Yelena. I stopped enjoying her as a character in Fire Study and I still think she is a poor character that is not engaging. Yelena does the same stupid things (rushing into things, not trusting her friends) that she did in the Study series. She is annoying and constantly needing rescue. She isn’t as bad when Valek is around, but most of the story they were apart...again.I would really love to see Yelena and Valek actually work together and be in the story together at some point. However, the majority of this story they are working apart and keeping many secrets from each other (this seems to be the standard in their somewhat broken relationship).Overall this book was better than I expected and does a decent job of continuing the story of Valek and Yelena that was started in the Study series. The high point of this book is the flashbacks into Valek’s past and the fact that nearly half of the book is told from Valek’s perspective. I continue to have trouble actually enjoying Yelena as a character, but the history we learn about Valek and the addition of another assassin character, Onora, makes putting up with Yelena worth it. I would recommend to fans of the Study series. I would also recommend you read the Study series before reading this book; that series is a decent fantasy series with lots of magic and intrigue in it.

[shelleyraec · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Shadow Study launches an exciting new fantasy adventure trilogy by Maria V Snyder featuring characters familiar from her Study and Glass series.It opens as Yelena, on her way to meet Valek for a brief reunion, is attacked by a hidden assailant who shoots her with a poisoned arrow. Able to heal herself, Yelena enjoys a passionate reunion with Valek before he returns to Ixia, but twenty four hours later she realises her magic has disappeared. Returning to Sitia, Yelena is desperate to find out how she has been stripped of her powers, and how to get them back. Without them she is vulnerable, especially since an old enemy is bent on revenge, and a new one is determined to destroy her.While Yelena sets out to find the answers she needs, Valek is busy in his role as the Commander’s second after being gone for almost a year. His point of view details life at the keep, as well as Valek’s recall of his past as a student of the The School of Night and Shadows, desperate to avenge the murders of his family, and sets up what I assume will be the main thrust of the plot for this trilogy – a brewing war between Sitia and Ixia.I don’t think it is strictly necessary to have read the previous books set in this world to enjoy Shadow Study, but those that have will have the slight advantage of being privy to both the history of Snyder’s world, and the development of the characters and their relationships. Snyder does introduce a few new characters in Shadow Study, most notably Onora, a talented assassin with her eye on Valek’s job, and Gerik, a soldier, who are partnered with Janco and Ari.For established and new fans alike, Shadow Study should prove to be a fast paced and entertaining fantasy adventure. Fair warning though, the book ends on a cliffhanger and the second book, Night Study, won’t be published until 2016.

[avoraciousreader · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

*Book source ~ Purchased on AudibleYelena finds herself targeted for assassination and loses her magic, Valek finds himself at odds with the Commander and the Power Twins are trying to keep things together. Smuggling is rife, plots are thick and tricky and it’s hard to decide who to trust.Guest Reviewers:T ~ my 16-yr-old sonK ~ my 14-yr-old sonYelena, Valek and the gang are back. Told from three POVs (Yelena, Valek, Janco), the story switches back and forth between them as they deal with current events. A lot of Valek’s story consists of flashbacks on how he became the man he is today. We loved his portion because as T put it: Valek is effing awesome! K & I have to agree. Janco is always good for amusement and we’re mixed about Yelena. We mostly like her but there are times we seriously want to bitchslap her for doing stupid shit. Seriously. The alternating storylines were ok. We think it was a bit frustrating to get to a good point in one arc only to have it slip to the next and then the next. Grrr. Overall though we did enjoy having all three arcs come together in the end. And I have to tell you that K called that ending about 1/3 of the way into the book. That boy is too smart for his own good. LOL Oh, and that ending? Holy shit! As for the new characters, we’re reserving judgment. I kinda like Onora, but I don’t trust her. Yet. The Commander has me worried, K and T aren’t with T saying that he believes the Commander is incorruptible. I’m not so sure. Again, I’m worried where this story is heading. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see how it plays out.Favorite Quotes:Yelena to Onora about Janco: “ He grows on you. Sort of like a barnacle.”Valek to Yelena: “We should make a list of who doesn’t want to kill you, love. It’d be shorter.”I’d be offended, but it was actually a good idea.Valek had learned the best way to distribute information was to classify it as secret.

[darkfaerietales_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie TalesQuick & Dirty: A wonderful adult high fantasy that will capture your heart! I have loved this entire series and I can’t wait for more!Opening Sentence: Ugh, mud, Kiki said as she splashed through another puddle.The Review:Yelena is a soulfinder and she has used her magic to help keep peace between the two lands she calls home, Ixia and Sitia. For years now she has fought to protect those she loves and herself from different evil forces that threaten to destroy everything and everyone she cares about!While on her to way to meet Valek at their cozy little cottage, Yelena is attacked by an unknown enemy. She is caught unaware and struck with an arrow. Luckily she survives the attack, but the next morning she wakes up without magic. She is more vulnerable then ever and there is still an enemy out there that wants her dead.Yelena is one of those heroines you like more and more as you get to know her. It’s amazing how much she has grown from the girl she was when we first met her in Poison Study. It doesn’t seem to matter what dilemma she is faced with, she always approaches things with a level head. She is extremely resourceful, intelligent, confident, and I love that she knows how to take care of her own problems. But at same time, she doesn’t hesitate to ask for help if she needs it. She is just one of those characters you can’t help but love. I’m so glad I have had the privilege of reading her story and I can’t wait to read more!Valek is easily one of my all time favorite book boys! He is sexy, charming, loyal, deadly, and just an all around perfect guy. I think the best thing about Shadow Study was that we got to be inside of Valek’s head. Seeing things from his POV was really interesting and we also got to explore his past, which I loved. His relationship with Yelena is beautiful and one of those love stories that inspire you. They have amazing chemistry and they compliment each other so well. They both have many talents that make them great, but when you get them together they are an unstoppable force! They are one of my favorite book couples!Shadow Study is a fun, adventurous story filled with wonderful characters, epic romance, and a very intriguing plot! One of the things I love best about this story is all the amazing secondary characters. There are many old faces that appear in the story but there are also many new characters as well. One thing I didn’t realize while reading the first book in that this series is actually not a young adult book. For some reason I always figured it was because it reads like a YA book, but while the first three books felt like YA books, Shadow Study felt more like an adult book to me. That’s not to say that young adults won’t enjoy it, but the issues the characters are dealing with are definitely more adult issues. With that all being said, I am so glad that Maria decided to revisit these characters even though it has been many years since Fire Study was released. This world and these characters are amazing and I can’t wait to continue reading their story. If you are a fantasy fan and you haven’t started this series yet, you need to change that and start reading them ASAP!Notable Scene:Darkness greeted me when I woke. Every single muscle ached as if I’d ran here from the Citadel. My dry throat burned and my stomach hurt. I needed water, food, and a bath. But first, I needed to ensure that I didn’t have another attack. Had the poison run its course? Or was it still inside me? One way to find out.I drew a deep breath and reached for the blanket of power. Nothing happened. Trying again, I concentrated on pulling a thread of magic.Nothing.Fear pushed up my throat. I swallowed it down determined not to panic.I opened my mind to Kiki. What’s going on?No response. Not even images.Dead air surrounded me.My magic was gone.FTC Advisory: Harlequin/Mira provided me with a copy of Shadow Study. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

[infjsarah · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This was OK I suppose but I don't know that I care enough to carry on with the rest of the series.