Study this Series

Yelena, a young girl sentenced to death for murder is given the chance to live, 

and in the palace no less...

The catch?

She must be the food taster for the Commander of Ixia whose last food taster was 

not 

so 

successful. 

Faced with a rebellion and certain death if she leaves the commander's palace, Yelena is torn and tossed by the fates.  

The story continues in Magic Study.

Here we find our heroine finding out her identity and her potential as a magician.  Her search for her lost family takes her on a perilous journey.  There are some wonderful characters in this novel. 

In the last book of the triology, Fire Study, Yelena is struggling with her enormous powers.  Her internal struggles continue as she also works to avoid a revolution and find a murderer.  Conflicts abound in this one.

Maria V. Snyder is a wonderful story-teller.  I thought her writing style was intelligent, yet fun and easy to read.  A great combination of fantasy, science-fiction, and romance.  These stories remind me a lot of The Black Magician Trilogy books (but steamier.)

I look forward to reading more of Snyder's work!