***Series Review*** Study Series by Maria V. Snyder

On The Backs of the Books

Poison Study

Choose:

A quick death

Or slow poison...

Yelena has a choice – be executed for murder, or become food taster to the Commander of Ixia. She leaps at the chance for survival, but her relief may be short-lived.

Life in the palace is full of hazards and secrets. Wily and smart, Yelena must learn to identify poisons before they kill her, recognise whom she can trust and how to spy on those she can’t. And who is the mysterious Southern sorceress who can reach into her head?

When Yelena realises she has extraordinary powers of her own, she faces a whole new problem, for using magic in Ixia is punishable by death...

Magic Study

Controlling the past

Controlling the future

With an execution order on her head, Yelena has no choice but to escape to Sitia, the land of her birth. With only a year to master her magic – or face death – Yelena must begin her apprenticeship and travels to the Four Towers of the Magician’s Keep.

But nothing in Sitia is familiar. Not the family to whom she is a stranger. Not the unsettling new facet of her magic. Not the brother who resents her return. As she struggles to understand where she belongs and how to control her rare powers, a rogue magician emerges – and Yelena catches his eye.

Suddenly she is embroiled in battle against good and evil. And once again it will be her magical abilities that will either save her life... or be her downfall.

Fire Study

The apprenticeship is over

Now the real test has begun

When word that Yelena is a Soulfinder – able to capture and release souls – spreads like wildfire, people grow uneasy. Already Yelena’s unusual abilities and past have set her apart. As the Council debates Yelena’s fate, she receives a disturbing message: a plot is rising against her homeland, led by a murderous sorcerer she has defeated before.

Honour sets Yelena on a path that will test the limits of her skills, and the hope of reuniting with her beloved spurs her onward. Her journey is fraught with allies and enemies. Yelena will have but one chance to prove herself – and save the land she holds dear.

Pros

·         Well written

·         Strong opening

·         Some good characters

·         Interesting ideas and back story

·         Lovely covers that draw you into the books

Cons

·         Obvious in places

·         The quality of the books went down

·         Characters went from strong to weak.

·         Sometimes difficult to get into

·         Book three is a bit sappy

Best Book: Poison Study

Worst Book: Fire Study

Overall Rating

3 stars – This is a series that starts well and ends well. Unfortunately, it has a bit of a crisis in the middle and goes from mediocre to absolutely dire then ends on a nice note. I’d recommend the whole series to you don’t care about the middle and just want to read a story that isn’t completely overloaded with romance. 

***Series Review*** Luxe by Anna Godbersen

Pros

• Beautiful covers
• Set in an interesting time period
• Not thought provoking (so if you just want to escape this is your book)
• Well thought out synopsises
• Great for mental imagery

Cons

• Not very engaging
• Characters aren’t likeable
• There isn’t much depth
• The endings are maddening
• The stories can get a bit farfetched

Best Book: The Luxe

Worst Book: Envy

Overall Rating

2 stars – not a series I enjoyed as an adult but I think that teens will thoroughly enjoy the stories and the romance of it. I can say that because as a teen I actually devoured the first three books and would’ve the last if I hadn’t got ill. It’s not a series of books that I’d recommend to anyone, I think it would be a tad hypocritical of me considering that I didn’t like them. I think we’ve all gathered that from my reviews though. 

***Series Review*** His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman

Series Summary

There are three books in this series, Northern Lights aka The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife & The Amber Spyglass. The main characters are Will Parry and Lyra Silvertongue. The series is set in parallel universes and is for young adults and children.

Pros

·         Well written

·         Interesting ideas

·         Relatable characters

·         Touching character development

Cons

·         The ending was weak

·         The slow burning plot makes it difficult to get into the series.

·         There’s a spot of violence

·         It’s anti church so religious people may find this offensive.

Best Book: Northern Lights

Worst Book: The Amber Spyglass

Overall Rating


3 stars – it’s a good series but I think that it’s better suited for younger readers after completing the series.  The beautiful descriptions make this worth a read but then that’s negated by the slowness of the plot. The characters are likable and easy to relate to.

***Series Review*** The Kin by Peter Dickinson

I think that an overall review is a great way to summarise a series without having to trawl through the internet without looking for loads of reviews.


Pros


1. Brilliant premise

2. Well Written

3. Full of excitement

4. Beautiful covers

5. The oldtales between the chapters add another layer to the story.

Cons


1. I didn't find the characters easy to connect with.

2. They got a bit repetitive

3. Quite a lot of people die.

4. The language is quite simple as it's a children's book.

5.  They were'n long enough.


Best Book: Both Suth's Story and Noli's Story are equally as good.


Worst Book: Mana's Story

My Rating


3.5 stars - Although flawed and weakened by the final story this is still a quality series. if you have children or just like books about how human evolution may have happened then you should definitely give this series a read.


The Individual Reviews


The Kin: Suth's Story
The Kin: Noli's Story
The Kin: Ko's Story
The Kin: Mana's Story