To be fair, I have read this book before and the whole series. However, I wanted to give it a second read. With some spare time on my hands, I’ve been going through the books on my shelves that I want to keep or get rid of and this was one I intend to keep.
I enjoyed the story that Ms. Synder spins with Yelena being a poison taster and all the intrigues she finds herself getting into. From starting the book as a victim, to finding her strength, and then her power to overcome all the years of torture that she has endured.
If you enjoy, fantasy that isn’t too over the top with magic and sword fighting mixed in, which can be a lot of books, but I would recommend this one. I enjoy the strong female heroine in Yelena and will want to continue on with her journey.
Four out of five.
About to be executed for murder, Yelena is offered an extraordinary reprieve. She’ll eat the best meals, have rooms in the palace—and risk assassination by anyone trying to kill the Commander of Ixia.
And so Yelena chooses to become a food taster. But the chief of security, leaving nothing to chance, deliberately feeds her Butterfly’s Dust—and only by appearing for her daily antidote will she delay an agonizing death from the poison.
As Yelena tries to escape her new dilemma, disasters keep mounting. Rebels plot to seize Ixia and Yelena develops magical powers she can’t control. Her life is threatened again and choices must be made. But this time the outcomes aren’t so clear.
