Waiting on Wednesday – Scent of Magic (Healer #2) by Maria V. Snyder

“Waiting on Wednesday” is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re really excited about.

WARNING
You should really start with book one.

Scent of Magic (Healer #2)
Maria V. Snyder
Expected release date: Dec 18, 2012

Goodreads says: Hunted, Killed—Survived?

As the last Healer in the Fifteen Realms, Avry of Kazan is in a unique position: in the minds of her friends and foes alike, she no longer exists. Despite her need to prevent the megalomanical King Tohon from winning control of the Realms, Avry is also determined to find her sister and repair their estrangement. And she must do it alone, as Kerrick, her partner and sole confident, returns to Alga to summon his country into battle.

Though she should be in hiding, Avry will do whatever she can to support Tohon’s opponents. Including infiltrating a holy army, evading magic sniffers, teaching forest skills to soldiers and figuring out how to stop Tohon’s most horrible creations yet; an army of the walking dead—human and animal alike and nearly impossible to defeat.

War is coming and Avry is alone. Unless she figures out how to do the impossible … again.

What are you waiting for?

A quick recommendation.

I love books with strong female characters. Ladies who don’t whine about how much they miss their boo. Ladies who are willing to do what needs to be done instead of grabbing a Hershey bar and hiding in their bedroom watching Lifetime. Ladies who seize their opportunities and refuse to submit to what society offers them.

Today I offer you (and hope you’ll seize the opportunity to enjoy) Maria V. Snyder.

Do you enjoy the exploits of Alanna? Did you root for Sabriel? Did you want to go kick some ass with Katniss?

Then please. Do yourself a favor and pick up Poison Study. Might as well grab the rest of the trilogy while you’re at it. And if you want to save yourself a trip, go ahead and get Storm Glass. It’s the first book in the next trilogy.

But don’t take my word for it. Goodreads tells me that has over 35K ratings. It’s sitting at a comfortable 4.2/5.

Goodreads says: Choose: A quick death…Or slow poison…

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…