Yelena is minutes away from the hangman’s noose, when she is offered a choice. Die now by hanging or risk death daily as the Commander's food taster. Not willing to give up life easily the choice is an easy one. As the food taster she is to sample each of the Commander's meals for poison in the dishes.

The training is brutal; as poisons are ingested many have died. That is not Yelena’s only danger. Lurking at every corner is a person that wants Yelena dead. Some will risk everything to get the chance to take her life, and the one person that trusts her may soon be her biggest enemy if the truth comes to light.

Wow, there is so much more to Poison Study than meets the eye. With such an array of complications, this multifaceted journey keeps readers intoxicated and breathless until the very last page. Yelena embodies ingenuity and prowess that no other female character has come close to duplicating. Each new challenge, presents a new layer of intrigue that makes this a book that you will not soon forget.

Maria V Snyder has opened readers' eyes to what books were meant to be, an adventure that encompasses all the senses. You only have to read one chapter to be transfixed. After reading this one, finding a book to top it will be a challenge.