Fire Study

By: Maria V. Snyder

Narrated by: Kristin Atherton

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, she faces mistrust and fear in Sitia. What’s more, she keeps discovering new, unusual sides of her abilities. 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…

The road to Ixia is fraught with peril and sets Yelena on a path that will test the limits of her skills. But the hope of reuniting with her beloved spurs her onward. Along the way, she’ll encounter allies, enemies, lovers and would-be assassins, each of questionable loyalty, and be forced to confront an impossible choice as whispers of war emerge.

Yelena will have but one chance to prove herself—and save the lands she holds dear.

The Chronicles of Ixia

Book 1: Poison Study
Book 2: Magic Study
Book 3: Fire Study
Book 4: Storm Glass
Book 5: Sea Glass
Book 6: Spy Glass
Book 7: Night Study
Book 8: Dawn Study

Love the series, love the author: just one note-

I love this series & adore the author, both r so amazing- one thing tho:

for the love of all that is good & holy in this forsaken world: PLS STOP REPEATING DETAILS FROM THE FIRST TWO BOOKS. By the third book: it’s safe to assume we know wuts happened so far, so pls stop reminding us of everything that happened in books 1 & 2. This book would be maybe 3 chapters long had Maria cut all the repeats & synopsis of past events.

If someone doesn’t know: that’s incentive for them to read the previous books- but it’s like Maria used Fire Study as one big synopsis for the first 2 books and added just a pinch of an actual story to keep readers interested, and it’s just AGONISING to listen to wut u already know. Other than that tho: 10/10.

Wonderful story

I’m definitely drawn into the story and the narrator is a large part of why. The narrator changes in the next book and I find myself greatly annoyed at the change in voices the new narrator does. It’s too bad that the same narrator was not used throughout. Overall, the story is complex enough to be interesting, the protagonist is relatable but not so foolish that you grow tired of her immaturity like with some fantasy books. The love story that is the undercurrent of all of the books is believable and the dialogue is good. Worth the read/listen.

Not so good

Writing is for young adults and so I give allowance for some simplicity and cliches, but the main character is a bit hard to take at times and the world is described without nuance.

Stands the Test of Time

I first stumbled upon this series as a tween in a library and 15 years later it still makes me cry and cheer the way it did the first time. I'm the one of the women whose lives Maria Snyder has saved and every time I need saving again I know that Yelena, Kiki, Moon Man, and everyone else will be there to help me up. The series is not cerebral or philosophical or full of hidden meanings, but it's authentic and raw and more beautiful for it.

Great story! Incredible narrator!

I love Kristin Atherton. She is an incredible narrator and really makes the story!