“Emotion gives us strength.”
“At the right time and place.” 
― Onora and Valek ―

It feels super nostalgic when first i back to this series again. So this is the first book of Soulfinder series which the continuation of Study series. A little bit introductions to you just in case you don't know already, Maria V Snyder is one of my favorite author, yet she's underrated, i already talked about her in my other series Author In Deep, if you missed it just click the picture below to read it.

A little Guide For You 

So how i start this series without being spoiled and lost for missing out? This series is part of The Chronicles of Ixia and for a new reader probably a bit confusing. So, here's my suggestions to that.

The Chronicles of Ixia consist of 3 primary series, Study Series, Glass Series and this Soulfinder Series, with 5 novellas to accompany it. Reading my Author in Deep probably gonna help a little bit of that, but for easy one here's how to read it :

1. Read Study series and its novella

2. Read Glass series and its novella

3. Read this Soulfinder series 

So this three series are completing each other because of the characters are same, added more in each series and the plot also relate to each other. If you want to read them in super non spoiler timeline, just go to goodreads link for the chronology of it.

Synopsis

So, this book start with the novella Ice Study as the prequel of the book, so if you don't want to go down in long ride of the whole series just go with that novella to start. Of course you will miss some story related to characters in it, but the main problem of plot start with that novella so yeah, if you kind of person that can skip small information within the plot and just wing it, you can do it that way.

Anyway, the story begin with Yelena going to meet Valek for they sweet escape but she got attacked by unidentified assassin with magical ability because she didn't sense that assassin before. Losing her power as Soulfinder the night after that accident Yelena has to bear being vulnerable and searching for who want her dead and the problem got more complicated when she knows Ben Moon escapes from jail in Sitia. 

In other hand Valek while trying to search the assassin also got surprised by another assassin appeared in front of him in Commander's office trying to kill the Commander. That assassin turn out not really trying to kill the Commander but to take Valek's place as the second in command, the Commander's right hand. Got assignment to track down some smuggler who find a way from Ixia to Sitia, that turns out not only smuggler but more than that. 

My Review

 This book consist of 3 point of view, Yelena, Valek and Janco with each bring their adventure in separate mission. But this book mainly focus with Valek in my opinion, his history, how he become the Commander's right hand, which i find it really fun to read. And additional with Janco as one of POV just made me more happy, because his funny and witty comment and the way he thinks just fun to read.

I do miss Kiki tho, because Yelena lost her magical power, she can't talk again with Kiki in mind, which i always think Kiki's dialogue is one of the kind, funny with sarcasm included. But i definitely feel how the affections between both of them, also between Valek and Onyx too. I can see how Yelena affects Valek in terms of taking care of their horse and treat them as equal not just a transportation device. 

My Rating 

As always, i won't rate by stars anymore because i've done that in my bookstagram  so if you curious, just go to that page already. If you're not familiar with my rating system, just click here for more explanation.

And my rating for this book is So-so for me, i love the stories, but i just read it slow in my opinion, they always have the cliff hanging in each of the end of the chapters, but because the next of the chapter we go with different POV the hype just like...go down you know? Like when you got cliff hanged, obviously your expectation is high and want to go to the next chapter, but because the next chapter is talking about the other POV, which kind of different story again, the expectation gone low because of that.

If i can describe it when you driving, in the end of the chapter because of cliff hanging, your speed would be 100Km/hr because of the hype, then when you turn the next chapter, it's in different POV my speed gone low like 40Km/hr again, do you get it? And also i think because of so long time ago, the struggle for being stubborn not reread the series, trying to connect anyway made me slow in reading them. But again it's not because of the story is bad, so go read them!

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