The Chronicles of Ixia consist of 3 trilogies; Poison Study, Storm Glass and Soulfinder. They're all in the same world and in chronological order but the Storm Glass trilogy follows a different characters perspective. I didnt get a chance to read the Storm Glass trilogy yet but I plan on getting to it now that I know the characters from the other 2 trilogies are present for a lot of the books. Dawn Study was a great ending to a fantastic series. I loved how everything wrapped up nicely.

The Soulfinder trilogy takes place 6 years after the Poison Study and I could tell the main character Yelena has matured. She doesnt rush into situations on her own as much and has learned that shes stronger with her friends. We dont get to see her use her powers throughout the trilogy which was disapointing but it did keep things interesting since it was harder for her to get out of dangerous situations. I really appreciated having a main character of color.

I really enjoyed seeing her spend a lot more time with Valek and getting more of his perspective and back story. Valek is one of my favorite book boyfriends. He"s just so caring, supportive and great at apologizing. Not mention he's a kickass assassin. Now when I read assassin books I keep thinking Valek would know what to do. He's more protective in this book but he didnt cross that line from protective to controlling so I didnt mind.

I felt like I was able to relate to the characters more in this trilogy because they were closer to my age. I enjoyed that there was more focus on the family aspect. I adored every scene with the horses, especially Kiki. I love that they're all part of the herd. Onora and Reema were great additions to this trilogy. I really enjoyed Yelena relationship with Onora. I was excited to see a lot more of Fisk in this trilogy. I liked spending more time with Ari and Janco. Theres also a transgender character in this series which I really appreciate.

The order of the different perspectives could have been improved. It would have been more gripping if we didnt know the characters were safe or in danger. Many times we were following a character who was worried about another characters safety but we already knew if they were in danger since we followed that characters perspective first. I loved the part about the library being protective of its books. Ive come to consider these characters as part of my family and Im going to miss them.

A perfect ending. For the last ten years I have loved spending time with the characters Snyder has introduced me to through the Study series, and her spin off series. It's been bittersweet knowing that this was the last book featuring some of my all time favorite literary characters. I loved their story ends. Everything wraps up just the way it should be. For the characters it's about closure, new chapters, hope, fresh starts, healing, and so much more.

The overall series storyline, mixed with this new one bring favorite characters, and new ones together for one last time. In true Snyder fashion, this book is chalk full of surprising twists, shocking discovers, fight scenes, wits, and of course the moments I absolutely love between Yelena and Valek. One of the things I've loved about this series, is Snyder's use of all her characters. Sure there are our main characters, but her entire cast of characters all have played, and continued to play crucial parts in this story. It's each of their stories that are both intwined, and individually that are wrapped up in this book.

All the answers you've been waiting for, the moments you didn't think were going to happen, and the scenes you've been dying to read are gifted to fans in this book. I could not have asked for a better conclusion. Well almost. There are still a couple characters I had hoped would have had a little more time in the story vs being mentioned. Other than that, this is the kind of ending I was hoping for. Yes, I'm being vague. I can't mention specifics without giving away spoilers. I will say, not everyone turns out the way I thought they were, happy endings aren't always wrapped up in pretty bows, but come in the form of characters realizing what's most important, and their journeys merging together are far better than bows, and forced endings.

Thank you Maria for sharing the long journey of your wonderful characters with us. For their stories, and those of their faithful & loyal friends. I've loved these characters, each of their journeys, and all of the books that take part in this world.

This series is unlike any other! The main couple, whom I absolutely adore, have the normal arguments and normal issues that other couples have but they know when to apologize and know how to let go and have faith in the other! Their extended family gets even larger in this book. There is a lot of mercy and bonding! No one is left behind. This is the last book in the series and I have to say that I am sad to see it end but the ending had everything I wanted to see. Please have kleenex handy towards the end, you will need it!

I want to talk about more but it would be a spoiler to do so! But the book it utterly genius in the teamwork and love and twists of plots going on! There are several points of views. There are several times many are at the brink of death and many times that I thought there would be no hope and waiting for death to come. Not gonna tell you who dies (there are bad guys too), you have to read it yourself.

There is a breed of horse called Sandseed. They are sort of magical in themselves. I love to hear them talk to another person who has magic. Yelena has been without her magic since the last book and I have been dying to see if she would ever be able to talk to her horse, Kiki, again! I love the way the horses think!

For those who want more of the contents of the books, there is lots of violence and death. There is a war getting ready to be engaged and the good guys want to stop it before it starts! The characters are all complex, some have magic. It took me a week to read it when it normally takes me a day to gobble up a book. There was a lot going on! There is talk of being intimate but it is behind closed door between a married couple. No language!

You really should read this series and the glass series and the healer series! If you like complex series, a smidge of romance, families, assassins, magic, babies, wars, multiple points of views, sarcasm, wit,humor and a story that can bring you to tears a the end than go not further this is it!

I'm going to warn you that I am not someone who is fawning over this book. I disliked it immensely.

It was a copy and past book,a wash- rinse- repeat book. Each chapter was the same...go to help solve everything, get caught or get hurt , heal and on to the next issue. Nothing different.

I could say that the ending was a surprise to me -but it wasn't -the author couldn't chance having her fans hate her if she chose to do it in any other manner. It makes for the possibility that if there is another series, Yelena and Valek can show up if their child (I am not going to spoil the sex of the kid!) has a series

This book seems to have finished off the series, but I have a feeling that another series will be off-shot from this one -perhaps one for young adults.

*ARC supplied by publisher

The Dawn Study is the final book in the Maria V. Snyder's Chronicles of Ixia which is actually three sets of trilogy set in the fantasy and magical world of Ixia and Sitia. Because these books are all interconnected reading just the last trilogy would not be enough to make you appreciate the nuances and of course the final events that transpires in the book. Dawn Study culminates into a fitting finale for Yelena and Valek and to their friends and family. It ties together all the puzzle pieces bringing forth a picture thats detailed, complex and if you are a lover of fantasy sagas, unique and definitely memorable. This world has captivated me from the beginning of The Study series and this book is definitely a fitting ending to one of my favorite series. I do hope to read more from this world in the future.

Veena's review of Dawn Study (Study Series) by Maria V. Snyder
Fantasy Romance published by MIRA 31 Jan 17
This series has been an incredible journey that I'm happy to have been a part even if I joined mid-way. The author does a stellar job of narrating the story from the various character's view point giving us a wonderful three dimensional view of what each character is thinking and planning.  This is a great way to bring all the loose threads together making this a very worthy conclusion to all the adventures and battles that the characters have endured.
There is a lot to accomplish if Yelena and Valek want to prevent war.  They have a short time and a lot to accomplish. The band comes together and each takes on his or her own role and share of the burden. Since the story is told from everyone's individual view point it makes for very interesting reading and I often had to re-read something that I had missed.
While Valek and Yelena have their own individual tasks to accomplish and do spend some time apart they are together for the most part which is a great bonus.  They share their hopes, fears and love as they dream of a happy fulfilled peaceful life after the birth of their baby.  Valek seems to be really feeling his age and the author does a superb job of building the word pictures for her readers to relate to this particularly in the two major fight scenes which Valek wins by the skin of his teeth knowing full well that he could never duplicate this feat.
This has been a superb series full of intrigue and action and surprises that just keep on coming.  Sad as it is to say good bye this book is a fitting conclusion.

If I was to recommend one series for my followers to read, it would be this one. The Study series and the Soulfinder series are without a doubt some of my most favourite books. I’ve read them so many times and with this final instalment, I know I’ll read it all over again. It’s difficult to write about such a wonderful book without giving anything away. If you love your fantasy stories with a kick ass leading lady, lots of magic, mystery, danger and of course murder, mix it in with a dash of romance and some hilarious side kicks – you’ve got the perfect recipe for a book and that’s exactly what Dawn Study is.

Like all the previous books in the series, I absolutely flew through it. It’s wonderful seeing all your old favourite characters again, and Maria gives you the chance to see them grow, to watch their relationships with each other evolve and change. Particularly Yelena and Valek, their relationship has grown stronger though all the things they’ve faced, and it’s wonderful to see their story continue in Dawn Study. The plot is fast paced with plenty of twists and turns . Like many of the previous instalments it keeps you guessing – I guarantee you’ll pick this up to read a few chapters and still be there hours later.

For those that have been reading the books since the beginning. You get the answers you want. The series is rounded off beautifully and Maria gives each wonderful character their own conclusion. While I’m sad to say goodbye to some of my most favourite characters, the ending does the story justice and I have hope that perhaps there will be more books set in Ixia, perhaps with a new generation of characters (please!)

*I also want to say whoever did the cover designs for this series did an A+ job because each one has been more beautiful than the last and they look absolutely stunning sitting pride of place on my bookshelf!

Dawn Study is the conclusion of Maria V Snyder’s excellent series that started a number of years ago with Poison Study and brought to us the characters of Yelena and Valek. I think it’s very fitting that this final series once again brought to the fore those two characters that we all came to love so much from the Study books. If you haven’t read the previous books in the series you might want to look away about now as this review will undoubtedly contain spoilers. You have been warned!

So, we pick up virtually where the last book left off. Yelena is pregnant and the baby seems to be drawing her magic in some unknown way, making her a magic free zone and also leaving her incredibly vulnerable to any number of people who have come to hold a grudge over the years not to mention an assortment of assassins. Yelena Is from Sitia and has (or at least had) very powerful magical abilities. Valek, on the other hand is from Ixia. Ixia lives in fear of those with magic and think all magic users should be eradicated. The Commander of Ixia has very strong views on the subject and his feared assassin Valek has worked for him many years helping to keep magic at bay and in the process forming strong bonds and even a friendship of sorts with the Commander. Unfortunately, however, in a strange twist of fate, and just as Yelena found herself powerless, Valek seems to have come into his own magical ability. An ability that was buried so deep within that the possibility of him ‘burning’ out by not knowing his own strength was very real. Yelena and Valek now find themselves on the Commander’s most wanted list. On top of that it seems that the two countries are poised on the brink of war. In a strange twist the Commander himself seems to be being controlled by one of the very magicians he fears so much and a large portion of Sitians seem to be under the influence of a drug that renders them little more than puppets. Valek and Yelena, and the unusual friends and family that they have gathered around themselves over the years, need to uncover the full extent of the plot before the war and bloodshed begins.

I enjoyed Dawn Study, I think it brings the series to a very satisfactory conclusion, that’s not to say that I didn’t have some issues but overall I think Ms Snyder has created a very entertaining series with an ending that brings many of our favourite characters together and ties up so many threads along the way.

In terms of the plot, well, there is plenty going on and I thought the story was very fast paced. There are various levels of deception and betrayal and a number of scares as one after the other of the characters are caught and held and potentially tortured for information whilst rescue attempts are planed and executed.

The characters. Well, if you’ve enjoyed this series you’ll be pleased to know that many of your favourite characters will be not only putting in an appearance but also will be critical to the plot. I’m not going to name them all but it feels like just about everybody has a role to play in preventing war and bloodshed.

What I particularly enjoyed about this final instalment is that the author has let the characters grow. Valek and Yelena are a perfect example of this in that with a baby on the horizon their relationship has moved on. They have more responsibility and a lot more at stake now. That’s not to say that they’ve become predictable or boring in any way just that their relationship has matured in a way that you would expect and although Valek has the urge to stifle Yelena and wrap her up in cotton wool and put her on the top shelf out of the way of harm he also recognises that he can’t do so. Similarly, a number of the characters feel like they’ve moved on in terms of knowing what they want and where they want to be.

In terms of criticisms. Well, it’s a catch 22 sort of situation. In trying to bring so many characters back onto the stage it does leave the book feeling a little bit cluttered. On top of that it doesn’t feel as though you spend any real quality time with any of the characters but I don’t think this is a surprise with so many being thrown into the mix. And, there is a definite feel of repetition in terms of captures and escapes which kind of left me feeling like the characters were never in any real danger.

But, in spite of a few reservations I think that this is a great ending to the series and, yes, a pleasingly happy and satisfying one that I’m not afraid to say was just what I hoped for.

I’ve followed this series now for about 9 or 10 years and whilst it’s a bit sad to be coming to the end I can see that there are a number of openings here which could leave Ms Snyder with possibilities to revisit in the future and I, for one, would always be happy to revisit this world.

I received a copy though Netgalley courtesy of the publisher for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion.

Yelena and Valek are still in danger and it just keeps getting worse and worse. This is the final book in the Soulfinders trilogy and a lot is wrapped up by the end of the book. All of the side characters play an important part in the story line. Some are out looking for information about the plants that are producing elements that affect people while others are in the cities gathering information. There are so many highs and lows in the book the review would be pages long to list them all. Just be aware that things often look very grim until the very end. I was a little disappointed by the ending. I felt it was a little anti-climatic but it worked. It was the reason for a four rating instead of a five. I received a free copy of Dawn Study in return for an honest review.

What I Loved

This is a series that has been very close to my heart for a long time. I’m pretty sad that it’s over and I hope that there will end up being more. This was a great finale for this series. I felt happy and sad all at the same time because we started off our journey with these characters when they were pretty young. Now they’re all grown up and it makes me feel good (yet very sad!). I laughed along with these characters, I teared up a bit, and I possibly had a couple heart attacks, but I made it and I’m happy with how things were ended.

This was one of those books that I was impatient to get through. There was a lot happening and I was nervous because I knew someone would at least almost die. I wanted to know who was going to get hurt in these crazy schemes and if all my favourite would make it out ok. I probably rushed through much too quickly but I enjoyed myself the whole time anyways.

I’m trying to review this yet not give anything away since this is a final book. I can tell you that it was a lot of fun to read and if you liked the previous book then you’ll like this one.

What I Didn't Love

This has never been a series that was full of crazy, intense action. The action is there of course but there’s so much more to these books than just plot (as much as I wanted just a little bit more intensity). I was just expecting a teeny bit more from this book.

I also felt that some characters didn’t get detailed ending like some of the others. This could be intentional though (maybe more books) so it was easy enough to look over. I think that bits and pieces of this book felt too rushed and even out of place sometimes. I hated not giving it five stars but it honestly didn’t deserve it. Luckily I was able to look past the weird dialog and typical plot line enough to give it four stars because I honestly did enjoy reading this.

Who I'd Recommend To

I’d recommend this whole series to people who love character driven books. Sure the plot is important, but this is a series that focuses on certain characters. It won’t take you very long to get hooked.

I have absolutely loved this series from the very beginning and I have been there though Yelena's triumphs and losses and I have loved her through it all. She and Valek have come a long way from who they used to be in the beginning. Dawn Study is another fantastic installment in this very thrilling series. Full of magic, romance, intrigue, twists and turns you won't see coming and awesome writing. Maria V. Snyder remains one of my favorite author, She is quite good at entrapping one in her stories. Every fan of YA fantasy and this series in particular will absolutely love Dawn Study.

I adore Snyder and the Study world--and this was a fantastic ending to the series. As always, there is a lot of chaos, a lot of conflict, characters we love are in danger, but in the end, all was well.

I really liked getting to have a few more POVs in this one, though I was sad that we didn't hear a lot from Kiki. I really appreciate the continued development of these wonderful characters, and I hope that maybe in the future, Reema and Teegan might get to share some of their adventures as well!

And reading this makes me want to go back to the start and reread them all.

Thank you, Snyder, for allowing us a little more time in Sitia and Ixia.

I have enjoyed this series for years. Loved the author! I was even mentioned in one of her books in the acknowledgements. However for some reason I am having a hard time getting through Dawn Study.

Due to the release date coming up this week I wanted to at least say I am working on it. However I fear it will take me longer than I expected. Maybe I just need to take a break and come back to it.

To be continued...

Dawn Study brings to an end a long-running "trilogy of trilogies" set in the world of Ixia and Sitia. Ixia is a country in which magic is prohibited and Sitia runs on magic. As might be expected, the two countries do not co-exist comfortably. Sitia lives in fear of Ixia with good reason. Ixia is an entirely militaristic culture run by the Commander, who can only be described as a tyrant. At the heart of the trilogies are Valek, chief assassin for the Commander, and Yelena, who was food taster for the Commander in order to avoid execution. The two lovers have changed both Sitia and Ixia, with the help of a vast and wide-ranging cast of characters. In Dawn Study, invasion appears to be imminent and in spite of all the Commander's precautions, he appears to be controlled by an evil cadre of magicians. Valek, Yelena, and their friends from both countries are trying to avert disaster. Their efforts are hampered by Yelena's loss of her magic and the Commander's attempt to assassinate both she and Valek.

The end of the story of Valek and Yelena is satisfactory in many ways, as the two appear to be in a place that they can settle down together peacefully and enjoy life. The road to that end is as always fraught with difficulty, multiple kidnappings, and escapes. I found all the escapes a bit too easy and repetitive this time around. I did enjoy seeing characters that have been absent for a while, even though Valek and Yelena have always been the main attraction. I will miss them, even though I think it's time that the story comes to an end.

Thanks to MIRA and NetGalley for an advance digital copy in return for an honest review.

RATING- 3 Stars

Dawn Study, by author Maria V. Snyder, is the third & final installment in the Soulfinder series, sixth installment in the Study series, and Ninth installment in the Chronicles of Ixia series. Confused yet? Don't be! Thanks to the authors web page, I was able to produce a handy dandy list of books you should read, and of course, it's all in order! Check it out at the end of this review!

When last we left Yelena Zaltana, her magic had been restrained, she found out she was pregnant, and oh yes, there is a whole ton of crap that needs to be addressed like the fact there is an assassin, nicknamed the Mosquito, who has desires to kill Yelena while collecting on a rather high bounty. Oh, let's not forget that the two kingdoms of Sitia and Ixia are facing a war thanks to Owen Moon, Bruns Jewelrose & the Cartel who have produced enough theobroma to overwhelm the Ixia council and almost every other high ranking Ixian.

Easy Peasy, right? Yeah, no. There hasn't been anything easy about Yelena's life since she was kidnapped and taken to Sitia. From being a food tester for the Commander, to falling for Valek, to learning that she has Soulfinder magic, to being liaison between Ixia & Sitia, her life has been anything but easy. Yelena is a character I have loved from the very beginning of this series because of her strength, and her ability to weave her own way. Her relationship with Valek has been by far the most interesting coupling in a fantasy setting. Both are powerful in their own way, and one can only imagine how much power their child will have in the future.

In the meanwhile, Valek has had a fleeting look at his future in the eyes of Onora who was sent to kill him & take his place as Commander's head of security. His relationship with the Commander has taken a dangerous turn of events, and he needs to try to fix it before he designs any thoughts of retiring and settling down with Yelena & their baby. Valek & Yelena's survival will depend on a whole lot of skill, and friends like Janco, Ari, Leif, Maria, Fisk, Opal, Devlin & yes even Onora who has become part of Yelena's extended family in just a short time.

Dawn Study is a story that weaves its way through the narratives of Yelena's, Valek's, Leif, & Janco's. There is a point of having too many narratives, but Snyder almost has to have these narratives so that you can see what is happening to not only the other characters, but to the world which hovers on the brink of war. I loved others characters like Zohan, Zethan, Teegan, Kade, Heli, Reema, & how strong Leif's wife Maria becomes after surviving this brutal world in tact. I know this is the finale, but I would be absolutely fine with a novel featuring Teegan or Reema, or yes, even Onora who has some pretty cool abilities of her own.

In the end, Dawn Study focuses on how strong the relationship between Yelena and Valek has become. I loved that they spend more time together than in previous installments. That was my minor issue with the previous installments that they spent too much time away. Problem solved.

I absolutely loved this series. Each book got better and better, Dawn Study being no exception. It has everything a Yelena fan could want: romance (Valek!), humor (anytime Janco's nearby), suspense (for a second there at the end I thought it'd all gone to sh*t), and, of course, horses (there are literally too many horse names for me to remember).

Every character introduced over the course of the previous 8 books makes an appearance and gets their own little ending. Some bittersweet, most happy. I'm glad it ended the way it did, but I'll definitely miss the "herd" and their crazy adventures around Ixia. That doesn't mean I'd want another book. As they say, all good things come to an end. I think Maria V. Snyder can safely put Yelena and company to rest now knowing she wrote her fans a satisfying conclusion.

I got this book to review through NetGalley. I really loved the original Study trilogy but haven’t enjoyed Snyder’s other series all that much. I haven’t been a huge fan of the Soulfinders extension of the Study series either but this book did a decent job of finishing up this series.

The high point of this series has been learning more about Valek. This book doesn’t focus quite as much on Valek as previous books. This book is more balanced between Yelena, Valek, Leif and Onora. Valek is still having some issues damping down his incredibly alpha tendencies (which popped up in the last book in this series). However, him and Yelena have come to the realization that they don’t trust and listen to each other enough. So some of the book focuses on them finding a balance.

I continue to dislike Yelena intensely (she is just so dumb and makes such bad decisions all the time). This book starts out with Yelena doing just that; she ignores everything she knows about Valek and everything he’s said to her and makes a very rash decision with broad-reaching consequences right from the get-go. I just really don’t like how little Yelena uses her brain and past experiences when making decisions. She is just so rash and stupid.

The story ties up the whole deal with the Cartel enthralling those in power and trying eliminate magic. Things are tied up well. My main problem with this story is that it was just plain boring. This just kind of lays out the rest of the story, no huge surprises or anything. I ended up skimming some portions of the book because there are large sections where not much happens. However, it was nice to see the storyline tied up and our characters left in a good spot.

Overall this is an okay book in this series and does a good job of tying things up. If you liked previous books in this series you will probably like this one. I personally won’t be reading any more of Snyder’s books because they have been more miss than hit for me.

It literally hurt my heart to give this book anything but 5 stars, but here we are; a massive puddle of disappointment.
The Study series is my precious. After waiting many years in the hopes that Yelena would grace my life with more books my dream came true. And now we're at the absolute end(I assume so anyhow) and I'm mad.
Dawn Study what the hell? It's not even the story, although there was nothing super stellar or shocking about it(in fact, it was overly repetitive; capture, rescue, scheme, capture, rescue, scheme, and repeat). It's everything else. I'm not sure if this was a rush job or Snyder got confused, but this book feels so out of place. The writing is meh. The dialogue is lacking is every way possible. And the characters! These were not my characters I know and love. Their voices are missing. Their personalities are missing. These were just some random characters that happened to have the same names as my beloved ones. I mentioned the dialogue was lacking, and well that's because these characters were. Everything was so forced and not good. No sexy Valek. No funny Ari and Janco. Yelena was a shell of her usual kick-ass self.
I'm just so upset and angry. I really wish I'd skipped this finale. It would be better to have no ending than this ending...

Shouldn't have requested this one, will read later though. Didn't realize there were at least two other books before this one in the series.