Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder

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...

Pro's/Con's
Absolutely no con's for me with this book. The story is just way to amazing to have any negative points.
To begin with, I love the cover. It grabbed me right away and I knew that I had to have this book. But I couldn't get it anywhere, not online and not in any bookstore. One of my dearest friends (Lente) got in contact with Maria and she is amazing because she sent a copy with an autograph! Even now I'm drooling all over it, I just can't help myself!
Now that we have had that out of the way, the story is the ''OMG-I-FREAKING-LOVE-IT!'' type. It's really exciting and I have never ever before have read a book about a food taster. The world of Ixia is really interesting, the culture and politics seem so real it's almost as if I was living it myself because Snyder has described it in such an awesome way. She has written it down in so much detail without it getting annoying and that has made me really happy.
The characters too are all awesome. And then I'm not only talking about Yelena (who is kick ass and actually admit that she has killed someone but for a very good reason) and Valek (who is very mysterious and stunning). I'm also talking about Ari and Janco (they are hilarious but also so strong and I just love the whole big brother thing they have going on with Yelena), Irys (she seems to me like a very awesome person), the commander (so much deeper layers within this character!) and all the little kids who live inside the city and help Yelena (very cute, very sassy and very awesome).
And last but not least: the romance. It was perfect! It's not the main theme of the book, not at all! It's all about Yelena and her way of surviving and the romance comes very natural without taking the story over and without being forced upon Yelena. It has been done amazing and I just freaking love this book.

Recommend it?
Have I mentioned that this story has no negative points, that it is the ''OMG-I-FREAKING-LOVE-IT!'' type of story and that I freaking love it? Then you should know I'm gonna say this: Oh hell yes you should read this book! It's freaking amazing! The characters, the plot and way Snyder writes it all down is just so awesome! You will not regret reading this book! Actually, you should buy it. Don't just borrow it from someone/the library. Buy it because I'm sure you will want to re-read this book as often as I want to and that is every couple of weeks. Just so freaking amazing and good and aaaaaaaah!!! Just love it!