ARC Review--Taste of Darkness by Maria V. Snyder

She's fought death and won. But how can she fight her fears?

Avry knows hardship and trouble. She fought the plague and survived. She took on King Tohon and defeated him. But now her heart-mate, Kerrick, is missing, and Avry fears he's gone forever.

But there's a more immediate threat. The Skeleton King plots to claim the Fifteen Realms for his own. With armies in disarray and the dead not staying down, Avry's healing powers are needed now more than ever.Torn between love and loyalty, Avry must choose her path carefully. For the future of her world depends on her decision.

I received this ARC from the publishers via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, I was in no way compensated for this review.


The second I saw Maria V. Snyder's Taste of Darkness on Netgalley, I pounced on it! With every one of her releases I am ever so glad I have auto-approval on Netgalley! I sent that baby straight to my Kindle and read it as soon as I was able!

Needless to say I LOVED IT!! Taste of Darkness picks up at about where things ended with Scent of Magic, Kerrick has gone missing and now Avry is determined to find him. He had been dying and we were led to wonder what his fate was. I remember my own agony over that particular ending so I was greedily eating up the pages of this one! It takes a bit to truly know what Kerrick's fate was and luckily, Maria once again gives up his point of view in third person so we're able to know what he's going through and thinking.

Kerrick is a changed man. Like seriously changed! He's become closer to the forest and they share a connection, much like the one he and Avry had started to form. He and Avry are separated for quite a bit of the story again, makes me really glad that they finally get a break from all the chaos that has infected their lives and they have a chance for some downtime!

But problems still persist in the Fifteen Realms, just because Tohon is frozen and all doesn't mean the battle's over. In fact, there seems to be a new enemy on the rise, who is just as deadly. He calls himself the Skeleton King and boy is he one freaky dude! Not to mention a cannibal!

To add to Avry and her friends' problems there's also a new strand of the plague going around, as if the first wave wasn't enough!

Pretty much every little bit that's been left hanging and unsaid gets answered and resolved in this one! Thankfully, since it's the end of the trilogy! Avry and her friends plan a rescue attempt to get Melina out of the monastery where she was taken for being unpure. That place was pretty downright scary! The end results of said rescue attempt were pretty surprising, although not really when you think about it!

As far as romance goes, I gotta say I loooooove the way Maria writes romance! In my other reads of Urban Fantasies I get the hot and delicious kind, but with Maria, we get a more intense variety! There's definitely strong romantic connections going on and I love them! They are infinitely swoon-worthy!!

The action in this one was as intense and suspenseful as ever! Things are never easy for Avry and Kerrick. So much goes on and so much must be done! Added to that of course, are the new problems that seem to pop up all the time! Getting kidnapped, being taken hostage, being tortured...it's whirlwind of adventure!

I was very happy to see many of the characters we've met making more appearances. Avry and her friends have been through a lot. They have lost a lot and have gained quite a bit too! There were a few loose-ends that weren't entirely wrapped up, but you still get the sense that everything is going to be all right. And that is the best way to end a trilogy! Maria V. Snyder is truly magical!!


Overall Rating 5/5 stars


Taste of Darkness releases December 31, 2013