Review & Giveaway: Poison by Bridget Zinn

Poison by Bridget Zinn

Publisher: Disney Hyperion

Publication date: March 12th 2013

My rating:  4 stars 

Sixteen-year-old Kyra, a highly-skilled potions master, is the only one who knows her kingdom is on the verge of destruction—which means she’s the only one who can save it. Faced with no other choice, Kyra decides to do what she does best: poison the kingdom’s future ruler, who also happens to be her former best friend.

But, for the first time ever, her poisoned dart . . . misses.

Now a fugitive instead of a hero, Kyra is caught in a game of hide-and-seek with the king’s army and her potioner ex-boyfriend, Hal. At least she’s not alone. She’s armed with her vital potions, a too-cute pig, and Fred, the charming adventurer she can’t stop thinking about. Kyra is determined to get herself a second chance (at murder), but will she be able to find and defeat the princess before Hal and the army find her?

Kyra is not your typical murderer, and she’s certainly no damsel-in-distress—she’s the lovable and quick-witted hero of this romantic novel that has all the right ingredients to make teen girls swoon.

Poison was a fun adventure-fantasy with murder, intrigue, and potions.  As if that wasn’t enough, there’s a sweet romance mixed in as well.  And don’t forget about the adorable pig.

Kyra, is a Master Potioner who had a bright future ahead of her.  She was highly respected in her profession, a mixer of potions that that range from sleeping mixes, truth serums, to extremely lethal poisons.  Plus, she was engaged to another brilliant Potioner, Hal.  All this was turned upside down when she attempted to kill her best friend, Princess Ariana, the future ruler of her kingdom.  Since then she’s been on the run looking for an opportunity to finish the job, otherwise her kingdom will be destroyed. So while dodging discovery by the king’s men, she tries to locate the princess who has now gone into hiding.  To find the princess, Kyra enlists the help of a despised criminal Arlo, because she has no other options at this point and time is running out.  Enter adorable tracking pig, Rosie.  Now armed with her master sniffer Rosie, Kyra goes on the hunt.  Along the way she meets the Fred, whom she can’t seem to shake.  It doesn’t help matters that Fred is distractingly gorgeous with a “heart-stopping smile.”

Oh, this story was just pure fun and adventure!  Kyra was strong, capable and a little bit kick-ass.  What more could you want in a heroine?!  The idea of her wielding potions and having the smarts to make them up was ultra-cool!  After being hunted and on the run, she can’t help but be guarded with others, but adorable Rosie and fun-loving Fred slowly creep into her heart, and chip away at her walls: 

Bad enough that she’d gone all soft at the sight of a pig. Now Kyra’s feelings were threatening to overwhelm her because of a few stupid campfire memories, a ghost of a kiss in the night, and the sensation of invisible arms around her in the soft, misty rain.*

I thought I knew the story when I picked it up, but new twists and discoveries kept popping up that had me glued to the pages.  There was never a dull moment in Poison, and it was easy to breeze right through.  Although the romance was not the center of the plot, it was sweet, adorable and enough to satisfy any romance addict.  What was a welcome change is that in a sea of YA trilogies, this is a stand-alone and the story wraps up just enough to make you happy. 

Upon reading the last page I discovered the author, Bridget Zinn passed away, and I had such a sad heart thinking about this.  I know she would’ve been a bright addition to YA had she continued writing. 

*Quotes taken from an uncorrected proof and may change in the final copy.

I've decided to give away my ARC copy of Poison to one lucky follower.  The giveaway is INTERNATIONAL with the only requirement being that you follow the blog.  Just fill out the rafflecopter below. Good luck and thanks for stopping by! 

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