Review of Taste of Darkness by Maria V. Snyder

Title/Author: Taste of Darkness (Healer #3) by Maria V. Snyder
Publisher/Date published: Harlequin MIRA, December 31st 2013
How I got this book: received it from the publisher through NetGalley
Buy this book at: The Book Depository

Goodreads summary: 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.

**WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILERS FOR FIRST 2 BOOKS IN THE SERIES**

Guys, I adore Maria V. Snyder's writing! I always know I'm going to enjoy her books when I start them! And I was very anxiously awaiting Taste of Darkness!
And while it wasn't my usual 5-star read that I've come to expect from Snyder, it was still a really good read!

Avry is a character that I can SO relate to! She's a Healer and practices usual medicine as well alongside her healing powers and I just think that she's awesome. Though I sometimes wanted to yell at her for being headstrong and reckless and all that, but it's not very interesting if a character is perfect. I like that Avry is a more mature character and has a mature relationship with Kerrick, though it got a little too lovey-dovey for me at times. I mean, there was hardly any tension there! They keep getting separated and angsting over if they'll see the other person again and I wanted to be like: THEN JUST STOP SPLITTING UP @#$%& because this didn't seem to be a very productive way to spend time.

This also means that a lot of the book is filled with searching for Kerrick/Avry, waiting for Kerrick/Avry and the pace was a little slower than I would have liked and would have expected. I mean, there was still a whole lot to be resolved and the pages were dwindling and I was REALLY worried about how Maria V. Snyder would tie everything up in the end. But she did manage it rather neatly and while the part with Tohon was pretty anticlimactic, the rest of it was well done and gave me closure for this series.

I loved seeing Avry make sense of the Plague and the Peace and Death Lilies and figuring out how it all worked and it was just genius! I've also grown really fond of the monkeys and Belen and Flea and would just like to gather them all for a big hug. Aside from the part where Flea was being an ass, but he's a growing boy, it's to be expected that they act a little annoying every now and then.
Also, I could have done without the Skeleton King, he was SO CREEPY! I'm thankful I haven't had any nightmares starring him yet..

Taste of Darkness was a fitting ending to this series that I enjoyed very much!

My rating: 4 stars