This month we have our AMAZING staffer Krystal recommending a book, and the book that she has picked is…..

“Poison Study” by Maria V. Snyder
It’s the first in a trilogy.
Here is the Amazon link

http://www.amazon.com/Poison-Study-Maria-V-Snyder/dp/0778327116/ref=pd_bbs_sr_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1235689013&sr=8-5

and her website

http://www.mariavsnyder.com/

I think there are a couple of different covers.  It was actually originally released as an adult fiction novel, but was re-released recently as a YA novel.

Here is the summary from Maria’s site:
“About to be executed for murder, Yelena is offered a 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 dilemma, disasters keep mounting. Rebels plot to seize Ixia and she develops magical powers she can’t control. Her life’s at stake again and choices must be made. But this time the outcomes aren’t so clear!”