User Reviews
Rating: really liked it
this book is definitely worth all the hype its getting.
and it reminded me that the setting doesnt need to be intricate. an entire story can take place in a single location (eg. a prison) and still be entertaining if the characters (tipp deserves to be protected at all costs), plot (political scheming), and writing (perfect pacing) are great. which they are in this.
my only complaint would be the ‘twists.’ even though they arent necessarily predictable, they didnt surprise or shock me, either. if anything, the reveals feel… really dang convenient. i dont know how else to explain it. they just feel underwhelming.
but overall, this really is an enthralling and enticing start to a series. so excited that the sequel comes out later this year!
↠ 4.5 stars
Rating: really liked it
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I nabbed this book on impulse because it was giving me POISON STUDY vibes, and for those of you who don't know, that is one of my golden standards when it comes to YA fantasy. If I had known that this was blurbed by Sarah J. Maas, I probably wouldn't have gotten it, though, because I'm not too keen on her books and, like many authors, she tends to read and blurb books that are written in a style similar to hers.
THE PRISON HEALER kind of reads as a cross between AIR AWAKENS, THRONE OF GLASS, and INCARCERON. I wasn't really a fan of any of those three books which maybe explains why this book quickly paled for me in terms of enjoyment. Kiva is a healer in a prison, where she basically has two jobs: carve the Z into prisoners' wrists and then cure them of any ailments. Since she has a sweet gig, people don't think all that kindly of her. Especially since she's often one of the first people they see once she gets down to business with the tagging. So yeah, not many people are #TeamKiva.
When Kiva ends up becoming the Champion for a Rebel Queen, she ends up having to go through all of these ordeals that will mean her life if she fails. She also ends up embroiled in a political intrigue that seems to be taking place entirely within the jail. Which... okay. I actually ended up getting pretty confused at this point because it suffered a problem that a lot of these claustrophobically set fantasy novels have, where it kind of ignores everything that's happening outside the scope of the main setting, making the reader wonder why this is such a big deal. I mean... it's a
jail.
The plot twist at the end was seriously THRONES OF GLASS-y, and so were the blue-and-gold colored eyes and the PoC friend, Naari, who kind of ends up serving as a deus-ex-machina (hi, Nehemia). Oh, and there's a playboy prince who likes her for no reason. I did like how several of the pages were just black when the heroine gets thrown into a dungeon-like thing called the Abyss, and the healing angle was cool, but it quickly lapsed into pretty generic YA fantasy and Kiva ended up becoming a Mary Sue. People who are more partial to the three books I mentioned two paragraphs ago will probably enjoy this more than I did-- especially since it is somewhat darker than your typical YA fantasy fare (and unlike some reviewers, I took no issue with this). It just wasn't to my taste.
Thanks to the publisher for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review!2 stars
Rating: really liked it
Full disclosure - Lynette is my friend. She's an Australian author and we met when I was a guest at SupaNova about 6 years ago - back in the good old days when I could travel and attend cons. One of the nicest/sweetest person I've ever met and we stayed friends. The Prison Healer is going to be released in April in Australia, UK, and US and many of the books will be signed (she signed literally thousands of what's known as "tip-ins" - it's the cover page that they'll bind with the rest of the book - truthfully, I'm totally jealous ;)
Just like the title says, the main character is the only healer in this horrible prison. A prison that she's been locked in for the last 10 years (having been sent there with her father at the age of 7 - so you know the people who run the place are truly awful - also warning the guards are brutal to the prisoners and there's mention of violence and female prisoners being raped is implied, but that's not detailed on the page - although the threat of it is).
I really liked the world building (there are maps!! Not one but two and they're lovely!) and the details about how Kiva heals those who are sick are interesting. The side characters are very likable and Tipp quickly became a favorite. The action gets going when the queen of the rebels is arrested and sent to the prison. The woman is sentenced to endure four trials, but she's too sick to complete them. Kiva is determined to keep her alive so takes her place (reminded me a bit of the Hunger Games with Katniss stepping in for her sister). If Kiva survives the trails, she and the rebel queen will be free - if she dies, then so will the queen.
This is the first book of a series and you won't have to wait long for book 2 as it's due out in October 2021.
Rating: really liked it
BRO THE ENDING TO THIS BOOK WENT CRAZY!! the author did SO amazing with the pacing and getting you attached to the characters. when i first went into this book i thought it was going to be a three star but i was so invested in the story. the ending was predictable but i STILL was shook.
Rating: really liked it
[1. We have an awesome tote back inspired by Blood and Ash
2. Some bookends inspired by Lord of the Rings - I might get rid of these and a few other metal bookends I’ve kept.
3. Next is handmade soap inspired by The Flame in the Mist (which I’ll get rid of) and a pin inspired by the Daevabad Trilogy
4. Beautiful freaking artwork, bookmarks and tarot cards. The set of foiled bookmarks are inspired by The P
Rating: really liked it
An excellent start to what I believe is going to be a trilogy. Definitely a duology at least because book two already has a title and a cover.
I am currently part way through the Akarnae series but when I saw the blurb for The Prison Healer I could not resist it. And it is a good one. My only criticism is that it is too long and the middle section tends to drag as a result. However everything else is really good.
The story is set in an inescapable prison where people tend not to survive the conditions for very long. Kiva has been there for ten years since she was seven and, as she is a healer, she has avoided the worst the prison offers. She also has occasional contact from the outside world which causes her to believe she will one day be rescued. As events turn out she has to save herself in several very dramatic ways.
It is a good story, the characters are interesting and Noni writes it well. Then there is the ending which is beyond brilliant. I never saw it coming at all, and of course it means I will be grabbing book two just as soon as I can.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book
Rating: really liked it
*rated 3.5/5 stars!
Rating: really liked it
When you have to take a shower mid-read to wake up because the book is putting you to sleep : my experience with THE PRISON HEALER.
Look, that snarky intro notwithstanding, there were things in this story that felt pretty compelling and or interesting but so much just.. didn't make sense. At first I loved that our setting was limited to this prison, where our protagonist had been locked up for ten years, completely cut off from the world and politics around her, but then I got really.. anxious. The limited scope started to bother me. So did the weird extreme sweeps into d a r k n e s s and d e s p a i r and then, like, light hearted flirting with the new prisoner.
We also had this ACOTAR-esque challenge to undergo but the only people witnessing it were the prisoners? The royalty are banished from watching it and it seems to not actually matter to the world outside the prison? Like.. how is this a thing? Why is it even happening?
And the whole idea of this prison being unchallenged by royalty, not subject to rule by any authority by the Warden (I don't know, I'm now questioning my understanding, so don't quote me on that..), was initially interesting but also how the hell did that fly. Just kind of seemed like an excuse to let some awful shit happen.
And then there was this whole civil war thing.. man, like I said, some really cool elements that just felt a little untethered. Trying to sum up all the plot points is leaving me tired.
As for the characters, well. Suffice it to say we aren't supposed to have many to root for, seeing as we are in a prison full to the brim of nasty characters, but Naari, one of the guards, was the only one I actually liked. I got a lot of whiplash from our lead, the love interest was nice but kind of predictable, there's a younger pseudo-brother character who has an endearing stutter but I got pretty tired of reading about it, and there's.. not much else. Bad guard one, bad guard two, evil guard one, evil guard two, unpleasant prisoners x y z, shifty Warden guy, lots of sick and or dead people.. you get the idea.
What saves this for me was the ending. Because.. okay, sure, yeah,
that happened. I am both very excited by it and also now very frustrated by everything up until this point, but, sure, yes. I'm hooked and I will read book two (please say it's only a duology..).
I realize most people would not continue on a series where the initial book only warranted a two but I am not most people.
** I received an ARC from the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
---
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
Rating: really liked it
Dnf 28%
I’m sorry but the cringe is real.
Explain to me again why I keep trying to read books blurbed by SJM thinking they’re gonna be good…?
Rating: really liked it
So basically for the entirety of the book, I was pretty certain that this series just wasn’t for me. BUT THEN the last page happened and I had to reevaluate my whole life.
The sequel is absolutely in transit, on its way to me.
Rating: really liked it
annnnd my most anticipated release of 2021 has become my most disappointing read of 2020.
the prison healer did not feel like lynette noni at all. and the romance 100% felt like sjm.
- protagonist goes on about how much she hates the love interest and will never date him all the while simping for him
- no time to develop plot or characters before protagonist goes straight into “ugh he’s so HOT but i HATE him”
- protagonist assuming everyone wants to date her
- love interest saying “it sucks that someone touched you without your consent so i’ll cheer you up by touching you without your consent” .... seriously .... why would you think that’s a good idea?? and why are readers supposed to think this presumptuous and disgusting behavior is hot??
- seriously. don’t climb into someone’s bed after they just got assaulted. WHY ARE WE ROMANTICIZING THIS.
- getting assaulted doesn’t matter if a cute guy assaults you afterwards!
- having ptsd is a choice apparently
- “i don’t expect anything from you” he says while expecting her to date him. why are they such hypocrites
- if someone abuses you while they’re not sober it doesn’t count
- also a plot twist that undoes pretty much everything the protagonist has said, so once again, why would i trust her?? it literally means she was lying in her OWN thoughts for the entire book like?? it does not add up.
this is the opposite of what i love about lynette’s writing and i’m so sad she went in the typical romanticizing creepy guys and a complete lack of consent direction instead of the amazing and expansive series where characters were more than their dating lives. and they weren’t all liars and hypocrites and i could actually care about them.
i think i’m just going to forget about this series and not let it taint the medoran chronicles for me. that series gave me so much hope that i finally found an author that wrote wholesome and non-problematic books but ... it looks like a certain author ruined that for her. her characters went from sweet and funny to gross and boring and i just ,,, why 🥺. do we really need to rely on nonconsensual relationships and justifying abuse to get readers now?
a note that desperately needs to be made about this shitshow: ptsd is not a choice. you’re allowed to hate your abuser. and you shouldn’t touch people just because you think they like you.
cw: mentions of rape (ongoing theme), mass cremation, graphic depictions of cremation, self harm, torture, torture/abuse being justified by MC, and MC saying that mental illness is a choice
Rating: really liked it
Rating: 4.5? 4.75?I've read an early manuscript so will re-read after publication and confirm my rating! But this was SO FREAKING FUN to read, I couldn't put it down. My favourite book from Lynette Noni to date.
Rating: really liked it
Massive thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.Go and read this right now, it’s so hard to put into words the connection I have formed with this book, but just trust me. The prison healer follows Kiva, a prisoner in the ruthless prison Zalindov and the challenges she faces once the notorious Rebel Queen is captured - she must fight to keep the Rebel Queen alive, and do so at whatever cost, including facing the lethal Trial by Ordeal. Can Kiva survive the four elemental tasks, that no other inmate has ever succeeded in doing?
I adored
all of the characters in this book, and that isn’t even an exaggeration. Kiva is far from your typical YA female lead, she is so
strong and fierce, whilst also being sensitive and caring. Tipp, a young boy with a stutter, was so lovable. It truly makes you reflect on how cruel and unjust a world can be to imprison such a vulnerable child, who is barely capable of hurting a fly. Naari, my baby, is a fantastic character, I hope we get to see a lot more of her personality in the next book. As a whole, all of the characters complimented each other
perfectly; where one character lacked, another character excelled. Finally, the love interest is fantastic - I felt myself slowly falling, the more and more interactions we had with him.
The slow burn, the angst, the yearning, I adored it all.“So you’re right, you don’t need me fighting your battles. But if you’ll let me, I’d like to be standing beside you as you fight them.”Also a
BIG YES to the setting - a
prison?! I’ve never read a book quite like it and it only makes me want to read more. It was atmospherical, well-developed and such a unique setting - it creates an isolation from the outside world, which I think is going to be a nice contrast if/when we get to experience it.
Undoubtedly, the best thing about this book was the ending. I flew through the last 15% of the book as it was so incredibly fast paced - it was simply riddled with plot twist after plot twist. They felt never-ending and I was constantly left doubting whether what I knew was indeed reality, or whether it would be revealed it had been a lie all along.
I cannot wait to see how the next book pans out!TW: Self-harm, sexual assault
I would recommend this to all YA fantasy fans. 4.5 stars from me.
CAWPILE: 8.14 / 10
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Rating: really liked it
Very solid book and I'm excited to pick up the next one!
✅
I THOUGHT THE SETTING was unique for a YA fantasy book. Pretty much the entire story took place in a Prison.. but it felt like its own community (albeit a pretty terrible community) and I just really liked reading about it
✅
THE STORY ITSELF was really exciting and kept me on the edge of my seat, always wanting to find out what happens next! There was an appropriate amount of mystery but you still got some answers, especially at the end!
✅
THE ENDING was so amazing! So many exciting things happened in the last 20% of the book and I could not stop reading! I'm really happy I had a physical copy because the black pages towards the end were a really nice touch too. And that cliff hanger - ahhhh I love this type of storyline so much! Undercover badass 😏
❌
MY LEAST FAVORITE part was the trials and tasks that Kiva had to do. I found the way each task was resolved to be wayyyy too convenient. Kiva didn't actually do anything to solve any of the tasks... she was basically just along for the ride.
🆗
THE ROMANCE was okay. I definitely liked Jared and thought their interactions were cute, but it is definitely a YA romance so don't expect anything more than a couple stolen kisses, etc.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and am going to start reading the next one asap once I get it! I just love where this storyline is going and I can't wait to find out what happens next.
Rating: really liked it
The prison healer review
WOW. Where do I even begin with this book?
A fantastic story of magic, friends, inner strength and a strong will to survive. With immersive writing, a complex main character and a plot that just keeps getting deeper and deeper the more you read... how could I not love this book?
In this book we follow our main character Kiva who from start to finish I admired and adored. Kiva has been at Zalindov prison for a decade as both the prison healer and a prisoner. She makes herself indispensable which was a smart move in order to survive. Even though she is hated by many of the other prisoners there especially the rebels and their rebel leader Cresta, she cares for everyone the same with a mission to save every life she can whilst battling with her own inner turmoils; doing whatever she can to stay in the good graces of the prison warden. When a new patient arrives bloodied and sick Kiva starts to feel complicated feelings she hasn’t before against her better judgement which already begins to change dynamics in the prison for her. This patient goes by the name of Jarren and there is much to be revealed. Then shortly thereafter Kiva receives another new patient and this patient isn’t just anybody she is the rebel QUEEN. But she’s unconscious and barely alive due to a serious illness that Kiva must figure out to keep her alive to face trial and complete four tasks named the ‘ordeals’. But that isn’t the only thing Kiva has on her plate. When a sickness is spreading through the prison and killing more prisoners than she can deal with, Kiva must figure out a cure and figure out what this sickness is before everything she’s built to survive is threatened. But after she is threatened by the rebel leader cresta, kiva must keep the rebel queen and herself alive by taking her place and facing the four ordeals of fire, air, water and earth - an impossible task that nobody before her has ever completed. Faced with the ordeals, a mystery sickness, a betraying heart and keeping herself and her friends alive, kiva must find her inner strength to keep going and live so she can be free and get back to her family once more.
I loved the world building and elemental magic in this book along with the friendships between our main character and side characters. This book is so cleverly crafted and the further I got the more intricate the plot got making me need to keep reading and reading.
This is an amazing book for all fantasy lovers and the plot twists in this book made me audibly gasp in shock and the ending... I need the second book IMMEDIATELY. Perfect for fans of Sarah J Maas, Leigh Bardugo and Kester Grant.
