While this book has an interesting premise and magic system, plus a unique setting (a fantasy prison), it just felt like a generic YA fantasy with nothing special. I probably won't read the sequel.

Huge thank to the publisher for the chance to read and review this book!


Set inside Zalindov prison, this is a YA fantasy book that is gritty, and filled with intrigue. It's bursting to the brim with elemental magic, rebels, royals and magical trails - really what more could you want?!

Kiva has been in Zalindov for 10 years, having arrived when she was just a child. Working as a healer for the entire prison her days are filled with danger, doom and brutality. Having the additional job of branding the new arrivals with the prison mark, she’s often seen as an enemy by the other prisoners and the guards aren’t much better! Secret coded messages from her family keep her hope alive but when a new mysterious prisoner arrives Kiva receives a different message: ‘Don’t let her die. We are coming.’

The writing was really well done, and I found myself flowing through this book quite easily. There were moments I felt things weren’t quite clear and I had to go back to see if I’d missed something, but ultimately as a whole this fed into the whole intrigue and mystery and if anything just made me enjoy it more. The world building and plot was a little predictable in places, as YA fantasy can be, but this didn’t take away from how incredible the story was, the unique twists, and the ending. BOY OH BOY, that ending!

I couldn't put this book down. Not only was the writing and pace incredible, the characters were instantly likeable and Kiva was an amazing main character. We saw not only her heart and tenacity but her vulnerable side. The Prison is a brutal place to live and from the beginning you can see she is nothing but a survivor. Her friendship and brother/sister relationship with Tipp was my absolute favourite! The youngest inmate in the prison, Tipp was so damn cute and his antics brought a lot of sunshine in quite a doom-and-gloom place.

There’s a found family theme throughout and I love this trope so damn much! Especially when it’s a bunch of misfits. It fitted in so well with the story and added to the level of risk Kiva finds her self in.

There is romance but it is very slow burn and cleverly written. You actually felt the development and growth of stranger to friendship to something a bit more and it definitely builds it up for the next book! The moments between all the characters were raw and realistic and made the danger and the twists that follow feel even more high risk.

Secret messages, a mysterious inmate, rebellions and trails to complete in order to survive; this book is an entertaining read from the first page. It is filled with intrigue, and the gritty atmosphere completely sets this story apart from other YA fantasies. With some pretty dark undertones, this tale is infused with fast-paced action and constant danger. You literally feel the clock ticking as you follow Kiva's adventure. I stayed up late into the early hours of the morning as I could NOT put it down. The numerous plot lines are cleverly woven together for a gritty type of YA fantasy that captures your imagination. I absolutely recommend this book and cannot wait to see what is going to happen in book two!

My review rating - 4/5 ⭐

I really enjoyed this book. It had a slow pace to begin with but that quickly changed.

As the story progresses I found it harder and harder to put down and that ending!! Thank god the second book has released!!

The Prison Healer was such a pleasure to read. I really enjoyed the empathy Kiva had toward everyone, including those who treated her poorly. She saw them through a healer's eyes and believed everyone deserved to be saved. The secondary characters were interesting too, and I especially had a soft spot for dear Tipp. The story kept a good pace and each Trial by Ordeal was a challenge I was rooting for Kiva to overcome. Jaren was absolute perfection in the way he treated Kiva from Day 1. And finally, it is very rare for me to finish a story with goosebumps during the final pages. The Prison Healer accomplished just that. The ending was something I did not see coming and that twist made the story even more interesting. It certainly makes me want to continue on Kiva's journey to see what happens next.

For some reason this book is duplicated on my list. I am not sure how this got to be this way. I was thinking one might have been an audio book but it doesnt seem that is the case.

Honestly one of the best books I’ve read and I can’t wait to grab my hands on the sequel!!! Our main character is so strong and I grew attached to so many of them!

For the past 10 years, 17 year old Kiva Meridan has survived as the Prison Healer at the death prison Zalindov. When Tilda, the Rebel Queen is captured and arrives at her clinic, Kiva is tasked with keeping her alive until she is able to face the Trial by Ordeal. This trial is assigned to the most dangerous criminals and consists of elemental challenges, that no one has survived before. Kiva receives a coded letter from her family saying "don't let her die, we are coming." Kiva makes the decision to step in for the Queen, and partake in the trials herself. If she succeeds, both she and Tilda will be free.

I really enjoyed this book! I was drawn into this world and these charming characters right from the prologue. I became so invested in Kiva and the trials, rooting for her to be successful. I found the setting of the prison to be very interesting, and I liked learning more about the dynamics and relationships inside. Some of the guards were terrifying, cruel and made me so angry the way they treated the prisoners and got away with it. I was actually surprised when this book dove into some deeper topics such as, drug addiction, rape, self harm and various forms of abuse. Which now looking back at the setting of a prison, it does make sense. I really liked Kiva, it was a pleasure watching her learn to open up to people, and begin to trust them. I fell in love with Tipp, Kiva's adorable 12 year old assistant at the clinic. He's like a little brother to her, and their relationship was so sweet. He is such a ray of sunshine in such a dark place and I loved getting to know his character more as I continued reading. I liked the introduction of Jaren, I was instantly intrigued by his character and wanted to know more about him. He was the perfect blend of mysterious and charming. I also liked Narii, the female prison guard. I found her to be so interesting, and she became a quick friend to Kiva, in a place you wouldn't expect to find many friends.

The ending threw me for a loop, and I definitely was not expecting it. I can't wait to get my hands on the sequel!

From the moment I read the synopsis for this book I knew that I had to read it. I'm not quite sure why it took me so long to finally get around to it (maybe the stress of the last year and a half) but I'm so glad that I did right around the release of the sequel (which I am so excited to read). This book was exhilarating, nerve-racking, and just awesome all around. I loved the characters, was engaged by the plot from page one, and was unable to put it down. I cannot wait to get my special edition copy of the sequel so that I can know what happens next!

As a huge fan of Maria V. Snyder, I was so certain that Lynette Noni’s The Prison Healer was going to be a new favorite book of mine this year. However, I was so wrong, left wanting and extremely disappointed. With a lack of characterization (including an untrustworthy narrator and “protagonist,” Kiva Meridan) and an utter disregard for worldbuilding, I felt both confused and uninvested in the majority of the happenings of The Prison Healer. Many (almost all; except for Tipp) of the secondary characters’ backgrounds and abilities were annoyingly suspicious and over-the-top. Also, can someone please explain the Trial by Ordeal to me? Why does the Warden have to host a seemingly bogus trial when he seems to hold ultimate power in Zalindov? To be completely honest, I have more questions than I probably should have… The most interesting feature of the entire plot of The Prison Healer occurred at the very end of the book with three very important lines. If the story had started with those three lines, I think I would have been more invested in its happenings, etc. This had better not be a trilogy. And please do give us a worthy sequel of the plot twist.

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

The Prison Healer

Pages
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Release Date: April 13, 2021

Fiction, Sci Fi & Fantasy, Teen & Young Adult, Magic

Kiva is seventeen and has been in the Zalindov for ten years when she was captured along with her father. She works there as a healer must brands new prisoners with the letter “Z.” Jaren, a golden haired, blue-eyed young man arrives in the prison. She cleans him, stitches his injuries, and marks him. Tipp, her young assistant, asks her if she is going to swoon looking at Jaren. Naari, is one of the prison guards but kinder than the other guards especially the Butcher and Bones.

Kiva’s life is about to change but she doesn’t know how. Tilda Corentine, The Rebel Queen, has been captured and sentenced to Trial by Ordeal. In her clothes, Tipp finds a note with a coded message from Kiva’s family. She must safe the Queen’s life at all costs, and they are coming to the rescue but when. Kiva takes the Queen’s challenge to compete in the Trial by Ordeal. She must face the four elements and succeed to save both of their lives. Trial by Ordeal. This reminded me of the Goblet of Fire in the fourth Harry Potter book.

The book has a steady pace, and the characters develop as the story proceeds. It is written in the third person point of view. There are a few twists in the story and an unexpected ending that makes you want to read the next book.

I postponed reading this book a bit because I didn't feel like reading a YA book, which turned out to be silly, because if all YA were like this, I'd be very happy! However, now I'm slightly glad I waited because the next book is almost out and I'm anxious to get to it. This one has a satisfying ending, but wow also a great lead-in for book two!

Kiva has been in prison since she was seven years old. She's the healer, following in the footsteps of her father. The prison is an awful place, and Kiva does her best under terrible circumstances. It gets even worse when people start dying of a mysterious illness and an extremely sick rebel leader is imprisoned.

I liked Kiva's care for her patients, and I liked her scientific quest to find the source of the sickness. I especially liked Tipp, her young helper.

I thought the Trials were interesting, but really the non-trial parts of the story were what held my interest. It was a really well-done story and I'm planning to read the next soon!

Thanks to netgalley and the author and publisher for enabling me to find a new author and series!

Kiva has secrets - the kind that could get her killed if they were known. Seventeen year old Kiva Meridan has spent the last ten years of her life in Zalindov prison; she has witnessed the death of her brother and her father and has suffered countless dangers from violent prisoners and guards, disease and starvation. As if it wasn't dangerous enough growing up in a death prison and serving as the prison healer when plague strikes. As if the ruthless and cruel Warden didn't have an agenda for controlling the prisoners in the worst prison in the country. Forced to build a shell around her feelings and tamp down her hidden elemental magic- Kiva is now faced with a dilemma as she bonds with a young boy and a new prisoner.. The suspense builds in this fast-paced adventure with a cliff-hanger ending.

The prison healer was such a good book, I read it so fast because the world building was amazing. I love the little info key in the book that’s helps with meanings and names. I can’t wait for the second book I’m sure it will be just as good

So I just have to say... anything endorsed by Sarah J. Maas is an automatic read for me. So I was really excited to dive into this YA fantasy. And despite my high expectations, I still wasn’t expected to be this blown away!

This book wasn’t as “flashy” as other YA fantasy books. I’m not sure if that’ll make sense to anyone else but me, but it wasn’t super complicated to follow and I didn’t feel lost with world building or anything. This was easy to track and kept me intrigued along the whole way. And don’t even get me STARTED on that ending!!!!!!!!!

I absolutely love and adore when we are kind of just along for the ride in fantasy books. I hate being told what’s going to happen before it actually does or being inside the protagonist’s mind as they explain their future plans. I just wanna go through it as it happens. And Lynette did an absolutely fantastic job at that! All of the plot twists (except for that last one because I most definitely did NOT see that one coming) weren’t really shockers for me, but I still enjoyed it nonetheless and it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the book as I was going.

I loved the setting and how everything managed to happen in once place and yet you didn’t feel like not enough was happening. The elemental trials gave off a combination of Throne of Glass/A Court of Thorns and Roses/The Hunger Games vibes but had its own unique twist which I loved! The political intrigue was fantastic, mostly because we were blind until certain things happened or information was disclosed. It was an amazing experience!

I binged this in less than 24 hrs and am on the edge of my seat for the next one!!! Overall, I loved this and highly recommend this to YA fantasy lovers!

Also, Tipp stole the whole dang show and deserves to be protected at all costs.

*Thank you so much Netgalley and Clarion Books for giving me an arc in exchange for an honest review.*

I received a digital copy of this book from Netgalley for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this story. The friendship between Kivia and Naari was especially refreshing and interesting, much more so than the romance. The trials were exciting and the characters were written well. Looking forward to book two.

A truly unique book. I thoroughly enjoyed it. The plot was unexpected and full of interesting turns and twists. A stand out among so many dull repetitive YA novels.

Oh. My. Goodness! Spoiler alert - but can we talk about that colossal twist revelation at the end that I absolutely did not see coming at all!! What a genius stroke, and I can’t believe book 2 isn’t out yet because I need it now after that ending. This novel is such a page-turner. I enjoyed it from start to finish and had trouble putting it down. It gave me strong Hunger Games vibes, but not in the “rip-off” sort of way. Instead, it reminded me of how I felt reading the Hunger Games, where the story was terrifying yet fascinating and I could not look away. You’d think the claustrophobic setting of a death prison wouldn’t make for exciting plot or action, but the author masterfully breaks all expectations in that regard, while also managing to make the prison a character in its own right. I can’t wait to see where the journey takes Kiva, Tipp, Jaren and Naari next. Judging by the ending, the next installment is going to be another page-turner!

Wow! This ending! I have a love/hate relationship with cliffhangers but I can’t wait for book two. This was a fun, enjoyable read, and I liked the flow of the story. I can’t wait to see what happens next!

I received this and as an eARC to read for free in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and Clarion Books for giving me access.

I though this was thoroughly enjoyable unlike some other people. The main story was a bit predictable, but that end! My jaw is still on the floor waiting to be scooped up. I cannot wait for book two to find out what happens next because I NEED TO KNOW!