The Blood Traitor by Lynette Noni
Blurb:
She’d failed them. All of them. And now she was paying the price.
Kiva thought she knew what she wanted—revenge. But feelings change, people change . . . everything has changed.
After what happened at the palace, Kiva is desperate to know if her friends and family are safe, and whether those she wronged can ever forgive her. But with the kingdoms closer to the brink of war than they’ve ever been, and Kiva far away from the conflict, more is at stake than her own broken heart.
A fresh start will mean a perilous quest, forcing mortal enemies and uneasy allies together in a race against the clock to save not just Evalon, but all of Wenderall. With her loyalties now set, Kiva can no longer just survive—she must fight for what she believes in. For who she believes in. But with danger coming from every side, and the lives of everyone she loves at risk, does she have what it takes to stand, or will she fall?
YA Fantasy Series Finale: Kiva’s journey of survival and sacrifice reaches its epic conclusion in the final book of The Prison Healer trilogy.
Enemies to Lovers: Grappling with the consequences of her choices, Kiva must discover if the man she betrayed can ever forgive her, let alone love her.
Uneasy Allies: To save the kingdoms of Wenderall from war, Kiva must join forces with mortal enemies in a desperate race against time.
Sister Betrayal: With her sister wielding a terrifying death magic and a stolen crown, Kiva must fight for what she believes in, even if it means destroying her own family.
Dark Fantasy Adventure: Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas, this dark and romantic fantasy is packed with royal intrigue, high-stakes action, and breathtaking twists.
Review:
Kiva has lost everything.
After choosing her siblings and family over her loyalties to the kingdom she was trapped in at the end of The Gilded Cage, she changed her mind too late. Now, she’s trapped in the very prison she escaped after ten years of near-death experiences within it, sentenced there by a malicious sister who wants the throne of the kingdom for herself.
Desperate to escape, Kiva has to rely on an unlikely ally—Cresta, her old prison-mate—to overcome an addiction brought on by the drugs used on her to keep her supple and agreeable while she traveled back to Zalindov at her sister’s command. Now facing potential and permanent death in the prison, she’s forced to relive the worst moments of her life—not as a healer, but as a miner. Her only hope lies within a half-baked plan to escape…and simply surviving until the prison kills her. But conflicts are brewing outside of Zalindov, and she might have to atone for her mistakes before she can succumb to death’s embrace.
Firstly, the blurbs for these books—all on their own—read better than what I write to summarize the story above every time I write a review (seriously, props to whoever wrote those). Secondly, this is probably one of the most expertly written trilogies I have ever read (and I read quite a lot). It’s simply masterful. From the first page of book one to the last page of book three, I was invested and intrigued and engaged throughout. I cannot wait to see what Noni writes next and what else she’s published, but I’ll start with this: the final book in The Prison Healer, otherwise known as The Blood Traitor.
Some authors’ book titles feel like they don’t match the story being told. That is not the case with The Prison Healer, which became evident when I was reading book two. By the time I started reading book three, I was guessing what the title would mean in relation to the narrative. If that doesn’t tell you have detail-oriented and masterful Noni is as an author, I don’t know what will.
Like the sequel and the first book, The Blood Traitor was an absolute gem of a novel. I read it—much like book two, again—in less than twenty-four hours. Partially due to a bug I got to read this story all at once, but mostly because it’s so. Incredibly. Good.
Noni is another breed of author, methinks. She’s got a wonderful pen for tone and character voice, alongside building intricate worlds with complex politics—all while ensuring the details don’t overwhelm her readers. It’s easy to fall into and in love with the novels Noni writes, and The Blood Traitor is no exception, it’s fantastic, memorable, stunning, and gritty.
If any readers were looking for a trilogy I’d recommend them, I’d point them here. The Blood Traitor is both a satisfying climax and a thrilling finale, leaving me guessing at every chapter’s end. The characters are vivid, the world is magma-deep, and I couldn’t get enough of this particular novel, either.
I usually don’t like to reread books I’ve consumed, considering how many books get published each year and how many books already exist in the world, but this trilogy tempted me once I’d finished the last book. It’s gripping, visceral, and teeth-grating in the best possible way. Full of tension and lore and a small romantic B-plot, it was absolutely perfect in my eyes.
As Sarah J. Maass (#1 New York Times Bestselling Author) has already said, “Lynette Noni is a masterful storyteller. A must-read for any fantasy lover!” If you haven’t read these books, go and pick them up. I promise they will be worth it.
