Lynette Noni

From Australia's #1 best-selling YA author Lynette Noni comes a dark, thrilling YA fantasy about Kiva, a girl forced to heal prisoners of war who must wager her life in a series of deadly elemental trials, all to save the rebel force's queen. Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Sabaa Tahir.


Seventeen-year-old Kiva Meridan has spent the last ten years fighting for survival in the notorious death prison, Zalindov, working as the prison healer.

When the Rebel Queen is captured, Kiva is charged with keeping the terminally ill woman alive long enough for her to undergo the Trial by Ordeal: a series of elemental challenges against the torments of air, fire, water, and earth, assigned to only the most dangerous of criminals.

Then a coded message from Kiva’s family arrives, containing a single order: “Don’t let her die. We are coming.” Aware that the Trials will kill the sickly queen, Kiva risks her own life to volunteer in her place. If she succeeds, both she and the queen will be granted their freedom.

But no one has ever survived.

With an incurable plague sweeping Zalindov, a mysterious new inmate fighting for Kiva’s heart, and a prison rebellion brewing, Kiva can’t escape the terrible feeling that her trials have only just begun.

The Prison Healer

Aimee :)

"I I-I-love you, K-Kiva," Tipp kept whispering, his voice fading more, as if he'd only been holding on long enough to see her one last time. "Thank y-you ... f-f-for everything."

Not even for the man who had killed her father.

Taryn

"I’ve been here nearly two months," Jaren said. He held the Warden's sharp eyes as he added, “Long enough to know who's worth saving.”

“Never apologize for for loving someone. Even when it hurts. Especially when it hurts” - Jaren 

“But things happen in life that you don't expect, that you can't plan for and you're helpless to stop. Their story didn't end as it should have. But I know for a fact that they'd live it all over again, even the ending, as long as it meant they could keep their beginning" 

But wishing had never done her any good before, just as she knew it wouldn’t now. 

With bright red hair and wide blue eyes, Tipp looked like a burning candle. 

Elin Hakvoort

Never apologize for loving someone. Even when it hurts. Especially when it hurts.

Still, she wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth, even if that horse was coated in slime. 

“I’ve always rooted for the underdog,” Mirryn said, almost musingly. “And you, Kiva Meridan, are the biggest underdog I’ve ever seen.”

From Australia's #1 best-selling YA author Lynette Noni comes a dark, thrilling YA fantasy about Kiva, a girl forced to heal prisoners of war who must wager her life in a series of deadly elemental trials, all to save the rebel force's queen. Perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Sabaa Tahir.

Christine

I wish I could say they lived happily ever after. They did, for a time. Very happily. But things happen in life that you don't expect, that you can't plan for and you're helpless to stop. Their story didn't end as it should have. But I know for a fact that they'd live it all over again, even the ending, as long as it meant they could keep their beginning.

Anna Lauren

'A marvelous and inventive storyteller' Sarah J Maas, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author At Zalindov, the only person you can trust is yourself. Seventeen-year-old Kiva Meridan is a survivor. For ten years, she has worked as the healer in the notorious death prison, Zalindov, making herself indispensable. Kept afloat by messages of hope from her family, Kiva has one goal and one goal only: stay alive. Then one day the infamous Rebel Queen arrives at the prison on death's door and Kiva receives a new message: Don't let her die. We are coming. The queen is sentenced to the Trial by Ordeal: a series of elemental challenges against the torments of air, fire, water, and earth, assigned to only the most dangerous of criminals. Aware the sickly queen has little chance of making it through the Trials alive, Kiva volunteers to take her place. If she succeeds, both she and the queen will be granted their freedom. But no one has ever survived. And with an incurable plague sweeping Zalindov, a mysterious new inmate fighting for Kiva's heart, and a prison rebellion brewing, Kiva can't escape the terrible feeling that her trials have only just begun. From bestselling Australian author Lynette Noni comes a masterful and action-packed YA fantasy perfect for fans of Sarah J. Maas and Sabaa Tahir.

a dark, romantic fantasy from Australia's #1 YA author

Crystal cornwall 

why did she become a vicious person in the end ?

siinsiiin

I was honestly debating my rating as I was nearing the end but the final revelation solidified my rating.

Definitely a bit slow and quite repetitive…like A LOT, but for a series starter it does a good job to give you all the information on the characters we’re getting to know and their motives. Can’t wait to see how everything else unfolds

lily

The ending…HELLO!???

I was honestly debating my rating as I was nearing the end but the final revelation solidified my rating.

Definitely a bit slow and quite repetitive…like A LOT, but for a series starter it does a good job to give you all the information on the characters we’re getting to know and their motives. Can’t wait to see how everything else unfolds

Ella Williams

Such a fun read!

The plot twists🤌🏽

this was good! the reviews are all amazing on this book so i wanted to read!

i wasn’t fully invested but i do think that’s my fault and not the books

the plot twists were good - i audibly gasped!!

Lucy Williams

this was good! the reviews are all amazing on this book so i wanted to read!

i wasn’t fully invested but i do think that’s my fault and not the books

the plot twists were good - i audibly gasped!!

Haley

Wow; that’s all I have to say. This book was so good!

Zoë Mauldin

౨ৎ | ‘but that didn't mean he was going to give up. he might not smash, but he would knock, and keep knocking, until she allowed him in. she would be worth the wait. he knew that like he knew his own name.’

the beginning was sort of slow, so i had to push past that but once i hit the 20% mark i was HOOKED. the writing flowed really well too. lynette noni can write! i also loved literally all the characters so badly. 

tipp was the cutest kid ever and i want him to live forever. 

mot was kinda of weird but i always loved how much he cared about kiva. 

naari was so cutie, i was hesitant at first because she was a guard but she truly cared so much. 

jaren… i need him to be real, i wish we saw more of him but hopefully in the next book. 

KIVA was so baby. i just want to wrap her in bubble wrap and protect her so bad. she deserves to be happy and i hope she gets SOMEWHAT happy in the next book. her trauma is so overlooked. 

the plot twists just kept coming i felt like i was sitting up in shock every two chapters. i am so excited to read more. 

౨ৎ | ‘but that didn't mean he was going to give up. he might not smash, but he would knock, and keep knocking, until she allowed him in. she would be worth the wait. he knew that like he knew his own name.’

— ★ 4/5

the beginning was sort of slow, so i had to push past that but once i hit the 20% mark i was HOOKED. the writing flowed really well too. lynette noni can write! i also loved literally all the characters so badly. 

tipp was the cutest kid ever and i want him to live forever. 

mot was kinda of weird but i always loved how much he cared about kiva. 

naari was so cutie, i was hesitant at first because she was a guard but she truly cared so much. 

jaren… i need him to be real, i wish we saw more of him but hopefully in the next book. 

KIVA was so baby. i just want to wrap her in bubble wrap and protect her so bad. she deserves to be happy and i hope she gets SOMEWHAT happy in the next book. her trauma is so overlooked. 

the plot twists just kept coming i felt like i was sitting up in shock every two chapters. i am so excited to read more. 

HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!

         Before I came up with my current TBR system, I avoided fantasy novels.  My brothers all loved them, so I had plenty around the house when I was growing up, but I could never get into them.  I also found that when somebody did recommend a fantasy, I’d read it and rarely enjoy it.  As an adult, I just didn’t read them…until I started my book blog.  I had been reading what I wanted to read, but somebody once asked me why I had such a limited variety of books.  I evaluated what I wanted out of my blog, and came up with my current system that takes me out of my “box” of favorite authors and/or genres. Since then, I have discovered that I need to stop thinking all fantasy novels are the same:  some of them are actually good. 

            This one, miraculously, turned out to be pretty good.  I picked this one up because it was a 52-Book Reading Challenge read-along at some point in 2024.  I didn’t read it at the same time they were reading it in the group, but I did add it to the TBR and finally got to it.  I was shocked to be immediately drawn into the story, I almost couldn’t put it down!  I couldn’t decide if I was more interested in Kiva’s situation, or the fact that her “family” had been sending her notes promising to help for years without ever actually helping.  I’m actually going to continue reading the series so I can find out if they EVER help her or if the “bad family” that she’s hated for years is really not bad at all.  The book played out quite well, with intrigue, romance, and suspense.  There was enough of an ending that I was satisfied but also enough of a cliffhanger that I do want to continue the series. 

            The moral of the story is that I need to be more open to enjoying all genres, because they’re not all bad.  This lesson is more for me than anybody else, but I do feel like many of us get into a reading rhythm and we don’t venture out.  I implore you all, venture out!  It’s worth it! 

Kristen Claiborn

         Before I came up with my current TBR system, I avoided fantasy novels.  My brothers all loved them, so I had plenty around the house when I was growing up, but I could never get into them.  I also found that when somebody did recommend a fantasy, I’d read it and rarely enjoy it.  As an adult, I just didn’t read them…until I started my book blog.  I had been reading what I wanted to read, but somebody once asked me why I had such a limited variety of books.  I evaluated what I wanted out of my blog, and came up with my current system that takes me out of my “box” of favorite authors and/or genres. Since then, I have discovered that I need to stop thinking all fantasy novels are the same:  some of them are actually good. 

            This one, miraculously, turned out to be pretty good.  I picked this one up because it was a 52-Book Reading Challenge read-along at some point in 2024.  I didn’t read it at the same time they were reading it in the group, but I did add it to the TBR and finally got to it.  I was shocked to be immediately drawn into the story, I almost couldn’t put it down!  I couldn’t decide if I was more interested in Kiva’s situation, or the fact that her “family” had been sending her notes promising to help for years without ever actually helping.  I’m actually going to continue reading the series so I can find out if they EVER help her or if the “bad family” that she’s hated for years is really not bad at all.  The book played out quite well, with intrigue, romance, and suspense.  There was enough of an ending that I was satisfied but also enough of a cliffhanger that I do want to continue the series. 

            The moral of the story is that I need to be more open to enjoying all genres, because they’re not all bad.  This lesson is more for me than anybody else, but I do feel like many of us get into a reading rhythm and we don’t venture out.  I implore you all, venture out!  It’s worth it! 

waohhhh it isn't often that a book completely surprises me. i was so sucked into the story that i missed a few big parts, i think. 😭 but this was sooooooooo good oh my god it reminds me of how excited i was for the red queen series when i first started reading those. 

i loved all of the characters, especially tipp and naari (i kinda want kiva and naari to end up together). the writing was so so good and the plot twist was crazyyy i have no clue how i didn't notice it beforehand. this could be one of my top five books now, easily.

kaii

waohhhh it isn't often that a book completely surprises me. i was so sucked into the story that i missed a few big parts, i think. 😭 but this was sooooooooo good oh my god it reminds me of how excited i was for the red queen series when i first started reading those. 

i loved all of the characters, especially tipp and naari (i kinda want kiva and naari to end up together). the writing was so so good and the plot twist was crazyyy i have no clue how i didn't notice it beforehand. this could be one of my top five books now, easily.

Okay, but seriously why didn’t someone make me read this sooner. I literally let this trilogy sit on my shelf for over a year before I picked it up and I think it may have been the dumbest thing I have ever done. I’m a bitch for a book where the characters has to go through trials. I will literally eat it up every time. Then the ending? Yeah, I had to take several minutes to process that before I realized my jaw was still on the floor. So it’s safe to say this took over my life until I finished it. 

Priscilla Stanfield

5/5⭐️

Okay, but seriously why didn’t someone make me read this sooner. I literally let this trilogy sit on my shelf for over a year before I picked it up and I think it may have been the dumbest thing I have ever done. I’m a bitch for a book where the characters has to go through trials. I will literally eat it up every time. Then the ending? Yeah, I had to take several minutes to process that before I realized my jaw was still on the floor. So it’s safe to say this took over my life until I finished it. 

Joan 

very entertaining, reminds me of old school YA in a good way! I really thought I knew all the twists, and I did guess one of them, but the last page caught me off guard! 10/10

fris🐝

it's like you thought you know the plot twist only for the last page to prove you wrong

clau☁️

I did not expect that end note of hers to her family lol but was pleasantly surprised also this reminds me a lot of tog now 

Pia 

nothing at all happened and then the last 30 pages it picked up... i tried very hard to drag myself through this

matti horckmans

When i was trying to find a book to read, this book had the most votes. People kept saying how they heard good things and how great the book is, and about 25% into it i was wondering if they were lying. I will be honest, the whole ordeal challenges and how she figures out a way to get past them got on my nerves, because that wasn’t her at all. Not to mention, i felt like the romance was a bit too quick, and not enemies to lovers like i thought it would be. But don’t get me wrong, i didn’t get bored of it and actually felt myself getting really emotional at times, especially towards the end. Now the end. That’s what saved the book. There were betrayals and mysteries, but they were so predictable

 at the very beginning i predicted she had healing powers, and Jaren was the prince and Naari was his guard. those all felt so obvious 

but the end had me in shock, and i am oh so excited for the next book.

 at times i did have a theory that she was actually the rebel queen, which was close enough. I also did have a thought, hey what if that’s her mother, but i dismissed it 

so i wouldn’t say it’s 5 stars, being that i was disappointed in the MC’s strength and the predictability of some plot twists, however the end definitely made up for it.

When i was trying to find a book to read, this book had the most votes. People kept saying how they heard good things and how great the book is, and about 25% into it i was wondering if they were lying. I will be honest, the whole ordeal challenges and how she figures out a way to get past them got on my nerves, because that wasn’t her at all. Not to mention, i felt like the romance was a bit too quick, and not enemies to lovers like i thought it would be. But don’t get me wrong, i didn’t get bored of it and actually felt myself getting really emotional at times, especially towards the end. Now the end. That’s what saved the book. There were betrayals and mysteries, but they were so predictable

spoilers at the very beginning i predicted she had healing powers, and Jaren was the prince and Naari was his guard. those all felt so obvious no spoilers

but the end had me in shock, and i am oh so excited for the next book.

spoilers at times i did have a theory that she was actually the rebel queen, which was close enough. I also did have a thought, hey what if that’s her mother, but i dismissed it no spoilers

so i wouldn’t say it’s 5 stars, being that i was disappointed in the MC’s strength and the predictability of some plot twists, however the end definitely made up for it.

Really wanted to love this but unfortunately only the last 50 pages were exciting.

Sasha

Oooooph that was quite the twisty ride at the end. Loved this book. So much so, i’m diving right into the 2nd!! Highly recommend. 

Aims

akynn 

This probably shouldn't be five stars but this book brought up emotions in me I didn't know I had.

Coming back to continue writing a bit more about this books over a month later because I can't stop thinking about it. This entire book was Kiva getting saved and saved again and again because she couldn't do anything for herself. I thought it was going to be the opposite in a fantasy series where the main character is supposed to be strong and have powers of their own. This entire book was Kiva being a "damsel in distress."

Still 5 Stars tho.

is something wrong with me? the twist is not twisting 

abi a

This book surprised me. Loved the premise, loved the dynamic btwn the FMC and MMC, and loved the TWIST. Highly recommend.

claudia alford

This book kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. The twist and turns that it took kept me hooked and not wanting to put it down. I did not see the ending coming at all!

The Prison Healer

Reviews

Highlights