Book Review/Giveaway! The Shifter

(Please note that this contest has closed)

The Shifter, by Janice Hardy, is a middle grade fantasy dealing with healing magic. The premise is that unlike with many of the magical-hand-over-the-injury examples of magic, Hardy’s healers don’t technically heal. The pain doesn’t dissipate or go away. It needs to be put somewhere – usually into a mineral called pyruvium. With Nya, it’s different. She puts it into people.

Nya and her sister live in a conquered land, in the midst of a war to control pyruvium deposits (remind anyone of current events?). Her sister, Tali, trains as a real healer while Nya hides her own ability, fearing that with her ability to hurt, she’ll be drafted into the war. Meanwhile, the real healers start disappearing. When Tali becomes the latest victim, Nya makes it her mission to save her.

I loved the characters – Tali and Nya were not unlike Katniss and Prim Everdeen from The Hunger Games. They were immensely relatable and easy to cheer for. On top of that, Hardy’s voice was incredibly easy to slip into. So easy, that I had to write this post without the book sitting next to me – my husband stole it for his work trip.

Here’s the deal:

One lucky commenter will win the The Shifter, by Janice Hardy as well as City of Bones by Cassandra Clare and The Uglies by Scott Westerfield. Just tell us what other YA fantasy and science fiction you like. The winner will be announced on Monday.

Original post published on Old People Writing for Teens by GotYA contributor Holen Matthews. To view original post and reader comments, please click here.