The Healing Wars: Book 1 (updated!)

The Shifter: The Healing Wars, Book 1by Janice Hardy

Nya is an orphan struggling for survival in a city crippled by war. She is also a Taker—with her touch, she can heal injuries, pulling pain from another person into her own body. But unlike her sister, Tali, and the other Takers who become Healers' League apprentices, Nya's skill is flawed: She can't push that pain into pynvium, the enchanted metal used to store it. All she can do is shift it into another person, a dangerous skill that she must keep hidden from forces occupying her city. If discovered, she'd be used as a human weapon against her own people.Rumors of another war make Nya's life harder, forcing her to take desperate risks just to find work and food. She pushes her luck too far and exposes her secret to a pain merchant eager to use her shifting ability for his own sinister purposes. At first Nya refuses, but when Tali and other League Healers mysteriously disappear, she's faced with some difficult choices. As her father used to say, principles are a bargain at any price; but how many will Nya have to sell to get Tali back alive? (goodreads.com)

If you're looking for really well written and enjoyable middle grade fantasy, then look no farther than The Healing Wars series by Janice Hardy. I am so happy that the sequel to this book caught my eye in the Harper Collins catalogue earlier this year because I never would have discovered it otherwise.Right from the first page I was caught up in Nya's world and curious about people who could heal with a touch and take other's pain, but have to empty it into special kind of rock (pynvium). I was telling my husband that this reads like truly well-written adult fantasy only the main characters are teens and younger. The life that Nya leads isn't all fairy tale and whimsy. She has to make tough choices in order to keep herself, her sister and soon others alive and out of harm's way. She feels remorse and guilt over many of the choices but she makes the choices she does to survive.You get a real feel for how tough things are and that it's not just a pretend tough life she and the other kids are leading. The streets of  Nya's home town are not safe and happy. People are miserable and desperate.Even with all the negative the story is very uplifting, though Nya tries her hardest to save what's left of her family her actions give others hope and that leads to more people joining the cause to save others. Nya becomes a reluctant hero for her actions even though she's still hunted by the Duke's people.I read this 400 page book quite fast and I didn't want to put it down. I was extremely happy that I had the sequel sitting right next to me once I got to the end of this one. I wanted to read more and spend more time with Nya, Tali, Danello and the others. I want to know why the Duke is after the Healers.In times of war people have to make tough decisions, but there is still compassion in many of the ones Nya makes.I highly recommend this book - and series - to middle grade lovers, especially if fantasy is your cup of tea! Don't expect a Disney Fairy Tale though, it's far from that, but it's still an engaging and well-told story.I have been so tired this week it's taken me a while to write this post, and as it is, I don't think I did a very good job. But I wanted to get it written so I wouldn't forget about it. I'm stopping now so I can finish book two!EDIT: I have just discovered that this book has a different title outside of North America! If you're looking for it in the UK you want to look for The Pain Merchants: Healing Wars Book 1. I don't know why the titles were changed, I think either works just fine. It also has a beautiful cover! Had I seen this book while browsing the Book Depository you can be sure that I would have added it to my wishlist. Although I do like the fire motif on the NA cover. The sequel also has the hands and fire cover. I have now finished Blue Fire but my review will be up sometime in September when there is more information to be found about the book itself!The Healing Wars

1. The Shifter
2. Blue Fire
3. Book 3 -  Fall 2011