Blue Fire (Healing Wars Series #2)

Reviewed by Joan Stradling for Teens Read Too

Nya is on the run from the Duke of Baseer's trackers for a crime she didn't intend to commit. The Duke is using Healers to make an unstoppable army, and Nya is determined to stop him. But with trackers after her, it isn't easy to hide, and Nya finds herself trapped in a place she never wanted to be and having to trust people she isn't sure she should. Nya's adventures in BLUE FIRE were even more thrilling than they were in THE SHIFTER. THE HEALING WARS novels are off to a great start. Hardy's characterization is well-balanced with tension and excitement in the plot, which makes it hard to put down. I look forward to the third book in the series and discovering how far Nya will go to save those she loves.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

solid sequel

Blue Fire is the sequel to The Shifter. In it, Nya and her friends are still wanted by the Duke for some nefarious purpose - and when her friends are arrested, Nya has to sneak into enemy territory to try to get them back. This book had essentially all of the same strengths as the first did: Nya's voice is strong and fun, high stakes, and great worldbulding. Seriously - worldbuilding is a huge part of my love of sci fi and fantasy, and Hardy does a great job in Blue Fire of creating a whole new city with its own personality, distinct from that in the first book, while making them feel like part of the same world overall. She also really gets into exploring Nya's healing powers. She lets healing be a power that's as morally dubious as the person who uses it, and goes further into its uses than most authors (for example, creepy soldiers who can heal themselves in the midst of battle by shifting their pain into their armor). That said, I found it hard to keep track of what Nya's skills actually do. She's not a "normal" healer, so her abilities are different and harder to pin down, and she discovers new facets on occasion. I was also pretty lost by the climax. Now, I admit I do tend to skim looking for dialogue and action (terrible habit, I know, but breaking it after so long is not easy!) but I went back and reread when I realized I was lost. and still couldn't quite work it out. I was a little confused by the first book's climax, too, but afterwards it had a handy, "This is what that means," paragraph so I got it. In Blue Fire, I was left going, ".huh?" (That said, I appreciate that at least Hardy doesn't talk down to her readers.) However, the denouncement and the cliffhanger at the end were great. I think the very last section adds a lot of depth to the supporting cast, and I can't wait to see the how everything plays out when the series ends.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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