The Prison Healer

"The Prison Healer" by Lynette Noni a dark YA thriller about seventeen-year-old Kiva who has worked as a healer at the deadly prison, Zalindov, since she was seven. In her ten years at the prison, she has made sure to make herself as indispensable as possible. Through the years her family has managed to sneak her small messages of hope, which at times were the only things that kept her going.

The notorious Rebel Queen is brought to the prison, and she is only hanging on by a thread. Kiva saves her from death's door, but when it is announced that the queen is sentenced to the deadly Trial by Ordeal, Kiva knows she is in no condition to compete.

A coded note from her family tells Kiva that she cannot let the queen die and - seeing no other solution to the problem - Kiva decides to volunteer herself to compete in the Trial in the queens stead. If she succeeds, they are both allowed to leave the prison as free women, but no one has ever bested the Trials. Further complicating everything is the plague spreading throughout Zalindov, the mysterious inmate who carries a torch for Kiva and the rumors of a prison rebellion in the making. 

"The Prison Healer" by Lynette Noni is the first book in the Australian author's bestselling "Prison Healer" series.