The Healing Wars: Book II: Blue Fire audiobook

Janice Hardy's BLUE FIRE is book two in The Healing Wars trilogy, and man, this book escaped MNS with a capital E. Do yourself a favor -- don't read this book before going to sleep. I made that mistake, and I was lying awake for nearly an hour -- after all that action, I couldn't relax!Basically, it’s nonstop awesome.If you didn’t read the first book, THE SHIFTER, let me set it up this way – pretend you’re reading a prequel to THE HUNGER GAMES and District 13 has just been blown to smithereens, and the rebellion’s pretty much done, the bad guys have won. But before there’s like decades upon decades of awful Hunger Games under an evil ruler, there’s this one girl who might be able to prevent all that, even though she doesn’t realize it. And like Katniss, she gets pulled into the middle of it all. That’s where THE SHIFTER begins, and BLUE FIRE continues her story. Got it? Good. I rarely read middle grade novels, and I generally don’t read high fantasies. But this is upper-middle-grade with very high stakes, and there are no elves to speak of. The world that Janice Hardy has created jumps off the page and envelops you.First off, the entire trilogy’s premise is amazing – certain people can heal with a touch? Great, right? Take that wonderful-sounding idea and make it dark and twisted. Buy and sell it. Use it in a political war. Throw a fifteen-year-old girl named Nya in the middle of everything.I love Nya for a number of reasons, but mostly because I always understand her choices. She makes tough ones, ones that cause people to die. And she gets herself into and out of dangerous situations with complete plausibility. Part courage, part luck, part skill, part stubbornness, plus a whole dose of sass.In BLUE FIRE, Nya begins with the same simple goal that she had in THE SHIFTER – keep the people she loves safe. Unfortunately, because of her unique ability to shift pain from one person to another – an ability that’s unfolding into something a bit more – this is tougher than it sounds. The Duke of Baseer (the big bad) wants her, and he’ll do anything to get her.Nya gets pulled deeper into political intrigue, further into the war that has ravaged her home and left her an orphan. In BLUE FIRE, she questions everything she believes, and she realizes that simply protecting her loved ones might not be enough.BLUE FIRE is an action-packed middle novel – of course, it ends on more of a cliffhanger than THE SHIFTER, with more loose ends to tie up, but it provides an excellent bridge to book three while being a satisfying story on its own.If you’ve read THE SHIFTER, definitely pick up BLUE FIRE, which came out this week – it’s worth it! And if you haven’t begun THE HEALING WARS yet, it’s time to start!For more reviews & other fun book blogging (including thoughts on writing, author interviews and giveaways!), check out http://www.FirstNovelsClub.com

3.5 StarsReview:I gotta be honest, I read this book in 2015, I wrote this review in maybe 2017 based on my notes about how I felt toward the book right after reading it, and I'm now finally posting it in 2019. So I don't know how I'd feel about the book now, but this review is how I felt about the book when I read it.As I mentioned in my review of Book 1, I don't usually read young YA or middle grade (not sure exactly what this would be classified as), and at the time I wasn't into high fantasy, so I was really surprised by how much I was enjoying the series! After Book 1 though, I couldn't help but continue, and Book 2 was just as enjoyable. It was well written with a strong voice, likeable characters, and good pacing. It even had some fun all-ages humor.This was also the book when I really started to love or get more intrigued by some of the characters. I already talked all about them in my first review, so I won't do that again. Instead I'll just say the way Jeatar was working so hard in this one, always trying to help everyone, running himself ragged, getting so weary that he wanted to just give up---it definitely made him realistic and interesting.I did sometimes found myself getting lost and confused during escape missions and parts of high action though. I knew the general idea of what was happening (e.g. they were fighting soldiers), but I couldn't figure out the layout of the building or where exactly they were or what exactly they were doing. I still got the main gist though, so it never actually made me lose track of the story.So overall, this was another solid book in a fun high fantasy series for young readers with lovable characters and a good story!Recommended For:Fans of Book 1 in Janice Hardy's The Healing Wars series. Anyone who likes MG/YA high fantasy and lovable characters. Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight

It was great! After my enthusiasm for The Shifter was unshared by my family, I got worried that I wouldn't be impressed with the sequel; now that the magic system was less novel, maybe I would realize that the rest of the book wasn't as fun as I thought. I shouldn't have worried. Though the magic is still a strong selling point, there were many other things that I like in Blue Fire. Topping the list is humor. The whole story is told with a wry and endearingly understated wit. It is easy to share Nya's optimism when one is smiling at her clever jibes. I also love Nya for her capabilities and her fallibility. Nya is quick on the uptake, figuring out everything that the reader does. She is resourceful and bold, taking things on the fly with only-in-fiction audacity. At the same time, she has emotions that not only merit description but also interfere with her judgment even when she doesn't realized it. Hardy does an excellent job of giving her first person narrator coherent, consistent responses that are believable but clearly irrational.I really like the way this book examines a number of ubiquitous genre assumptions. For example, one rescue attempt involves grappling hooks and shinnying up ropes. These ropes and spikes, however, are subject to real-world physics and employed by less-than-miraculously-adept adventurers. They become utilitarian objects, rather than a lazy trope to get our heroes on or off the roof. In another example, fight-scene banter is so painfully melodramatic that the characters can't help but wince--they know it sounds dumb, but it's the best they can come up with under pressure.I also enjoy the very quick pacing of the story. Things happen quickly, with little time for ruminations in between. Talking, and even thinking, are not free actions--Nya and her friends are frequently interrupted or surprised when their time and attention are focused on explanation or decision making. The quick pace in part means that Nya can struggle with moral dilemmas but not agonize over them. The book does not explore the moral issues that it raises, and many are bypassed entirely, but (at least for me) it brushes up against enough questions to send my thoughts in the right directions.I am a bit disappointed that Hardy does not explore the magic system as much as I had expected her to, but she does make good use of it. And instead of expanding on the "quirkers" and their abilities, Hardy chooses to fill out other aspects of her world. There is a well-developed culture, history, and structure behind what the reader sees, even though little of it manifests directly in the book.I'm looking forward to reading the next one!

Coming back to this series after so many years is so refreshing. It really reminds me of why I enjoy reading YA.

Blue Fire is the second installment in the Healing Wars books. While I really enjoyed the first book, The Shifter, I will admit Blue Fire left a little to be desired. Nya's powers have continued to develop since book one, and she is struggling as she tries to use her new abilities in the right way. But things don't really go as planned with the Duke and his people continually hunting her and other Takers. What I had trouble with in this book was the distance I felt with the minor characters in this story. I hoped we would get to know the supporting cast a bit better, but the world really felt like it revolved around Nya. I didn't feel like anyone really developed between book one and book two, and it made it hard to really engage at times in the story. Run away, get captured, fight back, save people. Somehow some of these elements felt a little robotic, rather than exciting like the first book. Maybe I was just expecting something a little different. I just didn't feel as captivated as I did reading The ShifterRegardless, I enjoy Janice Hardy's writing, and I felt like there was enough new material to make a exciting conclusion in the final book. I don't feel like the book was bad, I just know it didn't quite meet the expectations I had. I still like Nya and her friends, and eagerly wait the conclusion.

Reviewed by Joan Stradling for TeensReadToo.comNya 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.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book, I'd read the previous one a few years ago, and its one of those books that can be a bit hard to jump straight into if its been a while since the last one, and that's what put me off reading it when i first got hold of it, and i did try but found i couldn't get back into it, which is why its so weird that i literally just picked it back up one day and started reading then couldn't seem to stop.I think the trick was to stop stressing myself out who the characters were and just read.Boy was this a journey, i felt quite strongly when reading this like i do with some books, I was stressed at the stressful scenes, Angry at others, but in a good 'i'm way too into this book' Kind of way rather then AT the book, which was great.I actually ended up reading it really fast, in a matter of about a day and a half, but ended up stranded without a book because i thought it would last me longer, But maybe that's my fault for not being prepared with something else to read rather then the book being short because it didn't actually feel short which books can sometimes, in fact the book i read before this one did end up feel pulled short as the plot just sort of ended in the thick of things, But this one didn't do that which i appreciated. Luckily i have the next book in the series to read so when i'm ready i can literally just pick it up!

Janice Hardy is a rock star—no, wait! She’s a novelist. But she rocks. Blue Fire is the second volume in her trilogy entitled The Healing Wars, and it takes us to Baseer, one of three formerly independent cities, all of which now suffer under Duke Verraad’s unlawful, violent, and self-serving power-grab. Nya, a shifter (a specially gifted person who can shift pain), and her little band of friends, along with the Baseeri underground, are the only hope for the future. Nya is brave, resourceful, self-sacrificing, loyal, and unswervingly committed to good. The entire story is narrated in her voice, and we get an unencumbered look into her thoughts and feelings. It’s a great book, fun to read and hard to put down. I am in awe of Janice Hardy’s imagination.

Very action packed, like the 1st one on the series. It kept me entertained and I finished it in a day.

A fantastic sequel. Love the whole series. One of my all-time favorites.

4.5 stars

Just love it.

This book made me so anxious I couldn't wait to finish it and I cannot wait to see how everything turns out!!!