***
3 Stars/5
Nya, an orphan who is struggling to survive, is an unusual
taker, unlike most takers, including her sister Tali, she cannot push the pain
she heals from someone into pynvium but into another person. With another war
on the horizon she is desperate for work and food but doesn’t want to be used
as a weapon. When Nya’s sister disappears along with other league healers, Nya
has to make a difficult choices and bargains, but are they worth the cost?
The Shifter is an enjoyable YA fantasy book and while it is
a fun read it does have some dark themes to it. It has a hint of romance and
interesting magic but it did struggled to keep my interest. I felt like there should
be a prequel novella which looks at the war, as it is a big influence in this
book.
Nya is tough and wary of people, but those she knows she is
very loyal to, she also has to make choices that she shouldn’t have to make,
especially at her age. There are some enjoyable secondary characters in this
book, such as Danello, Tali and Aylin, but I they are a bit forgettable.
The Shifter is a likable book and I would recommend to fans
of YA fantasy books.