3.5 - 4 starsTouch of Power by Maria V. Snyder takes the reader on an epic journey through magical realms. Our heroine Avry of Kazan is a healer who must hide her healing powers from others. In this world, a plague devastated the population. Healers were blamed and many were put to death. As a result, healers are a rare commodity. Avry is a survivor and she knows how to hide in plain sight. Her only downfall is her compassion – she is unable to bear the sight of a sick child. After Avry heals the sick girl, she is outed, arrested, and sentenced to death.Kerrick has been searching for a healer. His leader Prince Ryne is deathly ill with the plague. Kerrick would like Prince Ryne healed so that the balance of power will be restored to the realms. Currently, Tohon and Jael are vying for power and their vision for the realms is hardly peaceful. Kerrick and his band of men rescue Avry and embark upon a journey to heal the Prince.The world building is reminiscent of the author’s Poison Study series. Set in a fantasy, medieval land, the characters must journey through many dangers to get to their destination. Avry is a reluctant traveler – her healing powers required her to take on the illness or injury and should she heal the Prince, she would most likely die. I liked how the magic was divided into different types of powers so that no one magician would have all the power. Kerrick’s character was not your typical knight in shining armor. He is a character with a strong sense of loyalty and justice. I loved the camaraderie of Kerrick and his men. Even though Avry was technically their prisoner, they treated her as one of their own, teaching her how to travel with stealth. The relationship between Kerrick and Avry developed so slowly. You could tell Kerrick and Avry had an attraction to each other but in a typical male fashion, Kerrick did not admit his feelings right away. Oh, and let me just say a few words about Tohon. He is one scary character with quite a powerful magic. Tohon’s custom made army and his “scientific” experiments gave me nightmares!Touch of Power is suitable for mature YA readers and up. Fantasy lovers will enjoy this book. This is the first book in Maria V. Snyder’s Healer series. Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin for a review copy of this book.Review posted on Badass Book Reviews
