The Healer's Heart

by Susan L Markloff, Alice M Power (Cover Art), Michaella T Barnum (Illustrator)

The Fourth is a Healer, with talents unrivaled. Restoring what darkness would parch.

Born and raised in rural Africa, Eshe Balewa has spent her whole life happy and content in her village. Her tribe is her life. She’s never ventured further than the market or the trails to fetch water. The outside world is vast, but she has no need to explore it. Everything she needs and everyone she loves resides within those boundaries.

The arrival of her Zaheri a year ago changed Eshe’s view of both her life and the world. Now, acutely aware of her special ability to heal, a slow, small warring begins to churn in her heart. As days pass, she’s found her gaze drifting to the horizon, wondering what may lie beyond the life she’s always known.

Despite the intense love she holds for her tribe, there is a new desire building within her to step beyond the borders of her village. Feeling equally at home among both her Zaheri and her tribe, she wishes she could follow the unknown and also remain with her people.

Until a day dawns where her life she viewed as unexceptional gets flipped on its head, and decisions on her path are made for her. Thrust into violence and terror, her peaceful village faces something completely foreign to war. And though she wishes to see no harm come to those she loves, Eshe cannot bring herself to resort to violence–even to defend.

Will her decision to remain passive ensure continued peace for her people, or will it only bring destruction?

146 pages, Paperback

Published September 15, 2023

About the author

Susan Markloff spent a majority of her childhood pretending to live in other worlds. Coupled with her admiration for fantastical stories, she crafted one of her own. Studying writing at Houghton College, she learned how to hone her skills as an author, writing first drafts of five books during her college career. The Rise of the Raidin is her debut novel and the first in the Human-Born Era series. To date, she has published 3 novels and 6 novellas, winning a total of 4 awards for her books.

Reviews

[Paris Kaufman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eshe is such a sweet character and I love how soft she is in contrast to the vast majority of the cast in the Human-Born books. I had several laugh out loud moments, particularly when Vorex was involved.

As always with Markloff's books, The Healer's Heart did not disappoint.

[Elsa Singer · Rating 5 out of 5]

If there was a way to rate book six stars on GR, I would do that for this one!

I loved Eshe and her story SO MUCH! I related to her so much as well, probably why she's now my favorite Human-Born 🥰🥰 and overall this was an excellent read!

I can't wait for Shifter next but for everyone reading this review, not sure if they should pick this up and read it, trust me you won't regret it if you do! I highly recommend this book!! 😎

[Riley Perrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this sweet novella. Eshe is such a cute main character, and I loved getting to know her more and see her relationship with her tribe and Zaheri. Eccio was such a cool character who quickly became a favorite, but I have to say that Vorex stole the show.

[Mike Diener · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a sci-fi and fantasy hybrid with fighting, dragons, and war, I found this book almost cozy. The series has a lot of intense characters, but Eshe and her Zahari were a welcome change of pace. I really enjoyed this installment of the Human-Born Chronicles.

[Dana Caldwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I may or may not have read The Healer’s Heart by Susan L. Markloff in the same day as The Warrior’s Wrath (they’re short). Healer is the story of Eshe, a young woman who is part of an African tribe--and a human-born prophesized to help defeat the villainous Cregorous. The Healer’s Heart was truly a beautiful story about Eshe’s emotional journey as she contemplates who she is and where she is meant to be. It wasn’t my favorite of The Human-Born Chronicles, but that is purely because I am more drawn to the snarky fighters (although there are some comedic moments with Eshe’s Zaheri). That being said, I still really enjoyed reading Eshe’s story (and the cover is absolutely stunning). It will be funny, though, because the next book in the series is The Shifter’s Shadow (AKA: the story of the snarky and arrogant Lexa). So, that’ll be a shift! (I can’t wait to read it).