oliviaprowse's review
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Violence and Injury/injury detail
Minor: Religious bigotry, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment
bookaholic_in_wonderland's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Blood and Violence
Minor: Death of parent
kynthebookworm's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Not the best, not the worst.
There isn't honestly much to say about this it was just a kind of typical fantasy? I had elements I enjoyed like the social anxiety representation, the somewhat cozy feel of the journey, and the way the primary relationship developed, which were all pros. Still, there were some pretty significant flaws in this as well.
We start the book following a blacksmith named Ziva that is gifted to be able to make weapons and infuse them with her magic. She ends up being commissioned by one of the most powerful people in the world to make a sword that is the most powerful Ziva has ever made. The sword ends up being able to obtain people's secrets when it cuts them and that sets up the story.
Although the main character, Ziva, was relatable I found myself questioning her character because she would constantly go back and forth between what she wanted, which I understand is most likely what was meant to happen but I just found it repetitive. I did relate to her quite a bit though which contributed to my liking of her character overall.
The main love interest was interesting at first but as we go through the book he becomes more of a stereotype. Strong, handsome, and a softie with a hard exterior. I didn't dislike him though and he contributed to the storyline well.
Temra who is Ziva's sister is probably my favorite character. She is the person that Ziva feels she must protect but in most cases, Temra seems to protect Ziva instead. Temra proves that you can be flirty and boy-crazy while also being an extremely determined person and fighter. I also quite like her love interest, Petrick, and the way that they seem to be best friends even with Temra's constant flirting.
There are other characters but I honestly don't have much to say about them as they pretty much fit regular fantasy character molds. The plot was essentially a journey across the land because a villain was chasing the main characters, which was interesting to read but not anything very new. I did want to mention though that I found Ziva's power very interesting and I will probably read the second book just to get her and her mother's history.
Thanks to BookishFirst and Square Fish for a free copy of this book
There isn't honestly much to say about this it was just a kind of typical fantasy? I had elements I enjoyed like the social anxiety representation, the somewhat cozy feel of the journey, and the way the primary relationship developed, which were all pros. Still, there were some pretty significant flaws in this as well.
We start the book following a blacksmith named Ziva that is gifted to be able to make weapons and infuse them with her magic. She ends up being commissioned by one of the most powerful people in the world to make a sword that is the most powerful Ziva has ever made. The sword ends up being able to obtain people's secrets when it cuts them and that sets up the story.
Although the main character, Ziva, was relatable I found myself questioning her character because she would constantly go back and forth between what she wanted, which I understand is most likely what was meant to happen but I just found it repetitive. I did relate to her quite a bit though which contributed to my liking of her character overall.
The main love interest was interesting at first but as we go through the book he becomes more of a stereotype. Strong, handsome, and a softie with a hard exterior. I didn't dislike him though and he contributed to the storyline well.
Temra who is Ziva's sister is probably my favorite character. She is the person that Ziva feels she must protect but in most cases, Temra seems to protect Ziva instead. Temra proves that you can be flirty and boy-crazy while also being an extremely determined person and fighter. I also quite like her love interest, Petrick, and the way that they seem to be best friends even with Temra's constant flirting.
There are other characters but I honestly don't have much to say about them as they pretty much fit regular fantasy character molds. The plot was essentially a journey across the land because a villain was chasing the main characters, which was interesting to read but not anything very new. I did want to mention though that I found Ziva's power very interesting and I will probably read the second book just to get her and her mother's history.
Thanks to BookishFirst and Square Fish for a free copy of this book
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence, and Injury/injury detail
Moderate: Vomit, Religious bigotry, and Panic attacks/disorders
nishana's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
- Loveable characters? No
1.5
if i were to show you a perfect example of ya fantasy mediocrity, this book would be it.
Blade of Secrets is a book that seemed promising in the first chapter or two, but quickly fell into the problems that most ya fantasy novels do.
let's start with the few positives: this book has great social anxiety rep and a great portrayal of sisterhood. and while the writing style wasn't anything special, i definitely was able to breeze through it quickly, which was nice.
and now, onto the problems:
my major issue with this book is the lack of chemistry between the core group. on their own, all of the characters felt very cliche and flat. none of them brought anything interesting to the table, and it was difficult to connect with them. together though, it was even worse. their group dynamic felt so forced and stilted. it felt as though the author was trying to build something that just wasn't going to work, especially when the characters individually were not fleshed out properly. the same problem existed for both the romances.
the worldbuilding also could have been better, especially surrounding the main villain. a richer, more detailed history about the world would have created greater understanding and investment in the villains actions/intentions. it also could have helped gain greater insight into the core four's backstories, and allowed to them to feel more unique.
overall, this was a mostly forgettable read. for younger readers who haven't read much fantasy, this may be more enjoyable, but this was definitely a miss for me.
Blade of Secrets is a book that seemed promising in the first chapter or two, but quickly fell into the problems that most ya fantasy novels do.
let's start with the few positives: this book has great social anxiety rep and a great portrayal of sisterhood. and while the writing style wasn't anything special, i definitely was able to breeze through it quickly, which was nice.
and now, onto the problems:
my major issue with this book is the lack of chemistry between the core group. on their own, all of the characters felt very cliche and flat. none of them brought anything interesting to the table, and it was difficult to connect with them. together though, it was even worse. their group dynamic felt so forced and stilted. it felt as though the author was trying to build something that just wasn't going to work, especially when the characters individually were not fleshed out properly. the same problem existed for both the romances.
the worldbuilding also could have been better, especially surrounding the main villain. a richer, more detailed history about the world would have created greater understanding and investment in the villains actions/intentions. it also could have helped gain greater insight into the core four's backstories, and allowed to them to feel more unique.
overall, this was a mostly forgettable read. for younger readers who haven't read much fantasy, this may be more enjoyable, but this was definitely a miss for me.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders
thecatconstellation's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Overall, I really enjoyed this. I found it to be a quick read. While Ziva’s social anxiety at times can feel overused, it was really nice to read about a character struggling in ways that I have. The main group of 4 characters make a good mix, and I enjoy seeing the relationships develop. I would not call this an “enemies-to-lovers” as I have sometimes seen it called, more of a “ugh he’s gross and selfish to lovers”. I do think the pacing was a bit odd at times, sometimes a bit slow and sometimes a bit fast. But I enjoyed it!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Religious bigotry, Violence, Death of parent, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Grief, Blood, Injury/injury detail, and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: War and Alcohol
lunar_song's review
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Blade of Secrets is a fun, fast-paced young adult fantasy adventure with an unconventional strong female protagonist. It’s a classic quest to keep a powerful magical object from falling into the wrong hands. Tricia Levenseller manages to put a fresh spin on this old and beloved fantasy trope.
It’s got sword-fights, clever strategizing, haphazard plans, mad dashes from one near disaster to another, creative magic, a band of misfit heroes on the run, reluctant allies, plot twists, and morally good yet imperfect main characters. All these familiar fantasy genre tropes done right have me nostalgic for my old favorite fantasy reads.
Finally, we have a female protagonist, Ziva, who not only stands up for herself, her sister, and what’s right, but also ends up the leader of our misfit bunch despite her social anxiety. Add to that action that keeps you on the edge of your seat and some wonderfully wicked plot twists, and you’ve got one memorable story.
THE PREMISE:
Ziva just wanted to forge magical weapons in the solitude of her forge until she’d made enough money for her and her sister (the only family she’s got left) to go live where no one knows them or will bother them. When she took a too-good-to-be-true commission to make a broadsword for a warlord, she outdid herself and accidentally made it too powerful to let fall into wrong hands. It could strike down enemies from afar and steal secrets of those it cuts. Unfortunately for Ziva, she also appears to have made it virtually indestructible. Whoops! On the bright side, she found the perfect name for her problematic blade: Secret Eater.
When Ziva discovered the warlord had dastardly and dangerous plants, she and her sister, Temra, went on the run with the sword until they could find a way to destroy it. They hired the handsome mercenary, Kellyn, to provide protection as they travel. They also let Petrick, a scholar of magic (in a world with few individuals capable of magic) that wanted to document how Ziva’s magic works, tag along in the hopes that he would point them towards a way to destroy the sword. (They definitely didn’t let him come just because he could cook. That would be ridiculous.) Ziva, Temra, Kellyn, and Petrick are all well-rounded, full of surprises, loveable, impressive, and imperfect. By the end of the book, they’re three-dimensional and connected by emotionally complicated, messy, meaningful relationships. These loveable adventurers run from one disaster to another, fighting and thinking their way out of trouble.
THE PROTAGONIST:
Ziva is a semi-agoraphobic magical blacksmith that, despite her social anxiety and tendency towards panic attacks, is no pushover. She’ll brave her fears for her sister anyday. She also can’t help getting snarky when she’s mad (even if there’s some social-anxiety-driven panic afterwards). She’s got a real passion for her blacksmith work and the way she imbues weapons & other metal objects with unique magical properties is unpredictable, fascinating, and just plain cool.
I think most introverts (and people in general) can relate to some of Ziva’s struggles: second guessing yourself, wishing to retreat to your own place where you don’t have to interact with new people, being afraid of venturing out into parts of the world you don’t have much experience with, and having trouble finding people you relate to.
It was great to see Ziva come into her own and start to become a leader despite her anxiety. Levenseller also avoids the common mistake of having the protagonist’s social anxiety magically disappear part-way through the book. The anxiety is something she continues to struggle with even after gaining some confidence and braving the world beyond her comfort zone. She may struggle less than she used to after some character growth, but she doesn’t have a personality transplant. Her bravery, growth, and accomplishments are all the more impressive for it.
THE ROMANCE:
There is some love-triangle-free romance. The primary romance is between Ziva and Kellyn. It’s got banter and sparks and sweetness and all the feels. A decent amount of drama too. The romance isn’t rushed and there’s no explicit content (at least in this book).
THE ENDING:
After a twisty roller coaster of a ride, there’s a big climactic showdown full of surprises and action. Things get surprisingly morally and emotionally complicated near the end.
While the main plot arc is (mostly) resolved at the end, you’re left in suspense about the fate of one of the main characters. It’s quite the cliffhanger, but it didn’t feel forced, manipulative, or depressing. I can’t wait to read the sequel!
WARNINGS: violence, death, panic attacks, death of parents (mentioned, not shown), social anxiety, phobias
I received a free paperback advanced reader copy of this book via BookishFirst. I am writing this review completely honestly and voluntarily.
It’s got sword-fights, clever strategizing, haphazard plans, mad dashes from one near disaster to another, creative magic, a band of misfit heroes on the run, reluctant allies, plot twists, and morally good yet imperfect main characters. All these familiar fantasy genre tropes done right have me nostalgic for my old favorite fantasy reads.
Finally, we have a female protagonist, Ziva, who not only stands up for herself, her sister, and what’s right, but also ends up the leader of our misfit bunch despite her social anxiety. Add to that action that keeps you on the edge of your seat and some wonderfully wicked plot twists, and you’ve got one memorable story.
THE PREMISE:
Ziva just wanted to forge magical weapons in the solitude of her forge until she’d made enough money for her and her sister (the only family she’s got left) to go live where no one knows them or will bother them. When she took a too-good-to-be-true commission to make a broadsword for a warlord, she outdid herself and accidentally made it too powerful to let fall into wrong hands. It could strike down enemies from afar and steal secrets of those it cuts. Unfortunately for Ziva, she also appears to have made it virtually indestructible. Whoops! On the bright side, she found the perfect name for her problematic blade: Secret Eater.
When Ziva discovered the warlord had dastardly and dangerous plants, she and her sister, Temra, went on the run with the sword until they could find a way to destroy it. They hired the handsome mercenary, Kellyn, to provide protection as they travel. They also let Petrick, a scholar of magic (in a world with few individuals capable of magic) that wanted to document how Ziva’s magic works, tag along in the hopes that he would point them towards a way to destroy the sword. (They definitely didn’t let him come just because he could cook. That would be ridiculous.) Ziva, Temra, Kellyn, and Petrick are all well-rounded, full of surprises, loveable, impressive, and imperfect. By the end of the book, they’re three-dimensional and connected by emotionally complicated, messy, meaningful relationships. These loveable adventurers run from one disaster to another, fighting and thinking their way out of trouble.
THE PROTAGONIST:
Ziva is a semi-agoraphobic magical blacksmith that, despite her social anxiety and tendency towards panic attacks, is no pushover. She’ll brave her fears for her sister anyday. She also can’t help getting snarky when she’s mad (even if there’s some social-anxiety-driven panic afterwards). She’s got a real passion for her blacksmith work and the way she imbues weapons & other metal objects with unique magical properties is unpredictable, fascinating, and just plain cool.
I think most introverts (and people in general) can relate to some of Ziva’s struggles: second guessing yourself, wishing to retreat to your own place where you don’t have to interact with new people, being afraid of venturing out into parts of the world you don’t have much experience with, and having trouble finding people you relate to.
It was great to see Ziva come into her own and start to become a leader despite her anxiety. Levenseller also avoids the common mistake of having the protagonist’s social anxiety magically disappear part-way through the book. The anxiety is something she continues to struggle with even after gaining some confidence and braving the world beyond her comfort zone. She may struggle less than she used to after some character growth, but she doesn’t have a personality transplant. Her bravery, growth, and accomplishments are all the more impressive for it.
THE ROMANCE:
There is some love-triangle-free romance. The primary romance is between Ziva and Kellyn. It’s got banter and sparks and sweetness and all the feels. A decent amount of drama too. The romance isn’t rushed and there’s no explicit content (at least in this book).
THE ENDING:
After a twisty roller coaster of a ride, there’s a big climactic showdown full of surprises and action. Things get surprisingly morally and emotionally complicated near the end.
While the main plot arc is (mostly) resolved at the end, you’re left in suspense about the fate of one of the main characters. It’s quite the cliffhanger, but it didn’t feel forced, manipulative, or depressing. I can’t wait to read the sequel!
WARNINGS: violence, death, panic attacks, death of parents (mentioned, not shown), social anxiety, phobias
I received a free paperback advanced reader copy of this book via BookishFirst. I am writing this review completely honestly and voluntarily.
Content Warnings
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Death, Gore, Confinement, Death of parent, Religious bigotry, and Violence
social anxiety, phobiaskatyfortner's review against another edition
adventurous
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
I loved this book! I didn’t realize that this was the same author as the Shadows Between Us. There were multiple twists in the book that I really liked. Also, I liked that this book was mostly plot and adventure than just relaying on the characters and romance. There was a slow burn romance that was so sweet and wasn’t too much or too frustrating that it didn’t happen sooner. It felt natural and like the reader was really along for the ride of the adventure. Can’t wait to read the next book!
Spoiler
I was not expecting Petrick to be the Warlord’s son… or for her to even have a son haha. I’m glad that he stayed true to his friends though and I’m hoping that stays the same throughout the next book. Also, I feel like both of the sisters relationships came so naturally that it wasn’t rushed or pushed down the readers/ throat. We were made to love the characters separately than together as couples.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Blood, Panic attacks/disorders, and Injury/injury detail
sealbrecht's review
adventurous
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, and Blood
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Grief
e_flah's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Blade of Secrets was a fun, quick fantasy adventure. Ziva's magic was super cool and I loved learning about how she forges magical weapons. The plot structure felt a bit repetitive but the writing was so effortless to read that it didn't really bother me. A bit more character development, particularly of Petrik and Kellyn, would've made this a 4-star read for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Death of parent
Spoiler
anxietysunniva174's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders and Mental illness
Moderate: Death
Minor: Death of parent and War