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chirin_reads's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Cons: The chemistry felt inorganic for the first 3/4 of the book. Kellyn seemed flat to me at times. Ziva’s vocabulary use bothered me occasionally— almost as if that was the only way the author could think of to give her a “unique voice.” Just a personal preference, but this made some conversions frustrating. Conflict resolution felt forced for most of the book. Kymora was a standard villain. Biggest concern was that the representation/cast diversity read as token— a subtle sentence here and there or a one-chapter side character. If you’re going to make the cast diverse, commit!!
Pros: THOROUGHLY enjoyed the last 1/4 of the book, not just because of the sudden chemistry, but mostly because it seemed like Kellyn had a real personality outside his macho bravado. Maybe this was intentional, but I would have liked to see more of a gradual build. Temra and Petrick were excellent. Hopefully even more of them in book 2. The world building was interesting! Classically medieval, fun fairytale references. Ziva’s anxiety makes her a unique main character; I also would have liked a more gradual development of this as well. Looking forward to seeing the cast again in book 2!
Pros: THOROUGHLY enjoyed the last 1/4 of the book, not just because of the sudden chemistry, but mostly because it seemed like Kellyn had a real personality outside his macho bravado. Maybe this was intentional, but I would have liked to see more of a gradual build. Temra and Petrick were excellent. Hopefully even more of them in book 2. The world building was interesting! Classically medieval, fun fairytale references. Ziva’s anxiety makes her a unique main character; I also would have liked a more gradual development of this as well. Looking forward to seeing the cast again in book 2!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Blood, and Religious bigotry
beautifulpaxielreads's review
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
So I didn't fall in love with Blade of Secrets.
Let's start with the good stuff first. Levenseller's depiction of the MC Ziva's social anxiety was very, very well done and realistic. I also liked reading about the relationship Ziva had with her sister, and theslow-burn romance with Kellyn was also developed nicely .
The main areas which I felt were lacking were mainly to do with worldbuilding and pace. As the novel began, I assumed it to be taking place in some kind of quasi-medieval fantasy setting - a country called Ghadra which is split into territories. But then I kept finding inconsistencies that took me out of the world completely. The really big one I noticed came when Ziva mentioned the term"boomerang", a term which I believe originated with Indigenous Australians. How would she know this? . I was also unclear as to what Ziva meant when she referred to the "world", because practically no broader context is given outside of Ghadra.
The pacing was also really weird. There were parts of the novel where not a lot happened, and when the action did take place there was no build-up, no suspense. For me, this meant whenever the characters were under attack by enemies, it took a moment for me to realise that "oh, they're meant to be in danger now."
I also wasn't clear on all aspects of how the magic was supposed to work. I felt Ziva's magic was described in most detail, but other parts seemed pretty vague.
All up, Blade of Secrets had some good, and some not-so-good. I'm not sure yet whether I'll continue with the series, given how this book ended on something of a cliffhanger. But we'll see.
Let's start with the good stuff first. Levenseller's depiction of the MC Ziva's social anxiety was very, very well done and realistic. I also liked reading about the relationship Ziva had with her sister, and the
The main areas which I felt were lacking were mainly to do with worldbuilding and pace. As the novel began, I assumed it to be taking place in some kind of quasi-medieval fantasy setting - a country called Ghadra which is split into territories. But then I kept finding inconsistencies that took me out of the world completely. The really big one I noticed came when Ziva mentioned the term
The pacing was also really weird. There were parts of the novel where not a lot happened, and when the action did take place there was no build-up, no suspense. For me, this meant whenever the characters were under attack by enemies, it took a moment for me to realise that "oh, they're meant to be in danger now."
I also wasn't clear on all aspects of how the magic was supposed to work. I felt Ziva's magic was described in most detail, but other parts seemed pretty vague.
All up, Blade of Secrets had some good, and some not-so-good. I'm not sure yet whether I'll continue with the series, given how this book ended on something of a cliffhanger. But we'll see.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Medical content
Minor: War
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
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: Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, and Religious bigotry
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: Death, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Alcohol and War
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: Confinement, Death, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Religious bigotry, and Death of parent
social anxiety, phobiasmay_b's review
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Death and Religious bigotry
lylah's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, and Blood
Minor: Religious bigotry and Death of parent
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