3.5 stars
I really enjoy Tricia Levenseller's books and Blade of Secrets was a fun read with amazing representation.

I love that Ziva had social anxiety and quickly found myself able to relate to her and how she was feeling. I also found myself liking this group and it's dynamic.

However I did find myself just struggling a bit with the story. I wasnt completely convinced with the romance in this one but I'm intrigued to see how it develops in the next book. I also wish we had more world building, but that might just be a personal preference.

I always enjoy Tricia's writing style and I'm slowly making my way through her backlog! She's one of those authors I trust to provide an entertaining and gripping story and this one didn't disappoint.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A great introduction to YA fantasy for those just starting out, and Tricia Levenseller never disappoints no matter the specific tropes or topics that are in the book.

I love Tricia Levenseller’s books, she’s an auto-buy author for me and I’ve been so stoked for this latest book!

The main thing I loved about this book was the anxiety representation. It was basically non-existent for me in books when I was a teenager and I can’t help but wonder if I would have figured it out much sooner if I’d been able to read books like this! Honestly it was so brilliant to see as was the sisterly relationship.

I loved the romance and this was such an easy to read fantasy in that it sucks you in and you only mean to read like a couple of chapters but then it’s 4am and you’re halfway through the book.

My feelings about this book are very mixed and my dislike is very much my own fault and not that of the book. I really liked the sibling relationship between Ziva and Tamra - the way the sisters looked out for each other and supported each other felt really authentic and natural. I also liked the interplay between our 4 main characters. The conversation and banter between them was fun and flowed nicely. My issues come with the lack of plot and the over-focus on romance. The relationship at the heart of the story is a sweet one, but so much of the book was devoted to this that it just felt unrealistic given the danger the characters were in. With that being said, I accept that this is a key part of a YA novel, but it just didn't work for me.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Blade of Secret follows Ziva and Terra as they try and run and hide a powerful warlord, who wants to use Ziva to create weapons to take over the country. I love the adventure aspect while they are on the run. As you get to see different areas, people, Mengion. I especially enjoyed the romance and flirting.

There are 4 main characters.

Ziva is the leading lady, she is someone I connected to straight away, with her social anxiety and lack of attraction to all people except I person. Her unner voice is one I am very familiar with. I like that she is trying to do the right thing.

Terma is Ziva younger sister, she is very different. She is feisty.

Kellyn is a mercenary and interesting character. As he protrays himself as a standard mercenary. But there is something hidden underneath. I like the time he and ziva spend together.

Petrik is an mystery inside of an Enigma. A quiet smart bookish man with secrets. I like the small moment when you see his personality.

The story is told in the first person as Ziva narrates the story. I always enjoy reading Tricia Levenseller. I find it easy to read with a good medium to fast paced.

Blades of secrets is a fun adventure, young adult fantasy with great banter, sweet romance and a growing friendship. I am looking forward to reading book 2.

THEMES: Adventure, Magic, Romance, Secrets, Fantasy.



My Rating for Blades of Secrets is 4 out of 5

there were some parts i really enjoyed but overall, it was just fine. nothing special really. the main character has difficulty connecting to other people because of anxiety but there was still one guy who understood and tried and gave her the space she needed etc, which was nice to read about but the actual plot was just fine. not good, not bad, just kind of there.

Damn Tricia literally NEVER misses with her books, but this has to be one of my all time favourites of hers. I loved the anxiety rep and just how human all the characters were. I couldn’t put it down and I’m so excited for book two! I love her books!

I enjoyed this book, it was easy to read and held my attention. I will be reading more from this author :)

I picked this up not knowing much, but i had heard good things of this author and really wanted to read a book from her, I wasn’t let down. Blade of secrets was so good and made me not want to put it down, I really want to get to the next one and try other books from her.
What more could you wish for?
- a band of misfits
- magical weapons
- a quest
- a villain looking for power
- romance, with funny and cute banter
- a giant dork
- a social anxious girl
- sisterly love

I loved the main character Ziva, and the not so usual representation of social anxiety in a Fantasy. Also loved the side characters and how the group worked, the sister's relation and the subtle and slow romance were lovely,
I'm always a sucker for quest like settings, and the dialog and chemistry between the characters was great. The magic system looks pretty cool and interesting, and want to see other crafts.
I really enjoyed this book and totally recommend it to lovers of fantasy.

*thank you to the publisher for sending me an advanced copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review*

After hearing a lot of good things about Tricia Levenseller's books and writing, I was eager to read Blade Of Secrets and discover her stories for myself. And I am so glad that I did!

Blade Of Secrets kept me hooked from the very beginning, when we met a blacksmith with severe anxiety and her younger sister.

Every character in the book, no matter how minor, had their own voice and unique personality and I absolutely loved it. There were so many interesting and unexpected twists and turns (which of course are essential for a good YA fantasy like this) and I just couldn't seem to put it down.

I'm so excited to read book 2 and all the others coming soon from this author!!

4.5

Listened to the audiobook.

Tricia Levenseller is one of my favourite authors ever. She never fails to captivate me with her stories and the characters in them. This whole book was just perfection and I want to cry because I can’t wait for the second one.

It’s an easy fantasy read which was perfect for me because I was in a HUUUGGGEEE reading slump.

#imlevensellertrash

An enjoyable story, elevated by some great characters. I really enjoyed the relationship between the sisters Ziva and Temra - the love, and the infuriation and the protectiveness all felt very real. A lot of care had also been put into the portrayal of Ziva’s social anxiety, and how she slowly opened up to others, especially Kellyn. This wasn’t what I expected, but I really enjoyed it, and after that cliffhanger, the sequel is definitely on my TBR!

Thanks to NetGalley and Pushkin Press for the opportunity to read this in return for an honest review.

So I love Tricia Levenseller, I basically had to request this book.
I of course really loved it, the writing was as always fantastic and I mean, just buy it!

Great YA fantasy following a teenaged magical bladesmith. This was an easy read and enjoyed it. The social anxiety aspect was pretty well handled and the characters were likeable. Didn’t entirely gel with the book but I think this was due to it being YA. The romance felt a bit forced so I knocked a star off. I prefer her other books but this one was okay

This is the first instalment of the new duology from Tricia Levenseller and I was so excited, I really enjoy a book by Tricia , she’s a great YA Fantasy author, the premise for this just seemed so interesting too. I loved the depiction of Ziva's anxiety and thought it was one of the best things in in the story, following how she feels we get a clear sense image of social anxiety that you can fully understand and empathise with. As someone who has anxiety, I loved this and the fact its shown as a part of Ziva not something she needs to fix. I really did enjoy the story, particularly the romance and I cant wait to read more in part two.

Fantastic

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

I looooved the anxiety rep in this. Not all heroes have to be brave, adventurous and unafraid. Some might be just fine in their comfort zone. I have anxiety too (though it is not specific to social interactions) and found this book did an amazing job at portraying it. It felt so relatable.

Also, I read The Shadows Between Us earlier this year and I find that Tricia Levenseller's books are just really quick and easy to read. And always heavy on the romance, which is a plus if you ask me.

The plot was nothing major and pretty predictable and the story could use some more character development, but it was still a fun, easy, entertaining read. I definitely look forward to reading the sequel!

"I hate feeling as though I don't fit right in my own skin. As though the anxiety takes up too much space, pushing me aside."

Main character is a smith⚒️ with anxiety who has to protect magic✨ sword🗡️ she made or else world is going to end.🌏🔚

"Beauty.
Such a silly, superficial thing, and yet, so much danger was created because of it."

After reading the blurb I had high hopes⬆️, but this book just annoyed me. I don't know whether it was a writing style✍️ or characters, but everything was annoying. I really wanted to like this book, but I just can't. 2/5⭐

"I don't want to talk. Why can't everyone just keep to themselves?"

Thank you NetGalley for providing digital advanced copy in exchange for honest review.

Ziva makes magical weapons, which brings her to the attention of a dangerous Warlord with sinister intentions. After she forges a sword with world-threatening capabilities, she and her sister are forced to go on the run with the support of two strangers who they may or may not be able to trust ...

I love Tricia Levenseller, but I didn't think this was her best book. Still a fast paced and exciting read, the romance felt a bit forced and meant I knocked a star off! The world building was brilliant though, and I loved the way that the weapons were imbued with magic. I'm excited to see what happens in the sequel!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

They say never to judge a book by its cover, but the covers of the Pushkin editions of Levenseller's books all look absolutely eye-catching . I love the coherent look Micaela Alcaino has given to these novels! Stunning!

This first instalment of the Bladesmith duology ticks all the boxes for great YA fantasy. I love magical weapons in any fantasy novel, and as the protagonist is a magical smith, these take a central role in Blade of Secrets. To keep the titular weapon from falling into the wrong hands, in which it could be used 'to topple kingdoms', Ziva and her sister flee.
The depiction of Ziva's social anxiety was one of the strengths of this novel for me- following her internal monologue, we get a clear sense of the difficulties she faces when dealing with social situations. Her anxiety is presented as an integral part of her character, not as something that needs to be fixed.
I enjoyed the slow-burn romance, and I look forward to spending more time with the two sisters and their found family of travel companions in part two of the duology.

Thanks to NetGalley and Pushkin Press for providing me with an electronic copy in exchange for a review.

This is young adult fantasy and the first in a duology. Our main character is an 18 year old magical blacksmith with severe social anxiety. She makes magical weapons and she makes a sword which detects secrets, she finds out that the warlord that it's for wants to take over the kingdom and enslave everyone.

She can't possibly fight, so she's runs, along with her sister, a mercenary that they take along to protect them and a scholar that just wants to know more about her magic.

This is an on the run book - they're not on a quest for something, they're just running away. That's pretty much the entire book, and it works surprisingly well. They're not very good at running away and do keep getting caught which I feel is partially on them although there were times that it wasn't clear/explained how they'd been found!

I liked the 4 central characters, and having a main character who couldn't make conversation with people and didn't even want to look them in the eye is a nice change from so many MCs who are mouthy a bit obnoxious.

Tonally, it feels quite light (despite the number of people meeting the wrong end of a blade). And it's also under 400 pages which I appreciate rather than dragging things out.

Looking forward to the second book!