DrinkThatTea reviewed Blade of Secrets by Tricia Levenseller (Bladesmith, #1)
Solid YA fantasy about overcoming fears and building bonds.
3 stars
Read back when it came out, then re-read before the sequel for a refresher on who's who. Be forewarned that it does end on a cliffhanger!
Three stars because the writing is on the simpler side for an adult reader--it's more firmly YA--and the world building is a bit thin. I did greatly enjoy my time with the main characters in this and the sequel, though. It's one of those books(/series) that gets into darker topics as it goes along, but at other times when the main characters are together (even if they're bickering) it feels...cozy. The lead character/narrator has extreme social anxiety and is implied to be neurodivergent, and I think that aspect of the duology would have resonated with me if it had come out when I was in the target middle school/high school age group.
Read back when it came out, then re-read before the sequel for a refresher on who's who. Be forewarned that it does end on a cliffhanger!
Three stars because the writing is on the simpler side for an adult reader--it's more firmly YA--and the world building is a bit thin. I did greatly enjoy my time with the main characters in this and the sequel, though. It's one of those books(/series) that gets into darker topics as it goes along, but at other times when the main characters are together (even if they're bickering) it feels...cozy. The lead character/narrator has extreme social anxiety and is implied to be neurodivergent, and I think that aspect of the duology would have resonated with me if it had come out when I was in the target middle school/high school age group.
