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Tricia Levenseller: Blade of Secrets (Paperback, 2022, Square Fish)

Solid YA fantasy about overcoming fears and building bonds.

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.