Published: May 4, 2021
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Series: Bladesmith #1
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Pages: 336 (Hardcover)
My Rating: 4.0/5.0
Synopsis:
Eighteen-year-old Ziva prefers metal to people. She spends her days tucked away in her forge, safe from society and the anxiety it causes her, using her magical gift to craft unique weapons imbued with power.
Then Ziva receives a commission from a powerful warlord, and the result is a sword capable of stealing its victims’ secrets. A sword that can cut far deeper than the length of its blade. A sword with the strength to topple kingdoms. When Ziva learns of the warlord’s intentions to use the weapon to enslave all the world under her rule, she takes her sister and flees.
Joined by a distractingly handsome mercenary and a young scholar with extensive knowledge of the world’s known magics, Ziva and her sister set out on a quest to keep the sword safe until they can find a worthy wielder or a way to destroy it entirely.
This was for sure one of my most anticipated YA releases of 2021 AND it was by an author that was new to me! I’ve had my eye on several of Tricia Levenseller’s books in the past, but never quite made the time for them. Blade of Secrets had such a great synopsis that I couldn’t possibly avoid it for very long! And thus, I picked up the audiobook (which had fab narration!) and was swept off into a fascinating fantasy world.
The main character Ziva is a tremendously talented Smith who can make magical weapons. She’s been working hard for many years so that she and her younger sister Temra might move to another safer continent. Their homeland has been splintered by the death of the previous king years prior and it’s not as stable as it once was. Ziva sees a chance for safety when Warlord Kymora, former general of the Dead King’s armies, offers to take her and Temra in in exchange for Ziva’s finest work. So Ziva crafts a masterpiece that she unintentionally makes the wielder able to hear the thoughts of those it cuts… and she hears Kymora’s intent to make herself Queen. Thus begins the journey of Ziva, Temra, Petrik the scholar, and Kellyn the handsome mercenary as they seek a way to destroy the sword called Secret Eater.
The characters are well written and have their own flaws and facets that make them unique from the others. Temra has a fiery spirit, and is defiant of her sister’s rules at times. Petrik is somewhat of a stereotypical scholar, but with a sense of adventure otherwise he would have never begun on such a fraught path. Kellyn is the brave, handsome warrior but he has kindness within him and a deep love for his large family. Ziva, being the focal point, shines the brightest. She is talented obviously, but is extremely self-conscious and critical of herself due to terrible social anxiety. It quickly becomes apparent that it can be almost debilitating for her and she envies Temra’s charm and comfort in the presence of others. Ziva journey not only destroy the sword but to also manage and overcome her social anxiety were well handled. Her inner monologues were at times relatable and at other times somewhat irritating, but I appreciated her tale and the insight it brought.
Overall, this was an enjoyable read and one I’m likely to pick up the sequel to when it’s available. It’s definitely character driven and the details and scenery left little impression on me, so if you’re hugely into heavily detailed scenery descriptions this might disappoint you. I think what little worldbuilding was introduced will be further expanded upon, but it is character-centric! I’m fortunate to have a backlog of Tricia Levenseller’s other books to check out when I get bored. So many books to read!
Powder & Page 
Yes, so enjoyable! I’m looking forward to the next one.
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Me too! 😀
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