Review Detail

Blade of Secrets is a delightful start to a duology. Ziva and her sister Temra have been on their own for years since their parents were murdered. Ziva provides for them through her magical ability to imbue iron with special qualities that have gained the attention of the most powerful warlord of the land. At first, Ziva is thrilled until she accidentally creates an all-powerful long-range magic sword that steals people’s secrets and learns the warlord plans to enslave them all.
As Ziva and Temra flee with the Blade of Secrets and a few other special weapons, they hire a mercenary, Kellyn, to protect them. A scholar, Petrik, sees them flee and hurries to come along. I enjoyed reading about these strangers and how their tentative friendships grow into something more. Their budding friendships experience many setbacks as the guys learn more about the sword and its true nature. The final revelation at the end was a surprise that I did not see coming.
Ziva’s character is full of anxiety and lives her life sheltered. To go on the run with others beyond her sister is a big source of stress and potential for personal growth. The tenderness that Kellyn exhibits to patiently let her get comfortable and give her space is endearing. Seeing him around his family and how good he is with children puts him on the keep list.
This book was an engrossing read. It was easy to pick up and hard to put down. The characters grow as the story unfolds, and we have front-row seats. The surprises set up the second book nicely. Many things are revealed and resolved, but the stakes continue to grow for the second book. Luckily, it is already published. This is the first time I have read a book by Tricia Levenseller, but it is clear it won’t be my last.