Master of Iron (Bladesmith Book 2)

Having an MC who struggles with anxiety is something that is very prevalent in our society and gives young adults who struggle with this a personal character to read about and realize there is so much beyond what your anxiety is. Ziva struggles, especially around new people and big crowds. She has a talent that others want to control and use to control the world. She may have anxiety, but Ziva, true to all of Tricia's female leads, is strong in her way. I love her bond and protective nature over her sister. She has started to develop feelings for Kellyn, and I enjoyed getting into Ziva's head on the anxiety of making yourself vulnerable and what goes through your mind when you might be rejected. As a blacksmith who imbues power and gifts into the weapons she creates, Ziva will discover her ability can be more than she ever dreamed and does not have to be used for destruction and death. Ziva's power is shown in many ways to do so much more than just a way to make weapons to destroy the world. The author explores this in a lot of creative ways and the ability to see Ziva struggle but overcome her thoughts and eventually get her ending beyond what she imagined when she met her in book one. A satisfying conclusion to a needed fantasy duology!

Master of Iron starts immediately after the events of book one. Petrik has further revelations about his parentage which allows them a possible way to save Temra from her life-threatening injuries. His contributions also direct the events for the rest of the story. Ziva meets other magic users and learns more about her abilities and boundaries when using magic. This introspection allows further growth of her character.
Ziva is angry at Kellyn which sets their relationship back to zero. However, a series of dangerous encounters and a bad injury later make Ziva realize the depths of her feelings and her willingness to forgive him. Kellyn is all green flags. He gives her space, supports her, comforts her, and always puts her life first. Ziva has never been in a relationship before and her anxiety hinders her more than once. In an unusual development, Ziva decides she is ready to be fully intimate with Kellyn and he is the one to keep things from progressing. He promised his mother he would wait until marriage and plans to keep the promise. If anyone is looking for a fictional book boyfriend then Kellyn is everything you could want in a strong warrior that is also respectful to women.
Ziva’s anxiety provides a constant rock that everything she must do to survive crashes against. Yet, even though she has panic attacks and self-doubt, it never stops her from protecting those she loves. It is highly relatable when she must work to combat her negative self-talk.
Ziva makes a few choices that I only partially understand. She is forced into making magical weapons for an enemy who plans to conquer the world. It makes her feel violated and makes her think deeply about her role in the upcoming battle. The side she wants to win is vastly outnumbered and undertrained compared to the enemy, yet she does very little to give them magical weapons capable of evening the odds. She also makes a weapon capable of putting vast numbers of people to sleep yet she deems it too dangerous and breaks it. I get the noble sentiment, but practically, maybe she should have waited till after the battle.
Overall, this epic tale of magical battles is tempered by Ziva’s anxiety which makes it all a bit more relatable. The relationships in the book are highly satisfying. The resolution wraps everything up neatly. If you need a read where the battle against good and evil is clear and ends well this book is a perfect choice.