Book Review – Master of Iron

24 Feb 2023 Leave a comment

by Clare in Books, Reviews Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Master of Iron by Tricia Levenseller is the second of two books in the Bladesmith duology. I reviewed the first book, Blade of Secrets, here. This is also one of the books I had picked up at New York Comic-Con 2022.

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Here is the blurb:

Eighteen-year-old Ziva may have defeated a deadly warlord, but the price was almost too much. Ziva is forced into a breakneck race to a nearby city with the handsome mercenary, Kellyn, and the young scholar, Petrik, to find a powerful magical healer who can save her sister’s life.

When the events that follow lead to Ziva and Kellyn’s capture by an ambitious prince, Ziva is forced into the very situation she’s been dreading: magicking dangerous weapons meant for world domination.

The forge has always been Ziva’s safe space, a place to avoid society and the anxiety it causes her, but now it is her prison, and she’s not sure just how much of herself she’ll have to sacrifice to save Kellyn and take center stage in the very war she’s been trying to stop.

This book continued the story from Blade of Secrets and launches a new crisis where a power-hungry prince takes both Ziva and Kellyn captive and forces Ziva to create magical weapons for his growing army. The action in this book didn’t move as quickly as in Blade of Secrets and I had a harder time getting through it. Some of the plot felt too contrived to me.

The romance also felt like it stagnated, and despite Ziva and Kellyn being thrown together for so much of this book, Ziva’s lack of perception about their relationship made this a frustrating read. So overall, I didn’t like this second book as much as the first, but it did come to an exciting conclusion.

I feel like I’m seeing more duologies out there than I used to. Do you think that this is a good length for a story? Should they generally be combined into a single novel? Or could authors add more depth and get a trilogy out of it? Let me know in the comments (above).

Read more of my reviews here.

Book Review – Blade of Secrets

22 Feb 2023 1 Comment

by Clare in Books, Reviews Tags: , , , , , , , ,

I had picked up Blade of Secrets by Tricia Levenseller at New York Comic-Con a few months ago because I enjoyed reading one of the her previous books – Warrior of the Wild. This book was the first of two in the Bladesmith fantasy/romance duology series.

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Here is the blurb:

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 an easy and fun read and moved quickly. Ziva was quickly established as a sympathetic protagonist because she suffers from pretty significant social anxiety and is only truly comfortable around her sister, Temra. Of course the story pushes her out from the comfort of her home and on a journey with her sister and two strangers.

The plot evolves and Ziva struggles to deal with new friends and family, only to be betrayed. The antagonist is relentless, but also holds some secrets that complicate everything. On top of that, Ziva wants to deny to her attraction to the handsome and irritating mercenary, Kellyn. He is only accompanying them for pay, after all.

This is not a complete story, so if you read this novel you will need to be prepared continue on to the second book, Master of Iron, to finish the tale. I will have a review of that one up next!

Have you read any of Tricia Levelseller’s books? Let me know in the comments (above).

Find more of my reviews here.

Book Review – Kingdom of Exiles

11 Aug 2021 3 Comments

by Clare in Books, Reviews Tags: , , , , , , , ,

This is a another review for a book that I read a while ago, but I decided to go back to write down my thoughts because there’s a sequel out (The Frozen Prince) that I’d like to read. Kingdom of Exiles by Maxym M. Martineau is book #1 in The Beast Charmer series and is a fantasy romance combined with fun summoning magic that works a lot like Pokemon.

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Here is the blurb:

Exiled beast charmer Leena Edenfrell is in deep trouble. Empty pockets forced her to sell her beloved magical beasts on the black market—an offense punishable by death—and now there’s a price on her head. With the realm’s most talented murderer-for-hire nipping at her heels, Leena makes him an offer he can’t refuse: powerful mythical creatures in exchange for her life.

If only it were that simple. Unbeknownst to Leena, the undying ones are bound by magic to complete their contracts, and Noc cannot risk his brotherhood of assassins…not even to save the woman he can no longer live without.

I enjoyed this book and it was a fast read. We get to see both Leena and Noc’s point-of-view in alternating scenes, so their secrets are obvious to the reader, but not known to each other, adding to the tension. This book was also very much a romance, and it looks like there are two versions available (adult and YA) which I didn’t know at the time I read it. I must have read the adult version, but if you want less explicit romance, then maybe look at the YA one?

While some of the plot was wrapped up in the ending, there was one large aspect still left open. I wouldn’t really call it a cliffhanger, but I do need to read the next book. It looks like there is also a third book (The Shattered Crown) coming out at the end of this year.

Do you read much fantasy romance? Are there other books you’d recommend? Let me know in the comments above.

Find more of my reviews here.

Book Review – Time’s Convert

04 Aug 2021 Leave a comment

by Clare in Books, Reviews Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

This is another review for a book that I’d read some time ago. Time’s Convert by Deborah Harkness is both a prequel and a sequel to her All Souls Trilogy. I don’t think I reviewed the first book, A Discovery of Witches, but you can find my reviews for Shadow of Night (#2) here, and The Book of Life (#3) here.

While you could probably read this book without having read the earlier ones since much of it tells the backstory of one character (Marcus), the parts set in the present of the story won’t make much sense.

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Here is the blurb:

On the battlefields of the American Revolution, Matthew de Clermont meets Marcus MacNeil, a young surgeon from Massachusetts, during a moment of political awakening when it seems that the world is on the brink of a brighter future. When Matthew offers him a chance at immortality and a new life free from the restraints of his puritanical upbringing, Marcus seizes the opportunity to become a vampire. But his transformation is not an easy one and the ancient traditions and responsibilities of the de Clermont family clash with Marcus’s deeply held beliefs in liberty, equality, and brotherhood.

Fast-forward to contemporary Paris, where Phoebe Taylor–the young employee at Sotheby’s whom Marcus has fallen for–is about to embark on her own journey to immortality. Though the modernized version of the process at first seems uncomplicated, the couple discovers that the challenges facing a human who wishes to be a vampire are no less formidable than they were in the eighteenth century. The shadows that Marcus believed he’d escaped centuries ago may return to haunt them both–forever.

A passionate love story and a fascinating exploration of the power of tradition and the possibilities not just for change but for revolution, Time’s Convert channels the supernatural world-building and slow-burning romance that made the All Souls Trilogy instant bestsellers to illuminate a new and vital moment in history, and a love affair that will bridge centuries.

I enjoyed this book but I could see how it wouldn’t be for everyone. If you read the original three books, then this novel fills in some backstory and provides a look ahead at how Matthew and Diana’s story continues. The dynamics between the vampires are expanded upon, but the story doesn’t have the same tension as the original trilogy.

The author is reportedly working on more books in this world though, so if you liked Matthew and Diana’s story, I would read this book so that you’re caught up when the next one comes out. Also, AMC has produced a television show from the All Souls Trilogy. The first season was well done and the second season is out now (I still have to watch the new episodes)!

Here’s my last comment — I have a kitten (okay, adult cat now) named Marcus. He wasn’t named for the character in this book, but here are photos, just because the internet always needs more cats.

If you like witches, look here in October for my thoughts on some witchy fiction! I’m planning to read several witch-themed books soon.

Have you read anything by Deborah Harkness? Are you watching the show? Let me know in the comments above.

Find more of my reviews here.

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