Master of Iron was one of my most anticipated reads for this year, after the first of the duology, Blade of Secrets, became an instant favorite. It most definitely did not disappoint.

Ziva’s social anxiety represented accurately, especially in a fantasy setting, drew me to Blade of Secrets originally; seeing Ziva learn to adapt and open up to more people in the first book was amazing. Now, in Master of Iron, it's nice to see her still make mistakes and have anxieties after the first book. The found family dynamic between all four main characters is one of my favorites, seeing them learn to understand each other and care about each other fiercely.

Something I especially loved in Master of Iron was Ziva’s relationship with her magic transform. The book starts with her fearing the consequences of her creations and ends with her having even greater insight to her magic than before. I loved seeing her explore bladesmithing for herself and learning to separate her magic from her skill.

The book is also a great conclusion to the events of Blade of Secrets. Everything is resolved meaningfully and masterfully. Levenseller writes in an engaging way I’ve always adored about her books, allowing you to get lost in the amazing worlds she crafts. Master of Iron is a stunning sequel to Blade of Secrets. I only wish it had an epilogue.

Reader’s Notes:

– this is book 2 of a duology

– this is told from Ziva’s point of view

– there are a few curse words (one that was used multiple times is used in Ziva’s narration when referring to a particular type of sword + a few used as curse words)

– there is a bunch of fighting/war and mentions blood/death due to the fighting

– there is a female/female relationship

Review:

I loved this story’s conclusion! So much was happening in the characters’ romantic lives (especially Ziva’s since she would self sabotage and doubt any little thing) and the main story itself (with the change in antagonist and everything else that ended up going wrong). But it was such a great buildup to the end of the story in all aspects! 😍 I loved that Ziva grows to learn new things (in anxiety, her magic, and her relationship) and hold onto them. I loved Ziva and Kellyn’s relationship and how they both end up working on it together, but still recognize that the other has limits on what they can do/contribute at certain times. And they learn to voice what they need to each other. ❤️

When we last left our heroes in book one, Ziva’s sister had been grievously injured and the warlord captured. And things are about to get worse. In an attempt to save Temra (Ziva’s sister), they travel to a magical healer only to find that the healer must be saved as well.

While the healer gets to safety, Ziva and Kellyn are captured and Ziva’s talents are discovered. Now she is trapped in the forge that used to be a sanctuary for her and is forced by a king to create magical weapons for a war. Ziva has to come up with a way to get both of them out of there without causing more harm to fall on Kellyn, while still worrying if her sister is even alive.

But even if they escape,can Ziva and Kellyn get word far enough ahead to save the people about to be decimated by the impending war?

First line: We don’t have time for this.

Summary: Ziva, along with her companions, are speeding towards the capital in search of a magical healer to help her sister. But as they arrive they find the healer missing which sends Ziva and Kellyn on a quest to retrieve her in time to save her sister’s life. The mission is thwarted when Ziva and Kellyn are captured by a rival prince who then forces Ziva to do the one thing she has been trying to avoid. Make weapons for someone who plans to destroy everything she holds dear.

My Thoughts: I enjoyed this one much more than the first book in the duology. The action was immediate and the story was much faster moving. My favorite but also least favorite part was Ziva’s social anxiety. It is great to see a character who is plagued by doubts and fears. Many heroes doubt their abilities but Ziva fears interaction, notice or vicinity to other people. It is endearing for the character because I think many people can connect with her but at it also gets to be rather frustrating. She is forever fighting her fears but it makes it more real than her just overcoming them so easily.

I liked the ending. It is definitely not what I was expecting. I was surprised by it but pleased.

FYI: Romance, violence and a little language.

Myth: 5/5

Master of Iron tosses us right back into the action where Blade of Secrets left off. Ziva needs to save her sister and will do anything to get to the magical healer in time. Petrick and Kellyn in tow, we set off on another set of adventures.

From dealing with one warlord to another ruler set on dominating the kingdoms, Ziva is challenged at every turn to stay true to herself and to protect those she loves. Caught in power plays and people wanting to use her gift for destruction, I just loved how Ziva dealt with all of this, and a boy she likes and severe social anxiety. The anxiety representation was fantastic and the romance was also kicked up a notch now that Ziva has found her footing outside of the forge.

Magic: 5/5

New magic users are introduced and Ziva gets to engage with these new characters on a different level, since they have had some of her same trials with magic. She also gets to learn from them!

Overall: 5/5

I loved Ziva’s story and it’s action packed conclusion. Ziva has to find a way to stay true to herself, save the world and maybe have a few uncomfortable expression of emotion. I devoured every second of it.

Master of Iron is the final installment in author Tricia Levenseller's Bladesmith duology. The story begins shortly after the ending of Blade of Secrets. With her sister Temra's life hanging in the balance after a dangerous encounter with the Warlord Kymora who is now their captive, Ziva Tellion (Bladesmith), Kellyn Derinor (Mercenary), and Petrik Avedin (Scholar) race to find a healer who might be able to save Temra's life. Kymora wanted Ziva alive because she has the ability to use magic in her weapons to make them nearly indestructible.

With Temra close to death, Petrik suggests that they head for Prince Skiro's castle where there's supposedly a healer who can heal almost anything. Skiro just happens to be Petrik's brother. Unfortunately, said healer, Serutha, has been a hostage of Skiro's elder brother Revis and the only way to get to his castle, is by magical portals made of paintings. Revis can be called the villain of this story since it is his mission to take Ghadra for himself even if his brothers and sisters have any objections to reuniting the country.

After rescuing Serutha, Ziva and Kellyn find themselves unwilling guests of Revis who learns that Ziva has a gift of making weapons using her unique magic. She's incredibly gifted with the ability to magic any items she blacksmiths, and of course, powerful people have decided that she could be used for their military benefit. The Forge, once her sanctuary from outside forces, has now become her prison from which she fears she may never leave unless she finds a solution to free herself and Kellyn.

While others might prefer the simmering romance that has developed between Ziva and Kellyn, I absolutely love the action scenes and wanted more. While Ziva hates making weapons of war, and she hates the thought of killing anyone for the sake of killing, she's now just going to sit back and watch her friends and her sister become lambs to the slaughter. One of the most unique aspects of this series has been Ziva herself. Yes, she's a helluva bladesmith. Yes, she's a helluva fighter when she's protecting her own, including her sister after losing her parents to Kymora.

But it is the socially awkward, panic attacks that make Ziva one of the more distinct characters in all of the YA Fantasy Genre. Her struggles with anxiety are so real and hard. These lead her to decisions that might cause people to question her sanity. Yet, when all is said and done, Ziva is more than a socially awkward blacksmith with major anxiety issues. She's someone who loves hard and protects what's hers with her life, if necessary. This is a much more expansive story than the first installment. The world has gotten bigger, the cast has gotten larger, and you will meet a great case of villains and heroes.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing/Feiwel & Friends for providing me with an eARC of the book to review! Master of Iron is the second YA fantasy book in the Bladesmith Duology by Tricia Levenseller. This book will be released tomorrow, July 26, 2022!

I was so excited to read this because Tricia Levenseller is an auto-buy YA fantasy author for me and it did not disappoint! I had just read Blade of Secrets a few weeks earlier and could not wait to find out just how the story ends after the cliffhanger in that book! This book gives such great mental health representation! On top of that, it was incredibly action-packed! To tie it all together, the romance between Ziva and Kellyn is perfect!!! I don’t want to give too much away with a summary as it picks up right where the first book in the duology left off, but I really enjoyed this book. I can’t wait to read even more from Tricia Levenseller in the future and definitely look forward to what she writes next!

Blade of Secrets was one of my favorite reads of 2021 and Master of Iron was one of my anticipated sequels being released this year. Needless to say, I really enjoyed it. Levenseller fit so much into a short series but it doesn’t feel lacking, has great pacing, and amazing character development. Master of Iron is fast paced and captivating from the first page.

This book picks up right where Blade of Secrets left off. In an attempt to rescue a healer that can save her sisters life, Ziva and Kellyn are captured by an ambitious prince and Ziva is forced into magicking dangerous weapons meant for world domination. The plot in Master of Iron is much more focused on warring kingdoms and the fight against evil than the adventure of in Blade of Secrets. The action scenes are intense and so fun to read, and the book overall is very well paced.

I really like the characters in this series. I’m very invested in the romance between Ziva and Kellyn. Kellyn is a badass mercenary but is also so sweet, supportive, and understanding with Ziva. And Ziva learns so much more about her abilities and starts to gain confidence in herself. I enjoyed learning more about Ziva’s abilities because I think being able to magic weapons is so interesting and unique!  The side characters add so much to the story as well.

Master of Iron is a great conclusion to this duology and the ending was satisfying and sweet.

You would like this book if you like:
✨Only one tent
✨Warring kingdoms
✨Amazing side characters & found family
✨Mental health representation
✨Fast paced

Master of Iron is book 2 in the Bladesmith duology from Tricia Levenseller.

"Ziva defeated a deadly warlord but at great cost. Now she must head to a nearby city with the mercenary, Kellyn and young scholar, Petrick to find the magical healer who can save her sister's life. But another king wants more - more land, more of Ziva's magical weapons and Ziva herself."

One thing I like about Levenseller's books is her strong female leads. Ziva is a different type of character. She suffers from severe anxiety around people. She only wants to work in her forge and hang out with her sister. She is forced into situations that stretch her and make her grow. Levenseller does a good job with everything going on in Ziva's head - how she's trying to deal with the situations and people around her.

This is YA Fantasy so we have the bad-boy kings, the firends on a quest and the unlikely hero. The ending is different. Levenseller figures out a way to put her own spin on it.

Some nice YA Fantasy from Levenseller.

Tricia Levenseller legit never disappoints. Doesn't matter the topic, I am always entertained. This sequel offered a few nice recaps woven into the story seamlessly, which I definitely appreciated since my memory is generally trash. Then we get right back into the world and action from the first book!

Ziva is still a reluctant yet wonderful heroine. She struggles with anxiety (and can I please heap high praise on the author for fabulous anxiety rep in a fantasy series), and is kind of terrified of being in the spotlight, yet she finds herself there regardless. She's incredibly gifted with the ability to magic any items she blacksmiths, and of course, powerful people have decided that she could be used for their military benefit. Since Ziva isn't a total monster, she doesn't love the idea of fashioning magical weapons for sociopaths, so she's on the run. She's also trying to keep her sister alive, as well as their friends/traveling companions/maybe-lovers, and it is a lot.

This book, like its predecessor, has a perfect blend of action and character development. The story does delve pretty deeply into the political landscape of the kingdom, which was not quite my favorite part, but it wasn't too heavy a focus to take away the enjoyment of the story. I loved watching Ziva grow as a character, too. She has the best of intentions always, but learns some really important lessons about herself and her relationships along the way.

Bottom Line: Overall, it was an incredibly satisfying conclusion to an overall great duology. Can't wait to see what the author has in store for us next!

The first installment of the Bladesmith duology, Blade of Secrets, was one of my favorite discoveries of 2021 so I’m absolutely thrilled I got to read its sequel Master of Iron early thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan!

Master of Iron continues the journey of Ziva, a magic smith with social anxiety, as she races to save her sister, escape a controlling prince, and save her realm from a tyrant. She does all of this with social anxiety and once again I feel like the author has created a brilliant portrayal based on her own personal experience.

At times Ziva’s perspective is claustrophobic, but it feels completely real and understandable. I really loved how this book continued Ziva’s character development and allowed her to come into her own. She grows so much and confronts her anxiety in realistic ways but it is never magically cured. Instead, we get to see how a person with anxiety can face challenges and thrive alongside her disability.

I’ve never been the biggest fan of the romance in this duology but I found myself coming around to it in this book. It feels like a romance between real people and I appreciated how communication is a center focus of their dynamic. Overall I was very satisfied with how this series wrapped up and I think it’s safe to say it’s become one of my favorite duologies. The magic, battles, and characters PLUS the mental health representation makes it simply unmissable.

Thank you to Feiwel & Friends and NetGalley for the advanced electronic review copy of this amazing book. I really enjoyed the continuation and conclusion of the Bladesmith duology. The characters are still strong and diverse, the relationships deepen, the plot is just as interesting as it was in the first book, the action is more intense and it all combine into an exciting conclusion. A great read for any fantasy fiction lovers!

This was such a satisfying conclusion to the duology! Blade of Secrets was such a well crafted adventure, and Master of Iron somehow topped it! I loved getting to dive deeper into the main characters and the relationships between them. And the ending was absolutely perfect, tying everything together succinctly and allowing us to leave the characters on a satisfying note.

Tricia Levenseller will forever be one of my favorite authors. I will literally read anything she publishes. Master of Iron did not disappoint me. This duology will forever have a place in my heart. Ziva one of our main protagonists reminds me so much of myself. I grew up having social anxiety and not being able to speak to strangers and not being able to start a normal conversation. I am glad Ziva represented a strong character dealing with anxiety and little by little she started to overcome this struggle. I loved the war aspect and political conflict our main characters were overcoming. I especially loved the relationship between Ziva and Kellen have. I adored their speeches and their love confession. Thank you so much Netgalley for giving me this amazing opportunity!

I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!

I felt like the first one was a little too YA for me, but man this one was perfection. I felt seen and understood!!

Romance was perfect, writing exceeded expectations and is exactly what a YA fantasy duology should be!

Definitely see why TL is such a popular author at the library!!

What I loved about Master of Iron is how well rounded it feels. The action and adventure propels you through the story. I ended up finishing this book days before I thought I would. Mostly because I couldn't stop reading, I needed to find out how Ziva and her story would end. And that brings to mind the other elements I loved - the characters. The character journey's that each of them have gone through? Adored it.

For Ziva she has to figure out how to see her own capabilities. To recognize her own power and potential for good. And for the side characters, like my fave, Petrik, he has to show people that his intelligence and book smart is valuable. That theme is one I loved as it only grows in importance. But for Ziva, I loved to see her come into her own. To realize that her talents can be used for others uses and real good.

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan Publishing/Feiwel and Friends for allowing me to read and review this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Master of Iron is the epic conclusion to the Bladesmith duology by Tricia Levenseller.

We start right where we left off in Blade of Secrets: Ziva, Kellyn, Petrik, and Temra captured the warlord, and mother of Petrik, Kymora. During the fight Kellyn decided to save Ziva instead of her sister Temra, who is now badly injured and could possibly die. Ziva is unforgiving towards Kellyn's choice and they are all racing against the clock to find a Healer who can save Temra from certain death.

With a war looming over Ghandra, Ziva is then captured, with Kellyn, by enemy hands and she is forced to create magical death defying weapons for Prince Rivas and his army.

There is less adventure in Master of Iron verses Blade of Secrets but the conclusion has more world building of the land. Ziva grows as a character and the bond between her and Kellyn is strengthened. Their relationship is more intimate and patient as Ziva learns to forgive Kellyn and overcome her anxieties.

Master of Iron focuses heavily on character development for Ziva but cuts back on Temra and Petrik's individual arcs. We see Temra and Petrik work on trusting each other after Petrik's lies: his parentage and hiding Ziva's capture from Temra. Kellyn received some development as well but not very much.

I did miss the "travelling across lands" adventure from the first book. In Master of Iron, there is a lot of build up to the final battle and royalty politics between siblings and their neighboring cities. While I did like the newly introduced characters, there isn't a lot of depth to them.

Personally, while I enjoyed both books for different reasons, I think the Bladesmith duology could have been better as a large stand-alone.

The romance is sweet and has its steamy moments for a YA Fantasy. I like that Kellyn is understanding and loving and wanting to be Ziva's equal but also challenges Ziva and pushes her to face her insecurities. The scenes between them are my favorites.

I was not head over heels for Ziva in Blade of Secrets but Master of Iron is where she truly shines.

I love Levenseller's break-neck writing style and she knows how to pull you into the story from the very first page. Obviously, I look forward to all of Tricia Levenseller's future releases.

4 stars

Fantastic finish to the duology. Levenseller does a great job with both world building and ensuring the characters grow. Master of Iron picks up immediately after the events in Blade of Secrets. Tamra is wounded and Ziva is determined to find a healer. When the plan to rescue the healer from a warlord goes very wrong, Ziva finds herself making weapons for the same warlord, who plans to use the weapons to take over her home.

I highly recommend this duology if you like stories with some fantasy and adventure with a little side of romance.

Ziva, Kellyn, and Petrik are racing to Prince Skiro's palace with a mortally wounded Temra to find a magically gifted healer. When they arrive, they discover the healer has been kidnapped by Prince Ravis. In order to save Temra, Ziva must first rescue the healer. In the process, she and Kellyn are taken hostage, and Ziva is forced to do the one thing she never wanted to do: make magical weapons for those who would use them to cause harm. Prince Ravis intends to take the entire kingdom for himself. What can one magically gifted smithy do to prevent a tyrant's takeover, and will Ziva and Kellyn ever be together?

Will be published on Forever Young Adult's blog on 7/25/22.

Careful, Sweetie: spoilers! This is the first book in the Bladesmith duology, so if you haven’t read the previous one, you should probably hop back in the TARDIS and go curl up by the pool in the library with the first book before continuing.

Cover Story: Serviceable

I’d like to think the cover artist was trying to evoke the smithing process with these covers. First the metal needs to be heated (first cover) and then once it’s done it’s thrust into water to stop the process (second cover). From that perspective, I like it. The cover itself on its own, well…it’s not the most interesting one I’ve seen, but Ziva’s hammers are a big part of the story.

The Deal:

Kymora the Warlord has been captured, but it came at a high cost: Ziva’s sister, Temra, was gravely wounded and is fighting for her life. Ziva is pushing her ragtag band of travelers to the limits to get them to Prince Skiro in order to obtain the help of a magical healer. Unfortunately, the healer has been kidnapped by another of the late king’s power-hungry children, and now Ziva, Petrik, and Kellyn have to pull off a rescue attempt.

But going deep into enemy territory yields some unexpected twists and turns, and it’s not just Temra’s fate that feels like it rests on Ziva’s shoulders, but the entirety of Ghadra’s.

BFF Charm: Let Me Love You

As someone who’d rather be alone, living a quiet life, the events of the last few months have been extra torturous on Ziva. She’s grappling with overwhelming anxiety, guilt, anger, fear—you name it, she’s probably had a mini panic attack about it. She doesn’t really need me because she’s got great people surrounding her (and she’s stronger than she thinks!) but I couldn’t help but want to give her a big hug now and then.

Swoonworthy Scale: 8

In her author’s note, Tricia says she promised her readers after The Shadows Between Us that she’d give us more kissing scenes, and I think she fulfilled her promise here! Ziva is angry at Kellyn for not saving her sister at the end of Blade of Secrets, but thankfully she doesn’t spend the entire book shunning him. What Tricia gives us instead is a worthy romantic lead: Kellyn is kind and respectful of Ziva’s boundaries and lets her work out her fears without pushing her, but he’s also down for making out in a dusty, unused room whenever and wherever they’ve got time. THIS is the way to make a genuinely “good boy” book boyfriend not boring.

Talky Talk: Comfort Reads

So I accidentally read this in one sitting overnight (at least I picked a Saturday night instead of a weeknight! Progress!). After I was done, I was happy and satisfied, and I think that’s what I like about Levenseller’s style. Her writing is relatable and her worlds easy to fall into, and she’s giving me a story with plenty of hardship and issues and character growth, but she’s also providing satisfying endings that aren’t there to pull the rug out from under me. A bittersweet or sad ending has its place, but I read for many reasons, and one is because I need a stress-relieving escape.

Bonus Factor: Magic

We know Ziva has magical smithing abilities, but in the first book she spends most of her time running from danger. In this book she’s got longer stretches with access to a forge, as well as being able to connect with other magic-users, and it allows her to explore her abilities in new ways.

Bonus Factor: Mental Health Representation

We also dive deeper into Ziva’s anxiety issues in this book as she tries to cope with all the stressful situations she’s been thrust into. Levenseller does a great job portraying Ziva’s fears and concerns—like at some point I started feeling a little overwhelmed myself—BUT she also has Ziva learning about ways to work through her anxieties, like reframing her negative self-talk and asking people for what she needs at the moment. It’s not a cure-all, and Ziva is never “fixed”, but she does gain more confidence in herself. It’s not something you see often in YA books, and especially not in a fantasy, and I think it’ll be a great boon for many readers to see a main character going through similar struggles.

Anti-Bonus Factor: War

For someone who creates weapons that are, ah, generally for ending someone’s life, Ziva is very uninterested in taking another life. She’ll do what she needs to protect those she loves, but violence is a terrible thing, and Levenseller doesn’t pull her punches when she describes how damaging it is and the toll it can take on your psyche.

Relationship Status: Old Friends

After all our time spent on the road together, Book, it just felt right when we met back up again to exchange details on how our lives have gone since we last parted. You had some wild stories to tell! I’m always rooting for you to live your best life. Let’s catch up again soon, okay?

FTC Full Disclosure: I received my free review copy from Feiwel & Friends. I received neither money nor peanut butter cups in exchange for this review. Master of Iron is available on July 27, 2022.

I love this book. Ziva and her gang is back as they trie to save her sister and the rest of the world. The main character of Ziva is such a relatable character., who has to find her courage to do what she must to save everyone. For people who like books that contain adventure, romance, and magical swords this book is a must.