Full disclosure, I did start this book a month ago, got to ~13% and couldn't get into it. I finally picked it back up and DEVOURED the rest of the book in a single night. After the initial slow start, this book is excellent.

Keera is the King's Blade - a Halfling trained for decades and chosen by the king to act as his personal spy and assassin. A mysterious figure dubbed the Shadow has been making moves against the crown, and Keera is sent to kill him and quell the mounting unrest. Of course, Keera has other plans after she meets the Shadow and his comrades.

I'm so glad I pushed through the beginning exposition because the ENDING. That ending. I am... shocked? Upset? Definitely in need of book 2.

4 out of 5 stars.

I really liked this debut! Overall, I really liked this book but I did think that the first half of the novel was a bit slow in terms of pacing. I also don't know if I would say this idea is super unique/new because I found a lot of pretty common tropes/themes present in YA fantasy. Regardless, I really enjoyed the writing and the narrative voice! Unfortunately, I wasn't really a huge fan of the romance present in this novel, but I think that a lot of people *will* enjoy that aspect--I just wish that the side characters were a bit more fleshed out, but the depth we get from the MC is pretty good! I'm looking forward to continuing with this series and author!

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5

An engaging debut fantasy novel!

The story is in the first person point of view of Keera, a highly trained assassin known as the King’s Blade. When a mysterious figure known only as ‘The Shadow’ moves against the crown, Keera is called upon to hunt him down. In this world wrought with corruption, Fae, Elves, Halflings and Mortals alike struggle for freedom against oppression.

I enjoyed this book but did find the first half slow. I found it difficult to maintain interest initially. Furthermore, there were a lot of common tropes and themes, used in fantasy, found in this novel. Among them: a morally grey MC with a troubled/traumatic past, slow burn enemies to lovers romance, one bed, hidden identities, mysterious love interest and a ‘surprising’ betrayal from someone close. So many common themes/tropes meant that this story lacked originality. I also found the romance a little forced and the side characters a little underdeveloped.

That being said I liked the writing style, I enjoyed the political intrigue and I was impressed by the depth of the MC’s character and her internal struggles.

I’m interested to see how this series progresses!

Trigger warnings: Mentions of torture & self harm. Alcoholism. Poverty.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review
——————————————————————————————————————————————
“My body is made of scars, some were done to me, but most I did to myself”

⚠️ Trigger Warnings ⚠️:
Alcoholism, Addiction, Colonialism, Depression, and Systemic Violence. May be triggering for readers who have experienced Self-harm, Assault, Depression, or Suicidal Ideation.

Keera is an assassin and is known as the King’s Blade. When a mysterious figure known as the Shadow creates chaos as an act against the crown, She’s assigned the task to hunt the Shadow. But as she’s haunted with a promise from the past, as well as the current state of her people, she questions who her real enemy is.

It’s been a while since I read a fantasy book, and this book was amazing! I was hesitant at first because of a lot of disappointment I’ve faced with some recs from booktok, but I’m really glad I read this. There’s a lot of beautiful world building and such complex characters and history behind their flaws and I’m glad the author didn’t shy away from a lot of the serious topics involved in this book. With that said, the beginning of the book was a bit slow for me. I struggled with the first 16 chapters, but after that I couldn’t stop reading it.

Overall, this was an amazing debut novel and I can’t wait for the second book.

I absolutely enjoyed reading A Broken Blade! It was fun and heartbreaking and I honestly can’t wait for the next one!

Characters: 4.5/5
Writing: 4.5/5
Plot: 5/5
Overall: 5/5

This was a really good book. It took me some time to get into it, but then I really started to enjoy it. A great read!

Characters: 4.5/5
Setting: 4/5
Writing: 4.5/5
Steam: none
Plot: 4/5
Overall: 4.5/5

Favorite non-spoilery quote: “I do not pretend to know the details of your pain, but I know the weight of it. I will not judge you for how you lighten the load.”

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Round of applause for booktok, everyone! I was not led astray here (for once). A Broken Blade is so freaking good. It is about Keera, better known as the Blade, who is ordered by the King to track down the mysterious Shadow. She hunts him all the way to the dangerous Faelands, and what she sees there makes her wonder who the real enemy is.

Keera is such a fascinating protagonist. It was very refreshing to have an older woman mc (older than the usual 18-22, anyway.) She is so strong and ruthless and I’m so obsessed with her. Her journey in this book is so raw and powerful.

The Shadow, whose identity will remain a secret, is also one of my favorite characters (though I will not say why because spoilers.) I can’t say much about them, but trust me when I say you will not want to miss meeting them.

This book didn’t have that *spark* for me, which is why it is a 4 star read. I didn’t connect to the characters as much as I would’ve liked, though they all have very distinct personalities.

All in all, I really enjoyed this book. I would have liked it even more if I had read it quicker, but I’ve been busy af so it was not the book’s fault. I definitely recommend this one to fans of NA or adult fantasy, and I am so excited for book two!

I absolutely enjoyed reading A Broken Blade by Melissa Blair! Some of you may know this is the booktok book that was anonymous written but now it is punished with the authors name. It was fun and heartbreaking and I honestly can’t wait for the next one! 4.5 ⭐️

With a beautiful world and complex characters, this was an incredible debut novel. Watching as our main character deals with her alcoholism and her unwanted responsibilities led to very nice character development. After getting to see her open up and accept her past with the help of others, I'm intrigued to see how the end of this book will affect her progress in the next one. The world, magic, and politics involved were everything that I love about fantasy novels. I am beyond excited for this world to continue and see how the author grows in the future.

Wow what a debut ! This features Keera, a halfling indentured as the Kings Blade although you could also describe her as his assassin. The halflings have no choice but to serve as the alternative is death ! Keera is an alcoholic barely keeping up with her roles requirements but her mission to find and kill the illusive and destructive Shadow finds her discovering she cannot bury herself in denial anymore but will have to choose a side although as this ends Keera is very much doubting her choices !
If you love a strong protagonist who can achieve the seemingly impossible you will be behind Keera all the way. She has suffered and indeed has caused suffering but I found myself rooting for her unreservedly. There's a smidge of romance, betrayal and indeed misdirection but the villains are truly odious and when it comes to brotherly love well I wouldn't be surprised if the author has one more shock for Keera. I very much enjoyed this and will definitely look for the next instalment.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

I wasn't sure about this book at first. It sounded interesting, but started slow and I did not like the main character while she was perpetually drunk. As the story progressed, and she sobered up, I became more interested. Keera goes through a lot of growth through the novel, which I did appreciate. If you're looking for the next Throne of Glass, this is not it (though it will likely appeal to fans of the series), but it is a good story and after the twist at the end I'm curious to see where it will go next.

“I had seventeen blades concealed along my person …”
“Having the eyes of the Crown on your head was dangerous. I should know as the person the Crown sends to retrieve those heads”
“For Shadows don’t truly exists in the dark. It was time for me to bring the night”
“I could no longer hide from the Dark Fae. I would have to dance with them”
OMG this book was just so good!!! I finally understand the amount of frenzy all around in on booktok when people still needed to understand who the actual author was … a masterpiece, one of the best fantasy romance I’ve read so far this year!!!!
Fans of Dance of Thieves … this book is the one for you !!!!
In a world where all Elves have been killed, all Halflings are treated as servants, and things Dark Fae are a threat, a problem that needs to be solved and Mortals are in command, our characters try to look after themselves and fight for their survival but also for the freedom they want, need and deserve!!
I loved absolutely every second of reading it. The scheming, the plot twist, the political intrigue and the best tropes ever: Enemies to allies to lovers, the dagger to the throat and the ONE BED trope!!!
I can’t believe there was the one bathrobe something I fear it’s kind of disappearing!!
Keera and Riven are just amazing characters and I can’t believe that I’ve read it so much tapestry this book and I’m so glad I finally had the chance to win a galley experiences because this is not a bird that I can easily forget!!!
I have to be honest, one of the things that probably surprised me the most and that I loved the most about this book was a trigger warning section at the very beginning of the book. Considering the amount of themes discussed, including self harm, this book was just amazing and I will never stop thanking the author for this!!
And THAT ENDING !!!! Omg please please don’t leave me hanging !!!! I need the second book now !!!!!
“If a revolution was coming, it started now”
“A broken blade can be mended”
“You’re always beautiful … but you’re exquisite when you laugh”
“Keera… you could cut me worse than any blade”

In a world where humans are at war with Elf-kind, Keera is a Halfling, part elf and part human. Considered "Impure" by the the crown who enslave and persecute her kind, she is forced to serve as assassin.
This book is an interesting and somewhat original take on some traditional fantasy ideas, I liked the attempt be more women forward and more inclusive of different types of relationships than a lot of other fantasy out there. A little slow at the beginning but well worth persevering as it picks up pace as it goes. A pleasant ratio of fantasy with a good amount of romance thrown in, and a nice twist at the end. I will be awaiting the next installment with interest

I remembered the hubbub around this book on tiktok back when the author was anonymous, and jumped at the chance to read it, unfortunately it just did not work out for me at all. It reminded me of a more chaotic version of ToG.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher though, I really wish I liked it more :(

I was captivated from the moment I read the blurb. However I also wasn’t sure what to expect. I knew Keera would probably be this super awesome fighter with a one track mine, and sometimes characters like that can fall a little flat. Luckily, Keera had a wonderful character development that made me root for her. The world building is incredible, and it really drew me in learning more about the royals and the magic and the Fae world!

Just be sure that you read the trigger warnings before starting :)

Thank you, Union Square and Co, for allowing me to read A Broken Blade early.

I’m sad to say, but this book isn’t for me. It reminds me of Sarah Maas’ writing, and I just don’t like her books. I found myself trudging through the story. Beautiful cover, though!

Thanks to NetGalley and Union Square & Co. for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book has a list of trigger warnings at the begging, please be aware of the themes it deals with before reading it.

This is one of the best fantasies I’ve read in a long time and was great surprise for me. I started this book with not much expectations other than an badass main character, and although it deliveries, Keera is much more than that. She is the result of what a crown has done to her kin, of what a war can make to people and the effects of colonialism to those who have to fight it back and all this is explored, shown and developed through the book.
Melissa’s writing is amazing, even when you don’t know everything about Keera or her motives aren’t all explicit, you can’t help root for her cause, this is an amazing debut.
The worldbuilding is very well done, and even though at the beginning we are met with lots of informations about Elverath, the Fae, Elves and Halflings, it doesn’t feel overwhelming and doesn’t slows the pace of the story. The tension between Keera and the Shadow is A+++ and even better when their identity is revealed. I adore most of the side characters, specially Nikolai and Syrra.
The plot although not much different from many fantasies is well executed and has great political intrigues. It ends with a twist and even though I didn’t predict it, it fits well with the overall story.

This was a great set up for a series and I can’t wait to read the next one and see what Melissa Blair has reserved for us.

I really wasn't sure what to expect from this book, but am pleased to report that is exceptionally good!

Keera is a Halfling, which means she belongs to the King. After decades of training she has risen through the ranks to be the King's Blade, the most senior position in his Halfling Army. So when a mysterious Shadow threatens the Kingdom, it is Keera who is sent on a mission to stop the him.

I wasn't too sure about Keera as a character to begin with. She felt a bit two dimensional, but as the story progressed she improved tenfold! The plot was fast paced and well written, and I'm keen to read the next book in the series!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

DNF @ 37%

this book definitely has an interesting plot, the execution of it just wasn’t for me. i feel like a lot is happening, but the story isn’t actually progressing very far and so i continue to put the book down because i get bored.

if high fantasy is your favourite genre, then definitely give this a go, it just wasn’t for me :)

4.5/5 stars!!

A Broken Blade is a great introduction to a new fantasy series. It starts out with a lot of information but after about 40 pages it really picks up! There is so much action and adventure. There are Dark Fae and Elves and Halflings. The main character Keera is a Halfling who is known as the “Blade” which she works for the King to hunt down the Shadow. Keera is on her last chance to please the King before she is let go of her position. It’s either the Shadow dies or she dies.

This book was everything I wanted and more. I could not put it down. I kept needing to know what was going to happen next! This is a must read if you like Throne of Glass (especially the earlier ones!) !