Of Myths & Magic: A Broken Blade Review

The review

A Broken Blade was perhaps my favorite read so far in 2023. Though it has features of several other popular fantasy books, I felt that the main character's background and the relationship between her and the main love interest were so intriguing and different. Not to mention, strong female main characters are one of my favorite tropes. Keera is one of the best, if not the best, assassins, and while she struggles with alcoholism which reduces and diminishes her talents, in the long run, it doesn’t hold her back. In almost the entire book, she is never bested by anyone other than her own self.

Keera is the King’s Blade, his number one assassin, trained within The Order, which trains the most powerful female halflings, especially for the King’s service. Having had an emotional experience, suffering over many years serving the king, while she remains a remarkable assassin, she has let her disappointments and trauma lead her to alcoholism.

With an uproar of potential rebellion against the King by the Dark Fae (despised by the King and existing mostly in the ethereal Faeland), Keera is sent on a mission to determine who the potential conspirator is. Simultaneously, there are whispers of the mysterious “Shadow,” who is also suggested to be conspiring against the crown. Despite the rumored uprising in a local Cereliath, a country-side like area within Eleverath, Keera only ends up coming face to face with The Shadow, and while she escapes unharmed, begins to acknowledge how the alcohol addiction has slowed her down. Upon returning from the unproductive mission, she is ridiculed by the King and sent on a new mission to kill the so-called “Shadow,” in which she must venture to Faeland, where no one has ever returned. Her visit to Faeland is fruitful, and she is faced here with many realities that divide her loyalty to the King and renew unfulfilled vows. Keera re-defines her mission and goes on a tumultuous path to re-establishing who she is and fighting for new relationships and a better future.

Personal thoughts

This book was a favorite read of mine from the last few months. I’m a sucker for a strong female-led plot with an enemies-to-lovers type romance. While the plot is reminiscent of other popular books in this genre, the character development and plot twists kept my attention and excited me for the second book (which was just released on May 9th!). The relationship development keeps you on your toes but was a good mix of frustratingly divided and happily ever after (we’ll see in book 2).

There are clearly secrets yet to be learned in Keera’s story, further lending to my anxiousness for book 2. I’m perhaps most excited for us to learn more about Keera and the Shadow’s second (yet first of the book) interaction, where the Shadow and Keera first kiss. However, a few of the twists and turns in the book do not leave the reader hanging and concurrently are also not easily guessed, without detracting from the book with extreme anguish. Discovering who the Shadow is and that there is much more to the revolt than just avenging the Fae people….

I was greatly impressed by the character development and uniqueness of Blair’s fantasy world; it brings together the best pieces of your favorite fantasy reads but provides new twists of fate to make it, unlike other stories you have read.

Book details

Author: Melissa Blair

Genre: Romantic Fantasy

Length: 448 pages

Series: Book 1 of 2 from the Halfling saga

Tropes: Strong female lead, enemies to lovers

Rating: 💡💡💡💡💡

Spice rating: 🔥🔥🔥

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