Series Review: Is this series worth your time? Does it get better as the novels progress? Or does it get worse? Find out below:
Synopsis for Blood & Steel (from Goodreads):
With her death foretold, Althea Zoltaire only has three years to become what she’s always dreamed of being: a warrior legend.
Women are forbidden to wield blades, so she has trained in secret her entire life. Now racing against the clock, she fights to secure her place in the elite guild charged with the protection of the five kingdoms.
The sparring and hazing of the new trainees border on deadly, but even more dangerous is her growing attraction to Wilder Hawthorne, her unwilling warrior chaperone.
All around them, schemes are afoot and darkness looms.
Will Althea pass the perilous initiation test and take her place as a champion of Thezmarr – or will the invading evil snatch away her dream before it starts?
Author: Helen Scheuerer
Series: Legends of Thezmarr
There is a spin-off series: Ashes of Thezmarr
# of Books: 4 (Full Reading Order Here)
There are multiple novellas and offshoot stories.
Book Order: Chronological
Complete?: Yes
Genre: New Adult, Fantasy, Romance
Heat Rating: Hot
Point of View: Third Person, Alternating
Publication Dates: February 2023 – June 2024
Source & Format: Public Library–Audiobook
Why I Picked it Up / My Expectations:
I stumbled upon this when browsing audiobooks at my library but some coworkers had heard about it as well. I was worried it was going to feel a lot of like other romantasy books that are all the rage right now but the premise was intriguing and I needed a new series to audio-binge.
The Concept / The World:
I think it’s important to note that book #1, Blood & Steel, definitely has an academy setting to it but that is only for the first book as we break out of that vibe in the sequels.
Overall, the world is easy to follow and keep up with. It gradually built throughout the series so I never felt overwhelmed or lost – which is important when you listen to the audiobook and don’t always have the ability to rewind to key points.
The Plot:
This series had a good plot but not a great one. I just never felt like things WOWed me or surprised me. But it managed to keep my attention even without these big twists. As someone who likes to be “thrown” by great plot points, I found myself drawn to the characters and the world and that was enough to keep my interested and entertained throughout the series.
The Characters:
I loved Thea’s journey. She has a maturity to her already that I appreciate as we don’t always see that in our heroines from the start (it usually grows throughout the series). She has let her past shape her and learned from it as she drives towards her end goals.
I liked the rest of the cast as well. As I mentioned above, the characters and their stories helped keep my interest even when the plot wasn’t overly impressive. And for readers who love getting side-stories from other characters, there are plenty of stories for you to choose from.
The Romance:
Gah, I loved the chemistry between Thea and Wilder right from the start. It’s some of the best I’ve encountered in the genre.
And there are few other lingering romances with some side characters as well which is always a nice bonus.
My Audiobook Experience:
This was a good audio production! I think having the characters’ emotions spoken aloud helped keep me invested in this world. I’m not sure if I would have stuck with it all had I read the text given the somewhat straightforward plot line and the sheer number of pages.
Series Rating: 3/5
Blood & Steel 4/5 | Vows & Ruins 3/5 | Fate & Furies 3/5 | Shadow & Storm 3/5
This was a solid series but nothing amazing. But a fresh take and a great way for people to get into the romantasy genre or for readers looking into a world with lots of sideline stories.
Read if You Like: romantasy, strong heroines, big worlds for future series
Avoid if You: want a series completely in an academy setting
- Realm of Knights by Jennifer Anne Davis (Knights of the Realm Series #1)
- Blade of Secrets by Tricia Levenseller (Bladesmith Series #1)
- A Court This Cruel and Lovely by Stacia Stark (Kingdom of Lies Series #1)
