A Blog of Books and Tea

(Physical Review – I was cheeky enough to ask Andrew for a physical ARC of this book… And he said YES!! He’s a legend and now one of my new favourite indie authors!)

Tropes:

• Multi POV
• Grim dark Fantasy
• Found Family
• No-one is Safe
• Questionable Decisions
• Forbidden Magic
• Romantic Tragedy
• Galgenhumor
• No HEA

Stars – 🫖🫖🫖🫖🫖

Synopsis –

Magic is dead.

The Order made sure of that. They gathered it up, and what they couldn’t destroy, they hid. Now, noble houses squabble over the realm, civil unrest smolders in the east, slavery and injustice run rampant, all while mankind hides behind their two-faced gods.

However, the truth is, magic isn’t dead. It’s just been sleeping, and I intend to wake it.

Under the light of a sinister moon:

A promising initiate struggles to conform in an organization that wants to exterminate the very magic running in his blood. A hired assassin fights to stay one step ahead of shadows, betrayals, and past mistakes. A musician in over his head tries desperately to trade debt from one group of killers to another. A slave of blood and sand claws his way toward freedom, one corpse at a time. An irreverent Justiseer struggles with a particularly obstinate severed head. A man wakes with no memory, only to discover a community with problems far greater than his amnesia.

Each of them is forced to question if magic truly is dead and wonder…

Should it be?

Thoughts –

Ballad of the Blade is the debut novel by Andrew P. Meritt, and it does not disappoint. It was the perfect level of gritty and dark, with some parts literally making my skin crawl and others had my jaw on the ground. It only took me two days to read, and for two nights in a row, I stayed up late (waaayyyy past my bed time!) to continue reading, as I was well and truly hooked! While nearing the end of the book, I was also told multiple times by my smart watch that I needed to relax as my stress levels were in the red! If that isn’t a sign of a good book, I don’t know what is!

The pacing of the story was really good, as it allowed for each of the characters to shine, as well as the plot to continue at a steady pace. I loved the fact that the book was multi-POV, as it allows you to see the plot from all of the key players perspectives. I also feel that it allows you to get to know each character on a more ‘personal’ level. In this story, there are no “good” guys, with each of the characters having questionable morals (some more than others!). What makes it better, is that it’s the characters I least expected to be problematic that caused me to gasp in utter shock!

There are some characters that I felt more connected to than others, and that is because of the way they interacted with one another. For instance, David and Tanya had the BEST banter between them, and they added a much needed comic relief during their chapters. While reading this book, I looked up the type of humour used in it, and discovered a new favourite word! Galgenhumor, which is a German word that translates to “gallows humour”. This is essentially where humour is used in the face of adverse experiences – definitely fitting for describing the interactions between these two characters. What I also loved about them, was them teaching Cross the meanings of words he’s never come across. This little found family was one of my favourite parts of Ballad of the Blade, as it felt authentic.

The ending really wasn’t what I expected – but I guess that’s what is amazing about Meritt’s writing. You never actually know what to expect. Just when you feel like you have it all figured out, the rug is quite literally pulled from under you! If you’re expecting a “happily ever after”… Don’t. It’s not that kind of book!

I feel that Ballad of the Blade gives off some major Game of Thrones vibes, without the overly complicated and convoluted plot. Even though you are kept guessing throughout, it was definitely a much more accessible and enjoyable read that has made me ridiculously excited for the next installment of the A Serenade of Smoke series! I feel like book 2 needed to be out yesterday! 😂

Overall, I absolutely loved Ballad of the Blade. The world building was amazing, and the characters were well written and believable. The ending left me heartbroken, but very much ready for the next book! This book really does have everything, from some pretty graphic gore, to some absolutely wonderful expletives – with “thunderc*nt” being my absolute favourite.