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Cover of BLADE OF SECRETS

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BLADE OF SECRETS

Age rating, content warnings & parent guide

Tricia Levenseller

Is BLADE OF SECRETS appropriate for your child? See the reviewed age guidance, content cautions, positive themes, and supporting evidence below.

Explore the age guidance, content cautions, positive qualities, and supporting notes for BLADE OF SECRETS by Tricia Levenseller. This book is recommended for ages 13+; content notes include Violence, Death of a character, Frightening scenes; positive qualities include Courage & resilience, Creativity & curiosity.

Ages 13+Book 1 · Bladesmith DuologySource checked

Why this age? Fantasy battles, threats, imprisonment, assassination-related danger, and emotionally intense peril suit mature middle-grade or teen readers. Romance is present but sexual content is minimal. This is guidance, not a safety guarantee; reading level and family context may differ.

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10-second decision

Is this likely to fit your family?

Age guidanceAges 13+
Strongest cautionsViolence 4/5 · Death of a character 3/5 · Frightening scenes 3/5
Strongest positivesCourage & resilience 4/5 · Creativity & curiosity 4/5
Series positionBook 1 · Bladesmith Duology
Recommendation4/5

Courage & resilience; strongest caution: violence.

This is the quick scan. Open the evidence and methodology below for the basis behind each rating.

Quick context

What parents should know

Fantasy battles, threats, imprisonment, assassination-related danger, and emotionally intense peril suit mature middle-grade or teen readers. Romance is present but sexual content is minimal. This is guidance, not a safety guarantee; reading level and family context may differ. Courage & resilience; strongest caution: violence.

Readiness snapshotAge guidance: 13+Main watch-out: Violence 4/5
Recommendation 4/5

Editorial rating

How this review was built

Dickens & Rumi editorial
Source checkedPublication method
17Scored categories
17Evidence notes
1Explicit 0/5 checks
Nov 7, 2026Last updated

Dickens & Rumi describes what is present; families decide what matters to them. Community reactions are kept separate from official content ratings.

Review depth17 scored categories17 evidence notes
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At a glance

Recommended age13+

Strongest cautions

  • Violence4/5
  • Death of a character3/5
  • Frightening scenes3/5

Strongest positives

  • Courage & resilience4/5
  • Creativity & curiosity4/5
  • Good role models4/5

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What should you do next?

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Similar, with lighter cautions

Want something gentler?

These reviewed titles have overlapping age guidance and a lower total caution score than BLADE OF SECRETS. Open each review for the details.

What’s in it?

Death of a character3/5
Why this rating?

Deaths occur as part of the action, though central characters are generally safe.

Graphic injury2/5
Why this rating?

Occasional descriptions of wounds or injuries during combat, but not graphic.

Strong language2/5
Why this rating?

Occasional mild swearing or language consistent with a teen audience.

LGBTQIA characters3/5
Why this rating?

LGBTQIA representation and a same-gender romantic relationship appear to be meaningful parts of the cast, though not the book’s central focus.

Romance3/5
Why this rating?

There is a developing romantic sub-plot, typical for YA fantasy.

Frightening scenes3/5
Why this rating?

Tense moments of pursuit and danger, but no horror elements.

Sexual content & nudity1/5
Why this rating?

Mild romantic gestures or innuendo, no explicit content.

Alcohol or drugs1/5
Why this rating?

Infrequent depictions of drinking in social settings.

Violence4/5
Why this rating?

Fantasy battles, duels, and combat situations occur as the characters are pursued.

Checked and not flagged

No concern recorded in these categories

These categories were explicitly scored 0/5 in the published review. This is not a guarantee that every edition or reader experience is identical.

Religious themes · 0/5

What’s good in it?

Courage & resilience4/5
Why this rating?

Facing danger despite fear is central, especially as characters take responsibility for a weapon and oppose powerful threats.

Creativity & curiosity4/5
Why this rating?

Magical sword-forging, inventive problem-solving, unusual abilities, and imaginative world-building strongly encourage creative thinking.

Diverse representation2/5
Why this rating?

The cast includes varied identities and perspectives with meaningful agency, including LGBTQIA representation; fantasy-world diversity is more prominent than demographic detail.

Educational value1/5
Why this rating?

Incidental lessons on blacksmithing processes.

Kindness & empathy3/5
Why this rating?

The importance of empathy and supporting family is clear.

Positive messages4/5
Why this rating?

Themes of taking responsibility for one's actions, bravery, and sisterhood.

Good role models4/5
Why this rating?

The protagonists show growth, loyalty, and principled behavior.

Family discussion

Talk about it

Conversation starters based on this title’s published content notes.

  1. What did courage look like in this story? Was being brave always the same as being fearless?
  2. How did the story handle conflict or violence? Did the characters have other choices?
  3. Which choice in BLADE OF SECRETS would you have made differently, and why?
  4. Who changed the most in BLADE OF SECRETS, and what caused that change?
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Community perspective — separate from editorial ratings

What families noticed

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