The Shadow Weaver by Ivy Cliffwater

This romantasy novel features the central character of Caris Ironside, a skilled blacksmith and a woman trained in the arts of war, thanks to the man who took her in as a frightened eleven-year-old, bewildered by the deaths of her adopted parents.

Now grown up, Caris ventures into the world seeking vengeance for her mother’s murder. She finds work with Cillian, and her work alongside him as a blacksmith gives her cover for her quest for revenge.

When a tournament is held, this is her chance to enter the world of knights and couriers and find the killer. She enters disguised as a man, and the tournament ultimately leads to her going to Capita. This is a city ruled by men who fear women with any type of powers, calling these women Cursed, even though some of them are simply healers. Entering Capita is extremely dangerous for Caris, as she is hiding a devastating power that lets her turn things and people to ash.

To add to the complications, Caris doesn’t know that she was born to a queen with extraordinary power and that she has a destiny beyond anything she could have imagined. But along the way, there is bloodshed and heartbreak, and she finds herself drawn to two compelling men. The blacksmith who has shared his business and heart with her, and the brooding captain who saved her life when she was a child and may have to save her life again – or will she be saving his?

With a well-constructed world and compelling central characters, The Shadow Weaver is an entertaining read with a measured balance between romance and action. The first in a duology, I’m very interested to see what happens in the next instalment.

Reviewer: Karen McMillan

Moa Press