Steelborn took me by storm and I ended up really enjoying all these hidden elements! Today I’m sharing five reasons you should pick it up with my favorite niche interests. If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you might know of some of these! Keep reading this blog post about the five reasons you should read Steelborn.
Summary
Never run. Never bow. Never die.
Reya Connery became the Crimson Dagger, the most notorious thief in Rhiterra, by following a strict set of rules. There is no honor among thieves. A good blade is key to any negotiation. Only the dead keep secrets. And Reya has a secret that must be kept at all costs. But when a heist goes wrong on the eve of paying off her debt to a ruthless crime lord, Reya may need a new set of rules. And a lot of coin. Fast.
Enter Caelan Halcyon, an immortal warrior whose magic makes him a valuable target – if the curse inching closer to his heart doesn’t kill him first. There’s just one person who might be desperate enough to try and get their hands on the fabled cure in time to save his life, someone whose legend claims they can steal the Crimson Dagger. A male of honor, Caelan loathes everything the beautiful, cocky thief represents, yet knows that Reya is his last hope for survival.
Their search takes them to the edge of the known world, where Reya discovers that there is far more at stake than her and Caelan’s own lives. Now, Reya must confront deadly foes, her growing attraction to the immortal who is as lethal as his jawline is perfect, and the rage she’s spent a lifetime trying to bury. This time, her daggers aren’t going to cut it, and the fate of all magic-born hangs in the balance.
5 Reasons to Read Steelborn
- We LOVE a scrappy thief. I loved Reya’s character and the ways she’s a thief, but she also has this good heart – which lands her in trouble. I also can never turn down a clever heist and she’s the best of the best.
- BUT even more so, she’s an aspiring blacksmith. I don’t know what it is about blacksmiths, but I feel like they don’t get nearly enough credit in the fantasy world considering they make all the weapons? I can only name a few blacksmiths in books so I love that she’s an aspiring one and that’s her dream!
- More on Reya, I love that she has this unconventional and reluctant hero path forward. She really just wants to escape her debt and the constant fear hanging over her and just open her own blacksmithing. She’s very content to let the world’s problems handle themselves. If you love a reluctant hero then Steelborn is for you. It also feels more realistic to how I might be in a fantasy novel as well.
- There are seafaring adventures which I love! I didn’t expect it from the synopsis, but it’s a hidden gem. As someone afraid of the ocean, I will take any excuse to read about seafaring and ocean adventures and you know I was living vicariously through Steelborn. Although it does convince me further not to go on the ocean.
- And finally, the side characters in this are fabulous! I don’t want to talk too much about the sea adventures and these side characters. But I can talk about Caelan and the secrets he’s hiding. Plus his compatriots give us a great sidekick dynamic which you know I cannot wait to read about more in the future!
Book Links
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/239399514-steelborn
Amazon: https://a.co/d/09y4q2LI
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/steelborn-taylor-j-larue/1147905752
IndieBound: https://bookshop.org/p/books/steelborn-deluxe-limited-edition-taylor-j-larue/2a7ae0390d1fb1bb
About the Author
Taylor J. LaRue writes epic fantasies about heroines who play with steel, people who hate to love each other, and reckless hope.
She spent her early career as a journalist in the Windy City. Now she is realizing her moody aesthetic dreams in the Pacific Northwest, where she lives with her high school sweetheart turned husband, their tiny human tyrant, and one very soggy puppy. When she’s not overindulging in butterscotch lattes and devouring advance reader copies, she’s shopping for houseplants she will inevitably fail to keep alive. Her debut novel STEELBORN will publish in August of 2026.
Author Links:
Website: https://taylorjlarue.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taylorjlarue/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/57977311.Taylor_J_LaRue
Tour Schedule
August 3rd
Utopia State of Mind – Top 5 Reasons to Read Steelborn
What Lara Reads – Review, Favorite Quotes
August 4th
Scarlett Reading – Review, Playlist
Betwixt The Sheets – Promotional Post
August 5th
Nerd Girl Loves Books – Review
August 6th
Ilovebooksandstuffblog – Review
The Book Dutchesses – Promotional Post
August 7th
Avni Reads – Review
August 8th
bibliophilebree – Top 5 Reasons to Read Steelborn
August 9th
Gwendalyn’s Books – Review