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folkofthebook's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
“They say being given the blood of a god is a gift,” I whispered. “But it’s a curse.”
It was not lost on me that I’d once dreamed of greatness, and now, presented with it, it felt like the last thing I wanted.
this was an enjoyable fantasy romance. the nordic setting with viking/norse mythology inspiration was a refreshing change from the typical anglican medieval settings we often see in this genre. there are some commonly used fantasy tropes and admittedly this was a bit predictable for me, but the chemistry between freya and bjorn was sizzling and delicious and made it enjoyable to read. the writing paints a vivid picture as we follow the story, with norse rituals and action-packed scenes.
while i enjoyed bridge kingdom, this was definitely an improvement for me. i'm intrigued enough by the end to continue the series with the next book. i might never look at the lemons the same again tho lolllll
“You’ve never been alone,” Bjorn said, his voice so soft that no one but me would hear over the wind and my weeping. “I will be at your back until I cross the threshold to Valhalla, Born-in-Fire, whether you want me there or not.”
“Your looks aren’t good enough to compensate for your tongue.”
In the faint light, I saw him smirk. “Don’t underestimate my tongue, Freya. Especially in the dark.”
“I don’t want to rule,” he answered. “I want you.”
“You are mine, Born-in-Fire. Even if only the two of us know it.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Murder, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Alcohol, Blood, Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Infidelity, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Vomit
downtown_kb's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
"I’ll let the past burn to ash, Freya, because you are my present, my future, my destiny.”
Freya is just a fishwife with a secret who dreams of being a warrior. When the local jarl comes and forces her to fight his son in battle to save her family she must reveal that she has a drop of the god’s blood. She is long prophesied shield maiden who will make a king of whoever binds themselves to her.
This kicks off pretty brutal and fast paced and I really liked the first half of this story. The Norse myth and magic system was really fascinating to learn about. Loved having a Viking story. This story is a story of war, betrayal and vengeance.
This dragged a bit in the middle but mostly I think because I started to find Freya borderline insufferable? She became less and less likable as the story went on. She is really a bit pompous and her bravado is frustrating because she’s often proven wrong. Jumping to so many conclusions. And while it’s explained, she gets angry about everything and it just comes across sometimes - oftentimes- like a teenager throwing a fit. Furthermore, she is willing to sacrifice herself and her happiness for her very shitty family over and over. Usually this is a DNF thing for me but I was invested enough in the rest of the story to overlook my annoyances with her. This says a lot, trust me, because Freya just was a perfect storm of things that irk me. I enjoyed Bjorn fine, he is flirty, protective and a true friend to Freya. I liked the bodyguard trope and the secret aspect of their relationship. They had some good banter.
Honestly, I’m not that invested in this story. I liked the direction it was going but after the twist and the cliffhanger I don’t think I’ll continue this series. This plot twist is tired and I can guarantee we will just have to deal with the fmc being butt hurt and mean to the mmc the entire 2nd book. No thanks. Definitely not a fan of all that.
Recommend on audio for sure Nina Yndis does a great job especially with pronunciations.
Freya is just a fishwife with a secret who dreams of being a warrior. When the local jarl comes and forces her to fight his son in battle to save her family she must reveal that she has a drop of the god’s blood. She is long prophesied shield maiden who will make a king of whoever binds themselves to her.
This kicks off pretty brutal and fast paced and I really liked the first half of this story. The Norse myth and magic system was really fascinating to learn about. Loved having a Viking story. This story is a story of war, betrayal and vengeance.
This dragged a bit in the middle but mostly I think because I started to find Freya borderline insufferable? She became less and less likable as the story went on. She is really a bit pompous and her bravado is frustrating because she’s often proven wrong. Jumping to so many conclusions. And while it’s explained, she gets angry about everything and it just comes across sometimes - oftentimes- like a teenager throwing a fit. Furthermore, she is willing to sacrifice herself and her happiness for her very shitty family over and over. Usually this is a DNF thing for me but I was invested enough in the rest of the story to overlook my annoyances with her. This says a lot, trust me, because Freya just was a perfect storm of things that irk me. I enjoyed Bjorn fine, he is flirty, protective and a true friend to Freya. I liked the bodyguard trope and the secret aspect of their relationship. They had some good banter.
Honestly, I’m not that invested in this story. I liked the direction it was going but after the twist and the cliffhanger I don’t think I’ll continue this series. This plot twist is tired and I can guarantee we will just have to deal with the fmc being butt hurt and mean to the mmc the entire 2nd book. No thanks. Definitely not a fan of all that.
Recommend on audio for sure Nina Yndis does a great job especially with pronunciations.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Death, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and War
Moderate: Animal death, Blood, Body horror, and Death of parent
Minor: Infidelity
krystlethegreat's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Great story! Love the Viking vibes. Love the distinctive personalities of our main characters; they felt very authentic to each of their situations. Freya is a little wishy-washy and that can be annoying. I'm hoping for a ton of character growth for her as we move on in the series.
My only real complaint lies with the author using "f*ck" and "bullsh*t" in this otherwise high fantasy world. To me, these few instances of modern languange just felt so out of place in this world, and it would pull me out of the story when they were used. (Handful of times.)
My only real complaint lies with the author using "f*ck" and "bullsh*t" in this otherwise high fantasy world. To me, these few instances of modern languange just felt so out of place in this world, and it would pull me out of the story when they were used. (Handful of times.)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Blood, and Death
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Alcohol, Murder, Child death, and Sexual content
Minor: Vomit
blakeandbooks's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Thank you to Del Rey and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I was so excited to get this ARC, and I was finally able to sit down and really read it this week. I was immediately gripped by how much of a powerful FMC Freya is. She cares for others and will do anything for the sake of those she loves. When she grabbed the ax in the beginning of the story??? That was such an insane move and I am rooting for her all the way. I enjoyed getting her POV and slowly learning all of the truth about her and the situation she’s been put in. She is constantly having to see who she can and can’t trust.
This story does slow down a bit in the middle, but it was still enough to keep me interested. I needed to know what happened in the last 50% of the book. It’s based on Norse Mythology which I love, and I feel like there will definitely be more of the gods at work in the next book. All of the battle and fighting scenes were great, and I was stressed several times trying to figure out how Jensen would end the story.
The relationship between her and Bjorn was good. It immediately starts off with fun banter, and they are always bickering even though there is obviously tension and attraction between the two of them. There is forced proximity between the two of them when he is tasked with keeping her safe. As this forces them to befriend one another, they slowly begin to see their love for each other. I felt like I highlighted so much of their conversations, especially towards the end.
It ended on a big cliffhanger, so I am definitely looking forward to seeing where the story goes!
I was so excited to get this ARC, and I was finally able to sit down and really read it this week. I was immediately gripped by how much of a powerful FMC Freya is. She cares for others and will do anything for the sake of those she loves. When she grabbed the ax in the beginning of the story??? That was such an insane move and I am rooting for her all the way. I enjoyed getting her POV and slowly learning all of the truth about her and the situation she’s been put in. She is constantly having to see who she can and can’t trust.
This story does slow down a bit in the middle, but it was still enough to keep me interested. I needed to know what happened in the last 50% of the book. It’s based on Norse Mythology which I love, and I feel like there will definitely be more of the gods at work in the next book. All of the battle and fighting scenes were great, and I was stressed several times trying to figure out how Jensen would end the story.
The relationship between her and Bjorn was good. It immediately starts off with fun banter, and they are always bickering even though there is obviously tension and attraction between the two of them. There is forced proximity between the two of them when he is tasked with keeping her safe. As this forces them to befriend one another, they slowly begin to see their love for each other. I felt like I highlighted so much of their conversations, especially towards the end.
It ended on a big cliffhanger, so I am definitely looking forward to seeing where the story goes!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual content, Violence, and War
ccouey's review
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Sexual content, War, and Murder
Minor: Sexual assault, Death of parent, and Self harm
sarrie's review against another edition
emotional
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
TL;DR: If you enjoy Romantasy you’ll probably enjoy this, if you want nuance or depth maybe go elsewhere.
A Fate Inked in Blood is the newest Romantasy release from Danielle L Jenson, whose Bridge Kingdom is one of the most recommended in the genre. This one is Norse in inspiration about a young woman with the power to make a King after a spoken prophecy.
I can see this doing fantastic - I really can. This is going to be a hit for a lot of readers, especially of Romantasy. Unfortunately for me this was just okay? I found the writing easy, bingable, and quick. And there were moments that I really enjoyed! However I had a huge issue with the characters and what I felt like was very lazy writing in the characterization.
For the most part these characters filled roles, 2 dimensions at most. Our main character is treated as and used as a tool which led to my biggest issue in this. The only characters that weren’t outright sexist for most, if not all of the book, were… well all of them. Even our main love interest in this cracks sexist jokes constantly. Our primary ‘villain’ of the piece is interesting until he starts talking to or about our main character then he looses everything and it’s just sexism and neglect. Most the women in this were cold, or outright bad to our main character, an annoying trope in a lot of romance. All of this could be used well, but it felt like it wasn’t nuanced in any way or had a purpose besides riling up the reader.
As I stated, I enjoyed parts of this, but lack of depth and nuance to these characters just left me annoyed. As an aside, I also felt like the amount of work done to actual capture anything besides the ‘vibe’ of a Norse series was lacking as well. If you’re going in for the ‘fantasy’ or actual character depth, perhaps this is a skip. But if you want just a fast and emotional read, this could be a winner.
3 out of 5 flaming axes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Murder, Violence, Sexism, and Death
Moderate: Sexual content
bookrecsbyjess's review against another edition
While I was enjoying this story, the content is just way too graphic. Not only was there too much spice, but the way people and animals were treated was too much for me.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Animal cruelty, Blood, Vomit, Murder, Sexism, and Animal death
koistyfishy's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
5 Born-in-Fire Stars ⭐
Spicy Level: 🌶️🌶️/5
I’ve had this book approved for a very long time, and I just kind of kept brushing it off. BUT LIKE WHY DID I WAIT SO LONG? I seriously wish that I could go back in time and kick some flipping sense into my past self because had I known this would be such an amazing masterpiece that I was just IGNORING, I would have jumped on it sooner!!!
It has been a really long time since I have read anything by Danielle L. Jensen, like November 2022 long, so I basically forgot how much I absolutely love and adore her writing and stories. This is a single-POV that follows Freya, a God-blessed Shield-Maiden in hiding with dreams of being in a Warband. However, she is stuck in a loveless marriage as a fisherman's wife. One day her husband betrays her to her Jarl, who has been spending the last 20 years looking for Freya, believing in a prophecy that says "he who controls her fate shall unite the nation and rule the land". The Jarl forces Freya to do his bidding and orders his son Bjorn to protect and train her. Soon Freya finds herself thrust into the warrior life she has always pined for, but the biggest battle she has to fight is the forbidden attraction between herself and Bjorn.
Freya just doesn’t catch a break. From very early on she is constantly faced with near-death experiences, pain, suffering, and the terrible reality that everyone wants to possess, use her, or kill her. She was a literal rope in a tug-of-war for power, and I am surprised she didn't snap given the weight of the world basically rests on her shoulders. This reinforces how strong her characterization felt as she never gave up, no matter how bad it got. She was tenacious, brave, unselfish and incredibly self-sacrificing to protect her family (even when they treated her like crap).
I also appreciated that Freya felt and acted so mature for her age (and didn't feel like she was only 20 - being in my thirties I like it when I can connect to characters). Her hard life and upbringing in the times of Vikings have shaped and moulded her into a person who can withstand hardships and that made her incredibly admirable. It was interesting to see how the girl with the dream of being in a Warband is faced with the harsh reality that everything she hoped for and dreamt about is skewed and wrong.
I just knew from the very moment that Bjorn was introduced that I was going to love him. He is cocky, mysterious, quick-witted, charming and a total flirt. But is so loyal and protective of Freya that it was just adorable watching the two of them interact. I loved how numerous perceptions Freya had of him were constantly disproven, and I swooned and giggled at the constant witty banter between the two. The chemistry and tension between them were off the charts and just SO. WELL. WRITTEN!!!!
The writing in this is stunning but gritty and raw! It’s captivating but harsh at the same time and feels like the time of the Vikings. If you love anything Norse Mythology, then you are going to love this! I felt like I was there! I could feel the world, feel how the Gods wove themselves into this story, and I could taste and feel the environment. The way that the world-building pulled on the traditional Mythology but wove in an intricate magic system and lore in this is spectacular; I swear I felt the air tingle as I was taken on the journey with Freya. I also appreciated that I didn't need to know much about the Mythology to grasp an understanding of the story. Sometimes when reading a book based on Mythology, a background in the Mythology is needed before jumping in. But not this time as not once did I feel lost, confused or overwhelmed by the lore.
There are two things I believe could have been done better. The first is the timeline pacing. The timeline from when she is taken from her village to the climax of the book happens VERY QUICKLY (Like mental maths - about 2 weeks max). As mentioned earlier, it felt like Freya never actually catches a break and the moment things seem to be calming down things SPIKE UP. Given this, the relationship development between Bjorn and Freya could be seen VERY Instalovie, and she went from not being an "official" warrior to being a warrior...in only a few days. If, like me, you imagine that it's a few weeks, then the story seems a little more believable (especially given the amount of travelling that happens in this story)
The second is the predictability of the plot twists. I was able to see the major shocks pretty early from the start and predict the outcome of a few things VERY EARLY on. This isn't an issue as the way the story progressed and these were revealed was done well.
All in all, I am not going to let my issues detract from the fact that I adored this! This is an exciting start to the Saga of the Unfated, and I am almost annoyed after THAT ENDING that we have to wait so long now for the next book because I NEED MY HANDS ON IT NOW!
Your Trope Summary:
▶ Norse Mythology/Viking Inspired
▶ Forbidden Romance (Fathers "Wife")
▶ One Horse
▶ Touch Her/Him You Die
▶ Bodyguard/Charge Vibes
▶ Forced Proximity
▶ Slow Burn but INSTANT TENSION
So do yourself a favour and read this- don't be stupid like me and wait. DO. NOT. SIT. ON. THIS. BOOK! RUN! Don't walk....SPRINT EVEN and pick it up because it's so so so so so so good!
Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for my gifted ARC copy.
Spicy Level: 🌶️🌶️/5
I’ve had this book approved for a very long time, and I just kind of kept brushing it off. BUT LIKE WHY DID I WAIT SO LONG? I seriously wish that I could go back in time and kick some flipping sense into my past self because had I known this would be such an amazing masterpiece that I was just IGNORING, I would have jumped on it sooner!!!
It has been a really long time since I have read anything by Danielle L. Jensen, like November 2022 long, so I basically forgot how much I absolutely love and adore her writing and stories. This is a single-POV that follows Freya, a God-blessed Shield-Maiden in hiding with dreams of being in a Warband. However, she is stuck in a loveless marriage as a fisherman's wife. One day her husband betrays her to her Jarl, who has been spending the last 20 years looking for Freya, believing in a prophecy that says "he who controls her fate shall unite the nation and rule the land". The Jarl forces Freya to do his bidding and orders his son Bjorn to protect and train her. Soon Freya finds herself thrust into the warrior life she has always pined for, but the biggest battle she has to fight is the forbidden attraction between herself and Bjorn.
Freya just doesn’t catch a break. From very early on she is constantly faced with near-death experiences, pain, suffering, and the terrible reality that everyone wants to possess, use her, or kill her. She was a literal rope in a tug-of-war for power, and I am surprised she didn't snap given the weight of the world basically rests on her shoulders. This reinforces how strong her characterization felt as she never gave up, no matter how bad it got. She was tenacious, brave, unselfish and incredibly self-sacrificing to protect her family (even when they treated her like crap).
I also appreciated that Freya felt and acted so mature for her age (and didn't feel like she was only 20 - being in my thirties I like it when I can connect to characters). Her hard life and upbringing in the times of Vikings have shaped and moulded her into a person who can withstand hardships and that made her incredibly admirable. It was interesting to see how the girl with the dream of being in a Warband is faced with the harsh reality that everything she hoped for and dreamt about is skewed and wrong.
I just knew from the very moment that Bjorn was introduced that I was going to love him. He is cocky, mysterious, quick-witted, charming and a total flirt. But is so loyal and protective of Freya that it was just adorable watching the two of them interact. I loved how numerous perceptions Freya had of him were constantly disproven, and I swooned and giggled at the constant witty banter between the two. The chemistry and tension between them were off the charts and just SO. WELL. WRITTEN!!!!
The writing in this is stunning but gritty and raw! It’s captivating but harsh at the same time and feels like the time of the Vikings. If you love anything Norse Mythology, then you are going to love this! I felt like I was there! I could feel the world, feel how the Gods wove themselves into this story, and I could taste and feel the environment. The way that the world-building pulled on the traditional Mythology but wove in an intricate magic system and lore in this is spectacular; I swear I felt the air tingle as I was taken on the journey with Freya. I also appreciated that I didn't need to know much about the Mythology to grasp an understanding of the story. Sometimes when reading a book based on Mythology, a background in the Mythology is needed before jumping in. But not this time as not once did I feel lost, confused or overwhelmed by the lore.
There are two things I believe could have been done better. The first is the timeline pacing. The timeline from when she is taken from her village to the climax of the book happens VERY QUICKLY (Like mental maths - about 2 weeks max). As mentioned earlier, it felt like Freya never actually catches a break and the moment things seem to be calming down things SPIKE UP. Given this, the relationship development between Bjorn and Freya could be seen VERY Instalovie, and she went from not being an "official" warrior to being a warrior...in only a few days. If, like me, you imagine that it's a few weeks, then the story seems a little more believable (especially given the amount of travelling that happens in this story)
The second is the predictability of the plot twists. I was able to see the major shocks pretty early from the start and predict the outcome of a few things VERY EARLY on. This isn't an issue as the way the story progressed and these were revealed was done well.
All in all, I am not going to let my issues detract from the fact that I adored this! This is an exciting start to the Saga of the Unfated, and I am almost annoyed after THAT ENDING that we have to wait so long now for the next book because I NEED MY HANDS ON IT NOW!
Your Trope Summary:
▶ Norse Mythology/Viking Inspired
▶ Forbidden Romance (Fathers "Wife")
▶ One Horse
▶ Touch Her/Him You Die
▶ Bodyguard/Charge Vibes
▶ Forced Proximity
▶ Slow Burn but INSTANT TENSION
So do yourself a favour and read this- don't be stupid like me and wait. DO. NOT. SIT. ON. THIS. BOOK! RUN! Don't walk....SPRINT EVEN and pick it up because it's so so so so so so good!
Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for my gifted ARC copy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Kidnapping, Murder, Death, Gaslighting, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, War, Violence, Emotional abuse, Grief, Sexual content, Blood, and Vomit
Minor: Rape
thecanadianbookworm's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Thank you so much to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book early.
Right off the bat: wow. I was so taken in by this world and these characters. Such a strong start, and the momentum keeps up!
Freya has spent her life longing for the glory of battle, while being forced to hide her God given magic. But, of course, nothing can stay hidden forever.
After her magic is forcefully revealed, she is whisked away from her small fishing village to join the side of Snorri, the Jarl who believes he is to control Freya's fate.
Children with God's blood are believed to create their own fate, free of the threads that bind mortals. But Freya finds herself bound by a Seer's visions of her rise to glory, and her own desperation to save her family from the Jarl's wrath.
Honestly, I thought I knew where this book was headed.. and many times I was wrong. Which is truly the best part!
I have also come to *love* Jensen's ability to write a slow burn. *THE TENSION* 👌👌
I cannot wait to see where this series goes!
Right off the bat: wow. I was so taken in by this world and these characters. Such a strong start, and the momentum keeps up!
Freya has spent her life longing for the glory of battle, while being forced to hide her God given magic. But, of course, nothing can stay hidden forever.
After her magic is forcefully revealed, she is whisked away from her small fishing village to join the side of Snorri, the Jarl who believes he is to control Freya's fate.
Children with God's blood are believed to create their own fate, free of the threads that bind mortals. But Freya finds herself bound by a Seer's visions of her rise to glory, and her own desperation to save her family from the Jarl's wrath.
Honestly, I thought I knew where this book was headed.. and many times I was wrong. Which is truly the best part!
I have also come to *love* Jensen's ability to write a slow burn. *THE TENSION* 👌👌
I cannot wait to see where this series goes!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Violence, Murder, War, Gore, Death of parent, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Grief, Slavery, Emotional abuse, Animal death, Animal cruelty, and Misogyny
Minor: Vomit and Kidnapping
knacksandnovels's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Fire/Fire injury, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Death, War, Sexism, Murder, and Gore