Scan barcode
sheebsbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Gaslighting, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Emotional abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder
rossi29's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.25
If you're an audiobook listener I highly recommend this one. It was super fun to hear the narrator's accent; she did a fantastic job. Also if you have a Spotify membership it's included and is 15 hours and some change so just skip the credits and speed up a chapter or two and you should be able to listen to it with your monthly credits :)
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Death, Death of parent, War, and Injury/Injury detail
annick's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Sadly I got a dud binding in the first edition/print of the uk hardback which made it different to keep pages open without damaging the spine.
I loved the opening. Strong momentum, banter and intrigue.
By the middle I was flagging. By the last quarter I was bored and skimming.
I loved how excited lots of reviewers have been for this. But I struggled to care. Snorri needed more nuance. Freya needs to be more mature about how people withdrawing secrets is not the same as being “lied to”. The twists weren’t surprising.
I will read book two in 2025.
Graphic: War and Violence
Moderate: Sexual content, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
glund_01's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Blood, Sexual content, Death, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Gore
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, and Vomit
kaneebli's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Violence, Gore, Misogyny, War, Blood, Gaslighting, Sexism, Sexual content, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Fire/Fire injury, and Animal cruelty
Moderate: Grief, Vomit, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Drug use and Pregnancy
picaresquedreamer's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Emotional abuse, War, Misogyny, Grief, Animal death, and Death of parent
Minor: Slavery, Kidnapping, and Domestic abuse
pm_me_book_recs's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Death of parent, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Alcohol, Violence, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, and War
readingwithgoose's review against another edition
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Death, Sexual content, Blood, War, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Vomit
gpfot's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Cursing, Bullying, Death, Alcohol, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, War, Gore, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, Sexual content, Classism, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Grief, Vomit, Blood, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder
lovelymisanthrope's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Freya has always dreamed of being more and fighting in battle. When her husband betrays her, she is forced to reveal to everyone that she is a shield maiden and has been blessed by the gods with incredible gifts. In order to keep Freya safe, Bjorn is tied to her via blood oath, because Bjorn is a fierce and ruthless warrior, and Freya's new husband's son. Now Freya is torn about who to protect, and trying to fight the desires she has on her own.
This is a smutty adult fantasy, so if you enjoy high stakes, high action, and sultry scenes, this might be the next fantasy for you.
Freya was an admirable character, and she seemed to have noble reasons for the decisions she makes, but I did not love her. Freya is so caught up in this idea that she has to protect her family and make decisions that are good for them, that she completely loses herself and what she wants as a person. Additionally, the people she is trying so desperately to protect clearly do not care about her in the same way, and it is infuriating to watch Freya bend over backwards for these people when they can barely bat an eyelash for her. Overall, she felt like a weak protagonist to me, but I hope that she has some personal growth throughout the series.
The magic system felt very approachable. I was able to follow along easily, and everything made sense. However, it was complex enough to keep my attention. This is definitely a difficult line to ride, especially with an introduction to a new fantasy series. Freya's magic was fascinating, and I really enjoyed the mystery around why she was blessed (or cursed) by the gods.
Freya and Bjorn seem pretty good together. It is difficult to determine in this book what everyone's true intentions are, but I am rooting for the pair to be together. I love how Bjorn is forcing Freya to see she is worth more than she is giving herself credit for.
I was pretty irate by the ending of this book, which, in this context, is probably a sign of quality writing. The book ends with a lot of unresolved issues, and what I believe is a major misunderstanding. It made me curious to pick up the next book, but I was also really upset by the outcome.
I will likely pick up the next book out of curiosity.
Graphic: Death, War, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Murder, Torture, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Kidnapping and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Pregnancy