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A review by nadiajohnsonbooks
A Fate Inked in Blood by Danielle L. Jensen
adventurous
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Danielle L. Jensen has done it again. After experiencing the full range of human emotion reading the Bridge Kingdom series, I was eager to see what she would do with a new world and new cast of characters. Add in a touch of Norse mythology, and I'm a goner. Completely obsessed with Freya and Bjorn already.
In this Norse-inspired setting, the gods bestow their favor on certain children before they are born, granting them a drop of their divine blood. Only these god-touched children are free to control their own destiny; for all mere humans, their fates are fixed, woven in the textiles of the Norns.
Freya was one such child, but her parents made her hide her power. When she is forced to reveal it, she is thrown directly into the violent political posturing of the local jarl, Snorri. Years ago, an Odin-touched seer gave a Snorri a prophecy. A child touched by the protector-goddess Hlin would be born, and this shield maiden would have the power to unite Skaland under the one who controls her fate. Snorri takes Freya as his wife in order to assert that control.
Meanwhile, Freya finds herself powerfully drawn to the jarl's handsome son, the Tyr-touched warrior Bjorn, who becomes her protector, even as he seems less than enthusiastic about her barreling toward her destiny.
The banter between these two is sexy, witty, and off-the-charts adorable, hiding their affection under barbs and taunts. He is pure swagger, apparently allergic to shirts, with a reputation as an absolute rake, but his affection for Freya is immediate, obvious, and all-consuming. I adore him.
Freya's implausible "chosen one" strength and ability comes in fits and starts. Her gods-given powers are clearly strong, but her skills as a warrior are rusty and she is otherwise very human.
Be forewarned that this one ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, and I have SO MANY QUESTIONS that I hope to see answered in the next book in the series. That said, I enthusiastically recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Norse mythology, or who would have enjoyed Skyrim more if it had more sexual tension in it.
In this Norse-inspired setting, the gods bestow their favor on certain children before they are born, granting them a drop of their divine blood. Only these god-touched children are free to control their own destiny; for all mere humans, their fates are fixed, woven in the textiles of the Norns.
Freya was one such child, but her parents made her hide her power. When she is forced to reveal it, she is thrown directly into the violent political posturing of the local jarl, Snorri. Years ago, an Odin-touched seer gave a Snorri a prophecy. A child touched by the protector-goddess Hlin would be born, and this shield maiden would have the power to unite Skaland under the one who controls her fate. Snorri takes Freya as his wife in order to assert that control.
Meanwhile, Freya finds herself powerfully drawn to the jarl's handsome son, the Tyr-touched warrior Bjorn, who becomes her protector, even as he seems less than enthusiastic about her barreling toward her destiny.
The banter between these two is sexy, witty, and off-the-charts adorable, hiding their affection under barbs and taunts. He is pure swagger, apparently allergic to shirts, with a reputation as an absolute rake, but his affection for Freya is immediate, obvious, and all-consuming. I adore him.
Freya's implausible "chosen one" strength and ability comes in fits and starts. Her gods-given powers are clearly strong, but her skills as a warrior are rusty and she is otherwise very human.
Be forewarned that this one ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, and I have SO MANY QUESTIONS that I hope to see answered in the next book in the series. That said, I enthusiastically recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Norse mythology, or who would have enjoyed Skyrim more if it had more sexual tension in it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, War, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, and Domestic abuse