I've been reading a lot of romantasy lately and Fate Inked in Blood is up there with the best of them. At the start I thought it was going to be a bit too predictable and just follow the regular romantasy tropes, but I soon became so immersed in the world of Freya and Bjorn that whenever I had to put the book down I found myself still thinking about it. Inspired by Norse mythology, it has lots of my favourite things - drakkars, vikings (tall, hot and tattoed), battles, and most importantly (for me) a fierce FMC. The ending...well being a duology (?) I knew it was not going to end on a happy ever after, but it still broke me. Now to endure the wait for book 2.
I think this one will be a big hit at the start of next year.

A Fantastic Viking-esque Read!

If you loved The Bridge Kingdom, you'll adore this, with Nordic inspired magic gifted through union with gods and a prophecy of a shieldmaiden fated to unite a kingdom.

Freya has hidden her power her entire life, until fate has other ideas and tosses her from an unhappy marriage into a forced union with a jarl determined to be king. Left with no choice but to become the shieldmaiden he demands, she journeys under the protection of Bjorn, the Jarl's son, in a battle to prove herself worthy, protect her undeserving family, and resist her evergrowing attraction to a man with too many secrets.

So, so good.

<I>”They say being given the blood of a good is a gift, but it’s a curse.”</I>

I want to preface this review by saying I ADORE The Bridge Kingdom by DLJ, and romantasy is my jam. I love a book with great world building, political intrigue and a swoon-worthy romance. So when I saw DLJ was doing a Norse inspired fantasy romance I was SO excited to get my hands on it!

Unfortunately… this book didn’t quite deliver for me. I’m not sure if it was the fact it was written in first person which just made the protagonist, Freya, feel incredibly whiney and repetitive and the political and world building side of the story feel very shallow, or if it just felt a bit rushed and clunky.
But either way, this book wasn’t what I was hoping for.
While I am intrigued by the world and the magic system, the whole thing felt a bit rushed, flat and predictable. I really wish that there were more layers to Freya and Bjorn’s relationship, and that I didn’t see where this story was going from the very first page- or heck, even if I knew where it was going I spent the whole time waiting for a twist or turn in the journey, something unexpected or exciting before the guessed at conclusion. But no.
I left this feeling that Freya was stupid, and not the strong warrior women she wants to be, and that Bjorn had a million and one chances to talk and deepen his character but just didn’t…. For future plot and character development? One can hope.

I will continue with the series, but am just feeling a little underwhelmed as I know how fantastic DLJ can be. This could have benefited from a dual POV to get a deeper story, so maybe the next one?


***Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review***

I've been hooked on Danielle's books since The Bridge Kingdom series, and this isn't my favourite; I don't know, I think the plot isn't as solid as Freya, which is sometimes powerful, sometimes unsteady. I struggled with this book, and it took me about a month to finish it. Nonetheless, I enjoyed it and will eagerly await the sequel.

The Norse - inspired mythology was one of my favourite things about this book, add in the fantasy element as well as the magic system and the mystery behind the fmc Freya and the forbidden love between her and Bjorn made this an enjoyable read.

Freya is a tough character and was portrayed so well, sold into marriage by her family and then again to the jarl all because of a prophecy, even though all this was against her, she never stopped caring and still held onto her patience and control which was a refreshing thing to see after all the negligence she has suffered from the men in her family and village.

The plot doesn’t really move along very well and i did find it dragged in some parts it’s not until the middle did things start to pick up and move into a more thrilling adventure and I especially liked how it ended as it makes it exciting for what’s to come.

I will say the world building and descriptive writing was beautiful and held my interest and I found the magic system was perfect and gave just enough information that wasn’t too hard to follow and added to the realistic and relevance to Norse inspired fantasy romance I can see how this can be expanded on in books to come.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Immersing myself in "A Fate Inked in Blood" by Danielle L. Jensen has been an unforgettable adventure. This first entry in a Norse-inspired fantasy romance series captivated me from the start. Jensen crafts a narrative so engaging, it's nearly impossible not to get swept away into the vivid world she paints. Freya's tale, a shield maiden with a divine heritage, is a thrilling dance of fate and power that questions the very essence of destiny and control.

Jensen's portrayal of Freya is robust and compelling. She is a character who resonates with depth, battling to unite a fractured nation while contending with her desires for Bjorn, the fiery son of a king driven by ambition. The dynamics of their relationship unfold with an intensity that is nothing short of epic, the slow burn of their growing affection masterfully paced against the backdrop of political intrigue and the enchanting lore of the Norse gods​​​​.

The world-building in "A Fate Inked in Blood" is a particular strength of Jensen's writing. The Norse-inspired setting is not merely a backdrop but a character in its own right, rich with magic and mystery that wraps around the narrative like a spellbinding mist. The magic system, intertwined with the fate of the characters, adds a layer of complexity to the story, making the world of Skaland come alive with every page turned​​​​.

The emotional landscape of the book is vast and varied. As a reader, I was taken on a rollercoaster of feelings, from the heartbreak of Freya's struggles to the heart-warming moments of triumph and the passionate romance that defies convention. Jensen's prose is evocative, painting scenes that linger in the mind long after the book is closed​​​​.

While the book ends on a cliffhanger that left me craving the next installment, this narrative choice underscores the high stakes and the grand scale of the saga Jensen is crafting. The anticipation for the sequel is a testament to the book's gripping narrative and the investment it demands in the fates of its characters​​.

"A Fate Inked in Blood" promises an enthralling experience, filled with romance, magic, and the power of a well-told epic. I'm already looking forward to delving into more of Jensen's works, including "The Bridge Kingdom" series, and eagerly await the continuation of this mesmerizing saga​​.

I've come to share my impressions on the latest book by Danielle L. Jensen, the author of "The Bridge Kingdom": A Fate Inked in Blood. Well, let me tell you that I loved it, and I'm hooked on this book and its story.

Here, we follow Freya, who discovers a power from the gods and is forced into marriage with a lord to fulfill a prophecy that predicts she would make him a king. She finds herself having to stay with him and fight, and she will meet Bjorn, his son, for whom she won't remain indifferent and must discover what her destiny will be.

❤️ What I loved about it:
• You'll find the same reading sensations as in "The Bridge Kingdom," but in a Nordic environment inspired by the Vikings with magic from the Gods. It's an environment and mythology that I adore.
• The plot unfolds, and tensions slowly build throughout the novel, always leaving you wanting to read more, leading to an impressive ending.
• The relationship between our two main protagonists is really great; their exchanges are filled with tension, and the barbs they exchange only make their chemistry stronger. It's a good slow burn with a successful forced proximity, all for our enjoyment.
• Freya is a strong character, and I can't wait to see how she will fare in the next book. She is altruistic, even though it has sometimes led her to make somewhat foolish choices in ly opinion, but she is courageous and doesn't hesitate to fight for those she loves and her people.

A superb, enchanting, thrilling, heartwarming, and captivating story that grabs your heart and never lets go!

Its release is scheduled for February 2024, and I recommend it to you 200%!

[ARC provided by NetGalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone, Del Rey. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review A Fate Inked in Blood.]

Rating: 3.75/5

A Fate Inked in Blood was my first Danielle L. Jensen book and having seen a lot of hype surrounding her Bridge Kingdom series, I was very excited to start this. I also don’t think I’ve read many books that have been Norse-inspired so it was fun to read a fantasy based on a different setting and mythology where the focus is an unfamiliar variety of deities, beings and heroes. I found the magic system in this book very interesting and the mystery surrounding the main character, Freya, was enough to keep me hooked until the very end. Unfortunately I struggled a little with the pacing as can sometimes be the case with the first instalment in a fantasy series, although I’m sure this won’t be an issue in the next book.

In this story we follow Freya, a woman who possesses a drop of goddess’s blood which brings with it a strange and mysterious power. Having spent her life trying to hide this so that she can protect herself and her family from those who would use her, she spends her days in a loveless marriage to a terrible brute. When her husband betrays her to the region’s jarl, exposing the magic that she possesses, she must fight the jarl’s son to survive as the fearsome leader believes that Freya’s magic as shield maiden will unite the fractured nation under his rule.

I was confident from the first chapter that this would be a book I’d enjoy. It doesn’t take long for the plot to get going as the story is quickly set up following a dramatic introduction where Freya must finally embrace the magic that she has kept hidden. I had difficulty with her character at times as sometimes she would act in a frustrating way, but in books with a historical fantasy theme I try to remember that characters will handle situations differently than people in modern times. For example, although I understand the reason behind it, reading about women whose actions are dictated by men can be a rough time, but Freya proves to be a powerful and formidable woman and as one of the few characters with a fate that isn’t written in stone, I could accept that her difficult situation has room to improve thanks to her ability to weave her own path.

My favourite element of this story is the forbidden romance between Freya and Bjorn who is the son of the jarl who aims to control Freya’s fate. Bjorn is unlike most men in this story and although they get off to a rocky start, he does his best to support and protect her at every turn. Like Freya, Bjorn was also born with a drop of god’s blood and I enjoyed seeing how this kind of gift manifested for different characters. Seeing their relationship grow throughout the book was a lot of fun and following on from the cliff-hanger at the end, I can’t wait to see how they’ll continue to grow in the next book.

My main issue with this story was that it felt like the plot dragged in areas, but I’m not viewing this as a massive negative as that can sometimes be the case when reading a new fantasy series – especially when you’re not as familiar with what has inspired it. I’m still really looking forward to the next book in this series and I’ll definitely be checking out other books from this author. If you enjoy stories filled with meddling gods, lots of mystery and forbidden romance, you should definitely check out A Fate Inked in Blood.

I'm in two minds about the novel because I felt the first half was fairly strong and the second half was weak. I liked Freya in the first half but wanted to shake her in the second half. She was at times stubborn for stubborn's sake and her willingness to be the jarl's pawn baffling even once hostages were not an issue. I really didn't see her motivation for co-operating once she decided she was done with her shitty relatives.

The romance was mediocre and lacked depth. Some of Bjorn and Freya's banter was cringeworthy and I couldn't stop myself from rolling my eyes at times.

The plot was decent but I have a feeling I'll enjoy the second book more given there's likely to be less of Jarl Snorri.

A perfectly fine Norse inspired fantasy but needs more oomph.

This is the first Norse inspired book i've ever read and i'm surprised to say, I enjoyed it. Danielle L. Jensen has a way of writing such in-depth fantasy books that really don't skim the surface. Her characters are engaging, while deeply flawed and faceted.
I struggled at times to understand and empathise with the main character, Freya, as at times she seemed deeply unpredictable and plagued by her over-arching emotions.
Some of her actions irritated me as they seemed evidently the wrong decisions, but I realise now this is what made her such a real (as real as a Nordic shield maiden can be) personality. Freya was stubborn, rash and headstrong, but I also realise this is what made her such a powerful and independent female lead. Despite her unfortunate circumstances, she refuted the idea of being used as a tool and exploited by the men around her. And Jensen continues to make such admirable female leads in her novels.
The plot seemed rather unchanging throughout. I would've appreciated some twists and problems to be revealed throughout the story, as the middle felt very same-y. It was a relief when the ending finally provided myself with some clarity over my impending questions. But I think I would've felt more engagement had these answers been spread evenly throughout the story. Whereas, some of the twists felt like a slap in the face, and had me questioning everyone’s actions.
The romance was enjoyable! It had me entertained, especially with the characters back-and-forth banter. I think my only complaints lie within my own personal preference. Freya and Bjorn's relationship had a lot of insta-love-y undertones, which just isn't my favourite.
Their chemistry seemed to rely solely on their attraction for one another, rather than their own personal qualities. Like, hey, I know you guys are supposedly hot but can we also have a conversation for five minutes, thanks. I've definitely felt more depth with Jensen's previous main characters' romance (ex, The Bridge Kingdom), so I was disappointed to see some of these elements missing throughout this story.
That being said, this was a quick, enjoyable read and definitely left me with much anticipation for the next book.

Another one to add to the favourites shelf! I adore a nordic theme, it's one of my favourite parts of the book! The enemies to lovers romance was done exactly how I wanted it and the ending makes me want to scream for more!

It's also an easy entry for someone looking to get into fantasy for the first time. I will 100% be recommending this.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy!

I am far too emotionally invested in these characters to possibly wait for book 2!
A Fate Inked in Blood exceeded all my expectations and that ending had me sobbing, stressing and screaming for more pages. This tale may be a fantasy romance, but not for

This entire book is filled with tension, wit and all the adventure and trails you'd expect from a tale inspired by norse mythology. It took two chapters for me to pre-order this book, because honestly I can't wait to see where this tale goes in future books.

The banter between the love interests, combined with their humour had me grinning from ear to ear and wishing nothing but joy for them. The mythology elements and magic within the tale was incredible, and had me hooked, From raids to trails to prove our MC's worth to the Gods, I couldn't put this book down. At some points I felt like pinning my eyes open because my need to know what would happen next was on another level.

I’m a big fan of The Bridge Kingdom series, so when I saw this was available to request I got straight to it. And I was not disappointed. This was my first time venturing into a Norse inspired fantasy novel and Danielle did not disappoint.

I was constantly waiting to see what happened next. How would Freya change her unwritten fate? How would she choose to use her power bless by the goddess, Hiln.

I also loved the development between herself and Bjorn. I fell in love with Bjorn. This warrior who loved her so deeply he just wanted to escape with Freya.

AND LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT THE TWIST AT THE ENDING. I was expecting a part of it, but not all of it and it’s made me desperate to read the next book. I cannot wait.

What can I say about this other than I thoroughly enjoyed every second and was obsessed, the world building, the magic system, the politics, the action, drama, betrayal, just everything was fantastic and the end., I am so ready for the next book. I can’t wait to see where this goes next, wonderful

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Freya is married to a foul husband and would like nothing more than to get rid of him. When he betrays her to the local Jarl (lord), everyone finds out that she is the prophesied ‘shield maiden’. The story is based loosely on Norse mythology and she has been blessed by one of the gods st birth. She is forced to marry the Jarl but is very attracted to his son, Bjorn, who also has a different god’s blood in him. Who can she trust? Is she being used by the wrong people? Who is she becoming and how powerful is she? Can she fight her attraction to Bjorn? This is not an original story but I do enjoy these light fantasy novels so I have given it 4 stars. This one is fun as I have come to expect from this author and the end sets up an interesting sequel which I will look forward to reading, Thanks to a Netgalley for an ARC.

"I will be at your back until I cross the threshold to Valhalla, Born-in-Fire, whether you want me there or not."

I'm struggling with reviewing this, because I want to sound intelligent and give my honest, balanced opinions which I did promise in exchange for a chance to review this as an ARC. But I also just want to nod emphatically and say 'yes' repeatedly.

A Fate Inked in Blood follows Freya, a shield maiden blessed by the gods, as she struggles against the fate prophesied for her and the wars of a power-hungry would-be-king who seeks to control her.

I genuinely just fell in love. Freya is furious, raw, and so relatable it hurts. The plot moves quickly, and the magic and world based around the Viking sagas was everything I could have wanted. It was intense and incredibly immersive and I cannot recommend it enough.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the digital ARC!

I loved this so much! I've only read The Bridge Kingdom series previously, but I really enjoyed that one so I had high hopes for this. Its Norse setting made it feel more realistic than the Bridge Kingdom, but the use of the Norse gods and their magic set it firmly in the world of fantasy. I felt like the author had done plenty of research, as it truly felt like I was in the fjords of Norway under the watchful eyes of the gods.

The magic system in this book works differently to how I've ever seen it before. People are given a drop of god blood at conception (which, yes, means the gods get involved), and invoking that gods name grants them the use of a certain aspect of that gods power. So a child of Thor can wield thunder, a child of Skald can sing stories that come to life, etc.

Freya is a child of Hlin, a minor god of protection and apparently part of a prophecy in which she will unite the people of Skaland under whoever controls her fate. As you might expect, this makes her a hot commodity among the fighting jarls.

Freya is the weakest character for me, but I also recognise that she was written that way purposefully. She's a fishwife at the start, with no experience in battle despite her desire to be part of the war band. She has to learn to fight, though things move fast in the book so the reality is that she's still pretty underdeveloped in terms of fighting. Her family are her weakness, and it did feel like she became a bit too focused on one thing which made her a little annoying. I felt like rolling my eyes and pointing out the obvious issues to her, but unreliable narrator and all that.

Bjorn is our other character, the son of the jarl who wants to be king and a child of Tyr, which manifests as a flaming axe. I loved Bjorn, he felt very real and you got exactly what you saw with him. He was brash and outspoken, with a cheeky humour and otherworldly beauty. The banter between Freya and him was perfect, and I love how he never let anything get to him. He was a chill guy who was loyal and protective - not to mention swoonworthy!

Overall, I really loved this! I loved the setting, the writing, the characters, the magic system, the story and how everything came together. The writing was so visceral that I could literally see the fjord's and the Norse towns, the sense of mud and dirt and ice was tangible.

The only downside is that I have to wait so long for the sequel now!

Loved this book.
The Viking mythology and gods magic themes were just dreamy.
Writing just flows so well and the stories is really well paced.
Will pick up anything this author writes.
5 stars.

I have never started a Fantasy book so easily - I couldn't put it down. I usually struggle starting new fantasy books but I dived into this one quite swiftly, falling in love with the story and the characters. Although some of the plot twists were slighlty predictable, I enjoyed the book nonetheless, and loved seeing the characters evolve and making different choices.
I loved the bickering and the smart comments Freya and Bjorn had going on, it definitely was one of the best parts of the story. The tension between these two had me devouring the book. The only thing that I hate is the time left until we get the 2nd one.

*Thank you to Random House UK, Cornerstone, Del Rey and NetGalley for providing me this book in exchange in an honest review*

It was a really well written book and I really loved it. I love Norse Mythology so of course I would have picked it but nevertheless, it was excellent. The world building was really good and I love it. I can't wait for book #2. It's coming, right?