Absolutely amazing book from Danielle L Jesen! I was so ready to jump into a new series by Danielle after absolutely adoring the Bridge Kingdom and it was great to read something different from her. The writing felt similar however the story was new and exciting. I loved the Viking feel of the book and the characters were loveable and interesting!

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Rating 3.5 stars

After having loved the bridge kingdom duology (I’ve not read book 2&3), I was really looking forward to this.

I love a mythology fantasy and this book hit that mark with the Norse inspired story. I really liked the writing and for the first 50% I flew through it.

I adored Bjorn so much and what a MMC he was!

I struggled with Freya. I liked her at first but by the second half I was a bit icky with her flip flopping attitude.

I guessed where the storyline was going to go but given the number of fantasies I’ve read, I’m not surprised.

I enjoyed and I’ll definitely read book 2.

📚Book Review📚

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I would like to thank NetGalley for approving me for an ARC of this book. Special thank you to my buddy readers @bex_boys_and_books and @agirlreadsbookss.

⚔️Battles
💞Romance
🛡️Nordic
💫Magic

This was my first Danielle L. Jensen book but it won't be my last! I thoroughly enjoyed this one and can't wait to read the next in the series. Until then I'll work my way through her previous books.

⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

I won't lie, a pretty cover catches my eye, and it was the lovely illustration by Portuguese artist Eleonor Piteira that made me read the blurb then request A Fate Inked in Blood by Danielle L Jensen off NetGalley. As some of you already know, I'm a huge fan of Scandinavian-inspired yarns, and there does rather seem to be a rash of them lately. Depending on how much research an author has bothered to do or if they've just watched one too many episode of Vikings or The Last Kingdom, savvy readers can quickly tell. I suspect Jensen falls firmly in the latter category, however.

I'd cast A Fate Inked in Blood firmly in the romantasy genre, so if 'icky girl stuff' isn't your jam, then this is probably not the novel for you. Me, I'm quite happy with the romance, provided it doesn't derail the plot, and Jensen does strike a fair balance between the two that kept those pages turning.

The plot is pretty standard, compared to many that I've seen. We meet Freya, who's married to a fisherman who's got divine blood. He's kinda a celeb in their village, his magic responsible for bringing in good catches. The catch? He's Not A Very Nice Man. Of course, we meet Bjorn very early on, and he is A Very Nice Man. Too bad that when Freya's husband is out of the picture, she has to get married to someone else who isn't Bjorn, but his daddy. Of course, Freya, who's been pretty disenchanted with her initial lot as fishwife, is not particularly charmed with being treated like chattel when all she's ever wanted to be is a renowned shield maiden. Everyone else seems to know what's best for her, however. And she's in a situation where she can't say no.

But there's more. It seems that Freya's pretty special herself, for she, too, has a drop of divine blood about her – the kind that would make her a rather good shield maiden. Also, she's wrapped up in a prophecy, which makes things even more complicated, because now there's a bunch of ambitious men who are making grabby fingers at her.

Anyhow, it's not this review's purpose to retell the entire book. For what it is, this isn't a bad little story, and if you're looking for a bunch of romantic tension, this book has it by the bucketloads. As a reader, I do wish there'd been a bit more attention to detail in terms of world building. I guess if you've watched Vikings, it's going to be easy for you to visualise stuff – but I did feel the environment was a bit white-roomy and could have used a smidge more fleshing out. The story does get off on a strong start, but it starts dithering a little and then rushes to wrap stuff up before ending on a cliffie. What did work for me was the Freya-Bjorn dynamic – they seem well suited to each other, and as characters, complement each other well. If you're hooked by book one, I expect you're in for quite a wild ride with glorious battles, intrigue, and wild magic, all liberally doused with Norse flavour.

3.5 stars

I’m a major fan of Norse-mythology so when I saw that AFIB was based on it, I was really excited to read. I really enjoyed the Nordic elements of the story and how well it wove into the fantasy of the world. The descriptions brought me into every village and battle, credit to Jensen’s writing for certain scenes.

I will say that I did have an inkling that the plot would unravel in the way it did (a la betrayal by the love interest), but I did like the journey to get there.

The dialogue between characters was engaging and often made me giggle (is every Björn just naturally witty?) which was my main draw for the story in keeping me reading.

Freya was an interesting character. In the beginning, I took a liking to her as she seemed to have a practical way of thinking about things (being privy to her emotions and thoughts really encouraged me to favour the decisions she made), but I was hoping that she would be smarter in the way she manoeuvred, rather than accepting her fate at Snorri’s hands to protect her family. I had it in my head that she would do *more* to protect herself and everyone, but that wasn’t really the case.

All in all, a good read and I would mind picking up the next book.

4.5⭐️

This book is just so readable. I love the whole viking, norse mythology vibe, make it romantasy & I'm on board.

I loved the magic system in the story & that some characters had been blessed with a drop of gods' blood, giving them certain individual powers. This woven through the typical warrior battles added a great element to the story. Freya, our FMC, was fab if a little frustrating at times, going from an axe wielding, badass warrior to questioning her worth, while Bjorn is gorgeous, powerful & he knows it.

If you like warriors, forbidden love, questions, power-hungry men, where you go, I go vibes, then this is for you.

I was kept on my toes, not sure who to trust. This book is full of action & adventure & leaves you with enough questions to be wondering when the next book is out...soon, please.

The way I devoured this book. I loved Freya from the outset and fell hard and fast for Bjorn as soon as soon as she hit him with a fish. Freya is a badass, and it was so fun watching her navigate being a warrior and learning to find her place in this intense world. I loved the politics, the large scale battle scenes, the way gods and magic work, and the weaving of Nordic lore into the wider story.

- Nordic fantasy
- Prophecy
- Gods
- Complex magic
- Battles
- My new book boyfriend
- Characters you want to punch
- Low level spice

A very strong first book in a series, I'm so excited to read more by Danielle Jensen and see where she takes this series. If you love a good romantasy, some witty banter, strong women, and a good battle scene, you need to add this to your TBR.

This was the best book from Jensen I have read yet.

I loved the attention to detail of the mythology and the dynamic and tension between the main characters was absolutely edible.

If you are looking for the next best Romantasy read this is it!

DNF at 64%.

As the story usually goes with my DNFs, A Fate Inked in Blood was a highly anticipated book I was super excited to get an ARC for. I absolutely love Norse mythology but this book did nothing for me. I had to force myself to pick this book up every single time and am surprised I made it through as much as I did.

Admittedly I enjoyed the first couple of chapters, but after Freya is taken by Snorri, everything went downhill crazily fast. Freya was such a boring, useless FMC and she never does anything to help herself. Of the 64% I managed to trudge through, Freya spent most of it making stupid decisions in the name of her family, complaining and crying about her ex-husband that she (rightfully) murdered, or waiting to be rescued by Bjorn (who has zero personality and an annoying habit of calling her Born in Fire). I'm all for a nickname when it comes to my ships, but this one really grated on my last nerve.

Freya's attachment to her family (her apparent motivation for doing anything in this book) made no sense either, as they repeatedly showed they didn't give a damn about her.

The dialogue in this book is downright awful and repetitive, and don't even get me started on the hot mess that was the plot. I felt like I read the same scenes over and over again. I don't even know what the plot was to be honest, and have half a mind to say that anyone who did understand what happened in this book is lying.

From the other negative reviews I've seen of this book, it seems Danielle L Jensen's Bridge Kingdom series is considerably better written, but A Fate Inked in Blood was such a dumpster fire that I don't think I even want to read anything else by her.

Thank you to Del Rey UK for sending me an eARC via Netgalley.

↠ 1 star, DNF at 64%

**INCLUDES SPOILERS**

What an incredible start to The Unfated Saga! Honestly, just woooow!

The plot was well thought-out (although maybe slightly predictable in some places), and the tension between Freya and Bjorn was palpable and exciting. The slow burn and forbidden nature of their relationship made the spice scenes pretty explosive to read. The development of Freya's character from a fishmonger's wife to a badass shieldmaiden was well written and I felt very emotionally connected to the internal struggles she faced on her journey.

You'll fall in love with Freya and Bjorn both in their own right and together, in a way I can see growing akin to Feyre and Rhysand!

The only criticism I could offer is the relationship between Freya and Jarl Bodil could have been cultivated more, as the reaction to her death seemed slightly disproportionate to their interactions. I didn't feel the same loss that Freya portrayed.

What a cliff-hanger to be left on, I cannot WAIT for the next book. 5 stars no question, my favourite read of the year so far!

4.75 stars

I was not expecting this to be as good as it was!! It was so addictive to read, and the last 50 or so pages had me on the edge of my seat! This was the first book I've read from Danielle L. Jensen, but it certainly won't be the last - I really want to read The Bridge Kingdom series now, because this was so incredibly well-written. I felt completely transported to this world. There was also fantastic worldbuilding; as someone who knows next to nothing about Norse mythology (and what I do know, comes from the Thor movies), I was able to understand the gods and the magic system fairly easily and I loved whenever a new type of magic/god popped up. I also felt this had great pacing, with a good balance between action=packed scenes, and slower, more political moments.

Now. The characters. I LOVED Freya, she was fierce and brave and a total badass and I loved seeing her discover who she was, learn more about her past and her powers, and I was rooting for her the whole time. And Bjorn??? Bjorn, what a MAN. Loved him, and the chemistry between Freya and Bjorn was insane, love me a good forbidden romance!

The ending had me squealing, it was intense and while probably not that surprising, I still felt shocked by it! And now I desperately need the next book in the series, because I need to know what happens to these characters!

This is the kind of book that made me wish I could take time off from work just to spend a whole day reading it. I was hooked from the very beginning, and even though it felt quite predictable sometimes, I enjoyed Freya’s story immensely.

I was invested in the romantic plot thanks to the hilarious banter between Freya and Bjorn and the exquisite slow burn. I loved seeing Freya and her strong-willed mind battle with the ideas of fate and loyalty to family, her journey in this first installment was interesting and I was never bored. I will also say that the audiobook was really good and alternating between the ebook and the audiobook was very enjoyable.

I was maybe a bit disappointed that the part played by the different characters in the finale of this book were too predictable and I imagine that most readers can anticipate all this from a fairly early point in the story. Some of Freya’s inner dilemmas were also a little repetitive at times and although I understood them, it sometimes felt a bit stupid.

But this did not manage to take away from my enthusiasm for this book and I’m really excited to see what’s in store for Bjorn and Freya in book two.

Inspired by Norse legend, Jensen's scintillating fantasy romance finds a shield maiden with a drop of goddess' blood fight to unite a kingdom under the one true king.
I am obsessed with this series, I can not wait to read the next instalment, thoroughly original and exhilarating.

Hello, as a Norse girly I am biased because, excuse me, but... a Norse mythology inspired romantasy, how could I not be???

That said, this was GREAT. I enjoyed it start to finish. Freya is an absolute badass and Bjorn and hers chemistry is... dangerous (I need more, ty).

Looking forward to seeing where the series is gonna go, including how many more Norse gods can be namedropped throughout the series. I AM READY.

This includes:
- Warrior lead girlie
- FEMALE RAGE
- Protective (but not overprotective) lead guy/romantic interest
- Forbidden romance
- Stupid power hungry men who really should just lie down as they got nothing our lead girl
- COLD WEATHER
- Godly powers
- There's only one horse
- Very confusing prophecies

4.7⭐

This book was brilliant! Even though I've figured some things out quite early on the devil was in the details and it kept me on my toes all along.
The complexity of the characters, their relation to each others made the book all more entertaining.
The link to the Norse mythology was beautifully crafted and made me crave for more. And this ending! I count the days (or I will once we have a date) until the next book!

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher Del Rey for the digital ARC, it has not affected my honest review.

TW: blood, death, injury, war, sexual content, fire, murder

Freya has spent her entire life hiding her magic and wants nothing more than to enjoy her existence, even if it means being married to a cruel and unkind fisherman and abandoning her dream to be a shield maiden warrior. After meeting a stranger down at the river named Bjorn, Freya finds herself unable to forget about him. Things worsen when her husband betrays her to the jarl; Freya is then forced to fight Bjorn, the son of Jarl Snorri and a carrier of the war god Tyr’s powers. She is revealed to carry a tiny drop of goddess blood that grants her the ability to repel any attack and that her existence has been destined. With her powers under his control through marriage, Snorri believes he can unite the fractured land back together. Bjorn is then forced to swear to protect Freya blindly from their enemies while also training her to survive a series of perilous trials set by the gods. As time passes Freya finds herself having to resist her growing attraction for Bjorn despite being married to her father, especially because if succumbs to her feelings, it will put the entire nation of Skaland at risk.

“A Fate Inked In Blood” is the start of a brand new Norse-inspired series by the author of one of my favourite series “Dark Shores” so I was excited to read this. There were aspects of this book that I really loved, especially the world-building and magical system, but I felt like the romance moved too quickly. I enjoyed Freya’s character and how furious she was at the world while one section set in the tunnels with a group of zombies was really fast paced and tense. However, this book didn't live up to what I was hoping it would, which is disappointing.

PERFECTION!!! I absolutely devoured this book, loved everything about it. Freya gave me real Lagatha vibes and the whole book read like a movie in my head. Completely captivating, loved every second.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for the book! Here I leave my honest review.

The second series from Danielle Jensen that I read and I really liked the Bridge Kingdom series which even made it into my top fantasy book. With this new book, I'm really excited and definitely have high expectations for this book.

This time Jensen brings Norse mythology into her book. If you are familiar with the names Thor, Odin, Loki, well, that is the world in this book. Tells the story of Freya who was forced to marry when she wanted to become a knight like her brother. For 1 year of marriage, she experienced no happiness until finally her husband asked for a divorce from her when the Jarl or leader of their region came. The divorce only harmed Freya, but she didn't know that her husband's intention was actually to "sell" Freya because he knew Freya's true character. At that time there were a few chosen people who had "god" blood in them and Freya had Hlin blood which made her a "shield maiden" which was predicted to help the person who controlled it become King in Skaland.

First of all, I want to discuss the characters. Freya, to be honest, it's really hard for me to like her. Maybe some of her traits make me quite frustrated with all the actions she takes. But, even though Freya isn't as strong as the knight she wants, she has the will and what is certain is that she is very loyal. Her loyalty is extraordinary, but this is actually one of the things that makes me quite annoyed with her. If she really hates someone, she really can't tolerate the trust of people she hates, basically it's just wrong in her eyes. But I like her character, who finally becomes more open and honest with what she wants.

We will also meet Bjorn, another main character. I actually prefer Bjorn. He is firm and knows what he wants. I like his stance, until the end he is always consistent with what he wants. Very strong and always protects Freya. Whatever it is, Bjorn can't let Freya out of his sight. Their relationship is quite difficult, considering Freya's status, ehmmm *major spoiler so I'll stop*. But Bjorn still wants to stay by Freya's side and follow whatever she wants. Big LOVE for him!

The storyline is definitely really exciting because Jensen doesn't waste much time getting straight into the plot. Freya, who is now "caught" has to undergo several tests. It seems that if you have contact with the Gods and Goddesses there will always be tests given and we will follow Freya's journey to fulfill her prophecy. I enjoyed the story of Freya's journey, even though her world is not as solid as Bridge Kingdom, but because it's from mythology, I'm already quite familiar with it and don't really need much explanation about her world.

Jensen definitely has a plot twist in his story and yep I can predict one of the plot twists that will happen, even though I already know but because there are other plot twists that happen it makes this book even more interesting! Of course Freya and Bjorn's relationship is not that easy, reading from the experience of the previous book, I was prepared for the dynamics of Bjorn and Freya's relationship which will definitely be a lot ups and downs, not to mention a crisis of trust, what at first we thought was calm and peaceful has turned into something complicated again.

This book does end on a cliffhanger, so get ready to have to wait again until the second book is published. Curious about what Freya will become and what fate predicts about her becoming and of course what Freya and Bjorn's relationship will be like in the future. I give this book a rating of 4/5!

Wow - what a read! I’ve never read a Viking or Norse mythology book but I loved the TV show Vikings so I was super excited going into this! Norse mythology really grabbed my interest when we traveled to Norway last year 🇳🇴

- Norse mythology
- Viking Romantasy with a splash of spice
- Single POV
- Forbidden romance
- Forced proximity
- Insta lust, slow burn

We follow Freya who is stuck in an unwanted arranged marriage with a horrible guy. She discovers that she’s a shield maiden who has been blessed by the gods to have magical shield powers. She’s then married off to a power hungry jarl who wishes to be king. We get to see Freya come to terms with her powers whilst fighting her attraction to her new husband’s son 🗡️ Aannddd that’s all I can get into without spoilers plot wise 🤐

The world building was fabulous and was easy to follow. The pacing starts off on the faster side and slows down a little as the book goes on but it never felt slow.

If you’re a fan of romantasy or Norse mythology then you’ll love this!

"How is it that the part of you that I hate the most is also the reason I love you?"

Freya is married to an awful man, touched by the gods, and respected by her villagers for providing them with food. She spends her days gutting fish, dreaming of being a great warrior.

But when she meets just such a warrior, one also gifted with a touch of blood from the gods, her own secret is revealed. A local jarl (chief) makes her battle Bjorn, his son. To survive, she calls upon the magic of the goddess Hlin, and fulfills part of a prophecy about the shield maiden, someone who would unite the land under the one who controls her. Now, she's drawn into the jarl's army, but she's also forced to obey him, or her family will pay the price. The problem is, the beautiful and infuriating Bjorn is assigned to protect her.

Now, she must face a series of tests, ones the jarl claims are from the gods themselves, to test her worthiness. But it's not just tests and battles she must survive, there is also her dangerous and growing attraction to Bjorn. If she acts on it, the jarl will almost certainly harm her family, whom she's sworn to protect.

I really enjoyed the exploration of Norse mythology in this book, myths I don't know much about. However, I found Freya to be an incredibly frustrating character. I loved her in battle but her obsession with Bjorn is a bit much at times. I understand insta-like and insta-lust but not insta-love. It feels like she barely knows Bjorn before deciding she's in love with him. She spends way too much time thinking about him (I get it, he's hot) instead of being explored as a strong female main character, which she is.

The twist was a satisfying one and I'd been keen to see where the story goes from here.