'Born in fire'

Freya, shield maiden, is hiding her goddess given gift whilst married to a vile creature.

It all starts with a fish to the face....Freya meets Bjorn, her hubby turns traitor and her gift is revealed....and then it goes off!!!

There was vikings, action, drama, secrets, lies and fabulous morally grey characters! But I must admit Freya got right on my wick in places, she makes some rubbish decisions and just won't listen to the people who care about her the most.

However I was rooting so hard for Freya and Bjorn, their banter was sublime and their chemistry was off the charts! Freya's inner monologue about Bjorn made my heart skip and I wanted to shout KISS HIM on more than one occasion!!!

So.....all that and then that ending. Heart.Gone. Next book please!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free ARC in exchange for a review!

This was one of my most anticipated reads this year, and I'm so happy to say it really held up to my expectations!

Freya is a phenomenal heroine. She fascinated me from the moment we met her, and her evolution from dissatifised fishwife to shield-amiden pawn to her own person was so engrossing. I can't wait to see where she goes in the next book.

Bjorn made a great MMC with appropriate sexiness, mystery, and ride or die for Freya. Their romance is rivaling Lara and Aren for me.

I did predict both the major reveals, but it didn't bother me so much, as it was believeable that Freya wouldn't see them coming, and they weren't overtly obvious, just hinted nicely.

I'm so excited for the next book! I've not read a Viking fantasy book with so much history, knowledge, and creativity built into it! Couple that with a fascinating story, awesome characters, and a fantastical romance, I am so into this!

Four and a half stars, rounded up to five for Goodreads!

I absolutely loved this and devoured it in one sitting! It felt so original after feeling like my recent fantasy reads were all blurring together!

Could not put this down!!! Jensen can do no wrong in my eyes, cant wait for the next installment. The romance may have been a slow burn but the story itself was fast paced.

A Fate Inked in Blood features:
- Norse inspired fantasy romance
- Sassy FMC
- Forbidden love
- Twists and turns




I was provided a free ARC on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review of this book.

*3.75 stars*

This is a Norse-inspired romantasy about Freya, who has been married away to a fishmonger by her family. Her husband betrays her and she is forced to marry another man (the Jarl of Skaland) who believes that Freya is fated to help him become the King. Freya agrees to marry the Jarl after he threathens to kill her family.

Bjorn is the son of the Jarl and is given the task of protecting Freya and throughout the story Freya starts questioning her fate and whether she is on the right path. Freya and Bjorn has chemistry from the get go, but she is married to his father (in name only) so they are doomed from the start. But Bjorn continues to show her kindness, respect and consideration for her feelings (something she has not experienced in her life to date). The Jarls from the other lands quickly find out about Freya and to ensure that the Jarl of Skaland does not become king, they are all out to kill her. Freya finds herself facing various challenges throughout the story, whilst falling in love with Bjorn along the way.

The book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger as Freya realises that she has been betrayed...

The start of the book intrigued me, then it slowed down a bit which is the reason for the drop to 3.75 star rating, but it quickly picked up towards the end. More than enough for me to come back for book 2.

Pick this up if you like:
* Forbidden love
* Feisty FMC
* Gods & Magic
* Norse mythology
* Slow burn
* Forced proximity

Big thank you to Netgalley and Random House UK for sending me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!!! I adore Norse mythology but when you add in the layers of mystery and action that this book has, it's just sublime. One of my favourite reads of 2024 so far!

I absolutely devoured this book! The entire time I was theorising and spiralling in the best ways, predicting what was going to happen next, gasping in shock even when I was right, but especially when I was wrong. This has everything you could possibly want from fantasy romance.

There is an interesting and unique magic system, which is detailed but not overly complicated. Norse themes that you don't need a degree in Viking culture to understand. Deception, hidden powers, secrets revealed, dramatic plot twists. And the romance! Swoony, spicy, filled with the delicious tension of a forbidden romance that cannot be denied. I loved it, I'm obsessed, I'm invested.

Bjorn... the only fault you can take with that man is that his name reminds me of Abba but I will overlook that because he is everything.

I can't wait for more of this series, it just reminded me of how much I love Danielle's writing and how well she balances beautiful descriptions with exciting action and heartfelt emotion.

"When the gods will it, we will strike our blow and vengeance will be ours"

I went into A Fate Inked in Blood with bare minimum knowledge, I knew it was vikings and I knew it was romance that's it and even thought I've got all this authors books I've not actually read any yet so I had no idea if I'd even like the writing style,........................its safe to say I LOVE it!!!!!!!

The storyline starts off strong, I was completely oblivious to the world outside my book, the characters, the storyline, the pace and world building were everything I needed, and don't get me started on the sexual tension between Bjorn and Freya ""chefs kiss 🤌", its a super slow burn that is worth every minute of the build up and the banter between them was so entertaining, It was perfect and kept me turning the pages to see what was to come next, I've got to be honest though at around 45% mark the pace did kind of slacken and became a little sluggish but I'm so glad I kept with it because the storyline exploded and I loved it so so much!

Danielle L Jenson has written a immersive world of norse and magic that will captivate the reader and leave them wanting more, and wow what an ending!!!!...........I had a feeling that's how it would go but I didn't expect to be right 🤣, I need the next book nowwwwwww!!

100% recommend, I cant wait to see what happens next!!

"May the world drown in the tears in the wake of our blades today"

Thank you, NetGalley & Del Rey, for letting me read an ARC of this book as it was brilliant!

The book is set in a world where some mortal children are blessed by the gods and carry a drop of their blood, which means they can call upon these gods and ignite their magic.

Freya possesses the blood of 1 god, which makes her a sheild madien, which means she can repel any magic and she has hidden this from the world for along as she can remember following the instruction of her parents.

Add in a prophecy about a sheild madien to unit all kingdoms, greedy wannabe kings, battles, forbidden, slow burn banting romance and brilliant uncomplicated world building and we have a fantastic start to a new fantasy series.

First of all, I would like to thank NetGalley and Del Rey UK for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A Fate Inked in Blood is Danielle L. Jensen’s new adult fantasy series in which we follow a young woman named Freya as she is forced to reveal to a jarl that she possesses a drop of Hlin’s blood, which makes her the shield maiden prophesied to unite Skaland beneath the one who controls her fate. As she is forcely bound to him, she must train to fight and become the warrior she always dreamt of becoming, as well as to control her magic, protected by the jarl’s son himself, Bjorn.

This book is the first one from Danielle L. Jensen that I read in English, and I am not very familiar with Norse mythology, so I originally thought it would be a fiasco. But guess what? This book is one of my favourite reads of the year so far, and let me explain to you the reasons why.
The plot is made in a particular way in which you dive straight into the story. It is fast-paced, yet you still have enough time to understand what is going on and the identity of the different characters. There are a lot of actions and twists and turns, so there is no real moment where you feel bored. The worldbuilding and magic system are based off of Norse mythology, I don’t really know anything about it but it sounded very coherent, and I have to say that I loved the fact that some humans are considered as “children of the Gods” because they have a drop of their magic. The characters feel very life-like and I loved that: they are warriors, and I feel like Vikings are often depicted as heartless monsters, but they still feel emotions, they behave, they make mistakes, like humans. The end got me gasping at 1AM because I had anticipated one thing but not the other one.
I also loved this book because it is full of tropes that I like: the “chosen one” ; forbidden love ; one bed ; forced proximity ; are the main characters enemies, friends or lovers? ; slow-burn, betrayal…

I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book!

"A Fate Inked in Blood" by Danielle L. Jensen is an enthralling narrative set in a Norse-inspired world, where the destinies of its characters are intertwined with prophecies, political strife, and forbidden romance. At its core is Freya, a shield maiden burdened with a divine heritage and thrust into a perilous journey by the treachery of her husband and the ambitions of a power-hungry Jarl. Despite facing relentless adversity, Freya emerges as a beacon of resilience, her unwavering determination and selflessness making her a compelling protagonist.
Jensen's portrayal of Freya is a testament to her skill in character development, as she deftly navigates the complexities of duty, desire, and destiny. Likewise, the dynamics between Freya and Bjorn, the Jarl's son tasked with protecting her, are imbued with tension and passion, adding depth to their forbidden attraction. Their evolving relationship serves as a poignant anchor amidst the turmoil of political intrigue and magical conflict.
The world-building in "A Fate Inked in Blood" is rich and immersive, drawing readers into a meticulously crafted realm where Norse mythology meets original lore. Jensen's prose is evocative and vivid, capturing the essence of the Viking era with its raw authenticity and palpable atmosphere. While the pacing may feel swift at times, and certain plot twists predictable, these minor shortcomings do not detract from the overall enjoyment of the novel.
In conclusion, "A Fate Inked in Blood" is a captivating blend of fantasy and romance, offering readers a gripping tale of adventure, sacrifice, and forbidden love. Danielle L. Jensen's masterful storytelling and vivid world-building make this novel a compelling read for fans of the genre, leaving them eagerly anticipating the next installment in the Saga of Unfated.

I ate this book up, what a bloody whirlwind. Incredibly fast paced with so much tension and grit, I couldn’t put it down. Freya’s nickname (do you call it that?) is born-in-fire and it’s wickedly accurate because her character is FIRE! Her passion, her determination and strength make for a fierce FMC that you can’t help but love, even when you’re screaming at her to make different choices.

My one tiny gripe is that I easily figured out the big *twist* super early on, so some of the end fell a little flat. That aside, this story was really well written, the characters hit you in the feels (the good, the bad and the ugly) and I loved every second of this adventure. Can’t wait for the next one!

Synopsis:

In her small fishing village we find Freya, trapped in a loveless marriage and dreaming of being the warrior she was trained by her father to be. This dream, however unlikely, soon becomes a reality when her husband’s betrayal leads to a massive revelation Freya has been hiding all her life - in a fight to the death, forced by her region’s jarl, she evokes the protection of a goddess, revealing the drop of divine blood she has that repels attack. She is the heralded shield-maiden, and her unique magic is foretold to unite the fractured nation of Skaland beneath the king who controls her.

Believing that he’s the one destined to rule all of Skaland, the jarl binds Freya with a blood oath and orders his son, the fiery Bjorn, to shadow her every move. She must train, learn to control her magic, face tests set by the gods and fend off multiple enemies from every direction, but her greatest test may be resisting Bjorn and their growing, but forbidden, attraction...

My thoughts:

I was really gripped by this book and honestly didn’t want to put it down. Norse influences, quests, prophecies, forced proximity, forbidden lovers, banter and great pacing…A Fate Inked in Blood has it all, and after that ending I really can’t wait for book two. A massive thank you to Netgalley and Del Rey for the e-ARC.

🩶

🌟 A R C R E V I E W 🌟
🛡️ A Fate Inked in Blood by @danielleljensen 🛡️
📅 HAPPY PUB DAY TODAY! 🎉

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🌟 You may like this book if you’re into:

🗡️ Feisty Stabby FMC
🗡️ Norse Mythology
🗡️ Game of thrones but make it Viking
🗡️ Perfect banter
🗡️ Viking inspired romantasy
🗡️ Slow burn but the pay off is exquisite
🗡️ Prophecies
🗡️ One Horse
🗡️ Forbidden Romance
🗡️ Fast paced storytelling

I first heard about this book from @silvylinings and this did not disappoint at all. The entire time I felt like I was holding at the edge of my seat and if it wasn’t for adulting I would’ve gobbled this up in one go. I loved Freya instantly because of how much of a fighter she is and her very first encounter with Bjorn was just perfect.

This book had just the right amount of everything - world building, romance, banter, twists and turns, pacing, chemistry, writing — basically everything about this book was on point for me. This will definitely not be the last Danielle Jensen that I’ll read - think she’s an autobuy author for me even after just one book.

I love how Bjorn supported Freya no matter how crazy she gets and that after everyone has failed her Bjorn showed her that it is possible to have someone to be in your corner.

I also love the fact that this involved Norse Mythology. I am now open to all viking inspired recs out there. I love game of thrones so the politics in this book was 🤌 as well as all the drama, secrets and mystery circulating around the characters. Of course I have characters in the book that I just loved to hate too!

I cannot count the times that I LOLd because of Freya and Bjorn’s banter — they were just serving sarcasm one after another to each other plus their super witty exchange — I’m obsessed with it! Oh man, Bjorn was just perfect too - not too swoony, not too broody - I could feel their chemistry pop out of the book. This is a slow burn but man was the pay off mind blowing! I feel like this is not gonna be the last time I’m gonna be talking about this book so get ready to be fed up of me. Thanks to @netgalley @delreybooks @randomhouse ! 🌟

continued below ⤵️

One of the painful things however about this book -- is that it's book one, which means... yes, I'm waiting in agony for the second book! So, I will just try and entertain myself with the rest of the COVEN authors. 🩶

This is my honest and voluntary review. This free e-ARC was gifted to me by Netgalley, Random House UK, Cornerstone, Del Rey and Danielle L. Jensen. Thank you so much for giving me the chance to review this beautiful ARC!

#bookreview #afateinkedinblood #danielleljensen #daniellejensen #pubday #netgalley #releaseday #romantasy #fantasy #slowburn #romance #norsemythology #viking #got #sagaoftheunfated #fantasyseries #review #5stars #bestof2024 #books #ilovebooks #ilovetoread #lovetoread #reading #readersofig #igreads

This book was SUCH a good read. I want more!

I'm obsessed with Norse Mythology so the fact this book was based within this, with vikings, battles, gods...I loved it! The magic system is perfect, we got information on it to understand the world and its elements but it was also not too intense or mind numbing. World building was great and very well detailed without feeling like you were overwhelmed.

I do feel like the pacing was a bit slow but it's made up for with a butt ton of sexual tension, SLOW BURN and forced proximity. The romance in this was very satisfying to read! I won't say much in order to avoid spoilers!

“A Fate Inked in Blood" by Danielle L. Jensen.

Diving into Danielle L. Jensen's "A Fate Inked in Blood" has been an absolute joy! Captivated from chapter one, the anticipation for the sequel already consumes me. Jensen's magic is at play once again! Steeped in Norse mythology and meticulous world-building, every moment of this gripping romantasy is pure delight.

Freya, a formidable shield maiden, and Bjorn, an irresistibly compelling character, create immense chemistry to the story. Amid malevolent figures, clan conflicts, love and betrayal, the narrative skillfully keeps readers engrossed and obsessed!

Tropes:
- Delicious Slow burn
- Forbidden romance
- Forced proximity
- Norse Mythology
-Viking Magic
- Love & Betrayal


Highly recommend 👌🏽🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍

Thank you @delreyuk @penguinukbooks @danielleljensen for both my physical and netgalley arc.

3.5⭑

A Fate Inked In Blood is the first book I’ve read by Danielle L Johnson and also the first Nordic inspired fantasy I’ve read which I quite enjoyed.

Freya is a great protagonist to read about. She has always wanted to be a warrior but has had to keep to herself because of the secret that she has goddess blood in her and some incredible powers that go along with that. However she is trapped in a forced loveless marriage with an older man who doesn’t care about her.

I loved the plot and find everything to do with gods/goddesses so intriguing. The plot was also balanced very well with the romance that Freya has with her husband’s son. Their connection was so good and the forbidden aspect created great tension between them.

I did find some of the world building a little bit slow to get into and something happens in this book, that I personally do not enjoy reading in books so this is what dampened my enjoyment during the last third of the book.

With that being said, I still liked this book and I will definitely be picking up book two when it comes out.

Thank you NetGalley and Del Rey UK for sending me an early copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House UK for this eCopy to review

I have been a huge fan of Danielle’s work The bridge kingdom being one of my favourite trilogy’s I read in 2023 so when I seen this was available for request I had to request it and was so pleased to be approved.

A Fate Inked in Blood is a slow burn Viking fantasy. I loved the strong character lead of Freya who has for years kept her magic under wraps I thought it brave for Danielle to branch out in to the Viking world but I do think it needed a little more research into the Viking world.

Apart from that overall I gave this a 4star I did enjoy it and will be picking up a beautiful special edition 😍

Freya is stuck on a loveless marriage in a small village, when her paths cross with a mysterious stranger. Little did she realise how this encounter would change her future, when a fight leads to a long hidden power being exposed

Thrown into a world of Kings, Wars and Prophecies - Freya needs to find her place and with Bjorn as her protector, she just might make it thought. Although his father being the King complicates matters, for everyone involved

Fast paced, action packed and great relationship and family dynamics. Thanks to NetGalley and Del Rey for the review copy of this book. Finishing a book in one sitting is always a good sign. Especially when that sitting keeps you up past bedtime on a Sunday night!

I'm one of those people never having read a Danielle L. Jensen book before. It's not because her books don't speak to me. I'm pretty sure three of her books have been rotting away on the shelves for years already and another one has been pre-ordered. I just never got to reading them. So, when I saw this book being available on Netgalley I didn't hesitate and requested a copy. I was very happy that Del Rey granted me one!

I had already expected that I would need some time to get used to the setting. However, I was used to the setting much quicker than I had hoped and expected. That's mostly because the author does an awesome job explaining what needs to be explained, but never loses herself in endless descriptions and loads of details. I guess that's partly because the setting is far from the most important part of this story.

Because that's the culture and most of all the Gods. Although this book has quite a lot of fantasy elements it never feels like a fantasy novel. And that's because all those elements fit into this world so naturally. The characters are used to them, to them the Gods have been there for as long as they can remember. Magic is a part of their daily life. Monsters are real. And some people are blessed by the Gods with special powers and fates.

Our heroine, Freya, is one of those people and she's an amazing heroine and a total product of her time and ancestors. I have to admit that there were moments I really wondered why she allowed her anger to lead her, why she was so focussed on vengeance and fighting. The finale of the book however answered these questions perfectly. I can't wait to read what's waiting for her and Bjorn in the sequel. It's clear the next phase of their lives will be far from easy. Like nothing has been so far.