“You don't attack the strong when you're weak, Freya. You bide your time.”

Freya is a in loveless marriage with a blessed-by-the-gods husband who only abuses his gifts. When Freya is betrayed for the sought-after gift she holds, she walks the line between being the warrior she dreamed of becoming or just a weapon for another power-hungry male.

There was a lot to love about A Fate Inked in Blood. Danielle L. Jensen can write a cracking female main character and I love how she explores power and rage with Freya. Female anger is not something that is always done well but when it is, it can capture a disarming and relatable host of emotions in the reader. I felt that way about ‘Girl, Goddess, Queen and I think Freya embodies a similar vein. Except in this Norse mythology Viking tale, Freya is at the epicentre of kings and war and wants to find her place in it. All the characters are a real stand-out in this tale, complex and flawed men and women, from Freya’s family to the king's son, Bjorn, who has vowed to protect her but must fight their forbidden growing attraction.

The pace was a bit slow at first, and although it sped up, it did seem to be a bit all over the place. I think partially because there was a lot of set-up for book two and the emphasis on character development (which I did enjoy!) meant there were little bubbles of character-building scenes. However, I liked the world-building, and I could see it all come to life as I read.

Despite the blurb, I didn’t expect there to be such an emphasis on betrayal throughout the book. It’s not my favourite theme and one I struggled with in Jensen’s other series. It was potentially the one aspect that really read similarly to ‘The Bridge Kingdom’ for me. I can appreciate Jensen’s exploration of it and how well it links into an analysis of morality but at my heart, I’m a found family lover. I mention this because I think it played a part in it not being rated even higher and I’m unsure whether I will continue the series but I think it’s a theme others might love!

This was so good! It was very easy to read and went at a rapid pace. There's a lot going on, but it doesn't feel sped through in a negative way, just action packed. I liked the romance, as well as the complex relationships between other characters, family loyalties and friendships and how reciprocal they were.
I found it easy to get my head around who everyone was and how they related to one another, including the tribes etc. I sometimes find with Norse/Greek gods type books that you need a fairly good understanding of all the gods before you start and the way they interlink can be quite complicated. I know next to nothing about Norse gods and it didn't matter, everything was explained and clear.
I will say, a couple of the 'twists'/'secrets' were very obvious right from the first mention of them, one to the point where I can't imagine that there wasn't even one person that would have thought 'hmm, that phrasing is a little odd, wonder if there's more to it?', but it was still a good time regardless. Can't wait to see how that particular thing develops! I'm now wondering how long I have to wait until the sequel?! I also like how we were left at the end of this one. It's a major place we're left, but not a really dramatic cliffhanger, like mid-fight or something, so it's not a really tense, painful place to have to wait from.
Fun book and a great time, would recommend!

I've been a fan of Danielle L. Jensen for years now, and I have to admit that A Fate Inked in Blood is my favorite of her books to date! Freya is a killer protagonist (pun intended?) with a unique magic that I haven't seen in many fantasy novels. This Viking tale sees Freya become the fabled shield maden, struggling to find out who she is and who she can be when no longer anyone's thumb.

Also, this book has crafted perhaps my favorite introduction to a love interest ever. I'll let you read it and be the judge! But I was in hysterics.

Jensen's continues her tradition of creating stories filled with intense detail and worldbuilding, making it clear that she truly put in the work to explore the cultures and themes she was writing about. I cannot recommend this book enough, and I'm excited for the sequel!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this ARC!

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

This was such a good slow burn viking fantasy that had me hooked the entire way through. It's beautifully written with the most lovable and hate worthy characters who are all either trying to rewrite their destiny or achieve it.
I knew this book was going to be a good one with the perfect balance of world building, romance and plot when i read this line;
“It is hard to keep one’s wits when faced with a woman as beautiful as the sight of shore to a man who has been lost at sea.”
I mean come. On.

We follow Freya as she learns to come to grips with the magic coursing through her veins, realises that maybe everyone she knows doesn't have her best interests at heart, and slowly starts to fall in love with the enemies son.
Honestly, this book is an absolute roller-coaster of emotions and plot, with something happening on every other page to keep you engaged and wondering where the story is going to end, and boy was that a FREAKING CLIFFHANGER!!! I MEAN HOW COULD YOU DO THAT TO US????

This was my first time reading a book by this author, but it didn't disappoint at all. It was a lot more to take in world building wise than i am used to, so i did struggle a bit with feeling like my head was going to explode, but in the best way possible. The magic system was amazing, and i love that not only have we got really interesting characters throughout, but that the viking gods are actually real, not just part of their culture, and that they choose to bless some children with their power. Makes for some really interesting power dynamics and fight scenes.

I cannot wait to find out what happens in book two, because again, that freaking ending!! It was such a good cliffhanger to be left on, leaves so many things open for what might happen, and honestly, i just NEED to know if Bjorn and Freya are able to get over what happened and end up together again... mostly because Bjorn was such a freaking sweetheart and i think he really did have only the best in mind for her. Shame he went about it in the wrong way...

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

A Fate Inked in Blood is a slow burn Viking fantasy. I loved the strong character lead of Freya as her magic which she has kept secret for years becomes known. She is the shield bearer with magic from Hlin, a seer has foretold that whoever commands her will be king of all Skaland.

Freya undergoes many tests of the Gods and tries to fight her attraction to Bjorn who is the son of her husband Snorri. It is amazing what she will do to protect her family and villagers.

A great story with some super twists at the end, I cannot wait to read the sequel

“It is hard to keep one’s wits when faced with a woman as beautiful as the sight of shore to a man who has been lost at sea.”

AAAAAAH, my very first Danielle L. Jensen book!!! I've been wanting to give her books a try for the longest time, very happy I started with this one.

First off, the vibes were very similar to John Gwynne's Bloodsworn Saga, so if you liked that there's a high chance you'll love this too. Only, this has a lot more romance than that series. Though I wouldn't say it was the main focus of the story, even if it was a bit part of the plot.

Mainly we follow Freya's journey from a fishmonger's wife to a skilled warrior and shield maiden of legend. What I love most about her is her rage, need for revenge and how stubborn she is. I'd gladly watch her burn the whole world down again and again.

She's also very protective of her family (even when they don't deserve it), and constantly sacrifices herself for their wellbeing. My girl can't catch a break. There's not a single thing she wants that she can get without cost.

Bjorn is one of those things, someone who seemingly doesn't want to use her, listens to her, protects her...but Freya is married to his father (not the fishmonger, yet another unwanted marriage/sacrifice on her part).

I'm actually surprised at how long it took the two of them to really get together. In that regard it's kind of a slow burn, but there are scenes here and there where they tease each other, or you think something more is gonna happen (a few times it did).

I really liked their romance for the most part, though Bjorn could annoy me when he annoyed Freya too. Just let her get her revenge!! Is it really that hard? Gosh.

I will say that he had some good lines, as evident by the one at the top of my review. That one is probably my fave.

The plot was easy to follow, and the mythology brought it all together nicely. I love the concept of humans having a drop of a god's blood and then having abilities to match the god that blessed them.

I think I guessed pretty much all the twists early on so the clues were good, and honestly I enjoy being right so it was great to go "aha I KNEW IT" so many times at the end.

The ending is the most chaotic part of the book, but in a good way. Because you get all the reveals, some betrayals, Freya goes a little bonkers, what's not to love. I'm super curious about what's going to happen next, I can't predict it yet. I sure do have some ideas though.

*Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

Ero molto curiosa di leggere altro della Jensen, dopo aver letto The Bridge Kingdom, e sopratutto leggerla in lingua originale.
La lettura è stata davvero molto scorrevole e di facile lettura, e ho ritrovato in molti elementi di questo libro, lo stesso stile utilizzato in Bridge Kingdom, anche se l'ho trovato leggermente più maturo.
Ci son comunque anche delle piccole pecche, che probabilmente chi è affascinato dalla mitologia nordica e dai vichinghi avrà notato. Molte scene e ambientazioni del libro, mi sono sembrate copiate totalmente dalla serie tv Vikings o dal videogioco Skyrim. Ha sicuramente tratto ispirazione da questa serie e dalla mitologia nordica in generale, e quindi non gliene faccio colpa, sopratutto perchè il risultato è stato davvero buono.
Mi è piaciuta la storia, anche se avevo intravisto i colpi di scena a chilometri di distanza, sopratutto quello finale. Stava andando davvero tutto troppo bene in quegli ultimi capitoli! Era assolutamente troppo strano!
Ho apprezzato molto Bjorn, ma la protagonista Freya ha davvero troppe falle nella costruzione del suo personaggio. Le sono state davvero mille occasioni per tirarsi fuori dalla situazione problematica in cui era, e si è intestardita a rimane. Tutte le sofferenze che le son capitate, se le merita davvero tutte...quanto l'avrei voluta prendere a schiaffi dalla mattina alla sera!

Devo dire che la costruzione della trama è buona, si ottengono nuove informazioni poco alla volta, ma i personaggi secondari ti fanno veramente odiare la loro esistenza e presenza all'interno della storia. Ed è uno degli errori di cui soffro maggiormente. Di solito mi affeziono molto ai personaggi secondari, ma qui nessuno è riuscito a conquistarmi.
Sono curiosa di capire dove andrà a parare l'autrice con il prossimo libro, e spero seriamente la protagonista non tenga il muso a lungo, perchè decisamente non ne ha motivo, dopo tutte le stupidaggini che ha combinato lei!

Grazie Netgalley per avermi permesso di leggerlo in anteprima! Non vedo l'ora di avere la mia copia cartacea!

---------------------------

I was very curious to read more by this author, after reading The Bridge Kingdom, and above all to read it in the original language.
The reading was really very smooth and easy to read, and I found in many elements of this book the same style used in Bridge Kingdom, even slightly more mature.
However, there are also some small flaws, which those fascinated by Nordic mythology and the Vikings will probably have noticed. Many scenes and settings in the book seemed to me to be totally copied from the Vikings TV series or the Skyrim video game. He definitely drew inspiration from these series and from Norse mythology in general, and so I don't blame her, especially because the result was really good.
I liked the story, even though I had glimpsed the twists and turns from miles away, especially the final one. It was all going too well in those last few chapters! It was absolutely too weird!
I really appreciated Bjorn, but the protagonist Freya really has too many flaws in the construction of her character. There were truly a thousand opportunities for her to get out of the problematic situation she was in, but no... she was determined to stay! All the suffering that has happened to her, she really deserves it all... how I would have liked to slap her from morning till night!

I have to say that the plot construction is good, you get new information little by little, but the secondary characters really make you hate their existence and presence within the story. And it's one of the mistakes I suffered from the most. I usually get very fond of secondary characters, but here none managed to win me over.
I'm curious to understand where the author is going with the next book, and I seriously hope the protagonist doesn't sulk for long, because she definitely has no reason to, after all the stupid things she's done!

Thanks Netgalley for letting me preview it! I can't wait to get my paper copy!

I have been looking forward to reading this one for so long! I loved the bridge Kingdom series and knew a Norse story from Danielle would be that extra bit of deliciousness!!

And from literally the first few chapters I was greedily obsessed with Freya and Bjorn. An unhealthy amount of obsessed.
I can’t stop thinking about them, ugh

The tension and slow burn had me in pain but was oh so worth the wait 🥵

There was one big kind of event happening but you know, we didn’t know who it was or whatever, I thought it was super obvious what was happening but I don’t think it was meant to be that big of a twist. So when that was revealed it was like oh okay yeah, but then BAM! Like three more twists followed, wtf I am stunned, jaw is dropped, can’t speak.

So I correctly predicted the obvious thing but then twist and twist and twist shook me up and I don’t even know what to do now.

A really good story, loved the setting and the spicy romance and clearly with plenty of twists and turns that kept me hooked! I’m begging for the next instalment as soon as possible! You can’t leave me hanging like that Danielle!

After discovering this author when reading her Bridge series I fell in-love with her writing and just how beautifully she can write to transport you.

This book follows Freya, who’s always wanted and dreamed to be a warrior. Instead life thrown her into a marriage with a man she can’t stand, you think it can’t possibly get worse than this right? Wronnnng!

This douchnozzle her and now she has to fight to the death with regions’s jarl’s son- Bjorn. During this fight her secret is revealed- she is a shield maiden.

Hooray right? Nope, not yet.
Forced into another marriage with a man that only wants to use her, so here the cycle begins again. Until she begins to develop feelings for her new husband’s son *you guessed it* Bjorn.

I love the absolute balance of this book, there is war and tension and edge of your seat what will be the next move but on the other hand Freya and Bjorn’s relationship banter counter balanced so perfectly. The protectiveness is what did it for me, seriously🤌🏻
Then there is magic in the mix as well so all and all just buckets load to keep you entertained and completely transport you.

Everything you want in a good fantasy read!

⭐️ B O O K R E V I E W ⭐️

🩵 A Fate Inked In Blood by Danielle Jensen

I haven’t been able to put this book down…. It’s absolutely amazing, a racing plot line and such interesting characters I’ve adored reading about. I loved the Norse mythology elements and they’re included so well with Viking warrior culture, Chieftains battling, blended families vying for importance, skands singing with their power of giving visions, a ghostly creature giving warnings, seers prophecies and quests to boot.

In this world Norse gods can give a drop of blood at conception to babies to then claim them as their kin imbued with power and this makes them sought after warriors. The Jarls of the land wish to have as many god kin warriors as they head to battle as it can turn the tide to become unconquerable.

Bjorn is one such man, with fire powers from the god Tyr and he serves his father Snorri and will inherit the title in due course.

But it is Freya we meet first of all, married to Vragi, a god touched fisherman of importance in their village (but cruel and lazy in his character) but she is restless and unsatisfied with her lot, longing to be able to join the Jarls band of warriors as her brother has done.

I don’t want to give away too much plot because this was just such an engrossing story and I loved not knowing too much about it. It does sit comfortably within the romantasy camp but with the added bonus of decent mythology at its heart too. I saw a review which described it as enemies to lovers but wouldn’t agree for this book as she falls for Bjorn right from the start, the hindrance comes later as she is put in a situation where they cannot be together.

The romance is wonderful, I very much enjoyed the slow burn and pacing throughout the story, and the writing was perfection.

I read The Bridge Kingdom a year ago and am now feeling a need to go back and appreciate that series again! This is aimed at an older audience which worked very well rather than being written for YA.

I give this book 5 stars, it was amazing.

I am hugely grateful to Net Galley for the Advanced Reader Copy and the wonderful reading experience this was.

DNF at 58%

I was so excited when I got approved for this ARC. Danielle L. Jensen is an author that I've already seen everywhere thanks to the Bridge Kingdom.

Unfortunately, I wasn't invested at all in the story, didn't feel any connection towards the characters either.
I do recognize that the world building has a good foundation.. So I think it definitely has potential to become a very popular series because of it.
Then I started thinking... If there's all these good elements at the base of the story, why am I not enjoying it??

I think it partially might be due to the many confusing words/names and lack of explanation.
You know what they say: if you start a new fantasy book it's normal to be confused in the beginning - but it will make sense the more you read.
But I felt SO lost, even after read almost half the book. I was getting more and more confused with each chapter. I felt like I had skipped a prequel or something?
And so the foreign/complicated words/names didn't really help. I would have loved to have a glossary at the beginning of the book.

Maybe in the future I would revisit this story, but in audiobook format perhaps.

I enjoyed this very much, from the writing, the world building, the Norse mythology, to a decent plot and pacing, as well as the slow burn romance.

It was a little predictable but still entertaining, and the twists had the intended impact, despite not being very surprising.

Freya as a character confused me a little - she was mature and strong in some ways, but repeatedly vomited at any sign of conflict or tension, which made her seem a little pathetic at times.

I desperately wanted Bjorn's POV! Danielle's Bridge Kingdom books are dual POV so I expected the same here, but we only got Freya's perspective. Which is fine, but having another perspective would have enhanced the story. I suppose it makes sense that we didn't get his side though, with how the book ended.

I just wish Freya and Bjorn's relationship was a little deeper, as to be honest it felt mostly physical and built on lust. Whilst they had some great banter and chemistry, it takes more than that for me to believe in the romance. Maybe some deeper conversations to actually get to know each other?

I am definitely looking forward to the next book, with how this one ended! I have so many questions I cannot wait to get answers to.

I loved the Bridge Kingdom series so I was super excited to receive an E-Arc of Danielle L. Jensen's latest book, I was especially intrigued to read her take on Norse mythology and how she would weave the romantasy aspect into it.

Wow! A Fate Inked in Blood is going straight into my favourite reads of the year so far. A Fate Inked in Blood far surpassed my expectations, I knew I'd love it, especially after that killer of an opening chapter but I loved this so so much. I'm actually a little mad at myself for not reading this earlier, not a mistake I'll be making in the future that's for sure haha.

A Fate Inked in Blood has an excellent premise which was flawlessly executed. I devoured this in just two days, this has all the hallmarks of an fantastic fantasy series.
Freya and Bjorn, our two main characters and my new favourite ship, Freya is your typical badass female, think Aelin Galathynius crossed with Bryce Quinlan with a hint of Nesta Archeron. I loved her, she's feisty with a vulnerable side, she's not two dimensional, I loved watching her journey and I can't wait to see what happens in book two. Bjorn, is all man, he has that protective "touch her and you die" vibe that really works in a story like this one. Bjorn definitely is a bit of the typical hot brooding warrior but I love that for him, he owns it!

I loved the banter, the yearning and the angst, the crazy tension so hot you can almost feel it through the pages of the book. A Fate Inked in Blood is top tier on the romantasy pyramid, it's well written, I found the pacing to be great and the worldbuilding was brilliantly woven in, there were no huge info dumps or clunky information spewed at us, which I always appreciate. I loved the addition of the Norse Gods but I hope we see more of them in book two.

A huggeee thanks to Del Rey and NetGalley for the opportunity to read A Fate Inked in Blood by Danielle L Jensen. All opinions are my own.

This marks the beginning of Danielle L. Jensens newest saga. A Fate Inked in Blood is the Nordic inspired tale of Freya - born of the gods however kept hidden until fate forces her hand to reveal her true self. Freya battles to defend her family, her people and to fulfil what the fates have said she must. By her side always is Bjorn - however their journey together is messy and complicated, to say the least.

The writing and pacing was off in some places - there was lots of fast paced drama without much resolution, until the end. Lots could have been shortened, whereas others would have benefited from more in depth exploration.

I did see the plot twist coming at the end; but I still enjoyed it!

I’m not surprised that this book is receiving praise. I have yet to read her other series but if this is an indication of her writing I’m sure I will love that too. This book is full of adventure and mythology and if you like any of those aspects then this is your next book. The romance is chef’s kiss! Everything was hitting the marks and I’m very very pleased. Thank you NetGalley and publishers!

I knew I would love this book but I was not expecting to be absolutely godsmacked after how much I loved it😭

A Fate Inked in Blood is a Viking lore-based fantasy romance with incredible world-building and a swoon worthy love interest that will have you screaming without the s

Freya is a badass FMC who is trying to free herself from the clutches of those who seek to control her, whilst also protecting her family and loved ones. Her and Bjorn’s chemistry was undeniable and I was absolutely swooning at their angtsy and tension-filled interactions 😮‍💨 the ‘princess’ and bodyguard trope was expertly used here and these two will be living in my head RENT FREE for a very long time

I truly did not expect majority of the plot twists simply because I was so enraptured by the story, I missed it completely 😂 but there were a few I picked up on and I was still genuinely shocked and yelled ‘what the fuck’ several times

Danielle’s writing is excellent and this is absolutely the start to an incredible series and I am DYING for book 2

Freya, stuck in an unwanted marriage as nothing more than a fishwife, longs to be like the warriors. She longs to go off into battle, to raid, and most importantly, get away from her husband. Her wish seems to be granted when jarl Snorri visits her village, forcing his son Bjorn to fight Freya. Except Freya is not the weak and harmless woman she is perceived as by the jarl, and in order to defend herself, she exposes her biggest secret – she has a drop of a goddess’s blood running through her veins. Freya is the shield maiden prophesied to unite Skaland under the control of another.

Leaving her village and old life behind, Freya is quickly bound to Snorri who believes the prophecy is about him, sure that he is the one meant to control her and become king of Skaland. Snorri commands Bjorn to protect her, and Freya is determined to learn how to fight and control her magic, as well as guard herself from the incredibly hot Bjorn.

I wasn’t really sure what to expect going into this, but from the very first chapter, I was hooked. The world building is woven into the story and never once felt bulky or bloated, it flowed perfectly and gave the necessary information at all the right moments. The pacing is bang on. No extremely slow bits, no rushed bits, it moved along at the right pace for the plot.

Freya is definitely one of my new favourite badass FMC. She learns so much about herself and her magic, about the people around her, and their intentions. With fate a heavy plot point, I loved how it affected so many decisions, and how often Freya questioned it, unsure of her destiny but determined to make her life her own.

Bjorn. Oh Bjorn. Hot, tattooed, flirty, and very protective. He’s been added to my long list of book boyfriends, and each scene between him and Freya had me glued to the pages.

I really enjoyed the Norse inspired story, and found it interesting how the Norse gods were involved in the lives of humans within the world. I’m definitely hoping to see more of them in the next book!

This is easily one of my favourite reads of the year so far, I loved it that much I had to go out and buy the physical copy for my shelves. The author is definitely a new favourite of mine.



Did I like the book? Yes!

Did I love it? Yes!

Would I recommend it? Yes! I found it an amazing and interesting read, with great characters and a great story. If you like your MC’s flirty and flaming hot, with a dose of mythology, it’s a perfect read for anyone who is more into the romance side of fantasy, yet still enjoys a good plot.

This review is for A Fate Inked in Blood by Danielle L Jensen which releases in the UK on 27th February! Thanks so much to Netgalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for giving me an eArc copy for this book in exchange for my honest review.

Danielle is one of my must read authors, and as soon as I saw this available to request, I applied straight away. I’ve read her Bridge Kingdom series which I was obsessed with, and could not wait for this book to come out. This is now my favourite book by her and cannot wait to see what happens with the rest of the series.

It features a Norse inspired world where some children are born with a god blood in their veins, not from being related to them, but their parents being chosen by the gods to carry their bloodline. These children are then born with the gifts of the gods that chose them. This was a super cool magic system for me, and loved seeing all the gods and the powers they give their ‘children’. It does feature a lot of the Norse gods as well, so a lot of recognisable names and powers thrown in (I’m looking at you Thor).

The romance in this book was amazing, starting from the very beginning when our female main character Freya runs into a beautiful man while trying to fix the problem her nasty ass husband caused. The tension was also god tier, and you’re always kept on your toes wondering if they will finally give in to their attraction to each other.

The plot was super interesting too, although a little predictable, but does come with a lot of interesting twists and turns. It was super easy to read, nearly finishing in one sitting, and I could not put this down. The temptation to stay up till 4am finishing was nearly too much, but thankfully I resisted (this time).

Freya was a super interesting FMC and can’t wait to see what happens with her in the next story, although her character development was a bit meh for me. She started off as this super cool, badass warrior wannabe and then turned into this super anxious mess always over thinking her actions. I missed when she was decisive.

However, this was an incredible book and again I cannot wait to see how the series progresses and what comes next. The cover artwork is also incredible! Would 100% recommend this to any fantasy readers out there, you don’t want to miss it!

Danielle L. Jensen wrote this for me and all the other Uhtred (The Last Kingdom) and Ragnar (Vikings) lovers. If you get it you get it, if you know you know. Gods bless you Danielle L. Jensen.

If you couldn’t tell, I loved this book. It took some of my favourite things about those shows, threw in even more drama and sexiness, and called it a day. Brilliant. It worked. No notes.

Okay, maybe some notes since I didn’t rate this 4 stars. I did feel the writing and pacing was clunky at paces, that we were zooming around everywhere without achieving much. I felt somethings dragged out longer and other things should’ve been shorter.

I guessed the big plot twist and the reveals at the end and I’m very excited to see the consequences play out in the sequel.

3.75*

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.

I really enjoyed this book! Our main character Freya is very likeable and I loved seeing her grow and develop throughout the story. All of the blood magic and gods was fascinating and I loved getting to learn all about it. I hope this continues through the series.

The world intrigues me and I wish we had a bit more worldbuilding and there were times where I felt the story moved a little too fast in areas for me. It is book one of the series, so I hope we get to learn more about this world as the story continues.

That ending though...can't wait to read the sequel to find out what happens next!