I am a huge fan of a well written Valkyrie story. Having read, and really enjoyed Hocking's Trylle series, I was really looking forward to reading this book. I've enjoyed her previous books, and the way she creates her worlds, writes her mythologies, and her characters. I've been a longtime fan of her fantasy / urban fantasy stories. I had high expectations with this book, but unfortunately there was something that just missed it's mark for me with this book. That pains me to say that.

What I liked, is that Between The Blade and The Heart has a solid Valkyrie mythology that worked for me. I liked the grittiness of it, and the action scenes that are apart of being a Valkyrie. I also enjoyed the story's mix of urban fantasy and paranormal elements. It really set a tone for this book. The characters were ones I liked. Including a couple secondary characters I would have liked to get to know more, like Asher.

What didn't work for me was the romance. I don't know why, but this romance felt all over the place, and lacked any depth, and connection that I normally find in Hocking's books. Maybe it's because this was a love triangle that felt like neither relationship was well developed. The romance came across as awkward and confusing. Like Malin was torn on who she wanted to be with, though it's obvious in the assessment she makes to herself about the differences in how her ex-girlfriend makes her feel, and how Asher, her sort of boyfriend, makes her feel. Had there not be a love triangle, the romance would have felt a lot more natural and not so forced.

The other element that lacked in this book was the world building. Normally Hocking's world building is one of the things I like most about her books. This felt little a flat compared to her previous books. I think that having a mix of various mythologies and paranormal cultures might have hindered it, because it was a little too much, and felt a little all over the place. Which times was a bit confusing.

Thankfully this book has some good mythology and some solid characters that made it a quick, entertaining read. It always stinks when you think you're going to like a book more than you end up liking it. That's not to say this was an awful book. What I'm comparing this book to is Hocking's previous books, all of which I've really enjoyed. I'm hoping this book is just a case of 'this book just didn't work for me, but hopefully the next book in this series will'.

This wasn't the worst book but I don't think I could recommend it either. I loved Hocking's Trylle trilogy but this one left me feeling blah. I don't think the world building was that great, all the things about mortals and immortals, and valkyrie's,,,,,,soon after I read some it didn't take long before I forgot what I read. The thing I disliked the most was, the whole love triangle part of the story. I don't think it was necessary and it felt forced. I didn't really believe that there was love between any of them. I think it would have been better if Hocking spent more time on the world and avenging someone's death angle, it would have been a lot better. Or just take more time on the characters because I hardly feel like I got to know them. This is supposed to be a duology, so I will probably pick up the next book just to see how the story ends. My curiosity always wins.

*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Well I wished this book about Valkyries, which I love, disappointed me because of the urban setting. I was hoping for the olden days or simply something more. It was an okay read. It wasn't what I expected but Amanda is a great author and it was a good story. Just probably won't read again.

Amanda Hocking is a really good author. Her writing is fast paced and her words really connect with the reader. And this book was excellent. The main character, Malin, is so easy to connect to and easy to love.

My interest for this novel appeared when I learnt that this is a story about valkyries.

Going into this book, I had to update my picture on how valkyries look like pretty fast. I was imaging them like I know them from World of Warcraft, but in Hocking's world valkyries get described as kinda normal, but mostly broad and strong looking human women with a sword in the first few pages. I was absolutely okay with that and on top of that I was surprised by the description of the world too.

It felt like Urban Fantasy. There is Internet and hovering motorcycles. I saw in other reviews that some readers had problems with the characters, but I liked them. At one point I got these "Final Fantasy party" vibes, every character with a different weapon and strength, but I liked this feeling. I was also fond of the romance constellations and in my eyes one of the most interesting relationship is the one between Malin and her mother.

This is the first novel I read by Amanda Hocking, even though I heard about her other series like Watersong. The writing style was fine and I could also accept the swearwords here and there.
Hocking mixed some creatures from other mythologies into the story, but I did not mind that. In my book there was not glossary in the end, but you learn how the creatures look like or what they do in the next sentences few after this creature is introduced. I still could not help myself and made breaks to look them up online.

I am looking forward to book 2, which is at the same time the final of this duology. Between the Blade and the Heart ends with a cliffhanger, so you should plan to read From the Earth to the Shadows too.

I received an ecopy of this book from the publisher for an honest review for the blog tour that this review is a part of. There was no compensation of any kind (unless you count having an awesome book by Amanda Hocking as compensation). What follows is my opinion and my opinion alone.

Okay, let me begin by saying I didn't read the blurb before I grabbed the book. Amanda Hocking is one of my instant buy authors. I see a book by her and I grab it. I knew this book had Norse mythology in it, but that was pretty much all I knew (well and a gorgeous cover).

When I first started reading three thoughts came into my head: 1. Cyberpunk, Bladerunner esque. 2. LGBT+ M.C. THANK YOU!! 3. This may be Hocking's best work yet.

I'm serious about #3. This is quite possibly her best work thus far. It is gritty, dark, and just when you think you might have an idea what's going on, you get slapped in the face with something new. I could feel the pollution, see the city, the world, all of it. This is her best work thus far.

And believe me, I'm a huge Hocking fan. I'm possibly a few books short of owning everything she's written so far.

This is a YA book that borders on the adult. There is sex and alcohol and a whole lot of killing. I mean, returning. Our main lead is a young woman named Malin. She is a Valkyrie in training, who are executioners for immortals. She is strong and yet has this piece of innocence to her. It's more like a 'I was raised in a hard way and don't understand how my feelings work' kind of innocence to her. I actually really like this kind of character and it didn't take me long to be pulled into her world.

As if the twists, action, and the world wasn't enough to keep you wanting more, I also love the fact that the sequel is coming out THIS APRIL! HUZZAH! I don't have to wait long to get this duology finished. Thank, God. Thank you, Amanda Hocking. You can be sure that I have this book on its way to my house and I'm definitely getting the second.

8 Show more
Review I really liked this book! There were a few parts in the beginning that dragged a little bit, but overall I had such a good time with this book.

The characters were so delightful and full of depth. I loved Oona is a doll and Asher is adorable. I wasn’t sure about Malin at first, but she grew on me too after the first couple chapters. I loved how each character had their own unique personality and history. Now I really need to know what happens to them!

And the world. Oh, I loved this world. I’m a huge mythology buff, so reading about Valkyries and immortals and gods/goddesses was just so fun! Plus I loved the mix of technology and mythology. I haven’t seen anything quite like this before.

So, overall, I was so glad to get the chance to read this. If you like urban fantasy and mythology, I’d highly suggest giving this gem a read!

This was not one of my favorite Amanda Hockings books. I love her writing and storytelling. It still was a great story.

Loved the synopsis of this but once I started to read it the writing just seemed a bit underdeveloped in my opinion. The descriptions of the characters just seemed a bit cheesy and mild. Although the premise of the Valkyrie tale was interesting. I just think the author could have done better. I've read some of her other work and LOVED it. I couldn't get passed chapter eight. This story just wasn't for me..

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this title. Unfortunately, I have lost interest in the title, partly due to trusted reviews, and will not be reviewing the title. I have, however, promoed the title through my weekly recap with links to Amazon. Thank you again, and I apologize for the inconvenience this may cause.

First Impressions

I was super excited to get my hands on this book. I've loved Amanda's previous books that I've read, and I had a feeling I would enjoy this one too. The first thing I noticed was that Between the Blade and the Heart is more mature than many YA books. The main character is 19, which does make for some differences in the story. She lives with a roommate, Oona, instead of with her mother, Marlow. She also has more freedom than the typical YA character. Another thing I noticed was that it took a while for the plot to really get started. I was about halfway in when I really felt it picking up.

Characters

I really liked Malin's character. She was tough as nails, but still desired affection. Oftentimes we see characters that are either soft and sweet or kick butt. Malin is both. Despite the fact that she desires affection, Malin believes that Valkyries can't love. So even though she'll hook up with people she's close with, Malin has a hard time forming lasting relationships. The reader learns a lot about that when she talks about her ex-girlfriend Quinn. Another cool thing I learned while reading is that Malin very much isn't straight. The world she lives in is different than our own, with many supernatural species living amongst humans. Inter-special relationships are not a big deal, nor are non-heteronormative ones.

I want to do a run down of the awesome side characters as well, because I felt that they were really well done. Oona is Malin's best friend and roommate. While Malin is training to be Valkyrie, Oona is training to be a sorceress. She may only be human, but her skills with spells and potions come in handy pretty frequently for our heroine. I can't wait to see more of Oona later on as she comes in to her own. Early on we meet Quinn, Malin's ex-girlfriend, but we only start getting to know her about halfway through. It's easy to tell that Malin's memories of her as a girlfriend might differ from who Quinn actually is. Lastly we have Asher. He is the son of a Valkyrie, meaning that he has their strength, but lacks the ability to kill immortals. From the moment Asher walks into Malin's life, her whole world changes. He is willing to give the affection Malin craves, and I think they will make a great match.

World-Building

The world of Between the Blade and the Heart is similar to our own, but with some big differences. The main difference is that supernatural beings, both mortal and immortal, live amongst humans. The gods from all different mythologies also exist, but they don't interact with life on earth. It also seems to take place in a near future, with things like hover cars, and some advanced technology mixed with the ancient. It's mentioned that the world have suffered from a population boom over the last few centuries, and that it's getting a bit out of control. I'm curious if that'll come up again in later books. Because the Valkyries, and the Norse god Odin, have a big connection to the world, it seems that some things have taken a different path. Many names of things in the world seem to come from Nordic origins, which makes sense for the story. I'm hoping to see more of the world in book two so as to learn how other mythologies might impact life on earth.

What I Expected

A modernized fairy tale
A heart literally being cut out of one's body with a blade [I take titles seriously sometimes!]

What I Got

Tons of detail and monotonous description
A story I couldn't really follow
My first DNF of the year

What I Thought

Well, as you can see above, I've met my first [and hopefully last] DNF of the year in Amanda Hocking's Between the Blade and the Heart. I was so hopeful that I'd enjoy this book; I put a lot of pressure on myself to like it, especially since I was [shockingly] invited to participate in my first ever blog tour.

I was intrigued by the book's premise - the tale of a Valkyrie, one who serves the Norse god Odin by "returning" immortal beings to their netherworld upon orders from the higher ups. Sadly, I could tell pretty quickly that this story was not going to necessarily be my cup of tea.

Now, I know this is a YA book and all, but the writing seems a bit, well, juvenile. Can you feel me cringe as I type? I have a chill in my spine - I feel SO bad! However, since I was invited to read the book and to give an honest review, I will do just that.

While I think it's great that Malin - our protagonist Valkyrie - is bisexual, I just was not interested at all in her romantic life, whether it involved a male or a female. Sometimes I just don't understand why romance seems to play such a huge part in books that I want to simply be action-packed. While romantic endeavors can be fun and cute, I'm just not a romance enthusiast.

As I've mentioned in earlier posts, I very rarely - if ever - read book synopses prior to reading; I generally prefer to read the summaries after I read the books, just to see how much of the plots are truly given away in them. After making the decision to draw the blinds over Between the Blade and the Heart, I skimmed the synopsis. Had I read the summary before attempting to read the book, I could've predicted everything that happens in the tale and avoided reading a single word.

As an aside - it KILLS me when a synopsis basically tells the entire story - give me a brief overview that doesn't give away the plot completely or give me nothing! People seem concerned about reading spoilers in reviews, but books are often more spoiled for me if I dare to read the insides of the jackets or the back covers.

Anyhow, Hocking doesn't fill her story - which really does have an idea behind it with vast potential - with details of futuristic scenery or anything else of interest to me. Hocking does, however, go into great detail regarding the looks of characters and nuances that just don't seem to matter. Just as I don't like synopses, I don't like a bunch of minute detail - I don't need EVERYTHING to be so heavily described.

However, I did want description about the mythology by which the book is inspired - I like to learn while reading even fiction. But I didn't get far enough into the story to honestly state whether or not Hocking's endless descriptions shift to focusing on plot points that mattered to me.

All in all, Hocking has a great imagination - I'm just not so sure I get along with the execution of such a promising premise. Mythology of all kinds is SO vastly interesting - I just would have liked to have read more about the old Norse belief system as opposed to the few things that stuck out to me - the romance and the endless descriptions.

In the vast emptiness of space, the gods grew restless, and so they created the heavens above and the worlds below. They filled the earth with every creature imaginable, from the smallest fish in the sea to the largest dragon in the sky.

A fast-paced adventure that pulls heavily from Norse Mythology, Between the Blade and the Heart centers mostly around a 19 year-old Valkyrie named Malin and her struggle with not only finding her place in the world of mortals and immortals, but also her realization that it’s possible to both love and hate at the same time, specifically when it comes to an emotionally unavailable mother who happens to be the only family Malin has. Marlow, Malin’s mother, is the only parent Malin has and she’s never given any clues as to who Malin’s father may be. Add to that, Malin is slowly but surely realizing that everything Marlow taught her may not have been entirely true, or even based on facts for that matter. Malin learns a dire secret pertaining to her mother and after the shock and the sting of betrayal wears off, she understands that what Marlow did may result in something akin to an apocalypse, leaving Malin and her few friends and allies to sort through her mother’s mess. But it also begs the question: who is ultimately pulling the strings, and is everything actually shaped by preordained fate and destiny?

I had been born with an urge to kill, a calling inside me that intensified as I became a teenager. Getting rid of immortals brought me immense pleasure, and I couldn’t imagine ever giving it up.
It was a strange, cold thing to realize I was born to be a murderer.

Hocking created such a unique and interesting world in this first installment of her new Valkyrie duology, blending fantasy and mythology and a little sci-fi into one super-interesting tale lead by fierce and fabulous female warriors. Not only that, but she also managed to create a main character that’s both incredibly strong and vulnerable all at once. And while I know the two aren’t mutually exclusive, adding in a hefty dose of vulnerability made Malin a much more relatable character and showing that without weakness, strength is entirely useless. The secondary characters were also dimensional and well-balanced, and I loved the variety of obscure mythological creatures involved and the gods and goddesses that make a brief appearance. Although judging by the cliffhanger of an ending, I have a feeling that the gods will definitely be far more involved in the sequel.

I’m sure I’ve said it before, but it’s bears repeating — I’ve grown to adore love triangles and yes, this book has one. Only instead of the typical ‘two hot guys vying for one girl’, Malin is torn between one hot guy and one hot girl, who happens to be her ex-girlfriend. There are also plenty of conflicted feelings involved concerning these potential relationships, but it certainly doesn’t pertain to Malin’s sexuality. Malin is self-assured and incredibly certain and with her bisexuality, which I loved, and the feelings of conflict are instead coming from her mother’s repeated words that Valkyrie’s don’t need to love, they relish and thrive on being alone, and as Malin is slowly realizing, everything Marlow taught her may not necessarily be true or even right. Malin has plenty of internal conflict and the majority is a direct result of her often emotionally unavailable mother and upbringing.

”I don’t think I know how to have feelings, real ones like passion and anger and sadness and all that. Marlow always taught me that real Valkyries don’t feel like that. That those emotions are just for humans. But I do feel them, and I always have, even when I tried not to.”

Reminiscent of some of my favorite urban fantasy series and books, Between the Blade and the Heart definitely has a more mature feel to it, which will certainly appeal to both readers of YA and adult and everything in between. Highly recommend and I can’t wait to see what Hocking brings readers in the next installment of this fast-paced and fierce series.

*eARC received via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I wrote about this book here: http://www.bethfishreads.com/2018/01/8-new-speculative-fiction-books-for.html

'Between the Blade and the Heart' is a fantastic first book in what promises to be an enchanting new young adult fantasy series - and is definitely one that fans of the genre are going to want to pick up. I've read several of the author's other books and have loved them all, so I went into this one with pretty high hopes and expectations. I definitely wasn't let down in any way. Honestly, I think this is my favorite of hers to date. It has everything that I love in a great story - a fast pace, excellent world building, vivid imagery that brings everything to life in my mind, complex and realistic characters, and even some romance. Every aspect of this novel was wonderfully done and I have nothing negative to say about any of it. Except that I wanted it to keep going and I hate that I'll have to wait for the next book to release. Which is also a huge plus for me - the fact that this is just the first book in a new series and we have so much more to look forward to!

I'd keep rambling about all the reasons I loved this book so much if I didn't reign it in, so I'll highlight a few things that really stood out for me. The world building was so in-depth and detailed. The world that the author created was full of mythology and so many different kinds of creatures. I absolutely loved getting to know as much as I could about each of the species - immortals, mortals, Valkyries, and every supernatural creature in between. I adored learning about them all, as well as the myths and legends surrounding them, the history of the world they live in, the underworld, the gods and their rules, and everything else. In my opinion, the author did a magnificent job of creating this complex world and society where everything and everyone must live together. I'm really hoping to learn even more about it all in the coming books. I could read about it for hours and hours without getting bored in the least. In short - I LOVED this aspect of the book and I really hope it continues throughout the series.

The other thing I want to mention is the writing style the author uses. She picked the first person point of view - told from Malin's perspective. It's by far my favorite style and I think it's the perfect fit for the story. I loved getting to really know Malin on a personal level - as only the first person POV can allow. I can't wait to get to know more about her and feel a deeper connection to her and the rest of the characters in the rest of the series. I very highly recommend this book to fans of YA fantasy and mythology - you're going to want to read this ASAP!

I wasn't a huge fan of the world-building. It was set in a contemp world that still had cross overs of real fantasy elements with no explanations. I wanted to know more.

I also wasn't expecting this to be a NA book when its marketed at YAs. It threw me for a loop when I started the story.

This book wasn't for me. I still requested it for purchase for my library, but in the adult section.

I was attracted to this book because of the Norse mythology!


Title: Between the Blade and the Heart

Author: Amanda Hocking

Series: Valkyrie

Rating: 2/5 stars



Summary

This book follows the story of Malin, who is a Valkyrie warrior. I first learned about these while watching the newest Thor movie and was instantly attracted to this book because of it. Her mother is also a Valkyrie and the story unfolds when it is discovered that her mother did not kill someone she was assigned to kill and the unfolding of events after that. Asher is another main character in this story and his mother was killed by the person Malin's mother did not kill. I know, it's a little confusing!

Likes

I liked the mythology part of this book. I thought that it was written in a way that was interesting and encompassed the valkyries. I also liked the inclusion of LGBT themes (Malin had previously been in a relationship with a girl) and the female empowerment elements. It followed a standard mystery storyline and it did keep me on the edge of my seat trying to figure out what was going to happen next.

Dislikes

I haven't read any books by this author before and I really wanted to like this book more. But, honestly, it didn't really draw me in until the final page (I won't spoil why!). I didn't care much for the romance in the story, I didn't think that it had much of a place. I also found it interesting that the Valkyries were portrayed as contracted assassins: I didn't have that view of them in my head when I first heard about this mythology.

Recommendations

I will certainly be reading the next book in this series because of the ending. I would recommend it to those interested in Norse mythology and mysteries.

Happy reading! ~ Taylor

❝ For several millennia, this balance helped create an uneasy peace, one that the Valkyries would do anything to protect. But one misstep, even the smallest lapse in duty, could send it all into a tailspin…❞

Many thanks to the author and publisher for giving me this ARC!

Wow, this book was crazy good. I have to say that the writing was pretty addictive. I wanted to keep reading and finding out what was coming next even though it had little bumps here and there. What really pulled me in from the beginning was the lore and worldbuilding aspect of the book. I loved the mythology of these Vanir Gods ruling over everything and the balance that was struck between the Valkyries and Immortals. It almost made the story have a Buffy the Vampire Slayer type feeling where girls were called up to protect humanity and maintain a balance. I’d also say it’s a little like The Mortal Instruments as well, only with mortals/humans knowing about these other supernatural beings. This is definitely a good one if you’re looking for girl power!

I also liked many of the characters we came across, so I think I’ll go into that a bit–starting with our main character. Malin was kind of a new Valkyrie, only just starting to do jobs on her own. I think she took it very seriously and was really passionate about her job as a Valkyrie.

Her relationship with her mother, Marlow, was complicated in the sense that it wasn’t a typical mother-daughter connection. Marlow was very distant as a mother and not very affectionate although she did try her best to mentor Malin in how to be a good Valkyrie. At the same time, however, Marlow passed down some really twisted and unfair beliefs about being a Valkyrie to her daughter that made it difficult for her to have personal connections with others (like Valkyries can’t love, they can’t feel, they have to be strong all the time). I found it kind of frustrating that Malin accepted it all and didn’t try very hard to break free of that mold until later on.

❝ “You have me. You’ll always have me.”

“Nobody really has anybody,” I told her. “We all must die, and we all die alone.” ❞

Another pair of characters that clashed were Asher and Quinn. They were definitely meant to be opposites and their different ways of expressing affection and support. Asher tended to be more emotionally supportive and comforting. He was kind and protective in a way where he let Malin know he was worried, but he also understood she was capable of taking care of herself. He knew when to give her space. Quinn, on the other hand, was very passionate and ready to jump into things quickly. She tended to smother Malin a bit and push her too much. That being said, I enjoyed the love triangle because it made Malin think about life in a different way from that which she’d been taught to believe. Asher, in particular, challenged many of her beliefs.

I also liked the plot for the most part, although I did think it was exaggerated a bit at times. I wasn’t quite sure why Marlow decided to do what she did that put the whole balance of the world at stake. It seemed a little crazy to think that her one mistake was going to mess everything up. I guess her motivation for her decision seemed a little weak. I also had the same problem with Bram.

Even with those issues I still had a lot of fun reading this book. It had me hooked from beginning to end, and I really liked that surprise character appearance at the end. I can’t wait to see where the series goes! ❤

Between the Blade and the Heart was released earlier this month on January 2nd so I highly recommend you go check it out!

This book was such a surprise! It was fast paced, very entertaining and full of action. I read through it so quickly…it was such a change from the author’s other books which I found to have pacing and dialogue issues.

The story is a blend of Norse and Scandinavian mythologies and cultures. It revolves around valkyries, which I thought was pretty cool. The lead character, Malin, was not my favourite, but my indifference towards her wasn’t enough to turn me off from reading. I guess my main issue was that she was so self-centered and cold. The secondary characters really stood out to me. They were so much fun and full of attitude! Attitude is an excellent word to describe the world. I actually thought going in that it was be kind of a fantasy world only but instead it’s a mix of our world and this other one with mythical creatures, immortals, etc. Everyone is so badass, tattooed and grungy.

Overall, I thought that the book was a solid start to a new series. It’s ending left me with enough questions to have me looking forward to reading the sequel. Yes, it has some flaws with characterization, but I’m hoping Malin will develop and move forward in the next book. So, if you are a fan of the author’s past books or would like to read a story that’s fast paced and interesting, then this is the book for you!