*1.5 stars*
I was very disappointed by this book. The plot and pacing felt convoluted with the "romantic" entanglements and the world building is way too busy and bloated. I also felt like the main character had almost everything handed to her, so she never really worked for much. A full mini review, as part of the blog tour for this book. will be on my blog on January 4, 2018. The post is now live.

I am a huge fan of Hocking’s Trylle Series and was thrilled to learn she had a new series based on Norse mythology. Between the Blade and the Heart was somewhat of a mixed bag; there are certain aspects I found enjoyable and others completely annoyed me. Overall, I liked it enough to try to the next installment of the series.

I was completely sold at the word Valkyrie, so maybe that’s why I didn’t notice the obvious dreaded love triangle that appears in the synopsis. I despise triangles and would have passed on the book had I known it contained one. It is an interesting premise that Malin is bisexual. However, the romance itself is completely flat. I felt no chemistry with either Asher or Quinn. Malin’s constant comparisons between the two and her indecisiveness was annoying and not inline with other aspects of her character.

Despite my romance frustrations, I found the world and the secondary characters fascinating. The storyline is a mixture of dystopian, mythology, and urban fantasy, all rolled into one. I really want to know more about characters like Jude and Samuel. I adored Oona and her banter with Malin were some of my favorite moments. Hopefully, the next installment contains more focus on the various inhabitants of the world, the struggle between mortals and immortals, and less of Malin’s love life.

If you don’t mind love triangles and enjoy fast paced adventure, I would recommend giving this new series a try.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my advanced review copy!

I hope you are ready for a kickass and snarky heroine because Between the Blade and the Heart is here to deliver. One of my favorite mythologies to read and study is on Valkyries, and this book did not disappoint. Adding to the Valkyrie myth, Amanda Hocking adds her own twist with a modern-day spin.

Between the Blade and the Heart consists of a lot of world-building and understanding the duties of Valkyries. And beyond this alluring set up is Malin, a Valkyrie in training whose world is turned upside down when she finds out that a very close and fellow Valkyrie did not dispose of an immortal to the Afterlife. This then leads to a chance of a butterfly effect and devastating results. From there Malin not only tries to understand her duty as a Valkyrie, but she also has to come face-to-face with secrets, danger, and the consequences of choice. Malin is hard to read sometimes, because she is always over-analyzing situations, but overall she is always trying to learn, understand, and mature.

I loved that Between the Blade and the Heart is rich with an elaborate world, but the pacing is quite slow. It took me a few chapters to actually start enjoying the story. Once the book picked up pace, Malin’s determination and fierceness was a great motivator to continue the story and find out what happens next in this world that meshes mortals and immortals.

I enjoyed the book more so than Hocking’s previous books. Between the Blade and the Heart flows more nicely. It’s straightforward, an easy and quick read, and the plot is quite focused. There aren’t distracting subplots. But the climax is too short and the ending is…mundane.

The characters are okay. I like the Valkyries and their duties, and the consequences of not following orders hooked me in. The plot twist involving some gods is also a highlight. The book touches on the Valkyries not getting too attached to others, pulling my heart strings. But I found the romance between Malin and Asher mediocre (he’s also mediocre) and just…there’s no heat, okay. Them hitting on each other doesn’t make sense and that’s why I didn’t feel anything when that thing involving Asher towards the end happened. Malin has a better relationship with her best friend. Why can’t they be in love?

Besides Odin, I’m bothered by how the other few poc characters, minor characters, are portrayed, not like the main characters, e.g. a Japanese character shapeshifting into a spider-like monster. There’s also the part where languages other than English are kind of fading away and Central America being described negatively in terms of civilisation. It’s also near the entrance of the underworld.

There are moments where it feels like the settings, especially the far off places, are fetishised, having an “exotic” feel. As for the bisexual and lesbian rep, I have mixed feelings. On the one hand, it’s sweet and makes my heart race, but on the other, I’m like “Really?”

Anyway, the book has some flaws, but it still has admirable things, enough to like it.

This was an enjoyable read, and had the same easy flowing story I expect from an Amanda Hocking novel. I like her writing style, and I have enjoyed most of the books I’ve read, but honestly my favorites are the Trylle trilogy and then the Kanin Chronicles.

Thankfully this one had a bit of a similar feel to it, which is much nicer for me than the last Hocking book I read. I enjoyed the mythology and the blend of creatures and technology. It was really interesting. It is typically always cool when an author can blend ancient creatures and mythologies with the modern world.

But do we really need yet another fantasy story with a tangled knot of a love story. I get it, Malin the Valkyrie is an awesome and badass character, and obviously there are those who are into her. And okay, yeah, I appreciate that Malin is bisexual and so we get some nice diversity because of it. I just also think it a little unnecessary to have two characters competing for Malin’s heart.

Nevertheless, I did find the Valkyrie concept to be well done, and the action was really fun to read. Watching Malin and Asher try to track down this immortal helped make this read fly by. I will very likely be picking up the sequel here in a few months.

This one reminded me of the drama series, Lost Girl, nodding with an exciting variety of fantasy characters, action, mystery and a love triangle which pulls in two directions.

Malin is a Valkyrie and, as such, slays immortals when it's time for them to leave their earthly existence and return to the underworld. She's good at her job, although her social and family life doesn't run as smooth. When someone breaks into her apartment, she's drawn into a crime which involves more than a few murders. The entire world as she knows it is at stake.

This isn't my first novel from this author, and although I've thoroughly enjoyed her other novels, this one didn't draw me in quite as much. The world building is excellent. Malin and those around her come to life with attitudes and personalities true to their situations. They are easy to grasp, feel natural even when a bit harsh, and lure in to guarantee one or two favorites. It's no trouble to follow the mixture of the mortal and immortal world, and feel at home in the bars, clubs or even institution.
The writing flows and is easy to sink into. It's entertaining, fun and holds everything a dive into the world fantasy should. Despite all of this goodness, I couldn't get completely lost in the pages.

It's entertaining but a bit of depth and intricacy in the plot is missing. Obvious hints stole the surprise from several later twists and turns, and other moments didn't grab as much as they might have. Many events mount with logic, tension and exciting scenes, but others come across as familiar and don't hold quite the tension they could. Even the romance lacks a hook into the heart, which makes a good love triangle pull from all sides.

Still, it's a fun read with lots of wonderful elements and interesting characters. Fans of valkyrie, magic, and mystery will enjoy the read and get lost in the world.

I am familiar with Amanda Hocking's work, since her Trylle Trilogy and Kanin Chronicles hold a special place in my heart. That is why it saddens me to no end to admit that Between the Blade and the Heart was a big miss for me.
Between the Blade and the Heart is the first book of a duology based on norse mythology. The world is divided between Mortals and Immortals; Mortals have a short lifespan, but they can determine their own fate, whereas Ιmmortals live forever, but their path is set in stone, and fundamental choices about their nature do not belong to them. In order to maintain the balance, the gods created the Valkyries, mortals bestowed with supernatutal strength and abilities, assigned to murder immortals and return them to the Underworld. Malin is a Valkyrie in training, but when she discovers a horrible truth about her mother's past, she becomes a pawn to a conspiracy set into motion hundreds of years ago. In the end, it seems that her mother's choice will cause the end of free will, and humanity.
Perhaps I shouldn't read this one so soon after Norse Mythology. I was mesmerized by Neil Gaiman's storytelling, and the way he preserved an authentic, nostalgic vibe to his narration of nordic myths, and as a result Amanda Hocking's approach did not sit well with me. I was introduced to a world which at first seemed like a cheap imitation of the Mortal Instruments, only to later realize that humans and supernatural beings coexist (for example your car mechanic has horns and it's totally cool, even sexy if you're into those things), and then hovercrafts and flying motorcycles were thrown into the mix and my expectations were scattered to the wind. Amanda Hocking's universe did not lack imagination, but I wanted something more traditional, I guess, and the futuristic element took me by surprise.
To be fair, my not so enthusiastic reaction towards the world-building is something entirely subjective, and I would propably overlook it if that was my only issue. Sadly, the characters and the romance did not help either. The relationships were frustratingly superficial, they didn't evoke any emotions, and their backround was poorly established, they were friends or lovers because the author told you they were, not because she showed you the way their bonds ran deep and true. I didn't care about them at all, I was totally indifferent to their fates, they could live or die, hurt or smile and still I didn't give a damn. And it only gets worse.

Most of you must know by now that there's nothing I hate more than love triangles. So yeah, Between the Blade and the Heart had one of those, too.
There's your girl, Malin, who broke up with her girlfriend for reasons I can't quite comprehend but still pines over her and salivates at her glowing hair and her crooked smile, and then she meets this gorgeous guy who makes her feel safe and warm and gives her palpitations, and she has a thing for them both. And she acts on the thing she has for them both.
The world is literary burning but Malin can't control her hormones. She is overcome with lust at the most inappropriate times, and the heat fogs her brain and she can't make rational decisions. I haven't encountered the need to play savior so far, but I'd rather think that my mind would be on the demons I'm facing next day instead of kissing the one love interest and ten minutes later cuddling with the second. Or maybe it's just me, I don't know.

I skimmed the last chapters because after a while I gave up trying to feel something about these characters except from irritation and exasperation, but I still wanted to learn the conclusion of the story, and that's how I made it to the end. I may sound harsh and bitter, but believe me, my heart is full of sorrow because I know Amanda, I know she is capable of magic and great things, and it kills me to say that Between the Blade and the Heart was not one of her best works. It was still fast-paced and action-packed, and the ideas behind it full of potential, so if you're up for the task, please give it a try.

First off I want to talk about the characters! I love like literally love the characters in this story. I've never read a book about Valkyries before and oh my did this one set the bar high for the next one I read. I loved all the character building and the world building as well. So much description in this story as well made me want to jump in and fight the battle with Malin.

Oh and I must say I loved the level of romance in this book as well, there wasn't so much that it took away from the story, but it was a perfect balance between romance and plot building. I will say this was a fast read for me and honestly I couldn't put it down. Even with the slow burn beginning, I had to know what was going to happen to Malin. I had to know if she was going to make it or not. Was she going to become a full-fledged Valkyrie. So much amazingness with this story I simply can't wait for the next.

Writing style, I like to always comment about the authors writing style in a review and of course Amanda Hocking didn't disappoint once again. Her style is one that I can't wait to read once I've got my hands on one of her books.

I HAVE THOUGHTS. SO SO MANY THOUGHTS.

I hadn’t heard about Between the Blade and the Heart until a lovely publicist from St. Martin’s Press pitched me the book as a part of a Blog Tour invite and the minute I read the word Valkyrie, I WAS SOLD.

If you haven’t seen me tweeting UNENDINGLY about just how brilliant Thor: Ragnarok was, YOU DON’T KNOW ME. I have seen that movie THREE TIMES in theatres, and I would’ve been there a fourth time if they hadn’t taken it off screens. If you have seen the movie, you’ll know that one of the main characters is a part of an ELITE FEMALE WARRIOR ARMY, the Valkyrie.

And so, I went into Between the Blade and the Heart with HIGH expectations. As I actually read the book, I found that each thing I loved also had an aspect that I didn’t like, which feels as confusing as it sounds, but let’s break it down:

1. THE MYTHOLOGY:
As soon as I heard that this book was about a Valkyrie, I assumed that it would be filled with Norse mythology. And yet, there were so many OTHER cultures coming into play, including Indian, Sumerian and Indonesian. While I LOVED the diversity, I feel like if the book acknowledged all the different cultures, I would’ve enjoyed it more, instead of feeling like I was reading about X culture and an intruder Y showing up.


2. THE CREATURES: This book was FILLED with paranormal/ supernatural and mythical creatures ranging from fallen angels to vampires. While these are some of the well-known creatures, there were SO MANY MINOR MYTHOLOGICAL CREATURES THAT I’D NEVER HEARD OF, and it resulted in me DESPERATELY wishing for a glossary and reaching for the dictionary. I loved the fact that they were there, but it resulted in me being one CONFUSED reader.

3. THE WORLD BUILDING: In relation to what I just wrote above, what I was expecting was Norse Mythology (most of my knowledge comes from the Thor movies) but I was drop-kicked into a world where paranormal and mythical creatures lived side by side, there was advanced technology, schools for children of mythical creatures and I just NEEDED a foreword or some kind of introduction before I was thrown into the deep end. Of course, it all made sense as I read on but STILL.

4. THE LOVE INTERESTS: I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THAT MALIN, OUR VALKYRIE MC WAS BISEXUAL and I loved that there were male and female love interests. It made this book so much more interesting because YAY for diversity. HOWEVER, I am NOT A BIG FAN of love triangles (well, more of a love square/ flowchart) with one minor and two major love interests. It made me groan, because didn’t we all get over love triangles/ squares/ flowcharts after Twilight?

5. THE ENDING: I LOVED THE ENDING SCENE OF THIS BOOK. I made me flail in excitement and scream out loud and just that ONE scene has me so excited about what is to come next!

Will I be picking up the next book? YES. That ending was fodder for my fangirl heart.

Between the Blade and the Heart was a diverse book filled with mythology and I’d definitely recommend digging in, even if it has its flaws! 3 stars.

Valkyrie are not what we normally see in these books and I’m happy the author did something different. It was nice to see the heroine a kick butt chick! The book has adventure, heart, love and fighting. I was a little put off with the whole Quinn, Asher, Malin triangle. It was annoying at times and I didn’t feel it needed to be like that in the book. I am interested to see where the book goes next.

"Between the Blade and the Heart" by Amanda Hocking as been on my radar since I first heard about it a few months ago. I don’t see many books with a focus on Norse mythology, so it was a no-brainer to add this book to my TBR!

Well, to say I was a bit disappointed would be right. From the synopsis, I definitely did not expect it to be an urban fantasy. While those are okay, it’s not what I typically read. Truthfully, I was expecting a bit of historical fiction, but that wasn’t the case at all.

Here’s what I did like: the mythology and all the supernatural creatures. I don’t read many books that center around Norse mythology, so it was fun to explore and learn more about it in this book. I liked the whole idea of Valkyries returning immortals to the underworld and the heavy task that weighs on the protagonist, Malin’s, heart. However, I was very skeptical of her mother, Marlow, and what went on her “training.”

The relationships in the this book, at leas the romantic and familial ones, seem very forced and not at all fleshed out. I did enjoy Malin’s friendship with her roommate, Oona, and how they depended on one another a great deal, especially as the story progressed. But the introduction of Asher, and Malin’s own conflicted feelings about her ex-girlfriend, really threw me for a loop. I longed for something deeper and stronger, but I didn’t get that here. As I said before, it felt forced and most of it happened too quickly.

As for the world-building, I think it could do with a bit more of work. Maybe we’ll get more of it in book 2, but at this rate, I’m not overly excited about it (though the cover looks beautiful). I liked the whole concept of nothing is really secret: there are mortals (human or otherwise), immortals, and supernatural creatures. Everyone knows about the Valkyries and the general acceptance of the supernatural was nice to read about. Yet the setting… Where does this take place? Obviously the U.S., but I need more specifics. There’s also a bit of a sci-fi element with the hover cars and technology, which I liked, but also, still foggy.

In terms of the writing style… Very simple and easy to read. This isn’t a book filled with purple prose, and I think the book could have done with something…more. Honestly, I wasn’t impressed with the writing at all, though it did make this book a quick read.

We do get the hint that something isn’t quite right here, and we had but a taste of what it could be. I imagine book 2 will be an explosive, eye-opening read, but I’m not eager to add this book to my shelf. I’m interested enough in book 2 to keep an eye out for it, but not in a rush for it to release as book 1 lacked in a variety of areas that would made me give this book a higher rating.

Between the Blade and the Heart by Amanda Hocking is the first in her Valkyrie duology. This book was all action with a little romance which made it a fast read despite its size. My favorite part of the book though was the blending of urban contemporary with Norse mythology. It’s not a common thing in YA fantasy and I loved seeing it here. Amanda Hocking did a fantastic job of taking the mythology and interweaving it with today’s world. Following Malin, a young Valkyrie in training, Between the Blade and the Heart brings into question the choice of free will and the guiding hand of fate.

Malin was an interesting character to say the least. At 19 she is attending college as she completes her Valkyrie training. She feels she was destined to be a Valkyrie, nothing else feels right in her life except the returning of immortals when deemed by the gods. Returning is a nice word for killing….just fyi 😉 She strives for the approval of her mother who has never been a kind woman. But when Malin discovers that her infallible mother made a choice to spare an immortal destined to die, everything Malin thought she knew comes into question. Her life is thrown off balance by this one choice and now she must correct it if she is going to save the world.

But as much as I liked Malin, I loved Asher. Asher is the son of a Valkyrie who was killed by the immortal Malin’s mother neglected to return. Asher is out for revenge and that starts with finding out why Malin’s mother spared this immortal. Despite this need for revenge, he is kind, level headed, and shows Malin that not all Valkyries are as cruel as her mother can be.

The main plot follows Malin and her new found friend as they track down this immortal. But the deeper they go, the more they realize there is more at stake than correcting a wrong. The entire world hangs in the balance. The action is interspersed with the answers Malin seeks and I found myself engrossed. My only complaint about the story was the romance. Malin is bisexual and her ex is also a Valkyrie. Now according to the book they’ve been apart for six months when Asher enters the scene. Malin spends her time kissing both in the book and I didn’t care for that. It was a love triangle that only Malin knew she was in….does that make sense? I felt it brought unnecessary drama to the an already action-packed, dramatic plot.

Overall Between the Blade and the Heart was just okay for me. As much as I loved the interweaving of contemporary and mythology, it couldn’t carry the book. The world-building while fantastic was hard to follow. To be honest the book would benefit from having a glossary in the back because there are so many names for demons, cities, ruling parties, etc. that I found myself flipping back trying to figure out who was who. And as I already mentioned the annoying triangle I won’t go into that again. Despite the negative though I plan to read the next book because I am invested in the characters and need to know what will happen next….especially after that bombshell ending. If you enjoy urban mythology, a little romance and a lot of action, you should check out this book.

The synopsis had me hesitant on picking up Between the Blade and the Heart by Amanda Hocking, worried that it would be just another love triangle ya cookie cutter novel. But! It was so much better than that! The world created by Hocking was interesting and unique, though I’m not entirely sure how accurate some of the mythological aspects were. Even still, it was a good story and I really loved the characters and world!

I was immediately skeptical of the book as soon as I opened up when I saw that Odin and the valkyries in this world were listed as Vanir, when they are actually part of the Aesir (well Valkyries were 50/50 but we’re not here to get that deep into it). I don’t understand why the change, since it seems so superficial, which then gets me wondering if it just wasn’t researched well enough? Or maybe the author thought Vanir, Aesir, all the same, eh? Which, it isn’t considering there was a war between the two. I am someone that has studied world mythologies, so it definitely got me started on the wrong foot. That said, I doubt other readers will notice the difference or care. But, I will say it did leave me wary for the rest of the beings mentioned and just how on point Hocking may have been with describing them/their purpose/origin.

Now that my one pet peeve is out of the way, the world was so interesting! I loved how there were mortals, immortals, hybrids, etc. just all mixed in together in this modern world. There was such a great combination of yeah, this world has all this magic and swords and fates in it, but there’s also bars and magical equivalent of hookah and school and vehicles. That your friendly, and handsome, mechanic could be mortal, but also have horns, was just such a super cool concept to me (please, can we see him again in the sequel??)

The story quest itself, and the theme of Free Will vs Fate was interesting, and I might have to re-read it to think it through a bit more because honestly, what really sold me on this book was the one thing I was worried would ruin it. The romance! What the synopsis failed to mention was that Malin’s ex was a lady and I died! I am SO IN LOVE with Quinn, I could not put the book down once I saw her. I just want all the things for her and just want Malin to talk with Quinn and sort herself out so they can be together. Like yeah, Asher’s great and all, but QUINN! My wlw heart was just so excited! It was also especially great to see that even with mentions of angels and demons, sexuality wasn’t taboo and to be LGBTIQA+ wasn’t a shock to the characters or presented as such to the reader.

I am so grateful to end my year on such a high note with Between the Blade and the Heart by Amanda Hocking. A YA book with a unique world build, fantastic characters (with great use of romance), and just fun, this is something I definitely can recommend to readers who enjoy kick-ass female protagonists who can kick butt and fall in love and not have it be detrimental to either.

I will update this once my blog post goes live. This book was REALLY good. I haven't really found many good paranormal books in a while and I was afraid that this book would just be like all the other ones. While it WAS similar to Shadowhunters, it still had its own unique flare and I enjoyed that. I disliked the love square. It was sad.

I’m a huge lover of Norse Mythology which is why I was looking forward to reading <i>Between the blade and the heart</i>, was it deals with Valkyries. Overall, I found that the book had a<b> lot of interesting aspects to offer and indeed had a lot of potential</b>. Especially the world building stood out for me, as I found myself in a very vivid, complex world. However, there were also a few elements that could have been improved and further developed.

<b>What I liked</b>
⚔️ <b>The world building was perfectly vivid and interesting</b>. The world building was my favorite aspect of the book, because it had so much to offer. I loved seeing the world inspired by Norse Mythology and how the Valkyries were ingrained in the world order to take the life of those meant to die. There were so many creatures that populated this world, that it amazed me, especially as the author made this world her own. There were so many little details that we got to see and I’m curious to explore this world that Malin lives in even more, because there has to be so much more beneath the surface.

⚔️ <b>Oona and her friendship to Malin</b>. I really liked Oona, she was a good friend to Malin and I loved seeing their interactions. Out of all the characters, I liked her the best, because she was caring, loyal but also determined. She was more of a family to Malin than her own mother was and always ready to take care of her best friend.

⚔️ <b>The writing style was very pleasant to read</b>. Alongside with the world building this was a great combination, because it was very easy to get through the book. The writing style surely helped to convey so many information about this complex world in a way that never felt too much. I was never left hanging about any information, but also didn’t feel overwhelmed by them – everything was left in a very good balance.

<b>What didn’t quite work for me</b>
⚔️ <b>I didn’t really connect to the protagonist Malin</b>. Throughout the book I tried to relate to her or connect in any way, but it didn’t really work. I got that she was raised by a mother who disregarded emotions and wasn’t really there for her, but maybe that is the reason why I couldn’t really connect. Therefore, I wasn’t as invested as I could have been in her story, because there was not much that made me root for Malin. Often I felt like she was letting things happen to her more than actually acting.

⚔️ <b>The romantic relationships could have been better developed</b>. This might be my main complaint when it comes to this book, because here things were lacking the most. I was actually excited to see a love triangle with a bisexual main character, caught between a boy and a girl, but that excitement vanished. I didn’t really like Quinn – Malin’s ex-girlfriend – because she was really pushy and didn’t really respect Malin’s wishes. Therefore, I wasn’t a fan of their relationship, as I didn’t think Quinn was good for Malin. The way she was always demanding more and overwhelming Malin just didn’t sit well with me. However, at least their relationship was actually complex and had a background story. While, I liked Asher – Malin’s second love interest – a lot better, I felt like there wasn’t much complexity to his romance with Malin. They get to know each other, but then suddenly they are really attracted to the other and are filled with lust. I didn’t really see a reason for that, this transition felt too disrupted and sudden. It felt too rushed and there was not any buildup to anything romantic before, Malin only suddenly began to realize how attractive Asher was.

<b>IN CONCLUSION</b>: <i>Between the blade and the heart</i> offers a <b>fresh perspective on Norse Mythology and Valkyries that you don’t want to miss</b>. Full of vivid creatures and action, it’s perfect for fans of Mythology and kick ass characters! However, I feel like the romantic relationships and the main character could have been further developed.

Malin is an apprentice Valkyrie, she knows she was born for this job, she doesn’t question anything at least for now. Her guardian, Marlow, is also her mother, we cannot really say that she behaves like a mother, but genetically speaking it is the case. When she discovers that her mother has spared an immortal and the consequences are disastrous, she will do everything to repair the harm caused by her mother.

Malin is a young girl who begins to doubt her free will, she asks herself many questions, especially since her mother always told her that valkyries could not love. Malin is not afraid of danger, she is reckless, stubborn and a little daredevil. It is a character that I appreciate, the fact that she is a valkyrie helps a little.

Asher lost his mother because of Marlow and he asks Malin for help, he is also attracted to her. Together with the help of Oona, Malin's best friend and Malin's ex-Quinn, they will hunt down the immortal and kill him.

Oona is adorable, I think she's my favorite character, she's an apprentice witch and she's always there for Malin. She is funny and charming, intelligent and sensitive and good advice.

I liked the story and I love Valkyries, they are strong women. I cannot tell you that there is no love triangle because as you can guess between Malin, Quinn and Asher there is tension. There were some typing errors but other than that I like the style of Amanda Hocking.

Quick word: If you want an original story with Valkyries and all kinds of creatures, do not hesitate.

About Amanda Hocking

The plot for this book was really original and interesting, a new take on Gods and dystopia that I really enjoyed. It took me a little while to get into and I felt it ended quite abruptly - I would definitely read the next one when it comes out. Also, although this was an advance copy, there were a lot of spelling, grammar and just general mistakes where the wrong word etc has been used, so this definitely needs some work before it’s published.

In a genre dominated by vampires and werewolves, I'm always looking to find Young Adult books that feature other paranormal creatures. The thing that first interested me about the Between the Blade and Heart was that it was book contained both Valkyries and Norse mythology.

Between the Blade and the Heart was not exactly what I had been expecting when I first started reading. For some reason, I had expected a historical fantasy setting heavy with elements of Norse mythology. I think my assumption was based on the vagueness of the synopsis and the fact that I was unfamiliar with Amanda Hocking's work. Instead, the book takes place in a near future setting with technological advances and was more similar to an urban fantasy novel. Not necessarily a bad thing, just not what I had been expecting at all! The story features many fantasy creatures from lots of different cultures and mythologies, as well as the typical Norse mythology elements. I was really intrigued by the idea of modern day Valkyries and their roles in the world.

I thought Malin, our protagonist to be well-rounded and interesting, I still couldn't find myself connecting with her that much. I did have a slight issue, however, with the romance. The book does contain a love triangle, albeit a different sort of love triangle than what is usually featured, and I felt like the relationships between the characters could have been developed a bit more. I also think that some of the secondary characters could have used more depth. The writing itself was really good and I found nothing to complain about the plot or pacing. The story is fast-faced, filled with action, and was definitely not a slow read. The ending sets up nicely for the sequel and I look forward to reading the next book in the series!

Malin was an interesting character to follow. She was born to kill immortals as her job and she's trained her whole life for it. Raised by a mother who really did not come off as "motherly", Malin grew up to be thick skinned. She was definitely flawed, I'll tell you that. Her biggest flaw was believing she could not fall in love, just feel surface emotions which evidently led to many problems in the rest of the story!

Other characters like Malin's best friend Oona, her ex-girlfriend Quinn and her new ally Asher brought in fun, quirky and intense moments to the story. They guided and supported Malin on her journey to revenge. My personal favourite was Oona, she was the human of the group with no real physical strength to fight, but she had really amazing sorceress powers that I would love to find out more about!

The Norse Mythology in this book does not focus too much on the mainstream gods that most people know of, this book dives deep into the creatures and other immortals of the Norse. Hocking did a great job of introducing all these types of immortals and describing how they would come to influence Malin's journey.

The only things that really bothered me were the love triangle and the confusing world. The love triangle added too much unnecessary angst to the story. Although it was more interesting because Malin is bisexual, therefore vying for her heart was a girl and a boy. As for the world, I was slightly confused as to whether it was set on our world today, in another dimension and how exactly it worked.

I really enjoyed this novel. It was fast, it was head first into the battle and there was never really a dull moment.

I expected. . . more from Between the Blade and the Heart. At the mere mention of Valkyries I was SO ready to love this book and I did to an extent but this wasn't a home run for me.

But hey, bring on the mythology!

Hocking took several cultures and mythos and just smashed them together into one book. I kind of liked it because rather than feeling like the supernatural beings introduced were all put in a room together to make things "interesting," there seemed to be a modern unified world theme going on. Plus I totally love mythology in general so I was more than happy to keep reading. Granted, I had to look up a lot of the beings as I was reading which detracted from the reading a bit but I also found it interesting too so good and bad there.

And the heroine, Malin, was typical for what I'm used to seeing in urban fantasies (which is what I'd say this book is most like). Spunky, a bit stubborn, and enjoyable to read. Though I can't speak to the quality of rep (please check out other reviews that can better speak to it), Malin is bisexual and I loved seeing the dynamic between her and her ex-girlfriend, as well as her guy friend because, frankly, I've never seen it done in such a seamless way where it simply happens. I want more of that!

Honestly, the story was interesting enough too. I can't say it was super memorable but I was hooked. Where Hocking lost me was the writing itself. I enjoyed her Trylle books well enough but this time around, it took me a while to really get into the book (well over 30% and I even contemplated DNFing). Between the Blade and the Heart is pretty heavy on the detail but it wasn't anything I actually wanted to visualize. Earlier in the book, Malin's food is described in far too much detail but could I tell you where she was in terms of setting? Nope. I liked the level of detail in this book but not what was described because it felt like anything relevant was glossed over and I lost a sense of place in this book. I wasn't grounded in the world and ended up reading more on the surface than anything which took away from what could be a really good novel.

Thankfully, the detail didn't get in the way as much further on in the story and I started enjoying the book more, but it took slogging through the first half. If you enjoyed her previous books then I'd say give it a go but if you're already unsure about reading it I'm not sure I can recommend it. There are a lot of great elements but some of the final execution just brought it down for me.