Noteworthy experiences while reading this book: Although this one was a little meh it was still pretty good.

Check out author's other books? Maybe
Recommend this book? Yes

Notes and Opinions: This one starts off giving us some info dumping which worked out. I liked how the author gives us everything we need in a little two page intro. We get everything we will need to know in a very easy to understand way. The next thing that comes is chapter one and were on our way. This one had some great world building and some creatues that we dont see much in Young Adult. We also get some diverse characters and yes folks there is a love triangle so be warned! It worked out ok for this title. The only issue I really had with this one was that it was kind of meg. It wasn't at least to me all that excting and I wish we would have gotten some more instensive suspence. The writing was great and this is the first book from this author that I really did like and enjoy the story and I will be picking up the next one. I just wished that it would have gotten me towards the end of my seat.

Go Into This One Knowing: Not Totally Exciting, LGBT Characters, Love Triangle

This book was reviewed by Jessica P.

I really liked Between the Blade and the Heart. All the supernatural beings you could ask for...angels, demons, sirens, sorcerers, valkyries and so many more. All the good vs evil battles but without the gore, but boy what a cliffhanger...another sequel I'm going to have to wait a year for.

Wowzie, this story was so good I didn't even want it to end and what a cliffhanger. Amanda writes a great story, that moves along and the colorful characters! I loved it, will be reading the next book in the series you can say that again! 5 Stars, I would give this a 6 if I could!

I have been reading Amanda Hocking for years now, and she is consistently a good read and continues to evolve as a writer.

I loved this author talk on the Valkyrie myth. This book was so fast pace and I really loved both the characters and also the world building. I thought all of these elements made the book not only engaging but also so enjoyable to read. I was not in love with romance that developed and felt like I would have enjoyed the book more, if those two characters remained friends. But I am really excited to read book two and am happy it comes out mid 2018! I will def being checking out how this series ends! If you enjoy percy jackson novels but with a focus on world budding and romance I would rec you check out this book!

A world where immortal beings roam freely until the gods decree that it's their time to be returned to the afterlife by the hand of a Valkyrie is explored in Amanda Hocking's Between the Blade and the Heart. 

Malin has been training her entire life to follow in her mother's footsteps to become a Valkyrie bearing the responsibility of returning immortals when their time is called. Having always been taught that returning immortals helps to maintain a delicate balance in the world, Malin is shocked when she learns from Asher, the son of a Valkyrie whose death was precipitated by her mother failing to return an immortal, throwing the entire world off-kilter. In an attempt to rectify this wrong and seek revenge, Malin battles more than just the immortal responsible, but also a god, her emotions, and her understanding of what it means to be a Valkyrie. 
This quickly-paced book takes classic creatures and mythology and molds them into a new world to present a familiar narrative; however, while the overall concept of this world is decently built, there's a lack of setting establishment to easily root the narrative into something entirely coherent. There were also areas within the text where objects, ideas, or creatures were presented and then overly explained - these could have been done more intricately through context clues rather than consistent overt info-dump explanations. Though I do have some issues with the overall construction, I am intrigued by the story set up in this first installment, particularly the aspect of predetermined fate, to continue reading subsequent books if only to see how everything plays out despite standard plot devices. 

Overall, I'd give it a 3 out of 5 stars.

Valyries are women warriors trained for battle and their job is to return immortals to the underworld when their time is determined by the gods. Yet what would happened if one was to question it and not do there job. Would it alter things? Is there free will or no matter what you do fate is already written and cannot be changed.

A fast pace entertaining story. I feel the Norse Mythology theme is what kept me reading. Not a bad story.

Between the Blade and the Heart is the first installment in author Amanda Hocking's Valkyrie duology. This duology features 19-year old Malin Krigare as a Valkyrie in training under her mother Marlow's mentorship. A mentorship that is both dysfunctional and bizarre in nature. The story takes place in a alternative reality; in a city known as New Edgewater where mortals and immortals co-exist. Valkyries are the arm of the Gods as it were.

Valkyries are tasked with the slaying of immortals and returning them to the underworld by order of the gods, and no one can or ever has gone against orders because the world would go out of balance if they did. But, after learning about a huge mistake done by her own mother which caused another Valkyrie's death by the son of said Valkyrie and creating an immortal creature known as a Draugr, Marlow put the world on the brink of destruction. Malin puts together a team of the willing to clean up Marlow's mess.

Malin's team includes her ex-girlfriend Quinn Devane who is also a Valkyrie, Oona Warren who is Malin's best friend, roommate, and sorceress-in-training; and Asher Varja, son of a Valkyrie who tracks down Malin and Marlow demanding answers as to why his mother was murdered and why Marlow screwed up in sending an immortal to Kurnigia which is filled with angry demons and devils. Asher is also a potential love interest for Malin which means....::cough:: LOVE TRIANGLE ::cough:: Oh wait, I forgot about Marlin's other side dish. ::slaps head:: My bad!

Now the bad news: While there were some good ideas behind the writing of this story, I think that Hocking spent way too much time on Malin's sex life, and I do mean sex life. It appeared as though everyone that she meets in this book, except perhaps her roommate and a mean girl from school, has had a relationship at one time or another with Malin.

I am understandably curious as to why Hocking would feature a school called Ravenwood Academy when there was so much other stuff happening that needed immediate attention by Malin. Except for the fact that a secondary character starts explaining the idea behind free will and that everyone has a destiny that has already been planned out for them, it is just fodder to be tossed away. Ok, there is the other issue of Malin having to actually graduate in order to become an official Valkyrie.

I have a hard time understanding why a parent would tell their own child that love is not necessary; that Valkyries never fall in love since they have to focus on doing what the Gods tell them. This caused Malin nothing but issues, especially with Quinn who still carries a torch for her. Finally, let's really talk about Malin as a lead character. She's not smart, as others have indicated. She is barely surviving school! She is, above all else, stubborn. She dives head long into things without having a plan (as witnessed as she disobeys her mothers order).

Malin's team rushes blindly against an enemy that is 10 steps ahead of her thanks to Malin not paying attention to details and her relationship issues with Asher and Quinn. The one constant in all this just happens to be Oona. She actually seems to be the one character to actually have her head screwed on tightly. Because of the cliffhanger ending, and the curious arrival of a major Vanir God who shalt remain nameless, I absolutely will be reading part two of this book From the Earth to the Shadows.

About: Between the Blade and the Heart is a young adult fantasy written by Amanda Hocking. It will be published on 1/2/18 by Wednesday Books, an imprint of St. Martin’s Press, 336 pages. The genres are young adult, fantasy, mythology, and fiction. This book is intended for readers ages 12 to 18. This is book one to a duology. The second book, From the Earth to the Shadows is expected to published in April 2018.

My Experience: I started reading Between the Blade and the Heart on 12/9/17 and finished it on 12/18/17. This book is a great read! It’s my second Norse Mythology inspired read after Beyond a Darkened Shore. I’m still not too thrilled with this Norse mythology because there are so many terms for names, places, and things I can’t pronounce and so many demons/gods/in-between I’m not so inclined to get to know. Other than that, I enjoy the story and I like following Malin’s adventures. I like that Malin is independent and in control of herself. I like the way the story is moving, it is like a little puzzle that lead forward from one step to another.

This book is told in the first person point of view, following Malin Krigare, 19, a Valkyrie with the responsibility to execute immortals and return them to the underworld. The reason to kill off the immortals is because there isn’t enough space for everyone on earth. In this new world where immortals and mortals co-exists and if the immortals are left to live forever then the earth will be over capacity. Malin’s mother, Marlow, also is an immortal executioner. As a Valkyrie, she has more strengths than others and the vengeance for her death is even riskier because she’s slaying other’s loved ones. One day, Asher Varja give a surprised visit to Malin and wanted vengeance against Malin’s mom, Marlow. Marlow didn’t kill an immortal, who in turn becomes dangerous and killed Asher’s mom. Now Malin and her mom have to help Asher chase down that immortal to get rid of him so that Asher can find closure, but more happened than what they bargained for.

This book is well written and developed. I enjoy the humor. I actually enjoy the love triangle in this book, especially the awkward moments when the three are together. I like Oona, Malin’s best friend/roommate and her ability with crystals. The romance is a bit quick for my liking, but it’s hot and most definitely with Asher. I like the mentions of how we are only pawns in the games of the gods. I can’t imagine human living among demons and other less humanoids. My goose bumps set itself free just thinking about it. This book is an interesting read and there were hardly any dull moments. I highly recommend everyone to read it.

Pro: humor, diversity, fast paced, love triangle, actions and adventures, a lot going on

Con: probably just me but those places, names, and things are super difficult to pronounce

I rate it 4.5 stars!

***Disclaimer: Many thanks to the author Amanda Hocking, publisher St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review. I appreciate the invitation to host a blog tour with a giveaway for this book! Please be assured that my opinions are honest.

xoxo,
Jasmine at www.howusefulitis.wordpress.com for more details

I never really read a book from Amanda Hocking, I read the first volume of her first saga without being more convinced, but I was ready to retry the adventure.

The big benefits of this series is its universe inspired by Norse mythology. I personally have not often read this kind of universe and it is a point that brings originality. In addition, the folklore of the valkyries has an associated imaginary that gives off badass vibes. What I also loved is the world, humans live with immortals and survive between pollution, killing and demons. There are the valkyries that will protect them and keep the balance on earth and if an immortal escapes it can have dramatic consequences as you may see.

Malin, is a Valkyrie, she's a good little soldier, she never questioned the system and always followed the rules. She is a bit cold and emotionless in the novel. She take it bad when she discovers that her mother has not followed orders. It's a girl that I had a hard time fuguring out, and I had a hard time seeing her evolution in this book and I hope it will change in the future.

If I have to summarize this novel, I can tell you that the writing style is fluid and easily immersive, the universe is frankly interesting and I am delighted to see the use of Nordic mythology. However, I did not have any surprises during my reading, everything was generic and I closed the book telling me that everything was a bit to classic.

Hey Book Friends,

As much as I wanted to love this book, as much as I love the cover. I just couldn't. Its not a bad read, I loved the Mythology background and how the author entwines that into the story she provides us.

I'm not sure if it was me and the mood I was in, but I struggled with a connection with this one.

This Fast paced, about a young Valkyrie she discovers that her mentor and her mum maybe not be who they are meant to be.

I think everyone who likes Amanda's writing will enjoy this one. I think I will return to this world again in the future as a re read.

received an early arc copy for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me a digital ARC of Between the Blade and the Heart" by Amanda Hocking. I was happily surprised by this book. I have not had much luck with books about Valkyries but this one did a very good job with the topic. The writing is easy to follow and the story is entertaining. Fans of Cassandra Clare will likely enjoy this novel as it has a similar feel and character types.

I reviewed this book for School Library Journal so I am not able to post it on my own.

I thought the world that was created in this story was great. It really gave you a great setting and you felt like you were there at times. I also loved that the creatures were not your regular supernatural characters that you read about a lot of times. The writing also seemed to flow well. I really enjoyed the story as I usually do with Amanda's books. However, the only reason I am not giving full stars is it felt a little slow at times for me and I felt disconnected from those characters. I think I just wanted to feel a little more for them. That being said, I thought it was intriguing and I would recommend it.

t's been a long time since I've enjoyed a Hocking book so much. I think back to when I first read Trylle and now enraptured I was. This book was just about on par with my feelings of the past.

Norse mythology. Valkyries. Something I've always been interested in. And now, being taken to an entirely different level. Valkyries are to do their bidding and return the immortals to the underworld. And they always have...until one didn't. And the entire world is shifted and imbalanced. Even worse? The cause is at the hands of the one Valkyrie our heroine, Malin, trusted and believed in the most.

I really liked Malin, which seems rare these days. So many protagonists are written to come off as spoiled brats. But I will say, I think I'd have liked a bit more of an emotional pull from her. Even with the love triangle (yes, sorry, it is!) I didn't feel as if she cared one way or the other. Also, the one character NOT mentioned in the blurb seems to be the one winning that "battle," so that was also odd.

As for the story—I enjoyed it! I think it's pretty fast-paced. And of course, I really liked the crises and secrets that needed to be unraveled. The idea that not everything and everyone is what they seem really comes across. It's easy to read, flows well. Yes, there are tropes and easy guesses of the plot, but overall, I think it'd be enjoyable for anyone looking for something a bit different in the paranormal/fantasy genre.

I will definitely be reading book 2!

Between the Blade and the Heart is such an appropriate title for this heartfelt urban fantasy inspired by Valkyries. We follow Malin, who's in college and in the process of getting her Valkyrie license under the tutelage of her mother, Marlowe. As secrets come out of the woodwork, Malin must work with her ex-girlfriend and new friends to stop the end of the world as they know.

The world building here is very cool. There are monsters and beings from a few mythologies, but keeping a general focus on Norse. I loved the intro with Valkyries as almost a separate agency all on their own. Each one had their own flavor and the conflict between feelings and detachment made for great plotting. I really related to Malin, as someone who might be really bad at feelings because of her strained relationship with Marlowe. I thought this aspect was very well-handled and really sets up for Malin's growth in books to come.

One thing that threw me off was the bluntness of the descriptions. They could have been handled with some more finesse, instead of a laundry list of outfit pieces and things to look at. It made the action pieces a bit bear.

All in all, I really liked this book and if anyone is looking for a well-paced, urban mythology, look no further.

I gave up on this about a fifth of the way in. The writing is solid, just not my cup of tea..

Disclaimer: I received an eARC from netgalley.com in exchange for my review.

I've read a few Amanda Hocking books. Each one has a compelling world. Her new "Valkyrie" series is no different. Imagine a world where the supernatural, global god pantheons (in this book, it heavily relies on the Norse pantheon), and technology come alive, peacefully coexisting with their own rules and regulations. This is the world Hocking drops us into. I'm such a geek for magic and technology; Shadowrun the RPG being one of my all-time favorite game settings. So, I was pleasantly squeeing when I dove into this book.

In Between the Blade and the Heart, we're introduced to Malin, a Valkyrie-in-training. She's just come back from her latest assignment to find an intruder in her apartment. And thus, starts the quest that leads us through the rest of the story, that takes her through her city, pushing her past what she thought was the truth about her vocation, and deep into Mexico.

Hocking does a great job of building her books. The world feels real, her characters are wonderfully flawed, and they feel real wandering around their setting. This new series is fast paced, contains a great bi-love triangle (about time!), and leaves us with a cliff-hanger that I didn't see coming (too much). It also contains the cutest little pet critter I've ever read in a book (Malin, if you read this... I'd be more than happy to take care of Bowie any time).

If you like your urban fantasy with a mythical twist, some cool technology, and a bunch of kick-ass heroines, then give Between the Blade and the Heart a read. Eagerly awaiting book two!

I really enjoyed this. I do hope for a little more world building in book 2 but overall this is an amazing start to a series.
The ending left me wanting more.
Some things I expected didn't happen but could happen in the next book.

2 stars

Plot: I've only read a handful of books from Amanda Hockings; I found her journey to publishing to be inspiring, but Between the Blade and the Heart read like Hocking was resting on her laurels. The premise promised Norse mythology and paranormal intrigue, but I couldn't get into this book from page one. Hocking threw the reader in the middle of the story with little preparation for the world, I honestly thought that this was a fantasy novel, not urban fantasy. Once I got settled in the setting, I had to wade through all of the many overused tropes that are common in Young Adult novels.

Characters: It was obvious from the start that Valkyrie-in-training Malin did not have a healthy relationship with her mother and while I'm usually interested to learn about fractured family dynamics, Malin's attitude turned me off almost immediately. She was written to be rough around the edges but I nothing about Malin made her a sympathetic character. She also juggled two love interests that seemed unnecessary.

Worldbuilding: As I mentioned earlier, I thought that this was an epic fantasy instead of set in present day with paranormal influence. I do appreciate that Hocking brought urban fantasy back to the young adult category, but this world was missing so much; I'm not even sure I know what country this took place in.

Short N Sweet: While the writing may have held my attention a few years ago, The Blade and the Heart had one too many cliches that I couldn't overlook.