This debut YA fantasy will hold no surprises for the long-time reader, but for a debut book it packs quite a punch.

Eelyn (how am I to pronounce it? EEE-line sounds kind of awkward) is a tough fighter in a sort-of Viking world, scavenging for life in a tough environment between fierce battles with a neighboring people pretty much like her own, and the mysterious Herza. Fierce as in gallons of blood and guts proving that yep, she's badass, all right, before she gets captured by a handsome young warrior from the other side.

You know exactly where it's going from there, and it goes there. Along the way there's plenty of angst (Eelyn's beloved older brother, thought dead, isn't) and learning new ways of daily life in the slow-burn enemies-to-lovers arc, with plenty of death threats going back and forth.

Teens who like vivid, harsh worlds and lots of badass blood and guts swapped off with I hate-you-I-love you arcs will surely enjoy this book.

I finished! I feel like I should get an award for this. It isn’t that this book is bad really- it’s just exactly like every other YA fantasy novel out there. Except with less memorable characters and a not so colorful setting.

I’m sorry. I really wanted to love this. Really. I am vikings obsessed. I’ve watched and rewatched every season of Vikings since Vikings first aired. It is the ONLY show that I bother to watch as it airs, tracking premiere dates and gobbling up teaser trailers like candy. I even bought DVDs of The Last Kingdom knowing nothing about it except it was based on Uhtred. I read all ten Saxon Stories in the span of a year. I mean really- it is not hard to sell me on Vikings anything.

But honestly- perhaps that’s where this went wrong. I can’t remember if the blurb specifically says Vikings but the inspiration is pretty obvious. The girl on the cover resembles Lagertha. Those are some mighty shoes to fill. And Eelyn? Eelyn is no Lagertha. Vikings history and culture is rich and complex. It is far, far more than “brutal clan warfare.” Where were the sagas? Where were the poets? The explorers? The conquerers? The Norse pantheon? The Thing? The Viking technology? To me it felt like deciding to write a book “inspired” by Romans and only including the gladiator arenas, Jupiter and Mars. If you’re going to write a book like this- write it right. Pay attention. Reading a single book on Vikings would have fleshed out the culture more than this.

Anyway- you might think the offense I’ve taken at the bare bones structure we’re given here is my only issue. It’s not. There’s a whole lot of telling here and hardly any showing. Eelyn tells us time and again how she’ll “kill them all.” Mostly she just lights their fires and crushes their garlic and helps them fish. I never got a sense of who any of the characters were beyond that they were all warriors, healers and/or leaders.

And then the deus ex machina all over the place. None of the events in this book made sense. They were all too convenient. <spoiler> Why did Fiske’s family go fish him out of the trench but Eelyn and her father just leave Iri there? WHY?! Fiske’s family looked for him for two days and then got him out. Eelyn and Aghi knew exactly where Iri was but apparently they didn’t care enough to retrieve his body. And then they wonder why he switched sides?!! Gee, um I don’t know. Maybe because you left him for dead? Obviously it wasn’t impossible to get him out of the trench. You obviously have some kind of rock climbing harnesses and ropes as evidenced by the usage of it in the last 20% of the novel... yet you just left him there. To rot. That’s great. I wish that was the only example. Aside from the catalyst of the entire novel being too contrived, the resolution of it all is also absurd, but I won’t spoil it here.</spoiler>

The action scenes weren’t terribly written. By the time the infamous arrow to the shoulder is received they’ve absolutely lost all excitement. The problem with grievously wounding your main character 3 times in the opening 5 chapters is that the reader just basically realizes the MC is clearly invincible and any sense of tension you might get from wondering if she’ll survive is completely lost.

I didn’t get a feel for the setting other then mountain villages versus beach villages. I wish the villages felt like they had more life to them. It seemed like the houses were all fairly close together but then later Eelyn mentions “rows for sowing”. Well what kind of sowing are we talking here? Are there acres of land to be farmed or a small family garden? It was just confusing.

The one thing I give this book credit for was the romance. I’m not sure it wasn’t instalove- but at the bare minimum I wasn’t forced to endure paragraphs upon paragraphs of Eelyn’s commentary on the color of Fiske’s eyes or his warrior heart. This was a relief.

All in all- lots of people like this already, so I know I’m probably being too hard on it. Picking it apart because I wanted something I felt like I was promised and wasn’t given. I recommend to fans of YA fantasy or YA romance. I would not recommend this to people looking for a fantasy Viking story. This is not that.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday books for providing an eARC for me to review.

4.5 stars that I will happily round up to 5! I very much enjoyed this book for many reasons. First of all, its action-packed. If you are squeamish, be warned. There is blood and gut-spilling and wound infection treatment and burns and...yeah, this book has it all. Its not horror-movie gory or anything, but there is plenty of mention so just a heads up. But back to the action, this book has it. Eelyn (what a pretty name!) is a warrior. Its how she was raised; its in her soul.

So this leads into my second point: <u>Sky in the Deep</u> is a love story. Love for family, clansmen, and soulmates. When I read all the talk of family in the synopsis, I was a little concerned that this was going to be a mushy family saga. I am so glad I was proved wrong! The familial relationships were so realistic. There is love, yes, but there is also betrayal, hope, hatred, and kinship. As for the love interest, I don't think I've ever read one so refreshing. I expected a major hate-to-love trope story. While in general that's what this is, again, the story is so solid. Its not mushy, gushing, and crushing; it wasn't insta-love. In fact, we hardly hear any talk about Fiske being handsome or sweet...its all there in his actions and just such an organic way. Once love is declared and things heat up, the two are just so sweet and perfect and their shared moments are so beautiful and genuine. Fabulously handled.

And my third point: You can't talk or think about this book without mentioning the world-building. Perfect. I could play out every single moment of this Viking-esque world in my mind: what each of the villages looked like, their different settings, their armor, their leaders, <i>everything.</i> Another thing I was nervous about was hearing long descriptions of weapons because it just seems that most books that have extensive weaponry tend to go on about how special this sword is, or how this axe was someone's fathers, etc. Nope, not here. The author has excellent on what is important (<i>not</i> ornate weaponry).

Last but certainly not least, the characters are truly what makes this book excellent. Every single character is well-played and unique, contributing their own piece to Eelyn's heart. From Eelyn's father (who is a fierce man, but who is the perfect mix of gentle yet strong for his daughter) to the Tala (the 'enemy' clan's spiritual leader), the characters are colored the story so vibrantly. Harvard was, by far, my favorite. Aren't we all suckers for cute, curious little kiddo's?

I loved this book. What a breath of fresh air to have such a strong female lead. I loved the she was fierce and loyal and did not give a damn what anyone thought. It was a fast paced thrilling read that I will be recommending to everyone.

Eelyn is an Aska, raised from birth to be a warrior and to hate the Riki, a rival people whom the Aska battle every five years. She has never had a problem with this hatred until she discovers that her brother, thought to be dead for the last five years, is in fact alive and living with the Riki. In pursuing her brother she is captured and taken back to a Riki village, where she slowly discovers they are not so different from the Aska after all. When both the Riki and Aska are threatened by a larger tribe, Eelyn must try to overcome years of hate on both sides to convince them to fight together against the common enemy.
Sky in the Deep is an engrossing story of love and hate, and the damage that can be caused by passing on prejudice through generations. It is Viking-inspired, with equally fierce women and men. Some parts of the plot felt a bit rushed, and overall I think the book could have been longer to allow for more character development. However, I enjoyed the story and the characters, and would certainly read a sequel if one were to be written!

Review date: April 19
Review link: https://dulivre.blogspot.com/2018/04/book-review-sky-in-deep.html

Plot: Sky in the Deep has been getting rave reviews from all my blogging friends which has me wondering what I missed. I think at the end of the day, the writing wasn't for. By page one, I already had an inkling that I wasn't meshing with the writing or story, which was a shame. I liked that Sky in the Deep explored family ties and invisible lines and I also missed the memo that Sky in the Deep was a standalone novel. Sky in the Deep was a pretty quick read and the ending snuck up on me as well.

Characters: One major disappointment for me was that the characters felt very bland which goes back to the writing. I didn't feel I received a proper introduction of any of the characters nor did I empathize with them which impacted my reading experience. I really can't tell you one thing about our main character, Evelyn, as a result.

Worldbuilding: Young's unique setting and exploration of Viking culture were very well done; Young's research showed as she included language, customs, and in-depth descriptions of battle and Viking values. Becuase the book was such a quick read, I never connected with the world nor did I feel transported to it. Once again, this was because I never connected with the writing.

Short N Sweet: Sky in the Deep was an exploration of family with some good messages, but I just didn't care.

There was so much hype surrounding Sky in the Deep and this time, it sadly didn't work for me. I adored the world so much, to the point that it made me want to watch Vikings again, I really need more Viking content in my life. However, I found that it lacked depth and that the story didn't deliver, especially in terms of action, because it was a character-driven book (which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but you'd expect something else from a Viking-inspired novel). From the premise, I could already tell where the author would go and the messages she wanted to deliver, so not one bit of it surprised me. Maybe it's my fault for expecting a lot from YA fantasy, I don't know. I didn't find the characters particularly memorable, I liked them, but nothing more. Moreover, I was quite disappointed into the plot, because while I got good fighting scenes at the beginning and the end of the novel, the rest of it was made of every day life and I was bored for most of the first half of the novel, which is unfortunate considering how short this book was. The second half was worth not quitting, but it just wasn't something that surprised me. I liked the romance enough, but there were some cringe-worthy and cliché parts that made me rolled my eyes so hard.

In short, what makes this novel stands out is the Viking setting, which I really liked, but other than that, it didn't feel so different from other YA fantasy novels I've read in the past.

This book started with a bang. It started quick with two battles and then the bad pacing pops out. The pacing was slow for me, the mid part just dragged on and on without anything even happening.
The world building is great but not deep enough. I get the broad overview of it but not enough for me to fully understand and feel like I'm a part of the book.
I also don't feel very connected with the characters which is a shame because I really wanted to.
The romance is a hate to love but I find it weak. I find it being just meh rather than being swooned by it.
But I love that this book is centered on family and how the main character is finding herself.
Good but not great.

There is a trend of bloodthirsty young women in YA right now, and I am loving it. I don't know what it says about me that some of my favourite books so far this year have featured ruthless women who charge into battles and kill without second-guessing themselves. Add to that a high dose of emotions, chemistry, and tangled loyalties, and you've got a highly charged, kickass story.

Every emotion Eelyn felt was written deep into the page. I felt everything she did: pain, betrayal, rage, distrust, homesickness. I could understand her hatred and hated everyone with her. The transition of these dark feeling to wariness and a begrudging respect was slow enough to be almost undetectable. Slow and believable, but never so slow as to be sluggish and drag the story down. And where Eelyn could be one ferocious lady, facing down her enemies without mercy, she showed so much vulnerability at times, sometimes right after doing something particularly monstrous. But other people's emotions also tore at me, with one scene featuring Eelyn's father actually bringing me to tears.

I loved the battle scenes, filled with fury and determination and just enough gory detail to feel the blood speckling your skin. There was even a scene in which Eelyn [spoiler]rips out a man's eyeball[/spoiler]. VICIOUS. I soaked up every drop of blood and crunch of bones, and during the particularly nasty scenes, I felt a bit sick, but I also wanted to laugh, my eyes wide with murderous glee. It's like Young was trying to expose my inner violence, the animal beneath the human.

While I'm no expert on Viking culture, it felt like the author had done her research. There was so much detail in the buildings and customs and landscape that I felt like was there. I'm not a fan of studying modern history, but I do enjoy learning about old cultures, especially the day-to-day lives of people, while also being wrapped up in a story. While there was some confusion for me over the passage of time, the world-building was otherwise spectacular.

Finally, that ending. Wow, was it wrapped up so nicely, and hey, this works as a standalone! (I want to say it is a standalone but sometimes authors surprise me when they announce a sequel to something that had ended well.) By the way, all the relationships in this are awesome and tied up nicely, too, although I'm a bit suspicious of Myra's future... Hmmm...

Honestly, the only disappointing thing about this book is that it isn't easily available to preorder outside of the US. Your best bet is through TBD or Wordery. But it's a definite must-buy if you're a fan of badass women, epic fight scenes, Vikings, and family.

Ugh...so good...

Honor above life.

Eelyn has known only one truth: the Riki are the enemy. They are the enemy of her clan, the Aska, and of her god, Sigr. Every five years, the two clans are commanded by their rival deities into battle. This blood feud is their birthright, and every Aska child grows up learning how to become a warrior. This life is not one Eelyn has ever questioned. She is bloodthirsty, dangerous, and would kill any Riki she came across without a thought. Afterall, they killed her brother, Iri.

But then she sees her dead brother on the battlefield, fighting *with* the Riki. That moments sets off a chain of events that has Eelyn's truth unraveling. Chasing after Iri, she is captured by the Riki and turned into a slave. She is brought to live with the people Iri now calls family and bides her time until she can escape to home and start to regain her honor. However, in living with the Riki, she starts to see her sworn enemy differently and comes to terms with the idea that the two clans might need to unite in order to survive.

The first half of this book hooked me. Eelyn is one kickass girl. I don't read much fantasy, much less YA fantasy about Vikings, and so much of this book was a novelty for me. If you like your fantasy with some raw violence and murderous rage, you will not be disappointed. I don't typically don't, but it really worked in this book. One of my favorite moments is when Eelyn tells her brother, the one she risked everything for, that she wishes he was dead, and she means it. She has a rawness to her that I don't encounter often in YA.

The best parts of this book are all in the beginning chapters. The second half was more about Eelyn warming to the Riki and the whole bit about uniting the clans felt a little after-school-special to me. We're not all so different after all... except that's a theme from a thousand other YA books, and I could have done without. I liked Eelyn better when she wanted to kill them all. She is given a "love interest" and you know it's coming, but it doesn't make much sense. A lot of the middle of the book gets bogged down in the day to day life of the Riki people and it wasn't all that interesting. In the end, I was hot and cold about this book, and it wound up being pretty average on the whole.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book.

More often than not, when I pick a YA fantasy up, I am not expecting to be surprised. Entertained, maybe, and possibly charmed, but not surprised. Never surprised. I feel like if I do, I am setting myself up for disappointment on purpose.

Because rare are the YA fantasy books that are so original they don’t immediately remind you of previous fantasy books you’ve read. This is why it’s extremely easy for readers and professionals to market those stories as ‘‘said book’’ meets ‘‘said book’’.

It’s when you’re unable to do that when you review a book that you realize that what you hold in your hands is completely fresh. And isn’t that an amazing feeling? To know that you may have just read a new classic that will allow for more stories about Vikings to be published in the future?

To my surprise, it is more character-driven than action-driven. It is interesting because there is strong, intense action in the beginning and for the last one hundred and so pages of the story, but what is in-between is relatively calm and measured.

That is absolutely normal, seeing that when Eelyn becomes a captive, she is unable to pursue her past activities that mostly involve fighting. She is forced into a submissive life that consists of her performing household duties and helping the enemy in different ways. Clearly, as she is doing those things, she is planning her escape and how she will get back at her kidnappers. At the same time, she is torn since the brother she thought lost forever is back into her life as one of her new enemies.

Eelyn is a fully fleshed out heroine. She may be out for blood and not progressive-thinking, but I understood where she came from. In her culture, honour goes above everything. By being taken from her group as she was fighting the enemy, she believes she has lost her honour in the eyes of her God. It is imperative that she recuperates it, otherwise she will not be allowed access to the afterworld. Her motives are justified. But I also liked that she found it in her to see the world through her enemy’s eyes.

I was happy to be reading a standalone YA fantasy novel, as those are fairly rare, but now that I finished it and loved it, I want more. This is a satisfying novel, though, so this is just me being greedy.

From start to finish, this was a riveting, intense and heart wrenching tale that I fell so in love with. And with comps like Wonder Woman meets vikings, you had me from the first page. And I was devastated when I reached the last. And that cover ... *Swoons*

It's not often you come across a book set in the time of vikings, and certainly not one that doesn't make the world into a gimmick to make people read. The story, the world and the characters played off each other beautifully and naturally. It is a world rich in detail, but also simple and minimal, if that makes any sense at all. You can see it all in your mind without being overloaded. This is mainly due to the writing style, which I thought was wonderful. Not overdone or too literary. The research done for this time period and world is also evident. Makes me curious if there is any truth to the Aska and Riki peoples. My only wish in regards to this world is that the author or publisher had included a glossary. There were a few terms thrown around that I either forgot the meaning or had to go back and find the first mention of it to remind myself. Or even just to know how to pronounce them.

Young does not hold back in describing the darker parts of this world. I mean, we're talking visceral imagery here. I now know how to describe popping someone's eyeball out of their head, so thanks for that. But seriously, there were several parts that made me cringe while reading. Not a this-is-so-bad cringe, but a holy-s**t-you-just-went-there kind of cringe. And Young *went* there. Animal sacrifices, bodily injuries, battle and death. All of it was raw and honest, and there were a lot of holy s**ts from me. If you like your blood and pain, then here you go!

I adored the characters in here. Not a single one was weak, annoying or without purpose. Eelyn fast became a favourite for me. Aside from the obvious of her being a bad-ass, never give up female warrior, she just has so much depth. The girl is in pain, both physically and emotionally, and the way she handles herself and her situation is both admirable and understandable. Her love for her family, her people, and those newly entered in her life was a wonderful element to her and the story. As you can see from reading the description, there is in fact a romance that brews between Eelyn and Fiske. But let me just stop for a second and shout out my thanks to Young for making it a perfect slow burn. Nothing kills the vibe of a book more for me than that insta-love that has at times become so cliche amongst characters. I'm so pleased to report this book did not disappoint in that department. It's a soft, tentative and true romance that gave me so many damn feels.

This was probably the first book I've read this year that, as I mentioned, had me absolutely choked to reach the last page. I finished it on my coffee break at work, and when I opened my Kindle at lunch, I was genuinely sad there was no more for me to hide away in. It has a conclusive ending, and seems to be a standalone and not the first installment to a new series. And although I'm sad that that is all we may get of Eelyn and Fiske, I'm also glad. It ended beautifully, with every loose end tied up and left a future full of hope and promise.

Five out of five stars. Easy.

This book was an enjoyable read! The messages of peace and acceptance of those who are different that run through the book were refreshing considering that the story itself revolves around two warring factions of a Viking like culture. There was a little romance, but the story did not hang on it at all. The lead character was both sympathetic and, at times, annoyingly closed minded. Watching her evolve and grow was part of what made this book so enjoyable - often we are faced with strong female leads who are stagnant and don't change. Overall, the plot was compelling, but I found that it was the relationships - family, friendship, and a little romance - that drove my interest in the story.

I am so glad I got to read an early copy of this book and cannot wait to get the physical copy in my hands. While the story is action-packed, it is such an emotional journey. Raised to be a warrior, Eelyn knows what is expected of her on the battlefield, but when faced with a brother she thought was dead and in the hands of her sworn enemies, she struggles with her feelings of betrayal and what family means to her, because it isn’t always about blood.

Thank you to the publisher for a free arc of this book in exchange for a review. This does not affect my opinion.

The concept of this book sounded SO COOL to me. Vikings! And a YA Dystopian adventure! I signed right up.

Unfortunately, the story completely failed to hook me. I know these types of books can be tricky and there's a lot that has to go into the world building - but I wasn't invested in any of the characters and I felt like I was almost immediately skimming ahead to get to the "meat" of the story. Ultimately, I didn't have the patience required to see this one through and I wound up putting it aside.

When Eelyn, a seventeen-year-old warrior from the Aska viking clan, heads into battle, the last thing she expects to encounter is her brother, Iri.

Her brother whom she has been mourning for the past five years.

Her brother that she watched die.

Her brother who is now wearing the armor of the Riki, their rival clan.

Following him into the wood, she sets herself on a path that is ugly and undesirable, but ultimately has the potential to change the future for all of the vikings in the area.

How far are the Riki and the Aska willing to go to assure the safety of their own?



★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆

I don’t know that I can think of another novel that I have ever read that centered around a community of vikings. This was so amazing and unique! I grew some intense attachments to characters and could not put this one down.

I appreciated the role of women in this title so much! Not only is Eelyn a tough, powerhouse of a character, but there are other strong women present as well. She isn’t an ‘oddball’ as a woman for being a warrior–many of the women are strong, admirable fighters. You never saw a man treat a woman any differently in battle than the men, and I LOVED that!

One of my favorite things about this novel was the slow-burning romance between two of our main characters (sorry, can’t spill the beans on this one! Read it to find out!). And it was just the perfect amount of romance for a YA title, in my opinion. As a teacher, I like being able to recommend YA titles to students that I know will not ‘cross any lines’ (and therefore make for a possibly angry parent). Sky in the Deep had just enough sexual undertones to this relationship that to make for a couple heated moments, without ever blatantly crossing that line. It was fabulous and I need more of these characters!

(That is not to say that I wouldn’t recommend YA titles that do push the line to adolescents that I personally know–with disclosure of touchy content. But in a school setting, we have to have some boundaries and some amount of censorship in order to respect opinions of others’ families)

The themes of family are so strong in this novel. I come from a large family where fostering and adoption is very present and supported, so I always love when there are any type of themes in novels that really support the concept of family being what you make it. Family doesn’t always have to be those that we were born into and the bonds that we build with those that we love can be just as strong as biological siblings or parents. The bond that Iri shares with Fiske is so powerful, and there is a young child in Fiske’s family who will steal reader’s hearts as he comes to know and love Eelyn–it’s hard to believe that all of these characters are fiction and that someone sculpted these relationships and emotions from words and presented them to us on paper.

We can also learn so much from the political, and just straight human being, themes within this novel of diversity. Living among the Riki, Eelyn begins to draw deep and powerful connections between her own clan, the Aska, and this clan that is a deeply hated rival. She begins to see the parallels between their religion and her own… their similar focuses on family and those they love.. and the most powerful thing that they have in common during this dangerous time–the will and fight to survive, above all else.

According to Adrienne, there will be a companion novel released in 2019 that has a lot of new characters and some previous (loved) characters. More information will be released soon regarding this title. I know this will be an automatic addition to my TBR and cannot wait to read it!

**Trigger Warnings: Brutal Violence, War, Assault, Attempted Sexual Assault, Death



Thank you to Adrienne Young and Wednesday Books for providing me with a DRC of this novel via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

First I would like to thank netgalley for accepting my request to read and review an arc of this book.

Wow! This book was so good! I always know when I’m going to love a book and not be able to put it down when I find myself choosing to read any free minute I get instead of watching TV or staring at my phone. I first saw this book on Goodreads a few months back. I even pre-ordered this book because the plot really intrigued me. I’ve never read, let alone a seen a YA story, with a Viking plot. I was afraid I would get bored, but I was pleasantly surprised. The world-building wasn’t heavy, which made it very easy to follow along with. I really loved Eeyln. She’s a tough, skilled warrior that is proud of who she is. Even though her heritage and her roots are really the center of this story, she never leaves those things behind. In fact I believe they become more important to her as the story goes on. At first I was afraid that Eeyln being a female Viking warrior would be brought up in the way a lot of other fantasy novels are with a female warrior or fighter as the main character. In other stories the identity of a female warrior would constantly be brought up as a “rarity” or simply an exception to a male-dominated group of warriors and fighters, but with this story, female warriors just are. It’s accepted. In fact, it’s encouraged. There were a few plot points in this story I saw coming, but I really enjoyed them nonetheless. I’m not sure if this is a stand-alone novel or the beginning of a series, which I would love to see continued, but this was a story I will definitely revisit again.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Wednesday Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’d like to start by saying that I could not put this book down. If you are looking for a strong female heroine then you have found it Eelyn. She’s pretty bad a$$ and even kicked that up a notch.

The story is about two Viking clans that every five years has a standing clan war. Five years prior Eelyn thought she had lost her brother to death fighting the Riki clan only to discover when she is captured that he was a live and well and fighting with her enemy. This causes an internal balance between hating her enemy and seeing their side. She has a growing love for her captor Fiske and feeling like she has betrayed her own family and god.

These two clans are brought together by a more terrifying enemy and forced to work together or have both clans wiped out.

Holy cow there was action from page one. The story does get pretty gruesome which for me only added to the story and has some pretty epic battle scenes. To balance out the violence there is a little romance, or a enemy to friends to lover book.

I was fine with the ending but yet was questioning why this was only a stand alone. I would love to see where this story could go.