This book surprised me! I honestly wasn't sure if I was going to like it. I mean, the description looked awesome, but I've been fooled too many times by synopses who's book don't live up to my hopes. This book wasn't perfect, but I couldn't put it down. I read it in three days-and I can't remember the last book I read that quickly.

And OK, this isn't an extremely long and detailed book, so that might have been one of the reasons why it was such a quick read. It starts off with high action and things don't slow down at all until the last couple pages. so that really helped move things along. Sometimes I think things could have used a little slow down. I feel like there were times when more explanation and detail was needed to take this book to the next level. It was a little predictable at times, but not painfully so. I figured out what would happen pretty quickly, although I was still able to enjoy the story.

But the characters really shined in this book. I loved Eelyn so much; she was a fantastic combination of fierce and caring. Honestly, I enjoyed pretty much all of these characters. Fiske annoyed me occasionally, but I still found myself rooting for him more often than not. They were all so unique and well-developed. I loved getting to know them!

So, all in all, I am so glad I picked this gem up. Like some other reviewers, I was a bit hesitant at first because I thought it might be too cliche. But, this book was not at all what I expected, and I really appreciated that (although, yes, there were some predictable parts)! It's a fun, quick read. If you love vikings, I'd recommend giving this a go.

Excellent read! It's highly unique to have a stand alone fantasy novel these days, so it was very refreshing to have everything wrapped up in the single novel. Fantastic characters and a very interesting world built here.

I have decided after much thought and consideration to pull my review of this title for personal reasons.

Riveting historical fiction!
Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Wednesday Books for the opportunity to read and review Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young! Eelyn goes to battle with her fellow clansmen and is saved by Iri, her brother that died five years ago. Iri fell in battle and everyone thought he had died. He fell into a ravine that his clan couldn’t get down into, but the Riki clan that they were fighting managed to get to him, save his life and help him heal. Eelyn discovers this after she followed Iri and was captured by Fiske from the Riki clan. Now she’s facing being sold to a different clan because the clan she’s with doesn’t know what to do with her. Fiske ends up buying her so no harm comes to Eelyn. Fiske and his family are the people who saved Iri, who has become part of their family and has vowed himself to the Riki clan. A world opens up to Eelyn as she sees that the two clans are alike and they both have an extremely dangerous, terrorizing common enemy. Sky in the Deep brings the lifestyle of Vikings up close and personal and allows the reader to see and feel their thoughts, reasoning and family bonds that made the Vikings formidable. 5 stars for the insightful story of love, loyalty and beliefs of the Vikings!

My Review
Raw, vivid, gritty and beautiful — SKY IN THE DEEP is Amazing!
Brutal, vivid and filled with gritty action, Adrienne Young's debut novel SKY IN THE DEEP is a Viking fantasy featuring one of the fiercest female warriors I have come across recently in young adult literature. Eelyn is not your average heroine. Friends, you are going to fall hard for her.

From the very first pages, the setting comes alive with its richly crafted world.
Viking enthusiast will feel like they are transported to Evelyn's world. From the deep valley fjords to the forested mountains, you can smell the pine and smoke, feel the crunch of snow and taste the cooper of battle and bloodshed.

“Every five years, we lost those we loved. And we spent five years counting the days to the moment we could make the Riki pay for our pain.”

The writing is simply amazing. Well paced and with a straightforward plot, the novel does waste time on a convoluted story.

Instead, it steadily builds delicious tension; this is a book you will not want to put down due to the page-turning addiction it creates. I love the sharp contrast between the lyrical way Young describes the landscape with the gritty and brutal moments of battle. There are moments of stabbing and bloodshed and beautiful moments of ritual, and everyday life of the Aska and Riki—painting a vivid picture for readers.

Eelyn is a protagonist that completely steals the show—sweeping the reader along her heart-rendering journey.

Rarely do we really get such a layered and well-written heroine in a YA novel, let alone a debut. She is a warrior of honor, strength, and heart. I loved just how fierce she is mentally and physically. She can strategize with the best of the warriors, her fellow fighting mates.

Young creates this tough yet vulnerable character in Eelyn.

We see the hurt and betrayal she feels towards her brother after she discovers he is not dead but instead living with the enemy, and the heavy burden it creates, causing her to take up his mantle in order to protect her father. I also enjoyed seeing the strong love Eelyn shares with her father. And, Mýra—her friend and fighting mate, is a great example of positive female friendship. I want her in my life!

“I TRIED TO REMEMBER WHO I WAS.
STRONG. BRAVE. FIERCE. SURE.

I tried to summon her to me—that Eelyn who would choose her people over anything else. I searched for her within myself, but she was different now. I was different. And it was something already done. Something I couldn’t change.”

Get ready for the feels!

When taken by the Riki, Eelyn is made a slave but gradually gains trust, sometimes the hard way, of its clan members. She also begins to see that their people share many commonalities. She also sees the losses they share. This causes so many conflicting emotions in Eelyn that are so palpable.

There is this terrific, slow-build, romantic tension that made me swoon several times.
For all its fierceness, SKY IN THE DEEP felt especially romantic at times. Even though its slow-to-build, and remains a secondary focus, when on the page together, Fiske and Eelyn just made me swoon. Their changing emotions, complex relationship, it all had me tied in knots. It felt realistic and I loved how Young portrayed them together.

In the End

Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young is a fantastic addition to the YA genre. The best compliment I can give (one that might age me) is the fact Eelyn reminded me a bit of Ayla from Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel. I remember how fierce she was and how much I'd admired her as a teen. Eelyn is sure to bring similar feelings out in today's YA readers. Highly recommended.

*I received this ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

OND ELDR. BREATHE FIRE.
Raised to be a warrior, seventeen-year-old Eelyn fights alongside her Aska clansmen in an ancient rivalry against the Riki clan. Her life is brutal but simple: fight and survive. Until the day she sees the impossible on the battlefield — her brother, fighting with the enemy — the brother she watched die five years ago.
Faced with her brother’s betrayal, she must survive the winter in the mountains with the Riki, in a village where every neighbor is an enemy, every battle scar possibly one she delivered. But when the Riki village is raided by a ruthless clan thought to be a legend, Eelyn is even more desperate to get back to her beloved family.
She is given no choice but to trust Fiske, her brother’s friend, who sees her as a threat. They must do the impossible: unite the clans to fight together, or risk being slaughtered one by one. Driven by a love for her clan and her growing love for Fiske, Eelyn must confront her own definition of loyalty and family while daring to put her faith in the people she’s spent her life hating.

Rating: 4/5 stars

The Vikings vibe is strong in this one and I am all about it. Any book with badass female warriors is something I am going to devour, and this was no exception, having stayed up until 2am reading until I finally forced myself to go to bed and finish it in the morning.

I’ve read this story so many times before (Flame in the Mist or The Continent, anyone???) where a girl from a different tribe is captured by an opposing group and kept as prisoner and some grumpy but incredibly hot dude doesn’t trust her but eventually they come to understand one another and their different cultures and they fall in love and try to unite the two groups and ooh boy wasn’t that the exact plot of the two aforementioned novels as well as 100% this one also??

Do you think I care???
NOPE I LOVE IT. Honestly, I could read the same story line with differently names characters and a vaguely different setting a dozen times and would still obsess over it each and every time because I know what I am about and I’ll freely admit I am trash.

Eelyn is such a god damn badass and I love it, she can take care of herself but beneath her hard exterior she is fragile and hurting and Fiske is just like waaaaiting for her to sort herself out and deal with her emotions and figure out that everything she once thought is wrong and BOOM I ship it two badass warriors who are passionate but tender as heck are the type of pairing I live for.

I both love and hate that this appears to be a standalone because I mean I’d love to spend more time in this world with these characters (the side characters were really well written and whole and full and good yes) but at the same time this is such a complete and whole story and the ending was lovely.

Keen as for whatever else the author comes up with because this is a great start.

Vegr yfir fjor. Honor above life. Living for your clan, dying for your clan and bringing honor to it. That is what young Viking warrior Eelyn has been brought up to believe. From a young age, she has been taught to fight, to kill, and to live in a world in which death was not a possibility but a probability. Every time the fighting season starts, the Aska march against their archenemy, the Riki, and make their clan proud or die trying. Seventeen-year-old Eelyn lost her mother to the ruthlessness of enemy clans when she was only a child, and then five years ago, her beloved brother Iri was slain by a Riki warrior. Now she finds herself on the battlefield again to Riki herself, when she is suddenly faced with the impossible: her brother Iri. She follows her brother and is instantly taken captive by the Riki and sold into servitude. How can her brother be alive? And how can she flee and restore her honor with her own clan, when she seems to have found a new home and family with the enemy?

I am positively surprised by this ambitious and well-executed debut. Although it is far from being perfect, it entertains with a well-paced plot and tender romance. Eelyn is a strong female protagonist who still remains relatable, and, even more importantly, likable. While I enjoy strong warrior-like female characters, they often seem to be cast into a very static mold in which they are restricted in their development. I have read numerous examples of heroines that are too perfect to be true. Their strength makes them appealing but at the same time a little flat. Not Eelyn - she is self-aware and loving, and develops from fierce warrior to caring woman without compromising any of her strength. Moreover, she does not behave in an anachronistic way. With a different historical setting, there is always the danger of pressing the characters into a modern mindset and behavior pattern. At first, I was a bit skeptical about whether Viking women actually fought in battles. After some research, it turns out they very well might have. Another benefit of this novel is its subjects, the Vikings. Popularised by current films and TV series, this particular era is certainly interesting for a wide readership. Maybe it's also the mystery surrounding the Vikings as there are still so many things we do not know about them. Therefore, this little book might create a fascination with this epoch and raise young readers' interest in history.

However, there are also some flaws. The romance part was utterly predictable and although Young paced it slowly and carefully, this slow burn just didn't burn. What's more, there could have been more of a plot for my taste. The alternations between battles and the protagonist learning to come to terms with the challenges that come with the job of being a Viking are told in a coherent way, but I would have wished for more gripping plot devices.

Overall, the author did a very good job of telling an entertaining story about intriguing characters set in an era that has not been much explored yet by YA literature. For this novelty alone the author should be applauded, particularly considering the fact that this is her first novel. Moreover, she dresses this story in pretty words, too, which is always a bonus. The rich descriptions of this harsh world are juxtaposed with those of the inner workings of a girl's mind slowly thawing to new feelings, and thus make for a real page-turner. In short, the language, Eelyn's introspection, and her path to redefining the meaning of family are what makes this book a very pleasurable reading experience. I would, therefore, recommend this book to teenage girls from the age of 14 as there is a considerable amount of violence - as can be expected from a novel about Vikings.


"And that was the way of it. Things belonging where they didn't. Like two night skies on a frozen lake. One looking down from above and one looking up from the deep."

(Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with this digital galley in exchange for an honest review.)

I was pleasantly surprised by SKY IN THE DEEP. When I started reading, and especially when it got to the part where Eelyn was captured, I was really leery this was going to turn into an I Love My Captor story, but I think Young approached that whole topic delicately and resolved it in a way that effectively avoided that whole disastrous trope.

SKY IN THE DEEP is brutal. It’s probably the least young adult novel I’ve ever read in that regard. I don’t know a whole lot about Vikings, but Young sticks to the basics of what I think Vikings are: brutal, unapologetic fighters. Their reasons for fighting were kind of hard to swallow, so firmly rooted in superstition that it was hard to suspend my logic for it, but it’s something I can believe having happened within that time. I didn’t doubt it. It just didn’t make a ton of sense as a modern day person reading the reasons why these two tribes fought.

As for the brutality, it’s bad. You get full view of Eelyn popping out a guy’s eyeball with her thumb. And that’s only the tip of the iceberg. But I didn’t feel any of it was gratuitous. It fit with the characters and their way of life. There’s this hardness to them built from generations of training. But there’s also an unapologetic softness there too. Men aren’t afraid to cry when the situation calls for it and the timing is right. Emotion is okay, but the overwhelming emotion usually involves some kind of fighting, at least in this story.

As for the love story portion of the story, I believed it. I don’t want to spoil anything, but Young takes care to develop the relationship slowly and you get every ounce of emotion that Eelyn is feeling about it. The outright hatred, the loathing, and slowly it develops into something less than that. Something tamer, something mellow. And then it slowly starts to ascend with her reluctant admittance to herself that hey maybe something might be there after all. It’s my kind of love story.

If you’re looking for a bloody, brutal story about warriors with a sprinkling of a love story thrown in, SKY IN THE DEEP is your book. But don’t dismiss the book’s loyalty, its blood ties, its torn emotions, its confusion about itself and its future, and everything else in between. There’s a lot going on here and it’s so much deeper than simply a viking story with some love thrown in. I think you’ll love it a little.

I didn’t want this book to end. I slowly read it to make it last longer. The characters were in my heart and brain and I didn’t want to let them go. They became a part of me. I dreamt of them. At night and in my daydreams. I was praying the whole time that this was a cliff so I could savor it for a little while longer. It wasn’t though but it had the most perfect ending anyone could wish for.

There was loss and there was love. Sky in the Deep will stay with me for months to come. I can’t explain how much I fell in love with this book. The rich background and the characters you love and some love to hate. The emotions pouring through me even as I type this. Adrienne Young has a way with words that will leave you breathless and longing for more.

This book was really great, I will admit I stopped at about 60-75% just because it wasn't the genre I was looking to read at the moment. But I still liked it, I still want to figure out what happens and will for sure finish it at some point.

I liked the characters, I kinda did hope for a bit more from Eelyn or even a bit more fantasy then what I was expecting. but the story played out more historical kind of? Still over all really interesting and it for sure puts you right there inside the story. Once I fully get out of my book slump I will give this another go.

EPIC. Vikings in YA literature are very rare, and boy was this a treat. I loved the face pace feel and the action never really stopped, which was perfect. I loved the main character and her determination and will, and I need a physically copy ASAP because that cover is gorgeous!

Thank you to Wednesday Books for providing me with a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for review! All opinions are my own.

I've been having a difficult relationship with reading lately (for personal reasons) but Sky in the Deep seems to have gotten me out of my reading slump! This book was the perfect dose of historical fiction I didn't know I needed and I'm definitely looking forward to Adrienne Young's future releases!

"We ask Sigr to accept your soul into Solbjorg, where the long line of our people hold torches on the shadowed path."

Plot:
Eelyn was raised to be a warrior and fights with her Aska clansmen in the ancient war against the Riki clan. While sometimes brutal, her life follows two simple rules: fights and survive. But one day, on the field of battle, Eelyn sees the impossible: her brother is fighting alongside the enemy- the same brother that she watched die five years ago. Faced with the betrayal of her brother, Eelyn now must survive with the Riki clan for the winter; the mountain village filled with enemy neighbors and battle scars that she possibly delivered herself. But when a clan thought to be but a legend attacks the Riki village, Eelyn becomes desperate to return home to her loved ones. With no choice, she joins with Fiske, her brother's friend, and together they must unite the Aska and Riki to fight together or risk the clans being destroyed. Driven by a fierce love of her clan and her growing feelings for Fiske, Eelyn must confront her definition of loyalty and family and decide whether or not to put her trust in people she's spent her entire life hating.

I'm almost positive I've never read a YA book about Vikings before but oh my goodness am I so glad I have now! I really enjoyed Sky in the Deep, plain and simple. The plot kept me engaged in the story from start to finish and actually piqued my interest in Viking culture. I really enjoyed the battles the most but I found that the more I read, the more I also enjoyed Eelyn's journey and the "slower" less brutal parts. She went through some internal battles between seeing her brother on the battlefield, being taken by the Riki and living with them, and trying to decide for herself what family and loyalty actually meant to her. There was so much growth and development from her and I was living for it! I will say that I felt like the final battle was kind of lackluster, unfortunately. I was hoping for a lot more, probably because the opening chapter had a very intense battle and I loved it. But outside of that minor complaint, the entire rest of the book was very enjoyable. It started off strong at the beginning and while the pace slowed down through the middle, I never felt like it was dragging on and never found myself bored. I thoroughly appreciated seeing the different sides of Eelyn and just genuinely loved her as the main character. This is one book I'm glad I took a chance on!

"And the glacier inside of me cracked. It roared as it broke and fell into the icy waters around my heart."

Characters:
Eelyn was definitely the strong, fierce warrior main character that I've been dying to read about. She was brutal but smart and loyal to those she called family. I do feel that she spent a lot of her time at the Riki camp basically talking about how she could destroy/kill the Riki, but never really doing anything. I was slightly frustrated at this, but then I came to the conclusion that she did this for a reason: she was beginning to realize that maybe the people she's grown up hating aren't so different from her after all. She never says this, but you can definitely tell in her character development that she changes her mind about the Riki over time. Which, speaking of character development, I actually really enjoyed her growth throughout the book. She does remain a fierce warrior, however, and that was my favorite part about her! A Viking warrior female main character that is able to hold her own on the field of battle but also has complex feelings and emotions and is able to grow as a character throughout the book? Yes, please! We need more characters like Eelyn in Young Adult books.

I didn't particularly care for any of the other characters in Sky in the Deep, unfortunately. If I had to choose one that I would be interested in reading more about, it would be Eelyn's battle partner Myra. I'd love to know more about her backstory! However, I do feel that the companion novel may possibly be about Fiske? He wasn't a bad character, and I suppose I wouldn't mind knowing more about him and his connection to Eelyn's brother, Iri. I did feel that the romance between Fiske and Eelyn wasn't necessary, though. I would have much rather seen the two of them become friends! But I will say that, while I may not have necessarily agreed with the romance, it wasn't insta-love, and that wins a ton of points in my book. It was more of an enemies-to-lovers kind of development, and even at the end, they weren't exactly the typical YA romance couple. So, I didn't exactly hate it and would be interested to see how it develops possibly in the companion novel.

"Because you have fire in your blood."

Writing:
I think the most enjoyable part about this book was the writing. There was just something about it that kept me going, even when I was tired and probably should have gone to bed. The author does a really good job at bringing you into Eelyn's world and making you feel like you're with her everywhere she goes. It's so descriptive and beautiful and I really felt like I was in the book! I will say, I was picturing Lagertha from Vikings every time I thought about what Eelyn looked like. I can't be the only one that did that, right? But, as I stated above, there was something about the writing in this book that just made it stand out to me. This might not have been the most perfect amazing flawless book ever, but I really liked it because of the writing. It was descriptive without going overboard and allowed you to really get a feel for Eelyn's character. The battles, while there weren't as many as I would have liked, were brutal and exciting, and the characters were well fleshed out (despite me only really liking Eelyn) and felt like real people. I don't typically encounter authors whose writing just has that thing that I can't find the words to describe, but Adrienne Young has it, and I can't wait to read more from her!

Sky in the Deep is a perfect summer read for anyone looking for a quick and exciting Viking tale. It has an amazingly strong female main character, a plot that keeps you intrigued from start to finish and writing that will hook you in from the first bloody battle to the last!

I love love LOVED this book! It was amazing! I think this is a new auto-buy author! I read this book so quickly, I might have to read it again soon!

Anything Viking and I am already in love. This book had me just from the cover. I can’t wait to see more from this great new to me author!

I’ve never read a Viking novel of any sort before, so I didn’t know what to expect going into this one. I really enjoyed that Young incorporated JUST ENOUGH Viking references. I didn’t feel like I was having to learn and entire culture just to follow along with the story.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. It was very fast-paced and a quick read!

When I first started Sky in the Deep, I was worried that, like so many other books, it wouldn’t live up to hype. Then I ended up reading it in one sitting because I just didn’t want to put it down. And then I wanted to reread it as soon as I finished. Adrienne Young has created a truly remarkable and vibrant story full of memorable characters and high-stakes action. However, the heart of this story revolves around family, whether they be blood or choosen.

The characters in Sky in the Deep were so easy to relate to! I fell in love with Eelyn from the very first page. Even as her world was turned upside down, she remained fierce and confident. I liked that I could understand each character’s motivation, it really helped me connect with them. The enemies to more trope worked so well here.. While it did happen fast, their relationship was ultimately based on mutual respect and understanding.

I though the pacing of the book was excellent. The twists and turns were brilliantly executed. Plus there were some wonderfully suspenseful moments. I will note that some scenes are a bit violent and gory, which may be too much for some readers. It’s obvious that Adrienne Young did her research into the time period. She included so many small details that really brought the world to life. My only compliant is that the ending happened pretty fast, I wanted a bit more explanation and development. But that was also partially because I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to the world yet!

Sky in the Deep was one of those rare books that totally lived up the hype for me. I’d recommend if you’re looking for an excellent YA historical fantasy with characters you can fall in love with.

I was really excited about the premise of this novel because I love all things Viking. Unfortunately, I found the protagonist to be a very boring, typical YA heroine. This book felt like every other bland YA fantasy which left me very disappointed. It had all the usual clichés and none of the excitement or adventure of a good Viking story.

Super exciting and fun to read, filled with lots of action! Generally likeable characters who develop throughout the story, and have developing relationships as well.

Definitely recommend this to people who are fans of YA fantasy, and especially if you're interested in vikings!

Eelyn is an Aska warrior, trained by her father to fight their rival clan, the Riki. She has lost her mother and brother and only has her father and her best friend Myra by her side as they fight the enemy. One day in battle, Eelyn sees her dead brother Iri fighting with the Riki. She believes he is actually still alive, so during the next battle she follows him and ends up being captured by the Riki. Forced to live with the Riki as a slave, Eelyn tries to come to grips with what has made her brother turn to the Riki while trying to find a way to escape. Eelyn soon finds herself caring for Iri's best friend Fiske and his family as a new threat rises for both the Riki and the Aska. Nothing will be the same as the two clans fight against their greatest enemy in order to survive.
I can safely say that this book is one of the best books I've read so far this year. I almost didn't read it because many books that are attached to a great deal of hype usually don't end up being as good as they are marketed to be. I'm so glad I read this book, because I ended up loving it! The writing is so beautiful and descriptive that I felt like I was actually there as I read. I became attached to the main characters within the first couple of chapters because they seemed so real and human. My favorite characters are Eelyn and Fiske, and I was very satisfied with the ending of the book. I generally don't like to read violent books, but this one was definitely an exception. I don't recommend this book for children, young teens, or those with a weak stomach, but I absolutely recommend it to anyone who enjoys fantasy. As a quick side note, the cover is gorgeous, especially the OwlCrate exclusive cover for the book (which I own). I am definitely adding Adrienne Young to my list of favorite YA fiction authors!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. A positive review was not required, and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

I received a digital copy of this book from Netgalley for an honest review.

I really don't understand all the hype for this book because I was bored out of my mind. The viking aspect was different but the characters were so dull, I could have skipped most of the middle and not missed anything. Even the action scenes were dull, probably because I didn't care what happened to these characters. This was a big miss for me.