Book One Review is here.

I really enjoyed Between the Blade and Heart as a fun and somewhat unique urban fantasy with valkyries, gods, drama, and mayhem. From the Earth to the Shadows is the much anticipated sequel.

I liked the supporting characters in the first book and I was glad to see more of them in the sequel.

If I’m being honest, From the Earth to the Shadows wasn’t the thrilling sequel that I expected. It felt very much like a second book instead of an epic finale. Something was missing and the writing felt clunky. I don’t remember not liking the writing in the first book, so I’m not sure if the tone changed or if I’m just more forgiving when I’m reading a first book. I do tend to forgive a first book for feeling a little like info-dump, but it didn’t work in a second book. It just felt like the characters went from point A to B to C without a lot of world or character building in a way that would have smoothed the story out.

The plot itself was good, I just wished the story was executed in a more polished way.

If you’re looking for a fun urban fantasy, the story is good. If you tend to read a lot of unpolished indie books and don’t mind a little bit of roughness in the storytelling, it’s definitely a great read and I thought it ended well.

3 star rating is for my girl Malin.

I received an early NetGalley widget from Wednesday Books in exchange for an honest review as a part of the blog tour.

So, I was a part of the blog tour for the first book in this series Between the Blade and the Heart. If you remember my review for it, I wasn’t too crazy. It went too fast, there wasn’t a lot of character building, but I was hopeful that the second installment (being this one) would be better.
Sadly, I just wasn’t impressed.

I really wanted to like this duology as a whole. I was hoping this second book would be an improvement from the first book, but it just felt the same.

It’s not long after Malin returns from her mission. She is worried about Asher since he was taken away to the underworld, basically. She is confused about her mother and if her mother really even wanted her. There’s just a lot of angst, I guess I would say.

Malin teams up with her friends, new and old, to rescue Asher and eventually have to team up again when the underworld threatens to come to Earth and literally cause Hell.

I did like Malin more in this book because, even though she is still going through grief for her mother and Asher’s...different personality...since returning, she really holds her own. She doesn’t take that wrong turn that some female characters do by crying all the time and acting weak. She was the bright side of this novel, so I’m grateful that she didn’t falter in this book.

Asher wasn’t too exciting for me. I didn’t think he was featured more in this book. If he was, then he was having seizures and was basically mute and possessed. Really. I mean, his ending with Malin was kind of cheesy for my taste, but I’m disappointed that his character arc wasn’t more there.

Again, like the first book, it went pretty fast but it also seemed like most of the chapters were filler chapters. Like, some chapters weren’t needed because they just gave information that didn't seem relevant or important. I don’t think there needed to be so many chapters. There were so many short chapters and I think they could have been combined.

I wanted to like this final installment so much, but it just overwhelmed me. The only bright spot was Malin. I loved her character alone, but I think the story itself didn’t fit around her properly.

This definitely won’t deter me from more of Amanda’s work, but this duology just didn’t fit for me

Unfortunately I found it a lot harder to get into this book than the first one, it didn’t grab my attention at all. Stopped reading a quarter of the way in.

I loved the first book in this series, the mix of mythology and futuristic sci-fi elements alongside an LGBTQ+ main character was perfect for me. I didn’t enjoy the second quite as much, but it was definitely still a fun read and I wanted to know how the story itself would pan out after the first.

The second book picks up directly following the end of the first, with the world essentially about to go to hell and back with our original super team of Malin, Quinn, Oona, Asher and Atlas trying to save the world. SPOILER ALERT: Asher doesn’t want Malin to save him from Kurnugia, but she finds herself heading to the underworld along with Oona and a new character, Valeska. Valeska is the daughter of an Alkonost with wings and a kickass attitude. She was straight to the point and fairly similar to Malin in her mannerisms, but without Malin’s emotional insecurities. (I also really loved the Wolpertinger, Bowie, check out my review on the first book in the series – Between the Blade and the Heart – for more on him and his cuteness).

In terms of world building, we had the introduction of Kurnugia itself in this story. I loved the way that Amanda split it into different zones, and I also liked the way that she described it in general. The ending itself was something I hadn’t seen happening, which is always a bonus! Don’t worry, I won’t be spoiling that for you.

Now, having said the above, unfortunately I didn’t love this book as much as the first… I still enjoyed it, but a couple of things just meant that the story didn’t flow all that well for me. At times it seemed like the story was rushed, and there was a lot of repetition where events were retold from the first book and even things from the chapters previous were repeated. I know it can be useful for someone who either hasn’t read the first book or read it a long time ago but it pulled me out of the flow of the story a little too often. Even still, the story seemed to get more confusing until the very end which made it difficult to follow.

Back to my original gripe with the first book, the love triangle. Now something happened to one of the characters at the end of the first book, so of course whilst they’re shortly out of the picture (I’m talking about a week and a bit here) of course she almost kisses the other character. I think the issue I had with this is I liked one of the characters, Quinn (Malin’s ex-girlfriend), more than Malin herself for most of the time. She was a really caring yet still kickass character and I didn’t like her being misled by Malin’s confusion. Although, at the same time this is also a good thing about the story because I did care about the characters and how they were treated.

"Either everybody has free will, or nobody has free will."

From the Earth to the Shadows is the second and final installment in author Amanda Hocking's Valkyrie duology. Picking up right where the previous installment left off, Malin Krigare, Valkyrie-in-Training, is on a mission to avenge her mother's death. Valkyries are meant to keep the balance in the supernatural world by eliminating immortals when their number comes up. Years before, Malin's mother made a huge mistake in letting an immortal live which has led to disorder of epic proportions.

As the series continues, Malin is tasked with traveling to the jungles of Panama to retrieve a valuable item by Odin. From Panama, Malin and her allies travel to Belize where the item retrieved from Panama will allow Malin to travel to Kurnugia to retrieve yet another item being held by Odin's son Balder that may turn the tide in Malin and her allies favor. While this happening, her boyfriend Asher is being held in Kurnugia by the Underworld Goddess Ereshkigal. Ereshkigal and her side kick, Gugalanna the Centaur, are attempting an uprising that would unleash the underworld on Earth which is already overcrowded with billions of humans and immortals.

While dealing with dark revelations about her life, her world, and her mother's life which she knew nothing about, Malin finds herself with new allies and new enemies. Her quest for the truth leads her to places she never thought possible. But, she's never been one to shy away from a fight. However, for all her strength and determination, will it be enough to save the world before it's too late? Malin allies include Oona, her brilliant roommate who also happens to be a sorceress; Quinn, a Valkyrie who is also Quinn's ex-girlfriend, and Atlas, works for Samael but is supposed to be protecting Malin.

Readers are also introduced to a new character named Valeska who claims that she has been to Kurnugia and is an impressive addition to the story. This book falls victim to over-explaining or info dumping. There are also too many characters, non-human, who have to be explained away by the author instead of just referring readers to the back of the books glossary. If you can get through all the info dumps throughout the story, there is plenty of action to keep you intrigued. As this is the sequel, the ending leaves lots of room for discussion as to what happens next for Malin and the others.

Since From the Earth to the Shadows is a sequel, I can’t tell you much about the story. I reviewed the first book in the duology a couple months ago, so if you’d like to get a sense of what this is about, you can read that review here.

This second book is more of a heist and quest book. Our characters have to steal objects, as they were chosen for this mission by a Vanir god. In order to do this, they have to go to Kurgunia, the Underworld, where all immortals live after their time on Earth is done. 💀

We have way more action in this book than we did in the first one. There are more fighting scenes – and an uprising -, so almost every chapter is action-packed, which makes the book a fast read. ⚡
I read it in two days, and although I enjoyed it, there was something missing. I can’t put my finger on it, but I liked the first book a bit more. Maybe it’s all the heartbreak this one caused… ☹️

Our main characters are back, and now there are so many new ones!! I really enjoyed meeting Valeska, for one, she’s badass. I mean, any girl that can fly is automatically badass, amirite? But my favorite new character was probably Lyra, she was very sweet and just wanted to do whatever she could for her daughter! 😢

There are LGBT characters in this book, as well as the first one, which I always appreciate. And it’s girls!! Usually, the LGBT books I read are about boys, so I really enjoyed this, it’s a breath of fresh air ☺ The main romance in this book is very cute, and I loved every second of it! Asher is the sweetest 😍

As for the plot, I thought it was well-thought-out and -executed, so that is definitely a strong point of this book. I loved seeing Hocking’s interpretation of the Underworld, as it’s something I think about a lot. When you think about the Underworld, what do you imagine it’s like?

Once again, this book was filled with mythology. In this world, all the different mythology from different cultures is mashed together, so you have gods like Bastet, Tsukiyomi, Prometheus, all in the same book. Additionally, there are creatures from many different cultures like a chupacabra, kalanoro, alkonost and wolpertinger. I love how the author combines all of this in one story, it’s very cool!

Along with mythology, there is also magic, as one of the main characters works with thaumaturgy and alchemy. Here are some of the spells she uses:

“Omnium visibilium et invisibilium omnium manemus”
“Lux splendida!”

Overall, it was an enjoyable read, and a nice conclusion to the duology. I am not a huge fan of urban fantasy, but I like these two books, so if you’re a reader of the genre, definitely give these a try!

We continue in this bleak, decomposing and bloodthirsty world in From the Earth to the Shadows book #2 by Amanda Hockings. The character Malin finds herself searching for the truth but ending up in places she has never thought was possible. She comes face to face with Gods from the Underworld in perilous battles to save the world before it’s too late. The author continue with the Norse mythology of the Valkyries through out this story. I do feel the treacherous world around me as I read this storyline but find it lacking in other areas. Book #1 had such an amazing build up to the storyline, that I felt that Book #2 fell short in the second book syndrome. I love the setting and characteristics of each character in the story but wished it had been expanded into a 3rd book......

The conclusion to the Valkyrie series was a satisfying one. Malin, Oona, Asher, Quinn and others are easy characters to like, as they try to stop an evil immortal from taking over Earth. The action scenes are well written and the romantic storyline is good without being overdone. Everyone has a role to play and it all comes together well in this book.

I...I really, really want to love this series. I mean Valkyrie and Norse mythology, what's not to love? This series apparently. To start, the pacing is super slow, and more so, even when thing's happen, I didn't feel like much really happened.

FROM THE EARTH TO THE SHADOWS is a book about mortals and monsters, divine and demonic beings, and everything between. It’s narrated by Malin, a young Valkyrie-in-training, who’s quest is to avenge her mother’s death and prevent the end of the world. Valkyries are human women, endowed with power and strength beyond their human bodies, responsible for returning immortals to their afterworld.

The story takes place on an alternate and future earth, where immortals of all sorts have lived with humanity for centuries. In the first book, the setting is primarily in urban Chicago, though its not any Chicago we know. Toward the end of the first book, and for the beginning of FROM THE EARTH TO THE SHADOWS, we follow Malin and her ragtag crew of friends into the jungles of South America, where dense forests and immortal beings protect the entrance to the immortal afterworld. We dive into the afterworld with Malin, discovering friends and foes along the way.

The Valkyrie duology is told in first person past tense, which lends a sense of distance to the story, as if all the events within have already happened. We know Malin at least is safe enough to tell the tale. In this case, I felt it took away any push for urgency, where I believe a present tense might’ve been more effective.

FROM THE EARTH TO THE SHADOWS is the second book in the young adult fantasy two-book series. Amanda Hocking has written previous works in the fantasy and paranormal genres, including the New York Times bestselling Trylle Trilogy and Kanin Chronicles.

I can’t give much else away about the plot because it’ll spoil book one, but overall both of these books were a fun read. I love mythology of all types, and delving into a book inspired by Norse mythology was a treat. Like I mentioned earlier, the pacing of the book felt a little stilted, just because I didn’t feel any real sense of urgency from the characters. The writing was good, if not slow in parts, especially when explanations were needed on the history of any particular god or demi-god. But don’t let that put you off! Sometimes explanations are needed before we get into any action, otherwise readers might be confused as to why Malin facing a certain creature is a scary prospect!

If you like urban fantasies with mythological twists, definitely check out The Valkyrie duology by Amanda Hocking. You’ll have to start at the first book, BETWEEN THE BLADE AND THE HEART to get the full picture, but I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

I was given this ARC by the publisher in return for an honest review.

I was hoping for a nail-biting conclusion to this duology, but sadly the story got lost along the way.

I found the main character to be inconsistent from the first book to the second one. All of a sudden, talk revolved around her maybe/almost boyfriend and how happy she was to be with him and his almost smile lifts the corners of his mouth etc. etc. I get it, having new and exciting feelings for someone can take over, but please not for the sake of an entire book when it’s supposed to be about Valkyries and demons and gods and saving the world.

The plot was there and then it wasn’t. Whenever it got exciting or dangerous or difficult a solution was found quickly or rather the solution found the obstacle and on again it went with endless descriptions not of the scenery to expand the world building, but of Malin’s thoughts and feelings. I grew tired of it.

The writing was too long-winded. Small chapters broke up the play-by-play details that seem to skip over the best parts, but halfway through the book I was surprised that more time was spent describing and not creating action.

Overall, I’m sad that the second part of this story wasn’t as good as the first one and barely kept my attention. It was light read, because nothing complicated happened. I would suggest it for light reading.

"Life very rarely comes down to heroes and villains. It's usually just everyone doing what they can to survive, and the best of us will help more than we hurt."

Thank you to St.Martin's Press, Netgalley and Wednesday Books for an e-arc in exchange for my honest review!

May Contain Spoilers if you haven't read the first book.

From the Earth to the Shadows starts a few days after the first book ended and we jump right back into having to save the world.

This one has all the same characters as the first one with a few new characters add in. With Valeska being one of the most important new characters, as well as being one of my favorites. She's someone that is so valuable in this book, and I loved how skeptical she was about certain things.

Malin and her friends are still jumping into things head first, and not asking questions about things and just doing what they are told. Which leads to a few scuffles at times, and some near deaths happening because we're dealing with the underworld!

From the Earth to the Shadows was also full of so many surprises. Not only did we get to see a whole new world, and WOW it was terrifying! We also get to see characters back stories and really learn why certain things have happened. (I'm not going to say more, because I don't want to give anything away.)

"Everything can be stopped. Even death. That's the problem, isn't it?"

Overall I loved this duology! I'm someone who struggles with fantasy at times, for different reasons. Hocking does such a good job of giving just the right amount of description and letting the characters really help you see the world through their eyes.

Malin and the other characters grew so much from the first book and I loved them all by the end. I also really liked how Hocking still made this feel like a Young Adult to New Adult age range book. She never made it so the core group of characters were suddenly all-knowing about what was happening. Older characters were brought in and it was explained how the main characters knew the older characters and why they were asking them for help. It made to feel very natural and I really appreciated that. I also really liked how definitions of things were included in the back of the book. This really helped me remember certain things from the first book, and was just really nice in general in case I found something confusing.
This duology kept me hooked that I had to know what was going to happen next. By the end of this book, I was so invested in all the characters and this world that I was sad to see it end. I cannot wait to read more of Hocking's books in the future!

"Now do I see heroes anew. The motherless children rise together."

*All quotes are from an unfinished arc and are subject to change.

From the Earth to the Shadows (2018) is the second part to this urban fantasy starring Malin, a Valkyrie assigned to send immortals to Kurnugia when their time is up. Things haven't been as they appear for quite some time. Picking up right where Between the Blade and the Heart (2018), left off, Malin and her friends are trying to find the answers to questions left unanswered in the wake of the murder of Malin's mother, a fellow Valkyrie. A stacked sequel, there are battle scenes, tender moments, and questioned loyalties galore as the world itself hangs in a balance.

This duology's main draw for me (aside from the bisexual representation) is the relationship between Malin and her mother. As revealed in the previous book, they have a rather aloof relationship. Malin refers to her as mom only when talking about her, but never when addressing her directly. The concept of free will comes up several times throughout this sequel. I'm glad Hocking did not refer to it in a cosmic sense, but rather in a way that challenges personal relationships. Not only did Malin need to team up with ex-girlfriend, Quinn, to get to the root of the imbalance in the world, but she also has a budding romance with the son of a Valkyrie, Asher, who helped set the plot of the first book in motion. Neither of these were as interesting to me as Malin's exploration of her feelings for Marlowe. Even her missing her mother is complicated. There's resentment and there's love and it spoke to me in a deeper way than it did in the first book.

My main gripe, however, was about the settings. It took me so long to realize this book took place in Chicago, which seems impossible to me. The neighborhoods were mostly fabricated and I would have enjoyed more nods to landmarks like Willis Tower or other locations that would co-exist in the setting. In addition, I wish more time had been spent in Kurnugia. There could have been ways to thread the above-ground and below-ground plot sequences together in order to make for a more cohesive whole. I might be a bit biased because the descriptions of the different locations within the underworld were so immersive and well-realized. Being able to see the breadth of Hocking's development of this mythologically-inspired world and it is a feast for anyone who is into that sort of thing.

All in all, if you're looking for a high stakes urban fantasy with some romance thrown in, this duology is such a treat.

From the Earth to the Shadows Blog Tour Review & Giveaway! (Visit my blog for giveaway details)

About: From the Earth to the Shadows is a young adult fantasy written by Amanda Hocking. It was recently published on 4/24/18 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. There are 2 books to this duology: book 1 is Between the Blade and the Heart and book 2 is From the Earth to the Shadows.

My Experience: I started reading From the Earth to the Shadows on 4/15/18 and finished it on 4/28/18. This book is a great read! I like how it makes me think about being pawns in a chess game and doing what has been set by others. It reminds me about real life, we are to follow the rules set by lawmakers and if we don’t follow, we risk breaking rules. If the lawmakers coming up with the laws in favor of people, it’s excellent, but if the lawmakers making laws in favors of what’s benefiting themselves personally, it can be unfavorable to the general citizens requiring to follow those set of rules. The citizens are in this case helpless, and just pawns in a chess game. I like the plot setting of above ground and below ground and both are a vast space of cities of its own. I like how this book continues where book one left off. I especially love the descriptions of Gods, locations, characters, and weapons when they are brought into the story because it makes the reading easier to understand.

This book continues with Malin (Mal) Krigare, told in the first person point of view, as she works on finding a way to rescue Asher who is currently being held captive by the underworld goddess Ereshkigal. Malin is a Valkyrie in training whose main job is to kill/send immortals to the underworld with her Sigrun, a blade made of dark purple crystal. In book one, Malin’s mom was murdered by a fellow Valkyrie, a rare occurrence. Malin wanted to avenge her mother’s death. The adventures led Malin to the entrance of the underworld called Kurnugia and where she went face off with her mother’s murderer. She learned that her mother’s murderer was only a pawn used by the immortals in the underworld to set the motions going because they are planning an uprising. Now, in book two, with Valeska, a new character and tasks set by Odin, Vanir God and Valkyries’ highest authority, once again Mal finds herself planning a trip to the underworld to find a spear that might be able to prevent the uprising. The problem is that there aren’t enough space above ground for everyone and the immortals that were sent to live underground want to have the freedom to decide where they want to live. It’s a wonder if Malin’s mom has anything to do with everything because she is mysterious and secretive.

A well written story, From the Earth to the Shadows is a read filled with actions and adventures that will leave readers breathless. I like that this book involve more of Odin and why he creates Valkyries. I like the girls adventures. The romance in this book is a bit lacking, but definitely good if you enjoy less romance reads. I like how this book talks about life. I don’t read too many mother daughter relationship so this one is one to caught me off guard. I like the sort of puzzle solving, how Malin go from one task after another to solve a problem. This duology is an excellent read and I highly recommend everyone to read it!

Pro: actions and adventures, fast paced, mythology,

Con: none

I rate it 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

From the Earth to the Shadows by Amanda Hocking is Valkyrie #2. It continues the story of Malin, now on a mission to avenge her mother's murder. There have been consequences from the events we learned about in the first book, when her mother didn't return an immortal she was supposed to, and the world they live in is starting to come apart at the seams. Her boyfriend Asher getting pulled into the underworld and the growing revolution there is part of it. Malin and her other friends go on a quest to find a weapon that will save humanity and those she loves.

The world that Ms. Hocking creates is as complex and intriguing as I remembered from the first book. Malin's choices have complex repercussions and her relationships with her friends and lovers creates a dynamic all itself. During both books I felt that the world was very grey and murky, seeming to represent a futuristic place that is dirty and cluttered and the characters have to navigate the complicated places they find. Malin is a tough character, as you would expect from a Valkyrie, but also more than just her heritage and job.

Overall, I liked the return to this world that Amanda Hocking gives us in From the Earth to the Shadows. I enjoyed digging deeper into the shadows and the underworld as well as more details about these complex and intriguing characters.

(I voluntarily reviewed an advance review copy of this book I received for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my open and honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.)

The second book in Hocking’s Valkyrie duology, From the Earth to the Shadows, follows Malin, a Valkyrie in training, who has the fate of the entire world on her shoulders after she must trek into the Underworld to fix the problems that her mother created. Full of action, philosophy, and a bit of heart, From the Earth to the Shadows is an entertaining finale for those who love fantasy steeped in mythology.
Ever since I first read Hocking’s Trylle trilogy a couple of years ago, I’ve loved her world building. From the Earth to the Shadows is no exception. The world building is absolutely insane in this novel, even more so than the first, and I mean that in the best possible way. With so many different moving parts, mythologies and characters, it would have been easy for the world to get lost amongst all the noise, but Hocking was able to create and use her world as a unifying force across the entirety of the novel.
The plot, on the other hand, seemed a little less fleshed out than the world itself. Though the general arc of the story was consistent, the subplots seemed to jump around a bit which lead to a lot of moments where action stopped suddenly and shifted gears to a different plot line, whether it be Malin trying to uncover her mother’s secrets or her figuring out her love life. This left the plot stagnant a couple of times throughout the book which made reading a bit of a challenge. I even found myself skimming some parts, especially when it came to the minor love triangle (though, I did find myself rooting for Quinn over Asher on more than one occasion).
After the first book, I found Malin a bit of an unlikeable main character (which didn’t detract from the story at all). However, I really enjoyed reading from her perspective this time around. This novel goes a bit deeper into her psyche and we get to see her as more than just the kickass Valkyrie, but as a teenage girl as well with normal problems — such as issues with her mom, dealing with love, etc. —, which was a nice balance to see.
Overall, From the Earth to the Shadows is a good close to the series and to Malin’s story. Though it is far from perfect, it is definitely worth a try if you love mythological urban fantasy stories.

I wasn't a huge fan of Between the Blade and the Heart but wanted to wanted read the follow-up because of my adoration for the author. Sadly, I was left feeling disappointed. There is too much information overload in this installment, especially considering it's a duology. I found myself skimming chapters not pertinent to the the storyline. The plot is predictable and uneventful. I never warmed to Malin and the endless love triangle didn't help matters. It was obvious who would be chosen, and it seemed tiresome to drag the other character along.

I would not discourage anyone from trying these books, but I can't recommend them either.

***3.25

Unlike book one, the pace of this book is a bit slower. It takes a while for the story to build. I feel like the author should have spent a little less time describing things and more time on the plot. I liked the inclusion of different types of mythologies and creatures, but I also liked that this book had more of a focus on Norse mythology. The book had pretty diverse characters which were really great.

Noteworthy experiences while reading this book: This book was amazing and even better than book one!

Check out author's other books? YES
Recommend this book? YES

Notes and Opinions: This book picks up after the killing cliffhanger of book one and the stakes are even higher in this one. As Malin's group of friends are in danger and its up to her and them to save the world this book was an edge of your seat thrill ride that I couldn't put down. This one has even more action to keep the pace going and it made it one great thrill ride. I didn't know that this was a duology and I am so sad to see it end so soon. But man this one will give you the chills as it ties up loose ends and answers all your questions! This is one duology that you should not let slip through your fingers!

Go Into This One Knowing: LGBT Characters, Great Ending!

En bref, le contexte de ce second et dernier tome est toujours aussi intense, Malin et ses amis doivent trouver des solutions pour sauver le monde et je dois dire que globalement c'est très bien fait. Les personnages sont très attachants, malgré quelques longueurs je ne me suis pas vraiment ennuyée et j'ai aimé les voir prendre des décisions et s'y tenir. Le final nous apporte les réponses que l'on en attendait et c'est avec le sourire aux lèvres que l'on quitte les personnages !