I'm a sucker for any retelling AND anything set prior to the thirteenth century so obviously I couldn't wait to read Shield Maiden! I was not disappointed! Something of note - this occurs after Beowulf's battles with Grendel and his mother.

Fryda's hopes to become a shield maiden are dashed after an accident causes permanent damage to her hand. Even before the accident, her father was unlikely to fulfill her wishes. However, her bravery, compassion, and resolve make her a natural leader. Her strength leads her to draw the attention, and magical ability, of a cursed dragon. Dormant and waiting. Once King Beowulf arrives on the scene, events start unfolding.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I found Fryda, and many of the other characters, to be compelling and the kind of character that's easy to root for. King Beowulf is a presence in this book but not an overpowering one. He is not the main character of this story and that felt right. Similarly, it seems as though many felt, as I did, that the dragon would play a large role. That expectation wasn't met but I don't believe its to the detriment of the book. She's there when its her time to be there.

TW: sexual assault, alcohol and drug use, violence

I didn't really mesh with the writing style of this story. I think perhaps it is because I went into this thinking it would be adult, but came out of this feeling like it was definitely YA. The story was well-written and a pretty fantastic retelling of the final battle of Beowulf, but I wanted more depth from the MC and story. I'm torn because I did like this a lot but was still somehow a bit let down by it.

While a fantastic retelling of the final battle in Beowulf, this wasn’t for me. I just could not connect with the writing style and this seemed more YA than I imagined it would be. I felt as though I wanted more from the story and the protagonist. I do feel, however, a certain kind of audience would really enjoy reading it. I love the creativity and cleverness of this retelling for sure!

Shield Maiden by Sharon Emmerichs

I immediately bought a Special Edition version of this book because I knew I was going to be obsessed with this book after only a few chapters. I will do my best to articulate why I loved this book so much, but I am not sure I will do it justice.

You will see that this book is a Beowulf retelling, it isn't. It is an extension; another story arc that you will fall in love with. I have never cheered for and falling in love with a Young Female Protagonist like I did in this book. Fryda has heard the epic tales of her uncle Beowulf and its inspired her to dream of becoming a shield maiden. However; a horrible childhood accident derails her Shield Maiden Dreams as one of her arms is permanently damaged. Fast forward a decade or so and we find ourselves in the midst of political intrigue, a beautiful budding romance, and a broken girl begins to feel a power grow inside her and this power seems to be connected to an age old beast that dwells within the mountain.

This book has a beautiful love story, dragons, family betrayal, family secrets, old legends and some of the most epic battle scenes I've read in a long time. I was memorized by the writing, the old lit poetry, the characters... there is nothing that I didn't love. I literally have zero notes on this read. Meaning, I have moved this up to my best reads of all times.

If you love coming of age, beautiful budding romances, enough mystery to keep you addicted and unbelievable found family feel, epic battles, viking'ish vibes... READ THIS BOOK! I couldn't put it down, but also didn't want it to end. I cried and cheered for these characters the whole way through!

3.5 stars rounded up.

I very much enjoyed this retelling of the final battle of Beowulf. Admittedly, I do need to spend some time with those stories again but from what I remember (minus some language choices), I was pretty much sold on time and place.

The truly missing part for me here was the curse itself and Theows backstory. Both were drawn too broadly to be satisfying within the story itself (I could've spent more time understanding the Dragon).

This is def YA, and the pacing has its peaks and valleys. The only POV I couldve done without was Wilgafs but everyone else was fascinating and I wanted to spend MORE time with them.

“Shield Maiden” is a retelling of the final battle of Beowulf, featuring narration from the great warrior himself in addition to voices of the next generation of heroes and villains. As someone who, to put it mildly, did not enjoy reading Beowulf, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I absolutely loved this book. The depth of emotion, the murkiness of morality, and the way the author brought the grisly tale to life were truly impressive. I loved Fryda’s relentless optimism, forgiveness, and determination. Her love story with Theow was so sweet and beautiful amidst the harsh backdrop of violence and backstabbing in a way that sort of reminded me of Buttercup and Westley and therefore made me very happy. The way that they both worked individually and together to grow past trauma was just so stunning and heartfelt.
Shield Maiden is out in October and it’s absolutely a must read!

Shield Maiden by Sharon Emmerichs was a great adult fantasy.
A wonderful imagined retelling of Beowulf from the perspective of a strong young woman reclaiming her power.
An intriguing read that pulls you in and hangs on until the very end… a very believable and gripping read.
The character is very interesting and I enjoyed being on this journey with Fryda.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and Redhook for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Fryda is such a relatable character, and this beowulf inspired tale really hit the spot for that historical romantasy tale. I loved that it didn't go all in on Grendal and that weirdness because those stories always give me such a weird vibe. Forbidden love, strong female protagonist and based on historical writing make this a great read

This book was really not for me, but it might be for somebody. I think the first big problem for me was the way it was marketed. From the description, I was expecting an epic and feminist piece of historical fiction. However, the tone of the writing and the focus of the plot felt very Young Adult Fantasy (I have no issues with YA books, and I love to read them, but that is not what I thought I would be getting here). There was too much focus on a romance that I didn't care about, and too many POVs from characters other than Fryda.

My biggest issue with the book, and what made me nearly need to give up on it, is the anachronistic writing style. Beowulf itself is set in the 6th century, but I understand that this falls under the "retelling" category and I could go along with it if the writing felt like it was set in the Middle Ages. In the first few chapters, I see the words "gonna" and "bollocks" (used as a swear). The dialogue did not feel historical at all, and I did not feel immersed in the setting. That is something that I really want as something that is marketing itself as historical fantasy fiction.

Overall, I think this book could have immense success if marketed differently, but the way it stands now, it definitely falls short.

Thank you, NetGalley for this ARC of Shield Maiden by Sharon Emmerichs in exchange for an honest review!

This story is a new adult fantasy that follows Fryda, the daughter of a lord and the niece of Beowulf, on her journey to become a Shield Maiden, which is a female warrior in the land that she lives in. At the age of 13, her dream seemingly came to an end when she was injured in a freak accident. There is a strong aspect of real and found family in this book. Fryda is very close to the blacksmith and considers him a secondary father figure to her. Her best friend and the man she loves are an endured servant and a slave for her father. There is disability rep in this book centered around Fryda's injury and while Fryda didn't let it keep her from learning to defend herself and her people, the attitiude of others was disturbing and hard to read. Fryda is strong and kind, with a good heart. Her twin brother is the opposite, weak and evil, with no redeeming qualities. I found him to be one of the most despicable characters I have ever read. The journey this book takes us on is filled with ups and downs and kept me very engrossed. I read this book in one sitting and couldn't put it down. There were several times I wanted to scream at Fryda for being so naive and trusting, especially where her brother was concerned and I felt there were times in the book when if she had just spoken up, things would have been so different. That being said, I absolutely loved it. I loved the dynamic between Fryda and Theow, the slave that she loved. It felt sincere and genuine and was so sweet, he would walk through fire for her and vice versa. One aspect of the story that I felt was not explored and could have made the story even more entertaining was the dragon that appeared occasionally, the story about the legend regarding the dragon wasn't really clear and could have added a lot if more fleshed out. Overall, I highly recommend this book and will definitely want a physical copy when it is released.

3.5 stars!

No spoilers

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This ARC from NetGalley was something that sounded so amazing from the start, I just had to have it and I'm honored that I was selected to read it before its new release in October. I didn't have very many memories of the original Beowulf, but that lack of knowledge didn't make this story harder for me as a reader, so don't be afraid to dive in just because its a re-telling.

I really enjoyed this book, and the way things played out in it! I'm pretty sure the entire book (not including flashbacks, obviously) was played out across 8 or 9 days for the characters, so it's fast paced and action packed. As readers, we gain new or important information in every chapter that wraps the book up in a very pretty bow at the end.

I fell in love with a lot of Sharon Emmerich's characters, though, and I'm devastated to leave them behind. Our main character is one of the strongest FMC's I've read of to date and her resilience is so inspiring to the people in her life. She was such a <i> good person</i>. Honestly, this entire book was just filled with good, selfless characters that were so refreshing to read about.

That doesn't mean we lacked bad characters, though. With how good Sharon writes her good guys, you'd assume her bad guys would be a little 2 dimensional in comparison, but you're far from right. Her antagonists were intentional and thoroughly made, and only a little bit predictable.

The only thing I wished for, was more. I would have loved an epilogue that showed ten years in the future, or even just ten days in the future, but I wanted more of Fryda and Theow, Bryce and Eadith, Hild and even Bjorn and Beowulf, too!

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the eARC of this book. I would definitely recommend this book to someone who is a fan of the classic Beowulf. At first this book felt a little slow, and I was uncertain about it in the beginning but as I continue to read the book more and more, I was given more information and I was wanting to find out what happens. Give this book a chance don’t stop at the first chapter just go through it, and you will see what I mean.

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the eARC of this book. While I appreciate the great writing this story wasn’t for me. It felt like the FMC was too modern for the historical timeframe of the story. I also felt like there was both too much information and not enough action for me. I think others might really love this book but it just wasn’t my cup of tea. At least not at this time. I may revisit later!

I wasn't sure if I would end up enjoying this book when I started reading it, and I've been on the verge of a reading slump recently, so I started this book with a bit of hesitation. But, as I read this book, I kept finding myself drawn into the story more and more. Part of me wanted to see what twists and turns the story would take next. And I enjoyed that this story incorporated elements and parts of the story of Beowulf and gave it new life. Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and I look forward to purchasing a copy when it comes out this fall.

The revival and retelling of old myths and legends has seen a resurgence in recent years. Myths and legends are constantly evolving and changing whether it be through the retelling or the translation. This retelling is based off a translation of Beowulf by Seamus Heaney (a favorite of mine) and by an author who spent time in one of my former homes, Wisconsin along the shores of Lake Michigan.

An interesting retelling, while I was reading this novel, Fryda’s injury reminded me of a childhood friend with rheumatoid arthritis and reading through the author’s notes part of how the story was written was inspired by her experiences with rheumatoid arthritis. I did love how the story portrayed a heroine with a disability and how she navigated through her own life and community where strength is highly valued and a disability could be seen as a burden to the community. There are few stories out there that actually explore disability and really portray the character’s experience in a manner that’s more than just a shallow surface level discussion. In this story, we get Fryda’s own insecurities, insight, as well as her strength and determination.

The retelling of this part of Beowulf was also done in a manner that if the reader knew nothing of Beowulf, the reader would not be lost. There were some parts and plot lines that were heavily foreshadowed, and able to be guessed at the outcome, but the storytelling to get there was well done. I was heavily engrossed in the storytelling, and the intrigue and excitement of the story definitely picks up as the story moves along. I also liked the research included on what life would be like at the time of the story, and you can tell a lot of work was done to ensure that the reader would be immersed in Fryda’s world.

I did think there were a few loose ends that could have been tied up a little better, and things felt a little rushed at the end, but overall I really enjoyed the novel and would recommend it.

Please be advised I received an advance reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Red Hook Books for the eARC.

This was a difficult book for me to get through. I was eager to read this, given the context (I enjoyed Beowulf when I read it for school) and a few chapters in I was intrigued by the bits of magic and lore already present, especially the POV chapters from the dragon. Unfortunately, the writing felt immature. This was like reading a high school level creative writing exercise. The characters presented more like caricatures, the plot moved along at a whiplash pace from one thing to another. Characters and plot points are introduced, wrapped up or abandoned within a couple of chapters, some of it nonsensical, the rest too convenient. These kinds of epic stories demand to have more depth and context behind them, and are more well suited for being broken out into a series; where there is ample room for world building and character development. Shield Maiden felt like it was written in one sitting and was simultaneously far too much and not nearly enough. If anything I feel it would have been better suited as a Beginner Reader chapter book series.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC. This is my honest review of Shield Maiden by Sharon Emmerichs.

I have but one word to summarize my thoughts on Shield Maiden, and that word is: wow. I’m seriously impressed by how much I enjoyed this Beowulf retelling.

Shield Maiden follows the story of Fryda, the daughter of Weohstan and kin of King Beowulf himself. Due to an unfortunate accident when Fryda was just 13, she becomes permanently disabled, her left hand rendered basically useless. However, Fryda doesn’t let her damaged hand completely deter her from training and taking up the role of lady of the house. I really enjoyed the way Fryda and her disability are written. Her emotions were translated very well to the reader. We also meet Theow, a slave stolen from his home when he was a young boy. He remembers nothing from his time before he was sold, including his own name. Theow and Fryda make a really wonderful pair. Neither views the other as anything less than a person, something that cannot be said for several of the other characters in this book. Their relationship blossoms in a really nice way.

I also really enjoyed Beowulf himself. I didn’t expect to. I almost thought he would be written in a negative way. That is NOT the case here. Beowulf is actually a pretty kind character. His love for Fryda is so sweet and is written very well.

There are short bits every few chapters written from the POV of a dragon bound by a curse spoken long ago. I loved these parts. The way they were written was almost lyrical in a sense. They felt like they were wrenched straight from an epic of the past. I think they added a really nice touch to the overall story.

Overall, I really liked Shield Maiden. You could tell throughout the book that the author really respected the source material while still putting her own spin on it. I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys retellings.

Thank you to NetGalley for the digital ARC of this title!

Freyda dreams of becoming a shield maiden, but her father's discrimination and her own hand, scarred and misshapen from an old injury, hold her back from realizing this dream. Still, she trains as a warrior in secret with the local blacksmith. When her uncle, King Beowolf, comes to town, and dissent begins to brew, Freyda must choose who to trust: her twin brother or her beloved Theow, a slave in her household. It shouldn't have to be a choice, but someone must be behind the secret attacks that are destroying her home. And through it all, the rumbles and quakes show the signs that an ancient beast may be waking after a long sleep. Only one person may have the power to defeat the ancient creature.

Great book! Loved the setting and characters and the dragon. Was a good “update” to the Beowulf legend.

Shield Maiden by Sharon Emmerichs blends parts of Beowulf, a young girl's desire to be a Shield Maiden and a little romance.

Fryda wants to be a Shield Maiden, but is injured and that dream is put aside. Despite her injury and the pain it causes, she does learn to fight. She falls in love with Theow, a slave, and then is entrenched in clan drama.

I liked the different character's points of view and especially the chapters in which we see from the dragon's view. It was very different, but enjoyable.

Ms. Emmerichs puts a lot of detail in the historical aspects and she obviously cares about being precise.

This book has made me want to go read Beowulf again and see if I enjoy it as much as I did this one.

I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review.