<i>First, a thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an eARC of this book.</i>

I feel a bit conflicted by this book - and by that I mean, it didn’t feel significantly different, in the meat, from [book:The Bridge Kingdom|43383182] series? And that isn’t necessarily a bad thing, I mean look at the [book:Ice Planet Barbarians|58777736] series - none of those are significantly different, but they are great fun.

Like, this was <i>okay</i>, it wasn’t necessarily <i>bad</i>… Especially the latter 75%. The first 25% was very fast-paced, had some intrigue, I was excited to see where the lore took us… And I dunno y’all, I feel like it didn’t really pay off.

Things didn’t get REALLY interesting until literally after 90%, so I <i>guess</i> because of the sunk cost fallacy I will read the next one, but… overall, I’m just not impressed.

If you know anything about me, you know I am literally obsessed with all things Vikings. the show was phenomenal so when I saw this book, I knew that I had to get this for myself, IMMEDIATELY.

It was everything I needed it to be. unique in its own way even though it is about Norse mythology and I've seen it 100 times. Freya was awesome. she was so loyal towards her family, even when they didn't deserve it. I just loved so much that she was a shield maiden. her power is SO FUN.

I'm also obsessed with Bjorn, but who isn't.

did it end on a cliffhanger? Yes but it actually wasn't bad and I'm really excited for where this story is going

Thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for providing the ARC.

Danielle L. Jensen is my new favorite author, and I am going to love her until the day I die. Bridge Kingdom was one of my favorite reads last year, and I was so stoked to see this story come up for grabs. Vikings? Political intrigue? A hot tatted dude with fire magic? Say less.

This book immediately draws you into the story. The pacing is insane right from the get go, and it doesn't let up even after you finish the book. There's violence, romance, a glimpse into the world of the vikings, and a very interesting magic system. The main character, Freya, is as fierce as they come, snarky and sarcastic, as quick with her wit as she is with a blade. And her counterpart, Bjorn, runs as hot as the flaming axe he summons with his magic. And these two together are just absolute perfection.

This book was unputdownable. I usually don't like to start series that aren't complete, but I couldn't help myself. Now, I will be waiting impatiently for the next book. I am so eager to read what happens next.

Amazing, amazing book.

I don’t know if I can adequately explain the break from reality this book TREATED me to. I was absolutely lost in this world and could do nothing else! Who would’ve thought I’d be all about Viking fantasy and Norse mythology?? Not me! I CANNOT wait until the next book in this series. I don’t know if I’ve loved a fantasy this much since the Fourth Wing craze last year.

“𝒴𝑜𝓊 𝒶𝓇𝑒 𝓂𝒾𝓃𝑒, 𝐵𝑜𝓇𝓃-𝒾𝓃-𝐹𝒾𝓇𝑒. 𝒜𝓃𝒹 𝐼 𝒶𝓂 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓇𝓈, 𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓃 𝒾𝒻 𝑜𝓃𝓁𝓎 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓉𝓌𝑜 𝑜𝒻 𝓊𝓈 𝓀𝓃𝑜𝓌 𝒾𝓉.”

Prepare to be enthralled with Jensen’s masterful storytelling. From the very first page, she weaves a mesmerizing tale filled with intricate world-building, compelling and interesting characters, and heart-pounding twists and emotions. The depth of emotion infused into every single scene grips you, refusing to let go until the final word. With lyrical, poetic prose and a gripping plot, Jensen proves once again why she’s a force to be reckoned with in the fantasy genre.

“𝙄𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙠𝙚𝙚𝙥 𝙤𝙣𝙚’𝙨 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙛𝙖𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙖 𝙬𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙖𝙨 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙖𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙖 𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙖𝙩 𝙨𝙚𝙖.”

This book will take you on a captivating journey that will leave you breathless and longing for more. A true literary masterpiece deserving of every star. ♾️/⭐️

I never would've thought that I'd be in love with a man named Bjorn, but here we are. Honestly, this entire story was unexpected and I couldn't be happier.

As someone who has shows like Vikings and The Last Kingdom on repeat, there was no way I wouldn't like this book. It holds you captive from start to finish with intricate world building, sexual tension with just the right amount of banter, and an easy to follow plot with plenty of action. While there was definitely some predictability, I still found myself at the edge of my seat.

Jensen definitely has a new fan after this one, and I cannot wait to see where this journey takes us next.

Thank you so much to Del Rey, Danielle L Jensen, and NetGalley for my copy of this book.

4.5 stars

I was immediately hooked from the very beginning. The suppression of the FMC’s feminine rage in an attempt to protect her family coupled with the short bout of hidden identities was perfect.

“If I could only stop wanting, perhaps I might find some happiness in what I had.”

Ironically, Freya’s family are some of my least favorite people in this book but I think that adds so much to her character because we get to see how she operates despite their actions. I loved every interaction she had with Bjorn and how she pushed through every obstacle in her path.

“The truth women tell other women is not the same truth they tell men.”

Bjorn was a great MMC and I really enjoyed the overall story, be it quite a bit predictable. The wording for everything made the ending and the mystery very obvious, which would explain why some people did not enjoy this one as much. Nevertheless, I still enjoyed it a lot and am glad I read it.

I can’t wait to see where Bjorn and Freya go from here in book two.

I loved this book. The mythology was fascinating. Bjorn is actually everything. What. A. Man. Freya is an interesting character and I can’t wait to continue seeing her growth. The ending hurt my feelings.

I love any and all things featuring Norse mythology! The story of Freya, a woman coming into her own, and Bjorn, was thrilling and captivating. This will likely be one of the best fantasy novels I read this year. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I DEVOURED this. It has everything I want in book one of a romantasy trilogy and so much more. The magic system is unique enough to be fresh and interesting, but simple enough that it didn’t need chapters and chapters to understand it. The characters are well developed and likable with just the right amount of flaws. I thought the pacing was perfect, I never once found myself even thinking it was too slow or too fast. I LOVE that instead of relying on lack of communication between the main characters to create the plot there were a few unique moments when the character had a thought and then was like “hey he’s right here, I’ll just ask him instead of assuming..” And as simple as that seems it was AMAZING to see. The only thing keeping this from being a 5 star read (and I reserve the right to change my mind after more thought) is that one of the two twists were super obvious to me.

I am obsessed. I’m so upset that u can’t get the second book yet 😅

If you’re a fan of The Fourth Wing or Throne of Glass, you will love this book too. Where have Viking fantasy books been my whole life😅 complete with Norse gods, friends to lovers, and bodyguard romance…this book was incredible.

Highly recommend.

Daniellle Jensen never lets me down. I could tell she did her research on norse mythology. Looking forward to the second book.

Thank you, Netgalley and publisher, for the digital ARC.

I enjoyed this story — the pacing, worldbuilding, and Byjorn. I found our FMC insufferable, and I know she was in her early 20s, but she acted like a 14-year-old and read very YA to me.

The ending was so good! And I will be continuing the series!

This book was so unique and I loved the Viking aspect of it. It gave me the same vibes as the show Vikings, but with a little more fantasy/magic elements. Some of the twists were a bit predictable but it was still enjoyable to read. It ended on cliffhanger that opens up a lot of potential for book 2 and I am excited to see where the story goes!

I could not get into this one. I did not want to see it through at some many different points, but I did because I was still curious. I found Freya so infuriating and I could not connect with her on any level. When a FMC makes me angry it’s hard to continue lol. Bjorn and Freya did not seem like a good match, even the romance was a bit of a let down. Unfortunately this was not for me!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book which is definitely one of the most anticipated reads I've received through the site. It absolutely delivered. Honestly, I don't know when the next book in the series will come out, but I'll be looking for it. I absolutely loved the Norse mythology and intertwined magic system. I loved the internal struggle of the protagonist as she fights through the various forces at play impacting her action and how she perceives herself as a result. I saw the twist ending coming from a mile away, but it honestly made the whole build up even better. Highly recommend.

First Danielle L Jensen book I read, I’ve had ‘The Bridge Kingdom’ series in my TBR for a while. Hope to read them soon! With that being said, I can’t compare this to those books like many readers did. And I’m glad because I very much enjoyed this book! The lust and tension between our two main characters was torture, in a good way. They went from almost killing each other to confessing their love ❤️ There is plenty of action, forbidden romance, slow burn…. some things were predictable and I found myself almost yelling at Freya for not realizing this before lol. Her character grew by the end of the book, but with that ending I see she will show being more growth in the next book. I can’t wait for the second one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for allowing me to read this advance copy!

Thank you to Del Rey and NetGalley for the ARC!

I love how Jensen mixes historical myth and fantasy. I’m a big fan of her Dark Shores trilogy. I also love “The Last Kingdom,” so the fact that Jensen turned her eyes to Vikings was awesome. But I found this a really challenging read, especially connecting with Freya. The middle was great. The beginning and the end were a real challenge.

Vikings are always a draw for .me. I loved the world building with children of the gods. While it took me a bit to really become interested, I throughly enjoyed the overall plot and development. Excited to see where the story goes.

This was one of my favorite books I have ever read. I have been very lucky in my choices this year; many of which have been exceptional, which makes my praise of this book so much more meaningful. I found both the fmc and the mc very likeable and relatable. The romance was very compelling, and built from my favorite trope (forbidden romance). As a matter of fact, this story was riddled with some of my favorite tropes: forbidden romance, forced proximity, touch her and I'll unalive you, female with powers, etc. I'm also a sucker for struggles with control and sense of self. This was my first viking book and I think I might be a convert because I ate this up. This was all of my favorite aspects of the shows Vikings and the last Kingdom with less politicking and more romance. I'm obsessed and cannot wait for the next one.

Title: A Fate Inked in Blood
Author: Danielle L. Jensen
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“A shield maiden blessed by the gods battles to unite a nation under a power-hungry king—while also fighting her growing desire for his fiery son—in this Norse-inspired fantasy romance from the bestselling author of The Bridge Kingdom series.”

A Viking, Fantasy romance? Count me in!

A Fate Inked in Blood is a gripping fantasy tale set in a world where fate is not just a concept but a tangible force woven into the very fabric of existence. The story follows Freya, a young woman burdened with a prophetic destiny that threatens to tear her world apart.

Freya sets out to take down the power-hungry king while all the while trying desperately to fight her feelings from none other than the king’s son (Bjorn), a brooding prince with secrets of his own.

Add in the ALL THE FEELS! Epic Fantasy! Mythology! Forbidden Romance! Slow Burn! Only One Horse! This book truly had EVERYTHING!

A Fate Inked in Blood is a thrilling tale of magic, destiny, and sacrifice that will keep readers on the edge of their seats until the very last page. Danielle L. Jensen's richly imagined world and complex characters make this a must-read for fans of epic fantasy.

A very special thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine for sending me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.