Im crying! This book is one of the best fantasies I have read. Danielle has the writing capacity and passion to make me abandon life to finish one of her books.

The main characters in this book are strong, funny, and powerful. These two have great chemistry, that paired with each characters journey through the book being so intense. They are written so impeccably. I love me some banter! 😉

The story is just a masterpiece! The world building, side characters, and premise is so well done. I love reading a book where you’re not sure whose bad and whose good. Usually it’s blatantly obvious but not with A Fate Inked In Blood. I truly was surprised by the truth’s unearthed.

10/10 recommend! Please give this book and author your time, so worth it. 😊

Obsessed.
This was fantastic! I swear Jensen becomes a better writer with each book.
A Fate Inked in Blood had me hooked from the very beginning. Freya is fierce, smart and quick witted. Bjorn the same. This is, by far, some of, if not THE BEST, banter I have ever read.
On top of the tension, and yearning, the story was compelling too. If your life is one of few that in unfated, how do you know if you're making the right decisions?
I will say, I did see the twist at the end relatively early on, but I was ok with it because watching it unravel was incredible. And heart-wrenching to be sure.
I cannot wait for the second book.
Thank you to Netgalley and Del Rey for the opportunity to read the eARC.

》ARC Review: A Fate Inked in Blood《

I have loved Danielle L. Jensen’s writing since The Bridge Kingdom and I am so happy to report A Fate Inked in Blood delivered in all the same positive feelings (and more) I had when I read Bridge. I end this year on a massively high note thanks to A Fate Inked in Blood. 4.5✨

》The Leads《

Freya is our protagonist. This is her journey, and it is one filled with strife, with victory, with loss, with perseverance. Freya’s power is immense, it is awe-inspiring, and yet it brings fear out from within her. She is afraid. And I so appreciated that vulnerability. Far too often these fantasy stories led by heroines see the heroine fully capable in overpowered strength, without any internal weakness, and it grows stale; yet here is never felt stale. Not once. Freya is quite literally overpowered but she’s also very vulnerable. She is allowed fears, doubts, insecurity, and that leaves room for growth. That makes her entirely relatable. I loved her for her virtues, for her strengths, and for vulnerabilities. She was a very worthy protagonist.

If I had one gripe, it was that at times she felt a bit too fickle, indecisive, and while I again so appreciate how this quality helps to round out her character— her very human imperfections— it also at times interfered with my enjoyment of the book, as it became a bit repetitive and thus frustrating. I consider this the sole and very minor gripe towards the book and towards Freya. Because I loved her fiercely above all.

I leave this book desperate to see her conquer her fears, find her confidence, and gain control of her own fate.

Bjorn is a very intriguing co-lead. We do not get his POV, so much of his character remains shrouded in mystery. He is the sole character to believe Freya has a choice, that she can navigate her own path. I loved his protectiveness over her, and how he always followed her no matter what— no matter against who.

》The Romance《

This is forbidden romance at its best. There is constant tension between Freya and Bjorn. A constant push and pull. And I ate up every single morsel of it. Their chemistry is fire. And regardless of ((SPOILER ALERT))
Bjorn's betrayal, there is no doubt, in my mind, of Bjorn’s willing to travel whatever path Freya chooses. Even if it means death. He will follow.

》The Story《

I was engaged from start to finish with the story. The use of Norse mythology was absolutely epic, as it elevated this story to fantastic heights. The plot compelled me— it brought out all emotions, it stunned me, it moved me, it destroyed me.

Gosh that cliffhanger of an ending! Ok this goes under SPOILER ALERT:

It HURT! It hurt so damn much to see Freya betrayed. I do believe Bjorn loves her, but as Lucy Gray Baird from District 12 once said: “trust is more important to me than love.” And Bjorn has ruined that trust. Freya sees how people around her look to use her, as weapon, dehumanizing her. Her agency, her choice, is constantly ripped away from her. So for the person she trusts most to betray as he did was a stake through the heart.

Again, I do think Bjorn truly loves her, but, it’s not enough. He needs to redeem himself by never taking away her choice again.

Something else I selfishly hope for is Freya proven right that she’s now just in a new enemy’s hands. Harald seemed to relish her use of powers at the cost of his own warriors. I just am tired of Freya always losing. I can’t wait to see her victory. She deserves it.

》To Sum it Up《

I have loved Danielle Jensen’s writing since reading and falling in love with the Bridge Kingdom duology. My appreciation and respect for her talent grows yet again. Her writing ripped from me joy, fear, excitement, restlessness, intrigue, heartache and above all: love.
I loved this one.

Thank you NetGalley, Del Rey and Random House for providing me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I’m going to clear the air and say yes, Freya does have a thing for Bjorn, who is technically her stepson. It does sound strange, but it is not icky at all when you read it. They meet before she marries his dad. Technically, she is forced to marry the jarl against her will. It’s not gross but it does make it interesting.

Danielle L. Jensen is very good at writing complex characters that the reader will love. And that complexity makes it not weird.

This book has everything a Romantasy lover will enjoy! It has Norse mythology, Vikings, battles, forbidden love, forced proximity, and banter. It is a slow burn so if you are reading for the spice, you must wait a while. (It’s worth the wait.) The tension between the two main characters is excellent.

Like all good fantasy books, there is some world-building to get through. It is written clearly and isn’t confusing to the reader. There were a few things that could be explained more, but there will be more books. The pace is fast and action-packed with lots of good battles.

This Norse-inspired fantasy slow burn romance was everything I was looking for. Adventure, gods-given magic powers, betrayal, great banter, and a badass heroine. Did I mention Viking battles? Maybe even some zombie slaying? Oh yeah, that too.

Something about Jensen's writing style grabbed me right out the gate. I didn't love some of the pacing, especially at the beginning (I dropped it at the 30% mark for a while, but I'm so glad I picked it back up) but once things pick up steam OH BOY you're in for it.

This is the first book to give me a hangover in a while- and that's saying something! This is the only other book I've read by Jensen after the Bridge Kingdom series (which was an unexpected favorite) and I can't wait to see where the rest of this series goes.

Also, that cover?!? Beautiful! I'll be picking up a hardcover when they're out just to show it off on my shelf.

Early copy provided for free on Netgalley in exchange for review.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC.

This was my first Danielle Jensen book and I was not disappointed. This book was so good. The characters were well written, the twists and turns unexpected and the banter/romance was perfection. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will be anxiously awaiting the next in the series!

I loved this SO much. I’ve read a lot of fantasy books, but I’ve never read one that incorporated Norse mythology, so this was incredibly refreshing and different than anything else I’ve read. I don’t know how I’m going to wait for the next book with that cliffhanger!

A big thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

2.75/5

A Fate Inked in Blood follows Freya, a fishmonger’s wife who has been hiding her identity as a Shield Maiden her entire life due to a prophecy that was foretold stating she would be the one to unite the lands under one king. The problem is, there are many jarls throughout the land who do not wish to be united. Once Freya is found out, she is forced to help this jarl unite the kingdom while others are searching to be rid of her.

I understand what so many enjoy about this book: slow-burn romance, forbidden love, forced proximity, an MMC that gives off Jason Mamoa vibes, and another character who appears and gives off Brienne of Tarth vibes.

However, this book was just not for me and I’m really bummed about that. It took me way too long to get into - I was waiting so long to be captivated and it didn’t really occur until only 25% of the book remained. I also severely disliked Freya as a character: I understand her dilemma but it was constantly brought up; she was so wishy washy and couldn’t stick with a decision; and she had such tunnel vision, she couldn’t step back and take a moment to dissect the situations occurring around her.

These are SOME of the issues I had that I KNOW others have not, so I know so many people will love this book (as so many have already). Unfortunately, I was not one of them. I did enjoy the overall storyline and look forward to hearing how it continues on, but likely will not continue reading the series myself.

Huge thank you to NetGalley and Del Rey for allowing me to read this early!

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked this book! I was not a huge fan of Jensen’s previous series, but this book has show how much she has grown as a writer. The plot, character and overall world building of this book is done very well and grabs the readers attention from the first page. I can’t wait to see what else this series has to offer!

HALLELUJAH, I FINALLY FINISHED THIS BOOK.

Look, I don’t know if it was the slow pacing, the flat characters, the slowest burn romance, the predictable ending, or just my general reading mood, but this one absolutely wasn’t for me. I was mind-numbingly bored for the first 65% of this book. It took me 6 days to read 250ish pages (if you know me, you know I’m a 300 pages every 2-3 days kind of gal) and I had absolutely ZERO motivation to pick up my Kindle and keep reading. Tear inducing and not in the good way.

I didn’t like the FMC, Freya, at all…. Like not at any point in the book. I liked the MMC, Bjorn, sometimes? Maybe? I guess? But by the end even that small modicum of respect was gone. None of the characters made choices that made sense, or they changed their minds constantly, or just lied?? I don’t know. Truthfully, I just didn’t connect with any of the character work here. By the end I couldn’t even find it within myself to try and care what happened to them. I also think Freya needed more development as the main character of this series. She’s supposed to be this badass warrior who secretly trained her whole life, but the only time she’s actually competent is when she’s in some Gods-induced rage? So Bjorn has to swoop in and save the day? Idk, the math ain’t mathing.

A few positives:
- DLJ is an amazing world builder. Just like in her Bridge Kingdom series, I loved the setting and the visuals she gave to help me picture the layout of the land, the movements of the people, and the various plot developments. That aspect is very well done. Highlight of the book for me.
- Vikings? Cool.
- Tension is good (albeit mildly infuriating) and the 🌶️ is pretty good when the time comes.

As always I enjoy Danielle’s world building and complicated character dynamics. There isn’t really a right or wrong and it shows in every character decisions and development. I am SO tired of fae so this Norse fantasy was so refreshing and fun!! I have no background in Norse mythology so at times I got a bit confused (mainly geographically I needed a map) but I think that’s more me than her. SO SO GOOD!

I would like to thank Netgalley and Del Rey for the opportunity to read A Fate Inked in Blood by Danielle L Jensen as an advanced reader copy!
I really enjoyed this book. Just as much as I liked the Bridge Kingdom series, if not more so. In both of Danielle L Jensen’s books, she expertly balances the romance plotline within a well developed fantasy world. Her approach to the slow burn forbidden romance is also always well done and the Norse mythology and Viking inspiration made it even better. I highly recommend to this book
The cover and the sprayed edges of the book will be beautiful and I can’t wait to get my physical copy in February!

3.5 stars. I loved The Bridge Kingdom books, so I was thrilled to have a chance to read this one!

Vikings. Norse mythology. Magic & powers. Badass FMC. Broody MMC. Forbidden romance. Forced proximity. Only one horse.

The setting and pacing was amazing. I could vividly picture each scene and was kept on the edge of my seat.

Great characters. Some you love, some you love to hate. Lots of suspicion to go around too, which kept me guessing as the plot unfolded.

This started out feeling like a home run, all the stars book, but a few things tripped me up with the dialogue and an inconsistent character. It took me out of the story, but won’t stop me from reading future books in the series! I can’t wait to see where this goes!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read an advance copy.

All of the stars for this one!!! The best review that I can give for this book, A Fate Inked In Blood, is that I need to be opening book #2 right now. I absolutely need to see where this story goes. This is my first book by Danielle L. Jensen, and I am officially a fan. This book is outstanding!

Freya is very unhappy with her lot in life. She is the wife of a fisherman, and he is not a kind man. She dreams of being a warrior and fighting battles - Freya wants to help protect her people. She is also harboring a magical secret.

When her husband betrays her, her dreams inadvertently come true. But Freya has to choose her fate - she has to decide who she wants to be.

I went into this story absolutely blind. I highly recommend that. The world building and mythology are absolutely phenomenal. I loved the forbidden romance and will need to have more of it. The supporting characters will have your emotions all over the place. And that ending - WOW. I truly did not see it coming, and the set up for book #2 has my emotions all over the place!

What I loved the most about this story is Freya’s journey. She is learning to put herself first. No one ever asks her what she wants or needs. Her growth in this story is terrific - I cannot wait to see where it goes.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing - Ballantine for the opportunity to read this book. This one releases on February 27th. If you love romance and really fantastic science fiction, pick this one up!

Freya is the wife of a fishmonger who uses his magical power, given to him by possessing a drop of a god’s blood, to summon fish to their village and fill his own coffers. Freya’s husband is cruel, and when her own godly power is revealed, marking her as a shield maiden destined for greatness, she kills him. She then finds herself as the new wife of Jarl Snorri, a power-hungry chieftain who wants to unite all of Skaland under his rule using Freya’s power. She struggles to understand her own destiny while battling her attraction to Snorri’s son, Bjorn, who possesses the power of the god Tyr and has his own dark past.
The story feels very episodic in its pacing, with several mini-adventures packed within the larger plot. I also enjoyed the moral ambiguity of every single character. It’s impossible for Freya (and the reader) to know who to trust and who deserves her loyalty. There are so many secrets to unravel and while quite a few were easy to see coming, the twists and turns along the way were very fun. I did feel that the worldbuilding and character depth needed a bit more development in order to make this a truly memorable read. While perhaps not my favorite book I’ve ever read, I did enjoy it and I’ll probably continue the series, as I’m curious to see what happens!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.25 stars)

"A Fate Inked in Blood" completely drew me in with its enchanting narrative. Danielle L. Jensen skillfully blends Norse-inspired fantasy with elements of forbidden romance, a slow burn, and a hint of the bodyguard trope. Freya, our selfless shield maiden protagonist, embarks on a journey filled with betrayals, mystical powers, and the intricate dynamics of protecting an unworthy family.

What struck me the most was the brilliant balance between plot and romance. The story unfolds with meddling gods, hidden powers, battling kingdoms, and a forbidden romance that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The relationship between Freya and the charming, protective warrior, Bjorn, adds depth and intrigue to the narrative, making it an enthralling experience.

Navigating the world of Norse mythology, the book creates a captivating and sometimes scary world that is both enchanting and vivid. Despite moments of confusion and repetition, the predictability of the plot is cleverly intertwined with foreshadowing, adding to the overall anticipation. The ending, though somewhat formulaic, leaves you craving the emotional roller coaster promised in the next installment.

Freya's character, with her selflessness and inner strength, feels authentic and relatable. The storytelling is so compelling that I found it nearly impossible to set the book aside. The infusion of Norse mythology brings a fresh and exciting dimension to the story, making it stand out among recent reads.

Despite some predictable elements, Jensen's writing style and the promise of an emotional roller coaster in the sequel keep me eagerly awaiting the next installment.

"A Fate Inked in Blood" is a must-read for fans of steamy myth-driven romances and those who enjoy the infusion of mythology into their fantasy narratives. A huge thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Freya is blessed by the Gods; however, A Fate Inked in Blood makes me question whether or not that is a good thing.

I have read previous releases by Jensen before and thoroughly enjoyed her Bridge Kingdom series. I jumped on the chance to read and review this book because I wanted to read more of her works. Norse mythology certainly was a compelling factor to me, as I am fascinated by mythology. However, A Fate Inked in Blood was not for me.

There were elements in this book that made me feel uncomfortable. For an author who has written empowering women, I was saddened to see Jensen write such a misogynistic world. I was waiting for Freya to stand up to the "boorish men" (for a lack of a better word) and take charge. Surprisingly, with Freya as the main lead, it seemed that she was in the background. Everything in A Fate Inked in Blood happens "around" the fmc. Freya does not take action or make choices, instead they are made for her and she follows along. Freya is a pawn throughout the book, being used by character after character. Where is her fight?

All in all, I was really rooting for this release. In fact, it was one of my most anticipated of 2024. I am saddened that it wasn't for me. However, I hope it finds its audience. Jensen has proven herself to be a talented writer and I hope there are people out there who can appreciate the story she brought to life.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the opportunity to pre-read this book and share my opinions on it.

I am beginning to feel ever so slightly suspicious of Norse-based fantasy. It seems like it should be an easy concept to do well, considering Norse mythology is so epic in the most literary sense of the word, and the settings are easily some of the most beautiful and most extreme our planet has to offer. I haven't quite hit a book in this space that makes me feel that same sense of wonder, adventure, and magic I've always gotten from reading the myths, though, and that's disappointing. I'll admit that the amount of reading I have done in the world of Norse-based fantasy could best be described as "dabbling," so I'm not ready to give up yet, but this book sorely tempted me to.

I'm going to try to be as fair and objective as possible, but . . . eh. The whole book was a struggle to get through, so I'm not sure how objective all of this is going to be. I'm going to be using The Book Angle's Book Review Rubric as the measuring stick for my feelings. Fairness is important, especially when I promised NetGalley a fair and honest review.

Characterization
Based on the Rubric: 2.5 out of 5 stars - If I'm being completely honest, the characters are why this was such a struggle. I didn't like any of the main characters at all. There was never a moment when I liked Freya or related to her or sympathized with her or wanted her to succeed because her whole personality revolved around acting like a tantrum-throwing brat. If she didn't make it through the story alive, I don't think I would have been upset. Bjorn was okay but didn't have anything going for him that made me care whether he made it through the story or not, either. Maybe I just didn't care because I am not a romance reader and their whole flirt-ationship was just annoying to me, but I do think my dislike of the characters ran deeper than that.

Snorri and Ylva and many of the other secondary characters felt too one-dimensional to support much plot development or differentiate themselves from all the other background characters. Bodil is a separate story - she was great, but far from a central character despite being the only one with any likable traits or any depth that made me want to know more.

Plot Development and Progession
Based on the Rubric: 3 out of 5 stars - The pacing moved along at a nice steady clip, so it was easy to keep moving through the story. However, I did not like the rather abrupt way this book came to an end, even if this is a first-in-series and you are supposed to feel encouraged to continue into book 2. I feel like a third of the important stuff all got stuffed into the last 5% of the book, which was very jarring and felt more like I was getting battered around the ears than experiencing any kind of exciting plot twists.

Author's Voice
Based on the Rubric: 2.5 out of 5 stars - Unfortunately, I think this is where most of my frustration with Norse-based fantasy comes from. If the Norse mythologies these stories are based on were an oil painting, then most fantasy in this vein comes across as a coloring page. The writing is efficient and gets the job done, but it makes the whole landscape too bland. While clear and easy to understand, the narrative was a bit plain and the dialogue could feel more like outbursts one could expect more from a modern 8th grader than from a Viking warrior.

Believability
Based on the Rubric: 2.5 out of 5 stars - I really enjoyed the magic system centering around mortals who could call on the magic of their divine parentage to call down a certain power. Bjorn's fiery axe, Freya's shield, Tora's lightning... very cool. I had a MUCH harder time believing that all the clans were going to be united under the aforementioned tantrum-throwing brat of a main character, though, so I can't give this any higher than 2.5 stars.

General Reading Experience
Based on the Rubric: 2 out of 5 - Listen, I'm just kinda glad it's over, okay?

So there, I didn't give it 1 star. I wanted to, but much thanks to the Book Angle for forcing me to be a bit more objective and only slightly less grumpy. It lands in at a 2.5/5 average, and I think I'm gonna round that down. I just wasn't the right reader for this book, I don't think.

Going into a Danielle L. Jensen book, I know I’m in good hands. She consistently delivers well-written fantasy romance stories with engaging political intrigue, solid world building, main characters you want to root for, and plot beats that you have probably seen before but are so well done that even if you know what’s coming, it’s still a fun ride. I am LOYAL to my girl DLJ, so it pains me to have not enjoyed A Fate Inked in Blood as much as I’d hoped.
(3.5 rounded up)

From the jump: I know next to nothing about Norse mythology and vikings, but I’m always down for something new and assumed DLJ would teach me along the way. I’m still not sure if the world building was well done and I just didn’t have enough base knowledge to understand certain things, but I felt kind of lost in the sauce a lot of the time. Much like Freya, I did not understand the prophecy, nor did I understand why she was not allowed to question it and/or what she was supposed to do with the knowledge of it. She’s a child of a god, so she’s unfated, yet she is told time and time again that Snorri controls her, so he controls her fate, all because a seer told him this? I am confusion. I also wish there was a map.

My biggest critique is with the characters and pacing: Freya struggles with being used as a tool and treated as a possession by the men in her life, Bjorn sympathizes with her —> oh no there’s raiders attacking us! Freya transforms into the warrior she dreamed of being, is disgusted with herself and the violence, struggles with being used as a weapon, Bjorn sympathizes with her —> oh no, we have to fight a bunch of zombie viking things inside the scary mountain! Freya transforms into the warrior she dreamed of being, is disgusted with herself and the fear she is instilling in others, Bjorn sympathizes with her —> oh no, our entire town has been burned to the ground! Freya transforms into the warrior she dreamed of being—— rinse and repeat. And this is all fine and dandy, if Freya actually got some character development out of all of this. It’s difficult to root for a main character who lets people treat her like a doormat, recognizes that she allows this, expresses how much she hates it but fears that standing up for herself will result in consequences for her family, YET HER FAMILY TREATS HER LIKE CRAP TOO! I really did empathize with Freya and her just not knowing what she should do. She never had the proper guidance from her parents, her brother is actually the worst, she is passed from husband to husband as a possession, etc etc but at some point, we have to pick a side babe! Maybe it was the switch to first person POV and being inside of Freya’s head for 400+ pages, idk.

This sounds like a negative review, but I truly loved the overall story. At times I was so engrossed in this world (the zombie vikings in the mountain scene was sooooooo good! I could visualize every moment and felt the tension with every step they took), but then we would spend pages upon pages in Freya’s inner monologue and my enjoyment would tank again. I did absolutely adore Bjorn, though. And I can’t wait to read more of their story.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review <3
(review will be posted on goodreads week of 2/19)

4.5 ⭐️ I really enjoyed this story!

"They say being given the blood of a god is a gift. But it is a curse."

WHAT TO EXPECT:
✨ viking-inspired romantasy
✨ norse mythology
✨ arranged marriage
✨ bodyguard x ‘princess’ trope
✨ forced proximity
✨ insta-lust
✨ friends to lovers
✨ forbidden romance
✨ slow burn
✨ one horse
✨ touch her and die
✨ 2/5 spice
✨ action packed
✨ cliffhanger
✨ single POV
✨ TW: war, violence, loss of family, gaslighting


My Thoughts:

I am a HUGE fan of Danielle L. Jensen's The Bridge Kingdom Series , so when I found out she was writing another fantasy series based on norse mythology, I was so excited. And rightly slow because this first book was fantastic!

PS: If you loved the Netflix show and book series, That Last Kingdom, but wished there was magic and more romance, this story is PERFECT for you!

What I loved:

Freya and Bjorn. Both MCs were likable characters that only got more interesting as we got to know them more. Freya is incredibly selfless, and while sometimes her devotion to others drove me mad (because it was often at her expense), I respect the hell out of her for caring for so many people. I also liked that her thoughts, feelings, and actions seemed realistic for a 'Viking' woman during this 'era'. Bjorn was everything I love in an MMC - charming, funny, strong, loyal, protective, and hellbent on getting revenge. Oh, and he has powers from one of the gods. Because the story is in Freya's POV, it takes time to get his backstory and understand his motives, but even then, there's always a little mystery to him. These characters were well developed and I think we're going to see a lot of growth and change from them in the next book.

The romance and spice. From the moment they meet, Freya and Bjorn have insane chemistry and are clearly meant to be together. However, there is a forbidden aspect to the story that prevents them from making any moves, so there's so much flirty banter, tension, and longing - and I ate it all up! I love how they resisted at first but ultimately, cave to their desires. And those spicy scenes . . . 😮‍💨 Bjorn is a man obsessed and the way he worships Freya is hot as hell.

The premise and overall plot. I don't want to give specifics since it's more fun to find out as you read, but I loved how, almost immediately, Freya finds herself in an interesting predicament where the weight of the world rests on her shoulders. I would say most of the 'exciting' events happen at the beginning as we are introduced to the characters and the end when sh*t hits the fan. This story definitely is setting up for a lot of epic things to occur in the next book and I cannot wait to read it!

The Norse mythology. All my knowledge of Norse mythology comes from watching TV shows and movies like Thor and Vikings, which doesn't really give that much detail. So I was really interested in learning more about the gods and how they 'rule' and insert themselves into the lives of humans. The way Danielle L. Jensen explains the gods and the magic system was easy to understand. Jensen has a gift for giving enough important information without overwhelming or boring the reader, but also withholding some information so it can be expanded on in the future.

The world-building. Jensen is an incredible writer who always does an amazing job introducing readers to an entirely new world without info-dumping. I really liked that this world felt familiar (with the viking-esque elements) but at the same time it felt entirely other and different. I do want to see a map though, to get a better understanding of the distances and directions between the towns we visit in this story.

The only reason I can't give this book 5-stars is . . .

The plot twists were very predictable. I still found the story to be incredibly interesting but I do love a shocking reveal, and that just didn't really happen here. There was ONE that (sort of) took me by surprise, but the major twists were easy to pick up from the obvious bread crumbs left throughout the story. Because of this, the plot felt a bit formulaic. But again, the story was still interesting enough that it didn't deter me from reading or having a good time.

Overall, A Fate Inked In Blood was a great first book to this series and I cannot wait to read the next book(s). I definitely recommend it if you enjoy fantasy, mythology, and forbidden romance.