This was a very interesting read! Not my typical vibe but Danielle does an amazing job building worlds and creating characters that you can’t help but love. Our shield maiden is a bad ass who will do whatever it takes to save her people. She isn’t scared to clear her own path, and I will be thinking about her for a very long time.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5777335083

This is the first book that I have read with Norse mythology and I loved it. The book was fast paced and smoldering. It was action paced and I loved the Main Character and her desire to keep her family safe!!

📚✨Book Review✨📚

A Fate Inked in Blood
Author: Danielle Jensen

Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.💫

Note: I received a copy of this book to review via NetGalley, but all opinions are my own.

What I Liked:
🛡️A tall mysterious brooding Viking…sign me up! Björn was everything you’d want in a Viking hero. He’s strong when he needs to be, while also thinking ahead and caring for her needs. Yes… just like that. 😏

🛡️I loved that throughout the story Freja was strong, resilient, and determined. She faced so much adversity and pain but kept pushing through, always trying to do what was right regardless if it was what people wanted or if it was easy.

What I Didn’t Like:
🛡️I LOVE anything with Norse mythology. Maybe it’s because Thor is one of my favorite Marvel characters. 🤷🏻‍♀️ This was filled with gods and goddess. There were tons of tidbits including things like runes and Valhalla. But…it definitely was too much and too many details for me at times.

🛡️The entire story I wanted someone to go and scream in Snorri’s face. Why did he think everything pertained and belonged to him. It was incredibly frustrating. And Ylva…don’t like her either. 😠

Final Thoughts:
🛡️ I debated giving this book 4 stars or 4.5. Realistically to me, it’s a 4.25. There were parts that dragged and some that was predictable, but I still really enjoyed it. I look forward to reading the next installment and think anyone who love romance and fantasy will enjoy this book!

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I am here for the Fantasy Romance. I love shows like Vikings and The Last Kingdom so I was very excited to receive this eARC. I’m by no means an expert in Norse Mythology, but love a good Fantasy Romance.

We really hit the ground running in this book, and I didn’t feel like there was any dragging. It was fast paced without a bunch of fluff. Within the first two chapters I was absolutely hooked, it had me laughing and then wanting to cry. I feel like I saw the ending coming, but man that last 5% had me biting my nails.

This book doesn’t come out until February, so unfortunately I have to wait even longer for a sequel. But I absolutely loved it!

To start, I thorough enjoyed the Norse mythology and Vikings storyline. While this was more fantasy to romance, I really enjoyed the romance. I will say Freya’s unwavering loyalty to her family made me want to pull my hair out sometimes. There is a lot of action in this story, and the ending was a bit predictable. However I enjoyed reading this and look forward to the next book.

Unfortunately I won't be finishing this one, DNF at 30%. I just cannot get into it and the names are really confusing.

Huge fan of Danielle and I have loved every book she has written, including this one. Freya and Bjorn are wonderful characters and the banter between them was gold!
I loved this world set in a fantasy viking realm and enjoyed every minute spent in this book!

4.25/5 for me! This book was consuming! The dynamics between Freya & Bjorn were *chefs kiss*, and I deeply enjoyed reading every page! This was my first Daniell L Jensen read, but it will not be my last. I found reading this akin to reading Carissa Broadbent or Fourth Wing. The easy-to-understand worldbuilding and fast-moving plot made this book almost impossible to put down.

The biggest factors in my dropping the .75 were the compound-complex sentences and the overuse of commas. Spending my time parsing through each sentence to understand what was happening took me out of the story more times than I could count. I think with some additional editing, that would be resolved. Additionally, the following issues were found in the ebook:

Loc 73: space missing
Loc 76: Good example of the compound-complex sentence structure that took me out of the story entirely
Loc 78: Good example of the overuse of commas that also made it difficult to stay in the story
Loc 80: "We all do best" phrasing was confusing. A more regular phrase is "we all would do best" IMO
Loc 96: I believe this comma is incorrect
Loc 123: Another compound-complex sentence example
Loc 137: space missing
Loc 1944: space missing
Loc 2784: space missing
Loc 2917: space missing
Loc 2965: space missing
Loc 3241: space missing
Loc 433: space missing
Loc 4714: I believe this word is supposed to be avoided and not avoiding?
Loc 4961: space needed and the italics on "new voice" are confusing
Loc 4973: "Voice" italicized makes it difficult to know if that is part of the quote or not
Loc 5849: I can't tell what this is supposed to mean. The way this is phrased doesn't match what I think this is attached to. It would make more sense to say "To feel that I matter to my lover."
Loc 5931: I believe this is supposed to say "thoughts"
Loc 6180: When did Freya become untied? Somehow she has moved from bound to jumping off the boat.

All said, I loved this book and can't wait for #2!

I love this author. Everything she wrote is pure gold. The characters, the drama, and the magic keep you hooked from the first line. I can't wait to see what happens in the next book

First, thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for this ARC.

Okay, after The Bridge Kingdom, I wasn't sure if I would be on board with this book, but damn I was wrong. What lacked for me in The Bridge Kingdom was gained in A Fate Inked in Blood! This was a serious page-turner. I've been on an audiobook kick lately, so I was worried I'd become bored with eyeball reading, but nope--I wanted to keep the hits coming. The pacing was on fire.

The characters!!! Freya was such a badass, and the slow burn with Bjorn was just...chef's kiss. It was a bit of enemies to lovers, forced proximity, and forbidden love since she is betrothed to Bjorn's father against her will.

I loved the magic system and world-building DLJ created in this story. I was unfamiliar with Norse mythology before aside from the very basics.

I cannot wait to own a physical copy of this book, and I will be thinking about the second book until it's released. I can't wait to continue the story!

A captivating novel that effortlessly weaves elements of Norse-inspired fantasy, romance, and intrigue together. Danielle L. Jensen has once again sprinkled her storytelling magic all over the pages, and it's a delightful treat.

“A Fate Inked in Blood” takes us on a wild ride to a world where gods and magic are real. It's a place where battle axes meet mystical runes and ancient prophecies, creating a concoction of Norse-inspired awesomeness. Imagine Thor and Odin sitting down for a game of chess, but instead of pieces, they're using the fate of our daring heroes and heroines. That's the level of intrigue we're talking about here! But don't let the battles and bloodshed fool you; there's a generous serving of romance that's hotter than the fires of Valhalla. The chemistry between the characters is as electric as a lightning strike.

The pacing is expertly managed, ensuring that tension and suspense build steadily throughout the book.

One of the novel's standout features is its character development. The main characters, particularly the heroine, undergo profound transformations throughout the story. Their struggles, fears, and triumphs are portrayed with raw authenticity, making it easy to connect with and root for them. Jensen delves deep into the complexities of loyalty, love, and betrayal, exploring the depths of human nature with a keen eye for nuance.

If you're a fan of lush world-building, multi-dimensional characters, and a gripping plot, then "A Fate Inked in Blood" is a must-read that will not disappoint. Grab your horned helmet, sharpen your axe, and prepare for an adventure that makes you feel like a Viking conquering new lands. Skal!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Del Rey | Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the gifted ARC.

This was my first time reading a book based on Norse mythology and I absolutely loved it. In this world, people can be blessed by gods which makes them the only ones to possess magic. They draw their magic from that god specifically, so their magic is unique to the god that blessed them. This concept was very unique and made the magic system easy to understand.

For the romance part of the book: slow burn, immaculate banter, forced proximity, and enemies to lovers? What more could you want in a fantasy romance?? Bjorn is the kind of guy that would burn the world for you and that is the kind of man I like in my books.

Freya is an awesome character. I loved her POV. I liked the focus on the value of loyalty and how we are often loyal to people who won't reciprocate, especially when it comes to family. I appreciated that she had this inner strength from the beginning of the book, instead of it being something she learned. (SPOILER: the way she killed her husband in the first few chapters made me love her INSTANTLY. SLAYYYY)

There was a lot of mystery surrounding Bjorn, but obviously that's on purpose. This book would have been 5 stars except for the fact that it was a little predictable to me. I was not surprised at all by the ending of this book. The arc of this book reminded me a lot of The Serpent and the Wings of Night, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, it just made this book feel a bit familiar.

I will 100% be reading the rest of the series when it comes out though!

Thank you to the author, Random House, and NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book. This is an honest review and all opinions are my own.

Review : This book is blessed by the Gods. It has everything you could want in a Viking inspired romantasy. Bjorn and Freya have some wicked chemistry. The pining and the slight taboo of their desire makes it all the more explosive. The banter was top notch. There’s action, intrigue, betrayal and it’s only book 1. I need book 2 yesterday as I devoured this one. My only gripe, and it’s small, is that the pacing was maybe too fast in certain aspects. Battles just kept coming and it was hard to suspend my disbelief bc the passage of time just wasn’t greatly acknowledged. Everything was like a day of travel away or less but that’s a small thing. If you love norse inspired fantasy with magic and done spice this book is perfect for you.

A Fate Inked in Blood by Danielle Jensen was fantastic. After reading Danielle's other series, I had high hopes for this book and it delivered. I loved the main character, Freya and watching her develop over the course of the book. I loved the elements of the vikings/norse themes that Danielle brought into this world. And the twists and turns kept me on my toes. I can't wait to see what's in store for Freya and Bjorn in the next novel! If you're looking for romance, suspense, plot twists, and magic, read a Fate Inked in Blood!

This was such an epic romantasy, one of the most amazing books I've read this year! Of course, it doesn't hurt that I loved watching Vikings, and this book reminded me of that too...I love a big, sexy Viking!
The world building was spot on, all the characters were great, and it had all the elements needed for a great story. This story gives you romance and betrayal, some truly amusing dialogue that'll have you laughing out loud, secrets and suspense and fighting. It's got it all, and it's done in such a way that once you start reading it, you won't want to stop! This book kept me up way too late, and I lost alot of sleep because of it! 😂
It was definitely a 5 star read. If you like fantasy romance, if you like Vikings, if you like action and adventure... its a must read!

The way Danielle Jensen has me so hooked in a first chapter is almost unparalleled. This story was so amazing. The shield maiden, protector, is someone that I came to see myself in. Freya’s journey through this book is not an easy one, and I’m so intrigued to see what happens next. Bjorn stole my heart from the first meeting. I know that this is the start of an amazing series!

If you enjoy fantasy romance with Viking mythology, a (literally) steamy cave pool scene, and witty banter between a shield maiden and her warrior protector then this book is for you!

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

Review: I devoured this book! I was actually laughing out loud in the first chapter when Freya meets Bjorn and throws a fish in his face. The banter and tension between these two is some of the best I’ve ever read! The world and characters were well-developed, and learning about Norse gods and Viking culture kept me immersed and engaged. I enjoyed Freya’s journey of learning to make choices for herself rather than others. The last few chapters took me on a rollercoaster of action and emotions, leaving me eagerly awaiting the next installment in this new series!

You might like this book if you enjoyed:
- The Bridge Kingdom by Danielle L. Jensen
- Blood & Steel by Helen Scheuerer

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book. This is an honest review and all opinions are my own.

Spicy nordic viking story with gods and magic? Yes please!

This book was a thrilling fantasy adventure heavily steeped in nordic history and tales. If you enjoy Vikings or The Last Kingdom, then this book is for you. I was eager to see how Freya developed and her power unfolded. I found myself rooting for her no matter who she was against. I wanted her to finally take her unfated life into her own hands.

This book did not disappoint and I cannot wait for book two to get more answers!

Wow. What can I say?

A forbidden romance set in a fantasy world ruled by the Gods and fate. Magic? Angst? Fear? War? A badass FMC? I just…

All of the Norse mythology was glorious. It was also interesting to learn about. I was absolutely glued to the pages, and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series once it comes out.

I would definitely recommend.

I was absolutely thrilled to get a ARC of this book. It’s for sure on my list of my most anticipated books coming out next year. I love that this book is inspired by Norse Mythology mainly cause I love seeing how authors weave their stories their countries stories. We meet Freya, a fiery wild women who isn’t where she wants to be in life. She’s married to a man she would rather stab than bed. He’s arrogant and just a ahole in general tbh. She dreams of a life of warrior and to escape her unwanted marriage. When she meets the son of the kingdom, Bjorn, she can’t deny they she’s drawn to him. When a betrayal rocks her world, she must figure out a way to survive the fallout and risk, not only her destiny, but the fates of the people she swore to protect.
I for sure love the main character Freya. She’s an absolute fiery bad (bad word) and I love how she just makes you fall in love in love with her. She isn’t afraid to speak her mind whatsoever even it gets her in trouble. Her love interest Bjorn is probably one of my many fictional boyfriends now. He has this equally fiery demeanor that I find absolutely attractive and I can see why Freya is drawn to him. Like a Moth to a literal Flame . Throw in that he’s a warrior and the Vikings show vibes and he’s addictive.
I love that this book is a fast paced Norse inspired fantasy that keeps you hooked and entertained. I was entertained and left gasping at the end of this Novel. It’s for sure a book I would buy and recommend to my bookish friends. Now I wait impatiently for the next book
Thanks to the folks over at NetGalley & Random House Publishing for the opportunity to get a ARC of this book. My review is a honest reflection of my feelings towards this book