Member Reviews
I fell in love with Danielle Jensen’s writing while reading the Bridge Kingdom series, and starting this book felt like being reunited with an old friend. This story follows Freya, a shield maiden who has spent her life hiding her god-granted gift to protect. She learns to wield her power and becomes a warrior, which she been her dream. However, she must do so under the control of a jarl whom she is forced to marry. He assigns his son, Bjorn, to be her protector as it has been foretold that she will help the jarl become king and unite their people. Freya and Bjorn have an instant connection, and the tension begins…
This book is the perfect blend of fantasy, spice, and a strong female protagonist navigating a new life. The pacing is beautiful with twists and turns as the story unfolds from Freya’s point of view. I am on the edge of my seat waiting for the next book!
I went in to this book not knowing who the author was, or what the story was about except that it was about a shield maiden. And I thoroughly enjoyed it! This was really an easy read considering it was based around Norah mythology, and sometimes those can be heavy mentally. I feel like I sped through this, and am already dying to know what happens next. Freya is such an interesting character, and getting to see a female warrior was such a nice change of pace. I can’t wait till it comes out!
I am simultaneously so happy I got to read this early and so angry that I’m going to have to wait even longer for the sequel. A Fate Inked In Blood was magical from start to finish. I absolutely loved The Bridge Kingdom and Danielle Jensen has written a show stopping start to her new world. I am a sucker for Norse mythology so I had preordered this book the moment I learned of it. But thanks to NetGalley and the publisher I received an ARC so I was able to read this absolute gem early. One of my favorite things about Jensen’s writing is that her cliffhangers always always always leave me screaming into the void about how much I want to get my hands on the next one. Which I mean who doesn’t love the feeling of needing the next book in a series like you need to breath. Jensen never disappoints in the romantasy department because she knows exactly how to blend an extremely interesting plot and a tension filled romance like no other.
I have some mixed feelings on this book. I really liked the norse-inspired elements of this story and the magic system was interesting. It was. a nice change of pace from other popular fantasy romances I've been picking up lately. I also thought the romance was well done and kept me invested in the story.
I do wish there had been a bit more description of the world and political structure though. The pacing and overall plot was a little lacking. You learn in the synopsis and right at the start of the book that the main character is prophesied to unite a nation and that is pretty much the whole the plot. The majority of this book is these characters kind of just running around since no one knows why or how she is supposedly going to fulfill this prophesy. It feels like we are just waiting to find out what the plot is going to be and then all of a sudden we are at the end of the book.
Overall I enjoyed my time reading this and would recommend if you like norse-inspired fantasy but not super memorable otherwise.
I can’t wait for the rest of the series to come out! I loved the world building and character building in this book. The two main leads? Perfection. Great chemistry and pacing throughout!
Received this as an ARC from NetGalley and it was pretty good. The twists were a bit predictable, but I still found myself interested in the plot and excited for the sequel when I finished. I liked the two main characters but the FMC could be frustrating at times. Overall it was pretty good and definitely would recommend it!
I was enthralled by this book. I couldn’t put it down. Character growth was fantastic as was world building. I love that this isn’t another basic tale of the Gods but something so different and good that I don’t know what will come next. I cannot wait for this next book. I will be waiting to fetch an arc of the Saga of the Unfated book 2 as it left me with so many unanswered questions that I’m excited to find out. Thank you to the author for such a fantastic read.
ARC Review: A Fate Inked in Blood 🩸
Rating: ✨4/5✨
Spice: 🌶 🌶🌶
Tropes: forced proximity, enemies-ish to lovers, insta-lust
Triggers: attempted unaliving
🛡️ I enjoyed this book. I will admit that it began to drag around halfway because it was the same language being repeated anytimr big happened. But the ending swooped me back up and got me reinvested.
🪓 I liked Freya but towards where the book lagged she got super annoying. Like girl, at this point, you need to take a step back and wonder if your family is really worth it. They SOLD you to your first husband and THEN DID IT AGAIN for your second. Ugh. She made me want to jump through the book and karate chop her. But I do like her as a character, even if she made bone headed decisions. I got the ick from Freya being forced to marry these men and just say to herself, "endure it". The plot literally didn't even need her first husband. But I love a string, fighter. Can't wait to see her develop more.
🪓 Bjorn is awesome. I truly liked him as a male lead because he's not all over Freya. He likes who she is, but also keeps his plans despite being into her. I hate when MMCs just become a reflection of the female character. After time you can see him shifting, but it makes more sense. Also he's so funny. The fire ax is a turn on too. I am not ashamed to admit it.
🪓 Saw the end coming from the first word. Literally was not surprised at all. Guessed EVERY plot point.
🪓 Freya's blind loyalty to a place that treated her like shit is dumb. Made literally no sense.
🛡️ Overall, I enjoyed the book. I loved reading about Norse and Viking mythology. I refreshing change of pace and that might be what sold me... That and Bjorn being funny AF. I will definitely read book two.
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I was hooked so quickly with this book and my jaw dropped SO many times. I loved the Norse aspect and kept picturing Vikings of Valhalla! Such an epic and sexy read! Full review closer to publication date.
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing for allowing me to read this early!
This book was a really good take on Norse mythology! I really really enjoyed this book. I was always a huge fan of greek mythology in high school, but this made me want to learn and read more about the Norse gods.
Between attacks to villages, battles fought, and lots of warriors lost. There was no shortage of action packed into this one. It had wonderful writing, the ideal amount of world building, the plot moved at an enjoyable pace, and the characters were all very well thought out.
I loved the banter and tension between them. Their love is forbidden, so the tensions between them were TAUGHT. Their smart quips and jokes made me giggle throughout as they were very naughty but funny! I’m a huge fan of characters joking with each other constantly. Bjorn is SUCH a cinnamon roll honestly. Tough exterior, soft insides- but just for Freya. I adore the way he protects her, and wants to help her.
“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”
The FMC- Freya, is such a strong character. She proved time and time again that she didn’t need anyone to help her, and that she was just as strong as any other warrior… if not stronger. Throughout her life, she has been put through so much deception. She cares far too much for people who have not returned the sentiment- but there is something to be said about someone who cares deeply for others. She is trying desperately to change her fate before becoming someone she doesn’t wish to be, and I’m curious if she will be able to let go of everything holding her back.
“Her Fate is Inked in her blood”
“It’s Carved in her bones. This power is Freya’s destiny.”
I will say I was kind of expecting the ending. You definitely get little easter eggs thrown in that move the storyline towards the cliffhanger (ish) ending. It’s not a deep cliffhanger, but enough to make you want to read more!
If you love any sort of mythology mixed with spicey forbidden romance… this book may be enjoyable to you!
Thank you to Del Ray and NetGalley for an ARC of A Fate Inked in Blood for my honest review.
This book was fantastic, the setting was wonderful (and easy to understand), the stakes felt appropriate for the way the characters all acted within, the romance was good, and there were reveals that I was not expecting.
I love Danielle L Jensen’s writing and this is consistent with her past books that I’ve read - you’re immersed in the worlds and you’re engrossed in the stories of the characters. The antagonists are somewhat more complicated - you can hate them but also understand their motivations (even when they’re extremely annoying).
I loved the setting and getting introduced to the Nordic gods and the Viking lore. This was well done and easy to follow, even with a lot of various names and lore that comes with them.
Would recommend this to all my fantasy readers and anyone who enjoys romantasy as well.
4.5⭐️ overall and I cannot wait for book 2!
What a journey! This is one of the best Romantasy books I've read in a long time. With a slow burn romance and breathtaking journeys, this viking-inspired, slow-burn romance will be sure to capture your heart! From the first page, it describes the female main character, Freya, as a woman trapped in a bad marriage. She dreams of adventure and, of course, her husband's demise. Then she hits a beautiful man on the beach with a fish to his face. The gods are very present figures, but people like Freya, who are gifted with blood from a God, can decide their own fate, though there is a prophesy about her powers. The prophesy, I think, is not what it seems and the book reminds us several times that the words/prophesies gifted by the gods are not always interpreted correctly. I think there is going to be more to it.
The MMC is my favorite, and he is a man who would burn the world to ash for her. Though he shows it in many ways, Freya is blind to it for most of the book and even toward the end. It is definitely a slow-burn, and with many twists and turns, the finale ends on a cliffhanger which will leave you bereft and wanting the next book in the series. I am DYING to know what happens next. The characters are certainly not "good" or "bad" but somewhere in between, and their emotions make them somewhat unpredictable. I really have no idea how this will play out.
My critique is the adventures and situations they get into feel disjointed. I felt like I was kind of being jerked around with no rhyme or reason, so I feel like that needs to be a little more seamless. At one point I was like "what, why are we doing this?" Then, one of the side characters is like "lets attack" then "lets go over the mountain." Some of the actions did not make a whole of sense and needs some tightening up. Also, one of the side characters gets taken out early, though she was developing a very interesting personality. I feel like the same anger that evoked in Freya could have been accomplished by another character. The one I am talking about needs to live to be Freya's companion. I do hope the author/editor will revise this and bring her back to life to somehow follow Freya. She could even develop relationships of her own and grow together with the FMC. Kill someone else close to her, not this character. With some edits to the plot and characters, this would be a 5 star book. The MMC and FMC are both perfection, however. LOVED it!
Favorite Quotes:
"It is hard to keep one's wits when faced with a woman as beautiful as the sight of short to a man who has been lost at sea" - Bjorn
"You are mine, Born-in-Fire. Even if only the two of us know it." - Bjorn
"I would tear their plans to shreds if it meant sparing you the fate my mother foresaw." - Bjorn
"My mother taught me many skills to ensure I'd make a good wife to my husband.... She'd been better off teaching me the restraint needed not to stab said husband..." - Freya
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I will post a review and recommendation to my TikTok account soon.
𝙰 𝙵𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝙸𝚗𝚔𝚎𝚍 𝙸𝚗 𝙱𝚕𝚘𝚘𝚍 - 𝙳𝚊𝚗𝚒𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚎 𝙹𝚎𝚗𝚜𝚎𝚗
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Synopsis: A shield maiden blessed by the gods becomes trapped in a union with a power hungry jarl convinced she is fated to make him king. Eager to prove her strength, and survive the machinations of both the jarl and his cruel wife, Freya must train to fight and learn how to control her magic, while battling her dangerous attraction to the jarls son, a beautiful and witty warrior who yields the fire of the gods.
I went in totally blind to this and let me tell you it was a WONDERFUL surprise!!
Fantasy romance with Norse Mythology??? Vikings, forbidden love, prophesies, forced proximity, dangerous adventures?! An addicting combination 🤤 the banter was top tier and i was laughing out loud on several occasions!
Danielle Jensen is the QUEEN of perfectly paced slow burn. This was the epitome of romantasy in my opinion. I wouldn't change a single thing.
Cursing myself for reading the arc bc god knows when the next one will come out and after that cliffhanger 😭
Bjorn is going to be everyone's favorite book boyfriend come February 27th, 2024 and this is definitely one of my top reads of the year!
Holy. Guacamole.
I was immediately hooked on this story. The Norse mythology and magic system was so cool and so easy to understand, which made the world building also easy to understand.
I love the fact that Freya is so strong, yet so flawed. She has so much more to flesh out in her journey to discovering who she really is.
I feel like so much happened, yet we’ve only skimmed the surface. Especially between Bjorn and Freya.
How long do I have to wait for book 2? Too long is the answer because I wish I could read it immediately!
Thank you so much to Random House and NetGalley for this advanced copy!
I only finished this because it was an ARC.
Cons:
The first half was just not engaging and even after it picked up, I found myself skimming a lot. I admittedly usually don't love the first book in fantasy series because I think world-building is always painful to get through. The difference with other series is they ended in a way that leaves me excited for the next book where I know it will be more engaging because the author no longer has to deal with world building. This book didn't leave me wanting more. Lastly, the book followed so many typical tropes that nothing was surprising and I just felt like I knew where the whole thing was going.
Pros:
I liked the banter between the love interests. The magic system is also really interesting and is definitely the thing that stands out to me. I liked how Jensen sprinkled in explanations of how it worked throughout. It fits in really well to Norse mythology and I think fans of mythology would enjoy this. I also liked hearing all of the prophecies and trying to figure out what they meant. Lastly, while I found parts not engaging, it wasn't due to issues in pacing. I thought this was paced really well, and even in the first half when I was considering DNFing, enough stuff kept happening that would keep me reading a little further.
Overall, the book is not bad, but it is so much like other books that not much stood out. It's fun, a lot happens, the magic is interesting, and the romance is also decent. I don't think it will be anyone's favorite book, but I think anyone who is curious about this book will enjoy it.
Rating: 4.25/5.00
This is actually my first read for Danielle L. Jensen, but it will NOT be my last.
Summary
A Fate Inked in Blood tells Freya’s story as she transitions from a fisherman’s wife to the one who is foretold to unite a fractured nation. Possessing a drop of goddess’s blood gives her the power to stand up for herself and others, but she faces many tests along the way - both external and internal. The physical challenges seem impossible, but her new husband’s son, Bjorn, could be an even bigger challenge. Bjorn is blessed as well and can’t seem to keep his eyes off Freya from the day they meet. However, succumbing to this temptation could lead to disaster for both Bjorn and Freya.
Characters
Jensen does a fantastic job giving characters a distinct personality for both the main and supporting cast. I connected with the characters early on - there are several strong female characters. The witty dialogue between characters was a constant delight throughout the entire book and I can’t wait to see more from this series (Saga of the Unfated). I also appreciated how Freya grew throughout this book; she sacrificed a lot for her family but wasn’t put first by anyone. The tension in the romance was perfect up until the end of the book.
Plot
The plot moved quickly and the world building was perfect for a first novel in the series. We traveled to multiple locations throughout the story and each of these destinations are still clear in my mind even after finishing the book. I’m excited to see what else we learn about this world in the following books. To my surprise, there were multiple times I laughed, gasped, and cried out loud to myself while reading A Fate Inked in Blood. This is rare for me because my reactions while reading are usually pretty subdued.
Recommendation
I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a fantasy read with equal parts romance and action.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
P.S. And yes, I did run and add MORE of Jensen’s books to my TBR.
4.5 ⭐️
I have read the Bridge Kindgdom series by Danielle Jensen and was thrilled to see the Norse mythology inspired romantasy A Fate Inked in Blood was available for ARC requests. This book follows the story of Freya, a woman in her early 20s as she navigates her future as a prophesied shield maiden under a fervent Jarl determined to unite Skaland and become King. Under the Jarl’s control she begins to form a relationship with his son, while also trying to grapple with the guilt she feels about her exposed abilities and also trying to understand the creeping darkness in her. I really loved the balance of romantic elements with the solid plot line, I find that a lot of romantasy novels really fall short in plot so it was a fresh breath of air. I deducted half a star only because there was a certain part of the ending that I was able to guess pretty much from 1/4 of the way into the book, but there were enough elements of surprise at the end that rocked me. I would say if you like books like War of Lost Hearts trilogy, Game of Thrones, and the romantic tension of Fourth Wing mixed with the incredible tension in Danielle’s other books, that you will love this. I am so excited for book two!
Thank you to Random House Publishing and NetGalley for the arc! All opinions are my own!
I actually can't even begin to describe the amount of emotions I felt while reading this book. Freya was such a strong FMC and Bjorn was everything she was waiting for and the forbidden love trope was immaculate. I absolutely loved the aspect of Viking mythology and how some humans have powers from the gods. There were a few characters that I wanted to throttle for doing Freya dirty because I truly love Freya and how she had to go from a horrible man's wife to Skaland's savior in such a short amount of time. This book is absolutely amazing and I can't wait to see where Danielle L. Jensen takes the story next!
NETGALLEY ARC REVIEW✨
A Fate Inked in Blood
By: Danielle L Jensen
Pub Date: 02/27/24
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thank you to @netgalley and @randomhouse for an advanced copy of A Fate Inked in Blood in exchange for my honest review.
This book is a Norse inspired fantasy romance that follows Freya as she navigates her life with a secret power blessed to her from the gods. She values family above herself and goes from one unwanted marriage to another to protect those she loves, even to her own detriment.
Once her power is discovered by those outside her family she realizes why she was meant to keep it secret. Her fate was destined by the gods and those around her only want her for her gift.
She finds comfort and companionship in her bodyguard, who seems to be the only one to see Freya as herself and not her power. Bjorn has his own gift from the gods and together they make an unstoppable team.
The world building and character development were enjoyable and the action scenes kept me on the edge of my seat. There is romance, betrayal, suspense, and a cliffhanger.
This book, is the reason I read. I felt every emotion with Freya until the end. I laughed and cried right along with her. This was my first fiction book with any type of mythology, and I honestly don’t think anything is going to beat it. I’ve already preordered a copy of this book and I cannot wait for the next one.