I really enjoyed A Fate Inked in Blood. I loved the nordic theme and vikings aspect of it. and I've always liked Norse Mythology. this book was a nice refresher to most popular books nowa days that mostly include Fae.

I was inthralled in Freya's story from the very beginning! Strong female lead and I love her compassion and growth throughout the story. And gosh I love me a good book with banter. THIS ONE DID NOT DISAPPOINT!!

And okay, let's talk about Bjron! I love that he's not your normal quiet broody male. he's freaking hilarious! I also love that he makes mistakes and complains in a joking way about his discomfort. while he's still described as a handsome guy, I love that he actually seems... Real!

While this book defiantly kept me entertained, I would rate it a 4.2 star and not a five for some aspects in the book did seem very... random and the traveling in the books confused me! I felt like it was a little inconsistent. dragged on at times and then was completely skipped at others. It also had a lot of tropes (without giving spoilers) that I am so bored of reading. But that is being very picky! overall I really enjoyed this book and will defiantly be purchasing a copy for my shelf and probably a few SE's as well.

I received an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The problem with NetGalley is that even when you dislike a book, you've signed up to finish it. And slogging through a book you're bored of means reading the book gets worse and worse as you go. Things that were minor annoyances before become exhausting. And that makes it so hard to give an honest rating. I didn't hate the book when I wanted to DNF it the first time, I thought it just wasn't for me. I only hated it by the end.

My biggest pet peeve in this book was Bjorn being constantly there. There's this trope in romantasy where the heroine gets herself in trouble but oh look the love interest is right behind her because he followed her. It's romantic the first few times. By the twentieth, there's no suspense. Someone grabs Freya's arm? Wow I wonder who it is. Freya hears a noise behind her? Who could it be. A stranger stops her sword? Guess who. By the end, Freya could have had a sip of tea and found a tiny Bjorn in the cup and it wouldn't have even phased me.

And see how minor that is? That's not enough to make you hate a book. But when it happens every five pages maybe it is. I don't know how to rate a book I hated but can't justify my hatred of. 3 stars, best I can do. Sorry NetGalley.

Sosososo good!! I literally cannot wait for the next book. While this was predictable, I had so much fun reading this. Fast paced, romantic, excellent spice and great main characters. This is exactly what I look for in my romantisy.

Thank you NetGalley/Random House for the ARC!

An excellent adult fantasy debut from one of my favorite authors!

A Fate Inked in Blood follows Freyja as she is thrown into a marriage she does not want to bring glory to a jarl who believes himself to be the Fated ruler. As shield maiden, it has been prophesied that the one who controls her controls the destiny of all. But who really controls her fate? And can she resist her sworn protector, the son of the jarl?

Freyja is powerful, sharp, and witty. She does not hold back and is undervalued by the men who would seek to control her. When all would see her dead or fail, she rises again and again to the challenge. I LOVE her character, and cannot wait to see what happens next!!

Bjorn is the other main character in this story. He is tough, handsome and most believe him to be loyal to the jarl and set on vengeance against their enemy. But at his core his family and loved ones are what matter most, and he will stop at nothing to see them safe and protected.

I have very little knowledge of Norse mythology but this story makes me want to go explore more about the gods and their magic system! It seems similar to the Greek gods and I found the dynamics and the magic of the different Unfated (those with gods blood control their own fate) very cool. I can't wait to see how the Norse mythology and the magic system is expanded on in the books to come.

If you like Danielle's other works you will LOVE this story. She is a master of the romantasy genre and I always look forward to her work. Thank you again for another excellent read Danielle!

I had high hopes for this book, but unfortunately it fell pretty flat for me. The main character was not my cup of tea. Any bad choice that could be made, she made it. She was immature and unable to take critique or advice which made being in her head pretty unbearable. The love story was also pretty bland. The plot twist at the end was extremely obvious and the fact that the main character was caught so off guard made her come off as dumb. The book also had pacing issues; it did not need to be so long.

A Fate Inked in Blood has so much to offer!!
Its action packed with a slow burning romance and a betrayal at the end which had me so mad! I hope there is a book 2!


Norse inspired Freya daughter of Erik and her family hide a secret that doesn't take long to be revealed. Being forced into marriage Freya finally is able to reveal her secrets and not hide them but it comes at a price.
"My fate is my own to weave"
Bjorn son of Snorri and a child of Tyr is to protect Freya from all harm to come her way with him back in his home land and with his father after being held prisoner for years we will see the pain and love he grows for Freya.

Spice level 2/5
-forbidden love
-forced marriage
-slow burn
-betrayal

I fell in love with Freya she showed true strength even in the dark of times. She has been through so much but still remains a total bad@ss i really hope to see where her next story goes!

An amazing adventure into a world of different Gods and Norse backgrounds and beliefs. I would have loved for the characters to be a bit more developed where some were just a bit flat. The development between Bjorn and Freya could have used a bit more time and tone but overall a terrific read as this was my first book by this author.

A Fate Inked in Blood by Danielle L Jensen
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A Norse inspired fantasy romance following a woman named Freya who is forced to reveal that she has a drop of blood from the goddess Hlin in her. Following a prophecy that foretells that her magic will unite together the nation of Skaland, a ambitious jarl binds Freya to himself and orders his son, another blessed with a gods blood, to protect her. We follow Freya’s journey through training, tests and battles as she travels towards her fate and decides who will control it, all while tension between her and Bjorn begins to grow and burn.
I had a lot of fun reading this book. I loved the Norse mythology that is explored within this story and the magic system that is utilized of select people possessing the blood of gods allowing them to wield some of their power. The tension between Freya and Bjorn was enjoyable to read and their banter was 10/10!
I will say the first half of this book was sitting at 5 stars while the second half sat more at a 3.5 for me. I feel like somewhere along the way the book began to feel like it was pulling at the seams a bit. I found Freya’s decision making a bit frustrating as time went on and I feel like sometimes elements were added or hinted at that either weren’t followed through on or were introduced too late (although some of this may resolve if certain strands follow through to the next book). I also felt like sometimes characters attitudes would change in an instant (there was a scene with Freya and her mother and both their attitude switches felt like they gave me whiplash a bit).
Overall though this was a great fantasy romance and provides everything you could want from that genre. I can’t wait to see where this series goes and where Freya’s fate will take her.

Thank you to the author, publisher and netgalley for this arc in return for my honest review!

Check out A Fate Inked in Blood on February 27th 2024!

A Fate Inked in Blood is an action packed fantasy with a side of romance. I liked that the reader did not have to wait too long into the story to find out what secret Freya and her family were hiding. This let us get right into the action and adventure part of the story, which was written so well I could easily visualize it. I'm not quite convinced that Freya and Bjorn are meant for each other, but the ending of the book left me really wanting to find out and also learn more about where Bjorn was raised.
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to review this ARC.

It is an unspoken rule that fall and winter are fantasy romance reason. This book was the perfect blend of both, not sacrificing the romance or the fantasy plot at all and finding a perfect balance between the two. While I thoroughly enjoyed the book and the PINING and TENSION between freja and bjorn I have a few thoughts.

As a scandinavian I wish the author used the nordic spellings of things instead of the english version, fjalltindr/bjorn/etc just don't hit as hard without their correct spellings. I however DID appreciate the nod to norse mythology and gods without being super cliche and actually creating a new world order loosely based off of it.

I also just personally am so SICK and tired of this obsession with badass warrior women somehow being unable to see the harm and abuse being done to them by their own family. To me it does not align with some of the core characteristics of freya.

All in all I am excited to see how this series progresses and will be reading the next book ASAP.

5 Stars
Absolutely consumed A Fate Inked in Blood in under 24 hrs. Very well written fantasy romance based on Norse gods. Fantastic character development and world building. FMC was strong, intelligent, interesting, well rounded, with a mind of her own and mouth to match. The romance was a slow burn, all the way to the end of the book. Great tension between the main characters. Book ends on a cliff hanger, can’t wait for the next one!

Slow burn masterpiece with epic fight scenes, scheming politics, and heartbreaking love story. This Norse-inspired fantasy romance grabs you from the first page and takes you on a wild ride. We follow Freya, a young married girl who has been hiding a secret all of her life. Once this secret is discovered she is chased throughout the world by people looking to possess or kill her. The world building is fascinating and each chapter is action packed. The plot keeps you guessing at every turn, makes you wonder who you can trust, and shocks you with unexpected reveals. I was given a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and would highly recommend this read to anyone who loves mythology, slow burn romance, and action packed fight scenes.

Wow this book absolutely blew me away! It was incredibly action packed and left every chapter with a cliff hanger. It is also the perfect mix of romance and fantasy and was unlike anything I have read before. The norwegian/ scandanavian vibes and setting also provided alot of imagery and it was fun to keep track of the names I've never heard before.

I was also really impressed with the ending of the book, as it leaves SO MUCH to be divulged. Highly recommend this read!

*ARC Review*

I had the privilege to read an advanced reader copy of this book and it was amazing! This book was so, I love Danielle Jensen so I knew I’d love this one, but wow it was so much better than anything else of hers that I’ve read. It makes me so safe the book isn’t coming out until February because I want to tell all of my friends to read it!

Freys and Bjorn had such incredible chemistry! This book was fun and it was so easy to fall into the world. I haven’t read many Viking type books but I may have just found a new favorite genre. If you like fourth wing this book is for you! The tension, the drama, all of it was perfection!

The way I absolutely devoured this book. This is a fast-paced, Norse-inspired fantasy read that will have you turning pages from the start. I loved the character building in this book, the way you loved and hated Freya sometimes for the choices she made; she's flawed and has a short temper, but will go to the ends of the earth for her family and the people she loves. There are so many twists and turns along the way, so none of the battles or encounters ever go quite the way you expect. There is betrayal, tension, and plenty of spice. I loved the accurate ties to Norse mythology, and thought it was really creative that the magic our characters yield come from the gods themselves. A Fate Inked in Blood is perfect for those who love a little mythology, banter, betrayal, and magic in their reads!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am so glad I got the chance to read and review it!

5.0 / 5.0

I rarely give a full 5 stars for my reviewed books but this one has earned it. This book is absolutely fantastic. The story jumps into action quickly with a young but emotionally mature female main character that is put into impossible situation after impossible situation. She is passed around and used by those in power as she learns to become her true self. She develops self agency alongside learning to physically defend herself and emotionally experience life.

I very much felt like I was reading a T.Kingfisher novel with how developed and productive the prose is, but with the added benefit of more to read. This ends on a cliffhanger and I am not even upset for that, it is that good of a story. There is nothing about this that I didn’t enjoy and I recommend it.

Until Next Time,
MC

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC I read for my honest review.

Loved this book! I was instantly captured by the storyline and the FMC, Freya. She hasn’t had an easy life, always doing what’s best for her family, even if it means it’s not best for herself. She’s lived through a series of decisions that were not her own that sets her on the path for greatness or destruction. I found Freya to be very relatable.

The part of the story focuses on Bjorn, who has also lived a life for others, and dares to claim something for himself but at what cost?

If you love the shows Vikings or Valhalla, you won’t want to miss this book! It has all the Viking culture, superstitions, and magic. I cannot wait for next installment.

I was so excited for this book, and was disappointed when it just didn't click with me. It started off so strong. I loved the premise and the set up, felt for Freya, was invested in the magical system, and then it kinda lost me. I was still interested in where the story went, but the twists were predictable and the character development iffy at times. Instead of being a strong fmc who I could root for, Freya became shrill and weak-willed which took me out of the story. Maybe there's a plot- related reason for her off behavior as the series progresses. I'll check out the next book to see how the story develops, though

This book completely sucked me in from the start and I had such a hard time putting it down. It has very accessible world building for fantasy and a really interesting take on Norse mythology. I thoroughly enjoyed the slow burn/forbidden love romance along with the adventure. The end left me wanting more, and I can’t wait to rejoin Freya and Bjorn and find out where their journey leads them next. With tropes like one horse, forced proximity, forbidden love, and chosen one, this story is perfect for romantasy lovers.

Thank you NetGalley and Del Ray for this gifted ARC!

Absolutely LOVED this. There are so many other books that get recommended to lovers of SJM and I might get some hate for it, but THIS. THIS IS IT.

If you liked SJM’s works and are looking for more romantic fantasy, just stop what you’re doing and read this book.

This was such a refreshing change to read Nordic fantasy after having been embroiled with fae stories for most of my life. And the fun, easygoing banter between the two MCs! I loved the sarcasm and dirty jokes and the insults, just everything about their conversations.

Some things are a bit predictable but I don’t care at all because the ride was so damn enjoyable. Just because you’ve gone on a roller coaster a thousand times doesn’t make it less fun!

If this isn’t the next viral book that you just can’t avoid seeing on every single bookish social media community, I’ll be amazed.