ARC REVIEW: Thank you NetGalley for my digital ARC of A Fate Inked in Blood in exchange for my honest review..

First I want to say that I need my hands on the next book already when book one isn’t even released until next year!

I discovered Danielle L. Jensen’s series The Bridge Kingdom and was happy to learn about this new series coming out early next year..

So my thoughts on A Fate Inked in Blood..
Even though this is a brand new series I appreciated how this story jumped right into Freya’s story. This is the first Viking-inspired fantasy romance and it did not disappoint. It had action, betrayal, slow burn romance, heartache and all the things that make up a great fantasy novel. There was so much that happened in the book yet the story maintained good pacing. Our FMC is a shield maiden who needs to discover what her true path is while protecting those that she loves. Each path she chooses can alter the fate of her but of everyone around her. She leaves her previous life behind, constantly being put to the test by the Gods to learn how to control her magic as well as giving the opportunity to show her true strength. She has so much weight on her shoulders it doesn’t help that she find herself in a forbidden romance. Freya must choose the right fate to protect those around her as well as herself.

I can’t wait for my preordered B&N special edition to come in next year!
Rating: 4.5 🌟🌟🌟🌟✨

This book was absolutely incredible! Fans of ACOTAR will immediately fall in love with these characters. I love how the author managed to build a new world without making it completely confusing to where I felt the need to flip back and forth to a map every few pages. This is a sloooooooooow burn, emphasis on SLOW, but so worth it. I am very sad that I have to wait until 2024 for this book to come out to the general public because that means an even longer wait for the sequel, which i cannot WAIT to get my hands on!!!

A thrilling tale based on Nordic mythology. The closer I got to the conclusion, the less I wanted to put it down. This tale takes us on Freya's journey of self-discovery: learning who she is and where she came from, her purpose, and her ability to shape her own destiny. If you enjoy Nordic mythology, slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers, and a fiercely independent female main character, then this book is definitely for you.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the opportunity to read this as an ARC.

This book is OUTSTANDING! I have loved every book I have read by Danielle L. Jensen and this is no different. The characters are amazing, the story line is intriguing, and dare I say, Bjorn! (insert heart eyes here) I can't wait to read more!

A Fate Inked in Blood is the story of Freya; a woman stuck in a loveless marriage wishing for the life of a warrior with battle fame. When she meets the unfated warrior Bjorn shes forced to reveal her secret. Shes among the unfated, those who were born with blood from the gods. A shield maiden blessed by Hlin, Freya must decide whether to follow the fate that’s been thrust upon her by a greedy Jarl, or forge her own path and make her own fate.

A Fate Inked In Blood is an absolute must read If you’re a fan of slow burn, forbidden romance, betrayal, magic, and Norse inspired mythology. This book had me hooked from chapter 2. The slow burn between Freya and Bjorn made this story a page turner. I didn’t want to put the book down. The story was predictable at times, but I found I was still eager to find out if my predictions were true. I was so invested in Freya’s story many times I was hoping my predictions were wrong. The ending of this book was great and I cannot wait for the next book in this series.

my true rating is ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 but as always when I cant give half starts, I round up.
🌶🌶🌶

A Fate Inked in Blood tells the story of Feyre, a shield maiden blessed by the gods to unite a nation under a power hungry king.

A fresh tale in the fantasy/romantasy genre! I loved the Norse-inspired theme throughout the book - it was easy to envision the characters and setting as you read.

We first meet Feyre, in an unwanted marriage, and are drawn to her feeling trapped and wishing to be more (a warrior!). Following her husband's betrayal she's given the chance. We follow along her journey as she tries to figure out who she is and where her place truly is. Is she really meant to unite all these nations? Does she or does she not control her fate or the fate of others?

This book kept me turning pages. I found myself rooting for some characters and questioning other ones. The book ends answering some questions and leading to new ones! I will certainly be in line to read the next book in the series.

But first, go grab your own copy on February 27, 2024 (which also happens to be my BIRTHDAY!) - I hear the first edition hard cover will feature foil page edges, a custom-stamped case, and a fancy dust jacket!

Thanks to Netgalley, Random House PUblishing Group - Ballantine and Danielle L. Jensen for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. This book is the first 5 star in quite awhile. It felt new and refreshing and I rated it on my pure enjoyment of escaping into this story.

I will be also recommending this book on my instagram @minnfinnfiction

A Fate Inked in Blood is a Norse inspired Viking romance and I loved every single aspect of it. This novel is very easily one of my tops reads this year, and Danielle L Jensen’s writing is next-level. Her world building makes you feel like you’re there yourself and the characters feel like real people. I loved her Bridge Kingdom series and this is easily just as good, if not better. This novel has the perfect balance of plot and romance, and there is never a dull moment. In this story we follow our FMC Freya who is the Shieldmaiden of Hlin— without revealing too much, she is used by nearly everyone around her and has to learn how to navigate her world with her newfound Shieldmaiden powers. Norse inspired novels always intimidated me because it’s so intricate, but Jensen does an amazing job of explaining things without it being an infodump. There’s twists and turns you don’t see coming and this was just an amazing novel from start to finish. I can’t urge you enough to add this to your TBR because it is absolutely a must read!

The first half of this book had me convinced this was the next Fourth Wing.

We have an insanely fast paced plot, a fascinating Norse inspired fantasy world with a magic system tied to Norse gods, a courageous FMC and a very confident MMC with a mouth on him. 🗣️ The first half had me giddy and kicking me feet. The tropes in this were going HARD like every trope you might want (one bed, one horse, who did this to you, forbidden love interest, tending to wounds) (lmao). SO many fun fight and action sequences too. AGHH.

Unfortunately the second half lost me a bit. The end plot twist I genuinely saw coming from like the very beginning of the book. The romance got a little too cheesy for my taste. I found myself getting really frustrated with Freya’s character. And things just felt a little repetitive.

I think this story could have benefited by Freya having a single positive relationship in her life that did lie or use her. Freya is so selfless and gives up everything for people who don’t give a shit about her ever and it got really tiring.

I still would absolutely recommend this to Romantasy lovers but I think I accidentally overhyped this for myself and then the second half didn’t live up to the expectations I had built up in my head? Go figure

Thank you NetGalley and Radom House Publishing group for this arc.

This book is such a refreshing change to fantasy! I love the Nordic themes and the magical elements of this book! It is absolutely a rollercoaster of emotions and watches the FMC heal and take charge of her life, one that has never been hers.

I cannot wait to continue watching her character arc and I cannot wait for more scenes with Bjorn. He’s the man I never knew I needed. I’m already googling when book 2 is being released because I’m not sure I can live on this cliffhanger of an ending for long.

Okay. This was SO GOOD. I could tell early on in the book that this was going to be one of my favorite reads of 2023, and I was definitely not wrong. Danielle L. Jensen can do no wrong. I loved The Bridge Kingdom so I had high hopes going into this book, but it completely blew them out of the water. Dareisay, this book is even better than The Bridge Kingdom. I started it before bed (thankfully on a weekend) and then did not put it down until I finished it the next morning.
Perhaps, I might be a little biased, considering I absolutely love Norse mythology. I believe this was loosely (very loosely?) inspired by the story of Erik the Red's daughter Freydis with a bit of a blessed from the gods twist, but I could be wrong. I just picked up on some similarities in names and what I remember about her.
I loved all the Norse mythology present and absolutely LOVED Freya and Bjorn. Also, if memory serves me correctly this was much spicier than The Bridge Kingdom and I was living for it because, whew! some of these scenes 🌶🌶🌶
Not going to give any more details because I want to avoid spoiling anything but regardless i have to say that I absolutely recommend this book to all of my friends. In fact, I already have! The way I immediately pre-ordered the hardcover of this book when I was only on chapter 10 speaks volumes. I cannot wait to have a physical copy of this book. 😍
The only downside to this book, is that I've read it in September and it isn't out until the end of February which means I'm going to have to wait SOOOOO long for the second book. Its okay though, it just gives me plenty of time to reread it.
5/5 stars. Thank you Netgalley, the publisher, and the fabulous Danielle L. Jensen for this book in exchange for an honest review.

Written by the beloved Danielle L. Jensen, “a Fate Inked in Blood” is a gripping romantasy based on Norse mythology that is sure to become a massive hit. Our story follows a young, headstrong woman named Freya as she comes into her *gods blessed* powers and finds that she has the power to create kings and end empires. Caught in the middle of powerful players, she needs to choose between her people, her family, her love, and her own freedom.

“A Fate Inked in Blood” serves many of the romantasy genres favorite tropes and themes such as:

- one horse trope
- betrayal
- powerful female characters
- mythology
- forbidden romance/star-crossed lovers
- familial loyalty
- supernatural powers
- slow burn and more

Genuinely, I wanted to love this book and know that so many of my friends will enjoy is immensely. Unfortunately, I had a bit of trouble empathizing with Freya and found much of the storyline to come off as if in a YA, despite is being of the adult/NA genre. I also found the twists predictable. That said, I was completely captivated and read the book in just a day. My feelings are so conflicted! I loved it but was somehow also disappointed; maybe my expectations were too high?

Either way, fans of “the Fourth Wing,” “ACOTAR,” “FBAA” and “Zodiac Academy” will love this one. However, romantasy fans who prefer “Throne of Glass” and “Flesh and Fire” may not prefer this one.

I received this audiobook as an arc in exchange, for a honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.

Throughly enjoyed the book. This was my first book from this author. I’m going to look into more of her books now.

A little slow in the beginning but it found its momentum and I was hooked.

Enjoyed the slow burn tension, and the banter between the main characters.

I’m ready for the next book to see the characters growth.

Will definitely be reading again.
Thank you NetGalley!!

Chapter 1: Freya - exists.

Chapter 2: Freya - throws a flaming axe into her douchebag husbands head

And at that point, I was hooked.

Enter Bjorn - Viking (need I say more?), tall, broad, tattooed, and willing to kill anyone for Freya. Where can I get my own? “You are mine Born-in-Fire. Even if only the two of us know it.” SWOON

Banter 10/10
Tension 10/10

I truly loved this story; the struggles Freya goes through, the deception, the fighting. All of it kept me on my toes, most of all the tension between Freya and Bjorn. There were so many separate adventures/“tests” that she went through and I loved how unique and exciting they were! The writing was fantastic.

The further we get into the story, the more I struggled with Freyas character. She is stubborn to a fault which causes her to miss things right in front of her and follow her endless streams of internal thoughts, most of which causing her to create harm or death to those around her. This is so common in most fantasy series with a FMC, and Freya is testing on the edge of “too stubborn” for me. I hope moving forward in the following books she is less so.

I am excited to continue Freya and Bjorns journeys, the set up for the next book is perfect and I can’t wait!

This was such an adventurous read! I enjoyed every second of this book. It did take me a few chapters to really get into it. Once I did however, it was a race to finish it. I loved Freya and how strong and brave she is but also still funny and don’t even get me started on the big protective Bjorn! Oh gosh this was just such a beautiful read

First I want to thank NetGalley for the possibility for me to read this masterpiece. This was my first Danielle Jensen book. And it DID NOT disappoint at all. I need a second book right now.

Feyra is a strong and fierce main character I loved her from the beginning. She had many struggles, but still stood strong. Her family may have been a-holes but she still loves them.

Bjorn so I loved him then those few chapters hurt my soul. Ugh why you have to do that to me Jensen. But I have hope, especially if there is another book.

This book was an Amazing read, you definitely will not be disappointed. You have gods, fates, war, deception, love all the ingredients for a fantasy book.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of this book! It definitely started off strong - I was hooked from the first few pages and really enjoyed the Nordic-fantasy feel. Despite the high Goodreads reviews, I found myself rolling my eyes at some of the super obvious plot points and lost interested around 60%. The twists kept coming and it definitely set up for a strong second book in the saga, but I didn't feel as invested by the end.

4.5⭐️
2.5🌶️

I fear this unlocked something in me that I never knew existed and now I need more Norse fantasy romance books. I loved that it wasn’t just inspired by the mythology, the magic system was fully based around it. The Norse lore. The gods. The magic. The setting. The warring clans (clan politics? Is that a thing?). Everything about it was so interesting. In a genre dominated by fae, vampires, fairytale-esque kingdoms (don’t get me wrong I’ll eat this up) this was a breath of fresh air.

The world building and magic system was very easy to understand (even without a map). The plot was an absolute rollercoaster and towards the end I felt like nothing I knew was real. There were battle scenes, raids, trials, sacrifices and it was all captivating. I could not put this book down. The tension between the FMC and MMC was everything and their banter was hilarious. Freya is a sassy, impulsive, stabby FMC that I couldn’t get enough of. Bjorn? Equally sassy and stabby AND A LITERAL GOD. Anyway now I’m sure I’ll have to wait over a year for the next one which hurts.

Tropes:
-forbidden love
-chosen one
-hidden identities
-one horse
-slow burn

I’m not going to lie. This was a dnf for me. I wanted to finish it because I was granted the ability to read it on net galley, but I got 50% through and just couldn’t do it. It usually takes me a week max to read an entire book and this one just kept dragging.

The pros- I felt like the actual writing was great. The storyline was even great too, well the description definitely caught my attention. The author also has great character building that I appreciated.

The cons- it was just boring. I found myself bored the entire book. The names were also hard to pronounce. I also wasn’t sure when this took place. Was it modern or older times? The way they spoke told me older but the storyline told me modern? No idea. Anyways- I didn’t like it.

The beginning like first 15% started off slow but then picked up a bit and then died down again. I don’t know maybe this one just wasn’t for me.

I would read the phone book if Danielle L Jensen wrote it. Every piece of literature she writes is beautiful and different from the others. This is a Nordic esque tale that is quite unique and interesting. I did feel that the ending was predictable and not as good as the rest of the book. There was decent spice but I’m tired of love scenes in caves with hot springs.

i feel like i missed what everyone else was getting because there is way too much telling and no enough showing here. as someone who primarily reads slower character based novels, it was hard to keep up with all the plot developments with the political intrigue and the nordic gods and more. what sucks is that the beginning had so much promise. i was able to get a feel for freya and bjorn's personalities just by their initial interaction. however, jensen doesn't build their relationship naturally beyond that, instead resorting to a romance trope i am not fond of, being describing a potential partner's physical attributes (and how that causes a physical reaction in the heroine) before an emotional connection is made. it honestly felt like a slog to get through, but there are some chunks of good writing in there despite the qualms i have ultimately about everything above as well as the inconsistent pacing.