I'm new to the sci-fi/fantasy/romance world and was looking for something that wasn't overwhelming yet immersive. I found that in this book. I battled with rooting for and against the main character as she navigated her way through her choices and who she was making them for. The ending left me wanting more and I cannot wait to check out more from this series.

The initial finished book reaction 9/2/23: oh OKAY THEN. YEESH. I’m in love w/ this book

9/4/23: WOW! This will be a Top 5 for me at the end of this year. I thoroughly enjoy Norse based works, and I was so excited when I had seen that my ARC request had been approved. We follow the story of Freya- who is nothing short of her namesake. She’s the beautiful and cunning woman who is thrust into being the shieldmaiden for a Jarl, who is quite brutish and driven by his power hungry needs to be the foretold Leader that unites Skaland.

She has to navigate her newfound power(s) and how to be the protector of the Jarl’s warriors. Sounds easy, right? Until you throw in the hunky and equally sassy and moody son of the Jarl, who is also good-looking. Björn is instructed by his father to watch and protect Freya- as he is also gifted powers by a God. The two form an unlikely bond during training, in preparation for war and reunification of the lands.

However, is an epic plot twist that took me at break-neck speed- a hammer gets thrown into their plans and Freya needs to shift gears rather quickly. Hidden secrets, power hungry deceptions, and the brutish nature of humanity creates a beautifully written first book for this series. Seriously, the pace of this book is great and filled with world building but done so in a way that is intriguing and not boring. There's a drop of romance, but nothing that take away from our main plot or is outlandish. I believe this is one of the better balanced mythology based books that I have read.

If you fancy the strong female, classic mythology retelling, and just a hint of romance- you’re going to LOVE this. You will definitely want to put this in your cart for pre-order.

This was the first book of Jensen’s that I have read, and I was SO excited to see that she has a few other great sounding works available.

hank you @netgallery for the chance to review. Due out 2/27/2024

A Norse God inspired world of magic, war and fated lives. Danielle does an amazing job creating a world and characters that draws you in. The story is fast paced with twisted that makes it difficult to put it down the book. The chemistry and tension between the main characters is well done. 10/10 recommends.


✨ Norse Mythology / Vikings

✨ Magic / God Blessed

✨ Forbidden Romance

✨ Bodyguard

✨ Forced Proximity

✨ Fast Paced Adventure

✨ Suspenseful Plot Twists

#afateinkedinblood #danielleljenson #fantasy #romance #vikings #norsegods #godblessed #netgallery #bookreview #bookishreview #bookshelves #bookstagram #reading #readallthebooks #booksbooksbooks #bookaddict #readersofinstagram #bibliophile

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

I was excited to read this because for as much as I love both romance and fantasy, I have a hard time with "romantasy" as a genre because I always find either the fantasy or romance parts of the book lacking (or both) (but mostly the fantasy) and "the bridge kingdom" is one of the few that i enjoyed both (even tho i have some criticism) so I expected the same from this. In this regard, the book did not dissapoint! I was engaged with both parts of the story and was entertaining enough., I specifically really like the world and its magic.

However, I had some issues and Im going to start with something smaller: the brother. A book with a protagonist having a bad sibling and being too forgiving and not acting against them (and that most of the time its the love interest's who does, never the mc) its something that its getting really tiring to me. I dont think that its an issue in a book by itself and get that here its part of the protagonist's power. Plus, this situation got a lot better by the end (hoppefully it wont bother me as much in the second one) but its still something that its starting to annoy me and getting in the way of my enjoyement of a story, so I had to mention it.

But my biggest problem was that the book has two big revelations by the end and both of them were painfully obvious to me. One of them I can understand that its more obvious to the reader, and not to the character (this is also something that im starting to see a lot in books but i enjoyed how its done here so i dont mind) but the other? It was so in the face that at one point i wondered if it was not supposed to be a secret but then it did not make sense why the characters acted like it was nothing. It would have been so much better if the the information was known way before and just the details that coul be revealed at the end (this is the best I can explain without spoilers)
Theres an specific action by the main character by the end that annoyed me too, but again, I cant explain without spoilers.

But even having the 2 biggest revelations being obvious to me I loved the last 15% (or so) of the book. It was really entertaining overall and Im definitely going to pick up the next one!

The banter? The wit? The slow burn/chemistry/pining? The forbidden romance? Viking romantasy? Incredible.

I DEVOURED this book. I stayed up until 4:00 am reading it (which I haven’t done in years) because I simply couldn’t. stop. reading. I loved Freya’s fiery personality and how her loyalty fueled all of her decisions. And don’t even get me started on Bjorn 😮‍💨

I loved the magic, and the whole unfated/fated dichotomy. I feel like it’s the opposite of most fantasy books, and I’m excited to see how much more of a role it plays in future installments.

I only had a few gripes. Mainly, the pacing seemed a little off once the action really started, and I think there needed to be a little more world-building throughout (especially regarding the gods). HOWEVER, since this is the first book in the series I’m holding out hope that it will continue to build in the next. With that ending…. It BETTER.

It’s absolutely CRIMINAL when ARCs are so good that you have to wait for it to initially publish and THEN wait for the sequel. I can’t wait that long 🥲 I need book two NOW.

I already pre-ordered the book (got me with the sprayed edges) and I can’t wait for everyone to be able to get their hands on this! Highly recommend.

And finally - thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

My god can Danielle Jenson do anything wrong?? I’d read a note she left on a receipt if she wrote it. I’m telling you this one is another incredible world she’s built and the fmc is another badass. I can’t wait for everyone to get a taste of this book.

Please tell me the audio is coming soon too!

I love all things Viking/Norse mythology so that in itself immediately sucked me in. Freya is a beautiful woman, and also a force to be reconned with, blessed at birth with a powerful gift and a father who taught her how to fight. She will do anything to protect her family, including forsake her dreams of fighting for a marriage she so desperately wants to escape from. We follow Freya as she fights for those she loves, discovers more about her power, and struggles to find out her true fate. The end is killing me, I need book 2 ASAP!

So to start off, I have been a fan of Danielle L. Jensen since the malediction series. I have consistently loved her writing, and this book was no different. From the first chapter I was so invested in Freya, I hated her circumstances and understood her anger. She’s fierce in a way that I couldn’t personally relate to, but felt in my bones just the same! The romance was angsty and passionate and forbidden and I just LOVED Bjorn. There were some twists that I expected but one at the very end that I did not, and that was so much fun! Highly recommend this book and can’t wait for the sequel!!

Thank you Danielle L. Jensen and Random House for the ARC.

I need to preface by saying I've loved everything Jensen has put out, especially the Dark Shores series. Danielle Jensen has a way of drawing you into the story by well-thought out plot points, nuanced and fleshed-out characters and detailed world-building. A Fate Inked in Blood is no different. I loved the Nordic influence which is rare in romantasy books. It follows Freya, a shield maiden blessed by the gods. She becomes trapped in a marriage to a clan jarl who is convinced she is the one prophesied to make him a king.

The biggest issue I had with this book is the predictability of the plot. The final "conflict," so to speak, was foreshadowed throughout the story so when it happened, the reader shouldn't be very surprised. On the other hand, one of the things I liked most about this book is that Freya has to deal with the very real consequences of her actions. Too often in fantasy, the main characters do everything right, are morally without reproach and it's difficult to root for them in the face of adversity. Freya is a strong, sassy FMC that struggles with decisions in a very real manner. On the other hand, I did feel she became a little annoying because she tended to waffle on strong decisions and let people use and abuse her. She is supposed to be a bad-ass, on her way to being an incredible warrior, yet she consistently made decisions that allowed her family members and associates take advantage of her.

The romance aspect was on-point! Bjorn is a wonderful foil to Freya and is one of the only ones who forces her to think for herself and take action on those personal needs. Being that Freya was forced to marry Bjorn's father make their growing attraction to each other a forbidden romance, which is one of my favorite tropes.

This does end on a cliffhanger which makes these ARCs so tortuous, however this cliffy was <chef's kiss>. Not only do we have to wait until Feb 2024 for this to release but I need Book 2 NOW!

I highly recommend this book to absolutely ANYONE, fantasy reader or not.

𝔄 𝔉𝔞𝔱𝔢 ℑ𝔫𝔨𝔢𝔡 𝔦𝔫 𝔅𝔩𝔬𝔬𝔡
ℬ𝓎 𝒟𝒶𝓃𝒾ℯ𝓁𝓁ℯ ℒ 𝒥ℯ𝓃𝓈ℯ𝓃
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️

Did you know that you have been waiting your entire life for a spicy Viking romantasy? I didn’t either, but apparently, I have been!

Danielle L Jensen’s prose is beautiful. It’s clean and crisp, but still feels romantic without feeling like it’s too much. You don’t feel like you’re getting a vocabulary lesson, but you can tell she clearly knows what she’s doing. I’m not familiar with Viking names or anything Nordic, really, and I found this very easy to follow along.

There is merciless, badass Viking women and sexy, smartass Nordic men (Bjorn🤤) alongside Drakkars and God magic and SO MUCH ADVENTURE!!

And that ending? THAT ENDING!! I absolutely cannot WAIT for book 2 and I’m kind of dying inside a little at the wait. 🫠

You should read this book!! It releases in February (there’s still time to request it on NetGalley!!) and the first run will have sprayed edges 😍 (yes, I’ve already preordered it) and this GORGEOUS cover!

I loved it! Could not put it down. Easy to read and follow along. It has everything you would expect from a DLJ book. The tension and banter was fire! The spice was steamy. Who doesn’t love a bad@ss FMC!
I feel the need to practice axe throwing.
I was hoping for an ending like that. Great cliffhanger! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this read! Can’t wait for the next book!

4.5⭐️!

This was my first foray into Danielle’s books at the suggestion of a friend and I’m so glad I did. I’m always down for a Norse/Viking inspired story.

There is magic and gods and war and passion and love. Freya is a strong personality and her relationship with Bjorn is heated and funny and relatable. I can’t wait to see where it goes next. I have to say the cliffhanger had me mad 😂 Excited for the next installment!!! Add this to your TBR!

A huge thank you Del Rey | Random House for the e-arc I received on NetGalley!

This book was a solid read. A female who wants to fight but learns what it truly means to be a leader. The story follows Freya and her powers that foretell the uniting of a kingdom. It’s an interesting take because the characters frequently state that prophecies are left to be interpreted. I love the idea that even though people can see the future there is always a possibility of change.
The world building was based in Norse mythology which at first felt cringey. I had read so many books with this idea but was surprised on a different take. I really love how random people can be given gods blood and have different powers. It did get a little confusing on how the drop of blood was given further into the story. Especially with characters having mothers and fathers who were mortal. I’m hoping the second book goes more into this idea. The plot though did center itself in the world and used this idea to drive it forward.
Now for the “slow-burn” romance. We can call it that because they did deny having any physical contact till half way through… but they were flirting and saying obviously they wanted each other on page 2 of the book. By her marriage to his father, you knew he loved her. So I wouldn’t say it was a true slow burn for me. But the pining was definitely there.
The one thing that irritated me with the main character is her sense of duty. Sacrificing herself for everyone even though time and time again they treat her like shit and she takes it. I was like she’s suppose to be this strong and quick witted warrior who takes no shit but then constantly lets people use her. I wanted her to at least have some point where she stood up for herself and denounced the people who she called family. It didn’t happen. She would tell them off and then instantly change her mind. I hoping the second book will really give her a sense of take no bs from anyone.
Overall the book was a good read. It’s fairly predictable in parts but kept me entertained. I like the world building a lot and it seems like we are going to expand on it in the sequel.

This book just came out of nowhere to really impress me, and now I’m sad I won’t have the sequel for so long. This is the Viking adventure I’ve been searching for since reading and loving The Shadow of the Gods, but with a slight romantasy twist (though still a super strong fantasy book).

The worldbuilding is detailed and fun, and I think Jensen built a lot of interesting avenues to explore in future books, so I’m really excited about that. The characters are super strong. Freya is finding herself but she’s still incredibly interesting and thank god bc I cannot do dumb FMC first person narrators in fantasy anymore. If I have to live in your head please don’t make me miserable.

The romance is also GOOD and fits the story, rather than being shoehorned in bc publishers think we all need that now. It works so well, and I was very invested and still am.

If you want a sexy Viking fantasy adventure this is the one. LOVED.

*Received an eArc from netgalley for an honest review. Thank you!

I really wish I could give this anything more than a star, but I just could not. I was close to dnfing at the 15% mark and I'm still not sure why I didn't. Frustration is how I'd describe my entire experience reading this book.

I have a lot of complaints, so I apologize in advance for how long this review is. My overall thoughts?

‣premise is relatively interesting, execution, not so much.
‣events are not engaging.
‣characters are bland, annoying, and inconsistent (but consistently annoying).
‣character interaction and dialogue are bland and repetitive. Banter is not witty or amusing.
‣worldbuilding is bland. Mountain, forest, buildings, ocean and fields. And there are Norse gods and their mortal kids have their powers, but the gods themselves are a blur.
‣writing style is very repetitive and some of the word choice had me ???, modern clichés inserted amongst attempts at formal language, so this threw me off, and the author describes things in so much meaningless detail, while other things are begging for more than three sentence descriptions. Honestly, this book could have been 100-200 pages shorter.
‣the plot twist at the ends reads like every other huge romantasy book that has been released recently, so you can see it from a mile away

I truly wanted to like this book because I haven't read a setting based on Norse mythology before, but this put romance first and I could not feel any sympathy for the characters.

Okay this story seriously was an amazing fantasy. It was so unexpected and unique that I devoured this book. It was sexy, steamy and had the absolute best slow burn you could think of. Like seriously just wow. The magic system and world building were easy to follow and understand and you were literally sucked into the story within the first few chapters.

I've not read this author before but apparently I should! Love the setting and the mythology. One twist I figured out about halfway the other I did not. I also have a tendency to skip through spicy scenes so you'll need to look at other reviews to know how that delivers but their banter throughout the book is pretty well done.

Good main characters, a plot that moves quickly, and some mysteries left to discover, so the second book needs to hurry! Def recommended for fantasy lovers.

When I saw that Danielle L Jensen had written this book (I also loved The Bridge Kingdom), and add in the fact that this was a fantasy romance based in a Viking world, I immediately requested the ARC and already pre-ordered the book.

I consumed the beginning of this book. We are immediately thrust into Freya's pretty sucky life with her husband; Jensen does a great job of showing her current reality and also the beginning of her backstory. Freya has always dreamed of being a warrior, but life circumstances wouldn't let her. Then suddenly she has to battle it out with the sexy Bjorn and this puts her on a whirlwind adventure where she's being thrust into the role of THE shield maiden from the prophesy, that she can make her own fate, influence the world around her but simultaneously is trying to be controlled by everyone around her.

By the middle of the book, I was slowing down. I was so fed up with Freya's thought processes, like c'mon girl, you're only seeing what you want to see! She seemed to falter between wanting to be this bad ass who could make decisions on her own and rage against injustice but also always wavered between choices, eager to point fingers at everyone. She seemed very naive to me at times, which could just be the way she is. The ending picked back up though big time and it has me cursing the magical-ness of an ARC because now I have to wait double the time for the next book to come out!

Overall, the world was easy to follow, and the magic system was actually pretty rad. I enjoyed the threads woven through the book about fate and whether you can make your own decisions and your path changes vs. the idea that your choices are pre-determined and you just follow them. The faith people had in these different ideals was also pretty interesting. The romance was pretty insta-love but a slow burn, which is not a bad thing! Bjorn coming out of the water shirtless? I was in insta-love just reading about it. Marrying his father kind of puts a damper on things though for a while. Spice hit finally in the back half of the book and was not where I expected it to be, which after predicting some of the other twists was nice!

I think for those just getting into fantasy reading as well as the more seasoned of us, this is a great read to hit all spectrum of readers. A big thank you to Del Rey/Random House and also NetGalley for the advance e-copy in exchange for my honest review!

Danielle L Jensen, DOES NOT MISS!
I was first captivated by her writing in The Bridge Kingdom, and now this.
It has perfect world building that incorporates Norse mythology in a non-complex way. I would definitely recommend this to someone who is easing their way into the fantasy genre.

If you like-
💫 Norse Mythology
💫 Magic
💫forbidden romance
💫bodyguard/forced proximity trope
💫 spice 🌶️ 🌶️🌶️
💫witty banter
💫fast paced adventure
💫 suspense & plot twists
Then this book is one you’re not going to want to miss out on! I already have mine pre-ordered because who doesn’t like pretty special edition foiled edges🤩

This book seriously had me hooked from the first chapter.
The FMC is feisty and brave, shows unwavering loyalty to her family and people, and is altruistic.
The MMC is a protective, possessive, fire axe wielding warrior. (New book boyfriend unlocked👀🤪)
Did I mention they’re both blessed with God/Goddess blood running in their veins with magical properties? 🤗
The plot was addicting and fast paced with action packed obstacles and battles. The romance was *chefs kiss*😙🤌🏼 and honestly the slow burn made it even better because it seemed more natural and flowed with the timeline of events. And who doesn’t love a little tension?😏

I stayed up til 3 am to finish this book, and it did not disappoint. The unexpected twist at the end was seriously jaw dropping and hurt my heart a little bit, so I’m gonna need the sequel like tomorrow please?😫

No, but seriously thank you Danielle L. Jensen for writing this MASTER PIECE and netgalley & random house for gifting me this Arc in exchange for an honest review. ❤️

✨ ARC REVIEW ✨

thank you Random House and NetGalley for the ARC approval ❤️❤️

First of all let me start out by saying.. the end? 🫦😮‍💨🥵🥵 I was starting to wonder if this book had any spice to it at all but the end really sent me. This is a fast paced book full of magic and violence and really just kept me on my toes the whole time. Personally I found the FMC a little annoying despite it being in her POV (hence the four star rating) but I loved the MMC. I had never read any Norse-inspired writings before. If you are into Vikings and such like it, this book is for you. This made me very reminiscent of my Skyrim playing days.

This book is packed full of tropes such as enemies to lovers, slow burn, and chosen one. Of course she had to end it with a betrayal and a cliff hanger. The end had me wanting more and I can’t wait to see what she does with the rest of the series!