I didn't know what to think about this book when initially looking at the cover but WOW, this book was great. I love learning about Norse mythology and the storyline of Valkyries living in a present day theme park was awesome. The characters had a great sense of humor and the romance was sweet. I will definitely be purchasing this book for our library and recommending it frequently. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What if Valkyrie were hidden among us? Were would they blend in best? If you guessed at a Renaissance Fair.. you would be right! The premise for this story is super clever. I absolutely loved the suspense and fast-paced nature of this story. This could be the first time that I actually felt super sorry for Loki and his brood and their fates. If you are in need of some Viking lore in your life, this is the novel for me!

I loved the blend of Viking mythology and a Ren Fair. Bryn is super fierce and spunky. And who doesn't love some 8-legged flying horses?

This was an excellent fantasy adventure. The author has done a great job of weaving in various aspects of Norse mythology into the story, giving young readers a number of jumping off points to deepen their interest in the myths that inspired the novel. I enjoyed reading this book and found the combination of modern teenagers with the mythology an enjoyable mix. I can see my students who enjoyed the Percy Jackson style series will love and enjoy this book as well. The characters were also wonderful and I hope there will be more adventures with them. I look forward to seeing what else Freya Finch will write. I plan to order this book for our library.
Thank you NetGalley for the audioarc to preview.

This book was not for me. A little darker and creepier than I thought it would start out with the MC running from the dead invading her town. If I have a student that likes darker themes I would recommend them giving this one ago but it was just not for me.

Bryn is part of a family of valkyries. Living in a renaissance faire in Chicago, she must team up for a very real battle to stop Ragnarok she’s been seeing in her visions.

A coming of age Valkyrie battle story- we love to see it ! This was a short read, love the Norse mythology, kept me guessing !

Thanks to NetGalley and Disney audiobooks for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a lot of fun. Solid YA with a hint of romance (but not spicy) and lots of action and sass. I really enjoyed the narration and the main character was a blast!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Net Galley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. I LOVED this book! I loved the mythology, the family dynamics, the action, the little bit of mystery and the struggle of the main character trying to fit in. This is a great YA book: the characters act age appropriate, there's a sweet, slow developing romance and lots of action. I can't wait to purchase this for our school library.
I loved the audio version but look forward to the physical book.

Rise is a Norse mythology inspired current day tale of a family of 3 Valkyrie sisters who live and work at a permanent medieval village.

This book is categorized as YA, but this is really written more on a middle grade level. While the main character was 17, she really acted more like a middle schooler. The characters and plot lines were pretty simplistic. This book would appeal to Rick Riordan fans.

I’m not sure if it was the book or the narrator that made this book sound like it was intended for a younger audience than advertised.

I really enjoyed this audiobook. I thought Finch did a good job of blending educational elements about Norse mythology with a modern YA fantasy story. The characters were likable and Bryn, especially, was full of personality. The story kept me engaged and curious about what would happen next.

The only thing making this a 4 for me and not a 5 is that, between the hard edges, makeup and dark colors of the cover design and the fact that the protagonist is 17, I thought this book would be written for an older YA audience. As it is, being rather lighthearted, a bit goofy in places, rather mischievous for the sake of it in most others, and having a semi-romantic subplot that reads like a first crush, I will still definitely be recommending this to my teen readers, but to the 12-14 set and not, say, 17-year-olds, like the protagonist supposedly is. Instead, this will be a good bridge-to-YA for Percy Jackson fans.

I enjoyed this book. I thought the characters were well written and very interesting. The world is well described, and I felt like I was right there. The story line is well planned and laid out. The build up of the story was a little slow but once it got going, I couldn't stop listening. I thought the narrator did an amazing job, and kept me listening to the story. This was a great mythological theme story that I think was well written, and I recommend to others. I can't wait for more from this author.

Thank you Net Galley ARC and Disney Audio

Bryn’s mother is a Valkyrie, charged with ferrying souls to Valhalla. Bryn and her sisters, Reagan, and Prima are Valkyries-in-training. Growing up in Chicago, Bryn feels inadept compared to her sisters. When she starts having Apocalyptic visions, she’s worried about telling her family. Then, her mom doesn’t return from a mission. Soon, a half-giant named Juniper shows up claiming to be their half-sister and that the apocalypse is nigh. Distrusting Juniper, Brynn and Prima hire a shapeshifter named Wyatt to find their mom. With sighting of Loki, is this really divine interference or Is the apocalypse nigh? Is Juniper really their half-sister?

Narrator, Hannah French’s intonations help to distinguish the well-developed, engaging characters. Her narrative pacing is a little slower than would be expected for the type of novel. The plot is full of twists and turns, adventure, and draws the listener into the story. The world building is done well and draws the listener into the story. Listeners who like fantasy, mythology, and adventure with LGBTQ+ elements will want to pick this one up. Recommended for library collections where such audiobooks are popular.