Not worth the cliffhanger. Did not care for the cliche final act betrayal. I almost put this down during the first 10% cuz the writing was bad.

Freya and Bjorn's banter was fun, I like the joking flavor of "hate" between them, not truly enemies to lovers. Freya is obnoxious and really hard to like. The only time I liked her was when she developed a positive relationship with another woman...in the last quarter of the book.

There was no time to breathe or quiet moments to develop characters, it rushed from action scene to action scene.

I thought this was YA because of the cover and it most definitely is NOT. The writing style is very YA, however.

3.5 star!
The world building was a bit slow but the plot of the story was interesting where the romantasy was a great balance. The forbidden and tension in the romance was chefs kiss!

I really enjoyed this. It is great for any Romantasy fan. I found the plot kept my attention and I liked the main heroine of the novel.

I think this book got a LOT of hype leading up to and after its release, with so many special editions and visibility. As such, my expectations were so high for this novel, and I truly did not feel invested in a single aspect of it until the last 45 minutes of the audiobook (note that it was a 13+ hour audiobook). Freya is an interesting FMC but for the majority of the book feels supremely naive, emotionally unregulated, and at times, really really stupid. Bjorn is whatever, written decently well but I wasn’t swooning over him the way that I think I was supposed to. There was an element of female rage running through that I loved, but it went hand in hand with moments where I was sitting there going “girl, what are you doing?!?!?!” Not to mention, I found the middle half of the book to be really slow and boring with nearly nothing happening at all.

With the way that the book ended, there seems to be a lot of potential for book two to be more captivating, but I am in no way clamoring for it. On the whole, I give this 3.5 ⭐️, rounded down to 3 on Goodreads.

*Thank you again to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

I wasn't entirely fond of the main character, but I loved the mythology aspect of this book. It was very beautifully written and interested me in Norse Mythology greatly. The first third of the book had a very tactful hook, but the middle of it kind of fell through. I found myself skipping pages and ignoring big paragraphs just because the plot wasn't picking up. The last part was somewhat predictable, somewhat not, but I still think the book was a good read and I would recommend it, especially to mythology lovers.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for this Advanced Readers Copy of A Fate Inked in Blood by Danielle L. Jensen!

A story filled with secrets, epic battles, and forbidden romance.

The characters all had their good and not so good moments. There is plenty of wit, snarky banter, and sarcasm. The FMC is strong-willed, and at times, mildly frustrating. The interactions between Feyra and Bjorn were enjoyable. My favorite part is always the secrets coming to light. It makes for great chaos and future character development.

I loved this first book in Danielle L Jensen’s new duology! Norse inspired. Action-packed. Romantasy cat nip.

You seriously want to shake Freya many times, but that’s what makes her so compelling.

I think this book ended with the right mix of cliffhanger energy but satisfying info revealed.

I’m ready to get hurt again!

Vikings exclamation point prophecy!. This book had so much profess and peaked my interest so I was happy to ARC read this for NetGalley.

My reading is based on other fantasies. I’ve read this year, just being more entertaining, more fluid, and engaging. I didn’t really connect with this too much. I feel like everyone, but the main characters were hard to connect with and or like. There were some holes in the plot, and I also felt a bit confused by the writing.

This is just my opinion. I’m a big fantasy reader and there have been some books this year. That were just a bit more interesting for me.

Danielle L. Jensen has once again delivered a spellbinding story with A Fate Inked in Blood, proving why she remains one of my must-read authors. Set against a vivid Norse-inspired backdrop, this tale weaves together destiny, love, and power with remarkable precision. The protagonist is fierce yet relatable, grappling with the weight of expectations and the pull of her own desires. Jensen’s signature ability to craft layered, morally complex characters shines here, as does her talent for creating tension-filled relationships that make your heart ache and race in equal measure. The romance is chef’s kiss—a perfect blend of slow burn and undeniable chemistry, set amidst an epic journey of self-discovery and rebellion. The stakes feel personal yet monumental, making every twist and turn deeply compelling. What stood out most to me was the world-building. The Norse mythology-inspired elements felt fresh yet familiar, immersing me in a realm where the gods are as flawed as the mortals they manipulate.
If you love high-stakes fantasy with richly drawn characters and an edge of forbidden romance, A Fate Inked in Blood will captivate you. Danielle L. Jensen’s storytelling magic never misses, and I cannot wait for what’s next!

This was a good story. It was a new author for me. The story kept you engaged and liking the characters. Would read another book by this author

Freya is a shield maiden, a child of a god and possesses the ability to shield an army against any enemy. Bjorn, sworn to protect her, wields a magical fiery axe. Bjorn's father, the power-hungry jarl Snorri, believes that with the two of them he will fulfill his destiny to become king of all Skaland. Freya is bound to Snorri by a blood oath and marriage, but her heart belongs to Bjorn. Set against a backdrop of Norse mythology, A Fate Inked in Blood is the first book in the Saga of the Unfated duology, an exciting romantasy series. The characters are well-drawn, the story is engaging, and there is just the right amount of spice.

I have mixed feelings about this one. It was enjoyable...enough.....but it left me wanting so much more. There was so much potential in this, I just felt like the execution was lacking. The middle of the book just fell flat for me and I really struggled to get through it. I also found the ending rather predictable. With this said though, the bones of the story are so good and I will without a doubt be reading the next book! I can see so much potential there and I hope the next book really flushes all of it out and steps it up.

All in all, I enjoyed it and would recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.75 Stars Rounded up to 4 Stars

The 411...
╰☆☆ “𝐈 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐈 𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚, 𝐁𝐨𝐫𝐧-𝐢𝐧-𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐞, 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐫 𝐧𝐨𝐭.” ☆☆╮

We first meet our FMC Freya as a disgruntled fisherman's wife who is trying her hardest to not have a child by her husband. A husband who has been blessed by the Gods and has allowed it to get to his ego. Freya never saw herself as a housewife but was forced to marry for wealth and is just trying to endure each day while wishing this man death. A husband who is not kind to Freya, making no secret of how he views her as worthless because she has yet to give him a child. Freya however only has ambitions of one day joining the Jarl's war band in raids against their rivals. She's had a hunger for battle ever since she was a little girl but unfortunately life didn't quite pan out the way she dreamed. Freya's husband in a fit to terminate his marriage and get permission to find another wife, betrays Freya to the regions Jarl. Freya finds herself having to battle to defend herself against the Jarl's son Bjorn. It isn't her first run in with Bjorn, their run in by the river earlier that day was filled with attraction and flirting. Nonetheless, she accepts the challenge knowing she will most likely be killed. She does have a secret weapon, knowledge that she possesses a drop of the goddess Hlin's blood. She's banking on protection even though she's had no training in wielding her magic. When the Jarl realizes she's capable of repelling all attacks, he remembers the prophesy that foretold of this magic that would unite the fractured nation of Skaland beneath the one who controls the shield maiden’s fate. Ambitions of becoming the King of Skaland he makes a blood oath to Freya and places his son Bjorn as her protector.

Thoughts...

A Fate Inked In Blood was a strange ride for this reader with a mixture of feelings that ultimately ended in an EXCUSE ME?!?! No Sir. No Mam moment. We cannot just end this right here right now haha! The Pacing of this story is where I struggled a bit and I didn't think I would since the opening chapter had me laughing at Freya's inner thoughts and smiling at all the ways she interfered with her entitled husband. It does slow down as most traveling stories do which is the majority of how this story is spent, on foot. Freya in the mean time is charged with learning how to wield and expand the range of her protective magic for battle. Since Freya's magic is more of the human shield type, other than range and calling on the Goddesses' powers of protection there isn't a ton of training outside of battle. This being a Romantasy, we see a lot more of Freya entertaining steamy thoughts of Bjorn all of the time. I won't even lie, this did have me a bit frustrated because it really felt like unbalanced interest and hindered her on page growth. Eventually her advances are returned but it takes a minute, I think its a matter of preference. I like my MMC's pining or pursuing as much if not more than the FMC, jussayin haha!

Character development didn't really kick off until we see a pick up of the pace which is right about the 60% mark. This is when we're hit with plot twists and vivid battle scenes where the powers bestowed by the Norse Gods are on full display. The last 40% delivers some interesting revelations that truly piqued my interest while also taking a darker turn. I'm hoping this means when we next meet with Freya, she is empowered and ready to be in the drivers seat of her fate. Bjorn on the other hand does have some pretty cool character development and magic I'd like to see more of. I also have questions about Bjorn's time with the King of Nordeland as a ward, his mother and his purpose as it pertains to his father the Jarl of Skaland. I'm calling it early, A Curse Carved in Bone has five star potential! May 13th 2025 is when we'll meet these characters again on the page.

This was honestly just the biggest disappointment. I had high hopes and I fear that they fell quickly and were never resurrected.

The main character is not someone who’s head I want to be in- she’s self sacrificing to the point of irritation, forgiving of every single thing someone could do to her, and never stands up to anyone. I could not stand her and I wished I could shake her and make her have a spine for two seconds because she really never did.

And the romance? No. I did not believe it for one single second. There was absolutely no chemistry between them. It was entirely “telling not showing” and just saying he’s hot but he’s my husband’s son I can’t be with him….and that’s about it. I mean obviously it goes further than that but feelings never were truly developed and it was just an extremely lackluster attempt.

I’ve loved some of this author’s other books but this one was an absolute swing and miss for me. I slogged through and I honestly wish I had DNFed.

As I've sat on this, I'm more and more disappointed by it. The main character was infuriating and seemed to lack a lot of agency when it felt like it was supposed to be empowering. And the romance was very lackluster, I felt no chemistry between them and the forbidden romance trope didn't hit at all since I didn't think it was done well. The cover is stunning though!

I'm obsessed with anything Danille L. Jensen writes, and A FATE INKED IN BLOOD has my whole heart! What an incredible start to a new romantasy series -- I can't wait for the next book!

I really enjoyed this one! I felt completely immersed in the Viking/Norse lifestyle. I really loved the characters of Freya and Bjorn. It had a very interesting plot and I enjoyed the writing style.

Thank you to Net Galley for providing an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
3.5 stars⭐️
This book gives you everything you look for in a fantasy book mystery, betrayal, intrigue, and of course a badass female lead but has a freshness that fantasy has been desperately lacking in many new releases. The Nordic gods and magic system feel new and refreshing and make this an exciting new release. While I did find aspects of the plot somewhat predictable, I enjoyed the ride nonetheless. If you’re looking for a viking fantasy adventure about a female lead who is learning her own strength and taking charge of her destiny, this book is for you.

As a fan of Norse mythology, I very much looked forward to this book. While the romance felt very instant, the story overall was very fun and I'm curious to see where the next book goes