A Fate Inked in Blood (Book 1)
Available for pre-order at Bookshop.org Release Date Feb. 27, 2024
5/5
For fans of: Norse mythology, new adult books, valkyries, it’s complicated relationships, fate, children of gods, oaths
The Big Questions:
What genre is this in? Fantasy, romance, romantasy
Are there any swoon-worthy characters? BJORN dear lord the mouth on him
Is it spicy? Yup, but you will work for it
Is it violent or gory? Violent for sure, but not gory
Should I buy, borrow, or pass on this book? BUY IT
“All the women in Halsar will curse your name if I lose half my fingers.”
Synopsis: A shield maiden blessed by the gods battles to unite a nation under a power-hungry king—while also fighting her growing desire for his fiery son—in this Norse-inspired fantasy romance from the bestselling author of The Bridge Kingdom series.
Bound in an unwanted marriage, Freya spends her days gutting fish, but dreams of becoming a warrior. And of putting an axe in her boorish husband’s back.
Freya’s dreams abruptly become reality when her husband betrays her to the region’s jarl, landing her in a fight to the death against his son, Bjorn. To survive, Freya is forced to reveal her deepest secret: She possesses a drop of a goddess’s blood, which makes her a shield maiden with magic capable of repelling any attack. It was foretold such a magic would unite the fractured nation of Skaland beneath the one who controls the shield maiden’s fate.
Believing he’s destined to rule Skaland as king, the fanatical jarl binds Freya with a blood oath and orders Bjorn to protect her from their enemies. Desperate to prove her strength, Freya must train to fight and learn to control her magic, all while facing perilous tests set by the gods. The greatest test of all, however, may be resisting her forbidden attraction to Bjorn. If Freya succumbs to her lust for the charming and fierce warrior, she risks not only her own destiny but the fate of all the people she swore to protect.
“It’s hard to keep one’s wits when faced with a woman as beautiful as the sight of the shore to a man who has been lost at sea.”
Review: Danielle L. Jensen has a new hit in her hands with A Fate Inked in Blood. While there is nothing new or groundbreaking here, the romantasy is romantasy-ing and I am here for all of it.
The magic system is well thought out and the world building draws on known mythology which does much of the heavy lifting for the reader. There’s world-changing prophecies, gods interferring with mortals for reasons unknown, there’s magical individuals blessed with a drop of blood from various gods being wielded like weapons by people in power, the politics of political marriages, alliances made and alliances broken, so much going on to make a rich and involved story. The plot pace is quick with very little downtime as time is of the essence if Freya is to become what fate and prophecy have suggested. Everyone wants something from her, but no one even bothered to ask Freya what she wants.
Except for Bjorn. Born the illegitimate son of a wanna-be king, but kidnapped and raised by this land’s enemy, Bjorn is torn between vengeance for his past and his growing feelings about the woman he was raised his entire life to believe was a monster. Oh and she’s married to his father who wants to wield her as a weapon to subjugate everyone everywhere. It is all very complicated and their relationship only gets more complicated as the circumstances of her birth and the reality of his past are brought to light. My only grip is the amount of sweat Freya is described having literally all the time and it is 100% not sexy. She’s clearly got a medical issue because girl, I can smell the sweat from here and I am not a fan.
Thank you Netgalley for the advanced digital copy in exchange for an honest review.