A Fate Inked in Blood by Danielle L. Jensen Series: Saga of the Unfated, #1, #1
Genres: Fantasy
Published by Del Rey Publication Date: February 27, 2024
Pages: 400
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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.
Cocktails and Books received this book for free from in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect our opinion of the book or the content of our review.
This was one of those ARCs where I did a happy dance when I received the approval notification from NetGalley. I adored the author’s Bridge Kingdom series and couldn’t wait to read it. A vikings/Norse gods fantasy series…YES!
The story revolves around Freya who is trapped between a true king (Harald) and a want-to-be one, Snorri, both whom want to use her and her God-given magic to become ruler of all. Her family (especially her brother) does nothing to save her from the situation she finds herself in. The only person who attempts to help her is Snorri’s heir, Bjorn (who is also God’s gifted). Unfortunately for Freya, she’s unsure who she can trust because everyone seems to have their own agenda.
There are a lot of twists and turns with this story. My head was spinning with Bjorn. Do we hate Bjorn? Is he misunderstood? Oh look…he’s really trying to help Freya. Oh crap…did he just do what I think he did? My head was spinning a lot of the time with the relationship between the two of them. Just when I think I can trust my instinct….BAM…something happens and I’m cursing at. my iPad. But I will say this. Freya is a BADASS! She’s always wanted to be a warrior, and she has the skills. But it’s not until her brother sells her out that she understands why her father had her train. Once she does, she recognizes the power she welds and what it means…not just for her but for the people she’s trying to protect. I pray that as the story moves on, she never loses that insight.
There are a few smexy times sprinkled within the story, but not enough to give it a high spice rating. This first book is about world-building, which the author does a fantastic job of. Now comes the long wait to read what happens next.
Shannon
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