**INCLUDES SPOILERS**

What an incredible start to The Unfated Saga! Honestly, just woooow!

The plot was well thought-out (although maybe slightly predictable in some places), and the tension between Freya and Bjorn was palpable and exciting. The slow burn and forbidden nature of their relationship made the spice scenes pretty explosive to read. The development of Freya's character from a fishmonger's wife to a badass shieldmaiden was well written and I felt very emotionally connected to the internal struggles she faced on her journey.

You'll fall in love with Freya and Bjorn both in their own right and together, in a way I can see growing akin to Feyre and Rhysand!

The only criticism I could offer is the relationship between Freya and Jarl Bodil could have been cultivated more, as the reaction to her death seemed slightly disproportionate to their interactions. I didn't feel the same loss that Freya portrayed.

What a cliff-hanger to be left on, I cannot WAIT for the next book. 5 stars no question, my favourite read of the year so far!

4.75 stars

I was not expecting this to be as good as it was!! It was so addictive to read, and the last 50 or so pages had me on the edge of my seat! This was the first book I've read from Danielle L. Jensen, but it certainly won't be the last - I really want to read The Bridge Kingdom series now, because this was so incredibly well-written. I felt completely transported to this world. There was also fantastic worldbuilding; as someone who knows next to nothing about Norse mythology (and what I do know, comes from the Thor movies), I was able to understand the gods and the magic system fairly easily and I loved whenever a new type of magic/god popped up. I also felt this had great pacing, with a good balance between action=packed scenes, and slower, more political moments.

Now. The characters. I LOVED Freya, she was fierce and brave and a total badass and I loved seeing her discover who she was, learn more about her past and her powers, and I was rooting for her the whole time. And Bjorn??? Bjorn, what a MAN. Loved him, and the chemistry between Freya and Bjorn was insane, love me a good forbidden romance!

The ending had me squealing, it was intense and while probably not that surprising, I still felt shocked by it! And now I desperately need the next book in the series, because I need to know what happens to these characters!

This is the kind of book that made me wish I could take time off from work just to spend a whole day reading it. I was hooked from the very beginning, and even though it felt quite predictable sometimes, I enjoyed Freya’s story immensely.

I was invested in the romantic plot thanks to the hilarious banter between Freya and Bjorn and the exquisite slow burn. I loved seeing Freya and her strong-willed mind battle with the ideas of fate and loyalty to family, her journey in this first installment was interesting and I was never bored. I will also say that the audiobook was really good and alternating between the ebook and the audiobook was very enjoyable.

I was maybe a bit disappointed that the part played by the different characters in the finale of this book were too predictable and I imagine that most readers can anticipate all this from a fairly early point in the story. Some of Freya’s inner dilemmas were also a little repetitive at times and although I understood them, it sometimes felt a bit stupid.

But this did not manage to take away from my enthusiasm for this book and I’m really excited to see what’s in store for Bjorn and Freya in book two.

Inspired by Norse legend, Jensen's scintillating fantasy romance finds a shield maiden with a drop of goddess' blood fight to unite a kingdom under the one true king.
I am obsessed with this series, I can not wait to read the next instalment, thoroughly original and exhilarating.

Hello, as a Norse girly I am biased because, excuse me, but... a Norse mythology inspired romantasy, how could I not be???

That said, this was GREAT. I enjoyed it start to finish. Freya is an absolute badass and Bjorn and hers chemistry is... dangerous (I need more, ty).

Looking forward to seeing where the series is gonna go, including how many more Norse gods can be namedropped throughout the series. I AM READY.

This includes:
- Warrior lead girlie
- FEMALE RAGE
- Protective (but not overprotective) lead guy/romantic interest
- Forbidden romance
- Stupid power hungry men who really should just lie down as they got nothing our lead girl
- COLD WEATHER
- Godly powers
- There's only one horse
- Very confusing prophecies

4.7⭐

This book was brilliant! Even though I've figured some things out quite early on the devil was in the details and it kept me on my toes all along.
The complexity of the characters, their relation to each others made the book all more entertaining.
The link to the Norse mythology was beautifully crafted and made me crave for more. And this ending! I count the days (or I will once we have a date) until the next book!

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher Del Rey for the digital ARC, it has not affected my honest review.

TW: blood, death, injury, war, sexual content, fire, murder

Freya has spent her entire life hiding her magic and wants nothing more than to enjoy her existence, even if it means being married to a cruel and unkind fisherman and abandoning her dream to be a shield maiden warrior. After meeting a stranger down at the river named Bjorn, Freya finds herself unable to forget about him. Things worsen when her husband betrays her to the jarl; Freya is then forced to fight Bjorn, the son of Jarl Snorri and a carrier of the war god Tyr’s powers. She is revealed to carry a tiny drop of goddess blood that grants her the ability to repel any attack and that her existence has been destined. With her powers under his control through marriage, Snorri believes he can unite the fractured land back together. Bjorn is then forced to swear to protect Freya blindly from their enemies while also training her to survive a series of perilous trials set by the gods. As time passes Freya finds herself having to resist her growing attraction for Bjorn despite being married to her father, especially because if succumbs to her feelings, it will put the entire nation of Skaland at risk.

“A Fate Inked In Blood” is the start of a brand new Norse-inspired series by the author of one of my favourite series “Dark Shores” so I was excited to read this. There were aspects of this book that I really loved, especially the world-building and magical system, but I felt like the romance moved too quickly. I enjoyed Freya’s character and how furious she was at the world while one section set in the tunnels with a group of zombies was really fast paced and tense. However, this book didn't live up to what I was hoping it would, which is disappointing.

PERFECTION!!! I absolutely devoured this book, loved everything about it. Freya gave me real Lagatha vibes and the whole book read like a movie in my head. Completely captivating, loved every second.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for the book! Here I leave my honest review.

The second series from Danielle Jensen that I read and I really liked the Bridge Kingdom series which even made it into my top fantasy book. With this new book, I'm really excited and definitely have high expectations for this book.

This time Jensen brings Norse mythology into her book. If you are familiar with the names Thor, Odin, Loki, well, that is the world in this book. Tells the story of Freya who was forced to marry when she wanted to become a knight like her brother. For 1 year of marriage, she experienced no happiness until finally her husband asked for a divorce from her when the Jarl or leader of their region came. The divorce only harmed Freya, but she didn't know that her husband's intention was actually to "sell" Freya because he knew Freya's true character. At that time there were a few chosen people who had "god" blood in them and Freya had Hlin blood which made her a "shield maiden" which was predicted to help the person who controlled it become King in Skaland.

First of all, I want to discuss the characters. Freya, to be honest, it's really hard for me to like her. Maybe some of her traits make me quite frustrated with all the actions she takes. But, even though Freya isn't as strong as the knight she wants, she has the will and what is certain is that she is very loyal. Her loyalty is extraordinary, but this is actually one of the things that makes me quite annoyed with her. If she really hates someone, she really can't tolerate the trust of people she hates, basically it's just wrong in her eyes. But I like her character, who finally becomes more open and honest with what she wants.

We will also meet Bjorn, another main character. I actually prefer Bjorn. He is firm and knows what he wants. I like his stance, until the end he is always consistent with what he wants. Very strong and always protects Freya. Whatever it is, Bjorn can't let Freya out of his sight. Their relationship is quite difficult, considering Freya's status, ehmmm *major spoiler so I'll stop*. But Bjorn still wants to stay by Freya's side and follow whatever she wants. Big LOVE for him!

The storyline is definitely really exciting because Jensen doesn't waste much time getting straight into the plot. Freya, who is now "caught" has to undergo several tests. It seems that if you have contact with the Gods and Goddesses there will always be tests given and we will follow Freya's journey to fulfill her prophecy. I enjoyed the story of Freya's journey, even though her world is not as solid as Bridge Kingdom, but because it's from mythology, I'm already quite familiar with it and don't really need much explanation about her world.

Jensen definitely has a plot twist in his story and yep I can predict one of the plot twists that will happen, even though I already know but because there are other plot twists that happen it makes this book even more interesting! Of course Freya and Bjorn's relationship is not that easy, reading from the experience of the previous book, I was prepared for the dynamics of Bjorn and Freya's relationship which will definitely be a lot ups and downs, not to mention a crisis of trust, what at first we thought was calm and peaceful has turned into something complicated again.

This book does end on a cliffhanger, so get ready to have to wait again until the second book is published. Curious about what Freya will become and what fate predicts about her becoming and of course what Freya and Bjorn's relationship will be like in the future. I give this book a rating of 4/5!

Wow - what a read! I’ve never read a Viking or Norse mythology book but I loved the TV show Vikings so I was super excited going into this! Norse mythology really grabbed my interest when we traveled to Norway last year 🇳🇴

- Norse mythology
- Viking Romantasy with a splash of spice
- Single POV
- Forbidden romance
- Forced proximity
- Insta lust, slow burn

We follow Freya who is stuck in an unwanted arranged marriage with a horrible guy. She discovers that she’s a shield maiden who has been blessed by the gods to have magical shield powers. She’s then married off to a power hungry jarl who wishes to be king. We get to see Freya come to terms with her powers whilst fighting her attraction to her new husband’s son 🗡️ Aannddd that’s all I can get into without spoilers plot wise 🤐

The world building was fabulous and was easy to follow. The pacing starts off on the faster side and slows down a little as the book goes on but it never felt slow.

If you’re a fan of romantasy or Norse mythology then you’ll love this!

"How is it that the part of you that I hate the most is also the reason I love you?"

Freya is married to an awful man, touched by the gods, and respected by her villagers for providing them with food. She spends her days gutting fish, dreaming of being a great warrior.

But when she meets just such a warrior, one also gifted with a touch of blood from the gods, her own secret is revealed. A local jarl (chief) makes her battle Bjorn, his son. To survive, she calls upon the magic of the goddess Hlin, and fulfills part of a prophecy about the shield maiden, someone who would unite the land under the one who controls her. Now, she's drawn into the jarl's army, but she's also forced to obey him, or her family will pay the price. The problem is, the beautiful and infuriating Bjorn is assigned to protect her.

Now, she must face a series of tests, ones the jarl claims are from the gods themselves, to test her worthiness. But it's not just tests and battles she must survive, there is also her dangerous and growing attraction to Bjorn. If she acts on it, the jarl will almost certainly harm her family, whom she's sworn to protect.

I really enjoyed the exploration of Norse mythology in this book, myths I don't know much about. However, I found Freya to be an incredibly frustrating character. I loved her in battle but her obsession with Bjorn is a bit much at times. I understand insta-like and insta-lust but not insta-love. It feels like she barely knows Bjorn before deciding she's in love with him. She spends way too much time thinking about him (I get it, he's hot) instead of being explored as a strong female main character, which she is.

The twist was a satisfying one and I'd been keen to see where the story goes from here.

This was a very average read for me. There were elements I liked, that made it incredibly readable and meant I was able to finish it in 2 days, but on the other hand there were elements that frustrated me and left me feeling a bit cold.

To begin with the pros: the Norse mythology aspect is really fun and interesting, especially the powers that manifest in children of the gods. I liked that Freya has this destiny thrust upon her and isn't the Mary Jane kind of character that is just suddenly able to do everything (though at times she certainly could have relied on others less to defend her...) and I also liked the exploration of her rage. Snorri's fanaticism for the prophecy was also a highlight.

On the other hand, there were things in this book which mean I struggle to elevate it beyond 'mediocre'. For one, the writing is easy to gobble up but not particularly great, with a lot of repetition. Secondly, the middle uses up far too many pages that would have been much better off dedicated to the beginning, developing the world and characters so that we have a bit more understanding and empathy for them rather than diving into action immediately. This too could have helped the romance plot because as it stands, it's instalove/lust and entirely predictable. Predictability isn't something I'm totally against, but here the twists were so predictable, Freya comes off as stupid for not seeing them herself, which did not endear me to her.

All this to say, it was fine. I had fun whilst reading the majority of it, my enjoyment only petering off in the second half, and it delivers on a lot of the promises made by the romantasy genre. I'm just not convinced I'm invested enough to want to continue with the series when the sequels are eventually released.

Freya pings off the page right from the start of this one. Her simmering resentment at being married off to a pig of a man who treats her like a malfunctioning brood mare immediately claimed my sympathy. I loved her feisty attitude and raw courage, which she needs in spades. For she’s been “gifted” with a god-given power. And the reason I’ve put the word in quote-marks is that it’s far more of a curse. Small wonder her father desperately tried to hide her talent when it first manifested – because as soon as she demonstrates what she can do, Freya is scooped up from her life and once more forced into a loveless marriage with a domineering jarl who knows of a prophesy that the shield maiden will unite Skaland under a single king. And the jarl is determined to be that king.

Unsurprisingly, he isn’t the only person who realises that Freya’s talent will destabilise the entire area. So there are those who also want to kidnap and control her and just as many just want to see her dead, so the war and chaos caused by her very existence won’t come to pass. It’s a horrible situation – and Jensen does a good job in managing to avoid presenting Freya as a victim in the middle of this mess. I found this one difficult to put down as our plucky heroine tries to pick a way through the constantly changing situation and figure out who is the traitor who is informing Skaland’s enemies as to their movements.

There is also a love story unfolding in the middle of all the action and adventure, which leads to several steamy scenes, particularly near the end. I’ll be honest – I could have done without some of the detail. But I’m aware that it’s very much a matter of personal preference as to the heat factor in romances. Part of my quibble is that the genre convention with epic, God-based fantasy is not to have quite so much explicit sex. But I did welcome some of the snark and lighter interchanges between the couple, which helps to bring some welcome light relief to the violence and constant threat surrounding Freya.

Overall, I tore through this reasonably hefty read in two long sittings as I couldn’t tear myself away from Freya’s plight. There is a doozy of a twist near the end, which certainly sets up the next book to be even more tangled for poor Freya – and I’ll definitely be reading it. Very highly recommended for fans of character-led fantasy with lots of action and a strong setting. While I obtained an arc of A Fate Inked in Blood from the publisher via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
9/10

I loved this book from start to finish! I love the main characters, Freya and Bjorn. They were well written and had amazing chemistry from the first page they met! The romance was a nice slow burn and it had just the right amount of spice. The world building and magic that came from the gods were both interesting. There was lot of action and twist that had me on the edge of my seat! After that ending, I can’t wait to read the next book!

This is the first book i've read by Danielle and I feel she hit the nail on the head with it and would give a *chefs kiss* to emphasize my thoughts. This book was exceptionally well written, the plot, the action, the romance, the characters, the relationships, and the ending.

I think what I enjoyed with Danielle is the world building and magic systems. These were written so well that you could easily get your head around them without needing to write notes to keep track. I also enjoyed that during each of the fight scenes the descriptions made you felt like you were there.
The characters, while sometimes frustrating to read about (due to their actions), were highly addictive to read about. Our kickass FMC, Freya, is a strong (physically and mentally), but kind-hearted & caring woman who constantly wants to do what’s best for her people and family – often sacrificing herself along the way.

I really really enjoyed this book. It was suspenseful and it had twists that, though I’m kicking myself for not guessing sooner, completely surprised me. The ending had me on the edge of my seat and I’m so so excited for the next book.

I loved the character of Freya and I can’t wait for her to break free from all the men who want to drag her around. I feel like there’s something big coming, especially with some of the things that were revealed at the end of the book. I really got a sense of her helplessness from going from being trapped in a marriage with Vragi, to being used as a pawn by Snorri.

I honestly love books about badass Norse women, so I had an inkling that I’d like this book before I read it, so I’m really glad it didn’t disappoint. Really looking forward to the next book!

Wow - this book had me in a grip from the moment i started reading it. It kicks off with a bang from the moment you open it.

We follow Freya, a young woman who has been forced into a miserable marriage. But unknown to everyone, she has the power of a God pulsing through her veins, and before long she is pulled into war because of her powers.

Freya is a fascinating lead, she is so fiery she is almost feral. She knows exactly what she wants and how she will get it and i absolutely adored this about her. She is fierce and reckless and it meant I could never quite predict her next move.

Then we have Bjorn, i loved this man from the moment we met him. A true viking, but with a heart of gold, watching their relationship grow kept me turning the pages. The forbidden romance plot really helped to build the tension between them too.

As for the plot, i dont know alot about norse mythology but there was enough explanation that i felt i understood what was happening without having to google God's every 2 minutes. The world is richly described, my only struggle was pronouncing names!

I 100% think i am in my spicy viking romance era thanks to this book!

Absolutely brilliant. Hooked from the very beginning. After reading her Bridge Kingdom series in January this year, this release couldn’t have come at a better time.

Beautifully written, a really immersive world with well developed characters. I’m so sad I have to wait for the sequel now! I also studied Norse mythology at uni and I thought the references and mythology mixed with fiction was fantastically done.

I just loved it !

4.5⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley and for an advanced copy of A Fate Inked In Blood.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

The Norse mythology and Viking setting was a really refreshing change of scene in the Fantasy/Romance space.

The storyline moved at pace and the whole book made me feel like I was on an adventure along with the characters from start to finish. I love how we continually learned more about the characters strengths but also flaws as the story progresses.

There was an obvious and unforced chemistry between Freya and Bjorn, and the fact that their romance is forbidden just adds to the tension! Bjorn very much gave me Uhtred from The Last Kingdom vibes, especially with his cheeky comments and back and forth with Freya.

I loved this book so much, I have already bought it in hardcopy! I'm looking forward to the next in what I hope is a full series🤞

Set in a world where Norse gods frequently visit couples to add a drop of their blood to their offspring, Freya is a child of Hlin a little known God whose power projects a magical shield on Freya and anybody she is connected with. A prophecy mentioning a magical shield maiden granting the crown to whomever can control her power leads to Snorri - current Jarl (a local leader) Snorri tricks Freya into showing her hidden power and then manipulates her by threatening her family into following his conquest to become king. His illegitimate son, Bjorn is the male romantic lead and him and Freya spend the majority of the book making eyes at each other but attempting to stay apart as she is now married to his father. There are so many parts of this book that were incredibly frustrating, Freya repeatedly made decisions against the better judgement and advice of EVERYBODY else involved, and subsequently drags other people into dangerous situations. Saying that I did enjoy the story overall and when the end reveal is made it made me very interested to see what happens in the next book in the series - just hoping that Freya wises up a little bit before then!