*I received an advance reading copy of this book from the author as a gift.
(Saga of the Unfated #1)
by Danielle L. Jensen
by February 27, 2024
Goodreads Summary:
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.
Review
Under the emerging Romantasy genre, A Fate Inked in Blood is a must-read. Danielle L. Jensen has written a real masterpiece. My heart was in my throat the entire time I was reading this book.
A Fate Inked in Blood is a fast-paced well-crafted story with powerful action sequences and a passionate romance. The spin on Norse mythology was skillful. I loved the idea of the Unfated. They made the story unpredictable and thrilling. Danielle knew how to keep us on our toes!
In A Fate Inked in Blood, Freya and Bjorn lived with secrets and forbidden desires. Even though their status forbid them from becoming more, there was no stopping their relationship from intensifying. The more they spent in each other's company, the more things heated up between them (and the pages). When finally the flames could no longer be contained, Freya and Bjorn left a burning trail all the way into that cave ;) Their connection was natural and unstoppable.
Aside from the romance, it was exciting watching the slew of side characters struggle and backstab for power. I am not a fan of prophecies but Bjorn's father's religious ramblings sometimes made me pause. As much as they seem forced, they made sense in a delicately convoluted way. Danielle's writing had me convinced. I was both frustrated and intrigued to learn and see more.
The second half of A Fate Inked in Blood slowed in pacing. Freya's thoughts and mindset began to feel repetitive. Given all that she'd been through, I can see why she had doubts. Freya had to continuously reaffirm her choices to keep her regrets and guilt at bay. With the twist and cliffhanger ending, she will have a lot more challenges ahead of her. I pray that she will stay true to herself.
A Fate Inked in Blood blew me away with its high stakes plot and striking action scenes. The romance was torturous yet so precious. I am pumped for more of Freya and Bjorn's tale!
*I received an advance reading copy of this book from the author as a gift. All opinions are my own and not affected in any way. Any quotes included in my review were taken from the ARC I received.
I really like the sound of A Fate Inked in Blood and will definitely be giving it a try. I am so glad you enjoyed this one so much! Thank you for sharing your thoughts on it.
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