lilfngz143's review against another edition
4.0
Loved it!
i rated it a 4 but it was more like a 3.7 for me. i saw the author post in a book group and bought the hard copy immediately! norse mythology ✅ fated lovers ✅ action packed adventure ✅
the pacing felt off at times and the world building wasn’t perfectly refined, but i will definitely be reading more! all in all i think it was an amazing book from a small author!!!
i rated it a 4 but it was more like a 3.7 for me. i saw the author post in a book group and bought the hard copy immediately! norse mythology ✅ fated lovers ✅ action packed adventure ✅
the pacing felt off at times and the world building wasn’t perfectly refined, but i will definitely be reading more! all in all i think it was an amazing book from a small author!!!
emich107's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
britts_booknook's review against another edition
2.0
Ugh. Just couldn’t get into this one. By about 60% I was ready to be done and did a skim read on the rest of it.
elfsteel's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
fayettejill's review against another edition
5.0
ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
——
Ailsa is an apothecary and healer in the Midgard realm of Drakame. The daughter of the clan’s Jarl and shieldmage, she is the only one of her sisters who was not trained as a warrior due to inheriting a chronic illness that has claimed the women in their family line earlier and earlier with every passing generation. The same illness that claimed her own mother. Ailsa's life is relatively boring until an otherworldly threat begins a massacre across Midgard and then turns her life upside down.
You guys, this book was SO GOOD. I've never read a book that included Norse mythology and now all I want is more. You can tell Alexis did her research when writing this book and I am so impressed. This book has it all - enemies to lovers, a faked engagement, one bed, and more! I was hooked from the very beginning and it only got better as the book progressed.
I loved the FMC. She wasn't the "woe is me I'm sick and weak" character you might get with her condition. She was quick witted, had a smart mouth, and always stood up for herself. She embraced her illness and faced her imminent death like a champ.
Dual POVs are always hit or miss with me but I loved how Alexis did it here. I didn't want to skip one's POV and enjoyed reading how both were handling the events as they were unfolding. Seeing the character development for both was just *chef's kiss*.
Alexis has become and automatic buy for me and I can't wait to read book 2 after that epilogue!!!
——
Ailsa is an apothecary and healer in the Midgard realm of Drakame. The daughter of the clan’s Jarl and shieldmage, she is the only one of her sisters who was not trained as a warrior due to inheriting a chronic illness that has claimed the women in their family line earlier and earlier with every passing generation. The same illness that claimed her own mother. Ailsa's life is relatively boring until an otherworldly threat begins a massacre across Midgard and then turns her life upside down.
You guys, this book was SO GOOD. I've never read a book that included Norse mythology and now all I want is more. You can tell Alexis did her research when writing this book and I am so impressed. This book has it all - enemies to lovers, a faked engagement, one bed, and more! I was hooked from the very beginning and it only got better as the book progressed.
I loved the FMC. She wasn't the "woe is me I'm sick and weak" character you might get with her condition. She was quick witted, had a smart mouth, and always stood up for herself. She embraced her illness and faced her imminent death like a champ.
Dual POVs are always hit or miss with me but I loved how Alexis did it here. I didn't want to skip one's POV and enjoyed reading how both were handling the events as they were unfolding. Seeing the character development for both was just *chef's kiss*.
Alexis has become and automatic buy for me and I can't wait to read book 2 after that epilogue!!!
megs1328's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
I loved this story, it had all of my favorite tropes:
Stabby FMC
Only one cloak/bed/saddle
Only I am allowed to hurt you
He falls first
Then ruin me
Fated Mates
Bonded Mates
This was based in Norse mythology and I just read Gullveig’s story in The Witch’s Heart, which was actually a great background to have going into this book. Most of my Norse knowledge comes from Marvel, which I am wanting to remedy.
The prose and descriptions were beautiful, my only hang up was that the dialog toward the end was awkward - the conversations with Vali and his mother, or other gods, didn’t feel in character and took me out of the flow.
I liked that Alisa could hold her own even though she was sick. She could fight with steel and words, with no regard to whom she was speaking. I’m excited to see how her power grows and how they can fight back against Odin’s scheming to save their realm and have their forever.
Stabby FMC
Only one cloak/bed/saddle
Only I am allowed to hurt you
He falls first
Then ruin me
Fated Mates
Bonded Mates
This was based in Norse mythology and I just read Gullveig’s story in The Witch’s Heart, which was actually a great background to have going into this book. Most of my Norse knowledge comes from Marvel, which I am wanting to remedy.
The prose and descriptions were beautiful, my only hang up was that the dialog toward the end was awkward - the conversations with Vali and his mother, or other gods, didn’t feel in character and took me out of the flow.
I liked that Alisa could hold her own even though she was sick. She could fight with steel and words, with no regard to whom she was speaking. I’m excited to see how her power grows and how they can fight back against Odin’s scheming to save their realm and have their forever.
abundance_of_fiction's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
ttaufalele's review against another edition
4.0
I loved the story and that it was based heavily on Norse mythology. It is a topic that I love watching and reading about, and thoroughly enjoyed how it was interwoven into the story. There were a few holes in the plot that I wished were expanded on a little more which is why I held back on giving it 5 stars.
samantha_laurenceanne's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0