stb2012's review
5.0
I am a big fan of this author and her books. This book is just as good as the others. I love getting to know these characters and see how things play out. I love the dragons in this book as well!! I seriously can not wait till the next book!!
edarcys's review
2.0
4⭐️Initially an enjoyable, easy read. I wasn't expecting high literature, so I enjoyed a jaunt into a high school Viking world.
Then, Saga's obsession with a certain Viking's butt became an unwelcome distraction to the story.
3⭐️Then, the expected and anticipated relationship angst happened...and resolved less than a paragraph later.
2⭐️At the very end of the book, self-proclaimed archery expert Saga starts referring to quivers as quills, and I just couldn't any more.
I'm into the story, but not enough to reward the author by buying the next two books, so I'll be content to live with Saga's saga unresolved.
I am, however, excited to try the recipe for lefse at the back of the book. (Almost 3⭐️ for recipe inclusion)
Then, Saga's obsession with a certain Viking's butt became an unwelcome distraction to the story.
3⭐️Then, the expected and anticipated relationship angst happened...and resolved less than a paragraph later.
2⭐️At the very end of the book, self-proclaimed archery expert Saga starts referring to quivers as quills, and I just couldn't any more.
I'm into the story, but not enough to reward the author by buying the next two books, so I'll be content to live with Saga's saga unresolved.
I am, however, excited to try the recipe for lefse at the back of the book. (Almost 3⭐️ for recipe inclusion)
kayreereads's review
5.0
Captivating!
My rating system:
✩ Hated it
✩✩ It was okay
✩✩✩ Liked it
✩✩✩✩ Really liked it
✩✩✩✩✩ Loved it
This is the first book I've ever read by S.T. Bende and I'm hooked! I live the premise and the characters and can't wait until the next book. I'll be reading her other series to tide me over until then!
There are a few errors in this book, for example a scene that mentioned "no silverware" after she'd just cut up meat, then we later figure out what she meant was no fork. It was not worded clearly but I chose to look past the little things like that just because this story is so captivating, even with them.
My rating system:
✩ Hated it
✩✩ It was okay
✩✩✩ Liked it
✩✩✩✩ Really liked it
✩✩✩✩✩ Loved it
This is the first book I've ever read by S.T. Bende and I'm hooked! I live the premise and the characters and can't wait until the next book. I'll be reading her other series to tide me over until then!
There are a few errors in this book, for example a scene that mentioned "no silverware" after she'd just cut up meat, then we later figure out what she meant was no fork. It was not worded clearly but I chose to look past the little things like that just because this story is so captivating, even with them.
caromalfe's review
5.0
Awesome story. Compelling, spellbinding and a lot of other adjectives of the sort. I am going to star reading the next one immediately
belindaclemons_123's review
5.0
So good. Viking Academy has to be one of my favorite books this year. I adored the heroine Saga's name. And I loved her spunk. And Erik yummy with a capital Y. like St Bendes other books there s action adventure romance and a great set of awesome characters. I can't wait for book 2 to read what's next
chey27ful's review
5.0
This book was such a nice mix of action and romance. For being thrust into another time Saga adapted to Viking life pretty well, I loved how fierce she was and as inclusive as Eric’s people are she still pushed him to see things from a different perspective. Really great read it has a good pace I highly recommend.
amac_reads's review
1.0
Saga is visiting her family in Norway before leaving for college. But when she discovers an ancient dagger along the shores of a lake, she is transported to the time of Vikings. She’s taken prisoner and is forced into hard labor until she is finally rescued by Erik, the heir to the fiercest tribe in the area. As she attempts to find a way home, she realizes that there is more going on than she originally thought and struggles to protect her heart and her friends.
I’m going to be completely honest – this book was much too young adult for me. The characters were awful. Saga is not a relatable or enjoyable protagonist. She is painfully oblivious to some very obvious things and honestly kind of dumb, seemingly unable to draw simple conclusions on her own. But then there are other moments when she spouts paragraphs of strategic information. Also, anytime she looks at Eric there are paragraphs about his hot butt muscles, his hot arm muscles, his hot eyes, his hot face, etc. This was painfully repetitive and honestly made me feel like she was twelve or thirteen years old. There wasn’t any chemistry between them, and Saga simply objectified Erik the whole book rather than learning anything about him or his personality. None of the other characters had much of a personality and lacked in any meaningful development and depth.
The setting was interesting, but there wasn’t much exploration of it. As mentioned above, the main focus was on Erik’s hotness. I would have been much more interested in some meaningful explorations of the magic of the world (which was unexplained), the dragons (also unexplained why only one tribe had access to them), and the struggles between the factions. There were also modern conveniences included in the Viking world with the simple explanation of: the fairies did it. The academy idea didn’t fit with the plot. I really hated that one of the Vikings using the word “nerd.” I know this work wasn’t written to be historically accurate, but that almost made me put the book away.
This was an easy, quick read but I don’t think there was anything that I particularly liked about this book.
I’m going to be completely honest – this book was much too young adult for me. The characters were awful. Saga is not a relatable or enjoyable protagonist. She is painfully oblivious to some very obvious things and honestly kind of dumb, seemingly unable to draw simple conclusions on her own. But then there are other moments when she spouts paragraphs of strategic information. Also, anytime she looks at Eric there are paragraphs about his hot butt muscles, his hot arm muscles, his hot eyes, his hot face, etc. This was painfully repetitive and honestly made me feel like she was twelve or thirteen years old. There wasn’t any chemistry between them, and Saga simply objectified Erik the whole book rather than learning anything about him or his personality. None of the other characters had much of a personality and lacked in any meaningful development and depth.
The setting was interesting, but there wasn’t much exploration of it. As mentioned above, the main focus was on Erik’s hotness. I would have been much more interested in some meaningful explorations of the magic of the world (which was unexplained), the dragons (also unexplained why only one tribe had access to them), and the struggles between the factions. There were also modern conveniences included in the Viking world with the simple explanation of: the fairies did it. The academy idea didn’t fit with the plot. I really hated that one of the Vikings using the word “nerd.” I know this work wasn’t written to be historically accurate, but that almost made me put the book away.
This was an easy, quick read but I don’t think there was anything that I particularly liked about this book.