lynseyisreading's review against another edition
3.0
Mist the Mark.
I have conflicted feelings on this one. I happen to love all things Norse mythology and have read several great series that feature it. But where other series merely borrow from the mythology to add flavour to their worlds, Mist is infused with it from root to tip. It's both its biggest asset, and its greatest downfall. And I'll try and explain why.
Kicking off with a prologue set in World War II era Norway, Mist wastes no time packing in the mythology. Within the first 5 pages we've been bombarded with several god's names, a brief run down of their role in things and what they're capable of. I was instantly overwhelmed and trying desperately to memorize things in case they were important later on. It was just a lot to absorb. If there's such a thing as UF lite, then this was UF heavy to the extreme, and rather than making it seem more rich and colourful for it, it just felt dense and bogged down instead.
Following on from that, the first couple of chapters were actually much easier to follow as we join Mist in present day San Francisco, and at this point in the read I was even feeling pretty confident that I could enjoy Mist if I was willing to put in some work. The basic set up is that she and a few of her Valkyrie sisters are the only ones from the Old World left on Midgard after Ragnarok. Or a failed Ragnarok, as it happens. For those who don't know what Ragnarok is before reading this book, well, you're going to struggle, frankly. I at least have a passing knowledge of it from reading a couple of other series that mention it, but even I was getting bamboozled a lot of the time.
Anyhoo, each Valkyrie has been given a treasure to keep and protect such as Odin’s spear, Freya's cloak, or Thor’s hammer. Mist has the spear - arguably the most valuable of all the treasures. Why Mist? Well, you'll find out, as she will, that there's more to Mist that being a mere Valkyrie.
I found this aspect hard to fathom as well. Mist is two millennia old. To have someone at 2,000 suddenly find out all these things about themselves that they never even suspected, smacked of implausibility to me. I suppose if you consider how cut off she's been from her kind and that she's not had much cause to test herself, it kinda makes some sense, but I was still giving the book the squinty eyeball at times.
Mist is written in alternating POV’s, much like traditional fantasy which also made if feel different to the many other UF series I've read. I'm used to having a smart, snarky main character to experience things through, often in first person, but sadly that wasn't the case here and I didn't really connect to Mist in the way I'd hoped. There were some interesting characters, however. The Alfar, Dainn, was an fascinating chap. Probably the most complex and conflicted of the bunch. Sadly, he's also somewhat weak - a beta to Mist's alpha - which in this instance didn't work for me either.
My last complaint (I honestly didn't think this review would be so whiny when I started it, sorry!) is that there was just too much dialogue. And I love dialogue! Usually. But here there were pages and pages of paragraph-long diatribes which, although well-written, just weren't exciting. Another thing that added to the weighty feeling of the book.
So, do I recommend Mist? Well, maybe if you are a superfan of Norse mythology and literally don't think there's such a thing as too much, then yes. For the rest of us mere mortals, I'm afraid I can't in all honesty give Mist the Demon Librarian Seal of Approval and I won't be reading the next book in the series.
3 Stars ★★★
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I have conflicted feelings on this one. I happen to love all things Norse mythology and have read several great series that feature it. But where other series merely borrow from the mythology to add flavour to their worlds, Mist is infused with it from root to tip. It's both its biggest asset, and its greatest downfall. And I'll try and explain why.
Kicking off with a prologue set in World War II era Norway, Mist wastes no time packing in the mythology. Within the first 5 pages we've been bombarded with several god's names, a brief run down of their role in things and what they're capable of. I was instantly overwhelmed and trying desperately to memorize things in case they were important later on. It was just a lot to absorb. If there's such a thing as UF lite, then this was UF heavy to the extreme, and rather than making it seem more rich and colourful for it, it just felt dense and bogged down instead.
Following on from that, the first couple of chapters were actually much easier to follow as we join Mist in present day San Francisco, and at this point in the read I was even feeling pretty confident that I could enjoy Mist if I was willing to put in some work. The basic set up is that she and a few of her Valkyrie sisters are the only ones from the Old World left on Midgard after Ragnarok. Or a failed Ragnarok, as it happens. For those who don't know what Ragnarok is before reading this book, well, you're going to struggle, frankly. I at least have a passing knowledge of it from reading a couple of other series that mention it, but even I was getting bamboozled a lot of the time.
Anyhoo, each Valkyrie has been given a treasure to keep and protect such as Odin’s spear, Freya's cloak, or Thor’s hammer. Mist has the spear - arguably the most valuable of all the treasures. Why Mist? Well, you'll find out, as she will, that there's more to Mist that being a mere Valkyrie.
I found this aspect hard to fathom as well. Mist is two millennia old. To have someone at 2,000 suddenly find out all these things about themselves that they never even suspected, smacked of implausibility to me. I suppose if you consider how cut off she's been from her kind and that she's not had much cause to test herself, it kinda makes some sense, but I was still giving the book the squinty eyeball at times.
Mist is written in alternating POV’s, much like traditional fantasy which also made if feel different to the many other UF series I've read. I'm used to having a smart, snarky main character to experience things through, often in first person, but sadly that wasn't the case here and I didn't really connect to Mist in the way I'd hoped. There were some interesting characters, however. The Alfar, Dainn, was an fascinating chap. Probably the most complex and conflicted of the bunch. Sadly, he's also somewhat weak - a beta to Mist's alpha - which in this instance didn't work for me either.
My last complaint (I honestly didn't think this review would be so whiny when I started it, sorry!) is that there was just too much dialogue. And I love dialogue! Usually. But here there were pages and pages of paragraph-long diatribes which, although well-written, just weren't exciting. Another thing that added to the weighty feeling of the book.
So, do I recommend Mist? Well, maybe if you are a superfan of Norse mythology and literally don't think there's such a thing as too much, then yes. For the rest of us mere mortals, I'm afraid I can't in all honesty give Mist the Demon Librarian Seal of Approval and I won't be reading the next book in the series.
3 Stars ★★★
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
diaryofthebookdragon's review against another edition
2.0
This book was all over the place. Everything sounds good in theory but I was bored, not interested and could not wait for it to be over. :(
Full review soon...
Full review soon...
kayleenorris's review against another edition
adventurous
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
2.5
book_whispers's review against another edition
2.0
***Review copy provided through Netgalley for an honest review.***
Susan Krinard is a new to me author, but once I heard that there would be Valkyries I was all up in this book! Norse mythology! Um, yes please. A classic trickster Loki that can change shape into anything he wants, male or female, making for a pretty steamy and deceptive read! Sexy scandals. Check. Did I mention Valkyrie?? This title had everything that makes me foam at my metaphorical mouth! Then a few pages into the book it hit . . .
Valkyrie titles must be jinxed for me. Especially, the characters. To be honest I think Krinard was trying to make Mist the mythical legend—AKA the Valkyrie in question—more human. She isn't aware of how stunningly gorgeous she is, or when men are openly lusting after her. Mist also suffers from serious self doubt. Now I'm not saying those are bad qualities. But Mist is old. I mean she's a walking fossil old. At a certain point in her centuries old life I'd expect her to realize that "girls got sex appeal." One huge mistake in her past causes her to question every step she takes after that. It's just so unrealistic. Yes, it's good to question yourself. But not to a point where you would blindly trust a stranger, who clearly has evil intentions. Or to ignore your instincts when a "clue" just up and slaps you across the face. Mist has to be rescued numerous times, comes off as really-really stupid, and while her genuine kindness makes her endearing it can't save her character.
That stranger I mentioned above just happens to be a elf named Dainin. Who is a emotionless, cold hearted guy, who just happened to start Ragnarok. Of course he was tricked and is now living with a monster inside him. So for the write price he'd betray Mist. The majority of the book is set up to show what a hotty Dainin is, his suffering, and his eventual arrival to the point that he needs to help Mist out. Of course I can't forget that he would allow someone else to pay for his sins. Or the way he is willing to betray Mist. It's purely evil and it over shadows every move he makes, even when he's finally willing to die for Mist. Clearly he's the love interest in this series. One that I'm not feeling. He's a great character and highly fascinating, but it just doesn't work out for me. He still deceives Mist even after he realizes that he needs to help her. Hot N cold, sing it Perry.
This book was fairly long. But I felt like I just read the first half of a novel, where it's trying to frantically build up the world while making plot progress. For me there's barely anything that truly happens. Boredom is a feeling no reader should ever feel. The mythology was half baked at best and I felt that Krinard stepped back on a few of her "rules" of magic. There's too many questions running about at the end. Is Norse mythology the only true mythology of this world, are there others? How do they tie in? And on, and on! Plus, Loki's name gets mixed up with a few of the other characters. You can't have errors like that! Not when there is a character that can become anyone. I spent a good time wondering if it was an error, or if it was actually Loki.
In the end this title has potential I'm really curious as to what will happen in future books, but I'm only continuing if the next title can transform this series into what it could be. The action is tons of fun, even if Mist really never brings the heat. There's an interesting romance developing, even if I'm not that into it. The main reason for reading Mist is for Loki. Man is he scandalously delicious! Probably one of my favorite literary renditions of him. Come for the Norse mythology, stay for Loki.
Sexual Content: Nothing overly graphic, but there’s some sex and some naughty-naughty by Loki.
2/5- Average/disappointing, library check-out
Originally reviewed at Book Whispers.
Susan Krinard is a new to me author, but once I heard that there would be Valkyries I was all up in this book! Norse mythology! Um, yes please. A classic trickster Loki that can change shape into anything he wants, male or female, making for a pretty steamy and deceptive read! Sexy scandals. Check. Did I mention Valkyrie?? This title had everything that makes me foam at my metaphorical mouth! Then a few pages into the book it hit . . .
Valkyrie titles must be jinxed for me. Especially, the characters. To be honest I think Krinard was trying to make Mist the mythical legend—AKA the Valkyrie in question—more human. She isn't aware of how stunningly gorgeous she is, or when men are openly lusting after her. Mist also suffers from serious self doubt. Now I'm not saying those are bad qualities. But Mist is old. I mean she's a walking fossil old. At a certain point in her centuries old life I'd expect her to realize that "girls got sex appeal." One huge mistake in her past causes her to question every step she takes after that. It's just so unrealistic. Yes, it's good to question yourself. But not to a point where you would blindly trust a stranger, who clearly has evil intentions. Or to ignore your instincts when a "clue" just up and slaps you across the face. Mist has to be rescued numerous times, comes off as really-really stupid, and while her genuine kindness makes her endearing it can't save her character.
That stranger I mentioned above just happens to be a elf named Dainin. Who is a emotionless, cold hearted guy, who just happened to start Ragnarok. Of course he was tricked and is now living with a monster inside him. So for the write price he'd betray Mist. The majority of the book is set up to show what a hotty Dainin is, his suffering, and his eventual arrival to the point that he needs to help Mist out. Of course I can't forget that he would allow someone else to pay for his sins. Or the way he is willing to betray Mist. It's purely evil and it over shadows every move he makes, even when he's finally willing to die for Mist. Clearly he's the love interest in this series. One that I'm not feeling. He's a great character and highly fascinating, but it just doesn't work out for me. He still deceives Mist even after he realizes that he needs to help her. Hot N cold, sing it Perry.
This book was fairly long. But I felt like I just read the first half of a novel, where it's trying to frantically build up the world while making plot progress. For me there's barely anything that truly happens. Boredom is a feeling no reader should ever feel. The mythology was half baked at best and I felt that Krinard stepped back on a few of her "rules" of magic. There's too many questions running about at the end. Is Norse mythology the only true mythology of this world, are there others? How do they tie in? And on, and on! Plus, Loki's name gets mixed up with a few of the other characters. You can't have errors like that! Not when there is a character that can become anyone. I spent a good time wondering if it was an error, or if it was actually Loki.
In the end this title has potential I'm really curious as to what will happen in future books, but I'm only continuing if the next title can transform this series into what it could be. The action is tons of fun, even if Mist really never brings the heat. There's an interesting romance developing, even if I'm not that into it. The main reason for reading Mist is for Loki. Man is he scandalously delicious! Probably one of my favorite literary renditions of him. Come for the Norse mythology, stay for Loki.
Sexual Content: Nothing overly graphic, but there’s some sex and some naughty-naughty by Loki.
2/5- Average/disappointing, library check-out
Originally reviewed at Book Whispers.
tynga's review against another edition
2.0
Mist turned out to be a very original urban fantasy read and while I did not dislike it, I’m afraid to say there are more ‘checks’ in my figurative negative column than in my positive one. My biggest obstacle, one that almost made me stop reading, is the Lore. You’re gonna ask me what’s wrong with it? Well there isn’t anything wrong with it per see, but it felt so very confusing and overwhelming that it impaired my appreciation of the story. I don’t know much about Norse mythology (except the very big lines) and Susan added her own twist on it (while this is cool, it made things that much harder for me to follow). In brief, I’m sure the majority of readers will appreciate the originality is this lore, but it simply didn’t work for me.
I started appreciating the novel when I stopped trying to understand the details of the lore. I decided to instead focus on the action and I finally enjoyed the ride. Mist was an interesting character, and I liked her determination and passion, but she was very naive for someone that old. Dainn, the elf who started Ragnarok and is now somewhat looking for redemption, had his perks ( I loved his battle against his inner beast, and his conflicting emotions), but I didn’t connect with him either. Really, Loki, the bad guy, was the highlight for me in this novel. I loved his spunk and his mischievous ways and his point of view was my favourite, but he does tend to talk too much.
Extremely slow paced at first, the rhythm thankfully picked up when the jotunns started attacking Mist. While the actual battles were somewhat exciting, the story telling made little sense most of the time. Dainn is suppose to ready Mist for Freya to possess her and she is totally oblivious to it all, while Loki and Freya are having some kind of Game we have no idea what it’s all about. There’s also two homeless kids who were ‘drawn’ to Mist via her semi-goddess powers but they bring very little to the story.
The one aspect I liked about the novel is the Magic. I like how the characters use visualization and staves to summon their powers and that it’s taxing. I also appreciated that Mist had a learning curve ( a bit too fast for my taste, but still) and didn’t become all-mighty powerful overnight.
The end proved to be a frustrating experience because I feel like nothing happens. There is a battle between Loki, Dainn & Mist but no one really wins and in the end, we are no closer to this Ragnarok or whatever game the Gods are playing. The whole novel felt like an information packed entree simply setting the table for what’s to come and didn’t fill my appetite for answers.
I’m afraid I won’t continue on with this series. I feel like the series has potential but its very flawed beginning just didn’t bring enough to the table to convince me to keep on reading. You might want to give it a try (maybe borrow it?) because the elements I disliked might not bother you as much as it did me.
I started appreciating the novel when I stopped trying to understand the details of the lore. I decided to instead focus on the action and I finally enjoyed the ride. Mist was an interesting character, and I liked her determination and passion, but she was very naive for someone that old. Dainn, the elf who started Ragnarok and is now somewhat looking for redemption, had his perks ( I loved his battle against his inner beast, and his conflicting emotions), but I didn’t connect with him either. Really, Loki, the bad guy, was the highlight for me in this novel. I loved his spunk and his mischievous ways and his point of view was my favourite, but he does tend to talk too much.
Extremely slow paced at first, the rhythm thankfully picked up when the jotunns started attacking Mist. While the actual battles were somewhat exciting, the story telling made little sense most of the time. Dainn is suppose to ready Mist for Freya to possess her and she is totally oblivious to it all, while Loki and Freya are having some kind of Game we have no idea what it’s all about. There’s also two homeless kids who were ‘drawn’ to Mist via her semi-goddess powers but they bring very little to the story.
The one aspect I liked about the novel is the Magic. I like how the characters use visualization and staves to summon their powers and that it’s taxing. I also appreciated that Mist had a learning curve ( a bit too fast for my taste, but still) and didn’t become all-mighty powerful overnight.
The end proved to be a frustrating experience because I feel like nothing happens. There is a battle between Loki, Dainn & Mist but no one really wins and in the end, we are no closer to this Ragnarok or whatever game the Gods are playing. The whole novel felt like an information packed entree simply setting the table for what’s to come and didn’t fill my appetite for answers.
I’m afraid I won’t continue on with this series. I feel like the series has potential but its very flawed beginning just didn’t bring enough to the table to convince me to keep on reading. You might want to give it a try (maybe borrow it?) because the elements I disliked might not bother you as much as it did me.
shogins's review against another edition
2.0
Generic.
Mist is a valkyrie who survived what she thought was Ragnarok... only wasn't. Sounded interesting enough to me. However, the plot that developed was predictable and suffered from too much "telling not showing". Yes, I get that Dainn, the elf sent from Freya to help Mist defeat Loki, is not being honest with Mist - you don't need to tell me every time he talks. The third person voice also bothered me. It seemed like a bad fit because there was so much description of Mist and Dainn's mental states, and that often sounds more natural when done in first person. The book also opens with a scene during WWII clearly designed to explain what drives Mist, but it didn't really serve to humanize Mist effectively - we simply didn't spend enough time with Geir and Rebekka to understand why they matter so much to Mist, which made it almost jarring when their names are mentioned later in the book.
Also, this book is clearly setting up sequel(s), so don't expect resolution of pretty much any of the conflicts set up.
Maybe I'm biased because I just read Richelle Mead's similarly themed and superior Gameboard of the Gods, but if you really want to read about a strong woman fighting for a better future in a world influenced by Norse mythology, read that instead.
(I received this book through Goodreads First Reads.)
Mist is a valkyrie who survived what she thought was Ragnarok... only wasn't. Sounded interesting enough to me. However, the plot that developed was predictable and suffered from too much "telling not showing". Yes, I get that Dainn, the elf sent from Freya to help Mist defeat Loki, is not being honest with Mist - you don't need to tell me every time he talks. The third person voice also bothered me. It seemed like a bad fit because there was so much description of Mist and Dainn's mental states, and that often sounds more natural when done in first person. The book also opens with a scene during WWII clearly designed to explain what drives Mist, but it didn't really serve to humanize Mist effectively - we simply didn't spend enough time with Geir and Rebekka to understand why they matter so much to Mist, which made it almost jarring when their names are mentioned later in the book.
Also, this book is clearly setting up sequel(s), so don't expect resolution of pretty much any of the conflicts set up.
Maybe I'm biased because I just read Richelle Mead's similarly themed and superior Gameboard of the Gods, but if you really want to read about a strong woman fighting for a better future in a world influenced by Norse mythology, read that instead.
(I received this book through Goodreads First Reads.)
buuboobaby's review against another edition
3.0
While I love mythology, I have to admit that I don’t know much about Norse mythology. I am far more familiar with Greek, Roman, and Egyptian gods and goddesses, so when I saw Mist, I thought it would be the perfect way to learn more about Odin, Freya, and the rest of the gang. Did I learn more about them? Yes, but a lot of the details about them, as well as the background information on Ragnarok, felt too much like info dumping, and often left me confused.
Mist believes she is one of the only survivors of Ragnarok, or the end of the world. She has been entrusted by Odin to guard his spear, but as the years dragged by and still the god did not appear to take back his mighty weapon, Mist lost hope of ever seeing him again. Turning her back on her Valkyrie duties, she’s decided instead to make Midgard her home. She believes Asgard has been closed to her forever, everyone she knew dead, so she settles down in San Francisco and tries to make the best of things. After she’s attacked by a frost giant, however, she realizes that she isn’t the only one to survive the final battle. To her great dismay, she learns that her boyfriend is actually Loki, and he’s been fooling her in order to get his hands on Odin’s spear. Now with the real end of the world approaching, she has to put her trust in a battered elf and learn how to make use of the magic she didn’t realize she possessed.
While I found the info dumping in the first half of the book trying, I loved Mist when something was happening. The heroine is strong, brave, and determined to save her adopted, even if it means standing up to Loki and his ruthless plans to take over the world. She has a handful of allies, and she’s not even sure she can trust them. Odin’s sons, Vidarr, and Vali, are hardly dependable allies. Vidarr is aggressive, selfish, and quick to rage, and Vali is a drunk who always caves to his brother’s whims. Dainn, the tattered elf she found in the park, is hiding terrifying secrets, both about himself and Freya’s plans for Mist. I liked Dainn, too. He’s one step away from losing himself to his inner beast, and he has to ceaselessly fight the curse he’s been burdened with. He’s old, but that doesn’t necessarily make him wise. A fool to one of Loki’s tricks, he has a grudge the size of California against his tormentor.
I kept seeing Tom Hiddleston as Loki (not a bad thing, right? And what’s this about Loki NOT being in the next Avengers movie??), which gave him a strong image in my mind every time he appeared in the book. He’s such a fun character, what with his love of causing chaos for his own sick amusement. Better yet, he has the power to back up his bad boy behavior. There aren’t many who can oppose him, and Mist’s attempts to track him down and get the spear back seemed hopeless at first. As she was forced into one deadly encounter after another, though, her powers grew, along with her desire to take Loki down. I enjoyed the conflicts and confrontations as they clashed time and again. He’s the kind of character you love, love, love to hate, so I wasn’t overly upset when Mist come out on the losing side more than once. Like Mist’s, my dislike of Loki had to fester so that when Mist got the best of him, the victory would be that much sweeter.
I thought the pacing was slow at first, and that most of this book was set up for the series. However, after the giants attack Mist in her home, the story really took off, and it was hard to put down after that exciting sequence of events. The battle scenes were a blast, and the plot was starting to take off when the book ended. While Mist didn’t always work for me, I am invested in the characters now and am looking forward to seeing what happens next.
Grade: This book is hard to grade. C+/B-
Mist believes she is one of the only survivors of Ragnarok, or the end of the world. She has been entrusted by Odin to guard his spear, but as the years dragged by and still the god did not appear to take back his mighty weapon, Mist lost hope of ever seeing him again. Turning her back on her Valkyrie duties, she’s decided instead to make Midgard her home. She believes Asgard has been closed to her forever, everyone she knew dead, so she settles down in San Francisco and tries to make the best of things. After she’s attacked by a frost giant, however, she realizes that she isn’t the only one to survive the final battle. To her great dismay, she learns that her boyfriend is actually Loki, and he’s been fooling her in order to get his hands on Odin’s spear. Now with the real end of the world approaching, she has to put her trust in a battered elf and learn how to make use of the magic she didn’t realize she possessed.
While I found the info dumping in the first half of the book trying, I loved Mist when something was happening. The heroine is strong, brave, and determined to save her adopted, even if it means standing up to Loki and his ruthless plans to take over the world. She has a handful of allies, and she’s not even sure she can trust them. Odin’s sons, Vidarr, and Vali, are hardly dependable allies. Vidarr is aggressive, selfish, and quick to rage, and Vali is a drunk who always caves to his brother’s whims. Dainn, the tattered elf she found in the park, is hiding terrifying secrets, both about himself and Freya’s plans for Mist. I liked Dainn, too. He’s one step away from losing himself to his inner beast, and he has to ceaselessly fight the curse he’s been burdened with. He’s old, but that doesn’t necessarily make him wise. A fool to one of Loki’s tricks, he has a grudge the size of California against his tormentor.
I kept seeing Tom Hiddleston as Loki (not a bad thing, right? And what’s this about Loki NOT being in the next Avengers movie??), which gave him a strong image in my mind every time he appeared in the book. He’s such a fun character, what with his love of causing chaos for his own sick amusement. Better yet, he has the power to back up his bad boy behavior. There aren’t many who can oppose him, and Mist’s attempts to track him down and get the spear back seemed hopeless at first. As she was forced into one deadly encounter after another, though, her powers grew, along with her desire to take Loki down. I enjoyed the conflicts and confrontations as they clashed time and again. He’s the kind of character you love, love, love to hate, so I wasn’t overly upset when Mist come out on the losing side more than once. Like Mist’s, my dislike of Loki had to fester so that when Mist got the best of him, the victory would be that much sweeter.
I thought the pacing was slow at first, and that most of this book was set up for the series. However, after the giants attack Mist in her home, the story really took off, and it was hard to put down after that exciting sequence of events. The battle scenes were a blast, and the plot was starting to take off when the book ended. While Mist didn’t always work for me, I am invested in the characters now and am looking forward to seeing what happens next.
Grade: This book is hard to grade. C+/B-
anniemariek's review against another edition
3.0
I won this as an ARC through a Goodreads First Reads giveaway. I'll admit that what drew me to it was, predictably, Loki. And Norse mythology in general.
Mist, the main character, has what I like to call the "surface strong female character" condition. On the surface, she's what you'd label as a "strong female character". She can fend for herself and she beats up a bunch of male characters throughout the story. She's not like Bella Swan. And yet, there isn't much to her, beyond the fact that she's not a damsel in distress. There's the action, the fighting, but there's not much depth to her. That disappointed me.
I was also a little disappointed with the plot. I was hoping it would be big and grand and epic, but it didn't give me that we've-got-to-save-the-world feeling. I never got the sense that the world was in danger. Even thought it was trying to be big, it wasn't.
Honestly, my favorite part was the prologue. (I don't know if I've ever said that before. Ever.) The WWII Valkyrie action was exciting and intriguing. I would've gladly read an entire book about Valkyries fighting Nazis, and I would've probably preferred it over the modern storyline.
Mist, the main character, has what I like to call the "surface strong female character" condition. On the surface, she's what you'd label as a "strong female character". She can fend for herself and she beats up a bunch of male characters throughout the story. She's not like Bella Swan. And yet, there isn't much to her, beyond the fact that she's not a damsel in distress. There's the action, the fighting, but there's not much depth to her. That disappointed me.
I was also a little disappointed with the plot. I was hoping it would be big and grand and epic, but it didn't give me that we've-got-to-save-the-world feeling. I never got the sense that the world was in danger. Even thought it was trying to be big, it wasn't.
Honestly, my favorite part was the prologue. (I don't know if I've ever said that before. Ever.) The WWII Valkyrie action was exciting and intriguing. I would've gladly read an entire book about Valkyries fighting Nazis, and I would've probably preferred it over the modern storyline.
slc333's review against another edition
2.0
This book sounded great but just did not live up to its potential. I can't put my finger on exactly why it didn't work, I just know that I struggled to get involved and connect with the characters, and found the whole thing a little boring.
ladyace's review against another edition
3.0
A lot of Norse Mythology and terms makes it a little confusing. The dynamic between Dainn and Mist is interesting, and as I'm a romantic, I'd like to see this relationship go further. This book seems like it is the first in a series, so a lot of issues were left hanging.