Review by Ronny
Series Name: Saga of the Unfated, # 1
A Fate Inked in Blood is a gritty, high stakes, Viking romantasy that is going to keep you on the edge of your seats.
Favourite Quote:
“I wanted you the moment I first set eyes on you. I wanted you in Fjalltindr. I wanted you now, and tomorrow, and all the tomorrows, Freya.”
Book Synopsis:
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:
For those new to the Viking world, I feel I should warn you that books (and yes, this includes romances) set in this world are often harsh, gritty, and violent. The people living in this world have to survive harsh conditions from nature and neighbouring clans. This is a very different kind of historical romance, especially when compared to Regency romances. A Fate Inked in Blood is the first book in a duology by the talented Danielle L. Jenson. It is such a fabulous, gripping read, and it will keep you on the edge of your seat the entire time you are reading it. There are magical elements woven throughout the story, but the world that Freya lives in isn’t overflowing with magic and has no real magical creatures roaming around. Freya and other people whom the gods touched at birth possess magical abilities. Freya was touched by the goddess Hlin, which allows her to protect herself and anyone she touches. Bjorn was touched by the god Tyr, who allowed him to weld a powerful axe that was on fire. I really enjoyed the story’s magical elements; they blended masterfully with Norse mythology and were a clever way to add that extra element of danger and heighten the stakes.
Freya is very much a reluctant heroine. She was married to a vile man, who turned her over to their jarl (local leader) because he knew she was goddess touched. Snorri (who is their jarl) is eager to get his hands on Freya because it was foretold that she would be the one to unite all the clans under one ruler, and Snorri believes he is that one ruler. This prophecy means that Freya has a target on her back because other jarls want her dead, so she cannot fulfill her destiny. Bjorn is Snorri’s son and has been tasked with training and protecting Freya. I thoroughly enjoyed the plot. It is fast-paced and filled with contest twists and turns. The ending is incredibly jaw-dropping and is going to have you wishing you could get your hands on the next installment. This is definitely a more violent book; Freya and Bjorn are either in a battle, being attacked by raiders, or having to defend themselves while travelling. It truly is an action-packed romantasy.
Overall, I enjoyed Freya’s character. She goes through a lot in this book, and the crappy situations she often finds herself in are always because of the actions of the men around her. Freya often finds herself at the mercy of men who hold power in their clan. Her family also never have her best interests in mind. They always put their own needs above hers. Not only does she find herself tied to Snorri, but she is always dealing with the weighted responsibility of this prophecy and learning to deal with being goddess-touched. It takes a bit for Freya to hit those moments of growth. Her growth happens in fits and starts, but I have a feeling she really is going to come into her own in the next book. There is a lot of feminine rage waiting to come out and burn the world around her.
Now, this is a romantasy, and even though the romantic elements aren’t always front and center, they are definitely there. If you like a good forbidden romance, then you will love the relationship between Freya and Bjorn. It’s pretty obvious that these two have that explosive chemistry right from the first moment they met. I really, and I mean really, enjoy their banter. In a violent and harsh world, their banter was fun, flirty, and just witty. These two love poking at each other, and there is just this playfulness to their dialogue that is just so addictive. But of course, their growing feelings make their already complicated lives more complicated. Freya is married to Bjorn’s father, which makes any romantic feelings or lusty actions between them forbidden. But you will enjoy their relationship if you are like me and love it when two characters have to sneak around to have those quiet moments together.
A Fate Inked in Blood is a heart-pounding story that is so hard to put down.
