A Fate Inked in Blood Book Review
Check out my review of A Fate Inked in Blood by Danielle L. Jensen, a thrilling Viking fantasy with heart pounding action and romance.
Sometimes I read romantasy books for the whimsical fantasy lands they portray. Sometimes it is the hot and steamy romance that gets me grabbing my Kindle.
Then books like A Fate Inked in Blood appear on my nightstand and it is all about the baddy woman warrior kicking butt and taking names that keeps me up late turning pages.
Curious if this book is for you? Check out my full review below.
Summary of A Fate Inked in Blood
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.
What I Liked
Here’s what I would tell my best friend about the book:
- Viking Theme: The only other novel that included reference to the vikings and Norse mythology that I’ve read is American Gods, one of my husband’s all-time favorite books. He has Norwegian ancestry so vikings frequently appear in his jokes. I loved this element of the story and appreciated that the main character was a woman warrior.
- Origin Story: I love origin stories, I think it is fascinating to watch everyday people turn into superheroes. Watching Freya turn from a fishing maiden into a viking warrior with goddess’s blood was my favorite part.
- Story of Survival: When I’m going through a stressful season of life, I find it oddly therapeutic to read stories about strong, ferocious women. There is a lot of physical violence in this book but Freya gives as good as she gets.
What I Didn’t Like
Every reader needs something different from a book. What I may not have preferred may be your favorite part.
I can’t share exactly what I didn’t like about the book without spoilers. I’ll just say that I was disappointed with the direction the story took at the end. I loved Freya but her story arc seems to be going down a path I wouldn’t have chosen.
Since this book sets up Book 2, A Curse Carved in Bone, I’ll reserve full judgement until I see how the story plays out.
How Spicy Is It?
🌶️🌶️🌶️: A Fate Inked in Blood rates a Level 3 on my spicy books rating scale. Open door romance that supports the storyline.
Overall Score
⭐⭐⭐⭐
I give A Fate Inked in Blood 4 stars. It was everything I needed at the time I read it and I flew through it so quickly. The only thing keeping it from a full 5 stars was the ending.
If this is your first time reading one of my reviews, you may want to check out how I score my reads with this scale guide here.
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