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ClareR (6106 KP) rated The Valkyrie in Books

May 30, 2023  
The Valkyrie
The Valkyrie
Kate Heartfield | 2023 | Fiction & Poetry, LGBTQ+, Science Fiction/Fantasy
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
What a fantastic book! Myth, strong women, magic - what’s not to like?!

I’ll own up now. This was a NetGalley book, and it kind of got left behind. So I listened to the audiobook on Xigxag audiobooks. And I’m SO glad that I did.it came to life for me, and where some reviews have said that they were sometimes a little confused as to whose chapter it was, either Brynhild the fallen Valkyrie or Gudrun, Princess of Burgundia, I had no such issue. The narrators, Eleanor Jackson and India Shaw-Smith WERE Brynhild and Gudrun. And they were both self-assured, strong leaders who would take no nonsense.

What did surprise me was how forgiving Brynhild was of Sigurd lies. If you already know the myth, then you’ll know! Otherwise, my lips are sealed, because you really have to read this for yourself!

Oh, and the Germanic history was the icing on the cake for me. And there’s loads of extra information about both the Norse mythology and the German history, both in relation to the book, on Kate Heartsfields website - chapter by chapter! I’ve had the BEST time on there!

So, yes, this is very much a recommended book!
  
Midnight Eclipse (Bonded By Blood Vampire Chronicles #4)
Midnight Eclipse (Bonded By Blood Vampire Chronicles #4)
Arial Burnz | 2014 | Paranormal, Romance
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
In the fourth book of the series, we find Broderick again on the search for his wife. This time she has reincarnated as Celina. I think this is my favourite book of the series so far, as we have Norse and Celtic mythology, Wolves and Selkies, to name but a few. Celina is a feisty warrior, not afraid to fight for what she believes in or what she wants. I will admit, I loved Davina. She was perfect for Broderick at that time and in that place. Her reincarnations though, just seem to get better each time.

With more of the story and the prophecy becoming clearer as we move through the stories, there is a lot more information available and yet still more needed. This is a series that will take you to the very end not knowing which way it will go.

Excellently written, joining up all the storylines seamlessly, and with no editing issues that I found. This is a book definitely recommended, but read the whole series to make the most of it!

* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *

Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Apr 24, 2016
  
The Prince of Asgard (The Nine Worlds #2)
The Prince of Asgard (The Nine Worlds #2)
Saga Nansen | 2026 | LGBTQ+, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
the emotions creep up and I loved watching them fall!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

This is book 2 in The Nine Worlds series, and it can be read as a stand alone. I would recommend, however, that you read book 1, The Magic of Vanaheim. It will give you a better understanding of this world, the Norse mythology and the wonderfulness that is Ms Nansen's writing!

Thori kills a dragon a few years ago, and now he finds himself sold, as a thrall, to the man who loved that dragon. He just needs to kill that man too, and he can be free. But there are other things at work, and Thori needs to work WITH Njord to save the world they live in. He's just not sure he can let Njord go, once they have.

I loved book one, Hakon and Talvi do pop up here. But you don't need their story to follow this one. There is a little overlap between the two, because I wrote in that review: But the biggest question is just what is going on with Talvi's uncle and the thrall??

Well, now I know!

I loved this book, I really did. Thori and Njord (Talvi's uncle) butt heads right from the start, but it's the way they grow closer that I loved. It's a proper slow burn, and it was right and proper that these two took some time to become fully invested in the other.

Lots and lots of Norse and Viking mythology and lore and again, some I knew of, some not. But I've given up trying to match my (very limited) knowledge to what's on the page because I'm fairly certain, what I think I remember from wherever I picked it up, is wrong and I'm getting mixed up. So once I stopped, I was able to fully engross myself in this book, this world and these people.

Some violence, but hey! Vikings and witches and all manner of deadly beings, so to be expected. I found the smex a bit lighter (than book 1) but no less powerful and steamy. The emotions creep up on both Thori and Njord and I loved watching them fall.

There was a sort of third act break up, sort of, but Thori remedies that beautifully! And with such a gift!!

I don't know who might be next, I'm sure there were clues here, but I might have missed them, concentrating on Thori and Njord as I was but I WILL read it. There is clearly a bigger picture I'm yet to see, but my book brain is screaming at me, that something bigger is going on that is already clear!

5 full and shiny stars

*same worded review will appear elsewhere
  
Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
2017 | Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Contains spoilers, click to show
Well, we all knew this had to happen. And I am a full week late in getting to watch this movie.

Alright, if you know Norse mythology: IGNORE EVERYTHING YOU KNOW. Seriously. Fenrir made it. Yup. Okay, let’s… let’s just not discuss that. I would need to go and refresh myself and, I just don’t want to be that dissapointed.

Outside of that, it was a good movie. A LOT happened, and just understand that we are basically jumping two years from when Age of Ultron took place. Also, Thor has become a true American and lost his god talk. I wish they hadn’t done this. I wish they would have updated him without losing that, because, even though it was annoying at times it also kept to the myth side a bit more. I did love the short hair.

LOKI! Yes! Though, in many ways, I wish we had a lot more of him. It seems as if the film makers are angry over how popular Loki has become – he could have been a lot more.

And the pacing. The pacing was odd. Skipping a lot of information. What happened to Thor the last two years? How, exactly, did Hulk get there? Why does the Valkyrie have such a poorly described and explained back story?

That being said, I did enjoy this. So much sass, so much action, and the characters did move forward.