*This book was provided as a digital galley by NetGalley and Orca Book Publishers in exchange for an honest review.
Goodreads Summary:
In a land of myth and ice, seventeen-year-old Runa Unnursdóttir is not the runecaster her clan has been hoping for. She spends her days daydreaming of sailing away and exploring the world instead of studying the runes and learning her spells. The villagers consider her odd, in looks and in manner. She’s nothing like her talented sister, Sýr, keeper of the sacred moonstone that ensures the village’s continued survival. But when a rival clan led by an evil witch raids the village and kidnaps her sister, Runa is forced to act. With a fallen Valkyrie by her side, and the help of a gorgeous half-elf Runa is not quite sure she can trust, the apprentice must travel to the site of an ancient runecasting competition to try to win back the magical gem. But the journey will not be easy; the three unlikely companions encounter malevolent and supernatural creatures at every turn. Somehow, Runa must summon the courage and strength to face her destiny, a destiny she never wanted. Or die trying.
My Review:
Going into this book, I thought it might be dense or there be too much world-building. After finishing it, I have to confess I was wrong. I loved the take on Norse mythology with both good and evil witchcraft. Some of the elements in this book might be a little confusing to those who aren’t familiar with basic Norse mythology, but I barely know any and I got by. Overall, I thought this book was good, if not a little under-developed. There were a couple elements that just seemed to come out of the blue where there was no introduction. However, the characters were likable and well-developed and so was most of the book. I do love mythology and that definitely has an impact on my review.
I would recommend this book to people who liked the Norse elements of the Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard Series by Rick Riordan, but others too. It’s just a good fantasy book in general with strong characters and representation. It’s also just over 300 pages, so it’s not overly time-consuming. I liked this because it was a good book, but not one that I would read 500 pages of. Brooke Carter did a good job on this book and I’m thankful to have been able to read it early.
Overall, I would give this book…
⭐⭐⭐.5/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐.
The Fiction Feature 