Series: Viking Warriors #1
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Release Date: November 3rd 2015
My Rating: 4 cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):
Immortal Vikings are among us.
Leif Skarsganger and his elite band of immortal warriors have been charged to protect humanity from the evil Norse god Loki.
Under attack from Loki’s minions, Leif is shocked to encounter a dark-haired beauty who fights like a warrior herself. Wounded and feverish, the Viking kisses her, inadvertently triggering an ancient Norse bond. But when Naya Brisbane breaks away and disappears before the bond is completed, Leif’s warrior spirit goes berserk. If Leif doesn’t find her fast, he’s going to lose himself to permanent battle fury.
But Naya doesn’t want to be found...and he’ll do anything to find her. Because they’re both running out of time.
*Disclaimer: I received an e-copy of this book from Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca in exchange for an honest review
This book had me hooked when it mentioned Vikings. I've been searching for fresh urban fantasy/paranormal books and Viking Warrior Rising is just what I needed.
I really liked Naya. It was kind of difficult at first to experience the story through her eyes, since her past is really gruesome and it made my heart break into tiny pieces. But she's one of those heroines that I adore, because she turned her past into a weapon for her to use against her enemies without losing her humanity along the way. And I kind of understood her way of thinking and why she chose to do certain things, even if I wanted to strangle her sometimes.
Leif was an interesting hero to read about. I liked the fact that he's not your typical domineering alpha male hero that's so common these days. Yes, he had his moments where it was a mystery how Naya managed to not stab him, but he eventually understood that she could defend herself and that she didn't need to be treated with kid gloves and locked away in a room, to be safe. I wish we could've gotten a little more information about Leif's past, just a tiny sneak peek into his past before becoming the Viking king he is at the start of the book.
I'm not very familiar with Norse mythology, so this book was a great way to get my interest piqued. I felt a bit lost at times because of that, since the book mentions a few very new-to-me elements from the Norse mythology. I did enjoy the world-building and the fact that the book was fast paced enough to keep me interested.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book, and I cannot wait for the next book in the series, which comes out this fall.
