Tangled Magic: A Norse Mythology Urban Fantasy

by Stefanie Santone

What could possibly be worse than death? After all, Ragnarök has already happened.

Wild pixies in churches and bargaining with my soul probably weren't what my parents pictured when I told them about my new job. And that was just day one!

Here I am at Goddesses, Inc.—a perfectly normal PI agency. Except it's run by literal goddesses.

That’s right, I'm a (reborn) goddess. Pretty sure, anyway. Maybe?

And these wild cases are my responsibility. Unfortunately, there's something causing those fae pest control issues and the overflow just got deadly. Something is drowning swimmers days after they've left Oak Creek. Can Goddesses, Inc. get to the bottom of the mysteries before more people, or even a probable goddess, die?

Genres: Fantasy

329 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 6, 2025

About the author

Stefanie Santone woke up at the age of 13 and decided to be a writer. For some reason, she thought a Literature BA looked less pretentious on paper than a Creative Writing one (which she got at Arizona State, so did she really need to worry?). She puts it to good use at her home in Mesa, Arizona, where she spends much of her time (not) writing. When her editor isn’t whipping her into top form, one can find her either reading, journaling, or playing Dungeons & Dragons while sipping coffee day or night.

Reviews

[Katharina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tangled Magic is the first book in the Goddesses Series by Stefanie Santone. After her graduation, Aspen moves back home to care for her sick mother. Searching for a job in her old hometown she stumbles upon Goddesses inc., a PI agency run by literal norse goddesses. There she finds out that she is the reincarnation of a goddess, but which one? One chaotic event after another Aspen slowly starts to tap into her power and eventually finds out who she really is at the end of the book.
Tangled Magic is an interesting book with a writing style that feels like your best friend is telling you the story - very refreshing! I love that this book is a new interpretation of the norse gods and how sassy they are. I found the concept of the gods being reincarnated after Ragnarök pretty interesting as well and I am looking forward to learning more about this in the following books.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Diana Page · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was an interesting interpretation of “immortal” and the Norse gods. It’s a likable mashup of old views on Ragnarok being the end of the world , instead it was being the end of the dogs as they knew themselves and basically was a “restart” button where as long as they consumed the mystical fruit, they would continue to be reborn time and again. Sometimes remembering who they were and having their powers quickly, others such as Aspen’s taking time, especially with the way Aspen chose to not follow the other Goddesses advice on how to take them and use them on other things ( you need to read the book to find out who and why !) . The Gods , both male and female will surprise you with their differing interpretations of what they are permitted as being in this book, versus things you may have read or watched in movies or TV. If you have dealt with a family members who has a medical condition like Aspen’s mom, this book may hit you in the “feels” as my son used to say, be prepared to sniffle a bit ! This book is a good mix of both magical realism as well as plain old magic ! The characters are interesting as well as well written and definitely not cookie cutter interpretations of their namesakes such as Loki or Sif . 4✨’s. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Satviki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tangled Magic was a wild ride of a book, full of Norse Mythology and disaster. I liked the fresh take of Ragnarök as the (temporary) end of the gods rather than the end of the world. The original mythology is fascinating in itself, and trying to guess how the author incorporated those myths to create wonderful characters like Sif was interesting. The concept of the Norse gods not being immortal (at least, not without a certain type of fruit) was also pretty interesting. Fruits that provide immortality is not a new concept, but the way Aspen thought about using them was intriguing. Speaking of no immortality, I love the way the author incorporated Aspen's conditions and her mother's disease! Aspen, a literal goddess (one that's mortal, but still), having conditions and insecurities that so many struggle with really made her feel both human and relatable. The way Aspen's mother's disease affected the family was also handled nicely, but keep in mind that I don't have personal experience with a chronically ill family member. Overall, Tangled Magic was a lovely book, with interesting takes on Norse Mythology and interesting characters.

Thank you to Booksirens and the Author for providing me with an ARC for a honest review, all opinions expressed are my own.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a first book in a new series, this one isn't bad. There's a lot of information to impart, and a whole world to build. That being said, once Aspen makes it back home to help out her ailing mother, things start to happen really fast, and it can be difficult to keep up with all of the characters, their histories, and keep track of which one is which old Norse god.

The author does a good job of describing Aspen's psychological issues, and why she delays making a pivotal decision about her life, and the lives of those she cares about. She's anxious, worried about her mom, and might see a way that could make all the difference in the world, but is it the right thing to do?

I hope that the next book in the series has Aspen feeling more grounded, and that the minor cliffhanger fleshes out into something interesting. I had some difficulty fully committing to this book until about halfway through, but then it picked up speed, and came together for me. Fans of Norse mythology and urban fantasy should enjoy this light, quick read.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thanks to BookSirens and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC.

[Sonia Dille · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

There is a line in this book that asks "What the actual hell is going on?" and I was asking myself the same question. Aspen is a new college graduate moving back home to take care of her sick mother. After stumbling into a PI agency and seeing some stuff, Aspen is offered a job in the office.

I loved the plot line to this and the action was great. The only reason I am even removing one star is mostly on myself and thats because I had to keep pulling up Google to look up the God's and figure out who each one was. If you are a fan of Norse Mythology I fully recommend giving this one a try, I know I will be waiting for the next one!

[Josette Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

A urban fantasy novel that tells the tale of a woman who comes into goddess powers. She has no idea which goddess but the powers of a goddess await her if she is willing to accept the powers. I cannot help but think this experience is so overwhelming for someone with a mental health diagnosis of bi polar disorder. All of the new characters that Aspen is forced to meet only make her decision harder. She can hardly take care of herself and her ailing mother let alone protect humanity. I liked how spunky she was when being confronted by gods and goddesses. Some thought they knew who she was and others just wanted to test her to see which goddess she might be. The whole story was a great adventure with some serious danger. I might be questioning whether I would want to be a goddess.

[Faith Thompson · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really wanted to like Tangled Magic as it was a gift, but this one just didn’t work for me. The humor feels forced—like the author is elbowing you in the ribs, waiting for a laugh that never comes. The plot is thin and disjointed, with several parts that just don’t hold up logically. A recycled premise—girl discovers secret powers, cue the same beats we’ve all seen before. There’s a difference between quirky and clumsy, and unfortunately, this leans hard into the latter. I kept hoping it would pick up, but it never did. Disappointing and not worth the money.

[Tania · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable read with an accessible and easy to empathize with main character, Tangled Magic is a good lead book for a series. The world build is interesting, and I look forward to seeing how it develops in future books. Same with not just the main character but all of the core cast. Santone also did a good job of giving us a complete story as well as plenty of threads to continue into the next installment.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Joanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Norse Mythology Urban Fantasy first in series book by Stefanie Santone.An enjoyable read,main character Aspen coming back home after graduate collage to help with a sick mother,getting a new job and she's throw to a new world of magic and Norse gods.Such an easy and action filled book,would recommend if you like Norse Mythology this is something you enjoy.

Thank you to Booksirens and the Author for providing me with an ARC for a honest review.

[Alek G · Rating 5 out of 5]

I binged this book in three days and loved it! It was funny, sweet, a little sad, and seems like a really good start to a story that I hope we get lots more of. I love seeing mythology in fiction, there are so many fun ways it can be used to tell an amazing story. I'm so curious about which Norse gods and goddesses will be included as well as how Aspen's journey is gonna go from here! I have really high hopes and can't wait for book two!!

[Doug Beebe · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good take on what could happen if the Norse goddesses (and gods) were reborn on Earth. Mixed in with how to deal with chronic illnesses, bipolar disorder, and unexpected appearances of Loki. Interesting main character, and a good variety of secondary characters were fun to explore in this first-in-a-series book.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[LizJ. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tangled Magic Book 1 Goddesses, Inc. by new to me author Stefanie Santone is a good start to a new series. Creative worldbuilding and storyline, good characters and witty dialog, very enjoyable read. Looking forward to more!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Nikki Britt · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting take on Norse mythology. This urban fantasy was funny, interesting and I would like to see where the story goes. The only part that may be troublesome is having to try to remember who each god is and what they represent.

[Deborah Redensek · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book. Stefanie blends fantasy and reality beautifully.

[Clarkfamilybooks]

This book was interesting, full of Norse Mythology and disaster. The original mythology is fascinating. The world build is enchanting. The characters are interesting. The action was great.