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Their Dark Valkyrie #1
Claimed by Gods
The gods walk among us. And they just might steal your soul... or your heart.
I thought I'd survived everything life could throw at me. All I wanted was to keep my distance from the criminals I work for and get my little brother out of the hell that is our mother's house.
Then I died and woke up to four stunningly hot gods telling me I'm now a valkyrie.
Sly, sharp Loki. Jovial but ferocious Thor. Dreamily compassionate Baldur. Grim and secretive Hod. They all have something to teach me. And around them, my walls start to crack.
But the gods didn't summon me just for kicks. Their king is missing, and they need me to find him. The first three valkyries they sent on the job never made it back.
More power is awakening in me than I could ever have imagined—and the gods' enemies are more devious than even they knew. It's going to take every trick in the book for me to save myself, my brother, and these divine men who're getting under my skin in the most alluring way.
I'm Aria Watson, and Valhalla ain't seen nothing yet.
*Claimed by Gods is the first full-length novel in a medium-burn reverse harem urban fantasy series. This action-packed, heart-wrenching ride gives you a kickass heroine, four irresistible gods, and Norse mythology like you've never seen it before.*
I thought I'd survived everything life could throw at me. All I wanted was to keep my distance from the criminals I work for and get my little brother out of the hell that is our mother's house.
Then I died and woke up to four stunningly hot gods telling me I'm now a valkyrie.
Sly, sharp Loki. Jovial but ferocious Thor. Dreamily compassionate Baldur. Grim and secretive Hod. They all have something to teach me. And around them, my walls start to crack.
But the gods didn't summon me just for kicks. Their king is missing, and they need me to find him. The first three valkyries they sent on the job never made it back.
More power is awakening in me than I could ever have imagined—and the gods' enemies are more devious than even they knew. It's going to take every trick in the book for me to save myself, my brother, and these divine men who're getting under my skin in the most alluring way.
I'm Aria Watson, and Valhalla ain't seen nothing yet.
*Claimed by Gods is the first full-length novel in a medium-burn reverse harem urban fantasy series. This action-packed, heart-wrenching ride gives you a kickass heroine, four irresistible gods, and Norse mythology like you've never seen it before.*
258 pages, Paperback
First published May 9, 2018
3148 people are currently reading
5440 people want to read
About the author
Eva Chase
124 books3,783 followersEva Chase lives in Canada with her family. She loves stories both swoony and supernatural, and strong women and the men who appreciate them. You can visit her online at www.evachase.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 545 reviews
January 7, 2022
I’m in some kind of reading mood. I think I’ll reread this again at a later date and see because it wasn’t bad so 3 stars from now. 🤔🤨
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
January 10, 2019
Interesting take with some mythology action.
I will admit, I was a bit intrigued by this book before diving into it. Mostly because there was some mentioning about some gods, like: Loki, Thor, and Odin (just to name a few). However, I still have no idea how I feel about this book. The characters were okay and I could see the similarities every now and then.. but I mostly just wanted this book to be over.
Maybe it's because I've read so many reverse harem kind of books that I'm just now getting even more pickier than usual. It could also be because of Ari, I just didn't like the girl. She was annoying from the very beginning of this book and it's probably why I wanted this to end fairly quickly. I will even admit that I did end up skimming some parts of this book because they were just so completely boring that I couldn't keep my eyes open for them!
The romance was eh too. I honestly found myself getting annoyed so quickly with these characters or whatever was actually happening in this book. Then there's the dreaded cliffhanger, which just pissed me off. I don't even know if I'm going to dive into the next book or not.. maybe if I have lots of wine present - but I have no commitments at this point.
I will admit, I was a bit intrigued by this book before diving into it. Mostly because there was some mentioning about some gods, like: Loki, Thor, and Odin (just to name a few). However, I still have no idea how I feel about this book. The characters were okay and I could see the similarities every now and then.. but I mostly just wanted this book to be over.
Maybe it's because I've read so many reverse harem kind of books that I'm just now getting even more pickier than usual. It could also be because of Ari, I just didn't like the girl. She was annoying from the very beginning of this book and it's probably why I wanted this to end fairly quickly. I will even admit that I did end up skimming some parts of this book because they were just so completely boring that I couldn't keep my eyes open for them!
The romance was eh too. I honestly found myself getting annoyed so quickly with these characters or whatever was actually happening in this book. Then there's the dreaded cliffhanger, which just pissed me off. I don't even know if I'm going to dive into the next book or not.. maybe if I have lots of wine present - but I have no commitments at this point.
July 1, 2018
3.75 stars. Not my favorite reverse harem fantasy book I've read. But I really enjoyed it. Especially the Norse mythology and the MC being a Valkyrie. I will for sure read book 2.
February 13, 2019
This was actually not as bad as I thought it would be. I had read one other book from this author which I absolutely hated so I kind of wrote her off. Then for some reason I thought of the cover, it took me a while to remember which author wrote the book but I digress. It was different, I liked the Norse Mythology direction. The guys don't really have much personalities but I hope we see more depth as the series continue.
May 17, 2018
A good start to another Eva Chase RH series! I wasn’t a huge fan of the MC Ari in this one till about halfway through but I warmed up to her. I did however love all the Gods especially Hod! And damn cliffie endings! I need book 2 now!!!
May 20, 2018
I'm a sucker for reverse harem stories and this included mythology. I had to obviously love it.
December 11, 2024
It was really slow and boring. I might try again later, but it'll be a while. I DNF'd around 38%.
Update. So I tried this again and still DNF'd at around the same time. The story is just boring. The writing isn't good. It's super slow. Plus, I don't like the FMC.
Update. So I tried this again and still DNF'd at around the same time. The story is just boring. The writing isn't good. It's super slow. Plus, I don't like the FMC.
May 29, 2018
As a Dane I’m always very sceptical when non-native authors take on the Norse mythology. Why? Well more often than not it results in the myths I grew up on gets butchered. This happens with films and books all the time. And entertainment aside, it makes hard for me to get submerged in the story when I keep thinking “that’s not how he should look”. Yes, I’m talking about Chris Hemsworth. Fine as he is (and that man is really fine), the Thor I know is a red head so his blonde locks look all wrong!
That’s why I have to give massive kudos to Eva Chase for staying true to the old myths, whilst daring to put her own spin on it. For me Eva has pretty much nailed the characterisation of the five gods we meet:
Freya – Goddess of love and war
Thor – God of thunder
Baldur – God of light
Hod – God of darkness
Loki – “God” of mischief
Eva even stays somewhat true to the myths by acknowledging that Loki isn’t a god, he’s an ice giant. But as Odin’s blood brother, he became the god of mischief – which he managed quite well. What she has changed up a little is their family relation. Thor is correctly the elder son of Odin, however, Baldur and Hod are twins in this book, making their powers more of a balance.
What I found particularly interesting in the way Eva has changed things up, is Freya. Frigg is well known for being Odin's wife, however, if you look closely at the Norse Mythology, their powers are almost the same and since Frigg is an Aesir and Freya originally of Vanir, some have speculated that they might be one and the same - which makes Eva's take even more interesting.
In this story we learn that after Ragnarok these five gods came back to Midgard, whilst Odin went about doing his own thing, but now they cannot find the Alfather. Unfortunately, they can’t return to Asgard without Odin, so they decide to pull their resources together to create Valkyries, that can help track him down. The first two Valkyries are noble and selfless, however, this time around that doesn’t seem to be what they need, as the Valkyries disappear. Loki manages to convinces the other gods that desperate times call for desperate measures, and they need someone who can survive and adapt. Basically, someone who’s more like him.
When Ari dies, they grab her soul and make her a Valkyrie.
Ari is definitely a far cry from the noble she-warriors of Odin, who decided amongst fallen men, which ones would be feasting to Valhalla, and which wouldn’t – but Ari might be exactly what they need!
By creating Ari, she and the gods share some kind of bond. This is typical for this genre and can get a bit tiresome at times. So what I particularly enjoyed is that we're not talking about love at first sight. Hell, even though she does "get it on" with one of the gods, it's towards the end so we're not even dealing with lust at first sight. And I loved the change!
Personally, I love the characters. I think it’s very interesting that Eva chose these five, considering how much history there is between each of them. (Like how Loki tricked Hod into killing Baldur with the mistletoe, which was basically, one of the first steps towards Ragnarok). However, it seems that with the many, many years they've spent together in Midgard, they've learned to co-exist and even managed to build, at least a little, trust between them. But even so, it's clear from Eva's writing that the old wounds haven't completely healed, so we might hear more about this later on.
Ari has to be one of the most awesome female leads I've read about lately. Her upbringing was harsh and filled with neglect, which unfortunately seem to be the new black for Reverse Harem heroines. However, Eva manages to walk the line perfectly. Ari is not controlled by the demons in her past, and she doesn't demand that the plot bends over backwards to fit her whims. If anything she's the one who's bending. And I love that Ari is staying true to her character, whilst the world she thought she knew, gets turned upside down.
I've heard through the grapevines (actually, right from Eva Chase) that the next book should be out in July and I for one am counting the days for the next instalment in the "Their Dark Valkyrie" series.
That’s why I have to give massive kudos to Eva Chase for staying true to the old myths, whilst daring to put her own spin on it. For me Eva has pretty much nailed the characterisation of the five gods we meet:
Freya – Goddess of love and war
Thor – God of thunder
Baldur – God of light
Hod – God of darkness
Loki – “God” of mischief
Eva even stays somewhat true to the myths by acknowledging that Loki isn’t a god, he’s an ice giant. But as Odin’s blood brother, he became the god of mischief – which he managed quite well. What she has changed up a little is their family relation. Thor is correctly the elder son of Odin, however, Baldur and Hod are twins in this book, making their powers more of a balance.
What I found particularly interesting in the way Eva has changed things up, is Freya. Frigg is well known for being Odin's wife, however, if you look closely at the Norse Mythology, their powers are almost the same and since Frigg is an Aesir and Freya originally of Vanir, some have speculated that they might be one and the same - which makes Eva's take even more interesting.
In this story we learn that after Ragnarok these five gods came back to Midgard, whilst Odin went about doing his own thing, but now they cannot find the Alfather. Unfortunately, they can’t return to Asgard without Odin, so they decide to pull their resources together to create Valkyries, that can help track him down. The first two Valkyries are noble and selfless, however, this time around that doesn’t seem to be what they need, as the Valkyries disappear. Loki manages to convinces the other gods that desperate times call for desperate measures, and they need someone who can survive and adapt. Basically, someone who’s more like him.
When Ari dies, they grab her soul and make her a Valkyrie.
“I’d like to tell you that I died in epic fashion, guns blazing in the middle of a vast street brawl, or at least something scandalously hot, like falling off a balcony during the most incredible sex of my life. The truth? My death was cringingly mundane.”
As my vision shrank to a pinhole and the light contracted with it, I had enough consciousness left to think, Fucking jackass and his fucking jackass jeep.
Ari is definitely a far cry from the noble she-warriors of Odin, who decided amongst fallen men, which ones would be feasting to Valhalla, and which wouldn’t – but Ari might be exactly what they need!
By creating Ari, she and the gods share some kind of bond. This is typical for this genre and can get a bit tiresome at times. So what I particularly enjoyed is that we're not talking about love at first sight. Hell, even though she does "get it on" with one of the gods, it's towards the end so we're not even dealing with lust at first sight. And I loved the change!
Personally, I love the characters. I think it’s very interesting that Eva chose these five, considering how much history there is between each of them. (Like how Loki tricked Hod into killing Baldur with the mistletoe, which was basically, one of the first steps towards Ragnarok). However, it seems that with the many, many years they've spent together in Midgard, they've learned to co-exist and even managed to build, at least a little, trust between them. But even so, it's clear from Eva's writing that the old wounds haven't completely healed, so we might hear more about this later on.
Ari has to be one of the most awesome female leads I've read about lately. Her upbringing was harsh and filled with neglect, which unfortunately seem to be the new black for Reverse Harem heroines. However, Eva manages to walk the line perfectly. Ari is not controlled by the demons in her past, and she doesn't demand that the plot bends over backwards to fit her whims. If anything she's the one who's bending. And I love that Ari is staying true to her character, whilst the world she thought she knew, gets turned upside down.
I've heard through the grapevines (actually, right from Eva Chase) that the next book should be out in July and I for one am counting the days for the next instalment in the "Their Dark Valkyrie" series.
July 1, 2018
This book counts towards my 2018 Reverse Harem Revolution book BINGO challenge. "Mary Sue"
FYI: Cliffhanger ending.
FYI: Cliffhanger ending.
August 2, 2018
I wasn't entirely sure what to expect with this RH story featuring Thor, Loki, Odin, et al. Would it be steeped in Norse mythology or based on the characters we know and love from the Marvel Universe? Eh. A little from column A and a little from column B. Or maybe the Marvel comparisons were simply my mind's own doing? Either way it was fun and that's my #1 prerequisite for a reverse harem story. But despite the humor and antics of the gods, this one still felt rather surface level. Sure, there's some bonding between the valkyrie and her cohort, but I just never felt connected to them or really their connection to each other. I'm hoping that the sequel really delves deeper because I'm not ready to give up on these characters yet...especially after that ending!
January 17, 2019
loki. thor. loki. thor. loki. thor.
the begining of this was a little slow but it picked up a bit and the plot was missing some information as to the who/what/when/where/why, among other shit. it was also kind of easy to figure out the bad guys in this. and they at least kept the gods correct.
but hey, loki and thor are here. and a few others. get me in on this love-square.
ONTO THE NEXT
March 28, 2024
In this first book, we meet Aria who after a though life dies and comes back after Thor, Loki, Balder and Hod make her a Valkyrie. Knowing nothing about being a Valkyrie, she quickly learns that Odin is missing, only a Valkyrie can save him, and all the other Valkyries sent in, have not come back. So begins the book of training and learning about the Norris Gods.
There was nothing overtly wrong with this story. I was a little board, thus this rating, I own all four of these books, so I read them all.
There was nothing overtly wrong with this story. I was a little board, thus this rating, I own all four of these books, so I read them all.
December 27, 2023
Read July 2018: 3.5 Stars
I enjoyed this book from start to finish. I believe there were a few discrepancies in the plot, but for me that didn't take away the fact that it was an entertaining storyline. Im looking forward to book two!
Reread December 2023: 2.5 stars. What a difference 5 years makes
I enjoyed this book from start to finish. I believe there were a few discrepancies in the plot, but for me that didn't take away the fact that it was an entertaining storyline. Im looking forward to book two!
Reread December 2023: 2.5 stars. What a difference 5 years makes
June 11, 2018
Maybe a 2.5 for me.
I thought the premise sounded good, and I live Viking mythology, but this book just didn't do it for me.
Ari annoyed me for the first half of the book and the four Viking Gods didn't feel very developed to me and I didn't find them that interesting.
The plot was okay, but I found myself getting bored and skimming in places, which I don't usually do!
I thought the premise sounded good, and I live Viking mythology, but this book just didn't do it for me.
Ari annoyed me for the first half of the book and the four Viking Gods didn't feel very developed to me and I didn't find them that interesting.
The plot was okay, but I found myself getting bored and skimming in places, which I don't usually do!
May 10, 2021
When Ari Watson dies, four gods bring her back to life as a Valkyrie. Ari doesn't really care to be a Valkyrie, but if the enhanced powers mean she can keep her little brother safe, she's all for it. Loki, Thor, Baldur and Hod need her help for a different reason though. Odin, the Alfather, has gone missing. He has gone on wanderings before, but never this long. Without Odin, the other gods cannot get back to Asgard and stuck in Midgard their powers are fading.
This was an interesting take on Norse myths! I enjoyed the world and seeing all the gods. I feel like we never see much of Baldur or Hod in retellings or books with mythology. It's always Thor & Loki though.
I really liked Ari. She's a self-sufficient and determined girl. She's going to do what she needs to to stay alive and protect her brother. Anything else is not a priority and I can respect that. The gods were all right too, but I'm not super invested in any of them or their relationship to Ari yet.
The weirdest part of this was how quickly Ari's training was. It was like 2 days of training or less and now she's ready to find Odin. It was just absolutely not believable. Sure she's a mystical being now, but she literally just got these powers, she's not going to be a pro overnight.
The ending was a bit predictable, but I'm interested enough to eventually continue the series.
This was an interesting take on Norse myths! I enjoyed the world and seeing all the gods. I feel like we never see much of Baldur or Hod in retellings or books with mythology. It's always Thor & Loki though.
I really liked Ari. She's a self-sufficient and determined girl. She's going to do what she needs to to stay alive and protect her brother. Anything else is not a priority and I can respect that. The gods were all right too, but I'm not super invested in any of them or their relationship to Ari yet.
The weirdest part of this was how quickly Ari's training was. It was like 2 days of training or less and now she's ready to find Odin. It was just absolutely not believable. Sure she's a mystical being now, but she literally just got these powers, she's not going to be a pro overnight.
The ending was a bit predictable, but I'm interested enough to eventually continue the series.
September 14, 2021
The definition of balancing adventure with steaminess!
Blog ∙ YouTube ∙ Instagram ∙ Facebook ∙ Twitter
Claimed by Gods is the first novel in Their Dark Valkyrie reverse harem series by Eva Chase, featuring our favorite gods inspired by the Nordic mythology!
If you like a different spin on many well-known and -loved Nordic deities (namely, Loki and Thor), fighting over Aria's charms, well, this is the book for you.
A typical reverse harem novel, where the heroine has to decide between all heroes (and sometimes even choosing them all, heh).
Find more thoughts on this book, in my video!
I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an e-arc, in exchange for an honest review.
Blog ∙ YouTube ∙ Instagram ∙ Facebook ∙ Twitter
Claimed by Gods is the first novel in Their Dark Valkyrie reverse harem series by Eva Chase, featuring our favorite gods inspired by the Nordic mythology!
If you like a different spin on many well-known and -loved Nordic deities (namely, Loki and Thor), fighting over Aria's charms, well, this is the book for you.
A typical reverse harem novel, where the heroine has to decide between all heroes (and sometimes even choosing them all, heh).
Find more thoughts on this book, in my video!
I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an e-arc, in exchange for an honest review.
June 4, 2018
I LOVED the idea of this book and the book in general!
Ari even though I didn’t quite like her at the start that soon changed. I understand that she wants to take care of her brother.(though I can’t understand why she wants to run away for 4 sexy gods *swoon*)
Ari is feisty, stubborn and knows know to survived. She also has a lot of invisible scars. I LOVE the gods. Loki for his slyness, Thors for being able to cheer up Ari. Balder for his calmness on the outside and his vulnerability underneath. My favourite is Hod, he understands her pain, her past, though his own.
I recommend reading this and I CAN’T wait for book 2!
Ari even though I didn’t quite like her at the start that soon changed. I understand that she wants to take care of her brother.(though I can’t understand why she wants to run away for 4 sexy gods *swoon*)
Ari is feisty, stubborn and knows know to survived. She also has a lot of invisible scars. I LOVE the gods. Loki for his slyness, Thors for being able to cheer up Ari. Balder for his calmness on the outside and his vulnerability underneath. My favourite is Hod, he understands her pain, her past, though his own.
I recommend reading this and I CAN’T wait for book 2!
June 26, 2018
Meh. Didn't feel the connection between the characters
November 23, 2022
Welp, this was a surprise
June 9, 2018
3.5 stars
but only because I can't give it the 4 stars it probably deserves because
@#$%^&* cliffhanger!
Aside from that oh-so-irritating issue, this was a surprisingly enjoyable read. A mostly very likable MC in Aria (Ari). Yes, she has the currently too-popular traumatic abusive backstory, but she has become a strong survivor as a result. She doesn't let it rule her - at least not in the usual, angsty sense. And her harem (or potential harem) is one of the most bizarre and interesting I have read in a while, though each have a plethora of issues they are contending with that I suspect will have a tremendous impact on the story.
Hiding a piece of this that is plot related, even though it is information gained fairly early on:
Overall, it was a light, fun read. Cleanly written. Perhaps lacking a little on the character development front - at least on the love interest side of things. But that was improving by the end of the book, so I suspect it will come.
Some of the plot points were a little predictable. Some of the decisions made by the MC were a little dumb. But none of that was egregious, and I quickly got past it.
And aside from my being pissed at the cliffhanger, I will definitely be keeping my eye out for the sequel, since I enjoyed this one. Worth a read!
UPDATE PROGRESS NOTES:
95.0% "Oh BUGGER!
@#$)!%& cliffhanger! Argh!"
93.0% "Damn it, Aria! Listen to your instincts and SAY SOMETHING!"
86.0% "Hmm... I don't trust her. This is going to go badly awry."
82.0% "Okay, fortunately that didn't last long, and this was just..HOT :)"
77.0% "Argh. And there went all my enjoyment..."
76.0% "They know because you were foolish enough to keep going to him when you knew the dark elves were hunting you, you idiot. *sigh*"
66.0% "Did she never think that her going to her brother could make him a target? This gal doesn't seem to think ahead very well."
66.0% "Really starting to get pretty good now! *little happy dance*"
53.0% "LOL well, that was a quick answer! I get it now :)"
51.0% "Why exactly do they need to keep sending Valkyries off on their own? Why wouldn't they all go together? This hasn't made sense to me from the very beginning."
44.0% "Personally, I would have gotten up and immediately punched Loki in the throat."
42.0% "She clearly didn't listen to Hod if she is still considering this as a battle tactic. :("
32.0% "I am finding it a little irritating that she thinks of nothing other than escaping to her brother. You'd think learning her new abilities would take precedence. And she hasn't yet."
31.0% "So far this really is a creative and kind of unique take on Norse gods. Enjoying it. Light and fun so far."
13.0% "Uh...Odin and Loki are brothers? Not Thor and Loki? That's....different."
5.0% "Okay, that was a cool intro. Unique premise happening here!"
3.0% "Nice start, good pacing to the life-altering event. Cleanly written. So far so good!"
0.0% "This really is a gorgeous cover!"
but only because I can't give it the 4 stars it probably deserves because
@#$%^&* cliffhanger!
Aside from that oh-so-irritating issue, this was a surprisingly enjoyable read. A mostly very likable MC in Aria (Ari). Yes, she has the currently too-popular traumatic abusive backstory, but she has become a strong survivor as a result. She doesn't let it rule her - at least not in the usual, angsty sense. And her harem (or potential harem) is one of the most bizarre and interesting I have read in a while, though each have a plethora of issues they are contending with that I suspect will have a tremendous impact on the story.
Hiding a piece of this that is plot related, even though it is information gained fairly early on:
Overall, it was a light, fun read. Cleanly written. Perhaps lacking a little on the character development front - at least on the love interest side of things. But that was improving by the end of the book, so I suspect it will come.
Some of the plot points were a little predictable. Some of the decisions made by the MC were a little dumb. But none of that was egregious, and I quickly got past it.
And aside from my being pissed at the cliffhanger, I will definitely be keeping my eye out for the sequel, since I enjoyed this one. Worth a read!
UPDATE PROGRESS NOTES:
95.0% "Oh BUGGER!
@#$)!%& cliffhanger! Argh!"
93.0% "Damn it, Aria! Listen to your instincts and SAY SOMETHING!"
86.0% "Hmm... I don't trust her. This is going to go badly awry."
82.0% "Okay, fortunately that didn't last long, and this was just..HOT :)"
77.0% "Argh. And there went all my enjoyment..."
76.0% "They know because you were foolish enough to keep going to him when you knew the dark elves were hunting you, you idiot. *sigh*"
66.0% "Did she never think that her going to her brother could make him a target? This gal doesn't seem to think ahead very well."
66.0% "Really starting to get pretty good now! *little happy dance*"
53.0% "LOL well, that was a quick answer! I get it now :)"
51.0% "Why exactly do they need to keep sending Valkyries off on their own? Why wouldn't they all go together? This hasn't made sense to me from the very beginning."
44.0% "Personally, I would have gotten up and immediately punched Loki in the throat."
42.0% "She clearly didn't listen to Hod if she is still considering this as a battle tactic. :("
32.0% "I am finding it a little irritating that she thinks of nothing other than escaping to her brother. You'd think learning her new abilities would take precedence. And she hasn't yet."
31.0% "So far this really is a creative and kind of unique take on Norse gods. Enjoying it. Light and fun so far."
13.0% "Uh...Odin and Loki are brothers? Not Thor and Loki? That's....different."
5.0% "Okay, that was a cool intro. Unique premise happening here!"
3.0% "Nice start, good pacing to the life-altering event. Cleanly written. So far so good!"
0.0% "This really is a gorgeous cover!"
April 22, 2020
3.5 Stars
Unfortunately I had trouble connecting and focusing on this book. It was an ok read. I can blame it on all the shit going on in the world but really I just kept mentally veering off track while reading. The heroine dying and being turned into a Valkyrie by a bunch of Gods was a weird angle. They needed her to help find their father and have gone through many other before her. Why, I still don’t know exactly?!? I guess I just didn’t love that angle and wish there was some cooler God-human aspect. Perhaps because I had trouble focusing I don’t quite have a grasp on who all the guys are either, I hear the names Loki and Thor and my mind think it’s knows them when it doesn’t. It didn’t help the one she slept with (Loki I think) was so blasé about it all, I mean it was hot he offered to join in but it just made it seem like it didn’t matter to him either way.
Honestly I’m devastated over everything with her younger brother. Bad enough she had a hellish childhood but so did he and now she ‘had to’ give him up basically, to save him and herself because she has to leave the earth plane. It bothers me how that whole situation played out. So much so the end was rather lackluster after the fact. And beyond disappointing, I mean almost all of them are Gods and yet not one of them noticed they were had until it was too late and their ‘dad’ wasn’t their dad smh 🤷🏼♀️🤷🏼♀️🤷🏼♀️🤦🏽♀️. I did enjoy the heroine learning she has wings and how to use them though, who wouldn’t love to fly.?!?!
Unfortunately I had trouble connecting and focusing on this book. It was an ok read. I can blame it on all the shit going on in the world but really I just kept mentally veering off track while reading. The heroine dying and being turned into a Valkyrie by a bunch of Gods was a weird angle. They needed her to help find their father and have gone through many other before her. Why, I still don’t know exactly?!? I guess I just didn’t love that angle and wish there was some cooler God-human aspect. Perhaps because I had trouble focusing I don’t quite have a grasp on who all the guys are either, I hear the names Loki and Thor and my mind think it’s knows them when it doesn’t. It didn’t help the one she slept with (Loki I think) was so blasé about it all, I mean it was hot he offered to join in but it just made it seem like it didn’t matter to him either way.
Honestly I’m devastated over everything with her younger brother. Bad enough she had a hellish childhood but so did he and now she ‘had to’ give him up basically, to save him and herself because she has to leave the earth plane. It bothers me how that whole situation played out. So much so the end was rather lackluster after the fact. And beyond disappointing, I mean almost all of them are Gods and yet not one of them noticed they were had until it was too late and their ‘dad’ wasn’t their dad smh 🤷🏼♀️🤷🏼♀️🤷🏼♀️🤦🏽♀️. I did enjoy the heroine learning she has wings and how to use them though, who wouldn’t love to fly.?!?!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 20, 2018
It was okay
May 20, 2018
This first book in Their Dark Valkyrie series was a really enjoyable book with some awesome written Norse mythology and an author who dares to give her own spin on things, a kickass female lead who happens te become a Valkyrie, and swoon-worthy Gods - and what's not to love about Gods and Valkyries, right? RIGHT.
Ari finds herself summoned by the Gods and made into a Valkyrie after dying in an accident. The Gods made a new Valkyrie so she could find their Allfather, Odin, who's been missing for quite some time now. All the other Valkyries made before Ari, have gone missing as well after they've been sent out to look for Odin, so Ari's in for a world of danger, that's for sure. Each of the Gods(Loki, Thor, Baldur, Hod and Freya) train with Ari to get her aquinted with her Valkyrie skills, before she's to head out and start the search.
It was a joy to get aquinted with each of these Gods. All of them having their own character and (magical) skills, made for a very diverse set of characters in this story. Each of them was interesting right from the start -reading from all of their POV's definitely helped building a 'bond' with the characters and I could totally see why Ari liked them so much. Each moment with Loki, Thor, Baldur and Hod was just great to read about I think. Each of them had 'something' that pulled me in and I couldn't even say that I had a favorite among them, because they were all really great characters.
Ari has trouble leaving her 'old' world behind, since she's very protective of her little brother and she wants him to be safe. Safe from parents Ari has received nothing but trouble from in the past. So seeing Ari struggling with technically leaving her little brother behind, while she's training to become a real Valkyrie, made her feel like a very realistic character. I liked her feistiness and her protectiveness towards her little brother. I liked her character development throughout this book. She was a strong character right from the start, but after becoming a Valkyrie she somehow honed her strongest character traits to become a really awesome female lead character.
I have to say, that the developing 'romance/lust' between Ari and Several characters, wasn't something that felt all that 'natural' to me from time to time. Even though the writing was really great, it felt like those moments of lust present,because I really can't say it revolved around romantic feelings with these characters. It was lust, really. And that's okay though. Lust is a gread addition. To me, romance isn't particularly neccessary in this story since there's a lot of other things going on that had my interest weren't all that natural developed into the story-line and more like it was all a bit pressured into the story-line. Like there just Had to be some romance/lust scenes present in the book to make it more attractive to readers? That's how it felt to me unfortunately.
I really did like the relationship developments between Ari and the Gods, but I think it was a bit unneccesary to developed 'romantic/lust' feelings between Ari and almost all of the Gods. I think it would've been better that if there had to be a romance development, it'd be focused on one particular God and that she'd just develop a great 'friendship' with the rest of them. Now it just feels a bit off to me. And from my understanding it's supposed to be some sort of 'harem thing' but it wasn't fully developed enough in this book to my likings then. I Am curious though, to see where it'll all lead to in the next book! I mean, even though it felt all a bit 'off' to me, the way those particular scenes were written, was just really great and it did get to me In the heat of the moment. So I'm curious to see how the author's writing will develop in the next book regarding this 'harem thing' development because it Does have potential!
---
Overall this story was a really great read!
I looooved the Norse mythology re-telling. I loved the twists and turns throughout the story-line. The characters were really interesting and a joy to read about. The writing was really great and left me curious for what's to come next. The romance development was a bit off to me, but it definitely has potential to become more and I'm excited to find out how it'll develop in the next book. So yeah, I'd say I recommend this book and love to see you read it as well!
---
*I received an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review*
Ari finds herself summoned by the Gods and made into a Valkyrie after dying in an accident. The Gods made a new Valkyrie so she could find their Allfather, Odin, who's been missing for quite some time now. All the other Valkyries made before Ari, have gone missing as well after they've been sent out to look for Odin, so Ari's in for a world of danger, that's for sure. Each of the Gods(Loki, Thor, Baldur, Hod and Freya) train with Ari to get her aquinted with her Valkyrie skills, before she's to head out and start the search.
It was a joy to get aquinted with each of these Gods. All of them having their own character and (magical) skills, made for a very diverse set of characters in this story. Each of them was interesting right from the start -reading from all of their POV's definitely helped building a 'bond' with the characters and I could totally see why Ari liked them so much. Each moment with Loki, Thor, Baldur and Hod was just great to read about I think. Each of them had 'something' that pulled me in and I couldn't even say that I had a favorite among them, because they were all really great characters.
Ari has trouble leaving her 'old' world behind, since she's very protective of her little brother and she wants him to be safe. Safe from parents Ari has received nothing but trouble from in the past. So seeing Ari struggling with technically leaving her little brother behind, while she's training to become a real Valkyrie, made her feel like a very realistic character. I liked her feistiness and her protectiveness towards her little brother. I liked her character development throughout this book. She was a strong character right from the start, but after becoming a Valkyrie she somehow honed her strongest character traits to become a really awesome female lead character.
I have to say, that the developing 'romance/lust' between Ari and Several characters, wasn't something that felt all that 'natural' to me from time to time. Even though the writing was really great, it felt like those moments of lust present,because I really can't say it revolved around romantic feelings with these characters. It was lust, really. And that's okay though. Lust is a gread addition. To me, romance isn't particularly neccessary in this story since there's a lot of other things going on that had my interest weren't all that natural developed into the story-line and more like it was all a bit pressured into the story-line. Like there just Had to be some romance/lust scenes present in the book to make it more attractive to readers? That's how it felt to me unfortunately.
I really did like the relationship developments between Ari and the Gods, but I think it was a bit unneccesary to developed 'romantic/lust' feelings between Ari and almost all of the Gods. I think it would've been better that if there had to be a romance development, it'd be focused on one particular God and that she'd just develop a great 'friendship' with the rest of them. Now it just feels a bit off to me. And from my understanding it's supposed to be some sort of 'harem thing' but it wasn't fully developed enough in this book to my likings then. I Am curious though, to see where it'll all lead to in the next book! I mean, even though it felt all a bit 'off' to me, the way those particular scenes were written, was just really great and it did get to me In the heat of the moment. So I'm curious to see how the author's writing will develop in the next book regarding this 'harem thing' development because it Does have potential!
---
Overall this story was a really great read!
I looooved the Norse mythology re-telling. I loved the twists and turns throughout the story-line. The characters were really interesting and a joy to read about. The writing was really great and left me curious for what's to come next. The romance development was a bit off to me, but it definitely has potential to become more and I'm excited to find out how it'll develop in the next book. So yeah, I'd say I recommend this book and love to see you read it as well!
---
*I received an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review*
September 24, 2022
I love everything Eva Chase writes, but sometimes I need a break from reading too many books by the same author. However, it's been a while since I read an Eva Chase and I needed a book that would be exciting enough to enjoy it, but not that addictive that I wouldn't be able to put it down so I could read it before bedtime. And since I had both the hardcover and digital omnibus version of this series this seemed a great fit.
This book is, as you might already guess based on the title, inspired by Norse mythology. One day I'm gonna grab Neil Gaiman's Norse Mythology to get an idea of the original stories, but until that day I will learn everything there is to know from retellings like this. And I really really enjoyed what Chase did to the Norse mythology! Especially because she did not only include all my favorite Gods, but also because she left loads of room to explore everything the mythology has to offer!
I also quite liked the heroine in this story. Even though she's a fighter, hardened by life on the street and used to dealing drugs with people you don't wanna meet in the dark, she's very clear a good and very caring and emotional person deep down. I love how we see her struggling with the idea that the sole person she cares about thinks she's dead and we constantly see how she is willing to really fight for those she loves!
Since this is an Eva Chase I also really enjoyed how the story was a slow burn and how there was not too much sex in the book. Don't get me wrong, I love a well written sex scene between characters I've grown to love, but not having too many of them automatically means the author also has to offer other things, like plot and emotional character growth. I really enjoyed how Chase balances the cool mythology, exciting plot, amazing characters and their slow burn sex life!
This book is, as you might already guess based on the title, inspired by Norse mythology. One day I'm gonna grab Neil Gaiman's Norse Mythology to get an idea of the original stories, but until that day I will learn everything there is to know from retellings like this. And I really really enjoyed what Chase did to the Norse mythology! Especially because she did not only include all my favorite Gods, but also because she left loads of room to explore everything the mythology has to offer!
I also quite liked the heroine in this story. Even though she's a fighter, hardened by life on the street and used to dealing drugs with people you don't wanna meet in the dark, she's very clear a good and very caring and emotional person deep down. I love how we see her struggling with the idea that the sole person she cares about thinks she's dead and we constantly see how she is willing to really fight for those she loves!
Since this is an Eva Chase I also really enjoyed how the story was a slow burn and how there was not too much sex in the book. Don't get me wrong, I love a well written sex scene between characters I've grown to love, but not having too many of them automatically means the author also has to offer other things, like plot and emotional character growth. I really enjoyed how Chase balances the cool mythology, exciting plot, amazing characters and their slow burn sex life!
September 16, 2018
Okay, so I love mythology. I love it, even more, when authors incorporate mythology into modern day – it makes world building really interesting.
This was a pretty quick read, mostly because the storyline was interesting that pace of it was generally pretty forward. I really enjoyed the alternating chapter points-of-views as well, because most mythological-centred books avoid characterising gods and goddesses as much.
Ari was a fun character to read about too - she was down to earth and the writing stuck to her character, which I really enjoyed (nothing annoys me more than when a character does a complete one-eighty in reaction to something) and Loki was my fave. So was Hod. And Baldur. And Thor. Freya was okay, I don't think we saw as much of her compared to the others (it would have been interesting to see a chapter in her point of view I think)
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and the plot twists and intricate character development has intrigued me enough that I am excited to get my hands on book two!
•
4/5
•
This was an ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was a pretty quick read, mostly because the storyline was interesting that pace of it was generally pretty forward. I really enjoyed the alternating chapter points-of-views as well, because most mythological-centred books avoid characterising gods and goddesses as much.
Ari was a fun character to read about too - she was down to earth and the writing stuck to her character, which I really enjoyed (nothing annoys me more than when a character does a complete one-eighty in reaction to something) and Loki was my fave. So was Hod. And Baldur. And Thor. Freya was okay, I don't think we saw as much of her compared to the others (it would have been interesting to see a chapter in her point of view I think)
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and the plot twists and intricate character development has intrigued me enough that I am excited to get my hands on book two!
•
4/5
•
This was an ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 4, 2025
Buddy read with: Mari
After dying in a very unspectacular way for someone with such a dangerous life and job, Aria finds herself reawakened in the midst of 5 Norse gods. And four of them she finds are hot “men” that might be able to scratch an itch for her. But since they didn’t awaken her for the fun of it, she is tasked with finding Odin. The only problem being, that all Aria wants is save her baby brother Pete from the horrible home she barely escaped from as a teenager.
This very fast paced story is quite entertaining with very serious parts in between, that make you get a better grasp on the characters and their motivations. Really enjoyed listening to it and we went straight into the next one cause what was that cliffhanger?
After dying in a very unspectacular way for someone with such a dangerous life and job, Aria finds herself reawakened in the midst of 5 Norse gods. And four of them she finds are hot “men” that might be able to scratch an itch for her. But since they didn’t awaken her for the fun of it, she is tasked with finding Odin. The only problem being, that all Aria wants is save her baby brother Pete from the horrible home she barely escaped from as a teenager.
This very fast paced story is quite entertaining with very serious parts in between, that make you get a better grasp on the characters and their motivations. Really enjoyed listening to it and we went straight into the next one cause what was that cliffhanger?
January 2, 2022
Never judge a book by its cover.
Liked the cover and the concept of this book. Street smart girl from Philly becomes warrior to Norse gods and they are her “harem”… definitely interesting. Unfortunately execution was weak. I was not interested in any of the characters with the exception of the little boy being abused by his mom’s boyfriend. Unfortunately that was a brief side bar. Definitely not invested in attempting the rest I’d this series.
Liked the cover and the concept of this book. Street smart girl from Philly becomes warrior to Norse gods and they are her “harem”… definitely interesting. Unfortunately execution was weak. I was not interested in any of the characters with the exception of the little boy being abused by his mom’s boyfriend. Unfortunately that was a brief side bar. Definitely not invested in attempting the rest I’d this series.
January 19, 2024
No real safety info because she only had sex with 1/4 guys so far.
• No virgins (so far)
• 1/4 (so far) is a manwhore but not on page, just mentions he’s been around and with a LOT of women, also that’s he’s pretty much done everything when it comes to sex (including sharing
• the manwhore Loki said it’s been a while for him though. Only info on FMC is that she’s hooked up with a good amount of people
• No virgins (so far)
• 1/4 (so far) is a manwhore but not on page, just mentions he’s been around and with a LOT of women, also that’s he’s pretty much done everything when it comes to sex (including sharing
• the manwhore Loki said it’s been a while for him though. Only info on FMC is that she’s hooked up with a good amount of people
October 19, 2024
3.5⭐️/ 2.5🌶️
Slow burn
Norse Gods
Valkyrie
Trapped Gods
This was a good listen to bide the time. Quick pacing, cliff hanger. Slow Burn on the romance. I wouldn’t know it was a Why Chose except it said so in the title. I liked the story and expansion for Ragnarok.
FMC is a fighter and she loves strong. Mostly focused on self preservation.
Feelings: It was good, but I’m not running to the store to get book 2.
Slow burn
Norse Gods
Valkyrie
Trapped Gods
This was a good listen to bide the time. Quick pacing, cliff hanger. Slow Burn on the romance. I wouldn’t know it was a Why Chose except it said so in the title. I liked the story and expansion for Ragnarok.
FMC is a fighter and she loves strong. Mostly focused on self preservation.
Feelings: It was good, but I’m not running to the store to get book 2.
March 17, 2019
4.5 stars! Review pending!
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