FICTION

Between the Blade and the Heart

by Amanda HOCKING
336p. Wednesday Bks. Jan. 2018. pap. $10.99. ISBN 9781250084798.
COPY ISBN
Gr 9 Up—Valkyries take center stage in this Norse mythology—inspired fantasy series opener. Malin is a Valkyrie in a reality far different yet very much the same as our own. The setting of this book is not very clear but readers will be able to surmise that it takes place in a futuristic alternative world. Hocking gives her setting a unique element in which every type of creature and being coexists in a contentious and not-at-all peaceful organization. The work's themes include a discussion of how the choices one makes can very much dictate one's future. An LGBTQ love triangle involves Malin, her ex-girlfriend Quinn, and Asher, the attractive rogue blue-eyed son of a slain Valkyrie. A revenge subplot adds intrigue. The story is fast paced, well developed, and fresh.
VERDICT Give this to readers who love Rick Riordan, Sarah J. Maas, Marie Lu, and Hocking's previous series.
Reviewed by Margie Longoria, Mission High School, TX , Dec 01, 2017

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