NetGalley Review: The Valkyrie’s Shadow by Tiana Warner

Hey all, Sam here.

It is getting hot out there. So, where I live in the US is under a heat advisory, with daily temps ending up in the triple digits (or technically the upper limit of double digits while feeling like the triple digits). We’re in the kind of days that make you want to just stay inside where it’s cooler and relax and read and do very little in addition.

Unfortunately, I do still need to go into work, so I’m always hoping for a semi-slow day where I can just stay back in my office and avoid the crowd of people and just try and stay cool. But, I guess we’ll see what happens when I actually get to work. I’m hoping to make it a pretty decent chunk of the way through another book. I just opened up a new one last night, and I’m hoping I read it as quickly as I think I will, because this book is technically scheduled for review this weekend. If I can keep up with my reading schedule, I’ll actually have a pretty incredible monthly reading wrap-up for you all at the beginning of August.

Anyway, let’s go ahead and jump into today’s review.

Being both a valkyrie and a princess isn’t turning out quite the way Sigrid imagined. The other valkyries still treat her like a stable hand. Her relationship with Mariam is less “long-distance” and more “worlds apart.” And lately, she’s been wondering if Sleipnir, her new horse, isn’t making her a little bit…well, evil .

But Sigrid’s first official valkyrie mission sends ripples through the Nine Worlds. She’s attracted the wrath of not only the Night Elves but their sinister king, who wants nothing more than to bring darkness down on everyone. Worse yet, Loki might just be interfering with the balance of light and dark…

When war threatens the shores of Vanaheim and her friends are in danger of being exiled, Sigrid makes a deal with the new queen. She will ride Sleipnir against their enemies and use his might to defeat them, even as he pulls her closer to that line between good and evil.

What she becomes will either save everyone…or unleash disaster upon them all.

My Thoughts

Rating: 4 stars

So I just read and reviewed the first book, The Valkyrie’s Daughter, a couple weeks ago, so you can find that post at the link included in the title. I am happy to report that this second book is also a pretty darn quick read, which is always nice.

I definitely think this book delves into the shadowy murk of second book complications. Things are getting more complicated for Sigrid, and so much of her life is changing in this book.

Honestly, for a little while in this book, Sigrid was being an absolute brat. I mean, I understand why considering the circumstances, but as per the typical with so many books, a lot of her issues could have been dealt with if she had just talked to people, people like her friends. Instead she just sort of buried her thoughts and feelings and tried to go it alone…which you know, *always* works out well for the hero.

This was still an overall solid read. I will admit that at times things some of the adults were saying and doing made me cringe a little…but because it felt very similar to how certain people talk and act in the world today. There are those here who are extremely prejudiced–actually let’s not be gentle with it; they are elitist and racist–and the portrayal did cause me to pause and reflect on the happenings for a little while.

Calling this book The Valkyrie’s Shadow is an appropriate choice. Things are getting shadowier, darker, and it’s clear that something is going to happen, and it’s going to change everything. And things do happen, and it does change A LOT. I’m not going to talk specifics because this book just came out and I don’t like to get into spoiler territory. But I’m very curious where book three will take us, because Sigrid and her companions now have a whole lot more to deal with. Perhaps though, Sigrid has started to learn her lessons and she’ll actually stop the go-it-alone mentality.

Only time will tell, but I’m definitely intrigued by this series. There are a whole lot of characters to enjoy and appreciate, not just ones who we met in the first book, but also a few new characters brought into this second book. I like seeing all the various relationships and personalities. It makes the world a little more layered and that’s fantastic.

This book has political intrigue, battle strategy, friendship, camaraderie, romance, familial drama, betrayal, history and lore drops…and all delivered in a manner that just keeps you reading. I flew through this book as if I was galloping across the realms on Sleipnir myself.

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All right, well that is all from me for today. Thank you so much for stopping by, and I’ll be back soon with more geeky content.