The Valkyrie's Shadow, the second book in the Helheim Prophecy series by Tiana Warner, continues the captivating story of Sigrid, a valkyrie and princess who finds herself struggling with her dual identities. While Sigrid had hoped being both a valkyrie and a princess would bring her admiration and respect, she still faces mistreatment from her fellow valkyries. To complicate matters, her new horse, Sleipnir, seems to be having a negative influence on her, leading her to question her own morality.

Sigrid's first official valkyrie mission sets off a chain of events that reverberate through the Nine Worlds. She becomes the target of the Night Elves and their malevolent king, who seeks to plunge everything into darkness. As if that wasn't enough, the mischievous Loki appears to be meddling with the delicate balance of light and dark.

With the shores of Vanaheim threatened by war and her friends facing exile, Sigrid strikes a deal with the new queen. She agrees to ride Sleipnir into battle against their enemies, even as the horse's influence tugs her closer to the line between good and evil. The fate of everyone rests on what Sigrid becomes: either a savior or a bringer of disaster.

Sigrid remains a highly entertaining protagonist, and her journey in this book is both engaging and relatable. The relationships depicted in the story are well-developed, capturing the complexities of both friendship and romance. It is particularly refreshing to see friends who argue yet remain steadfast in their support for one another. The book sets the stage for what promises to be an epic series finale, leaving readers eagerly anticipating the next installment.

The pacing of the book is excellent, maintaining a steady and fast-paced rhythm that keeps readers engrossed. The author's world-building effortlessly draws readers into the story, making it easy to immerse oneself in the Nine Worlds. All the characters are skillfully written, each with their own distinct personality and role in the narrative. Additionally, the action sequences are well-executed, striking a careful balance that enhances the plot rather than overshadowing it.

One aspect that may not appeal to all readers is the use of third-person point of view. However, this narrative choice does not detract significantly from the overall enjoyment of the book.

In conclusion, The Valkyrie's Shadow is a thrilling and captivating addition to the Helheim Prophecy series. Sigrid's compelling journey, well-crafted relationships, and the impending climax of the series make this book a must-read. The fast-paced and steady pacing, immersive world-building, and strong characterization all contribute to its appeal. Despite the use of third-person point of view, the book remains a highly recommended read for fans of fantasy, mythology, and exciting adventures.

4.9/5 rounded up to 5/5.

Valkyrie’s Shadow begins where the first book ended. Sigrid becomes an honorary Valkyrie and is on a mission to rescue Ratatosk the ferryman from the Night Elves. Little does Sigrid know that she is on the precipice of her personal world and homeland changing drastically forever.

Warner offers her readers a heart stopping adventure intertwined with Norse mythology. Sigrid is a sympathetic main character who you heartily cheer on during her adventures. Her attraction to Mariam has all the sixteen year old pining and angst you can imagine. Warner writes with her finger on the pulse of young adults and I so wish I had her books in my youth.

I highly recommend this series to be read in order for continuity.

I received an advance review copy from Entangled Publishing and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thanks so much to the publisher and to Netgalley for providing me with an e-ARC copy of this book!

I have scheduled promotional posts around release day for this book and I will provide a full review on my Instagram once I am able to get to this read.

Rating 5 stars on Netgalley as a placeholder for me to update later once the review is complete.

Will also complete a review on Goodreads once read.

Thanks again!

Dnf. This one just wasn't for us. Nothing wrong. Just didn't voice with me sadly. The series starred out phenomenal too.

The Valkyrie’s Shadow
by Tiana Warner
Pub Date: 25 Jul 2023

The Sigrid and The Valkyries series is best enjoyed in order.
Reading Order:
Book #1 The Valkyrie’s Daughter
Book #2 The Valkyrie’s Shadow

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.

#TheValkyriesShadow

Sigrid has achieved her dream of becoming a Valkyrie and has completed her first mission as a Valkyrie, rescuing Ratatosk (the God who ferries travelers between the worlds) from the Night Elves of Svartalfheim. Following the death of King Oleifr, his sister (and Sigrid’s aunt) Kaia becomes queen, and reaches out to Sigrid, wanting her to embrace her role as princess and wanting to get to know the niece she didn’t know she had. Sigrid is not particularly excited about being a royal but sees her newfound position and influence as an opportunity to improve things for her friends, Mariam and Fisk. She knows their talents can help protect Vanaheim, and believes that if the Valkyries and elites see how they can contribute, they will value them the same way she does.

However, Sigrid does not consider whether what she thinks Mariam and Fisk want is really what they want, and she does not fully appreciate the obstacles they will face in gaining acceptance. Also, in her desire to protect Vanaheim and restore balance to the nine worlds, which means repelling the Night Elves and finding a way to counteract the mischief of Loki, Sigrid begins to lose herself, letting power and vengeance overwhelm her (aided by the heightened abilities that come with being Sleipnir's heir). Furthermore, Kaia's interest in Sigrid is less familial and more a matter of how Sigrid can help Kaia kept Vanaheim as the dominant world. Kaia believes that the people of Vanaheim, especially the royals and Valkyries, are superior to the inhabitants of the other worlds, especially the "sub-human" elves and giants.

It will take the efforts of old and new friends for Sigrid to realize that her greatest strength is her humble upbringing as a stable hand, as she respects and admires people because of how they treat her and others around them, not because of their status or their race. Her closest friends are fellow stable hands, and she has befriended a Night Elf (Fisk) and a young woman (Mariam, who becomes her girlfriend) from Niflheim, a world known for liars and thieves. Moreover, instead of wanting to conquer and rule over the other worlds or suppress the other worlds (like her mother and her aunt), she wants to talk with the leaders, especially the Night Elf King, and find ways to coexist and restore balance.

Thank you Netgalley and Entangled Publishing LLC for this e-ARC in an exchange for an honest review.

The Valkyrie's Shadow is the second book in this series by Tiana Warner. The story keeps revolving around Sigrid as the main character and her journey. I really don't want to give away too much, but it was quite a ride.

Just like the first book I absolutely enjoyed the story. It was easy to get back into it even if some time went by since I read the first one. I was hooked with the first page once again and read the book in no time. We got some new characters introduced, wich I absolutely liked how perfectly crafted they were. The characters development in here was absolutely incredible once again. I love to see how they change and grow over the time.
I also enjoyed the action-packed pacing. There is really a quiet moment, but it doesn't get overwhelming. It is a perfect mixture just like in the first one.

Overall I can recommend this series and can't wait for the next book :)

Big thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the chance to review this book in addition to the one before it. I really enjoyed this series, and will be posting a more formal review will be available on my IG/TikTok and Goodreads!

I really really enjoyed the book, it was super fast-paced and I found myself reading until dawn. I loved the evolution of the plot and how we got to know more characters deeply. The action scenes were so well-written and the relationships between each characters were well-developed. It made me feel happy, mad and sad at so many points of the book. The book was so good at making us feel like we’re in Sigrid’s shoes, the wanting to trust and being betrayed, falling in love and the feeling of struggle. It was just a really really good book.

Sigrid has only gotten stronger and more determined. She has grown to be this fierce character you want to root for but you can also tell she’s learning. She’s starting to find her own identity and roots, and that causes her to have this naivety that I really enjoyed reading about. Sigrid is also really adorable with her nerves and navigating the romantic part of her life. I loved how they balanced each other our, soft and tough!

I loved the book, and this type of book needs way more hype. The lore and magic system of the book was top tier, I mean literally the valkries!! Totally recommend for people who love viking style lore and romantasies!

I loved this book the first book was so good I didn't think it could get any better but I was so wrong I devoured this book!

Valkyrie’s Shadow was a great second book in this series! For me, the book was a little hard to keep up with at times, but if you have any Norse mythology knowledge, then this shouldn’t be an issue. Sigrid had some of the best character development I’ve ever read and that made this book especially worthwhile. I can’t wait to see where this story goes!

A really great follow-up to The Valkyrie's Daughter. The world we were introduced to gets more detailed and the characters are developed much further. More characters are added to the mix, but somehow it's easy to remember them all. Sigrid understandably is the main focus, but everyone else is nicely balanced. I could always use a little more romance but this slow burn was perfect. Plus, who has time for romance when there's SO much going on? Seriously-the word action-packed doesn't do it justice. Never a dull moment and I could barely put it down for meals. I so enjoyed this book!
#NetGalley

The Valkyries Shadow: Sigrid and the Valkyries - Book 2 by Tiana Warner

400 Pages
Publisher: Entangled Publishing LLC, Entangled Teen
Release Date: July 23, 2023

Fiction, Teens, Young Adult, Sci Fi, Fantasy, Norse Mythology, LGBTQIA, Coming of Age

Sigrid’s journey continues as she accepts her position with the royal family. Together with Mariam and Fisk, they are fighting to save Vanaheim from the Dark Elves. The king has died and Sigrid is asked to take her place as princess. This comes as a surprise to the junior Valkyries who have taunted her as a stable hand.

The story has a steady pace, the characters are developed, and it is written in the third person point of view. Sigrid has grown as a character from the last book. If you like Norse mythology and young adult books, you may enjoy this story.

A good second book in the series. No sophomore slump!

The story of Sigrid and the Valkyries continues with more adventures and intrigue as well as romance for some of our characters. After Sigrid’s encounter with her mother at the end of book one, Sigrid has returned home. Surprises await her as her standing in the world is elevated. She works on developing her relationship with Sleipnir, the eight legged horse of Odin. Her relationship with Mariam is a work in progress. Fisk is back in this story, too. As trouble comes to their realm, the characters pull together although not everybody is in total agreement. All in all, a really enjoyable book and I am looking forward to the next book in the series. Happy reading!

This book is truly captivating. I really enjoyed the plot in the character development. This book will draw you in and you’ll be wrapped up in it in no time.

Review in progress and to come.

I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review

I really enjoyed the writing of this book. Of course I struggled with pronunciations but it didn’t detract from the story. I appreciate the representation shown in this book and how it was portrayed. I’m very happy that this is an ongoing series and now I’m sad to have to wait EVEN LONGER for the third

I was excited to continue Sigrid’s story, especially with the ending of The Valkyrie’s Daughter and the tension between Mariam and Sigrid. I really enjoyed the opening of the story and Sigrid’s first mission as a Valkyrie to try and save Ratatosk who may have been kidnapped by the Night Elf King. There were lots of really good battle scenes and I loved the idea of the encompassing dark and the magic used on the arrows.

Of course there is the wonderful Fisk who continues to be one of my favourite characters. There is some humour, LGBTQ+ romance, likeable characters, good/evil. The middle part of the story did feel quite long however it was important to the development of Sigrid’s character and the plot.

I think it’s correctly aimed at a teen/YA audience.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this in advance.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. OMG this is such a great 2nd book in the series. I need book 3 now! I really and enjoying this series so much more than I thought and I devoured this in one sitting!

I was super excited for this story and it didn't disappoint! It picks up at the end of book one and I devoured this story in one setting. I can't wait until it's out in the world!