Very good book with a heroine who knows how to fight (with an axe and a sword, what a badass!) against her ennemies. Then she discovers that her brother isn't that dead and that what happened to him is even worse: he went to the side of the enemy! It will therefore try to recover it and reason with it, but everything is not going as planned, a greater and greater danger threatens both peoples and the only solution to win is to unite. Viking atmosphere guaranteed! And the romance I've been waiting for is here too!

This was a book that I loved and devoured very quickly. For me, I loved the heroine, Eelyn who loved her family and people so much yet was able to grow as a leader and face new challenges in an even bigger community. I do think that some readers may find the intense fighting scenes to be short and anti-climatic but this didn't both me at all. This novel also had some aspects of medicine, family drama, best friendships and adventures. I do believe this is a stand-a-lone novel however I feel that Myra should get her own story. 5 stars!
Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC of this novel.

Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young is amazing. This book started out with a bang and never lets you go. Right away the author gives you so much information about the main character Eelyn. She is a touch young women that loves her family deeply. She suffered a great loss when her brother died. I wasn't totally sure what to think when this book came across my email box but I wanted to give it a chance. This book is brutal. This book is violent. This book is exceptional. This book isn't so much about killing and revenge that it is about survival and learning about yourself. The era of Viking was not easy and this book really shows that.

When Eelyn swears that she saw her brother fighting against their own, everything changes for her. She is told that she just saw his spirit but she knows differently and she is determined to figure out what is going on. I really love how stubborn Eelyn is and that she does not give up when she sets her mind to something. This book is about getting over your differences and learning to get along and fight for each other. I really enjoyed the characters in this book. I thought Young brought really good characters to the story and was able to make them into people that I could relate too.

Young is an exceptional writer. I found myself being drawn into this story right away. I really enjoyed everything about it. You can tell the detail that Young put into her writing. I think it is great that there was no insta-love. I find that I tend to like the slow burn sort of love that I got from this book. I am really looking forward to the companion novel for this book. I am so ready for more! If you want amazing writing and an adventurous story this is the book for you to read. You will not be disappointed!

**Thank you, NetGalley, for sending me an electronic ARC to review!**

Eelyn, at 17 years old, is fighting in her second battle against the rival Riki clan. Eelyn is battle-hardened even at her young age; she and her father are warriors, whose main objectives are fighting and survival. Unfortunately, this battle won't make things any easier, because one of the first faces she sees is that of her brother, Iri -- who died at the hands of the enemy five years earlier.

Following Iri into the forest and away from the battle, she is taken prisoner, where she must face her brother's betrayal while living in the Riki village, where every neighbor is an enemy and every scar may be one she personally inflicted. If that wasn't hard enough, the village gets attacked by a ruthless enemy thought to be a legend. Can she possibly trust the people who surround her, forgive her brother, and save both her own clan and the one she is starting to, if not adopt, at least humanize?

Kat's notes: I didn't know I needed a kickass Viking-esque warrior girl with excessive emotional baggage and an iron will in my life, but apparently I did, because Eelyn is exactly what my reading life was missing. I find myself hoping for more books by this author, even before *this* book has been published, because I just can't get enough. The characters, the writing style, the bloody battles and village life and substitute mother figure... YES! I couldn't put this down, and while I am not one to make fan-art... I may be tempted to make myself an Eelyn action figure.

What a great debut novel by Adrienne Young! I couldn’t put this book down, read it in one day.
The Aska and the Riki are two clans fighting each other. Eelynn fights for the Aska and during one of the battles, she sees her brother. Who died 5 years ago. This book is about trust, forgiveness and growing up. Loved Fiske, Halvard and Iri.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ecopy of the book in advance, for an honest review.

I was pulled into this book right away...sadness coursing through me when I had to put it down. I mean, who can resist reading about a Viking battle scene from the start of the book?! I will mention that the action quickly fades and does not return until the end of the story. However, do not let that fool you...this book is far from a bore. Eelyn is an incredibly strong Viking woman who holds honor and family above all else. I love the show Vikings and Lagertha is who I imagine when thinking of Eelyn. Psst...Lagertha is the best! She has always been my favorite character.

It is not only Eelyn but every character that shows continued strength and bravery throughout. I love a book filled with such honorable and strong individuals. Young truly embraced the spirit of the Vikings in her novel. The two clans presented are enemies, due to beliefs in different Gods. Vikings feel very strongly about their Gods. This was accurately presented in this novel. There does not need to be some disgruntled elders fighting over an argument long ago...simply not believing in the same Gods can be enough to become enemies. It is apparent that Young did her research prior to writing this novel. I will say, some may not like the fact that she does not adhere strictly to Viking history, but it is a fictional novel...she used her creativity to put her own twist on it.

I was expecting this to be a story packed to the brim and bursting with action. I was wrong, but not disappointed. This book is more character driven. I love seeing the different levels on which the characters form bonds with one another. Eelyn goes through a lot of pain but soon realizes that she may have been thinking wrong the entire time. Maybe things were not exactly as they seemed. Though romance develops between characters, I do not feel it is needed here. For the amount of blood and gore discussed, the romance scenes were lacking, which I am ok with. I appreciate a novel that does not revolve around the romance of characters, but a larger, more complex story.

There is not much world building throughout this great Viking tale. I can picture the villages and people within, the forest, mountains, battles...other than that there is not much to tell. I was originally told this was a standalone book. I am happy to find there will be a companion novel released in 2019. I would very much like to know how the clans proceed after this novel ends...no it does not end on a cliffhanger. It is a relief...it seems like so many books lately have ended on cliffhangers. I hate moving on to something new when I am still distraught from the book I finished...craving more.

Remember this fantastic Viking fantasy is released April 24th! Pre-order now...or wait until you can get immediate satisfaction by buying it after publication. Either way, do not miss this book.

Thank you very much to St Martin’s Press for granting my wish and providing an eARC of the book.

If you’re looking for an action-packed novel with a fierce female main character who is multifaceted, and the text is filled with historical accuracy that doesn’t show violence against women, then look no further than Sky in the Deep.

Adrienne Young’s YA debut is definitely something every book lover should read. The novel draws you in from the very first page with its intense fighting scene, and the story never dulls due to Young’s first-rate writing.

I absolutely adored Eelyn. You know how this this trend in the media of having powerful women who are heartless and unloving because they have to be a “strong, independent woman” and nothing else? Yeah, Eelyn’s not like that. She’s strong, absolutely, but she’s also vulnerable and she cries when she’s stressed but then a day later, she’s pulling a man’s eye out with her bare hands, and then is in shock that she was able to do such a thing. She’s a complex character and I loved reading her amazing journey from honourable warrior to angry, frightened slave to clan hero.

Also, the romance was i n c r e d i b l e. At the beginning of the book, I was concerned about the person Eelyn would fall for as Fiske had a greater position of power over her, but there’s no need to be concered. The romance is so soft and subtle and sneaks up on you: it comes through in the tiniest and sweetest of ways, and you can’t help but ship them together.

I also loved Eelyn’s relationship with her brother, Iri. Eelyn is understandably devastated and angry when she learns the truth about her brother – that he has been alive all these years, living with their enemies – and she struggles with balancing the love she has for him and coming to terms with his betrayal. Their relationship is very different from when they were children and I enjoyed reading about Eelyn learning about Iri’s life and coming to new realisations about the people she once thought were her enemies and how they were not so different from her people after all.

Sky in the Deep is an incredible, emotional story about one woman’s extraordinary journey to unite to warring clans and finding love along the way. It’s a must read!

Sky in the Deep is a unique warrior story rich with characters you won't soon forget. Set in the Viking era, this fantasy-light story explores the relationships between family, enemies, and the complex human emotions surrounding both. Sky in the Deep has a lot to offer fans of all genres!

I have heard so many good things about this book, so I was super excited to read it! And I'm happy to say that this book was even better than I had expected! While it isn't my favorite read so far this year, (That goes to The Cruel Prince) it's pretty close. It's not as fast paced, and doesn't have the 'wow' factor that I often look for, but this one is just as powerful. It's a slow-burn...in more ways that one. It is one of those that the more you read, the more immersed in the world you become.

While I guessed a few of the twists as I was reading, it in no way took away from the pleasure of reading. If fact, the more I came to know about the characters, the more I fell in love with them and their world. This is one of those books that stay with you, long after reading, and it's not often I find books that I can say that about. Sure there are plenty of YA fandoms, and YA is full of feels, but this one feels...older somehow. More mature, as if you as a reader, grow up and gain new understandings along with the characters. That is something I don't find often with YA, especially in stand-alones, and that I feel is what makes this story so beautiful.

eARC provided through NetGalley by Wednesday Books (this in no way affects my review which is honest and unbiased)

Well... I absolutely adored this book! Side note, I also really love the TV show Vikings, so I guess that there wasn't any chance of me not loving this story. Particularly as I read the whole book imagining Eelyn as a young Lagertha (my all-time favourite Vikings character).

The Goodreads synopsis pretty much covers the basic plot of the story... Every five years, the Aska clan and Riki clan fight due to their beliefs — Eelyn sees her presumed dead brother Iri on the battlefield, the first time she believes her father saying it was his spirit but the second time she follows him, getting captured by the Riki as a result. She eventually finds herself living with her brother and his adopted Riki family (Eelyn and her brother are both from the Aska clan) and she starts to realise that maybe her "enemy" clan isn't as different to her as she'd imagined...

Characters wise, the depth that Young puts into her characters in a relatively short book is amazing. I felt like I really connected to Eelyn in particular, along with another of the main characters, Fiske. They're such feisty characters and if you've been reading my reviews for a while you'll know I love a story with a strong female main character! There were so many secondary characters who we got an in-depth look at as well, my particular favourites being Fiske's little brother Halvard (he is seriously adorable throughout) and Eelyn's best friend, Myra (though I wish we'd seen more of her).

One thing I absolutely adored about the characters in general is how human they were described. Yes they were strong, fierce Vikings but even the most fierce cried at times when you would expect them to. Adrienne took this fearsome group and made sure you would still see them as humans you could emphasise with. There were issues of loyalty covered throughout the story which made the emotional side so much more poignant also.

There are romance elements to the story but the main romance is hate to love and done very well (side note, I'm pretty sure that's my favourite trope in YA fiction). It’s such a natural progression, and even though it was a little easy for me to see it happening it didn’t make it any less emotional to read.

Now the writing, I think that was one of my favourite things about the story, the descriptive writing is just so mesmerising that even the violence is written in a lyrical way which helps to keep you fully absorbed in the story. There are references to Viking phrases written in both Old Norse and English throughout as well, and as a language lover I particularly loved these little additions.

This is a stand-alone novel that flows so well, there's a clear ending to it and even though I'd love to have been able to read more about Eelyn and her world I think it was perfect as a stand-alone. I'm definitely looking forward to reading more from Adrienne and I hope she'll be publishing more very soon. And although I already loved Vikings, I want more Viking stories after reading this beautiful story!

Sky in the Deep is steeped in loyalty and faith, in determination and a desire to survive. Eelyn has trained her whole life to fight, to fight for her people and keep them alive. But life is complicated, people not so different than she thought, and what was once unthinkable will have to happen if Eelyn wants all whom she loves to survive.

Eelyn is a warrior, strong and head-strong. Determined. Trained since she was a child to fight back against her clan's ancient enemy, the Riki. She will fight, and one day, she will die with honour on the battlefield. Until the day she sees her dead brother, only he's not dead and he's fighting for the other side. Until she follows him, lost and confused, and is captured by the Riki. Forced to become a servant. Hating everyone around her, including her brother Iri. But some things are not what Eelyn expected, some things are different while others are far too similar. And in order to survive, Eelyn will have to fight with the Riki.

Books like this give you a glimpse of human nature, of something everyone does. Loyalty and belief take us so far, they can give us family and friends. A place to be. Something to live for, and for some, something to fight for. Perhaps to die for. But then comes the blind loyalty, then comes the refusal to see things a different way. In Eelyn's case, it's the need of the Aska and the Riki to come together in order to survive against a greater enemy, a common enemy. It's a battle between wanting, needing to survive and being unwilling to trust the other side. From outside the story the reader can see the choice that must be made, the choice that would mean survival for both sides, would mean an end to their war. But that's because they're the reader. They're not the Aska or the Riki, fighting year after year, unwilling to trust or come together. It's books like this that show us the stubborn, unwilling to listen side of being human, that show us sometimes we need to stop and listen, stop and consider, stop and work together against something that would destroy all of us. There's always time to stop and work together.

I would like to start by saying quite strongly that this is not a fantasy novel. It unfortunately has been labeled that, but once you read it you will quite clearly see that there is no magic, no Odin or Loki lurking about, nothing about it says fantasy. It is a viking inspired historical adventure fiction. Maybe other people have a looser definition of fantasy than I do or perhaps we just don’t know enough about the time period this book is set in to say it is historically accurate. But I think people who don’t enjoy fantasy will pass this book by because of that label and that would be a shame. Check out this interview with the author on Goodreads to see how she researched and used actual elements from their culture to shape her world.

This was a gripping story full of battles, family bonds, friendships, matters of religion and honor, so so much it is hard to believe that it is only 352 pages. It reads like a much longer book, and not because it drags, but because there is so much to the world, the plot and the characters. I am also a big fan of the enemy of my enemy is my friend plot.

Eelyn is such a badass, and not just because she is a warrior and can handle an axe. But she can handle herself, think quickly and keeps on going even when injured. I liked her and had an easy time connecting to her story and to her. She does have a lot of inner conflict though, which just makes her feel more real. She really has a hard time accepting her brother’s betrayal to his clan and family. But she does eventually get it. To her the Rikki were always just the enemy, someone they did battle with because they didn’t worship the same god and because they just did. Fighting the Rikki was just what they did every 5 years. But she does eventually begin to see them as no different than the Aska. They have families and lives very similar to hers. But honor always gets in the way of acceptance.

Fiske and his family were great characters as well. I loved little Halvard, he had such a kind, gentle and open heart how could you not love him? Inge was also a great character, a great mother role that both Iri and Eelyn both really needed. Fiske I had mixed feelings about from the start, but he eventually won me over just like he did with Eelyn. There is a short and sweet romance between them, but it doesn’t overshadow the main plot which was nice.

The plot has its ups and downs. It starts right off with Eelyn in battle with the Rikki and just keeps going. There are some brutal battle images throughout the book so be aware if you are sensitive to gore and violence. There is one scene that involves eyes that I won’t go into, but lets say I skipped to the next page once I saw where it was going. There are some slower sections when life is simply happening, but through out those sections you are learning what the simple day to day life of a viking must have been like. They were not constantly raiding and fighting their enemies. They were simply just living their lives. Al though those parts has a slower pace, I certainly did not think they were boring. The social structor and the religion explanations were fascinating.

This next section might be a bit of a spoiler if you have not read the book yet, but I feel that it needs to be said. I was fully willing to give this a five star rating until I got to the last chapter. That chapter just took away all of the credibility to the story. I just find it hard to believe that after thousands of years of animosity, one battle could suddenly change everything? Maybe I’m just reading it wrong, but it really irked me. But otherwise it was a really great read.

If you are into Vikings, historical fiction, kick ass female leads this would be a great book for you to check out. It has been getting a lot of hype, but it is well deserved. It is hard to believe that this is a debut and I am looking forward to seeing what else this author will be writing in the future.

4.5

Every five years the Aska and Riki clans meet in battle on the fields of Aurvanger in what is known as “the fighting season.” This has been going on for generations starting with a clash of their respective gods Sigr and Thora.

Eelyn lives by their clan mantra, Honor above life. That is, until she sees something, or I should say someone, on the battlefield that has her questioning everything. Eelyn’s brother was killed five years ago at the last fighting season, but she sees him now clear as day fighting with the enemy. When she tried to confront him, she’s taken prisoner.

If she wants to survive to make it home, she’ll have to trust her brother’s friend Fiske with her life. Things get further complicated when a common enemy attacks both clans and nearly decimates the Riki. As Eelyn’s feelings for Fiske grow into something she’s not yet prepared to acknowledge, they’ll have to convince both groups to learn to work and fight together if they want a chance at survival.

Eelyn really captures all the characteristics of what a strong female heroine is supposed to encompass. I loved the fact that Eelyn is a warrior in her clan through and through. This isn’t a story where she wishes she could fight with the men, or where she secretly fights with the men hiding her true identity. No, men and women are equal on the battlefield throughout this story, and it was a joy to read.

I loved that Adrienne Young balanced Eelyn’s fierce and stubborn nature really well with her vulnerabilities for her family and beliefs, especially in light of what she sees as her brother’s betrayal of said family and beliefs.

Sky in the Deep does a great job of ruminating on the things that cause conflict between people, or groups of people. I liked that the origin of the hatred between the Aska and the Riki is lost in time, so to speak, it comes across a bit muddled. It’s been so long that, now, it seems the only thing people are fighting for are those who were killed in the previous fighting season five years ago and so on and so on. It’s a vicious cycle that could easily continue until the end of time.

Adrienne Young did a wonderful job of incorporating the romance that builds between Eelyn and Fiske into the bigger picture. It’s understated, yet works well as a companion to Eelyn’s own justifiably conflicted feelings about the Riki. She’s supposed to hate these people, but as she’s around them and learns about them, her beliefs start to change, and it, understandably, scares her.

I would have liked the representation of the clans to be a bit more equal. As it stands the story skews towards the Riki side of things, understandably, but by not giving more page time to the Aska it brings down the impact of Eelyn’s internal struggle. I also wanted to see more female friendships, but I can almost forgive this one as I really like the way Adrienne Young speaks about what makes a family.

Regardless, Sky in the Deep is a wonderful debut that straddles the line pretty well between YA and adult reading. I didn’t want the story to end, but as it is definitely a standalone, I’m sure to pick up the as-of-yet untitled companion novel next year. Look out for this one, folks!

This debut YA fantasy will hold no surprises for the long-time reader, but for a debut book it packs quite a punch.

Eelyn (how am I to pronounce it? EEE-line sounds kind of awkward) is a tough fighter in a sort-of Viking world, scavenging for life in a tough environment between fierce battles with a neighboring people pretty much like her own, and the mysterious Herza. Fierce as in gallons of blood and guts proving that yep, she's badass, all right, before she gets captured by a handsome young warrior from the other side.

You know exactly where it's going from there, and it goes there. Along the way there's plenty of angst (Eelyn's beloved older brother, thought dead, isn't) and learning new ways of daily life in the slow-burn enemies-to-lovers arc, with plenty of death threats going back and forth.

Teens who like vivid, harsh worlds and lots of badass blood and guts swapped off with I hate-you-I-love you arcs will surely enjoy this book.

I finished! I feel like I should get an award for this. It isn’t that this book is bad really- it’s just exactly like every other YA fantasy novel out there. Except with less memorable characters and a not so colorful setting.

I’m sorry. I really wanted to love this. Really. I am vikings obsessed. I’ve watched and rewatched every season of Vikings since Vikings first aired. It is the ONLY show that I bother to watch as it airs, tracking premiere dates and gobbling up teaser trailers like candy. I even bought DVDs of The Last Kingdom knowing nothing about it except it was based on Uhtred. I read all ten Saxon Stories in the span of a year. I mean really- it is not hard to sell me on Vikings anything.

But honestly- perhaps that’s where this went wrong. I can’t remember if the blurb specifically says Vikings but the inspiration is pretty obvious. The girl on the cover resembles Lagertha. Those are some mighty shoes to fill. And Eelyn? Eelyn is no Lagertha. Vikings history and culture is rich and complex. It is far, far more than “brutal clan warfare.” Where were the sagas? Where were the poets? The explorers? The conquerers? The Norse pantheon? The Thing? The Viking technology? To me it felt like deciding to write a book “inspired” by Romans and only including the gladiator arenas, Jupiter and Mars. If you’re going to write a book like this- write it right. Pay attention. Reading a single book on Vikings would have fleshed out the culture more than this.

Anyway- you might think the offense I’ve taken at the bare bones structure we’re given here is my only issue. It’s not. There’s a whole lot of telling here and hardly any showing. Eelyn tells us time and again how she’ll “kill them all.” Mostly she just lights their fires and crushes their garlic and helps them fish. I never got a sense of who any of the characters were beyond that they were all warriors, healers and/or leaders.

And then the deus ex machina all over the place. None of the events in this book made sense. They were all too convenient. <spoiler> Why did Fiske’s family go fish him out of the trench but Eelyn and her father just leave Iri there? WHY?! Fiske’s family looked for him for two days and then got him out. Eelyn and Aghi knew exactly where Iri was but apparently they didn’t care enough to retrieve his body. And then they wonder why he switched sides?!! Gee, um I don’t know. Maybe because you left him for dead? Obviously it wasn’t impossible to get him out of the trench. You obviously have some kind of rock climbing harnesses and ropes as evidenced by the usage of it in the last 20% of the novel... yet you just left him there. To rot. That’s great. I wish that was the only example. Aside from the catalyst of the entire novel being too contrived, the resolution of it all is also absurd, but I won’t spoil it here.</spoiler>

The action scenes weren’t terribly written. By the time the infamous arrow to the shoulder is received they’ve absolutely lost all excitement. The problem with grievously wounding your main character 3 times in the opening 5 chapters is that the reader just basically realizes the MC is clearly invincible and any sense of tension you might get from wondering if she’ll survive is completely lost.

I didn’t get a feel for the setting other then mountain villages versus beach villages. I wish the villages felt like they had more life to them. It seemed like the houses were all fairly close together but then later Eelyn mentions “rows for sowing”. Well what kind of sowing are we talking here? Are there acres of land to be farmed or a small family garden? It was just confusing.

The one thing I give this book credit for was the romance. I’m not sure it wasn’t instalove- but at the bare minimum I wasn’t forced to endure paragraphs upon paragraphs of Eelyn’s commentary on the color of Fiske’s eyes or his warrior heart. This was a relief.

All in all- lots of people like this already, so I know I’m probably being too hard on it. Picking it apart because I wanted something I felt like I was promised and wasn’t given. I recommend to fans of YA fantasy or YA romance. I would not recommend this to people looking for a fantasy Viking story. This is not that.

Thank you to NetGalley and Wednesday books for providing an eARC for me to review.

4.5 stars that I will happily round up to 5! I very much enjoyed this book for many reasons. First of all, its action-packed. If you are squeamish, be warned. There is blood and gut-spilling and wound infection treatment and burns and...yeah, this book has it all. Its not horror-movie gory or anything, but there is plenty of mention so just a heads up. But back to the action, this book has it. Eelyn (what a pretty name!) is a warrior. Its how she was raised; its in her soul.

So this leads into my second point: <u>Sky in the Deep</u> is a love story. Love for family, clansmen, and soulmates. When I read all the talk of family in the synopsis, I was a little concerned that this was going to be a mushy family saga. I am so glad I was proved wrong! The familial relationships were so realistic. There is love, yes, but there is also betrayal, hope, hatred, and kinship. As for the love interest, I don't think I've ever read one so refreshing. I expected a major hate-to-love trope story. While in general that's what this is, again, the story is so solid. Its not mushy, gushing, and crushing; it wasn't insta-love. In fact, we hardly hear any talk about Fiske being handsome or sweet...its all there in his actions and just such an organic way. Once love is declared and things heat up, the two are just so sweet and perfect and their shared moments are so beautiful and genuine. Fabulously handled.

And my third point: You can't talk or think about this book without mentioning the world-building. Perfect. I could play out every single moment of this Viking-esque world in my mind: what each of the villages looked like, their different settings, their armor, their leaders, <i>everything.</i> Another thing I was nervous about was hearing long descriptions of weapons because it just seems that most books that have extensive weaponry tend to go on about how special this sword is, or how this axe was someone's fathers, etc. Nope, not here. The author has excellent on what is important (<i>not</i> ornate weaponry).

Last but certainly not least, the characters are truly what makes this book excellent. Every single character is well-played and unique, contributing their own piece to Eelyn's heart. From Eelyn's father (who is a fierce man, but who is the perfect mix of gentle yet strong for his daughter) to the Tala (the 'enemy' clan's spiritual leader), the characters are colored the story so vibrantly. Harvard was, by far, my favorite. Aren't we all suckers for cute, curious little kiddo's?

I loved this book. What a breath of fresh air to have such a strong female lead. I loved the she was fierce and loyal and did not give a damn what anyone thought. It was a fast paced thrilling read that I will be recommending to everyone.

Eelyn is an Aska, raised from birth to be a warrior and to hate the Riki, a rival people whom the Aska battle every five years. She has never had a problem with this hatred until she discovers that her brother, thought to be dead for the last five years, is in fact alive and living with the Riki. In pursuing her brother she is captured and taken back to a Riki village, where she slowly discovers they are not so different from the Aska after all. When both the Riki and Aska are threatened by a larger tribe, Eelyn must try to overcome years of hate on both sides to convince them to fight together against the common enemy.
Sky in the Deep is an engrossing story of love and hate, and the damage that can be caused by passing on prejudice through generations. It is Viking-inspired, with equally fierce women and men. Some parts of the plot felt a bit rushed, and overall I think the book could have been longer to allow for more character development. However, I enjoyed the story and the characters, and would certainly read a sequel if one were to be written!

Review date: April 19
Review link: https://dulivre.blogspot.com/2018/04/book-review-sky-in-deep.html

Plot: Sky in the Deep has been getting rave reviews from all my blogging friends which has me wondering what I missed. I think at the end of the day, the writing wasn't for. By page one, I already had an inkling that I wasn't meshing with the writing or story, which was a shame. I liked that Sky in the Deep explored family ties and invisible lines and I also missed the memo that Sky in the Deep was a standalone novel. Sky in the Deep was a pretty quick read and the ending snuck up on me as well.

Characters: One major disappointment for me was that the characters felt very bland which goes back to the writing. I didn't feel I received a proper introduction of any of the characters nor did I empathize with them which impacted my reading experience. I really can't tell you one thing about our main character, Evelyn, as a result.

Worldbuilding: Young's unique setting and exploration of Viking culture were very well done; Young's research showed as she included language, customs, and in-depth descriptions of battle and Viking values. Becuase the book was such a quick read, I never connected with the world nor did I feel transported to it. Once again, this was because I never connected with the writing.

Short N Sweet: Sky in the Deep was an exploration of family with some good messages, but I just didn't care.

There was so much hype surrounding Sky in the Deep and this time, it sadly didn't work for me. I adored the world so much, to the point that it made me want to watch Vikings again, I really need more Viking content in my life. However, I found that it lacked depth and that the story didn't deliver, especially in terms of action, because it was a character-driven book (which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but you'd expect something else from a Viking-inspired novel). From the premise, I could already tell where the author would go and the messages she wanted to deliver, so not one bit of it surprised me. Maybe it's my fault for expecting a lot from YA fantasy, I don't know. I didn't find the characters particularly memorable, I liked them, but nothing more. Moreover, I was quite disappointed into the plot, because while I got good fighting scenes at the beginning and the end of the novel, the rest of it was made of every day life and I was bored for most of the first half of the novel, which is unfortunate considering how short this book was. The second half was worth not quitting, but it just wasn't something that surprised me. I liked the romance enough, but there were some cringe-worthy and cliché parts that made me rolled my eyes so hard.

In short, what makes this novel stands out is the Viking setting, which I really liked, but other than that, it didn't feel so different from other YA fantasy novels I've read in the past.