Where do I begin...Amy Harmon has yet to fail me, she always brings the goods I don't know how she does it, but I am grateful for it. Her character building is so rich and soulful I can't help but, fall in love with them. Bayr the bravest sweetheart with a stutter that just clinch my heart was a what you want in a hero who is so humble. Alba our warrior princess who knows herself and what she wants unafraid to express herself, a true heroine. Dagmar and Ghost the star-crossed lovers who just break my heart with what potential love could be if not for sacrifices. I could talk on and on about this Norse mythology of a fantasy and thank Amy Harmon for her gift of words and creating worlds that come to life with her vivid imagination. She is a true storyteller who knows how to deliver by keeping readers mesmerized long after the story has ended.

Action, dry humour and a big dose of magical Norse culture makes this an extremely fun read. I love the way that Amy Harmon mixes this mystical rune magic with masterful world building and unforgettable characters.

I give this book 6 stars and a strong recommendation! It's very well written. The characters are strong. The story is so good! I loved this book!

RATING: 3.5/5 STARS

Amy Harmon is amazing at creating lush imagery in her fantasy novels. The writing in this book is vivid and descriptive, and the worldbuilding is thorough. I savored Alba and Bayr's slow-build relationship. Bayr is such a kind-hearted, genuine character - his protectiveness over those he loves gave me life. Alba, Dagmar, and Ghost are also wonderful characters. However, I felt this story dragged for me a little towards the end. If you liked THE BIRD AND THE SWORD and THE QUEEN AND THE CURE by Amy Harmon, I definitely recommend giving this book a try though. She is such a talented writer.

A sincere thanks to NetGalley and 47North for providing an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Amy Harmon can bring words to life and leave you haunted when they’re gone. The First Girl Child creates a world filled with characters that become both beloved family and villainous enemy. This book shows the consequences of choices made from love and those ignored by greed. A lifetime isn’t always enough to protect what we love.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

I’ve read about 9 books by Amy Harmon. She never disappoints. She’s one of the best story tellers and her talents have no end. She writes fiction, historical fiction and sci-fi. I honestly must say I prefer her fiction over the sci-fi but I appreciate her willingness to write different stories and reach different audiences.

I liked The First Girl Child. Strong female character, which I enjoyed. Amy writes very vividly and paints a beautiful picture of all the events.

I am a fan of Amy Harmon’s books and this one does not disappoint. Her attention to detail and a unique story line made it hard to out this book down. She paints a great picture of life in Saylok and I spent the entire book cheering for Alba and Bayr. If you want a great story of honor, love and family, this book is for you!

The First Girl Child is set in a world of magic and hidden secrets. It's a gritty fantasy at its most cutthroat. A large part of this is due to the cast of characters, many of whom are torn between survival and doing what is right. These aren’t straightforward characters, honest or good. They’re characters who must react to what’s in front of them and who keep to their own code, whether or not others approve of it.

There is also plenty of history tucked away in the pages. The mysterious ruined society that haunts both the characters and physical landscape of the novel also firmly grasped my attention. Part of me hopes for more answers because I love the intrigue and secrecy! It certainly adds a brilliant layer to an already exciting fantasy.

There is so much in which this book excels. Distance itself from others. From main plot, through characterization and worldbuilding to prose. There is an earnestness in Amy Harmon's writing. An honesty and lack of pretension that I find refreshing and so enjoyable to read. I find it hard to explain as it is so intangible
A recommendation for all of those who enjoy fresh take in this genre.

This book was phenomenal!!! Once I picked it up I just couldnt put it down! It will draw you and then then trap you there!

The First Girl Child by Amy Harmon is just a reminder that Amy has and can write anything and the results will be outstanding.

This book hooked me right from the beginning. Fantasy is not my go to genre, but when I read Amy's first fantasy, The Bird and the Sword, I realized what I had been missing.

The First Girl Child will take you on a mythical Norse journey where Odin is primarily worshipped and feared by the people of Saylok. The balance of Saylok's power resides with The Keepers of the Temple and the clan chieftains.

At the onset, Saylok is cursed. "From this day forward, there will be no daughters in Saylock."

Deceit and murderous greed leads to the advancement of one of the chieftains as king. As the curse continues to plague the land the clans suffer and battle to save their land while plundering others outside of their community.

A fearless boy named Bayr, known for his incredible strength, is charged with protecting the princess, the only female born to Saylok since the curse was cast.

This is all I'm going to be able to say about the story without spoilers.

This is a complex story, I wouldn't label a "beach read". Lots of characters (several that are pivotal, and two that are endearing to the story) and information are imbedded in this novel that is sure to stay with you for a long time to come.

The writing is phenomenal as is the tale of Saylok.

This is such a powerful book. And while the slower pace of the writing and plot initially threw my expectations of a faster, more intense kind of story, I quickly assimilated to the storytelling and was caught up in the expertly-woven tale within these pages. I absolutely loved the concept of a world with such quiet yet incredibly important magic as part of the peoples lives. I loved how Norse mythology was a major backbone of the fantasy world and yet how there were many ties to actual history that made this story and world seem even more believable! But most of all I loved the characters, and reading of their growth and story arcs was the most enjoyable and emotional part of this read. So to say that I loved this book is a bit of an understatement and I'm already considering a re-read after finishing this review!

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I am a big fan of Amy Harmon, but I have to say I enjoy her contemporary and historical fiction more. I am not a big fantasy or scifi type reader. I will say anyone who loves Game of Thrones or true fantasyland will love this. Cleverly written and strong characters.

This is the first book I read by Amy Harmon. I had taken a break from reading fantasy after being overwhelmed by the genre. I gave this book a chance and I am so glad I did. It captured my attention, the world she built in the story was amazing. I liked how she developed not just her main characters but the secondary characters as well. They weren't just some filler stories. Overall, it is a great read, especially if you are trying to get back in the fantasy genre but don't want to read a long saga.

This isn't a bad book, but it isn't a book I would recommend to a friend.

First the good. The writing is first-rate and the editing excellent. The author has a gift for developing interesting and complex characters. The world building is fun and interesting, and the story as a whole is easy to follow despite covering many years and depicting a variety of characters.

The bad part is the pacing. The first 200 pages just drag along, appearing to go nowhere. Is it really necessary to watch the central character's entire childhood? This is a 400 page book. Everything could have been told in a lean 250 pages, and the story would have benefited from it.

There is a moderately satisfying resolution at the end, but it's nothing spectacular. Despite the pacing problems, the story is fairly well told. It just is not very appealing.

The only other thing of note is the title. The First Girl Child? One presumes this refers to the character Alba, who isn't really the first of anything. And, in any event, she is not the central character. Bayr is the central character.

No. I wanted to like this story. There just wasn't much to it. It is a bland and moderately good book.

This authors writing is fantastic. These characters are definitely strong. This is a fantasy book. Absolutely amazing.
Thanks NG for the Arc.

Amy Harmon writes the most beautiful books and this one lived up to her others. Her characters are strong yet delicate just like her writing. The First Girl Child was a fantastic fantasy novel filled with love on many different levels. Love of family, love of faith, love of land and first loves. I don’t care what Amy writes, I will ALWAYS read it!

*****5 PHENOMENAL STARS!!!*****

I wish I was allowed to give more stars. This book hit the mark on every level for me.

I'm a fan of Amy's prior works. She is a master wordsmith and weaves incredible stories! This story was no different, in fact, I think it's my favorite yet. Her characters have a depth that not all authors can capture.

The First Girl Child is one of pure brilliance. There's heartache, betrayal, love, lessons, and underlying messages. I can't say enough good things about this book and I plan on owning the physical copy the moment it's released, along with pushing this book on anyone who will (and won't) listen.

It wasn't a book I read in one sitting, it was better than that. I read when I could and stewed on the story, thinking about it and deconstructing it, trying to figure out what in the world was going to happen. It was a slow burn. I didn't want it to end so I took my time with it.

This story deserves infinite stars. So does Amy.

Just WOW!

Every time I read an Amy Harmon book I pray that a film producer will pick it up and make it into a film. The scenes in the book and the characters are so beautifully described that they played out in big screen cinematography as I read it.

The First Girl Child has left me spellbound. I don’t know how I can move on. I want to return to the land of Saylok and stay there forever with the keepers of the Temple. I want to climb to the top of Shinway and find the cave with the runes.

Amy Harmon weaves such well thought out tales of magic and mystery that you can’t help but be fully immersed. My heart raced, my pulse was beating like a drum, my palms sweating, tears running down my face. Stunning.

TFGC will, without any doubt at all, be in my best reads of 2019 list. No mayhaps about it.

4.5 stars! Amy Harmon’s ability to develop a world that is so vividly depicted through her words continues to astound me, and I keep coming back for more! The First Girl Child has a very Viking/Norse feel to it with a mix of fantasy, and the narration and dialogue was spot on for the setting of this story. What I loved most, though, was the character development.

When Bayr was born, his dying mother cursed the land of Saylok so that there would be no more daughters. His uncle, Dagmar, took up the responsibility of raising Bayr among the Keepers at the temple. As he grew in age, he also grows in strength, and it quickly became apparent that Bayr was very gifted for a boy his age. To everyone’s surprise, a chieftain announces his wife has given birth to a daughter, Alba, whom Bayr is given the task to protect, and from there a whirlwind of a story begins.

This is a beautiful story of love, loss, lies, and redemption, and I couldn’t help but become consumed from the first page to the last. While I loved the story as a whole, I do wish there was a bit more at the end as I felt it was a bit rushed. But overall, I highly recommend this book!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2743339924

Amy Harmon knocked this fantasy right out of the park! Holy W O W. I love her strong female characters. They are what females of the reading world need. Her writing is mesmerizing and captivating. GET THIS BOOK NOW.