I never read this genre, ever. I make exceptions when it comes to a Amy Harmon noble. She never disappoints. I don't want to risk spoiling this book for anyone, so I'll just say...she did it again. Truly spectacular story with superb writing. Flawless. Read this when it comes out. Thank me later

I love Amy Harmon. When I saw a new title from her, I was excited. After I read the blurb, I couldn't wait to read the book! So you can't imagine my happiness when I got the ARC thanks to Netgalley!

It's a difficult book to review. It takes place in a span of many years. If I have to keep it simple - it all starts with a curse of no girl child on a land by a scorned woman dying after childbirth. It's a world that follows the Norse mythology. So there are ancient runes, warrior clans, temples, and what not.

I'll attempt to break down the plot by talking about the main characters. And there are plenty of them. So keep patience!

Desdemona - After her lover rejects her unborn son, in greed of marrying a princess and becoming future king, this warrior woman leaves a dying curse on her land, with her brother as her witness.

Dagmar - A keeper of the temple, Dagmar is the only one who knows about the curse that has caused his land to be daughter-less. He raises his nephew in the temple. It is his love and protectiveness for his nephew, that compels him to hide the secrets behind the curse.

Ghost - Ghost is the slave who gives birth to a daughter for the first time in 7 years. But the king steals her daughter and claims her as his own. Resigned to the fact that her daughter is better off as the princess, Ghost is forced to see from afar her daughter growing up.

Bayr - Bayr does not know that he is the bastard son of the king he serves. Due to the curse, Bayr is also inhumanely strong and stutters when speaking. When a 7 year old Bayr meets the newborn princess for the first time, he's dazzled. After he is assigned the princess's bodyguard due to his physical strength, he doesn't let her out of his sight for a moment.

Alba - Alba is the slave's daughter but raised as a princess. Only the king and Ghost knows about her true identity. She is seen as a symbol of hope for the land. She is exceptionally attached to Bayr who dotes on her.

It's an intricate plot where, every character has a part to play. No character is flawless. Every one of them have their weaknesses and selfish desires which affect not only the individuals but everyone else too. I also love how there is a unique dynamic between every character. It's a complex web of lies and secrets that makes the plot all the more intriguing.

Also, after a long time I found such an impactful book villain. I can't count the number of times I felt like killing that evil king. Even his name (Banruud) got on my nerves.

The world building was brilliant here. It's a huge book. But I can't think of one page or scene that was unnecessary. I am hoping that Amy Harmon will write more stories in this universe. I would love more fantasy books like this!

I'm not a fan of this genre. It's not one that I'm usually interested in reading. But, it's Amy Harmon and I absolutely love her stories so I thought I'd give it a shot. And I was not disappointed. Amy has a way of drawing you in to her stories and I became completely invested in these characters and this story.

The First Girl Child was yet again another amazing book by Amy Harmon. She is a master storyteller and knows how to keep readers engaged. This book is entangled with Norse mythology, which made an interesting read. I always love books that have fantasy in it. Once I started this book, I couldn’t put it down! The characters were well-developed, and I felt in tune to all their emotions. The world building was done masterfully as well. Overall, I would highly recommend this book, it is worth reading!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you took every genre Amy Harmon has written and you put them together you have the brilliance that is The First Girl Child. This book is easily one of my favorites by her. Amy is a go to author for me and I just don't see that ever changing. Her writing is unparalleled for me, no matter what genre she decided to release a book in.

Like for many, the story was a bit slow in parts for me but Amy's writing is so good that it kept me hooked and I knew just by getting to the next page that everything would pick up again. I was not wrong in that assumption. This is a very character driven story and Amy does a great job of world building around that. The different points of view truly were the concrete that kept this story solid. As the reader, we know all the secrets and are kept on the edge of our seats wondering when all would come crashing down. And come crashing down they did. From Ghost to the Highest Keeper, each character has a purpose in this book. In all honestly, I want to dive into each character for you but I want everyone that reads this book to come to their own conclusions and love (or hate) for them.

If you love historical fiction books with a little bit of magic and romance this book is for you. Amy has hinted at possibly continuing the stories in Saylok and I can tell you right now I will be first in line to read. The stories that could come out of this world could be endless but I have to admit, the daughters are where my heart lies. I'd love to follow them on the paths they decide to take. But know matter where she decided to take us or not take us, this one will go down as one I come back to.

A cursed kingdom, forbidden love, and a villainous king-what more could you ask for in a book? The First Girl Child tells the story of Saylok, a kingdom cursed by a dying woman. Filled with magic and mystery, a tale woven so well you’ll never want it to end. I loved this book. I loved the characters. I loved the story, how it unfolded, the detail. I want to stay in Saylok forever. I want to attend lessons in the temple and draw runes in my blood. Amy Harmon tells a tale so magical, you’ll think she was there.

I have to admit I'm not a fan of the fantasy genre I have a hard time getting into them. But with that being said Amy Harmon has created a new world that sucked me in and held on. The First Girl Child and the land of Saylok captivated me from the first chapter. Bayr and Alba's story was amazing and emotional. Two children who will grow up to be the salvation of Saylok had to go through the unthinkable to save the ones they loved. Well worth the read.

I’m still digesting this one a little bit as I did enjoy parts of the story but the writing and pacing were a bit jarring. We’re basically following Bayr throughout his life but we also get to see other characters including all the people who are integral to his upbringing. We do get to know these other characters as well, but I found myself wanting more from all of them. My other complaint is that there was just something off about how things were presented. Some things were just out of nowhere and some things were discussed over and over. There are battles and very important things happening off the page that would have been interesting to see but instead we’re hit over the head with the same themes time and again in more detail than was necessary. My last complaint was the pacing. The beginning was engaging enough to make me keep reading but the middle really drags. The last part flew by a little too fast and things were resolved a bit too easily but it was still the best part. I really enjoyed most of the relationships in this book and there were many times where you’re hit in the feels and you’re rooting for these characters and hoping that everything turns out ok. Overall I did really enjoy aspects of this book but the pacing and some of the choices have stopped me from giving this a five star rating. It’s a solid 3.5.

I love, love, love anything by Amy Harmon. Saying that, fantasy books are not my favorite, but Amy Harmon wrote it, so I read it. I was blown away by the detail in this book how everything fit together. It take someone special to get me interest in a fantasy book, but that is just what Mrs. Harmon does. There is, of course, the love story(actually, there are two! yay), that keeps me reading and makes the book so much more enjoyable. But this book would still be a must read for me, even without that.

I loved all the different aspects of this book and it was very enjoyable. It is definitely a must read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Loved it! So intense and still fun! I have loved every book of Amy Harmon's that I've read. Keep up the good work! Thanks so much!

I liked this book so much that I cosplayed as Lagertha for our video review of it on YouTube. This will easily be one of my favorite reads of 2019, and even though I received this ARC, I'm going to preorder it because I know that I will re-read this again and again.

Fantasy is not my normal go-to genre, usually I stay away, but because this book was by Amy Harmon I thought I would give it a try. It was, unexpectedly, wonderful. So much time passed in the course of the book it would have been easy to give too much detail but Amy managed it perfectly. The fear and worry during this read made me realize how involved I was with these characters. The whole book was great but the last 25% was indescribable. I'm so glad I took a leap and read it. You should do the same.

What drew me first was the book cover. What drew me in next was the blurb. But I wished they hadn't, because I only enjoyed the last 30% of the book.

'The First Girl Child' is the biography of Bayr throughout his twenty-four years. Every little detail was not ignored, carefully written, beautifully described, but extremely tedious to read and terribly dull. The blurb did mention this: '... with one purpose: to protect Alba, the first girl child born in nearly two decades and the salvation for a country at risk.' I thought that its two decades would mean after the first-quarter of the book, but I had to keep waiting. Bayr only grew up at about the 60% mark. Sadly, it was also two decades later in the book that everything got a little bit more interesting. His life as a child and a teenager wasn't remarkable in any way.

I try to understand that this story is written based on the times in the past, but I got extremely frustrated by the events that befall the poor women. Yes, Bayr's mother did curse the land, but at what end? Instead of punishing the men, the women were the ones who suffered the most, and I hated that. There were so many bastards in this book that saw women as objects for breeding only. All they aimed to do with them was to plant their seeds — as they call it. It was the curse that started everything, and it was because of this that I loathe the concept of this book.

So why did I continue despite it all? I wanted to know what happened to the king at the end; I wanted to read about the demise he deserved.

But I do have favourite characters of my own. It's not Alba or Bayr — honestly, they were quite unimpressionable, as were many others. You'd have thought with so much writing, the characters would feel developed, but no. Even so, I found myself being partial towards Ghost and Dagmar. There was just so much strength in them, so much goodness, that I can't help but root for them from the very beginning. The idea of runes was terribly clever, too. But that's about it. If I wanted to read a book that includes Norse gods and the like similar to this book, I would turn to 'Sky in the Deep' by Adrienne Young instead.

**Review will be posted on blog site http://pastmidnight.home.blog a month before book publication date**

Thank you to 47 North and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read the e-arc of this book.

This book was so gorgeously written and I wondered when I finished reading, why have I never read a book from this author before? Where have I been? This story gave me the feels. It made me cry and it’s rare that a book can do that.

I felt like this story wove a spell on me. I could not put it down (of course I had to because I’m a mom first haha), but when I had a chance to pick it up again, I finished it quickly.

It’s a story fictionally based on Norse mythology. As the author notes, Saylok was a god she created – but if I didn’t read that note, I was about to google Saylok and read about this god, that’s how believable this story seemed to me was. Bayr is born, but before his mother dies from childbirth she curses the land. There will be no more daughters in Saylok. This puts into motion a series of events for the future of Saylok and it’s demise.

The author depicted the life in early Scandinavia really well. I was immersed in this world. It’s brutal, harsh, and only the strong survive. It’s a land that believes in Gods, blood sacrifices, and the power of runes. And with the blood curse ruling the land, the clans are desperate for women and girls. If there are no girls, Saylok would cease to exist. How can there be babies, without women?

It wasn’t only the setting that captivated me. I loved the bonds that develop between the characters, blood ties or not. I felt their love, anguish, trepidation and joy. I was so immersed into the characters I felt all of them. Their stories made me happy, angry, and it broke my heart sometimes too. Each character had a journey, not one path was easy, but through their sacrifices and actions, I witnessed so much character growth.

I experienced a full circle when this book came to an end and it was so beautifully done. That ending. That fantastic ending, it was powerful. I wanted to stand up and cheer but it was midnight in my house and everyone was asleep! The First Girl Child, is definitely one of my favorite reads in 2019.

I’ve enjoyed books by Amy Harmon in the past so I expected The First Girl Child to be equally good, and it was. I really enjoyed the Viking-esque setting and Norse mythology aspect of the book. The runic blood magic practiced by the Keepers and select others was an interesting bonus. I enjoyed the main characters, Bayr and Alba. Their relationship developed naturally over time and was completely believable and very sweet. The other cast of characters were equally enjoyable. I particularly liked Dagmar. I really enjoyed his relationship to his nephew Bayr, his complicated relationship with his father, and his romantic relationship with Ghost. I think I liked reading about him more than Bayr - very well developed character. The story had a good pace, and I never felt bored. The First Girl Child was definitely worth reading.

A tale of love and sacrifice.
Of being more than what others see.
A story that holds your heart and makes you feel.

The First Child is a whole new world created by Amy Harmon. There is some foundation in Norse mythology but you do not need to have awareness of that to read this book. The world and characters the author created are beautifully described. The reader feels truly immersed.

In true Amy Harmon style, this book really evokes the reader's emotions. We feel sadness, anger, despair, hope, and happiness right along with the characters. I felt fully invested in the characters and their outcomes. I very much wanted to see the love stories play out but also wanted the fantasy world of Saylok to be saved from tyranny.

I highly recommend this book and feel it would appeal to many, fantasy and romance readers alike. There are mentions of sexual acts so be aware of that before reading to younger audiences though. I feel this would be a great audiobook and hope to give it a listen if I have the chance.

I'm struggling with this review.

The story was truly interesting, and I love the background of Norse mythology. It was a beautiful tale and the author built a whole world.

On the other hand, it left me feeling empty. It was written with the same tone as fairy tales. Once upon a time... I just didn't feel anything when reading this. I even found myself skimming in places just to get through it.

I see other reviewers who just love this book and I wonder what I'm missing. But I can only give my own personal thoughts.

I do appreciate the advance copy from netgalley, which did not influence my review.

Wow, just wow! Amy Harmon has done it again! She is my favorite author and I am sad that I have read all her books and I have to wait for her write more so she can sweep me away with her writing. I am in awe. Amy is an amazing writer, She writes romance, historical fiction, and fantasy! The first girl child was like nothing I have read before. I loved the characters in the book, especially Bayr, Dagmar, Ghost and Alba. I can't wait for it to become available on audible so I can listen to it. I listened on audible to her book The Queen and the cure and it was beautifully done, I loved every minute of it. I have never heard another book on audible as well done and I have listened to a lot of audible books. I am hoping The first girl child will be done as well!!! Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to read this book early. I will be telling all my friends all about what a great book this is , as they all know that Amy is my favorite author. Thank you!!

Amy Harmon is the queen of storytelling. This book is so beautifully written. It captures Norse mythology while providing characters that are so easy to love. It's a story about friendship, love and conquering one's fate. This book should be read by all.