3.5 stars
I liked it. I'll read the second book if it gets made.
Sigrid sees a vision of herself leading the Valkyrie and she must travel to Hel to fulfill her destiny.
If you like borse mythology even a little you should enjoy this.

The Princess of Velheim by Tiana Warner

This YA fantasy is a tale that is highly inspired by Norse Mythology but not an exact retelling. Our story follows Sigrid who has big dreams of being a Valkyrie but was more with a regular horse instead of one with wings. As such she is just a lonely stable hand. But she accidently see’s a prophecy showing her that she could be so much more.

I both loved and really struggled with this book. There were parts that were so fun and parts that literally drove my crazy. I’ll tackle both sides below.

I wanted to smother Sigrid pretty early on in the book. She was trying wayyy too hard. I understand she had dreams. And “wanted more.” Look, I also loved the little mermaid and beauty and the beast as a kid. I get it. You have dreams beyond your station. But when you start straight up breaking rules based on “your gut” and making a general nuisance of yourself maybe it’s time to rethink your plan. She also was borderline whiney about the whole “being just a stable hand” thing. I really wanted her to just shut up and deal with it.

I also feel like the title is a major spoiler. One of the major questions that was actually interesting was Sigrid’s parentage. But the title tells you she’s a princess of the “hell realm.”

I did love the side character sand the exploration of their friendship. I loved that Mariam wasn’t afraid to tell Sigrid the truth even when it hurt as well as apologize sincerely when she did mess up.

There was this part of the ending that I thought was kinda moronic. Like I get that the author wanted to show that Sigrid would give up everything to save her friends now that she’s realized she was being a twat earlier but it felt unnecessary for her to give up her 8 legged horse and the eye to save Mariam only to chase and run down Elena AGAIN and this time be like “WE WON!!”

I’m glad that the book is left open for further novels in this series. I’d still be interested in seeing where this series goes in the future. Overall I gave it 3 stars.

I received an eARC of this novel for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you netgalley and entangled publishing. That being said, all opinions are my own.

I love Norse Mythology especially the valkyrie. And the fact that the Norse and vikings treated women as equals and allowed them to fight in battle. So it's nice to see more books like this in YA. Teen girls need more books with kick butt heroines.

This is that particular brand of ya book that gives us the MOST misunderstood teenager with the MOST fabulous chosen one destiny and the MOST secret, sparkly identity that even she doesn't yet know. I was looking forward to the Norse mythology aspects, but the plot fell into generic rhythms of storytelling that failed to capture my attention. The writing was a big issue for me. There wasn't anything spectacular in the way settings, feelings, or actions were described to ground me in what was happening. As my attention drifted, I failed to form a bond with characters or take much interest in what they got up to.

A band of misfits should have captured my undying devotion, but flat personalities and basic, surface-level banter prevented me. Even a sapphic romance could not save this story for me because it was so bland; it largely features Sigrid's circular inner dialogue trying to figure out if she's experiencing a crush and isn't Mariam so pretty, etc. There isn't much excitement or joy or humor or really any emotion to flavor the experience and make it tangible.

At 50%, I was ready to quit and futilely shake my fist at the continuation of my reading slump. At 58%, our main character had a meltdown about A) not being trusted by her friends whom she does not trust, either, and B) not being the only one entrusted with her crush's most traumatic memory because it implies Sigrid's not special. And that's when I caved and called it a day. It's a rare DNF for me, folks. I sincerely hope Sigrid does some soul-searching and experiences vast character growth in the latter half of the book, but I was tired of plodding along, waiting for it to happen.

This was a DNF for me about 10% through. I just couldn’t get interested or follow the plot. I’m not a fan of sapphic romance either. I like to read things that relate to me and this just wasn’t it. Others may really enjoy!

Read this if you like:

-cute lgbtq enemies to lovers
-Norse mythology
-fast paced action and adventure

The Helheim Princess is a fun, adventurous story based loosely in Norse mythology. The main character, Sigrid, desperately wants to be a Junior Valkyrie. After a series of events, Sigrid finds herself on a journey to meet her destiny with a little help from a Night Elf and a girl who makes her heart race a little too fast.

I enjoyed the fast pace of this story and the world that was built. I think this book would be a good fit for the younger side of the age range for YA as the writing is very approachable and the plot is full of fun twists. There is also a sweet, sapphic romance that unfolds as the story progresses.

This book is a solid 3.5 for me, but I am rounding up to 4 as I feel it’s really solid for the audience it is targeting.

Quick Stats
Age Rating: 13+
Over All: 3.5 stars
Plot: 3/5
Characters: 4/5
Setting: 4/5
Writing: 3/5

This book. ugh. I honestly don’t know what to say. I don’t know how I feel. I wanted to like it. And I did. I did like it. But it was really just a little better than “okay.” In theory, the characters were fun, the world was great, and the plot was super interesting, but the writing was just not up to par, and that made it really hard for me to get invested in. The pacing was often dragging and yet too rushed at points, the ‘plot twists’ were extremely predictable in a way that I found frustrating, and the characters, though I liked them, didn’t feel fleshed out enough for me to truly feel invested in them.
I really enjoyed the Norse myths aspect. I don’t know how accurate it was, but it was fun and interesting and felt well-researched to me, but since I know next to nothing about the myths, I can’t truly say.
It was fine. More enjoyable than not. I just couldn’t get into it, and I didn’t enjoy it as much as I had hoped to.

The Helheim Princess is a sapphic enemies-to-lovers novel about Valkyries and filled with Norse Mythology, I was absolutely dying to get my hands on it.

The level of research that has gone into this book is evident and it means that the world-building is incredible and immersive and this was one of the strongest aspects of this story. However, as strong as I found the mythology and world-building, I felt this made the lack of character development feel even more jarring. I found all of the main characters to be a little bit one-dimensional and couldn't properly connect to them. I also found most of the motives lackluster at best.

Sigrid grated on me the whole way through and whilst there were moments where I loved her, it never lasted. I also didn't buy the romance for a second. I thought it was one of the novel's weakest aspects and couldn't see any amount of chemistry between them at all, which is devastating because honestly, it was what I was here for.

The cover art is amazing on this, it's absolutely gorgeous and deserves a mention. It's also a beautifully written book and fairly well-paced.

Overall I would say this is about 3.5 stars for me. It had a lot of promise and some really cool aspects just overall it didn't wow me.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc of this in exchange for an honest review.

I was so excited about this book when I found out about it, and even more excited to be approved for an ARC. Unfortunately, it wasn’t as good as I’d hoped it would be. While the characters and relationships—both platonic and romantic—were well-written and developed, I was able to predict many of the plot twists. That predictability took away the element of surprise in most situations, and in a fantasy story like this one, that was detrimental to my reading experience.

Despite that, I wouldn’t call The Helheim Princess bad or say I didn’t enjoy it. I did like the use of Norse mythology in the story and world-building, as it’s more common to see stories using Greek myths and this was a nice change of pace. It was fun to see the characters’ adventuring across multiple worlds and the different ways they were challenged on their journey.

I would still recommend this book; I think the reason I found it predictable was due more to the number of fantasies I’ve read than any real problem with the book itself. I also think that plenty of teen readers will enjoy it, as it has a good amount of action while still being fairly lighthearted and easy to understand.

[Rating: 3.5 stars]

3.5, rounded up.

Once this story found its footing, it became a really solid tale. The prose, however, felt a bit choppy to me, and this caused me to put it down for over a month after the first quarter because I couldn't make myself get into it. The slow burning romance of our teens was really sweet, and I found myself rooting for them a lot towards the end. I like Sigrid, she's interesting and her motivations make sense. I'm not familiar enough with Norse lore to comment on its accuracy, but I found it intriguing and informative enough from that point of view.

Sigrid has always wanted to be a Valkyrie, however without a winged horse she is just a stable hand. During an attack on Vanaheim, she tries to prove she’s good enough by going after the enemy on her own. While fighting she sees a vision of her destiny and she’s hellbent on seeing it through.

This book contains a lot of action in all directions. Valkyries are cool because they add so much dimension to a fight scene, they’re constantly swooping in and doing something. It was interesting that the main character, however, does not have a flying horse but a seemingly normal one. I did have to suspend my disbelief at different points with how unusual her horse was even though he is confirmed to be a standard horse. I also had to make myself believe that she would willingly part with him for any extended period of time. Of course as the reader you’re able to put things together from an objective standpoint so you just want to shout at the characters to not be dumb. There were many times when Sigrid walked right into a situation being dumb. Though that’s kind of her charm. She’s trusting and thinks people can be good. That being said, Mariam was my favorite. I would have loved to see some things from her perspective. For me, this was a 3.5/5.

If you like action-packed books, warrior women, or you simply love horses, this is the one for you.

I received a digital copy of this book free from Entangled Publishing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

FUN, BUT NOT GREAT

Actual rating: 2.5 ⭐

I might be biased, seeing as how I am Scandinavian and a fan of Norse mythology. If you're not that into the mythology, this might work better for you. But please don't make the mistake of thinking that this is about Norse mythology. It's just inspired by it.

👍 What I Liked 👍

Sigrid: I had great sympathy for our main hero, Sigrid. I felt her pain and her desires very acutely. I was rooting for her to have her happily ever after.

👎 What I Disliked 👎

Writing: For me, the writing was a sore spot. It felt choppy and fragmented. It lacked a natural flow.

Dialogue: Another issue for me was the dialogue. It felt stilted and didn't reflect the setting of the novel. That might, of course, be creative choice by the author. But it was a choice that did not work for me. It made it very hard to buy into the concept of Norse warriors in a foreign, magical land.

Mythology: Like I said in the beginning, I feel like it is wrong to sell this as a novel about Norse Mythology. Because there were so many things that were unsupported by scholarship. It would be more accurate to say that it was inspired by Norse Mythology.

The Helheim Princess
by Tiana Warner

#TheHelheimPrincess

For as long as Sigrid could remember, she’s wanted to become a mighty, fearless valkyrie. But without a winged mare, she’s a mere stable hand, left wondering who her parents were and why she’s so different. So when the Eye shows her a vision where she's leading a valkyrie charge on the legendary eight-legged horse Sleipnir, she grabs the possibility of this greater destiny with both hands, refusing to let go. 

Too bad that the only one who can help her get there is Mariam, an enemy valkyrie who begrudgingly agrees to lead her to Helheim but who certainly can’t be trusted—even if she does make Sigrid more than a little flustered. As they cross the nine worlds, battling night elves, riding sea serpents, and hurtling into fire to learn the truth about Sigrid’s birthright, an unexpected but powerful bond forms. 

As her feelings for Mariam deepen into something fiery and undeniable, Fate has other plans for Sigrid. What happens when the one thing you think
you were meant to do might end the nine worlds?

My Review to come closer to the Release Date

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was drawn to this book because I was promised sapphic Valkyries and adventures. I definitely got the adventure but this book could have been so much gayer. The book is fast-paced and offers some twists on the usual Norse mythology. I was not expecting the twist/reveal we got at about 60%, so that was definitely interesting. And at first I kind of thought this was reminding me of Rick Riordan’s books (a little Magnus Chase, a little Trials of Apollo). But at the end of the day, I’m not sure it offered much more or anything different than a lot of YA action fantasy books I’ve read. And the ending felt a little “after-school special.”
It’s not a bad book by any means. It’s fast-paced, engaging, and I think a ton of people will enjoy it. But it just missed the mark a bit for me.

3.25 stars

Originally posted on Just Geeking by.


Content warnings:
(view spoiler)

I have always been drawn to books based on mythology and folklore, and the gorgeous cover for The Helheim Princess drew me in just as much as the title did. I’ve become quite familiar with the goddess Hel and Helheim through various fictional interpretations, and I was curious to see what this one was like!

I wanted to like this book more than I did because it has a beautiful sapphic love story, some great characters, and wonderful Norse world-building, but the sad reality is that it is chock-full of YA tropes. The first problem straight out of the gate is that the title and the synopsis gives the plot away immediately. You’re probably thinking, hold on a second, The Helheim Princess is for teen readers, and you’re a thirty-something year old woman. Of course, it seems obvious to you! Sorry, but teenagers aren’t idiots. This novel is listed as being for 12 to 17-year-olds on Amazon, and while I can see readers of the younger end of that age bracket not piecing things together, I can tell you from experience that older teens definitely will.

Despite the predictable plot, The Helheim Princess was an enjoyable read. I feel that it suffered from what I call ‘first book syndrome’, where the author sticks to a very basic plot to get the protagonist’s original story out and get them in position for book two. In this book, Sigrid finds out who she is, follows her destiny and decides who she wants to be, while falling in love, making friends and learning a few hard lessons along the way. It is a very typical coming of age story, so what made The Helheim Princess different enough for me to give it a decent rating? Well, that would be the world-building.

Warner has created a unique and magical interpretation of Norse mythology and the nine worlds, and offers an insight into her creative process at the end of the book. It was interesting to see where her path took her from original sources and academic texts as she explained how one of the few two sources we have of Norse folklore was written by a Christian, and the other, a primary source, is filled with gaps. The world she has created in The Helheim Princess is her interpretation of these sources and an attempt to fill in some of the gaps, creatively. The result is a fantastic world where baby Valkyries are born at the exact same time as a winged mare, rather than them being the traditional “chooser of the slain”. Instead, they are guardians, warriors who protect the nine realms. For the most part, the nine realms are the same, with a few changes here and there.

This is also a book for horse lovers. Warner is a lifelong rider, and it shows in every scene. She brings all that experience to provide authentic, fast-paced action scenes with the horses, and they are probably the best I’ve seen in a fantasy novel.

An easy read with lovely characters and a great romance, The Helheim Princess might not have scored high for me as an individual book, however it definitely put The Helheim Prophecy series, and it’s author Tiana Warner on my radar. I’ll certainly be keeping my eye out for book two because I want to see where Sigrid and Mariam’s story goes, and spend more time in the world Warner has created.

As a badass viking girl book its pretty good. Not historically accurate in the slightest but I honestly didn't care. Could have been gayer tbh.

Series Info/Source: This is the first book in the Helheim Prophecy series. I got an eGalley of this book through NetGalley to review.

Thoughts: I wasn't a huge fan of this book. The writing style was just too simple for me and the characters acted way too immature. I felt like I was reading a mediocre middle grade fantasy novel.

Despite my general lack of enthusiasm for this book there were some things I did enjoy. I enjoyed the Norse mythology background and how the different worlds of this mythology were explored. I also enjoyed Sigrid's closeness to her horse and some of the training they did. The two horses in here were the best characters in the book.

Now on to the things I didn't enjoy. Not a lot happens early on, it took 25% of the way through before things really got moving. The characters lacked depth. Sigrid in particular is incredibly immature and naïve and makes a lot of very selfish, questionable decisions throughout the book; I found her frustrating. The writing here was very simple, not a lot of description or introspection. It was hard to picture the settings and hard to engage with these very 2D characters. Lastly the dialogue was stiff and didn't flow well, it sounded really awkward.

My Summary (3/5): Overall this was a fairly quick read for me, but I struggled to stay engaged with the story. Aside from the Norse mythology setting, there wasn't much here I enjoyed. The main issue in this book is wrapped up nicely and things are set up for the next book without a huge cliffhanger so I do appreciate that. However, I really disliked the simplicity of the writing style and how immature the characters were. I won't be reading anymore of this series or picking up any more books by Warner.

This book had a pretty slow start, and for me, it took a while for things to really pick up. I liked both Sigrid and Mariam, their budding romance was slow-burn enough that it didn't come across like 'Insta-love'. The dialog was occasionally very modern, and at times it took me out of the story. The relationships are the best part of the book, there really needs to be more sweet sapphic stories, and I would have loved for this book to exist when I was a teen, and I am so glad it does for teens now.

The plot, as I mentioned, was a little slow-moving at first, but once things did pick up, they really picked up. I don't know how much this can really be called 'Enemies to lovers' as they weren't "enemies" for really that long. They became allies fairly quickly, still mildly distrustful of each other, but they worked together and fought side by side for most of the book.

The chapters were really short, and while I prefer chapters to be on the shorter side, in this book, it sometimes read like the chapter was cut in half and a new one started. It made some of the chapters feel... choppy. This is a personal preference, but I don't really like chapter titles, and this book has them. I know it's YA, but chapter titles feels more like something done in middle grade books.

While there is tons of action in The Helheim Princess - basically nonstop - what I enjoyed most was the main character Sigrid. If you're looking for a Norse adventure story with tons of little clues to Norse mythology and legends, The Helheim Princess is 100% your book. But what I enjoyed the most was Sigrid's character evolution. She's so convinced that she's meant for more, that she should be a valkyrie. Then when she has that vision, she's even more convinced.

But throughout The Helheim Princess, Sigrid has to figure out how much control over her own fate she has. Is everything written in stone from her vision? Because we can think we know how our life is going to go. We can be so utterly convinced that our vision is going to happen like we think it is, only to find out it's the same image with a different story. Sigrid is almost singled handedly focused on her future, that she struggles to see those around her and the other options.