Thank you to Netgalley and M.A. Brown for the arc.

The beginning wasn’t the easiest to comprehend, and I found myself a bit confused at first. My interest didn’t really spark until around the 15% mark—though to be fair, the blurb (which I saw after applying for the ARC) had already piqued my curiosity.

As much as the story was intriguing, I seriously considered DNF-ing at 20% due to the mentions of breeding—it just made me uncomfortable. That said, the writing itself was beautiful. It had a lyrical quality that pulled me in, and I found myself wanting to keep going just for the prose alone.

I had a gut feeling that Kastor was too good to be true... but I definitely didn’t see the twist with her being married to Fenris coming. That revelation was wild.

Despite my mixed feelings, I’m genuinely excited for the sequel and can’t wait to see where the story goes next.

This was a fun read - it was really easy to fall into the story.

I was a little lost at times when locations were mentioned and definitely would’ve enjoyed a little more world building in the background bc what we did get was so interesting.

I’ve also been having issues with FMCs over the past year but Ertha was a comfort to follow throughout the story.

It was giving road of bones/shield of sparrow vibes which I enjoyed. Overall a solid romantasy! All my reviews can be found on my linked Goodreads account!

Reading The Seventh Sister felt like being awake inside a dream. This was hands down a 5 ⭐️ read for me!

This book was whimsical and written with the kind of polish that makes everything from the quiet moments to the big moments absolutely shine. The worldbuilding is rich with its own terminology and layered mythology, but it never got overwhelming. Instead, it unfolded gently like a classic fairy tale.

The pacing is slow yet obviously deliberate. Plot wise, the book takes its time, but not in a way that dragged. By the time the plot crested, it landed hard. I didn’t even realize I was approaching the end until I turned the final page.. and wow. That ending.

Some of the tropes you can expect: “who hurt you,” “don’t touch her,” “she’s mine,” found family, and last of her kind. But they’re all handled with a kind of graceful restraint that makes them feel earned, not performative.

I would be remiss if I did not mention the art. It added so much charm and I really hope it stays in the final copy!

While the story had a fairytale softness to it, it doesn’t shy away from darker themes… there are subtle references to violence, forced pregnancy, and control. It never feels gratuitous, but it does add weight beneath the whimsy. The result is a story that balances beauty and brutality really well.

If you like your romantasy with rich worldbuilding, emotionally layered, and interesting romantic subplot, check out The Seventh Sister.

Big thank you to NetGalley for this ARC, I had a blast with this book and can’t wait to see people enjoying it as much as I did!

⭐️⭐️⭐️
I came here for fantasy. I left with trauma, trust issues, and a deep-rooted need to lie face down in a mossy forest for seven business days.

M.A. Brown, how dare you? How dare you build a world this rich, characters this broken-but-beautiful, and then stab me repeatedly in the feelings with betrayal, magic, and morally grey chaos.

💀 Betrayal? YES.
💫 Magic that burns like truth? YES.
🪞Trust-no-one energy? YES MA’AM.
💌 And the tiniest, gentlest hint of romance that made me screech like a banshee into my pillow? Ohhhh absolutely.

I finished it and immediately sat in silence like I’d just watched a prophecy unfold. I will now be emotionally unavailable until Book 2 arrives to ruin me further.

📣 TL;DR: Elemental magic, slow-burning suspense, and trauma recovery all walk into a warzone... and I never want to leave. If you love your fantasy with soul, scars, and the scent of rain on magic-soaked earth, this one’s for you.

I love the setting and premises! The chapter art are also really pretty. Reading this book felt like reading a fairytale, and I really like the storytelling. Ertha is a good lead for the story although she did make some questionable choices (lol) but it's so good to see her character developed throughout the story! I love Fenris and Huggin & Munnin as well. That ending aaaaa I need to know more!

4 🌟

Tags/tropes/themes:

🌙 Last of her kind
🩸 Healer FMC
🌙 Unique worldbuilding
🩸 "Who did this to her?"
🌙 Kidnapped by the enemy
🩸 Hidden/secret identity
🌙 Background sapphics, as a treat
🩸 Meddling gods
🌙 Semi-sentient magic
🩸 "She's mine"
🌙 Slow burn

I had trouble getting pulled into the story toward the beginning, but eventually it picked up for me, and I was on the edge of my seat to know how everything fit together!

This book has such a unique story and worldbuilding, which is so refreshing when a lot of romantasy books start to blend together these days. I loved Ertha and the fact that she still stuck to her role as a healer, even if she loathed the person she was healing. The characters are all well-developed in my opinion, and it was fun trying to guess all their secrets and motives. The romance also builds nice and slowly, so it feels genuine.

Like other people have said in their reviews, I really had no idea what was going to happen next. The hints are there, but they're subtle, and I wasn't being spoon-fed foreshadowing. At the same time, there's still so much more story to tell, and I can't wait for book 2 to learn more!

The cover art, chapter headers, and scene break art are also really pretty 💖

I was a little worried the book would be too dark for me. It has dark themes throughout, the most prominent being r*pe threats and forced pregnancy threats (not by MMC), but it was relatively mild overall in my opinion, which was perfect for me.

Overall, I definitely recommend giving this romantasy a chance, and I am metaphorically knocking on M.A. Brown's door asking for book 2 🙏


Thank you Netgalley and M.A. Brown for the chance to read the ARC! All opinions are honest and my own.

This was such an enjoyable read I had a hard time setting it down and nearly read it all in one sitting! Thank you to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the eARC!

I loved the Norse vibes of the story and the character development as the story progressed, without feeling like I was being bombarded with backstories for them all. The world building was excellent and I really enjoyed all the little nods to Norse mythology.

The only thing that took me out of it a little bit was using 'dey' and 'noct' instead of 'day' and 'night', but I get the reason. It is just a personal feeling, like when a book uses words like 'magik' instead of 'magic' just to be different. This didn't quite feel like that, since I do think it was to keep with that Norse vibe, it just was slightly jarring. But certainly not enough to take away from my enjoyment of the book.

The romance was slow burning and I think most of it is building up for book 2, which I look forward to reading. Overall, a delightful read!

Balance the Scales

As Above So Below

When Ertha is stolen away to the dark shores of the enemy kingdom she's thrust into a tangled web of political intrigue and deadly secrets that leaves her wondering who she can trust. The otherworldly right hand of the king, who is her keeper? Or the soldier she healed who has vowed to protect her at all costs?

**This book comes with trigger warnings**

When it becomes clear she wasn't just taken by chance– that there are much more powerful entities with their hands steering her fate— she's forced to confront that nothing is as it seems, not the men who protect her, the world she knows, or even herself.

I was very lucky to receive an ARC of this book and read in one sitting! The Seventh Sister follows our FMC Ertha who is kidnapped by the Sons of Uthar. I don't want to give much away but this is a fantasy book with slow burn romance, witchcraft, shapeshifters and mystery. All my favourite troops.
I enjoyed this book and it is a great start to what I believe is a duology. I am excited for the next book in the series as this one ended on a cliff-hanger.

This is my first experience reading a book by M.A. Brown and I will be reading her others, I enjoyed this book and loved her writing! Thank you again for allowing me to read the ARC!


#TheSeventhSister #NetGalley

Where gods meddle in mortal affairs, destinies twist, and the line between captor and companion blurs. The Seventh Sister is a Norse-inspired romantasy full of prophecy, tension and quiet emotional depth.

Ertha’s journey is deeply personal, kidnapped and forced to heal the very people who killed her people, she navigates survival and strength in a brutal world. Despite everything, she remains steady, grounded and easy to connect with. I guessed a few twists, but that didn’t pull me out of the story.

The world-building is rich but never overwhelming and the lore around the gods, especially the Red Lady, adds a mythic weight that lingers. The magic system is intriguing without being over explained and I’m curious to see more in the next book.

Romance here builds slowly, layered with survival, power shifts and vulnerability and ends with a clever twist. Overall it mostly feels like a strong setup for the next installment and I’m definitely here for it.

A strong start to what I think will be a very exciting duet. Huge thanks to Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this book, and I’m SO glad I had a chance to read it and form opinions before seeing a bunch of reviews! As someone who frequently tries to guess plot twists (and frequently gets them right), this book actually kept me on my toes.

These are some of my favorite characters that I’ve seen in a book in a while! Ertha feels very real with both lovable traits and flaws. The supporting characters made me laugh and get a sense of a “found family” from them. And then all I can say without giving much away is that the men in this book just make sense. If someone made Ertha uneasy but she moves past that feeling and grows to like them, I felt the exact same way as the reader. If Ertha was annoyed by someone, I was also annoyed by them. It was so refreshing compared to many popular books right now where you’re questioning the FMC’s judgement for the majority of the book.

The plot was also fantastic! By the end I felt like the real story was just getting started and I have no clue what direction it will take. There’s so much left to explore, and I can’t wait for the next book in the series!

My only complaint was the use of “dey” instead of “day” and “noct” instead of “night”. My brain kept seeing them as typos even thought it was clearly intentional. It’s such a minor complaint, but just a heads up if this is something that will bother you.

could not review as couldn't read it. The only option for reading this was to read it on my computer using netgalley's app. I do not want to read books on my computer, so there's no way for me to give this a review. One star for netgalley on this. book might be great for all I know. too bad for the author.