The Gray Fortress

This is a great second installment in the Nordri Series! I loved the first book with its lovable characters, family dynamics, make-you-feel-like-you’re-there descriptions, and detailed world-building. With an extra dose of action, these aspects continued in this book, keeping me hooked as new characters and locations were revealed. In this book, Elin, Aedan, and Tristan are each on their own adventures, yet their stories are woven together with impactful moments of overlap. I loved the new characters of Thyra and Nodin and can’t wait to see what happens in book 3! If you love real-world fantasy with intriguing mysteries, questions about family backgrounds, supernatural abilities, and hidden worlds, this may be the series for you.

Thank you to the author for an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own and were not influenced in any way.

This is the second instalment in the Nordi Series. This book is an excellent blend of real life and Nordic mythology. Elin and Aedan are both fantastic characters in their own right. These elements were carried over into this book, along with a dash of action, keeping me engrossed as new characters and locations were revealed. In this book, Elin, Aedan, and Tristan each have their own adventures, but their stories are intertwined with powerful moments of overlap. Thyra and Nodin, the new characters, were fantastic, and I can't wait to see what happens in Book 3! This could be the series for you if you like real-world fantasy with intriguing mysteries, questions about family backgrounds, supernatural abilities, and hidden worlds.

I am going to start by saying what an honor it was to read this book. The first book in the series, The Undiscovered Descendent, was one of the first ARCs I ever received, so the series has a special place in my heart. And that place is well earned because this is a lovely novel.

Usually I would drop a synopsis at this point, but that would spoil the first book as well. Instead, please check out my review of The Undiscovered Descendent on my blog!

The Gray Fortress is a wonderful second book in the series. It adds so much depth to already established characters, and starts the journey into discovering more about the lore and culture of the different Clans that hail back to the Nordic days of old. I loved seeing my favorite characters, Elin and Aedan one again in situations that really tested their magical abilities and demonstrated how much they have both grown since the first scenes of them on Auor Island.

In addition to the old characters that I got to see more of, I was thrilled at the addition of new characters that really added to the overall plot line. The expanded cast didn't surprise me, but the manner in which they appeared was interesting and helped to drive the story forward. I cannot wait to see where these new characters help to take the story next.

I am a sucker for a good setting, I love being able to picture myself in far off places and immerse myself in a new place for a while. The settings in this book checked all my boxes for settings. They were well detailed and beautifully described. I also really enjoy the weaving of magic into the real world setting. It can be refreshing to not have to learn a new world sometimes!

While beautifully written, The Gray Fortress is slower moving than some YA fantasy. It really takes its time introducing each scene and following the three main POVs. However, these scenes are absolutely necessary because they really help build the suspense for the climax of the book and prepare the story for the next book in the series.

This is a wonderful choice for anyone looking for a clean, YA fantasy that will leave you waiting patiently (or maybe not so patiently in my case) for the next surprise.

Thank you to Jo Visuri and Netgalley for copies of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions

4.5/5 Stars

To be honest I didn't read the first book in this series, but I didn't feel lost. I will go back and read the first one, just because I am invested into this story. The story as a mix of sci-fi and mythology. Elin is a wonderfully strong-willed character and the other characters meld well with her. The world building is fantastic. The plot grabs your attention from the beginning and just keeps the reader invested and intrigued with the read of the story. A well written YA Fantasy/Sci-Fi story.

Disclaimer: Thank you NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for this review copy and I am leaving this review voluntarily.