Thank you to Valentine PR and Karina Halle for an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.
This book is so good. When the email came through from Valentine PR, I decided it sounded good enough to request, but I wasn’t confident I would get it. I figured, for a gamble it was worth it, and boy am I glad I did because the gamble paid off! This book is a dark fantasy that draws you in and just doesn’t let you go. Think Jennifer L. Armentrout’s series From Blood and Ash – strong female lead in a tough position, fighting tooth and nail, enemies to lovers, dark fantasy. I managed to finish about 70% of this book in 3.5 hours, and now I am dying for the sequel. Another ARC from Valentine PR maybe? I know nothing about Finnish mythology/myth this is based on, but now I want to go and read more about it. Now we wait for book 2…. 5/5
Blurb:
In order to save my father, I have to marry the God of Death.
River of Shadows by Karina Halle is now live!
River of Shadows is an adult dark fantasy romance based on Finnish mythology and the underworld of Tuonela.
When 24-year old Hanna Heikkinen’s estranged father dies, she reluctantly makes the trip to Northern Finland for his funeral. Being in the enchanting land of ice and snow feels miles away from Hanna’s busy life back in Los Angeles, especially under the complicated circumstances.
But when Hanna discovers that her father’s body is missing, that’s when things really get weird. A mysterious man, Rasmus, tells Hanna the truth: her father was a powerful shaman who went into Tuonela, the Realm of the Dead, in order to barter for more life, and has been held captive by Tuoni, the God of Death. The only way her father can be freed is if she travels with Rasmus into the mythical underworld to rescue him.
Willing to do anything to have a second-chance with her father, Hanna accompanies Rasmus into the dark and bloody realm, traveling via the River of Shadows, stalked by dangerous creatures, monsters, and the living dead, until they finally come into the haunted kingdom ruled by Death and his family.
Only for her to be captured and held prisoner by the God of Death himself.
Turns out Death is intrigued by Hanna’s beauty and fierceness and makes a bargain with her. If she marries him, and spends an eternity in the Realm of the Dead as his wife, he’ll set her father free.
But even the most noble sacrifices come with hidden costs, and Hanna’s might involve the most unexpected of all things: her heart.
Bio of Karina Halle
Karina Halle is a former travel writer, music journalist & screenwriter, and The New York Times, Wall Street Journal & USA Today Bestselling author of over 55 bestselling novels, ranging from horror and suspense to contemporary romance. She lives on an island off the coast of British Columbia with her husband, and her adopted pitbull Bruce, where she drinks a lot of wine, hikes a lot of trails and devours a lot of books.
Halle is represented by the Root Literary Agency and is both self-published and published by Simon & Schuster, Hachette & Montlake. Her work has been translated and published in 20 languages.
Hit her up on Instagram at @authorHalle, on Twitter at @MetalBlonde and on Facebook. You can also visit www.authorkarinahalle.com and sign up for the newsletter for news, excerpts, previews, private book signing sales and more.
Connect with Karina
Website: https://authorkarinahalle.com/
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