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Nothing ever happens in Norway. But at least Ellie knows what to expect when she visits her grandmother: a tranquil fishing village and long, slow summer days. And maybe she'll finally get out from under the shadow of her way-too-perfect big brother, Graham, while she's there.
What Ellie doesn't anticipate is Graham's infuriating best friend, Tuck, tagging along for the trip. Nor did she imagine boys going missing amid rumors of impossible kidnappings. Least of all does she expect that something powerful and ancient will awaken in her and that strange whispers will urge Ellie to claim her place among mythological warriors. Instead of peace and quiet, suddenly there's a lot for a girl from L.A. to handle on a summer sojourn in Norway! And when Graham vanishes, it's up to Ellie—and the ever-sarcastic, if undeniably alluring, Tuck—to uncover the truth about all the disappearances and thwart the nefarious plan behind them.
Deadly legends, hidden identities, and tentative romance swirl together in one girl's unexpectedly epic coming-of-age.
TurningThePagesBlog
Posted December 27, 2012
FINALLY! A book with Valkyries set in NORWAY! I cannot tell you how happy those two things made me while I read Valkyrie Rising. Seriously. I'm sick of mythological being appearing out of the blue in the U.S.A. I don't know why but it really irks me. So the fact that Ingrid Paulson wrote a young adult novel about the Valkyries that took place in Norway was a huge deal for me. Plus the fact that she made some attempts to talk about places in Norway showed she did a bit of research on the country which I totally appreciated since the book was read for my Around the World Reading Challenge.
I've always loved Norse mythology so when I found out about this book months ago I couldn't wait to read it but like always when I got the book from the library I didn't get around to reading it until the night before it's due back...which was last night. However, the book had me hooked from the first page so it worked out remarkably well since the writing was so addictive I could not put the book down at all.
Ingrid Paulson brought a fantastic debut novel to the table that has a lot of action, Norse mythology, a wee bit of romance and a kick ass heroine that comes into her own. I absolutely loved Elsa (Ellie)'s character. She started off very unsure of herself and very shy but by the end of the novel she matured, and became a lot stronger sand more self confident which was great to see because I hate characters who are pushovers. I loved how much she cared about not only rescuing her older brother Graham but also rescuing all the other boys Astrid the leader of the Valkyries kidnapped for use in Odin's army.
The other characters in the novel were great too. Graham, Ellie's brother was the typical annoying big brother. He was always butting his head into her business and trying to make decisions for her completely ignoring the fact that she is her own person.
Tucker was a great love interest for Ellie because of his teasing nature he balanced out her more serious nature and he added a lot of humour to the book which was needed and I thought he was really endearing despite the fact that he was a little annoying in the beginning.
Hilda, who is Ellie and Graham's grandmother on their father's side was unlike any grandmother I've ever read about and if you read the book you'll find out why that is. I thought she was a wonderful chsaracter and you csn tell that Ellie gets a lot of her strength from her Grandmother.
Overall all other characters were great. I was a little bit worried that there wouldnt be very much attention paid to the side characters but they were wonderfully created and they had just the right amount of depth to make the interesting and to make me want to read more about them in the next book in the series.
The plot was also wonderfully written. There was a lot of action that was interwoven with the mythology and romance themes which were not over done or cheesy but were just right. I liked how the story was mainly focused on Ellie's search for her brother and learning about who and what she is as well as a bit of the mythology behind the Valkyries. The romance between her and Tucker thankfully too a backseat for most of the novel and I am so glad that their relationship wasn't another dreaded case of the wretched insta-love fad that's been plaguing young adult novels as of late. The pace of the novel was great and it kept me reading late into the night and I couldn't put it down until I finished it because I couldn't wait to see how it ended. The story will draw you in and you'll be thinking about it long after you finish it.
Ingrid Paulson wrote a great debut novel and I highly recommend this novel to everyone especially if you're a fan of young adult novels that deal with mythology especially Norse mythology. I think she's a talented author and I can't wait to read the next book in the series and this is definetly one of the best books I've read in 2012.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.AlwaysYAatHeart1
Posted October 26, 2012
This is the first book I have read about Valkyries and I have to say that I really enjoyed it. I have become a mythology fan over the last couple of years, so I was looking forward to seeing what this book held in store. Ellie Overholt is 16 years old and has been living in the shadow of her brother Graham, who is 18, all her life. Graham is perfect. He is popular, the star athlete, smart, center of attention, you name it. Ellie loves him dearly, but she has become a pro at not being noticed and becoming invisible, and is a little resentful about it. Graham is also very protective of Ellie, especially since her father is no longer living. Ellie and Graham are planning a trip to Norway to the small village of Skaveopoll, to visit Ellie's grandmother for the summer. She is really looking forward to this trip until she finds out Tuck is going, or so she says. Tuck is Graham's 17-year-old best friend who lives two doors down from Ellie. He is an athlete, totally hot, and he and Ellie have been at each others throats since they were kids.
Ellie arrives in Norway 2 weeks before Graham does and is really looking forward to some alone time. When she visits the village, however, she finds people are treating her oddly, even hostile, and she doesn't know why. She meets a hot Norwegian, goes on a date, and things really get weird when two beautiful women enter the pub with a commanding and dangerous presence. She also finds out that young guys have been disappearing, and that the townspeople think her grandmother has something to do with it, believing she is a witch. Graham and Tuck arrive, and Tuck is acting differently towards Ellie, which is confusing and thrilling at the same time. Then, Ellie comes face-to-face with the reason these boys are disappearing. She has to come to terms with the fact that Valkyries are real, that her grandmother knows more than she is letting on, and things are happening to her and around her that she doesn't understand. Determined to keep her family safe and find out what part she plays in all of this, she and Tuck, who has plenty of his own secrets, set out on a mission to get to the bottom of things and save the missing boys. What she learns not only will surprise you, it surprises Ellie even more.
I liked this book. I found the whole Valkyrie concept entertaining. Ellie's character was kind of passive in the beginning, but she developed into a pretty tough chick as the book goes along, and I grew to like her. Tuck was hot, and I liked him also, and I liked how he was committed to helping Ellie in her quest. Astrid, well, I hated her, then ended up liking her. The setting of the book was beautiful. I really liked how the Valkyrie Norse mythology was set in modern day time. As far as romance, I enjoyed seeing Ellie and Tuck become closer, and would have liked to have seen more of that. Overall, I found this book both entertaining and enjoyable. It ended well, but has the potential for a sequel, but I don't know if there are plans for that or not. I would love to see more Tuck and Ellie. If you enjoy mythology, especially Valkyries, contemporary romance, combined with some mystery and action, then Valkyries is one book you will want to check out.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted January 20, 2013
Really grew to like these characters a lot,despite the books slow start.looking forward to the prequel novellas release
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Sel_BookcaseToHeaven
Posted January 3, 2013
I walked into this book having not the slightest inkling of what a Valkyrie was. And I walked out knowing not much better. But, strangely enough, I was contented because Ingrid Paulson sure can write novels that blow your mind away.
When Ellie heads to Norway to visit her grandmother, the town that greets her is filled with hostility. There are rumours in the air about Ellie's grandmother and a gradually permeating fear about a group of mesmerizing but powerful girls-- the Valkyrie. So on a journey to rescue her brother amongst the other boys that get kidnapped by these girls, Ellie discovers that there's more to her grandmother than she can ever imagine. To trace back her heritage, she must pit herself against the Valkyrie. But, ultimately, they are all just pawns in the game of wits and war between two ancient Norse gods-- Odin and Loki.
And indeed, Norse mythology was what that set this novel apart from the others. Artfully weaved into our modern times, Ingrid Paulson gives a whole new meaning to the word, 'Valkyrie', by adapting old legends and mythical creatures into our everyday lives, with the skill of Rick Riordan.
PAST. "Back in the time of the Vikings, soldiers were encouraged to embrace death without fear and according to their religion, according to what is now considered myth, Valkyries were beautiful women who hovered around battlefields, and when brave fighters were killed, they took their souls to Valhalla-- a fortress ruled by Odin, god of death and war and knowledge... These soldiers... They became part of Odin's army."
PRESENT. The Valkyries are flawlessly beautiful, that's a given, but their ways have changed with time. Handling guns, wearing leather boots and strutting into night clubs are now their routine. Yet, at the same time, the old ways have remained the same. They still retain their heightened senses and strength, and as Ellie begins to uncover her true identity, her journey into the new world of Norse mythology in current-day Norway is thrilling. Personally, for me, it is the realistic way that the Valkyries are portrayed in this tale that makes me fall for it. The whole story seems so raw and genuine that I could honestly believe that it can happen to me in the next heartbeat. (Not that I have any relatives from Norway, but still.) The old magic still lives on, but Ingrid Paulson gives it a whole new dimension, completely integrating it into our world today.
Frankly speaking, pulling off a successful modern-day myth is no easy feat. In ancient legends, there are always unexpected twists which take us by surprise. Similarly, in Valkyrie Rising, there are stunning plot twists that keep me constantly on my toes. They will make you race through the whole book, dealing out new secrets every once in a while, and nothing ever remains quite the same.
Fortunately for us, there is still a romance that is worth gushing about. Tucker, I swear, is one of the wittiest guys I have every met. He becomes a highlight of this novel, standing out even amongst fantastic action sequences and ominous scenes. You will love him, I promise.
This is just the book for the hordes of mythology-romance fans to sink their teeth into. And I promise you again, it will dazzle your taste buds.
Valkyrie Rising is a sweet and fun romance with a mythological twist. Paulson expands on Norse mythology, which is a refreshing change from the typical Greek mythology fare. The characters are well-developed, the plot is intriguing, and the romance is sweet. This is a terrific light read, and I can't wait for the sequel.
Paulson is one of few YA authors who experiments with Norse mythology. I know that Estep plays around with all mythologies, Norse included, but Paulson focuses only on the Norse stories. The result is a group of valkyries who are in the middle of a war between gods. In this novel, I got to know Loki differently (I only knew of him as the ultimate bad guy in the Mythos Academy series), and Odin, who is in charge of the valkyries, was also a prevalent force throughout the book. Paulson didn't explain enough about the mythology, in my opinion, but I still understood what was going on. I would have liked more world-building, though.
More than anything, Valkyrie Rising is a bildungsroman (coming of age story), and Ellie embodies this. Yes, she is a bit bratty at times, and she also struggles to assert herself, but to me that just made the story more realistic. Everyone grapples with these issues. No one knows how to be strong without being bratty at first. It's something that we learn as we go, and I think that Paulson did an excellent job of showing that. Ellie really grows into her own, but she's not finished yet. I can't wait to see how she changes in the next book.
The secondary characters were all realistic and likable, though I would have liked to have gotten to know more about them. I really loved Tuck, and I'm glad I got to see so much of him. I would have liked more interaction with Graham, Grandmother, and Kjell, though. Maybe in the next novel. Tuck is an interesting character, and I hope to learn even more about him in the sequel.
The plot was intriguing and unique. Most of the book took place in Norway, and since I have always wanted to visit Norway, I loved that. The story was a bit mysterious, though I figured out what was going on pretty quickly. The plot was suspenseful, though. I really didn't know what would happen next for most of the book. Also, Tuck spiced things up. Not only was there no insta-love because Tuck and Ellie had known each other forever, but he was also a shifty guy. He seemed sort of like a trickster figure, and I liked that. He really kept me on my toes throughout the whole book. The ending tied up all of the problems in this story nicely, but left room for a sequel. No cliffhangers, thankfully.
Overall, I'd recommend this book to anyone who likes light paranormal romance stories. It's a fun book, and I love Paulson's take on Norse mythology.
Anonymous
Posted November 23, 2012
This book held my attention all the way through and I would be excited if I found out that the author decided to turn it into volume one of a series. Great if you are into Norse mythology.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Action, romance, and intrigue. This book has it all. It was so good that I've been letting it brew over in my mind for a couple weeks now, wondering just how am I supposed to tell you how much I loved this book. Then I realized that I had to say something, or years would pass without me finding words to tell people what exactly I love about this book and what makes it so special. More than how much I love books, this blog is here to tell you what I think about books--and in this case, why I love this particular book.
I typically don't fall for the players, but Tuck is so sweet and caring. And I adore the banter between the two of them. It's just what you'd expect between two teens who've grown up next to each other all their lives and are now trying to figure out what to do with their feelings for each other. Then there's the older brother / best friend to think about and the fact that Ellie's growing into her powers. With all these factors coming into play, there is a lot of conflict brewing underneath the tension between the two. And I love it. After all, where's the fun when the protagonist gets everything she wants so easily!
Ellie herself is a lovable heroine. She doesn't like all the secrets floating around; she likes to be in control, and she's scared. She's facing a big adversary without her knowledgable and powerful grandmother by her side, and if she fails in her mission, she risks losing those she cares about most. However, she is fiercely loyal and does all she can to protect her loved ones, even if it means playing mind games with a wily god or two.
What makes this book all the more brilliant is the gorgeous Norwegian setting. This book doesn't take place in any old town that might be recognizable somewhere in another country. It takes us on an adventure in a forgeign country with Ellie finding herself interacting with, and battling against, gods that the people believe in. The Valkyries are kick-butt girls that don't let anyone boss them around, not even the gods for long. (And the boots were a nice touch. I want a pair for myself!) I love Norse mythology and had a blast seeing familiar characters come to life in Valkyrie Rising.
I recommend this book to those who look for heart-pounding action, sweet and hot chemistry, and characters that come to life off the pages. I'll miss these characters, as Valkyrie Rising is a standalone novel. I will definitely be on the lookout for more works by Ingrid Paulson!
Anonymous
Posted November 15, 2012
Paulson introduces a fast paced story that incorporates elements of Norse mythology. The author spends little time in world building, but makes up for the lack of detail with a plot that unfolds with a brisk pace. The main character is a young woman who becomes entangled in a centuries old conflict that involves mythological entities, of which she is kin to.
Written in a first person narrative, the reader experiences the inner conflicts of a young woman's coming of age and the challenges of her Nordic ancestry. Sadly, the other characters are not fleshed out or developed, and the tone is condescending when she refers to the young men as 'boys' throughout the book.
Tweens and young teens will enjoy this book because it is NOT another spin on Greek Mythology. Hopefully the second book will have greater depth and character development.
Anonymous
Posted November 6, 2012
Kept my interest from beginning to end..hope there is a 2nd book!
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Overview
Nothing ever happens in Norway. But at least Ellie knows what to expect when she visits her grandmother: a tranquil fishing village and long, slow summer days. And maybe she'll finally get out from under the shadow of her way-too-perfect big brother, Graham, while she's there.
What Ellie doesn't anticipate is Graham's infuriating best friend, Tuck, tagging along for the trip. Nor did she imagine boys going missing amid rumors of impossible kidnappings. Least of all does she ...