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The ultimate fantasy read. Get into Swedish mythology wrapped up with mysticism, magic, and epic war-torn romances.
Good to know
Romance
Emotional
Magical
Murder
Synopsis
For as long as she can remember, Tova has lived among the Svell, the people who found her washed ashore as a child and use her for her gift as a Truthtongue. Her own home and clan are long-faded memories, but the sacred symbols and staves inked over every inch of her skin mark her as one who can cast the rune stones and see into the future. She has found a fragile place among those who fear her, but when two clans to the east bury their age-old blood feud and join together as one, her world is dangerously close to collapse.
For the first time in generations, the leaders of the Svell are divided. Should they maintain peace or go to war with the allied clans to protect their newfound power? And when their chieftain looks to Tova to cast the stones, she sets into motion a series of events that will not only change the landscape of the mainland forever but will give her something she believed she could never have again—a home.
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Check out a preview of The Girl the Sea Gave Back.
The Girl the Sea Gave Back
13 Hours Ago
The Headlands, Kyrr Territory
“Give me the child.”
Turonn’s hands reached for the girl cradled in his wife’s arms and she looked up, her swollen eyes glistening.
“They’re waiting, Svanhild.”
She touched her daughter’s face, tracing the curve of her brow with the tip of her finger. “I will carry her,” she whispered.
Her black hair fell over her face like a veil as her bare feet hit the cold stone floor and she stood on weak legs. When Torunn stepped toward her, she moved from his reach. The comfort of her husband would only turn the river of pain in her chest into an angry ocean. So, he let her go, watching her step into the ice-blue light of dawn spilling through the open door. He took the bow from where it hung on the wall and followed, his eyes on the hem of her white linen gown.
Below, every soul in Fjarra stood at the water’s edge to witness the funeral rites. The bitterly barren headlands that had been the home of the Kyrr for generations were iced over, though winter was gone, and Svanhild couldn’t help but think her daughter would be cold, even if she was dead.
Why I love it
Juliann Nelson
Content Producer, Fortune
My favorite moment in any book is when a character comes into her own and discovers her place in the world—something I think many of us continue to search for well past adolescence. So it’s no surprise that when I started reading The Girl the Sea Gave Back, I was drawn to Tova, the castaway seer at the heart of this book, who’s searching for a home to call her own.
The Girl the Sea Gave Back picks up ten years after the events of Sky in the Deep—Adrienne Young’s first novel—and follows two main characters: Halvard, a young man who grew up in peace and now leads his people through war, and Tova, a Truthtongue with the ability to read and interpret fates. When the Svell, Tova’s adoptive people, set their sights on war with the N?dhir, Halvard’s people, Tova must decide where her loyalties lie.
This book drew me in with its Nordic-inspired, magical setting, then kept me glued to the page with intense battle scenes and complex characters. But what I loved most was watching Tova grow from a placeless outcast into someone with a family and a home. Her story reminded me that you don’t have to be defined by where you came from or who you used to be, and I loved coming to that revelation alongside her. I recommend this novel for anyone looking for an atmospheric, action-packed read, with a touch of romance and fate-defying resilience.
Member ratings (913)
Marion H.
Cleveland Heights, OH
Strong characters in a strong culture of faith and fate. Establishing intricate story lines and winding and wrapping them around a main narrative kept the interest strong. Would love to see a sequel!!
Maeve O.
Roswell, GA
I loved it. Just make sure that you can really establish your characters early on, because it was sometimes hard to remember who was who. It was a bit of an onslaught of names right at the beginning!
Hayley S.
Millersburg , OH
This book was good, I liked the plot and thought it was well written. It is slow in some parts and kind of lost my attention a bit. But at the end it really sucked you in and made you want a sequel
Michelle R.
UNICOI, TN
I loved this book it was exciting and well made I couldn't hardly put it down. I loved the characters and the setting would definitely read over and over. It would be amazing if it became a series.
Sarah B.
Alexandria, VA
I was drawn in from the start with Tova’s story and that of Halvard. Each taking their own turns narrating and with trips back to the past. You slowly saw how their lives where intertwined.