#Review: Viking Warrior Rising by Asa Maria Bradley - 4 Wine Glasses

Title: Viking Warrior Rising
Series: Viking Warriors #1
Author: Asa Maria Bradley
Format: eBook/Mass Market Paperback, 352 pages
Expected publication: November 3rd 2015 by Sourcebooks Casablanca
ISBN: 1492618845
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N
Reviewer: Crystal
Source: NetGalley
Rating: 4 out of 5 Wine Glasses

Immortal Vikings are among us.

Leif Skarsganger and his elite band of immortal warriors have been charged to protect humanity from the evil Norse god Loki.

Under attack from Loki’s minions, Leif is shocked to encounter a dark-haired beauty who fights like a warrior herself. Wounded and feverish, the Viking kisses her, inadvertently triggering an ancient Norse bond. But when Naya Brisbane breaks away and disappears before the bond is completed, Leif’s warrior spirit goes berserk. If Leif doesn’t find her fast, he’s going to lose himself to permanent battle fury.

But Naya doesn’t want to be found...and he’ll do anything to find her. Because they’re both running out of time.

Crystal's Thoughts:
Picking up this book was kind of like fate. A few months ago I was on the hunt for a viking book; which if you've been reading paranormal, fantasy, historical romance for a while now, you know how rare it is to find a book featuring vikings - especially modern day vikings. I logged on to NetGalley to browse and BAM!, Viking Warrior Rising was on the homepage of titles for review. The cover captured my attention right away and the story was exactly what I was looking for!

Leif Skarsganger, Viking King for his North American region, leads a group of warriors in their quest from the Gods to protect the humans from Loki's demonic minions. Attacked in a dark alley, Leif is outnumbered and outgunned, when rescue comes from an unlikely source. Naya Brisbane sees the large, intriguing male go down under the monsters that have been chasing her and can't leave him to die. Neither of them expected the indisputable and inescapable bond that formed between them in a moment of weakness. Now Leif must find the mysterious Naya and complete their bonding before he looses himself in the berserker's rage but Naya is fighting a battle of her own, one that if Leif discovers the truth of may not only end their bond, but end her life as well.

Asa Maria Bradley has wonderfully and imaginatively blended Norse mythology with modern day civilization to create an enthralling romance that I simply could not put down! Loki, an evil God, is looking to destroy the humans so the Gods have sent warriors down from Valhalla to defend them, these warriors are elite Vikings and Valkyrie. Immortal men and women with strength and power that hunt Loki's minions, deadly werewolf-like creatures, by night. Leaf is leader of his mighty band of warriors and has been hunting these creatures for centuries, but now they have somehow created a drug that can bring down and incapacitate him and his warriors. And he knows that Naya is somehow connected to them. Naya may be technically human, but she has the soul of a Valkyrie, and she is on a mission of her own to save her brother from the laboratory they were raised in and cure him. Naya and Leif were both stubborn, protective, and independent characters who had a definite charge together. They were well matched and explosive when finally getting together, but Naya was beyond frustrating 95% of the story with her bullheadedness towards Leif and his struggles. Then again, Leif could have been a little more forthcoming from the get-go but in the end, it all worked out. ☺

Bradley weaves an intricate world with her vivid story-telling, and the paranormal, mythological and sci-fi aspects worked beautifully together. With an ancient bond, government conspiracies, temperamental Gods, and a house full of hot headed warriors, there was copiousness amounts of action and breathless intrigue to keep me turning the pages. If Viking Warrior Rising is any indication, Asa Maria Bradley is sure to be a dazzling new talent in the romance world!