When Euthalia’s father trades her to Viking raiders, her best hope is to be made a wife instead of a slave. She gets her wish–sort of–when she is sacrificed as a bride to a god.

Her inhuman husband seems kind, but he visits only in the dark of night and will not allow her to look upon him. By day Euthalia becomes known as a storyteller, spinning ancient Greek tales to entertain Asgard’s gods and monsters.

When one of her stories precipitates a god’s murder and horrific retribution, Euthalia discovers there is a monster in her bed as well. Alone in a hostile Asgard, Euthalia must ally with a spiteful goddess to sway Odin himself before bloody tragedy opens Ragnarok, the prophesied end of the world.

The Songweaver’s Vow knits together a world where gods and goddesses come to life in all their glory—and all their humanity. Euthalia, a human, is sacrificed to become the wife of a god and is carried to Asgard by her new husband, a god she is not allowed to see. Jealousies kindle, passions ignite, and feuds erupt in this tale where good intentions have unintended consequences, lies are currency, and true love may not be enough to conquer all. Laura VanArendonk Baugh masterfully draws on legends and myths both familiar and obscure to create a world that is all too similar to our own, with characters who display humanity’s best and worst traits in a way that embraces honesty, forthrightness, and love.

Best for: Young adults who appreciate subtlety and shades of gray and situations that don’t always have a “right” answer.

Discern: Open sex discussion, implied sex in the context of marriage, violence and gore.