The Monster’s Lover (The Fenris Series Book 1)

Sol’s family is poor, but that does not excuse them from having to pay to the cruel King Nokkyn. The King agrees to take Sol as his property, forcing her to become part of his harem, in lieu of payment. Then Sol meets a mysterious stranger in the woods who calls himself Fenris, and despite his outrageous claims, she falls for him almost right away.  

"The Monster's Lover" is packed to the punch with Norse folklore and mythology, and fantastical settings that are so vivid the reader can picture themselves in the middle of those scenes. The world building is easily the best part of the book. Norse mythology is often overlooked in fantasy books, or if used, it is only touched upon sporadically. Here, the story is bristling with references to mythology, to rituals and legends, and it all matches astonishingly well with the setting. 

The characters range from easily likeable – in particular Sol, who goes through so much hardship the reader can’t help but wish for her to find happiness – to the “love to hate” category, which is definitely the case of King Nokkyn. Despite being a short read, the book has a lot of emotional scenes and a fast-paced plot. 

Majanka Verstraete