There are some books that grab hold, wrap around your bones, seep into your core, and never let go.

“Breathe Fire.”

Sky In The Deep stole my heart. I’ve seen Young’s interviews on the book, I’ve heard her say the words, but nothing really prepares you for the emotions of family, love, and her father found on every page. Forget that... every word. I’m already trying to see if I can fit in a reread, not only because I’m not ready to leave the Viking clan, but also because I feel that I missed so much in the first read.

“And the glacier inside of me cracked. It roared as it broke and fell into the icy water around my heart.”

I was so skeptical picking up this book. The ARC reviews have been fifty fifty. But I’ve followed Young for a while on Instagram and wanted to give my full support. Something kept telling me this book would be good. Out I went in the first week and bought the darn thing and good thing I always listen to my gut.

Sky In The Deep is a story about a girl, simply put. Every five years, two clans, set to hate each other by the gods they worship, come to fight in hopes of gaining honor in the eyes of their gods to reach the sacred heaven in death. During the fighting, Eelyn sees her brother who died five years previous. In search of answers, Eelyn is captured only to discover that the world she knows is about to change.

True to form, I had no idea what to expect from this book. I knew it had Vikings, it was about family and love, but I never read the synopsis. I had no idea what to expect. That left for a great ride. The beginning starts out so strong, throwing you right in the battle, hearing and feeling every slash and thrust of the blades. Young does an excellent job portraying these scenes. I’ve said it before, writers can lose their readers in battle scenes, but Young holds you close really getting you into the moment.

What I love is the subtleness that Young uses in her writing. It’s not that she hides what’s going to happen, there’s you’re typical foreshadowing, but she slides it in not blaring loudly in your face. When it finally plays out - and yes she did go there - you don’t feel it’s just another overdone ploy. Instead, everything is natural.

On top of that, even with her moodiness, anger and sullen teenager ways, you have to love Eelyn. She’s a fierce warrior and I think in my top fictional characters list.

I do have a negative comment. I really wish I didn’t but I can’t lead you astray without giving a warning. Sometimes Young’s writing can be a little disjointed. Many times Young lost me in the story. I would be at point A, but then, out of nowhere, the character would be at point B. It was almost as if I missed an entire paragraph. It could have just been me, but it happened too many times not to mention it.

Ugh.I’m putting this book down feeling lost and broken and wanting more. I’m glad this isn’t a series - I feel like I’ve jumped into too many to keep them straight - but I really don’t want to say goodbye to Eelyn or Iri or Fiske. At least her next book is in the same world, supposedly a companion novel. I’m really curious who’s going to be in it. Now, I just need to wait a year. There’s always the title reveal to get excited about. Till then I’m sending all my willpower to urge Young to write faster. Either that or I’ll find a way to bug her on Instagram.

Love Kait.

Reading Challange: 39/100