This final installment in the fabulous Asgard Awakening series was the absolute perfect conclusion to this fun and queer retelling of the Norse mythology set in the 21st century. It was both so exciting to reach the end of the story and so sad that it was time to say goodbye to Loki, Gunnar Magnusson, Freddie, Darryll Donovan and all the other characters I’ve come to love during these four books.

Loki is the former Norse god of mischief who has been reborn as a woman. Throughout the series he’s been on a quest to regain his immortality together with his friends (and love interest) Gunnar Magnusson. Here, the story continues where the third book ended, with Gunnar Magnusson and Loki trying to change Loki’s destiny to die on a Tuesday by going parachuting of the Golden Gate Bridge. Luckily neither of them dies, but upon landing they find themselves being chased by Allfather Odin who wants to kill Loki for things he’s done in the past (Ragnarok for example…) together with Thor, who has been reincarnated as the sweet Darryl Donovan, but has now regained his memories and been transformed back to his old caveman self.

As always Loki causes chaos and mischief wherever he goes, but now he’s reached the end of the journey and it’s time to face his past and take responsibility for his wrongful actions in a final judgement.

I’m so in love with all the characters and their growth during this series. Especially Loki of course, who’s grown from a selfish and immature trickster god to a decent and caring person who starts to see things from others’ perspective and realize how much pain he’s caused others.

“You’ve grown soft in this modern age,” Huginn catches my eye. “It’s a good look for you, Loki.”
Am I becoming… decent? Nah. That would be utterly embarrassing.

Generally, this book felt a bit more grown-up than the others in the series, with Loki getting so many revelations and gaining a lot of new insights. At the end of the journey, he’s realized that life isn’t about the destination, but about how you treat those you encounter on the way, and that love can come in many different ways.

“Our souls don’t care which clothes we wear. Nor do they care whom we fall in love with. Love is love.”

I love the found family he’s created along the way with his friends. I also absolutely adore the fresh take on gender that is so well executed and unique throughout this series. The way Loki (and many of the other characters) swaps between pronouns without losing his identity is so well done.

“I’m both woman and man with the best parts of each. I am both genders and neither. I am anything and everything I could ever wish to be. I am Loki.”

Some parts of the story were perhaps a little long, especially up until the big trial part, but all in all it wrapped up things so well in the end and was a perfect finale to this completely unique urban fantasy comedy. This is an amazing series with an important message about gender and identity and the love and importance of found families. Not to mention that it is utterly hilarious, I laughed out loud so many times! I recommend this series with all my heart, also to those who don’t normally read fantasy!

Thank you to the author Kendall Grey for the free review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily and all opinions are my own.

Rating:
4.5 epic stars rounding up to 5

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​Author info:
Kendall Grey

This is the third book in the fabulous Asgard Awakening series, and just like the other books it was such a fun and queer retelling of the Norse mythology set in the 21st century. This time, Loki’s hilarious mischiefs involved some absolutely epic drag queens, an earthquake-causing orgasm and more friends turning into reincarnated Gods.

The story follows the former Norse trickster God Loki, who has been reborn as a woman, and his friends, Freddie and Gunnar Magnusson, as they try to track down Loki’s lost runes. After the mayhem they caused in Las Vegas in the second book, they are now heading to a drag queen pageant in San Francisco, where the evil Asgard Awakening’s actor Damien Drakkar is head of the panel. In order to get the rune back that Damien is keeping, Loki tries to seduce him but it all misfires heavily. But on a positive note, apparently Gunnar Magnusson looks even more amazing in a dress and heels…

I’m so in love with all the characters and I absolutely adore the fresh take on gender that is so well executed and unique throughout this series. The way Loki swapped between pronouns without losing his identity was so well done. In this installment, Loki gets to discover what it’s like to live in a man’s world.

“But now that I’m a woman, I’m not very fond of this unwritten rule.”

Loki also has to struggle with the inability to lie, which is a hard lesson for a former trickster God, and the guilt for betraying his friends by keeping their real identities as reincarnated and former foes a secret. Even though there was so much going on, the story was a bit slower in this book and at times it felt like a build-up for the finale. But it was nevertheless a fantastic read, and I can’t wait for the final installment when all things will be revealed and, hopefully, Loki can have his true happily ever after with Gunnar Magnusson in his original identity (keeping it a bit vague here not to spoil anything…).
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Thank you to the author Kendall Grey for the free review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily and all opinions are my own.

Rating:
4 stars

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​Author info:
Kendall Grey

Gilded is the second book in the Asgard Awakening series and what an excellent sequel! Just like the first book, Runed, it was such a fun, queer and totally hilarious retelling of the Norse mythology set in the 21st century. But this time there were also some extra layers of pain and regret that gave the story more depths and made it even more fabulous.

The story follows the former Norse trickster God Loki, who has been reborn as a woman, and his friends, Freddie and Gunnar Magnusson, as they try to track down Loki’s lost runes. This time, the journey took them to Las Vegas and the gilded Nine Realms Resort, where chaos erupted (to put it mildly). But there were also some important realizations and gender explorations, amazing character developments, sweet budding romances and wonderful friendships.

This series is really something unique and over the top in the best possible way! I completely adore it, but it’s almost impossible to describe it in a way that makes it justice. There are so many things to love about it. I especially want to give huge praise for the unsentimental way gender identity was explored throughout the book and how Loki dealt with it all, and his burgeoning emotions for Gunnar Magnusson.

“Our souls don’t care which clothes we wear.”

The way Loki swapped between pronouns without losing his identity was so well done. There was such a wonderful scene when Freddie tried to explain everything about having your period and female products to Loki, and her failed attempts to use a tampon was absolutely priceless!

And the way Loki constantly misinterpreted Freddie’s proverbs made me laugh out loud so many times! But there was also a more serious tone this time, with Loki’s nightmares about all the bad things he’d done and his regrets causing panic attacks, that added an extra layer to the story. It was still so much fun, but now also more gripping and emotional.

All in all, this is an amazing, absolutely unique and addictive urban fantasy comedy that I recommend with all my heart! I can’t wait to continue the series and find out what crazy adventures that lies ahead for the beloved characters.

Thank you to the author Kendall Grey for the free review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily and all opinions are my own.

Rating:
4.5 gilded stars rounding up to 5

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​Author info:
Kendall Grey

This first book in the Asgard Awakening series is such a fun, queer and totally hilarious retelling of the Norse mythology set in the 21st century. Waking up about a thousand years after Ragnarok, Loki can’t feel his balls... because, it turns out, he’s been reborn as a woman.

“I shake my head as I trip over the wire stretching across the punch line to this cruel joke.
I’m a woman.
The trickster god Loki, son of frost giants, father to the beasts that brought down Allfather Odin and Thunder-Bringer Thor, who masterminded and personally delivered an end to the entire world, wrapped up in a pretty, bloody red bow has finally been bested.
Well.
I can’t say I didn’t have it coming.”

Loki has not only been reborn as a woman, he’s also lost his runes and is no longer a God. With the help of Icelandic archeology student Gunnar Magnusson he sets off on a journey to the west (America) to retrieve them. In their wake they have a chicken spy. Yes, chicken spy! It’s Odin’s raven Huginn who has been reincarnated as a chicken and commanded by Odin to spy on Loki and stop them from getting the runes back. Huginn was such a wonderful side kick, and the banter between Loki and Huginn made me laugh out loud at times. I also loved the sweet, strong and handsome Viking Gunnar Magnusson and how he followed Loki on the crazy adventures even though he was sure that she wasn’t playing with a full deck of cards… There’s also a great secondary character in Gunnar Magnusson’s queer friend Freddie, a lot of twists and surprises, and a cliffhanger that will make you crave for the second book.

Starting to read this book I had no idea what to expect, but it really blew me off. The story is a completely unique urban fantasy comedy. It’s well-written and very fast-paced (I read the whole book in just a couple of hours!) and the humor is hilarious.

Thank you NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for the ebook copy and the opportunity to find this new author and unforgettable book!

Highly recommended to anyone, also those who don’t normally enjoy fantasy books!

Rating:
4 stars

Get your own copy:
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Book Depository

​Author info:
Kendall Grey