ESCAPE TO THE PAST WITH: Daughter of Fire and Ice by Marie-Louise Jensen

Daughter of Fire and Ice by Marie-Louise Jensen was a tricky book to get a hold of, until I remembered The Book Depository. With free delivery, and UK published books in stock, I don’t know why I don’t remember to use them more often.

Thora is a beautiful fifteen-year-old healer and seer. Her talents have made her the target of Bjorn Svanson, the greedy young chieftain of her part of Norway. He has systematically reduced her father’s farm to the point where her father can no longer pay tribute. There is only one thing left for him to relinquish - her. But her family won’t let her go without a fight.

However Bjorn has troubles of his own. King Harald is aware that Bjorn is keeping too much of the tributes for himself. The king’s army is on the march. Bjorn’s plan is to steal Thora and sail for Iceland.

Thora has one chance for escape. Enlisting the help of a slave, a man she has seen before in her visions, she convinces him to steal the chieftain’s ship and his identity. Together, they might make a new life for themselves in Iceland. But they have to avoid their past – if they are caught it will mean ruin. And this is only one of their problems. They face starvation, disease, and a malevolent woman who not only sows discord among their small settlement but whose very presence destroys Thora’s hope for love.

Daughter of Fire and Ice is a fast-paced, adventure-filled YA romance that will sweep you to back to the Viking era. Thora is a strong, no-nonsense heroine, well-matched by the newly-minted Bjorn Svanson, as they lead the settlers in the new land. They face adversity with strength and pit steady goodness against evil. Although you’re never really in doubt who’s going to win, it’s a thrill to go along for the ride.

This is one of my YA historical fiction challenge books. If you you're a YA fiction fan, you can read reviews of other books I've read for the challenge (link at right) and check out the challenge at Yabliss.com.