Review: Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young

“A rousing saga and moving coming-of-age tale, perfect for those who appreciate the wild and the wildlings, strong female protagonists, and cinematic battles.” – Kirkus starred review

Sky in the Deep

Author: Adrienne Young

Genre: YA Fantasy 

Blurb
Seventeen-year-old Eelyn’s world is war. Raised to fight alongside her Aska clansmen in a generations-old blood feud against the Riki, her life is brutal but simple: fight and survive. Until the day she sees the impossible on the battlefield—her brother, fighting with the enemy—the brother she watched die five years ago.

Faced with her brother’s betrayal, she must survive the winter in the mountains with the Riki if she wants to make it back to the fjord after the thaw. But when she begins to see herself in the people she’s been taught to hate, the world Eelyn once knew begins to crumble. And after the village is raided by a ruthless clan many believe to be a myth, Eelyn is given no choice but to trust Fiske, her brother’s friend who has tried more than once to kill her. Together, they must end the blood feud between their clans or watch their people be slaughtered.

A lush, Viking-age inspired fantasy about loyalty, forgiveness, and the definition of family.

Goodreads

Skye in the Deep by Adrienne Young is an impressive debut novel that every fan of YA fantasy should add to their tbr. A masterfully written tale with badass characters and a beautiful message, this story exceeded all my expectations! Knowing this is the work of a new author truly blows me away! 

I want to start off by saying that I've read plenty of first time novels, and this doesn't read like one. This story is expertly crafted, interesting, layered, and emotional. It's not one of those books you forget about the second you put it down either. It's stays with you, and that has a lot to do with the author's cinematic writing style. I could picture everything she described with an incredible ease that made the book that much more memorable. 

Though I loved the action, suspense, and violence, what stood out to me most in this story was the exploration of what it means to be a family, a friend, and just plain human. Watching these people struggle to survive, to take care of each other, to hold onto their faith, to fight when giving up seems like the obvious choice, and striving to live and die with honor is emotional, intense, and deeply moving. 

The relationships between all of the characters were the highlight for me. Period. They were unbreakable, complex, and sometimes, complicated and forbidden. The latter made everything a lot more interesting. 

Skye in the Deep is a vivid, bloody, entertaining, and exciting piece of literature that I'm thrilled to have had the opportunity to read. I appreciate a story with a well built world, fierce characters, a love connection worth rooting for, and epic battle scenes that keep me on the edge of my seat. This book delivered on all fronts! 

Bottom line, I fell in love with this story, the setting, the characters, and the heart of this novel. I hope you will, too! 

YA Fantasy fans that don't mind a little slow burning romance with their adventure, this one's for you! 

Buy Now!

About the Author

Adrienne Young is the New York Times Bestselling author of Sky in the Deep. A born and bred Texan turned California girl, she is a foodie with a deep love of history and travel and a shameless addiction to coffee. When she’s not writing, you can find her on her yoga mat, scouring antique fairs for old books, sipping wine over long dinners, or disappearing into her favorite art museums. She lives with her documentary filmmaker husband and their four little wildlings beneath the West Coast sun.


Instagram: @adrienneyoungbooks
Twitter: @adriennebooks