Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 12/01/2022 Gr 7 Up—This action-adventure packed with gods, demons, magic, and Norse mythology follows two 16-year-olds: Eiric, a Viking descended from gods, and Reginn, a foundling with magic. Eiric and his sister, Liv, have been found guilty of murdering their mother and stepfather following a rigged trial, and must bargain with a neighboring jarl or lose everything—including their family's unusually bountiful farm. If they can find the mythical, magical island stronghold of witches, called wyrdspinners, the jarl will pay their blood price. Reginn has spent her life traveling and using her sorcery to perform wonders, all while being leeched by a fire demon she would do anything to escape. After a performance, wyrdspinners invite her to the academy at the Grove, the island sanctuary for sorcerers, and offer freedom from her demon. Characters converge on the Temple at the Grove, naturally tying the plotlines together. Intricately plotted so that even the twists have twists, this book is exactly as long as it needs to be and leaves readers excited for the sequel. Chima proved an expert at balancing multiple points of view and intricate plotlines with her "Seven Realms" quartet, and those skills shine here. The main cast is white, with diversity in the secondary characters. VERDICT Infused with Norse mythos and spellbinding from start to finish, Chima's new series should find its way into every library. Hand this to fantasy fans and younger readers aging into YA.—Emmy Neal - Copyright 2022 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 12/01/2022 Ragnarok, the gods’ war, has come and gone, leaving the human realm in chaos. Eiric, son of Sylvi, loses his mother after she gives birth to his brother and is left to die along with the baby. Reggin, a healer who’s been sold into slavery to strange monster Alger, has traveled her entire life and fears the anger of her master. When Eiric and Reggin cross paths in an alehouse, an attraction forms, though neither expects to see the other again. Eiric returns home to try to save his family’s farm with the help of his half sister Liv, while Reggin narrowly escapes to learn magic from wyrdspinners. But magic nudges them back together and toward the old gods of Asgard. Chima has been a fixture on best-seller lists as long as she’s been writing, and this new series has the depth to grab epic fantasy fans. Mythology-based books draw natural comparisons to Rick Riordan, though this less-humorous offering may hit the spot for readers growing out of Riordan’s many series. - Copyright 2022 Booklist.