Ransacker

Berserker #2

by Emmy Laybourne

Rare powers. Precious metals. Deadly greed.

Sissel Hemstad and her siblings have been living peacefully in a small town in Montana, trying to blend-in and escape the violent events that haunt them, but they’ve all been tricked -- James Peavy, the handsome young man courting Sissel is secretly a Pinkerton spy.

The Hemstads possess supernatural powers bestowed upon their family by the ancient Norse gods. Now Sissel, the youngest at 16, discovers her gift: she is a Ransacker. She can find gold and other precious metals and pull them to her. Hers is an awesome and dangerous gift.

If James discovers her secret, he will undoubtedly report back to his boss, the ruthless Baron Fjelstad who wants desperately to control the Hemstads. But James is not the only person interested in Sissel. She’s also caught the attention of a local mine owner, Isaiah McKray. He is convinced Sissel has a lucky touch when it comes to finding gold.

Sissel is torn between the two men, both determined to have her secrets. With betrayal lurking around every corner, Sissel must tread carefully. Harnessing her powers could summon great fortune… or doom them all.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Westerns, Historical, Paranormal, Young Adult Fantasy

448 pages, Hardcover

First published January 29, 2019

About the author

EMMY LAYBOURNE is a Young Adult novelist best known for her Monument 14 series, an internationally best-selling trilogy that has been translated into 9 languages. Her standalone book Sweet won a Junior Library Guild Award, was a YALSA Quick Pick and got a Perfect Ten rating from VOYA. Her latest books, Berserker, and Ransacker tell the story of a family of Norwegian teens with ancient Viking powers and are currently being adapted for television.

Emmy is a former character actress, and is occasionally recognized from her role as Mary Katherine Gallagher’s best friend in the movie “Superstar.” She lives outside New York with her husband, two kids, faithful dog and a flock of seven nifty chickens. Visit her online at www.EmmyLaybourne.com.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:
www.facebook.com/EmmyLaybourne
www.twitter.com/EmmyLaybourne
www.instagram.com/EmmyLaybourne

Reviews

[Carole (Carole's Random Life) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life in Books.

I did like this book even if I didn't love it. I really enjoyed the first book in this series, Berserker, so I was pretty eager to see what the Hemstad family was up to. While I didn't enjoy this one quite as much as the previous book, I did find it to be a worthwhile read and enjoyed the story overall.

The set up for this series is really quite interesting. The book takes place in the Old West and focuses on a family with a unique set of abilities. These abilities are linked back to the Norse gods and each member of the Hemstad family has their own unique power, which the exception of the youngest, Sissel. Sissel feels like she is the weakest member of the family since she always seems to be in poor health in addition to lacking a gift.

I think that the main reason that I didn't connect with this book quite as much as the previous book in the series is the fact that this book is largely told from Sissel's point of view. Unfortunately, the bulk of this book is really just about Sissel instead of the family as a group. I think that one of the strengths of the first book was the relationships between the siblings but in this installment, the family went in different directions and not really a part of the bigger story for much of the book. We do occasionally check in with Hanne and Owen while they are away and I must admit to enjoying those brief segments much more than Sissel's story.

Sissel had been the only member of the family not to be blessed with a gift but that changes shortly after the start of this book. She quite literally stumbles upon her ability to detect metals and learns that she is a Ransacker. There hasn't been a Ransacker for a very long time and Sissel isn't exactly sure what she is capable of so a lot of the story is spent watching her practice and test her new found ability. Unfortunately, I didn't find her ability nearly as exciting as that of her sister even though it would be really nice to be able to locate gold with ease.

The book does get a lot more exciting as it progressed and there were a few pretty intense scenes before everything was over. I think that I liked the final sections of the book much more not only because there was a lot of action but also because the family was reunited. There is a bit of romance that pops up before the end of the book and I hate to say it but I just wasn't feeling it.

I would recommend this series to others. I do think that it is best to read this series in order and overall it is a really solid story. I wouldn't hesitate to read more from Emmy Laybourne in the future.

I received a digital review copy of this book from Macmillan Children's Publishing Group - Feiwel & Friends via NetGalley.

Initial Thoughts
Maybe 3.5 stars? I am going with 3 for now but may round up after I get the chance to think about it for a while. I liked this one but not nearly as much as I liked the first book in the series. Sissel wasn't nearly as easy to relate to as Hanne was and I have to admit that I liked the parts of this book that followed Hanne more than Sissel. Unfortunately, this is really Sissel's story so that was a bit of a problem. I didn't hate Sissel but I never felt connected to her and I thought that a lot of the decisions she made were poor ones and she spent way too much time feeling sorry for herself. I did enjoy some things quite a lot in the story and there were a few surprises along the way that I did appreciate.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 Stars

This book gave me everything I was hoping for after reading Berserker. You get to learn more about everybody else involved and a better understanding of the world, and their Nyttes. And the story starts back up not long after the end of Berserker. Now we get to learn more about Sissel and her nytte of being a Ransacker. The action starts up pretty early on!

I will say I did not connect with Sissel as well as I did Hanne, BUT I think I'm a very different person than Sissel so that's understandable to me. Also we still get to read Hanne's POV in this book so it worked just fine for me!

[Shelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Source* Publisher
*Genre* Young Adult, Historical
*Rating* 3.5

*Thoughts*

Ransacker, by author Emmy Laybourne, is the finale to the Berserker duology. This story takes place 2 years after the events of Berserker. The Hemstads (Hanne, Stieg, Knut, and Sissel) possess supernatural powers bestowed upon their family by the ancient Norse Gods. Sissel Hemstad, the youngest at 16, will finally discover her Nytte gift, She's a Ransacker. She can find gold and other precious metals and pull them to her. Hers is an awesome and dangerous gift and the only one like her in the whole world.

*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*

https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...

[Misty · Rating 5 out of 5]

God, Emmy Laybourne has created such a great world and characters with this series.
Full review to come.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sissel finds out that she has the power of a Ransacker and can sense metals.

I am happy to say that I enjoyed this book nearly as much as 'Berserker'. I'm also surprised to say that because (1) I didn't like the character of Sissel and (2) this book was advertised as having a love triangle. I'm on a YA-not-a-fan place in my life so it takes a lot for me to enjoy one currently. Emmy Laybourne manages this. Sissel and her family continue to back each other up (though they're separated for most of the book), and Sissel actually grows up and stops being an annoying brat. Once she gets past the 'oooh, he's so beautiful and he likes me' moments, she realizes that one of the two guys who is after her is not really into her, so the triangle crashed (in a good way). I'm sad to see the end of these books, and I've put the author's "Monument 14" on my TBR. Good storytelling is good storytelling, YA or not.

[Hannah L (Reviewer) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an odd combo, western and viking gods, but surprisingly good.

[Caitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the first book in the BERSERKER duology and RANSACKER certainly does not disappoint! This book is a whirlwind of an adventure filled with increasing intensity! The world-building is unreal and the evolution of these characters stunned me. I did not expect to connect with Sissel so deeply, but I'm so glad the author allowed us to get to know her better! A must-read for sure!

(Note: I received an early review copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.)

[Megan Anderson · Rating 2 out of 5]

The premise of this was fantastic: a fantasy set in the 1880s focused on a family with powers granted by the Norse gods. Sign me up!

But the reality is disappointingly lackluster. Practically every page we're told that the character the book ostensibly focuses on is weak and small and sick, but she ends up with two dudes after her hand? One of them even tells her he likes her "ambition"? To that point, I hadn't seen an ambitious bone in her actions! Willful and impulsive maybe, but nothing so set as "ambition."

And the details. The food menus sounded like she was reading off of lists of "Things People Ate" and the clothing details were entirely wrong. Even in the hills of Montana women weren't wearing "hoopskirts" in the 1880s; they were barely even wearing fashionable bustles (and sometimes corsets!) except for special occasions and Sundays, given how impractical they were for farming. A character couldn't "tuck cash" into her "décolletage" because the collars were all up to the chin unless you were in evening dress (she wasn't) or a hooker (she wasn't). And when a sixteen-year-old character was described as "too young" to work...wow. Just wow. Plenty of rural teachers were in the mid-teens, and others were married and starting their own families by that point. A town with a fancy hotel like Carter would've had at least one dressmaker's shop, and they would've probably employed young, unmarried women. Kids regularly did whatever they needed to do to help their families, regardless of their ages. That's why school terms were so random during the year--all the hands on deck for the harvest. Now, if the author had chosen to say the character was too sickly to work, then maybe I could've just read past it without pause, but even someone who can't do a lot of hard physical labor can thread a needle and sew on buttons in a dress shop, especially if she has time after school every day to hang out with her friends (also historically inaccurate).

The kicker, though, was throwing in at the end that a character is gay just seemed like the author trying to be like, "Look! I can write LGBTQ+ stuff, too!" rather than her taking any real effort to include that aspect into his character from the start. Or, y'know, if it's not gonna matter one way or another plot-wise or have any impact on his character development or growth whatsoever, maybe don't even mention it? I'm 100% for representation in literature, particularly YA lit, but this was handled in the most Rowling-esque way possible.

The actual plot was interesting enough, I guess, even if the serendipity of some parts was kinda hard to believe and the writing itself was lackluster. I thought the Nytte-magic aspect was probably the best part of the entire book; those segments where Hanne went into her berserker rage and the end bit with Sissel were really well-done and earned it back a star.

Too bad the rest of it was such a slog.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd give this one a 3.5 mostly because I missed the interaction among the Hemstad siblings, and Hanne, Stieg, and Knut were not as present as Sissel, their sixteen-year-old sister. In fact, most of the book focuses on Sissel and her newly-found gift--and it's a doozy! It was cool to see her grow from a whining, fragile, helpless, and self-absorbed child to an empowered woman who is independent and knows what she wants. But she makes so many mistakes and trusts the wrong person. Three years have passed since the family arrived in the United States, and they've settled into a small Montana town. It might seem that Knut is safe from the murder charges left behind in Norway and that the family's secrets are safe, known only to Owen, but those gifts that the siblings possess are too rare for the baron to allow them to escape, and there is treachery all around them, even in places no one could imagine. Just as the previous book highlighted Hanne's inner struggles with her violent urges and the necessity to protect her loved ones, this book traces her sister's journey. The author does a great job in depicting the rebellious nature of an often overprotected and overlooked teen coming into her own, but I wondered how James managed to appear to be a student and classmate of Sissel's in the small town when he was actually spying for the baron and was not to be trusted at all. Things are resolved in a satisfactory way, but I found the battle with the baron and his minions a bit over the top and hard to believe. Still, readers who liked the first book will want to read this one to have closure. I wish Stieg's own romance and personal growth had been explored a bit more; it sort of felt tacked on at the end. He is an interesting character in his own right and deserved more.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you haven’t read the first book in the Beserker series, er, Beserker, then its sequel, Ransacker won’t make a lot of sense. So, maybe you should go read Beserker. Or you could read about it in the review that I wrote a while back! It’s got Henrik Ibsen references... Go ahead, I’ll wait.

So its two years after the events of Beserker and now we're focusing on now 16 year old Sissel. Sissel is sick and tired of being treated like a little weakling, with Hanne hovering over her all the time and everyone else making decisions that directly affect her without her input. The Hemstads and Owen, now engaged to Hanne, live in a timber house on a farm outside Carter Montana. Unfortunately, and I'm not sure if you guys are aware of this, but during the summer, the entire Western half of the United States catches fire. Like, all of it. So a giant fire sweeps through the community, destroying the Hemstad's farm - with no hope of enough income to afford to marry, Hanne and Owen take off to join a cattle drive, Knut goes off to work as a laborer on an unaffected farm, and Steig, now the local schoolteacher, and Sissel go to live in the town hotel, managed by the hunky 20-year old Isaiah McKray.

While the Hemstads are enjoying these relatively normal 19-century-Western-immigrant life problems, they have no idea they're under constant Pinkerton surveillance, led by Mr. Peavy and a kid he hired to pretend to be his son, James. The Pinkertons were hired by the evil Baron Fjelstad from the first book and he seems obsessed in knowing about Sissel. James's one job is to woo Sissel, be her suitor and get her to spill her secrets. But the thing is, of course, James actually likes Sissel and is a bit wary of the intentions of the Baron and the Pinkertons.

Poor James has zero idea about the whole Nytte thing, by the way.

At first it seems like Sissel has no Nytte, until a funeral after the fire when she starts to feel something in the Earth calling to her... turns out Sissel is a ransacker, a very rare nytte in which a person can sense metals and draw them to themselves. Like gold. Gold is good. Have I mentioned that Isiah McCray also owns a gold mine outside of town? Yeah, he would very much like someone of Sissel's talent to work for him. And so would the Baron. Sissel has to keep her new gift a secret, but her family needs money and she can sense gold so...what could possibly go wrong?

Lots of things, as it turns out.

Beserker and Ransacker are both the sorts of book that I just start reading and then just breeze through - again, I’m a slow-ass reader, I take breaks, get distracted easily, have to work while at work and do housework while at home...I’m lucky if I can manage 1 book per week (maybe 2 if I have an audiobook on-hand), but with both Beserker and Ransacker, I’d start and then find myself having to drag myself away. Nooo, I don’t want to do dishes, I want to read more about magical 19th Century Norwegian immigrants! That’s way more fun than scrubbing bits of cat food off the cat dishes. You know who’s really good at getting the bits of dried cat food off the cat dishes? The dog. Why can’t he just do those dishes and don’t say it’s because he doesn’t have opposable thumbs...

I was going to have this review done sooner but I'm currently at ALA midwinter, drowning in all the books they just give out for free. FREE. the two sweetest words in the English language: free books. Either way: though it may not work as a standalone book, Ransacker is an excellent sequel, and gives a highly satisfying conclusion to the story of the Hemstads. I’m not sure if this series is meant to be a duology or a trilogy or what, but I do know that Ransacker delivers one hell of an ending. I cried. It was great.

[Tiana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Musings: 
Ransacker is the empowering sequel to one of my favorite reads of 2018 Berserker. The horror was dialed back in Ransacker to make way for a whole different sort of story. The story of Sissel. The sister who was known for being Nyette free and weak. But the sister who would not be set back by her perceived weaknesses any longer.
What I Loved: 
Sissel's strength. This is 100% Sissel's story. She grows in this story. She finds her worth. She finds her strength. She decides for herself to take the path that she desires. Sissel shines in Ransacker and I'm all here for it.
The western feel. I am usually completely uninterested in western novels, but this one uses the western setting in a great way to tell a totally unique story and I'm all for it.
The Norse Mythology. I love a good fantasy with magic, but this sort of magic in particular is really intriguing to me. Using your powers eventually leading to some sort of physical punishment like the possibility of hearing loss is intriguing. Especially when the call to use these powers is always very strong.
Love beyond the flaws. McKray the mine owner is a swindler. He is fundamentally a flawed human being. He lied to increase his own wealth and yet Sissel saw more in him. Saw him in his totality and loved him for him completely. Though they did have their struggles love won out. That's the kind of love that I'd like to share.
The other Beau. I may not hold any love for James, but I do love how Sissel grew from her courtship with him. Sissel knew that she didn't want this boy. They had a friendship and James always acted like he wanted more (for not the best of reasons) and Sissel eventually chose for herself what she wanted and she did so with great respect for herself and I greatly admire that.
The continuation of Hanne's story. I like that Hanne had her own little storyline within Sissel's story. I loved seeing her and Owen together and seeing their relationship evolve more deeply. I always loved them together and seeing them live and grow together was a beautiful addition to the novel.
The imagery that the powers of a Ransacker creates. The way that Sissel connected with metals was so cool. They were characterized with different personalities and gold being of the most brilliance. It created this really beautiful and totally unique layer of description that I adored.
All in all: 
Ransacker was brilliant and empowering and beautifully written. I am so grateful for the opportunity I had to read it. It's a worthy sequel to Ransacker with its own very unique vibe. I enjoyed every moment of reading it.

[Nannette Demmler · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC provided by Macmillan Children’s Publishing via NetGalley for an honest review.

Wow, this one was just as good as the first. I really enjoy the setting and characters and the mix of the old west with Norse mythology. Plus a strong family that loves each other and will do anything to keep each other safe.

This is Sissel’s story. She is the youngest of the four siblings and in the first book she was the least likable. I could relate to Sissel though, I’m the youngest of four too and know how hard that can be. She also did not have a talent, which made her feel left out. But now her talent has manifested, later than the others, and it is one that could lead to disaster for the family. Sissel does grow quite a bit in this story, although her choices sometimes are questionable. She still isn’t as likable as her siblings, but she does kind of grow on you.

Hanne and Owen are still involved, although why they were waiting to get married is beyond me. They spend some of the book working on a cattle drive, which was interesting again to read about. This time Hanne was working with the cook and so we got a different perspective of what a cattle drive is like. Her berserker instincts were still strong and important, but for the most part she can control them. Some of the sweeter parts of this book was when her and Owen had some time alone together.

James Peavy and Isaiah McKray are the two men vying for Sissel’s attention. James is the Pinkerton spy, but I do believe he genuinely had feelings for Sissel. He didn’t really know why he was spying on her and her family, and he didn’t completely trust the Pinkertons. But I liked him much better than Isaiah. Isaiah was a bit of a swindler, and he started off just wanting Sissel for her ability. But I think by the end he really did start to care for her.

Steig story unfolds a bit more and I am hoping that the next book is the one that focuses on him. He spent most of this book being exasperated by Sissel, but really wanted to help her with her gift. He is a strong character with a lot of potential for his own story. Knut was not in this book much, but he also would make a good story for another book.

The plot of this book was just as good as the first, although it does start off a bit slow. The ending really makes up for the slow start though. The threat of the Baron is at the forefront of the families issues as is the old warrant for Knut arrest. Keeping Sissel’s Nytte a secret is also a main part of the plot. Can you imagine how hard that one would be to hide? I don’t blame Sissel for wanting to use it either. It could solve all of the families money issues. I will warn you that there are some pretty brutal violent scenes concerning berserkers and their violent ways of killing. Not quite as bad as the first book, but still disturbing.

I really enjoyed this duology and highly recommend it not to just historical fantasy aficionados, but any one who enjoys historical fiction as well. The detail of the setting will really draw you in.

https://elnadesbookchat.com

[Mrs. Kenyon · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Hemstads are finally settled in a small Montana town and are trying to keep their secret hidden. Their family has special powers that were granted by the Norse gods and they fled their homeland to protect themselves. Sissel, the youngest girl, thought she was the only one who didn’t have a power; until she discovers that she is a Ransacker. She can find precious metals, even gold, and bring it to her. But this small Montana town is not safe. The Pinkertons have sent a spy and he is pretending to court Sissel. Will the Hemstads be able to keep their powers a secret? Will Sissel be able to control this power that she just discovered?

Ransacker is the second book in the Berserker series. There is a bit of a delay in time between the ending of the first book and the beginning of this book, but not so much that the characters have changed. The family is split during the majority of the story, which gives some added adventure and scenery. Laybourne has done a wonderful job of taking this time of years gone past and crafting a story that teens and adults will both want to experience. I loved the twists and turns of the plot and was nearly holding my breath to see what these young people would do next. This is a great second book, but please read the first book; otherwise, you may not understand all of the interactions. I don’t know if it is a duet or trilogy, but I am hoping for more books.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this title for review.

I read Berserker last year and was so excited to see that Laybourne was going to continue the series. This story focuses mainly on Sissel and her discovery of being a Ransacker (this is the Nyette gift of finding and manipulating metals). The only reason I gave it 4 instead of 5 stars is that it started a bit slow, and even though it was mainly focused on Sissel, the storylines also diverged every other chapter early on to cover Sissel, Hanne, and James (a secondary character that wasn't as developed in the end as I would have liked). Besides all of these things, this ended up being a great follow up to the first book. The action is there and I found myself comparing it to the hit Outlander at the end. This idea of romance, set in a whirlwind adventurous/rugged setting, with magic, seems to fit that bill.

This is completely appropriate for grades 7 and up. There is some violence, but nothing worse than in other science fiction/fantasy tales. Also, there is no sexual content-just some kissing (and that is sporadic). There is little to no language (only a random "goddammit" throughout). Highly recommend.

[bjneary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh did I love this 2nd book in Emmy Laybourne's 2nd series! If you have not read her first Monument 14 series, YOU MUST!!! And with just 2 books in the Berserker series, I could not stop turning the pages! Back in Berserker, Norwegian brothers and sisters run to the United States from an evil Baron and try to hide their powers. But with these powers also come curses. With a wildfire destroying their home in the Wild West, the Hamsted family must break up for awhile to earn money to come home and rebuild. Steig and his sick sister, Sissel stay behind at a hotel to finish out the school year; Sissle discovers her power, has 2 men vying for her affections and she has a tough time keeping her secret (she tells both James & Isaiah she can find gold, with 2 very different reactions). Hanne and her beloved Owen and faithful dog, Daisy join a wagon trail and youngest brother while Ynut goes to live with an elderly couple who need his help. I could not stop turning the pages as I found out the Baron hired the Pinkerton Detective Agency to give daily reports on the Hamsted family! I enjoyed the life of the west, strong women living with constraints due to their "lot" in life, finding out even more about the ancient Norse Gods and religious beliefs, and fell in love even more with Owen, Daisy, Isaiah and the whole Hamsted family! A MUST READ series, thoroughly enjoyable!

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m only giving this book 4 out of 5 stars for minor reasons, but it really was a very good book. I was not aware that this story would be told from Sissel’s POV more, and she was so whiney and immature it was SO PAINFUL. I’m at least glad there was plenty from Hanne’s POV still. She’s still my favorite with Owen. I especially liked seeing them fight and still manage to come back together as a unit.
As for Sissel……ugh. So annoying. First off, I actually kinda liked James???? I did NOT like McKray. He was too proud and hoity toity. I thought James was genuine despite his job. But then BAM he’s fuckin KILLED??????? WHAT THE HELL!!! I thought it was so random and out of place. But as it progressed and the ending came near I was at least glad to see Sissel grow tf up and mature. And I GUESS McKray didn’t end up being that awful. But still….wtf.
If it wasn’t for Hanne in this book I would’ve hated it honestly. But I love her and I love Owen and I’m sad that we didn’t get to see them together after their wedding on their little ranch raising nytte children and cattle dogs.

[Samantha Hastings · Rating 5 out of 5]

I adored Berserker so I was hoping this sequel would be just as good...and it is! Ransacker is predominantly told by Sissel the youngest of the Hemstead family and the only one without a Nytte—a special power from the Norse gods. Until she discovers that she can sense gold and other metals in the ground. But her new found abilities could lead to their discovery...

What I loved 🖤🖤🖤:
1. The western setting and gold rush with a Norse mythological twist.
2. Lots of action and adventure from cattle stampedes to wild fires to kidnappings to shoot-outs.
3. Sissel’s 2 beaus: James and McKray, both who are hiding secrets about who they really are and why they are interested in her.
4. The devotion of the siblings to each other and their willingness to sacrifice for each other.
5. Two satisfying romances: Hanne and Owen (who are engaged), and Sissel and ? (No spoilers).

A unique, unforgettable adventure that I couldn’t put down.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Norse mythology meets the American Wild West in this sequel to Berserker. The Hemstad siblings all possess magical powers, Nyette, passed down from the Norse Gods. Sister Hanne is a Berserker -- she goes into a murderous rage when she senses a loved one is in danger. In Berserker, the Hemsteds fled Norway for Montana in the 1800s. In Ransacker, the siblings have settled into a simple, frontier life. They are trying to lay low as brother Knut is wanted back in Norway and Baron Fjelstad is searching for them in hopes of luring them back to Norway to join forces with other Nyette. When their farm is ruined by a forest fire, they separate to earn money. While living in town, youngest sister Sissel discovers her Nyette. She is a Ransacker, able to find precious metals. With the Baron and the Pinkerton men he has hired after them, this quickly evolves into a page-turning adventure. A fun mash-up!

[Drucilla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, I got the Berserker-on-Berserker fight I wanted, but it was so disappointing. This book was fine, but Sissel was kind of a meh character. I didn't like her in the previous book, and while she's not as bad here, Laybourne didn't do enough to make me flat out like her. And it really didn't help that she has to be the one to save everyone at the end, leading to Hanne having to get her ass kicked to make the stakes more dramatic. Anyway, I also wasn't happy with the romance in the first book and hoped it would improve in this one. I was wrong. There's still no chemistry between Hanne and Owen and I was very disappointed at the resolution of the Sissel's love triangle. First, again, there's no chemistry between any of them and second, Laybourne takes the easy way out and just kills James off. As a climax, I do mostly like the kidnapping and fight at the homestead so there's that, I guess.

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this ARC via NetGalley. This is a very unique YA series. I loved how the first book, Beserker, infused Norse mythology and Norwegian culture into a family story of settlement in the US, 1880’s. The characters were well developed and I felt attached to each of the 4 siblings as well as their guide Owen. Three of the siblings have a Nytteson gift that gives them fantastical abilities.

Since this book focused on Sissel, who was the least likable sibling from the first book, it was hard to adjust to liking her. However, the story unfolded well and the intensity of the story increased as you read. I really wanted more backstory for the secondary characters with the Nytteson gift, maybe in a 3rd book? If you enjoyed Beserker, definitely pick this up. Hanne and Owen go on a cattle drive, Sissel has two suitors, and plenty of untraditional beserker fight scenes.

[Kait · Rating 3 out of 5]

Do you ever get the feeling that an author had specific intentions then changed their mind halfway through? That's very much the vibe I get from this book. It wasn't terrible, but it didn't live up to the original.

Perhaps there was an attempt at subversion in quickly and unceremoniously killing off a complicated POV character after building up his backstory. Same with turning the 21-year-old character who tricked and used the teen MC multiple times into a repentant love interest (and excusing it with her brother saying "SURE it's an age gap now, but people will hardly blink at it when you're 30." I get that this is the 19th century, but addressing the 21st century implications made it weirder?) These two decisions basically killed the story for me.

[David Cothran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Berserker and Ransacker are fun, quite entertaining novels set in the 1800s that chronicle the lives of some immigrants with extraordinary powers linked to their heritage.

No spoilers here other than what you'd get from jacket notes. I really enjoyed Berserker, and Ransacker concluded the story (no trilogy here!).

It's great for teens and up, younger readers might take issue with a few violent scenes, though they aren't very rough. No dumb love triangles or vampires, just solid storytelling and establishing a fun lore for the universe they live in.

Laybourne could've easily stretched this series out to include all the different types of powers, but I think she did a great job limiting it to the two books and including the others in them.

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

What is better than an origin story of a person gifted with incredible powers? As much as I loved Berserker, I loved Ransacker even more because we see Sissel's evolution from weakness to strength, in ways that are compelling, thrilling and emotionally satisfying. What's more: we are able to spend more time with the rest of the family, as they make their way through their new circumstances, as well as dealing with the repercussions from the trail of bodies left behind in Berserker. The story made me want to keep reading, because I truly didn't know what would happen next - and that's the best kind of book to read. It's exciting, scary, fun, and quite a ride!

[Lori Tincher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magic and mayhem, RANSACKER is perfection! I was so engrossed in every page, rooting for the Hemstads on their journey into new lives and protecting their loved ones. Powerful women, it was thrilling to read how sisters Hanne and Sissel take their fates into their own hands, all while maintaining their independence and strength during a time when women were expected to depend on men for safety. If you loved BERSERKER (and why wouldn’t you?? 🤗), RANSACKER is one of the greatest sequels I’ve ever read! This series is @emmylaybourne at her best!

[Dominique - · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was amazing, I thought the first book was good but on so many levela this book elevated that. The themes of family and love and learning to love ones self really reaonate with me. While reading this book I had moments of out loud laughter and many, many tears. Every part of this book made sense and wrapped up very well in the end. Though I must admit some plot things did seem a touch to convenient they were hard not to love and appreciate. Overall a wonderful and well thought out book.

[Fay Tannerr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ransacker is told mostly from Sissel’s point of view and also some from Hanne’s point.

At first I was hesitant about this book being narrated by Sissel as I found her annoying in Berserker, but as I read I was glad to discover that Sissel had matured and was more practical. And it was good to read more about Hanne and Owen.

Ransacker was a good companion novel to Berserker and I found it fascinating and intriguing. With Norse mythology and the wild west, I think this duology is definitely something different to read!

[Susan Burlew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting book. After reading and enjoying Berserker I looked forward to this book. The story is about 4 siblings from Norway. They each have a power gifted from the old gods. After some trouble they flee to America looking for an uncle, their last living relative. Unfortunately he is also dead. This is mostly about the youngest girl Sissel who just learns about her power. She is a Ransacker and able to sense and manipulate metals. I won this in a goodreads giveaway- thank you.

[Kaitlyn Tiara Hoderfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story!

This was a wonderfully written story containing a great deal of Norse mythology, cowboys, action, romance, betrayal, and it is chalk full of plot twists that will keep you thirsty for more! I have read this and Berserker, and I hope she writes more books about the Nyette life.

[Jana (HokuGirlReads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Defiantly worth the read! I liked that this being the continuation of Berserker had a dual perspective from both sisters points of view which offered a redeeming quality to some of the characters. I thought the author did a great job keeping your invested in the story.

[Lynette Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't expect to like this book before I read kit but was very pleasantly surprised. I loved it and hated to see it end. The old West I like reading about but this book is more about the Norse mythology
but I liked it, too. A most unusual book that is very good.