Chosen

Valkyrie Academy Dragon Alliance #1

by Katrina Cope

Wingless Valkyries are useless to the future of Asgard–that's what is drilled into them at Valkyrie Academy.

Determined to break the mold and help reap warriors for Valhalla, Kara breaks the rules and finds herself in the most dangerous position yet–facing the wrath of Mistress Sigrun and Odin. Or that is what she thinks until she realizes a dragon is stalking her.

Genres: Fantasy, Dragons, Young Adult, Epic Fantasy

106 pages, Paperback

Published July 28, 2019

About the author

Katrina is an author of several books in epic fantasy, young-adult fantasy, and a middle-grade sci-fi thriller series.

Her series include:

Dragoria: The Lost Dragon Realm - Epic fantasy

Valkyrie Academy Dragon Alliance - YA High fantasy

Thor's Dragon Rider - YA High fantasy (Spin-off of Valkyrie Academy Dragon Alliance but can be read separately)

The Afterlife - YA fantasy (contemporary)

The Sanctum Series - Middle-grade Sci-fi thriller

She often talks to creatures of all kinds and has a passion for animals, nature, and travel. She lives in Queensland, Australia, with her husband and has survived teaching her three children how to drive.

You can connector follow Katrina at:

https://www.katrinacopebooks.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Author.Katri...

https://www.instagram.com/katrina_cop...

https://www.bookbub.com/profile/katri...

Get your free story when you sign up for my newsletter: https://bookhip.com/KQGGZF

Visit her website, www.katrinacopebooks.com, to get stories of Katrina's for FREE!

Reviews

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (2/4/2020)! 🎁

[Emma]

I mean its decent enough.
It reads fairly simply and slightly childish character like a dumbed down version you might see in a kids tv show when i was expecting more night war saga or vikings tv show sorta norse mythos stuff. A bit more warrior and less this happened and this happened bedtime story simplicity. The fact that its short af makes it easier to read but it does only add to the less detailed watered down feeling.
Because i didnt dislike it and was more meh with things ill probs read the next book simply because i enjoy the storyline dragons valkyries etc enough to overlook the less than stellar other things.
So far though it reads like a kids bedtime story... not exactly something i aim for but yeah.

[Victoria Zigler]

This is a gripping - and sometimes amusing - read, with fantastic characters, an exciting plot, and excellent descriptions. Perfect for young dragon fans, or dragon lovers of pretty much any age.

*NOTE: I was given a free advanced copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way influenced either my opinion of the book or the contents of this review.

[Laith C-L]

Was a good quick read (read 1-10 in a day). It was a fun series to relax my mind. After quite a bit of reading heavy books requiring a lot of thought, the simplicity and "fun" story made me get lost in the book and enjoy story all throughout.

Now make no mistake, this isn't the next Harry Potter or anything, so don't put your expectations up on the top shelf and be disappointed you can't reach them.

However, I found no grammatical errors, the story was well played out and I never once thought, "Wait, what's happening right now?". Everything blended smoothly together and I was surprised when I ran out of story.

The series wraps up pretty abruptly, in the span of a couple pages. It caught me off guard at first and I had trouble figuring out what happened, but that may be my fault for reading at 3 am and half asleep.

TLDR: No complaints. Not complicated, but doesn't try to be. 5/5 for bingeworthyness and happy feelings.

[Gigirl]

3.25

[Oana]

Chosen is the start of a series that will bring readers on the windy hills where the Valkyrie Academy is located. It's a story that follows young Kara, a Valkyrie without wings that strives to prove all around her that even wingless she can help the mortal warriors ascend to Valhalla.
I believe this to be a great book for teens or those that like reading YA. To me the story line seemed nice but the action just lacked dimension. Also, the characters were way off of what I thought Valkyries would act like. While Kara has some redeeming aspects/traits, it's still not ok when for half a book she goes into action recklessly, head first without a plan. That gives the story an air of "that is so fake"
The dragons were ok, but a bit more seriousness and they would've been perfect.

[Angi Burns ~Rabid Readers Book Blog]

This story has great potential and a great premise. It's original in the fact it has wingless Valkyrie and winged ones. Unfortunately the wingless are treated as lowly slaves. Able to train but never used to help the cause. Only trusted with cleaning dragon stalls and prepping and cleaning the great hall for the warriors that are brought from battle.

When Kara is busted breaking the rules and stuck with cleaning the stalls, Katrina did a great job of portraying the fun love of the new dragon wanting to play games. I could actually picture this in my mind. The friendships and rivalry reads honest and true. Though needed a bit more development, that I assume will grow with the story over time.

What lost me is some spots it felt like a pilot episode of a new show on TV. You know where the cast doesn't really click yet but you know it's gonna be good when they do. It was interesting enough that I completed it and will continue the series because I believe there is a great potential here. I think it ended too soon to fulfill me.

For this I give 4 🌟 because I give 4 🌟 because it feels new and mold-able.

[Sara Lawson]

Wow! What a fantastic start to a series. There are two types of Valkyries. One type is winged; one type is not. Those with wings are fighters and heroes. Those without are servants. Kara is a wingless Valkyrie who dreams of being more. She wants to have adventures and reap souls like the winged Valkyries. Everyone seems determined to stop her except for a mysterious voice that keeps encouraging her. Who is speaking to her? And will she ever get her chance to prove that she is more than a servant?

Kara is an interesting character. She's not afraid to take risks or break the rules. She also speaks up for those who she believes are being mistreated, even knowing there could be consequences. I quite like her. I am curious to see how the story will proceed, who will become Kara's allies, and who will be her enemies.

I received a free ARC from the author and have reviewed it willingly.

[C]

Well, all I can say is that I expected way more from this book, but alas, I was sadly disappointed. The writing is childish and the story is so character-centric that by the end of the book I honestly don’t care if Kara or Katy or whatever her name is lives or dies. The dragons are obnoxious, the side characters are as flat as could be, the villain was not even a little bit compelling, and the plot line was juvenile at best and snooze inducing at worst. Without seeming to insulting or roasting the writer, I was severely unimpressed, disheartened, and very bored by this book. When you read the blurb, it sounds like it has at least a decent amount of potential. What a shame…

[Patti]

Welcome to the Valkyrie Academy, where these Immortals are trained to reap the souls of brave warriors to fight in the battle of Ragnarok. But not all Valkyries are destined for that path. This author introduces us to characters that strive to be more than what the mighty Odin created them for. I enjoyed how quickly these endearing characters grabbed my attention. I appreciate being taken down the path that shows both failures as well as accomplishments, even though our MC gains no ground as yet to a higher purpose. This gives the reader more to look forward to.

[Connie]

Enjoyable Dragon series

valkries, winged and nonwinged, make up this story. Attending an academy but not treated equal. One is revered, other is enslaved. One dreams of nightingale nothing will stand in her way...she befriends a dragon ....love the story not thrilled with abrupt ending cliffhanger

[Joanne N. Dorsett]

A Good Storyline ... But!

What there is of this story was good, but it did NOT finish the story! So, if you want to read this whole story, you will have to buy more and more books with like a chapter in each book! I was very disappointed that every book was not a stand alone read!

[Tony Sommer]

Fabulous

What a great storyline. I have read many stories based on mythology before but this one is as close to the top that I can imagine. Imagine being mistreated because you have no wings. Dreadful until of course you are paired with the daughter of the dragon queen. Oh I need the next one.

[Shelley Bleese]

I really enjoyed this book. It is a great start to the series. A wingless Valkyrie wants to help the winged Valkyries, even though they look down their noses at her and want her cleaning for them, but she's stubborn. She befriends a dragon and can finally fly. I will definitely be reading the next book

[Tammy Sowards-Sanchez]

Wow

This is a great start to a series. We meet a young valkyrie who has no wings. She is treated badly. When she saves a dragon egg she has to fight a strange dragon to do it. Whats to happen when she fights the rules?

[Shereen]

The story is slow to get going. It has a good story build up to the ending. You have the valkyries that we mainly know of and wingless valkyries. Kara is a wingless valkyrie but she thinks that there is more to their life than to serve and make the winged valkyries life easier.

[patrick higgins]

Nice intro to belly ties and dragons.

Nicely told yarn, but a bit too short. Always like underdog figures - both the dragons and wingless are little more than slaves. Will look for more from Cope.

[D's Library]

Plot and themes ⭐⭐⭐
Character analysis ⭐⭐⭐
World building and writing style ⭐⭐

An interesting story for young adult readers, and those who find dragons and Valkyries interesting...
The story and characters are intriguing.

[Evelyn Goughnour]

Very good

I love mythology and this puts a good fun spin on it. It was a very quick read and woot the the time to read it if you enjoy mythology like I do you’ll love it.

[Heather Rizkallah]

Amazing

Stories about dragons have been around forever. But when a valkyrie finds herself in a rough spot from the Lord Odin, can she survive what's to come?

[Maria Jose]

Fantastic!

[Mary T]

A great start to a series.
Kara wants to to change the way the Valkyrie without wings are treated and how the dragons are mistreated. I enjoyed this short story.

[Charlotte Lowe]

Chosen book 1

This is a good storyline, but too short even for young readers. It can be discouraging to find an interesting book that is broken into episodes.

[kmunks]

Another good story.

Really enjoying these stories, just wish they where longer, start reading and then you finish, longer please. As I'm sure, others enjoy a good long read.

[Jean C. Frohock]

Excellent book but way too short! 😊

[SALOMA]

The book is a total barbarity, I loved it at all, it is fantastic, a very good book, I recommend it since it has a quite interesting development, I highly recommend it, it is fantastic.

[Ronda]

I find myself wishing the story had steered clear of the Norse mythos. I will be reading along enjoying the story, then get totally derailed by how Odin and Heimdall are portrayed.

[Jean Cable]

Slow start

[Louise]

Good start

I felt this was a short story. Perhaps the prequel could be added to make it into a longer story

[Phil Leader]

Kara is a Valkyrie living and at school in Asgard. Valkyries are born to bear the souls of warriors killed in battle to their eternal feast in Valhalla, but Kara is denied the option of carrying out this fundamental task by the simple fact that she is one of the small number of Valkyries who are born without wings. These 'wingless' are treated as no better than slaves by the others of their race and the god Odin, forced to carry out menial tasks rather than gain the glory their winged brethren achieve. But Kara is determined that her destiny lies in joining with the harvest of souls and will risk everything for it.

This is the start of a new series of middle grade/young adult books by the author. There is a free prequel, Marked, which introduces Kara and follows her discovery of a clutch of dragon eggs, and the creature trying to steal one, which is mentioned in this book for those who have not read it. As a setting for a fantasy novel Asgard is perfect, featuring fantastic creatures, gods and magic. The lot of Kara and the other wingless isn't a happy one as so this is a tale of the underdog fighting back against institutional injustice. She is feisty and fiery, making enemies as easily and friends, and a few surprising allies as she tries to fulfil her dream.

The story neatly introduces all the main players, the conflict at the heart of the cycle of books and the world of Asgard. Cope is an established and experienced author and it shows with the deftness with which she does this without losing any momentum whilst still beginning the task of developing the characters. What is certain is that Kara's struggle is one that will be intriguing to follow.