by: Rachel Van Dyken
Series: Fallen Gods
Genre: New Adult Fantasy Romance/Mythology/Romantasy
Release Date: December 2, 2025
Publisher: Entangled ~ Red Tower Books
They said the Gods were myth. That the Giants were only stories told around dying fires. They lied.
The Gods aren’t dead—they’re only sleeping, locked in mortal bodies, scattered across the world, waiting for the right spark to wake them. And my father is the most ruthless of them all.
He raised me to obey. To bleed. To be his blade when the time came. Now he’s sending me to Endir University, a place filled with ancient bloodlines and deadly secrets, to steal back Mjolnir, the hammer of legend. If I fail, everyone I love dies.
But Aric Erikson wasn’t part of the plan. He’s the enemy’s heir. Distant. Dangerous. And…the one person I can’t afford to fall for. He’s closed himself off completely behind a wall of ice, but the more I’m ordered to unravel him, the harder it becomes to remember where the lies end and I begin.
There's only a mission I never chose—and a man I was never meant to love—standing between me and a war that will decide the fate of the world.
But if I’m the spark, maybe he’s the fuse. And the Gods? They’re about to wake up angry.
Forget everything Marvel has taught you about Norse mythology. Rachel Van Dyken's Fallen Gods takes Odin and his offspring and drops them into the modern world. The war between the Gods and Giants has been paused, with both sides placed into a “resting sleep”. They walk amongst humans, with no idea of their true identity. Rey is the daughter of Odin, who here on Earth is looked at as more of a mob boss. Unlike other Gods and Giants, Odin is awake, with weakening powers. Aric has no idea who he is or why strange, unexplainable things are happening to him. He knows his grandfather and Odin are enemies. He knows Odin is somehow responsible for the death of his parents. And that, since their deaths, he hasn’t been the same.
I was hooked from the first page. I loved the push-and-pull between Rey and Aric. They take enemies-to-lovers to a whole new level, putting the “slow” in slow-burn romance. Rey, whose only sin is sharing blood with Odin, is tasked with locating Mjolnir, who is missing, and delivering it to her father, or risk losing those she loves. Aric is a gentle giant who has been a pawn throughout his life. He’s kept in the dark about a lot of things, yet tries to do the right thing while looking out for others. They are two halves of a whole, and their attraction is undeniable.
Fallen Gods isn’t a love fest by any means. When dealing with gods and giants, one never knows who to trust or what to believe. With Mjolnir, the ultimate weapon wanted by both sides, the stakes are high. As the book states, “Family. Sacrifice. Betrayal. Love. Impossible choices.”, all can be found within the pages of the story. One group will rise, and one will fall. The moment Rey sets foot onto the campus of Endir University, which happens to be founded by the Eriksons, events are set in motion that neither she nor Aric will be able to stop.
“The right book can consume you. Make you forget to eat, to sleep. Make you ache for just one more page even when you know you shouldn’t. It can be temptation itself.” Rachel Van Dyken’s Fallen Gods is just that book. The story itself is good and hard to put down. It’s the little surprises or twists that put it over the top. You will definitely NOT see certain things coming. I believe Fallen Gods is the first book in a trilogy. I have absolutely no idea what to expect next, but I can’t wait to find out. Because this is just the beginning.
~ Favorite Quotes ~
“Life is weird.”
“History has a tragic way of repeating itself.”
“We write our own history.”
“Don’t ever let something that feels predetermined make you veer from what you think your path should be.”
“The only way out is to go through the storm.”
“Courage isn’t always winning the fight. Sometimes it’s staying out of the fight altogether.”
“Appearances aren’t what they seem.”
“Running from problems doesn’t solve them.”
“I believe in you.”
**Received a copy of the book courtesy of the publisher and voluntarily reviewed it. Also personally purchased a deluxe hardcover copy.**
Rating: 5
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She keeps her home in Idaho with her Husband and, adorable sons. She loves to hear from readers!
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