Rasmus is one of the first few characters we meet – and the first one I find truly questionable. This book really jumps right into the insanity.

I also love when Karina Halle writes darker books – she is so great at creating a dark, atmospheric world, and her horror novels are my absolute favorite. I have been so excited to read this book! I love mythology of all types, and Finnish is not one I have read much into, so I like that it wasn’t the usual Greek mythology, as is so often the case now days.

This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. I received this book for free from Author in exchange for an honest review. If she marries him, and spends an eternity in the Realm of the Dead as his wife, he'll set her father free.īut even the most noble sacrifices come with hidden costs, and Hanna's might involve the most unexpected of all things: her heart. Turns out Death is intrigued by Hanna's beauty and fierceness and makes a bargain with her. Only for her to be captured and held prisoner by the God of Death himself. Willing to do anything to have a second-chance with her father, Hanna accompanies Rasmus into the dark and bloody realm, traveling via the River of Shadows, stalked by dangerous creatures, monsters, and the living dead, until they finally come into the haunted kingdom ruled by Death and his family. The only way her father can be freed is if she travels with Rasmus into the mythical underworld to rescue him. A mysterious man, Rasmus, tells Hanna the truth: her father was a powerful shaman who went into Tuonela, the Realm of the Dead, in order to barter for more life, and has been held captive by Tuoni, the God of Death. Being in the enchanting land of ice and snow feels miles away from Hanna's busy life back in Los Angeles, especially under the complicated circumstances.īut when Hanna discovers that her father's body is missing, that's when things really get weird. When 24-year old Hanna Heikkinen's estranged father dies, she reluctantly makes the trip to Northern Finland for his funeral. River of Shadows is an adult dark fantasy romance based on Finnish mythology and the underworld of Tuonela. Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Mythology, Romance Published by Karina Halle, Self-published This book may be unsuitable for people under 17 years of age due to its use of sexual content, drug and alcohol use, and/or violence.

River of shadows underworld gods