Received from NetGalley for an unbiased review.

Grimnirs work for Goddess Hel, doing her bidding and bringing back souls to the underworld. They can create portals, carry around scary weapons and are dressed in all leather. They are not, however, Grim Reapers! Don't get them confused!

Cora has had a rough go of it lately, being in a psych ward and all. It gets even more confusing when everyone seems to not even know she was away - in fact - shes been in two places at once! Or has she? Is it astral projection? Impersonation? Cora must delve deep into the world of Gods and Spirits to discover what really happened the months she remembers being committed.

Echo is a bad ass Grimnir, and hes the only link that Cora has to the hidden world she is now part of. Only he can tell her why she sees Spirits, and he seems to know a little too much about Cora when she's never seen him before!

Ednah writes a novel concerning Gods, spirits, a touch of magic and mystery. Once you think you understand whats going on she throws another wrench into the story. The reader is constantly guessing whats going on, and trying to stay one step ahead of the author.

Cora and Echo's relationship begins to develop at a believable pace, and thankfully Echo never gives up his bad boy persona in exchange for a love sick puppy. The reader is left wondering what Echo wants from Cora and why Echo is so interested in a girl who knows so little.

Grimnirs is a gritty AND witty, with an ounce of intrigue. A melting pot of Gods and modern day life. This book should most definitely be part of the series as its own book - rather than a tie over to the next novel. ( )

I wanted to love this story. I really, really did. I liked the idea of each book in this series. But this one was very poorly edited and it really, really turned me off and made it hard to read.

The story had a fair amount of "adult content," which I had not been expecting. The earlier books read like typical young adult romance, but in this one, things got pretty hot and heavy. It might have been nice to have been warned about that.

For the most part, the continuing characters were fairly well developed, although Blaine really fell flat for me in this one. He just needed more body, more substance. To me, he seemed like filler because there needed to be another character. I had almost completely forgotten he existed from the first book.

I usually try not to post anything too negative, but the editing in this one really bothered me. And what I read was a finished copy, borrowed through Kindle Unlimited. So, that makes it hard for me to ignore the editing. There were just too many added words, other words left out, and in some cases, the sentences were just hard to follow due to being poorly structured. When a book is poorly edited, for me this can destroy an otherwise well-written story.

I really like the concept, the idea behind this book and the entire series, it just really could have used a second pair of eyes going over it before the publish button was hit. ( )

I wanted to love this story. I really, really did. I liked the idea of each book in this series. But this one was very poorly edited and it really, really turned me off and made it hard to read.

The story had a fair amount of "adult content," which I had not been expecting. The earlier books read like typical young adult romance, but in this one, things got pretty hot and heavy. It might have been nice to have been warned about that.

For the most part, the continuing characters were fairly well developed, although Blaine really fell flat for me in this one. He just needed more body, more substance. To me, he seemed like filler because there needed to be another character. I had almost completely forgotten he existed from the first book.

I usually try not to post anything too negative, but the editing in this one really bothered me. And what I read was a finished copy, borrowed through Kindle Unlimited. So, that makes it hard for me to ignore the editing. There were just too many added words, other words left out, and in some cases, the sentences were just hard to follow due to being poorly structured. When a book is poorly edited, for me this can destroy an otherwise well-written story.

I really like the concept, the idea behind this book and the entire series, it just really could have used a second pair of eyes going over it before the publish button was hit. ( )

Doll-face: I loved the realistic tension between Echo and Cora.

I you haven't read Runes or Immortals, please be sure to read them. While Grimnirs piggy backed the end of Immortals, both are excellent reads.

The first two stories followed Raine's journey, but this book shows us our favorite sidekick, Cora. When we start the pages, we see she's having trouble recalling a memory she hadn't known was missing. For those who read Immortals, you know why, but I won't spoil it for those who haven't.

It's surprises me as I never saw Cora with anyone else except Eric. It hadn't dawned on me that there would be anyone else. When I first read about Ednah Walter's writing Cora's story, I hadn't even bothered reading the synopsis. I'm a fan girl, so I knew I'd read it regardless. Then I saw the graphics and the captions. I was all like, who the heck is Echo?

They're a perfect match in my humble opinion. Granted neither of them realize it and they have a lot to overcome. But what love doesn't have a few bumps, bruises, and cuts on the heart? It was raw and realistic.

Now there was a lot more heat in this one than previous books, but again, I found it quite real. Teens and young adults have hormones raging out of control, but it wasn't overdone, and sexual scenes were quite non-descriptive. However, I'm mentioning it for those who either want a little steam or for those who want to know the level of steam.

I can't say this enough, but I've become a major fan girl of Ednah Walters and I'm dying to know what happens next in Runes. ( )

4.5 stars
I’m already a fan of this creative YA series where Norse mythology, the magic of runes, and teen romance have been carefully crafted into a fantastical plot of intrigue, mystery, and suspense. The series does need to be read from the beginning in order to understand and follow the continuous storyline. While the first two books have featured Raine and Torin, in Grimnirs, the focus shifts to Raine’s best friend, Cora.

Since I enjoyed the romance between Raine and Torin so much, I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about Cora, who until this point didn’t really interest me as much as some of the other main characters. Although Cora has stood by and supported Raine in difficult times, she still seemed a bit shallow and superficial. Unlike Raine, Cora has always been more of a social butterfly, concerned with fashion, boys, and the latest high school gossip. In all fairness, though, her character has always been in the periphery and under-developed. Now, readers get to know the real Cora, a loving, compassionate young woman who is unwavering in her loyalty to her family, friends, and especially to one exceptional Grimnir who is in servitude to Hel, goddess of the Underworld.

Cora’s life has drastically changed six weeks after the tragic swim meet where she witnessed a horrific scene of death and destruction. The emotional trauma she experienced led to a brief stint in a mental institute where she could recover. Now, she’s back at home feeling alone and abandoned by her closest friends, Raine and Eirik. To make matters worse, she has an unexplainable ability to see ghosts or souls who haven’t departed from Earth yet. Her newfound gift or curse, as she sees it, gradually pulls her into the world of Echo, a Grimnir whose purpose on Earth is to escort the souls of the recently departed to Hel, underworld of the dead.

Through a case of mistaken identity, Cora literally falls into Echo’s arms and is shocked to discover she doesn’t want to let him go despite the fact they come from two different worlds where Mortals and Immortals just don’t mix. Echo is a refreshing addition to the plot, and just as Torin did with Raine, he tries to fight his growing but forbidden attraction to this feisty, stubborn blonde who becomes a target of goddess Hel. When Hel begins to send Grimnirs to fetch Cora, Echo’s loyalties become split over his need to protect Cora and still follow his goddess’s directives.

Cora and Echo’s love story is beautiful, and I was touched by the depth of their feelings for each other and the sacrifices they are willing to make to stay together. Cora is the light that brightens Echo’s dark heart and tortured soul. Her loyalty and belief in him is amazing and inspiring. Even though this is a YA novel, the love scenes between the two do become intimate but are tastefully written.

Raine, Torin and the rest of the Valkyries continue to play major roles in the story and the overall plot becomes much more elaborate. I’m impressed with how Walters is able to keep all of the ongoing story threads unified as the series progresses. I also like that she creates characters whose motives aren’t always clear. Just when I think I know how a character will respond, she creates complications that make me uncertain of just what that character will actually do. In this book, Eirik is a prime example. He has been making plans to be with Cora unaware of her involvement with Echo. When their worlds collide toward the end of the book, I really don’t know how Eirik will direct his anger. The climax is suspenseful and the conclusion left me satisfied for now. I can’t wait to see whose story will be featured next. All of the main characters have interesting stories just waiting to be told.

I received a copy of this book from the author for an honest review. ( )