Berja

De: J.K Divia

Narrado por: Daphne Fields

“They will make you a mother of monsters . . .”

A village built on ancient promise. A woman destined to run.

The old ways are crumbling. Every spring, a new sacrifice is chosen—a Spring Maid bred to seed the future of the village through a ritual before being led to the foreboding woods. But this season will mark the end of a barbaric tradition and the birth of something even more horrifying.

There’s a war coming—one of gods and giants. The Spring Maid has been chosen by a force far greater than her to be the mother of great warriors.

Destiny has forged a path of bloodshed, and she is the center of it all, willingly or not.

But she is no Spring Maid, no sacrifice to be made.

She is Berja.

©2023 J.K Divia (P)2024 J.K Divia

dark and beautiful

From the same world as the Author’s debut novel A Sea of Blood and Tears, this novella is a delightfully haunting and powerful dive into Norse Folklore with the mythology and magic busting at the seams. This fast-paced dark eerie fantasy novella has all the heavy hitters… Gods, a journey of self-discovery and prophecies, warriors and maidens, and the struggles of destiny vs freewill.

This story follows a young woman who has been chosen as the “Spring Maid” to be sacrificed to the Gods. But she has a mind of her own and is determined not to submit to the will of others, to be free. In her escape, she makes a pact with a forest God only to be used and transformed for war. Although she wills her magic to help others, she is forced watch her children come to terms with the prophecy that has been woven. Through it all, she fights for her family that she has chosen as well as those she is kin, embracing the darkness and light on her journey of self-awareness and realization.

This quick and alluring read is an almost lyrical and poetic. The performance was as colorful and engaging as the story. The fact that this is a relatively short read does not keep it from being impactful, full of emotion, suspense and will have you on the edge of your seat. I love that the FMC is a fighter for herself and for what she believes in, her growth as a mother is dark and beautiful.

A dark folktale

J.K. Divia has a way of taking folklore you may not be familiar with and telling the tale in a manner that feels both fresh and familiar. Dark, atmospheric themes run throughout this novella, leaning into gothic horror and folklore. It is a quick and easy read, but it offers so much more than its length suggests. It's unlike what you'll find on the current list of popular titles, making it a refreshing change of pace.

The writing is both lyrical and ethereal, creating an immersive atmosphere that pulls you into every page. Beneath the haunting setting, this novella explores themes of motherhood, power, and familial responsibility with surprising depth. It is the kind of story that lingers long after the final page, leaving you thinking about its characters and message well after you've finished reading.

The narration really brought this story to life and gave it greater depth. I enjoyed the quality of the audio and the narrator.

The writing style....it was almost lyrical and just flowed so beautifully.

The story....for me I strongly associated this with motherhood and how our choices can lead our children but ultimately who they choose to be is up to them. Love is such a powerful thing but it can also be your downfall.