Thor: Daughter of Asgard

Norse mythology intrudes on a bubbly romance in this light adventure from McCluer (Olivia). Hannah Olsen, an athletic, heavy drinking recent graduate of Portland State University, meets bombshell bartender Emily Johnson on a night out, and the pair soon start dating. They agree to move in together in no time, much to the dismay of Emily’s nonbinary best friend, Alys. Soon thereafter, two burly, armor-clad men accost Hannah and Emily, claiming the women are reincarnations of husband and wife Norse gods, Thor and Sif. Now Hannah must prove herself by wielding the hammer Mjolnir and locating Thor’s missing belt of strength on an island somewhere in the Pacific Ocean. But as present day struggles and ancient myth collide, can Hannah keep her hands off Emily long enough to become Asgard’s champion? Her task only becomes harder when Alys reveals that they are the reincarnation of the trickster god Loki and they’ve been working for Hel, the goddess of the underworld, to meddle in Hannah and Emily’s romance. McCluer uses the premise to explore themes of identity and free will, though the fantasy elements often read as an afterthought to the characters’ tangled flirtations. Readers will come for the gender bending mythology and stay for the light romance. (Jan.)