Tag: Romance

Kate’s Review: “Lore Olympus: Volume 5”

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Book: “Lore Olympus: Volume 5” by Rachel Smythe

Publishing Info: Inklore, October 2023

Where Did I Get This Book: I own it.

Where You Can Get This Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | Indiebound

Book Description: Scandalous gossip, wild parties, and forbidden love–the Greek tale of Hades and Persephone gets a romantic modern update in the gorgeously illustrated, Eisner Award-winning Lore Olympus, including behind-the-scenes content!

“You want to know about The Bringer of Death.”
 
It is Persephone’s birthday, and she receives the ultimate gift: Hades confesses his desire for her, leading to their first kiss. But that doesn’t necessarily make things easier for the goddess of spring, who is still in over her head in gossip-driven Olympus. Persephone feels intense guilt over the official breakup between Hades and Minthe, she is struggling to find her footing in her fast-paced job, and—worst of all—the shades of her past are slowly coming to light.
 
After an unexpected encounter with Apollo, Persephone flees into the depths of the Underworld. Concerned for her safety and determined to find her, Hades must team up with Artemis, Eros, and Hera, but they’re working against a ticking clock. Zeus knows about the bloody secret in Persephone’s past, and now the furious king of the gods will stop at nothing to bring her to justice.

Review: “Lore Olympus: Volume 5” has actually been out since October, but with my Horrorapalooza theme for that month leading up to Halloween it meant that I had to delay reviewing Rachel Smythe’s newest volume of the reimagined Greek Mytho until long after it had come out. Which was difficult, because given that this is one of my favorite series at the moment (and possibly all time) I am always ready and willing to sing it’s praises as soon as I can. But that doesn’t matter, because here we are and I am fully, fully ready to jump into this next part of the story for Hades, Persephone, and all my favorite (and most loathed) Greek Gods and Goddesses and everything in between.

One of the things I really like about this series is that Smythe is doing a slow burn in terms of getting Hades and Persephone together, but is doing it in a way that feels, I suppose, ‘responsible’ on Hades’s part. There is something of a power imbalance between the two in this series (though obviously not in the same way as the original story, thank goodness), but instead of having Hades and Persephone throw that to the wayside, we do see Hades struggling with that dynamic and trying to hold boundaries. Partially because Persephone has requested that they do in spite of their attraction, and partially because as the story progresses he starts to realize that he doesn’t really KNOW Persephone outside of his perceptions of her as an ideal. But not to worry, there is still a lot of sexual tension, it just feels like it is a bit more on the same level between the two characters. We also see Hades genuinely worry about her even though he knows that she is hiding something on some level, and that first and foremost he wants her safe (especially after she feels a need to try and hide away after another awful encounter with Apollo; him trying to piece together where she could be and looking for her is a great arc for him at this point in time).

There is also finally some payoff for the hints that have been dropping about Persephone as the ‘Bringer of Death’ in this volume, and without spoiling anything, man does it pay off. Persephone has, up until this point, been portrayed as a bit naive and seemingly innocent to the ways of the world, though we have started to realize that she has been a bit stunted because of her mother Demeter’s overprotectiveness and that has very much contributed to this portrayal. Persephone isn’t this way because OBVIOUSLY that’s how Persephone as a goddess should be, but more because she has been isolated and hidden away and that has had an effect on her emotional growth, and when she was in the mortal realm she had started to realized as such. This conflict with her mother, this conflict within herself, and these constraints on her person all combine to create a very huge moment that would surely send ripples through the world of the Gods, and the reveal is both shocking, but also perhaps a little… unreliable, given who provides us with the context. That said, it REALLY gives us some insight not only into Persephone, but also Demeter, and ALSO how the Gods are, in fact, not infallible, even when they are generally kind and gentle, as Persephone is. I loved finally getting some answers about what Persephone (and other Gods and Goddesses) have been hiding, and it explains a lot of her actions up until now.

But what of the other characters? Oh, don’t you worry, there are PLENTY of awesome character moments and character developments in this one. I was especially keen on some of the things that Hera gets to do in this volume, but to be honest Hera is always killing it and I so love that Smythe has given her so many things to do and has given her so much depth. We get some more hints towards her own past traumas and the things she has given up to be Zeus’s queen, and how she could be SO MUCH MORE and how this has beaten her down. But we also get to see her wield these powers in other protective ways that make for very satisfying beats and scenes (God I love Hera in this). But the character who is really getting her layers peeled back in Minthe, who is still reeling over her ugly confrontation with Hades and how she can’t seem to stop sabotaging herself and her happiness. Smythe gives so much grace to Minthe , who definitely has self regulation and impulse control issues as well as a very poor self image. All these things lead to her lashing out over and over. But she does this without letting her off the hook for her nastiness towards others, particularly Hades and Thanatos, and I love how complex she gets to be. She still has a ways to go (get AWAY from Thetis, Minthe, she’s AWFUL!), but you can see glimmers of hope that she’s going to figure it out.

“Lore Olympus: Volume 5” continues a fantastic reimagining of my favorite Greek Myth. Now we just have to wait until May for the next Volume, and I know I already have it on pre-order.

Rating 9: We’re finally getting some insight into Persephone’s secret backstory, and Hera is getting some amazing moments of her own. Throw in some humanizing moments for Minthe and we have another fantastic entry into this Greek Mythology reimagining.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Lore Olympus: Volume 5” is included on the Goodreads list “October 2023 Most Anticipated Romance Releases”.

Previously Reviewed:

Serena’s Review: “Calamity”

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Book: “Calamity” by Constance Fay

Publishing Info: Bramble, November 2023

Where Did I Get this Book: ARC from the publisher!

Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | IndieBound

Book Description: She’s got a ramshackle spaceship, a misfit crew, and a big problem with its sexy newest member…

Temperance Reed, banished from the wealthy and dangerous Fifteen Families, just wants to keep her crew together after their feckless captain ran off with the intern. But she’s drowning in debt and revolutionary new engine technology is about to make her beloved ship obsolete.

Enter Arcadio Escajeda. Second child of the terrifying Escajeda Family, he’s the thorn in Temper’s side as they’re sent off on a scouting mission on the backwater desert planet of Herschel 2. They throw sparks every time they meet but Temper’s suspicions of his ulterior motives only serve to fuel the flames between them.

Despite volcanic eruptions, secret cultists, and deadly galactic fighters, the greatest threat on this mission may be to Temper’s heart.

Review: I was so excited when I heard that Tor was rolling out a new imprint, Bramble, a smaller offshoot that would focus on romantic SFF. And this book is exactly why! While there is a whole subgenre now called “romantasy” due to the popularity of romantic fantasy fiction, there seems to be some strange hold out on the science fiction front. Where are my love stories in space? I mean, I get that “romantascific” doesn’t roll off the tongue in quite the same way, but c’mon! But here we are, a good example of just what we’re all missing out on by forgetting that romance can also happen in space.

Honestly, it’s pretty impressive that this book works at all. It’s trying to do a lot of things all at once, many of which are hard to accomplish well even on their own. We have Temper’s story, that of a captain coming into her own as a leader, but we also have that paired against a romance, something that too often ends up hindering the strength of its female member. Beyond that, the story is introducing us to an entire universe with its own political structures that definitely do play into the plot of the book. And lastly, this is the first book in a series, so the story must do a lot of heavy lifting to properly lay out the various crew members of the ship who are likely to feature in their own stories going forward. It’s like black magic (except that’s the wrong genre, sooo) that it all works, but it does!

So, in that order, let’s start with Temper. I really loved this main character! Seriously, she was checking all of the right boxes for me. She was a strong woman, but we also see her make mistakes, and her journey is one of both learning to trust those around her, but also letting others help her when she is prone to going-it-alone. The development of the romance was paced perfectly, neither falling into any insta-love/lust traps or being too drawn out to feel complete. Just when I was beginning to become concerned that her distrust was going to be played up one too many times, the story would swerve into moments of vulnerability and honesty. I also loved the fact that the natural chemistry between the two was first seen in their instant ability to work together as a team under high pressure situations, rather than on the romance front which came later. There was also all of the required quippiness that we love to see in a romance, but this levity also didn’t cut away from the deeper, more heartfelt moments.

For all that this is a romance, there was also a solid plot to this book with all of the requisite world-building that comes with it. I was honestly surprised by just how into the actual plot of the book I became. There was one action-packed scene after another, plus a lot of comedy gold interspersed within as we saw the team tackle the challenges before them. Which leads me to the last aspect of the book that truly impressed me: the crew themselves.

This book was billed as a read-alike for “Firefly.” Now, that’s a big claim to make and, honestly, one that has been tossed around quite a lot for science fiction new releases, mostly without any basis in reality. But I have to say, this is probably the first time where I truly feel like that comparison is warranted! This truly had the same level of group dynamics and chemistry for which “Firefly” was best known. I understood who all of these characters were individually, but I loved them best when they were interacting with each other. The book was also successful in making me very interested in all of their individual romances that are sure to come. I have a pretty good guess as to who the next couple will be (just checked Goodreads, and I see that it’s been updated since I originally read this book and, indeed, the next book is about this couple!) and I can’t wait to check out their story!

Overall, this was a blast of a book to read! It’s definitely not “hard” science fiction, but I was also surprised to find just how much excellent plotting and world-building went into a book that was being released from a romance imprint. I feel like that sounds like a backhand insult to romance, but, let’s be honest, the love story is the primary bit of romance novels, with the plot coming in sometimes as an after thought. But here, the balance is perfect between love story and, well, actual story. Definitely check this one out if you enjoy science fiction adventures and space opera with an emphasis on romance!

Rating 8: If comparisons to “Firefly” are ever warranted, this is it! A romp of an adventure paired with a swoon-worthy romance, I can’t wait to see what this crew gets up to next time!

Reader’s Advisory:

“Calamity” isn’t on any Goodreads lists yet, but it should be on Get Your Firefly Space Opera Fix.

Serena’s Review: “Throne of the Fallen”

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Book: “Throne of the Fallen” by Kerri Maniscalco

Publishing Info: Little, Brown and Company, October 2023

Where Did I Get this Book: eARC from the publisher!

Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | IndieBound

Book Description: Sinner. Villain. Ruthless.

These are wicked names the Prince of Envy welcomes. They remind him what he isn’t: a saint. And when a cryptic note arrives, signaling the beginning of a deadly game, he knows he’ll be called much worse before it ends. Riddles, hexed objects, anonymous players, nothing will stand in his way. With a powerful artifact and his own future at stake, Envy is determined to win, though none of his meticulous plans prepare him for her, the frustrating artist who ignites his sin—and passion—like no other…

Talented. Darling. Liar.

The trouble with scoundrels and blackguards is that they haven’t a modicum of honor, a fact Miss Camilla Antonius learns after one desperate mistake allows notorious rake—and satire sheet legend—Lord Phillip Vexley to blackmail her. And now it seems Vexley isn’t the only scoundrel interested in securing her unique talents as a painter. To avoid Vexley’s clutches and a ruinous scandal, Camilla is forced to enter a devil’s bargain with Waverly Green’s newest arrival, enigmatic Lord Ashford ‘Syn’ Synton, little expecting his game will awaken her true nature . . .

Together, Envy and Camilla must embark on a perilous journey through the Shifting Isles—from glittering demon courts to the sultry vampire realm, and encounters with exiled Fae—while trying to avoid the most dangerous trap of all: falling in love. 

Review: I’ll admit, I knew very little about this book when I picked it up. It was a book that the publisher approached me with, and, giving it a brief once over, sounded like something up my alley. I like fantasy. I like romance. I’m always on the hunt for a good combination of the two. Plus, there’s something oddly appealing about the rather old-fashioned romance book cover art on this one. Reminds me of some of the Nora Roberts stuff we were seeing in the 90s and early 2000s, in the best of ways!

It was only after I started reading that I connected several facts. One, I’ve actually read a book by this author, “Stalking Jack the Ripper,” which I very much enjoyed. And two, that this was an adult spin-off of a popular YA fantasy series, “Kingdom of the Wicked,” that was already published. Before getting into the nitty gritty, I will say that I do think this book works as a spin-off. There are clearly references to characters and plots from this first series, but I didn’t find myself overly confused or struggling to put together pieces from those books to fill out the one I was reading. So, if you haven’t read that series and are interested in this one, I do think it is approachable on that front.

And, while this book didn’t work for me, I do want to touch on a few positives first, as always. Firstly, this author has a very clear, fast-paced style of writing that I think appeals to a lot of readers. Indeed, it was this style of writing that made “Stalking Jack the Ripper” work for me as it did. Secondly, while I haven’t read the other series, I’m guessing that this spin-off will work well for all of the established fans. It’s easy enough to see the similarities and the simple changes (largely the inclusion of more graphic romance scenes) that might have been made to adjust the story for adult fantasy romance readers. So, if you like the original series, this will probably work for you. New readers, however…I think you can find better.

I struggled in a few ways, but the first and most prominent one was the way the pacing and romance of the book played out. I’m not overly prudish about my romance, but there are still a few necessary steps that make a romance work for me. Namely, you need to build up a relationship before you get to any pay-off. And this book…didn’t do that. We get a fairly graphic, if imaginary, scene in which the heroine is fantasizing about being with the hero within the first few chapters of the book, after briefly meeting him once and exchanging, at most a few sentences. To me, scenes like this fail to actually deliver what the appeal is meant to be in romance novels: I have zero investment in these characters together, and thus reading a prolonged, fantasized scene of the two them together after only just meeting them both…does nothing for me. It feels like its being graphic and sexual purely for graphic sexuality’s sake, as if the author was so desperate to make sure it was known that this was an adult fantasy romance that she hurried to squish this scene in, even if it’s completely unnecessary and unappealing in its own right.

This is a brief example, but it perfectly illustrates my ongoing struggles with the pacing of the relationship, and these two characters in general. I didn’t particularly like either of the lead characters, and I became increasingly frustrated with the passive nature of the heroine as the story continued. Envy (I won’t even get into the awkward reading nature of the names; I get that it’s the seven deadly sins, but Envy/Syn was so hard to take seriously every time I read t on the page) keeps telling us how feisty Camilla is, but then she seems very passive in any actual action. I was interested in her story when she was initially introduced, but it was hard to connect the type of woman who made a life for herself in the way that she must have with the type of character who was actually on the page.

From some brief sleuthing, I can tell that Envy must have been something of a fan favorite background character in the original series. And, yeah, I can see it. When given the correct moments, he definitely has some snark and spunk, especially of the variety that works great as a side character who pops up to dazzle in a scene. If anything, I liked him more when we saw him interacting with the other Princes of Hell. But when he was serving as the romantic lead, he didn’t connect with me, and I didn’t buy the chemistry between him and Camilla.

Overall, this one really didn’t work with me. Mostly, the pacing and the approach to the romantic elements started off on the wrong foot and the story never recovered from there. However, I’m guessing that this will be an unpopular opinion and that fans of the original series will gobble this one up!

Rating 6: A bit of a disappointment, mostly due to the rushed nature of the romance scenes and my inability to connect to either leading character.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Throne of the Fallen” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Epic High Fantasy/Romance/Mythology in 2023 and Lock and Key.

Serena’s Review: “Witch of Wild Things”

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Book: “Witch of Wild Things” by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland

Publishing Info: Berkley, September 2023

Where Did I Get this Book: ARC from the publisher!

Where Can You Get this Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | IndieBound

Book Description: Legend goes that long ago a Flores woman offended the old gods, and their family was cursed as a result. Now, every woman born to the family has a touch of magic.

Sage Flores has been running from her family—and their “gifts”—ever since her younger sister Sky died. Eight years later, Sage reluctantly returns to her hometown. Like slipping into an old, comforting sweater, Sage takes back her job at Cranberry Rose Company and uses her ability to communicate with plants to discover unusual heritage specimens in the surrounding lands.

What should be a simple task is complicated by her partner in botany sleuthing: Tennessee Reyes. He broke her heart in high school, and she never fully recovered. Working together is reminding her of all their past tender, genuine moments—and new feelings for this mature sexy man are starting to take root in her heart.

With rare plants to find, a dead sister who keeps bringing her coffee, and another sister whose anger fills the sky with lightning, Sage doesn’t have time for romance. But being with Tenn is like standing in the middle of a field on the cusp of a summer thunderstorm—supercharged and inevitable.

Review: Cozy fantasy is a term that I both am a bit skeptical of (it seems like another way of differentiating “serious” SFF from “that woman stuff” which I don’t think benefits anyone) and a subgenre that I’ve struggled to enjoy. But I do like romances and I do like sister drama and I do like low-level family magic, so I thought this one was definitely worth a shot. However, in the end, I don’t think this is the best example of any of these themes.

But I’ll start with what I did like. For the most part, the main character was a good lead. I enjoyed her voice, and in particular, her relationships with a few of the women in her life were very interesting and explored a level of complexity that I hadn’t expected. For example, Sage has a close friend who has a struggling marriage, and I appreciated the care that went into the balancing act that is supporting a friend in this situation where, to an outsider, the problem and solution seems easy, but to the friend whose life is in the balance, things are much more complicated. I also really appreciated the exploration of Sage’s relationship with the woman who took over the care of Sage and her sisters when they were young. There were some very nice points about grief and the burdens we can place on those around us when caught up in devastating positions. But, even here, there were moments where the depiction of this relationship took a bit of jarring turn towards the simplistic, with Sage taking on a rather “perfect victim” persona that left me wanting.

And this speaks to many of my problems with the other relationships in this books. Many of the characters, including Sage herself at times, came across as simple and without any real depth of character. The romantic hero is the most bland example of handsome perfection that I’ve come across in a long time. Pick out some romance hero tropes, and he checks them all of neatly, right in a row. And then the relationship between Sage and her angry younger sister, Teal, verged on the ridiculous at times, with Teal coming across as an unbelievable caricature of irrational anger.

Beyond this, I struggled with the overall tone of the novel. At times, Sage definitely took on a more YA sounding voice, testing my ability to believe her to be a 29 year old woman who has actually lived in the world. This isn’t helped by the inclusion of some truly cringe-worthy AOL conversations from her teenage years. And, unfortunately, these blasts from the internet-past can’t be simply skipped as they are key to understanding the unfolding relationship between Tenn and Sage in the present day.

There were bits and pieces of the story that I liked, which did help me get through it. But I often found myself struggling to really invest in any of these characters or care about the romance at the heart of it. I do think there are readers who will enjoy this, but I think the biggest failure lies with its inability to depict adult characters who…well…behave and think like adults.

Rating 6: Not for me, though I do think the depictions of the beautiful location and some of the lyrical moments had merit.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Witch of Wild Things” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Mushrooms, Toadstools, Fungus and The Witches.

Kate’s Review: “Fence: Vol. 1”

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Book: “Fence: Vol. 1” by C.S. Pacat & Johanna the Mad (Ill.)

Publishing Info: BOOM! Box, July 2018

Where Did I Get This Book: The library!

Where You Can Get This Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | Indiebound

Book Description: Nicholas, the illegitimate son of a retired fencing champion, is a scrappy fencing wunderkind, and dreams of getting the chance and the training to actually compete. After getting accepted to the prodigious Kings Row private school, Nicholas is thrust into a cut-throat world, and finds himself facing not only his golden-boy half-brother, but the unbeatable, mysterious Seiji Katayama…

Through clashes, rivalries, and romance between teammates, Nicholas and the boys of Kings Row will discover there’s much more to fencing than just foils and lunges. From acclaimed writer C.S. Pacat (The Captive Prince) and fan-favorite artist Johanna the Mad.

Review: This is quite possibly going to come as a bit of a shock to you, dear readers, but when I was a sophomore in high school, I was on our school fencing team. Yes, I went to the kind of school that had a fencing team, but if I’m being honest with myself I was really only on the fencing team because a few of my friends were on it, I wasn’t actually cut out for it (and once I was consistently cast in plays and could just do theater to negate the sports requirement, that problem was solved). And given that at the time I was in multiple therapies for mental health and learning disability/neurodivergence related reasons, I was barely ever actually fencing. The team still gave me the E for Effort Award at the end of season, probably out of pity. But I retained enough knowledge that when I finally picked up “Fence: Vol. 1” by C.S. Pacat I was thrown into a bit of a nostalgia spin. I had read the first “Captive Prince” book by Pacat, and it wasn’t really my cup of soup. But “Fence” sounded promising, so I requested it, and what do you know? It was super entertaining.

Since this is the first volume in the series, it’s laying a lot of the groundwork and foundation for the ultimate theme and plot of the story as a whole, and I felt like Pacat did a good job of setting the stage. We are mainly following Nicholas, a passionate and determined fencer whose motivation is based on the fact his absent father is former fencing champion Robert Coste, whose snubbing left Nicholas and his mother growing up with little money and lots of struggles. He is now at King’s Row School, on a scholarship, and has a huge chip on his shoulder as an outsider whom the others are underestimating. It doesn’t help that Seiji Katayama, another fencing prodigy who humiliated Nicholas at a previous tournament, is there… and his roommate. Pacat does the due diligence of creating this rivalry between the two of them, all while putting them in a forced proximity situation that just builds their rivalry and the tension… I mean, I kind of know where this is ultimately going to go, but it’s early and there is more to do before we start getting into tropes. I liked meeting Nicholas and seeing his background slowly revealed, and I completely bought the ambition and resentment he was giving with the clues and context put in place. As he starts the process of trying out for the fencing team with an épée blade (that was MY blade), with his dreams and scholarship on the line, we end with the stakes being very high indeed.

In terms of the other characters, we’ve gotten a bit of a taste of the other team members and wannabe team members. Seiji is the obvious supporting character, as Nicholas’s nemesis, and as of now he’s still a little bit mysterious to Nicholas and the reader as well. I liked seeing the various characters and their types, whether it’s the sweetheart Bobby, the no nonsense Harvard, or the playboy Aiden, we have a dynamic group that is going to almost certainly play off of each other and create drama, and I enjoyed most of them as they have been presented to us now. There are hints about other people coming into play later, mostly Nicholas’s ‘legitimate’ half brother Jesse, captain of the rival school’s fencing team, but as of now we are still dealing with the King’s Row team and the discord in place there. Try outs are just getting started when this book ends, and I really have no idea what is going to happen with the team, as not everyone can make it. I’m already attached to a few of these characters and I need to know what happens next.

And finally, I like the art style that Johanna the Mad brings to the series. It feels a bit like an homage to sports manga, with a mix of cartoonish images as well as more realistic ones.

(Source: BOOM! Box)

“Fence: Vol. 1” is a promising start to this sports series. I am VERY interested to see where things go for Nicholas, Seiji, and the fencers of King’s Row. Who’s going to get the pity driven E for Effort Award, what’s what I want to know!

Rating 8: A well laid foundation and an intriguing and original premise makes “Fence: Vol. 1” a solid start to a sporty and maybe romantic series.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Fence: Vol. 1” is included on the Goodreads lists “Fencing Fiction”, and “Graphic Novels: Featuring LGBTIQ+ Themes”.

Kate’s Review: “Lore Olympus: Volume Four”


This post may contain affiliate links for books we recommend.  Read the full disclosure here.

Book: “Lore Olympus: Volume Four” by Rachel Smyth

Publishing Info: Random House Worlds, June 2023

Where Did I Get This Book: I own it.

Where You Can Get This Book: WorldCat.org | Amazon | Indiebound

Book Description: The rumor mill of Olympus is constantly churning, but Persephone and Hades are all anyone can talk about. With the constant gossip creating intense pressure on the pair, they decide to slow down their budding romance and focus on sorting out their own issues first. But that’s easier said than done.

Hades struggles to find support in his personal life, with Zeus trivializing his feelings and Minthe resorting to abusive patterns in their relationship. And while Hades tries to create healthier boundaries where he can–like finally putting a stop to his sporadic, revenge-fueled hookups with Hera–he still feels lonely and adrift.

Persephone feels equally ostracized as her classmates shun her for her connection to Hades, and she can find no refuge at home, with Apollo constantly dropping by unannounced and pushing his unwelcome advances. And on top of it all, the wrathful god of war, Ares, has returned to Olympus to dredge up his sordid history with the goddess of spring, threatening to surface Persephone’s dark and mysterious past and ruin her tenuous position in the land of the gods.

Despite agreeing to take it slow, Persephone and Hades find themselves inextricably drawn toward each other once more amid the chaos. The pull of fate cannot be denied.

This edition of Rachel Smythe’s original Eisner-nominated webcomic Lore Olympus features exclusive behind-the-scenes content and brings the Greek pantheon into the modern age in a sharply perceptive and romantic graphic novel.

Review: The problem when I binge read an ongoing series is that once I have consumed everything there is to consume, I then have to wait for the next batch of new content to drop. And I am not good at waiting. But eventually the wait ends, and in this case we now have “Lore Olympus: Volume 4”! This series is so wonderful and amazing and I am so glad that we are going forward in the series, because it’s still juicy, it’s still sexy, it’s still heartfelt, and it’s still hilarious. Rachel Smythe has a lot of characters and storylines to juggle and it feels like she just keeps adding more, but she is still absolutely killing it. KILLING IT I SAY!

We’ll start with Hades, as when we left him his heart had been once again stomped on by his on again, off again girlfriend Minthe, who had been manipulated by her frenemy Thetis to stand him up on a date that she had coordinated. So when we see Hades again, he is trying to understand what Minthe’s deal was, and we get to see the VERY toxic aspects of their relationship as the fallout comes down all around the both of them. Minthe is a very interesting character to me, as while she is just AWFUL to Hades in this moment, I really like that Smythe, once again, decides to explore how nuanced she is, while also calling her out on how wrong she is in this moment. Minthe is one of those characters who could easily just be a two dimensional bitch, but instead we get to see how much she struggles with herself and how much she regrets that way she behaves, and can’t seem to control her reactions and volatile nature. And it was the perfect way to segue into Hades own trauma and how that has plagued him for so long, and how it has shaped how he reacts to romantic relationships. Or really any relationships. It gives insight into both characters, and I loved that.

And Persephone is just having a horrible time of it right now too. She is still dealing with the fallout from when Apollo raped her, and now to make matters worse the classmates are no longer trusting her because of her close relationship with Hades (as Hades, being Hades, sought out revenge on the tabloid reporter who published the picture of the two of them that made Persephone’s life very difficult, who was friends with one of her peers). She’s ostracized at school, is still trying to stay out of a murky relationship with Hades, and Apollo just keeps. Dropping. By. But this is what makes Persephone’s story finally turn from the initial naïve young goddess who is sweet and demure. Because now Persephone is angry. VERY angry. And we are getting more and more hints as to what an angry Persephone may mean, with her fury at Apollo overflowing and hinting at previous rage.

And that brings tidings of great joy, because due to her abject rage being so visceral, Ares is here after taking notice. Which is so funny to me because I NEVER cared for Ares back in the day when I was obsessing over Greek Mythology, but in this he is HILARIOUS and such a dick but did I mention HILARIOUS? Smythe’s skills are so on point because she really does take all of these Greek Gods and Goddesses and keeps them true to their natures while also making all of them very entertaining and funny with very relatable moments. I hate Zeus for how he treats Hera and Hades, but I also LOVE it when he drops by Hades house insisting on brunch. Ares is a macho dunce who is aggressive to the extreme, but he also makes me laugh and he is a great ally to his mother Hera. In fact, the only character that is just plain despicable is Apollo, but given that that itself is a bit of a subversion from his original mythological profile, it’s great.

Okay I also really, really need to gush and talk about the Hades/Hera relationship in this Volume. It had been very much implied that there is SOMETHING going on between these two, and this one finally reveals that they, occasionally, hook up when they are feeling glum or unappreciated. I mean, that on it’s own is super hot in my book, as I love both Hades and Hera in this and there is absolutely potential there. But Smythe, being the very cruel sadist that she is, decides to take it one step further, and starts to create a backstory between the two of them that makes their sometimes romantic relationship all the more bittersweet. I won’t go into details because you just gotta see it start to unfold, but god DAMMIT do I think it’s going to be rough as we learn more. I love how Smythe adds so many complexities to these relationships and how she makes at least some of them, like Hades and Hera, feel somewhat healthy in the midst of so many unhealthy ones (see above. ARG, Minthe, you’re killing me girlfriend!).

I love this series so much. I know that the webtoon is long long long, which only means that we are going to have SO many volumes to consume, and I, for one, am THRILLED with how it is progressing. Next one is out in October! Be still my impatient heart.

Rating 9: This series continues to shine brightly and to make me laugh on one page while tearing my heart out on another.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Lore Olympus: Volume 4” is included on the Goodreads lists “2023 Greek Mythology Retelling Books”, and “The Ultimate Hades and Persephone Directory”.

Serena’s Review: “A Crown of Ivy and Glass”

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Book: “A Crown of Ivy and Glass” by Claire Legrand

Publishing Info: Sourcebooks Casablanca, May 2023

Where Did I Get this Book: ARC from the author!

Where Can You Get this Book: Amazon | IndieBound | WorldCat

Book Description: Lady Gemma Ashbourne seemingly has it all. She’s young, gorgeous, and rich. Her family was Anointed by the gods, blessed with incredible abilities. But underneath her glittering façade, Gemma is deeply sad. Years ago, her sister Mara was taken to the Middlemist to guard against treacherous magic. Her mother abandoned the family. Her father and eldest sister, Farrin—embroiled in a deadly blood feud with the mysterious Bask family—often forget Gemma exists.

Worst of all, Gemma is the only Ashbourne to possess no magic. Instead, her body fights it like poison. Constantly ill, aching with loneliness, Gemma craves love and yearns to belong.

Then she meets the devastatingly handsome Talan d’Astier. His family destroyed themselves, seduced by a demon, and Talan, the only survivor, is determined to redeem their honor. Intrigued and enchanted, Gemma proposes a bargain: She’ll help Talan navigate high society if he helps her destroy the Basks. According to popular legend, a demon called The Man With the Three-Eyed Crown is behind the families’ blood feud—slay the demon, end the feud.

But attacks on the Middlemist are increasing. The plot against the Basks quickly spirals out of control. And something immense and terrifying is awakening in Gemma, drawing her inexorably toward Talan and an all-consuming passion that could destroy her—or show her the true strength of her power at last.

Review: First off, thanks so much to Sourcebooks Casablanca for sending me an ARC of this book! I was so excited when I received it in the mail, as it’s been sitting pretty high on my wishlist of books to read in 2023. I wasn’t Legrand’s most ardent fan with her YA trilogy (I found that it began to fall into a few too many YA fantasy tropes for my preference), but there was never any question regarding her overall skill as an author. Her writing always came across as supremely confident and competent. That made me all the more excited to check out her first foray into adult fantasy, especially adult fantasy romance! Let’s dive in!

Gemma has grown up with a very priveleged existence: rich, beautiful, and a member of one of the most powerful families in the land. But, at the same time, Gemma has always felt herself to be on the outside looking in. Not only does she not possess any of the magical talent that her family is known for, and that both of her older sisters excel at in their own ways, but magic actively hurts Gemma, causing her to move through life in a very magical world experiencing constant levels of pain. When Gemma meets Talan, a young man who also feels that he exists outside the strictures of society, she finally begins to see a way forward, teaming up with him to hunt a powerful demon who may be the answer to her struggles with magic. But along the way, she begins to suspect that there is much more going on with Talan and the larger world as a whole.

So, I’ll be honest, I’ve had this post started for a few weeks now and every time I pull it up to actually write my review, I become super intimidated and find excuses to do other things. Mostly this is because I’m still not quite sure how I feel about this book! I have some extremely opposing feelings about almost every part of it. But one thing I think I can confidently start with is one of the things I referred to in my introduction: this author knows how to write. I immediately felt drawn into this world and these characters. As the story progressed, the magic and world itself felt as if it was unrolling before me, presenting more and more insights into the world-building that was on a much more grandiose scale than I had originally thought. Regardless of anything else in this review, the appeal of Legrand’s prose is enough to keep me reading this trilogy going forward.

But where my opinions become more divided is with the characters and the pacing of this story. Let’s start with the pacing and plotting. This book was blurbed as “Bridgerton meets ACOTAR.” Maybe I should have know right from there that I would be conflicted about this book! I mean, I really enjoy Bridgerton and I absolutely loathe ACOTAR. And I can confirm that both of those references feel very on point and accurate to what you’ll get if you pick up this book. I’ll even go as far as to say that the ACOTAR aspects were by no means as frustrating to me as ACOTAR itself. Indeed, I very much liked these parts of the story! No, the problem came in a very unique way. The book almost literally feels as if it has been split down the middle by these two comparisons. The first half is Bridgerton, with fantastical balls, social hierarchies, fancy gowns, and romance. And then, boom! The second half hits and we’re full on ACOTAR with magical barriers and fantasy creatures and magical systems. And, again, I enjoyed this half too! The problem is that, overall, it left the book feeling very disjointed and created a jarring reading experience. I was all down for the regency fantasy, and then it was like a bait and switch to suddenly be dropped down into a much more “traditional” fantasy setting. And due to the fact that much of the plot really takes place in the second half, I was left feeling as if the book could have been edited down quite a bit from the Bridgerton stuff of the beginning, as much as I liked it on its own.

Now, to the characters. First, I think that Legrand did an excellent job of portraying the experiences and life of someone who lives with chronic pain. Gemma is very straight-forward with her struggles while also never becoming self-pitying. She is frustrated with her limitations, while also not belittling herself. I also really like the way this aspect of her character plays out over the entire arc of the book. Unfortunately, that was about all I liked about Gemma. I get that the author was very intentionally writing this character as rather frivolous and selfish; indeed, Gemma herself comments on these aspects of her personality. And I think the book used these traits to also do a great job of diving into self-loathing and self-harm. But over the course of the book, while Gemma does experience growth, I still struggled to really like her or feel invested in her story.

But, here comes the other side of the character issue: I REALLY liked both of her sisters. Honestly, fairly quickly into the book I realized that I was mostly reading on for the glimpses we get of these two and trying to piece together the stories we’ll get from them. I was even more invested into the glimpses of what I can only guess will be the central romance for one of the sisters than I was in Gemma’s own romance. There, too, I struggled with Gemma’s story. Talan felt very one-note when he was first introduced. And then as he went on, he had a few scenes that made him incredibly unlikable. The story does go on to make this a fairly central part of the plot, but it’s hard to recover from on the romance front when the author sets the reader on a path of questioning and disliking the romantic hero from the very start.

So, overall, this was a very mixed bag for me. I think, in the end, I didn’t end up loving this book. But, BUT!, on the other hand, I’m supremely invested in the next book in this series and can’t wait to get my hands on it! Given the nature of my complaints with this book, they all feel of the very specific sort that won’t be a problem in the books going forward. Both sisters seem like much more interesting characters than Gemma. The romantic interest/plot for one of them is already laid out and is incredibly appealing. And I think the world-building is now established enough that we won’t have the same plotting/pacing issue going forward where the tone is unclear between Bridgerton or ACOTAR. So, all of this to say, while I did struggle with this book, I do recommend it for fantasy romance readers based on my faith that the trilogy will turn out to be well worth it as a whole.

Rating 7: A very mixed bag for this book specifically, but I was definitely sold on the concept and anxiously await the next entry in the trilogy!

Reader’s Advisory:

“A Crown of Ivy and Glass” can be found on these Goodreads lists: Novels with “Crown” in the Title and Epic High Fantasy/Romance/Mythology in 2023.

Serena’s Review: “Happy Place”

Book: “Happy Place” by Emily Henry

Publishing Info: Berkley, April 2023

Where Did I Get this Book: Edelweiss+

Book Description: Harriet and Wyn have been the perfect couple since they met in college—they go together like salt and pepper, honey and tea, lobster and rolls. Except, now—for reasons they’re still not discussing—they don’t.

They broke up six months ago. And still haven’t told their best friends.

Which is how they find themselves sharing the largest bedroom at the Maine cottage that has been their friend group’s yearly getaway for the last decade. Their annual respite from the world, where for one vibrant, blue week they leave behind their daily lives; have copious amounts of cheese, wine, and seafood; and soak up the salty coastal air with the people who understand them most.

Only this year, Harriet and Wyn are lying through their teeth while trying not to notice how desperately they still want each other. Because the cottage is for sale and this is the last week they’ll all have together in this place. They can’t stand to break their friends’ hearts, and so they’ll play their parts. Harriet will be the driven surgical resident who never starts a fight, and Wyn will be the laid-back charmer who never lets the cracks show. It’s a flawless plan (if you look at it from a great distance and through a pair of sunscreen-smeared sunglasses). After years of being in love, how hard can it be to fake it for one week…in front of those who know you best?

Review: Like many authors I’ve grown to love, I was first introduced to Emily Henry when we read “Beach Read” for bookclub a year or so ago. It was part of a romance theme we were doing at the time and was a great motivator to read a book and author I probably would never have picked up on my own. Don’t get me wrong, I love a good romance, but I tend to stick pretty strictly the historical romance lane ala “Bridgerton” and the like. What can I say, Jane Austen really ruined me for other genres of romance. In particular, I’m not often a reader of contemporary stories in any genre, so contemporary romance was waaaaay down there. But boy, yet again am I thankful for bookclub because here I am, the biggest Emily Henry fan you’ll find!

Harriet’s happy place has long been established as not only a location (her friend’s rich dad’s New England beach home) but as the group of friends who have travelled alongside her through the past decade of her life. And part of that group has always been her longtime boyfriend, Wyn. But now, broken up for the past six months, Harriet is unsure whether she can find that happy place again. How can this close group of friends survive the sundering of one of its longest-running romances? Things are made more challenging when Harriet realizes that this will be the last year before their beloved gathering place is sold. Not wanting to ruining what may be the last time they’re all together for a long while, Harriet and Wyn decided to not break the news of their break up until after the trip is over. But keeping up this ruse may prove more difficult than either has expected.

There are a lot of things to love about Henry’s approach to contemporary romance. But I think one of the things I appreciate most is how deftly she manages to use very common, some might say worn to death, romance tropes and breathes new life into them. Here she tackles two tropes in one, fake dating and a second chance love story. In a lot of ways, I think this combination works better than either one does on their own, especially fake dating. I’ve always been a bit of a hard sell on fake dating. The scenarios used to make it a necessary thing always seem very contrived and unbelievable. And then the success of two people, often near strangers, successfully tricking people into believing they are a couple always seemed incredibly unlikely. Not only do these strangers need to fake their way through the awkwardness of physical interactions, but they have to somehow orchestrate the easy comradery and chemistry of a true couple. But, like I say, Henry wisely sidesteps this entire issue by combining it with a second chance love story.

Harriet and Wyn were not only a couple before, they were in a long-term, on the verge of marriage, serious relationship. Add in some unresolved feelings, and it’s easy to see how they could simply flip a switch into faking they’re still together. On top of that, the use of a very close friends group makes a compelling reason for why they would fake their relationship. Not only would a break up upend the boat of a small group of mutual friends, but a few of the friends have expressed reliance on Harriet and Wyn’s solid relationship as proof that long-term love is possible! It’s a perfect storm of circumstances that I think nicely lays the entire table for both of these romance tropes.

Another thing Henry does so well is ground her stories in other struggles and growth for her characters. As the story unfolds, we begin to see what went wrong in Harriet and Wyn’s seemingly perfect relationship. Through a series of flashbacks, we begin to learn that neither has ever been perfectly honest with the other about what they want from life. What’s worse, neither has been honest with themselves. Both are incredibly likable but flawed individuals, and we see how each has been swatting away the necessary work that would have lead them to healthier lives and a healthier relationship. Harriet’s struggles as a people pleaser and Wyn’s inability to place value in himself as he is were all incredibly powerful and well depicted.

And, of course, the romance is lovely. Henry also tends to write romances that read a bit bitter sweet. They end well, because that’s almost required of the genre. But given the way this book is structured, with the flashbacks slowly working their way towards the present, it’s difficult to watch Wyn and Harriet spiral towards the inevitable break-up. Between their own struggles and the challenges we see from some of the other members of this friends group, I wouldn’t necessarily call this a happy book. And yet, it also wasn’t sad. It simply felt very real and honest about the way even the closest relationships, romances and friendships, can be built on unhealthy habits and interactions. The ending was particularly cathartic after all of the build-up. I was also very happy with a few particular turns of events at the end where I think Henry improved on some of her previous character work in conclusions of other books I’ve read by her where I’ve been more frustrated. If you’re a fan of contemporary romance or of Emily Henry, this is definitely a must read!

Rating 9: Heartfelt and poignant, this story tackles not only the lies we tell others but, more importantly, the lies we tell ourselves.

Reader’s Advisory: “Happy Place” is on these Goodreads lists: That One Really Popular Modern Romance Novel Cover Style and 2023 Contemporary Romance Releases.

Serena’s Review: “Wings Once Cursed and Bound”

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Book: “Wings Once Cursed and Bound” by Piper J. Drake

Publishing Info: Sourcebooks Casablanca, April 2023

Where Did I Get this Book: from the publisher!

Where Can You Get this Book: Amazon | IndieBound | WorldCat

Book Description:

My wings unbound, I am the Thai bird princess
The kinnaree
And no matter the cost,
I will be free.

Bennet Andrews represents a secret organization of supernatural beings dedicated to locating and acquiring mythical objects, tucking them safely away where they cannot harm the human race. When he meets Peeraphan Rahttana, it’s too late—she has already stepped into The Red Shoes, trapped by their curse to dance to her death.

But Bennet isn’t the only supernatural looking for deadly artifacts. And when the shoes don’t seem to harm Peeraphan, he realizes that he’ll have to save her from the likes of creatures she never knew existed. Bennett sweeps Peeraphan into a world of myth and power far beyond anything she ever imagined. There, she finds that magic exists in places she never dreamed—including deep within herself.

Review: First of all, thank you so much to the publisher, Sourcebooks Casablanca, for sending me an ARC of this book! I can say that the cover is just as fantastic in person as it seems from the small image above. Very unique and vibrant, just the sort of cover that would make me pause when browsing the aisles of the bookstore. Unfortunately, however, I didn’t enjoy the actual book itself nearly as much.

When a fellow dancer hands Peeraphan a box with beautiful red dancing shoes, she can’t resist their magnetic appeal. Now, however, she finds that these are not in fact ordinary shoes, but slippers that have been cursed to compel their wearer to dance themselves to death. Luckily for Peeraphan, her own magical heritage has given her some level of protection from the shoes themselves. But there are those who are hunting artifacts like these, and they don’t seem to care that the shoes are currently attached to a living woman. Another artifact hunter, a vampire named Bennet, has also been tracking the shoes, but after meeting Peeraphan, he realizes that much more is at stake than a simple recovering mission.

I initially requested this book because of the very intriguing premise of the Thai legend of the kinnaree. Urban fantasy has long been entrapped by the classic monsters like vampires, werewolves, ghosts, etc. So I was incredibly excited to see a story focused on a lesser known legend. I also know next to nothing about Thai folklore or the legend of the kinnaree. Unfortunately, I still don’t. I’m not exactly sure what happened here really. I feel like I was sold on this very specific premise, but then I started reading the book and it turned out to be…not that. Our main character, who also goes by Punch (dislike), knows next to nothing about her own abilities. And then as the book goes on, very little is added on to that. Instead, we were once again bogged down with vampires and the typical “League of Extraordinary Gentlemen” ilk.

I also never felt like Punch was given much characterization. The shoes show up with in the first few pages, far too quickly for any good character work to have been established prior. And from there, the action quickly sweeps her along, but I’m never given any reason why I should care or be particularly invested in her story. Instead, I was mostly just frustrated from the start! She senses something strange about the shoes right off the bat, and then, of course, just puts them on anyways. It wasn’t a strong start for the character, and the story never seemed to recover from there.

I also didn’t really care for Bennet or the romance as a whole. Again, his character and story felt incredibly familiar, with very little new to say about vampires or any of the other beings we encounter. The love story also felt rushed towards the end, and I couldn’t tell exactly who the audience was for this book. It didn’t feel as if it could commit fully one way or another, reading at certain points as very YA and then at others trying to take on a more gritty, adult tone.

Overall, the entire thing really didn’t work for me. Part of the problem was that I had fairly high expectations going in. I was really excited by the idea of a new urban fantasy story that was pulling from lesser known legends, and then when the book failed to deliver on that, it was hard to latch on to anything else. I think there will be readers who enjoy it, however, especially those who really enjoy urban fantasies as a whole. It just wasn’t for me, sadly.

Rating 6: While it’s an acceptable urban fantasy on the whole, I feel like the primary premise, that of the legendary Thai kinnaree, was a complete let-down.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Wings Once Cursed and Bound” isn’t on any Goodreads lists yet, but it should be on Fairytale Retellings in Contemporary Romance.

Kate’s Review: “Lore Olympus: Volume 3”

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Book: “Lore Olympus: Volume 3” by Rachel Smythe

Publishing Info: Del Rey, October 2022

Where Did I Get This Book: I own it.

Where You Can Get This Book: WorldCat | Amazon | Indiebound

Book Description: All of Olympus–and the Underworld–are talking about the God of the Dead and the sprightly daughter of Demeter. But despite the rumors of their romance, Hades and Persephone have plenty to navigate on their own.

Since coming to Olympus, Persephone has struggled to be the perfect maiden goddess. Her attraction to Hades has only complicated the intense burden of the gods’ expectations. And after Apollo’s assault, Persephone fears she can no longer bury the intense feelings of hurt and love that she’s worked so hard to hide.

As Persephone contemplates her future, Hades struggles with his past, falling back into toxic habits in Minthe’s easy embrace. With all the mounting pressure and expectations–of their family, friends, and enemies–both Hades and Persephone tell themselves to deny their deepest desires, but the pull between them is too tempting, too magnetic. It’s fate.

This full-color edition of Smythe’s original Eisner-nominated webcomic Lore Olympus brings Greek mythology into the modern age in a sharply perceptive and romantic graphic novel.

Review: We are back to my favorite deity filled soap opera/love story “Lore Olympus”, this time diving into the third volume. This story has been taking over our book club as almost everyone has at least started it, and I cannot stop fawning over it because of every single beat it hits that just work for me. And “Volume Three” keeps the streak going, as, once again, I loved this.

Now let’s get into why! THIS IS GOING TO BE LONG! (source)

Both Persephone and Hades have some huge emotional summits they are starting to climb in this volume, and it’s still fairly separate outside of them being at work in the Underworld together. As Persephone has started her first job, Hades is trying to remain professional and emotionally disconnected, and she is trying to find her footing while dealing with a lot of feelings she needs to sort out. We still don’t really know a lot about Persephone’s time in the Mortal Realm before all of this, all we know is that she has been given a scholarship by The Goddesses of Eternal Maidenhood to go study in Olympus so long as she commits to remaining celibate. We finally get to explore how she started this journey in this volume, as we see how she was approached by Hestia, how she got paired up with Artemis as roommates, and how she may be a little hesitant about the whole thing. But then there is something else that is being hinted at. Something about Persephone’s nature, and how there is perhaps something else that she is trying to leave behind, and how Demeter is trying to cover something up. Smythe starts laying out these clues in a more earnest nature this time around, with hints towards a more fiery temperament, hints towards Demeter changing her mind on a dime about Persephone’s place in the mortal realm, and hints about a destiny to be fulfilled. Seeing all of this in tandem with Persephone’s anxieties about fitting in at school, anxieties about working at a strange job, and anxieties about her crush on Hades makes for a VERY compelling character arc, and I just love what Smythe is doing with her.

Hades, too, is dealing with his own inner battles, mostly with trying to avoid Persephone as he feels like his feelings for her are inappropriate and that he’s reading far too much into it. So of course he’s decided to make it official with Minthe, the scheming and manipulative (but also very much hurting and damaged) nymph that works for him and has been is on again, off again girlfriend for a long time. But as Hecate finds more and more reasons to try and push him and Persephone together, he starts to wonder if perhaps he has a connection to her that has been in place even before he saw her at that party. Hades as a guy who is doing his best to not be a creep and doing his best to repress his feelings, because of his fear of hurting her but also because of a hinted at past trauma (if you know the broader mythology you can probably guess it), is a bit refreshing, as it puts a lot of the agency on Persephone, which is a VERY good thing in reimaginings of this tale. He also isn’t left totally off the hook when it comes to how he is probably using Minthe, while also conceding that in some cases BOTH parties can be very, very bad for each other. It all leads to a very heartbreaking sequence for the both of them. Arg, complexity when portraying the character getting in between my ship? How very dare you, Rachel Smythe?!

But the biggest stand out for me this volume was Eros. (There will be mild spoilers here because I need to spoil to talk about why I loved this!) Eros is a figure that happens to be at the center of my second favorite Greek Myth (that of him and Psyche), and while we are getting some hints that we are moving in that direction for his plot, his main function as of now is to be a kick ass and supportive friend to Persephone as she starts to come to terms with her rape by Apollo. I think that it would be an easy out to make Eros a very flamboyant and over the top romance fiend, because Eros, BUT Smythe instead makes him, yes, a bit of a drama llama, but also SO in touch with love and appropriate ways to show love and boundaries. His reaction to Persephone’s reveal was so, so perfect for the character, and it hit me right in the feels. We are also getting a little more insight into his own background and baggage, specifically about Psyche, and how something he did has put Aphrodite into a tenuous position, and it makes him all the more complicated and interesting. I just love the role he’s playing, and very much look forward to seeing his role continue to grow and evolve as the series goes on.

Oh and also there is a lot of interesting Hera stuff here too in that she knows that something happened to Persephone, she thinks she knows that Apollo is involved, and when she tries to investigate further Zeus decides to sweep it all under the rug because PATRIARCHY. I really love what Smythe is doing with Hera too, because again, she could have just been a shrewish wife to Zeus as she seems to be portrayed in the original myths. But in this we get to see why she is so damn frustrated and weary, and it’s because she is having to remain by the side of a man that she doesn’t REALLY like who won’t even give her a modicum of respect, or really any respect to ANY women. I’m always for calling out Zeus, but I especially love it when Hera gets leeway while still being complicated.

So obviously I’m still all about “Lore Olympus” and “Volume Three” is continuing the love. It’s just so well done. I’ve pre-ordered “Volume Four”, so you know that when it comes out this summer I will be back on my fan girl bullshit.

Rating 10: Oh be still my heart, so many feelings this time around. You’re killing me, Greek Gods and Goddesses! In the best, best way.

Reader’s Advisory:

“Lore Olympus: Volume 3” is included on the Goodreads lists “Greek Mythology Retellings!”, and “Hades and Persephone”.

Previously Reviewed: