I was looking forward to this one as I am always intrigued by mythology. Sadly, I was a bit disappointed in it for a couple of reasons and it just made the whole journey less enjoyable for me.

Daphne is a girl who tries to show her strength to those that think less of her because she wasn’t born a Spartan but has lived among them since her mother died. Strong female characters can be a hit or miss for me depending on a lot of things. I didn’t entirely dislike Daphne and thought she had good qualities about her but the development for her, as well as the other characters, just wasn’t there for me.

Most readers would know and understand who the gods and goddesses are that are mentioned in this book and I’m assuming that is why there is little development for them. It doesn’t make sense as to why it happened to the main character. This caused disconnect for me from the story. This disconnect could also stem from the fact that is more plot-driven and the pacing moves quickly leaving little room for the development that I needed.

Another issue I had was the romance. It was a big miss and I just don’t feel the spark between them as it moved right on into insta-love.

As for the mythology/retelling aspect, I think that it had it’s moments and I liked that the author mentioned in her acknowledgment that she wanted to give a voice to the women that never got it. I can appreciate it.

Overall, it was good during certain parts but ultimately not a book for me and I won’t be continuing on with the series. I do think that other readers will enjoy this one much more than me, especially if you are one who likes plot-driven books.

I received this book as an eARC from Netgalley. All opinions are my own!

All Daphne wants is to be a true Spartan, but when an encounter with the goddess Artemis places her in the service of the gods, she finds herself thrown into a quest to save Olympus and the world. She must find nine objects that were stolen from Olympus or face the downfall of both the gods and mankind alike.

The first thing that struck me about this book was how Greek mythology and its retellings were finally finding a female-led story through this book! So much of mythology in general is male-driven and male-centered. But Daughter of Sparta takes the tale of Daphne and Apollo and centers it on a strong female lead who never needs a man to save her. I loved the evolution of Daphne throughout this story and how she has come to know herself even as she still has questions about herself.

As a fan of Greek mythology from a young age, I loved that this story incorporated so many of the classic tales. It was refreshing to see it all spun in a different light through Daphne's eyes. The plot was new and fresh enough that I never found myself bored or felt as though this was a story I had read or heard before. At times I did feel as though the plot kind of jumped around a little, and I wished that there was more explanation or "filler" between the action events of the book.

Overall, I adored Daphne's story, and I cannot wait to see where she's headed next! If you have an interest in Greek mythology and are ready for a fresh, female-centered take, this book is the book for you!

This has to be one of my most anticipated reads of the year! After falling in love with Greek Mythology, thanks to Scarlett St.Clair's A Touch of Magic I was ecstatic to have the chance to read Daughter of Sparta!

Daughter of Sparta is a take on the myth of Apollo and Daphne, and lets just say it is a fantastic take on the myth!
Daughter of Sparta is full of adventure and gives a female take on the myth of Apollo and Daphne which is typically male-dominated! I am obsessed and I cannot wait to get my hands on a physical copy. Ugh I wish I could say more but alas I will probably end up spoiling the whole book!
Lets just say, this is a novel that you do not want to pass up!

Daphne has spent the last seventeen years of her life proving to those around her that she has what it takes to be named a warrior. All she has ever wanted was to be accepted by the brash Spartans who took her and her brothers in, but because she's an orphan and a woman, she's never been taken seriously. But after an unexpected run-in with the goddess Artemis-- who's holding her brother's life captive-- Daphne will finally get her chance, but if she fails her brother's life is forfeit.

Nine magical items have been stolen from Olympus, throwing the gods into chaos. If Daphne doesn't track down and return them to their rightful place, the gods will lose their magic, plunging the mortal world into disarray. With the help of Apollo and other heroes along the way, Daphne must journey through Greece testing her will against all sorts of challenges, from the bloody labyrinth of the Minotaur to trading riddles with the Sphinx. As her quest progresses, Daphne is plagued with dreams of a mysterious shadow woman and visions of her past. Daphne has always known she was meant for more, and if anyone could save Olympus, why not her?

I will eat up any Greek mythology retelling, so I was very much looking forward to this. While I did enjoy it, I didn't end up loving it as much as I'd hoped. I think a lot of that had to do with the pacing of the plot. It pretty much just went: fight scene, travel scene, fight scene. It was very cyclical, and despite all the action, it made it feel almost stagnant. I would've liked to have seen a little bit more depth and emotional connection. I also had the same issue with the characters. Daphne was great and I admired how strong and fierce she was, but I wanted a bit more vulnerability. There were moments when she sort of let her guard down, but they were few and far between. She and Apollo's relationship was said to be enemies-to-lovers, but I didn't buy that either. The whole romance aspect was pretty non-existent except for one or two subtle mentions. While this may not have fully lived up to my expectations, there were still a lot of bits I enjoyed and I'm interested to see where the story goes from here.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my opinion.

Daphne is not a Spartan but she trains like one. She dreams of the day when she will be recognized as one. But, life is often not what we dream and Daphne is no different when Artemis curses her and charges her with no simple task. Save the Gods.

This is kind of hit and miss for me. I love anything to do with Spartans and Gods and throw in a dash of adventure and save the world I'm game. My problem however is with the MC and Apollo. *insert very long and dramatic eye roll here*

It was fast paced, and full of adventure I will probably pick up the next one.

I love this story! I had forgotten how much Greek mythology stories warm my soul. Daphne is an incredibly strong Spartan female. She does fight to stand up for herself in a world that typically puts her second. Driven into a bargain with the gods, Daphne traverses the country in attempts to retrieve what Olympus has lost. Can she do it? Will she save those she loves dear, the gods and the world?

I was on the edge of my seat. Following each obstacle and watching the romance grow. It is a sweet book and you will get a few kisses! When I realized this isn't a standalone, I was nervous, but this book didn't leave me on a cliffhanger and I am excited for the next book to come. Check this one out. I think you'll fall in love with Daphne too.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Little Brown Books and Claire Andrews for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Daughter of Sparta is a captivating and immersive quest story that follows Daphne as she tries to save the powers of Olympus. Set in ancient Greece, the novel is a retelling of Daphne and Apollo, but it is very different from the original story. I’m a fan of Greek mythology and appreciate how well the author interwove the stories of the Gods and Goddesses into this novel. It definitely gives you a different perspective of some of the classic God and Goddesses like Apollo and Artemis, which I found intriguing. I also like that the author didn’t focus specifically on one mythological story, and instead twined several together to create a new and fresh tale.

Daphne is a fantastic protagonist! Brave and determined, she is a true warrior. All Daphne wants is to be accepted as a Spartan even though she was not technically born in Sparta. Daphne’s sense of isolation and of not being fully embraced by the Spartans is clear from the first pages, and her need to belong propels many of her actions. She has spent much of her life trying to prove her worth to people who deem her unworthy, and yet she never gives up. There’s a fierceness about her that is admirable and empowering. I love her strength and confidence, as well as her relentless spirit.

The love story is not the focus of the novel, and it is a slow-building romance. I wasn’t sure how I felt about Daphne and her love interest at the start of the story, but I ended up really liking them! Their story is very different form the original myth between Apollo and Daphne, which surprised me, but it’s an interesting spin on their tale. I like that the author took the essence of the original characters and stories and put new spins on them.

Though this is a fantasy, there are many themes that readers can relate to, the desire to be accepted and to feel a sense of belonging chief among them. Daphne’s journey, both physical and emotional, is intriguing, action-packed, and immersive and shows the power of determination, resilience, and fighting for something bigger than yourself.

I also really enjoyed the humor, sarcasm, and witty banter throughout the story. It broke up some of the more serious and intense scenes and added depth to the characters and relationships. Some of my favorite parts were the great and humorous conversations between Daphne and her counterparts!

I think readers who like unique stories with dynamic characters, quests, a lot of action, and a slow-building romance will enjoy Daughter of Sparta, and I’m thankful to NetGalley, Claire M. Andrews, and Jimmy Patterson Books for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

First of all, thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this. Second of all, HOLY COW. 4.5/5 stars, but truthfully the .5 star is simply because this is a SERIES? And so while this book was resolved...it wasn't resolved and set up what I'm assuming is at least a duology with precision and finesse.

I want to marry Daphne. And Apollo. SERIOUS mythology vibes (obviously) and I couldn't stop thinking about Assassin Creed Odyssey while reading this. The beautiful nature of myths lended itself to the story while refocusing the typical grecian ways through a feminist lens. Daphne is, while at times annoying, amazing, smart, and kicks butt. She is driven by determination and goals, but also goes through growth as the story progresses.

The writing? Beautiful. The mythological element? Chefs kiss. I know this is on MANY lists of being anticipated this year...you will NOT be disappointed. I'm only sad to have to WAIT for the next book to have the question answered...THE question asked the ENTIRE book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Little Brown YA for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

I really played myself because I was so excited for this book it truly never registered there was a sequel and it sucks because I FELL IN LOVE WITH THIS BOOK AND I WANT MORE. I want more now. I am like a fiend and want this series just at my fingertips. I was crushed when it ended because I couldn’t have more.

The idea of a book about the strong women of Ancient Greece instead of the games the Gods play immediately drew me into this book, but the rich world, crafty characters and heart stopping plot kept me up late into the night turning page after page. The story that Andrew’s created was not only rich with history, but rich with her own flair and imagination, giving us the feminist retelling of Spartan women and how bada** they are. I am still reeling hours after finishing. This book will stick with your long after you finished.

Let’s talk about Daphne because let’s be realistic- I’ve got a girl crush. There was so much mystery surrounding her and who she is. Her strength and resilience is exactly what made me adore her. Her ability to be rational, even when her heart is involved really made me love her. She’s such a fantastic character, not one without flaws, but one worth reading about.

Her journey is fantastic, the pacing is great and Andrew’s voice really gives you the feel that you are right there with Daphne, Apollo and their friends as they go on this journey. If you’re a fan of Greek mythology, Sparta, Ancient Rome or Greece- this book is right up your alley! I can’t recommend this enough!

Daughter of Sparta is a tale of fate, Greek gods, and girl power, but the plot-driven nature of the tale kept me from really loving Daphne’s story.

The premise of this book is interesting—a female warrior, a quest to save Olympus and the known world, a secret heritage, and an enemies-to-lovers romance—and really, I thought I would love this book. The world building is great, the inclusion of various gods and heroes and villains from Greek mythology felt like fun cameos, and the action keeps the plot moving.

However, I never really got a good sense of the characters. Daphne is driven by her need to prove herself as a female fighter, and that’s really all there is to her personality. She feels as if she continuously has to prove how tough she is, even though her toughness is blatantly obvious to everyone around her, and although she agrees to her quest to save her brother, there’s not much of a sense of their relationship to make her motivation believable. The other main characters are similar; Apollo initially makes attempts to be flirty and funny, but those quickly fall off, and then he’s just grumpy and mysterious. His refusal to believe Daphne after talking about trust is ridiculous and just adds unnecessary drama between the two. And Lykou seems like a great guy, but he is transformed into a wolf near the beginning of the story, so it’s hard to learn much about him other than his feelings for Daphne.

And the romance, y’all. Or should I say the lack of romance. I got a very weak version of the enemies-to-lovers trope, with Daphne and Apollo barely trusting each other on one page and talking about being in love on the next. I could see the beginning of sparks between the two, but then things jumped to instalove, and it just wasn’t realistic. It also seems like there could be a bit of a love triangle, and I didn’t care for that, either.

Things seem to wrap up quite quickly, too. Despite the pressing deadline for Daphne to recover the stolen items before the gods’ powers completely wane, the final showdown feels rather abrupt. On the one hand, I appreciate that Daphne’s quest wasn’t dragged out unnecessarily, but on the other, I would’ve liked a little less ambiguity of what was in store for her in the future.

All in all, Daughter of Sparta delivers on girl power and provides an interesting twist on Greek mythology, but the thin character development kept it from being a real winner for me. Readers who enjoy plot-driven novels may find this book more to their liking, but I won’t be picking up Book #2.

I very much love mythology. It is no surprise, then, that the moment I saw this I knew I had to read it. The original myth of Daphne and Apollo is a short one; in it, Eros takes revenge on Apollo by shooting him with an arrow that makes him fall hopelessly and passionately in love with a river nymph called Daphne, while she is shot with an arrow that makes her hate the god vehemently. Chased by Apollo, Daphne eventually requests help from her father, who turns her into a laurel tree. Thus, Apollo makes the leaves of a laurel one of his symbols. This is not that story. Instead, it is a mismatch of myths and a lot of creative leeway on the author's part to create an epic, feminist story. 3.5 stars.

I think that this book has the potential to be a major hit or miss for most readers. Those who expect the original myth to be followed rather strictly will find themselves disappointed, as DAUGHTER OF SPARTA takes quite a few creative integrities with major myths, including those of the Minotaur and Theseus, the riddling Sphinx, Hippolyta and the Amazons, and more. Readers who do not care much about how close the story follows the original's content will likely be intrigued by the story, as the only thing this retelling truly takes of the original is the names of our heroine and the gods.

Truthfully, I'm a bit torn on the execution of this novel. I love the idea behind it. And while I'm a self-proclaimed mythology buff, I didn't mind the divergence from the original myth. I had two problems with the novel, one small and one large. The small one is that I felt the pacing was a little disjointed. It's not a huge deal-breaker for me, as I understand why it was done; there is a lot going on in the novel, with a lot of land crossed, yet it would not do well for it to be 1000 pages about traveling.

The biggest issue I had was I just didn't love the romance between Daphne and Apollo. From what I've seen, many are drawn in by the "enemies-to-lovers" romance, but it's more of a... bland disinterest to interested romance. I didn't get the emotion that I wanted from it, but that may just be a me thing.

Overall, I did enjoy DAUGHTER OF SPARTA and would definitely be in the market to read the coming sequel, BLOOD OF TROY!

I had such high hopes for this book and it did not disappoint! I love anything to do with Sparta and any type of gladiator type of story. Our heroine is such a strong character and I loved following her journey throughout this book! I had not previously read anything by this author, but after having read Daughter of Sparta I will definitely be looking out for her other books!

#DaughterofSparta #NetGalley

Such a fun read and take on mythology. Daphne, an outsider to those of Sparta, works so much harder than her brothers and other men to prove her worth to the Spartans. From the very beginning, she is chosen by Artemis to save the the Gods/Goddesses from certain destruction when Men decided to stop worshipping them. Motivated by the need to save her brother and friend from a certain fate, Daphne goes on an odyssey, accompanied by Artemis' twin brother Apollo, to save both mankind and godkind as well as finding out who she truly is. Definitely an author I will be following.

I have been on a roll with books about empowered and strong female main characters of late and I love it!! This book is about Daphne, an outside girl in a Spartan world who knows her way around a weapon and is the gods' last hope.

Our story starts in Sparta but like most epic Greek tales, there is much traveling to be done. This book takes us all across Greece and along the way we meet so many interesting locations, characters, and creatures. And there is a lot of fighting, nothing gets too gory or graphic but this story and our girl Daphne are aggressive, in a good way. Plus, while Daphne is definitely more fighter than a lover but we do get a few more tender moments along the way, which were cute.

The story itself was really well written and engaging. I also appreciate how definitions of more unknown words were added in a way that didn't take away from the flow. I also appreciate that you don't really need to know anything about Greek mythology to enjoy the book, although it certainly helps.

Overall, I thought this was a great book about a girl who is so much more than she seems. While this particular portion of the journey has ended there were a few unanswered questions that let me know there might be more to come. I'm excited to see whatever happens next.

Thank you, Claire Andrews, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, and NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to review this book!

Ancient Greece. A female Spartan warrior. An insufferable god. One quest to save them all.
17- year old daphne is known as the outcast in her village after losing her parents as a child. The only way to bring honor to her family is for her brother to win a race that symbolizes great fortune upon their village.
After her brother Pyrrhus mysteriously disappears, Daphne is forced to take his place as her family’s representative. However, the cunning and cruel Artemis has different plans as she forces Daphne to go on a journey (with her brother Apollo) and find nine items that have been stolen from Olympus.
These items are vital as their disappearance is causing the destruction of the gods and the world as they know it.
With her family threatened and the Midas curse on her body, Daphne reluctantly agrees to fulfill the quest. With arrogant and intolerable Apollo at her side, Daphne embarks on a high stakes adventure to find the artifacts. However, it becomes clear that she was not prepared for the journey and the truth that harbors it.
Wow. This book was so good!
Things that I liked:
- the brilliant and vivid world building! I seriously felt like I was watching a movie- the descriptions were absolutely phenomenal!
- The way all the Greek god stories were tied together! This journey had Daphne searching for artifacts that different gods harbored and/or helped her find and it was SO cool! I found myself fangirling with certain ones 😈
- the journey! I was never bored and it the adventure was heart pounding
- The humor!!! I laughed out loud so many times!!
- The slow burn enemies to lovers romance!! The banter was PERFECTION! I was rooting for these two!
Overall, this was such a high stakes adventure filled with humor, Greek mythology, romance, a ton of action and one big secret 😉

**Review will be published on my site/Instagram June 3rd**

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.

MANY THOUGHTS.

Well, one of my highly anticpated reads has let me down a bit.

Side note: I read a handful of reviews and it looks like if you Google what’s Daphne’s mythology, it can spoil part of the book. I went and Googled myself (after reading) and would say, YES IT DOES SPOIL. So please don’t search anything until after reading if you’re curious what her history is! I didn’t know before this book there was a story involving Daphne.

I loved the inital set-up and story. I liked that Daphne was trying to find a place for herself. To feel like she has a home. Add in some brothers and I was loving this little family plotline. First goddess into the ring was Athena and thus one of my least favorite tropes arrived: the travelling trope.

Most of this book is indeed spent with Daphne going from location A, B, C, etc. trying to first, figure out what is missing from Olympus and secondly, how to retrieve and fix the situation. What bothered me a lot about this was that a handful of times she ran into someone new (or saw the main villian) they would say you can’t know my name yet. And just WHY? Leaving it as a “mystery” wasn’t really a mystery. It was more annoying than anything not to say who’s who.

I didn’t know there would be a romance, mainly because it took a VERY long time for it to arise and I was suprised by it. There wasn’t anything to them. Honestly, could’ve done without and I might have enjoyed it more. The small scenes didn’t add to the whole story. I would have liked to have just seen more of Daphne being a warrior.

What I did love was the interpretation of mythology. I love books about mythology because I like seeing how each author depicts the gods and whatever story they’re using. It was great seeing many many secondary characters and remembering their general storylines as I went. I love these kind of scenarios brought to life.

By the end I was left with more forced questions than answers, trying to dangle me into reading the next book rather than the entire book convincing me I should want to read the sequel, so we’ll see. It did keep my interest for a very long time. It was towards the end where I started to slip and wanted finish the book quickly. The writing and story is there, I think I had the hype in my mind for a bit different of a tale.

Overall audience notes:
- YA Fantasy / Mythology
- Language: a little
- Romance: kisses
- Violence: battles, skirmishes, friends being turned into creatures, animal attacks, physical altercations, murder

This book was everything I was hoping for. Enemies to lovers, a tragic backstory, an epic quest, action-packed fight scenes, all led by a badass female warrior. Oh, and the Greek Gods are ACTUAL characters in the story!

TL;DR: Pre-order this book now!

Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown Books for providing me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Daughter of Sparta by Claire M. Andrews is a retelling of Daphne and Apollo with a few twists. While I had never heard the original story, I loved this one.

Set in Ancient Greece, all Daphne wants is to finally be accepted as a Spartan woman instead of a Mothakes, or outsider. She has spent her entire life training as a Spartan warrior to prove herself, but when Artemis suddenly appears to her, she is sent on an epic quest with Apollo as her guide to save the powers of Olympus and save her brother from Artemis' wrath. She faces monsters, her own tragic and mysterious past, and Greek Gods she's not sure she can trust.

I love Daphne. She is strong, confident, and has a good sense of humor. I hated Artemis and Apollo at first, but my feelings towards them grew more complex the more Daphne got to know the Greek Gods.

The storytelling is great. The plot follows a good pacing and I was never uninterested in what was going to happen next. The banter between Daphne and her companions is a refreshing reprieve from the intensity of Daphne's quest, and I quickly fell in love with all the characters and the way they evolve in the story.

I appreciated the background info given any time a new Greek God or myth was introduced. I studied a bit of Greek mythology in high school, but I don't know every myth, so it was nice that the author took into account people who are unfamiliar with the stories. I feel that whether you know everything or nothing about Greek mythology, you can enjoy this book the same. Now, there were liberties taken with the accuracy of the stories, but this is a fantasy retelling and the author's note in the back explains it all.

In the end, I fell in love with Daphne's story, I was biting my nails the whole time I was reading, and I wanted so desperately for everything to end happily. I felt the book wrapped up nicely to usher in a sequel, or if the reader wanted to stop there, they got plenty of answers to be satisfied. Personally I cannot wait for the next book to be released!

Overall, five stars and I will be telling everyone I can about this book.

~Special thanks to Netgalley and Jimmy Patterson Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!~

𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙖 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙪𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚.
𝘽𝙖𝙢𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙯𝙡𝙚𝙙.
-𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙠𝙨𝙮, 2021

I can honestly say, I squealed for about five minutes after having found out that they actually let me read this.

𝙍𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜: 🔪🔪🔪🔪🔪 4.7 𝙖𝙬𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙘𝙠 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙗𝙮 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙗𝙮 𝙛𝙬𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙨

I need Dr. Booksy to take the floor now because Booksy is crying in pain as to why this had to end.

*cleans glasses*
*clears throat aggressively*
*adopts a British accent*

𝙆𝙣𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙙𝙖𝙩𝙖: Booksy willingly chose to keep this book in the 'Currently Reading' pile, for about three days.
𝙐𝙣𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙙𝙖𝙩𝙖: What the heck did she try to accomplish??? Three days later, she's still a mess.
𝙃𝙮𝙥𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙞𝙨: Booksy needs help.

This book was without a doubt, a blessing. It was such an extremely enthralling story, filled with gripping action that left my 3 am self (welcome back, my love) in a state of shock. Apart from that, of course, I must mention that I gasped in horror/betrayed/heartbroken/YASS GIRL about six thousand and twelve times, because UM HOW COULD I NOT. (Dr. Booksy is a guest, not the driver. All caps belong to Booksy. Forgive her intrusion) The book obviously had some things I disliked, but they are so little and so rarely present, I dare not take it out from Why Did This Happen Arsenal. Ha! Smart being, 'tis I.

The lack of actual want to do other things besides, sleep, cry and eat, have forced me to actually sit my butt down and write this.

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜, y'all. It was splendid and so very delicious. Forget about a snack, it was a whole MEAL. I had a CRUSH on this writing. I was MARRIED to it. You get it, right? The descriptions were exquisite, the way certain things were handled, like the pace, and feel of the story were staggeringly amazing. And best of all? I remember none of the, 'Not like other girls'. You want to know why? Because GUESS WHAT! All of the female species found in between the pages of this story actually had a certain degree of personality and vigor to do something else than just be present. Which as you know, I absolutely adore. What else can I say about the writing... hmmm... oh! I NEED MORE OF IT.

So, let's talk a bit about 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙡𝙤𝙩. Oh, how I wish I COULD SPOIL, DANG IT.
It was so astoundingly well-thought-out. The way it all started, from beginning to oh so bittersweet end, left me craving for more. And not because I NEEDED more, regarding the details and such. But because I NEEDED AND WANTED MORE. All the little clues, and masterfully placed questions and intriguing conclusions. I couldn't believe what I was reading- a book with an actual PLOT. The twists and descriptions left my heart feeling full, forgetting the fact that I do not have one. A heart, that is. All the things had a purpose, which I loved and had actual meaningfulness to the story. Picture this, try not to breathe for two hours. That's how it felt. And no, I don't mean in Basic YA Breath Holding. That's another topic for another time.

Next on, because if I stay too long in a section, I'll somehow convince myself to 'take a break' and return in 'five minutes'. Y'all KNOW those five minutes feel like three and turn out to be five hours at the end of the day. Pfft, I don't know how I've survived this long without getting sued for Endangerment to Productive Beings.

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨. My PEOPLE, the characters were so GOOD! I was annoyed and feeling like I had been smack down with a truck at the same time, because of how surprised and flabbergasted they made me feel. Well, most of the characters, of course. We can't have it all, it's against the rules of Life.

I was stupid enough to google 𝘿𝙖𝙥𝙝𝙣𝙚 (𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙈𝘾, by the way) and basically decided to read her whole life history. Which included spoilers. LOTS OF DANG SPOILERS. So yes, I would recommend not doing that. The crushing sense of disappointment that will invade your soul afterwards, will taste like your parent's stories of when they were young and literally had to walk across the Pacific Ocean to get to school. *sigh* That makes incredible SeNsE, naturally. You know what WASN'T natural? How an amazing MC this girl turned out to be. See, I am sure all of you have experienced a certain satisfaction when the main character in a novel (be it YA or otherwise) actually has a spine and is willingly to pull it out and use it as a sword to cut people's heads off. Metaphorically, obviously. Unless you count this girl, I don't think the word 'metaphorically' existed in her vocabulary. And oh my goodness, did I LOVE it. Since it is an ARC, I'm not going to be able to quote this wonderful human being, so I'll have to deal with describing her in three words.

1.) 𝙒𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙞𝙤𝙧
2.) 𝙎𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙡𝙮 𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙤𝙜𝙖𝙣𝙩 (𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙤𝙣, 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚, 𝘾𝙊𝙈𝙀 𝙊𝙉)
3.) 𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙗𝙮

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨 were wonderful in their utmost detailing (Dr. Booksy is slightly drunk on chocolate). It was full of color, and flamboyant sarcasm. For which I live for. Again, I cannot delve in too much into each one. So I'll just state the following: All of them were well constructed, all of them had a story, also, ALLL of them were a LOT of characters. I advise you to keep a mental notebook handy and Wikipedia ready to be googled. Oh! And don't forget, THERE ARE GODS AND MYTHOLOGY AND GOSH DARNIT I NEEDED MORE. Alas, I will never be satisfied, satisfied, satisfieeeeddd. *smirk*


𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙜𝙤𝙤𝙙. No, it was GREAT.
Why? Because it was barely present. *smile like nobody is out for you*

I suggest that if you're looking for something that will make your toes curl (and not because of all the action. Although those are the best) would very honestly advise you to find another book slightly more... romantically focused. Don't get me wrong, it was sweet and swoony, and cute, and bloody (don't mind that last one). But it isn't anything to make your nonexistent heart go for a run. Scratch that, sometimes it went for a sprint. With a rain shower nearby to cool down.


𝙊𝙣 𝙖 𝙘𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙚, the action was a palpable delight, the characters were a whole buffet and of course, the whole story was amazing from start to wonderful finale. Did it have flaws? Yes, and I don't mean the grammar or anything. But I think that in the mood I was in when I read this, that specific subject was not of importance to me. The book actually lived up to the hype which I'll forever be grateful for.

I just realized y'all.
IT ACTUALLY LIVED UP TO THE HYPE.

I 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙙 this to people whose expectations have slightly lowered but are still sky-high (if that makes sense) and actually want to enjoy their next read. If you're not a fan of an overly enthusiastic fast-paced book, then um... maybe don't read this. Also, if you actually have plans before reading this book, please cancel them. It will help your mental facilities to cope.
I think.
Although I never have plans, since I'm extremely antisocial and socially awkwar-

𝘿𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙡𝙖𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙧: Any and all opinions said up there are my own, and please feel free to call me out for any errors or any offensive comments, so I can get right on it and get it fixed!

𝙋.𝙎: 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙤𝙜𝙮. I need a moment.
I have no clue whether it was accurate nor if it had misconceptions, but really? I'm just glad it wasn't boring. I can't with this.
I literally can't.
*fans mascara less puny eyelashes*
It was so beautifully crafted, and I got flustered on multiple occasions because of how much I enjoyed reading about it. Now, I'll go compulsively add mythology books to my TBR, thank you very much-

𝙊𝙝! 𝘼𝙉𝘿 𝙏𝙃𝘼𝙉𝙆 𝙔𝙊𝙐 𝙁𝙊𝙍 𝙍𝙀𝘼𝘿𝙄𝙉𝙂 𝙏𝙃𝙄𝙎, 𝙎𝙀𝙍𝙄𝙊𝙐𝙎𝙇𝙔. 𝙏𝙃𝘼𝙉𝙆 𝙔𝙊𝙐.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. My opinion was not affected by the free copy.

I think I really have to face the fact that I've been spoiled by so many reimaginings of Greek mythology and characters. I was expecting this character to be like Kassandra from Assassin's Creed Odyssey (a bad-ass Spartan woman) but Daphne was not. I don't like putting spoilers in my reviews but they mention this so early I might as well: she isn't even Spartan. We get hints that her father is something other than human but we never know what or who he is, and the gods don't even know. In the original myth Daphne is a river nymph, but that wouldn't make sense for her character here, so who knows.

I'm not sure one could call this a retelling or reimagining since it bears almost no resemblance to the original myth. "Loosely based" or "inspired by" would be more accurate. I'm not entirely sure why this plot focuses on the gods weakening because of some lost items. I don't want to say what the items are, but it makes no sense why all the gods would be losing their powers because said items were stolen. It does make sense why Apollo would want to get them back, but to have him reduced in power makes the book so much more boring, and I feel was done just for an excuse to extend their journey. They make it to Prometheus in a few days because god powers but then have to take a ship to Crete because suddenly no more god powers. I kept thinking "why doesn't Apollo just do this" because I kept forgetting he didn't have all his godly powers.

I'm not sure how I feel about the romance in this book. I'm not opposed to the "enemies to lovers" trope in principle, but in this case I'm extremely uncomfortable since in the original Apollo was chasing Daphne despite her vowing eternal virginity. Is there any reason why this reimagining couldn't have her just not be interested in Apollo that way, instead of having her blush and think he's attractive and admit she fell in love with him? Again, I'm not opposed to bad-ass warrior women falling in love, but for this particular character it feels wrong and not keeping with the spirit of her original. Not to mention I'm just sick of reading stories like these that have girls and women on epic quests but still feel like they need a romance in there.

I admit I almost stopped reading this book at about the 10% marker. There was so much repeating and explaining just in that little bit. I said I didn't feel like Daphne not being a Spartan was not a spoiler because it's mentioned early on; well, it's also repeated a lot just in case you missed it the first time. As is her status of being an outsider and a woman. I don't know a lot about ancient Spartans but I do know the "how dare this woman be in a man's world!!" set-up is so tired and over-used.

I want to say some positive things, so I will point out it felt pretty accurate for the gods to be dicks and for Apollo to mock Daphne and not care about offending her or coming off as a dick. I thought Artemis was being too terrible but maybe I'm just being influenced by the Riordan interpretation. I also think that this book could've done better if it was just an original idea set in the ancient Greek world. Claiming it's a reimagining of a myth but having almost nothing in common with said myth really weakened it for me.