Rachel Menard creates a really awesome world that was built on the Greek myths - the plot twists are ones I did not see coming at all! I think Menard creates a really fun world and pretty awesome characters! I think those that are a bit too old for Percy Jackson will really love this one because it has similar vibes and it was a really fun and entertaining read with characters you really want to root for!

First of all, thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for approving me for this ARC. I’m very appreciative. Now for the review.

I’m happy I pushed through this book but it was a rough start for me. I could not get into it and it was a long time coming. It is definitely a solid YA book I’m sure many people will like. I loved the overall story and plot but I wasn’t racing to see where the plot went or excited to get to the next chapter. I just don’t think this book was for me.

I've been on a greek mythology kick so this book definitely fed into that! I loved the retelling aspect and world building was done super well. My one thing is the romance felt like it came a bit out of nowhere, it didn't have the slow build I was expecting.

Our main characters Gen who’s a former circus performer with her dad has a wish to get her dad out of prison for a murder he didn’t commit and Castor who’s wish is to rule her island instead of her brother. Once a year the Empresses grants wishes of ten people but this year there’s a twist. To have their wishes granted they need to complete against each other and complete the wishes of the other 8.

This book has magic, love and most of all it’s a retelling of hercules with a female twist.

I loved Gen the most but I did feel like the romance was a little out of nowhere; There wasn’t much build up to it.

This a 4 star read for me and it I did really enjoy it. I think I would have enjoyed it more if I didn’t keep putting it down for a different book.

I've always been fond of stories involving Greek mythology, and this story is no exception. This story follows two main perspectives: Gen, the last of the race of Mazons who's wish is to get her father back, and Castor, the daughter of ruler of Acadia who longs to take over and become Duchess. Both characters request a favors from the Empresses during the lottery, and find themselves in competition to find their wishes fulfilled.

This story has two unique perspectives that both add a lot to this story. It is primarily plot driven, but does have some character development through relationships between characters. It was also really enjoyable to see all the different nods to greek mythology that I picked up, as well as the different ways the two characters go about completing the tasks.

The end of this story also seems to lend itself to a sequel and I will absolutely be looking forward to that!

Initial Thoughts
I was super excited to be chosen for this tour. I love Greek Mythology and I love retellings so this book sounded right up my alley.

Some Things I Liked
Multiple POVs. I always love this feature. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book with multiple POVs that I didn’t like. I just feel like it adds such a richness to the storytelling and this book was no exception.
Retelling elements. This book uses a lot of familiar characters and elements from Greek Mythology but in a unique and creative way and I loved that. I also loved the idea of the main myth being gender-bent.
Competition element. Again, this is another feature I almost always love. This story was filled with action and adventure and it allowed the story to feature so many elements of Greek Mythology that I loved reading about.

One Thing I Wasn’t Crazy About
The romance. This book isn’t labeled as a “fantasy romance” but I was hopeful for more romance than we got. I’d love to see it expanded upon in the next book.

Series Value
I’d definitely continue with this series. I loved the world and the characters.

Final Thoughts
I really enjoyed this book. I think if the romance had been a touch more prominent, it would have been a five star read but overall, this was a solid debut from an author that I’d love to read more from.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

loved 2/3 of the mcs but COULD NOT GET INTO THE THIRD every time I read her perspective I was mad at her. LOVE the magic system tho it's wonderful

I saw this book shelved as LGBT and since the two main characters are on the cover I believed it will be a Sapphic enemies to lovers but I was wrong...
I was interested in the plot and the setting, but didn't love the book.
It felt repetitive and the characters were inconsistent in their behavior. The romance felt too rushed.
Ended in a cliffhanger.

I really enjoyed this book! One of my favorite parts about it was the world building. It was so well developed and there was never a moment that I didn’t feel totally immersed in it. Not to mention, I loved all of the Greek mythology references. I was so excited when I heard that this was a Hercules retelling, and it definitely didn’t disappoint on that front. While there were moments that I felt like the energy of the book dipped sometimes, I was usually engaged in the plot, and so excited to see what was going to happen next. As for the characters, I really liked Gen and Castor. I just fell in love with Gen’s character and loved to see how she developed throughout the story. With Castor, her story was just as complex and developed, and I’m so excited to see where her character arc will go from there. I think the only thing that fell a little flat for me was the romance. While I thought it was okay, it wasn’t anything special, and I didn’t feel much chemistry between them. Maybe that’s just because the development of the romance felt a bit forced, but hopefully the second book will give them time to further develop and flesh out the relationship and build that chemistry. I guess we’ll see. Overall I really enjoyed this book and I’m excited for the next one!

This book was incredible! Such a fantastic array of characters and the magical world they live in. Entertaining, compelling, imaginative, everything you want from a YA adventure SERIES! Cause I can’t wait for the next one!

I feel so bad right now. Because I actually follow this author on social media. I love her skits for Book Emergency. But this book however, I just didn't like it at all. I just think that the execution of this one fell short of what I was looking for. The POVs just don't work for the story and it all felt tossed together.

Thank you, NetGalley, North star editions and Flux, for the chance to read this book in exchange of an honest review.

Once a year, the Olympian Empresses grant the wishes of ten people chosen by a lotter, for a price, of course. Gen is former circus performer and she wants the freedom of her father, sentenced to life prison for a crime he didn't commit. Castor wants to change the rules in the island Arcadia, but only if the Empress will change the laws that require a male heir. To get what they want, Gen and Castor have to race and complete the better half of ten impossible labors. Gen has her own magic, the ability to talk to animals, her strength and the help of Pollux, Castor's brother, but also Castor has her own fights, like controlling the storms. Only one can win.

Action packed, intriguing and magical, this story is absolutely amazing and I loved everything. Gen and Castor and Pollux are amazing characters and I love their characterization. As a mythology fan, it was really nice reading this twist on Greek mythology, with compelling and brilliant heroines, brutal and dangerous tasks and the story left the reader wanting for more adventure in this world. Truly brilliant.
I've just found it a bit too rushed sometimes, but that's my only complaint. Overall the story is pretty amazing.

“He let out a final gasp, and the strings connecting them snapped like a coiled spring. Untethered, unconnected, broken and torn, Gen had nothing to hold onto. She crashed.”

The summary opens with an immediate hook: Olympian empresses (hello Greek mythology!), a lottery that is not all it seems, and ten entrants who must pay the price – because nothing is given without something in return.

Think Rick Riordan, Angel Lawson’s Trials of the Gods, Suzanne Collins, The Hades Trials, and Blair’s A Broken Blade. If you’re not convinced already, allow me to continue.

Though we have seen a takeoff in mythology releases and trial by ordeal plots, this book has so many elements that culminate to form something unique and powerful: a woman’s journey to redemption, for herself and her imprisoned father, a deadly competition with unattainable tasks, enemies to lovers, a string of autonomous islands, diverse cultures and fantastical creatures imbued with their own special magic:

"Hecate, Oracle of the Spirit; Tartarus, Oracle of the Sky; Ponos, Oracle of the Earth; and Keres, Oracle of the Mind."

The gods’ gifts manifest as Spiritwatchers, Stormmakers, Metalbenders, and MindWorkers. The setting is the Olympian Empire, spanning from Lerna to Ceryneia with a mass of islands in between. Each island has its own government, and its own people. There are Gargareans, hulking gold brutes; Mazons, silver-skinned warriors; willowy green Nemeans; pale-haired Arcadians; Argosian chameleon monkeys with a hundred eyes; the Hydra, an immortal nine-headed swamp monster.

The premise of the novel is fantastic; I couldn’t get enough of the different magical powers in the Grisha universe, so I knew I would enjoy this. We only really see manifestations of the Stormmakers and MindWorkers throughout, and I would have liked to see more of the other two powers. However, the MindWorker abilities are wicked enough that I wasn’t terribly put out by this. Using only a few drops of their own blood, saliva, or plucked hairs, they can they communicate with and influence animals. The amount of control they can exert is limited only by their will.

Our heroine, Gen, is a direct descendent of Hippolyta, Queen of the Mazons, and a powerful MindWorker. Her father, an even more powerful MindWorker, is wrongfully accused of murder and sentenced to rot in a cell. Gen, cast as a pariah by society, is left on her own with nothing but a disgraced name and her familiar, an infinity whale.

“Anyone could buy a jar of StormMaker rainbows and produce the same feat. But Gen’s kind of magic couldn’t be shared, and maybe that was why the people hated her for having it. Because they couldn’t.”

Gen is strong, enduring, emphatic, and treats all animals as kin. She cares for them, and senses all their emotions as her own. Her regard for every life is part of what made her character so likeable, and she is relatable because has failings and doubts, just like everyone else.

She sets a course to the isle of Athenia, home of the Olympian Empresses, in the hopes of using their nefarious lottery to set her father free. She expected indentured servitude in return for this boon, but what is asked of her turns out to be so much worse. She is not the only entrant to the lottery, and at the duplicitous whim of the Empresses, she is tasked with the impossible:

i. Release a debt held by the Lion, a notorious casino boss.
ii. Find the elusive ship, the Hind, the fastest in the sea.
iii. Stop the Boar, a menacing mobster.
iv. Clean the stables (23 thousand square feet, filled with seventeen TONS of excrement).
v. Remove the Stymphal birds, rock crows with metallic feathers and sharp, bronze beaks.
vi. Assassinate the Bull, a self-proclaimed murderer.
vii. Capture the Mares, wild and cannibalistic in nature.
viii. Find Livia Kine, a missing daughter.
ix. Kill the Hydra
x. Retrieve the belt of Hippolyta

Oh, is that all? *insert massive eye roll here.

This is made a bit more plausible when the tasks are also set to our second POV character, Lady Castor of Arcadia. She is ruthless, daringly ambitious, selfish, and will do anything to inherit control of Arcadia’s seat of power, denied to her for simply being a woman.

“Castor flashed her false smile to people as she passed. She was the face of the StormMaker family, and people would talk.”

This sentence alone depicts her rather severe character, quite vividly. But beneath that hard and solemn veneer, we are given glimpses of her humanity. She has lofty advantages, yes; her copious funds, the ability to manipulate weather and lightning, her golden arial chariot, but there is a limit to her abilities.

Whoever completes the greater number of tasks, will be proclaimed the victor. We learn the depths of her cruelty as the plot progresses, and she is a stark contrast against her brother (our third POV), Pollux. As the male heir, he is set to inherit Arcadia’s legacy, but it is something he could not want any less.

Pollux is gentle, compassionate, with a passion for music and art where his sister hungers only for unchecked power and affluence. He is frequently underestimated and seen as weak, but we come to see his quiet strength, and love him for his hope of peace.

Unlikely alliances are formed, dreams are shattered, a race to the finish is met with danger at every turn, and all told through a fast-paced and intelligible prose, one that continues to intrigue page after page. The daunting list of tasks are each given their own attention, enabling me to truly be immersed in each setting. The persistent action never felt crammed together and the pace was measured, precise.

There were some minor issues I had throughout, as is true with any piece of writing. The romance was slow to build, and strained, almost artificial. I feel like it could have been developed more carefully, and the flashes on historical backgrounds relayed with better synchronicity and detail, but these are both things that could be built on in the sequel (please please please let there be a sequel).

Rachel Menard is definitely an author to watch. The characters are defined expertly, the magic is original, and I hope the beautiful menagerie of creatures is continued past this debut. She left the ending wide open for this series to continue (much to my grudging admiration and vicious impatience), so I eagerly await the next installment. You NEED this book; I cannot recommend it enough. I would like to express my gratitude to the publisher and netgalley for providing this amazing copy to me.

***I was given a free advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.***

There seems to be a lot of books retelling Greek myths about on the market at the moment. This is definitely one of the better ones. Well constructed world and characters and situations that are believable. The motivation behind why the characters acted as they did seemed plausible and so we connected with them. A very good read but not looking forward to waiting for the next book to find out what happens next. I want to know NOW.

first thing i was to start with is that i am SO happy this book is a part of a series!! it was such a strong opener and there was so much room for more and i’m glad there will be!

game of strength and storm is a hercules retelling following gen, who’s father has been arrested for a murder she knows he didn’t commit, castor, who wants to rule over her island but can’t because there’s a law that it has to be passed to the male heir, and pollux, castor’s twin brother who’s in line to rule but he just wants to be with his music. gen and castor get sent on impossible tasks, and whoever completes more gets what they want. it had a slow beginning, but it picked up as soon as the girls got assigned the tasks and started completing them.

every character was compelling, but my favorite had to be castor. i love morally grey women what can i say? she has so much room for development and i’m excited to see where she ends up! you can tell she cares about what she does, but she cares about power more and it was great to read. i really enjoyed her relationship with pollux as well. despite the fact that they’re twins, there is a rivalry there since castor wants what pollux has. despite that, though, they don’t want anything to happen to each other, and i really enjoyed reading that.

as for gen, i really enjoyed her character. she’s a mindworker, so she can control animals. the attachment she grows to them was beautiful to watch and something i could relate to. while i didn’t enjoy the pick me attitude she had toward pollux at first, i enjoyed her character overall. her relationship with pollux was adorable and i can’t wait for more of them! i felt they were a bit forced, but there’s room for development in future books. i thought him already having feelings for her was so cute and i loved his internal dialogue where he freaked out whenever he was around her, if you like boy obsessed, you’d like him. (not gonna lie, i thought her and castor were going to get together at first, but it looks like castor does have a sapphic romance forming and i am SO excited for that)

another thing i really enjoyed was the worldbuliding. worldbuliding in fantasy books can be tricky when you don’t explain it correctly, but i think menard did a wonderful job and i thought it was pretty easy to follow. i’m also fascinated by the way the stormmakers powers work. i thought the way castor has to use vials and pollux had to use his violin were super creative and it captivated me every time. i also enjoyed how gen would travel in a whale’s mouth. i can’t say i’ve seen that before.

watching the trials was my favorite part. i couldn’t decide who i was rooting for! castor and gen both had their own strengths and weaknesses so it was very enjoyable watching them competing and seeing who completed what task and how. (i was on the edge of my seat about the hydra task. i was most looking forward to who would complete that and how)

i can’t wait for the next installment of this book and would recommend it to anyone who is looking for any greek mythology retellings!

What an interesting twist on Greek characters and mythology! Gen and Castor both have powerful motivations that propel them through the challenges of winning wishes from the olympians. The only drawback is the story being told through three points of view, which I found difficult to track all the switches.

I really enjoyed this! It's a new take on Greek mythology (Herculean tasks) with diverse characters who you actually feel invested in. I appreciated the multiple points of view especially for a book that has characters who are multilayered and also enemies. I definitely would recommend this to anyone who likes Greek mythology retellings.

I was sent a review copy of Game of Strength and Storm for a promotional post through TBR & Beyond tours. The following is the text of my promotional post, along with links to postings.

What fantasy novel are you most looking to reading this summer?

I am personally very excited to get to read Game of Strength and Storm by @menardrachel! This queer fantasy novel is right up my alley, with it’s mythological elements and competition plot hook!

Today is my stop on @tbrbeyondtours’ release tour for Game of Strength and Storm! Be sure to check out the full tour schedule over on my blog (link in bio)!

Here’s a Synopsis of Game of Strength and Storm:
Victory is the only option.
Once a year, the Olympian Empresses grant the wishes of ten people selected by a lottery—for a price. Seventeen-year-old Gen, a former circus performer, wants the freedom of her father, who was sentenced to life in prison for murders she knows he didn’t commit. Castor plans to carry the island Arcadia into the future in place of her brother, Pollux, but only after the Empresses force a change in her island’s archaic laws that requires a male heir.
To get what they want, Gen and Castor must race to complete the better half of ten nearly impossible labors. They have to catch the fastest ship in the sea, slay the immortal Hydra, defeat a gangster called the Boar, and capture the flesh-eating Mares, among other deadly tasks.
Gen has her magic, her ability to speak to animals, her inhuman strength—and the help of Pollux, who’s been secretly pining for her for years. But Castor has her own gifts: the power of the storms, along with endless coin. Only one can win. The other walks away with nothing—if she walks away at all.
Doesn’t it sound incredible?

Game of Strength and Storm has to be on your TBR if you love unique Greek mythology re-imaginings. I haven't read another one that details or re-imagines Hercules' labors. So reading about this quest style competition was thrilling and action packed. The action - in tandem with the pacing - made me keep wanting to read more. You want to not only figure out who will win, but also how they will approach these impossible tasks.

But even more so, Game of Strength and Storm explores what we will do for revenge, for love, and for agency. This dual POV story features two characters, Gen and Castor, one who is trying to take her future into her hands and the other who wants to save her father. With varying skills, I couldn't help but pick Gen as my favorite.

It’s been a while since I’ve read a YA fantasy, but as soon as I saw the cover and premise for Game of Strength and Storm, I knew it was one I’d want to read. And wow, was I right! Pretty much from the first page, I was hooked. As a Greek Mythology fan, I thought it’d be neat to see how a labors of Heracles retelling would go. While I assumed it would be epic, I was not fully prepared for how absolutely amazing this book would be. From very early on in the story, I guessed this would be a five-star read if the ending didn’t change the course of things too drastically, and it did not disappoint. Game of Strength and Storm has officially made it to my current favorites of 2022 list!

To start with, let’s talk about the world building. I’m pretty particular about how I like my world building in fantasy novels. It’s a fine line between too much detail (or my least favorite: info dumping) and giving the reader so little they have no idea what’s going on. My favorite worldbuilding is the kind that’s done through brief descriptions and the interactions the characters have with the world, and that’s exactly what Game of Strength and Storm provided. By the time the book ended, I had a vivid image in my mind of this world and the characters. There were various climates visited through the trials, and I was able to picture all of them with ease.

The magic system was also particularly neat! While definitely a dangerous power in the wrong hands, the StormMakers and MindWorkers were such a clever concept. The way Castor could take a vial filled with a specific type of storm and turn it into a deadly weapon, at first made it seem like a power that could never be used for good. But then, we get to see Pollux and the way he created beauty from the elements. It just goes to show how anything can be used for bad, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be good either.

Out of the two, the MindWorkers power was probably my favorite, though, just because I love animals so much, and the idea that I could speak to them by feeding them a bit of my hair or spit is so cool. The bonds Gen had with all of her animals were so heartwarming, too, especially the whale. I bonded with Argos the most, and I really hope we get to see more of him in future books.

One of my absolute favorite parts of this book was the characterization. I swear, even some of the characters who only appeared for a few moments were so fleshed out that they left impressions on me several chapters after their arrival. Additionally, the three main characters, Gen, Castor, and Pollux were incredibly developed. I felt so attached to each of them, as if I knew them personally. Even Castor, who I didn’t particularly like.
It's really difficult for me to enjoy stories when I don’t care about the characters, but even though Castor was cold and at times unlikeable, I still cared about her and her storyline. I was engrossed in her chapters and always wanted to know more about what was happening on her side of the labors. Castor is a complex and compelling morally grey character that I loved reading about.

Gen and Pollux were equally as engaging. Out of the three, Gen would be my favorite character, but I’m also so excited that we got to see Pollux’s side of the story, since his thoughts and motivations were such an essential factor in the plot. Personality wise, Gen was standoffish because of her past, but Pollux managed to sneak past her defenses. I loved watching them grow closer and support each other through the labors.

I also particularly enjoyed the dynamic between Gen, Pollux, and Bale. None of their personalities seemed compatible with the other, and it made for some light and funny moments scattered throughout an otherwise more serious plot. Fingers crossed we get more of these three in the next book!

The way this story ended was a bit of a shock, but it made perfect sense, and I am so excited to see where this story is headed!

Game of Strength and Storm expertly combines a compelling and dynamic plot, captivating characterization, and excellent worldbuilding to create a stunning story that I know I won’t be forgetting any time soon. Not a single moment of this book felt like it dragged or was unnecessarily long. Instead, I was constantly engaged and eagerly awaiting the next labor.

For those who love YA Fantasy, Greek Mythology, or fully fleshed out characters and relationships, I would highly recommend Game of Strength and Storm!