thank you to netgalley & the publisher for providing me with this e-arc in exchange for an honest review. this in no way affected my rating or review.

how does one become a patron of the goddess artemis? in otrera’s case, be wanted for the murder of a prince.
when slave girl otrera flees her life after being caught in the prince’s blood, she is offered a chance to atone by artemis. eloise bahr beautifully writes otrera’s journey to sanctuary, allowing us the chance to witness her first chance at life without fear as she develops into the fiercely loyal and loving queen of the amazons.

it’s been many years since i consumed anything with greek mythology so i was nervous to delve into a book entirely based on it — but i have to say that eloise bahr did a great job of making it equally simply enough that i could follow along without having to double check names every few pages and equally complex enough that it didn’t feel middle-grade/ya at all

i do however recommend having a basic understanding of the greek gods before reading this! i would’ve been very confused if i had no background knowledge on the connections between the various gods or what they specialise in. this should not be your introduction to greek mythology but it’s a brilliant gateway into mythology-based writing

overall, i gave this 3.5 stars ★ ★ ★
there were so many enjoyable moments. i would say say the main aspect i didn’t enjoy was the pacing - i loved the beginning and the ending, it felt incredibly action packed and captivating. however, as the journey went on i was bored at moments. it never lasted too long but i would have loved a slightly quicker pace at certain points of the book, mostly in the middle of the story when i think it’s quite common for the action to slow down in a lot of books. that said, the characters and their development (both within relationships and individually) were wonderful to read. i thought each of them were very well fleshed out and i think it’s clear that the author put an incredible amount of thought and love into all of them. i’m definitely looking forward to the sequel!

content & trigger warnings include: attempted sa, violence, profanity, death, sexuality

This book could have been so good, but unfortunately it just fell flat. I love Greek mythology so much, and the goddess Artemis is close to my heart, but this book left me wanting in quite a few ways.

The plot and the story were good, great even. The real issue here was that it was just too rushed. Instead of being able to explore Otrera and her feelings, we got her going from one place to the next, without ever having an understanding of how she truly felt and we got no exploration of her character in an in depth perspective.

The sanctuary portion of the story was SO good. The admittance and collection of women needing sanctuary as they went was such an incredible part of the story, but again, it fell flat because it was rushed. It went like this “Ope, you need sanctuary, I’m blessed by Artemis, cool you’re coming with us”. That was all we got time and time again.

I really wanted this to be good, but unfortunately it in my opinion it just needed more pages, and more time to develop.

Sadly, this book wasn't for me. I jump on anything with mythological themes because Greek mythology is my Roman empire theme. I was intrigued in the beginning of the story, but then I feel like it just fell flat. The prologue seemingly had nothing to do with the book until the very end. It was awesome that the FMC was christened a maiden of Artemis but then she doesn't really do anything with that newfound title. The story wasn't gripping and I feel like nothing really significant happened.

Thank you Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book

3.5 stars

Maiden of Artemis follows slave Otrera escape her owner after murdering a man with some unsavoury intentions towards her. Having earned the Goddess Artemis' patronage, we follow her journey to find a place of sanctuary away from the fear of retribution, slavery and the whims of men.
Along the way she picks up other women, seeking the same kind of sanctuary, from prostitutes to widows.

The best part of this story was the character development. Not only did we get to see the main character develop into a fierce and loyal protector but each of her companions had strong, well developed characters and it was nice to see the interactions between the different personalities.

The story was pretty interesting and moved consistently but I did find it a bit boring in some places. My biggest issue with this book as that the ending was so abrupt and inconclusive. It was so obviously written to lead into the next book that it felt very rushed and incomplete, particularly as the last part of the book was starting to ramp up.

Maiden of Artemis is a historical fantasy that centres around Otrera, first Queen of the Amazons. Full disclosure, I know basically nothing about Greek mythology. The author did a great job at setting the scene and explaining the context and the characters, however I think to fully immerse yourself in this story it would be helpful to have some background knowledge.

The language used by the author was rich and descriptive especially when depicting landscapes and architecture. I liked the cast of characters for the most part, however I didn’t connect with Otrera as much as I would have liked to given that she was the main character. The pacing was slow to start but definitely picked up towards the end, which was tense and exciting and definitely laid a good foundation for a sequel while still wrapping the story up in a relatively satisfying way.

A coming-of-age and adventure tale following Otrera, a young slave girl who seeks out a new life free from men under the guidance of Artemis, goddess of hunting and chastity.

I enjoyed following Otrera’s journey from a sheltered slave to a leader of (mostly) like-minded women who, for their varied reasons, also sought freedom from the oppressive patriarchal structures of Ancient Greece. Through her story, Bahr gives these women a voice shines a light on one of the lesser-known Greek goddesses in an accessible and engaging way as they travel between cities, hiding from potential threats while desperately seeking refuge…while tensions between the divine also become increasingly tense.

While I found the plot really engaging, I found it difficult to relate to some of the more central characters - including Otrera herself - who felt too archetypal. Otrera’s overall development in relation to the other women is interesting, but she didn’t seem to develop much at all in relation to men. Her internal conflicts started to get very predictable and while the changes in Ares’ role were (too) sudden, his role ended up morphing into an almost identical pattern/storyline to what we’d already read. Pamphilos threatened to play some kind of impactful role, but he ended up being more of an interruption and I had to stop myself skipping over sections where he appeared.

The ending was also a sore point for me. I assume there will be a sequel to this so I understand the need for suspense, but it felt very abrupt - especially as the last 1/3 gets very exciting!

In conclusion, this is a fun, easy and refreshing read for someone who wants to merge their interest in Greek mythology with a more YA-style of writing. While the characters and their dialogue fell short for me, the plot is interesting and Bahr is able bring the more action-packed parts of the book to life.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

"Maiden of Artemis" by Eloise Bahr offers a captivating journey into the world of Ancient Greece, weaving a tale of Otrera, skillfully navigating the challenges posed by prophecy, unexpected discoveries, and the constant threat of both men and monsters.

I greatly appreciated how Bahr accurately depicted the history of Greek mythology in a very easily-digestible storytelling format. For someone who is new to all the names of gods and goddesses, this story will not overwhelm you and is a great introduction to mythology!

However, the pacing of the plot occasionally feels uneven, with moments of intense action followed by slower, introspective passages (i.e. the seemingly random dreams she keeps having). While this allows for character development, some readers may find it disrupts the overall flow of the story and I personally found it to be confusing.

But, the climax is both thrilling and satisfying. It leaves room for unanswered questions, possibly setting the stage for future installments in the series. The resolution of Otrera's journey is poignant and thought-provoking, contributing to the overall depth of the narrative.

In summary, "Maiden of Artemis" is a compelling adventure that successfully intertwines mythology, action, and self-discovery. While the pacing may be uneven at times, Eloise Bahr's storytelling prowess and the well-drawn characters make this a noteworthy read for those interested in ancient myths and heroic quests. I rate it 3.5 stars out of 5, anticipating that it will find a place among fans of historical fantasy when it officially publishes on February 6th, 2024!

Thank you Musadora Publishing and NetGalley for the privilege of obtaining an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review. #maidenofartemis #netgalley

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Overall Review (spoilers)

I am a lover of Greek Mythology, and have been since I was a kid. When I found this on Netgalley for review, I knew I had to request. Thank you to Eloise and her publishers for accepting the request.

This book is a retelling of the creation of the Amazonian Warriors. It follows the first Amazonian, her trials, her pain, and her rise to glory. This book will follow her from going as a slave to a favored of Artemis, and then losing it all. She travels around Greece, collecting other women who need aide and protection.

I really enjoyed this retelling. It was raw, dealt with female pain without romanticizing it, and didn’t make men inherently the enemy in the process. It also had one of the best descriptions and portrayals of Ares I have ever seen. I also appreciated the different ages represented, Queer rep, genderfluid characters, and just overall the wide range of people. In addition, the main character isn’t an automatic hero, which is rare it today’s female MCs.

Plot Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️

Genre: fiction, romance, travel,

Trigger Warnings: Mention of domestic violence, death, SA’ed, violence against women, transphobia, queerphobia. It’s based in Ancient Greece and about women, so yeah.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a great start to a new series. I loved the inclusion of Greek mythology and how it is shown in the book. I cannot wait for the next book.

I really wanted to like this story but it just fell flat. Nothing was resolved and if there is a sequel, I don’t think I would care to bother reading it.
I didn’t see the point in Pamphilos and his unrequited love, I didn’t see the point of the “tension” between Otrera and Ares, and she never did make it to the Amazon sanctuary and the whole journey was dragged out . The e book is only 280 pages and yet it took me days to get through it because it was so dull.

“Maiden of Artemis” by Eloise Bahr is Greek myth retelling of Otrera, the first Queen of the Amazons. When she is forced to kill a prince, Artemis gives her a quest for a second chance. Along the way she meets women who become family and she learn more about herself every day.

I liked this book a lot. I loved the characters and their friendships between each other. I loved the adventure, you always read about Greek men’s adventures but rarely on the Greek women being heroes and adventurers. I felt like some parts needed more information and some were paced a little fast but overall, it was really good. 4 out of 5 stars.

-Greek Myths
-Sexual Violence
-Slavery
-Found Family
-Adventure

Maiden of Artemis is a wonderfully quick-paced read in the first of a series about the first Queen of the Amazons. I loved the connection between the characters, with the surprise twists and how Bahr sets up the novel for the rest of the series through history, mythology and a little bit of modern linguistics mixed in there. It makes the novel feel completely relatable to the reader, that we can see ourselves in Otrerea's shoes.

Thank you so much, netgalley, and to the author for the ARC!
I really liked reading this book. I enjoyed reading about the growth of the main character and about the friendships. The story is a wonderful retelling, and I would certainly recommend it to everyone!
I do, however, think the author sometimes could've spent a little more time introducing the characters because sometimes I was a bit confused. But otherwise fantastic!

(Thank you to Eloise Bahr, Musadora Publishing and NetGalley for letting me read this ARC)

I really liked the historical aspect of this book as well as the side characters and the adventure that they all took.

However I felt like the story was a bit too fast paced with a lot of plot holes here and there that would make it hard to fully grasp the story or even get to know the characters a lot. Sure there were moments where we readers would have the inner conflicts of the main character as well as see some of the side characters deal with loss and other pains. But I felt like there was a whole lot that needed to be explored more or even explained a little better.

I did however like the adventure that all the characters did as well as the friendship and care they all had for each other and even loved the side characters (even a little more than the main character). And of course this book had me hooked from start to finish because of the adventure of it to. And when it came to Otrera I felt like there was something that needed to be added to her story because at some points it was very jumpy but that might also be because this is based on history and there can be a bit hard to find a whole lot about her too.

But at the same time this book left me more confused than just having a “OH MY GOD! HOW DID I NOT SEE THAT?!”- moment and it made the rating go down a little, but that might also be a little bit on my end as someone who’s recently started to learn about the maidens of Artemis in general.

I will however say that this book is perfect for anyone who likes the story of the maidens as well as likes Greek mythology and wants to follow the mortals stories too because then this book is very much that and shows the sisterhood of these women. And if there is another book coming to further Otrera’s adventure, I will definitely read that after doing a little more research to get a better understanding of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an early copy. All thoughts are my own and I was not paid for this review. The book will be published on February 6th, and I recommend you all to check it out!
I loved the prose in this book. I, frankly, know very little about Greek mythology, but even for someone like me, I was hooked from the first page. Now, I had a few issues with the pacing but that was more due to personal taste than the book itself.
I love Otrera as a character and I’m looking forward to where her story is headed.
I will be posting a longer more in-depth review on release day.
Content warnings: Sexual violence, Sexism, Violence, slavery.

This has a great theory behind it however I think in it's execution there was much left to be desired. I feel there's alot of confusion and lack of time, it's hurried rushed and felt lacking somehow. Unfortunately not for me.

Maiden of Artemis by Eloise Bahr is a female centered telling of the first queen of the amazons that kept me captured from page one. The pacing and character work were handled with an expert hand. The sensitive content was well presented and not over done. I loved this and cannot wait for book two. Maiden of Artemis is a great read for those needing to reignite their love of Greek inspired fiction.

I love the cover of the book and I'm a sucker for anything greek mythology. That's why I'm more than happy I was able to read this arc about the amazons! Overall I really enjoyed this book but it wasn't able to pull me in all the time and I wish for the pacing to be a bit faster at some points.

Thank you to NetGalley and Musadora Publishing for this opportunity to read rate and review this arc which will be available Feb 6,2024!!!

Another Greek mythology fictional book but this time it’s about the first tribe of amazons. I liked it. But for me it was a read once and done kinda book. It was fun, tension filled and had some adult moments so don’t get this for your teens if you haven’t had the birds and the bees talk. I enjoyed the characters and their dialogue.

A week ago I was fortunate enough to receive an ARC and have the chance to be one of the first people to read this piece of work. As a Greek myself, it means a lot more to me to see people from all around the world take interest in greek history, culture and mythology. While reading this book it was clear to me that the author has researched greek mythology well enough as the depictions of the myths, the gods and ancient Greece were close to accurate. I really enjoyed the character development all the characters went through eventually and especially how much more mature Otrera was by the end of the book. Even though I found the pace a bit too slow for my liking, the use of nicknames and some language and behavioral elements somewhat inaccurate, out of place and wrong, I think Maiden of Artemis is a really good debut novel and there is always room for improvement