I forgot to leave a review for this, but I really enjoyed it! It's already out, so I won't say much more than I need to for my star rating. <3

This book is so gorgeously written. The imagery that is created in my mind while reading is just gorgeous. It helps me immerse myself into the story and creates scenery like I am really there. I think I liked the main conflict of this one more than the author's previous book (Lies We Sing to the Sea.) It was easier to grasp what the end goal was and how it would affect everyone around them. I loved the character development of Lamia and how she gained so much confidence in herself and moved past her naivety. I loved Eirene and her strong will to protect her sister and fight for the other women around her. She knew something wasn't right and was so determined to fix it, and kept that determination to the end. This was such a powerful story about women being strong and underestimated by men constantly. The mystery and reveal of the secrets of the house just added to the love story and made it more genuine. I can't get over how this book looked in my mind while reading it. I was truly and fully immersed in this world and was attached to the characters. It was easy to root for the characters and want them to use whatever manner necessary to get what they wanted. My only complaint is that it took me a bit to become invested in the story, but that was kind of necessary in order to set up the story and help gain an idea of what is at stake. I don't think I became fully invested until around 30% of the way through.

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for an Advanced Reader Copy - pub date 10/1/2024. A story about the strength of love and devotion and growing into something lovely from out of poisoned ground - Gentlest of Wild Things takes the well-known story of Psyche and Eros, mixes in more agency and more lesbians, then hits it with a dose of old nightmares of the Greek vampire women. Basically, all in all, just the read for all of us who grew up obsessed with Greek myths and turned out to be part of the LGBTQIA+ squad... Which is, let's face it, a lot of us.

Eirene and her twin sister Phoebe are not happy, per se, but they are getting by. They have each other, they have Eirene's herbs and plans, they have Phoebe's weaving... and sometimes their lout of a cousin is obligingly drunk and not bothering them. But then the would-be lord of their little island, Leandros, ends up with a dead wife and sets his sights on Phoebe as replacement. Leandros is rich and mysterious and beautiful, a descendent of Eros, and wields his magic potions, his Desires, ruthlessly for power and control. Needless to say, he is not the kind of husband Eirene would pick for Phoebe. Thus she makes a dangerous deal to save Phoebe; she offers herself up as bride and ends up with four dangerous tasks to complete in order to win her and her sister's freedom.

In doing so, Eirene also finds the neglected and abused daughter that Leandros hides so jealously. Lamia is strange, shy, naive... and Eirene soon becomes as fascinated with her as Lamia is with her. Their story grows as the book goes on - their relationship, how far familial loyalty stretches, what is the true nature of love, what exactly constitutes monstrous? With each task that Eirene complete, her world grows and her heart expands. With each moment she shares with Eirene, Lamia learns more of her past and present and possibly her future. Told in the two POVs, the reader truly gets a feel for how each woman thinks and operates. There is a clear difference in the beginning chapters between Eirene's brash voice and Lamia's apologetic tones. The magic occurs when the two start to merge, a lovely symbol of their growing relationship in the form of the written word. A hero saves others but do they get to save themselves? Can Eirene and Lamia be heroes? We all deserve more self-rescuing princesses, right?

"She didn't need to be brave. She just needed to keep going." Favorite line in the book and it is a repeated motif. Real power is not potions and powders. It is the ability to make our own decisions and write our own stories.

My only hesitation in the beauty of this book rests in a few areas that seem to skip Eirene ahead in her feelings faster than feels right, jumping over her learning straight to knowledge. On the other hand, these moments are few and, once she gets to the new information, she is just as steady in her approach and synthesis as ever. Eirene KNOWS what is right and what feels right and never doubts her own opinions.

I highly caution anyone who is sensitive to physical injury descriptions or mental/emotional abuse to exercise caution. Trust me. You will loathe Leandros just as much as Eirene does. He is literally The Worst and, no, that is not much of a spoiler.

Everything about this book is perfect. The trials of Psyche and Eros retold? Perfect. The sapphic love and longing? Perfect. The slight reference to Dracula wives I also really appreciated. This would be perfect for any fall TBR.

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I flew through this book pretty quickly. It was an easy read but still held plenty of plot to keep me occupied. I did catch myself skimming a few of the longer descriptive sections (ex: long paragraphs explaining by food at feasts just don’t do it for me) but otherwise I was hooked. The characters were pretty well fleshed out and the plot was pretty unique. I got a little worried during the first “trial” when it felt that the plot was too directly taken from myth/stories until the author called out that it was on purpose and the character was specifically recreating the legends of his ancestors. For me I may have done that a bit earlier or gone a bit subtler on how much was taken from myths of other characters just because it had me the reader pretty uneasy and unimpressed for too long at the start. Otherwise it was a really cute reimagining and restructuring of some great Greek myths.

This was such a sweet and cozy read. I really loved the world and found the characters interesting. The world within was rich in Greek mythology which I could not get enough of. I loved following along with both Eirene and Lamia throughout this novel and watching them grow together. The perspectives in this were very well done, switching just at the perfect time which I really feel helped to elevate the story. The ending of this did feel like it wrapped up a little fast, but I still really enjoyed it.

it took me a while to get into the book, but after getting over the start, i absolutely devoured it. the prose was lovely and easy to understand while not making it boring. the chapters are short, which made the book flow fast. i love Lamia with all my heart. her story broke me and revived me at the same time. i just felt like something was missing. it felt like everything and nothing was going on. i could smell the plot twist from the prologue. it wasn’t the worst book in the world i was just expecting more.

I received an eARC of Gentlest of Wild Things by Sarah Underwood from Netgalley and HarperTeen. We follow two characters Eirene and Lamia as they navigate towards either other and against Leandros who has been using a magical potion called Desire(s) to force women into romantic relationships with men they would not otherwise be with in the village of Zakynthos. Eirene sacrifices herself to become Leandros bride-to-be so her twin sister Phoebe doesn’t have to, and Lamia is trapped under the draconian regime of her father disguised as love and protection.

The book has been described as retelling of Psyche and Eros with a sapphic twist. As someone who is a weak for Greek Mythology and sapphic romances this book was sublime. Eirene and Lamia are captivating throughout the story as a well done slow burn relationship. Lamia’s character development was the one I was most invested in because everything she had known was being challenged. Leandros was minacious as the antagonist, and some parts were darker and more gruesome than I expected out of the book description. I was enthralled with the book and the character relationships that this was probably one of the quickest books I have finished this year. 5/5 stars.

Thank you Netgalley and HarperTeen for the eARC of Gentlest of Wild Things by Sarah Underwood.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Gentlest of Wild Things is a novel inspired by the tale of Eros and Psyche in Greek Mythology. In this sapphic fantasy, Eirene must complete trials to save her twin sister from a dark fate with the twisted son of Eros, who uses his power to create a drug that compels people to his bidding. Locked away in a tower and with only a strange ally for help, she must use all her wits to succeed. And something monstrous comes out at night...

I found Eirene's story a bit long in the beginning but compelling in the end, though not by too much. First, the positives: I really love Lamia, and I wish we had seen more tender moments between her and Eirene to flesh out their love story, but overall, it was sweet. The setting was quaint and reminded me of Belle's town in Beauty and the Beast. Unfortunately, this is about the end of the list of things I enjoyed.

My biggest complaint is that this book struggled with pacing, being so slow in the beginning and so quick with a resolution. I found it hard to connect to Eirene, and though I appreciate a book that hinges on a sister relationship, there was really not a ton of connection to Eirene's sister to tug at my heartstrings. The main romance is also underwhelming - I didn't feel that there was enough connection between the two of them to have formed something so quickly.

Leandros' character is also so one-dimensionally evil that it's hard not to see him as a goon. There was never a doubt in my mind about how this book would end - which isn't necessarily a bad thing; sometimes stories are more about the "journey along the way," but this one was certainly not great at that either. It never connected with me well enough to care about the characters.

i was so excited for this because sapphic!! fantasy!! gimme!! but this just didn't work out for me. the pacing felt off, and even though i liked the themes of women empowerment and standing up for what YOU want, something about the greek mythology part didn't quite hit for me.

Thank you to HarperCollins for sending me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I am still waiting for a sapphic story that isn't cute/adorable/sweet and is developed in a meaningful way. I'm glad to see stories containing queer female characters, but the trend of sanitized feminine love is just not for me. If that is more your style, I think you will like this book.

I was really looking forward to reading this, but this book really struggled to hold my attention. I think there are so many Greek retellings or stories set in ancient Greece, that there needs to be that mystical otherness for the story to stand out. This, unfortunately, didn't provide and felt very modern to me.

This was a really lovely read. A Greek myth retelling that feels truly fresh, with characters that are well-developed and modern without feeling anachronistic.

Gentlest of Wild Things by Sarah Underwood is a feminist, LGBTQ+ fantasy set on the island of Zakynthos, where love, known as Desire, is bottled and sold to the highest bidder by Leandros, a descendant of Eros. When Leandros' wife dies mysteriously, he sets his sights on Phoebe, the twin sister of the story's fierce protagonist, Eirene. Eirene will do anything to protect her sister, striking a deal with Leandros to complete four dangerous tasks in exchange for him choosing another bride. This sets the stage for a story of sisterhood, power, and identity, all intertwined with mythology and a subtle exploration of romance.

While the premise was intriguing, I’ve found myself consistently let down by Greek mythology or Greek mythology-adjacent books, and Gentlest of Wild Things followed that trend. That said, there were elements I enjoyed. The relationship between Eirene and her sister was believable and beautifully done. The bond they shared felt authentic and was the emotional core of the story. Eirene, as a character, was a highlight for me. She was tenacious and driven, always willing to do whatever it took to protect her family. I loved seeing her take charge and push the boundaries of what was expected of her, which made her a compelling heroine.

On the other hand, Lamia, Leandros' neglected daughter, felt underdeveloped. For much of the story, she was portrayed as timid and shy, but her sudden transformation into a more assertive character felt forced. The shift happened too quickly given the story’s condensed timeline, and it didn’t feel entirely earned. I would have liked to see more gradual growth from her, particularly since her character had such potential to be an interesting counterpart to Eirene.

The sapphic romance between Eirene and Lamia was sweet but rushed. It didn’t feel as though it had enough space to breathe within the narrative. I appreciated the representation, but it would have been more impactful had the relationship been given more time to develop organically, perhaps ending with more of a "budding" connection instead of rushing into a full romance. It felt a bit out of place in the grander scheme of the story.

Despite these critiques, Gentlest of Wild Things still has its appeal. Fans of mythology, fantasy, and LGBTQ+ romance will find aspects of the book engaging, particularly if they enjoy stories with strong sibling relationships and feminist undertones. While it wasn’t perfect for me, I think others might appreciate its unique blend of mythology and fantasy, even if it didn’t fully live up to its potential.

A solid 2.7 for me. I was looking forward to this (because yesss sapphic retellings of greek myths!!) but sadly it didn’t hit the mark in my opinion.

I always love a story that is driven by a girl wanting to protect her sister. Though, the plan to do so had some holes that I found hard to believe. And I was a bit underwhelmed with how the main villain reacted since I expected him to be more of a menacing villain, but I rolled with it.

Although many of the characters fell flat to me, I really liked Lamia. Because of her sheltered upbringing and abusive father, she had a unique take on things and it was interesting to see the world from her perspective. What scared her, what messed-up things she had been gaslit into thinking was normal, what piqued her curiosity, and the artistic interests she had to keep secret. What provoked her to break free from her father’s grip, and the way she went about it. And her magical abilities were wondrously described.

But the thing that really let me down was that the romance was kind of awkward. Eirene’s initial meeting with Lamia left a bad taste in my mouth. I get that she was frustrated and fatigued, but I found her really obnoxious in that moment. I’m all for conflict and tension between characters before the romance develops, and I know Eirene felt a little bad later, but it was too uninteresting to justify the insufferable-ness of it. And then the next day, they’re happily working together, chatting and checking each other out? It felt off to me. And while the ending was sweet, their moments together throughout the book lacked substantial chemistry.

Thank you to HarperCollins and NetGalley for the e-ARC!

An overall sweet fantasy romance providing a YA Greek mythos retelling that's finally something different than Hades and Persephone.

Our main characters have great chemistry and work off each other well, making the romance feel natural despite not initially getting much time on the page together. The prose is rich and textured, giving the story a very magical and ethereal feeling that builds well off of its mythological basis. There's a satisfying arc for both characters and their romance.

A few small prose-related things do bog the story down a tad; the use of more modern curse words feels out of place and anachronistic enough to jolt one briefly out of the story. There is something about the pacing that didn't quite hit with me, but since I can't put it in to more specific terms, I don't think that's something that makes or breaks this story.

All in all, this is an extremely satisfying romantic fantasy with solid worldbuilding that slots in neatly to its foundational mythos and history. Fans of romance and Greek mythology nerds alike will find something to love in this one.

3/5 ⭐️s
🫑 - no spice, nothing beyond kissing

LOVES:
- I appreciate the teamwork Eirene and Lamia enter into
- As the mystery slowly unravels I keep thinking I might know what’s what, but the reveal was still fun
- Very satisfying to see the gaslighting, jerk get what’s coming to him 😏
- Eirene’s lack of fear is so cool, she is a BAB
- The epilogue is sweet ☺️

“I don’t need to be brave, I just need to keep going.”

CRITIQUES:
- I’m interested in what’s going on, but for some reason the book just didn’t keeping my attention for longer periods of time. I think that’s partially because the pacing is slow.
- I wanted a little bit more of the romance, it was hinted at very minimally

The cover of this book is beautiful and I liked the overall story. I sure ended up feeling strongly about the characters, whether love or hate. It was very okay, it just didn’t quite make me love it.

As a reader new to retellings, the slow feeling of the book was a blessing for me. I truly appreciate Underwoods world and description and I'd love to read more from them. Both the atmosphere and queerness I really loved and I'm a sucker for a beautiful sapphic story.

I feel the need to acknowledge Underwood's controversy with her debut novel last year, because it's popped in my head now and again since it happened. It's just wild to me that someone would claim their book to be a retelling of a classic, only to say they didn't read it in the same breath. The fact she wrote and is publishing a second book based on Greek mythos after that whole mess is kind of boggling, too. Regardless, I'm here to judge Gentlest of Wild Things based off my own reading experience.

With that said, this was an absolute slog to get through.

I didn't care for anything that was happening, nor did I care for anyone. All the characters were one dimensional at best, but the villain, Leandros, was so painfully one-notedly awful it came off cartoonish; the only thing missing was him twirling his mustache whenever he tortured our leads. If Eirene and Lamia were human than cardboard, I would have been more sympathetic, but they weren't. Lamia was a bit more interesting due to the portrayal of her disability and how her dad utilized it to make her feel weak and stupid because of it, but her realization of that abuse felt way too rushed for me to genuinely root for her. At least she had changed; Eirene didn't change at all all throughout the story. If it weren't for Lamia, she would be dead and her sister would have become Leandros' so fast. She just became more of a vehicle for Lamia's development as the story went. It came to the point she wasn't a person, anymore, only the prize for Lamia to kiss once the victory over Leandros was won. It would have been so frustrating if I cared that much.

Other than that, there isn't much to say. The pacing was the bad kind of slow that stretched for too long, and the story heavily relies on you being invested in these characters, otherwise there isn't anything to show for it.

I want to say I won't be reading any of Underwood's other works, but some masochistic part of me wants to read her debut and satisfy that curiosity that's been plaguing me since the book released. But, as for now, I would recommend many other Greek retellings ten times over before giving the green light for this book.

I absolutely enjoyed this retelling! The world-building is rich, the conflict is well illustrated, and The characters are written in a way, that you feel they could be a neighbor or family friend, also, the romance is tastefully written. This book had me on an emotional rollercoaster and I loved every minute! I went from concerned to angry to confused to surprised to shocked and horrified to aww, how sweet. I rooted for the ladies to win from the very beginning. The way Lamia was treated was gut-wrenching, she wanted so much to be loved and accepted.

She got her licks back in the end though!!

This was a beautiful sapphic Greek Mythology retelling of Psyche and Eros.

Thank you Netgalley, HarperCollins Children's Books | HarperCollins, and Sarah Underwood for the E-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest voluntary review.