I love mythology, so I really wanted to like this. But wow, I struggled. The pacing was painfully slow for a book that’s supposed to be action-heavy. So much of it felt like filler, with scenes dragging on and not really moving the plot forward. The writing was super repetitive too. If I had a coin for every time twigs crunched underfoot or Danae was running, I could probably fund my own myth retelling.

I will say, I liked the overall plot and the way Greece and the gods were incorporated. Still, this felt like a much shorter story that got unnecessarily stretched out. The writing tried a little too hard at times, throwing in extra adjectives and overly stylized sentences that didn’t really say anything new. Not the worst thing I’ve read, but definitely not what I was hoping for.

This would be a 5 star except the beginning is pretty slow. It was very modern-day Odyssey-Esque and kept me excited to see what mythological creature or god I would get to see next. There was so much mythology twined into this book but with lots of fresh new ideas. I am excited to see what comes next. The ending definitely was a shock that left you needing to know more.

Lacked depth and really didn't give me anything new or fresh to be excited about. This genre is starting to get really oversaturated with similar stories. Not a series I will continue. It's not bad and I wouldn't discourage readers from picking it up, but it's also not something I'd go out of my way to recommend either.

A Very unique take on Greek mythology. This as not what I expected . I went into this blind, but even still it is not a Greek mythology told where the Gods are negligent hero’s and our main character is a savior. They are Neglectful rulers and she is their end. I LOVED THIS! I think it should be more talked about and I am going to do what I can to get more people to read this. I really enjoyed this . It was constantly surprising me . I can’t wait to read more within the series.

Thank you netgally for the ARC

I requested the book per my daughter's suggestion, who loves anything related to mythology and Gods.
It was a nice read, but nothing memorable, I guess my problem is too much telling. I didn't feel pulled into the pages, it was like being an arm's length away from the story.
Not sure if I'm going to continue with the series.
I received an ARC through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. And I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Daughter of Chaos had the potential to be a captivating reimagining of Greek mythology, but unfortunately, it fell short in several key areas.

One of the most glaring issues was the author’s departure from traditional myths. For example, depicting Apollo as the patron of Athens goes directly against established lore. Rather than feeling like bold reinterpretations, these changes came across as convenient shortcuts that may frustrate readers who are familiar with the original stories.

The romantic subplot, especially between Danae and Heracles, felt underdeveloped and lacked emotional depth. Their connection never truly came to life on the page. Moreover, while the book hints at Danae’s attraction to women, this aspect was barely explored and ultimately felt like a missed opportunity for meaningful representation.

Overall, Daughter of Chaos had a promising premise but didn’t quite deliver. With stronger character development and more thoughtful handling of mythological source material, it could have been a much more compelling read

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

The book presents a fresh and inventive take on Greek mythology, reimagining familiar names from popular tales in unexpected ways. The gods of Olympus are portrayed in fascinating detail, offering a unique perspective that left me eager for more.

While a compelling premise, the story didn’t grab me after the first 20% like the first 20% did. I felt the journey after Danae left Naxos took too many turns and jumped locations,

This book was beautiful and haunting at the same time. The way the characters are written makes you feel like you are right there with them.

Did this follow normal Greek mythological concepts or stories, no it definitely did not. Did I still really enjoy my time and blow through the book, YES!!

I love mythological stories. I also love variations to these stories and seeing them play out in different ways. That being said, I did not get hung up on all the ways this story was different from the standard mythological tales. It was kind of like an alternate reality situation for me.

I loved the time jump from the beginning to give us foreshadowing to the ending. I was also totally bought into the mystery and the prophecy! Danae was a decent main character but I am really hoping we see her personality grow in coming installments, very coming of age feeling. I loved several of the side characters and the quests were fun as well.

Overall, I loved reading this but audiobooks always hit better for me so there is that! The cliffhanger ended had me spewing and I will gladly rump into book 2 to see where Webb takes us next.

What drew me into reading the book was the Greek mythology, prophecies, and where the FMC was going to overthrow the gods and save mankind. That literally spells out epic! However, it was a bit slow to take off, and I was always anticipating for the "big cascade of events" to take place. I loved the side characters and the plot, but the execution for me wasn't what I thought it was going to be. When reading it, it wasn't very clear with the style and direction that the character was going, and there was a lot of "telling" rather than "showing," aka action. There's a ton of potential, and if the second book hones in on the character development, and plot execution, there's opportunity for this series to take off and be epic!

firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc and an alc!

while i do enjoy greek/roman retellings, the genre is definitely oversaturated and needs to be a superstar in originality for me to truly be blown away.

i’ve got the gist of this book — our fmc is destined to destroy zeus, but danae went on such an odyssey that i forgot this was the original plot.

as for the alc, the narrator did a fine job!

3.5 ⭐️s rounded up.
Daughter of Chaos is a good start to an epic odyssey.
I read an ebook in tandem with the audiobook and I'm glad I had both. The audiobook, narrated by Lucy Walker-Evans, was fantastic! And really, the only reason I finished reading in a timely manner. She gave Danae more personality that what I was reading in print.
DOC is well written but long winded. However, it IS based in greek mythology soooo, that's kind of par for the course. There are plenty of recognizable characters (they sort of overshadowed D.) throughout Danae's quest, giving a comfortable familiarity to the tale. My biggest gripe was the pacing and that DOC felt kind of like 2 separate stories to me. The 1st third-ish felt like a world away from the rest (it also dragged a bit). Maybe that was the point, but I forgot about Danae's nephew, and what set her on her path, the majority of the time. I wasnt expecting the ending and it may have convinced me to continue on with the series.
Overall, still a great read, particularly if you enjoy greek mythology.
Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing | MIRA for an eARC and Harlequin Audio for an advanced audiobook!

Daughter of Chaos
By A.S. Webb
Narrated by Lucy Walker-Evan’s
4 ⭐️

If you want a book that will light a fire in you to storm the patriarchy, the first 25% of this one will do. Webb worked me into a frenzy in those first few chapters; I found this to be good even if I did have to put the book down for a minutes to calm down. After I simmered down, the story did as well. It’s very heavily themed on basic human injustices that are directed towards females and the have nots. I did find some of the storyline to get a tad muddled but not excessively so. I combo read this via ebook and audiobook. The audiobook was good. The narration was good, and I found it easy to follow. I’m usually always team audio, and this book is no exception.

Thank you to NetGalley, A.S. Webb, Harlequin Audio and Harlequin Trade Pub for the audiobook ARC and eARC 🖤

What a poor effort made with Greek mythology. Did not enjoy how poorly written this book was. It was hard to find the authors style of writing. It was like they tried to mimic someone else but couldn’t get it right and then lost their own style along the way.

Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for providing and Arc of this novel.

I really enjoyed the beginning of this book and seeing Danae in her home town with her family. The family dynamics with her relationship with both her parents, and her relation to her siblings made a great introduction into this world. The lore /beliefs surrounding the gods were really interesting and had me very engaged, particularly at the beginning. We also go some adventure as Danae goes on a quest to seek a cure as well as some important answers. I enjoyed the beginning of the quest but left like it meandered a bit about half way through. I think the introduction of characters that the reader may have already known prior to this story, and then reshaping them may have done a little disservice this current story. I was also left with more questions than answers by the end of the book, but that may lead to an interesting book 2 in this series.

Daughter of Chaos is a captivating debut that blends Greek mythology with a fast-paced adventure. Danae, a young girl from the small island of Paxos, faces disaster when a religious ceremony goes wrong, forcing her to flee. She stows away to Delphi, hoping the Oracle can uncover if she’s been cursed. The story is refreshing in its simplicity, avoiding overly complicated language while vividly portraying each setting. Danae encounters legendary figures and becomes entwined in a prophecy about the fall of the Gods. Though her confidence and luck sometimes seem improbable, the novel remains an engaging, modern take on an ancient tale.

I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the publishers. The above is my own opinion.

The pacing at times was not the best, however the Greek mythology elements were fantastically integrated in the story & I loved the character development so much. Very rich plot, I highly recommend!

A.S. Webb's Daughter of Chaos is a captivating debut that immerses readers in a world where mortals rebel against the gods of ancient Greece. The protagonist, Danea, discovers her mysterious powers tied to a golden fruit-bearing tree, which sets her on a perilous journey. Webb's storytelling is rich with mythological elements and non-store action, keeping readers engaged from start to finish. The character development, especially Danae's growth through her struggles, is both satisfying and compelling. The book's blend of historical and fantastical settings adds depth to the narrative, making it a thrilling read.

Overall, Daughter of Chaos is a promising start to what looks to be an exciting series!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Books for an advance copy. These opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for sending me the e-ARC of this book.

Daughter of Chaos was the exciting, Greek mythology adult storyline that I didn’t realize I was missing. Growing up reading ALLLLL the Percy Jackson books, Daughter of Chaos satisfied the craving that I didn’t realize I was missing.

Let’s talk about what I liked: I liked how accurate the Greek mythology was in the storyline and that it didn’t contradict with stories I had heard. I also liked the character development of Danae. She went from this kind of wimpy, lame girl, to a fierce woman who had to find her way. She’s fiercely loyal and caring, especially when it comes to her family.

Let’s talk about what I didn’t like: I did feel like the storyline went on forever and we were never going to get to the end. Some of the things that occurred could’ve been taken out in my opinion. It just felt like her quest was never going to end. This just made the story feel like it was dragging at times.

All in all, I did enjoy this book. It was also closed door which was a huge plus! Daughter of Chaos will be out on January 14th!

Spice rating: 1 (please see spice guide)