I really enjoyed the first 30-35% of Daughter of Chaos, and then it plateaued and stayed there. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't my favorite, and I found most of my issues with the pacing and how much time is spent on things that absolutely do not move the plot forward. And if they do, it's not nearly worth the amount of time, conflict, resolution, and effort it took to get there.

In many ways, this is similar to the Percy Jackson series, while maintaining things that make it feel fresh and original. The gods are diabolical here lol—selfish, cruel, and borderline villains in many ways. However, I was rooting for Danae's ability to outsmart everyone and persevere, and while she gave me a few scares, she made it out okay for the most part.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing, MIRA, and NetGalley for providing an ARC!

3 ⭐️s

This book was pretty good.
I really enjoyed the first 20% of this book, then I felt it fell a teensy bit flat for me.
The pacing feels a bit random and inconsistent. There were some pretty intense moments that I wished were slowed down, so we could feel the full impact.
I also think a lot of the characters have potential of being great, but I didn't feel a connection to them as much as I would've liked.

That being said, I think this is an impressive debut novell. I really like the writting style of this book, and I think that this series has potential. I would definitely try the next book.

Thank you publisher and Netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my review.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this advanced copy for an honest review.

My first thoughts were blegh, I was worried that I wasn’t going to like it but then I got sucked in.
If you want a more adult version of Percy Jackson, check this book out.

This book had all the pieces of a great fantasy novel and delivered. I was instantly captivated by the plot and characters and found myself unable to put it down! As someone who loves the stories and ideas behind Greek mythology but is not an avid reader or expert of Greek mythology, this story felt very attainable to the reader, fresh, and full of action. I received this as an eARC and cannot wait for the book’s release to buy my own copy and share with my fellow fantasy lovers.

Thank you to Netgalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and A.S. Webb for the eARC of Daughter of Chaos. All opinions are my own.

4.25 stars ⭐️

Daughter of Chaos surprised me at every twist and turn. (And there were many!) I genuinely couldn’t put it down. If you’re a fan of Danielle L. Jensen, I would highly recommend this one!

I’m excited to read the next installment of the series and find out where Danae’s journey will take her next. An excellent debut!

Spice Level - Very little (One open door scene)

I'm not sure what I first expected this book to be. There is a prologue that leads to a pretty big time jump, which leads me to wanting more from the story as soon as it ended. These versions of the Greek myths and Gods are, without a better term, evil. The mortals put a lot of faith in the Gods, but the Gods don't put a lot of hope in the mortals. I really liked this take on the Greek mythology, as well as having this character who is there to mess with it all. In the first part of this story, there is a lot of build up, that leaves you still wanting some questions answered. I still have a lot of questions after reading the book in general, but it is the start of a new series and I'm excited to see what happens. Danae is a character who didn't really fit in where she was from, and obviously has some history that has yet to be explored. I am excited to see where her journey goes, especially with all the moments in this book so far. There are some scenes/moments that feel like they are drawing things out, but I imagine a lot of these events will lead to other things in the rest of the series. Overall, a really fun take on Greek Mythology and Gods.

I haven't read a large amount of Greek mythology related books, but from what I gather this one is a unique take on the popular gods and goddesses. It was fast-paced and mostly interesting. The main character was a bit difficult for me at times to understand or want to support, but that adds some "realness" to her and allows rooms for growth and development further on.

Fans of fantasy and Greek mythology would certainly enjoy this book!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC!

I give this an overall 3 star ⭐️⭐️⭐️!

First, I do feel this story definitely has some potential and I do always appreciate a Greek story so that was a major appeal to me about this book. However, I did feel the pacing was a bit too slow at times and too rushed at others. I would have loved if the author had somehow been able to hit a medium pace throughout the book.

I did enjoy the dialogue between each character. I felt the writing was natural and flowed well. I definitely liked the energy of the main character, Danae, and felt her character at the end was well developed and set up for the sequel.

I did enjoy the ending most of all in how things ended up and I do think it makes for an intriguing set up for the sequel!

Overall, I did enjoy this book and I would read the sequel!

A visually stunning novel full of romance, mythical creatures, and vast adventures. The characters are powerful and unforgettable. An incredible book.

A Fresh Take on Greek Mythology

Rating: 3.5

This epic fantasy reimagines the world of Greek mythology, bringing the stories of gods and heroes into a whole new light. Danae's story is full of action, drama, monsters, and romance. The pacing is well-balanced, making it an enjoyable and entertaining read.

The protagonist, Danae, is a compelling character, and her experiences of love, loss, and confusion drive the plot forward. The supporting characters are well-rounded and believable, offering a refreshing twist on well-known Greek legends.

The narration has a sardonic quality, but it doesn't sacrifice the emotional impact of Danae's story.

While some readers may find the story slightly uneven or have trouble connecting with the protagonist, the book is overall an interesting read for fans of Greek mythology and fantasy. The ending leaves the reader eagerly wanting to know more

Recommended for fans of Hera by Jennifer Saint, The Trials of Hercules by Tammie Painter, For the Most Beautiful by Emily Hauser, and Wrath Goddess Sing by Maya Deane.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this. I liked getting into the Greek mythology--it made me feel a bit nostalgic, honestly. I also thought that the retelling aspect of this was well done. There have been a lot of retellings in the last year or so that feel either so copy and paste from the original story, or just are boring, and this was not like that at all. While this story has a slow start, the characters and the plot are so compelling that I ended up really enjoying this story.

Honestly, I'm not a huge Greek Mythology girlie (to my ever-growing chagrin, because all the cool kids are), and the few retellings I've picked up haven't grabbed my attention. That is until Daughter of Chaos! I was slowly sucked in and became attached to our fierce Danae as she starts to unravel lies and discover her own truth. It has a bit of a slow start, but Danae's strong character immediately drew me in and I'm so glad I stuck with it! Very excited to read anything else Webb might come out with!

I think fans of Percy Jackson would love this book. It is about Greek Gods, set around Danae, a fisherman's daughter who joins forces with Heracules against the Gods. If you know anything about the actual Danae from Greek stories this one has absolutely nothing to do with that.

Mythology books are something I really enjoy so I was very interested in this and I thought the world building was great! It was so unique and I never read anything like it. I did have a little bit of a hard time with the ending as it felt very rushed and also abrupt but still would recommend reading it given the cool unique world.

I truly appreciated the unique perspective the author brought to Greek mythology in this book. While it features all the well-known gods and monsters, Webb has added a refreshing twist that makes it stand out. Danae is a fantastic female main character; she's both fun and witty, and her journey is filled with heartache and adventure. Watching her evolve from a sheltered, naive girl into someone who thoughtfully considers her actions is incredibly inspiring.

I love a good fantasy book and this one was no different. It hooked me right from the beginning and I loved every minute of this wild ride. I am such a sucker for Greek Mythology retellings and this one hit the mark.

I can’t wait to get the next installment in this series. A Very special thank you to NetGalley and the author and publisher for and ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

To start, I need to give Webb major kudos. The amount of emotion and rage she had me feeling for these characters is impressive. I also felt like Webb’s writing was incredible throughout the story. I also really appreciated Webb’s spin on mythology and approach to world building. This was a unique and fresh take on stories that are already well known. This is truly not just another Greek mythology retelling, which was one of the main elements I found so exciting. Danae’s character development and growth felt natural and believable even if I struggled with her at times. For the plot as a whole, I did find the pacing inconsistent at times where it went from full throttle action to feeling like nothing happening, and I wish it was a little more balanced. I do think the action was well depicted without being over the top. The audiobook narration was well performed. Lucy Walker-Evans did well to moderate her narration to match the pacing of the story — speeding up during intense moments to heighten the emotional response. Walker-Evans was able to keep my attention from start to finish on the story.

i randomly stumbled upon this book one day and after reading the synopsis i immediately wanted to read this. i was fortunate enough to receive an ARC (thank you to the author and publisher!!) and let me just say, if this isn’t on your radar, change that right now!

daughter of chaos is a high fantasy with greek mythology roots, that will have your questioning everything you thought you knew. a.s webb’s ability to create a world that draws inspiration from the classic greek tales but in the same instance flips everything upside down is commendable. the world building was phenomenal and i truly felt like i was inserted into this world as i read. despite having a slow start, once this story picks up, the action doesn’t stop. not once did i predict what way this story would turn or any of the (many) plot twists. danae is such a strong female main character and i loved following her journey. she truly is willing to do whatever it takes to fulfill her journey and couldn’t help but keep reading to see her every next move. despite the size of this novel (450+ pages) i consumed this within 48 hours!! the ending of this novel had me on the edge of my seat and my jaw on the floor. while a lot of this book felt like build up for the rest of this series, it was all worth it. this is one of the most unique stories i have ever read and i am thrilled to see what else this author will create. i’m mind blown that this is her debut novel. i’m devastated to wait for the next book but i will anxiously wait because i see great things for this story.

The premise of this book is interesting. The potential for a great book is there.
I love a good Greek mythology inspired story. In that respect, it does not disappoint. I like the play of some of the gods striking down from beyond while others are in Athens, questing alongside Danae (FMC). Danae herself is a strong FMC with great potential. I love how she is challenging the gods, fighting through her doubts about them, and not taking their bs lying down.

Unfortunately, it didn’t quite work for me. The plot doesn’t get moving until about 40%. It’s difficult to describe: there’s action and a lot is happening in the first part of the book but at the same time, none of it is moving the story forward. There’s also not enough defining world building or depth of character development to make the slow movement worthwhile.

The ending was a little lackluster for me. On the plus side it hints at the Underworld/maybe Hades coming in at the next book. If so, I’d read book two to see this author’s version of Hades.

I received an eARC copy of this book from NetGalley. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review!

🌳 REVIEW 🌳
Genre: Fantasy/Greek Mythology
464 pages

❓ what’s your favorite fruit?

Thank you to MIRA and A.S. Webb for this ARC.

If you’ve been following me for a while, you know one of my weaknesses is a good Greek mythology retelling. In this debut fantasy novel, A.S. Webb throws us right into the middle of some classic heroes, including Heracles, Atalanta, and Jason of Argos.

🌳What did you love the most?
Without giving too much away, Webb creates a Greek version of the “Wizard of Oz” scene where you peek behind the curtain to see the Wizard. Nothing is as it seems in this book, and the reveals in the last 20 percent had me squealing with delight. It is a fresh take on the stories I know oh so well, and I loved the infusion of magic, harpies, and monsters throughout the plot.

🌳What to expect:
Secrets and betrayal
Greek myth heroes
Mortals vs. gods

🌳How was the pace?
The beginning starts a bit slow, but Webb takes you on a wild ride. I thought the plot was going one way, and they would quickly pivot another way. It kept me guessing and enraptured the entire time.

🌳Do you recommend this book?
If you like fantasy or Greek mythology, you need to read this book. It is beautifully written and full of action, adventure, and high-stakes quests.
4.25/5