I couldn’t stop turning the pages of The Legend of Meneka. Meneka’s struggle between duty and desire hooked me right from the start. She’s not just a seductress; she’s a woman on the brink of breaking free from the chains that bind her to Indra, the king of heaven. What stood out to me was how her journey is both a love story and a fight for personal freedom. The chemistry between her and Kaushika is electric, but it’s their emotional connection that really got me. I loved how Meneka, despite her power, feels so vulnerable with him. The tension between her loyalty to Indra and her love for Kaushika adds a rich, complex layer to their romance, making it one of those rare reads that isn’t just about the love story, it’s about discovering who you really are

I absolutely love reading hindu mythology retelling and inspired books. This one was a total treat as the writing was phenomenal and the characters were amazingly penned down by the author.
The narration was smooth and easy to understand. I absolutely love it.

Honestly, this is a neat reimagining of a fundamental Hindu myth from the feminine POV, and it interrogates who is telling the original myths, while also recognizing the issues of control and consent that comes with Meneka's missions. This is a neat read that comes out this winter, and is definitely worth a readthrough when it comes out.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️A rich tapestry of stardust, sensuality and imagination that captivates to the very end.

Read The Legend of Meneka by
Kritika H. Rao if you like…

🌹 mythology
🌹 magic
🌹 spice
🌹 self discovery
🌹 enemies to lovers


🩷HER🩷
She is seduction. A weapon. A soldier. And she hates every minute of it.

💙HIM💙
He is powerful. The enemy. Her mark. And he makes her question everything she knows.

📖 THEIR STORY 📖
Meneka’s job is to make people fall in love with her. And every time she does her job, a little piece of her heart breaks.

She makes a deal to do one final job, and if she succeeds she will never have to make anyone fall in love with her again.

The only problem is her last job, Kaushika, is handsome, powerful, and seems to be seducing her.

Will she win her freedom by capturing his heart, or lose her own heart to the enemy?

Get your copy now! (release date 1/21/25)

And thank you to @kritikahrao and #NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of The Legend of Meneka.

If you like being transported to beautiful, magical new worlds and love stories based on Hindu mythology that make you discover and embrace your truest self, you’ll ❤️ LOVE ❤️ this book!

Thank you to Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the arc! I really like Kritika H. Rao's writing style, and their debut was one of the most innovative series I've read recently. The Legend of Meneka is no different—despite it being a retelling of a myth I'm quite familiar with, it was really interesting to see how Rao brought life to the characters and the world. There were a few moments where I didn't fully buy Meneka's character arc or the romance, but I think the second half of the book (especially the last 30%) really upped the star rating for me. Overall, I will continue to be a fan of Rao's work, and I can't wait to see what they write next!

I really enjoyed reading this story. I cannot wait for Kritka Rao to write more. Thank you so much. I would suggest this to anyone who enjoys fantasy.

Thank you to NetGalley, and especially to Avon and Harper Voyager | Harper Voyager for allowing me to read thi book!
I cannot regret it to my students due to it being too mature for them, but I very much loved it.

I do think the plot was weaker than what we've seen in Rages, but I do love the characterwork of Meneka, an her struggles with seeing herself as a separate being from what she must do as an apsara. She tries very hard to stick to her morals , and remain herself as she knowingly destroys others as she's been ordered to do, all while knowing that what she does is for the betterment of the world.
After all, it must be.

She volunteers herself to go on a dangerous mission in the attempt to gain some more freedom for herself so she might stay some more with her crush, her apsara mentor. She's beautifully bi, and I love how just... normalized it is for her, something also seen in Rages.

Gorgeously written, but I feel things felt as if they wrapped up too well for a sequel... and then the hook was made for the next book. It seemed if you finished it a few pages before, it could stand as a stand-alone.

Thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager US and Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

I read Legend of Meneka despite it being labeled a romance fantasy because I love Kiritika Rao's other series and Indian mythology. With the amount of spice in many modern series romance can mean so many different things. Sometimes it just means there are a few sex scenes.

Come for the romance stay for the magic. Legend of Meneka is a magical tale of mythology and self discovery that explores various Hindu gods through the tale of one Apsara on an impossible mission.

If you have watched enough spy TV series you've seen this before. An undercover mission to seduce a mark. What typically comes next is familiar but things aren't so simple.

What is the source of magic for a celestial being? What about a spiritual mortal? All these questions are explored in detail in this poetic and engrossing tale. I was engaged from beginning to end and seduced by the explosive ending. You won't want to miss this. Though I am excited for the eventual sequel this stands on its own.

This was a fascinating take on the apsara, Meneka and her relationship with her mark, Kaushika. I was once again reminded how complex Hindu mythology and religion is, and that I really need to dive deeper into this in order to fully appreciate this retelling. While there were elements that I liked, others made me scratch my head at and wonder why that route was taken. 🤔

Meneka as a MC was a bit hard to pin down for me. She’s devout to her lord, Indra, but feels herself questioning her role as an apsara and why sex need be her first choice of weapon. I really liked the idea of a femme fatale figure questioning her own role and abilities, but man her almost constant inner turmoil felt like it never really resolved itself or developed until the last 5 chapters and then BOOM! Self discovery! 😮‍💨

Look, as much as I love being skeptical of romantasy, I do love me a good enemies-to-lovers trope here and there. The banter between Meneka and Kaushika was great and I loved the petty and subtle insults they constantly threw at each other. I also loved the deep philosophical debates they got into as it really helped me better understand Hinduism better. And the sexual tension towards the end? 👩🏻‍🍳💋

The other thing that kind of irked me was that of Rambha’s role in Meneka’s life. She just felt slightly off in her love for Meneka (basically a child compared to her immense age) and her gaslighting Meneka just didn’t sit right with me. 😑

All in all though, I still really enjoyed the plot and that ending? Yea, I’m going to need that sequel tomorrow. 🤯

Huge thank you goes out to Harper Voyager and NetGalley for accepting my request to read this retelling in exchange for an honest review, and to the author, Rao, for really taking me for a wild ride in philosophy and the art of sex in Hinduism. 🤭

Publication date: January 21!

Overall: I’m back and forth between 3.75-4/5 ⭐️

I was excited to read “The Legend of Meneka,” as I’m always curious to learn more about ancient stories, and I wasn’t familiar with the apsara legend. However, this one fell short at every turn. Meneka is a seductress, using dance and magic to entrance; this is a plot point in so many stories, but this book gives no additional nuance, and really doesn’t examine the trope at all. Meneka herself is a fairly flat character and her motivations don’t make any sense to me. She is sent to seduce the unseduceable: Kaushika, a sage. She embeds herself in his compound, trying to gain his favor, and in theory, a romance starts to brew in which it’s supposed to be unclear who is seducing who. However, there’s just no chemistry at all. Kaushika himself holds no allure, he’s just an asshole who happens to be there. The plot was very thin and predictable, I just didn’t enjoy anything in this book. Certainly a disappointment.

The Legend of Meneka is a Hindu mythological retelling, with a touch of romantasy. This book was more fiction than reality, but it was a fun read nonetheless. I liked seeing Meneka's inner thoughts, and her struggle between faith and loyalty and love was interesting to read. I'm not sure this is truly a retelling, more like a re-imagining, but I still enjoyed this book.

I kind of struggled with this one but ended up enjoying it okay

I know a bit about hindu mythology but am in no way an expert on the subject. I didn’t have issue following the lore, there are no info dumps and the world building was my favorite part. The plot feels a little disjointed at parts, but the story goes smoothly once into it.

Meneka however.. was not very likable and a little bit on the insufferable side. She’s complex and wonderfully bi but I really couldn’t connect with her. She goes through much character development but even by the end, I was still not very okay with her.

I have always been interested in literally anything and everything to do with Gods and Goddesses of every culture, so when I saw this I knew I had to give it a try!

It was easy to follow and understand, however it did take me a long time to finish it. It felt like there was a lot going on but also nothing at the same time, and I found myself skimming paragraphs. When it did pick up though I couldn’t put it down. I liked the complex characters and how it is always good to have someone to challenge a leader instead of being blindly loyal no matter what. I will say that I wasn’t expecting the ending and I will be looking forward to reading the next book!

I had a little trouble at the beginning of this book simply because Meneka was so blindly devout. I hope people don't go into this novel and let that character flaw turn them away from reading on. She goes through such an amazing transformation of self-discovery throughout the story, and it was brilliant to read and made me so happy that I pushed through those initial reactions.
Something that the author does extremely well is dangle the carrot of romance in front of the reader. I was giggling and kicking my feet for every minor flirtation between Meneka and Kaushika. The slow burn is absolutely sumptuous, and was only heightened by the ways the two characters constantly challenge each other and their beliefs.
The cast of supporting characters is varied and wonderful, and the relationships they build add so much heart to the story.
While this felt more focused on Meneka learning about herself, it's clear the story has only just begun.
The end left me craving so much more. Waiting for the next book is going to be extremely difficult.


Thank you to Avon, Harper Voyager, and Netgalley for the ARC.

I wanted to like this more than I did. As someone who's familiar with Hindu lore, I loved the world building and the different characters depicted from our history. But if I had not known this history already, I wouldn't have been able to enjoy it as much. I loved the set up and the descriptions but the romance was too stilted. I couldn't feel any chemistry between the lead pair and that was disappointing. I might still end up reading book 2 but it will require more nuances into Meneka who felt very 1D here

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc!

Overall, I couldn't connect with this book for several reasons.
1. Meneka, the FMC, was insufferable.
2. The story felt all over the place - there wasn't a clear storyline or wrap-up.
3. There was a lack of story and character progression - details were stated instead of described so it felt disjointed

I give this two stars and hope the next book performs better with world-building and story progression.

The Vibes:

—apsaras

—testing that celibacy

—falling in love with the mark

Heat Index: 6.5/10

The Basics:

When the revered sage Kaushika begins threatening the power of Indra, the celestial king sends Meneka to seduce him into breaking his asceticism and losing his strength. Meneka has her own agenda, and is determined to bring Kaushika down—but as she learns from and gets to know him, her charge may break her.

The Review:

Quick disclaimer—I'm not Indian or otherwise Hindu, and I can't attest to how this book relates to the legend beyond what I've read and (lightly) researched. With that in mind, I'm assessing this as a book independent of its inspiration.

Based on the legend of the Hindu sage Vishvamitra and apsara Menaka, The Legend of Meneka is a fantasy romance (happy ending included) that spends a lot of time actually considering the big questions. What even is asceticism, and is it worth it? Is that really how we become closer to our gods (and our goals)? Does self-denial make you a better (stronger) person?

And like... What about love and carnality in all this?

But, you know. It's also fun.

The book takes place entirely from Meneka's perspective. And I liked her—she's a classic "I'm not bad, I'm just drawn that way" kind of tragic vamp, a being who exists to seduce and destroy (albeit more emotionally than physically). Off the bat, we know she struggles with her being, her purpose. But it's less because she really morally doesn't believe in what she's doing, and more because she's infatuated with fellow apsara.

Yes everyone, Meneka is super bi, and it's super on the page (she's actually introduced seducing a queen), and I loved how it was handled. Queerness is casually portrayed through multiple characters, and Meneka, though she doesn't get physical with her marks anymore, alludes to other experiences with women. And.... then she falls in love with Kaushika. Imagine that! Bisexuality is just a thing.

There's this really lush world described, a poetic kind of magic. A lot of this is a thinky book, and to a point I kind of debate whether it's a fantasy romance or (as the back copy admittedly states) a true romantic fantasy. Kaushika and Meneka's love story is front and center, it's the crux of the book. But it definitely felt more like Meneka's journey than his. Which doesn't mean it's NOT a romance. This may also just be me going "Why can't we have a dual POV?"

And that is the one thing I thought this book was missing. I wanted to be in Kaushika's head. For a lot of the book, he's a fairly distant figure, and even when he starts to melt for Meneka that remains somewhat true. I get why, and it doesn't really take away from the book, but it does make his relationship to Meneka feel somewhat secondary.

That said....

The Sex:

What's really hot about this novel, aside from the general sensuality of everything described, is the Temptation. Kaushika is genuinely a stone wall against Meneka's seduction (... at first), which creates several funny scenes where she's like, literally banging her head against a wall in frustration. Initially, it's frustration over being unable to execute her mission.

It becomes frustration of a different kind.

The scenes here are explicitly, but described in a way that sort of folds into the general poetic vibe of the novel. Again, really sensual versus scorching. And it's also super satisfying to see Meneka, supposedly a creature of desire, finally experienced pleasure for HERSELF about HER. Kaushika's a giver!

This is, appropriately, an absorbing and meditative fantasy novel with a strong romantic throughline. I still haven't decided whether or not it's a Romance (happy ending aside) but it's definitely worth reading.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5⭐

Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Legend of Meneka by Kritika H. Rao is a sensual and coming of age retelling of the infamous ballad of Hindu mythology --- Menaka and Vishwamitra.

I had assumed this book was loose retelling with hints of Hindu mythology but no, it was a full blown romantic fantasy with rich and cultural appropriation.

The way the author had began the sorry had me grappling with the pages. From Meneka returning after seducing a devotee who started worship of Lord Indra, her dialogues and inner thoughts are mature, for she is smart to the twisted world that was carved to look beautiful, that she yearned for the truth and came to a beautiful self-realization of everything that was true.

Meneka is an immortal who is young in the heart and she grows from everything she experiences and expands her knowledge with everything she had to do for survival. She holds doubts like no other but yearns to find answers to them.

While most readers don't see it as a romantasy, it doesn't feel like the average romantasy books floating around. As Hindu myself, I could see how much deeper the topic of the book is than a retelling. It's not just a story, it's an epic retelling with a gifted voice. A lot of religious themes were explored and explained and I enjoyed how the author had deep dived into this myth of Menaka and Vishwamitra and gave them a true story where here, Meneka has a voice of her own. The way the author explored the theme and meanings of love and seduction is beautiful and does justice to the story.

Kaushika and Meneka's romance is not born of seduction but a slow and sensual development. While seduction is a major theme, the way the seduction is performed is not entirely a sexual notion. Their love is stronger than the bounds holding them together even while their ideals make them against each other.

While there are sex scenes in the book, it isn't to add spice or be spicy but rather explore the themes of sexuality and sensuality. To show the seduction of love in a philosophical context. There is introduction of ideals of Hinduism that play a major role in this part.

The writing style of the book is what also got me hooked to the story. While it is not super lyrical, it is easy to understand and delves deep into the emotions of the character and sense of spirituality. To me, I felt comfort while reading this book because it brought back so many memories of stories and myths told by my family when I was a child.

The world-building of this book was rich and heavily influenced by Hindu mythology. Many of the names and places were familiar from the original myth.

The book was an overall emotional read for me and I could not put it down at all. I was just so moved by everything. I fell in love with Meneka and Kaushika and can't wait to read the next installment!

Thank you to Kritika H. Rao, NetGalley, and HarperVoyager for the e-book ARC!

I enjoyed reading this title, mostly for the way it was written. The prose was absolutely astonishing and beautiful, even if I found the story lacking in intensity and interesting characters. As much as this isn’t a book I felt invested in, I will be revisiting this author in the future, for sure, due to the writing style that was just so immaculate. Even if the plot isn’t necessarily for you, give it a go just to experience it.

This was an amazing book. The pacing and characters were well developed which allowed for me to read and not get bored from it. The Legend of Meneka is such a wonderful read and I loved learning about this character, world, and so much more. Rao has a new fan with me and I can't wait to read more