After narrowly avoiding expulsion and finding out she was descended form Medusa, Ava Baldwin is returning to her second year at Academia del Forte. When she’s not studying or hanging out with her friends, she’s challenging the lies the Olympian gods have told to keep themselves in power. As the school year starts, however, Ava finds herself jealous of her friend, Layla’s newfound beauty and popularity. To make things worse, her school keeps getting interrupted by bullies like Cyclops and the demigod headmaster, Perseus. When her friend, Layla, gets punished by the gods for her beauty, Ava is furious. A vegan, the gods turned her into an Empusa. Now her friend must choose between starving and compromising her morals. Can Ava save her friend before it’s too late?

The plot is engaging, well developed, and authentic to the Greek mythology world. The characters are flawed, likable, and give readers an interesting perspective on the “other side” of Greek mythology. The world building is well drawn and believable. Readers who like mythology, greek gods, adventure, magical realism, and fractured tales will want to pick this one up. Recommended for most library collections.

Fast-paced and packed with adventure, this is a fun read for fantasy and mythology fans.

After the adventures of book one, Ava is ready to take on her second year. If it weren't for the new headmaster, Perseus. He's harboring a secret agenda, and that includes making Ava's life miserable as she and her friends are trying to dig deeper into the truth behind the Greek monsters. But not only is she more prepared that she was before, the Gods are, too.

This is an exciting adventure from beginning to end and holds more Greek myth goodness with known and little known mythology tidbits to discover along the way. Ava is a character to root for as she does her best to steer school life and her own desire to do what's right. She makes mistakes and learns as she goes along. Luckily, she has true friends at her side, who are ready to help out. However, Ava definitely takes the driver's seat in this tale and has a lot to over come.

The writing keeps these pages turning, leading from one sticky situation to the next, but there's also enough character depth to make Ava sympathetic as she does her best to handle each moment. Her desire to help and persistence along with dedication to her friends make her a character to enjoy. It also makes her a very strong, female character to inspire. It's a read fans of mythological adventures are sure to enjoy.

The God’s Revenge by Katherine Marsh is the second in The Myth of Monsters Series and is an excellent example of continuing a story after a summer break and into the new school year.

Following the wildly intense and unexpected events of the first book, Ava and crew not only have to start year two of their monster school but deal with the consequences of their previous actions. Fun times right?

The beginning gives a really smooth recap of the first book while not revealing too much. It hits key points and gets you on par with what’s to come. I enjoyed the fact that there’s such a strong blend of teen angst, real trauma inducing situations, and self worth and acceptance moments. Things that most teens go through during the early years of puberty are very clear alongside the chaos of being a monster/god.

As always, loved the friendships, relationships, working together, female empowerment, and truly loving oneself through everything. It’s also fun to see what cultures and languages make it into the mix.

Finally, with Ava at the center of change, she has to not only deal with herself but also the gods, students, and whoever else has beef with her. Enemies for days! However it’s a great way to guide and inspire overcoming adversity for any kids and teens who may be dealing with bullies and other issues.

I’d highly suggest reading the first book in the series, Medusa, before diving into this one. Once that’s finished, I highly recommend this book too! Can’t wait to find out what happens next!

*This was an honest review for a complimentary copy of The God’s Revenge from Katherine Marsh via NetGalley

A bit of a slow start but once the readers get reintroduced to Ava as a second year at the Academy del Forte for their training and learning, Perseus is the headmaster and has a few axes to grind leaving Ava and her classmates to discover new stories to help fight back against the injustice.

I liked the focus on Lamia, Hecate, Hera, and Empusae (Greek mythological vampires) as the backstory of who was protecting who and for what reason-- well, we all know the reasons and they mainly focus on Zeus being a cruel man to women and children in particular. I will absolutely continue this series.

Myth of the Monsters: The Gods’ Revenge by Katherine Marsh is the exciting second book in The Myth of the Monsters series. In this installment, Ava finds herself separated from her friends in a way and struggling with feelings of jealousy and fear of missing out. Her emotional journey is honest and relatable, and the story continues to deliver a powerful message—especially for girls—about embracing who you are and finding strength in your uniqueness.

Like the first book, this sequel highlights the importance of friendship, personal growth, and staying true to yourself. The characters show meaningful development, and readers will appreciate how they support one another through difficult challenges. I highly recommend this book to students and will definitely be adding it to our library collection.

The Gods' Revenge is a gripping, high-energy sequel that deepens the world of the Accademia del Forte while keeping the heart of the story rooted in friendship, identity, and truth. Ava Baldwin returns for her second year more confident and ready to challenge the lies the Olympians have told about her classmates' so-called “monster” ancestors. With new headmaster Perseus making life increasingly difficult, Ava finds herself once again pulled into danger—this time on a mission to save a banished friend.

The rescue quest sends Ava and her companions across a vividly imagined mythological landscape, from the eerie Stygian Marsh to the frozen caves of Mount Etna, with Ares and the deadly spirits of war on their trail. The action is fast-paced, the tension high, and the mythological elements continue to be creatively reimagined.

Ava remains a fierce and likable lead—flawed, fiery, and full of heart—and her struggles to manage her anger while standing up for justice feel authentic and resonant. Some plot points unfold quickly, and the pace occasionally overwhelms the emotional beats, but overall this is a strong continuation that blends humor, heart, and heroics. Fans of the first book will be glad to dive back in.

I love books that reframe well-known or classic stories in a new way, and this series does it so brilliantly! With a definite feminist approach, Katherine Marsh takes on the Olympians in this fast-paced, suspenseful, and humorous series about the "monsters" of Greek mythology. Ava, her brother, and her friends take on Perseus, Ares, and even Cupid as they search for the true stories that will restore power to those who have been hurt by the gods.
Perfect for fans of Percy Jackson!

The Olympian Gods are the ultimate power in their society and monsters, they are the worst! Or are they? Why are the monsters the way they are? What are their real stories? There is so much to explore with these questions and while diving into these lesser talked about versions of the stories there is an exciting adventure waiting. The God’s Revenge is the second book in Katherine Marsh’s Medusa series where we discover that learning someone’s real story AND sharing it is empowering.
There is so much to love about this series! The story is fun with a diverse cast of characters. There are a lot of humorous moments and emotional moments as well. The themes are clear and straight forward. Beyond the main theme of women being treated right and discovering their amazing stories, there are significant themes of friendship and family relationships.

The book is a lovely sequel to Medusa. Marsh is a terrific writer who knows how to weave a captivating story. The Gods’ Revenge offers a feminist retelling of myths and tell set in present-day world. Recommend.

As someone who has read her previous works, I found this to be a fantastic follow-up. It builds on the themes she’s explored before but takes them differently. Rather than retelling the myths, she dives into the consequences of divine power and fate in a way other Greek mythology-based series don’t always explore. This is worth the read if you’re a fan of mythology with a fresh angle.

I loved Medusa, and was so excited for this next chapter in Ava’s story. Katherine Marsh has created a masterpiece of Greek mythology, feminism and women’s rights all within typical teenage life and struggles. Ava lacks self-confidence, especially when her best friend, Layla, shows up having “glown” up over the summer. She feels let out when her friends join the wrestling club without her, even if they are doing it to protect her from earning strikes. As in Medusa, Ava and her friends set off on a quest to save a misunderstood female monster. Readers may come for the action and adventure, but they’ll stay for the characters. I hope there are many more books in this series - I will definitely keep reading and recommending!

In “Myth of Monsters: the gods’ Revenge,” Ava is back for her second year at Academia del Forte. Along with her friends and her big brother, they set out to help break her best friend’s curse! They’ll face many heroes and monsters, and the monsters aren’t always the ones you would expect!

I read the first book in this series last summer and I thought it was great! Very well written, and cool to see a female lead on the page. A lot like Percy Jackson, but also not. Yes, it’s Greek mythology that mentions heroes and monsters, but the story lines are very different.

I was excited to read this second book, and while it was interesting, it wasn’t as good as the first. I did appreciate how the author tried to relate to the main character and her insecurities that come with being a young teenager, but at times it just felt it was too much. In this book, Ava just seemed sad and upset all the time. And don’t get me wrong, I love when characters can relate to our personal relationships, but I felt there wasn’t a huge happy element to this one. I would have liked to see it a bit more uplifting, especially for its target audience. In a lot of aspects, this book just seemed much darker from the first.

I wish that I could say that I loved it, but it was just okay for me. I rate this book as 3 stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️ I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for my honest unbiased opinion.

thank you to Harpercollins Children's Books and Netgalley for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

As a follow-up to Medusa, this unfortunately fell short of my expectations. While the premise ramped the stakes up for Ava and her friends, the execution lacked the same emotional depth and narrative cohesion that made the first in the series so compelling.

Thank you to HarperCollins Children’s Books and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Ava, Jax, and their friends have returned to the Accademia del Forte for another year of school for children descended from so-called Greek monsters. There is a new headmaster, Perseus, who is targeting Ava for expulsion. Perseus has made no secret of favoring the male students and forbidding the female students from some activities. This actually brings to light how the gods have treated females, goddesses and mortals, poorly. When Ava’s best friend Layla, who has mastered her shapeshifting powers, is banished, it is up to Ava and crew to rescue her. Not an easy task when the male gods keep putting up roadblocks.
This second foray was just as exciting as the first. I am truly enjoying this new girl power interpretation of Greek myths. Looking forward to the next installment!
#TheGodsRevenge #HarperCollinsChildrens Books #NetGalley

Katherine Marsh’s The Myth of Monsters: The Gods’ Revenge is an engaging sequel that expands on the intriguing premise of reexamining Greek mythology from the perspective of so-called “monsters.” Ava’s struggle against the oppressive rule of Perseus adds tension, while the high-stakes adventure across mythological landscapes keeps the pacing brisk and exciting. The friendships and character growth remain strong, making it easy to root for Ava and her allies. Marsh skillfully blends action, mythology, and deeper themes of truth and justice, creating a story that is both entertaining and thought-provoking. A solid follow-up that leaves readers eager for more.

Summary: In this engaging sequel, Ava returns for her second year at the Accademia del Forte, eager to prove that her ancestry is misunderstood and that her friends are not the monsters the gods portray them to be. However, the arrival of the new headmaster, Perseus, complicates matters as he enforces unfair rules that favor male students. Ava's friend Layla, who has mastered her Empusa powers, becomes the center of attention, stirring feelings of insecurity in Ava as she grapples with her own identity as a Gorgon. When Layla is mysteriously banished, Ava and her friends embark on a mission to rescue her, uncovering the truth about the original Empusa along the way. The narrative is rich with themes of empowerment and friendship, showcasing the girls' determination to confront the biases of the gods. As the characters navigate challenges, readers are treated to a blend of adventure, suspense, and girl power. With a strong emphasis on the importance of revealing hidden truths, this book captivates young readers while providing a fresh perspective on Greek mythology.

Straight Talk for Librarians: I admit, I liked this second book a bit more than the first. It's a little less "all men are bad" and more the male gods have treated the female goddesses, queens and demi-gods, poorly - let's rewrite their stories! I love that approach. Marsh portrays Medusa as a goddess who protected women and girls and was later punished for it. The Empusa in the story is a shape shifting vampire loyal to Hecate. I was also amused on the names word play. Mr. Pankovych was Pan and Mr. Heff is Hephaestus. This series would make for a fun mythology-themed book club for middle-grade students. Discussions about the book can focus on the themes of empowerment and the portrayal of women in mythology, encouraging students to explore how these themes relate to contemporary society. Additionally, librarians can host creative writing workshops where students can rewrite their favorite myths from the perspective of the traditionally marginalized characters, fostering critical thinking and creativity. I think this book will be a hit with Percy Jackson fans, as it's a different perspective. I like that the reader is following Ava from 7th to 8th grade and that she has a good relationship with her brother now. I am looking forward to a third book in this series??? It's been a fun read so far and I'd recommend it for any middle school classroom or school library.

Thanks to HarperCollins Children's Books and NetGalley for an Advance Reader Copy of this book. Expected publishing date is April 22, 2025.

This book is a great installment to this series. I enjoyed the first one and this one didn't let me down either. This is a great young adult book that weaves Greek mythology with a story line that makes you root for the underdog ........ or maybe just the monster.

Oh my gods! I was somewhat sad to see the title of this book because I wanted another ‘not a monster, just a woman’ story like Medusa’s and I quickly remembered not to judge a book by its title! Emposa, the vampire monster in Greek mythology, is at the heart of this story and I once again loved how Marsh kept certain elements more true The to their mythical origins while empowering women. Loved seeing Ava and friends in another year at school and just a great story!

Ava and her friends are back for their second year at the Accademia del Forte, and they are eager to prove that their ancestors are not the monstrous creatures that the gods would have everyone believe them to be. But many of the Olympians don't want this truth revealed and are not above playing dirty to ensure that Ava and her friends are silenced.

Marsh has delivered a fun sequel brimming with relateable characters, a dash of suspense, and a whole lot of girl power! Readers will devour The Gods' Revenge.

Middle grade mythology adventure. Ava is back at the ADF for second term, excited to see all of her friends after the summer. But Layla has come back so in control of her empusa powers that she is the prettiest girls on campus, causing intense feelings from a lot of other students. There is a new headmaster, the hero Perseus, who is turning up the "Bro" vibes all over campus. And most of the student body still looks down on Ava as a Gorgon. So things don't start off quite as planned.

Then Layla gets sent off campus to an undisclosed location and the group of friends is determined to rescue her. Remembering how their first mission turned on finding out the truth about Medusa, they try to find out the truth about the original Empusa. Powers are tested, gods and goddesses try to help or stymy them, and the truth prevails.

This book started a little slow for me as the anti-feminist rule of the school was established. But once the quest started I was all in and managed to read the whole thing in one day. I look forward to reading more of this series and seeing more of these characters.

I read a digital ARC provided by the publisher.