This was such a different experience listening to the book than it was reading the book. I personally was able to notice the easter eggs listening to the story which would make me smile because having read the book a couple times I knew what they meant for the ending. I loved the narrators though I wish the male narrators could have been used a little more, but I get why it was done the way it was. I enjoyed the book and loved that I got to experience it through listening as it changed the experience and was a lot of fun.

Blood of Hercules by Jasmine Mas
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Alexis is a shy-stammering foster child with a foster brother to protect and a best friend that no one can see. During a school test she discovers that she is actually a spartan child, and is whisked away to train under the deadly elite in a world she never thought she would see.
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What I liked:
-I kind of loved Alexis’ dark humor. I wasn’t expecting it and I enjoyed that it made her different from the more typical YA female hero.
-I want to know more about Nyx! She is such a mysterious character and I want to know where she came from and who she is connected with and what drew her to Alexis.
-Ok but Kharon. Didn’t see myself liking his character as much as I did.
-Fluffy Jr. 🥰
-The audio was such a great way to enjoy this book. The narrator for Alexis was fantastic and utterly captured her frustration, confusion, and her dark humor.
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4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ So I did not fully know what I was getting into with this book. And now I think I’m hooked. I’m looking forward to the next book.

This was like a percy jackson for people who are adults and like explicit things

Honestly actually like Alexis and thought her dialogue was pretty fun. The male narrators were perfect and did an amazing job

I just feel like the story was disjointed and did really connect for me. It seemed like it moved in a way that not only Alexis was trying to figure everything out but so was I.

Thank you to Harlequin Audio, HTP Hive, and Netgalley for the audio review copy!

I think this book is not for everyone. I was suggested this bc I enjoy greek mythology and slow burn romances. I was not expecting bully romance and a somewhat juvenile minded FMC. Nyx was my fav. Will I read book 2? Possibly but its not high on my tbr pile.

4.5 stars

This book is such a trip. I highly recommend via audio because the narrator brought the FMC’s sarcasm absolutely to life.

This book is not for everyone. To me it’s a dark romance first, fantasy second. I’ve never read Zodiac Academy but maybe it would be similar? It has all the hallmarks of a bully romance where they go overboard to her face but then secretly protect (only in some ways).

The whole trials thing is extreme and you never know who is going to die but idk I had a fun time. I’ve actually never had that much fun with a dark romance before. It’s a slow burn in this book but I have a feeling the next one things are about to explode.

Thank you to htp hive and Harlequin audio for the ALC!

The way this book sucked me in and became my entire personality is shameful. It’s a dark, sarcastic, gender reversed reimagining of the story of Hercules, and I am obsessed with it. It’s an urban romantasy that takes place in modern day Sparta, but with the Greek gods and goddesses. Alexis is our scrappy heroine; she’s sarcastic, self deprecating, and unimpressed with everyone and everything. She’s forced to attend a Spartan war academy and is thrust into a world of magic, deadly trials, court politics, secrets, and betrayals. The men in this book are possessive, dangerous, broody, morally grey villains who are obsessed with Alexis and will 💀 anyone who looks at her sideways. I am feral for the next book and need it immediately!!!
🐍
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice level: 🌶️🌶️
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Read if you like:
▫️dark romantasy
▫️sarcastic heroine with gallows humor
▫️modern day Sparta
▫️Greek gods, goddesses, and magic
▫️morally grey characters
▫️multi POV
🐍
Thank you to HTP Books, Harlequin Audio, Jasmine Mas, and NetGalley for the ARC. I received an advanced copy for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.

🏺 ARC REVIEW 🏺

BLOOD OF HERCULES by Jasmine Mas
4.25/5 🌟
Release date: already out!

Y'all, I read this book so dang fast. I did not expect to love it as much as I did, but dang, the main character was so funny and likable. I cannot wait until she releases the next one. Also, the narrator, Meg Sylvan, was absolutely fantastic! PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU READ THE TRIGGER WARNINGS BEFORE GETTING INTO THIS BOOK!

The book follows Alexis, a homeless 19-year-old girl, as she is thrust into the world of gods. She has to make it through a magical "school" in order to receive her immortality. Please read if you like the following:

🐍 Reverse harems and dark romantasy
🐍 Funny as hell heroines
🐍 Post-apocalyptic Greek retellings
🐍 Sarcastic invisible snakes as friends
🐍 Very angry and controlling love interests

Thank you to Harlequin Audio, HTP Hive, and Netgalley for the audio review copy!

🔖#thehive #htphive #netgalley #bloodofhercules #romantasy #bookblogger #booksofinstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagram #booksbooksbooks #reverseharem

Having already read and absolutely loved this book and then listening to the audio...I was not disappointed. If I didn't love Teddy Hamilton before, I 100% do now! The narration is top notch and made me feel like i was in the book and living the story! Hands down one of my absolute favorite audiobooks ever!

Blood of Hercules by Jasmine Mas is a thrilling blend of Greek mythology and dark fantasy. The story follows Alexis Hert, a foster child who discovers she is part of the powerful Spartan elite. Living in a world overrun by Titans, Alexis must navigate the dangerous Spartan War Academy to prove her worth and survive the deadly Crucible.

Mas's writing is engaging and filled with dark humor, making Alexis a relatable and compelling protagonist. The worldbuilding is rich and detailed, immersing readers in a post-apocalyptic landscape where immortals rule. The supporting characters, including Alexis's mentors Achilles and Patro, add depth and intrigue to the story.

The romance is a slow burn, adding tenstion and emotional stakes to Alexis's journey. The book's pacing keeps readers on edge, blending action with moments of introspection. This is a captivating read that reimagines Hercules in a fresh and exciting new way.

Nyx was quite possibly my favorite charachter. Her witty commentary had me giggling and laughing out loud.

Alexis is the perfect example of perseverance.

I can't wait for book two!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an ALC of this novel.

3.25/5 ⭐️
1.5/5 🌶️

I had been anxiously awaiting to listen to this book! I love Greek mythology with a modern twist. This book takes place in a near future where Titans are the bad guys and Spartans try to keep them under control.

Alexis was a foster kid and turns out she has royal blood in her, so she is thrust into the Spartan War Academy. Her time struggling through the academy is the first 50% of the book and to be honest, it was a little slow and didn’t add a lot to the overall story. The second half does pick up and the real action is the last 20% of the book. I didn’t really care for the fact that she was forced the marry Kharon and Agustus and just gives in to having sex with them immediately. Super weird that there was no fight or anything.

Overall, it was a fine first book in a fantasy series. I plan to check out the second book when it releases later this year.

Blood of Hercules
Jasmine Mas

Tropes/Vibes:
Reverse Harem
Bully Romance
Greek Mythology (sort of)
Unhinged Characters
Sarcastic FMC
Obsessed MMC
Deadly “School”

Quick Review

I’ll start by saying this book will not be for everyone. My favorite part of the book was Nyx, the snake best friend. It has a slow start, and it takes some time to warm up to the FMC. She appears a bit naïve and childish, with a sarcastic streak.

I listened to the audiobook, and because of the copious amounts of inner monologue, it worked really well as an audiobook. In fact, I’m not sure I would have enjoyed the writing style as much reading versus listening.

This is book one of the series, and does not really follow a romance until basically the very end — the plot heavily features a bully romance throughout, even up to the end. If the FMC being treated pretty poorly by the MMCs isn’t something you can move past, I wouldn’t pick up this book.

** Also, a heads-up: this book features MM (Male/Male) scenes referenced as commonplace among various male characters’ lives. If that isn’t for you, once again, I probably would consider not picking up the book. Although not prominent in this series (yet), the author’s other works contain many depictions of MM encounters, some involving women and others exclusively male.**

So far, I’m not sure I like this series more than the Cruel Shifterverse (starts with Psycho Shifters) by Jasmine Mas. It has potential, though…

This book is the perfect blend of mythology and The Hunger Games. I couldn’t stop laughing at the awkward but endearing humor between Alexis and her protective snake, Nys. When Alexis discovers that she has the blood of the Gods, she’s thrust into a high-stakes game of survival at the perilous Spartan War Academy. The book balances spunky, laugh-out-loud humor with heart-pounding, death-defying challenges, taking readers on a thrilling ride that’ll keep you hooked. However, I did struggle with the aspect that despite Alexis’ tough past surviving homelessness and enduring the awful foster care system, she sometimes lacks basic common sense or world awareness. It felt a little odd, especially given her intelligence, that she was often portrayed in such a clueless way. Still, it didn’t take away from the overall fun and excitement! I also really enjoyed the narration, especially the parts featuring Nys.

*Thank you to Jasmine Mas, Harlequin Audio and Netgalley for the ALC copy. I am freely leaving my honest review.

Thank you to Harlequin Audio for the ALC.

Jasmine Mas definitely has a style and I 100% dig it.

I was obsessed with Blood of Hercules. The story is told primarily through the point-of-view of Alexis, our ‘surprise you’re not a human’ FMC who is thrust into this crazy world of Olympians. She’s the only woman who is currently attending their brutal training academy and when I saw brutal…I mean it.

Her inner monologue is self-deprecating and hilarious and I really loved seeing everyone underestimate her. The story will eventually have a romance, but it’s exceptionally slow burn (and I actually think she’s maybe demisexual? And definitely neurodivergent).

It’s hard to explain the reason that I’m so excited for the next book; I can only describe the feeling as a bated breath for retribution. I just know that Alexis will reign lighting and fire down on those who treated her badly in Blood of Hercules and I can’t wait for ✨vengeance.✨

I listened to this as an audiobook and I think that is the best way to read this one. Meg Sylvan did the absolute best job in expressing the sarcasm and desperation that Alexis so often exudes. I already want to re-listen all over again.

BRO!!! I AM SO CONFUSED! There is so much going on with this book, and at times it’s a total info dump. This is not something that you can read half-assed, it needs your full and undivided attention. The plot twists were wild and the writing itself was really funny at times.

My biggest complaint is that there is literally so much going on and it’s hard to keep track of it all. This is definitely something I’m gonna have to reread—probably next year right before the next book comes out.

My advice: don’t read this yet, and if you’re listening to the audiobook, read it on kindle or a physical copy as well. The cliffhanger at the end left so many unanswered questions, and there is so much going on that the audiobook felt like a bad idea.

Thank you to Jasmine and Harlequin Audio for a copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I went into this book completely blind. I saw it every where on bookstagram of people loving it and just knew I needed to listen to it. I did not know it was going to be a reverse harem book....and I'm not a fan of those at all. That being said I loved this book so much! Im in my greek mythology era and this one did not disappoint at all. I enjoyed how we truly started from the beginning and had all different ages of the main character, it helped me understand her and what she went through.

I will say Alexis is hard to like most of the time. She doesn't truly speak up or defend herself. She's super quiet and mouse like. At the end she supposably stronger and demanding so I'm interested to see her character growth in the next book. Though Augustus and Kharon absolutely made this book for me. I love those two so much. Im meh about Achilles, but the other two and their chemistry with Alexis was perfect.

The narrators made this book for me. Where as I didn't like this book, the narrator and her change of tone and voice is what made this book and her more bearable. The narrator wasn't monotoned and helped you feel the emotions in certain situations. I think I enjoyed this book as much as I did since I listened to it. If I would have just read it I probably wouldn't have such a high rating. I loved the heavy topics in the beginning and how the author wrote them in a respectful but understanding way. There were instances where the book felt very repetitive but overall it was a quick listen. Plus I absolutely loved Nyx...she made this book great. Even though I'm not a RH fan, I will be listening to the next book so I can find out how everything plays out. I originally wanted to give this a 3 star, but with the Greek topics, narrator, great side characters its bumping it up to a 4 star for me.

At almost 30% I feel good about saying I really just could not make myself listen any further. I'm not sure if it was the narrator's voice that just didn't fit right with it being a 19 yr old protagonist or if it was the plot that felt really juvenile but it was just not working for me, the plot and voice felt too young for the more mature dialogue and theme that was being presented.
Maybe if I would have listened further this would change, but 30% in is pretty far to not be rooting for the main character or really care about any of the side characters that have been introduced as well.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Read
🎧⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Listen
🌶️🌶️ Spice

Y'all... this book DEVOURED me! 😮‍💨 And let me tell you, the audio is TOP TIER! 📚

Our girl Alexis is serving major "I'd rather do calculus than deal with your drama" energy, and honestly? MOOD. 🧮 She's out here getting kidnapped to Spartan War Academy (rude), dealing with mentors who have more red flags than a parade (looking at you, Crimson Duo 👀), and somehow maintaining the most delightfully unhinged internal monologue I've ever read.

The spice is mild but the tension? ELECTRIC ⚡️ And can we talk about how this book said "Who did this to you?" and made it fresh again?? 😭

Quick hits for the vibes:
✅ Morally grey men collecting emotional damage like Pokémon
✅ Sarcasm as a love language
✅ Modern Sparta but make it ✨spicy✨
✅ Math girl meets murder boys
✅ Everyone needs therapy (especially Kharon)

The way Jasmine Mas wrote this, it's giving dark academia meets Greek mythology meets "what if we took Hercules and made it actually good?"

Currently, I am manifesting book 2 because of THIS ENDING! I am unwell. 🫠

TW: child abuse, blood, gore, psychological torture, homelessness, murders, bullying

If you love morally questionable men who go from "ugh, who is she" to "if anyone breathes in her direction, I will unalive them," THIS IS YOUR BOOK! 🗡️

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for an advanced copy!

This has lots of good in it! The narrators did a great job with the audiobook. I loved the humorous tilt and the Greek mythology base. I didn't like the "why choose" component of the relationship. Overall, it wasn't for me, but I think it has lots of great things that will be liked by different types of readers.

ARC REVIEW: If there’s one book that absolutely blew me away this year, it’s Blood of Hercules. This is an infinity-star read for me—truly a masterpiece that blends Greek mythology with a futuristic world, morally gray heroes, and a war academy setting. I devoured this book from start to finish, and I already need more! Like this is a book I would reread... and I don't reread books.

The main character was everything I could ask for: relatable, powerful, and unapologetically fierce. Her journey gripped me from the very first page, and by the end, I was left in awe and kicking my legs with delight. The line—“The three of us will be the villains of this new age”—hit like a punch to the gut in the best way possible, like I need that framed now. It’s rare to see a story that lets its leads embrace their villainous sides, and I loved every single moment of it. The villains getting the girl- I am here for it!

Can we talk about her snake? Cause she was cracking me up the entire time! Perfect sidekick! I need more of the snake, plus the fan art in the front cover of her and the snake is perfection!

The reverse harem trope here? WOW. Just...wow, wow, wow. ...tbh I don't read reverse harem tropes cause I usually don't like it but this was perfect and steamy and makes me want to explore this trope more. It was handled so well that it felt natural, electrifying, and utterly addictive. Both men worship her and love her!!! The men in this book were the perfect blend of sexy, complex, and absolute delights that stole my heart. (plus have you seen the fanart? **swoon!**)

Let’s talk about the romance interests: Kharon and Augustus. The fact that they’re her professors added a layer of forbidden spice that had me giggling. Every interaction with them crackled with tension, and the “Who did this to you?” moment? Literal chills. This book delivers some of the best enemies-to-lovers I’ve seen, with Kharon and Augustus embodying those dark, morally gray alpha vibes that are simply irresistible.

The world-building in Blood of Hercules is another highlight. I loved the way the author reimagined Greek myths in a futuristic setting. Seeing familiar Greek names woven into a new-age war academy, with Achilles and Patro as her mentors (takes me back to The Song of Achilles *cries in 2016*... also I need to know more about these two in this story they were so mysterious!!), was a brilliant and delightful twist that I didn’t see coming. It added depth to the story and grounded the futuristic elements in something mythic and timeless.

This book is packed with elements I adore:
✨ Morally gray men
✨ Both villains get the girl—because yes, we love it when the bad boys win
✨ Enemies-to-lovers romance that’s intense, SO SO spicy, and unforgettable

I was completely blown away by this world and the characters in it. The blend of myth, war, romance, and tension was perfection, and the story had me on the edge of my seat until the very last line. I’m already counting down the days until the next book in the series because I need more of this world, these characters, and this deliciously villainous trio. I'm also preordering a special edition for my shelf! I need them all!!!)

⭐ Infinity Stars ⭐