Very lyrical young adult Greek mythology. I enjoyed this. It did take a minute for me to really get into the story but once I did I enjoyed it for sure. I am very picky with books written in verse. I liked that we got a retelling of a goddess that doesn't get talked about as much as some of the other well known Greek Gods and Godesses.

"lt seemed an impossible path. But every light I have ever seen has been on the other side of darkness"

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Hekate
By Nikita Gill @nikita_gill
Release date: September 16, 2025

Thank you to NetGalley, Nikita Gill and Little Brown Books for Young Readers for this incredible eARC!

I absolutely adored this book! A stunning, poetic retelling of Hekate’s story, it swept me into the depths of the Underworld and didn’t let go until the final page. If you loved "Circe" or any mythology-inspired stories, this one is a must-read.

Told in beautiful free verse, the novel reimagines the origin of Hekate—the goddess of witchcraft and necromancy—as a young girl abandoned by her mother in the Underworld for her own protection during the war between the old gods and the Olympians. What follows is a powerful journey of self-discovery, grief, strength, and transformation. As Hekate navigates the eerie, richly imagined realms of the Underworld—from the River Styx and the Lethe to Tartarus and the Elysian Fields—she begins to uncover her past, forge her identity, and embrace her own unique power.

The worldbuilding is gorgeous and immersive, with mythology woven in seamlessly. I especially loved how deeply human and layered the gods felt—Thanatos, Hermes, Charon, and even Hades are given surprising kindness and complexity. The Olympians’ darker sides are explored as well, reminding us of their flaws and fears. The writing is lyrical and evocative, with passages I wanted to underline again and again.

Hekate’s arc is beautifully done. What I found most compelling is that she was one of the only gods without a predestined course, a double-edged sword of uncertainty. Watching her grow from a girl questioning her worth into a woman claiming her power was incredibly moving. The way the book was structured—I found it completely captivating.

This is the kind of book that lingers with you, full of aching beauty, fierce heart, and hard-won empowerment. It felt like reading a myth rewritten by Hekate herself—bold, haunting, and unforgettable.

Highly, highly recommend for fans of mythology and lyrical prose!

#hecate #hekate #booksta #bookstagramph #bookstagram #nikitagill

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!
5⭐️
Nikita Gill delivers yet another breathtaking triumph in this novel-in-verse that explores the myth and power of the goddess Hekate. Lyrical, raw, and soul-stirring, this collection blends mythology, witchcraft, and womanhood with a deeply personal and spiritual resonance. Gill’s words don’t just tell a story—they ignite something within.

This is more than a story; it’s a reclamation of divine feminine power through one of mythology’s most enigmatic figures. Hekate emerges not only as a goddess of chaos, protection, and the moon, but also as a guiding force for modern seekers. With themes of purpose, identity, and spiritual connection, this book is perfect for readers interested in mythology, feminist spirituality, and poetic storytelling that lingers in the bones.

A must-have for fans of Gill’s previous work and anyone who’s ever looked to the stars—or within—for meaning.

Nikita Gill’s verse is magical and engaging. She brings this to the story of Hekate, Goddes of witchcraft and necromancy. This was a pleasure to read and pairs beautifully with other novels of this genre. Highly engaging as a novel in verse for students who are not readers.

I cried a couple times reading this. Gill writes in such a way that 10 words, a single sentence, can convey an image or meaning so deep and so clear. This was a great portrayal of a goddess who has always had such a formidable and intimidating reputation, but now given beginnings and roots that were so vulnerable and raw, we can see how they have shaped her.

Thank you Netgalley and Little, Brown Books for the advanced digital reader copy. Can't wait to see what goddesses are brought to life in the rest of this trilogy!

A lovely, intricately described prose of Hekate’s journey through the Underworld to find her truth.

Every goddess has an origin story, Hekate’s begins when her mother leaves her in the Underworld to protect her during her the war between the old and new gods. She has to find out what happened to her parents, navigate the different realms of the Underworld, and find out who she is. Written in verse, this novel depicts Hekate, the goddess of witchcraft and necromancy, as a young woman full of wonder and kindness. She grows into a fiercely courageous woman as she navigates the Underworld and the interesting inhabitants.

I recommend this book for fantasy readers who appreciate mythology retellings. The formidable characters of the myths come to life and the realms of the Underworld are explored in detail. This beautifully written free verse novel is the story Hekate would write for herself.

Thank you Little, Brown Books for Young Readers and Netgalley for the advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.

An uncommon presentation, to say the least, Hekate tells her story in free verse and we follow this slightly lesser-known character of Greek myth from a childhood in the time of a clash of gods and titans. We encounter other gods, ones who might be more familiar from legend and myth and observe their tales from Hekate's perspective. We are taken along her journey from child into girlhood, and then to womanhood finding her power and even love. The lyrical writing compliments the mythic tale and results in a pleasing quick read. The epilogue seemed to suggest that there are more tales to be told and if they are as delightful as this poem, I'll be eager to read them.
I received access to this eARC thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.

I was curious about this book and the author so I figured I would give it a shot. From the time I started reading I couldn’t put it down. The next day I couldn’t wait to keep reading it. I was almost sad when it ended because I was so immersed I wanted it to continue. It made me want to know more about Hekate and other stories tied to her. I’m definitely gonna check out more by this author and think everyone should give this book a read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc

Told in verse, this story of Hekate and her origins, dives deep into the mythology, while humanizing the goddess of witchcraft. Nikita Gill does a wonderful job of building empathy for Hekate. The supporting characters may be more well known -Hades, Zeus, Hermes- but this book makes Hekate powerful in her own right. The sections follow her development from child of Titans to awkward, dangerous girlhood, to full fledged god hood.

This is a must read for all fans of mythology retelling and a powerful tale for women everywhere.

I love Nikita Gill 's poetry and have been a huge fan of hers for years. Her newest, Hekate, doesn't dissappiont. I loved everything about this!

I ADORED this book. I loved Circe and really anything with retelling of Greek Mythology and this did not disappoint. And was very historically accurate

Was interesting to see a deeper portrayal of Styx and The Ferryman (Charon), Thanatos, Hermes with personalities even if the authors creation. Especially the kindness they held as well as Hades’

The more books I’ve read about the Olympians the more I’ve become aware of their cruel nature not kind gods to be revered but ones who were sometimes very unkind to gods and people alike. This book also reminded me of that. How fear even in Gods can lead one to do horrible things. Her writing was poetic and descriptions beautiful

I think the idea of Hekate’s pain and wanting to find her purpose was very relatable. That she had nothing to lose by going through hardship because she was already going through it as it was. The book says that she was one of the only gods or goddesses who was born without a predestined destiny, which I understand was a blessing and a curse. We go through stages of her life as well, and I think the sections summarize her development perfectly - “Child of War” - “A Dangerous Girlhood” - “Woman of Power”

The plot was engaging and I loved the real accurate references to mythology, Hekate’s journey kept my attention and I finished the book in one sitting it was interesting to learn more about the Underworld with its references to souls and punishment through her explorations. She visited places like the river Styx, Fields of Asphodel , the Lethe, Tartarus, Elysian Fields

I think some people may not like this about the book but I felt it kept me engaged and I had a better idea of where she was and who she was with. The book is formatted (at least the ARC is) not in long chapters but paragraphs with a title over each either a place or person or something relevant to the next paragraph. I personally enjoyed this but some people may not

“It seemed an impossible path. But every light I have ever seen has been on the other side of darkness”

“I was starting to feel if my entire existence was a threat. Perhaps this was what womanhood was. The dangerous knowledge of who you are and what you could do with that power is pushed”

I do not know where to begin with this review. Imagine everything you could possibly want in a story--hope, witt, depth, love, and self-reflection. This novel explored those themes in such a profound way that leaves you utterly speechless by the end of the story. The characters are so unique and mystical, yet carry certain traits that resonate with you as an individual. Never have I stepped away from a book and been left feeling reflective of the world around me for days. It's very hard to praise this book without delving into spoilers, but just know that you will not regret picking up this book. Even if you don't like fantasy, there is so much more in this novel for you to love. The story and writing style are beautiful, poetic, and will continue holding onto your heart past the very end.

With Hekate, Nikita Gill delivers a blazing reclamation of one of Greek mythology’s most enigmatic figures—and I devoured every word. This isn’t just a retelling; it’s a resurrection. Gill breathes life into the shadowy, oft-overlooked Titaness, tracing her journey from abandoned daughter of war to fledgling survivor of Olympus’s wrath, to a divine force of her own making. It’s a coming-of-age myth steeped in fire, grief, and feminine rage, wrapped in Gill’s signature poetic prose that reads like an incantation.

What makes this so special is how intimate it feels. The underworld is rendered not as a place of horror, but of refuge, of unexpected family, of forging oneself in the absence of everything once known. The cameos from chthonic gods are richly imagined, and the themes of displacement, trauma, and chosen identity make Hekate’s rise feel not just epic—but deeply personal. If this is the start of a trilogy, I’m already impatient for the rest. Gill doesn’t just retell mythology—she reclaims it, reshapes it, and makes it thunderously her own.

I've always been fascinated by Greek mythology and love a good retelling. What especially drew me to this take was that it focused on a goddess whose story is not as well known and has not been told many times over: Hekate. I was not familiar with any of Nikita Gill's other works, and I did not realize that this would be told in verse. I was a little skeptical going in on how that would affect the narrative. However, once I began reading, I realized it was a perfect fit, much in the tradition of epic poems about tragic Greek heroes like the Odysseus. Hekate is a mysterious goddess, and this was a refreshing exploration of her story that was also interwoven with other, and perhaps more well-known, myths. As it appears this might be the first of a series, I would definitely be interested in more tales of Greek goddesses by Gill.

I'm a lover of retelling of Greek myths and folklore so I was super excited to read Hekate and it didn't let me down.

I was surprised at first to see that the book is written (mostly) in verse but I honestly really loved that aspect. I feel like the writing style of the book perfectly matched the tone of the story being told. I haven't read any of Nikita Gill's other works before, but after reading Hekate I would absolutely read more of her poetry. The ethereal nature of it makes the atmosphere of the book more mystical and mysterious.

Hekate herself was a great character and her story felt heartbreaking and triumphant at the same time. A true coming to age story, seeing Hekate lose her mother at the hands of the vengeful gods and learning how to become a goddess in the Underworld was so fun to read and had me hooked the entire time. There were incredible themes of found family and authenticity.

I loved that the story stayed true to so many Greek myths and included so many recognizable events from the perspective of Hekate. The plot did feel a bit rushed towards the end and I felt as though more could have been added, but overall this was an amazing read. I'd absolutely recommend this book to anyone who has an interest in Greek mythology retellings!

I've never read too much about Hecate, nor have I ever read any of Nikita Gill's works, so I figure why not knock out two birds with one stone? And I'm glad I did. This book was beautifully written and I loved that she did it in verse. I also loved how it wove together many Greek legends, from the titanomachy all the way to the Trojan war. My only complaint is I feel the end section of the novel was rushed. But it was still a wonderful novel that I will definitely be recommending.

Thank you Nikita Gill, Little Brown Books, and NetGalley for the ARC!