"Why should we believe any story you tell when you don't care for truth at all?"

The Death and Life of Iphigenia follows Iphigenia long after her story usually ends: covered in blood on the banks of Aulis. Based on Euripides plays, Iphigenia at Aulis and Iphigenia among the Taurians, this story more than does my favorite playwrite (and Iphigenia herself) justice. 

I found myself incredibly attached to the characters, and I love how deeply flawed Iphigenia is portrayed as. Seeing her growth and how she continued to live long after her "death" was such a journey. I can't wait to read the short story Aerope next!

Thank you @jsusannewilson for allowing me to read this book early. I can't wait to see what else you write in the future! ✨

Thank you Netgalley and Solaris books for the opportunity to read and review this book before publication!

The Serpent Called Mercy follows Lythlet as she attempts to pay off her best friend's debt and escape the cycle of poverty. The world building in this book is thoughtful and intriguing- from the structure of society to the light sources, the author clearly put a ton of effort into creating it. 

I love the world this story takes place in as well as the basis in mythology and the social commentary it includes, but the story itself was a little off in some places. While the author does an excellent job of using dialogue to advance the plot in some places, conversations sometimes feel forced and fall victim to info dumping. Additionally, I feel like pacing was far better in the first 60% of the novel than towards the end. 

It seems like this book is more suited for YA audiences than the adult fantasy it is marketed as. I almost DNF'd it, but I am overall glad that I finished the story. It shows a lot of promise for future novels!

I was really excited to read this book- the eruption of Vesuvius and Pompeii have always interested me. The main characters, Felix, a thief with missing memories, and Loren, an outsider in his own city, have an interesting dynamic full of banter. I think their love story was adorable, but I also feel like opportunities to add more depth to their character were missed. I loved the first 75-80% of the book, but the pacing was somewhat off in the end. Overall, I think this was an enjoyable read, and I'd love to read more of Felix and Loren's adventures. 

Thank you Netgalley and Peachtree Teen for the opportunity to read this book early. 

This book does an excellent job portraying Cleopatra in her shrewd intelligence and ambition. I thoroughly enjoyed the first half of the novel that explored her childhood and early adolescence, but I found that this book fell into the trap of most Cleopatra retellings in the second half: focusing almost exclusively on her relationship with Julius Caesar. 

I think the book was well written and researched, and overall, I enjoyed it. Despite focusing heavily on Cleopatra's relationship with Caesar, the author does a good job of portraying it not as a romance but a political alliance. Although Cleopatra is portrayed as being fond of Caesar, it is clear that it is not a love story between them. For most of the book, I found myself feeling pity for Cleopatra: she is impressive, intelligent, and intimidating, but she is lonely and deprived of the simple luxuries of friendship and genuine love. Overall, I'd recommend this book to anyone with an interest in historical fiction. 

Thank you Netgalley and Bonnier Books UK for the chance to read an advanced copy of this book. 

This book is fairly accessible for readers coming into the topic with a limited knowledge of ancient India. The author does a great job of blending anecdotes with information, and I learned a lot about India's influence on the ancient (and even modern) world. Will definitely be reading more on this topic in the future!

The conclusion to this trilogy was nothing short of brilliant. I fell in love with the characters throughout the first two books, and I knew it was inevitable, but this book ripped my heart out and danced on it (but in a good way). 

The political intrigue, the morally grey characters with chances at redemption, and the detailed fight scenes-- I'm not sure what else I could want in a fantasy trilogy. I feel like this is a series I will revisit again in the future, I'm still so encompassed in this world!

Thank you Netgalley and HarperCollins for the chance to read this book in advanced!

Green Teeth follows Jenny Greenteeth, river creature from English lore and her unlikely friendship with a human witch and a goblin. The three set out on an adventure to save the witch's village from an ancient evil-- facing mystical obstacles along the way. I loved the humor in the storytelling, and I'm legitimately sad to part with these characters. O'Neill does an amazing job balancing light-hearted wit with real stakes and tension. This is a new favorite for me!

I loved Weyward, so I was super excited at the chance to read The Sirens. I absolutely devoured the book in less than 24 hours. Like in Weyward, the story jumps between the 1800s, following the story of two sisters on an Irish convict ship bound for Australia, and 1999/2019 following the stories of two Australian sisters-- Jess and Lucy-- who have a rare skin condition and have never really fully fit in. 

The story is full of mystery- both supernatural and surrounding the secrecy of Jess and Lucy's parents. The timelines blend together flawlessly, and I couldn't put the book down. I'd definitely recommend this book!

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Publishing Group for the ARC. 

This book was not what I was expecting, but I love the dark portrayal of the Greek pantheon. The book puts it's own spin on characters from mythology and although there were familiar faces, they were different from other Greek myth based books. The magic system is very intriguing, and I'd love to learn more about it in the next books. 

I think the main reason why I'm not giving this five stars is that the first 40-45% of the book was very good at foreshadowing and dropping bits of information that had me unable to put it down to figure out what happened next. I was invested in Danae's relationship with her sister and devastated at her need to flee her home. The more I read, the more I felt like Danae was just kind of there as stuff happened. I didn't feel as connected to her in the last half of the book, and it felt like events just continued to happen. 

That being said, I do love the premise of the book, and it shows a lot of potential for the series. I will definitely be reading the next books.

Thank you Netgalley and Harper Collins for the ARC!

I loved Epic of Helinthia, and Oracle of Helinthia is an amazing continuation of the story. This book explores the aftermath of the events in the first book and I loved watching the characters grow (or becoming worse in some cases). 

Oracle of Helinthia builds perfectly on the previous novel, exploring the themes of rebellion, honor, and how far people will go to protect what is important to them. I found something to like in (almost) all of the main characters. Gonivein's character resonated with me the most- she's come so far since the begining of Epic of Helinthia, and although she still has a lot of growing to do, I can't wait to see how she changes in the next books! Kelric, on the other hand, can kick rocks. 

MJ Pankey does an excellent job creating an immersive world that makes you feel as if you've stepped into a world where gods and goddesses interfere with the world of mortals for glory and entertainment. I can't wait to read the next book!

Thank you Netgalley and M.J. Pankey for the ARC!