Not at all what I expected but this debut had me gripped until the very end. I liked that the author took a figure from legend and breathed new life into her incredible story. Yes its an interpretation that borrows from other aspects of Grecian history and obviously it's a completely fictional piece surrounding a woman of myth. Ignore all that however and settle in to read a story of courage, adversity and family because family like love can be what you make it.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

I requested this because it's based on Greek mythology and that cover is amazing! Beyond that, I didn't know much more about it. It was a little slow for me, the beginning was confusing and I wanted more backstory to understand the main characters. But once I realized this was a ff romance, I had to see where the story went. The premise was great - strong female characters, Greek mythology, lgbtq romance, unfortunately for me, the story line had plot holes and the ending felt too rushed.

A stunning and atmospheric take on Greek myth. This is heavy with connection, intimacy, and devotion - to one's family, one's self, and each other.

So, I really liked this book. A lot. Not only is the cover gorgeous, but the characters were engaging and did not fall flat like a lot of them lately. Although it could touch upon some world building as well as minor plot holes, otherwise, a good read.

One of the most amazing debut novels this year !!

Expected publication to be in November 2018, Elizabeth Tammi writes this amazing debut novel with a mythological retelling of Atalanta. I'm not gonna blurb about the story this time because it's pretty long.

To be honest, I have a feeling this book is going to have many mixed reviews but personally, I love it! I love how the characters were developed throughout the story, where I could explore their past and fears. I absolutely enjoyed the relationships that developed which made me very attached to them.

The story is a very emotional one. I mostly felt sad with what the characters were going through. Their fears were always evident and I was anxious of how the story would end (though it did not end badly. psst.. both main characters survived).

I would recommend this book to not only Greek Mythology lovers but also Fantasy lovers for it doesn't really matter if you have any knowledge in Greek Mythology, you'll still enjoy it. Moreover, this book reminded me of how I felt about Sky in the Deep which I really loved too.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from North Star Edition through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Ugh, I had high hopes for this one, but I didn't end up liking this one. Too bad, still I can see others enjoying it.

This book was SO GOOD! I loved so many things about it. The plot was very intriguing, the pace had a very pleasant flow, and the characters were a very good mix of personalities. I loved the use of mythology; and despite the story being quite a well-known one amongst those who enjoy them and/or learned about them, I really like how the author used what she knew and made the world her own. I myself didn't know too much about Atalanta and her story, but after reading this book, I want to know so much more! 

The characters and gods were very well-rounded. The gods Artemis and Apollo were fearful, cruel and ruthless; even most of the mortals were also physically and mentally strong, especially Atalanta and Kahina. Both were put through hell and were trained to fight to survive, and they've been using their skills to help build a better future for themselves. They are both not to be messed with, and I loved that about them. The fact that I never really knew who I could trust or where my allegiance should be also kept me turning the pages. The girls were always in the face of danger, and I loved the way they worked together to save themselves and each other. The build-up of their relationship felt very natural and I was so happy when the girls finally kissed! This made the book so much better for me. 

The fact that their relationship didn't take too much attention away from the plot was great; however, I feel that the book needed a few more chapters to build on the action of the last part of the book. Despite this, the book is great and I would highly suggest it to anyone who likes mythology, action, and LGBTQ+ romance! 

My rating: 4/5 STARS!

Thanks to the publisher for offering me this copy!
A mythology f/f retelling that I really liked, it was slow at first and it literary took me so long to get into the action and become invested in the story. But when it happened, I started appreciating the story because it was amazing. The premise was very original – Atalanta, the only well known female greek hero, and her famous races being retold with Kahina, a huntress of Artemis being thrown in. They had a hate-to-love relationship that I wish I got to see more of. It was probably the slowest slow-burn romance I’ve ever read and I don’t know, I wanted more. BUT I still really liked it as a whole.

This book was an easy and fast read. I loved everything about it.

The mythologie is amazingly researched and not for a moment do you loose the storyline. I absolutely would recommend this book to young adult readers, but also to people who like there fantasy and bot mixed with mythology.

Huntresses of Artemis must follow two rules: obey her and never fall in love. Kahina, a huntress of Artemis, killed one of Artemis’ boars and breaks her first rule, all to save the legendary Atalanta. In order to regain Artemis’ favour, Kahina must complete a quest. Kahina ends up in Arkadia to complete this task and finds out that the King’s daughter is no other than Atalanta. The two bond and form an unlikely friendship. Her connection to Atlanta deepens and Kahina is in danger of breaking Artemis’ second rule – don’t fall in love.

Outrun the Wind was a pleasant read with a lovely f/f romance which is loosely based off of Greek mythology and is a retelling of Atalanta – a character in Greek mythology. It featured Greek deities such as Apollo and Artemis. I would have preferred more Greek mythology and I would have loved to have seen the true extent of Artemis’ power. She’s a Greek God for goodness sake, and YET you wouldn’t ever think it. Don’t just tell us – show us! I would have just loved some more world building. So, yeah, that was kind of a let down.

The romance between Kahina and Atalanta was actually a very minimal part of the book which was surprising as I was expecting much more of a romance but it was pleasant nevertheless BUT it could have been developed further, especially when you consider the whole ‘forbidden romance’ aspect. The characters themselves were also great. I loved both Atalanta and Kahina. Atalanta was brash and brutal and Kahina was smart and fierce. I felt like the secondary characters and their interactions with our main characters could have been developed more, they did fall a little flat at times.

The reason that Outrun the Wind is getting three stars is mainly due to the plot, it needed work. It had some compelling and fast paced aspects, but overall the plot stagnated and the pacing lagged.

Overall, Outrun the Wind is a a good book, with a lovely romance that I would recommend for people looking for a f/f romance based on Greek mythology.

The concept of this title intrigued me, and I am a sucker for a pretty cover. I appreciated getting the chance to read an ARC for an honest review through Netgalley.

I loved the beginning boar hunt and started getting into the action, Atalanta seems super bada** and the sudden mystery of the golden knife sparked my curiosity. After that, things slowly get more and more confusing. I think the author assumes her reader has a strong grip on greek mythology and I had difficulty tracking with the geography and god rivalries.

The first person narrative of both main characters was also challenging to navigate through and I was having difficulty following the story and kept getting Atalanta and Kahana mixed up as both have similar voices.

For me, connecting with at least one MC is important, more than plot or anything else and that connection wasn’t there.

Unfortunately, I don't think this is for me and I DNF due to other time constraints.

I really loved this book, it was a fast-paced plot with an interesting character. In the start, it was a bit hard to get into but once you get over that hurdle it is so good!

I was so excited to get an advanced readers copy of Outrun the Wind. I absolutely adore Greek Mythology and am always curious to see how the author finds new ways to interpreter an old story.

The myth of Atalanta is not well know and that was one of the reasons why I was intrigued by this story. I wanted to know more about this mysteries girl that is often mention in myths, but never really plays a big part. I personally really liked what Elizabeth Tammi did with the story.  She really played with well known names from the original myth but twisted the players around a bit and filled in the blanks for herself. It made Outrun the Wind an original story and not just another retelling of a Greek Myth.

And saying the words Greek Myth leads me to my main concern with this book. It didn't feel very Greek to me. Here we have a book set in Ancient Greece filled with characters that play parts in a lot of old myths, but it just didn't feel like it was a retelling of a Greek story. The story read as a generic fantasy and could have taken place anywhere in the world of even a fantasy world. The story of Atalanta is set in the first period of Greek hero's, set even before the Trojan War. So there isn't a lot of historical information to go by. I understand that, but if you are retelling Greek Myths, I as a reader want the story to transport me there. If you can't make that happen, write a normal fantasy novel.

The story is told from a dual perspective and all though both the female characters had a lot in common, it was still easy to hear their own voice in the chapters.  Being inside their heads really added to the story and I loved spending time with both ladies.  But and I need to mention this because it is an important part of the character development.... The book itself reads very slow and drags in some place. Mainly because the characters and their thoughts are written into detail. To much detail for me at times.

My absolute favorite part of the story was the underplayed romance. It is not a very huge part of the story. But it is wonderful to see the romance between the two main characters unfold and blossom. It is without doubt a slow burn, but one that will melt your heart.

Overall without a doubt a very decent debut book. I am excited to see what else Elizabeth Tammi will cook up in the future. 

Review will be posted closer to release date on www.boekinwonderland.be

Historical/mythological (I think that's a word?) fiction is something I usually have a hard time getting into because I spend far too much time critiquing the believability or accurateness of the events, but this one seemed very well researched. But I'll give any lesbian fiction a go, and this one delivered! The characters, plot, and setting were all very enjoyable and easy to get excited about.

Honestly, the worst thing about it is that it ended!

The beautiful cover drew me in. The synopsis included phrases about oracles, angry gods, legendary huntresses, a “dangerous game to avoid marriage,” forbidden love, and dark pasts. It’s too bad the execution was a bit amateur. None of those things were fleshed out and given life. Details weren’t there. The world was cardboard. The tension felt forced. It wasn’t enough. At first, I thought, maybe she didn’t have enough pages to devote to give everything its proper detail. But there are so many books out there, shorter than 360 pages, that give so much more. Hell, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is around 320. I hate to really crap on this book because it has some cute moments.

Kahina “accidentally” kills the beast and saves Atalanta, despite knowing it will enrage her mistress. Yet, Kahina still becomes enraged at the fact that Atalanta takes credit for the kill by telling the Prince and the rest of the hunt that it was her knife. This is the sole reason given for the conflict between the two women. When they meet again in Arkadia, Atalanta doesn’t recognize Kahina, so she feels no animosity, but Kahina rages inside and belittles Atalanta at every turn. It’s a false conflict, and it felt inauthentic.

There was a lack of authenticity throughout the plot. Things felt underdeveloped and rushed. There is a lack of detail for a fully immersive story. Why did Artemis send Kahina on this pointless quest? Why is Arkadia struggling? How did a new arrival get assigned to be the handmaiden to the princess and train her on everything regarding royalty? Why would the king or suitors go along with a race for her hand in marriage, forfeiting their fortunes in doing so? Why was being an Oracle of Apollo so bad? There are a lot more questions I have regarding the ending, but I won’t divulge all that here. Suffice to say, the story was lacking.

In order for a love story to succeed, you have to buy into these two characters and their chemistry. Despite the fake tension brought about by the hunt, there isn’t much keeping Atalanta and Kahina apart. And sure, they spend some time together, but I couldn’t feel or see what drew them to one another. I didn’t feel any sexual tension. There were a couple times that one of them would mention a strange feeling. For instance, Kahina would question why she responded a certain way, like she wasn’t understanding what it was. I can kind of get that, particularly if female/female relationships weren’t a thing in this world. But, it didn’t work. I will give props to showing a lesbian relationship in a story because that is wonderful inclusion and diversity. The problem is that, for me, it was not a believable or organic relationship.

The other problem with Atalanta and Kahina is that there is nothing particularly distinguishing about their personalities. They seem more described by their interests rather than what it is that makes them tick. Atalanta is a super fast runner. Kahina is an exiled huntress and previous oracle. But what is it that makes them different? There were times when both of them were angry and defiant, loud and brash. At other times they were shy and nervous, maybe even a little scared. But both felt like the same character.

The secondary characters lacked any real depth as well. We are given some backstory for them, and that is kind of what we are supposed to go on for who they are as a person. It just doesn’t work for me. There are also questionable choices or lines given to characters that either don’t fit the mythology or the context. Oh, and this king is almost a laughably bad character.

I will start with some positives, as I feel I have been rather negative so far. Tammi did her research in regards to the myth of Atalanta, and she even has an interesting section at the end of the book detailing some of this information. I am not sure if it was written by her, but it is a nice addition. This is also her debut novel which she is getting published while still in college. That’s an amazing feat, and there are some glimpses of great writing. It is definitely an easy read.

However, this story is supposed to be set in Ancient Greece, but I don’t get that. I have talked before about my interest and love of mythology, and it is one of the reasons I picked up this book. I was excited about huntresses and gods. But there isn’t much of that. And what we do get is almost glossed over. You could literally set this story in any world and it wouldn’t change a thing. It’s really poor worldbuilding.

The choice to go with multiple points of view might not have been a good one. Sure, typical romance stories are told with alternating perspectives of both sides of the relationship, but this is also YA fantasy. These two women are in the same place, at the same time, together, nearly all the time. They don’t offer much of a different perspective on what is happening within our story, nor do they have very different narrative voices. It can be hard to tell them apart while reading. The story also might have benefited from a little mystery by not having Atalanta as a POV character.

[Review scheduled for October 31st]
Elizabeth Tammi’s debut novel takes place in the world of Greek mythology. Two heroines are placed between the god siblings Artemis and Apollo, destiny and love.

In Outrun The Wind, the novel explores how a woman can choose her own path even in a time where it wasn’t common, and only causing one to only fight harder.

The Huntresses of Artemis have to follow two rules: never disobey the goddess and never fall in love. This should be quite easy for Kahina who was kidnapped by her cousin Hippomenes out of jealousy because she would inherit her father’s fleet one day, so he brought her to Apollo who turned her into one of the Oracles of Delphi.

Artemis hears about this and comes to Kahina’s rescue. Still feeling the Oracles powers deep in her, she feels at home with the Huntresses. That is, until one day, she saves the legendary huntress Atalanta and broke rule number one.

Kahina is then sent to the Arkadia by Artemis where she is asked to complete a task. That would have been no problem if Atalanta didn’t turn out to be the long-lost daughter of the king, and now he’s only interested in marrying her off. Atalanta will no longer be a legendary huntress if she bends to her father’s words. She will marry, but only if her husband-to-be will race her for her hand in marriage.

Both warriors find themselves in new places in which all their knowledge from a life in the woods cannot help them at all. The question is, can they Outrun the Wind?

It was enjoyable reading about women in a leading role who does not need another person to make a story of their own and be in balance with themselves. To read about such women within a time that does not allow that at all is fascinating to me because they need more energy to keep fighting. Of course, this fight is mixed with Greek mythology, and this makes everything interesting since some gods like to play with your life as you are merely one pawn on their chessboard.

Artemis and Apollo, for me, are one of the most interesting gods. The constant love and hate between them along with their competitiveness makes a great basis for a story.

As the book title states, it is more about the Hunt than about the Oracle. Personally, I would have like to read more about Delphi and how the life there is. The story does not take place in the Hunt either, but you get quite a picture how it is.

Atalanta is a modern woman in a time where you should be married at the age of 14 and if you are 17 and are not, you a disappointment and bring shame upon your family. Kahina and Atalanta have not had it easy in their lives and still see some silver lining in front of them and that keeps them going. As the two get to know each other better, they see that they are connected more as they knew. In the end, this makes Kahina break the second rule of Artemis: she falls in love.

There are some scenes where I would have liked to see explained in further detail as well as to see more about the other characters around them, which seemed to be quite important to the story.

This book can easily be recommended to everyone who likes mythology, along with romance mixed together. Plus, if you like to see not one, but two, strong female characters in the center of a story then how could you pass this one up!

I really really enjoyed reading this story. It was a fun and enjoyable read that I would recommend to anyone interested in Greek mythology and retellings.

OUTRUN THE WIND is such a wonderful addition to the pantheon of Greek mythology novels. This one is a retelling of Atalanta's story, and it is everything I hoped for and more.

The first chapter opened with a main character who seemed—at first—like a rather typical YA heroine. But by the end of the chapter, I was thinking, "Ooooh I haven't seen this before." Even though I have read countless fiction and nonfiction books on Greek mythology, this story felt fresh.

I loved the slow-burn romance, which progressed at a nice pace. Most of all, I loved that it was f/f! Let me make that clear: THIS BOOK HAS F/F HUNTRESSES! :D I enjoyed each of their characters. The girls have a lot in common, which helps to solidify their bond, but they also stand out as individuals. (Well, their personalities stand out. Their POV voices, however, sound identical. I often got confused as to whose POV chapter I was reading.)

My other small pieces of criticism:
- After the fast, exciting pace of the first few chapters, the middle slowed considerably and lost some tension. I remained interested in the growing f/f relationship, though, and the pace absolutely picked up toward the climax.
- The writing was pretty much perfect on a technical level, which was great. But for me, it read a little dry, without quite the level of emotional punch that it could've had. It wasn't a huge issue, though.

I really appreciated the feminism imbued throughout the book. Yes, ancient Greece was patriarchal, but these girls and women are strong, complex characters who fight back against the status quo. The two main female characters struggle with trauma at the hands of men, which I'm usually wary of reading, but I thought it was written respectfully in this case.

Also: I adore seeing gods on the page. Artemis and Apollo were magnificent in their godly splendor.

I LOVED this book and cannot recommend it enough.

ARC provided from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, Flux and North Star Editions!

We are huge fans of modern fairytales but this one takes that t a,whole new level and adds more drama and twists that take the story in a completely different direction. Every page was a surprise and just when you think you understand the plot, the book takes a new direction. Everyone in their own way will relate to Kahina and Atalanta and the struggles they faced throughout the story.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. This title will definitely be considered for our YFantasy collection. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

When I saw this beautiful cover, I knew I had to read it. And when I learned it was a fantasy book with a FF relationship, then I was even more excited.

Outrun the Wind follows two girls: Atalanta and Kahina. Atalanta is a talented young woman who's been raised by hunters. She doesn't know who her parents are, so it comes to her as a surprise when she learns that she's the long-lost princess of Arkandia (if I'm spelling it wrong, please excuse me). Kahina on the other hand, is one of Artemis' huntresses who escaped Apollo (Artemis' brother).

I will admit that I feel that this book lacked world-building and explanations. There are some things that confused me but eventually, I was hooked by the story and its characters. I really wanted the girls to be together and kiss and make-out so it was cute to see how their relationship developed. Kahina wasn't Atalanta's biggest fan at first, even though(view spoiler).

This book has a lot of potential and even though it isn't perfect and I had some minor problems with it, I still ended up enjoying it!

Thank you to Netgalley, the author & publisher for letting me read and review this book.