i really enjoyed reading this book, the characters were great and I really enjoyed that this was a bit of a retelling of Odysseus.

I love this series. One of my favourite greek myth re-tellings of all time. Up there with Circe by Madeline Miller and The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood.

Another fantastic novel in the most fabulous series.

If you're a fan of Greek Myths then this book and this series are must reads!

Sacred Bride by David Hair and Cath Mayo, the third installment in this series continues to pull you along and and leave you wanting more!

I received a digital advanced reader copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really didn’t love this as much as I did the first two but at the same time I did love it because it felt familiar. I think my problem is this book really read like two novellas rather than a novel of its own. The story seemed to be two different stories put together, one about Clytemnestra and one about Helen.

This book was also a bit more violent than the previous books, but it still kept with the same atmosphere. The characters were also very consistent. The plot was well crafted as always. I really love this authors writing style.

I do really hope we get at least one more book in this series. I feel we still have so much unresolved in this story. I really love the way this world was built up. It is just so intriguing. The modern touch to the classic style is now a new favorite of mine.

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for letting me review this title.

In Book 3 of the Olympus series, tension between Achaea (Greece) and Troy are mounting while Odysseus' love for the forbidden Kyshanda of Troy only seems to be mounting. When Odysseus witnesses a new prophecy, a chain of events involving sister princesses Clytemnestra and Helen is set off, ultimately forcing the gods to choose between Achaea and Troy. This third book takes another step towards war with Troy as Odysseus works to unite Achaea to stand strong against the Trojans, using the two princesses.

In a way, this third book didn't seem as breathtaking as the first two, but I loved it because it recounts the stories of two sisters I'm familiar with. Perhaps it isn't as breathtaking because I'm so familiar with Clytemnestra and Helen (of Troy), but I did enjoy getting a fleshed out story.

As with the other two books, I wasn't a fan of how modern Odysseus felt, but I think it's growing on me. I still don't like it, but at least it isn't jarring anymore. I was also puzzling about Odysseus, Kyshanda, and Penelope, but this one really pulled the three of them into their right places. I now look forward to how it will move forward, especially when it reaches the inevitable Trojan War.

There are some differing historical accounts surrounding Clytemnestra and Helen. Clearly, the authors had to choose which version of details to go with, though the results are the same. I really enjoy the paths they took as it made sense within the ongoing series, set up future events, and followed very well from what came before, especially since we had seen Helen before in the first book. I must say that my favorite part of Sacred Bride was Helen's characterization. In the stories, she's constantly referred to as the most beautiful and desirable woman in the world, so I kept picturing someone akin of a statue. The authors, though, turned her into a flesh and blood woman who was, of course, stunning beautiful, but definitely had more personality than marble.

As much as I enjoyed this book, though, the thing that bothered me was that it almost felt like it could just be split into two. Half of the book is about Clytemnestra and the other half about Helen. They're stitched together because they're sisters and the prophecy at the beginning of the book mentioned the two girls, but it also felt a little disjointed because they're two distinct stories. Still, this book felt a little lighthearted compared to the first two. Perhaps because the violence was contained to the first half? Or maybe it dealt less with death and fighting than marriage.

Overall, this was a bit of fresh air for the series. I loved that it was much less violent while still keeping the same atmosphere. The characters are all so amazingly consistent, and I find my curiosity about the daemon Bria growing with every book. Odysseus is also growing on me and he definitely feels like he's maturing into the man he will be during the Trojan War. If you enjoy Greek mythology, I definitely recommend this series. It's a little different, but really ties the stories together with a refreshing air.

Thank you to NetGalley and Canelo for a free e-copy. All opinions expressed are my own.
Link to post: https://thelilycafe.com/book-review-sacred-bride-by-david-hair-and-cath-mayo/

I liked the previous instalments in this series and I liked this one.
I found it engrossing, entertaining and well written.
The cast of characters is fleshed out and interesting, the world building amazing as usual, the plot well crafted.
I assume there will be a further instalment as the ending seemed a bit open and unresolved.
Recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

<b>STILL A GREAT SERIES, BUT IT IS BEGINNING TO FEEL A LITTLE STUCK 😅</b>

Like with the two previous books, I loved the intelligence and the innovation of this book. The new take on these classical legends is so much fun to read, because I know how it is going to end but the journey there is brand new! Still, when I was done with this book I felt a little empty because I didn't really feel like it progressed in any real way. It was more of the same, not much new.

<b>👍 THE THINGS I LIKED 👍</b>

<u>Universe</u>: I am still crazy about the intelligent way this world is built. The intrigue of the gods, the reworking of the legends. So amazing!

<u>Odysseus and Penelope</u>: I always have a problem with insta-love, which is why I just could not get behind the Odysseus/Kyshanda relationship. It just didn't work for me. With Odysseus and Penelope it is completely different. I love how they found each other even though they weren't looking.

<u>Helen's story</u>: The first book tells the story of Helen's abduction. The second book is about the siege on Thebes. I remember being frustrated during the 2nd book because the rest of Helen's story was missing. I finally got that in this book, with the choosing of Helen's husband.

<b>👎 THE THINGS I DISLIKED 👎</b>

<u>The end?</u>: Well, I was under the impression that this series was going to be a trilogy. But the ending felt unresolved so now I kind of hope there is another book coming.

<u>Stuck</u>: This book, sadly, did add a whole lot to the universe, the intrigue or the characters (except for Diomedes). It really felt like it was stuck and just offered more of the same things. I really wished something major would have happened that would have pushed the story or the character a totally different way.