I was really impressed by this book, it followed a somewhat predictable story line but the characters and their interactions and activities along the way were great and I had a really hard time putting this book down.

I highly recommend this book for fans of YA fantasy and retellings of Greek myths. The author's writing style is great and the heroines are fun characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Flux Books for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

Game of Strength and Storm tells the story of Gen and Castor, two girls competing to complete perilous tasks for the chance to make their wish come true. For Gen, this means clearing her father’s name; for Castor, it means ending a centuries-old edict banning women from ruling her island.

The author plays fast and loose with greek mythology in a way I absolutely loved. Some aspects are accurate down to the tiniest, minute, obscure detail, while other aspects are fun and creative plays on mythology. Figures from Percy’s labors play roles in the story, but with a spin on them that makes this story Gen and Castor’s own, instead of a simple retelling. Both the world building overall and this aspect in particular were big wins to me.

And the characters were okay. All of them felt individual and unique, perhaps a bit surface level but their motivations were nevertheless simple to understand. The romance felt weak and a bit forced, which was a let down for me because Pollux’s crush in his POVs felt the opposite—his idolized crush turning into genuine feelings was endearing, but the chemistry between the two and Gen’s own feelings didn’t come across as successfully for me.

Plot wise, this was easy to follow and predictable, which is neither good nor bad. Every task is completed quickly and with little real struggle; even those that cause injury to one of the main characters seemed very easy, and they’re healed a few pages later. There weren’t any stakes—you can tell pretty early on how the story is going to go, and the ending isn’t quite the surprise twist it was intended to be. But again, predictable doesn’t mean bad; the reading gets considerably lighter when you know exactly what’s going to happen.

Really, this book was fine. But it was JUST fine—nothing stood out, nothing drew me in, and nothing in particular bothered me. I don’t know that I’d go out of my way to recommend this book, but I definitely wouldn’t tell anyone to stay away from it.

Okay I think this is a whole case of “it’s not the book, it’s me.”

Gen, a MindWorker, wants to free her dad, who got wrongfully convicted of murder. Castor, a StormMaker, wants to rule her island, stuck in a patriarchal system she despises. To win the Empresses’ favor and see their wish become true, one of them has to accomplish at least 6 out of 10 assigned tasks. Wits, strength, willpower and speed will be required for one of the girls to succeed and obtain what she wants— because only one of them can be the winner.

First, plotwise. The story was objectively good, with a nice worldbuilding, simultaneously inspired from mythology and ideas proper to the author. The fauna, the flora, the concepts of MindWorkers and StormMakers…
The whole thing had a very interesting premise, the main characters and their backstories were intriguing and yet.
YET.

I couldn’t get into it. It took me two whole weeks to read the book. I never really felt invested, or eager to know what would happen next. The time management also felt off, with both Gen and Castor seeming to execute some tasks in the span of 5 minutes, going from one place to the next within 2 pages, and all that with more or less… nothing happening inbetween.
Similarly, some tasks were brushed off very quickly, as if of minor importance, when they were supposed to be huge challenges. I never really felt the tension of the fights; or the stakes and difficulties to overcome…
I have this strong impression of a great potential that just falls a bit flat.

The writing style was overall nice, the flow of events okay, but something was missing— most probably related to that same feeling of a lack of tension as the events occured.

I also had a hard time connecting with Castor, probably because her POV didn’t occur as often as Gen’s (at least it felt this way to me) and ended up being half replaced with a love interest’s POV. She also appeared to be super volatile, which led to her character seeming more inconsistent than interesting.

Also, I thought this book was advertised as sapphic for some reason? I might be mistaken. In any case, Castor mentioned once she wouldn’t mind marrying either a man or a woman, and she kissed a thief once (something that really happened out of nowhere). Quite literally ends there. Five lines, more or less.

Unfortunately, Gen and Castor, despite being basically two badass girls, remained quite superficial and both the characters and relationships development could use some more depths.

I thought this was a standalone as well but considering the ending, I guess a sequel is to be expected! I might pick it up when the time comes, we’ll see.

To sum this review up in a few words: Game of Strength and Storm is an enjoyable book that a lot of people will definitely like, that’s for sure. Unfortunately, it didn’t really work for me and didn’t live up to its potential.

3 stars.

personal milestone here: my first ever Advanced Reader Copy book and wow did Game of Strength and Storm really took me by surprise! A female-led Hercules labors retelling, this is a truly magical, mythological and suspenseful adventure with a delightful slow-burn romance. All three main characters were great in their own ways and I can’t wait to see them further developed. The only reason I’m not rating this book higher is because it was a bit of a slow start and it is clearly written to be a series which is great however because of that it doesn’t stand alone perfectly but I’m already waiting for the sequel and its still def worth the read by itself! That said I really enjoyed this book and definitely recommend giving it a read once it comes out next month! For fans of Percy Jackson, Harry Potter, and the animated show She-Ra, this book is for you! Thank you NetGalley and Flux Books for the copy!

I struggle with rating/reviewing this book. On one hand, it was an incredible fantasy packed with action, quests, "enemies" to lovers, morally grey characters, animal sidekicks, and so much more. On the other hand, everything about it was just...fine. Nothing blew me away about this book. The characters were fine, the setting was fine, the plot and writing were both fine...are we sensing a pattern? I will say that this does have mounds of potential and I can see this book going really far. It just wasn't for me. My main turn off was the fact that there is A LOT of animal death/animal cruelty. I have such an incredible soft spot for animals and the amount of pain that the animals in this book went through was too much for me. I also didn't fully get it at first. The magic system, the fantastical elements, they just didn't make sense until about 1/3 of the way through.

Overall, I definitely think this book will hit for a lot of people! I expect this to get some massive hype, for good reason! It just unfortunately wasn't for me.

Thank you, Flux, for allowing me to read Game of Strength and Storm early!

Rachel Menard crafted a compelling reimagining of Hercules' tale, offering the reader original twists to the well-known story. Definitely a book worth reading.

I received an arc of this book from Netgalley and the publisher for an honest review.

I started off really liking this book. And honestly I still like it. But I ended up DNFing this book.

The concept is so clever and imaginative and I really like it. But the actual plot ended up being rather predictable and it just hasn’t hooked me. I got 37% of the way through this book before I put it down officially but I have been trying to read this book for a few weeks now and just have no urge to pick it back up ever.

Normally I rate a book I DNF 1 star but I’m giving this book 2 stars because it is something I think lots of people will enjoy and could get really hooked on. But I believe the target audience may be slightly younger than me (I’m 23) despite it advertised as general YA. I feel like if I read this as a young teen I would have adored it. Right now I can say I only like it but not enough to pick it back up and finish.

Gen and his father are MindWorkers, they can control animals with a little bit of saliva, hair or blood. When Gen was 13, her father was arrested for murders she knows he did not commit. She's been an outcast and an orphan for the past 4 years, feared because of her MindWorker abilities, and shunned for being the daughter of a murderer.

I like the concept of the lottery: the Empresses choose 10 winners every year, and each of them can ask one favor, but the Empresses decide the price to pay for those favors, and it is always a hefty price. After being chosen for the annual lottery, Gen finally has a chance ask for her father's freedom, but the Empresses will release him only if Gen completes a series of deadly tasks, and only if she accomplishes more tasks than her rival Castor.

The first few chapters were a little slow, but then the pace picks up as the tasks start and there is action and magic everywhere. Each task brings us to a new island, with a new setting and new magical creatures, and it created a good pace and a plot that was interesting without being repetitive.

The world-building is basic, but well done. It is inspired by Greek mythology, and I liked how each island had their different political system. Some islands are controled by Dukes, while smaller ones are controlled by governors. Some government have elected representatives chosen through tournaments of skills and wits, but other are patriarcal and have inherited positions.

The most interesting part of the world-building for me is the magic abilities certain people have. The four Oracles gave different abilities to the people: the MindWorkers can control animals (and potentially humans too), the StromMakers control the weather, the SpiritWatchers can control and bind spirits, and the MetalBinders can work metaal with their bare hands and infuse their creations with purpose or emotion. The magic is interesting, yet simple and easy to understand without lengthy explanations. On a side note, I absolutely ADORE how Gen can travel inside her whale's mouth (I've always been a fan of whales).

Gen is very lonely, and her only friends for the past 4 years have been her animals. She is an interesting character, and I definitely want to know more about her backstory and her mother's. Gen is a strong warrior, determined to do everything in her power to rescue her father and finally be able to get back the life they had before. She is empathetic and sensible, and tries to find the balance between using the creatures she needs, and respecting them and making sure they still have their free will. She wants them to stay with her because they decide to, not because she forces them to, and she makes sure to send them back to their natural habitat once she is done with them.

Castor wants to control her family’s island, but control will be inherited by her brother who’s inept to rule, according to her. She asks the Empresses for the control over Arcadia, even though she is a woman. Castor is very driven and competitive, and would rather die than loose. She is ruthless, and very dangerous, because she will not hesitate to destroy anyone who stands in her way. I appreciate the colder and darker aspect she brings to the story, and I like parts of her character, but at the same time I wanted to bitch-slap her so many times for the selfish and cruel things she's done. My vengeful side really hopes that she will get what she deserves for her selfishness and horribleness in the next book.

Pollux is Castor's brother. He is the softer sibling, the one who prefers art and music to power and money. He is often overlooked, and considered weaker than his sister, but once we get to know him we realize that he can be very driven too, even though he is quieter and more discreet. He wants what's best for his island, but also for the other islands, and he knows that having his father or sister in charge of Arcadia and the StormMakers will only bring more death and anger around them.

We get to see a little bit of the politics and rivalry between the different islands, and I hope to have more information about the politic aspect in the next book. We know that Arcadia (Castor's island) is driven by power and money, and they've made a few enemies because of that. We also know that an entire race has been killed a few years back, and it also created tensions, but I would like to know more about the Empresses mysterious plans, and what exactly their objective is.

Gen starts this adventure with the sole purpose of freeing her father, and she is willing to do ANYTHING it takes to free him. She soon realizes though that doing anything can also mean heartache and tough choices that can haunt you. She is still very determined to finish her tasks, but we can see that she realizes that maybe there will be a limit someday to what she is willing to do to save Alcmen.

The romance that blooms in this book was not not best. It is slow and cute, but it also seems a little forced... I hope this relationship will have more depth in the next book, because while I felt a bond forming between the two characters, the romantic feelings did seem to come out of nowhere for one of the two characters.

Overall, this is a very good fantasy debut that I recommend to any fan of Greek mythology looking for an adventure full of action and driven characters.

Round up to 4.5 stars⭐️

Thrilling, adventurous and fully loaded with a fresh and unique magic system that will have you hooked from page one. As a reader I absolutely love retellings, so when I saw this was a gender-bent Hercules Greek mythology retelling I couldn’t get started fast enough.

The plot revolves around an Olympian empresses annual lottery that usually grants 10 people their wishes. This year around the game was changed where the rules now place two girls head-to-head in order for only one to make their wish and have it granted. In the left corner, we have an orphan named Gen, last of the Mazon tribe,coming in with the magical ability to speak to animals and her wish for her father to be set free from prison and their names cleared. Rumbling in the right corner is Castor, royalty, full-time stormmaker with the wish that her islands archaic laws be demolished so she can become rightful heir of Arcadia.

Both these two girls are cunning, smart and determined. With impossible tasks, set in a world that make it even harder, who will complete it all and have their wish granted?

This was an epic story full of twists, excitement and scenes that made me audibly gasp. I loved that there were multiple POV’s and I have to say Pollux has my heart, he is such a cinnamon roll.

Don’t miss out on this amazing retelling and crazy ride that is this book. I can’t wait to see what happens in book two. Fingers crossed for a team-up!🙌🏻

I really liked the concept of the story, the execution however, was lacking. The world it was placed in was only beiefly described. A map of the islands and a description of their citizens would have been helpful.
I enjoyed Gen's connection to the animals, especially the whale. The way she connects to animals is bizarre, though. "Now was not the time to go spitting on other people's animals"?!
The love interest seemed like an afterthought, frankly Pollux's point of view could have been scraped all together and maybe replaced with more character and world-building.

This was really good. Gen and Chomp was honestly my favorites. Castor was so and so, she was interesting but felt a little dry too.

A modern fantasy inspired by Greek and Roman myths, with magic, mischief and mayhem.

How do I even begin to describe how much I loved Game of Strength and Storm. The writing, the characters and the story are all so well written and I stayed up late to finish this.

A stunning debut from Rachel Menard offers so much more than the synopsis can handle. Every year, 10 citizens are chosen to appear before the Empresses and their wishes will be honored. However, there is always a catch. All Gen wants is her father back, and Castor wished to rule in place of her brother. But the Empresses chose to honor their wishes in a different way.

They must grant the other winners wishes, and whoever gets through the most will get their wish. Gen has her strength and magical abilities, but Castor has power and more importantly, money. It's a race against time, and only one can win.

I cannot wait until the rest of the world has the chance to pick this up, because I know that it will become a fast favourite. Thank you to NetGalley, Flux and the author for granting me an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I loved the opening chapter to this, the setting was vividly described and I loved the whale! I struggled to get into it after that, I didn't really connect with any of the characters. But the worldbuilding and descriptions were beautiful.

it took me a while to get into the story but it was SO worth it. i need more backstory on my sapphic girlboss castor, so when i say i want the sequel it means i NEED it now. at the start i honestly didn’t really care about pollux povs, but his character grew on me, in part cause i kinda relate to him 😭 i mean how could i not like him ?? he literally said ‘excuse me, i’m just going to go hang myself’ after a very awkward moment … he is me. i enjoyed gen’s povs but nothing compared to castor’s. yes, she may have made some questionable choices, but in this case i support women’s rights and wrongs.

*thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the earc in exchange of an honest review*

A YA gender-bent Hercules retelling?? Shut up. I received this ARC from Rachel Menard and Flux Books in exchange for an honest review, and I am SO GLAD I DID. The story-telling, the pacing, the characters, the world-building?? Just chef’s kiss 🤌🏼 I fell in love with Gen and Pollux, and even though I wanted to hate Castor I really couldn’t. I can’t wait to continue their story, and I would love to see them all team up in book 2!

I have mixed feelings about this one, though I did really enjoy it! I learned about it through a virtual Marissa Meyer event and when she mentioned it had Greek Myth elements I was super interested! The premise is fun, and though the execution fell short, overall it’s a pretty fun time.

I was thrilled when Pollux’s POV started to get thrown into the mix, because for a majority of this book, Gen and especially Castor are kinda insufferable. Gen’s vitriol towards Pollux seemed wholly undeserved and Castor was just awful throughout. Pollux is definitely my favorite and I really enjoyed him and Gen’s romance storyline.

The worldbuilding is fun on the surface but the mythological elements gets a bit muddled at times. I liked the animal companions a lot though! The writing is definitely nothing to fawn over, and the ending seemed wild and rushed purely to set up a sequel. Overall, the romance was definitely the highlight for me but I’m not too sure I’ll be rushing to pick up the sequel.

Game of Strength and Storm is a nonstop adventure from the very first chapter, all the way to the end. Menard’s creativity and storytelling truly shine through in this Greek mythology retelling with strong female protagonist – literally! But the protagonist doesn’t get all of the glory in this story. I can’t remember the last time I read a book where I found myself rooting so much for the villain.

If you’re looking for action, cute animal sidekicks, or a villain who you kinda want to be friends with then look no further.

On the surface, this book sounds really cool. A genderswapped Hercules retelling? Sign me up! However, the execution just fell short. The tasks are split between two main characters, except by the end, the POV of one of the main characters all but disappeared and was replaced by that of a love interest, which just felt quite messy. There was also underdeveloped worldbuilding - set in ancient Greece, this shouldn't need worldbuilding, but as it was an alternative kind of ancient Greece, with no mention of the Greek Gods whatsoever, and lots of changes to the mythology, there needed to be further explanation. Sadly, this book just didn't work for me.

What an amazing fantasy novel! It hits all current popular themes in pop culture right now: strong willed female main character, fantasy with ancient greek influence and a a competition game. I enjoyed reading this book and look forward to seeing more!