“Gentlest of Wild Things” is a stunningly beautiful novel combining two different stories from Greek mythology: that of Eros and Psyche (one of my favorites) and that of Lamia (with which I’m less familiar). Eirene and her twin sister Phoebe toil ceaselessly to support themselves and their (useless) cousin Stavros, but Eirene increasingly takes on more burdens as Phoebe’s health declines. When Leandros, descendant of Aphrodite and wealthiest man in town, seeks Phoebe as his next wife (after the suspicious death of the previous one), Eirene takes her place. She is on a mission: to understand how Leandros crafts his Desires, magical substances that he sells to men that keep their wives “happy” and obedient. Eirene seeks to destroy the secret to Leandros’s success and free the women in town from the substances that keep them subservient. Leandros is obsessed with his legacy, and before he will accept Eirene in place of her sister, he requires her to repeat the four tasks Aphrodite ordered Psyche to complete in order to prove her love for Eros. These impossible tasks should be impossible for Eirene, but fortunately, she has help from Leandros’s reclusive daughter Lamia.
This book was so gorgeous and so compelling. Taking place on the isolated island of Zakynthos, there is little external worldbuilding, but we don’t really need it. The mythology of the Olympians is pervasive throughout, but every beat of the story is contained within a small village, and much of it just within Leandros’s house. I loved the blend of fantasy with elements of psychological thriller, and how the story explored abusive relationships and the sacrifices the characters made for their loved ones. Beautiful sibling relationships, sapphic romance, and female rage? Plus gorgeous writing and atmospheric suspense? Yes please!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and HarperCollins for sending me an ARC in exchange for review!
4 ⭐️s

The Gentlest of Wild Things is a Young Adult fantasy novel presented as a sapphic reimagining of the legend of Eros and Psyche. "On the island of Zakynthos, nothing is more powerful than Desire―love itself, bottled and sold to the highest bidder by Leandros, a power-hungry descendent of the god Eros." (From the book's blurb.) The novel follows Eirene, a young girl who strikes a bargain with Leandros to save her sister from becoming his wife: if Eirene can complete four impossible tasks, he will wed her instead. The story also follows Lamia, Leandros' abused and isolated daughter, whose magical tears are responsible for the creation of Desire. Entranced by Eirene, Lamia agrees to aid the girl in her tasks, even if it means lying to her father. But as the two grow closer, freedom begins to feel impossible, and it soon becomes clear that Leandros is not the worst danger lurking in the tower, hungry for blood.

This book was a great romp of a time! It has all the ingredients of the perfect romantasy: adventure, danger, and pining. The sapphic love story was so, so sweet, and I loved the way the two girls interacted and cared for one another. It is definitely a slow burn, which is a favourite of mine (but go in prepared). Underwood also plays with themes of feminine rage through the vehicle of female monstrousness, which will be an evergreen trope for me.

The main reason this was not five stars for me was that I struggled to connect with the two main characters in the first half. I loved them by the end, but it took a minute on that front for me.

Overall though, this book was a great time, and I would definitely recommend it! The Greek mythology was accessible even to those not familiar with it, and the plot was fast-paced and engaging. Add this to your TBR!

Once again another stellar book by Sarah Underwood. This book was so good! The romance was so sweet and I love the way that the author reimagined this classic Greek myth. It was so beautifully written and I was enthralled the entire time that I was reading! I will forever be a fan of Sarah Underwood's books.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!
This book was honestly so sweet & heart-warming - not only was the romance very touching, but also the love between the two sisters.
The pacing was good throughout - the format of the tasks kept things interesting, though I wish the solutions to them had been more about cleverness and creativity, rather than magic, because Eirene was such a determined and bright character. I appreciated the slow burn of the main relationship as it mirrored Lamia’s personal growth & discovery. Eirene & Lamia really were perfect for each other! Their love was very tender but they still had good chemistry and banter, with the perfect cozy happily ever after.

Sarah Underwood has a gift of writing deeply emotional books that are, somehow, also loads of fun. GENTLEST OF WILD THINGS is a beautifully feral tale that I can’t recommend enough!!

DNF @ 12%
I am not going to lie, I'm currently coming down from the high of a Percy Jackson/Riordanverse complete read through. I definitely expected more of the Percy Jackson vibes and while I don't actually think the book was bad, my expectation ruined my reading experience.
It didn't feel like a retelling, but more of a story simply set in Ancient Greece, using names and bits and pieces of the mythological universe to create its own story.
I think if I read this book at another time, I could and would enjoy the tale.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!
I continue to like this writers work, particularly creating stories inspired by myth without feeling too much like a structured retelling. The characters are interesting and this book in particular is inspired by a myth I don’t know well which made it more fun to follow the plot.
That being said, and not unlike some other YA work, the romance felt a bit awkward and forced to me and could use some development if it’s meant to be a big part of the plot.

This book was excellent! And served to reaffirm that this author is an auto buy for me. The story, the relationship between the MCs, the twists, and the stakes made this a delightful read that I would recommend to anyone.

Thank you to Harper Collin’s Frenzy Team and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

Underwood’s creative liberties excel when they’re purposefully distanced from what is widely understood and accepted as a loose canon of Green mythology. Why Wild Things largely works here more so than her debut is because the story is constructed in *relation* to this myth as an inspiration, rather than derived as an event whose stakes rely on the logics of the original story.

Across Underwood’s releases, Wild Things really solidified the fact that personally, her characters are one of the standout aspects of her stories. Each character, though they feel like cartoonish personality archetypes at times, feel distinct in a way that aligns completely with the kinds of characters I enjoy reading and subsequently serves to distinguish this story as an Ancient Greek mythology-inspired novel. This additionally extends to her love interests and I find that the way the main character and the love interest are established really compliment one another:

Eirene, for example, is determined, passionate, stubborn, blunt but caring, a bit harsh but loves with all her heart.

Lamia on the other hand is naive, sheltered, compassionate, selfless, brave and gentle.

This would make for a really compelling romance if it wasn’t for the clumsy establishment of said romance. As a reader, I don’t quite understand what each character see romantically in the other besides attractive appearances. Of course, sometimes that is all it takes but I think the awkward veer into romance territory right off the bat really undercuts this possibility.

This was the same problem I had with her first novel and honestly, we very much suffer from the same weak writing points present in her debut. For example, the pacing does flounder a bit in the last third of the book as we suddenly lean heavily into the perspective of one character. Furthermore, I still think setting is one of the weakest points of Underwood’s writing. There is really little to distinguish this world as one rooted in Ancient Greece and combined with the anachronistic dialogue, it feels like this story at times could be situated anywhere in the Mediterranean in almost any time period.

However, I still very much enjoyed myself with Wild Things and I’m honestly looking forward to seeing what Underwood writes next and whether she ventures outside of the Anicent Greek mythology setting (which I think could be a great opportunity of growth for her!)

another YA sapphic greek mythology inspired fantasy masterpiece from Sarah Underwood. I actually liked this one more than lies we sing to the sea. It's loosely based on eros and psyche, most closely following the four trials/task aspect. I was less familiar with this myth so I didn't know where things were going at the start, though everything slowly came together. I really liked the romance and overall story arc!

Underwood has done it again, Such spectacularly crafted characters with a devastating story to match. Expected perfection and got beautiful prose and everything else I wanted!

I read the author’s first book (LIES WE SING TO THE SEA), another Greek myth inspired queer fantasy. However, I feel their sophomore book plays it too safe, and unfortunately, I DNF’d at 47% with no interest in skimming to the end. (I am a BIG myth fan so this was a surprise even to me). Personally, the book did not fully deliver on its promises. The main draw - mythic allusions and an ancient Greek setting – felt thin in execution. The queer love story was confusing as I was never quite sure if we were to view both love interests as teens or one as a teen and one an adult (given the role she plays in the family unit). Those who struggle with multiple POVs may certainly struggle with these. Nonetheless, this book felt YA appropriate and is likely perfect for younger teens who love Greek myth.

The story begins on the island of Zakynthos, where Desire, a potent force distilled from love, is bottled and sold by Leandros, a descendant of the god Eros. Leandros has his eyes set on Phoebe. Her sister Eirene will do anything to keep him from getting her. She tries to trick Leandros by posing as her sister to get him to marry her instead of Phoebe. When Leandro figured out the deception, he struck a deal with Eirene to complete four tasks. If she can complete the tasks, she can finally keep Phoebe out of Leandro's grasp forever. Eirene quickly learns the tasks are impossible until Leandro's daughter, Lamia, comes to her aid.

This book is about the lengths you would go to to protect the ones you love. Eirene is determined to save her sister. She is a brave and selfless character who uses her wit and grit to uncover Leandro's secrets and the trouble he has caused since he arrived on the island. Phoebe is sweet, sickly, and naive to what fate awaits her if she must go through with the marriage to Leandro. Eirene feels like she is Phoebe's protector and decides to sacrifice to prevent any harm to her sister. The male characters are brutes, slimy, and self-serving. Lamia has been locked away under her father's stifling rules. Lamia and Eirene form a bond that could break the oppressive forces and give them the freedom they desire.

I absolutely love mythology retellings. Like most of us in school, the stories tend to be one-sided and focused on the male characters. Books like this allow us to see what could have been the narrative of the women at that time. I thought this was a sweet, loving story with adventure and magic. It resonated with me on multiple levels and expressed the truths about human nature and the power of love.

I received an Advanced Readers Copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley and Harper Collins Children's Book, HarperCollins.

Love a Greek mythology retelling ESPECIALLY one that hasn't been over done. This was a fun twist! Thank you for the e arc!