“‘Of course I’m afraid to die,’ she retorted. ‘That's part of being a mortal. But I’m also a huntress, and it's my job to protect other mortals.’”

After saving the human race from certain doom and preventing Alice’s soul from being claimed by Hades in The Last Huntress, Alice, Soxie, Hadley, and Olivia thought their dealings with the supernatural were over. The Mirror Realm was destroyed and Hades defeated, but Zeus’s parting gift of Cithaeron’s soul has left them feeling as if a debt is waiting to be paid. The huntresses are now also visited by the gods in their dreams, tormented every night as they are given a new task: find the Portal of Osiris and save the connection between their world and the land of the gods. With pressure from restless deities and threats of torture beyond the grave, the huntresses must travel to Egypt to find the lost portal before their timer runs out.

The Lost Portal, compared to its precursory novel The Last Huntress, sustained a more practical sequence of events that added a level of maturity to the tone of the story. I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect out of this book, but I was pleasantly surprised by Borja’s inclusion of Egyptian mythology alongside her traditional Greek mythology. As someone who was once dead-set on becoming an Egyptologist, I find that most books that attempt to incorporate Egyptian culture and mythology fail at making it seem authentic. Borja, however, was able to seamlessly weave together both fact and fiction and blur the lines of reality for the reader. There was a remarkable cinematic feeling to The Lost Portal, making the novel hard to put down as I traveled through time with the huntresses. I enjoyed seeing into Hadley’s mind as opposed to Alice’s, and I appreciated the closure Borja included for the reader regarding both Alice’s relationship with David and Hadley’s relationship with her brother. As for the ending, I found the conclusion to be a bit unrealistic. The sudden change in the role of the gods left the story feeling a bit incomplete, almost as if the resolution was too simple. Despite that, I truly enjoyed the blend of fantasy and historical fiction in The Lost Portal, and it certainly earned its spot on my bookshelf.

The Lost Portal Lenore Borja was a great read! I somehow didn’t pay attention and missed this was book two.
So I’ll definitely be checking out the first title in the series.
This was an intriguing Greek mythology.
I really enjoyed these characters and found them to be entertaining.

Thank You NetGalley and SparkPress for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

"The Lost Portal" picks up the thrilling adventure of Alice and her fellow Huntresses as they embark on yet another perilous mission to save the world. This time, they must uncover hidden pieces of an ancient puzzle that holds the key to unraveling the mystery behind their quest. Each clue brings them closer to discovering the true purpose of their journey, and with every step, the stakes grow higher.

While the first book was told exclusively from Alice’s perspective, book two introduces a refreshing change. The narrative shifts to Hadley, giving us a deeper look into her personal struggles and challenges. This shift in focus offers a more nuanced exploration of the dynamics within the group, as we not only witness Hadley’s internal battles but also see the others facing their own individual turmoil.

I hope the upcoming books in the series will continue this narrative pattern, allowing us to dive into the perspectives of the other Huntresses. This rotating point of view would give readers the opportunity to get to know each character as intimately as we've come to understand Alice and Hadley, adding layers to their personalities and enriching the overall story.

3.75 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and SparkPress for the ARC!

I read the first novel of Lenore Borja's Mirror Realm Series and I wasn't a huge fan of it. But I hoped that the second book would be better and it was! The plot and characters were much better developed and exciting. I loved the deeper exploration (and expansion) of Greek and Egyptian mythology. I really loved Borja's interesting take on mythology and incorporating that into the story's themes of friendship and loyalty.

I didn't realized that this was a sequel when I requested, I was so blindsided by how cool the title and description was.

Having managed to get my hands on the first book, I can say I was happy to have the second right on hand.

These books were entirely enjoyable, and made me nostalgic for being a teen and reading the likes of Alexandra Bracken and Kendare Blake, even faintly of Cassandra Clare, well into the night, and the exhaustion never setting in the morning afterwards due to satisfaction of finishing the books all in one go.

The world was atmospheric and lively, and we get delve into it even more in this second entry. I like learning more about the world, more about the characters. and seeing their relationships change and evolve. It's kind of wild how your perception changes as you grow older, because if I was reading this as a teen, I think I would be all over the main "ship", but as an adult I find it...less appealing. I'm not a fan of this sort of LI anymore, and I kind of feel gross reading about relationships between really cool, really strong girls and these pseudo-bad boys who are really kind of emotionally abusive?

All in all, love a good found family. Love a strong, ass-kicker (not to say that non-ass-kicking female characters aren't strong!) fmc. Love a good, atmospheric, moody YA.

The Lost Portal is an electrifying sequel that plunges readers back into the thrilling world of Hadley Caldwell and her huntress sisters. As they embark on a high-stakes quest to locate the elusive Portal of Osiris, the narrative seamlessly blends elements of Greek and Egyptian mythology, creating a rich tapestry of adventure and intrigue. Lenore Borja masterfully captures the essence of sisterhood, weaving together themes of friendship, loyalty, and the relentless pursuit of truth. With its fast-paced plot, compelling characters, and a perfect balance of mystery and magic, The Lost Portal is a captivating read that will leave fans eagerly anticipating the next installment in the Mirror Realm series.