I’m always happy to read books that are re-tellings of well known stories from the female’s perspective, especially mythology related stories. This one was no exception!

I grew up watching the 1981 Clash of the Titans on VHS as many times as my parents would rent it from the Curtis Mathes, which was what our town had before Blockbuster was a thing. That movie portrays Hera as very cruel and unforgiving. I also love with the Percy Jackson series, so I had a pretty good knowledge of the stories from all the other perspectives.

I thoroughly enjoyed hearing all of the stories related to Hera from her perspective to help hear why she might have made some of the decisions she made. It definitely gave me empathy for Hera that I had never had before.

Trigger warnings for rape/abuse but that should be obvious if you have read any Greek mythology before.

The narrator Naomi Frederick did a great job of helping give an empathetic voice to Hera. I can’t wait to see what other retellings Jennifer Saint comes up with in the future.

Special thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy of the audiobook in exchange for my honest opinion.

I listened to Hera as an audiobook, The narrator gave a stunning performance. Her voice was smooth and satin-y as you would expect a the gods and goddesses voices to be, It was a performance worthy of the gods that the story was based on.

I am not a very knowledgeable about Greek mythology and this novel was wonderful to read and incited a desire to learn more about the origins of these characters. I highly recommend this novel and look forward to diving into some of her other stories.

I really enjoyed the authors previous 3 books so I maybe hyped this one up in my head but it really never connected to this story. It felt disjointed and all over the place. I will try future works by the author though.

This book definitely taught me way more about Greek mythology than I thought I would ever learn! This book was well written and I enjoyed that it was separated into parts so I could follow the story better.

I really enjoyed the portrayal of Hera as the jealous Queen who had to deal with an extremely egotistical Zeus. I appreciated that Jennifer Saint was able to incorporate many different myths about Hera into one cohesive story.

I definitely enjoyed the ending of this book and gave me pause to think about ancient history.

I listened to the audiobook and I was impressed by the narrator and glad to have the narrator pronounce all the Greek names and not me!

This beautiful, wrathful, and poignant book tells the story of Hera, the Queen of the Greek gods, from her own perspective. The story covers everything from the defeat of the Titans, to the birth of Heracles, to the eventual retreat of the gods. This is my third Jennifer Saint book, and she is just such a talented writer. The way she structures her writing and creates imagery is perfect, and I felt like I was watching a movie in my head!

This retelling of Hera's story offers perspective on one of mythology's most complex and misunderstood goddesses. She and Zeus overthrow their father, and she is confronted with the harsh reality of Zeus's reign. Zeus's cruelty pushes her to struggle against the oppressive roles he imposes on her. The book gives voice to Hera, allowing her to claim her narrative. Hera's story is one of resilience and determination to challenge the violence of men and her internal conflict between her desire to rule and her role as a wife and mother. Her interactions with other gods and goddesses add layers to the narrative. The story needs elements to evoke more of an emotional connection with Hera and the other characters in the book. I felt that she was portrayed as a cold. She could have been written as a stronger and relatable female protagonist. The narrator may have add to this issue as she did not give life to Hera and was flat in the storytelling.

Hera's journey is an unforgettable, tragic story. The book is an entertaining tale that would be enjoyable for anyone who enjoys mythology.

I received an ARC audiobook for my honest review. Thank you, NetGalley and MacMillan Audio.

I don't know that I should be allowed to continue writing reviews for JS's work. She could write me a speeding ticket and I'd give it five stars. I loved how she took a pretty universally unliked character and gave her a back story and didn't try to re-write all of her misdeeds, but instead made us understand them a little more. I read a ton of greek mythology and Hera is always the butt of the jokes and easy to villainize so it's hard to change my perspective when its been drilled in so consistently, but she did it. And i'm talking I grew up watching Hercules where Hera was the primary villain with the peacock eyes on screen so thats a pretty big deal.

This book made me sad. I've always known Hera's story would never be a happy one. It made me feel so many things towards her and other characters, and none of them were positive. Except for maybe Hephaestus. I originally had this one down as 3.5 stars because I walked away and was just...sad. But I have to give the author credit for her ability to make me feel so strongly towards the characters. I loved getting this on audio from NetGalley.

I recently entered my Greek Mythology era and was thrilled to receive an advance audiobook copy of Hera by Jennifer Saint.

Hera is the first book I've read by Jennifer Saint. I think her writing is beautiful and I’m excited to read more of her books. The audiobook is narrated by Naomi Frederic and I found her voice to be both soothing and captivating.

I only had basic knowledge of Hera prior to reading this in-depth retelling. Hera is a very dynamic character and there is so much more to her than the typical label of Zeus’s jealous wife. That’s not saying Hera is an angel, she does many terrible things, but I found myself having compassion and a deeper understanding of her and the motivation of her actions.

We see how Hera navigates her role as Queen of the Gods and how she handles betrayal, disrespect, and dismissal by those closest to her.

I enjoyed the inclusion of other major Greek mythology characters, learning more about their stories, and their personal connections and interactions with Hera. I learned a lot about Zeus and my conclusion is that he is awful. I have so much more to say about him, but I’ll refrain from spoilers for those who are also new to Greek mythology.

As a beginner to Greek Mythology, I thought this book was fantastic and
gets a 5 star rating!

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan audio, and Jennifer Saint for an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

4.25/5

Jennifer Saint always does a great job at diving into the world of the Greek gods and goddesses. This story begins at the very beginning with the downfall of the Titans, and it shows how the gods and goddess came to rule their domains. The book is told from Hera's point of view, allowing the reader to see the reasonings by all the choices she makes. This was a very enjoyable read, and I highly recommend to any Greek mythology lover.

Thank you NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

I’ve been looking forward to reading this book ever since I first heard about it. In Greek Mythology, Hera is obviously one of the biggest players in many of the myths but you never really get her perspective. We get a surprisingly large scope of the myths from the Gods taking down the Titans, to Hercales, the Trojan war, and so on; all told in Hera’s perspective.

I’m glad that Hera wasn’t made into an innocent character who does no wrong. Though, I’ll never understand why Hera is hated so much by many readers of Greek Mythology, when Zeus is so much more terrible than she would ever think of being. This book does a great job showing just how horrendous Zeus is to those around him, especially Hera.

Naomi Fredrick’s narration of the novel was perfect for the novel. She gives a regal voice to Hera and adds even more to the story as a whole. I highly recommend Hera to Greek Mythology retelling lovers.

Thank you Netgalley and MacMillan audio for the free ALC. My opinions are being left voluntarily. I expected things to move along at a steady pace but found it tooo slow to read even though the speed was ip on the audio. I always assume fantasy books are quick.

Dnf @ 30%

Great take on the story of Hera. Thoroughly enjoyed this title.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Jennifer Saint and Netgalley, for the ALC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I love a good greek mythology retelling, however I struggled to keep interested in this one.... Also, I was thrown off with some of the pronunciations.

I’ve read all four books by Jennifer Saint now and this is my second favorite of the bunch. Not only does this book look at Hera from the overthrow of the Titans to the end of the Olympians, it also gives details and depth to the lives of all the olympains that surrounded Hera and Zeus. It was extremely interesting and those who also enjoy mythology will find this one very intriguing. While my favorite of her is Atalanta I did thoroughly enjoy this story and the audio experience!

Thanks to Macmillan Audio for the alc via Netgalley!

Always enjoy books by Jennifer Saint and was so excited to get approved for this audio book. I liked hearing the story of Hera from and have always loved Greek Mythology. This well written and enjoyable and easy listen and entertaining. The narration was well done and fit the story well. I want to thank NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the arc in exchange for an honest review. Rating this 3/3.5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley for an early release access to Hera in audiobook form.

I had my eye on this after discovering my newfound love for mythology retold. Growing up I typically felt the stories lacking and very one sided, if you get my meaning. Jennifer saint gives us a new perspective and it's not to be taken lightly. I really enjoyed this retelling, and I felt more in truth being tied to an honest lens which was refreshing. A woman, regardless of her level of power, is used as a tool for gains. A mother's love can be harsh and it can be the most saving grace.

The elements boldly discussed during this retelling gave me an outline set yet again by the patriarchal world history. Fantastical stories to say, "See? Even a goddess knows her place and should never cross Zeus let alone any man." My words, my interpretation to be clear. How far things were taken to subdue women in general. I wanted to sit down and have tea with Hera, granted she take a more delicate form as to not burn me alive with her radiance. I would tell her I understand her sorrows and her hate, and let her know I'll meet her at dawn and burn Zeus to the ground. Growing up watching Hercules and Xena (Remember those shows?!) I was always curious why Hera was so angry and devastatingly feared. I get it now. Heavens have no fury. Aside from the treachery this poor woman endured over and over, we also get to see her make leaps and bounds in her personal growth. Caring for certain creatures. Glinting desires to be among those who worshiped her. To gain earthly experiences guiding her changes.

The storytelling itself was well done and had my attention the entire time and I really felt for quite a few characters in this story. I learned some new lore and deepened my understandings of others.
Things that stood out to me:

-12% There are other ways to rule. Sometimes the true power is in the shadows, someone who stays out of the light and watches others shrivel and burn in its glare.
-38% The monsters are here, clad in beautiful immortal flesh...
-66% I'll never see peacocks the same again (Flashback to Hercules show, you'll get it)
- 83% Her own name, as justification for rape... (Referring to Hera. When you get there, it's such an insulting smack)
- 89%We're the ones who need their offerings now. We thrive on what they give us. Without their worship, without their belief, we would shrivel away. Become no more than spirits haunting the earth.

I received this audiobook from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I’ll preface this by saying I enjoyed Aridne, although it didn’t blow my mind.

This one fell pretty flat for me. I like retellings, and that aspect of this book was great! I really loved the stories from mythology and seeing them all unfold and how they connected. The plot was pretty good, I enjoyed the journey through time with the immortals.

What did hit the mark for me was 100% Hera. I did not care for her complaining and vindictiveness at all. I understand her female rage. I get the disgust and disappointment she felt and why she reacted the way she did at first, but she held onto every single grudge the entire book and I really didn’t like her by the end. I’ve read ACOTAR and Hera reminded me of Nesta. She does redeem herself in the end by realizing none of it really matters, that she fought so long and so hard for nothing. It honestly should be a depressing ending, but the author does twist some life into it and leaves it a hopeful ending, so I do appreciate that.

I enjoyed listening to the author, but her pronunciations of certain Greek gods was very off putting for me for a while. I did eventually get over it, but it definitely did distract me. The narrator otherwise had good rhythm and flow and was easy to understand. The narration gets a 4.5⭐️ for me but the book only a 3⭐️. Plot was fantastic, main character was not for me.

Blow the dust off of your Greek Mythology. Move over, Zeus. Queen Hera is in the spotlight now.

After Hera and her brother, Zeus escape and overthrow their father, Chronos, Hera desires to rule alongside Zeus. After a traumatic encounter with Zeus, Hera realizes he is just as evil as their father. As Zeus gains power, Hera becomes housewife and mother - not what she expected or wanted. She bonds with her other brothers and her children to forge a better way to her destiny - ruling on Mount Olympus. In this retelling, Hera is the guide and protagonist.

This is my first Jennifer Saint book. I really enjoy retellings of ancient tales and this one had the hamster in my brain wheel working overtime. I felt like I was googling each god mentioned every 5 minutes. Not a bad thing at all. However wonderful these tales are, and I do genuinely appreciate this one being told from Hera's perspective, I found myself disassociating from the storyline OFTEN. I fought to stay captivated and I just couldn't. The writing is wonderful. I don't know what it was exactly. I currently have "Elektra" in my physical TBR pile and still plan on loving it. I'm sure "Hera" will do really well. I want the most for it. It may be possible I would connect with this one in paper form. I don't know. It's not you, Jennifer. It's me.

Naomi Fredrick's narration was perfect for Greek royalty. Being American, I had to do a double take on the UK pronunciations of these gods.

Thank you, NetGalley, Jennifer Saint, and Macmillan Audio for the chance to listen to this audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Jennifer Saint’s Hera is a powerful reimagining of one of Greek mythology's most complex goddesses. Hera, the immortal goddess and daughter of the ancient Titan Cronos, is portrayed with depth and nuance, making her journey from a loyal sister and wife to a questioning, independent ruler both compelling and relatable. The narrative begins with Hera aiding her brother Zeus in overthrowing their tyrannical father, Cronos. However, as they establish their reign on Mount Olympus, Hera begins to see alarming similarities between Zeus and their cruel father. Saint masterfully captures Hera’s growing disillusionment, providing a vivid portrayal of her internal struggle and her awakening to the harsh realities of her new world.

As the story progresses, Hera’s suspicion of Zeus’s ruthlessness intensifies. Saint’s depiction of Zeus is chilling and unflinchingly brutal, painting him as a figure of unchecked power and insatiable ambition. The narrative’s exploration of Hera’s perspective sheds new light on her legendary disdain for Zeus’s infidelities and her often harsh actions in mythology. This retelling humanizes Hera, revealing her as a figure trapped by her loyalty and duty, yet yearning for something greater and more just. Each of Hera’s decisions reflects a deep conflict between upholding her role beside Zeus and her desire to break free from the cycle of cruelty that has plagued their lineage.

By the end of the novel, my dislike for Zeus has grown even more profound. Saint’s portrayal leaves no room for sympathy for the king of the gods; instead, it highlights the oppressive nature of his reign and the impact on those around him, particularly Hera. The book culminates in Hera’s realization that true power does not lie in perpetuating violence but in forging a path towards a better, more compassionate world. Hera is not just a tale of myth and legend; it is a poignant reflection on power, autonomy, and the courage to challenge the status quo. Jennifer Saint has created a richly woven narrative that resonates deeply and leaves a lasting impression.