This was a very interesting fantasy story based on Hindu mythology. It helped me to both read and listen to the audiobook for this one. I used the audiobook for the first few chapters to get the pronunciation down and then picked up my kindle to finish the rest. That really helped me, as someone who is unfamiliar with Hindu mythology. Reading on the kindle was also helpful, because I could uce the lookup feature for words I did not know. But, for those without the audiobook, the glossary of terms at the front of the book is also really helpful!

I think this book is perfect for fans of Sue Lynn Tan (Daughter of the Moon Goddess) and Vaishnavi Patel (Kaikeyi). It is really beautifully written and was very easy to read and imagine. I appreciated that this was a queer-normative world. The magic system was one of the weaker elements. The rules and limits are not clear, so it feels a little loosey-goosey. The two main characters were great, but I thought that the side characters could have been better developed. I like to see a good balance of interactions between our FMC and the side characters and interactions between the FMC and MMC.

I thought that this was a standalone so I was surprised at the end. This will be a duology, I believe, so I am looking forward to book 2. Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing an eARC of this book!

I really enjoyed this book! It felt immersive and invoked a lot of imagery and I often found myself getting lost in the mythology that the author was building. It was sometimes hard to get through and if you weren't familiar with Hindi mythology like I was, there was a lot of glossary reviewing. However, the unique magic system was fun and while the pacing could be slow at times I usually found myself submerged in the world that was being built here. Overall I liked the angst between the two characters and the journeys the FMC had to take in order to discover herself.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this review copy.
Meneka is an immortal, an Aspara. Meneka uses her power as an Aspara for the will of the god, Endara. Her magic is in the gift of seduction and illusions. Tired of using her magic and gifts in such a negative manner for political gains and aspirations of her god, she wants a different life. She wants a life filled with love and freedom with the woman she loves. But Endara is notvso eager to let a talent like hers go. Meneka makes a deal: she agrees to go to the mortal realm and find the human, Kaushaka, who appears to be waging a campaign against the gods, encouraging and empowering mortals to stop praising the gods. She is tasked with using her powers of seduction and illusions to infiltrate his mind, find out what he desires and use it to destroy him. But not everything is as it seems.

This was my first Hindu inspired romantasy and I found it quite intriguing. I greatly appreciate the glossary provided in the beginning of the novel because there are alot of unfamiliar terms in the beginning of the novel. The glossary was much helpful. I like that Meneka’s mission led her on a journey of self-discovery. Watching her discover the true depth and extent of her power was inspiring.

The Legend of Meneka was inspired by Hindu mythology, and I was really excited by the premise of Meneka, a divine being who uses her dances to seduce the enemies of Indra, the god she serves. But when she is sent to seduce the wise Kaushika, the leader of a group of students in his hermitage, Meneka starts to question herself and her mission.

Though this is an ancient Hindu myth, I really appreciated the fresh retelling by Rao, and how she framed this story as much about the importance of believing in yourself as believing in the divine. Meneka seduces, using her dances, but feels a sense of guilt about leaving those who fall in love with her pining away for her. When she becomes a student at his hermitage, Meneka learns to channel the magic which comes from within herself. Rao's writing of Meneka's discovery of her own power, of the beauty of the dance and love that she represents, is just incredibly beautiful prose. The relationship between Meneka and Kaushika also sparkles, with the two being open to learning from each other and inspiring each other.

I do wish the book had spent a bit more time on Meneka's relationship with the other students of the hermitage. I loved her interaction with other students like Anirudh and Kalyani, their humour, their quiet support and how they challenge her. I would love to have seen more of those.

I am definitely excited for the next book in the series and would recommend to fans of Sue Lynn Tan or Chloe Peñaranda.

The Legend of Meneka has a fascinating premise rooted in Hindu mythology, which is exactly my kind of thing. Folklore fiction? Sign me up. And to the author’s credit, they do a solid job blending history and fantasy.

But oh boy, the pacing. One minute, the story is crawling at a snail’s pace and the next, it’s sprinting like it’s late for an exam. The characters are not really developed so I couldn’t connect with them. Even the romance is underdeveloped. Blink and you’ll miss it—one moment they meet, and the next, they’re ready to elope. Where was the build-up? The tension? The longing glances?

I didn’t hate it, but it wasn’t memorable for me. It definitely has a young adult feel—teenage me would’ve devoured this. If you love mythological fiction, you will have a good time.

I was blown away by The Legend of Meneka. I am Indian-American and not Hindu, so I have some familiarity with some Hindu mythology, but I had no exposure to the apsaras and what they represent. My only exposure to romantasy genre was the Fourth Wing series, and coincidentally I just finished Onyx Storm before picking up The Legend of Meneka. I cannot wait for the second book! This book is perfect for anybody who is looking to expand their romantasy reading especially to Indian authors.

Meneka is a powerful, young apsara but unsure of herself in the celestial (god) world. The king of the gods, Indra, sends Meneka to seduce and destroy Kaushika, who Indra deems a threat to himself and all the deities.

I love how much growth Meneka has in this book. She is sent out her mission but ones she starts learning about Kaushika and befriends his followers, she starts questioning her own longheld beliefs about Indra and her purpose in life. We could all learn from Meneka! I was also surprised about how much Kaushika, the MMC, grew and learned from Meneka, too.

I also thought the ending had a lot of twists that I did not see coming, perhaps because I am unfamiliar with the source material. It was a refreshing read!

The Short: The Legend of Meneka is a romantic fantasy that reimagine the tale of the celestial dancer tasked with seducing a human sage, but when she finds herself falling for him instead, she will be forced to choose between loyalty to her celestial home, and being true to herself.

The Long: This is a really beautifully written book - the way it's written and the setting are stunning. I love that it's a retelling of Hindu mythology, and the dive into the lives os Asparas and the inner-turmoil Meneka faces as she grows tired of her role and longs to stay home near Indra and her mentor, Rambha. It was so interesting watching Meneka - an immortal-- come across as very young at heart and somewhat new to the world. I struggled a bit with her story - she was somehow both inexperienced and one of the best Asparas.. while struggling significantly with her faith and emotions. It'll be really interesting to see where this duology ends up.

Amazing! Gimme 14 of them right NEOOWWW!! I LOVED this entire story and I’m not someone who reads a whole ton of fantasy, especially not ones based on actual existing religions. It was so captivating to read about this FMC having an inner conflict as she tries to decide between being obedient and doing what she’s always known to be true or staying true to herself. The romance was sizzling hot too! I love a man who yearns 😭 and along with the friendships, the climax, the discoveries and the surprises sprinkled in, I seriously need a second book.

The Legend of Meneka had so much potential, but it didn’t quite work for me. The mythology and worldbuilding were beautifully done, and I loved seeing Hindu mythology woven into a romantasy setting. The queernormative world was also a great touch.

Unfortunately, the pacing was slow, and Meneka’s internal struggles felt repetitive. The romance lacked chemistry, making the emotional moments fall flat. I also wasn’t a fan of how the story relied on the "power of love" as a solution. The ending felt rushed, and I wish the book had been longer to wrap things up more smoothly.

I wanted to love this, but it ended up being a miss for me. Not sure if I’ll continue the series.

This book was a little different from the books I have been reading lately, which helped to grab my attention. I found very sensual and interesting the way Meneka operated to go on her missions. I was hooked for the first 35% ish but then I think the book completely lost me. The pace was too slow, the vocabulary hard to follow and the magic system too messy. There were a lot of things that I feel needed more explanation. How can a mortal have the powers of a god? Meneka's powers are very confusing. I am failing to find the rules and limitations of the powers.

Thank you Net Galley, Avon and Harper Voyager for a galley of this book in exchange of my honest review.

Between the lush mythos that is easy to understand and the compelling plight of the protagonist, it is a wonder to me that The Legend of Meneka is not a more widely known title.

Despite today's readers' compulsion to read romantasy, I want to push stories like this one into the light. By using Hindu mythology and presenting it so, Rao creates a new and worthy entry to readers.

Also, love me a good duology. This narrative won't overstay it's welcome- and we desperately need that in a time where so many of these series go on and on and on.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for this Advanced Readers Copy of The Legend of Meneka by Kritka H. Rao!

Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager publishers for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

The world building is pretty straightforward in regard to the magic system and surroundings, however I caution those who are not familiar with Hinduism and its mythology, as they may feel a tad lost with unfamiliar terms thrown in with little to no explanation. Luckily, I have read other fantasy books with similar mythological themes which helped me navigate through this one with only a few quick searches. Nothing takes me out of a story faster than having to look up unknown words and I believe I am not alone in this.

I enjoyed the story, and found myself smiling at every interaction between Meneka and Kaushika, the MCs. Their chemistry sizzled from the moment they met. Kaushika is brooding and strict, giving him a larger-than-life presence on the page. Meneka on the other hand had an altogether fragile feel to her. She was full of doubts and often made questionable decisions throughout the book. It was hard to reconcile the idea of Meneka as a celestial being bursting with power and sensuality, while Kaushika is depicted as a mere mortal. I do think it would have been interesting to see a more confident side of Meneka, but I appreciated the dynamic the author crafted. It made her relatable and enriched her character arc as she discovers her own strength.

The surrounding cast of characters were unfortunately flat and mostly forgettable. I honestly cannot think of a single side characters name, and I only finished this book yesterday.

While the book has a slower pace, I was still engrossed with the story. Mainly in how Meneka would achieve her goals, would she seduce the MMC or succumb to Kaushika's own allure? At the start, Meneka is set to destroy Kaushika, while he keeps a wary distance from Meneka, suspicious of her. Throughout the story, there are small moments of connection that allow these characters to open up to one another and share their past, and their hopes. Meneka, though burdened by her own secrets, is deeply affected by the parallels she discovers between her own life and Kaushika’s experiences with the gods. These shared moments create an intimacy between them that transcends mere physical attraction. And of course, as with any good romantasy, there are a few spicy scenes woven in, though not overly graphic. To me, the message here is that real intimacy is meant to be the understanding of the character's innermost desires and worldviews.

While I enjoyed the majority of this book, I wasn't invested and I'm not altogether sure if I would pick up the next book.

I think this was a generally okay book. I liked the flow of everything, from the story telling to the romance. I enjoyed how it wasn't insta-love and it showed how there was a development. I also liked the author's note explaining how she plans to diverge from the original myth to "give them a second chance."

The amount of culture and stories that were present was great, and the characterizations were great as well I loved how there was a lot of inner turmoil and emotional focus when it came to the characters, as these are sages and spend a lot of time doing self-reflection, I feel like this was evident and great. The only problem I had with this book was I didn't feel gripped by the story telling. I wasn't left at the edge of my seat leaving this novel to flow in a very calm and almost boring tone. It was intriguing enough that I would like to read the second book whenever it comes out.

It's so refreshing to read a romantasy novel inspired by a different culture, and I really enjoyed learning more about Hindu mythology. However, I struggled to connect with the characters and the story. Since it's told from Meneka's POV, her constant doubt and repetitive inner conflict made the narrative feel frustrating at times. While there was slow burn, the romance didn’t feel engaging enough for me and I couldn't really enjoy it.

The Legend of Meneka is a beautiful romantasy filled
in Hindu mythology. It follows Meneka, an apsara, whose duty is to seduce mortals at the command of her king Indra; those who pose political challenges for Indra and threatened devotion in him in the mortal realm.

Meneka pleads Indra for freedom from the role of seducing mortals, wanting to live peacefully in her own realm. In exchange for her freedom, she agrees to seduce Kaushika, a mortal sage who threatens the Lord's power and has bested other aspuras. Meneka faces Kaushika and his followers, trying to hide her identity as a celesial being, and win the trust of the sage.

After the first half of the story is complete, the pull between Meneka and Kaushika is undeniable. Meneka learns the ways of the mortals and the price they pay for the gods' anger. This is an inspiring tale not of love, but finding yourself and embracing challenges and differences.

The first half of the book was a bit slow at times and religious terminology is very frequent and heavy, and can be confusing for those who aren't familiar. There is a
glossary, which is very helpful if you can read it side by side. At times, I felt like Rao described what was happening as if Meneka, a celesial being, also did not understand, which translated to slightly lazy world building (half way, this is no longer and issue and the writing starts flowing beautifully). That said, | did enjoy learning about Hindu mythology and fell in love with Meneka and Kaushika.

Thank you so much to Avon, Harper Voyager and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this ARC!

This just wasn't for me. I am a fan of Rao's sci-fi books but this just was so deep-rooted in sexuality that for me as an ace person, I just didn't vibe well with it. It kept feeling like my identity is erased entirely based on the mythology of the characters and it was overwhelming. Moreso, than I thought it would be because Rao is a talented writer but this story just overall didn't hit the mark for me personally.

The Legend of Meneka is the perfect mix of romance, fantasy and Hindu mythology ✨.

The Legend of Meneka is a romantasy retelling of Meneka, an aspara (a celestial dancer), who is sent to Earth by Indra, the King of Heaven, on a quest to distract a mortal sage whose growing powers are threatening Indra’s supremacy in the realm.

The Legend of Meneka has a foundational love story, spice and immersive imagery throughout. It’s so refreshing to see the fluidity of sexuality that lies within Hindu mythology represented in this story as well. I look forward to reading more from Kritika in the second book of this duology and recommend it to anyone who is in their #romantasyera 🧚🏽.

Thank you to @kritikahrao @coloredpagesbt @avonbooks and @harpervoyagerus for providing me with an ARC of #thelegendofmeneka ✨.

This was a highly anticipated read of mine for 2025 and I’m glad that Kritika continues her streak of writing fantasy novels that keep me hooked throughout.

Firstly, I was very glad to see this book when it was announced because most desi authors writing retellings focus on either the Ramayana or the Mahabharata, so it was very nice to see a new fantasy which wasn’t about either Ram or Krishna or Arjuna. I ofcourse expected the writing to be good, and it definitely was gorgeous throughout, creating highly imaginative scenes in my head and leaving me to gape in wonder. But what really stuck with me was how deeply steeped in Hindu religion/philosophy this book is. From delving into various forms of forging the ascetic path, to the dilemma of being devoted to morally grey gods, to the very beautiful discussion about Bhakti towards Shiva being incomplete without Shakti - it’s all a wonderful exploration of various aspects of Hinduism and the author did such a great job integrating all these elements in the story.

The characters are also very dynamic and leap off the pages, making them pretty unforgettable. The author captures Kaushika’s personality quite well from what we know of him from our Puranas and I could almost visualize him as one of the many actors who’ve played him in tv series or movies. Meneka on the other hand is a much more mysterious figure in mythology, so the author gives her own spin on the character - which I really liked for the most part, especially all the self realizations that she has and the bonds she forges with mortals outside her apsara duties; but some of her decisions were pretty naive and I wanted to give her a bit of a shake. The other side characters are also well written, especially the friends she makes in the ashram and Indra as the good/bad/morally grey Lord of Heaven is aptly portrayed. Lord Shiva makes a very brief appearance but I have to say, that was a very lovely little chapter and I wanted more of Him.

Overall, I quite enjoyed this book though it was a bit slow paced, especially in the first half, which made me not binge it initially. But the thrilling second half definitely made up for it. And tbh, I’m glad I didn’t bother with the many many negative and some downright hateful reviews of this book. Maybe promoting this as a romantasy wasn’t the right choice coz that seemed to have generated some other set of expectations which apparently this book didn’t live up to, but it mostly lived up to mine and it only cements Kritika as a must read author for me.

Unlike anything I've ever read but I ended up feeling a little lost at the end... This one appealed to me because it's based on myths I'm not familiar with. It has great character development and excellent world-building. However, I felt that the end chapters weren't particularly clear with some details, and I was honestly ready for it to be over with... It could be because it was based on something I wasn't familiar with that I felt lost, or it could be that it was a longer novel and I was just ready to be on to something else by the time I finished it.
All that being said, it was still and enjoyable read. And I am grateful to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read a copy prior to it being released.
I am honestly sad that I didn't enjoy it as much as I'd been hoping to.