In “Myth of Monsters: the gods’ Revenge,” Ava is back for her second year at Academia del Forte. Along with her friends and her big brother, they set out to help break her best friend’s curse! They’ll face many heroes and monsters, and the monsters aren’t always the ones you would expect!

I read the first book in this series last summer and I thought it was great! Very well written, and cool to see a female lead on the page. A lot like Percy Jackson, but also not. Yes, it’s Greek mythology that mentions heroes and monsters, but the story lines are very different.

I was excited to read this second book, and while it was interesting, it wasn’t as good as the first. I did appreciate how the author tried to relate to the main character and her insecurities that come with being a young teenager, but at times it just felt it was too much. In this book, Ava just seemed sad and upset all the time. And don’t get me wrong, I love when characters can relate to our personal relationships, but I felt there wasn’t a huge happy element to this one. I would have liked to see it a bit more uplifting, especially for its target audience. In a lot of aspects, this book just seemed much darker from the first.

I wish that I could say that I loved it, but it was just okay for me. I rate this book as 3 stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️ I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for my honest unbiased opinion.

thank you to Harpercollins Children's Books and Netgalley for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

As a follow-up to Medusa, this unfortunately fell short of my expectations. While the premise ramped the stakes up for Ava and her friends, the execution lacked the same emotional depth and narrative cohesion that made the first in the series so compelling.

Thank you to HarperCollins Children’s Books and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Ava, Jax, and their friends have returned to the Accademia del Forte for another year of school for children descended from so-called Greek monsters. There is a new headmaster, Perseus, who is targeting Ava for expulsion. Perseus has made no secret of favoring the male students and forbidding the female students from some activities. This actually brings to light how the gods have treated females, goddesses and mortals, poorly. When Ava’s best friend Layla, who has mastered her shapeshifting powers, is banished, it is up to Ava and crew to rescue her. Not an easy task when the male gods keep putting up roadblocks.
This second foray was just as exciting as the first. I am truly enjoying this new girl power interpretation of Greek myths. Looking forward to the next installment!
#TheGodsRevenge #HarperCollinsChildrens Books #NetGalley

Katherine Marsh’s The Myth of Monsters: The Gods’ Revenge is an engaging sequel that expands on the intriguing premise of reexamining Greek mythology from the perspective of so-called “monsters.” Ava’s struggle against the oppressive rule of Perseus adds tension, while the high-stakes adventure across mythological landscapes keeps the pacing brisk and exciting. The friendships and character growth remain strong, making it easy to root for Ava and her allies. Marsh skillfully blends action, mythology, and deeper themes of truth and justice, creating a story that is both entertaining and thought-provoking. A solid follow-up that leaves readers eager for more.

Summary: In this engaging sequel, Ava returns for her second year at the Accademia del Forte, eager to prove that her ancestry is misunderstood and that her friends are not the monsters the gods portray them to be. However, the arrival of the new headmaster, Perseus, complicates matters as he enforces unfair rules that favor male students. Ava's friend Layla, who has mastered her Empusa powers, becomes the center of attention, stirring feelings of insecurity in Ava as she grapples with her own identity as a Gorgon. When Layla is mysteriously banished, Ava and her friends embark on a mission to rescue her, uncovering the truth about the original Empusa along the way. The narrative is rich with themes of empowerment and friendship, showcasing the girls' determination to confront the biases of the gods. As the characters navigate challenges, readers are treated to a blend of adventure, suspense, and girl power. With a strong emphasis on the importance of revealing hidden truths, this book captivates young readers while providing a fresh perspective on Greek mythology.

Straight Talk for Librarians: I admit, I liked this second book a bit more than the first. It's a little less "all men are bad" and more the male gods have treated the female goddesses, queens and demi-gods, poorly - let's rewrite their stories! I love that approach. Marsh portrays Medusa as a goddess who protected women and girls and was later punished for it. The Empusa in the story is a shape shifting vampire loyal to Hecate. I was also amused on the names word play. Mr. Pankovych was Pan and Mr. Heff is Hephaestus. This series would make for a fun mythology-themed book club for middle-grade students. Discussions about the book can focus on the themes of empowerment and the portrayal of women in mythology, encouraging students to explore how these themes relate to contemporary society. Additionally, librarians can host creative writing workshops where students can rewrite their favorite myths from the perspective of the traditionally marginalized characters, fostering critical thinking and creativity. I think this book will be a hit with Percy Jackson fans, as it's a different perspective. I like that the reader is following Ava from 7th to 8th grade and that she has a good relationship with her brother now. I am looking forward to a third book in this series??? It's been a fun read so far and I'd recommend it for any middle school classroom or school library.

Thanks to HarperCollins Children's Books and NetGalley for an Advance Reader Copy of this book. Expected publishing date is April 22, 2025.

This book is a great installment to this series. I enjoyed the first one and this one didn't let me down either. This is a great young adult book that weaves Greek mythology with a story line that makes you root for the underdog ........ or maybe just the monster.

Oh my gods! I was somewhat sad to see the title of this book because I wanted another ‘not a monster, just a woman’ story like Medusa’s and I quickly remembered not to judge a book by its title! Emposa, the vampire monster in Greek mythology, is at the heart of this story and I once again loved how Marsh kept certain elements more true The to their mythical origins while empowering women. Loved seeing Ava and friends in another year at school and just a great story!

Ava and her friends are back for their second year at the Accademia del Forte, and they are eager to prove that their ancestors are not the monstrous creatures that the gods would have everyone believe them to be. But many of the Olympians don't want this truth revealed and are not above playing dirty to ensure that Ava and her friends are silenced.

Marsh has delivered a fun sequel brimming with relateable characters, a dash of suspense, and a whole lot of girl power! Readers will devour The Gods' Revenge.

Middle grade mythology adventure. Ava is back at the ADF for second term, excited to see all of her friends after the summer. But Layla has come back so in control of her empusa powers that she is the prettiest girls on campus, causing intense feelings from a lot of other students. There is a new headmaster, the hero Perseus, who is turning up the "Bro" vibes all over campus. And most of the student body still looks down on Ava as a Gorgon. So things don't start off quite as planned.

Then Layla gets sent off campus to an undisclosed location and the group of friends is determined to rescue her. Remembering how their first mission turned on finding out the truth about Medusa, they try to find out the truth about the original Empusa. Powers are tested, gods and goddesses try to help or stymy them, and the truth prevails.

This book started a little slow for me as the anti-feminist rule of the school was established. But once the quest started I was all in and managed to read the whole thing in one day. I look forward to reading more of this series and seeing more of these characters.

I read a digital ARC provided by the publisher.

Great return visit to Ava’s school and her friends. Lots of twists and turns that our middle school readers will enjoy. One of the best ‘girl power’ books I have read this year!

This was a treat to read. I enjoyed it. I was something else for me, in a good way.
I highly recommend this one.
10/10

I loved the first book in the series so I was so excited to start this one! I love the play on the old Greek myths and the complete girl power message. The first half the book was hard to get into but the second half was better.

What worked:
The premise of the series is that Greek gods control all of the details in myths to depict men being in charge and heroes of every story. Library books have been censored to share the stories they want known so their lies will continue. Ava is determined to reveal the truth about all of the gods but they will do all they can to stop her. In the previous book, Ava discovered her mother, the gorgon Medusa, is still alive and Perseus never chopped off her head as the myths say. Ava’s school year is complicated when Pereus is named the new headmaster of the school! Her friends know she’s being targeted and they do their best to keep her from being expelled.
Middle-grade readers can identify with Ava’s insecurity about her appearance as she begins a new school year. She’s initially excited about being several inches taller until she sees how her friend Layla has changed. Layla can make herself appear as anyone she likes so she decides to become as beautiful as possible. She still has the same kind, friendly personality but Ava is uncomfortable with everyone staring and wanting to be near Layla. It creates an internal conflict for Ava when she feels guilty for any negative thoughts about her friend’s new look.
Perseus is a cocky character whose main role seems to be antagonizing Ava. He changes instructors, classes, classrooms, and activities to favor male students and it’s not done quietly. There’s no effort to hide his unfair treatment which helps to magnify the conflict between the gods and females. Perseus assesses strikes to students for unacceptable behavior and three strikes result in a student being kicked out of the school. Perseus is assisted by other godly characters and readers may be surprised to see female characters helping to oppress the rights of all women. Ava helps reveal the truth about god-created stories that have misguided some female characters.
What didn’t work as well:
It’s surprising when Perseus uses supernatural powers to control others. He’s a demi-god in myths and doesn’t display any special abilities like that. His character is confusing when compared to the typical myths of Perseus. However, his puzzling powers are explained later in the story and make perfect sense.
The final verdict:
This book highlights the fact that whoever controls the information also controls the power. Ava’s efforts to uncover hidden truths create conflict with the gods that will continue throughout the series. Readers who enjoy mythology and women’s rights will appreciate this book and I recommend you give it a shot.

Definitely read the first one if you want some background on the characters, because this book hits the ground running picking up from the last one. The plot moved quickly, which is great for the middle grade, focusing on the action. I enjoyed learning about history of the Greek monsters and some other obscure Greek gods. I wish the ending had explained more, but maybe the author is building to something bigger, with the theme of women and girls empowerment.

I really loved the first book in the series so I was so excited to start this one! I love the play on the old Greek myths and the complete girl power message.

Unfortunately, if I had to base this review on just the first 50% it would only be 2.5 stars. The Ava we came to know and love in the last book was completely gone and in her place was a whiny, insecure girl who didn’t seem to like her friends. No joke, the first half is all whining so please prepare yourself for that.

HOWEVER, the second half of the book totally makes up for it! It brings back all of the adventure and friendship that I loved from the first book and really brings myths about women to the forefront. It ended up being a solid 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for this early copy!

This was a strong sequel in the Myth of Monsters series, it had that spirit that I enjoyed about Medusa. The concept had that Greek element that I was looking for and enjoyed from the first book. I thought the characters continued to feel like they belonged there and enjoyed reading this. Katherine Marsh does another great job in this and can’t wait for more.