This was a darker take on Greek Mythology with violent trials, traumatic past (and present) and an FMC you keep rooting for and morally black MMCs. It is helpful to have the informational pages at the beginning of the book to use for references as you go through the story. The main character Alexis is one of my new favorites. She was entertaining and really kept me intrigued from the beginning. No matter what was happening I was always rooting for her and I can’t wait for her to continue this story and to become stronger. All the men in the story you go back and forth with hating or liking but their intentions are good, I think, but once again it kept me hooked throughout the whole story. Now for the best part, Meg Sylvan, her narration was astounding! She made Alexis so real to me. She’s also very good at pitching her voice for different characters - sometimes that can distract when listening but not with her, she’s pretty much perfect! Teddy Hamilton and Aiden Snow are pretty good too.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC. I really enjoyed this book. It was very unique. I will say I would advise to really take the trigger warnings into account, there are some very dark themes. I am excited for book two, without too many spoilers- I can’t wait for Alexis to kick some butt and see what some other people do to help her out. One thing I felt was overly done is the classes and crucible. Sometimes it felt very monotonous. Loved the protectors and the humor!

This book was so fun. Alexis is in a post apocalyptic world who is thrust into a new dynamic at spartan war academy. There she meets our main guys. Patroclus, Achilles, Augustus and Kharon all absolutely vicious and definitely a dark dark mortally grey. This is true enimies to lovers. Alexis finds herself caught in the midst of many schemes with twists and turns at every corner. This does end on a cliffhanger, and is not complete so keep that mind. I know this was labeled as dark, but I personally didn’t find it very dark. So if your in the fence, or does read a lot of darker romance .. this would be a good one to read. I throughly enjoyed the audiobook as well. It’s not duet, but even with duel narration I feel that they did a great job and really brought the story to life.

This book reminded me of how The Magicians by Lev Grossman gave us a grown up version of Harry Potter, but this book was like a grown up version of the Percy Jackson series. I listened to this book on audio and I really liked how well developed the world is in the story. I felt like I was on a true journey with our main character Alexis. I really did not see the end coming and I did not really guess who Alexis was in the grand scheme of Greek mythology. And that ending! What a cliffhanger. I cannot wait for the next book to see what happens next in the journey of Alexis.

Blood of Hercules by Jasmine Mas
⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you @netgalley and @harlequinbooks for the audio copy of Blood of Hercules which recently released on November 26th! The narrator’s voice had great inflection and brought the punch of sass that is Alexis to life!

Alexis was a little naive and young so this feels YA. Whoever wrote this book description did a wonderful job because we were SO ready for an only female, Greek gods and Spartan War Academy story. However, the pacing did not do the concept justice and the description was a bit more exciting than the actual reading experience itself. Reaching the end truly felt like “going the distance”.

See description: I’m just a girl. And it turns out, I’m Hercules.

I’m struggling to survive in a Titan infested world where Spartans, immortals from twelve royal families who have god-like powers and obscene wealth, rule over all. A shy-stammering foster child with nothing, I keep my head down, cover my scars, and focus on excelling in school. At least, I try to. Then it happens.

My blood test reveals I’m part of the powerful elite. I’m one of them. A Spartan.

Forced to attend the Spartan War Academy, I undergo the most harrowing test of all time to see if I have what it takes to be an immortal. There’s just a few problems. Achilles and Patro are my scary mentors. Kharon, the ferryman of death, and Augustus, the son of war, are my terrifying professors. Also, I’m pretty sure either someone’s stalking me everywhere I go, or my sanity’s slipping––I have a bad feeling both are true.

I’m surrounded by Villains and they’re smothering me with their hate, obsession, and dark possessiveness. Too bad for them, they have no clue just who they’re messing with.

A Dark Romantasy for readers who love:
* “Who did this to you?”
* Why Choose Romance
* Extreme Enemies to Lovers
* Morally Gray Alpha Heroes
* Zodiac Academy, Quicksilver and When the Moon Hatched

This took a totally different route than I was thinking.

I now need the next one and I am so curious if there is going to be a second set of mates for Hercules. I was not expecting a few of the twists and turns. I still don't understand a few things either, but I couldn't put it down.

The narrator was good and made the story immersive.

If Greek mythology and ADHD had a baby, it would be this book. It was entertaining and fun, lots of funny moments, but also moments that were incredibly hard to follow.

This one wasn’t for me. Maybe it was timing and being overly critical but there were too many unlikable aspects of this boon I couldn’t overlook and it took away from the vibe of the story.

Positive: the ALC narrator was great. Lots of voice inflection and interesting


Struggles:
• the FMC was absolutely insufferable. Her sarcasm was funny sometimes but most of the time she was self-deprecating and one-dimensional.
• the plot….what was it? I don’t understand what the plot of this story was. The purpose of the story is remarkably unclear
• there was no cohesion. The characters all felt like they were part of different genres, the reveal at the end didn’t make sense and was a bit on the nose, and the dialogue was inconsistent - set 70-something years in the future but using todays vernacular which would’ve been out of style by then.


I didn’t go in with high expectations so I’m not disappointed but it’s not a book I emphatically recommend.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins for the opportunity to listen to advanced listeners copy.

What a way to start off the New Year!!! This book is soooooo good! First completely funny, heartbreaking and triumphant.

I’m in love with these characters and I was not expecting it. Fantasy is my first love but wow this really exceeded my expectations. I cannot wait to read book 2! I need it stat.

OMG! Just finished this book and it was fan-flipping-tastic! I am obsessed with the FMC and all her inside thoughts! Morbid humor at its absolute best! I was absolutely delighted with the audio version of this book . I really enjoyed the voice actors and cannot wait for the release of the next book!

4 stars for the laughs. The female narrator was highly entertaining and fantastic. The FMC’s inner monologue was hilarious and I hope she starts verbalizing more of her thoughts because the banter would be top notch. Nyx was my favorite part, the best snake best friend a girl could ask for, ready to bite people at the first insult 😂. The romance? There really wasn’t any other than in the MMCs heads. It’s a super slow burn, which I didn’t really mind. But I’m guessing it’s coming in the next book? I really hope they all talk to each other before it jumps to the spice.

If you like the tone and vibes of Zodiac Academy, you’ll like this.

Thanks to HTP Books and Harlequin Audio for the ALC.

Jasmine Mas needs to have more hype and she needs it now!!!! I fell in love with her writing when I read the Cruel Shifterverse series -- specifically the second half that follows Aran's story. It felt so fresh and new, so when her new book, Blood of Hercules, came out, I was hoping I would get the same feeling. And I did.

Blood of Hercules not only feels fresh, but it makes you laugh so hard. The characters are so funny and horrible and you root for every single one of them.

I was lucky enough to receive an audio copy from NetGalley and Harlequin Audio, which was perfect for my reread. I have to mention that this audio is stacked with some of my favorite narrators and made the story even more immersive.

I cannot wait for the second book in this series to come out.

I was provided an audio copy of this title for free and am leaving this review voluntarily. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

“A story of dark romance and darker obsession.”

Blood of Hercules is the first book of the Villains of Lore series by Jasmine Mas. The introduction calls this “a story of dark romance and darker obsession,” which absolutely proves true, but if that’s not quite enough to catch your attention— hang around a sec.

Alexis gets the shock of a lifetime when she sits down for what she expects to be a simple blood test, and learns that hers is special and going forward things are going to be anything but simple, as evidenced by the two men who appear in her classroom to escort her away from her brother Charlie and immediately to her new reality.

At the Spartan War Academy, initiates endure a series of brutal trials and tests of sorts meant to weed out the weak, leaving those who survive |succeed to graduate and become immortal gods. Alexis has found herself an initiate, the only female in her class, and dropped immediately into a massacre.

“The Crucible or Death, there is no third.”

The only girl in her entire initiate class, and least educated about her alleged Spartan heritage, she’s living in a world of disadvantages— not the least of which being that the vicious and deadly Crimson Duo has been assigned to mentor her, and they’re less than happy about it. And even more than the trials provided by the academy are the ones provided by her peers, not to mention her professor, or the ferryman of the dead.

“Remember you are dust, and to dust you will return.”

You know I love me a reimagining, but this was my very first ever Hercules retelling, and it had absolutely no business being so good and SO funny! It was twisty and turny the whole way through with heaps of comedic relief even in the tense moments— of which it should be noted there are many. The narrators did an incredible job, Teddy Hamilton and Aiden Snow are always stellar choices! Meg Sylvan and Tristan Morris were new to me, but truly an immaculate job all around. This was easily my best read/ listen of December.

“My eyes were bone dry because emo girls didn’t cry.”

Read if you love:
Enemies to lovers
Slow burn, heavy on the BURN
Morally gray characters
Dark romantasy
Who did this to you?
Portal fantasy
Gods | mythology
Animal companion
Woman in a man’s world
Sassy snake sidekick
Professor x student
Touch her and unalive
Age- gap
Unlikely friends
Masked men
Mistaken identity
Twisty and turny
Virgin FMC
Slightly feral FMC
& SO MUCH MORE!

Thank you so much to the author, The Hive, Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the gifted audio copy!

4/5 Stars

Let me start by saying that while this is not a must read, it is a fun read.

The book has a very unserious tone with a lot of trendy lines that some may find cringey. I found myself laughing a lot and enjoyed the FMC's inner monologue. The plot kept me interested, however I felt somewhat confused by the end. Most of the reveals were fairly obvious to me, while others left me perplexed. I'm also unsure of the romance situation going on. It is marketed as RH and Dark Romance, which makes sense, and maybe it's too soon in the series to have an opinion on it, but I don't know how I feel about any of the MMC's. I'm curious to read the second one to see how it plays out.

Blood of Hercules by Jasmine Mas was such a great read!!

The narrators did an amazing job of keeping my attention - I don't do many audio books because I tend to get distracted but this one was great!

It's a thrilling novel that combines humor, action, and romance. I was literally hooked from the first chapter! I really loved Jasmine Mas's writing style. I thought the main character was great and relatable in many ways., I loved the world building. It was very detailed and easy to grasp and imagine. and the romance - just so good!

I can't wait to see what comes next!

This is a must read for fans of dark fantasy and Greek mythology!

Thank you to The Hive for this ALC!!

5 stars!
This book was absolutely perfect no complaints about anything. The female main character Alexis was so badass and she was so strong, I'm so proud of her. Also the audiobook was so so so so good. The narrators were perfect for, I can't wait for the next one!!

Thank you, NetGalley and Harlequin Audio, for the free audio copy. I also referenced an ebook found via Hoopla!
Thank you for suggesting this ridiculously delightful book!
A dark comedy filled with violence, Greek gods, and an apocalyptic future, The Blood of Hercules is a fun yet wild ride.
How do I explain this book? In a futuristic apocalyptic world, a young, impoverished, lonely girl, Alexis, who thought she was just a perpetually suffering human, finds herself a lost child (or, as the book affectionately calls her, mutt) of the Olympians (half-humans with powers) and thrust into the Spartan War Academy, where she is to learn to guard the world against human and Olympian eatingTitans (monsters).
And oh yes, she is surrounded by absurdly attractive wealthy elite yet downright evil Chthonics warriors who speak both Latin and ASL (obviously)
These Chthonics seem to want to both kill her and bed her (and perhaps both) while she rejects even basic human touch and struggles to comprehend a sinister foreign society.
I know it sounds wild, but it also really works.
This is not the book for those looking for an accurate retelling. It is SO CAMPY. Jasmine Mas makes everything so over the top that it propels the reader to keep going. Mas has a degree in Greco-Roman studies, and her creative choices are numerous.

I was instantly invested in Alexis's self-deprecating yet completely unaware tone. Meg Sylvan perfectly captures Alexis’s fear, anger, confusion, and grit, keeping her alive throughout the book.

The peaks into the POV of the Chthonics (Kharin, Augustus, Patro) were dark yet also key to understanding the structure of Spartan/Olympian society. The sinister nature of their thoughts and the narrators' deep voices sent shivers down my spine.

I enjoyed the short, titled chapters and Mas’ witty writing. This book is far from my usual selection yet I could not put it down. I stayed up so late listening to the audio trying to piece together Alexis’s fate.

If you are looking for a very dark and dirty comedy and tend to as the dedication states scream at a “who did this to you moment” pick this one up!

I’m not really sure what to say about this book. The only words that come to mind are “wtf”? Was the ridiculousness of the writing somewhat amusing? Sure. What is good? Absolutely not. Not really sure where the hype is coming from personally. The FMC was insufferable and immature. The MMCs (honestly I don’t even know how many there are at this point - listening to the audio of this made it a bit confusing) were just like awful people and there was no romantic connection and they were just obsessed with the FMC? And then the FMC is forced to marry two dudes?

The only saving graces are the narration (the narrator did a fantastic job and kept me engaged) and Nyx, the FMC’s sassy snake companion.

I unfortunately will not be continuing this series.

Thanks so much to The Hive for an ALC in exchange for my honest review!

Wow what a book!!!! I received the audiobook which frankly was fantastic. The narrator had a great range of voices for the characters. My one vice....was that the male voices were a bit nasally and difficult to understand. I did not have any issues with the male voices themselves since this is a female narrator. But when they make the pitch too low and nasally it becomes hard to hear and follow along especially when there is no physical or e -reader copy in front of you to follow along. A few times I had to rewind to relisten, but honestly it wasnt that big of a deal. As for the storyline!!!! YESSSSS i will most certainly be reading the next book in this series. The build up was fantastic. Having potentially FOUR MMCs is such a treat. if youre like me and have read Zodiac Academy, this book is for you. A fantastic bully romance submerged in greek mythology will rock your socks off. I truly enjoyed the plot, the FMC does go through a very hard life and continues on her trial to immortality with no choice in the matter. Along the way she meets her broody mentors who seemingly start to develop protective feelings over her. AND THOSE ARENT EVEN THE MMC she has the hots for yet!! ahhhh! im telling you, this is a must read. SLOW BURN- BUT SO WORTH IT IN THE END!!!

This book is incredible. Truly 5 stars and the audio version knocks it out of the park. All the narrators are perfect for the roles they have and you can hear the tension and emotions in each character's voices!

Alexis' inner monologue made me laugh out loud and this book gives so much female rage that you feel deep in your bones! The Greek mythology aspect is done in a new and unique way and combines so many characters from well known myths.

I loved this book and cannot wait to read the next one to see how this story continues!