This book was both heartbreaking and beautiful in its own ways.

It's a retelling/alternate story of Medusa and Perseus, and I'll admit that I don't know much about the original story, besides knowing some of Medusa's origins. She's one of the most infamously wronged victims of power abuse and SA, however in most stories she doesn't get to enjoy the sweetness of her revenge. In this story, however, she absolutely gets to experience the satisfaction of facing her assaulter, calling him out for what he is - and making him flinch. And in the meantime, she finds love and people to care for her, who see her as more woman than a monster.

Pick this up if you enjoy ruthless, feral woman, and a slow-burn romance between two people who would tear apart worlds and defy the gods to protect each other. This is an impeccable debut, especially for people who enjoy alternate takes on Greek Mythology. However, do check trigger warnings before reading!

Lara Reed’s Crown of Serpents is an absolute triumph—a bold, emotional reimagining of Medusa and Perseus that I devoured in just a few days. This isn’t just a retelling; it’s a raw, empowering story of female rage, healing, and the fragile trust that forms between enemies.

Medusa is no monster here—she’s a woman shaped by betrayal, her rage fierce and justified. Perseus, tasked with killing her, instead finds himself captivated by her strength. Their journey from adversaries to allies is fraught with tension, danger, and moments of breathtaking vulnerability. Reed’s writing is exquisite, balancing high-stakes action with deeply emotional character arcs.

I adored this book. Medusa’s complexity and growth are masterfully portrayed, and her relationship with Perseus is both tender and electric. A particular scene (no spoilers!) where she opens up had me utterly captivated—it’s a testament to Reed’s ability to craft moments that feel raw and real.

Crown of Serpents is a must-read for anyone who loves Greek mythology or stories of resilience and redemption. It’s fierce, heartfelt, and unforgettable—I can’t recommend it enough!

**Analysis:**
I found that *Crown of Serpents* by Lara Reed is a dark fantasy that weaves a tale of power struggles, forbidden magic, and a realm ruled by enigmatic forces. The story centers on a complex protagonist whose journey is marked by betrayal, transformation, and a dangerous allure that mirrors the serpentine imagery in the title. It's intricate world-building, atmospheric writing, and the way Reed balances grim intensity with moments of unexpected beauty. With these insights, here's an enticing review that captures the essence of the book.

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**Review: *Crown of Serpents* by Lara Reed**

If you're into dark fantasy that slithers into your soul, *Crown of Serpents* by Lara Reed is the book you need right now. This novel dives deep into a realm where power is as treacherous as it is intoxicating, and where every twist feels as dangerous as the venom of a serpent.

Reed’s world-building is masterful—every page drips with atmospheric detail, pulling you into a universe ruled by mysterious forces and shadowy politics. The protagonist's journey is one of transformation and defiance, navigating betrayals and forbidden magic while confronting inner demons. The narrative pulses with tension and raw emotion, making it impossible to put down.

What really stands out is the way Reed blends brutality with beauty. The imagery is vivid and haunting, and the slow-burn suspense keeps you guessing until the very end. Whether you're drawn to morally complex characters or the allure of a dark, immersive world, this book will leave you breathless and craving more.

For fans of dark fantasy who crave stories that are as dangerous as they are mesmerizing, *Crown of Serpents* is an absolute must-read.

**Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the opportunity 💕**

ARC review for Crown of Serpents—A retelling of Medusa and Perseus’ story—publishing March 11, 2025!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

•Multiple POV
•Morally gray FMC
•Vengeful Gods
•Greek mythology
•Enemies to lovers

This book so perfectly encapsulates the burden of being a woman and the repercussions we face for simply existing. The story highlights the constant villainization of women that transcends the time period of this story and is still present in today’s society. I think so many women can relate to Medusa’s story, both the original and this clever retelling.

I absolutely adored the MMC, Perseus. His best quality throughout the book is that he doesn’t jump to conclusions. Due to his mother’s circumstances, he has learned to listen first instead of rushing to judgment, thus creating a safe environment for Medusa to process and heal her trauma.

Something unexpected I encountered in this book was the bittersweet familial love that shines throughout the story—numerous representations of selfless, unconditional acts of love outside of the typical love story you expect when reading romantasy, which I really enjoyed.

This story had me HOOKED and I cannot wait for book 2! Crown of Serpents publishes March 11, 2025!

I loved this retelling so much! The writing was beautiful, the pacing was perfect and the characters were so well written. I’m an absolute sucker for mythology and I love a slowburn romance so this was the perfect book for my tastes. There was action, there was rage, there were meddling gods, what more could I ask for!

Medusa was full of female rage and it was glorious!! The story did a fantastic job of delving into the complexities of Medusa and her emotions and I absolutely loved her. Perseus was equally well fleshed out and I was really rooting for them throughout.

This is an incredible debut and I cannot wait to read more of what Lara Reed writes!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

Crown of Serpents is book one in the Curse of Olympus series—a take on the story of Medusa and Perseus.❤️🐍

I absolutely adored the writing style. It’s so lyrical and beautiful, making the story feel almost poetic.

If you love slow burn, enemies to lovers with the who did this to you trope, a fierce FMC radiating divine feminine rage, and overall an action-packed story about empowerment and personal growth, I’m sure you’ll love this one.

I also loved the dynamic between the characters—it was well-layered and had just the right amount of tension. Plus, the book offers a diverse range of characters, enhancing the story even more.

That being said, I strongly recommend checking the trigger warnings beforehand. The book explores heavy themes like victim-blaming, sexualization, assault, and grief. These topics are handled in a way that fits the story, but they might be difficult for some readers.

As a series opener, Crown of Serpents sets up an intriguing world, and I can’t wait to see where the story goes next. Lowkey hoping we dive even deeper into the dynamics of the Olympian gods—and their world.

I have to mention, the fact that this is a debut author blows my mind!
The writing, the world-building, the characters
-everything feels so well-crafted. I'm beyond excited to see what's coming next in the series!

Thank you to Lara Reed and to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.🥰

✨ Release date: 03/11 ✨

I was lucky to receive an eARC for this debut novel from Lara Reed. This book has some of my favourite tropes; enemies to lovers, female rage, and found family. The journey of healing after sexual abuse is a heavy topic, and there are trigger warnings at the start of the book.

I enjoyed the layout, with chapter from the POVs of the different characters. There were twists and turns but that ending?! I loved it 😍 I hope there will be more to come 🤞😁 4.75⭐️

Loved reading this book. It is a plot full of potential, well paced and easy to read with strong characters and lots of female rage and healing. Definitely a recommend

Such a good and cool book. So so good. I totally recommend everyone to read this book as fast as they can because it's really good and the characters are fantastic.

4.5 stars!!

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐟 𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐎𝐥𝐲𝐦𝐩𝐮𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐞”.

“𝐈 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞,” “𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐎𝐥𝐲𝐦𝐩𝐮𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐟𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬, 𝐈 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐡.”

this book right here is chefs kiss 😙 🤌🏼. if you love greek mythology and a female rage main character, then this book here is your next read!! i loved the whole plot of the book and the elements of greek mythology. the enemies to lovers had me in a chokehold!! medusa and perseus is the ultimate couple!!

I thoroughly enjoyed Crown of Serpents by Lara Reed! This book grabbed my attention right from the start with its intriguing blend of mythology and adventure. The storyline is exciting and full of twists, and I loved how the characters developed throughout the plot. The simple, easy-to-follow writing style made it an enjoyable read, and I couldn't put it down! The world-building was immersive without being overwhelming, and the pace was just right. Definitely looking forward to reading the next book in the series!

*thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

I was so excited to read this Greek mythology based romance. The two main characters Perseus and Medusa are classic characters who could not be more different yet the author wrote them beautifully and emphasized the commonalities of the characters. It was sort of enemies to lovers. She definitely hated him more but he was more curious about her, I love when he falls first. Overall this was a great take on a classic Greek myth and a ton of fun to read. There is so much going on in the plot and not a dull moment.

This just failed to grab my attention. It was extremely boring from the get go and really failed to connect some material.

Crown of Serpents is an exciting retelling of the Perseus and Medusa myth, with a twist that focuses on female rage and adventure, and focuses on Medusa as a person rather than another boring hero who slays the evil Gorgon (lets admit it, Greek mythology loves to recycle the same plots where a woman can only be a victim in need of saving or a monster in need of slaying).

Medusa’s character shines with complexity, her motivations layered with a depth that makes her both formidable and sympathetic.

Reed’s retelling is engaging, especially for fans of Greek mythology who enjoy alternate perspectives.
While some parts felt a bit rushed and predictable, it was a compelling read that will keep me hooked until the end. If you like mythology with strong female leads and action-packed plots, this book is definitely worth checking out.

Greek mythology AND enemies-to-lovers? Yes, please.
With a side of female rage. Sign me up!

I loved this reimagining of the classical myth. It put such a fresh spin on it & reading about Medusa getting her revenge was very VERY satisfying.

The brooding and absolutely swoon-worthy love interest (aka Perseus) certainly didn't hurt! I hope there will be a book 2.

4⭐

Thank you, Lara Reed for providing the eARC!

Crown of Serpents is an alternate retelling of the Greek myth of Perseus, the son of Zeus and Medusa, the cursed gorgon.

This book truly blew my mind. I didn't know what to expect but I'd say this exceeded any kind of expectations I would have. Lara created an immersive world within the Greek mythology aspects and the amazing world-building and dedication towards it is amazing.

It provided a different perspective, mainly what would happen if Perseus didn't slay Medusa but rather took her as a captive. It was a really fun maritime exploration in an Ancient Greek setting.

The SA theme was very well handled throughout the book. It felt very real reading about it. PTSD, trauma and healing journey were very well explored and the feminine rage towards the end was the cherry on the top.

I loved the multiple perspectives and characters throughout. At some point, even the side characters steal the spotlight and they're really fun. I enjoyed the portrayal of all platonic relationships, the friendship. The strong bonds throughout the book made it even more emotional to finish it.

The ending had me hooked so bad that I could not put it down. Twists after twists and sudden actions made it even more compelling. The feminine rage was well worth it.

There is space for a sequel and if there will be one, I will be continuing the series!

𝙏𝙒 : 𝙧𝙖𝙥𝙚, 𝙨𝙚𝙭𝙪𝙖𝙡 𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙖𝙪𝙡𝙩, 𝙙𝙚𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙡𝙚𝙙 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙥𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙫𝙞𝙤𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚, 𝙜𝙤𝙧𝙚, 𝙗𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙙𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙨, 𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙤𝙜𝙖𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙢𝙨 𝙨𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙖𝙨 '𝙗𝙞𝙩𝙘𝙝', '𝙬𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙚' 𝙖𝙣𝙙 '𝙨𝙡𝙪𝙩', 𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙤𝙜𝙮𝙣𝙮, 𝙫𝙞𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙢 𝙗𝙡𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙘𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚, 𝙋𝙏𝙎𝘿 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙡𝙞𝙘𝙞𝙩 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙪𝙖𝙡 𝙨𝙚𝙭 𝙨𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙨