Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC!

Chloe is a ghost-hunter who was never supposed to have inherited the family business, constantly operating under the shadow of her dead sister’s memory and her mother’s grief. At her side is the ghost of the pharaoh Ramses, who has been a partner, a mentor, and a father-figure to her family for generations.

Helen is the legendary woman whose face launched a thousand ships, although she resents being defined by one story when she has done so much more over the ages. She is something of a monster-hunter, but only to rescue them from the human world and provide them with sanctuary on her island. At her side is the Sphinx – not to mention Pegasus, naiads, and more.

There’s a whole cast of supporting characters to the story, both human and otherwise, which adds to the wonder, the mystery, and the humor of the world that Wright has create

3,5 stars ✨

Fast-paced, lighthearted entertainment, in the form of mythological adventure meets paranormal romcom.

This was a fun, quick read. Perfect for anyone wanting to dip their toe into mythological retellings and mythology-inspired books. A gateway to some of the more serious stories in the wave of myth-lit of recent years, if you will.

Chloe is something of a Chosen One, thrust into a life she never expected to be a part of after her sister’s passing. Yes, she’s also inexplicably hot and kind and naively charming, but she has her doubts and insecurities. Her sidekick is literal Ramses II in ghost form - one of many mythological and historical crossovers. I appreciated this mix, though it was mainly Egypt and Greece focused.

Strange things have been happening, and Chloe and Ramses set out to figure out what’s going on. From there, they meet Helen - of Troy fame - and shenanigans ensue. The tone is mostly lighthearted, though themes of grief and parental expectations also make several appearances.

Going in, I thought this was going to be single POV, but we get both Helen’s, as well as Chloe’s. Did this add a whole lot to the story? Err… Character voices weren’t super distinct - no matter their age, everyone speaks modern English. Overall, the writing is very accessible, but nothing remarkable. Brace yourself for lots of snorting, breathing, and barking laughs.

The romance was insta-love/lusty, which isn’t really my cup of tea. The adventure part of the plot added enough that I never minded. Also, I like that we get bisexual Helen of Troy, who’s much more (though we only find out part of what more exactly) than a pretty face. Let her have her sappy lovestory and adjust your expectations accordingly.

I really wanted to like this book. I just could not get through it, I was struggling 30% of the way in and I didn’t see an end in sight. There were too many elements in play that I didn’t think fit well together. The writing was good but it just didn’t do it for me.
Thank you to NetGallery for the ARC.

A huge thank you to the author, NetGalley, and Bold Strokes Books, Inc for providing this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a fairly complicated modern fantasy that I think would be a good fit for fans of action-heavy shows that mesh together multiple different cultures to tell one story.

Unfortunately, I had to DNF this as I realized that I was a good portion of the way through and I wasn’t invested in either main character, nor did I particularly like that this novel included aspects of many different cultures and mythologies - and not focused on Greek like I was expecting. There isn’t anything wrong with this, but I felt some of the aspects were added without much impact into the story and instead as simply something different to include. (I found some of the worldbuilding confusing, as we have Helen of Troy working on one side, and a character named Chloe with the spirit of Ramses haunting her, who is her ancestor. In the same way we have fairies and sphinxes, as well as griffons and dragons - which all put together kind of felt simply mashed up.)

There were also a few aspects with characterization and dialogue that I wasn’t the biggest fan of, but I think had I been more invested in the characters and the worldbuilding they would not have detracted from the story.

However, I think this story would be very engaging for someone slightly younger than me (possibly mid/upper-teens) as the two main leads are strong women who are attracted to one another, and in addition to the “all mythologies are real, actually” worldbuilding I would have LOVED this as a teenager. So absolutely give this book a chance if any of the premise was interesting to you, as it’s not a bad book it just wasn’t for me.

First tha k you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an advanced copy to read in exchange for a fair review.

I dnf'd this book. I'm sorry i was 44% done and like there was nothing. It wasnt intresting had too many characters i was supposed to be tracking. It just wasnt anything. My maybe this is for someone else but it was just over complicated and empty.

Two women at a crossroads are thrown together by magic and fate. Both trying to avoid the growing attraction between them because they have no time for live when the world is at stake. Helen of Troy has spent hundreds of years going through the motions and avoiding thinking of the past entirely. Chloe has always been a bit of an outsider in her family until her sister unexpectedly dies and she inherits her magic.

Barbara Ann Wright delivers again in this unique tale of love, adventure, and a host of classic mythological characters. This story is, at turns, serious and hilarious. The characters have real depth and their individual storylines came together organically. I hope this is the beginning of a new series.

Anyone else have some family gifts they’d really rather not have? Chloe certainly does. She wasn’t supposed to get them. Her sister was going to inherit the gift while Chloe tried to enjoy the life of a tech writer. But now, she has goblins and ghosts she has to hunt instead. Luckily the ghost of an Egyptian pharaoh is (mostly) happy to assist, unless it gets in the way of his programs, and along the way a somewhat useless demon joins the mess.
Whereas, Helen (don’t even think of adding: of Troy) has dedicated this portion of her incredibly long life to creating a sanctuary to protect beings like her, no matter how chaotic or how much trouble they cause. All it takes for them to come together is something that is not a griffin.
This book is a whirlwind of mythologies, creatures, and unlikely bonds. It has excellent LGBTQ representation, and the plot will keep you guessing!

Haunted by Myth
by Barbara Ann Wright
We follow two narrators
- Chloe, a ghost hunter who has the gift to see ghosts. Ramses is her own “helper” ghost who helps her fight the ghosts and can merge with her when needed.
- Helen (of Troy) who runs a magical animal sanctuary.
The pacing is good, and a fun sapphic story. The book is quite funny, and while some bits seem a little out there, the author makes up for it in being a delightful book.
Ramses is by far my favorite character in this book. I still don’t really understand how he would want to stay with her vs seeing all his wives and kids.
All in all it was amusing enough.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC.

This was okay for me. I struggled to stay invested despite the concept and a cast of interesting characters. I think the writing style and pacing just weren't for me.

This was a fun read. Great for fans of myth, magic, and female characters coming together. It has elements of Alexandra Bracken's "Lore" while, at the beginning, holding this lightheartedness reminiscent of Dr. Who or even the CBS show Ghosts. Wright is talented enough to bring in these threads, then going on to provide detailed and vivid action scenes. I will say I struggled with the POVs. One has a really strong voice, but the other tended to jolt me out of the story.

2.5/5, rounded up. DNF at 32%.

I really anticipated much better from this book, and sadly it fell flat. The premise is intriguing, but the execution and the characterization killed it for me. I just was not interested in any of the characters and even the plot couldn't hold my attention. I think I probably would have enjoyed this when I was fourteen, but this book was just not for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This book had a lot of fun ideas beneath but I just don't think they were executed the best. It felt like there were two completely separate story ideas that got thrown into one standalone book. I think the story of Chloe and the monster hunting could have made a good episodic series. And the story of Helen and her sanctuary could have made a fun series as well. And honestly several books into their own series this book could have been a fun "crossover episode" between the two. But as it stands with this as just a single 300 page stand alone it just felt like too much crammed into one with none of it being explored in a way that had been super invested in any one part of this book. And instead just getting a surface level of it all

A sapphic monster of the week urban fantasy with romantic elements.

What a fun ride. Barbara Ann Wright gives a high-octane adventure fueled by magic and heart. Two powerful women with pure intentions: Chloe trying to save the world from monsters and Helen (of Troy) trying to save monsters from the modern world. When their worlds collide, their immediate connection is hard to ignore, but their narrow focus on their goals keeps them from understanding the other person’s point of view. Fate keeps throwing them together and their attraction grows, leading them to question what they think they know about the world and themselves.

For all those mythology lovers out there, this one hits the spot, with just enough of a sprinkling without its addition to the modern world feeling overwhelming. What made this story stand out for me was the inclusion of ghosts, not just an obstacle for our heroine Chloe, but also a friend and mentor in the form of Ramses the Great, who is a family ghost, and a stand out character.

I’m crossing my fingers the author gives us many more adventures with Chloe and Helen.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books, Inc for an Advanced eReader Copy.

This book was so fun!! Modern day ghost hunter, Chloe, is aided by her trusty sidekick, the ghost of Pharaoh Ramses the Great (it’s just as fun as it sounds, I promise), as they try to send back problematic ghosts to where they hath come from. This is all fine and dandy until one of their cases finds them running into Helen. The Helen. Helen of Troy.

Helen has been running a secret sanctuary for supernatural and immortal beings, and when she and Chloe bump into each other chasing the same being, their immediate attraction to each other becomes the least of their problems.

The banter between all of the main characters (yes, Ramses included, we love him), was brilliant, and with layers of both tender relationships and emotional trauma that every protagonist needed to work through individually, I was rooting for everyone in the novel. I didn’t expect it to be as funny as it was, so that was a very pleasant surprise. I will say the one ding is that the attraction between Chloe and Helen at times did feel quite insta-love-y, but by the end of the book, the author had taken the time to slow it down and build up their relationship’s depth a bit. I just wish that we as readers got to see more of that building on-page.

Overall, an extremely cute book, and fun for folks who know some Greek mythology that want it queered up and modernized! I give it 4 ⭐️

*Thank you again to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

It was quite of a fun book, yet lacked storytelling skills. The plot was good but the execution of it was slightly boring. It was just describing actions and no emotions or thoughts. I’d rather having more glimpses into the characters minds and be able to feel their feelings. It bored me a little with this writing style, but it was a fun read nonetheless.

This book was amazing.

I don’t really read urban fantasy or romance and this is definitely a mix of the two (although the sec scenes are skipped so it’s safe for YA). That said, I really loved this one - the sapphic romance is full of tension and longing and the creatures (we won’t say monsters) are fantastical while being infinitely relatable.

Definitely will be picking up more by @barbaraannwright

I received an ARC copy of this from the publisher through NetGalley. The story immediately grabbed me and I enjoyed its fast pace. The relationship between Chloe and Ramses is very entertaining while also being satisfyingly wholesome. I do not have a strong knowledge of mythology, but the addition of those aspects grabbed my interest. I liked the relationship between Chloe and Helen, but thought it was a little rushed, and I could have used better closure of them finally acting on their feelings toward each other. Overall, it was a very enjoyable read and I would recommend it to fantasy readers!

"Haunted by Myth" has an interesting premise, but the book itself was somewhat disappointing. The characters weren't all that well developed and the insta-romance also didn't really work for me.

I loved the concept, and the story's core idea, revolving around Chloe inheriting her family's supernatural legacy, instantly grabbed my attention. As Chloe grapples with newfound magical abilities, a skeptical spirit guide, and the weight of continuing her family's legacy after her sister's sudden passing, the narrative takes an interesting turn. The idea of the story is great, but at times, the pacing felt a bit slow. The writing is from two points of view, which is a neat idea. The characters didn't feel very deep and I struggled to connect with them throughout the story. But overall it was a fun read.

Haunted by Myth follows Chloe, a monster hunter who has inherited her powers from her sister's death. Chloe is trying to banish the rising number of creatures/monsters who seem to be appearing on Earth. Helen, formerly of Troy, is a demigoddess who has created a sanctuary for the same creatures/monsters.

I really liked the overall plot and idea of the story. The mythology drew me in and is one of the main reasons why I requested the ARC as I'm an absolute sucker for it.

The writing was great, though I felt like the pacing was a little off as although enjoyed Haunted by Myth quite a lot. Ultimately, I've given a 3 star rating this time as I felt like the middle of the story stalled a little bit. I also felt like the ending was satisfying but quite quick and I felt like there could have been a bit more meat to the plot as by the middle/end of the story most issues had been resolved or at least in part.

The characters are some of the gems in this book, I really enjoyed Helen and Ramses (Ramses was honestly the best character by far) and the melding of the various mythologies and pantheons was really enjoyable and interesting to read about. That being said, I did find that the relationship that Chloe and Helen shared felt quite forced, though I am happy to have sapphic representation.