Another good story from this author. Quite a lot of action. I liked her Pyramid Waltz and Sisters of Sarras series. I'm hoping this will be the start of another series by this author.

The Urban Fantasy genre has always been a favorite of mine and I really like this take on it!

My biggest issue with this novel is the "romantic" subplot feels like unhealthy but mutual infatuation and not actual romance.

Because these two characters rarely interact throughout the novel, it doesn't have an organic feel to the relationships development. It feels like because the central plot was not built upon the romance as an integral element, that there was no time to include it while furthering said plot.

These characters barely know each other! They spend more time talking about each other than to each other.

The way that the main character is written also really makes me wonder if she was meant to be younger than she is.

I'm unsure of a lot of things with this book.

I really liked the concept of this book, a ghost hunter teaming up with a greek goddess. The pacing was good throughout, I finished each chapter wanting to know what happened next.

While I enjoyed the sapphic rep, and having queer characters was usalised, the story would hold up without it. The romance was a nice addition but I wouldn't miss it if it wasn't there.

3.5/5

*I received an arc from Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books in exchange for an honest review.*

Chloe is a ghost and monster hunter who is trying to banish the rising number of creatures that keep showing up on Earth. Helen is a demigoddess who created a sanctuary for these same creatures. When Chloe finds out about the sanctuary, she has to decide to keep up her ways or help Helen. Their feelings for each other grow, but maybe not in the way they expected.

"After all, it only took a flash of time for people to disappear forever."

Chloe lost her sister which resulted in her parent's divorce and left her with a rocky relationship with them, leaving her with only a ghost as her closest companion/hunting partner. I can see how she would be lonely and depressed about not really having her family or anyone else to lean on. However, she doesn't let that stop her. She is quick-witted and motivated. She's your average 25-year-old who just happened to get roped into hunting ghosts and monsters.

"Not if she'd have to hear those two little words. Every day. For the rest of existence: Of Troy. As if she'd never done anything in her life but be forced into the wrong place at the wrong time."

Like most women, Helen has always hated being "Helen of Troy" and only being known for an ancient mistake. She has created a sanctuary for the mythical creatures left on earth, but it can still feel overshadowed by the "Of Troy".

"Is okay Chloe Im here"

Ramses was my favorite character in this book. Something about an ancient ghost watching over Chloe as a child and being her sidekick now that she's an adult tugged at my heartstrings. He was always so supportive, and Chloe even admits that at times he can be more paternal, which is something she lacks in her life. I know he is bound to her, but being bound to her doesn't mean he has to care as much as he does.

"She wished she had a trunkful of weapons like on a TV show, but she'd been pulled over one too many times to risk such things."

As a fan of the show Supernatural, it was really fun that Chloe hinted at the show. I was already getting mega Supernatural vibes from Chloe's story so it was fun to see that this may be where the author drew inspiration from.

I appreciate the two POVs of this story because for the story to make as much of an impact on me as it did, I think it was important for readers to have both sides of the story.

I wasn't exactly expecting a modern story when I saw Helen of Troy was a big part of the story, but it was a pleasant surprise. It was refreshing to get a mythological story told in present times. The way this story was told reminded me a lot of the Percy Jackson series. Percy Jackson was my introduction to mythology, so I loved finding another story with similar vibes.

I liked the way the initial attraction between Chloe and Helen was done. They both seem to be more intrigued and attracted to the other because of the power they both possess, which sparks questions for both of them, thus making them both continually think about the other. Some books base that initial attraction/intrigue solely on appearance, and that's never seemed realistic to me. After that initial attraction, it felt like it doubled down on the appearance of both women, and that's all either of them could talk about which got annoying after a while, but that's expected from a romance.

Wright is such a detailed author. She set the scene so well I never had to wonder; I could picture the battles and creatures in my mind with relative ease.

The summary provided on Goodreads was kind of confusing and misleading. I waited the whole book to see Chloe try to shut the sanctuary down and see how Helen would handle that, but that never happened in the book. They missed out on some potential tension between the two women by not going that route with the story.

I was intrigued by this book from the second I saw the cover, but once I saw it was a sapphic book about Helen of Troy, I knew I needed to read this and it did not disappoint. The plot is fast-paced and holds your attention. It was so much fun banishing ghosts with Chloe and saving mythical creatures with Helen. It's not really a twisty book (most of the things that were probably supposed to be little twists were kind of predictable), but I was interested right down to the last page. Fans of Supernatural and Percy Jackson will be in heaven with this book.

Thank you Bold Strokes Books for the ARC!

This one was a bit of a genre mashup. It felt like if you crossed Greek mythology (specifically of the Percy Jackson variety) with Supernatural, which made for a fun and unique read. The tone struck me as being a little young considering it's an adult romance, and I wonder if the plot and themes would've worked better for young adult. Overall, I did like this and would read more from this author.

"Haunted by Myth" by Barbara Ann Wright is a fantasy romance novel that follows Chloe, who inherits the family legacy of hunting monsters and banishing ghosts after her sister unexpectedly dies. Chloe, now burdened with the family magic, a grieving mother, a lack of self-confidence, and a sarcastic spirit guide, must navigate a world of mythical creatures and a growing attraction to someone unexpected: Helen of Troy.

Chloe and Helen find themselves on opposite sides, as Chloe is dedicated to her family's tradition of hunting monsters, while Helen has spent centuries running a sanctuary and rehab for mythical creatures, harboring resentment over the Trojan War. However, as they face common enemies and growing tensions, they must grapple with their differing philosophies and the undeniable attraction developing between them.

The novel weaves together elements of fantasy, romance, and mythology, exploring themes of legacy, grief, and the complexities of love. Against the backdrop of a world filled with mythical creatures, Chloe and Helen must confront their own pasts and work together to face the challenges that arise. "Haunted by Myth" promises an engaging and adventurous tale of love and the supernatural.

"Haunted by Myth" by Barbara Ann Wright is a fantasy romance novel that follows Chloe, who inherits the family legacy of hunting monsters and banishing ghosts after her sister unexpectedly dies. Chloe, now burdened with the family magic, a grieving mother, a lack of self-confidence, and a sarcastic spirit guide, must navigate a world of mythical creatures and a growing attraction to someone unexpected: Helen of Troy.

Chloe and Helen find themselves on opposite sides, as Chloe is dedicated to her family's tradition of hunting monsters, while Helen has spent centuries running a sanctuary and rehab for mythical creatures, harboring resentment over the Trojan War. However, as they face common enemies and growing tensions, they must grapple with their differing philosophies and the undeniable attraction developing between them.

The novel weaves together elements of fantasy, romance, and mythology, exploring themes of legacy, grief, and the complexities of love. Against the backdrop of a world filled with mythical creatures, Chloe and Helen must confront their own pasts and work together to face the challenges that arise. "Haunted by Myth" promises an engaging and adventurous tale of love and the supernatural.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.

I’ve always been a big fan of Helen of Troy as a mythological figure and Helen in a sapphic plot would be right up my alley. I never seemed to gel well with this book though but I enjoyed the Percy Jackson vibes from it and I honestly would have appreciated a deeper dive into the world as it might be anything goes but I just wasn’t sure on what the rules were. Do all Gods co exist? Also it felt weird that there seemed to be no mention of Paris at all?

Rich and inventive mythological fantasy with fantastic characters and a strong romantic element. Highly recommended to any fans of sapphic action romances! Thank you to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review!

🌟🌟🌟🌟 Haunted by Myth - @barbaraannwright (release date 12/12/23)

In a sentence: I would recommend this book for fans of Supernatural, Buffy, and Percy Jackson as Haunted by Myth has somehow managed to intertwine all of my favourite elements of the three.

Haunted by Myth follows Helen of Troy (running a monster sanctuary) and Chloe (following the family monster-hunting legacy). Yes, you know where this is going: enemies-to-lover perfection.

Anyone who’s followed me for a while knows I am a sucker for books centred around mythology in modern settings (something about a god with internet access is just a vibe) - so the whole premise of this book was right up my street from the get-go and it really didn’t disappoint. It was action-packed and so fast-paced that I finished it in just over 24 hours.

Aspects of the novel that really stood out to me was the character development of Helen and Chloe throughout the novel; as well as the witty, tongue-in-cheek way that the dialogue flowed through the book. I haven’t read any of the authors work before but I REALLY love the dialogue in this book - so I will probably go on to read more of her stuff!

For me, the book fell slightly short of a five star rating as I would have liked to see a bit more depth to Helen and Chloe’s relationship - as it seemed to move along quite suddenly and although the romance was a huge subplot, it sadly felt a bit two dimensional for me. I’m not 100% sure if this is a standalone or part of a series (the ending was done so well) but if there’s a second book I am desperate for this to be developed a bit more!

That being said - there’s still sooooo much to love about this book. If you’re looking for a fast-paced, monster fuelled, LGBTQ+ book - Haunted by Myth is a very very strong option.

#review #reading #bookstagram #booksofinstagram #booksbooksbooks #arcreader #arc #reader #bookquotes #romantasy #romanticfantasy #romance #fantasy #hauntedbymyth #barbaraannwright #netgalley

Wow, I sat down and read this within a few hours, such a masterpiece of mythology and womanhood. The pacing did feel a little slow to me though.