This book being set in the 2090s was quite the jump scare, I was expecting a fun new take on Ancient Greece and was unpleasantly surprised to find I was reading a dystopian novel. The expectations I had for this book were completely misaligned to what it actually is.

I began on the wrong foot with this book after the beginning chapter of info-dump world building. My feelings did not improve as the book progressed.

I found the humour and writing style extremely cringy and the childish narration only exasperated this further for me.

I binged Blood of Hercules in a day, even though the writing was so cringe at times. (Free the n!pple and the lips. Vag!nal?) This was repeated a LOT.

It was a slow burn and I love that but just wish there was more chemistry with Patro and Achilles because they felt more brotherly than the main two love interests but I assume that will change in the second book.

It was an addictive read and I will definitely continue the series even if the writing is a bit questionable and the world building is often ridiculous.

I'm not sure how I feel about this book - at no point did it seem like a great (or even well researched) read but.....I will also absolutely vibe going back for round 2. It's like scripted reality tv - entertaining even if its not magnificent.

There's an absolutely brilliant story in the bones of this book. Unfortunately the fleshing out didn't really work - the workload building didn't really make sense, the reader is as clueless as the protagonist the entire time, the character histories seem minimal at best and this all culminated in.....the forced marriage of an abused, malnourished....hostage?

It's weird....and yet compelling. Because it could be so good. There are hints of some incredible characters and an overarching world view that sets up a dark fantasy excellently. I'd love to see that drawn out so much more because there are clear indications that the author has planned the plot out further than this book.

Hercules, by the way, is not a name for a girl and it bothers me.

I absolutely loved this book. The humor, the story, everything. The interactions between Nyx and Alexis are simply the best and funniest. I laughed so much during this book, and I simply can’t stop thinking or talking about it. It was so much fun. I can wait for book 2.

I didn’t really have a lot of expectations going in. I’m not always the biggest fan og Greek mythology in books, but it felt different in this book. Probably because it was set in the future, and we got another side of it. This also might not be the type of fantasy that you’re used to. In some ways it’s slower because the story is mostly in one place and during their training, but also because the type of training they get is not what you’re used to.

I get that this book won’t be for everyone, the humor needs to fit you, but if does, its one amazing book that you won’t stop thinking about.

The narrators for this book were absolutely perfect. I loved them all, and they really made the book even better.

Blood of Hercules follows a girl living in the human world, homeless and struggling to survive. Then at 17 she takes a test which reveals she has Spartan blood so is whisked away to take part in trials that will allow her entry into the Spartan world.
The premise of this book really intrigued me and it had so much potential for a rich fantasy story. However, I don’t think the writing style was for me because it leaned too heavily on humour which kept taking me out of the story. A lot of the humour was mainly cringey and dated the book a lot.
The storyline was still interesting but a lot of the book did fall flat for me due to the writing style.

This was such an amazing book. I am so happy for Jasmine Mas that she is transitioning from indie to traditionally published.

I was able to read this by a audiobook from NetGalley UK. This was such an unexpected book. Jasmine has unexpectedly been able to convey her book through an amazing narorator through her audiobook.

I am so thankful to NetGalley UK for an opportunity to read this book before it came out.

I absolutely cannot wait for Jasmine’s next book. It was absolutely amazing and should be added to anyone’s TBR NOW.

Wow, I have so many thoughts about this book!

So overall I did really enjoy myself and ended up deciding on a four star rating, but there are three elements of the story that I was not a fan of.

1. The title. It would have been such a fantastic plot twist if we didn't know before publication that she was Hercules. Alexis herself hasn't got a clue about it until about 40 pages from the end, so why couldn't we find out then too! Whilst I did figure out the other element of that plot twist about a third of the way through the book, it might have taken me longer to work out if I didn't already know who she was

2. The narrative. I'll be honest, the writing style was not my favourite. There were certain elements that I really enjoyed, but some of the commentary was cringey (free the lips (vaginal!) for one), and the author definitely overused brackets in Alexis' inner monologue. I also found myself getting a bit frustrated at how little Alexis knew and questioned - she got thrust into the crucible, had no clue what was going on, and never once asked anyone a single question? A bit strange to me

3. The post wedding scene at the end. Completely unnecessary at this point considering how terrified she was of them both, and I think probably poorly timed

If those three things had been tidied up this would easily have been a 5 star read for me. I am a sucker for Greek mythology and absolutely love this world that JM has created. It is lush and filled with all the elements of Greek myths that I love, both the good and the bad. The cast of characters made for an entertaining and fast paced story, and there were some interesting seeds laid throughout (who was that woman who spoke to Alexis at the end and where exactly did Charlie come from?) that have left me eager to consume the next book.

Despite my criticisms of this book I really did have a good time reading it and ended up consuming it in a few hours. I'm excited to see where this story goes next

I can honestly say that this is probably the best book I have ever read, and as someone who has read over 100 books per year for the last three years, I am pretty qualified to say this.

The storyline? Heroic. The sarcasm? On point. The characters? Extremely likeable (and unlikeable).

The chokehold that this book has had me in is unprecedented. I have laughed out loud for the vast majority of this book and been engrossed from the very beginning. Alexis is funny, witty and relatable and you are 100% rooting for her throughout. I’m also really into Greek mythology retellings at the moment and this one is done so well, I have learnt so much in such a fun way!

I listened to the audiobook version and definitely think it’s the best audiobook I’ve ever listened to. The actors were incredible at bringing the characters to life. I’ve heard of Teddy Hamilton before and love his work (which is definitely the case with this book) but this is my first time being introduced to Meg Sylvan and she is an absolute artist! 10/10 for the performance here.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the audiobook, this is my favourite ARC so far!

DNF at 47%

Are you ready for a rant? Because I have thoughts.

I wanted to love this. I really did. The premise sounded so promising: a dystopian future where immortal Spartans reign supreme, and our heroine, Alexis, is thrust into their brutal world. Add in a war academy, dark romance, the mention of Patroclus and Achilles, and the allure of Greek mythology. I was sold.

But that excitement fizzled out pretty quickly.

First, the good: the audiobook narrators were fantastic. Their performance honestly kept me going far longer than I would have otherwise. I’ll give the book credit for ambition. The idea of blending ancient Greek lore with a dystopian setting was really interesting. Unfortunately, that’s where the positives end.

The world-building was chaotic and underdeveloped, leaving me constantly confused. Instead of immersing me in this high-stakes, dangerous world, the story kept telling me how brutal and cutthroat everything was without actually showing it. The infamous academy trials? Disappointing and lacking the tension or originality I was hoping for.

And the characters? Flat, repetitive, and underwhelming. Alexis, our FMC, spent most of the time on the brink of dying or just reacting to events around her. Meanwhile, the male characters—despite being positioned as significant love interest—felt like little more than placeholders. Their personalities blurred together, lacking distinct traits or meaningful development. Even my favourites Achilles and Patroclus were unrecognisable, reduced to background figures who barely interacted with Alexis at all even though they were supposed to be her mentors.

The writing itself felt rushed and clunky, full of sudden scene cuts and repetitive jokes that grated on my nerves. And the humour was TikTok-style slang references that might have worked sparingly but was overdone to the point of exhaustion. When an ancient pet snake says, “I knew you had it in you, bestie. Pussy power, crush the patriarchy!” … I’m out.

As a lover of Greek mythology, this book was such a letdown and I had to put it down..

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK Audio for the audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review. Unfortunately, Blood of Hercules just wasn’t for me.

This book was hilarious, there wasn't a dull moment. I don’t think I stopped laughing. Alexis’ inner monologue was amazing, I related to it a lot! Nyx was my favorite character.
It had me hooked, I need the next book immediately!

The narrator's performances were also amazing! I loved everything about it.

Took me a while to get into it, and may not be for everyone. Admittedly it wasn’t what I expected. The dialogue especially made me cringe at times, however, if you look past that and the info-dumping at the beginning it’s quite an enjoyable read.

I listened to the audiobook and I feel the narrator was perfectly suited to the FMC.

I loved this, plot twists and all

This book was just what I needed and boy was it funny. I loved the world Mas built around the greek gods and I am a sucker for a fight-to-the-death style games. The novel was easy to follow, picturesque and full of wit and dark humor. I can see lovers of Romantasy and Greek Mythology devouring this like I did.

I also think I'm officially seeing the appeal for toxic men because Augustus and Kharon have me simping hard

I have so so so so so many thoughts about the ending and am so excited to see where this story goes next. (view spoiler)

What to expect?

x Animal Companions
x Greek Mythology Inspired
x Powers
x Hinted rh
x Hidden Powers
x Toxic Men
x Trials and competitions
x 'Mentors' & a Professor

I listened to the audio of this book alongside reading the Kindle version and the narrators did a superb job at bringing the characters and world to life.

Thankyou to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK for an audio-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, this book fell completely flat to me. I cannot believe I read the entire thing.

1) The brutality and gore was next level. Some of it was unnecessary. The FMC spends probably about 80% off the book starved and barely conscious.
2) The “humour” is very much slang and/or comments about death/su!cide. Or just nonsensical phrasing.
3) It’s a slow burn but add dark romance obsession / possessive males (yes there’s more than one), but make them really awful. Which may work for some but it honestly went from these men saying a woman shouldn’t take part in a competition to being silently obsessed and stalking her. To her face they were awful. Near the end they trick her and then the spice is boarder line SA because she never agrees to anything and one of them uses his magic on her. The character displays asexual tendencies the entire time so this is part of the problem I had with it because she vehemently doesn’t want people touching her, and yet they do not wait for her to consent to anything.
4) What worldbuilding? There are Greek gods but yet she still mentions “God”, “Father John” (ie a priest), and “the devil/satan”. It was confusing and felt like I was in a fever dream.
5) There were zero likeable characters and all the males seemed to have the same personality.
6) Everything I’ve seen about this book pegs it as a Romantasy, there is no mention of RH. It would be helpful to know this in advance because some readers are not RH readers and will feel let down.

On the other side, the voice actors for the audiobook were superb and really immersed the reader in the action.

Honestly wish I felt differently. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance listener copy of this book! I’m sorry it was not for me.

For fans of Greek myths set in modern day, RH and your FMC unhinged and wild. Has the same vibes as Jaymin Eve and Curse of the Gods.

I loved this book so much fun and had me laughing out loud. Yes sometimes the language is a bit silly but that was part of the appeal for me a good fun book. There are dark themes to it of abuse but it’s handled well. I need a Nix in my life to bite my enemies.

The audio narrators were great especially the female one she conveyed the emotions so well.

This book was such a wild ride!

From the brutal Spartan War Academy to the dark, villainous love interests, it had everything!! Gods, gladiators, prophecies, and even a sassy animal companion.

Alexis Hert is a survivor through and through, and her journey to claim immortality was packed with action, twists, and just the right amount of romance.

The narrators were fantastic (Teddy Hamilton; Tristan Morris; Aiden Snow; Meg Sylvan) seriously, they brought every character to life and made the story even more addictive.

If you love Greek mythology, dark romance, and a strong FMC, this one is definitely for you!

Thank you to Harper Colins, Jasmine Maas for an ALC in exchange for an honest review

This book consumed me! I was completely drawn in by Alexis as a character, with the dry humour and apathy in her internal monologue which kept me thoroughly amused throughout, as well as being able to experience this new world (or new to her) through her eyes, and be introduced to different beings and characters, as well as all the horrors, dangers, and traditions of the Gods. I couldn't get enough of her! She's young, naive and a lot out of her depth and finds herself immersed in the orbit of some pretty dark male characters. The male characters whose POV is in the book was definitely jarring against Alexis's narrative and personality, as they're incredibly intense (and dirty) so those weren't my favourite bits but in terms of the story it was interesting to see what they were thinking behind the brooding masks that Alexis sees. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator for Alexis was perfect, she really brought to live her character and the witty lines in the story. The male narrators gave off the masculine air you'd expect from those characters, but didn't feature enough for me to have a strong opinion.

All in all this was a solid read though it is slow going, but I was enjoying it anyway because of the writing which kept me amused and intrigued.

I received a free copy of this book. All views are my own.

4.5 ⭐️
Really enjoyed this audiobook. Narrator very smooth and easy to listen to.
Story developed at a good pace and didn’t find it dragging at any point.
Will definitely be reading other books by this author.
Always a fan of anything greek mythology based.
Thought it had been done to death but this was a fresh take.

Thank you to NetGalley for the Advanced reader copy.
All opinions are my own.

Rated 3.5/5 stars

A fast paced romantasy featuring characters from Greek myth, Blood of Hercules is a unique and wildly fun story as we watch Alexis compete in a trial she never signed up for. Don’t go into this expecting it to feel like a Greek myth retelling though - the inspiration is reserved for names alone, though fun little nods to those who know the myths are scattered throughout. Otherwise, this is a whirlwind of a story, emphasised by Alexis’ sheer confusion and she bounces from one situation to another. And who to trust? Well, that’s the question.

This is very much a story of the modern day, and it’s easy to see the author has access to the internet with the colloquial inner monologuing and witticisms straight from meme-culture. Usually I’d struggle with this, but the audiobook is an incredible performance that made it easier on the ears - I definitely would’ve read the tone wrong at times, expecting it to be grittier than it is.

All in all, this is a romantasy that unintentionally answers the question of what someone from this generation may do if landing in this story. While I expected something darker in tone, its lighthearted writing makes for an easy read and the array of characters leaves plenty to be entertained by.

This book had me in a chokehold.. The storyline of an abandoned child fostered by humans thrown into the mad world of the Spartans... Alexis strength was astounding and the way she was written was beautiful. Nix, Nix had me in absolute stitches at some parts with her bland dry sense of humour.. I literally devoured this audiobook.. The title tells you everything you need to know but until you've finished the book you think it's about something else!! The narrators were spot on...The love triangle that has manifested which may turn into a why choose has me dying for the next one.. Can't wait to find out what's next.

This book was all over my feed, so I had to read it.
Or in this case listen to it, because I was lucky to get the audiobook. It really adds to the fun. The male narrator is very good and convincing, but I also enjoyed Meg Sylvan a lot. She gives Alexis the kind of sass she needs, and sometimes she really sounds like Buffy, which is a big plus for me.

But on to the story: it's an AU Greek mythology take, mixed with orphaned kids and chosen one trope. Oh, there's an academy and loads of the morally grey.
It's the kind of book where I thought 'it's not thaaaat good', but then I devoured it in one sitting.

It's addictive, it's fun.
Though when I say fun, I have to add that you definitely need to read trigger warnings, because it's also going dark places.

The ending is such a great game changer and I'll definitely gonna pick up the next book.

4/5 stars

Thank you @netgalley and @harpercollins @harperaudio for the eARC!

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