I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve read plenty of retellings, many of which involve Medusa taking back her power. This one is a little bit different for me.

We all know the story. Medusa is a mortal born to two immortals with two immortal sisters. She is cast out, and seeks out Athena to avoid being forced into marriage and child birth with Poseidon. Poseidon rapes her and Athena “gifts” her with her powers , but the other acolytes cast her out and she becomes known as a monster.

Okay so this all happens in this book, but it’s an interesting take. Medusa does start off a bit feral in this book, but Perseus is more of a man in this book than in traditional Greek retellings.

The plot is fairly true to the myth with some major exceptions. I really appreciate having a man that isn’t total trash in a retelling. I’m all for female rage and power (and there is plenty of that in this book), but it’s also refreshing having a man who isn’t a complete piece of 💩. Perseus actually is a really fun character to follow and always up for a challenge. I also appreciated the side romance of Kleos and Andromeda (although their cliffhanger is going to be one of many banes of my existence). This is a fun journey, with a dash of romance, plenty of violence, and a bit of retribution. This should be a fun series to read with Medusa being such a strong willed woman unafraid to challenge anyone.

Absolute perfection. This book had me in a chokehold from beginning to end. An incredible story with a different perspective on Medusa & Perseus. I loved the complexity of the relationship that slowly forms between the two, but also as individuals. Medusa was just as brutal, ruthless, and powerful as I'd hoped, and Perseus? The man that you are. I also really enjoyed the development happening between Kleos and Andromeda, and I'm looking forward to seeing what happens with them in the next book. This book is heavy at times, full of action, and there were many moments where I found myself rooting for our main characters and crying for them too. If you love fantasy, romance, and Greek mythology, I'm begging you to read this. Thank you SO much for the ARC, Netgalley!!

The story of this book was good, properly rooted in mythology and such good story-telling. Medusa is definitely portrayed as a strong FMC, with, of course, some weaker moments. However, the book was rife with distracting typos, and I didn't ever truly connect with the love story. Pair that with the fact that Perseus looked Medusa in the eyes multiple times throughout the book without being turned to stone (and without any mention of veils or face coverings), and it became hard to read at some points. Honestly, if the romance was removed, I probably could have overlooked all of that, because the adventure itself was good.

I always love a mythology retelling, and this one was a fun time! I enjoyed the twist on the Medusa and Perseus myth and loved that we got a true enemies to lovers romance between them. I also like the focus on Medusa and seeing her deal with everything that had happened to her. I also loved seeing her as the morally gray character, which is not something we always get to see. As an avid Perseus hater in real life, I enjoyed this take on him as the soft and comforting one.

“Crown of Serpents,” by Lara Reed

Perseus sent to kill Medusa in order to save his mother, but Medusa is not the mindless beast he thought she would be.

Great book for readers who like Greek retelling but more romantic. I would say this book fits more into a romantasy like popular type books like Acotar than The Song of Achilles which is more historically accurate. I liked this type of romance better, so it was great for me. The characters were great, and their romance was solid. 4 out of 5 stars.

-Enemies To Lovers
-Perseus X Medusa

Thank you for the ARC, Netgalley.

I know absolutely nothing about Greek mythology (expect Hercules but does that count?) and I LOVED this. I flew through it. Total slow burn and a TRUE and solid enemies to lovers. I cannot believe this was a debut!

Thank you Net Galley for this ARC copy.
What can I say about this book. I don't think I can give it the justification that it deserves. What an absolute amazing story. I love that Lara has taken a tradition Greek myth and completely turned it in its head. This is the story that Meduesa deserves. Laura has take the story of Meduesa and given it a better storyline without it being over the top you fall in love with the characters and just don't want to put the down. I hope there is going to be a continuation of this book as it was kind of left open to one. I really hope this book does well and is up there as I've if my favourite books of the year....Greek mythology,action, discovering love and heart break this is going to be a smash hit.

I really liked this book! The story was well written and fun to read. I loved the world building and the characters! Would recommend!

Thanks NetGalley for the opportunity!
Maybe spoilers!!!

Oh my God! I'm in love with this book. It's truly a book I loved; it deserves 5 stars! The only reason I'd lower it to 4 stars is because I need to know what happens to Kleos. It's not a question, it's a plea. I NEED to know.

It took me a while to read the book, but not because of the book itself, but more for personal reasons, because once I had the time, I finished it in 2 or 3 days.

Meduna's evolution and her relationship with Perseus, how she went from not trusting men to opening up and sharing her reality. It's so beautiful.

Kleos and Andromeda? I need a next book right now.

Waiting (and hoping) for the second book!

I’ve read many a Medusa retelling but this one is unique because you actually get to see an interaction between Perseus and Medusa (and a little romance) I like that this had a spin to it that others have not explored yet which made it standout amongst similar stories. Would recommend

As a huge fan of Greek mythology-infused stories, I was immediately drawn to Crown of Serpents and its fresh take on Medusa and Perseus. The premise had everything—female rage, a high-stakes battle against the gods, and an enemies-to-lovers dynamic that promised plenty of tension! While the novel delivered on some of these aspects brilliantly, there were a few elements that made it a bit of a mixed read for me.

First, let’s talk about Medusa—because she was easily the highlight of the book. Reed does an incredible job of humanizing one of mythology’s most infamous “monsters,” turning her into a fierce, complex character whose rage is not only justified but deeply cathartic to witness. Her anger at the gods feels raw and real, and I loved seeing her reclaim her own narrative.

That said, I struggled to get into the book at first. The multiple POVs in the beginning made it tough to connect with the characters right away. I found myself wanting to spend more time in one perspective before jumping to another, which slowed my immersion in the story. However, once I settled in, the tension between Perseus and Medusa kept me engaged, and their evolving relationship—shifting from sworn enemies to uneasy allies—was compelling. I just wish I could have stayed between only their POV's!

Overall, Crown of Serpents is a bold retelling with a lot to love—particularly its powerful take on Medusa. If you enjoy mythological retellings that blend action, romance, and rebellion, this is worth picking up!

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Crown of Serpents is a retelling of the Perseus and Medusa Greek myth. This retelling focuses heavily on Medusa with themes of femal rage, revenge, and empowerment. There is also and enemies to lovers sub plot with a wonderfully broody MMC. Be sure the check trigger warnings before diving in.

I loved this! We get action and adventure in the very first chapter. The characters are well developed, and we get a satisfying exploration into their backgrounds and motivations. We also explore Medusa's trauma and healing journey with grace. I highly recommend this book to any fantasy romance reader.

Ultimately this wasn't quite for me. I was engaged and enjoying the world building, Medusa's pov and the twist on her myth. However I didn't gel with Perseus and towards the end it all just got a bit silly, the tone felt different and it just threw me out of the narrative too much.
Thanks to Netgalley and Victory Editing for the arc, all thoughts are my own and left voluntarily.

Thank you for the eARC of Crown of Serpents. I thought the concept of an alternate story/ending for Medusa was really interesting, and I’m always in support of female rage. However, the quality of the writing was a little distracting for me. I enjoyed the varying POVs but was a little confused when Andromeda was brought in. While I was surprised by some of the twists at the end, the writing was maybe just a little too simple for my taste. Some of the verbs and adjectives seemed to be a little too repetitive. For example, I felt that the word "otherworldly" was used as a descriptor a few too many times. I also noticed a decent amount of grammar and punctuation errors that I'm hoping were corrected before the final publication.

This was way out of my comfort zone, but I only requested this because the premise intrigued me — a Perseus × Medusa novel? I didn't see that coming. So I requested and got approved to view this title via Netgalley. And oh my, this was something, to say the least.

For the first 42%, I was a little lost. Mostly because I am not super active in the fantasy arena and the multiple povs felt like different stories all together. But after that, as the action ramped up and the tension, I really liked it. Crown of Serpents is one of those books which will keep you intrigued from the first page. The story starts with a transformed Medusa, killing a group of men sent to end her life and taking back her head a trophy. On the other hand, we have Perseus, who has promised his king to kill Medusa in exchange for his mother; the king wants to make his mother a concubine, and that's a fate he wants to avoid. They are both at opposite ends, but then the fates conspire to bring them together.

This book was a beautiful exploration of feminine rage (not as an aesthetic, but the real thing) and the female agency. The PTSD depiction and other sensitive topics have been handled with the utmost care. The enemies-to-lovers pipeline was really well done, and that's saying something cause I am in the minority which doesn't like this trope much. And gods, I loved Medusa. I really fell in love with her and Andromeda throughout the course of the book. Would definitely continue reading more from the author and I feel this is going to be a series? At least I hope so. That ending was a banger.

Fantasy lovers, this one's for you. If you love classical mythology, good-for-her type of books, and morally ambiguous characters, I am sure you'll end up loving this beautiful, action packed retelling/reimagining of the Medusa myth.

3.5 ⭐️

Thank you so much to the author for an advanced e-copy of Crown of Serpents!

This is a beautiful redemption story for whom we all know to be the villain in Greek mythology. Medusa receives a second chance in this romantasy retelling of her and Perseus’s story.

This was a fresh take on Medusa’s story - using her powers to only harm men who harm other women. I loved that this book allowed us to see the growth in Medusa when Perseus gives her a second chance because he sees more than just a monster. The author did a wonderful job at humanizing Medusa, and the reader can’t help but sympathize with the trauma she’s been through.

On the other hand, I feel as though this story steered a little too close to the romantasy formula. Don’t get me wrong, you shouldn’t fix what’s broken! But, it would’ve been nice to see Crown of Serpents break out of the “hero goes on a quest, meets the enemy, enemies go on a quest, find themselves with only one bed, become lovers,” and so on. I also wished the other characters besides Medusa were fleshed out a bit more. Many seemed one-dimensional, and I needed a bit more than surface level information about them.

Overall, this was still an enjoyable read, and I think Laura Reed’s debut is definitely worth checking out :)

UMMM. Yes! | love Medusa and Perseus so much. Such a good easy read. The character arcs were absolutely on point. I love the tension that immediately started as soon as Perseus and Medusa/ Kleo and Andromeda basically laid eyes on one another.

arc review:
Crown of Serpents by Lara Reed
raiting: 4/5 ⭐️

This book reimagines the classic myth with a twist, Medusa is no mindless monster, and Perseus might not be the hero the gods intended. Packed with action, tension, and unexpected alliances, it’s a high-stakes story where fate is never fair.

I loved the dynamic between Perseus and Medusa, so much stubbornness, so much fire! Their reluctant partnership, the looming wrath of the gods, and the question of whether they’ll destroy each other or defy Olympus kept me hooked. Plus, the themes of power, vengeance, and reclaiming one’s own story made it even better.

If you love Greek mythology with a fresh take (and a dash of sizzling tension), Crown of Serpents is for you!

Crown of Serpents is an intriguing and well-executed reimagining of the Medusa vs. Perseus myth. The first half of the novel truly shines, offering a fresh perspective on the classic tale with strong worldbuilding and compelling character dynamics.

However, the second half leans more into romantasy than I expected—perhaps fitting for the book’s marketing, but it took me by surprise. I never imagined Medusa and Perseus with romantic tension, so the shift was unexpected... yeah, I was blind, Gordon-style.

That being said, the writing is undeniably strong, and the chemistry between the characters is well-developed. I especially appreciated how the novel didn’t shy away from themes of female rage, reclaiming Medusa’s story in a way that felt both powerful and cathartic. Even so, I felt that the initial challenges introduced in the story lost some urgency as the romance took center stage. While the relationship worked, I personally would have preferred a more gradual slow burn.

Overall, Crown of Serpents is a solid choice for fans of Greek mythology retellings and those new to romantasy. There’s a good balance of action and reflection, ensuring the story remains engaging while also exploring deeper emotional themes. If you enjoy mythology-inspired storytelling with a strong romantic thread, this is definitely worth picking up.

Most people know Medusa only as a monster, missing the parts of her story where she was a priestess to Athena and cursed by that goddess after she was sexually assaulted by Poseidon in Athena’s sacred temple. The Greco-Roman gods were some champion victim-blamers, let me tell you. Lara Reed’s Crown of Serpents brings Medusa’s tale of monstrous female rage into focus with the complexity and grace her story deserves - and pairs her in a romance with Perseus, her would-be slayer, to boot. It’s not all processing trauma, though. In this uneven novel, you also get: Andromeda & Medusa Bestie Supremacy! There was only one bed! The petrification of dicks! Lightning blood! Fighting as flirting! And Medusa, proving that survival is 90% spite and 10% being able to disembowel someone with your bare hands since 700 BCE.