Review: Dio In The Dark

                                                                   

Dio In The Dark by Rizwan Asad
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Mythology, Urban Fantasy
Release Date: September 29, 2021
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

"Be young tonight, if you must. For tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow you will grow old, and the night will no longer be your lover."

The powers of the pantheon have faded. The gods live amongst the mortals, grasping for what little of their divinity remains.

When Zeus - King of the Gods - goes missing in modern-day Toronto, it is up to his estranged son, Dio, to find him.

And with rumors of The Darkness coming, Dio will have to race to find his father, and uncover the truth before it's too late!

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First and foremost how gorgeous is the cover of this book? Yes, I have a thing for book art, sue me.

Dio In The Dark is a modern day story about the Greek Gods and how they would be existing in a modern world. I've always had a crazy love for mythology of all kinds and in all inclinations. Rizwan does an incredible job of weaving together histories from the past with modern times and plays on what each God represents when depicting who they are in these modern times.

There's a great sense of humor in throughout the book and I'm not going to lie I don't think I'll get the image of Zeus dressed in tights as an actual superhero out of my head anytime soon. Just the fact that he was willing to go that far to kind of create himself to be seen as a hero in modern times is hilarious.

Book Blitz: Queen Zazzau

Historical Fantasy/Mythical Realism

Date Published: November 20, 2018

Publisher: Afrocentric Books | Mugwump Press

Amina is heir apparent to the throne of Zazzau and must prove she is worthy of the crown. As foreign invaders close in on them, she is all that stands between her people and destruction. 

Caught in a web of prophecies, she must defend Zazzau, but cannot do so if she wants to prevent the future that was foretold. She did not seek war yet it finds her. Unwilling to be the plaything of gods or men and determined to take control of her own destiny, she tracks down the god of war himself. 

But has her destiny already been written? Can she choose her own fate? And can she protect her kingdom, no matter what price she must ultimately pay? Because, gods always want something in return.

Queen of Zazzau is an Historical Fantasy that takes place in precolonial West Africa.  It chronicles the life of one of the most famous W. African queens, Amina of Zazzau (or Zaria). At 139,000 words, the novel features several W. African historical figures and a pantheon of W. African gods. The story is told in first-person and gives the reader an intimate look at some of the lifestyles and cultures--many of which are still alive today--of medieval W. Africa.

Excerpt

I dreamed. Not a dream of laughing brooks and water spirits; I dreamed of an empty plain. I stood in the field, yellow-green savanna grass swaying in the wind. As its soft whistle grew to a roar, the grass whipped my legs violently. But it wasn’t the wind roaring; it was men. Hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands suddenly surrounded me. Each man fought the other with murder in his eyes.

My uncle was among them. Sword in hand, he lunged at the nearest half-naked man and brought down his blade, cutting into the other man’s shoulder. His enemy howled in pain but did not fall. The soldier rushed forward, still howling, pushing the sword deeper into his own flesh, and stabbed at Karama with a long-knife. Karama swept the knife away with a braceleted wrist. Then his wrist came down on the howling man’s head, burying the raised, serrated edge of a war bracelet in his skull.

Dislodging his bracelet, my uncle pushed the corpse off his blade. He turned and saw me. Our eyes locked for only a moment before a spear sprouted from his chest. Screaming, I ran to him but was buffeted by a sea of men. The faster I tried to run, the farther away my uncle was.

Book Blitz: Lover, Divine (Mythos: Gods & Lovers #1)

Lover, Divine (Mythos: Gods & Lovers #1) by A. Star
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Romance, Mythology
Release Date: February 25, 2014
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ B & N

Book Description:

For fans of the Oracle of Delphi series…and for those who aren’t…

Born into one of the wealthiest families in Ireland, Siobhan Law has status, privilege, and a secret: The Greek gods of Olympus and their kingdom in the clouds are real, and her family acts as one of their agents on Earth.

When the beautiful immortal celeste Liam Argyros shows up claiming to have come to Earth to deal in the affairs of the divine, Siobhan finds herself unable to resist his charms. New to the game of passion and seduction, she quickly ends up in over her head, sinking deeper with every attempt Liam makes to win her over.

But Liam’s divine mission is far more complex than she ever imagined and nothing is truly as it seems. Because Liam has a secret of his own: He is Apollo, Olympian god of the Sun, and his mission will never be complete until he has claimed Siobhan’s heart forever.

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Excerpt:

Conor exited the car as soon as he spotted us approaching. Within seconds, he was opening my door and waiting for me to climb inside.

“Ready to whisk her away even before I’ve had a chance to kiss her goodbye, Conor?” Liam said, handing the driver my violin case. He set his on the ground by our feet.

I saw Conor’s cheeks redden and it wasn’t from the cold. “Apologies. I’ll jus’ wait in the car then.”

“I’ll only be a minute,” I said, knowing I was blushing, too.

He studied us for a minute, then said, “O’ course, miss.”

Liam swept me into his arms the moment Conor’s door closed. My arms immediately wrapped around his neck, and nothing more needed to be said. Liam slanted his mouth over mine and brought our lips together.

Review: Centaur Redemption (Touched #4)

Centaur Redemption (Touched #4) by Nancy Straight
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Release Date: January 1, 2014
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ Barnes and Noble

Book Description:

Cami and Drake’s honeymoon is cut short as they escape attacks by the Council Enforcers and head to South Africa for the meeting of the Centaur Council, which has ordered a death sentence on Cami and all members of the Lost Herd. 

The Council Chairman is her grandmother, her most dangerous foe. 

Surrounded by family and friends, Drake and Cami face the Council, Cami’s power-hungry uncles, an ambitious twin, taking the battle all the way to Zeus to attempt to win the freedom of the Tak herd.



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I had already read the first three books in the "Touched" series so I was excited when I heard that the fourth book was out and ready to review. "Centaur Redemption" is meant to be the final book of the series (although there is still room to continue on with new books about these characters), and I was excited to see how Cami and Drake's journey in the world of Centaurs was going to come to a resolution.

"Centaur Redemption" begins right where the third book left off. Cami and her family are about to leave and go and address the Centaur council in order to ask for her family's safety. Cami is part of the Tak herd, which is referred to as "The Lost Herd" because centuries ago Zeus had decreed that every member of the Tak family be killed so that the line would be wiped out. However, another god of Olympus had interfered and worked to hide a Tak member, so the line lived on. Cami wants to go and hopes that she can make the other centaurs see sense, instead of just blindly pursuing her family.

Review: Medusa (Heroines of Classical Greece #1)

Medusa (Heroines of Classical Greece #1) by S.D. Hines
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Release Date: August 6, 2013
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

In one of the most compelling tales from classical Greece since Mary Renault's Bull from the Sea and Fire from Heaven, author Scot Hines retells the legend of Medusa in a way that makes her feel like a contemporary millennial girl with very special problems. 

Despite a semi-miraculous birth in the temple of Athena, Medusa is nothing more than a devoted priestess of the goddess, distinguished only by her beauty and piety. But after she is raped by the god Poseidon, her entire world is ripped asunder and she flees Poseidon's wrath through ancient Greece and beyond for the inconceivable crime of resistance. In her wanderings, she encounters dangers and horrors, but also friends in unexpected places. 

Pursued by Poseidon's fury and his assassins, she is finally cornered in Egypt with only two choices: fight back or be destroyed with all she loves. But her only hope lies with the father of her children, the great love of her life and the man who is prophesied to kill her: Perseus.

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"Medusa" by S.D. Hines is a tale of epic proportions. It's also a story of Medusa like we've never seen before. We're used to seeing Medusa as the bad guy – the one with creepy snakes for hair that turns innocent victims into stone with just one look into her eyes. That's the Medusa that we're used to, but it is not the one Hines portrays.

The Medusa from this story is a kind hearted and gentle woman, who is on the run after being raped and having her life threatened by the god Poseidon. Instead of being on the offensive like the monster she's been portrayed over the years, she goes out of her way to help people and makes friends with the people she encounters on her journey.

Medusa's travels take her far and wide. She goes all through Greece, and even as far as Egypt, in her trek to save herself from Poseidon's wrath. This is an epic journey that reminded me of the one Odysseus faced. Both had to go on an adventure that lasted for years that also threw challenges and smaller battles in their way. Medusa was forced to protect herself and others during her wanderings, and as a result, was able to grow as a person and become stronger.

Blog Tour: Lover, Divine (Mythos: Gods & Lovers #1)

Lover, Divine (Mythos: Gods & Lovers #1) by A. Star
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Mythology, Romance
Release Date: February 25, 2014
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ B & N

Book Description:

Born into one of the wealthiest families in Ireland, Siobhan Law has status, privilege, and a secret: The Greek gods of Olympus and their kingdom in the clouds are real, and her family acts as one of their agents on Earth.

When the beautiful immortal celeste Liam Argyros shows up claiming to have come to Earth to deal in the affairs of the divine, Siobhan finds herself unable to resist his charms. New to the game of passion and seduction, she quickly ends up in over her head, sinking deeper with every attempt Liam makes to win her over.

But Liam’s divine mission is far more complex than she ever imagined and nothing is truly as it seems. Because Liam has a secret of his own: He is Apollo, Olympian god of the Sun, and his mission will never be complete until he has claimed Siobhan’s heart forever.

♥ ♥ ♥
Excerpt:
Liam slanted his mouth over mine and brought our lips together. At first, he was gentle. Our lips performed a slow rumba that was as intense as it was tender. His tongue was like a tease, begging for permission but not daring to enter even when permission was given.

This went on for a minute or two, until I could hardly stand it another second and moaned out of frustration. “Wha’ are you waitin’ for, Liam?” I whined against his mouth. He chuckled, but he understood what I wanted and he gave it to me.

Review: The Deep End of the Sea

The Deep End of the Sea by Heather Lyons
Age Group: New Adult
Genre: Mythology
Release Date: February 13, 2014
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ Book Depository

Book Description:

What if all the legends you’ve learned were wrong?

Brutally attacked by one god and unfairly cursed by another she faithfully served, Medusa has spent the last two thousand years living out her punishment on an enchanted isle in the Aegean Sea. 

A far cry from the monster legends depict, she’s spent her time educating herself, gardening, and desperately trying to frighten away adventure seekers who occasionally end up, much to her dismay, as statues when they manage to catch her off guard. As time marches on without her, Medusa wishes for nothing more than to be given a second chance at a life stolen away at far too young an age.

But then comes a day when Hermes, one of the few friends she still has and the only deity she trusts, petitions the rest of the gods and goddesses to reverse the curse. Thus begins a journey toward healing and redemption, of reclaiming a life after tragedy, and of just how powerful friendship and love can be—because sometimes, you have to sink in the deep end of the sea before you can rise back up again.

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I am a huge fan of mythology always have been and retellings or different take on mythology are one of my favorite things to read. I haven’t found many over the years that are good, but The Deep End of The Sea by Heather Lyons was absolutely amazing!

This was such a well-developed and poignant story. I really enjoyed Lyons take of Medusa and her entire backstory. The Deep End of The Sea shows how a young girl names Medusa was a priestess in Athena’s temple. She was raped by Poseidon and then cursed by Athena for defiling her temple. Her curse was being turned into the hideous “monster” Medusa. But in truth Dusa wasn’t a monster at all.