Orishas Among Mortals - Collection 1: An Old Gods Story

by Antoine Bandele

In this three-story collection, you’ll find magical tales of deities among mortals from the Sky Realm, New York City, and Cosmic Planes too far to reach. Find out if Eshu, the gatekeeping trickster, can hoodwink the creation deity, Obatala, to craft him a human body. If he fails, he may never get in contact with a mortal that needs his help. Journey with Oya, the windweaving warrior, as she battles to communicate an important message to one of her divine children on Earth. If she can’t, doom will fall upon mankind. War with Shango, the hero of lightning, who fights alongside Thor against an uncompromising mystic foe. If they can’t come together to face the dark, there may no longer be light for humanity. Can the Orishas succeed?

Genres: Fantasy

202 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 1, 2024

About the author

HOW I RATE

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Very Profound and/or Entertaining.
⭐⭐⭐⭐ I enjoyed it.
⭐⭐⭐ It was okay.
⭐⭐ I didn't enjoy it.
⭐ I hated it.

ABOUT ME

ANTOINE BANDELE IS AN AMAZON BESTSELLING AUTHOR IN AFRICAN LITERATURE.

He lives in Los Angeles, CA with his girlfriend, where he produces work on YouTube for his own channel and others, such as JustKiddingFilms, Fanalysis, and more. During the summer he is a camp counselor. Whenever he has the time he’s writing his debut series: Tales from Esowon.

SINCE 1990 ...

I've been a creative kid, whether writing stories, drawing comics, or directing home movies. I remember the first time I thought I was a "published" author. My father took my brother and I to an office supply store, where we got our books (which were made out of wide-ruled notebook paper) laminated and copied.

It felt so legit.

In elementary school, I kept filling out more notebooks with my stories. I was even brave enough to share those stories with friends during recess. The underside of the playground slide became my own library, but the only inventory was my books. They were stories about kung fu fighting teenagers who were stuck in their own dreams (still might develop that one day), or fan fiction covering my favorite franchises.

Growing up in Los Angeles, only a few miles from Hollywood, I started flirting with the film industry. This became my focus throughout my young adult years. I majored in Multimedia at California State University Northridge (though my diploma is still incomplete). That eventually got me on YouTube which (for most filmmakers in those early days) was the best place to archive and share your work. YouTube has turned into a different beast today, but I still seek out that sense of community it had among like-minded individuals.

If there is one thing that encompasses my life so far, one theme, it would be the pursuit of art. Whether I'm writing, drawing, editing or otherwise (though I really wish I had a talent for music), I've always been drawn to crafting art. That's all I'm really about when it comes right down to the bare bones, everything stripped away. I'm fueled by creating make-believe, letting my imagination take me to wonderful worlds filled with characters who speak to my inner muse.

So join me here on my small corner of the internet (a bit of an upgrade to the underside of a playground). I want to share my creativity with you.

Reviews

[Julia Sarene · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went into Orishas Among Mortals without having read any of the main TJ Young books, and came out both entertained and intrigued enough to want to pick them up.

This is a collection of three stories set in that universe, and while they connect to the broader series, some stand on their own surprisingly well. The first story worked especially well independently. A fun, myth-infused tale featuring a trickster god who’s wily, conniving, and charming.

The second story was a bit less self-contained, and the third felt more like a lore-deepening interlude that probably lands better if you already know the series. That said, as someone who doesn’t mind spoilers or being dropped in the deep end, I still enjoyed all three.

What really stood out to me was how the third story blends West African and Greek mythology in a way I haven’t seen before. It’s a clever twist that adds texture to the worldbuilding, and Bandele, an BIPOC author, does a great job of making the mythologies feel both familiar and fresh.

I listened to the audiobook version and really enjoyed the narration. The performances were strong across the board, and the music was a subtle but effective touch. I don’t usually like music in audiobooks, but as short interludes between chapters, it worked well and added to the atmosphere.

This was a fun introduction to the world and a great taster for the series. I’m definitely curious to see what the full novels are like.

All in all a vibrant, myth-rich (African meets Greek) short story collection that makes for a great entry point into the TJ Young universe. With standout narration and immersive audio touches.

Thanks to #NetGalley for the review copy.

[Lois · Rating 5 out of 5]

These are fun stories that feature Orisha characters as mythological magical figures from the TJ Young Universe. This has Shango & Thor, Eshu & Obatala and Oya as characters on missions. This works as a fun and dynamic expansion of this story universe. These short stories also function as background to the overall series narrative but are also fully contained and interesting short stories on their own. I think this serves as a fun introduction to the series for new readers.

This audiobook is narrated by Nekia Renee Martin and John Joseph Rogers. These stories have slight sound effects between chapters. The Interludes offer explanations and background on the stories and are vpiced by the author. This is a high quality audiobook production which in my limited experience always makes these more accessible for children.

Thank you to Antoine Bandele, Bandele Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Orisha’s Among Mortals is a collection of short stories and novellas that are connected to the series: TJ Young and the Orisha. This is a new to me author and a new to me world. I enjoyed the audiobook and I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the world and characters. Antoine definitely knows how to bring the world and the words alive. Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to listen to this collection. This was a solid 4 stars for me.

[Jessica Mather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and Bandele Books for the ALC of Orishas Among Mortals.

4.5⭐️ - a note that i have listened to the whole collection of stories before reading the rest of the series.

This 3 story collection drew me in immediately and had me wanting to read the whole series! Following the African Gods and their adventures with Norse Gods, this is a thrilling and captivating ride.
The audiobook was fantastic! I loved the immersive quality and the traditional singing in between stories. I also appreciated the Author interludes to let us know that we should read certain books before moving onto the other stories.
My favourite story was that of Eshu and his trickster ways. I thought his character was very entertaining. I thought the length of ‘An Axe For A Hammer’ was slightly too long considering it made up about half of the book. I thought the other two were just small tasters compared to a much fuller third story.
This is a fantastic read for all ages, exploring African and Norse mythology and Gods. I can’t wait to read the rest. I highly recommend this to everybody.

[Rebecca]

To be honest, I finished this book because someone precious to me gave it to me joyfully. I am the opposite of the target audience - an old white woman who didn't know anything about Orishas. The story isn't bad, but I really struggled with large number of characters with unfamiliar names. I hope that this book finds its way into the hands of those for whom it was written. It is really for those who are learning about Orishas or already know about them and want to read stories that feature them. I know that those readers are out there.

[Marie Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

These short stories between TJ Young books are really interesting and give good insight into what was going on when TJ wasn't around to witness.

[K.C. Norton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay, bear with me, because I do love this universe. I think there's an issue here that I specifically experienced and that might be an issue for other readers, though.

So, I read the first (super short) novella earlier this year. "The Mischief Maker" is supposed come before book 1 in the TJ Young book, but it contains a significant spoiler for that book. Based on that, I read book 2 before picking this up, and was confused because you do actually need to read "The Wind Speaks" for book 2 to make entire sense. And now, I'm about a third of the way through book 3, and I'm so glad that I went back and read "An Axe for a Hammer," because again, it's a bit of a struggle to follow the main novel without this context. I wish this was a little clearer, because even the audiobook suggests reading "Mischief Maker" first.

Especially in "An Axe for a Hammer," we spent a lot of time with the gods in these stories, and I found myself a lot less invested in the cosmic super-powerful god battles than I am in the human characters of the main series. I perked up when Ayo (my favorite character from the series, yesss) popped in for book 3, but the court case kind of dragged on. I understand why we need that for book 3 to make sense, but the pacing was a bit too slow and repetitive as a result.

However! I recommend the TJ Young series for readers of YA, and fans of things like Percy Jackson. This novella collection provided a larger peek at that ever-expanding universe. The audio production is also excellent; I've listened to a lot of audiobooks read by people who can't do different accents to save their lives, and the narrator of "Axe for a Hammer" (John Joseph Rogers?) really knocked it out of the park with the range of voices and accents required.

tl;dr, I do recommend this if you plan to read the main series. If you pick this one up on its own, I think you will be very, very confused. ;)

Thank you to NetGalley and Antoine Bandele for the audio ARC! Antoine's also working with several other authors on an expanded multiseries world in the style of Rick Riordan Presents, and I think TJ Young got optioned for... film? Streaming? Anyway, if this series isn't on your radar, check it out.

[Sonja Charters · Rating 4 out of 5]

Back in March, I read a great little short story collection by this author - Tales From The Otherworlds - and although I was a little above the target age audience, I really enjoyed exploring this authors fantasy ideas.

 

This collection includes the 2 short stories and the longer novella which were written to accompany this author's TJ Young series of novels.

Now, these fantasy reads are not normally my go to reads, so I was particularly drawn to these shorter reads rather than the novels - and as such, I did not read these in tandem and haven't read any of the TJ Young series ......yet!

 

However, I could tell that these stories would fit brilliantly between the novels to add extra background and character development.

That said, I don't think that I was wholly hindered having not followed each with it's novel.

 

These stories took us to other realms and introduced the Orisha characters to us.

A diverse bunch of Gods based around West African mythology.

 

The first two short stories were super quick reads and I loved learning about each Orisha and seeing how they interacted both between themselves and also with us mortals.

This quick introduction was just enough to see the characters and little of what they could do - enticing us to read their full story.

 

I think my favourite story though, was the final novella, which being a longer read, really allowed us a greater insight into both the characters and the overall greater battles that the Orishas are facing.

I loved that this story brought together not only a mix of the Orisha Gods and mortals - but also combines Gods from other realms that we are more familiar with - Thor, who is prominent in this story, being one of my favourites - but we also see Greek and Egyptian Gods featured too.

 

These are really well written and interesting stories and I could easily fall into the TJ Young series having read these - but they are definitely chunky reads (which scare me slightly!) - one day, I'm determined to overcome this fear and head on in, so watch this space.....

 

[Mark Will Never Cry · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would like to begin by saying that I understand that the whole idea with novellas like this is to give something more to the people, who are already interested in the series and they are not meant to be an introduction to the series, however, you are not required to read the series before reading the stories, so no one can really stop me.
I found some ideas expressed in the story rather uncomfortable, such as the expressed need to kill your enemies in a war. The impression from the stories is that the Godkillers (I assume it is written like that, as I only had access to the audiobook) are mindless creatures that just attack and might be controlled by something bigger, so we as readers should not feel for their losses, but if something is mindless, you can't have a war with it. My point being - this is a slippery slope.
Further on, there was discussion of how soldiers should follow order and not "venture out of their own volition" which is also a sentiment that is rather dangerous.
Both of the points above were from the last story, but there are also other things, that stood out to me in the other two stories as rather dangerous and problematic opinion. In the first story, we have not only the idea of making "the trickster" into an evil character, but we also have the villain of the story actively making someone go against their beliefs and opinions for their sake (even if in the end we are told that none of it was true, so there is no worry). Yes, I get that this helps to build him into a better villain, but while reading it just felt uncomfortable being in that situation. And in the second story we have amounts of sexism that the alpha male crowd is dreaming about.
In conclusion, this felt icky to read and made me push away from the idea of further reading this author. If you do not mind your author casually dropping some conservative takes - this is a good author to read, the writing is good and the mythology is interesting, but I guess I am just "too woke" for this.

[Didi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Orishas Among Mortals: Collection 1 by Antoine Bandele is a trio of tales that drop West African deities right into mortal affairs. Across the three stories, one each featuring the Eshu, Oya, and Shango Orishas, we see just how messy it can get when gods become involved with mortals.

This was my first time reading and listening to anything by this author and these narrators. The production was good, and I liked the music and sound effects in places. They were well balanced and did not feel distracting or overwhelming. I also appreciated that with each book in the collection, the author gives a short introduction, explaining that the upcoming story is based on a different book and offering the listener the chance to pause and read it beforehand. While I have not read the related books, I did not feel it took away from these stories, though I can see how it would enhance the experience, and it has made me interested in reading them.

While the first two stories are short and under an hour each in audio, my favourite was the last one, partly because its longer length allowed for greater depth and tension. In Oya’s story, the female narrator’s attempt at a Nigerian accent is a poor imitation of the real thing and would normally distract and take away from the listening experience, but funnily enough, in this case, it did not. My favourite of the three was Shango’s story; the banter between Shango and Thor was highly entertaining, and I particularly enjoyed the intertwining of the Norse god Thor, something I have never encountered before. Coming from West African heritage myself, I have always felt there was a connection between our deities and those in Norse mythology, so seeing that concept explored here was fascinating.

This was a great introduction to Antoine Bandele’s writing, and I am looking forward to reading more.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bandele Books for the opportunity to listen and review this audiobook.

[Ella · Rating 3 out of 5]

First I would like to thank NetGalley, the Author and the Publisher for this Audio ARC.

I did not know these where novellas set within the "TJ Young and the Orishas" universe. I just thought it would be cool to read something that wasn't Norse, Egyptian or Greek gods based.
Then let me say that these West African Orishas are AWESOME!
The names, the powers, their appearance...

The first story is "Will of the Mischief Maker" and is the Prequel to "The Gatekeeper's Staff" which is explained at the end of this short story and that was also my clue to actually read the rest of the series but my chaotic brain decided that it would not be necessary to follow the rest of the stories.... It was though. 'Cuz I was left with a lot of questions. My bad... 🙈
That being said. The first story was a story in itself. The second story " When the Wind Speaks" was harder to follow since it's the epilogue to "The Gatekeeper's Staff" and I missed a lot of info. That said, it is a lovely story and it makes sense in its own way. The third and final story "An Axe for a Hammer" is a bit more chaotic. not only is it the prequel to "The Hero's Equinox" it also switches between the past and current time.
I loved listening to the whole though and the sound effects and the accompanying music gave it more dept.

I've been contemplating in it being 3 or 4 stars but decided on 3 since I wont be reading the rest of the books due to the fact that it's to YA for me and for me personally it was hard to really get into the stories. The reason I would like to give it 4 stars is for its originality and the awesomeness of the Orishas.

[Jeremy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun listen and I really enjoyed it! Orishas Among Mortals is a cool addition to the TJ Young universe and I think it adds a lot, especially if you've read the other books. But even if you haven’t, these stories are a solid way into the world. There’s two shorter stories and one longer one build on the magic and the world building in a really creative way.

I liked how much of the West African mythology came through—it felt rich but still super readable (or in this case, listenable). The narrators were great across the board. Each voice brought the characters to life and the little sound effects and music in between chapters were a nice touch. Really helped the atmosphere and made it easy to get pulled in. I think each of the narrators for each story did a great job with embodying the characters and the emotion that was be conveyed through scenes.

Honestly, I liked the first two stories the most. They had that fast-paced, adventurous vibe that reminds me of other YA myth-based books I’ve loved, but still felt fresh and grounded in this world. The third story was more serious and a bit choppier in flow, but it did deepen the overall lore and helped connect a lot of things from the main series.

Also, I appreciated how the author lets you know where this fits if you’re reading through the whole TJ Young series. That’s super helpful for any new listeners. Overall, I’d definitely recommend this to anyone into YA fantasy with a rich mythos and strong characters.

Thanks to Bandele Books and NetGalley for the audio ARC

[Greyson · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75⭐️ Thank you to Netgalley and Bandele Books for the ALC of Orishas Among Mortals.

As an African Spiritual Practitioner, I’ve been looking for African-based mythos and this collection of short stories has been FANTASTIC to read. I loved the Orisha’s dual personality traits being depicted here in this book. Each story was individually exceptional making me want to read the TJ and The Orisha’s series that intertwines with these stories. I was fully excited to see other Pantheons mixed up within the third book, which makes me wonder how they connect throughout the series. I think this was marketed to the exact right audience (YA), but I, as a…. Not so young adult FULLY loved it. By the end of this book I was devastated, will I ever recover?!
Overall: Each book had their own spiritual lessons that I think were beautifully and interestingly told.

Book 1: When something is meant for you, its meant for you no matter what. Your talent is never lost, sometimes it just buried.
Book 2: Pay attention to the signs, they are all around you. Pull your attention from the distractions long enough to get your message.
Book 3: Know your heart. Know your power.

The audiobook was done SO WELL and I enjoyed the commentary between each story as well. I’m on my way to get the TJ books from my library as we speak.

[Vish · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC Review

Orishas Among Mortals: An Old Gods Story by Antoine Bandele**
🎧 Narrated by Nekia Renee Martin & John Joseph Rogers

I actually started my journey into this universe with this audiobook, and at first I wasn’t fully sure what was happening. But pretty quickly, I found myself invested and wanting to know more.

*Orishas Among Mortals* is a collection of three short stories that take place between the main books in Antoine Bandele’s series. Even as a newcomer, I could feel how these tales expand the bigger world, while also standing strong on their own.

The narration was a huge highlight for me. **Nekia Renee Martin and John Joseph Rogers** breathed life into every moment—their voices carried the rhythm and weight of the mythology, which made the experience so much more immersive.

I loved the way African mythology was woven into modern storytelling. It gave me that “gods walking among us” feeling, like the ancient and the present were colliding right in front of me. There were a few moments where I felt a little lost without prior context, but by the end I was hooked and ready to dive into the full series.

A strong introduction, and now I’m curious to see what the larger saga has in store.

(3.5 star ⭐ rounded up to 4.)

[Bree Van · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection of short stories and a novelette set in the The Orishas universe offers a vibrant and engaging expansion of the series, merging West African mythology with modern and cosmic settings. I listened to the audiobook which included fabulous pairing music to set the mood. The inclusion of instrumentals before each story adds a unique atmospheric layer, enhancing the reader's immersion and reflecting the tonal shifts across narratives. The author did suggest numerous times that reading the full-length novels—such as The Gatekeeper would provide helpful context, but the stories stand well on their own; I was able to follow the plotlines and character motivations with ease. That said, for readers with the time, delving into the larger series would likely heighten the emotional resonance and thematic depth. The collection succeeds in reintroducing legendary Orishas like Eshu, Oya, and Shango in both familiar and surprising roles, using accessible storytelling to explore divine responsibility, mortal connection, and the fragility of cosmic balance.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bandele books for this ALC in exchange for my honest review.

[Mim_Who _Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a creative and engaging collection that blends West African mythology with both modern and fantasy settings. It includes three main stories, plus a few short vignettes. Whether you’re already into the series or new to it, there’s a lot to enjoy.

The focus here is more on myth and world-building than action, but it’s still really entertaining.
I listened to this thanks to NetGalley and was pleasantly surprised that it wasn’t too long...just over 5 hours. I really liked the music in the background, and the dual narration helped bring most of the story to life.

That said, I did struggle a bit with the male narrator. His voice didn’t quite match the tone of the stories, and the audio sometimes sounded muffled, like there may have been mic issues. It didn’t ruin the experience, but it did make it a little harder to stay fully immersed. I then got the book on kindle and tandem read, and it was much better to do both at the same time.

Overall, this is a solid and interesting listen!

Big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the audio!

[Susanna Bullmam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this collection of short stories, which works well as an introductory to the world of TJ Young and the Orishas. In this YA series Antoine Bandele has created a modern fantasy world that draws on East African Mythology.

I listened to this Audio thanks to netGalley and would recommend it. The narrators embodied the different characters they portrayed, and the incidental music and sound effects really helped to conjure up the rich world Bandele has created.

I liked the interplay of our modern world and technology with the ancient gods and there powers. while the main focus is on the East African god, they existed along side the pantheons of gods from other parts of the world. In "An Axe for a hammer" I particularly liked the bond between Shango and Thor from Norse mythology.

I look forward to continuing this series and know that as a teenager I would have devoured it. While my heritage is Caribbean, I am a part of the African diaspora and then as now appreciated reading African mythology and seeing myself reflected in the stories.

[Sammy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a collection on novellas that are each a prequel to Book 1, Book 2, and Book 3 of the TJ Young and the Orishas series.

I was given an ARC by NetGalley! Thank you!

The first Prequel was very interesting to me, it follows along with a character named Manny and caught my attention fast.

Having not read the entire series, the next two prequels didn’t make any sense to me. So my rating is solely based upon the first 30 pages or so. The series as a whole sounds very interesting as there are a mixture of different gods from different religions and I’m always intrigued by those things. The author is a BIPOC which I love being able to support when I can. I will be recommending the series to my friends that are teachers as I feel it would be good for kids to learn about other cultures beliefs and theologies, especially since it feels like I knew nothing about them at the age of 30+

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook fantasy for teens and YA, based around West African mythology. Two short and one longer interludes/additional vignettes which intertwine between, and add to our interactions with the characters in the TJ Young series books.
I’ve listened to the first two audiobooks in this series, they are fun fantasy adventure stories.
These additional stories work if you’ve already read the books, but equally will add to your enjoyment if you are a newbie to this series. The author tells you the best place to listen if you are going through the books in turn.
If I’m honest I probably enjoyed the first two shorter stories more. I think they have more of the fun found in the books. But the third story does bring extra understanding of the bigger story to the listener.
Thank you to Bandele Books and NetGalley for the audio ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

[Cat Treadwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a delightful little trilogy of tales that reminded me of Kipling's 'Just So Stories' - semi-mythical adventures with gods getting up to Shenanigans, jumping between their world and our own.

I know a little about African lore, and am not sure how accurate some of this is to modern practices, but that's not really the point here. These really are fairytales, told for entertainment. In a world where Norse deities get their own Marvel movies, the reader can easily sit back and enjoy.

The narrators of the audiobook are excellent, adding dimension with appropriate voices, tones and accents. This would make an excellent bedside book, if you like someone reading to you before you go to sleep!

A lovely wee collection.

I was kindly sent an early copy of this audiobook, but the above opinions are entirely my own.

[Mariana Bezerra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first time reading anything from this author and I loved the pacing and the stories kept me entertained about the TJ Young universe. It feels young and fun with lots of adventures.

This is a collection with two short stories and one a little bigger. What I loved the most was the blend from different mythologies with the West African gods. For a first step to the series this one offers a few spoilers, but all in all, it’s very well explained and fast paced. The narration was so good and had a few interludes that made it so much more.

This was a fun introduction to the world and a great taster for the series. I’m definitely curious to see what the full novels are like.

Thanks to #NetGalley for the review copy.

[Aryelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not finish this book, I stopped at 40%. I think I’ll revisit at a later date. I feel like when it comes to ancient gods and goddesses, their common threat could have a better name than God Eater. I completely understand this is YA but even Norse mythology have Ragnarok. The story between Thor and Shang was really nice, I liked two different Gods coming together and building a relationship but I felt like there was too much convincing how cool they were. I think I’m going to read TJ Young and then revisit the story cause a lot of Gods and Goddesses were mentioned, I just wasn’t in the right head space to read this right now.

[Meg · Rating 3 out of 5]

3⭐ (for now)
This is an absolutely stunning world I've jumped into based on African mythology!

Although the author states you don't necessarily have to read the actual series first, I feel like this would've slapped 100x more if I had read the actual series first. (hence the "for now).

Will definitely be picking up Book #1 of this series soon.

*** the production of this audiobook was TOP TIER! I actually want to consume the whole series in audiobook format because *chef's kiss*

Thank you NetGalley, Bandele Books & Independent Book Publishers Association for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Jada Jade · Rating 4 out of 5]

ALC 🎧 Book Review 🤍

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was an interesting… Prequel Novella? I thought it was all 3 books, but it seems like this is… A prequel novella for all 3 lol? Either way, the premise was interesting. The jump def surprised me. I thought it was just Orisha’s & then all kinds of Mythology entered the chat lmfao.

The narration was cool though, I loved all the added effects. Nekia Renee Martin did an amazing job, their range is crazy lol!! Overall, listening to this def tempts me to read the main series.

[Velvet · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this as an audiobook. My review is based on the stories and not the narration, but the narrators were top-tier. I loved the narration.

I listened to this because I saw it was still available on NetGalley. It's been out for a while, but it sounded interesting. This was such a cute collection of stories. Although I did not listen to or read the recommended books, I still feel like I could follow the stories. I even plan to let my teenagers listen to them all because they were so good. The third story was my favorite. I think it's worth a listen by mature teens and adults.

[Rune · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was gifted an advanced reader copy of this work in audiobook format via Netgalley in return for an honest review.

The narration is excellent, the music included between stories is atmospheric and beautiful.
I have loved getting to know TJ and learning about Yurba and the Orishas mythology. These stories fill in time before, between and after the events of the third book. I really enjoyed them alot.

A perfect read or listen for a lazy Saturday afternoon.

[Crimson Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you, Netgalley, for advanced ALC

This was a fun listen & and in between each short story, we are told to read certain books to understand the short story more which I did not do but do feel it's important for others to know if you plan too.

each short story was interesting and kept me intrigued to listen, but I don't feel I got as much out of these stories as I should.

the narrators of the stories was well done and added to each story.

[Thea Ollig · Rating 4 out of 5]

This audiobook is a whirlwind of mythology, magic, and adventure. The narrators, John Joseph Rogers and Nekia Renee Martin, bring the story to life with their dynamic performances. The world-building is rich, and the characters are compelling. If you're into stories that blend folklore with modern twists, this one's for you!! 🌟🌟🌟🌟

[Marta Thomas · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this one. Stories that include ancient gods, especially Orishas, are always interesting to me, but the audiobook just didn’t hit the way I hoped it would. The narrator’s voice didn’t match the tone or energy I expected, and it made it hard for me to stay engaged. I might try reading it instead because I do feel like I’d connect with the story better that way.

[Jenyreads · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5

You definitely need to read the other books in the Orishas Among Mortals universe to fully appreciate this collection. As a standalone, it was okay—interesting enough, but it didn’t quite hit as hard without the context. Still, a nice glimpse into the Orisha mythos and a solid introduction if you plan to continue the series.