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The Night-Singers Duology #1
The Younger Gods
Danger looms when a former priestess sails to the realm of the dead to find her fallen lover, only to discover the gods she thought she defeated are preparing for war.
Iona Night-Singer thought she’d overthrown the gods. Her mortal rebellion eked out a painful victory by using the gods’ own powers against them—though she lost her betrothed, Taran, in a final battle with the god of death. Months later, the war doesn’t feel over. Not with Taran gone. Especially not when the gods still answer the prayers she sings.
Angry, grieving, and with a gnawing dread that the gods will return, Iona strikes a deal with her former patron if Iona can convince Taran to follow her home from the Underworld, he’ll be free to live again. If she fails, they’ll both be trapped there forever.
No sooner does she find him, she makes a horrible discovery. The dead gods have been reborn, they are plotting revenge—and Taran, it seems, was always one of them. This reincarnated trickster god with Taran’s face no longer remembers her or the war they fought together, and she doubts not just his loyalties but his love.
Determined to stop the next war without revealing her part in the last one, Iona enters her deadliest battle yet, one where she fights to bring Taran home without him even knowing it.
Iona Night-Singer thought she’d overthrown the gods. Her mortal rebellion eked out a painful victory by using the gods’ own powers against them—though she lost her betrothed, Taran, in a final battle with the god of death. Months later, the war doesn’t feel over. Not with Taran gone. Especially not when the gods still answer the prayers she sings.
Angry, grieving, and with a gnawing dread that the gods will return, Iona strikes a deal with her former patron if Iona can convince Taran to follow her home from the Underworld, he’ll be free to live again. If she fails, they’ll both be trapped there forever.
No sooner does she find him, she makes a horrible discovery. The dead gods have been reborn, they are plotting revenge—and Taran, it seems, was always one of them. This reincarnated trickster god with Taran’s face no longer remembers her or the war they fought together, and she doubts not just his loyalties but his love.
Determined to stop the next war without revealing her part in the last one, Iona enters her deadliest battle yet, one where she fights to bring Taran home without him even knowing it.
464 pages, Paperback
First published January 13, 2026
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Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
“𝑰𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒓𝒚𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒎𝒆 𝑰 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒍𝒆𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒈𝒐, 𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒅𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂 𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒋𝒐𝒃 𝒂𝒕 𝒊𝒕. 𝒀𝒐𝒖’𝒓𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇 𝒃𝒐𝒕𝒉 𝒅𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒆.”
This book was beautifully written ✨ What I love about Greek mythology retellings 🏛️ (in this case reverse Orpheus and Eurydice) is how the author creates a world with gods that you are familiar with enough to not be completely lost so when it begins with a war ⚔️ is easy to understand what is happening. Not only doing that but also slowly taking us through the backstory to fully understand the actions our fmc takes throughout the book. MY SHAYLA IONAAAA
I loved how Iona was determined to get back to her loved one 💔 and how she would even go to the realm of the dead to find him. But alas… we do love a twist 😮💨, and that’s exactly what you get here.
The adventure and Iona’s journey through the realm while trying to make her way back home was so good. It was a bit of a slow burn in the romance subplot 🔥, but when it came to the gods’ war, that was definitely the most entertaining part and the main show in my opinion.
Even though it was super addictive to read about a world of gods 🖤 and how a mere mortal wants to save the world, I do want to say it dragged a bit for me. I think her “secret” took SO LONG to be revealed 😭 it was honestly insane for me as a reader how long it took lmao. She also spent a lot of time just wandering around 🫠, which AGAIN slowed the pacing a bit. That said, I really enjoyed the ending A LOT 🥹✨ and will probably ready the second book lmao
If you love a world filled with gods, war, and a sprinkle of romance, then YES pick this one up! 🔥
⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.
➳ 𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱｡ꪆৎ ˚⋅ greek mythology before the end of year, say less
thank you Berkley for my eARC
This book was beautifully written ✨ What I love about Greek mythology retellings 🏛️ (in this case reverse Orpheus and Eurydice) is how the author creates a world with gods that you are familiar with enough to not be completely lost so when it begins with a war ⚔️ is easy to understand what is happening. Not only doing that but also slowly taking us through the backstory to fully understand the actions our fmc takes throughout the book. MY SHAYLA IONAAAA
I loved how Iona was determined to get back to her loved one 💔 and how she would even go to the realm of the dead to find him. But alas… we do love a twist 😮💨, and that’s exactly what you get here.
The adventure and Iona’s journey through the realm while trying to make her way back home was so good. It was a bit of a slow burn in the romance subplot 🔥, but when it came to the gods’ war, that was definitely the most entertaining part and the main show in my opinion.
Even though it was super addictive to read about a world of gods 🖤 and how a mere mortal wants to save the world, I do want to say it dragged a bit for me. I think her “secret” took SO LONG to be revealed 😭 it was honestly insane for me as a reader how long it took lmao. She also spent a lot of time just wandering around 🫠, which AGAIN slowed the pacing a bit. That said, I really enjoyed the ending A LOT 🥹✨ and will probably ready the second book lmao
If you love a world filled with gods, war, and a sprinkle of romance, then YES pick this one up! 🔥
⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.
➳ 𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱｡ꪆৎ ˚⋅ greek mythology before the end of year, say less
thank you Berkley for my eARC
July 7, 2026
five stars 𝜗𝜚 ࣪˖ ִ𐙚
🫧🌊🪐
I absolutely adore a tragic troupe of longing, and that happens to be star crossed lovers. We first meet with Iona, who was upset due to the tragic death of her lover, Taran during the war. She goes on to a whole mission to find him and she did but alas, he doesn’t remember her. (all in the blurb folks!)
I love the characterisation. Here, with have Iona, being through a literal war to save her people and despite being already weary from war, she goes on to find her lover. I see a strong woman and I love that.
And all the emotions she has gone through. GOODNESS. My girl been through a war and she has now the weight of a loss to bear and all the emotional damage she has gone through… my heart goes out to her.
(ps: I really want to read the arc for book 2 but unfortunately I don’t live in the us, Katie don’t let me wait on a cliffhanger please 😭😭🫢🫢)
@chevwrites on substack
ᛝ pre-read ᛝ 𖹭.ᐟ
the cover is beautiful <3 It is on mythology so I am pretty excited to get started!
omg they are starcrosssed lovers... and he forgets her (my heart cannot take this :0)
🫧🌊🪐
I absolutely adore a tragic troupe of longing, and that happens to be star crossed lovers. We first meet with Iona, who was upset due to the tragic death of her lover, Taran during the war. She goes on to a whole mission to find him and she did but alas, he doesn’t remember her. (all in the blurb folks!)
I love the characterisation. Here, with have Iona, being through a literal war to save her people and despite being already weary from war, she goes on to find her lover. I see a strong woman and I love that.
And all the emotions she has gone through. GOODNESS. My girl been through a war and she has now the weight of a loss to bear and all the emotional damage she has gone through… my heart goes out to her.
(ps: I really want to read the arc for book 2 but unfortunately I don’t live in the us, Katie don’t let me wait on a cliffhanger please 😭😭🫢🫢)
@chevwrites on substack
ᛝ pre-read ᛝ 𖹭.ᐟ
the cover is beautiful <3 It is on mythology so I am pretty excited to get started!
omg they are starcrosssed lovers... and he forgets her (my heart cannot take this :0)
Currently Reading
January 14, 2026⋅˚₊‧ ୨ 𝒫𝓇𝑒-𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹: ୧ ‧₊˚ ⋅ I need something to fill the void that Fallen City left in me a few months ago and until Chosen Son comes out in November, so I think this Greco-Roman mythology-inspired romantasy will scratch that itch for me! The synopsis is very much giving Orpheus and Eurydice, but with a twist where if she fails, she gets trapped in the Underworld WITH him. I'm so excited to read this!
Thank you to Berkley Publishing | Ace Books, Katie Shepard, and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. The Younger Gods is out now!
Thank you to Berkley Publishing | Ace Books, Katie Shepard, and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. The Younger Gods is out now!
![Profile Image for Namera [The Literary Invertebrate].](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1773790297i/31792110._UX200_CR0,33,200,200_.jpg)
May 26, 2026
I don't understand why this author's other books have such a low rating (having not read them) but I really enjoyed this one, much to my surprise. RTC
January 26, 2026
*Source* Publisher
*Genre* Fantasy / Romance
*Rating* 3-3.5
*Thoughts*
The Younger Gods, by Katie Shepard, is the first of a two-part duology called The Night-Singer Duology. This story is the author's romantasy debut in the epic fantasy space, blending Greek-inspired mythology, a gender-swapped Orpheus-and-Eurydice retelling, high-stakes adventure, and deeply emotional romance. At its core, the story follows Iona, a former priestess who once led a rebellion against the tyrannical gods—particularly the God of Death—and seemingly won.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
*Genre* Fantasy / Romance
*Rating* 3-3.5
*Thoughts*
The Younger Gods, by Katie Shepard, is the first of a two-part duology called The Night-Singer Duology. This story is the author's romantasy debut in the epic fantasy space, blending Greek-inspired mythology, a gender-swapped Orpheus-and-Eurydice retelling, high-stakes adventure, and deeply emotional romance. At its core, the story follows Iona, a former priestess who once led a rebellion against the tyrannical gods—particularly the God of Death—and seemingly won.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
April 15, 2025
I received a complimentary advance copy of this book (so grateful!) and oh my god, I can't wait for it to be released so I can gush with friends about it. If you don't read the rest of this review, just know that you need to pre-order the moment you can!
What you’ll love:
A character for everyone. The female main character is feisty and strong-willed in a way that will have you cheering for her, and the author strikes the perfect balance with her (I get easily frustrated with FMCs who are helpless or inexplicably overpowered!). The male main character is hot and sure of himself without being cocky, and the banter between them is so good. The side characters add dimension to the story without veering into name soup territory.
World building that is so well integrated into the story. You get what you need to know when you need to know it, and it’s naturally woven into the narrative (absolutely zero scenes where the FMC goes to the library to read up on history!)
Trials that feel new, high stakes, realistic, and push the story forward, with NO RIDDLES. ‘Aha’ moments that feel earned and reward you for paying attention.
And, best of all, a romance that you’ll be rooting for from the first chapter, with a twist that keeps the delicious slow-burn tension turned up to ten.
What you might not like
Honestly? I can’t think of a single thing—the first book ended on a satisfying spot, but I’m salivating for the next/final installment (oh, and I love that this is a duology, which means the final resolution isn’t five books and however many years away).
What you’ll love:
A character for everyone. The female main character is feisty and strong-willed in a way that will have you cheering for her, and the author strikes the perfect balance with her (I get easily frustrated with FMCs who are helpless or inexplicably overpowered!). The male main character is hot and sure of himself without being cocky, and the banter between them is so good. The side characters add dimension to the story without veering into name soup territory.
World building that is so well integrated into the story. You get what you need to know when you need to know it, and it’s naturally woven into the narrative (absolutely zero scenes where the FMC goes to the library to read up on history!)
Trials that feel new, high stakes, realistic, and push the story forward, with NO RIDDLES. ‘Aha’ moments that feel earned and reward you for paying attention.
And, best of all, a romance that you’ll be rooting for from the first chapter, with a twist that keeps the delicious slow-burn tension turned up to ten.
What you might not like
Honestly? I can’t think of a single thing—the first book ended on a satisfying spot, but I’m salivating for the next/final installment (oh, and I love that this is a duology, which means the final resolution isn’t five books and however many years away).
Read
January 29, 2026the scene where she's finally telling him all the things he did during the mortal rebellion and he's threatening to kill her and she's just like hysterically laughing... genuinely was in tears. halfway through the book iona went 'i mean at this point, who cares.'
February 1, 2026
What if your betrothed died and came back w̶r̶o̶n̶g̶ annoying and possibly evil?
Iona’s hard-won victory in the rebellion against the gods came at the cost of her lover Taran’s life. Grieving and despondent, she sails to the Summerlands and begs entry to the Underworld so she can bring Taran back. But her plan is soon complicated by the reveal that Taran isn’t dead at all—he is actually a reincarnated trickster god, with no memory of Iona at all, and is hell-bent on making her his first priestess, which in the Summerlands amounts to an unbreakable vow of servitude.
While the old Taran was gentle, funny, selfless, and sad, the new Taran is an arrogant, lying kleptomaniac who would rather party and hide forever than have anything to do with the still-simmering conflict between gods and mortals. He wants Iona to sing and play dress-up for him, and he grows frustratingly jealous and sensitive about Iona’s dead lover—who he has no idea is actually his old self. Iona’s anger with the gods and willingness to disobey them and die for it are what started and fueled the rebellion, and she’s not going to start listening to them (and most certainly not Taran!) now.
The story of how they fall for each other again and peel back Taran’s layers to see if his good heart is still there, while still letting him be his new self and in constant disagreement with Iona (there are no annoyingly perfect characters here!!), is a vivid and beautiful exploration of love that reaches beyond death and reincarnation. And I had so much fun along the way! I’m already sat for book 2!
Iona’s hard-won victory in the rebellion against the gods came at the cost of her lover Taran’s life. Grieving and despondent, she sails to the Summerlands and begs entry to the Underworld so she can bring Taran back. But her plan is soon complicated by the reveal that Taran isn’t dead at all—he is actually a reincarnated trickster god, with no memory of Iona at all, and is hell-bent on making her his first priestess, which in the Summerlands amounts to an unbreakable vow of servitude.
While the old Taran was gentle, funny, selfless, and sad, the new Taran is an arrogant, lying kleptomaniac who would rather party and hide forever than have anything to do with the still-simmering conflict between gods and mortals. He wants Iona to sing and play dress-up for him, and he grows frustratingly jealous and sensitive about Iona’s dead lover—who he has no idea is actually his old self. Iona’s anger with the gods and willingness to disobey them and die for it are what started and fueled the rebellion, and she’s not going to start listening to them (and most certainly not Taran!) now.
The story of how they fall for each other again and peel back Taran’s layers to see if his good heart is still there, while still letting him be his new self and in constant disagreement with Iona (there are no annoyingly perfect characters here!!), is a vivid and beautiful exploration of love that reaches beyond death and reincarnation. And I had so much fun along the way! I’m already sat for book 2!
January 13, 2026
I mean...YES!
The year may be young but The Younger Gods is already topping my favorites list! I was enthralled, hypnotized, riveted, and shocked a few times over! I was also left wanting, needing, praying (heck, singing!) for more! I am already seated for that sequel. I am *that* ready for more! But The Younger Gods is in of itself a ready made delicious meal, so let's serve up some thoughts!
To briefly summarize, Iona is a priestess who never took her final vows as she fell in love. In love with a man who supported her as she led the charge to take down the gods, specifically Death. In the midst of battle, it is her beloved, Taran, who sacrifices himself for the mortals' cause. But love knows no bounds when it comes to the strength of Iona's heart, and so with a bargain with her patron goddess, the Maiden Wesha, she travels the Underworld to resurrect Taran...only to find him alive and much changed. Completely changed, for it turns out her mortal lover is immortal...and has no memory of his time with mortals. Or with Iona.
Cue the confusion, the betrayal, the angst, and that show of strength from Iona again who buries deep the truth of their relationship to bring back to life her Taran. What Iona has traversed, what she sacrifices right at the start for the sake of retrieving her beloved, is nothing short of strength. Strength of heart and will, and that carries her through, even when she's breaking. There were times I desperately called through the page Iona simply tell the truth to Taran of who he was to her and vice versa, but I understood her hesitation and subsequent choices. The Taran of now is not her Taran of then. I'd say she begins her journey wanting to find *her* Taran again, seeing bits of him beneath the mask of rakish new version, but she also comes to contend and then embrace the fact there are parts of the immortal Taran who are true to his self, in the now. And so she must learn him too.
This is my favorite facet of the story. Iona falls in love twice. With both mortal and immortal Taran.
And truly, what love can top that of two souls who will always choose each other no matter how changed? I originally lamented not knowing the mortal Taran, for it's implied he's much different for his godly version, but I ended up falling in love with the immortal Taran. No surprise Iona followed suit! He's a man in the realm of gods who must navigate it with great care and politics, even if it means wearing many different masks to survive. And yet, he is as fierce in heart as Iona when it comes to protecting that which he cherishes most. Which, as it so happens to turn out, becomes her. Becomes Iona. However, unlike Iona, he holds no memory of their time together. Which makes many of his choices so selfless...so perhaps not quite as different to the Taran Iona once knew.
I loved both our leads so much! I easily engaged in their love story, in the devotion they felt towards one another. Taran's yearning heart wanting to keep Iona with him, and Iona's desperate heart wanting to take him away for harm, and to build the future they once envisioned. Plum tree and all.
The world-building is exquisite, I especially love the nature of godly rebirths. I honestly would gladly stay in the gods realm just to learn more about it. Admittedly, I think I stumbled in envisioning the way song is used, but it ultimately did not detract from how my eyes were constantly wide open wanting to consume every detail left for us readers. I need this book to become a movie! I am so thrilled by it.
I recommend this one to all fantasy romance lovers! This is an adventure that will thrill, even if at times anxiety spikes, and this is a love story journey you will want to follow to the very end of the line. I know I will!
Thank you Berkley Romance, Ace, and NetGalley for this complimentary ARC, I leave this honest review voluntarily. 4.5
The year may be young but The Younger Gods is already topping my favorites list! I was enthralled, hypnotized, riveted, and shocked a few times over! I was also left wanting, needing, praying (heck, singing!) for more! I am already seated for that sequel. I am *that* ready for more! But The Younger Gods is in of itself a ready made delicious meal, so let's serve up some thoughts!
To briefly summarize, Iona is a priestess who never took her final vows as she fell in love. In love with a man who supported her as she led the charge to take down the gods, specifically Death. In the midst of battle, it is her beloved, Taran, who sacrifices himself for the mortals' cause. But love knows no bounds when it comes to the strength of Iona's heart, and so with a bargain with her patron goddess, the Maiden Wesha, she travels the Underworld to resurrect Taran...only to find him alive and much changed. Completely changed, for it turns out her mortal lover is immortal...and has no memory of his time with mortals. Or with Iona.
Cue the confusion, the betrayal, the angst, and that show of strength from Iona again who buries deep the truth of their relationship to bring back to life her Taran. What Iona has traversed, what she sacrifices right at the start for the sake of retrieving her beloved, is nothing short of strength. Strength of heart and will, and that carries her through, even when she's breaking. There were times I desperately called through the page Iona simply tell the truth to Taran of who he was to her and vice versa, but I understood her hesitation and subsequent choices. The Taran of now is not her Taran of then. I'd say she begins her journey wanting to find *her* Taran again, seeing bits of him beneath the mask of rakish new version, but she also comes to contend and then embrace the fact there are parts of the immortal Taran who are true to his self, in the now. And so she must learn him too.
This is my favorite facet of the story. Iona falls in love twice. With both mortal and immortal Taran.
And truly, what love can top that of two souls who will always choose each other no matter how changed? I originally lamented not knowing the mortal Taran, for it's implied he's much different for his godly version, but I ended up falling in love with the immortal Taran. No surprise Iona followed suit! He's a man in the realm of gods who must navigate it with great care and politics, even if it means wearing many different masks to survive. And yet, he is as fierce in heart as Iona when it comes to protecting that which he cherishes most. Which, as it so happens to turn out, becomes her. Becomes Iona. However, unlike Iona, he holds no memory of their time together. Which makes many of his choices so selfless...so perhaps not quite as different to the Taran Iona once knew.
I loved both our leads so much! I easily engaged in their love story, in the devotion they felt towards one another. Taran's yearning heart wanting to keep Iona with him, and Iona's desperate heart wanting to take him away for harm, and to build the future they once envisioned. Plum tree and all.
The world-building is exquisite, I especially love the nature of godly rebirths. I honestly would gladly stay in the gods realm just to learn more about it. Admittedly, I think I stumbled in envisioning the way song is used, but it ultimately did not detract from how my eyes were constantly wide open wanting to consume every detail left for us readers. I need this book to become a movie! I am so thrilled by it.
I recommend this one to all fantasy romance lovers! This is an adventure that will thrill, even if at times anxiety spikes, and this is a love story journey you will want to follow to the very end of the line. I know I will!
Thank you Berkley Romance, Ace, and NetGalley for this complimentary ARC, I leave this honest review voluntarily. 4.5
February 5, 2026
Overall I did find the story enjoyable, but after thinking about it longer certain aspects started weighing on me more that made me lessen my rating. I am not sure I would have made it through if it weren’t for the audiobook. The pacing felt a little slow to me and I was getting annoyed at how long Iona kept up the unintentional ruse of someone besides Taran being her betrothed. Also there was a lot of side characters and information to keep track of and for some reason I really struggled with that. I am undecided if I will read that second book in the duology whenever it releases.
February 13, 2026
What a surprise this book was! I don't remember why I placed it on hold at the library, but I am so glad I did. The Younger Gods was my intro to Katie Shepard, and I can't wait to read more from her.
Iona Night-Singer has spent the last three years leading the rebellion in a bloody civil war, only instead of fighting against the government, she fought the god of Death. After a devastating battle where her betrothed died in her place to end the war, Iona has been adrift. The queen has outlawed all worship of the gods, leaving Iona and the other acolytes who fought on her side with nowhere to go and nothing to do. All she can think about is that she wants her betrothed, Taran, back. So she makes a plan to steal a boat and beg the Maiden, her patron goddess, for the chance to bring Taran back from the dead. But when Iona arrives in the land of the gods, she realizes that she knew nothing of Taran's history—and even worse, Death has been reborn and is out for vengeance.
The setup for this book is a reverse Orpheus and Eurydice story, set against the backdrop of a war between the gods. Death took out the entire temple of the Maiden not because the priests and acolytes there had done something to offend him, but because he had a personal grievance against the goddess. Humans just got stuck in the middle and became the collateral damage in their war. I loved the way the politics of the gods unfurled over the course of the book and how their lies and personal narratives informed the religious beliefs of the mortals. It laid the foundation for a well-crafted, easy-to-understand magic system.
From the list of gods at the beginning of the book, you might be a bit overwhelmed, but Katie Shepard did a great job of making this world accessible for the reader. She makes sure we know who everyone is with simple reminders throughout. I was particularly intrigued by how the gods' areas of interest informed the abilities their acolytes and priests had. They partly mapped onto the Greek pantheon, but Katie Shepard made enough changes that it was unique and interesting.
This entire book is narrated by Iona in first person (past tense—praise be!), so we have her as the entry point for this complicated web of divine politics. Iona is impulsive, shaped by leading a war and being responsible for the survival of her troops when she was only 18. She's clearly traumatized and sees the world through the lens of perpetual threat, while the gods think she's paranoid. My favorite part of her characterization is that Iona is fallible. She makes incorrect decisions all the time because she is so impulsive. She operates on a mortal timetable while dealing with immortals, and her read of the situation is often wrong. I loved watching someone as determined as her deal with that in real time.
I don't want to say too much about the romance because I knew nothing going in, and that made the story more enjoyable. I'd actually recommend not reading the blurb to this book before you pick it up—you'll have a much better reading experience. All I will say is I felt like I had been beaten up by the emotions of this book by the end, and I would have gladly taken more.
I can't wait to see how this story concludes in the next book. I'll be on the lookout for the ARC, even if Ace/Penguin tend not to approve me. I'll just have to try anyway! 5 stars.
Iona Night-Singer has spent the last three years leading the rebellion in a bloody civil war, only instead of fighting against the government, she fought the god of Death. After a devastating battle where her betrothed died in her place to end the war, Iona has been adrift. The queen has outlawed all worship of the gods, leaving Iona and the other acolytes who fought on her side with nowhere to go and nothing to do. All she can think about is that she wants her betrothed, Taran, back. So she makes a plan to steal a boat and beg the Maiden, her patron goddess, for the chance to bring Taran back from the dead. But when Iona arrives in the land of the gods, she realizes that she knew nothing of Taran's history—and even worse, Death has been reborn and is out for vengeance.
The setup for this book is a reverse Orpheus and Eurydice story, set against the backdrop of a war between the gods. Death took out the entire temple of the Maiden not because the priests and acolytes there had done something to offend him, but because he had a personal grievance against the goddess. Humans just got stuck in the middle and became the collateral damage in their war. I loved the way the politics of the gods unfurled over the course of the book and how their lies and personal narratives informed the religious beliefs of the mortals. It laid the foundation for a well-crafted, easy-to-understand magic system.
From the list of gods at the beginning of the book, you might be a bit overwhelmed, but Katie Shepard did a great job of making this world accessible for the reader. She makes sure we know who everyone is with simple reminders throughout. I was particularly intrigued by how the gods' areas of interest informed the abilities their acolytes and priests had. They partly mapped onto the Greek pantheon, but Katie Shepard made enough changes that it was unique and interesting.
This entire book is narrated by Iona in first person (past tense—praise be!), so we have her as the entry point for this complicated web of divine politics. Iona is impulsive, shaped by leading a war and being responsible for the survival of her troops when she was only 18. She's clearly traumatized and sees the world through the lens of perpetual threat, while the gods think she's paranoid. My favorite part of her characterization is that Iona is fallible. She makes incorrect decisions all the time because she is so impulsive. She operates on a mortal timetable while dealing with immortals, and her read of the situation is often wrong. I loved watching someone as determined as her deal with that in real time.
I don't want to say too much about the romance because I knew nothing going in, and that made the story more enjoyable. I'd actually recommend not reading the blurb to this book before you pick it up—you'll have a much better reading experience. All I will say is I felt like I had been beaten up by the emotions of this book by the end, and I would have gladly taken more.
I can't wait to see how this story concludes in the next book. I'll be on the lookout for the ARC, even if Ace/Penguin tend not to approve me. I'll just have to try anyway! 5 stars.
Read
January 22, 2026The Younger Gods by Katie Shepard
📚The Younger Gods, Book 1
Adult • Romantasy
📖464 Pages
🗓️Out Now!
📚gods and humans
📚second chance
📚amnesia
📚slow burn
📚close proximity
📖”And I’ll love you till the stars fall out of the sky.”
Mythology-inspired paranormal romance that delivers a sharp, funny and somewhat unexpected romance between our two MCs. Sure, they were engaged at the beginning of the book. But then he is gone and nothing is how she believes it to be.
Our FMC Iona has been underestimated her entire life, put to test, and somehow she’s still coming back every time to fight for who she loves. Our MMC Taran starts off making you swoon and honestly even when he’s not *himself* anymore, he still keeps us rooting for him.
I liked both of them, but more important than that.. I liked them together. We also have a war that seems to be over but... maybe there’s more to it. The stakes are high, the banter is rich, and the romance is delightful.
📚The Younger Gods, Book 1
Adult • Romantasy
📖464 Pages
🗓️Out Now!
📚gods and humans
📚second chance
📚amnesia
📚slow burn
📚close proximity
📖”And I’ll love you till the stars fall out of the sky.”
Mythology-inspired paranormal romance that delivers a sharp, funny and somewhat unexpected romance between our two MCs. Sure, they were engaged at the beginning of the book. But then he is gone and nothing is how she believes it to be.
Our FMC Iona has been underestimated her entire life, put to test, and somehow she’s still coming back every time to fight for who she loves. Our MMC Taran starts off making you swoon and honestly even when he’s not *himself* anymore, he still keeps us rooting for him.
I liked both of them, but more important than that.. I liked them together. We also have a war that seems to be over but... maybe there’s more to it. The stakes are high, the banter is rich, and the romance is delightful.
September 25, 2025
The Younger Gods⚡️🏛️🗡️🌌
5 🌟
2.5 🌶️
The Younger Gods is a poetic and mythological story reminiscent of a gender-bent Eurydice and Orpheus retelling. From the very first page, I was drawn into the world, writing style, and monologue of Iona. The feeling of overwhelming nostalgia back to the days when I read Percy Jackson and the Olympians for the first time as a child followed me through this entire novel, and helped me to reconnect with my love for reading about mythology.
This book is made up of magic. Every single little twist and turn in the plot was unexpected, and each piece shocked me. The Younger Gods doesn’t read like the typical fantasy romances that are on the market right now: it is going to transcend trends and become an instant classic amongst readers who yearn for the feeling they got while reading similar stories as children.
While this book does feature a Eurydice and Orpheus retelling energy, the romance in this book really takes a back-seat, which I appreciated. I really appreciated the glimpses of the past that we were given, and I loved the parallels between the past and the present, even when it wasn’t obvious at first. You can tell that Shep put a lot of time and heart into this book, it really truly shows and shines. I can’t rave about this book enough, and I can’t wait until I can get my hands on a copy of its sequel: I’m ready to know what comes next for Iona and Taran!
Trigger Warnings:
Death (heavy on this)
Mention of torture
Mentions of child loss
Fire/Fire-Starting
Mention of surgical procedures
(I may have forgotten some, but these were at the top of my mind)
5 🌟
2.5 🌶️
The Younger Gods is a poetic and mythological story reminiscent of a gender-bent Eurydice and Orpheus retelling. From the very first page, I was drawn into the world, writing style, and monologue of Iona. The feeling of overwhelming nostalgia back to the days when I read Percy Jackson and the Olympians for the first time as a child followed me through this entire novel, and helped me to reconnect with my love for reading about mythology.
This book is made up of magic. Every single little twist and turn in the plot was unexpected, and each piece shocked me. The Younger Gods doesn’t read like the typical fantasy romances that are on the market right now: it is going to transcend trends and become an instant classic amongst readers who yearn for the feeling they got while reading similar stories as children.
While this book does feature a Eurydice and Orpheus retelling energy, the romance in this book really takes a back-seat, which I appreciated. I really appreciated the glimpses of the past that we were given, and I loved the parallels between the past and the present, even when it wasn’t obvious at first. You can tell that Shep put a lot of time and heart into this book, it really truly shows and shines. I can’t rave about this book enough, and I can’t wait until I can get my hands on a copy of its sequel: I’m ready to know what comes next for Iona and Taran!
Trigger Warnings:
Death (heavy on this)
Mention of torture
Mentions of child loss
Fire/Fire-Starting
Mention of surgical procedures
(I may have forgotten some, but these were at the top of my mind)
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
THE YOUNGER GODS has the bones of classic mythology, the heart of an epic romance, and the twists of a good mystery.
At it's heart is Iona, the last surviving priest of the Maiden Goddess after defending the mortal realm against the wrath of the Death God. Though she lived, her betrothed was lost along with her will to move on. Bereft, she sails across the sea to the god's realm to barter for his return. And there begins an intrigue or hidden identities, vows, secrets, and betrayals. She has to unlearn the ideal images she held of her gods, and relearn the true nature of her beloved.
I loved knowing nothing, or rather, having all my preconceived nations of the gods shattered. Living through Iona adapting her wants and needs as she goes made each page an adventure. She had a clear goal to start, but everything has to change from the moment she sets sail. And these course corrections, her changing perspective, and her very few non-negotiables make Iona a wonderful character to journey with.
The surrounding gods are as brilliant and as terrifying as you can imagine. Fickle and tricksy as any fae. Bored and devious as any immortal. They may present as benevolent or good but there is always a price. I caught myself falling for their honeyed-tongue or affable countenance more times than I'd like to admit.
And Taran! It feels like a spoiler (it's not), to talk about the "two" Tarans. That's all on me for not reading the synopsis–I have a tendency to do that. This time it elevated the feeling of "betrayal" and my confusion was perfectly aligned with Iona's. Dude had me in love with him for his cinematic self-sacrifice and then he's a lil godling having a little nosh under the sun after we sailed across a whole sea to rescue him. So. Very. Betrayed. I loved it. Perfectly executed "you know nothing" fake out.
THE YOUNGER GODS will enchant you with an epic quest for true love then wreck you with devastating twists like a knife to the gut. And you'll love every moment.
Thank you Berkley Publishing Group | Ace for the advance digital copy to read and review.
At it's heart is Iona, the last surviving priest of the Maiden Goddess after defending the mortal realm against the wrath of the Death God. Though she lived, her betrothed was lost along with her will to move on. Bereft, she sails across the sea to the god's realm to barter for his return. And there begins an intrigue or hidden identities, vows, secrets, and betrayals. She has to unlearn the ideal images she held of her gods, and relearn the true nature of her beloved.
I loved knowing nothing, or rather, having all my preconceived nations of the gods shattered. Living through Iona adapting her wants and needs as she goes made each page an adventure. She had a clear goal to start, but everything has to change from the moment she sets sail. And these course corrections, her changing perspective, and her very few non-negotiables make Iona a wonderful character to journey with.
The surrounding gods are as brilliant and as terrifying as you can imagine. Fickle and tricksy as any fae. Bored and devious as any immortal. They may present as benevolent or good but there is always a price. I caught myself falling for their honeyed-tongue or affable countenance more times than I'd like to admit.
And Taran! It feels like a spoiler (it's not), to talk about the "two" Tarans. That's all on me for not reading the synopsis–I have a tendency to do that. This time it elevated the feeling of "betrayal" and my confusion was perfectly aligned with Iona's. Dude had me in love with him for his cinematic self-sacrifice and then he's a lil godling having a little nosh under the sun after we sailed across a whole sea to rescue him. So. Very. Betrayed. I loved it. Perfectly executed "you know nothing" fake out.
THE YOUNGER GODS will enchant you with an epic quest for true love then wreck you with devastating twists like a knife to the gut. And you'll love every moment.
Thank you Berkley Publishing Group | Ace for the advance digital copy to read and review.
June 19, 2026
4⭐️
Iona's fiancee Taran dies taking out Death and thus ending the war, but she struggles to move on. She decides to take action instead- so she sails to the world beyond the Gates in order to bring him back.
It was really fun getting to see the world of the gods- this sort of Olympus-like place where the gods squabble amongst themselves and have more or less checked out from the mortal world. And of course I absolutely LOVED Iona and Taran. I loved getting to see them fall back in love- or realize they always had been in love. Taran starts off not quite knowing who he was and denying the parts that set him apart from the other gods- to then choosing to be a better man (god?) and choosing Iona every single time
"I'll love you till the stars fall out of the sky."Despite the slightly confusing start, I ended up really enjoying this! We open up right in the middle of a war between the mortals and the god of death. This was the confusing part- trying to catch up in in what feels like the third act of a story. However within a few chapters the author gives enough information that I understood everything.
Iona's fiancee Taran dies taking out Death and thus ending the war, but she struggles to move on. She decides to take action instead- so she sails to the world beyond the Gates in order to bring him back.
It was really fun getting to see the world of the gods- this sort of Olympus-like place where the gods squabble amongst themselves and have more or less checked out from the mortal world. And of course I absolutely LOVED Iona and Taran. I loved getting to see them fall back in love- or realize they always had been in love. Taran starts off not quite knowing who he was and denying the parts that set him apart from the other gods- to then choosing to be a better man (god?) and choosing Iona every single time
January 17, 2026
was instantly taken in by this world of gods & mortals and this story of love, loss, sacrifice and fate.
Iona Night-Singer is healing light singer who leads a revolution against the god of Death, which ultimately leads to the death of her fiancé, Taran. A grief stricken Iona sails to the realm of the dead and makes a deal with her former patron that will bring Taran back home with her, if she is successful. If she isn’t, they will both remain trapped in the realm of the dead forever.
Iona finds Taran alive but with no memory of himself, her or their relationship. I really enjoyed how this unfolded and watching Iona come to terms with this new version of the man she loved. It was heartbreaking, tender, angsty and filled with complicated family dynamics.
I really enjoyed how this all came together and the ending leaves us breathlessly awaiting book 2.
Iona Night-Singer is healing light singer who leads a revolution against the god of Death, which ultimately leads to the death of her fiancé, Taran. A grief stricken Iona sails to the realm of the dead and makes a deal with her former patron that will bring Taran back home with her, if she is successful. If she isn’t, they will both remain trapped in the realm of the dead forever.
Iona finds Taran alive but with no memory of himself, her or their relationship. I really enjoyed how this unfolded and watching Iona come to terms with this new version of the man she loved. It was heartbreaking, tender, angsty and filled with complicated family dynamics.
I really enjoyed how this all came together and the ending leaves us breathlessly awaiting book 2.
February 24, 2026
maybe it’s because I’m not a huge Greek mythology girlie but this was…so boring 🥱 though the more I think about it the more I think the only type of person who would enjoy this is someone who didn’t know anything about myths.
I was excited when I realized it was a gender bent retelling of Orpheus and Eurydice but then it was so dull. It wasn’t romantic in the way I wanted. The pacing was so off—the middle section draaagggeed and the ending felt like whiplash (and not in a good way).
The audio was great but that’s unfortunately all I took from it.
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy!
I was excited when I realized it was a gender bent retelling of Orpheus and Eurydice but then it was so dull. It wasn’t romantic in the way I wanted. The pacing was so off—the middle section draaagggeed and the ending felt like whiplash (and not in a good way).
The audio was great but that’s unfortunately all I took from it.
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy!
August 24, 2025
Life changing. Captivating. Mesmerizing.
A fast paced slow burn romantasy giving serious Orpheus x Eurydice vibes. Absolutely fantastic.
The Younger Gods by Katie Shepard is a future release, expected in January 2026, but I was lucky enough to receive the traveling ARC. This book has it all - a journey, the best banter, danger, and so much more. Even at nearly 500 pages, it doesn’t let up for even a moment and is close to impossible to put down. The amount of time and research that was put into this work is obvious - the world building is impeccable, the magic system is unique, and the characters are complex and fascinating. The only bad part about having read this ARC? Knowing that I have to wait double time for the second half of this duology. I can’t recommend The Younger Gods enough, it was a ♾⭐️ read for me, and I have a feeling it will be for you too! I can’t wait to see what happens next and additionally, I’ve spent a lot of time daydreaming about what happened before - I’ll be the first to vote for a prequel!
Full review (with collage that I put my entire being into) here:
https://www.instagram.com/p/DMOB_aSSz...
A fast paced slow burn romantasy giving serious Orpheus x Eurydice vibes. Absolutely fantastic.
The Younger Gods by Katie Shepard is a future release, expected in January 2026, but I was lucky enough to receive the traveling ARC. This book has it all - a journey, the best banter, danger, and so much more. Even at nearly 500 pages, it doesn’t let up for even a moment and is close to impossible to put down. The amount of time and research that was put into this work is obvious - the world building is impeccable, the magic system is unique, and the characters are complex and fascinating. The only bad part about having read this ARC? Knowing that I have to wait double time for the second half of this duology. I can’t recommend The Younger Gods enough, it was a ♾⭐️ read for me, and I have a feeling it will be for you too! I can’t wait to see what happens next and additionally, I’ve spent a lot of time daydreaming about what happened before - I’ll be the first to vote for a prequel!
Full review (with collage that I put my entire being into) here:
https://www.instagram.com/p/DMOB_aSSz...
Want to Read
October 8, 2025"A romantasy duology inspired by Eurydice and Orpheus in which a rebellious ex-priestess travels to the underworld to rescue the man she was going to marry, discovering that not only does he not remember her, he lied about who and what he really was"
Want to Read
July 21, 2025a gender-swapped retelling where the heroine must go to the underworld to save her fallen lover
January 13, 2026
🎧📖𝒜𝐿𝒞 𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌📖🎧
𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒴𝑜𝓊𝓃𝑔𝑒𝓇 𝒢𝑜𝒹𝓈 ʙʏ ᴋᴀᴛɪᴇ sʜᴇᴘᴀʀᴅ
𝑅𝒶𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔: 🥀🥀🥀🥀 ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏғ 𝟻 ᴇɴᴄʜᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ʀᴏsᴇs
𝒮𝓅𝒾𝒸𝑒 𝑅𝒶𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔: 🌶🌶 ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏғ 𝟻
✨ 𝐻𝑜𝑜𝓀✨
ᴀғᴛᴇʀ ᴛᴏᴘᴘʟɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ɢᴏᴅs ᴀᴛ ᴀ ᴅᴇᴠᴀsᴛᴀᴛɪɴɢ ᴄᴏsᴛ, ᴀ ɢʀɪᴇᴠɪɴɢ ғᴏʀᴍᴇʀ ᴘʀɪᴇsᴛᴇss ᴠᴇɴᴛᴜʀᴇs ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴇᴀʟᴍ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴇᴀᴅ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴄʟᴀɪᴍ ʜᴇʀ ғᴀʟʟᴇɴ ʟᴏᴠᴇʀ—ᴏɴʟʏ ᴛᴏ ʟᴇᴀʀɴ ᴛʜᴇ ɢᴏᴅs ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʙᴇᴇɴ ʀᴇʙᴏʀɴ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴀʀ ɪsɴ’ᴛ ᴏᴠᴇʀ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴀɴ sʜᴇ ʟᴏᴠᴇs ᴍᴀʏ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ʙᴇᴇɴ ᴍᴏʀᴛᴀʟ ᴀᴛ ᴀʟʟ.
𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌:
ʜᴜɢᴇ ᴛʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛᴏ ᴘʀʜ ᴀᴜᴅɪᴏ ғᴏʀ ɢɪғᴛɪɴɢ ᴍᴇ ᴛʜɪs ᴀʟᴄ!
𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒴𝑜𝓊𝓃𝑔𝑒𝓇 𝒢𝑜𝒹𝓈 ɪs ᴀ ᴅᴀʀᴋ, ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟʟʏ ᴅʀɪᴠᴇɴ ғᴀɴᴛᴀsʏ ʀᴏᴏᴛᴇᴅ ɪɴ ɢʀɪᴇғ, ғᴀɪᴛʜ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴜɴʙᴇᴀʀᴀʙʟᴇ ᴡᴇɪɢʜᴛ ᴏғ ᴜɴғɪɴɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴡᴀʀs. ɪᴏɴᴀ’s ᴊᴏᴜʀɴᴇʏ ɪsɴ’ᴛ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴄᴏɴǫᴜᴇsᴛ ᴏʀ ɢʟᴏʀʏ—ɪᴛ’s ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ʟᴏss, ɢᴜɪʟᴛ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴇsᴘᴇʀᴀᴛᴇ ʜᴏᴘᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴄᴀɴ ᴜɴᴅᴏ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ʀᴇʙᴇʟʟɪᴏɴ ʙʀᴏᴋᴇ. ᴛʜᴇ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀᴡᴏʀʟᴅ sᴇᴛᴛɪɴɢ ɪs ʙʟᴇᴀᴋ ᴀɴᴅ ᴍʏᴛʜɪᴄ, sᴛᴇᴇᴘᴇᴅ ɪɴ ɪɴᴇᴠɪᴛᴀʙɪʟɪᴛʏ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴇᴠᴇʟᴀᴛɪᴏɴ sᴜʀʀᴏᴜɴᴅɪɴɢ ᴛᴀʀᴀɴ ʀᴇғʀᴀᴍᴇs ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴇɴᴛɪʀᴇ ʀᴇʟᴀᴛɪᴏɴsʜɪᴘ ɪɴ ᴀ ᴡᴀʏ ᴛʜᴀᴛ’s ʙᴏᴛʜ ᴅᴇᴠᴀsᴛᴀᴛɪɴɢ ᴀɴᴅ ᴄᴏᴍᴘᴇʟʟɪɴɢ.
ᴛʜɪs ɪs ɴᴏᴛ ᴀ ғᴀsᴛ-ᴘᴀᴄᴇᴅ, ᴀᴄᴛɪᴏɴ-ʜᴇᴀᴠʏ ғᴀɴᴛᴀsʏ; ɪɴsᴛᴇᴀᴅ, ɪᴛ ᴛʜʀɪᴠᴇs ᴏɴ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ᴛᴇɴsɪᴏɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴀʟ ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟᴇxɪᴛʏ. ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ ɪs ᴛʀᴀɢɪᴄ ᴀɴᴅ ʀᴇsᴛʀᴀɪɴᴇᴅ, ᴅʀɪᴠᴇɴ ʙʏ ʟᴏɴɢɪɴɢ ʀᴀᴛʜᴇʀ ᴛʜᴀɴ ᴘᴀssɪᴏɴ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴇɴᴛʀᴀʟ ǫᴜᴇsᴛɪᴏɴ—ᴄᴀɴ ʟᴏᴠᴇ sᴜʀᴠɪᴠᴇ ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴍᴇᴍᴏʀʏ, ɪᴅᴇɴᴛɪᴛʏ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴅɪᴠɪɴɪᴛʏ ɪɴᴛᴇʀᴠᴇɴᴇ?—ᴄᴀʀʀɪᴇs ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴀʀʀᴀᴛɪᴠᴇ. ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴀᴋᴇs ғᴇᴇʟ ɪɴᴛɪᴍᴀᴛᴇ ᴇᴠᴇɴ ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʜʀᴇᴀᴛ ɪs ᴄᴏsᴍɪᴄ, ᴍᴀᴋɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴏʀʏ ʀᴇsᴏɴᴀᴛᴇ ᴏɴ ᴀ ᴅᴇᴇᴘʟʏ ᴘᴇʀsᴏɴᴀʟ ʟᴇᴠᴇʟ.
🎙️𝒩𝒶𝓇𝓇𝒶𝓉𝒾𝑜𝓃:
ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴜᴅɪᴏʙᴏᴏᴋ ɴᴀʀʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ɪs sᴏᴍʙᴇʀ, ᴄᴏɴᴛʀᴏʟʟᴇᴅ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟʟʏ ɢʀᴏᴜɴᴅᴇᴅ, ᴘᴇʀғᴇᴄᴛʟʏ ᴍᴀᴛᴄʜɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴏʀʏ’s ᴇʟᴇɢɪᴀᴄ ᴛᴏɴᴇ. ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴀʀʀᴀᴛᴏʀ ᴄᴀᴘᴛᴜʀᴇs ɪᴏɴᴀ’s ɢʀɪᴇғ ᴀɴᴅ sɪᴍᴍᴇʀɪɴɢ ʀᴇsᴏʟᴠᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ sᴜʙᴛʟᴇ ɪɴᴛᴇɴsɪᴛʏ, ᴀʟʟᴏᴡɪɴɢ ǫᴜɪᴇᴛ ᴍᴏᴍᴇɴᴛs ᴛᴏ ʟɪɴɢᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ʜɪᴛ ʜᴀʀᴅ. ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴇʟɪᴠᴇʀʏ sʜɪɴᴇs ᴍᴏsᴛ ɪɴ ɪɴᴛʀᴏsᴘᴇᴄᴛɪᴠᴇ ᴘᴀssᴀɢᴇs ᴀɴᴅ sᴄᴇɴᴇs ᴏғ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ʀᴇᴄᴋᴏɴɪɴɢ, ᴇɴʜᴀɴᴄɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍʏᴛʜɪᴄ ᴡᴇɪɢʜᴛ ᴡɪᴛʜᴏᴜᴛ ᴠᴇᴇʀɪɴɢ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴍᴇʟᴏᴅʀᴀᴍᴀ. ᴀ sᴛʀᴏɴɢ ᴘᴇʀғᴏʀᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ ғᴏʀ ʟɪsᴛᴇɴᴇʀs ᴡʜᴏ ᴀᴘᴘʀᴇᴄɪᴀᴛᴇ ᴀᴛᴍᴏsᴘʜᴇʀᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ᴅᴇᴘᴛʜ ᴏᴠᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇᴀᴛʀɪᴄs.
𝒯𝓇𝑜𝓅𝑒𝓈 & 𝐸𝓁𝑒𝓂𝑒𝓃𝓉𝓈:
✨ᴍʏᴛʜᴏʟᴏɢɪᴄᴀʟ ғᴀɴᴛᴀsʏ
✨ɢᴏᴅs ᴠs ᴍᴏʀᴛᴀʟs
✨ᴊᴏᴜʀɴᴇʏ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀᴡᴏʀʟᴅ
✨ʟᴏsᴛ ʟᴏᴠᴇ/ɢʀɪᴇғ-ᴅʀɪᴠᴇɴ ǫᴜᴇsᴛ
✨ᴀᴍɴᴇsɪᴀ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ
✨ʀᴇʙᴇʟʟɪᴏɴ ᴀғᴛᴇʀᴍᴀᴛʜ
✨ᴅᴇsᴛɪɴʏ ᴠs ᴄʜᴏɪᴄᴇ
✨ᴛʀᴀɢɪᴄ ʟᴏᴠᴇ
𝐹𝒾𝓃𝒶𝓁 𝓋𝑒𝓇𝒹𝒾𝒸𝓉:
𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒴𝑜𝓊𝓃𝑔𝑒𝓇 𝒢𝑜𝒹𝓈 ɪs ᴀ ʜᴀᴜɴᴛɪɴɢ, ɪɴᴛʀᴏsᴘᴇᴄᴛɪᴠᴇ ᴀᴜᴅɪᴏʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴀғᴛᴇʀ ʟᴏss ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏsᴛ ᴏғ ᴅᴇғʏɪɴɢ ᴅɪᴠɪɴɪᴛʏ. ʙᴇsᴛ sᴜɪᴛᴇᴅ ғᴏʀ ʟɪsᴛᴇɴᴇʀs ᴡʜᴏ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏ ᴍʏᴛʜ-ʜᴇᴀᴠʏ ғᴀɴᴛᴀsʏ, ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟʟʏ ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟᴇx ʜᴇʀᴏɪɴᴇs, ᴀɴᴅ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇs sʜᴀᴘᴇᴅ ʙʏ ᴍᴇᴍᴏʀʏ, ɪᴅᴇɴᴛɪᴛʏ, ᴀɴᴅ sᴀᴄʀɪғɪᴄᴇ ʀᴀᴛʜᴇʀ ᴛʜᴀɴ ʜᴇᴀᴛ ᴏʀ ᴄᴏɴsᴛᴀɴᴛ ᴀᴄᴛɪᴏɴ.
ʜᴀᴘᴘʏ ʀᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ!
𝒜𝓈𝒽𝓁𝑒𝓎
ʙᴏᴏᴋsᴛᴀɢʀᴀᴍ: @ᴛʜᴇᴛᴀᴛᴛᴇʀᴇᴅᴘᴀɢᴇ
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READING NOTES:
“I'll love you till the stars fall out of the sky.”
TROPES:
Forced proximity
“Animal” companion
Trickster god x rebellious priestess
Music as Magic
Slow burn
JOURNEY TO THE UNDERWORLD
SO. MUCH.LONGING.
A LITTLE...CANNIBALISM?
ORPHEUS X EURYDICE VIBES
🌶️🌶️
𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒴𝑜𝓊𝓃𝑔𝑒𝓇 𝒢𝑜𝒹𝓈 ʙʏ ᴋᴀᴛɪᴇ sʜᴇᴘᴀʀᴅ
𝑅𝒶𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔: 🥀🥀🥀🥀 ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏғ 𝟻 ᴇɴᴄʜᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ʀᴏsᴇs
𝒮𝓅𝒾𝒸𝑒 𝑅𝒶𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔: 🌶🌶 ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏғ 𝟻
✨ 𝐻𝑜𝑜𝓀✨
ᴀғᴛᴇʀ ᴛᴏᴘᴘʟɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ɢᴏᴅs ᴀᴛ ᴀ ᴅᴇᴠᴀsᴛᴀᴛɪɴɢ ᴄᴏsᴛ, ᴀ ɢʀɪᴇᴠɪɴɢ ғᴏʀᴍᴇʀ ᴘʀɪᴇsᴛᴇss ᴠᴇɴᴛᴜʀᴇs ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴇᴀʟᴍ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴇᴀᴅ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴄʟᴀɪᴍ ʜᴇʀ ғᴀʟʟᴇɴ ʟᴏᴠᴇʀ—ᴏɴʟʏ ᴛᴏ ʟᴇᴀʀɴ ᴛʜᴇ ɢᴏᴅs ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʙᴇᴇɴ ʀᴇʙᴏʀɴ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴀʀ ɪsɴ’ᴛ ᴏᴠᴇʀ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴀɴ sʜᴇ ʟᴏᴠᴇs ᴍᴀʏ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ʙᴇᴇɴ ᴍᴏʀᴛᴀʟ ᴀᴛ ᴀʟʟ.
𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌:
ʜᴜɢᴇ ᴛʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛᴏ ᴘʀʜ ᴀᴜᴅɪᴏ ғᴏʀ ɢɪғᴛɪɴɢ ᴍᴇ ᴛʜɪs ᴀʟᴄ!
𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒴𝑜𝓊𝓃𝑔𝑒𝓇 𝒢𝑜𝒹𝓈 ɪs ᴀ ᴅᴀʀᴋ, ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟʟʏ ᴅʀɪᴠᴇɴ ғᴀɴᴛᴀsʏ ʀᴏᴏᴛᴇᴅ ɪɴ ɢʀɪᴇғ, ғᴀɪᴛʜ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴜɴʙᴇᴀʀᴀʙʟᴇ ᴡᴇɪɢʜᴛ ᴏғ ᴜɴғɪɴɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴡᴀʀs. ɪᴏɴᴀ’s ᴊᴏᴜʀɴᴇʏ ɪsɴ’ᴛ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ᴄᴏɴǫᴜᴇsᴛ ᴏʀ ɢʟᴏʀʏ—ɪᴛ’s ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ʟᴏss, ɢᴜɪʟᴛ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴇsᴘᴇʀᴀᴛᴇ ʜᴏᴘᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴄᴀɴ ᴜɴᴅᴏ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ʀᴇʙᴇʟʟɪᴏɴ ʙʀᴏᴋᴇ. ᴛʜᴇ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀᴡᴏʀʟᴅ sᴇᴛᴛɪɴɢ ɪs ʙʟᴇᴀᴋ ᴀɴᴅ ᴍʏᴛʜɪᴄ, sᴛᴇᴇᴘᴇᴅ ɪɴ ɪɴᴇᴠɪᴛᴀʙɪʟɪᴛʏ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴇᴠᴇʟᴀᴛɪᴏɴ sᴜʀʀᴏᴜɴᴅɪɴɢ ᴛᴀʀᴀɴ ʀᴇғʀᴀᴍᴇs ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ᴇɴᴛɪʀᴇ ʀᴇʟᴀᴛɪᴏɴsʜɪᴘ ɪɴ ᴀ ᴡᴀʏ ᴛʜᴀᴛ’s ʙᴏᴛʜ ᴅᴇᴠᴀsᴛᴀᴛɪɴɢ ᴀɴᴅ ᴄᴏᴍᴘᴇʟʟɪɴɢ.
ᴛʜɪs ɪs ɴᴏᴛ ᴀ ғᴀsᴛ-ᴘᴀᴄᴇᴅ, ᴀᴄᴛɪᴏɴ-ʜᴇᴀᴠʏ ғᴀɴᴛᴀsʏ; ɪɴsᴛᴇᴀᴅ, ɪᴛ ᴛʜʀɪᴠᴇs ᴏɴ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ᴛᴇɴsɪᴏɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴀʟ ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟᴇxɪᴛʏ. ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ ɪs ᴛʀᴀɢɪᴄ ᴀɴᴅ ʀᴇsᴛʀᴀɪɴᴇᴅ, ᴅʀɪᴠᴇɴ ʙʏ ʟᴏɴɢɪɴɢ ʀᴀᴛʜᴇʀ ᴛʜᴀɴ ᴘᴀssɪᴏɴ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴇɴᴛʀᴀʟ ǫᴜᴇsᴛɪᴏɴ—ᴄᴀɴ ʟᴏᴠᴇ sᴜʀᴠɪᴠᴇ ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴍᴇᴍᴏʀʏ, ɪᴅᴇɴᴛɪᴛʏ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴅɪᴠɪɴɪᴛʏ ɪɴᴛᴇʀᴠᴇɴᴇ?—ᴄᴀʀʀɪᴇs ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴀʀʀᴀᴛɪᴠᴇ. ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴀᴋᴇs ғᴇᴇʟ ɪɴᴛɪᴍᴀᴛᴇ ᴇᴠᴇɴ ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛʜʀᴇᴀᴛ ɪs ᴄᴏsᴍɪᴄ, ᴍᴀᴋɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴏʀʏ ʀᴇsᴏɴᴀᴛᴇ ᴏɴ ᴀ ᴅᴇᴇᴘʟʏ ᴘᴇʀsᴏɴᴀʟ ʟᴇᴠᴇʟ.
🎙️𝒩𝒶𝓇𝓇𝒶𝓉𝒾𝑜𝓃:
ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴜᴅɪᴏʙᴏᴏᴋ ɴᴀʀʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ɪs sᴏᴍʙᴇʀ, ᴄᴏɴᴛʀᴏʟʟᴇᴅ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟʟʏ ɢʀᴏᴜɴᴅᴇᴅ, ᴘᴇʀғᴇᴄᴛʟʏ ᴍᴀᴛᴄʜɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴏʀʏ’s ᴇʟᴇɢɪᴀᴄ ᴛᴏɴᴇ. ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴀʀʀᴀᴛᴏʀ ᴄᴀᴘᴛᴜʀᴇs ɪᴏɴᴀ’s ɢʀɪᴇғ ᴀɴᴅ sɪᴍᴍᴇʀɪɴɢ ʀᴇsᴏʟᴠᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ sᴜʙᴛʟᴇ ɪɴᴛᴇɴsɪᴛʏ, ᴀʟʟᴏᴡɪɴɢ ǫᴜɪᴇᴛ ᴍᴏᴍᴇɴᴛs ᴛᴏ ʟɪɴɢᴇʀ ᴀɴᴅ ʜɪᴛ ʜᴀʀᴅ. ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴇʟɪᴠᴇʀʏ sʜɪɴᴇs ᴍᴏsᴛ ɪɴ ɪɴᴛʀᴏsᴘᴇᴄᴛɪᴠᴇ ᴘᴀssᴀɢᴇs ᴀɴᴅ sᴄᴇɴᴇs ᴏғ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ʀᴇᴄᴋᴏɴɪɴɢ, ᴇɴʜᴀɴᴄɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍʏᴛʜɪᴄ ᴡᴇɪɢʜᴛ ᴡɪᴛʜᴏᴜᴛ ᴠᴇᴇʀɪɴɢ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴍᴇʟᴏᴅʀᴀᴍᴀ. ᴀ sᴛʀᴏɴɢ ᴘᴇʀғᴏʀᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ ғᴏʀ ʟɪsᴛᴇɴᴇʀs ᴡʜᴏ ᴀᴘᴘʀᴇᴄɪᴀᴛᴇ ᴀᴛᴍᴏsᴘʜᴇʀᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ᴅᴇᴘᴛʜ ᴏᴠᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇᴀᴛʀɪᴄs.
𝒯𝓇𝑜𝓅𝑒𝓈 & 𝐸𝓁𝑒𝓂𝑒𝓃𝓉𝓈:
✨ᴍʏᴛʜᴏʟᴏɢɪᴄᴀʟ ғᴀɴᴛᴀsʏ
✨ɢᴏᴅs ᴠs ᴍᴏʀᴛᴀʟs
✨ᴊᴏᴜʀɴᴇʏ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀᴡᴏʀʟᴅ
✨ʟᴏsᴛ ʟᴏᴠᴇ/ɢʀɪᴇғ-ᴅʀɪᴠᴇɴ ǫᴜᴇsᴛ
✨ᴀᴍɴᴇsɪᴀ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ
✨ʀᴇʙᴇʟʟɪᴏɴ ᴀғᴛᴇʀᴍᴀᴛʜ
✨ᴅᴇsᴛɪɴʏ ᴠs ᴄʜᴏɪᴄᴇ
✨ᴛʀᴀɢɪᴄ ʟᴏᴠᴇ
𝐹𝒾𝓃𝒶𝓁 𝓋𝑒𝓇𝒹𝒾𝒸𝓉:
𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝒴𝑜𝓊𝓃𝑔𝑒𝓇 𝒢𝑜𝒹𝓈 ɪs ᴀ ʜᴀᴜɴᴛɪɴɢ, ɪɴᴛʀᴏsᴘᴇᴄᴛɪᴠᴇ ᴀᴜᴅɪᴏʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴀғᴛᴇʀ ʟᴏss ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏsᴛ ᴏғ ᴅᴇғʏɪɴɢ ᴅɪᴠɪɴɪᴛʏ. ʙᴇsᴛ sᴜɪᴛᴇᴅ ғᴏʀ ʟɪsᴛᴇɴᴇʀs ᴡʜᴏ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏ ᴍʏᴛʜ-ʜᴇᴀᴠʏ ғᴀɴᴛᴀsʏ, ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟʟʏ ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟᴇx ʜᴇʀᴏɪɴᴇs, ᴀɴᴅ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇs sʜᴀᴘᴇᴅ ʙʏ ᴍᴇᴍᴏʀʏ, ɪᴅᴇɴᴛɪᴛʏ, ᴀɴᴅ sᴀᴄʀɪғɪᴄᴇ ʀᴀᴛʜᴇʀ ᴛʜᴀɴ ʜᴇᴀᴛ ᴏʀ ᴄᴏɴsᴛᴀɴᴛ ᴀᴄᴛɪᴏɴ.
ʜᴀᴘᴘʏ ʀᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ!
𝒜𝓈𝒽𝓁𝑒𝓎
ʙᴏᴏᴋsᴛᴀɢʀᴀᴍ: @ᴛʜᴇᴛᴀᴛᴛᴇʀᴇᴅᴘᴀɢᴇ
+++++++++
READING NOTES:
“I'll love you till the stars fall out of the sky.”
TROPES:
Forced proximity
“Animal” companion
Trickster god x rebellious priestess
Music as Magic
Slow burn
JOURNEY TO THE UNDERWORLD
SO. MUCH.LONGING.
A LITTLE...CANNIBALISM?
ORPHEUS X EURYDICE VIBES
🌶️🌶️
June 1, 2026
3.5 stars. This book left me in the deeply strange position of being consistently confused while also somehow genuinely enjoying myself. I love Greek mythology, and The Younger Gods absolutely commits to the bit — this is not a casual “inspired by” situation. The Greek lore is layered in heavily, and if you enjoy stories steeped in mythological drama, gods behaving badly, and tragic-romantic energy, there’s definitely something here to latch onto.
The Hades and Persephone backdrop was honestly one of the strongest parts for me. Their dynamic added weight and atmosphere to the story in a way that really worked, and the overall mythological mood was compelling throughout. The romance itself is a slow burn, with decent spice once it arrives, though it never fully takes over the story.
That said... I often felt like I was reading half a beat behind the author. Dialogue would happen and I’d pause trying to figure out the intended tone. Character motivations and reactions sometimes felt disconnected from the emotional context of the scene, and I repeatedly found myself wondering if I had accidentally skipped a paragraph somewhere. It wasn’t bad writing so much as a persistent feeling that the book and I were operating on slightly different wavelengths.
I’m also cautiously nervous about how faithful this is going to be to the Orpheus and Eurydice myth because, respectfully, that story does not exactly scream “emotionally satisfying romance.”
Still, despite all my confusion, I kept reading. The atmosphere, mythology, and emotional undercurrent were strong enough to pull me through even when I wasn’t entirely sure what was happening. Which honestly might be the most Greek mythology experience possible.
The Hades and Persephone backdrop was honestly one of the strongest parts for me. Their dynamic added weight and atmosphere to the story in a way that really worked, and the overall mythological mood was compelling throughout. The romance itself is a slow burn, with decent spice once it arrives, though it never fully takes over the story.
That said... I often felt like I was reading half a beat behind the author. Dialogue would happen and I’d pause trying to figure out the intended tone. Character motivations and reactions sometimes felt disconnected from the emotional context of the scene, and I repeatedly found myself wondering if I had accidentally skipped a paragraph somewhere. It wasn’t bad writing so much as a persistent feeling that the book and I were operating on slightly different wavelengths.
I’m also cautiously nervous about how faithful this is going to be to the Orpheus and Eurydice myth because, respectfully, that story does not exactly scream “emotionally satisfying romance.”
Still, despite all my confusion, I kept reading. The atmosphere, mythology, and emotional undercurrent were strong enough to pull me through even when I wasn’t entirely sure what was happening. Which honestly might be the most Greek mythology experience possible.
June 7, 2026
I devoured this! The Younger Gods is a fantasy romance between a mortal priestess and a young god on opposing sides of a conflict between mortals and gods. After leading a rebellion against the gods and subsequently grieving the loss of her betrothed, Iona makes a deal with her former goddess that allows her to retrieve her betrothed from the underworld IF she can convince him to follow her back. The catch? His reincarnation will not remember her, and as she soon finds out, Taran was never mortal, he was always one of them.
I was hooked immediately and binged this in a day. The plot is fast-paced and engaging, I loved all the banter and was obsessed with the “it would be you in any lifetime” yearning. My heart broke for Iona trying to piece together whether anything between them was real and if she’d ever have her betrothed back. Taran had confidence, charm, and an edge that only the gods have, without being unlikeable or cruel. The entire time I was rooting for them to find their way back to each other somehow and my heart was suspended in a half-broken limbo right along with Iona’s.
My only criticism would be the miscommunication was frustrating at times when I just wanted Iona to communicate with Taran. However I do understand the doubt she would have that their relationship was ever real, when the Taran she was meeting was so different, and revealing her truth could be life-threatening.
The Younger Gods was one of the most fun reading experiences I’ve had this year, and I can’t wait for book two!
**Thank you to ACE books for providing me a gifted copy. All opinions are my own.**
I was hooked immediately and binged this in a day. The plot is fast-paced and engaging, I loved all the banter and was obsessed with the “it would be you in any lifetime” yearning. My heart broke for Iona trying to piece together whether anything between them was real and if she’d ever have her betrothed back. Taran had confidence, charm, and an edge that only the gods have, without being unlikeable or cruel. The entire time I was rooting for them to find their way back to each other somehow and my heart was suspended in a half-broken limbo right along with Iona’s.
My only criticism would be the miscommunication was frustrating at times when I just wanted Iona to communicate with Taran. However I do understand the doubt she would have that their relationship was ever real, when the Taran she was meeting was so different, and revealing her truth could be life-threatening.
The Younger Gods was one of the most fun reading experiences I’ve had this year, and I can’t wait for book two!
**Thank you to ACE books for providing me a gifted copy. All opinions are my own.**
February 14, 2026
Impulse new library book acquisition. In The Younger Gods, Iona has successfully overthrown the gods after years of brutal war at the cost of the death of her lover. Determined to win Taran back, she travels to the land of the dead to bargain with her former patron goddess—only to find that Taran was a god all along, and he no longer remembers Iona.
I was a bit skeptical going into this book and poised to DNF in case it was too Straight Romantasy (tm), but the Younger Gods delightfully exceeded my expectations. I love melodrama... In the dangerous realm of the gods, Taran immediately claims that Iona is his priestess to protect her, but has no memory of her at all. Meanwhile, Iona is bound to the promise she made to her former goddess in exchange for Taran's life, betrayed by all the lies he told her before he died, and scrupulously hiding every bit of their past from him. It's delicious to watch them falling back in love: Iona bittersweet and Taran convinced he's competing with Iona's dead fiancee, who is of course himself. The gods themselves are distinctly Greco-Roman inspired, but with their own personalities: for instance, the god of the sea is an erratic young drunk, and the goddess of the hunt is a famously unfaithful bride to the craft god. And of course, the running theme is that they're cruel and indifferent to mortals. Iona is desperately afraid that the god of death will return for very good reasons...
Surprisingly solid, and with an engaging throughplot about the treachery of the gods. I think the plot could have probably been tidied up in just one book, but I'll be happy to read the sequel.
I was a bit skeptical going into this book and poised to DNF in case it was too Straight Romantasy (tm), but the Younger Gods delightfully exceeded my expectations. I love melodrama... In the dangerous realm of the gods, Taran immediately claims that Iona is his priestess to protect her, but has no memory of her at all. Meanwhile, Iona is bound to the promise she made to her former goddess in exchange for Taran's life, betrayed by all the lies he told her before he died, and scrupulously hiding every bit of their past from him. It's delicious to watch them falling back in love: Iona bittersweet and Taran convinced he's competing with Iona's dead fiancee, who is of course himself. The gods themselves are distinctly Greco-Roman inspired, but with their own personalities: for instance, the god of the sea is an erratic young drunk, and the goddess of the hunt is a famously unfaithful bride to the craft god. And of course, the running theme is that they're cruel and indifferent to mortals. Iona is desperately afraid that the god of death will return for very good reasons...
Surprisingly solid, and with an engaging throughplot about the treachery of the gods. I think the plot could have probably been tidied up in just one book, but I'll be happy to read the sequel.
March 23, 2026
thank you to ace and berkley publishing group for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
when i saw that this was pitched as a gender-bent orpheus and eurydice retelling i knew i needed to get my hands on this book asap. and it did not disappoint!! it takes the basic concept of orpheus (iona) following eurydice (taran) into the underworld after his tragic death. but shepard has taken this well-known tale and turned it on its’ head.
we are following iona, the remaining priestess (well, in-training) for the maiden-god after battling against her husband, the god of death, for over three years. a war that ended in the death of iona's betrothed. so, after six months of grieving and preparing, she sets out to find the maiden god, wesha, to allow her passage into the underworld to bring back her beloved. however, once she arrives things are not as she seems. so, she’s thrust into the realm of the gods, where she’s trying to bring back her fiancé while also dealing with the repercussions of them killing the god of death and generally breaking the fabric of the gods’ world as they know it.
to me, i found iona to be such a compelling character. she has such strong morals and willpower to stay alive and protect humanity from the god of death. she’s almost too stubborn... but really she’s just not willing to backdown on her people on the other side of the isle. and because of that, we see her consistently fight, even when it’s almost a detriment to herself. from the moment she is reunited with taran, we see her work to sway his beliefs and to those they meet in attempt to treat the humans with more empathy.
beyond iona and her determination, i found the world that shepard crafted to be so enticing to read about. there is a very strong religious background, with twelve main gods that have priesthoods devoted to them in the human world. there is a glossary in the front, that i was definitely reviewing it until i became more familiar with the gods. but even beyond them, we have the younger/minor gods, each with distinct personalities and history that iona uncovers throughout. the magic system of the world is by singing blessings that relate to a specific god’s power. so the priests are often picked young based on orphan status and singing voices. from there they’re trained to hone the blessings to help with their priest-hood abilities. for the maiden, wesha. a lot of their training relates to aiding surgery and numbing pain. so we see how iona has honed her abilities for her calling.
but we also see how she’s had to adapt in war to use other gods blessings, namely of death and calling fire. to me, this magic system was one of the most compelling parts of the story and i’m really intrigued to see how it’s going to be expanded in the sequel. we’re left off at a point where the gods power is left imbalances and somewhat in ruins. we see how it’s begun to deteriorate, but it looks like it will be to a whole other level in the sequel. i am beyond excited to continue on in iona and taran’s story in the sequel. and i’m SO happy that i don’t have to wait too long as the sequel’s releasing later in 2026.
when i saw that this was pitched as a gender-bent orpheus and eurydice retelling i knew i needed to get my hands on this book asap. and it did not disappoint!! it takes the basic concept of orpheus (iona) following eurydice (taran) into the underworld after his tragic death. but shepard has taken this well-known tale and turned it on its’ head.
we are following iona, the remaining priestess (well, in-training) for the maiden-god after battling against her husband, the god of death, for over three years. a war that ended in the death of iona's betrothed. so, after six months of grieving and preparing, she sets out to find the maiden god, wesha, to allow her passage into the underworld to bring back her beloved. however, once she arrives things are not as she seems. so, she’s thrust into the realm of the gods, where she’s trying to bring back her fiancé while also dealing with the repercussions of them killing the god of death and generally breaking the fabric of the gods’ world as they know it.
to me, i found iona to be such a compelling character. she has such strong morals and willpower to stay alive and protect humanity from the god of death. she’s almost too stubborn... but really she’s just not willing to backdown on her people on the other side of the isle. and because of that, we see her consistently fight, even when it’s almost a detriment to herself. from the moment she is reunited with taran, we see her work to sway his beliefs and to those they meet in attempt to treat the humans with more empathy.
beyond iona and her determination, i found the world that shepard crafted to be so enticing to read about. there is a very strong religious background, with twelve main gods that have priesthoods devoted to them in the human world. there is a glossary in the front, that i was definitely reviewing it until i became more familiar with the gods. but even beyond them, we have the younger/minor gods, each with distinct personalities and history that iona uncovers throughout. the magic system of the world is by singing blessings that relate to a specific god’s power. so the priests are often picked young based on orphan status and singing voices. from there they’re trained to hone the blessings to help with their priest-hood abilities. for the maiden, wesha. a lot of their training relates to aiding surgery and numbing pain. so we see how iona has honed her abilities for her calling.
but we also see how she’s had to adapt in war to use other gods blessings, namely of death and calling fire. to me, this magic system was one of the most compelling parts of the story and i’m really intrigued to see how it’s going to be expanded in the sequel. we’re left off at a point where the gods power is left imbalances and somewhat in ruins. we see how it’s begun to deteriorate, but it looks like it will be to a whole other level in the sequel. i am beyond excited to continue on in iona and taran’s story in the sequel. and i’m SO happy that i don’t have to wait too long as the sequel’s releasing later in 2026.
February 16, 2026
i had sooo much fun reading this!!!
July 6, 2026
Thank you to Ace and NetGalley for the arc!
Rtc
Rtc
December 5, 2025
I am so sad that I have to wait for the second book.
This was a great read.
Hopefully I’ll come back and review better 🙃
This was a great read.
Hopefully I’ll come back and review better 🙃
February 15, 2026
might’ve stayed up until my contacts dried out reading this one. whoops
October 20, 2025
For much the same reasons that I enjoy playing D&D (and watching others play), I enjoy those qualities in this book. The world building (including creation of an entire pantheon of deities) and the character creation (especially the strong Iona whose story this is) registers at top tier with me.
If you loved Percy Jackson and want more, this could be the book.
"Despite knowing that nothing I said would really matter. Where the gods had failed, there was still me."
If you loved Percy Jackson and want more, this could be the book.
"Despite knowing that nothing I said would really matter. Where the gods had failed, there was still me."
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