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Meet Her Gaze
A celebrated defense attorney unravels beneath the weight of the men she once protected and the truths she can no longer ignore.
When Selene Thorne receives a diagnosis that fractures her future, something ancient stirs within her. What begins as a reckoning becomes a calling. One by one, powerful men fall in poses shaped by their each death a tableau, each body a sentence written in the only language she has left.
As New York circles the killings with fear and fascination, Selene’s husband, Detective Sebastian Wells, hunts the figure the world has begun to call Medusa. What he cannot see is what stands beside him each night, or how close the truth lies within the woman he loves and the secret consuming her. Their marriage becomes a quiet battlefield, where devotion collides with betrayal and tenderness lives alongside doubt.
As Selene pursues justice beyond the reach of courts, her body weakens, her time narrowing to a trembling thread. Her final acts reshape a myth she never meant to inherit and challenge everything the living believe about monsters, mercy, and the stories we leave behind.
Haunting and intimate, Meet Her Gaze is a modern Medusa retelling about reclaimed power, love tested at its breaking point, and the price of forging a legend with one’s own hands.
When Selene Thorne receives a diagnosis that fractures her future, something ancient stirs within her. What begins as a reckoning becomes a calling. One by one, powerful men fall in poses shaped by their each death a tableau, each body a sentence written in the only language she has left.
As New York circles the killings with fear and fascination, Selene’s husband, Detective Sebastian Wells, hunts the figure the world has begun to call Medusa. What he cannot see is what stands beside him each night, or how close the truth lies within the woman he loves and the secret consuming her. Their marriage becomes a quiet battlefield, where devotion collides with betrayal and tenderness lives alongside doubt.
As Selene pursues justice beyond the reach of courts, her body weakens, her time narrowing to a trembling thread. Her final acts reshape a myth she never meant to inherit and challenge everything the living believe about monsters, mercy, and the stories we leave behind.
Haunting and intimate, Meet Her Gaze is a modern Medusa retelling about reclaimed power, love tested at its breaking point, and the price of forging a legend with one’s own hands.
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First published January 22, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
January 5, 2026
Meet Her Gaze by Sienna Reed is a majestic, gut-wrenching story that earns every bit of its 5-star rating. From the first chapters, the prose is superb—lush without ever feeling overwrought, intimate without ever feeling small—and it wraps around you like a spell. This modern Medusa retelling feels both mythic and painfully human as it explores illness, trauma, love, rage, and the cost of reclaiming your own story.
The emotional intensity is extraordinary. There are multiple moments that broke something open in me and had me in tears, not because the book is relentlessly bleak, but because it is so honest about pain, vulnerability, and the fierce, fragile hope that survives underneath it all. The relationships are nuanced, tender, and flawed in a way that feels deeply real, and the way Reed writes longing, fear, and resilience is nothing short of devastating in the best way.
Meet Her Gaze is the kind of book that lingers—majestic in scope, but rooted in very human hurts and healing. Written superbly, emotionally uncompromising, and beautifully cathartic, it is a standout read and an easy 5-star recommendation for anyone who loves powerful, character-driven myth retellings. I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review
The emotional intensity is extraordinary. There are multiple moments that broke something open in me and had me in tears, not because the book is relentlessly bleak, but because it is so honest about pain, vulnerability, and the fierce, fragile hope that survives underneath it all. The relationships are nuanced, tender, and flawed in a way that feels deeply real, and the way Reed writes longing, fear, and resilience is nothing short of devastating in the best way.
Meet Her Gaze is the kind of book that lingers—majestic in scope, but rooted in very human hurts and healing. Written superbly, emotionally uncompromising, and beautifully cathartic, it is a standout read and an easy 5-star recommendation for anyone who loves powerful, character-driven myth retellings. I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review
January 22, 2026
“Selene Thorne had always been the wrong daughter—the one measured against brighter scales and found wanting, the one who carried a law degree her parents called squandered, her victories nothing more than defenses of the indefensible. She was a woman whose body, once honed to precision, had begun to fray beneath its own discipline, the seams loosening where she had stitched herself too tightly for too long. Medusa was the refinement of what I could never be—sharper in her edges, stripped of compromise, cleansed of hesitation. She carried no family name to disappoint, no body to betray her, only the myth they had already chosen to worship.“
This book is a masterpiece. It is phenomenal. It is THE book to read.
I don’t have the words to accurately express how profoundly I was impacted by reading Selene’s story. I’ve been trying to write this review for days, and I just don’t feel that anything I write will fully encompass how important this book is in the world we live in. This book doesn’t just belong on a shelf; it belongs in everyone’s hands, in everyone’s minds, and available in every form of media. The messages portrayed through the pages of this book are so, so, important; and so very controversial. But the best stories are the ones that make you pause. Question. Reflect. Meet Her Gaze did it all, and more.
Reading this book was an immersive experience into the mind of humanity at its best and worst. There is no black and white in this book; just grey - in the most beautiful shade - translated through Selene’s story. You’ll question morality, the definition of right and wrong, whether death is justifiable, the integrity of society and the justice system, what it means to take accountability for your actions, and what it means to truly love another person. The rabbit holes of thought I went through while reading this book were endless.
“It wasn’t the kill—it was the lie. The slow, accumulating one. One that doesn’t sound like a falsehood until you realize you’ve built a language out of omission. The hypocrisy was exquisite: I punished monsters for hiding the truth, and here I was, perfecting the art.”
Sienna’s writing is impeccable. It’s beautiful, thought provoking, and each sentence is intentional and lands with purpose. The methodology of Medusa rewritten into a very human narrative is brilliant and empowering (especially for women). Selene’s story is heartbreaking on its own, but once her husband Sebastian takes center stage in the plot, the love story between these two will break you apart and put you back together. This book will have you questioning so much about our world; but it will also reaffirm your belief in the power of love.
“You are human. Flawed. Broken. Fierce. Terrifying.” His hand rose to my face, thumb tracing the outline of my lower lip. “And you are mine.”
Sienna, I can’t thank you enough for sharing an ARC of this book with me. This is the book I will send to all my friends and family, and Selene’s story will always stay with me.
January 18, 2026
Meet Her Gaze is a must read. It interrogates the line between law and morality with rare intelligence and emotional depth, asking difficult questions without offering comfort, allowing the reader space to think. Beautifully written and emotionally resonant.
January 22, 2026
🖤🖤🖤 Meet Her Gaze 🖤🖤🖤
🖤 Medusa Retelling
🖤 Married Couple
🖤 Law vs Justice
🖤 Feminine Rage Reclaimed
Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Meet Her Gaze examines what society views as justice through the eyes of the legal system. Sienna is a defence attorney who has becomes infamous defending powerful men and protecting them from the consequences of their crimes. After receiving a diagnosis that changes the course of her future Sienna begins to analyse her past and decides to take corrective actions within clinical precision, birthing a modern day myth of Medusa in NYC.
The first half of this book felt detached and very clinical, BUT, that all makes sense as Sienna's prognosis develops. Sienna distances herself from the world around her, her husband and sister to focus on her mission and so that is reflected in how her actions comes across at the start. As the plot and Sienna's illness progress the more the emotions of this story take root until they consume you!
Chapter 16 had tears in my eyes and then, from Chapter 19 onwards... Sienna, what are you doing to us?! Oh my goodness, I was a sobbing mess. I don't want to spoil it for anyone, but fair warning to have tissues on standby for the emotional wreckage the second half of this book brings.
Great Medusa retelling, it was a really interesting take on the myth and I'm so grateful I got the opportunity to read this ARC. I underestimated the start of this book and didnt think it would hit as hard as it did but it left me shattered by the end, I loved it 🖤🖤
"Power performs best when it pretends to listen"
"Im chosing you, for as long as I can."
Bastian's second to last line that I cant quote for spoilers 😭😭
🖤 Medusa Retelling
🖤 Married Couple
🖤 Law vs Justice
🖤 Feminine Rage Reclaimed
Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Meet Her Gaze examines what society views as justice through the eyes of the legal system. Sienna is a defence attorney who has becomes infamous defending powerful men and protecting them from the consequences of their crimes. After receiving a diagnosis that changes the course of her future Sienna begins to analyse her past and decides to take corrective actions within clinical precision, birthing a modern day myth of Medusa in NYC.
The first half of this book felt detached and very clinical, BUT, that all makes sense as Sienna's prognosis develops. Sienna distances herself from the world around her, her husband and sister to focus on her mission and so that is reflected in how her actions comes across at the start. As the plot and Sienna's illness progress the more the emotions of this story take root until they consume you!
Chapter 16 had tears in my eyes and then, from Chapter 19 onwards... Sienna, what are you doing to us?! Oh my goodness, I was a sobbing mess. I don't want to spoil it for anyone, but fair warning to have tissues on standby for the emotional wreckage the second half of this book brings.
Great Medusa retelling, it was a really interesting take on the myth and I'm so grateful I got the opportunity to read this ARC. I underestimated the start of this book and didnt think it would hit as hard as it did but it left me shattered by the end, I loved it 🖤🖤
"Power performs best when it pretends to listen"
"Im chosing you, for as long as I can."
Bastian's second to last line that I cant quote for spoilers 😭😭
January 28, 2026
I’ve honestly been sitting on this review because I don’t know how to put my feelings into words. The last chapters of this book honestly wrecked me - I was sobbing.
The writing style was different for me - I felt like it just had a different style but I can’t put a word to it. The emotions you feel are so raw and real. At times, I felt like I was reading an episode of criminal minds almost.
Selene is a lawyer that represents the wrong side because she’s the best and bad people pay. Her husband, Sebastian, is a detective. I fell for Sebastian instantly and I couldn’t follow where their relationship stood at first.
After a health diagnosis, Selene decides to change the direction of her life and in her own way, rights the wrongs she feels she has done. She has so much rage she harbors. I don’t want to give too much away because this is a story everyone should read.
I had to stop reading several times and just reflect - it makes you question legality and the justice system, right from wrong. Relationships are tested - can love and truth prevail?
The way the myth of Medusa was ultimately tied in was a job well done. It was an interesting retelling and to be honest, I was proven wrong by the end. I underestimated how hard this book would hit and I’m still thinking about it days later. I also thought having the newspaper articles spread throughout was a cool touch - I definitely wasn’t expecting the number on the last one!
Thank you Sienna for the early copy. I feel like I’ll be thinking of this book for quite some time. All opinions are my own!
The writing style was different for me - I felt like it just had a different style but I can’t put a word to it. The emotions you feel are so raw and real. At times, I felt like I was reading an episode of criminal minds almost.
Selene is a lawyer that represents the wrong side because she’s the best and bad people pay. Her husband, Sebastian, is a detective. I fell for Sebastian instantly and I couldn’t follow where their relationship stood at first.
After a health diagnosis, Selene decides to change the direction of her life and in her own way, rights the wrongs she feels she has done. She has so much rage she harbors. I don’t want to give too much away because this is a story everyone should read.
I had to stop reading several times and just reflect - it makes you question legality and the justice system, right from wrong. Relationships are tested - can love and truth prevail?
The way the myth of Medusa was ultimately tied in was a job well done. It was an interesting retelling and to be honest, I was proven wrong by the end. I underestimated how hard this book would hit and I’m still thinking about it days later. I also thought having the newspaper articles spread throughout was a cool touch - I definitely wasn’t expecting the number on the last one!
Thank you Sienna for the early copy. I feel like I’ll be thinking of this book for quite some time. All opinions are my own!
January 22, 2026
Meet Her Gaze is a sharp, modern retelling of the Medusa myth that trades serpents and marble for tailored suits, courtrooms, and carefully planned revenge.
At its center is a criminal defense lawyer who has spent her career helping powerful men escape consequences for crimes against women. When a terminal diagnosis cracks something open inside her, her conscience finally arrives — not as remorse, but as resolve. The law may have failed, but she will not.
This is vengeance that is meticulous, premeditated, and chillingly intelligent. Each act feels inevitable rather than impulsive.
The tension sharpens further inside her collapsing marriage. Her husband, a New York City detective, is hunting a serial killer known as Medusa — unaware that the shadows he follows at work echo the secrets unraveling at home. The duality is exquisitely done: intimacy versus investigation, loyalty versus truth, love strained against moral reckoning.
The mythological parallels are woven with restraint and confidence. The gaze, the punishment, the monstrous femininity reframed as consequence rather than curse — all of it lands with purpose. This is not a story that asks for sympathy. It asks whether justice must always wear the face of the law.
Dark, deliberate, and morally thorned, Meet Her Gaze is a feminist noir that stares back without flinching.
At its center is a criminal defense lawyer who has spent her career helping powerful men escape consequences for crimes against women. When a terminal diagnosis cracks something open inside her, her conscience finally arrives — not as remorse, but as resolve. The law may have failed, but she will not.
This is vengeance that is meticulous, premeditated, and chillingly intelligent. Each act feels inevitable rather than impulsive.
The tension sharpens further inside her collapsing marriage. Her husband, a New York City detective, is hunting a serial killer known as Medusa — unaware that the shadows he follows at work echo the secrets unraveling at home. The duality is exquisitely done: intimacy versus investigation, loyalty versus truth, love strained against moral reckoning.
The mythological parallels are woven with restraint and confidence. The gaze, the punishment, the monstrous femininity reframed as consequence rather than curse — all of it lands with purpose. This is not a story that asks for sympathy. It asks whether justice must always wear the face of the law.
Dark, deliberate, and morally thorned, Meet Her Gaze is a feminist noir that stares back without flinching.
January 17, 2026
Disclaimer: I received an ARC version of the book
What does justice looks like? Is it what the law/system says or something else? In Meet Her Gaze, that is one of the major themes explored in addition to love, secrets, and female rage.
I loved this Medusa retelling and thought it had some pretty shocking moments and powerful quotes (which I can't share because spoilers and I want y'all to enjoy the book too!). Minus 1 star because the book did feel a bit slow at times. I was a bit confused in chapters 1 and 2 because I wasn't quite sure what was going on and who the characters were. But the story became more interesting starting in chapter 3 with the first sentences being "Three months was all you needed if you were efficient— enough time to prepare for anything. Even murder”. I thought the newspaper articles after each killing was creative. It provided a quick summary of who the victim was and the public's reaction to what was happening. The last couple of chapters were full of emotion because you could feel Selene and Sebastian's pain and the tenderness of their love. I didn't want the story to end!
I can't wait to read more books by Sienna!!
What does justice looks like? Is it what the law/system says or something else? In Meet Her Gaze, that is one of the major themes explored in addition to love, secrets, and female rage.
I loved this Medusa retelling and thought it had some pretty shocking moments and powerful quotes (which I can't share because spoilers and I want y'all to enjoy the book too!). Minus 1 star because the book did feel a bit slow at times. I was a bit confused in chapters 1 and 2 because I wasn't quite sure what was going on and who the characters were. But the story became more interesting starting in chapter 3 with the first sentences being "Three months was all you needed if you were efficient— enough time to prepare for anything. Even murder”. I thought the newspaper articles after each killing was creative. It provided a quick summary of who the victim was and the public's reaction to what was happening. The last couple of chapters were full of emotion because you could feel Selene and Sebastian's pain and the tenderness of their love. I didn't want the story to end!
I can't wait to read more books by Sienna!!
January 22, 2026
Meet Her Gaze is a haunting modern Medusa retelling that explores power reclaimed, love under siege, and the cost of choosing myth over mercy when time is running out.
Meet Her Gaze starts off strong, with an intense buildup and gripping suspense that immediately draws you in. While the story remains engaging, that initial momentum fades a bit as the plot unfolds.
The unalivings are well executed and creatively staged. The newspaper clippings are a highlight, adding depth and atmosphere. Still, they feel like they’re missing an extra emotional layer that could have made them more impactful. I also wished for a deeper exploration of Selene’s past. Understanding more of what shaped her transformation would have strengthened her character.
This is more than a modern Medusa retelling. It thoughtfully explores justice failing, marriage, family dysfunction and moral dilemmas. Although it didn’t resonate with me as strongly as I hoped, it may deeply connect with readers who enjoy dark, reflective stories about power and consequence.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Many thanks to the author.
Meet Her Gaze starts off strong, with an intense buildup and gripping suspense that immediately draws you in. While the story remains engaging, that initial momentum fades a bit as the plot unfolds.
The unalivings are well executed and creatively staged. The newspaper clippings are a highlight, adding depth and atmosphere. Still, they feel like they’re missing an extra emotional layer that could have made them more impactful. I also wished for a deeper exploration of Selene’s past. Understanding more of what shaped her transformation would have strengthened her character.
This is more than a modern Medusa retelling. It thoughtfully explores justice failing, marriage, family dysfunction and moral dilemmas. Although it didn’t resonate with me as strongly as I hoped, it may deeply connect with readers who enjoy dark, reflective stories about power and consequence.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Many thanks to the author.
January 23, 2026
Thank you Sienna Reed for this ARC!
Meet Her Gaze is a modern Medusa retelling, with Selene being our main character. After she receives a life altering diagnosis, she realizes her time is running out. Selene begins to question the justice system, the system she worked for, and decides to correct where she believes the justice system went wrong. Going after her past clients, and correcting the balance.
I really loved this book in the beginning. The writing pulls you in and makes you question the line between justice and law. Selene is a very interesting character, however as the story went on I felt she became a bit flat. I would have loved to know more about her past, more about her relationship with Sebastian and family.
The ending was wonderfully written and made me emotional, I just wish I felt more of that emotion throughout the entirety of the book.
Meet Her Gaze is a modern Medusa retelling, with Selene being our main character. After she receives a life altering diagnosis, she realizes her time is running out. Selene begins to question the justice system, the system she worked for, and decides to correct where she believes the justice system went wrong. Going after her past clients, and correcting the balance.
I really loved this book in the beginning. The writing pulls you in and makes you question the line between justice and law. Selene is a very interesting character, however as the story went on I felt she became a bit flat. I would have loved to know more about her past, more about her relationship with Sebastian and family.
The ending was wonderfully written and made me emotional, I just wish I felt more of that emotion throughout the entirety of the book.
January 22, 2026
3.5⭐️'s rounded up
I went into this book not truly knowing what to expect, let me say it went beyond expectations. The storyline was amazing and, by the time you get to the rnd of the book your emotions will be all over the place. Best believe you will have to have your tissues ready.
I went into this book not truly knowing what to expect, let me say it went beyond expectations. The storyline was amazing and, by the time you get to the rnd of the book your emotions will be all over the place. Best believe you will have to have your tissues ready.
February 3, 2026
🐍 Meet Her Gaze by Sienna Reed 🐍
Once finished I quickly wrote down my initial thoughts, I wanted this review to be as authentic as possible… This book deserves it… Apologies if it’s a bit scattered 😅 #BabyBrain :
This book was about making the most of the time you have left, the selfishness of that, the things you will do for love, even if it kills you.
This book showed the beauty of true love and the limits we will be pushed to. 🥀
It was also a story of redemption, a wake up call, lifting of the veil and seeing the atrocities of your actions, claiming them and trying to make wrongs right. 🥀
Whilst Selene frustrated me initially with her selfishness (Which I wholeheartedly understand), I admired her confidence and tenacity. If I ever needed a lawyer I would want her! 😂
I completely adored the love Sebastian and Iris had for her. Despite her pushing them away to protect them they still came together to show her nothing but pure love. (Let me compose myself) Iris gave the most precious speech towards the end of the story. ❤️
The words spoken between Selene and Sebastian in the final chapters absolutely broke me, they were incredibly vulnerable, beautiful and raw. Sebastian’s devotion to Selene was painfully sincere. 🥀
The message in this book is so powerful and one I will take with me. 🥀
Thank you to Sienna for choosing me to read this early for review ❤️
Once finished I quickly wrote down my initial thoughts, I wanted this review to be as authentic as possible… This book deserves it… Apologies if it’s a bit scattered 😅 #BabyBrain :
This book was about making the most of the time you have left, the selfishness of that, the things you will do for love, even if it kills you.
This book showed the beauty of true love and the limits we will be pushed to. 🥀
It was also a story of redemption, a wake up call, lifting of the veil and seeing the atrocities of your actions, claiming them and trying to make wrongs right. 🥀
Whilst Selene frustrated me initially with her selfishness (Which I wholeheartedly understand), I admired her confidence and tenacity. If I ever needed a lawyer I would want her! 😂
I completely adored the love Sebastian and Iris had for her. Despite her pushing them away to protect them they still came together to show her nothing but pure love. (Let me compose myself) Iris gave the most precious speech towards the end of the story. ❤️
The words spoken between Selene and Sebastian in the final chapters absolutely broke me, they were incredibly vulnerable, beautiful and raw. Sebastian’s devotion to Selene was painfully sincere. 🥀
The message in this book is so powerful and one I will take with me. 🥀
Thank you to Sienna for choosing me to read this early for review ❤️
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews