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The Goddess Chronicles #1

Out of Practice Aphrodite

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Librarian Note: Alternate Cover Edition

Abby’s major screw-up brings the wrath of Zeus upon her head. He offers her a choice—work for him or spend the rest of her days hanging out in Hades with her ex-husband. For Abby, this choice is a no-brainer, especially when Zeus says the only thing he wants her to do is make a love match. She’s the Goddess of Love. What could go wrong?

Everything.

Abby stumbles into an ex-lover, a dead demi-god and the realization that a crucial relic has been stolen right out from underneath Zeus’ nose. Eris, the Goddess of Chaos and Discord, is behind the theft and murder and the faltering powers Abby is trying to keep secret. With Zeus breathing down her neck, she’ll need to keep her wits about her as she races against the clock and Zeus’ imposed two-week time period.

Of course, this is easier said than done. Not only is she struggling with a budding attraction to a sexy lawman and feelings for long-time friend, Hermes, she’s also trying to keep everyone out of the path of a vengeful goddess while saving the Earth and Olympus from the reign of a tyrant. What’s a goddess to do when the fate of the world rests upon her fashionable shoulders?

389 pages, ebook

First published March 15, 2014

476 people are currently reading
731 people want to read

About the author

S.E. Babin

86 books389 followers

S.E. Babin has a passion for writing books with a paranormal twist. Whether it's romance or mystery, she loves taking the norm and turning it into the extraordinary. Her love of reading turned into a curious exploration to see whether or not she could write her own novel.

Beginning with random, terrible poetry and a slightly popular reimagining of Beowulf's Grendel in her high school English class, Sheryl spent way too much time in the library, killing any chance of her becoming a cheerleader or anything even remotely cool. Find her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SEBabin. She loves to hear from readers!

Sign up for the newsletter to hear about upcoming releases, sales, and freebies! sebabin.com

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5 stars
264 (41%)
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196 (30%)
3 stars
131 (20%)
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39 (6%)
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10 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews
Profile Image for Gary Sundell.
368 reviews62 followers
February 11, 2020
A fun read. Greek gods and goddess in an enjoyable read set in today's world.
Profile Image for ⚜️XAR the Bookwyrm.
2,343 reviews17 followers
December 16, 2017
I was actually rather surprised by this story! I liked the modern take on Greek mythology, and Abby's snarky nature. I was actually intrigued by some of the twists that the story took and liked the sprinkling of Greek mythology artifacts within it. It left me eager to read the next book in the series!
Profile Image for Wall-to-wall books - wendy.
1,065 reviews22 followers
January 16, 2016
4.5 stars!

Absolutely delightful book! Coffee, snark, and Hot guys - perfect combo! This is Greek Mythology in depth, at its best, at its funniest! Who knew Aphrodite was so funny and was so snarky! I loved her! This story was a great fun read! I think it is perfect for summertime because it is light, quick, easy reading and tons of fun!

GREAT cast of characters. Of course you know them already - Zeus, Hermes, Artemus, and Aphrodite of course, and so many others but - like you've never seen them before. This is kind of like a behind the scenes look at "a day in the life of the Gods". And of course there is a human thrown in the mix, a man human!

"This is going to be the straw that tips Zeus over the camel."
"The camel?"
"Whatever that saying is." I wasn't one to pick up the local slang.

"Don't Zeus darling me, Aphrodite. You've exposed our world to mortals. If you were anyone else, I would smite you where you lay."
Smite? Who said anything about smiting? The first stirrings of real fear roiled within me."
"Smite me?"
I chuckled with what I hoped appeared to be genuine humor. "It's been ages since you've smote anyone."

"The best part of the entire re-design was the industrial coffee machine sitting against the wall. No one could go on a mission without coffee." - Amen to that sister!


Thank you "WanderLust Book Tours" for sending me this book for my honest review!
Profile Image for Kathy Mayer.
861 reviews9 followers
March 22, 2024
What holds Zeus's power?

I find it interesting that in this story it's apples off a tree. It reminds me of Persephone's tree with fruit on it in the underworld. It is never explained how Eris was able to steal these. I think that's something major that should have been put in there. Abby is growing on me. I wasn't sure at first if I going to like her. Every other book I have read about Aphrodite portrays her as calculating, sexy, & all about her power over men. So this portrayal of her lacking confidence, powers, & being uncertain in her own love life took a while to believe. Personally I am team Hermes. I think everyone always portrays him as being a stupid messenger guy. Here he was smart, confident, and caring. He knew what he wanted. I did not want her settling down with a mortal. It makes no sense for an immortal to be with a mortal. Does she want to look 20 years old & married to an 80 year old man? Gross!
Profile Image for Karen.
189 reviews6 followers
June 4, 2020
For fans of mythology and magic

I really enjoyed this first in its series, featuring Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love. The author didn't take liberties with the Bullfinch version of the characters; instead, she gave them depth, using imagination and humor. A good read for a hot summer day.
Profile Image for Krissys Bookshelf Reviews.
1,640 reviews81 followers
August 5, 2016
Abby’s major screw-up brings the wrath of Zeus upon her head. He offers her a choice—work for him or spend the rest of her days hanging out in Hades with her ex-husband. For Abby, this choice is a no-brainer, especially when Zeus says the only thing he wants her to do is make a love match. She’s the Goddess of Love. What could go wrong?

Everything.

Abby stumbles into an ex-lover, a dead demi-god and the realization that a crucial relic has been stolen right out from underneath Zeus’ nose. Eris, the Goddess of Chaos and Discord, is behind the theft and murder and the faltering powers Abby is trying to keep secret. With Zeus breathing down her neck, she’ll need to keep her wits about her as she races against the clock and Zeus’ imposed two-week time period.

Of course, this is easier said than done. Not only is she struggling with a budding attraction to a sexy lawman and feelings for long-time friend, Hermes, she’s also trying to keep everyone out of the path of a vengeful goddess while saving the Earth and Olympus from the reign of a tyrant. What’s a goddess to do when the fate of the world rests upon her fashionable shoulders?

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I was really impressed how much I enjoyed Out of Practice Aphrodite. So much so that I gave it five stars which is hard to earn from me so that speaks volumes about how much I liked it. I'm also looking to add this author who is totally new to me to my print collection because I liked it so much.

I especially loved all the trouble Abby constantly finds herself in. She's a Murphy's Law of romance. I loved her.

I was delighted to gain a heroine who was flawed, who had issues, and drama galore as well as enough nemesis out to make her life a living hell.

Out of Practice Aphrodite is full of comedy and laughs and totally adorable with plenty of debacles to keep you entertained from beginning to end. I totally loved this book and I can't wait for future installments. I'm so excited.

I'm thrilled I have new author and a new series to fall in love with! Check it out if you haven't had the chance, I know you'll enjoy it as well.

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Krissys Bookshelf Reviews
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Krissy's Bookshelf Reviews received a digital copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts, comments and ratings are my own.

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Krissy's Bookshelf Reviews received a digital copy in exchange for an honest review from Netgalley.

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If any of Krissy's Bookshelf Reviews has been helpful please stop by to like or let me know what you think! I love hearing from followers! Thank you!
Profile Image for Sugar Skull Confessions.
792 reviews
July 3, 2016
****ARC provided by NetGalley for an honest review****

Warning: This review/rating is based on my feelings, thoughts, likes and dislikes. You should read the book to form your own opinion/thoughts. Read on!

Rating: 4 Hermes Stars
Cover: I like it
Cliffhanger: Not exactly, but this series continues with the same characters

The only reason this book doesn't have 5 stars is the editing, it wasn't that bad, but in some points it was distracting and confusing and i had to re-read the paragraph to figure out who they were talking about or who was doing the talking. Other than that...awesome story.

Greek Mythology, that should be enough for you to want to read this!

We have Aphrodite, the goddess of love, she can make people find love but for her, nah, she can't for the life of Olympus do it. She has been living in earth for a few centuries and she loves it. For this reason she has forgotten that gods are cunning and power-hungry, so she gets in trouble and now she is in Zeus' radar.

And this is where she starts a mission that she thinks she will fail right from the start, but with the help of her BFF Artemis (goddess of hunt), her new love interest Hermes (messenger of god), her bird man Keto and her other love interest Marshall (human) she will be able to make it out alive and more.

I wanted her to stay with the other, but what do i know! The author kept me in my toes, every time i thought i had the plot figured out she spinned me around and i loved every spin. This was a very funny and interesting book, i couldn't stop reading it and i intend to get the next books. Maybe we get to see more gods and goddesses?

Highly recommended!
Profile Image for Felita Daniels.
98 reviews3 followers
June 18, 2015
This was a fun little read. Most of my gal pals can relate to this premium coffee drinking, Twinkie eating heroine. The part we would all envy is that because she is a goddess, she doesn’t gain weight! She’s got an attitude that makes her fun, but gets her in a bind sometimes. That’s how the story opens. She’s woken up from a crazy evening at a Kiss concert and there’s hell to pay. But on this occasion she may not be entirely at fault. That’s the first hint that something may be going on that is more evil and twisted than her mischievous ways.
I loved her best friend Artie, Goddess of the Hunt. She is fiercely loyal to her BFF and that immediately made me fall in love with her. There were some spots where the pace slowed a tad. Aphrodite’s worrying about who she could trust was sometimes repetitious. But, hey these gods and goddesses where into drama, scheming and grapevine gossip. So maybe that’s a given. All in all, it is enjoyable poolside reading.
I was provided a free copy to read and write an honest review.
Profile Image for Nithya.
14 reviews3 followers
April 22, 2015
Goddess of love Aphrodite ‘Abby’ had screwed big time now by exposing the world and is waiting for Zeus judgement. Zeus orders her to bring two people together in a limited time or to spend the eternity of her life with her ex-husband in Hades realm. Upon seeing the death of Orpheus & Eurydice missing, and with her power going On & Off, Abby with the help of Goddess of Hunt (Artie) tries to solve the mysterious incidents that had happened in the past days.
After a long time I had a good laugh from reading a book. Author has done a wonderful job of showing the gods & goddess as normal persons, relying on coffee as much as we are. It’s funny to imagine the goddess of Love who is capable of making perfect matches with others while screwing her love life regularly.
Profile Image for Cyndi Pagan.
40 reviews7 followers
October 20, 2016
Oh my, I just loved this story!!! I don't even know where to start, perhaps because I love Greek mythology. A whole new spin on the Greek Gods and Goddess thrown into our modern world. I personally enjoyed this book very much! Anyone one that loves this pantheon will enjoy this story! Aphrodite, Ares, Artemis, Hades, Hephaestus, Hera ,Hermes and lastly Zeus all make an appearance in this story!
Profile Image for Wheezy Hardin.
110 reviews1 follower
August 26, 2016
Delightful

A new take on the old Gods. Action, adventure, love and magic. This series will be a must read. With a good cup of French Roast and twinkies if course
1,051 reviews5 followers
October 4, 2017
Aphrodite "Abby" is the Goddess of Love, pretty much hiding out in NY because she got tired of life in Olympus over the centuries. She wakes up after a wild night on the town...so wild that Zeus pays her a visit to rain down a punishment...except she gets off lighter than she expects, so she's worried she's missing something. Her "punishment' is to do her thing--make a love match or she'll be forced to move in with Hephaestus. Shouldn't be hard for the Goddess of Love, right? Except when Zeus doesn't tell her who, just where. When she shows up and figures it out, one half of the potential match is dead and the other is missing, possibly kidnapped by another Goddess...oh,and the golden apples from the tree of the Hesperides appear to have been stolen right out from under Zeus' nose. With the help of her friends Keto (don't remember familiars being in Greek mythology, but this isn't a historical document), Artemis ("Artie" to her friends), Hermes (just goes by Hermes here), and a human detective, Abby tries to hunt down the kidnapping victim and the stolen property. Ares (God of War) shows up, too, as do Zeus and Hera and a few others. The big bad "guy" is Eris, the Goddess of Chaos and Discord. Surprise, surprise.

Certainly a cozy I hadn't read before.The antics of the gods of Greek mythology are laid bare here, and Babin portrays them as more human than god-like in some instances. No crazy cliffhangers here, though this is certainly the start of a series.
Profile Image for Christina.
590 reviews5 followers
August 20, 2017
I loved it in a different way than the other mythology books I have read. This is because most of the mythology books i have read have been about the offspring of the gods and goddesses demigods so to speak. This one is different because it talks about the gods and goddesses themselves and in a more goofy yet realistic way. Reading it reminds me of a shujo anime with some adult content though it could be because I am listening to anime music in the background but I could totally see it as an anime with the pop culture references and everything. It's not just goofy though there are some dramatic and powerful parts and those made it even better at least in my opinion. Also a ton of twists and turns though I was not impressed with the love triangle in there a little predictable:P Overall I would give this book a 4.75/5 stars because of these points I would love to read more from this series thank you S.E Babin for the opportunity to read this e book for free on Amazon I loved it.
Profile Image for Patricia Burroughs.
Author 19 books256 followers
August 5, 2018
Fun, filled with snark and divine mayhem! I never knew I was interested in reading Alternate History Mythology [is that a thing?] until I came up with the idea for Debris & Detritus, The Lesser Greek Gods Running Amok, and the writers turned in such amazing, sometimes surreal, sometimes hysterical, sometimes horror-ific tales for the anthology. [I'm extremely proud of it. Go buy it. Go read it.]

But my first thought as I started reading Out of Practice Aphrodite was, "Damn! Where was S.E. Babin when I needed her for my anthology???" The answer is, she was where she always is, writing entertaining cozy mysteries. I just hadn't found them or her yet! [And I still kept saying, "Damn!" as I kept reading, wishing I could time-travel back and add her in.]

So let me repeat, this book is fun, filled with snark and divine mayhem! Aphrodite and many of the Usual Pantheon Suspects. Read it. You'll love it, too.
112 reviews2 followers
February 11, 2018
Amazing, fun and witty.

I first picked this book because I was interested in the Greek Mythology aspect of it with us as readers! Going into the lives of these greeks god and goddesses (that if they COULD) how they would live among us.

This is an unique, witty and fun read with the right amount of action and drama to keep you On your toes! Never a dull moment. and the Gods and goddesses are EVERYTHING I expected them to be in the modern world 😂😂 (expect for artie which was a shock lol). SPOILER: - Even though I wanted Abby with Hermes instead of Marshall (cause we all know that ain't gonna work out forever....) It's whatever and there were lodes of loose ends in this book which I'm happy and excited to explore later on 😊😊.
Profile Image for Monica.
849 reviews
July 7, 2017
Even though this was a free kindle book, I had higher hopes from the idea that the story was about Greek gods and I have always liked mythology. This book was a bit of a different take though as it was almost like reading a chick lit book with Greek gods as the main characters, still the same ditzy dumb girly actions, just from Aphrodite and Artemis. I liked some of the humanizing but overall it was too cutesy at times (example, the obsession with gourmet coffee).
Abby aka Aphrodite gets in trouble and Zeus makes her try to organize a love match, but of course a whole lot more is involved. Down the rabbit hole she and her friends go to save Olympus.
Profile Image for Amy.
840 reviews4 followers
May 27, 2018
Unique and fun

A funny and unique twist on characters I've long held dear, Babin breathes life into Zeus and the gang lifting them off the page and placing them into the here and now. Eris wreaks the havoc we would expect from the goddess of chaos while Aphrodite seems to live up to the adage of love - fools rush in. I can't wait to read the next book. This series has won me over.
Profile Image for TrixieB.
842 reviews16 followers
March 10, 2025
I started this months ago and enjoyed it. Quests. Gods. Mysteries.

So I was disappointed when I picked it back up to discover that really it's so very toxic. Lots of thinking about men as virile and "in control". Gross. She is a goddess. A human sheriff is not the one in control here.

I do wish I knew the story of what is going on, but I cannot stomach women debasing themselves for men. No thank you.
Profile Image for Asil Reads.
80 reviews8 followers
May 25, 2017
Entertaining read! The author stayed true to the Greek mythology that I have loved for many years....but with a modern twist. This book has action, drama and romance all rolled into one. This was the first book I have read from this author and you can bet that I will be looking for, and reading, other books from her!
Profile Image for Krystyna.
5,134 reviews55 followers
June 11, 2018
Gods and Goddesses don't mix

Amazing! Can Abby complete the task? Can she deal with all the intrigue? Loved Abby, a great, loveable, bumbling character. A must read if you love humour in your books mixed in a mystery with a pinch of romance. Don't be put off that it is about Gods. Highly recommended
2,899 reviews3 followers
April 23, 2024
outstanding

I honestly did not have expectations that I would enjoy this story. I knew it would be well written with engaging characters but I never guessed I would enjoy it as much as I did. I guess because Aphrodite was written so genuine and so easily relatable. I enjoyed this one immensely. I am so happy that I read this one. Highly recommend.
121 reviews1 follower
September 24, 2024
Out of Practice Aphrodite

This was a very good read. Aphrodite has a lot on her plate. She pissed off Zeus, was charged with making two people fall in love but one of the turns up dead almost immediately. Not to mention Zeus power is waning and Aphrodite is charged with finding out why and returning it to Olympus. Quiet the tale. I looking forward to the next book.
57 reviews
November 13, 2016
Is the Goddess of Love loosing her touch?

Zeus is upset and that can be dangerous for all concerned, especially Aphrodite. Will this end on a celestial note or in the other direction?
Profile Image for Pam.
206 reviews1 follower
February 22, 2017
A genuine surprise!

I chose to read thus book in a whim and got Avery pleasant surprise.
It was very entertaining with light characters as I have never seen in dealing with Greek Gods. .Very much looking forward to a sequel!
316 reviews
January 8, 2018
I loved it! Light-hearted, fun novel that was a quick read. Characters were somewhat funny, not dark and brooding with tons of baggage. No graphic violence or sex scenes. Just a fun read. I enjoy when authors take gods and goddess and drop them into modern society and see how they would react. I will read more in this series!
937 reviews7 followers
June 27, 2017
Mix a little Greek Mythology with a bit of modern day who done it and why in the current world and you get chaos! But mind you not ordinary chaos as Aphrodite finds out with the help of Hermes, Artemus not to mention Zeus and a whole cast of characters! Enjoy!
Profile Image for Melissa Ward.
59 reviews6 followers
February 25, 2018
Funny and light.

Aphrodite is in a fix. She’s got Artemis to help her along with some other unlikely support. But overall this light read is engaging, humorous, and well paced. The characters could be more fleshed out but the interactions between them give a good read.
1,838 reviews18 followers
March 1, 2018
Out of practice Aphrodite the goddess chronicles

A good read for people who are in to the series recommend highly can't wait for the next one of the series a really enjoyable read but long still enjoyable read must read the next one of the series
16 reviews5 followers
December 20, 2018
Very funny and easy read.

I really enjoyè they characters. Aphrodite is a girl you can't help but root for. Her growth and change along with her group of friends made her even more lo,able. Can't wait to read the next one to see what jinx they are up too
3 reviews
April 19, 2019
An interesting take on Greek Mythology

The author has spun an engaging story about the Goddess of Love, depicting her adventures on Earth and the Heavens above and the relationships among different gods and their politics.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews

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