What do you think?
Rate this book
Mythos
Mythos, the new island amusement park, has unlocked the secret to bringing mythical creatures to life. From Dragons, to unicorns, to the mighty Kraken, Mythos invites its guests to experience the impossible.
Henry Lau and his classmates have just won a trip to the park of his dreams. Unfortunately, the timing couldn't be worse. Henry, who has just come out to his friends and family, is struggling to navigate the complex relationships in his life.
And while boy troubles and broken friendships might seem bad, things are about to get even worse. When the park unexpectedly goes offline, he and his friends will have to work together to survive, despite their differences. In a land where nothing is as it seems and monsters lurk around every corner, they'll need to believe in themselves and each other if they hope to survive.
Jaysen Headley, author of A Love Story for Witches and Longtails: The Storms of Spring proudly welcomes you to the wonderful and terrifying world of Mythos.
Henry Lau and his classmates have just won a trip to the park of his dreams. Unfortunately, the timing couldn't be worse. Henry, who has just come out to his friends and family, is struggling to navigate the complex relationships in his life.
And while boy troubles and broken friendships might seem bad, things are about to get even worse. When the park unexpectedly goes offline, he and his friends will have to work together to survive, despite their differences. In a land where nothing is as it seems and monsters lurk around every corner, they'll need to believe in themselves and each other if they hope to survive.
Jaysen Headley, author of A Love Story for Witches and Longtails: The Storms of Spring proudly welcomes you to the wonderful and terrifying world of Mythos.
309 pages, Paperback
First published May 14, 2019
17 people are currently reading
803 people want to read
About the author
Jaysen Headley
5 books6,905 followersJaysen Headley was born in Colorado in 1988.
He grew up near Denver and became accustomed to writing and telling stories, releasing his first graphic novel, The Class, in 2010.
Since then he has published several short stories including The Chipmunk, as well as a second graphic novel, Jazu the Wanderer.
In 2012, Jaysen moved to New York City where he was inspired to write his first novel, A Love Story for Witches and second novel, A Home for Wizards. Jaysen now lives in Orlando, Florida with his husband, Carl, and his dog Izzy. They play board games while eating cookies and plan out how to have the most amazing adventures every single day.
Jaysen is also an avid Booktokker, Bookstagrammer and Booktuber!
He grew up near Denver and became accustomed to writing and telling stories, releasing his first graphic novel, The Class, in 2010.
Since then he has published several short stories including The Chipmunk, as well as a second graphic novel, Jazu the Wanderer.
In 2012, Jaysen moved to New York City where he was inspired to write his first novel, A Love Story for Witches and second novel, A Home for Wizards. Jaysen now lives in Orlando, Florida with his husband, Carl, and his dog Izzy. They play board games while eating cookies and plan out how to have the most amazing adventures every single day.
Jaysen is also an avid Booktokker, Bookstagrammer and Booktuber!
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
August 5, 2020
I enjoyed this as one of those rarities - a warm coming of age story about a gay teen, without pornography. Finally, someone who recognizes that "gay" isn't all about sex! This was about love, loyalty, courage, betrayal and redemption, all set in a "Jurassic Park" sort of event at a mythological theme park.
I highly recommend this for gay (or straight) teens who are struggling with identity, for middle/high school librarians to add to their resources, and for anyone who enjoys reading about mythological creatures!
I highly recommend this for gay (or straight) teens who are struggling with identity, for middle/high school librarians to add to their resources, and for anyone who enjoys reading about mythological creatures!
July 1, 2023
I follow the author on Instagram. When he mentioned that he wrote a book (which turns out there are 5), I figured I would give it a try but wasn't expecting much (I'm sorry! Bad experience with people I follow for other reasons writing books!). It was a d**n good book.
The story is set at the Mythos theme park where they've learned how to bring fantasy creatures to life. There is a kraken and dragons and unicorns. But don't worry - everything is fully contained and can't escape or pose a risk to the park guests. But then, wouldn't you believe it, something happens and suddenly the creatures are loose! Who would have seen that coming??
It's obviously similar to Jurassic Park which the main characters talk about, including intentionally misquoting the "life finds a way" line. Mythos is a creative and interesting take on the Jurassic Park concept while being a unique story in itself.
The main character, Henry, recently came out as gay and is struggling because one of his best friends isn't talking to him. Henry's class won a trip to the park but he's struggling with feeling unlovable and dealing with his angry friend. Henry meets a kid from his school who is also gay and interested in him, but Henry's worried about how to handle his first male love (tangent - so glad to not be a teenager anymore). The author does a great job with the romance elements without making them too over the top or turning this into a romance book.
The book could use a bit more editing. My favorite was a zero instead of an o.
Overall, this book is a really solid, very unique coming of age queer story ... with dragons.
The story is set at the Mythos theme park where they've learned how to bring fantasy creatures to life. There is a kraken and dragons and unicorns. But don't worry - everything is fully contained and can't escape or pose a risk to the park guests. But then, wouldn't you believe it, something happens and suddenly the creatures are loose! Who would have seen that coming??
It's obviously similar to Jurassic Park which the main characters talk about, including intentionally misquoting the "life finds a way" line. Mythos is a creative and interesting take on the Jurassic Park concept while being a unique story in itself.
The main character, Henry, recently came out as gay and is struggling because one of his best friends isn't talking to him. Henry's class won a trip to the park but he's struggling with feeling unlovable and dealing with his angry friend. Henry meets a kid from his school who is also gay and interested in him, but Henry's worried about how to handle his first male love (tangent - so glad to not be a teenager anymore). The author does a great job with the romance elements without making them too over the top or turning this into a romance book.
The book could use a bit more editing. My favorite was a zero instead of an o.
Overall, this book is a really solid, very unique coming of age queer story ... with dragons.
June 24, 2023
This 👏 book 👏. I read it in one sitting!
This story is Jurassic Park mixed with the vibes of Jumanji, How to Train Your Dragon, and a dash of Harry Potter. You can't help but root for this group of kids with HUGE personalities that have to navigate a world completely unknown to them, push the boundaries of everything they thought they knew, and grow in ways they never imagined.
I love how genuine all the characters are. Some books have high schoolers who act more like adults, but Jaysen kept characters true to their demographic. All the kids were as awkward and emotional as any kid would be in this situation. I really believed this story could happen exactly how it did for the characters.
This story is Jurassic Park mixed with the vibes of Jumanji, How to Train Your Dragon, and a dash of Harry Potter. You can't help but root for this group of kids with HUGE personalities that have to navigate a world completely unknown to them, push the boundaries of everything they thought they knew, and grow in ways they never imagined.
I love how genuine all the characters are. Some books have high schoolers who act more like adults, but Jaysen kept characters true to their demographic. All the kids were as awkward and emotional as any kid would be in this situation. I really believed this story could happen exactly how it did for the characters.
September 4, 2021
På mange områder minder det om en fortælling, man har hørt ofte før - og alligevel er det helt sin egen. Den er ikke for alvor unik, men alligevel noget særligt.
August 3, 2020
I really enjoyed this book. The main character was sweet and relatable. He has many of the same inner turmoil I had as a teen. The story was fast paced and I couldn't wait to see what magical creature they would run into next. And loose ends were wrapped up satisfactorily. I can't wait to read more by the author!
June 18, 2024
Reading this book by one of my favorite bookstagram/booktok influencers. An amusement park and mythological creatures? Sign me up!
I absolutely loved this book. I liked the writing style and the characters. The plot was easy to follow, and I felt a sense of wonderment when introduced to the mythical creatures. The book was a little formulaic, but I loved it so much I didn't care. If I was a teen, this would be my favorite book.
I absolutely loved this book. I liked the writing style and the characters. The plot was easy to follow, and I felt a sense of wonderment when introduced to the mythical creatures. The book was a little formulaic, but I loved it so much I didn't care. If I was a teen, this would be my favorite book.
August 6, 2024
"A teenage coming out story, set on an island similar to Jurassic Park" -Jaysen giving a synopsis on TikTok.
After seeing this TikTok I immediately bought MYTHOS as well as his two adult novels. I was so worried that I had hyped myself up for this book but I was not disappointed.
The entire book reads as if your best friend is literally sitting there telling you a story about this epic trip. The friendship between Henry and Erika is perfection. Its funny how many times Riverdale is mentioned (I love Riverdale btw) because unlike Riverdale I never forget these are high school kids.
Henry is navigating being this baby deer in the gay community and is like a preteen girl when she first discovers boys. His boy craziness is adorable but a little much at some points. However, as soon as I thought "Hey, you just met this guy, maybe you should slow down." Erika said the exact same thing. Though we all find out together that that's not entirely his decision. I did very much relate to his desire just to be wanted though. That was me all through high school to the point that I ended up in a very bad relationship because he's the first guy that showed interest
Mr. Zeckel is an actual bad ass teacher who is going to come back to school a freaking legend. The man punched a Roc and lived to tell the tale.
The surprise twist at the end was a little more than what I originally was piecing together. I had figured early on that Vincent was not who he claimed to be and was more than likely an antagonist but I was never expecting a Vampire.
Which leads us to Dawson Saks. This man is the epitome of why you should never meet your heros.
Overall the story was a cute, fun story of friendship, first loves, and navigating new territories, both physically and emotionally.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
(That review was all over the place 😂)
After seeing this TikTok I immediately bought MYTHOS as well as his two adult novels. I was so worried that I had hyped myself up for this book but I was not disappointed.
The entire book reads as if your best friend is literally sitting there telling you a story about this epic trip. The friendship between Henry and Erika is perfection. Its funny how many times Riverdale is mentioned (I love Riverdale btw) because unlike Riverdale I never forget these are high school kids.
Henry is navigating being this baby deer in the gay community and is like a preteen girl when she first discovers boys. His boy craziness is adorable but a little much at some points. However, as soon as I thought "Hey, you just met this guy, maybe you should slow down." Erika said the exact same thing. Though we all find out together that that's not entirely his decision. I did very much relate to his desire just to be wanted though. That was me all through high school to the point that I ended up in a very bad relationship because he's the first guy that showed interest
Mr. Zeckel is an actual bad ass teacher who is going to come back to school a freaking legend. The man punched a Roc and lived to tell the tale.
The surprise twist at the end was a little more than what I originally was piecing together. I had figured early on that Vincent was not who he claimed to be and was more than likely an antagonist but I was never expecting a Vampire.
Which leads us to Dawson Saks. This man is the epitome of why you should never meet your heros.
Overall the story was a cute, fun story of friendship, first loves, and navigating new territories, both physically and emotionally.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
(That review was all over the place 😂)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 1, 2021
3.5 maybe? 3.75? I dont know! Ratings are hard.
I thought the first 100 pages or so of this were really strong, and very funny. I liked the plot, and the twist, but I guess I wasn't the biggest fan of the way the action was written. Sometimes it just seemed too matter-of-fact to me, if that makes any sense. There was a lot of emotion in the dialogue and some of the quieter scenes, and I just wish we saw more of that through some of the excitement. Although I did really enjoy the first action scene, with the train. I also thought that the book did a good job of splitting up the action with calmer parts, so that it wasn't just one scary thing after another. Overall I definitely enjoyed this and I'm glad I read it. Thinking about it, I think if I had read this book in say, grade 9 or 10, I would have enjoyed this even more, and probably would have had no problem with the way the action was written. so the 3.5/3.75 rating is for 33 year-old me and the 4 star rating is for 15 year-old me. Also I have to say again how seriously funny this was. I laughed out loud many a time.
I thought the first 100 pages or so of this were really strong, and very funny. I liked the plot, and the twist, but I guess I wasn't the biggest fan of the way the action was written. Sometimes it just seemed too matter-of-fact to me, if that makes any sense. There was a lot of emotion in the dialogue and some of the quieter scenes, and I just wish we saw more of that through some of the excitement. Although I did really enjoy the first action scene, with the train. I also thought that the book did a good job of splitting up the action with calmer parts, so that it wasn't just one scary thing after another. Overall I definitely enjoyed this and I'm glad I read it. Thinking about it, I think if I had read this book in say, grade 9 or 10, I would have enjoyed this even more, and probably would have had no problem with the way the action was written. so the 3.5/3.75 rating is for 33 year-old me and the 4 star rating is for 15 year-old me. Also I have to say again how seriously funny this was. I laughed out loud many a time.
July 8, 2022
4.5/5 stars
A fun and heartwarming story that combines Willy Wonka, Jurassic Park, and the magic of Disney in one fantastic story! I think this book will be one so many people - young and old - will love! It combines action and adventure with friendship and young love. It left me smiling at the end.
[See my tiktok review here]
A fun and heartwarming story that combines Willy Wonka, Jurassic Park, and the magic of Disney in one fantastic story! I think this book will be one so many people - young and old - will love! It combines action and adventure with friendship and young love. It left me smiling at the end.
[See my tiktok review here]
July 21, 2021
I want to give this so many more stars than this app allows. I'm pretty sure this is one of my top favorite books! And in reference to finding more books with gay main characters where love isn't necessarily a main aspect of the story AND where it ends well?? Hell yeah, this book has it! For sure this is now a comfort read for me.
Thank you so much for writing this!
Thank you so much for writing this!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 24, 2019
I love this book. Very imaginative. There were many Twist and turns that made the book very enjoyable to read. It’s amazing what can happen if you just BELIEVE.
October 27, 2022
Mythos, the book that got me out of my reading slump 🎉
🐲 This book was SO GOOD I couldn't put it down and read it whole in 2 days!
It was very easy to dive into since it takes place in our world (with references to Game of thrones, Disneyland...)
🧚♂️ Mythos is a park where dragons and lots of other mythical creatures were brought to life. Henry, our 16 year old hero wins a trip there and everything looks perfect until... it's not and everyone has to run for their lives! 😮
It really gave me a Jurassic park meets Jumanji (welcome to the jungle 🌴) vibe with the teenage main characters stuck on a tropical island with dangerous creatures.
👀 Even before the danger appears I wanted to know more because of one suspicious character.
♥ I loved:
☑ the diversity
☑ the writing (some parts really made me laugh and made me think "oh I love this, clever writing!")
☑ the numbers of creatures in it: krakken, dragons, the roc (giant eagles like in LOTR), the gryphon, the hippogriff... The list is way longer but it was a great surprise to discover them as I was reading it so I won't spoil it much!
☑ the ending 💥🗿
☑ the fact that it mentions Keiynan Lonsdale 🏳️🌈
☑ I related a lot to Henry but don't want to tell why since it spoils the story a bit 😅
☑ Also, I really loved Noah ♥ He was my favourite 🥰 Everytime he talks it made me giggle!
✨ I really had a great time with this book and highly recommend it!!
🐲 This book was SO GOOD I couldn't put it down and read it whole in 2 days!
It was very easy to dive into since it takes place in our world (with references to Game of thrones, Disneyland...)
🧚♂️ Mythos is a park where dragons and lots of other mythical creatures were brought to life. Henry, our 16 year old hero wins a trip there and everything looks perfect until... it's not and everyone has to run for their lives! 😮
It really gave me a Jurassic park meets Jumanji (welcome to the jungle 🌴) vibe with the teenage main characters stuck on a tropical island with dangerous creatures.
👀 Even before the danger appears I wanted to know more because of one suspicious character.
♥ I loved:
☑ the diversity
☑ the writing (some parts really made me laugh and made me think "oh I love this, clever writing!")
☑ the numbers of creatures in it: krakken, dragons, the roc (giant eagles like in LOTR), the gryphon, the hippogriff... The list is way longer but it was a great surprise to discover them as I was reading it so I won't spoil it much!
☑ the ending 💥🗿
☑ the fact that it mentions Keiynan Lonsdale 🏳️🌈
☑ I related a lot to Henry but don't want to tell why since it spoils the story a bit 😅
☑ Also, I really loved Noah ♥ He was my favourite 🥰 Everytime he talks it made me giggle!
✨ I really had a great time with this book and highly recommend it!!
January 5, 2025
A wonderfully geeky read.
My first read for 2025!
Read for 52 Book Club Challenge 2025, Prompt #3: Title starts with the letter "M"
What a great way to start the year. I'm currently "holidaying abroad," as they say, and my reading has suffered. If I was at home I think I would have read it in a day!
I follow Jaysen Headley on YouTube(? or somewhere.) It always brightens my day when I see he has posted and his energy and love for all things bookish, board gamish and generally geeky shines through in this book.
I will 100% be reading more of his books, and I have already recommended that my 15 year old geektastic son reads this too.
My first read for 2025!
Read for 52 Book Club Challenge 2025, Prompt #3: Title starts with the letter "M"
What a great way to start the year. I'm currently "holidaying abroad," as they say, and my reading has suffered. If I was at home I think I would have read it in a day!
I follow Jaysen Headley on YouTube(? or somewhere.) It always brightens my day when I see he has posted and his energy and love for all things bookish, board gamish and generally geeky shines through in this book.
I will 100% be reading more of his books, and I have already recommended that my 15 year old geektastic son reads this too.
October 23, 2020
disclaimer::I started reading this book because of my love for the author's infectious personality. Because TBH his smile is more contagious than the coronavirus.
That being said, all of his endearing traits are seen in his characters which made me instantly fall in love with them. I don't want to say any spoilers but the emotional scene with the big cocks (get yo mind outta the gutter) was harrowing, sweet and perfect. You could feel his MC's fear through the words. Rounding it out with an unexpected plot twist to boot. It's included on Kindle Unlimited, but I recommend purchasing to support our smaller authors and because you WILL want to revisit Henry again and again.
That being said, all of his endearing traits are seen in his characters which made me instantly fall in love with them. I don't want to say any spoilers but the emotional scene with the big cocks (get yo mind outta the gutter) was harrowing, sweet and perfect. You could feel his MC's fear through the words. Rounding it out with an unexpected plot twist to boot. It's included on Kindle Unlimited, but I recommend purchasing to support our smaller authors and because you WILL want to revisit Henry again and again.
June 23, 2024
Super tropey, and very cheesy, it literally is a combo of every classic in the well type if not genre. The most obvious one of course being Jurassic park, of which you’ll recognize many scenes. But also others which I’ll not mention in case you’re blissfully unaware of 90’s stories and things in this book will be a surprise to you. Either way, it was quick and enjoyable and made for a good day of reading.
Queer, mythical Jurassic park, is exactly what it advertises itself as.
Queer, mythical Jurassic park, is exactly what it advertises itself as.
March 13, 2024
If you like Jurassic Park , Disney, dragons, unicorns, mythical creatures, and a splash of magic., you will love this book.
Full of action and adventure. Friendships are strained and love blossoms as they learn to work together to save themselves along with everyone else at the mythical park of Mythos.
Full of action and adventure. Friendships are strained and love blossoms as they learn to work together to save themselves along with everyone else at the mythical park of Mythos.
June 9, 2024
Not what I expected & so much better for it
Endearing, magical, and heartwarming. I wasn’t sure what avenue this adventure would take me on, but it was new and exciting. I would recommend this story to anyone who loves fantasy and adventure. I hope we see more for Mythos, and more from Jayden Headley.
Endearing, magical, and heartwarming. I wasn’t sure what avenue this adventure would take me on, but it was new and exciting. I would recommend this story to anyone who loves fantasy and adventure. I hope we see more for Mythos, and more from Jayden Headley.
May 3, 2021
This was a fast paced, action packed read. I can best describe it as Magical Creatures and Where to Find Them meets Jurassic Park. The interpersonal relationships were gritty and real while being equally charming and sweet. I highly recommend it.
May 26, 2022
4.5/5
This book was really fun to read. I enjoyed the humor mixed in with the dramatic parts of the book. The main character Henry was a great person to root for and care about. Overall I feel this was a very well written book.
This book was really fun to read. I enjoyed the humor mixed in with the dramatic parts of the book. The main character Henry was a great person to root for and care about. Overall I feel this was a very well written book.
June 20, 2022
Even though it took me a while to get into the mood to read this one, once I started I couldn't stop. I had a feeling that I knew one of the twists early on, and I was right, but it was still a very good book. I am truly happy that it was a story that had gay characters, but didn't involve sex!
June 26, 2022
If you like YA adventure set in a Jurassic Park-style theme park, then you'll love this! Add in unicorns, dragons, gay teenage angst and a bit of romance, and you have a great read that's lots of fun. Highly recommend!
September 14, 2022
A light, fun read. Kind of corny, with a little bit of magic and likeable characters. My only trouble with it is that it seems geared towards younger readers (maybe like middle school), but had more profanity than I'd want for that age group.
August 3, 2023
A fun read, that I would have liked ages 10 to 14. However, it is filled with clichés, needed a better editor, and the action drags at the start only to be rushed and honestly, the tinniest bit cheesy ending. If Jurassic Park was set at Disney and run by a mad scientist.
January 15, 2021
Henry has been dreaming of visiting Mythos - the amusement park island that has brought mythical creatures to life - ever since the announcement it was being created. When he gets the chance to go because his class wins a trip he is so excited! But is this trip actually going to be the trip of a lifetime? Or will it be more like a living nightmare?
I really enjoyed this book! It's fast-paced full of conversation and action scenes keeping you engaged from the moment you begin reading. I do wish the magical elements had been introduced a little earlier than the last 20 pages and I felt like some of the final reveals of the book could have been drawn out just a little bit more.
Overall I definitely recommend it if you're looking for a quick read that's sure to get you out of a reading slump!
I really enjoyed this book! It's fast-paced full of conversation and action scenes keeping you engaged from the moment you begin reading. I do wish the magical elements had been introduced a little earlier than the last 20 pages and I felt like some of the final reveals of the book could have been drawn out just a little bit more.
Overall I definitely recommend it if you're looking for a quick read that's sure to get you out of a reading slump!
May 1, 2021
so cute & wholesome. I love queer stories that aren't about queer pain
September 16, 2021
Fun premise, likable characters. Docked it a bit because there were a ton of typos throughout that were distracting. 3.5.
April 9, 2022
A great book! All the characters were likable even the ones that were suppose to be like the annoying guy. I wish we ran into more mythical creatures, but it was a fun book to read.
June 28, 2023
Absolutely loved this coming of age story.
April 16, 2024
Defies description
I don’t know how to describe this book. It’s somewhat a coming-of-age story in that the lead character comes into himself. It’s somewhat a love story. It’s heavily and hilariously inspired by JURASSIC PARK. And I would love to know what happens next for the characters!
I don’t know how to describe this book. It’s somewhat a coming-of-age story in that the lead character comes into himself. It’s somewhat a love story. It’s heavily and hilariously inspired by JURASSIC PARK. And I would love to know what happens next for the characters!
Read
June 23, 2024DNF
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews