What do you think?
Skyglass #1
Among the Hunted
Kaitaini was once wild and rebellious, more concerned with sneaking off to exotic realms than mastering her magic. But that was before. Before she fell in love. Before she met Hermes. Before she got her best friend killed.
For one hundred years, she shouldered her guilt and became a true nymph warrior for Olean, eager to throw herself into any challenge, hoping death would ease her conscience.
But when she fails to protect her sister from Zeus, she vows to do the impossible: kill an immortal. Now, a new hunt has begun. A dangerous game played not only in the ethereal realm but also on Earth. A game that puts Kait in the crosshairs of one of the most powerful gods in existence. She’ll need to protect those closest to her and battle against enraged gods and creatures if she hopes to survive.
For one hundred years, she shouldered her guilt and became a true nymph warrior for Olean, eager to throw herself into any challenge, hoping death would ease her conscience.
But when she fails to protect her sister from Zeus, she vows to do the impossible: kill an immortal. Now, a new hunt has begun. A dangerous game played not only in the ethereal realm but also on Earth. A game that puts Kait in the crosshairs of one of the most powerful gods in existence. She’ll need to protect those closest to her and battle against enraged gods and creatures if she hopes to survive.
300 pages, Paperback
Published September 30, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
September 4, 2021
Trigger warnings for graphic scenes of rape and sexual assault featured throughout.
Kait, Jez, and Bia are Furies, attempting to control their elemental magic to fulfil their future roles. They are also sisters, with typical sibling rivalries between them, and teenage girls, with the typical past-times and desires of others their age. All that alters when the gods descend and decide to take what it not theirs, regardless of whose magic they drain or whose life they cut short in the process.
I am interested in anything that reworks an original tale into a new setting and this is especially so of Greek mythology. This was what drew me to this novel and I did appreciate the abundance of renowned names and figures that made their way into these pages. My adoration with the story ended there, unfortunately.
This was a very sorrowful read. Scenes of rape and sexual abuse appeared frequently and it was both jarring and traumatising to read of such continual horrors inflicted, or intended to be inflicted, upon the female characters. I luckily had read other reviews that warned me of the contents before beginning the book, but feel this should definitely come with trigger warnings to aid other readers who might find this too distressing a story to consume. I wish the synopsis had provided information on the contents.
This endless cycle of horrors made up the entire story-line. I felt little progression featured for much of the book, other than the gods attempting to harm the Furies and them attempting to escape from them. I get that this was the central focus, and other characters did appear to divert some of the attention, but it mostly felt like too repetitious to keep me engaged.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Caytlyn Brooke, and the publisher, BHC Press, for this opportunity.
Kait, Jez, and Bia are Furies, attempting to control their elemental magic to fulfil their future roles. They are also sisters, with typical sibling rivalries between them, and teenage girls, with the typical past-times and desires of others their age. All that alters when the gods descend and decide to take what it not theirs, regardless of whose magic they drain or whose life they cut short in the process.
I am interested in anything that reworks an original tale into a new setting and this is especially so of Greek mythology. This was what drew me to this novel and I did appreciate the abundance of renowned names and figures that made their way into these pages. My adoration with the story ended there, unfortunately.
This was a very sorrowful read. Scenes of rape and sexual abuse appeared frequently and it was both jarring and traumatising to read of such continual horrors inflicted, or intended to be inflicted, upon the female characters. I luckily had read other reviews that warned me of the contents before beginning the book, but feel this should definitely come with trigger warnings to aid other readers who might find this too distressing a story to consume. I wish the synopsis had provided information on the contents.
This endless cycle of horrors made up the entire story-line. I felt little progression featured for much of the book, other than the gods attempting to harm the Furies and them attempting to escape from them. I get that this was the central focus, and other characters did appear to divert some of the attention, but it mostly felt like too repetitious to keep me engaged.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Caytlyn Brooke, and the publisher, BHC Press, for this opportunity.
July 11, 2021
TW: sexual assault
DNF at 12%
There was not one warning in the blurb or in the beginning of the book that this story would include a sexual assault, quite graphically written too. I was not prepared for that and couldn't bring myself to continue reading, because I felt sick to my stomach.
To who it may concern: if you know you are writing about sensitive topics, please, please put out clear trigger warnings to give your readers a heads up and a fair chance to decide if they want to read about it or not.
ARC provided via NetGalley in exchange of an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
DNF at 12%
There was not one warning in the blurb or in the beginning of the book that this story would include a sexual assault, quite graphically written too. I was not prepared for that and couldn't bring myself to continue reading, because I felt sick to my stomach.
To who it may concern: if you know you are writing about sensitive topics, please, please put out clear trigger warnings to give your readers a heads up and a fair chance to decide if they want to read about it or not.
ARC provided via NetGalley in exchange of an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read
January 19, 2022Thank you to everyone who has taken the time or is interested in reading Among the Hunted! This book took me a very long time to write because it is my story. I gave my heart to someone who deceived, manipulated, and forced me to do things to "show my love." This book is very dark because I have dark traumas in my past that festered until writing was the only cathartic way to get through my day. I hope my readers have not and will never experience these things depicted, but for those who have, I hope it helps you as it did me ❤️
Please be aware this book's trigger warnings are:
Domestic abuse
Sexual Abuse
Rape
Addiction
Please be aware this book's trigger warnings are:
Domestic abuse
Sexual Abuse
Rape
Addiction
Read
July 16, 2021DNF at 25%, I think this author just really liked writing rape scenes.
June 24, 2021
TRIGGER WARNING
cw: mentions of sexual assault
See the trigger warning above? That's something Among the Hunted did not have. If it did I wouldn't have read it or even requested the ARC.
The first 6 chapters are set in the 1920's and center around a nymph named Kait. The whole concept is that if a nymph has sex with an immortal, the immortal consumes their magic and gets a euphoric high. But this doesn't mean they can't have sex with any other being (humans, centaurs, or satyrs which were all specifically mentioned).
I was content to suffer through the writing and overly corny dialog to see if there was any gripping plot. There was none to be found in those first chapters. There were several mentions of rape already at this point.
But chapters 5 and 6 were entirely about the two immortals raping Kait and her friend. They were not successful for Kait but they did assault and kill her friend.
I DNF'ed the book after those chapters. They were horrible to read and there was no warning! I've read books in the past that have mentions of assault but never had any go so far as to show you the whole thing.
I have no clue obviously how the rest of the book goes, maybe the plot develops and maybe the writing even improves but I can't get passed the fact that those chapters were included and there were no content warnings (there should be warnings even if those chapters aren't there because there are many other mentions of assault).
I hate for the first review posted for this book to be my one star review but people need some kind of warning before hand about what they're going to read.
cw: mentions of sexual assault
See the trigger warning above? That's something Among the Hunted did not have. If it did I wouldn't have read it or even requested the ARC.
The first 6 chapters are set in the 1920's and center around a nymph named Kait. The whole concept is that if a nymph has sex with an immortal, the immortal consumes their magic and gets a euphoric high. But this doesn't mean they can't have sex with any other being (humans, centaurs, or satyrs which were all specifically mentioned).
I was content to suffer through the writing and overly corny dialog to see if there was any gripping plot. There was none to be found in those first chapters. There were several mentions of rape already at this point.
But chapters 5 and 6 were entirely about the two immortals raping Kait and her friend. They were not successful for Kait but they did assault and kill her friend.
I DNF'ed the book after those chapters. They were horrible to read and there was no warning! I've read books in the past that have mentions of assault but never had any go so far as to show you the whole thing.
I have no clue obviously how the rest of the book goes, maybe the plot develops and maybe the writing even improves but I can't get passed the fact that those chapters were included and there were no content warnings (there should be warnings even if those chapters aren't there because there are many other mentions of assault).
I hate for the first review posted for this book to be my one star review but people need some kind of warning before hand about what they're going to read.
June 23, 2022
“There is nothing stronger than a broken woman who has rebuilt herself”—Hannah Gadsby. Or in the case of this book, a Nymph that has rebuilt herself. This book is an ode to women who refuse to be victims, and a testament to the power we hold inside us.
Gotta get the obvious out of the way: it is super intense, guys. Trigger warnings should have been included, but as I can gather that was a choice by the publishing company and not the author herself.
But honestly, I think it was needed. If we didn’t have this amount of distress, this amount of heartbreak and horror, the payoff wouldn’t have been nearly as good.
And the payoff is *prime*.
This author gets stronger and stronger with each book she writes, more honed in her skill. I still highly recommend checking out “Dark Flowers”, a criminally underrated book if I ever saw one.
If you don’t feel strong enough to read it because of the rape themes, and they’re strong, I understand—I’m sure the author does too. I was nervous about reading it because of that, too. But getting hung up on that part does a disservice to the work, because that would be reducing it down to an event, a trauma. The true theme is about rebuilding yourself, finding that strength and power you have inside of you.
Of taking back that bit of yourself that you didn’t give away.
This is the anthem for the consciously unbroken everywhere.
Gotta get the obvious out of the way: it is super intense, guys. Trigger warnings should have been included, but as I can gather that was a choice by the publishing company and not the author herself.
But honestly, I think it was needed. If we didn’t have this amount of distress, this amount of heartbreak and horror, the payoff wouldn’t have been nearly as good.
And the payoff is *prime*.
This author gets stronger and stronger with each book she writes, more honed in her skill. I still highly recommend checking out “Dark Flowers”, a criminally underrated book if I ever saw one.
If you don’t feel strong enough to read it because of the rape themes, and they’re strong, I understand—I’m sure the author does too. I was nervous about reading it because of that, too. But getting hung up on that part does a disservice to the work, because that would be reducing it down to an event, a trauma. The true theme is about rebuilding yourself, finding that strength and power you have inside of you.
Of taking back that bit of yourself that you didn’t give away.
This is the anthem for the consciously unbroken everywhere.
August 5, 2024
AMONG THE HUNTED is an action packed, dark, rich, take on Greek Mythology in a modern day world. Kait, a wind nymph born long after the Gods of Olympus defeated the Titans, grew up in a world free of the wanton murder and assault by the Gods of Olympus and the Titans. Born under the blanket of protection that generations before her won in a hard fought bloody war, she understands little of the real threat the Gods pose. Until she meets one.
Suddenly thrust into a fight for her life, Kait loses more than she bargained for and enters into a deadly game of cat and mouse with a vengeful, addiction riddled, megalomaniacal, and most powerful God.
Caytlyn Brooke does an amazing job of bringing ancient Greek mythology to the modern world and frankly I was held breathless, made angry and uncomfortable, as well as releaved and captivated by this story.
TRIGGER WARNING: there are some brutally uncomfortable scenes in this book. Caytlyn writes the horrors of assault in a way that only a woman can and as uncomfortable as some scenes were to read, I think that it the point. And they are worth reading, men. This book has everything I love in fantasy fiction packed into it. In my discomfort I found compassion. In the action I found adrenaline pounding joy. And the romantic parts of this book are well written, woven lightly, delicately, but present to the end.
Loved this book! Loved it!
Suddenly thrust into a fight for her life, Kait loses more than she bargained for and enters into a deadly game of cat and mouse with a vengeful, addiction riddled, megalomaniacal, and most powerful God.
Caytlyn Brooke does an amazing job of bringing ancient Greek mythology to the modern world and frankly I was held breathless, made angry and uncomfortable, as well as releaved and captivated by this story.
TRIGGER WARNING: there are some brutally uncomfortable scenes in this book. Caytlyn writes the horrors of assault in a way that only a woman can and as uncomfortable as some scenes were to read, I think that it the point. And they are worth reading, men. This book has everything I love in fantasy fiction packed into it. In my discomfort I found compassion. In the action I found adrenaline pounding joy. And the romantic parts of this book are well written, woven lightly, delicately, but present to the end.
Loved this book! Loved it!
April 16, 2023
Caytlyn Brooke creates a dark but beautiful magical world where Greek gods wreak havoc on vulnerable nymphs. If you want to read about strong females overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds, then the nymphs of Among the Hunted are the tough and fascinating creatures you're going to fall in love with. Fans of Sherrilyn Kenyon are going to relish the Spyglass series and Caytlyn Brooke's writing is first-class, resonant and fresh, bringing the nymph's realm of Olean to life.
Like the classical poetry the story is based on, Among the Hunted contains sexual violence. As I reflected on the original stories of Zeus, Hades and Apollo, I was reminded just how prevalent this behavior was in Greek mythology. I believe that Brooke has managed these episodes with understanding, grace and ultimately empowerment for victims and I understand that she did so from personal experience. Kudos to her for tackling such a tough topic with creativity, insight, and an eye to a path to retake one's life.
Like the classical poetry the story is based on, Among the Hunted contains sexual violence. As I reflected on the original stories of Zeus, Hades and Apollo, I was reminded just how prevalent this behavior was in Greek mythology. I believe that Brooke has managed these episodes with understanding, grace and ultimately empowerment for victims and I understand that she did so from personal experience. Kudos to her for tackling such a tough topic with creativity, insight, and an eye to a path to retake one's life.
October 24, 2021
On earth shrouded from the mortal eyes live in an Eden protected by the goddesses, the nymphs. They are nature, the seasons and even the disasters. Born out of the blood of Mother Goddess Gaia, the three nymphs Jezlem, Kaitani and Bia are one from the prophecy, the heralds of natural forces, water, air and earth. It is a story about the immortals living on earth, a damning prophecy and the lives of three nymph sisters. Separated the races of Gods, live up in the clouds in their abode of Olympus, but the nymphs are not mortals yet they are not gods which is why their role in the upcoming prophecy has an impact greater than any.
The Titan war is approaching, so the triad is training themselves, the sisters are individuals of unique tastes, while Jezlem the eldest herald of water trains harder than anyone to fulfil the prophecy, Kait always falls behind in keeping up her identity, the immense pressure of fulfilling the prophecy ravages her from inside out everything made worse by the nagging and perfect elder sister at her heels. The only escape which relieves Kait for a while is the mortal world, masquerading amongst the humans without a care where nobody expects anything of you or your prophecised goal.
But will that little joy Kait has in the world be taken away when the eagle-eyed and cunning messenger, The God Hermes spots her conniving plan? Or shall this be a beginning of a new plot down the shallow lives of the nymphs? The prophecy coming and a hunt ensuing what shall happen of the world, the immortals and the mortals. This is a story of fantasy where the worlds of many fantasies are cluttered over one earth, the earth of the immortals, the gods and mortals, until the evil gurgles withing to spit the Titans out from the bowels of the earth. The characters are well developed, they have a faint similarity but do not expect or try to familiarize your greek fantasy knowledge over here.
The Titan war is approaching, so the triad is training themselves, the sisters are individuals of unique tastes, while Jezlem the eldest herald of water trains harder than anyone to fulfil the prophecy, Kait always falls behind in keeping up her identity, the immense pressure of fulfilling the prophecy ravages her from inside out everything made worse by the nagging and perfect elder sister at her heels. The only escape which relieves Kait for a while is the mortal world, masquerading amongst the humans without a care where nobody expects anything of you or your prophecised goal.
But will that little joy Kait has in the world be taken away when the eagle-eyed and cunning messenger, The God Hermes spots her conniving plan? Or shall this be a beginning of a new plot down the shallow lives of the nymphs? The prophecy coming and a hunt ensuing what shall happen of the world, the immortals and the mortals. This is a story of fantasy where the worlds of many fantasies are cluttered over one earth, the earth of the immortals, the gods and mortals, until the evil gurgles withing to spit the Titans out from the bowels of the earth. The characters are well developed, they have a faint similarity but do not expect or try to familiarize your greek fantasy knowledge over here.
July 30, 2021
TW:
Rape, murder, violence, sexual assault, mentions of domestic violence, bullying
I’m shocked. This entire book is about rape! There is also no trigger warning included. The summary of the book talks about Kait getting her best friend killed and failing to save her sister —> turns out these are both very descriptive acts of rape. It also talks about a dangerous game she gets caught in with the gods—> the game is Zeus catching as many nymphs as he can to rape them. From chapter 6 onward there is descriptive rape, murder and dialogue that pretty much only consists of that. I honestly can’t believe I kept reading after that point, but I felt like I couldn’t give a negative review without the entire picture. It definitely does not improve!
Blake and Kait are love interests, but Blake is an 18 year old senior in high school and I find that whole situation just strange. Kait and Blake also don’t speak more than a few words together the entire book. Descriptive rape scenes and ‘rape game to get a high’ addiction aside, the plot of the book is repetitive. The female MC runs headfirst into trouble multiple times with no plan and no help, bad guy finds and attacks her but she narrowly gets away. Until, of course, she is captured and held captive for a good bit at the end of the book and all you hear about her is Zeus abusing and sexually assaulting her. The redeeming points for me were Kait’s sisters. I liked the strength and character development for both Bia and Jez. It was also great to see a character on the Autistic spectrum portrayed in such a primary role. I feel like there is a lot of potential with the basic story outline from the summary and the world building that’s created, but for me it was a miss and I won’t be reading more. I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving a free copy.
Rape, murder, violence, sexual assault, mentions of domestic violence, bullying
I’m shocked. This entire book is about rape! There is also no trigger warning included. The summary of the book talks about Kait getting her best friend killed and failing to save her sister —> turns out these are both very descriptive acts of rape. It also talks about a dangerous game she gets caught in with the gods—> the game is Zeus catching as many nymphs as he can to rape them. From chapter 6 onward there is descriptive rape, murder and dialogue that pretty much only consists of that. I honestly can’t believe I kept reading after that point, but I felt like I couldn’t give a negative review without the entire picture. It definitely does not improve!
Blake and Kait are love interests, but Blake is an 18 year old senior in high school and I find that whole situation just strange. Kait and Blake also don’t speak more than a few words together the entire book. Descriptive rape scenes and ‘rape game to get a high’ addiction aside, the plot of the book is repetitive. The female MC runs headfirst into trouble multiple times with no plan and no help, bad guy finds and attacks her but she narrowly gets away. Until, of course, she is captured and held captive for a good bit at the end of the book and all you hear about her is Zeus abusing and sexually assaulting her. The redeeming points for me were Kait’s sisters. I liked the strength and character development for both Bia and Jez. It was also great to see a character on the Autistic spectrum portrayed in such a primary role. I feel like there is a lot of potential with the basic story outline from the summary and the world building that’s created, but for me it was a miss and I won’t be reading more. I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving a free copy.
September 27, 2021
I noticed that most of the review talks about the graphic rape. I read a lot of grimdark and read the Marquis De Sade so I didn't find it shocking but it would have been better if it was a bit less graphic and detailed.
I liked the style of writing but the story didn't work for me as I felt like a lot of details of the world building were missing
Not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
I liked the style of writing but the story didn't work for me as I felt like a lot of details of the world building were missing
Not my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine
July 5, 2022
I was really excited to read this since I am obsessed with all things mythology related. I liked the idea of a story focused on nymphs and badass ones at that. The central theme is about empowerment and fighting back. I understand for some people that there were several moments in the story that were triggering but knowing that in advance prepared me for those scenes. I think if R*** or SA is triggering for you, this may not be the book for you, but I will say it is not graphic and its very brief. You could easily skip those scenes if you wanted to and it wouldn't take away from the story.
I look forward to the next book!
I look forward to the next book!
July 20, 2022
This book definitely needs a TW, but I've heard the publisher said no, which is a shame!
This book never stops moving. The characters are always fighting or running away from danger, which is great for people who are easily distracted (me) from stories. This is probably the first physical book I've consumed in less than a month!
The story really tries to highlight the struggles of SA survivors, and the grief and fear that can follow. It also shows the issues that certain systems have that can keep SA survivors down.
Basically, if you can get through some stomach churning scenes, there is much to learn from this book!
This book never stops moving. The characters are always fighting or running away from danger, which is great for people who are easily distracted (me) from stories. This is probably the first physical book I've consumed in less than a month!
The story really tries to highlight the struggles of SA survivors, and the grief and fear that can follow. It also shows the issues that certain systems have that can keep SA survivors down.
Basically, if you can get through some stomach churning scenes, there is much to learn from this book!
September 27, 2021
It wasn’t horrible but definitely a book I’m not gonna read again. A lot of triggers over and over again. I like the Greek mythology cause I love basically any with them. But not this book. There wasn’t really any good to evil here. Just the nymphs against the Greek gods. It’s still a decent book. Just not one I would recommend to many people due to so many triggers over and over.
October 12, 2021
Soooo intense
First thing- Please read Trigger warnings!!! This book is heavy. It just is so please be aware when diving into this.
With that said, this book was so intense and had my feelings flying every which way. Caytlynn is incredible in grabbing on to your heartstrings and ripping them out 😁
This book will take you on a journey with Kait… and it’s quite the journey. I’ve never hated people as much as I do but also felt such love between sisters.
She has surpasssed all my expectations with this and I can’t wait to read the next few books!
First thing- Please read Trigger warnings!!! This book is heavy. It just is so please be aware when diving into this.
With that said, this book was so intense and had my feelings flying every which way. Caytlynn is incredible in grabbing on to your heartstrings and ripping them out 😁
This book will take you on a journey with Kait… and it’s quite the journey. I’ve never hated people as much as I do but also felt such love between sisters.
She has surpasssed all my expectations with this and I can’t wait to read the next few books!
August 24, 2022
This book took me a little bit to get in to… man once I did I was hooked.
Trigger warning for those that are sensitive to SA.
This book took me for a ride. It was hard to read in places, but only because the emotions were so real.
I love that the MCs are a mix of characters. Mortals with no powers but determined with morals. Nymphs with powers but damaged that need to learn how to live.
Greek God’s that are not sunshine and roses.
If she has another book in this series I’ll be reading it! I recommend and wouldn’t mind reading again to see if I missed something the first go around!
Trigger warning for those that are sensitive to SA.
This book took me for a ride. It was hard to read in places, but only because the emotions were so real.
I love that the MCs are a mix of characters. Mortals with no powers but determined with morals. Nymphs with powers but damaged that need to learn how to live.
Greek God’s that are not sunshine and roses.
If she has another book in this series I’ll be reading it! I recommend and wouldn’t mind reading again to see if I missed something the first go around!
January 11, 2022
Before you read this book make sure you check out the trigger warnings! I was luck enough to have been warned about the triggers in this book before I started it so I knew what to expect. This book is a very dark tale on overcoming a nightmare that should never happen to anyone. I have always been a big fan of anything involving Greek Mythology and so I enjoyed having these elements in the book. I hope that I will not have to wait to long to get the next book in this series because I loved it.
November 21, 2021
Met Caytlyn several years ago, but this is the first of her books I have read. Detailed, lots of action, some of it quite disturbing. The characters are amazing. Looks like this is going to be a series.
August 16, 2023
I really like this book. As someone who has experienced assault I appreciated the honest writing and the symbolism of what is felt and lost when these events happen. The Nymphs losing their connection, feelings of isolation, the different reactions and levels of abuse that happens with these situations, and the loss of the halos was incredibly powerful to me. I thought it was fast paced and it kept me on the edge of my seat.
My issues with the book come with the fact that there are no trigger warnings at the beginning and there does need to be. I do think it has been said enough now but whoo those scenes are descriptive and the nuances are brutal to read. I was a little sick a couple of times while reading it which may have been the point, but I could have personally used a little more fade to black or blurring of the depictions.
Blake was also a slight issue for me. He is described as being a high school senior. And once he entered the book turned a little YA like for me which I don't feel the rest of the book did. I wish he had been aged up a little and give slightly more depth. I did like the juxtaposition though of having a "good" man though I wish they focused more on the sister relationships, especially when telling the reader it's about accepting love from others. Idk he just seemed like a random character throw in to create a romantic interest last minute for me. I'm not sure he was necessary.
I am extremely excited to read the next book to get a take on how the female Gods take part or view euphoria and I hope we see some like Artemis side with the Nymphs. I'd also love to see how they deal with some other big names.
Overall this book was fantastic and beautifully written. It's an important message and though you need to be in the right head space it's a great book.
My issues with the book come with the fact that there are no trigger warnings at the beginning and there does need to be. I do think it has been said enough now but whoo those scenes are descriptive and the nuances are brutal to read. I was a little sick a couple of times while reading it which may have been the point, but I could have personally used a little more fade to black or blurring of the depictions.
Blake was also a slight issue for me. He is described as being a high school senior. And once he entered the book turned a little YA like for me which I don't feel the rest of the book did. I wish he had been aged up a little and give slightly more depth. I did like the juxtaposition though of having a "good" man though I wish they focused more on the sister relationships, especially when telling the reader it's about accepting love from others. Idk he just seemed like a random character throw in to create a romantic interest last minute for me. I'm not sure he was necessary.
I am extremely excited to read the next book to get a take on how the female Gods take part or view euphoria and I hope we see some like Artemis side with the Nymphs. I'd also love to see how they deal with some other big names.
Overall this book was fantastic and beautifully written. It's an important message and though you need to be in the right head space it's a great book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 23, 2024
The audible version has a lovely narrator who really lets you feel the emotions behind the words. Definitely worth a try if you like audiobooks.
So, first off, this is an adult, dark fantasy. SA, domestic and emotional abuse. These warnings are very important. From my understanding, it was the publisher initially who did not want to have content warnings against the author’s wishes. The author has since put them up and definitely take note of them. But if you’re in a state of mind to handle darker subject matter, this book has quite a story.
At its heart, this is a story about living through and moving forward from trauma. The author is very detailed on this fact and pulls no punches with the seriousness of it. That’s why I say absolutely make sure you’re in the right mindset for this. There are dark and disturbing scenes in here and they are very much in your face and designed to make you uncomfortable. It’s one reason the book took me a while to finish. You will need to take breaks.
I loved Kait and her sisters. They are easily the best part of the story. The fierce determination, the desire to create a life they want, the way they interact with each other. Their sisterhood isn’t perfect and at times, they don’t understand each other but that’s why I loved it. Felt very real. I also was pleasantly surprised to see autism representation in here! And it’s done well, in my opinion.
Overall, a wonderful story of triumph and recovery but just make sure you’re prepared for the dark road it begins with.
So, first off, this is an adult, dark fantasy. SA, domestic and emotional abuse. These warnings are very important. From my understanding, it was the publisher initially who did not want to have content warnings against the author’s wishes. The author has since put them up and definitely take note of them. But if you’re in a state of mind to handle darker subject matter, this book has quite a story.
At its heart, this is a story about living through and moving forward from trauma. The author is very detailed on this fact and pulls no punches with the seriousness of it. That’s why I say absolutely make sure you’re in the right mindset for this. There are dark and disturbing scenes in here and they are very much in your face and designed to make you uncomfortable. It’s one reason the book took me a while to finish. You will need to take breaks.
I loved Kait and her sisters. They are easily the best part of the story. The fierce determination, the desire to create a life they want, the way they interact with each other. Their sisterhood isn’t perfect and at times, they don’t understand each other but that’s why I loved it. Felt very real. I also was pleasantly surprised to see autism representation in here! And it’s done well, in my opinion.
Overall, a wonderful story of triumph and recovery but just make sure you’re prepared for the dark road it begins with.
July 3, 2022
A dark, heavy, and intense story about revenge and overcoming trauma
This book was DARK. It was violent. It was drag you through the mud then over razor blades hard to read at times. There were a few moments I had to skip some paragraphs because it hit my personal triggers. TW NEEDS TO BE CHECKED! If you can not handle hard topics like the big R, you def will not be able to get through this book!
That said, the book was extremely well written. The way the author decribes scenes was both minimalistic while giving you just enough that it hit you right where you will cringe, laugh, or want to cry.
I think what I loved most was that there was no romanticizing the Greek Gods. If you know anything about mythology you will love how brutally this book portrays them. I absolutely hated the villian of this story and loved the main characters, who were realistic and relatable.
While the premise of the book is hard to read the beauty lies in the characters huge arc and the healing done throughout.
This book was DARK. It was violent. It was drag you through the mud then over razor blades hard to read at times. There were a few moments I had to skip some paragraphs because it hit my personal triggers. TW NEEDS TO BE CHECKED! If you can not handle hard topics like the big R, you def will not be able to get through this book!
That said, the book was extremely well written. The way the author decribes scenes was both minimalistic while giving you just enough that it hit you right where you will cringe, laugh, or want to cry.
I think what I loved most was that there was no romanticizing the Greek Gods. If you know anything about mythology you will love how brutally this book portrays them. I absolutely hated the villian of this story and loved the main characters, who were realistic and relatable.
While the premise of the book is hard to read the beauty lies in the characters huge arc and the healing done throughout.
March 6, 2022
DNF after chapter 6
Read as if it was run through a translator then gaps filled in with a thesaurus.
Didn't have a clear description of what the main character looked like beyond 'bronze skin' but unflinching detail included in the hard to read and (I think) unnecessarily brutal rape scene.
On top of that I was almost immediately lost in the context of the world this author was trying to build, kait was being crushed by the weight of her duty but no indication of what that actually is; comes across more like a petulant child not wanting to eat vegetables than someone really carrying issues or struggles.
Lastly The only person of colour in the book is discribed as umber... Which was an odd choice but also being used as a throw away character as a rape and murder victim was very troubling to say the least.
Read as if it was run through a translator then gaps filled in with a thesaurus.
Didn't have a clear description of what the main character looked like beyond 'bronze skin' but unflinching detail included in the hard to read and (I think) unnecessarily brutal rape scene.
On top of that I was almost immediately lost in the context of the world this author was trying to build, kait was being crushed by the weight of her duty but no indication of what that actually is; comes across more like a petulant child not wanting to eat vegetables than someone really carrying issues or struggles.
Lastly The only person of colour in the book is discribed as umber... Which was an odd choice but also being used as a throw away character as a rape and murder victim was very troubling to say the least.
August 8, 2022
I’ll start with saying there are a lot triggers in this book, so please check those, but as someone who reads some very dark books it didn’t bother me as much as it would others. Unfortunately one downfall is the lack of content warnings in the book but on further research it was made clear that was the publishers decision, not the author.
On to the review.
The story was good, but despite the adult nature of the book I found some of Blake’s chapters to feel a little juvenile. It’s not a dealbreaker, but for a book that deals with some very sensitive and adult topics, each POV should be written at an adult level.
In saying that, I did enjoy it and will probably continue on with the series as I am interested to see where it heads! 3.5 stars
On to the review.
The story was good, but despite the adult nature of the book I found some of Blake’s chapters to feel a little juvenile. It’s not a dealbreaker, but for a book that deals with some very sensitive and adult topics, each POV should be written at an adult level.
In saying that, I did enjoy it and will probably continue on with the series as I am interested to see where it heads! 3.5 stars
August 30, 2024
I’m not gonna lie this book to a minute to really catch my attention but man once it did I was FLYING through this book, this was such an interesting dark Greek fantasy. The conflict between the nymphs and the gods was so interesting, heavy on the TW though for the SA and death. This was such an intense read about loss and revenge and trying to overcome the trauma Kait and her friends/sisters have been through. The character growth we get to see with Kait and her sisters was really well done and i absolutely loved that we got just normal humans that were just trying to help out to be kind. And the fact that the Gods involved were actually like okay let me give you a smidge of hope instead of just anhilating them I think it really hit all the points for me as a dark fantasy.
August 20, 2021
Thank you to NetGalley for my eARC for an honest review. I started out very intrigued by the synopsis/plot of Among the Hunted. The drama started very quickly to set up the later story and you could feel that very strongly in the writing. I do need to preface a VERY STRONG TRIGGER WARNING for multiple rapes in this book. There does not seem to be one at the beginning of the book and I’ve seen several DNF reviews because of it.
That being said, this story is about the Nymphs of Ancient Greece and Olympus who have mentioned of being used and abused by the gods in countless stories. I find that concept being used as part of the plot for this story makes sense, but I understand if some readers can’t handle reading that.
I found Kait to be a good main female character for this book and I felt her desperation and anger throughout based on the author’s writing style. Blake’s introduction to the story came a little out of no where but I understood his innocence and nativity to the world around him to be a good addition to the story. The romance aspect for them felt a little forced to me, however. The villain fit the storyline as well and one that isn’t normally used for his terrible reputation, but often as the hero, so I appreciate the twist with that.
Overall the book had a good plot and flow with entertaining characters. I’m not sure if I would read the next book but it did end on a very interesting cliffhanger!
That being said, this story is about the Nymphs of Ancient Greece and Olympus who have mentioned of being used and abused by the gods in countless stories. I find that concept being used as part of the plot for this story makes sense, but I understand if some readers can’t handle reading that.
I found Kait to be a good main female character for this book and I felt her desperation and anger throughout based on the author’s writing style. Blake’s introduction to the story came a little out of no where but I understood his innocence and nativity to the world around him to be a good addition to the story. The romance aspect for them felt a little forced to me, however. The villain fit the storyline as well and one that isn’t normally used for his terrible reputation, but often as the hero, so I appreciate the twist with that.
Overall the book had a good plot and flow with entertaining characters. I’m not sure if I would read the next book but it did end on a very interesting cliffhanger!
October 26, 2021
This story is such a fast-paced ride! There is truly never a dull moment. It is a powerful commentary on the trials women have to face with entitled men, and I loved seeing the women rise up and fight it. 🙌
The author is excellent at including little details that really make the scene come alive. There is such care and dedication in describing the scene. I love her writing! I only wish there was more character development. I think the author needs to explore the characters more to make them less one-dimensional. Blake was the most flushed-out character.
I would highly recommend this book to fantasy lovers, especially those of us who love Greek mythology!
The author is excellent at including little details that really make the scene come alive. There is such care and dedication in describing the scene. I love her writing! I only wish there was more character development. I think the author needs to explore the characters more to make them less one-dimensional. Blake was the most flushed-out character.
I would highly recommend this book to fantasy lovers, especially those of us who love Greek mythology!
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October 12, 2022Just finished reading and all I can say is move over Stephen King! Caytlyn is the new woman in town. I
did not want the story to end. The characters were so real. I enjoy reading fiction and nonfiction on almost any subject. This has been a first for me as far as this storyline is concerned. I look forward to what this talented author will give her readers. I met her at Elmira College, Elmira, NY. And to know that she lives in Elmira, NY is fantastic! Thank you Caytlyn Brooke for opening up a new venue for me.
did not want the story to end. The characters were so real. I enjoy reading fiction and nonfiction on almost any subject. This has been a first for me as far as this storyline is concerned. I look forward to what this talented author will give her readers. I met her at Elmira College, Elmira, NY. And to know that she lives in Elmira, NY is fantastic! Thank you Caytlyn Brooke for opening up a new venue for me.
May 29, 2024
Loved an Olympus story from a Nymph’s POV!
With that being said, this book is dark and features a LOT of rape, violence against women, bullying, death, etc.. Like others, I was surprised by the lack of trigger warning list in the front. Personally I knew what I was going into, but for those who don’t, it is jarring. Zeus stays pretty close to the myths in terms of his violence and…”sexual habits” we’ll say.
I’m also going to pretend sweet baby Blake isn’t an 18yo high school student 😂
But overall, I did really enjoy this one!
With that being said, this book is dark and features a LOT of rape, violence against women, bullying, death, etc.. Like others, I was surprised by the lack of trigger warning list in the front. Personally I knew what I was going into, but for those who don’t, it is jarring. Zeus stays pretty close to the myths in terms of his violence and…”sexual habits” we’ll say.
I’m also going to pretend sweet baby Blake isn’t an 18yo high school student 😂
But overall, I did really enjoy this one!
June 29, 2024
Three nymph sisters battle against vengeful gods to take back their lives and their freedom. Caytlyn Brooke created an incredible world for a unique spin on classic Greek mythology.
A dark and twisted tale that deals with extremely graphic and horrifying misdeeds perpetrated by Gods against nymphs to steal their magic and their lives.
If you love dark, fantasy romance then you absolutely need to read this book! I can’t wait to read the next book as the ending leaves a lot of questions about what’s in store for Kait, her sisters, and the mortals whose fates are all entwined.
A dark and twisted tale that deals with extremely graphic and horrifying misdeeds perpetrated by Gods against nymphs to steal their magic and their lives.
If you love dark, fantasy romance then you absolutely need to read this book! I can’t wait to read the next book as the ending leaves a lot of questions about what’s in store for Kait, her sisters, and the mortals whose fates are all entwined.
March 1, 2024
TW for SA for this, but if you know your mythology, this makes sense. This story highlights the importance of perseverance and taking back your power. Each character has so much they bring into the story and it more than Kait and the loss of Willow, but how each character has power and strength they can build on if they chose to push through the tragedies that happen or the every day struggles that come with being who we are.
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