All the Blues Come Through

Heir to a Myth

by Metra Farrari

Award-winner for HUMOR and CHICK LIT from the National Indie Excellence Awards.Award-winner of the Bronze in FANTASY at the IPPY Awards. Finalist in CHICK LIT for the Next Generation Indie Awards. Short listed for the SELFIES US Book Awards. With her smart and playful writing, debut author Metra Farrari cleverly blends chick-lit with a dash of Greek mythology—the product a winning combination of smart-alecky wit, dreamy escapism, and a quirky yet lovable heroine.Ryan Bell is your typical surviving on a diet of wine and Netflix, woefully single enough to qualify for cat-lady membership, and renting from a seventy-something Tinder-swiping landlord-turned-bestie. But underneath her chipped-off manicure lies a green thumb that has created miraculous flowers capable of saving mankind from cataclysmic climate change. There's one Only Ryan can grow them.An unusual audience comes to an unorthodox Ryan is the heir of the Greek god Artemis. Although Ryan thinks these strange, toga-wearing folks are one kalamata olive short of a Greek salad, she reluctantly enters a hidden world where the Olympians are real and magic flows freely (plus a generous serving of Greek hunks). Talk about one epic identity crisis. Magical demigod or not, the fate of civilization—both mortal and godly—now rests on Ryan's shoulders.

Genres: Fantasy, Fiction, Mythology, Contemporary, Novels, Greek Mythology, Adult

288 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 11, 2021

Reviews

[Rayna McKinley · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was very disappointing. I absolutely love the premise, but everything about it fell flat for me.

I didn't like the main character at all. She was whiney and stubborn. Her opinion was always essentially just the opposite of whoever she was talking to, even if that meant her changing her opinion from one she'd expressed earlier. Her whole persona felt pandering and forced.

None of the dialogue sounded like real people. It was repetitive to the point where I felt like entire conversations would go by without learning anything new about the characters or the world. Since this book is fairly short, that is definitely saying something.

Additionally, there are only so many times you can make the "Descendants don't understand pop culture references" joke before it gets old. This book exceeded that limit in the first 100 pages.

Overall, this book doesn't feel like it goes anywhere. Add to this the line describing Gaea: "The woman who stood before her was anything but motherly. Her skin had an earthy brown tinge, making her look unwashed and rank" (mentioned by another reviewer as well) and I really just can't bring myself to give this book any more than one star.

(Also, the main character is constantly referred to as "the botanist," even in situations that have nothing to do with botany. Did this annoy anyone else, or just me?)

[Stevie · Rating 2 out of 5]

A quirky botanist helps demigods fight climate change.

Summary:
Ryan Bell is a passionate botanist with a habit for awkward dad jokes. She's managed to develop an entirely new kind of flower, the Weeping Diana, that purifies air better than a whole forest of trees. The only hiccup, no one else has been able to replicate her process. That is until she gets a curious letter from a group of Greek scientists. They claim to have grown the Weeping Diana's and invite her to come to their island lab to compare notes.
When Ryan gets to the island, their ruse doesn't even hold up a day. The island houses descendants of the ancient Greek gods. And they are convinced that Ryan is one of them, the long lost descendant of Artemis.

Characters: 2/5
Ryan Bell - Our protagonist and botanist extraordinaire. She adores her cat Lester (just like Farrari) and is a bumbling mess when talking to all the godly men she meets on the island. Her commentary was, at many points, a bit too cringy for me. I also couldn't feel her connection with Kosta or Cyrus the Creep. That may have been because of the dialogue or because I didn't find either man likeable.
My biggest beef with Ryan during this book is that she is constantly going back and forth. One moment she's trying hard to unlock her powers and the next moment she won't at all. In one conversation she'll go from wanting to free the Gods to saying the world is better off without them. It was very confusing as the reader to figure out what she wanted at any given point.
Greta - What is not to love about Greta! She's a wacky old lady with love to spare. Greta is the star of this novel, you cannot convince me otherwise.
Kosta - Off the top of my head, I can't even remember who he is a descendant of and I feel like that is an important detail that should have been made clear. He is very hot and cold with Ryan. He was so quick to snap at anything. And don't even get me started on the swimming scene.

There were plenty of other side characters like Elias, Melina, Nicholas, and Cyrus. The first three were overall pretty likable and decent characters. The latter was a creep and I don't know why Ryan put up with his constant (and OBVIOUS) asking about where the island was.

Plot: 3/5
Despite my overall dislike of the characters, I thought the general plot was clever. The way Farrari incorporated climate change and natural disasters with Greek mythology was very well done, in my opinion. There were several lulls with the numerous attempts at training to open up her magic. But the concept was a fresh take on modern Greek stories. Also, the message that humans have utterly trashed (and are currently trashing) the environment was very clear.

World: 3/5
This was set in a largely modern "world" but with the climate change disaster about 30-50 years advanced and of course Greek gods. It wasn't perfectly sound logical all the way through but it was alright.

Other: 2/5
- I am a big dialog fan and, to me, the conversation was stiff and repetitive.
- As I mentioned before, Ryans constant (and unpredictable) opinions drove me up the wall. It's one thing to learn something and change your mind but I swear, she just opposed whatever the person she was talking to wanted.

Overall rating: 2/5

I wish I liked this book more than I did. I really wanted too. I was sitting at three stars when I was ~75% done but that last bit was just not up to 3 stars. The final kiss, a whole books worth of building, was short, fleeting, and not memorable. The final battle was mostly a series of monologues between the two sides. There could have such amazing detail and imagery in the end but there wasn't. The whole book was drawn out slowly for the peak of the plot to happen way too fast.

Side note: "The woman who stood before her was anything but motherly. Her skin had an earthy brown tinge, making her look unwashed and rank." Does this line rub anyone else the wrong way?

[Nerdy Werewolf · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Well, I'm ready, she thought anxiously. For what? I'm not sure. Either prom, a costume party, or superhero training."

A modern-day take on the descendants of the Greek gods-it read a bit like a semi-grown-up Percy Jackson tale. I say semi-grown-up because of the choice of words used to describe things. It's very...young? It read like YA, (which isn't bad) if I'm totally honest. Every time I was reminded the heroine was 28 years old, it was a bit of a shock.

I really enjoyed the imagery as far as the worldbuilding went. It was easy to picture all of the beautiful scenery and creatures. However, there were plenty of times I could tell where the story might go and I'm pretty sure what drove me to decide it wasn't for me was the reveal at the end....it was just a bit much.

SO! A light, funny take on demigods in modern times. Not bad, by any means, just not quite what I was hoping for, I guess?

[Jessi · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book had a lovely premise and the cover is so pretty, but I am extremely disappointed after reading it.

As a scientist, I am able to look past minor scientific inaccuracies for science-fiction, but there is a HUGE issue at the very beginning of the book that really hindered the reading experience. Carbon dioxide is obviously a greenhouse gas and it doesn't take a significant scientific background to realize this, so the idea of CO2-scrubbing plants is actually pretty good. However, humans also exhale CO2 in the process of BREATHING, so wearing masks to filter out CO2 from the air we breathe is completely idiotic. I shared this part with colleagues and I can tell you that 8/8 scientists are INSULTED by this very idea.

Even if we ignore that specific scientific inaccuracy, I really didn't like the story or the characters either. I am usually compelled to enjoy a female scientist for the main character in any book, but Ryan is difficult for me to get behind. Maybe if there were more details about her background to make her more likeable, but I found her boring and I thought the decisions she made weren't thought through very well. And the mysterious island setting felt silly and uncomfortable. This book seems to have a lot of potential, but that's it.

I really hate to give an ARC such a terrible review, but in respect of honesty, this book is bad and I do not recommend it.

[Courtney ✩ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was super excited to start this debut novel from Metra Farrari! I was able to meet and hear more about this cute romance that incorporates Greek mythology, botany, climate change, and some hot Demigods from Metra herself at Art-A-Whirl in Minneapolis this past weekend (side note: of course ya girl goes to an art festival and the ONE thing she buys is a book lmao). Fantasy/Mythology, romance, AND she's a local author?? Sign me up!

At 271 pages in paperback form, I was able to fly through this. I'll admit, it took me a minute to get into the book, mainly as plants aren't really my thing. But between the ways I found myself relating to the main character Ryan, her quirky best friend Greta, and all the intrigue leading into the discovery of the Demigods, I became hooked, reeled in, and forever captured. And lemme tell you, Kosta is the Greek Demigod I need in my life.

The middle dragged a little for me–all of Ryan's trials to test her powers took up a lot of book real estate that I would have liked to see directed towards the ending. The book culminates in an epic way and ends in a cliffhanger that definitely leaves me wanting more. Other reviewers have commented on the cringey dialogue, and while Ryan has some very awkward moments and lines, maybe it's just me but I found it funny, especially when she internalizes her awkward statements immediately after.

My first question to Metra when I bought her book was: "But is it smutty??" C'mon, a girl's gotta know!

The book was smut-free, but rest assured, Metra let me know this ahead of time–signing my book specifically with "Courtney~ Sorry it's not smutty :)" lol.

Thank you Metra, I look forward to the rest of the series!!

[Alyssabenner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spoilers-

I thought this was a super admirable first novel. Never could I write something as entertaining or well written as this.
Pros-
-i really enjoyed the plot. I thought it was unique (hard to find, harder to write probably) and super fun to read. I read it in a day.
-LOVED the sentence where the title came from. Kind of took my breath away.
-as a therapist, I enjoyed analyzing the psychology of abandonment, rejection,and generational trauma. I was surprised to find that-very pleasantly so.
Cons-
-just the dialogue in some parts. Felt a little cheesy and at first like the author was perhaps getting used to writing/finding her flow. (Gets much better)
-felt a little forced with pop culture references. I didn't find a 70 year old woman super believable with her very 1990s references (could be an assumption as it just felt very close to home for me, that the references were of someone my age-an 80s baby).

Overall-pick it up! Super fun and easy read with surprising depth at times and a great plotline.

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a sunburn because of this book...took it down to the dock at my cabin and couldn't put it down! Farrari has a certain type of humor, so I can see how some people may not understand her wit, but personally, I snorted many times and thoroughly enjoyed the quirky voice of the main character. This novel is a page-turner (hence the sunburn) and has me itching to read the next novel in the series. All The Blues Come Through has my vote for the book of the summer!

[Rachael | ☾ whimsicalfiction ☾ · Rating 1 out of 5]

This started out as a promising read from the description, but really fell short for me. The description painted a picture of a semi-post apocalyptic world marred by climate change, with the only hope for survival of the toxic CO2 that permeates the air being a specific plant that the main character Ryan seems to be the only person who can grow them. Combine this with the addition of Greek Gods/Goddesses and their descendants, I expected a much more serious and mature tone and writing style. This was not the case. The writing style threw me off from the very first paragraph and unfortunately didn't improve as the book progressed (the first four paragraphs of the book begin with "As"). The word choices, especially the descriptions of various things felt like someone had looked through the thesaurus religiously to make sure they weren't using common words. For example, instead of yelling, Kosta bellows.
The characters themselves were also very one dimensional and flat. The author wanted to make Ryan quirky and relatable but in doing so, made her incredibly unrelatable. Her actions consistently make no sense (i.e. she's walking to training with one of the other characters and for some reason stops to teach a group of kids how to do the Madonna voguing pose, with no explanation or reasoning as to why this was necessary? And then she just continues on with her day? Because, you know, she's QuIrKy). She's also incredibly stubborn and I oftentimes forgot that she, as the description of the book states, is 28 years old and not a teenager, because of the way she acted and responded to events.
The system of magic that the descendants of the gods retain also made very little sense and was increasingly convoluted. There are several mentions to the fact that the magic in the descendants blood line is weakening and starting to disappear, yet descendants have powers that don't really make sense in relation to what god or goddess they're descended from. This is especially true in regards to Ryan. They believe she's the long lost descendant of Artemis (ya know, the goddess of chastity and protector of virgin maidens) and that she's the missing link they've been looking for because she can.....grow a flower? But that's not all. They finally realize she truly is a descendant (after chapters and chapters and chapters of her failing at any other magic) because she can control the weather. The weather. A descendant of the goddess of the hunt, of the moon, of chastity and childbirth, of nymphs and wild untouched forest.....has the power to control the weather. Even though other descendants can....also control the weather? I had to put down the book after, while Ryan is having this revelation that she can control the weather, a side character who Ryan lives with professes that the reason her aggressive cancer disappeared is obviously because of her proximity to Ryan. So now the descendant of the goddess of the hunt, of the moon, of chastity and childbirth etcetera etcetera can also somehow magically cure cancer, and control the weather? Even though it's mentioned one of the training exercises she did was to attempt to help heal people in the infirmary and she failed at it? How does that make sense?
I ultimately DNFed this after the cancer dialogue because it made me want to bash my head against the wall.
Overall, the concept of All the Blues Come Through is unique and interesting and had so much potential to be fantastic. If this was marketed as a comedic less serious read, I feel like it might do better, but at the end of the day, there are plot holes that need to be addressed and word choices/actions that need to be rethought.

[Daniele Kasper · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a huge Percy Jackson fan, I will always pick up a book with Greek mythology as a central plot point. This one seemed exciting, a world plunging further into chaos due to climate change and a brilliant botanist uniquely capable of cultivating a plant that can trap carbon. It was a fabulous concept but the writing fell a little flat. The dialogue was really challenging for me and the writing was a little choppy and inconsistent. It just didn’t flow well when reading. I found myself wanting more action and yes, while most of the story at the beginning and middle was build up, it seemed very slow and dragged on. There were many moments that were confusing and contradicted prior plot points. Even the whole reveal of her demigod status was written in a way that didn’t come off as realistic. Ryan, the MC, is played up to be a brilliant scientist and then spends pages being all mooney eyed at Kosta and it seemed like the insta-romance really detracted from her character and it just felt a little off. Greta was a way better written character. I completely understand the goal of making this a light and fun read but this book could have really used a lot more depth and would have really benefited from it. Deeper characters and scenes would have helped build the setting and reader connection better. For a book with such high stakes, destructive climate change, it seemed to be very downplayed and the narrative at times didn’t fit the intensity this could have used. I will still read the sequel to see what happens and I hope the author can flesh out the characters more in the next book and improve the dialogue and it will likely be a really good book.

[Tabitha Page · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off, thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an eARC, I appreciate it!

All The Blues Come Through by Metra Ferrari is a book centered around modern greek mythology, and is perfect for readers who grew up with books like the Percy Jackson series, but now are older and want a book suited for them!

Our main character Ryan Bell is a botanist, who's work with a plant species she created, nicknamed the 'Weeping Diana' has helped solve air purity crises due to the climate change decimating countries around the globe. When she gets invited by electronic mail from a community of Greeks who seemed to be the only ones capable of replicating her flower, she gets whisked off to a Greek community she never would have dreamed of, in hopes of helping produce as many flowers as she can, meanwhile they hope she can be of use to them to solve the problem raging their community.

Seeing that this book centered around Greek mythology, (and specifically Artemis, my favorite Olympian!) I was so excited to read this book. The worldbuilding was great, I loved every bit of detail we got about the Island, and loved how every Descendant was so captivated by Ryan and her experience with the outside world. Speaking of Ryan, it took me awhile to get used to the main character, as I felt like her reluctance dragged parts of the book on for a little more than I would've liked.

Overall, this is a fun story to read, and seeing as it's the first in a series, I can't wait to hopefully read more!

[Avery · Rating 2 out of 5]

I tried with this book, but it was sadly a DNF for me.
I was drawn to this book because of the description and the gorgeous cover. I have been on a kick of reading Greek Mythology retellings and I was excited about this one. I liked the concept of how the Greek Gods would approach something like climate change. And with the current news filled with reports of climate emergencies, the plot feels incredibly timely.
Ryan Bell is a 28-year-old botanist who has created an incredible air-purifying flower that can possibly save mankind, the only catch is that she is the only one who can grow it. She is contacted by a group in Greece who has been able to reproduce the flower, and she rushes off to meet them. When she arrives on their island, she discovers that they are all Descendants of the Olympians and Ryan is the missing piece to help rescue the exiled Olympians.
I made it to about 34% of the book before I put it down and after two weeks, I still have not been able to pick it back up. I just found Ryan to be tiresome and so much of her dialogue was cringey. I love a book with good dialogue and banter and this was lacking. Everything felt repetitive. The pacing was slow and I was just not excited for Ryan to discover her powers.
I felt disappointed because the concept is extremely original and an interesting take on a modern retelling of Greek Myths, but it lacked depth and consistency.
Honestly, this book gets one start just for naming the cat Lester, after Lester Holt.
1.5/5
Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC of the book.

[Eule Luftschloss · Rating 3 out of 5]

trigger warning
trauma, grief, mention of child neglect

Botanist Ryan Bell is contacted to visit a tiny Greek island nobody ever heard of for the name of science, and the possibility of saving mankind - you see, she was able to grow flowers that transmute as much CO² as a whole forest, but nobody else can replicate her results.
She goes. For science, of course.

On this island, she is told she is a descendant of demigods, and thus the Greek gods themselves. Those are shut away, and all demigods have to assemble and join their special powers, not for science, but to save mankind.

My problem was with who she supposedly is descended from, because it simply doesn't fit. Yeah, the whole plot centers around that point, but sorry. The explanation that Artemis had sex with Orion and birthed a child she had to get away to save her image is wrong on so many levels.

And then there were Ryan's powers. We had a few hilarious tries to get out what she can do, with the islanders increasingly gretting grumpier and grumpier, and as soon as she manifests her powers, there is no limit to what she can do. It's like she became a Mary Sue.
I understand that there is a way from first manifestation of powers to finding out all what you can do, and that with training, you can do more and more. That makes sense, even if we're talking magic. But Ryan did neither have time nor training, and what she could do didn't fit together thematically.

All in all, 2,5 points rounded up to three because GR and Netgalley don't have half stars.
It was fine. I won't read more from this series or anything else from this author, unless some time has passed and I get glowing recommendations.
The arc was provided by the publisher.

[Anna Karschnik · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was kinda like watching a B-movie. It was really bad, but I got drawn in anyway. Actually, the plot had so many holes and the characters were oddly immature and lacking depth (and both were just all over place with no consistency), as well as just feeling like this could have been a book for middle schoolers not adults, that it was almost fun to read because of how bad it was (like a B-movie).

I'm sad because I really think the idea of this book could have gone somewhere. Mixing an apocalyptic world with the mythology of Greek gods was interesting. Sadly, this one had almost no world building and characters that barely reflected their environment or backstory. And what was with all the pop culture references? And the inconsistent idea that these Greek demigods were really 'out-of-the-know' (which was a running joke basically on every page) to the outside world, and yet they basically had a cave version of Starbucks?

"Donkey poo and squirrels"

Does that line read sex-appeal and great flirting to you?
If so, go ahead and read this book because it's repeated at least 3 times.

If you like a 28 year old who acts like a 5 year old, and yet everyone is like kinda sympathetic to it and doesn't question how she ever became a successful botanist with how she acts, go ahead and read this book.

If you think an aunt who sends you outside with a sandwich to play on the swings and then gives you cookies when you garden, is evil and shows the cruelty of humanity, go ahead and read this book.

"Raise the roof, ladies! Raise the roof!"
Man, Ryan (mc) was not awkward in a cute way. She was just cringe.

[Kara (Books.and.salt) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love mythological retellings but was in the mood for a lighter read - this book scratched that itch perfectly!!

In All the Blues Come Through we follow Ryan Bell, a quirky 28 year old botanist whose already complicated life takes an unexpected turn when she finds out she may be a Decendent of Artemis. We meet drool-worthy decendants of Greek Gods and fantastical creatures like centaurs and harpies. But honestly Greta, Ryan's feisty 70 year old landlord-turned-bestfriend, is the highlight of this book. She cracked me up!

This is definitely a "beach read" when compared to other, more in depth, mythological retellings - but with that said I really enjoyed this book for what it was. The tone was light and humorous, but all of the characters had fully fleshed out backstories that made me feel connected with them.

I truly can't wait for book 2 - where will Ryan's allegiance lie? 🤔

Special thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an E-ARC in exchange for my honest review!

[Tessa Dysart · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are looking for the next Percy Jackson series, I don't think that this is it. This book lacks Riordan's amazing dialogue and constant supply of danger. BUT, if you are looking for a new series about demigods, then this book might just fit the bill. Ryan is a great awkward, smart, didn't know she was a demigod character who provides the appropriate responses when she learns about her identity. The rest of the demigod crew and Ryan's mortal friends provide good banter, just not Riordan level banter.

The author did follow Riordan's approach of finishing up a small arc with the story, while leaving larger questions to be explored in future books. I am intrigued to see where Ryan's adventures take her, and I would read a sequel.

Thank you Netgalley and publishers for the free e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The earth is quickly deteriorating including complications due to poor air quality. Botanist Ryan Bell has been able to grow a miracle flower that is capable of purifying the air but the only catch is that despite her best efforts she is the only person capable of making the flowers grow. When she discovers that a mysterious group has been able to replicate her results and grow the flowers on a distant Greek island Bell sets off to meet with them. She quickly realizes that ll is not as she expected on the island and there is a secondary reason for the group wanting her to visit.

For the most part I found this book to be very entertaining. I have some knowledge of greek mythology but luckily my lack of background knowledge did not detract from reading this.

Overall I found that the book to be great. I was frustrated with the middle of the book because I felt that the plot dragged and was focused too much on Bell’s reluctance to accept that she could be related to a god. But overall this was a fun read and I look forward to the next books in the series.

Thank you Netgalley and Wise Ink Creative Publishing for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Mae B · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book for the most part. It just had elements that I struggled with a bit. The beginning was a bit slow but things moved once Ryan got to the island. Then it stayed pretty slow until the near end before suddenly going warp speed and leaving the story feeling rushed.

The Good

I really liked that Ryan’s gifts were from Artemis. Having Artemis as the focus of Ryan’s powers was a change from the usual Zeus or Poseidon and put her abilities in the spotlight which was creative and much appreciated.


I really liked Greta too. She wasn’t the typical young BF and offered a different type of dynamic than I usual see in side characters. She was funny, supportive and a lot of fun to read.

Melina was cool and was kind to Ryan even if she missed most of Ryan’s humor.

The Issues

Ryan was annoying. Yes, down to earth but also really stubborn. Most of the book was spent trying to convince her that she was the descendant and getting her to hone her skills. Sometimes she seems like a normal 28 year old with references to Sex and the City and other times she comes across juvenile like when she covers her eyes when swimming with Kosta. The story spent so much time convincing me she couldn’t do any of the training tasks that when it finally came to the ending I didn’t believe she could have done all that. This is the same girl that still got lost going to her room a week after her arrival. By the time the reasons for why she is able to accomplish all these tasks (that no one else has) is given it just felt way too unbelievable. We should have seen more potential in her from all the time she spent there.

Kosta just felt like a guy she was attracted to. It was touch and go the whole time and I didn’t understand why she was so upset over a guy when nothing really happened between them.


Overall, a cool story. Just wish it was less juvenile and prepared us to believe in Ryan and her abilities instead of convincing us she was a normal girl only to switch it up at the end and suddenly make her something that’s hard to believe.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ryan Bell is an American botanist who created a flowering plant that is able to fight the effects of climate change. Her discovery catches the eye of a group of descendants of the ancient Greek gods, who think she is the missing link to restoring the rule of the gods over an earth destroyed by Gaea's abandonment and human greed. Ryan is swept to a mysterious island where she learns about the Descendants, their powers, and whether she truly is one of them.

I LOVE the idea behind this book. Basically the earth is a dumpster fire due to climate change and everyone is trying to figure out how to fix it...including the ancient deities. The story is super inventive and the fantasy aspect was really fun.

I wish lineage of the characters was more explored (basically I wanted more mythology). I know it was mentioned at one point, but I forget who was descended from which god, and all of their powers blended together and felt virtually interchangeable. Maybe we will get more of this in the next book!

The book really kept me guessing whether Ryan is a Descendant and whether she even agrees with all the Descendants are trying to do (spoiler alert this book doesn't even fully answer this because it is the start of a series...and I am very intrigued about book 2).

[Joanna Accola · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fun and creative book that I didn't want to put down! I love the way the author weaves together a dystopian (or not far off reality) of climate change and air quality concerns with the story of a comical, relatable, down to earth protagonist and her fanciful journey through a mythical world. Can't wait for book 2 and beyond!

[Carly · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 ish
I really wanted to love this book. It had the makings of an adult Percy Jackson type story, throw in some botany. But no. The writing and plot were clunky and I had to force myself to finish it.

[Tatyana (The Literature Llama) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Modern day Greek mythology. Okay. Stem female MC. Okay. This was the perfect combo of funny banter, quirky characters, and just a little bit of magic. I loved how this story developed and it just felt like a perfect summer read!

[Moira R. Sharkey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book! It is the perfect escape from reality with a fun, light story that also deals with major global issues like climate change. I love the way that Metra has woven together this massive conversation with Greek mythology. She provides such vivid descriptions that really transport you to a mythical island and sweet story. Absolutely love it.

[jelisia♥ · Rating 1 out of 5]

Boring for more than half the book, too much of the same thing over and over. I liked the end though and am happy the author didn’t stick with the Artemis falling in love storyline because no.

[Chelyan Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Less Greek tragedy and more beach read, this book is light-hearted and fun in a way the other books in this emerging little sub-genre of “mythology retellings and tie-ins” generally are not.
I really enjoyed it; it’s a nice take on Normal-Girl-Saves-The-World and I like that it deviates from the “norm” and focuses on the lesser-acknowledged goddess Artemis. The main character is relatable (a young woman who works hard but has fun, silly moments), the world-building is complex enough to be fascinating but without the threat of overwhelming the reader, and trials she faces are intriguing enough to keep you on the edge of your seat.
This book is a quick read, but an enjoyable one. I’ll definitely be buying this book so I can reread it whenever I’m in the mood for a fun story that will captivate me for a few hours.

[Doris · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, I've read the other reviews and while I see where they're coming from, I completely disagree.
- Ryan is a geek and totally comes across as one. She's awkward and socially unsure of herself, which is exactly as you'd expect. Her vacillations are are also what you'd expect from someone suddenly thrust into this extraordinary position. She's had to rearrange her entire perspective of the world and herself, and it would be shocking if she didn't go back and forth over her stance about it all.
- I'm glad the battle didn't last longer than it did. Battles don't take as long as people might think, and people in the midst of them will tell you that they feel like simultaneously the blink of an eye and an eternity. Could it have been a bit longer? Sure, but I imagine Farrari had to do some cutting to trim back the page number. (I'm not an author, but I've definitely had to edit my academic papers to fit page limits.) I thought the whole climax went at a good pace, though I really would have loved a bit more of the denouement. People say the build up was too long, but considering it's the first book in a series, I think it was great to spend the time setting up the world, characters, and Ryan's mind.
- The relationships are somewhat superficial - but what do you expect to happen in less than two weeks?!?!?! Ryan's relationship with Greta (possibly the most relatable relationship I've ever read) has been years in the making, and it shows. Her relationships with and understandings of the people on the island are going to be necessarily limited. I imagine the next book will go deeper.
- Y'all are overlooking the fact that Ryan has basically no romantic history, so yeah, when Cyrus shows an interest OF COURSE she's going to want to give him the benefit of the doubt! Put yourself in her shoes and you'll see that her responses are perfectly understandable (also in regards to Kosta) for someone with low social self-esteem and little/no sexual experience.
I thought that I no longer had the attention span to binge read; turns out that books written for pure entertainment value still bring out the reader in me! While I had to fit this book in around my adulting, it became my reward for getting my work done. I found it authentic ("That bitch." hahaha!) and just a really fun read. I will definitely read it again, can't wait for a sequel, and need a whole book from Greta's perspective please. I highly recommend it for when you need a break from the usual serious, weighty "grown-up" reads.

[Melissa (Mels_booksandhooks) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ryan is a botanist who creates a new breed of plant, the Weaping Diana, that provides clean air for humans and animals alike. Earth is in trouble due to increasing climate change and Ryan’s plant is a major step in proving a livable climate. One catch-nobody else can seem to grow these life sustaining plants. 🌿

When Diana is invited to a remote island that claims they have the ability to reproduce her plants she heads off, and ends up in a world that is much more than she ever expected. Will Diana’s new acquaintances be able to help humanity and Mother Earth? Is she the answer to all the problems plaguing both societies? 🌦

This Fantasy book has a MC with a cheesy sense of humor, a feisty best friend and gorgeous demi-gods. It’s a lighthearted, quick read for summer. I felt like some of the world building was all over the place, but the characters are likable and I always appreciate any book that addresses climate change. 🌎

Thank you to NetGalley, Independent Book Publishers Association and the author, Metra Farrari for this free, digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Kookie9200 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this title.

Ryan Bell has become a preeminent botanist after a lifesaving flower of her creation hits the scene. However, she is the only one who can create it. As her career is beginning to tumble, she receives an invitation to a mysterious island where they can duplicate her flower...but what's the catch?

This book is cute. It's a light, fun read, but there are times when I wanted it to delve more deeply into the story and expand. It's an interesting concept, one that I think mostly works, but it needs a little more depth. Still, overall, it was a nice read.

[Liberty · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reads like YA which I am not here for. Also has a fan-fiction vibe.

[LaShawn Wiltz · Rating 3 out of 5]

It started off slowly, and ended with so many questions.
At first, I almost stopped reading this because it simply didn't pick up. I wanted to like the character, but she was so...indecisive and I couldn't quite figure out where her storyline was going.

And then suddenly, she got it and everything moved along at almost an unbelievable pace.

BUT!

I'm intrigued. And will read the 2nd book!

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like the premise of this modern mythology fantasy, and the main character grew on me as the book went on. It ended with lots of potential for the next book in the series. I'm looking forward to it!

I received an ARC from NetGalley.