Eros. Also known as Cupid. Greek god of love and sexual desire. Sometimes depicted as an adorable, chubby little boy with wings, carrying a bow and arrows, flying around merrily, making everyone fall in love. That's not Eros. Not anymore. Eros is mad. He's all grown up now. And he's on a mission to provoke chaos, starting with humans. Instead of producing love, his arrows now produce hunger. Actual hunger. Cannibalistic, beastly, monstrous hunger. Carnivorous. Is the world ready for a raging Eros? Who can stop the angry god of love from eradicating the human race, two soulmates at a time? *** Magnificent cover made by Stacey Willis
Stephanie Rose is a self-published author based on the US west coast. When not working at her day-job, she's busy writing crazy adventures to send her characters on, and trying not to come up with ideas for another book series (she has too many already).
She's a collector of all things Eiffel Tower & Paris, an avid coffee drinker, a red wine enthusiast, and has an overactive imagination. In her spare time she reads, takes long walks, binge-watches TV shows with her boyfriend, and hangs out with her tuxedo cat, Crowley.
She's also a Wattpad Creator, and seeking to develop her brand by publishing (indie or not) the rest of her book series.
**I received a beta copy of this book in exchange for honest feedback. All thoughts expressed are my own. This review may contain slight spoilers!**
All I have to say is W H O A.
I've always had a thing for Greek mythology, but I don't think I've ever read something as intense and as captivating as the story Stephanie wrote. I was hooked from the start, and I couldn't put it down!
There was only a little bit of confusion at the beginning, at least for me... mostly in regards to why Eros was so angry at his mother, but that immediately cleared up once I found out *why* Eros was targeting soulmates to get to Aphrodite, his mother.
And on a related note, the whole thing is sort of sweet in a creepy way... I mean, his wife was missing and he was just trying to get answers so he could find her. And okay yeah, killing soulmates *probably* wasn't the way to go, but I loved that Steph wrote Eros/Cupid as this vengeful being - how most people wouldn't see Cupid as, since he's all about love, ya know?
I also loved how she wrote Aphrodite as this well-rounded being, instead of her usual stuck up self that most people portray the goddess as. She's so much more than some bimbo goddess, and I really enjoyed reading her parts of the story. I loved how she was not only confident and fierce when she needed to be, but she also showed her vulnerabilities. It made her seem more real, a 3-dimensional character, instead of a flat 2-D character, which is what a writer wants to achieve (and Stephanie 100% did!).
Also, the impending doom that seems to linger over the gods throughout the book, that Psyche, Eros’s missing wife, seems to have the answers about but is nowhere to be found - this gave me chills. Like my arms are completely covered in goosebumps and my heart has sank into my stomach, kind of chills. To think that there's something - or someone - out there that wants to hurt the gods... it's brilliant how Steph portrayed this story. I am so impressed, and I am so happy that I got to beta read for her because this book is definitely on my recommendations list.
This book was sent to me by the author after I had requested it, offering a review. All thoughts are my own.
Though I love Greek Mythology and have read a fair amount of its retellings, I've never heard of a Cupid/ Eros based retelling. Going into this read, I was skeptical of how his story could possibly be skewed in a way that wasn't super "lovey dovey" and overly romanticized, as is a common fear for me amongst most retellings.
I'm glad to report however, that this book did not express any of the aforementioned qualities, instead providing an intoxicatingly thrilling and immersive story. The world building was very well placed and easily understandable, the characters had their own unique personalities that complimented one another, and the plot had me hooked within the first 50 pages.
Filled with well placed banter, gut wrenching crime scenes, an edge of your seat mystery to unravel, and enticing plot twists, Carnivorous Cupid gets an EASY 5 stars from me. I will be eagerly awaiting the next book in the series, Poisonous Psyche.
I enjoyed the twist of this book! It was a fun read that took Greek myths to new places. I didn't know what to expect, but the story is well done, yet doesn't take itself too seriously. A lovely read.
This was an excellent read. Despite my general aversion to Greek Mythology and its problematic content, the author does an excellent job of giving old legends a modern twist, breathing new life into the tales.
Aphrodite is a sympathetic character as she goes to Earth to find the cause of why humans have suddenly turned cannibal, and to stop it without blowing her cover -- all while she doesn't have her powers.
Throw in a hardened and skeptical FBI detective, and more twists and turns than a winding road, and you have the recipe for a delicious tale of angry gods looking for answers.
What's great about this story is that it's a bit of a slow burn at first, adding layers to the mystery as Aphrodite races against the clock to find and detain the culprit of these gruesome murders. And once you get to the second half, boy does it pick up. You're always left guessing, and you definitely want to know what happens in book two.
I've seen the Greek gods written in a lot of different ways but this book takes a new approach. The imagery and descriptive gore was amazing. The plot has so many twists and turns, and honestly this is the first book in some time that I haven't been able to guess what was going to happen. I found the first third a little slow but the mystery kept me reading and by the end I was left with so many questions. I can't wait for the second book!!
Carnivorous Cupid is far from what I expected! Gods stuck on earth trying to solve murders like a mortal alongside a FBI agent founded solely in logic, this book is the perfect mixture of thriller, crime, and dare I say a tiny dash of romance to help twist things along. I loved it and cannot wait to see what happens next.
This was honestly my first book with Greek Mythology… and I LOVED it!!! This book is well written and easy to connect with the characters. It has twist and turns that keep you guessing about what’s coming next. I highly recommend this book!
This books was so good. I really loved this darker retelling(ish) tale! If you love dark stories with unsolved mysteries and a whole bunch of Greek god mythology, this book is definitely for you!!
Greek Mythology and murder mystery rolled into one? I was sold immediately! I liked that it was something different from what I've read in the past with other Greek myth novels.
Eros, the God of love, is terrorizing humanity by shooting human victims with his arrows. But instead of falling in love, they become insatiable cannibals that consume each other's hearts. Both humans and gods are horrified by this turn of events and no one understands his motives.
Now Aphrodite has been tasked by Zeus to find her son and figure out why he's going on a murder spree. She must go to the mortal realm without her powers and assist FBI agent Lukus in solving the case. Will they be able to figure it out before he is able to kill more? And how will she convince the agent of the truth?
I must say that even though I thought I knew where this was going, I was surprised in the end. There is still a lot of suspense leading into the next book in the series and a lot of questions left un answered. I'm excited to say I will definitely be reading the next book to find out what in the name of Hades is going on!
What happens when cupid doesn't bring love, but brings hunger? Carnivorous Cupid happens. The mixing Greek mythology and the present day world in this book was spot on and had me completely engrossed. I couldn't put the book down once I started reading, and finished the over 400 page book in less than a day (it's just that good!)
Mind your triggers as always, but this book is 1000% worth the read and goes into being one of my favorite reads of the year.
This book was wonderful!! I thought the way the characters were developed was absolutely genius. Especially going directly into Greek mythology for some of the details with *certain* relationships and affairs inside the book. The emotional rollercoaster this book was, as well as all of the suspense just made it that much better.
When someone takes Eros wife and daughter he gets totally pissed!! Stephanie Rose writes this beautiful mystery. We get to follow the clues of what turned him cannibalistic. This book is a little fun, a little gory, and a whole lot of mystery! I loved it!!
I absolutely devoured this book and did not want it to end. The writing is phenomenal and the story is SO GOOD. The fact that this book is not getting more love is insane to me! I will be recommending it to everyone! I cannot wait for book two!
I liked the concept of it and enjoyed the overall story. It had a lot of elements I enjoyed - murder mystery -Greek Mythology. The writing and research could use a bit of polishing but otherwise a good read.
This was such an interesting twist on the Greek gods. There are multiple povs, crime, and a mystery that will keep you curious. I definitely want to read the next book. Be sure to check triggers because the gore gets pretty descriptive at some points.
Wow! This was one of the most explosive first chapters I've ever read! I loved Eros and his mission for revenge! I had a harder time connecting with Lukus and Aphrodite, but I really liked her character arc at the end! Excited for the next one!
The first third of the book was a little slow but it picked up pretty quickly. Enjoyed the book. I am confused by somethings but I’m hoping it will be explained in later books.
The relationship dynamic between Eros and Aphrodite is interesting like you can tell his is her favorite son but want to know why he has dealt with the trauma she caused him.
Lukus is a grump and I’m interested in where he story is going.
I not only love Stephanie's writing style, but she is so skilled at weaving a mystery in with a crazy amount of character development. The thing that really surprised me with Carnivorous Cupid was the level of gore, although it was very welcome and added a wonderful element to the story.
Carnivorous Cupid follows Aphrodite as she has to investigate the deaths her son is causing in the mortal world. Watching her interact with non-believer Lukus was brilliant, and kept me reading to see what happened.
A genuinely good mystery, this is well worth picking up asap.
This book was amazing!!! I couldn't put it down!! The combination of Greek Mythology mixed in with the present world is captivating, the thriller and suspense keep you on your toes, the blood and gore add excitement (perfect for Spooky Season), and the mystery and seductiveness are a perfect combination to keep you guessing what will happen next! Can't wait for the next book!!
As a big fan of mythology, I was excited for this one! Rose shows off her knowledge of the Greek pantheon and I especially loved her broody, edgy version of Eros, taking the god of love in a fresh, gory direction. By the end of the book, I wanted to meet more of the gods and I was happy when Rose teased which god/goddess will be taking the reins in her next installment.
While media these days is fairly saturated with greek mythology at the moment, Rose keeps the genre fresh by shoving the pantheon in a noir-style murder mystery with the help of World's Biggest Cynic and FBI agent, Lukus. To be honest, I was rooting for Eros near the middle of the book because I wasn't Lukus biggest fan, though don't mistake my dislike for the character as commentary on Rose's skill to weave a story! After all, it was her ability to bring this character to life that made my reaction to him so visceral. Plus, with more books in the series, there is still time to see Lukus humbled.
Overall, it was a fun deviation outside of my usual YA reads and I loved the mystery and the tension that pulled the plot along effortlessly.
What a ride! If you’re a lover of Greek mythology and like expansions to mythology with dark under (and over) tones then look no further. This first book of a series follows Aphrodite as she’s sent to earth in search of answers for her son’s sudden thirst for the killing of innocent humans. Things only build from there. I loved the growth of the characters over the course of the story. When I finished I was ready to immediately pick up the next book to see what happens next!
Eros AKA Cupid decides he know long going to be nice guy and stay turning people carnivorous. Aphrodite is since to find him in doing so she is turn mortal. There alot twist that i wasnt expecting i couldn't put it down. Half way through the book i let my hubby know i going to get book to i need to know what happens next.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Very interesting premise and very adult themed book. A lot of violence and gore that I wasn’t the biggest fan of but I am curious to read the next one.