What do you think?
Rate this book
The New Olympus #1
Strife's Apple
To keep his fellow gods safe, Apollo must retrieve Eris from the pits of Tartarus--where he left her, seven hundred years ago.
For seven hundred years, Apollo kept Eris chained in darkness. For seven hundred years, she's never seen sunlight, never known joy, never spoken to another mortal—or god. Until Apollo comes, and with the wave of one imperious hand, frees her.
He needs her help. The gods are fading, and only she can save them. Too bad she has no interest in anything beyond revenge.
Especially against him.
For seven hundred years, Apollo kept Eris chained in darkness. For seven hundred years, she's never seen sunlight, never known joy, never spoken to another mortal—or god. Until Apollo comes, and with the wave of one imperious hand, frees her.
He needs her help. The gods are fading, and only she can save them. Too bad she has no interest in anything beyond revenge.
Especially against him.
342 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 10, 2022
135 people are currently reading
1015 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews
September 21, 2022
Strife’s Apple is different from what you usually find in myth retellings, which tend to focus on Hades and Persephone or Cupid and Psyche. Rain’s protagonists are Apollo and Eris. While Apollo is often portrayed, Eris is someone rarely considered because she’s a demigoddess rather than an Olympian.
And Eris is a truly a demigoddess here: the personification of discord, creating disharmony and rupture in the world simply because it’s her nature to do so. Seeing this character evolve through a relationship with Apollo is just mind blowing. Apollo is the Olympian we know from the stories (with his faults as well as good points), but his ability to see the future shows him that he has to do something with Eris to save the gods.
You see, the gods are dying. They’re losing their immortality and becoming human; in some cases, their human personae overtakes their memories of being gods. And Apollo is desperate, so desperate that he’s willing to work with Eris, who’s been caged in Tartarus for hundreds of years as punishment for the problems she caused.
Rain takes this improbable coupling-–the god of sun and light with the goddess of strife and suffering—and makes it work. That’s because both Eris and Apollo evolve, realizing that one disadvantage of immortality is stasis.
I honestly had no idea what was going to happen in this story. It moved in unexpected and interesting ways. Frankly, it offered me a thrill that I often don’t find within the comforting expectations of romance.
If you love retellings of the myths in romance, if you want an intriguing and challenging setup, and if you want a mystery that has to be solved to avoid the death of the gods—well, do I have a book for you. Simply put, Strife’s Apple is marvelous.
And Eris is a truly a demigoddess here: the personification of discord, creating disharmony and rupture in the world simply because it’s her nature to do so. Seeing this character evolve through a relationship with Apollo is just mind blowing. Apollo is the Olympian we know from the stories (with his faults as well as good points), but his ability to see the future shows him that he has to do something with Eris to save the gods.
You see, the gods are dying. They’re losing their immortality and becoming human; in some cases, their human personae overtakes their memories of being gods. And Apollo is desperate, so desperate that he’s willing to work with Eris, who’s been caged in Tartarus for hundreds of years as punishment for the problems she caused.
Rain takes this improbable coupling-–the god of sun and light with the goddess of strife and suffering—and makes it work. That’s because both Eris and Apollo evolve, realizing that one disadvantage of immortality is stasis.
I honestly had no idea what was going to happen in this story. It moved in unexpected and interesting ways. Frankly, it offered me a thrill that I often don’t find within the comforting expectations of romance.
If you love retellings of the myths in romance, if you want an intriguing and challenging setup, and if you want a mystery that has to be solved to avoid the death of the gods—well, do I have a book for you. Simply put, Strife’s Apple is marvelous.
November 7, 2022
From an outstanding debut comes an immersive story of Eris, the Goddess of Discord and Strife, and Apollo, the God of Prophecy. These two are complete opposites yet when they come together they are explosive and passionate!
February 10, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
This book was SO GOOD!!!! Everyone needs to jump on this now, what are you waiting for?
Strife’s Apple is an awesome Urban Fantasy/Romance about Eris, a “lesser” Goddess of Strife and Discord, and Apollo, an Olympian God of the Sun, Reason, Poetry, Prophecy, Music, Archery, Plague and Healing. Can we say: Natural Born Enemies? LMAO I’m sure anyone familiar with this type of novel can already envision the delightfully entertaining shenanigans these two MC’s could be capable of when coming together. However I want to point out that this is not simply another Greek Mythology based retelling. No instead this a totally new story that poses the questions: What if the Gods were real and still living today? What would their concerns and fears be now? What of their goals, and how would they effect us as mere mortals?
Eris is in no way your typical MC, she’s derisive at every opportunity, has no loyalties but to herself and honestly could not care less about humanity. But she’s a fully kick-ass MC anyway and you cannot help but root for her! The perfect literary “underdog” IMO. I really loved learning about her Magic, talk about unique! Her touch has the ability to deconstruct anything she comes across and she practically gets high off of arguments and fist fights. Don’t even get me started on the marvel that is her Apple. Watching Eris use her powers, learn when to reign them in and ultimately evolving them was quite the journey. I also enjoyed the progression of her relationship with Apollo, as impractical as it initially seemed.
If you really wanted to nit-pick, I think one might complain that the love was too instantaneous here. However you have to understand that at this point, Apollo has been having visions of Eris for the past decade and is already convinced he’s in love with her. It definitely didn’t bother me personally, and honestly for such a short read, I liked that it allowed the spice to progress at a decent pace. I was worried going into this that certain aspects wouldn’t be fully flushed out, but that’s just simply not the case! If anything, I respect Rain’s ability to edit this down (especially being self published) into a concise little banger of a story. In a world were dragging out the story seems to be the popular trend, “Short & Sweet” is just about the perfect descriptor for this one.
One of the details I loved most about this book was learning how the Gods have dealt with the passing of time and modernization of societies. This actually highlights one of my biggest gripes with another, currently popular Fantasy series: as the centuries pass by, civilizations ADVANCE! lol Seems incredibly obvious to me, and yet there are definitely established authors out there who struggle with the concept and the ways in which it should inform their world building. Not so with Rain and this story. At the start, Eris has been locked away in the deepest abyss of Hades for the past 700 years. When she is released and suddenly finds herself in modern day Italy, her observations of humanity’s advancements are at times breathtaking and quite often hilarious. She learns modern slang, that she has a penchant for leather fashion and has difficulty reconciling those large “Metal Insects” with the horse and chariot mode of transportation she was previously familiar with. Needless to say I found watching Eris familiarize herself with the modern world highly entertaining.
Common Tropes you’ll find here:
- Enemies to Lovers
- Fated Mates
- Dual POV’s
- The Underdog
- Morally Grey FMC
- Reluctant Hero
- The Chosen One
- Unique Magic System
- Mythology Reimagined
- Ancient Artifacts & Magic in the Modern Era
This is definitely an Adult Fantasy/Romance and there is darkness here too so some may want to check the trigger warnings to be safe. I didn’t find anything too overly heavy, but keep in mind, there is the traditional depiction here that the Gods are not human and therefor lack an understanding of typical, highly valued, “mortal” concepts such as consent. Again nothing too disturbing, but more thought provoking I’d say.
This book was SO GOOD!!!! Everyone needs to jump on this now, what are you waiting for?
Strife’s Apple is an awesome Urban Fantasy/Romance about Eris, a “lesser” Goddess of Strife and Discord, and Apollo, an Olympian God of the Sun, Reason, Poetry, Prophecy, Music, Archery, Plague and Healing. Can we say: Natural Born Enemies? LMAO I’m sure anyone familiar with this type of novel can already envision the delightfully entertaining shenanigans these two MC’s could be capable of when coming together. However I want to point out that this is not simply another Greek Mythology based retelling. No instead this a totally new story that poses the questions: What if the Gods were real and still living today? What would their concerns and fears be now? What of their goals, and how would they effect us as mere mortals?
Eris is in no way your typical MC, she’s derisive at every opportunity, has no loyalties but to herself and honestly could not care less about humanity. But she’s a fully kick-ass MC anyway and you cannot help but root for her! The perfect literary “underdog” IMO. I really loved learning about her Magic, talk about unique! Her touch has the ability to deconstruct anything she comes across and she practically gets high off of arguments and fist fights. Don’t even get me started on the marvel that is her Apple. Watching Eris use her powers, learn when to reign them in and ultimately evolving them was quite the journey. I also enjoyed the progression of her relationship with Apollo, as impractical as it initially seemed.
If you really wanted to nit-pick, I think one might complain that the love was too instantaneous here. However you have to understand that at this point, Apollo has been having visions of Eris for the past decade and is already convinced he’s in love with her. It definitely didn’t bother me personally, and honestly for such a short read, I liked that it allowed the spice to progress at a decent pace. I was worried going into this that certain aspects wouldn’t be fully flushed out, but that’s just simply not the case! If anything, I respect Rain’s ability to edit this down (especially being self published) into a concise little banger of a story. In a world were dragging out the story seems to be the popular trend, “Short & Sweet” is just about the perfect descriptor for this one.
One of the details I loved most about this book was learning how the Gods have dealt with the passing of time and modernization of societies. This actually highlights one of my biggest gripes with another, currently popular Fantasy series: as the centuries pass by, civilizations ADVANCE! lol Seems incredibly obvious to me, and yet there are definitely established authors out there who struggle with the concept and the ways in which it should inform their world building. Not so with Rain and this story. At the start, Eris has been locked away in the deepest abyss of Hades for the past 700 years. When she is released and suddenly finds herself in modern day Italy, her observations of humanity’s advancements are at times breathtaking and quite often hilarious. She learns modern slang, that she has a penchant for leather fashion and has difficulty reconciling those large “Metal Insects” with the horse and chariot mode of transportation she was previously familiar with. Needless to say I found watching Eris familiarize herself with the modern world highly entertaining.
Common Tropes you’ll find here:
- Enemies to Lovers
- Fated Mates
- Dual POV’s
- The Underdog
- Morally Grey FMC
- Reluctant Hero
- The Chosen One
- Unique Magic System
- Mythology Reimagined
- Ancient Artifacts & Magic in the Modern Era
This is definitely an Adult Fantasy/Romance and there is darkness here too so some may want to check the trigger warnings to be safe. I didn’t find anything too overly heavy, but keep in mind, there is the traditional depiction here that the Gods are not human and therefor lack an understanding of typical, highly valued, “mortal” concepts such as consent. Again nothing too disturbing, but more thought provoking I’d say.
November 18, 2022
Seven hundred years ago, the Greek gods and goddesses formed a tribunal and sentenced Eris, goddess of strife and discord, to a life spent chained in Tartarus. Although Eris had a hand in starting the war that led to her imprisonment, her Apple was not the only factor in the equation - yet she was the only one punished. Now, in modern day times, Eris is finally being freed from her sentence - because she might be the only one who can save the remaining gods and goddesses from “the Decay,” an affliction that is causing them both to age and lose their memories.
If that wasn’t bad enough, Eris was freed by none other than Apollo, god of the Sun. Eris and Apollo have never gotten along, and she holds a grudge against him for his part in deciding her sentence. Unluckily for Eris and Apollo, their only hope of saving their kind is to work together. But as Eris learns more about the Decay, and spends more time working with Apollo, she can’t ignore the sparks flying between them. She is Discord, and he is Reason… how can they ever be?
Okay, so I’m a sucker for anything mythology based, especially Greek mythology. This is Shoshana Rain’s debut novel, but you would never be able to guess that based on the quality of her writing! Rain draws you into her version of events from the very first page, and I simply couldn’t put it down! I was absolutely obsessed with everything about this book. I never thought Eris and Apollo could work romantically, but Rain proved me wrong with this beautiful case of opposites attract. And the steamy scenes were just *chef’s kiss*
Eris. At the start of the novel, we discover that Eris has been trapped in one of Tartarus’ pits for seven hundred years. You’d think this would make Eris angry and bitter, but it didn’t. Eris maintained her sharp wit and snarky nature despite her condition, and it didn’t take long for her to bounce back after she was freed. I really admire Eris because she never tries to be something she’s not, she understands that she is Strife and doesn’t change for anyone. Apollo. He’s had a hard life since mortals stopped worshipping multiple gods and goddesses, and he’s done his best to try to care for his fellow gods and goddesses who have succumbed to the Decay. I admire him for his brutal honesty and his protective nature. I also think that his love for Eris humbled him a bit, and that makes him more pleasant. I highly recommend this book, and I can’t wait to read the next one!
If that wasn’t bad enough, Eris was freed by none other than Apollo, god of the Sun. Eris and Apollo have never gotten along, and she holds a grudge against him for his part in deciding her sentence. Unluckily for Eris and Apollo, their only hope of saving their kind is to work together. But as Eris learns more about the Decay, and spends more time working with Apollo, she can’t ignore the sparks flying between them. She is Discord, and he is Reason… how can they ever be?
Okay, so I’m a sucker for anything mythology based, especially Greek mythology. This is Shoshana Rain’s debut novel, but you would never be able to guess that based on the quality of her writing! Rain draws you into her version of events from the very first page, and I simply couldn’t put it down! I was absolutely obsessed with everything about this book. I never thought Eris and Apollo could work romantically, but Rain proved me wrong with this beautiful case of opposites attract. And the steamy scenes were just *chef’s kiss*
Eris. At the start of the novel, we discover that Eris has been trapped in one of Tartarus’ pits for seven hundred years. You’d think this would make Eris angry and bitter, but it didn’t. Eris maintained her sharp wit and snarky nature despite her condition, and it didn’t take long for her to bounce back after she was freed. I really admire Eris because she never tries to be something she’s not, she understands that she is Strife and doesn’t change for anyone. Apollo. He’s had a hard life since mortals stopped worshipping multiple gods and goddesses, and he’s done his best to try to care for his fellow gods and goddesses who have succumbed to the Decay. I admire him for his brutal honesty and his protective nature. I also think that his love for Eris humbled him a bit, and that makes him more pleasant. I highly recommend this book, and I can’t wait to read the next one!
February 14, 2023
Greek and Roman mythology was one of the first collegiate classes that I took, and I freaking loved it. Thus I have always been drawn to myth retellings, sorta regardless of the origin of the myth - with a few exceptions. (This is not one of those exceptions).
I really enjoyed this retelling of Eris and Apollo. It has a chaotic feel and you can kinda feel the drives of the main characters - the dual perspective also helps. The characters are filled with flaws that make them more relatable considering that they are literal gods/goddesses. Although the source material is definitely filled with very flawed dysfunctional individuals. I think that is one of the reasons that I like Greek myths - these weren't perfect, they all had flaws that were direct reflections of humanity.
This is medium burn, the spice level is hot, and characters have a HEA. 4 out of 5 stars.
If you like Katee Roberts Dark Olympus series (Neon Gods, Electric Idol) - I only include these two because this is MF, Lore Olympus - then check out this book.
I really enjoyed this retelling of Eris and Apollo. It has a chaotic feel and you can kinda feel the drives of the main characters - the dual perspective also helps. The characters are filled with flaws that make them more relatable considering that they are literal gods/goddesses. Although the source material is definitely filled with very flawed dysfunctional individuals. I think that is one of the reasons that I like Greek myths - these weren't perfect, they all had flaws that were direct reflections of humanity.
This is medium burn, the spice level is hot, and characters have a HEA. 4 out of 5 stars.
If you like Katee Roberts Dark Olympus series (Neon Gods, Electric Idol) - I only include these two because this is MF, Lore Olympus - then check out this book.
September 21, 2024
Intriguing and lots of fun
This was a Stuff Your Kindle pick and I’m so glad I took a chance on it. I’m a big fan of Greek mythology - OG and translated into modern fiction - so this was a no-brainer for me.
There were a few interesting choices as far as fitting the mythology into the current world that weren’t explained (why 700 years? Why were the modern parts set in Italy?) but setting that aside, the story was fantastic. I love Eris. She’s such a wonderful anti-hero. I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
This was a Stuff Your Kindle pick and I’m so glad I took a chance on it. I’m a big fan of Greek mythology - OG and translated into modern fiction - so this was a no-brainer for me.
There were a few interesting choices as far as fitting the mythology into the current world that weren’t explained (why 700 years? Why were the modern parts set in Italy?) but setting that aside, the story was fantastic. I love Eris. She’s such a wonderful anti-hero. I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
December 29, 2024
The overall concept of this book is really interesting. Rain does two things particularly well: she introduces us to well-researched lesser known members of the Greek pantheon and she leans in to the morally grey natures of Gods without forcing the FMC to drastically change her nature to find love (this is, after all, a Romantasy). There are several parts of the book that could have used further explanation and time spent building up the narrative where instead we get a constant litany of how hard Apollo is in his pants. We get it, ok, this very mythology-accurate horny god can change to embrace modern concepts of consent -let's give him a prize. Instead, I'd have loved to see a little more of how Eris adapts to 21st century life after 700 years of imprisonment, because insects, showers, and dark rectangles aren't the only things that would have changed enough to give her significant pause.
The romance itself left me unconvinced. Not only does a Fates-induced obsession border a bit on instant-love, but the Greek Gods learning consent feels less of an achievement when we see Apollo using green flags as a way to manipulate Eris into trusting him. The emphasis on how she's able to remain more or less who she is and be loved is a nice touch, especially because the small changes we do see show Eris starting to think of the consequences of her actions post- and pre- imprisonment. But after so many centuries of animosity, the incredibly short amount of time it takes her to
The romance really lost it for me with the questionably consensual butt sex. I absolutely understand that this is an avenue of intimacy that some f/m couples consent to choose. But the way it was just thrown in and becomes the symbolic act for is deeply problematic. She literally has TEARS after finishing and never truly consented or discussed taking their relationship there. Since this was not included in the trigger warnings nor was it mentioned in other reviews, I feel like it's important to note for others.
The romance itself left me unconvinced. Not only does a Fates-induced obsession border a bit on instant-love, but the Greek Gods learning consent feels less of an achievement when we see Apollo using green flags as a way to manipulate Eris into trusting him. The emphasis on how she's able to remain more or less who she is and be loved is a nice touch, especially because the small changes we do see show Eris starting to think of the consequences of her actions post- and pre- imprisonment. But after so many centuries of animosity, the incredibly short amount of time it takes her to
The romance really lost it for me with the questionably consensual butt sex. I absolutely understand that this is an avenue of intimacy that some f/m couples consent to choose. But the way it was just thrown in and becomes the symbolic act for is deeply problematic. She literally has TEARS after finishing and never truly consented or discussed taking their relationship there. Since this was not included in the trigger warnings nor was it mentioned in other reviews, I feel like it's important to note for others.
October 21, 2024
1st POV / 2 POVs / chapters: long / TW below 🌟 3,5 stars
🍏 Eris (the Goddess of Spite and Discord) and Apollo (Sun God)
🍏 Mysterious illness that kills immortal Gods
🍏 Insta-lust, slow-love/trust
🍏 Prophecy
🍏 She stabs him
🍏 Gods and monsters from Greek Mythology incl. magical powers
🍏 Short glossary at the end of the book
❓Romance: Yes
❓Love triangle: No
❓Spice: Explicit
❓OW/OM/jealousy: Nope. Cute little jealousy over Ares but nothing dramatic. (past lover).
❓3rd act break-up:
The author benefited from the fact that world-building wasn't necessary since it relied on Greek mythology and focused on internal relationships/relations instead; therefore, I suggest having the most basic knowledge of Olympus before you dive in.
I adore feisty and stabby FMCs so I enjoyed Eris causing chaos and destroying everything. Honestly, I even wish we saw more of how powerful she can be. The flow between "NO ONE TOUCH ME" to "I miss his touch" was smooth and felt natural which was really important for the story/character growth.
The plot/idea was simple (not in a bad way), but I was genuinely curious what's going on. I can't believe I'm saying this but I'd prefer if there wasn't a HEA since it didn't make a lot of sense.
I love reading smut but for some reason I found myself skipping it because it gave me the ick ("he touched my sex") or was just boring. – Drink every time Apollo mentions he's hard. (They were literally next to a bath/pool, why didn't they wash BEFORE they had sex since they were filthy af???)
Overall: good pacing, likable characters, and interesting plot/setting but I just found it a bit boring and cringy at times.
Side characters: Hermes, Hecate, Peitho, Nyx, Lethe, Nemesis (Aphrodite, Ares)
"I'm looking at you like you're a marvel. Because you are."
Trigger Warnings: they mention a few times that Apollo is known for sexually assaulting/harassing women but it's consensual between the MCs, war, terminal illness, amnesia, murder on page, grief, imprisonment (Tartarus), emotional abuse from a maternal figure, mild body horror
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any negative feedback is not meant as an insult to the author!
🍏 Eris (the Goddess of Spite and Discord) and Apollo (Sun God)
🍏 Mysterious illness that kills immortal Gods
🍏 Insta-lust, slow-love/trust
🍏 Prophecy
🍏 She stabs him
🍏 Gods and monsters from Greek Mythology incl. magical powers
🍏 Short glossary at the end of the book
❓Romance: Yes
❓Love triangle: No
❓Spice: Explicit
❓OW/OM/jealousy: Nope. Cute little jealousy over Ares but nothing dramatic. (past lover).
❓3rd act break-up:
The author benefited from the fact that world-building wasn't necessary since it relied on Greek mythology and focused on internal relationships/relations instead; therefore, I suggest having the most basic knowledge of Olympus before you dive in.
I adore feisty and stabby FMCs so I enjoyed Eris causing chaos and destroying everything. Honestly, I even wish we saw more of how powerful she can be. The flow between "NO ONE TOUCH ME" to "I miss his touch" was smooth and felt natural which was really important for the story/character growth.
The plot/idea was simple (not in a bad way), but I was genuinely curious what's going on. I can't believe I'm saying this but I'd prefer if there wasn't a HEA since it didn't make a lot of sense.
I love reading smut but for some reason I found myself skipping it because it gave me the ick ("he touched my sex") or was just boring. – Drink every time Apollo mentions he's hard. (They were literally next to a bath/pool, why didn't they wash BEFORE they had sex since they were filthy af???)
Overall: good pacing, likable characters, and interesting plot/setting but I just found it a bit boring and cringy at times.
Side characters: Hermes, Hecate, Peitho, Nyx, Lethe, Nemesis (Aphrodite, Ares)
"I'm looking at you like you're a marvel. Because you are."
Trigger Warnings: they mention a few times that Apollo is known for sexually assaulting/harassing women but it's consensual between the MCs, war, terminal illness, amnesia, murder on page, grief, imprisonment (Tartarus), emotional abuse from a maternal figure, mild body horror
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Any negative feedback is not meant as an insult to the author!
November 17, 2022
Title: Strife's Apple
Series: New Olympus
# in series: 1
Author: Shoshana Rain
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Tropes: Enemies to lovers, Anti-hero, Mythology, Forced Proximity, Reluctant Hero, Grumpy/Sunshine (she is the grump)
Steam: Open door
Spice: 🌶🌶🌶/5
Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Some context for me reading anything related to Greek Mythology: When I was introduced to it in the 6th grade I decided then and there that I wanted to be an archeologist. I still dream of going there one day. So when Shoshana asked if I would be interested in reading her series I jumped at the chance.
Review:
I absolutely ate this story up. The amount of times Eris was swooning over Apollo and also wanted to stab him in the neck (again) was hilarious. And Apollo, what a righteous know-it-all! But his eventual groveling and his obsession with Eris made me appreciate him. The spice actually surprised me with how well it was done. *Especially the bath scene 🥵*
What I appreciated the most is that the author left the gods capricious. They do what they want, when they want and have absolutely no cares about humanity except for what they can do for the gods.
A free copy of the book was provided by the author. All thoughts are my own.
Quotes:
- Let it be said, I will do many a thing just to spite someone else.
- The smile she gives me is how I imagine a cat would look right before it pushed a glass off the table; full of mischief and entirely lacking in remorse.
- His perfection infuriates me. I want to muss his hair, make him snarl, make those golden eyes spark. He’s entirely too proper for his own good. I also want to stab him in the throat.
- Eris is a glorious little menace.
- “There must be a way to sweeten your mouth.”
I gasp as he opens my jeans and slides his hand inside. “Try using yours.”
“Don’t tempt me, Eris. I’ll get on my knees right here.”
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
CW/TW: FMC was imprisoned for 700 years because of MMC, 🩸☠️🔪, Family trauma, Death of family members on page, memory loss of side characters
Series: New Olympus
# in series: 1
Author: Shoshana Rain
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Tropes: Enemies to lovers, Anti-hero, Mythology, Forced Proximity, Reluctant Hero, Grumpy/Sunshine (she is the grump)
Steam: Open door
Spice: 🌶🌶🌶/5
Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Some context for me reading anything related to Greek Mythology: When I was introduced to it in the 6th grade I decided then and there that I wanted to be an archeologist. I still dream of going there one day. So when Shoshana asked if I would be interested in reading her series I jumped at the chance.
Review:
I absolutely ate this story up. The amount of times Eris was swooning over Apollo and also wanted to stab him in the neck (again) was hilarious. And Apollo, what a righteous know-it-all! But his eventual groveling and his obsession with Eris made me appreciate him. The spice actually surprised me with how well it was done. *Especially the bath scene 🥵*
What I appreciated the most is that the author left the gods capricious. They do what they want, when they want and have absolutely no cares about humanity except for what they can do for the gods.
A free copy of the book was provided by the author. All thoughts are my own.
Quotes:
- Let it be said, I will do many a thing just to spite someone else.
- The smile she gives me is how I imagine a cat would look right before it pushed a glass off the table; full of mischief and entirely lacking in remorse.
- His perfection infuriates me. I want to muss his hair, make him snarl, make those golden eyes spark. He’s entirely too proper for his own good. I also want to stab him in the throat.
- Eris is a glorious little menace.
- “There must be a way to sweeten your mouth.”
I gasp as he opens my jeans and slides his hand inside. “Try using yours.”
“Don’t tempt me, Eris. I’ll get on my knees right here.”
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
CW/TW: FMC was imprisoned for 700 years because of MMC, 🩸☠️🔪, Family trauma, Death of family members on page, memory loss of side characters
March 29, 2024
Would have been better if more time was spent on characterisation...
★★★☆☆ 3/5 okay
tags: fantasy, modern time, retelling, medium to fast paced (quite a lot happens in the book)
Book is best for those that like:
▸ Dual POV
▸ Morally grey characters
▸ Possessive male love interest
▸ He falls first
▸ Begrudging allies (common goal)
Content Warnings:
REVIEW
📌 Initially, Apollo wasn't a very likeable character.
He feels no remorse for his actions sentencing her, blaming her for the start of a war when he himself (and others) actively participated in it. His thoughts are quite frankly awful. He seems to see her as a wild animal. The only change in his mindset towards her (since sentencing her to eternal imprisonment) is just that he wants to have sex with her. So he still looks down her, self righteous in his actions, but now wants to 'tame' her for sexual pleasure.
📌 He does eventually confront his past actions towards her but...
it doesn't really make him question his past actions. Felt like the only reason why he was bothering to apologise was because he now wants to sleep with her. Also, the author emphasises his need for her 'consent' and mentions (quite a few times) that that didn't seem to have been a concern from him before. Was that implying he's sexually assaulted or harassed women before...?
📌 I had trouble really connecting with their romance.
A lot of the romance lead by physical attraction. Yet while they have their quips, the few moments of emotional vulnerability for the characters felt off, their trust in each other quite sudden. Adding to that...
📌 While Eris felt better rounded, Apollo wasn't really given significant insecurities, fears and doubts to overcome. We see he's scared about losing his sister, but it's a fear that just sits in the back, pulled into conversations without it being a significant driver of his actions. He never breaks down, truly doubts his past actions, feels desperation or sadness. The way he's written, his emotions feel shallow and fleeting. Feels hard to sympathise with him.
For example, he has moments where he thinks he might feel guilt for his actions against Eris but quickly shakes them off.
[ BOOK INFO ] --------
Pages: 342
Chapters: 24 (plus prologue and epilogue)
+ Includes list of characters with descriptions of each. So even if you don't know anything about Greek mythologies, it'll briefly tell you about all of them. For example: name, god/goddess of..., best known for..., relation to other characters (husband, lover, sister, parent, etc)
+ Glossary (at end of book) for terms within the book.
+ HEA for main couple but leaving a loose thread (an offer to Lethe) to lead into the next book.
---------------------
OVERALL
Good but didn't get strong emotional attachment to the story. Regardless, the next book in the series sounds interesting. May read it.
★★★☆☆ 3/5 okay
tags: fantasy, modern time, retelling, medium to fast paced (quite a lot happens in the book)
Book is best for those that like:
▸ Dual POV
▸ Morally grey characters
▸ Possessive male love interest
▸ He falls first
▸ Begrudging allies (common goal)
Content Warnings:
REVIEW
📌 Initially, Apollo wasn't a very likeable character.
He feels no remorse for his actions sentencing her, blaming her for the start of a war when he himself (and others) actively participated in it. His thoughts are quite frankly awful. He seems to see her as a wild animal. The only change in his mindset towards her (since sentencing her to eternal imprisonment) is just that he wants to have sex with her. So he still looks down her, self righteous in his actions, but now wants to 'tame' her for sexual pleasure.
📌 He does eventually confront his past actions towards her but...
it doesn't really make him question his past actions. Felt like the only reason why he was bothering to apologise was because he now wants to sleep with her. Also, the author emphasises his need for her 'consent' and mentions (quite a few times) that that didn't seem to have been a concern from him before. Was that implying he's sexually assaulted or harassed women before...?
📌 I had trouble really connecting with their romance.
A lot of the romance lead by physical attraction. Yet while they have their quips, the few moments of emotional vulnerability for the characters felt off, their trust in each other quite sudden. Adding to that...
📌 While Eris felt better rounded, Apollo wasn't really given significant insecurities, fears and doubts to overcome. We see he's scared about losing his sister, but it's a fear that just sits in the back, pulled into conversations without it being a significant driver of his actions. He never breaks down, truly doubts his past actions, feels desperation or sadness. The way he's written, his emotions feel shallow and fleeting. Feels hard to sympathise with him.
For example, he has moments where he thinks he might feel guilt for his actions against Eris but quickly shakes them off.
[ BOOK INFO ] --------
Pages: 342
Chapters: 24 (plus prologue and epilogue)
+ Includes list of characters with descriptions of each. So even if you don't know anything about Greek mythologies, it'll briefly tell you about all of them. For example: name, god/goddess of..., best known for..., relation to other characters (husband, lover, sister, parent, etc)
+ Glossary (at end of book) for terms within the book.
+ HEA for main couple but leaving a loose thread (an offer to Lethe) to lead into the next book.
---------------------
OVERALL
Good but didn't get strong emotional attachment to the story. Regardless, the next book in the series sounds interesting. May read it.
February 11, 2025
Strife’s Apple by Shoshana Rain is an exhilarating start to The New Olympus series, blending ancient mythology with modern-day intrigue in a way that feels both fresh and captivating. The story immerses readers into a world where the Greek gods are not only real, but live amongst mortals, with their divine powers and politics impacting the human world in ways that are as dangerous as they are fascinating.
Rain masterfully reimagines the gods of Olympus, giving them modern personalities and dilemmas while staying true to their mythological roots. The narrative centers around a powerful apple, which symbolizes temptation, choice, and the perilous balance of power. This sets the stage for a series of complicated relationships—romantic, political, and familial—that keep readers on edge throughout the novel.
The character dynamics are one of the standout elements of the book. Each god or goddess is distinct, with their unique motivations, flaws, and desires, but they all share the same powerful aura that makes them larger-than-life figures. The romance is intense and steamy, adding another layer of complexity to the plot, especially as the stakes rise and divine conflicts begin to bleed into the mortal world. Themes of ambition, betrayal, and loyalty are explored with depth, making the stakes feel personal and high for both gods and mortals alike.
Rain’s writing is immersive, and she does a wonderful job of blending mythology with contemporary settings. The modern twists on the gods’ personalities and relationships bring them to life in a new and compelling way, making the ancient stories feel relevant to today’s world. There’s a sense of danger that pervades the book, as divine interference can have catastrophic consequences, not just for the gods, but for the lives of those they touch.
Strife’s Apple is a thrilling, fast-paced read that will appeal to fans of fantasy, mythology, and complex character-driven stories. It’s a bold take on the Greek pantheon, packed with tension, romance, and divine drama that sets the stage for what promises to be an exciting series. If you enjoy stories where the stakes are high, the gods are far from perfect, and nothing is ever as it seems, Strife’s Apple is a must-read.
Rain masterfully reimagines the gods of Olympus, giving them modern personalities and dilemmas while staying true to their mythological roots. The narrative centers around a powerful apple, which symbolizes temptation, choice, and the perilous balance of power. This sets the stage for a series of complicated relationships—romantic, political, and familial—that keep readers on edge throughout the novel.
The character dynamics are one of the standout elements of the book. Each god or goddess is distinct, with their unique motivations, flaws, and desires, but they all share the same powerful aura that makes them larger-than-life figures. The romance is intense and steamy, adding another layer of complexity to the plot, especially as the stakes rise and divine conflicts begin to bleed into the mortal world. Themes of ambition, betrayal, and loyalty are explored with depth, making the stakes feel personal and high for both gods and mortals alike.
Rain’s writing is immersive, and she does a wonderful job of blending mythology with contemporary settings. The modern twists on the gods’ personalities and relationships bring them to life in a new and compelling way, making the ancient stories feel relevant to today’s world. There’s a sense of danger that pervades the book, as divine interference can have catastrophic consequences, not just for the gods, but for the lives of those they touch.
Strife’s Apple is a thrilling, fast-paced read that will appeal to fans of fantasy, mythology, and complex character-driven stories. It’s a bold take on the Greek pantheon, packed with tension, romance, and divine drama that sets the stage for what promises to be an exciting series. If you enjoy stories where the stakes are high, the gods are far from perfect, and nothing is ever as it seems, Strife’s Apple is a must-read.
April 12, 2024
✨BOOK TOUR✨
🪄Do you like Greek myth retellings?
They are my absolute favorite to read! Especially when they have a lot of spice like this book!🔥
📖: Strife's Apple
🖋️: Shoshana Rain
⭐️: 5 of 5
🌶️: 4 of 5
💬: “It’s not easy, with you. Winning you will be the greatest victory, finer than any battle, but it’s only the beginning. Because I’m going to keep you.”
Tropes & Themes:
🏛️Enemies-to-lovers ❤️Grumpy/sunshine (she's grumpy) 🏛️Locked her in Tartarus (isn't sorry) ❤️Hate everyone but you (and maybe you too) 🏛️We Need to f*ck this out ❤️Anti-heroine 🏛️Has to save everyone. Doesn't want to
“She will fade from the minds of mortals and from our own. Strife is dead to us all.”
Imagine being locked away for almost 700 years and the blame being entirely on you while others were involved.
Eris is known for Strife and Discord but when the Gods start decaying and Apollo has visions of her.
Saving the Gods and making things right falls into the hands of Eris.
Will Eris help Apollo and will the Gods continue to wither away?
🍎I loved this book! Eris and her love for leather jackets. It was fun watching her see how much the world has change while she was locked away.
She doesn’t like to follow the rules, orders, and suggestions of others. But she learns a lot about herself.
Eris finds herself starting to feel for the other Gods and Goddesses.
The spice was perfect and I ate it up! I loved how way Apollo was patient with Eris and willing to show her kindness when no one else would.
I can’t wait to see what happens next after that ending!
Thank you R&R Book Tours for allowing me to join this tour! As always, my review is my opinion and thoughts.
🪄Do you like Greek myth retellings?
They are my absolute favorite to read! Especially when they have a lot of spice like this book!🔥
📖: Strife's Apple
🖋️: Shoshana Rain
⭐️: 5 of 5
🌶️: 4 of 5
💬: “It’s not easy, with you. Winning you will be the greatest victory, finer than any battle, but it’s only the beginning. Because I’m going to keep you.”
Tropes & Themes:
🏛️Enemies-to-lovers ❤️Grumpy/sunshine (she's grumpy) 🏛️Locked her in Tartarus (isn't sorry) ❤️Hate everyone but you (and maybe you too) 🏛️We Need to f*ck this out ❤️Anti-heroine 🏛️Has to save everyone. Doesn't want to
“She will fade from the minds of mortals and from our own. Strife is dead to us all.”
Imagine being locked away for almost 700 years and the blame being entirely on you while others were involved.
Eris is known for Strife and Discord but when the Gods start decaying and Apollo has visions of her.
Saving the Gods and making things right falls into the hands of Eris.
Will Eris help Apollo and will the Gods continue to wither away?
🍎I loved this book! Eris and her love for leather jackets. It was fun watching her see how much the world has change while she was locked away.
She doesn’t like to follow the rules, orders, and suggestions of others. But she learns a lot about herself.
Eris finds herself starting to feel for the other Gods and Goddesses.
The spice was perfect and I ate it up! I loved how way Apollo was patient with Eris and willing to show her kindness when no one else would.
I can’t wait to see what happens next after that ending!
Thank you R&R Book Tours for allowing me to join this tour! As always, my review is my opinion and thoughts.
June 9, 2023
I am a sucker for a good myth retelling and Strife’s Apple by Shoshana Rain @shoshanarain hit all the points I want when reading one! This is an Apollo and Eris retelling, enemies to lovers with a broody logical mmc and a strong chaos monster mfc who can actually stand on her own! We start the books after Eris, the personification of strife and sower of discord, is sentenced to Tartarus. After 700 years her sentencer retrieves her from the depths. Apollo is looking for her assistance in discovering why the other gods seem to be losing their memories and fading away. As with many good enemies to lovers books, there is plenty of back and forth banter and tension between the two main characters. It’s nice to see a female lead be able to stand on her feet and give as good as she gets while still being vulnerable ( even if that vulnerability is in her head). This is a medium burn with a few really solid spicy scenes. The story is complex and well paced and the dialogue and character growth are fantastic. In a world full of Hades and Persephone retellings, this is a refreshing, well written retelling of a couple we don’t typically see. It was an incredibly nice change of pace! I was thoroughly impressed by this book and I am looking forward to reading the others in the series and getting my hands on a physical copy! Overall ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Spice 🌶🌶🌶
You can also find my reviews on Instagram!
https://instagram.com/p/CtSQZ0KudHL/
You can also find my reviews on Instagram!
https://instagram.com/p/CtSQZ0KudHL/
March 3, 2025
3.75 ⭐️ because this was SO CLOSE. The plot was interesting, the female main character was an absolute chaotic queen but without the cringe. It’s LITERALLY enemies to lovers because he imprisoned her for 700 years. But then… it fell flat.
Right from chapter one, the main male character is thinking about all the ways to get her naked and even though he pretends to tell himself he hates her, it’s definitely not an enemies to lovers execution even though it was a perfect set up for it.
These characters are Greek goddesses and gods so of course they’re gonna be messy and ultimately, wars and whatnot are just a regular Tuesday for them so even if at times, they acted weird and it felt kind of insta lovey because this book is so short, I forgave it a little because they literally can and do and feel whatever they want. Side note: even goddesses have mummy issues.
BUT this book had SO MUCH potential. I feel physically robbed. I picked this book up expecting it to be a five star and the writing was decent, but it just felt rushed. Everything felt rushed. Give it 250 more pages, a better enemies to lovers progression, make them absolutely hate each other’s guts, expand on the plot a lot more and this would’ve been one of my favourite books.
Never been so dissapointed even if I did have a good time.
Right from chapter one, the main male character is thinking about all the ways to get her naked and even though he pretends to tell himself he hates her, it’s definitely not an enemies to lovers execution even though it was a perfect set up for it.
These characters are Greek goddesses and gods so of course they’re gonna be messy and ultimately, wars and whatnot are just a regular Tuesday for them so even if at times, they acted weird and it felt kind of insta lovey because this book is so short, I forgave it a little because they literally can and do and feel whatever they want. Side note: even goddesses have mummy issues.
BUT this book had SO MUCH potential. I feel physically robbed. I picked this book up expecting it to be a five star and the writing was decent, but it just felt rushed. Everything felt rushed. Give it 250 more pages, a better enemies to lovers progression, make them absolutely hate each other’s guts, expand on the plot a lot more and this would’ve been one of my favourite books.
Never been so dissapointed even if I did have a good time.
February 14, 2024
A pleasant surprise
I like reading , i like reading a lot. During this endeavor of mine I ve seen good books , really good books and beyond the mediocrity books. This one was a surprisingly good one. I've never read nothing of this author, I've came upon this one and I was intrigued by the plot. Eris, Apollo Hermes oh let us see this one, it helped that it was on promotion of course. Still I was pulled into the pages almost immediately that I could see the Tartarus oh scratch that I couldn't see but feel the silence and the nothingness of it. I was desperate alongside Eris and furious with the other gods. And oh the mighty how they have fallen. The Olympians were forgotten merely surviving. Apollo was smug overbearing condescending self righteous but still a God to be reckon. The second character well well written also Nemesis was my favorite and Leathe. Overall it has a consistent storyline interesting characters who developed all along giving in, pushing back growing eventually. I liked it and I was surprised because I didn't expected it. Of course I'm a Greek and a sucker for Greek mythology. Nevertheless I will recommend it and I m buying the next one.
I like reading , i like reading a lot. During this endeavor of mine I ve seen good books , really good books and beyond the mediocrity books. This one was a surprisingly good one. I've never read nothing of this author, I've came upon this one and I was intrigued by the plot. Eris, Apollo Hermes oh let us see this one, it helped that it was on promotion of course. Still I was pulled into the pages almost immediately that I could see the Tartarus oh scratch that I couldn't see but feel the silence and the nothingness of it. I was desperate alongside Eris and furious with the other gods. And oh the mighty how they have fallen. The Olympians were forgotten merely surviving. Apollo was smug overbearing condescending self righteous but still a God to be reckon. The second character well well written also Nemesis was my favorite and Leathe. Overall it has a consistent storyline interesting characters who developed all along giving in, pushing back growing eventually. I liked it and I was surprised because I didn't expected it. Of course I'm a Greek and a sucker for Greek mythology. Nevertheless I will recommend it and I m buying the next one.
March 19, 2024
4⭐️
3🌶️
If you’re a big fan of romance and Greek mythology, Strife’s Apple is a must-read! I loved that this story wasn’t revolved around your usual Hades & Persephone. Instead, this one is about Apollo and Eris who are the perfect reps for opposites attract and enemies-to-lovers ❤️🔥
After being imprisoned in Tartarus for 700 years, Eris has been freed by the one person who sent her there, Apollo. Having had multiple intimate visions of them together, Apollo can’t help but wonder if Eris is the key to finding out the reason why the gods and goddesses are “decaying”; aging and loosing their memory, and in some cases, dying, especially since she seems to be immune to it.
I really enjoyed this book! The banter and tension between Apollo and Eris draws you into this story. With the supporting characters adding more interest, you can’t help yourself from wanting to keep flipping the pages to find out what’s going to happen next, and I couldn’t even suspect what the outcome was. And the steamy scenes are sure to satisfy all spicy lovers as it’s in a balanced ratio with the plot. Overall, I would recommend this book to all romance readers ❤️❤️
3🌶️
If you’re a big fan of romance and Greek mythology, Strife’s Apple is a must-read! I loved that this story wasn’t revolved around your usual Hades & Persephone. Instead, this one is about Apollo and Eris who are the perfect reps for opposites attract and enemies-to-lovers ❤️🔥
After being imprisoned in Tartarus for 700 years, Eris has been freed by the one person who sent her there, Apollo. Having had multiple intimate visions of them together, Apollo can’t help but wonder if Eris is the key to finding out the reason why the gods and goddesses are “decaying”; aging and loosing their memory, and in some cases, dying, especially since she seems to be immune to it.
I really enjoyed this book! The banter and tension between Apollo and Eris draws you into this story. With the supporting characters adding more interest, you can’t help yourself from wanting to keep flipping the pages to find out what’s going to happen next, and I couldn’t even suspect what the outcome was. And the steamy scenes are sure to satisfy all spicy lovers as it’s in a balanced ratio with the plot. Overall, I would recommend this book to all romance readers ❤️❤️
December 31, 2022
Shoshana is an amazing author, and it shows. You would never guess this book is a debut — the prose is beautiful and tight, the plot weaves seamlessly, and the character development is top notch.
Greek mythology has been done over and over again, especially in fantasy romance, but not quite like this. Shoshana picks an unusual pairing (Eris, goddess of discord, and Apollo) and tosses them in modern times, having existed for millennia but struggling now with the threat of extinction. Gods and goddesses have been losing their memory and aging, dying. Apollo, who gets glimpses of the future, knows he needs Eris’ help to stop it, but getting the prickly goddess to cooperate is going to be anything but simple.
There’s twists and turns, complicated family dynamics, an enemies-to-lovers, grumpXsunshine (she’s the grump) romance, fantastically fleshes out side characters (and poly rep), and wonderfully executed spice guaranteed to have you fanning yourself.
I seriously can’t recommend this book, and anything else Shoshana writes, enough. Pick it up before the sequel drops!
Greek mythology has been done over and over again, especially in fantasy romance, but not quite like this. Shoshana picks an unusual pairing (Eris, goddess of discord, and Apollo) and tosses them in modern times, having existed for millennia but struggling now with the threat of extinction. Gods and goddesses have been losing their memory and aging, dying. Apollo, who gets glimpses of the future, knows he needs Eris’ help to stop it, but getting the prickly goddess to cooperate is going to be anything but simple.
There’s twists and turns, complicated family dynamics, an enemies-to-lovers, grumpXsunshine (she’s the grump) romance, fantastically fleshes out side characters (and poly rep), and wonderfully executed spice guaranteed to have you fanning yourself.
I seriously can’t recommend this book, and anything else Shoshana writes, enough. Pick it up before the sequel drops!
February 21, 2024
Strife’s Apple
Fantastic! A fresh updated take on Greek mythology and the gods and goddesses. I really enjoyed the story! It didn’t pull any punches and captured the gods as they are.
Strife… ah, she was a feisty like firecracker that was full of chaos. She was fun and a little crazy. I liked her growth throughout the story and how she grew into this newer version without compromising who and what she was.
Apollo was so damn reasonable. lol He was an interesting character and so noble, the complete opposite of Strife. They really completed each other perfectly. They were a balance neither knew they needed.
I loved the banter and steamy scenes between the characters as well.
As for the world and overall story, it was great. I liked the modern take on things and I really enjoyed the thrilling tension and mystery throughout the story. It kept me on the edge of my seat until the end.
If you need more reasons to read, check out these tropes:
- enemies to lovers
- Greek gods and goddesses
- stabby FMC
- protective MMC
- steam
Fantastic! A fresh updated take on Greek mythology and the gods and goddesses. I really enjoyed the story! It didn’t pull any punches and captured the gods as they are.
Strife… ah, she was a feisty like firecracker that was full of chaos. She was fun and a little crazy. I liked her growth throughout the story and how she grew into this newer version without compromising who and what she was.
Apollo was so damn reasonable. lol He was an interesting character and so noble, the complete opposite of Strife. They really completed each other perfectly. They were a balance neither knew they needed.
I loved the banter and steamy scenes between the characters as well.
As for the world and overall story, it was great. I liked the modern take on things and I really enjoyed the thrilling tension and mystery throughout the story. It kept me on the edge of my seat until the end.
If you need more reasons to read, check out these tropes:
- enemies to lovers
- Greek gods and goddesses
- stabby FMC
- protective MMC
- steam
March 18, 2024
The gods are dying, and Apollo is desperate to save them, even if it means releasing Eris the Demigoddess of discord. She has been locked in Tartarus for hundreds of years. She may be the only one who can save the gods from the decay. It will be hard working with Apollo as she blames him for his role in her imprisonment, but they have to work together in order to succeed.
I’d love Greek mythology retelling, and this one was excellent. I love Eris’s snarky attitude and Apollo’s caring nature. I also love that one minute Aris was liking Apollo the next she wanted to kill him. Their chemistry was great with just the right amount of spice.
“His perfection infuriates me. I want to mess his hair, make him narrow, make those golden eyes spark. He’s entirely too proper for his own good. I also want to stab him in the throat.”
A refreshing retelling that we don’t normally see with well paced plot, great characters and some spice. I highly recommend and can’t wait to read more from this author.
I’d love Greek mythology retelling, and this one was excellent. I love Eris’s snarky attitude and Apollo’s caring nature. I also love that one minute Aris was liking Apollo the next she wanted to kill him. Their chemistry was great with just the right amount of spice.
“His perfection infuriates me. I want to mess his hair, make him narrow, make those golden eyes spark. He’s entirely too proper for his own good. I also want to stab him in the throat.”
A refreshing retelling that we don’t normally see with well paced plot, great characters and some spice. I highly recommend and can’t wait to read more from this author.
August 17, 2024
Kudos to the author for successfully telling a Greek pantheon story without inventing any OCs, without making any of the gods seem out of character for the aspect they represent, and without totally ignoring their complicated histories and interpersonal relationships instead of just making everyone a childless single twenty-something with a weird name and magic powers. I think the pairing of Apollo and Eris totally works in an “opposites attract” kind of way, a la beautiful Aphrodite and ugly Hephaestus.
The thing that stopped this from being a five-star novel for me was the feeling that the relationship wasn’t really built on anything solid, and that it might very well fall apart—a notion which is reiterated by the characters several times and never gets adequately addressed. Furthermore, I felt that Apollo’s best strength was in his ability to seduce Eris, but he never apologized in the way I wanted. He seemed remorseful about condemning her to Tartarus, but it wasn’t grovel, y’know?
The thing that stopped this from being a five-star novel for me was the feeling that the relationship wasn’t really built on anything solid, and that it might very well fall apart—a notion which is reiterated by the characters several times and never gets adequately addressed. Furthermore, I felt that Apollo’s best strength was in his ability to seduce Eris, but he never apologized in the way I wanted. He seemed remorseful about condemning her to Tartarus, but it wasn’t grovel, y’know?
January 14, 2023
I finished this book months ago and the characters are still living rent free in my mind. Seriously! I've read so many other books since but I keep mentally revisiting this one.
What an incredible debut novel! The pacing is superb, the premise and plot intriguing, the character development impressive yet believable, and the steam is just **chef's kiss.**
Eris is the sort of heroine I've been longing for. She lives up to her role as Discord and Strife, takes absolutely no BS from anyone, is selfish and impulsive, relishing chaos... While Apollo is pretty much the opposite, restrained and strategic, relying on his sense of logic (flawed though it's been at times) to attempt to save the rest of godkind.
*****POTENTIAL SPOILERS AHEAD*****
I especially love that it was not necessary for Eris to change or tone her nature down in the process of tackling the problems and complications that arose. And that Apollo was (eventually) accepting and supportive of her as she is.
What an incredible debut novel! The pacing is superb, the premise and plot intriguing, the character development impressive yet believable, and the steam is just **chef's kiss.**
Eris is the sort of heroine I've been longing for. She lives up to her role as Discord and Strife, takes absolutely no BS from anyone, is selfish and impulsive, relishing chaos... While Apollo is pretty much the opposite, restrained and strategic, relying on his sense of logic (flawed though it's been at times) to attempt to save the rest of godkind.
*****POTENTIAL SPOILERS AHEAD*****
I especially love that it was not necessary for Eris to change or tone her nature down in the process of tackling the problems and complications that arose. And that Apollo was (eventually) accepting and supportive of her as she is.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 15, 2024
Have you checked out Shoshana Rain yet? She has a lot of great books for those who are fans of mythology, and she has a why choose series she’s writing right now. It was so fun for me to read the first book in her mythology series!
I loved Strife (Eris). She. Was. Strife. And unapologetically so. She made me laugh a few times with how much she enjoyed being herself. She’s a woman scorned, and rightly so. I enjoyed her development and where she ended.
Apollo is all the heart eyes. He’s such a great character and is such a cinnamon roll (who would have thought that I would use that term with Apollo). He was definitely my favorite part of this book, and I loved the actions he took toward the end of the story.
Tropes:
🍎Mythology
🍎Enemies to Lovers
🍎He Falls First
🍎Black Cat x Golden Retriever
Thank you, Shoshana and RR Book Tours for sending me this ARC.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
🌶️🌶️.5
I loved Strife (Eris). She. Was. Strife. And unapologetically so. She made me laugh a few times with how much she enjoyed being herself. She’s a woman scorned, and rightly so. I enjoyed her development and where she ended.
Apollo is all the heart eyes. He’s such a great character and is such a cinnamon roll (who would have thought that I would use that term with Apollo). He was definitely my favorite part of this book, and I loved the actions he took toward the end of the story.
Tropes:
🍎Mythology
🍎Enemies to Lovers
🍎He Falls First
🍎Black Cat x Golden Retriever
Thank you, Shoshana and RR Book Tours for sending me this ARC.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
🌶️🌶️.5
July 4, 2024
Goddess of Nyx’s daughter, Eris has been held guilty for the death of many mortals in Apollo’s court. Furious, she looks at the faces of those she hoped would speak-up for her, only to be disappointed. Zeus’ son sentences her to be locked away in the depths of Tartarus for an eternity. All gods silently relish the sight of Eris being dragged away from the court, their ears ringing with Eris’ curse promising them that they'd soon be forgotten by the very mortals whom they're siding with, and fade away into nothingness.
Centuries pass and Apollo seems to have a change of heart. Eris is let out of the Underworld, only to realise that her words seem to have come true.
• Eris’ personality is the only highlight of this book for me.
• No idea how stone-cold Apollo suddenly develops a typical jock personality. Smirking all the time, I mean.
• All the other gods in this book seem so unlikable. I'd hate being Eris only to be surrounded by these people for God knows how long.
• Favourite scene: Eris, Apollo and Mt. Vesuvius.
Centuries pass and Apollo seems to have a change of heart. Eris is let out of the Underworld, only to realise that her words seem to have come true.
• Eris’ personality is the only highlight of this book for me.
• No idea how stone-cold Apollo suddenly develops a typical jock personality. Smirking all the time, I mean.
• All the other gods in this book seem so unlikable. I'd hate being Eris only to be surrounded by these people for God knows how long.
• Favourite scene: Eris, Apollo and Mt. Vesuvius.
August 13, 2022
Woah, this is one hell of a debut book for author Shoshana Rain. This storyline, I’ve always loved Greek mythology and the writing in this book is stunning.
The world building, details, dialogue and characters are all written so well that it makes for a great read. I enjoyed it so much, I was able to lose myself in the story. I felt Eris’s emotions from the very start and felt for the plight of the Gods.
The mystery of who, what and why it was happening and the action packed journey that Apollo and Eris undergo to try and solve it make for an engaging read.
The delicious tension between our too MCs is wonderful, building from the very start and reaching to a very HOT and spicy…climax. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading future works by this amazing author. I definitely recommend this read!
The world building, details, dialogue and characters are all written so well that it makes for a great read. I enjoyed it so much, I was able to lose myself in the story. I felt Eris’s emotions from the very start and felt for the plight of the Gods.
The mystery of who, what and why it was happening and the action packed journey that Apollo and Eris undergo to try and solve it make for an engaging read.
The delicious tension between our too MCs is wonderful, building from the very start and reaching to a very HOT and spicy…climax. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading future works by this amazing author. I definitely recommend this read!
March 5, 2024
I am totally infatuated with Greek Mythology, so I love reading romance novels that center around it. But I will admit, I am getting a little bored with Hades, Persephone, and Cupid. So when I can across this book, the inner nerd in me just squealed in delight!! Eris a demi-goddess of strife and discord (the grumpy FMC) and Apollo, the god of reason and sunlight (the sunshiny MMC) have to work together to figure out why the gods and goddesses are becoming mortal. I absolutely LOVED that Eris was a snarky grump and the banter between the two characters was fantastic! Apollo falls hard for her and has to work to break through her hard, candy coated grumpy exterior! I loved the storyline, the choice of characters, the dialogue, the spicy scenes, just everything about this book! It was amazing and I’m glad I found this series a little later so that I can go right into book 2!!!
September 16, 2024
Strifes Apple plats with the ancient Greek gods and brings them into the 21st century.
Eris the goddess of strife is imprisoned for 700 years after causing discord on earth and between the God's.
After a strange blight begins to rob the god of their ichor Apollo acts on his visions to stop it by releasing Eris.
This classic enemies to lovers trope has plenty spice, has more in jokes than your average classicist will know what to do with and a plot that is not too bad.
Unfortunately the author has fallen into the trap of telling over showing. Via the dual pov I was hoping there would be more fleshing out of the main relationship and even that of the other gods unfortunately we are just told rather than shown. Which left me feeling that it was inorganic.
Thank you to Netgalley for the arc
Eris the goddess of strife is imprisoned for 700 years after causing discord on earth and between the God's.
After a strange blight begins to rob the god of their ichor Apollo acts on his visions to stop it by releasing Eris.
This classic enemies to lovers trope has plenty spice, has more in jokes than your average classicist will know what to do with and a plot that is not too bad.
Unfortunately the author has fallen into the trap of telling over showing. Via the dual pov I was hoping there would be more fleshing out of the main relationship and even that of the other gods unfortunately we are just told rather than shown. Which left me feeling that it was inorganic.
Thank you to Netgalley for the arc
December 18, 2022
I absolutely LOVED this book. It's definitely more for a more mature audience (18+) but I enjoyed every aspect of it.
Despite my personal disliking of Apollo, this book made me dislike him less. (Meaning I like him. Just a little bit.)
And ERIS, OH. MY BEAUTIFUL GODDESS OF DISCORD. I LOVE HER. SO MUCH.
It is so nice to see another god/goddess than your typical Hades/Persephone book - I have grown rather tired of the old tales. I mean, there are SO MANY other gods out there who are far more fascinating...
And to have the God of REASON with the Goddess of DISCORD! Talk about opposites attract.
This was the perfect read and I CANNOT wait for the second one; which is set to release NEXT MAY (2023)😭
Despite my personal disliking of Apollo, this book made me dislike him less. (Meaning I like him. Just a little bit.)
And ERIS, OH. MY BEAUTIFUL GODDESS OF DISCORD. I LOVE HER. SO MUCH.
It is so nice to see another god/goddess than your typical Hades/Persephone book - I have grown rather tired of the old tales. I mean, there are SO MANY other gods out there who are far more fascinating...
And to have the God of REASON with the Goddess of DISCORD! Talk about opposites attract.
This was the perfect read and I CANNOT wait for the second one; which is set to release NEXT MAY (2023)😭
January 21, 2023
I love Greek mythology! Mixed with enemies to lovers, forced proximity and grumpy/sunshine with the FMC being the grump! I’m all in.
This was very different than your normal myth retellings to me. Apollo is a god, a Olympian and is often in retellings where Eris is you demigoddess of strife and discord.
I love how Eris swoons over Apollo but equally wants to kill him. After being trapped in Tartarus for almost 700 years she never lost her sharp tongue or whit. Apollo freed her in hope to save the gods from decaying and find himself unable to deny his attraction for her. They have to work together to get to the bottom of why the gods or decaying.
I’m excited to see where these series goes!
This was very different than your normal myth retellings to me. Apollo is a god, a Olympian and is often in retellings where Eris is you demigoddess of strife and discord.
I love how Eris swoons over Apollo but equally wants to kill him. After being trapped in Tartarus for almost 700 years she never lost her sharp tongue or whit. Apollo freed her in hope to save the gods from decaying and find himself unable to deny his attraction for her. They have to work together to get to the bottom of why the gods or decaying.
I’m excited to see where these series goes!
March 23, 2024
I love the Demi-goddess Eris - not a lot is written about her, so it’s really fun in this retelling to get her story. A great reinvision, this book has a lot of fun twists and turns. Eris and Apollo are such great foils and this book draws you in at the very beginning and is a lovely page turner that keeps you wanting to see wat happens. If you’re looking for a good myth retelling, put this one on your list.
This Fantasy Romance/ Greek Mythology has tropes of:
🏛️Enemies-to-lovers
❤️Grumpy/sunshine (she's grumpy)
🏛️Locked her in Tartarus (isn't sorry)
❤️Hate everyone but you (and maybe you too)
🏛️We Need to f*ck this out
❤️Anti-heroine
🏛️Has to save everyone. Doesn't want to
Thanks to RR books and the author for this #ad
This Fantasy Romance/ Greek Mythology has tropes of:
🏛️Enemies-to-lovers
❤️Grumpy/sunshine (she's grumpy)
🏛️Locked her in Tartarus (isn't sorry)
❤️Hate everyone but you (and maybe you too)
🏛️We Need to f*ck this out
❤️Anti-heroine
🏛️Has to save everyone. Doesn't want to
Thanks to RR books and the author for this #ad
May 16, 2024
Book Review: Strife’s Apple by Shoshana Rain
I love Mythology so I had to read this!!!! I loved this retelling of Eris and Apollo. You don’t normally see them so this was a great read! I love the dual perspective and how it feels rushed and drives the characters! This is a medium burn with a few really steamy spicy scenes. The story is captivating, complex, and was well paced and the dialogue and character growth was the chefs kiss!!!💋 definitely add to your TBR!! It’s a spectacular read!
This book is for you if you like Katee Roberts Dark Olympus series.
🏛️Enemies-to-lovers
❤️Grumpy/sunshine (she’s grumpy)
🏛️Locked her in Tartarus (isn’t sorry)
❤️Hate everyone but you (and maybe you too)
🏛️We Need to f*ck this out
❤️Anti-heroine
🏛️Has to save everyone. Doesn’t want to
I love Mythology so I had to read this!!!! I loved this retelling of Eris and Apollo. You don’t normally see them so this was a great read! I love the dual perspective and how it feels rushed and drives the characters! This is a medium burn with a few really steamy spicy scenes. The story is captivating, complex, and was well paced and the dialogue and character growth was the chefs kiss!!!💋 definitely add to your TBR!! It’s a spectacular read!
This book is for you if you like Katee Roberts Dark Olympus series.
🏛️Enemies-to-lovers
❤️Grumpy/sunshine (she’s grumpy)
🏛️Locked her in Tartarus (isn’t sorry)
❤️Hate everyone but you (and maybe you too)
🏛️We Need to f*ck this out
❤️Anti-heroine
🏛️Has to save everyone. Doesn’t want to
Displaying 1 - 30 of 76 reviews