Peasreads- This Immortal Heart A Novel of Aphrodite by Jennifer Saint

This Immortal Heart
A Novel of Aphrodite by Jennifer Saint
Pub Date Jun 09 2026 

This Immortal Heart is a book about Aphrodite and Ares. Told through Aphrodite's POV. I like Jennifer Saint's writing and have enjoyed a few of her books. I've never been academic about how I write reviews. If I enjoyed the book, it was entertaining, it flowed well, the characters weren't annoying, and I finished it without wanting to put it down; that's a win for me. This book is a 4-5 star read. I love mythology and retellings. Did I LOVE Aphrodite? Not really. She was her, and her nature made her behave and think in certain ways. I liked that her character made sense. She's the goddess of love. She's strong and loves her followers. This is a story about her, Ares, her followers, Hephestus, and the politics of the Olympian Gods. Zeus is, of course, the universal A-hole.  There really is no way to spin that one to make him any different. Ares and Hephestus, I really liked. They were true to their nature. They both had a past that shaped them and put them on different paths. Which I suspect is all of us. 
Reading as Aphrodite weaved through life and the politics of Olympian court life while staying true to her core was interesting. The story flowed well. It is not a long read. Well paced. 

Description

The epic, captivating tale of Aphrodite, the goddess of love, who must reconcile her mind and heart when she is drawn against all odds to Ares, the god of war, from the internationally bestselling author of Ariadne and Hera.

The stunning first edition hardcover of This Immortal Heart features gorgeous endpapers and a stamped case!

From the moment Aphrodite emerges fully formed from the sea, she is devastatingly beautiful and imbued with ancient power. Driven by passion yet strategic in how she moves through the halls of Olympus and the earthly realm alike, the free-willed goddess wields unparalleled influence over every living being.

When fate brings her face-to-face with Ares, she bristles at this surly, hot-tempered warrior who’s seemingly her opposite: disliked by everyone and devoted to stirring up conflict. Yet these gods are no more immune to the dizzying highs and lows of love and loss than anyone else, and soon, they are irresistibly drawn to one another.

As their love affair spans mortal lifetimes, Aphrodite begins to question the gods’ games and her role in them. But there’s only so much room for fire and passion in Zeus’s kingdom. Before long, she must test her devotion to her own divine purpose—and to a love that can only lead to ruin.

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Thank you, NetGalley and Ballantine | Ballantine Books, for this galley. I was under no obligation to leave a review. All opinions are my own. 

Peasreads: The Women of Artemis Hannah Lynn

 

I'm always a fan of Hannah Lynn's writing. This was a great story. It was hard to read in some parts due to the domestic violence, sexual assault (Nothing described). It was also so sad that so many of the women were in these relationships. I think Hannah did a good job with how she wrote about the abuse and how each character dealt with it. I truly enjoyed this book.
Description
Mothers. Daughters. Warriors. Women.

This is the never-before-told story of history's most ferocious heroines: this is the rise of the Amazons.

When she first married at fourteen, Otrera imagined a relationship full of love. A partnership. Years later, living in destitution with her abusive husband, she knows that no such thing exists with a man. It is simply a woman's lot in life to accept the treatment of her husband.

Until it's not.

Rallying the women around her, Otrera fights back, taking no prisoners. Because it's clear to her: when men are in power, freedom isn't granted. It's bought with blood. It's a price she is more than willing to pay, if it means building a new life with other women far from the reaches of their abusers.

But a community of women - an army of women - is bound to make enemies of gods and men alike.

This is the story of Otrera and the first Amazons.

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I received this egalley from NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark I was under no obligation to give a review. All opinions are my own. 

Peasreads- Persephone's Curse by Katrina Leno

Magical realism reads about four sisters that is reminiscent of Little Women. I've never had sisters, but I imagine this is what it must be like, or maybe I hope it must be like. Built in friendships, love, disagreements, mistakes, forgiveness, and a bond like no other. The Farthing sisters have always been told that they are descendants of Persephone herself. Could it be true? Each Farthing sister has a unique talent, not really magic, that is called upon. They do have a ghost that lives in their attic, who happens to be a dear friend. Henry. Henry has always been a part of their lives. No one else can see Henry, still, he has grown up with them and loved them. All is well until Henry and one of the sisters fall in love. The story is told from Winnie's point of view; she is the third-oldest sister. 

Fast-paced, this story moves along, and I kept turning the page to see what happens next. Very entertaining.  This was a quick read; it is categorized as a middle-grade read for 8-12-year-olds.  It has language (the F word), and the sisters are ages 14 to 18. I thought it was YA.  

Description

The Hazel Wood meets Laini Taylor in this gorgeous urban fantasy of sisterhood, ghosts, and old family curses.

Are the four Farthing sisters really descended from Persephone? This is what their aunt has always told them: that the women in their family can trace their lineage right back to the Goddess of the Dead. And maybe she's right, because the Farthing girls do have a ghost in the attic of their New York City brownstone —a kind and gentle ghost named Henry, who only they can see.

When one of the sisters falls in love with the ghost, and another banishes him to the Underworld, the sisters are faced with even bigger questions about who they are. If they really are related to Persephone, and they really are a bit magic, then perhaps it’s up to them to save Henry, to save the world, and to save each other.

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I received this egalley from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books I was under no obligation to give a review. All opinions are my own. 

Peasreads- Aphrodite by Phoenicia Rogerson

 Oh this book was so fun to read! I'm laughing, clutching my pearls, and hungry for more.  What a great take on on the Greek Gods and Aphrodite's story.  I loved the writing style, and the "footnotes" from Aphrodite herself were hilarious.  This is the first book I have read  by Phoenicia Rogerson, but it won't be the last. 

Pub Date Nov 11 2025

From the award-winning author of Herc, an enrapturing feminist tale that brilliantly reimagines the story of Aphrodite and how she transformed herself from a lowly outsider to the darling goddess of love, for readers of Madeline Miller and Jennifer Saint.

Aphrodite saw the gods on Mount Olympus and decided she wanted a piece of what they had. Only problem is, she’s not a goddess, just a lowly being who's supposed to remain in a distant cave, keeping the threads of Fate woven neatly. But Aphrodite’s never let anyone tell her what to do…

Weaving herself a web of lies and careful deceptions, she convinces everyone she’s the goddess of love and that her rightful place is among the Olympians, who lord it over everyone else at the top of the world, but under the stifling rule of Zeus. For the first time, she has the best of everything, as well as friends, peers, even loved ones. Only, being a goddess isn’t quite like she thought. Those who oppose Zeus tend to disappear, or worse. And one day, Aphrodite decides she’s had enough…

#Greek #greekmythology #aphrodite #ares #zeus #currentRead #TBR #readme

#instabook #instaread #booktok #BooksOf2025 #ToBeRead #read #reading #Peasreads #reader #books #fantasy

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Thank you @harlequinbooks
@hanoversquarepress @NetGalley for this egalley. I was under no obligation to give a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Peasread: A Spartan's Sorrow (The Grecian Women Trilogy, #2) Hannah Lynn

 

A Spartan's Sorrow (The Grecian Women Trilogy, #2) 

My thoughts:

This retelling of the life of Clytemnestra and later in the book her son, Orestes. The focus is on Queen Clytemnestra's life during the Trojan War. The King, Agamemnon, her husband is away with many of the men in the kingdom. Many await the return of their loved ones, and Clytemnestra hopes the King never returns. Agamemnon does the unthinkable and sacrifices their oldest daughter to a goddess. Clytemnestra is determined to keep her remaining children safe. 

This is a story about a mother's love, revenge, and obligation. I am a fan of Hannah Lynn and this subgenre. This is a great retelling. There is depth and complexity to the characters. If you liked Circe you'll love A Spartan's Sorrow.