Title: Taking Medusa (Dark Gods Rising, Book 1)
Author: S.M. McCoy
Voice Actors: Stevie Marie
Genre: Fantasy Romance, Greek Myth Monster Retelling
Book Blurb:
A Greek Myth Monster Retelling
My blood can cure death, but it can also be the deadliest poison on Earth, and the gods will try to kill me just for existing. Hades wants me to join him. Zeus is still bitter about an age-old prophecy that the dark gods, the monsters of Tartarus, will rule Olympus. And Poseidon is the key to everything, maybe even my heart, but his son, Triton, rules Atlantis, and I accidentally killed his daughter, Coraline.All I know for certain is the gods have mistreated us "monsters" long enough, and I’m yanking through the ribbons of fate to change my history before I’m beheaded all over again.My name is Alessandra, most call me Aless, and I had no idea my family was more than just superstitious, they were hiding me from the gods, and lying about who I was.I was Medusa.And now that the gods have found me… I’m destined to die.
Using current known Greek myths as we know them and retelling them from Medusa’s perspective. After all, history is written by the victors, and the bards got the story all wrong. Poets were influenced by the reigning Olympians, and Medusa still lives in Florida after convincing her over protective mom to let her go to college. Her previous life was erased from memory so the gods wouldn’t find her, but fate has a way of repeating itself, and the sea is calling for her return.A paranormal myth and legends adventure romance that will have you flipping pages well past your bedtime to know what happens next as the dark gods rise up and prove being a hero is a matter of perspective.
My Review:
Story Impressions –
Her mother kept her hidden from the gods…good thing because they want her dead. Her name won’t mean much to you, but her former name is none other than Medusa. Taking Medusa is an all-consuming fantasy romance listen. The author is narrating which takes this audiobook to the next level. S.M. McCoy adds inflection and nuances to the story which makes for an intoxicating listen. If you’re a Greek mythology lover like me, you’ll be astounded by Taking Medusa.
Narrator’s overall voice –Stevie has a vibrant voice with great personality to it. She takes each character and brings them to light using inflection.
Does the narrator fit the characters?Yes, she does. Stevie uses her voice as an instrument, so each character has their own voice. From Aless to the rest of the characters, it’s a full cast of characters Stevie recreates with ease.
Narrator’s reading style –Stevie’s reading style is effortless, and I found it easy to get caught up in the story. The pronunciation is clear, no matter which character is speaking.
Narrator’s impact on reading experience –Stevie adds a new level of enjoyment for me. Her characterizations are brilliant, and I would listen to it again and again.
Narrator’s pacing –The pacing is well done with plenty of dramatic pauses so the reader can follow along without getting lost.
Audiobook flow –The audiobook flowed from start to finish with the right balance of wit, romance, and intrigue. I didn’t want to stop reading.
What makes this audiobook unique –What makes this unique is the storyline and the way Stevie brings it to life. I just finished reading it and I want to read it again.
Would I recommend this audiobook –YES! I would recommend this to any reader looking for a fantasy romance or monster romance or even Greek mythology retelling. There are a full cast of characters and Stevie brings each one to life. Highly recommend!
My Rating: 5++ stars
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Author Biography:
S.M. McCoy is a mom of two tiny humans in training, narrates audiobooks for fantasy/sci-fi indie authors, and when she isn’t writing (which is MOST of the time) you can find her consuming copious amounts of coffee, promoting indie authors, reading alien smut, fantasy, sci-fi and romance books, chowing down on Indian butter chicken, and when she actually hangs out with people in person, in real life, outside of the internet, (gasps) she’s playing board or card games. All around nerd, lover of the strange, and all things fantastical.
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Reviewed by: Nancy