Can't-Wait Wednesday: A Gorgon's Guide to Getting a Life by Ellen Meny

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings, to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about that we have yet to read.
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A Gorgon's Guide to Getting a Life by Ellen Meny
Expected publication: May 11, 2027 by Ace

Sometimes your sisters won’t talk to you. And sometimes a goddess gives you snakes for hair and a lethal stare. And sometimes the only way you can face your demons is by leaving the cave you call home. . . even if the outside world is filled with idiots. Just another day in the life of a gorgon.

Fifteen years after Athena turned them into gorgons, Medusa and her sisters’ relationship has gone from inseparable to impossible. Euryale is annoyingly perfect, and Stheno has disappeared. Guilt-ridden and traumatized by the past, Medusa spends her days hiding in her cave, enduring patronizing visits from Eury, slamming a bottle of ouzo (or six), and turning wannabe heroes into stone. Fun!

But when some kid named Perseus tries to behead her to save his mother from a wicked king, Medusa sees an opportunity: take Perseus under her wing (literally), rescue his mother, and finally prove to her sister that she definitely has her life together. But the journey across Ancient Greece quickly brings fresh horrors: screeching, topless harpies hound their every move, a hot demigod keeps trying to kill her (or worse, date her), and Medusa’s newfound crew wants to…be friends. Ugh.

This gorgon’s got a decision to make: go back to her safe, sad life or finally take off the bedazzled sunglasses and face not only gods and monsters, but her worst enemy yet – herself.

I first came across this book on a post by Tammy at Books, Bones & Buffy. And of course I had to put it on my wishlist right away. Greek mythology, Medusa + it sounds hilarious. I can't wait to read it!

What book are you awaiting today?

Review: Slay by Jasmine Elmer

Title: Slay: Ancient legends of female slayers and the hidden mythology of dragons
Author: Jasmine Elmer
Publication: July 2, 2026 by John Murray Press
Genre: Nonfiction, Mythology
Find it on: Amazon | Kobo | Google Play | Waterstones
Rating: 4/5★

'A groundbreaking reclamation of the forgotten women who slay dragons. A must-read for dragon fans.' Professor Daniel Ogden

A seminal chronicle of the hidden history and mythology of female dragon slayers from ancient world expert and author of Goddess with a Thousand Faces Jasmine Elmer.

The dragon is a monster with a rich history of symbolism in almost every culture. In the stories that have been passed down through time, dragons lurk in the great wild, in dark, unknown and mysterious lands that exist on the periphery of human civilisation. Only the bravest of souls dare venture into the darkness to vanquish the dragon - and so often the tales have only shone light on the men. But what if there is so much more to this narrative?

Jasmine Elmer shifts the spotlight to the daring and victorious female dragon slayers that have been written out of history. Slayers such as the sorceress Medea. Combining historical research with mythological retelling, Slay is a celebration of the dragon - and the woman that conquered the monsters - that has never been done before.

Slay is a distinctive and revelatory historical and mythological exploration of dragons, the stories and cultures around them, and the fierce women who slayed them.

Praise for Goddess with a Thousand Faces

'Fascinating, fun and thoughtful and enlightening' Jennifer Saint, author of Ariadne

'A beautiful weave of history, myth and storytelling by one of our most exciting new classicists' Dan Snow, historian and TV presenter

'Gorgeous. Jasmine Elmer has a fierce passion for these women, and this shines through in her writing' Lizzy Tiffin, author of Bad Girls of Ancient Greece

'If you love history and feminist retellings, this is your next must-read' Rachel Blackmore, author of Costanza

'Jasmine Elmer's sparkling debut offers up a refreshing, inclusive and powerfully feminist manifesto for what it means to be a goddess, ancient and modern' Emily Hauser, author of Mythica

In Slay, classicist Jasmine Elmer uncovers the forgotten women who conquered dragons, blending history, mythology, and captivating storytelling. She gives these fierce female figures the recognition they deserve and revealing the hidden myths surrounding dragons across the world.

As someone who’s always loved learning about the forgotten women in history and mythology, I knew there was no way I wouldn’t enjoy this book. Add female dragon slayers to the mix and it was even more of a hit for me. I really liked how each chapter opened with a story told from the first-person perspective of a different female dragon slayer.

Elmer started with the Ancient Greek story of Medea, definitely the most famous one of the bunch. She then introduced Thákane from South African folklore, Tokoyo from Japanese tradition and concludes with the medieval Christian legend of Margaret of Antioch. My favorite out of these was the story of Thákane!

I loved how different these stories were and how they came from all over the world, yet they all shared the same theme of women overcoming whatever adversary lay in their path. Beyond these stories, I also really enjoyed Elmer’s exploration of dragon mythology and how dragons have been portrayed differently across cultures and around the world.

Overall, Slay: Ancient legends of female slayers and the hidden mythology of dragons was absolutely fascinating. It was my first book by Jasmine Elmer but it certainly won't be my last. I'm already looking forward to reading her prior book, Goddess with a Thousand Faces. Slay is definitely getting a spot on my favorites shelf!

About the author:

Jasmine Elmer is a mythologist and storyteller who brings ancient tales to life with a modern, feminist twist. Fascinated by the magical and the mystical, she dives into the worlds of goddesses, witches, slayers and rebels, showing how their stories still shape - and challenge - our own. With a background in ancient myth and history, Jasmine combines research with passion, breathing new life into myth and turning them into living manifestos of women’s power for a modern audience.

Her debut book, Goddess with a Thousand Faces, is a bold and lyrical journey through global goddess traditions, blending storytelling with historical insight to reclaim the sacred feminine. Her second book, Slay: Ancient Legends of Female Slayers and the Hidden Mythology of Dragons, champions forgotten female slayers and establishes them as emblems of strength, resistance, and liberation.

Of Pakistani and white heritage, Jasmine grew up in East London and now lives in Devon with her husband, son and five unapologetically adored cats. A passionate advocate of slow living, she spends her time meditating, enjoying nature and a savouring a sip of coffee.

Website | Instagram | Goodreads

 

Book Blitz: Last Night by Kim Deister

Welcome to the book blitz of Last Night by Kim Deister. Check out the excerpt and don't forget to enter the giveaway below to win a $25 Amazon gift card (open INTL).
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Last Night by Kim Deister
Publication date: September 7th 2026
Genres: Adult, Psychological Thriller

What do you do when you keep losing time?

Terrifying visions torment Starra. Lost moments of time and flashes of images too horrific to accept fill her with icy fear so complete she can’t escape it. With too many unanswered questions, she needs answers. Now. It’s her only hope if she wants to save what’s left of her shattered mind and soul.

Unlike Starra, Mina cares nothing for her soul. Damned long ago, she’s too scarred for redemption. There are people meant to enjoy lives of love and family and friends. Mina isn’t one of these people. Her life is in the shadows, unafraid of the dark… until she realizes that something lurks in those shadows, something that wants to tear her apart.

One never knows what the darkness hides…

Goodreads / Amazon

EXCERPT:

Night fell quickly, swallowing the last light of day in the blink of an eye as the sky darkened from a surreal deep purple into a vast expanse of ebony. Not a single star pricked through the inky darkness. Even the moon shied away from shining too brightly through the clouds that faded into the night sky.

They call it the city that never sleeps for a reason. It was never truly dark in New York City, a million neon lights shining through even the blackest of nights.

But not tonight. Tonight the darkness engulfed everything it touched, dimming even the brightest of the neon, absorbing it into itself.

It was the kind of thick, cloying darkness that made people fear every shadow that moved as they hurried along the evening streets. It seemed alive, almost sentient, as it slipped around corners, like it was a predator chasing its prey, swallowing everything in its path into an endless void. People scurried along the sidewalks with their hearts racing, eyes furtively darting into the dark places. As the shadows shifted ominously, they quickened their paces until they were safely behind locked doors with the lights on and the curtains pulled tightly across the windows. They were right to hide, right to be afraid of whatever lurked on the other side of the too-thin glass. Dangerous things hid in the shadows of the night.

I knew that, probably more than anyone. The night scared the hell out of me. But it wasn’t the monsters that hid in the shadows that frightened me. They paled in comparison to the beast I feared lurked within me, the beast that came out at night. I lived in fear that I was the monster that hid in the shadows.

Yet even as much as the night terrified me, I welcomed it. The darkness wrapped me in its arms. The shadows that danced on the walls didn’t scare me; they kept me company when I felt alone. The noises that made others slam their windows shut and throw the locks home sounded like music to me, distracting me from the thoughts that ran through my head all day long, tormenting me. The night energized me, made me feel strong and powerful when most of the time I felt anything but.

Author Bio:

My name is Kim and my last name, Deister, is pronounced “Die-ster.” I always tell my husband I should have kept my married name, Ingram. So much easier to to pronounce!

I am a writer thoroughly in love with words. Reading them, writing them… I love that words can take you outside of your world and let the unimaginable become imaginable. I love them so much that I decided I needed to create some worlds and stories of my own!

Besides being a writer, I am an Army veteran (and Army wife) and a mom to four sons. I grew up in northern New York in a tiny college town called Potsdam. Over the years, our Army life has taken us all over the place and I have been lucky enough to work and live in some pretty amazing places. Right now we live in Hawaii on the island of O’ahu, minutes from the North Shore.

Website / Facebook / Goodreads

GIVEAWAY!

Last Night Blitz