Review: The Intimate Afterlife of Myth by Venus Gunyeli

Title: The Intimate Afterlife of Myth: Ancient Stories for the Inner Life
Author: Venus Gunyeli
Publication: August 14, 2026
Genre: Nonfiction, Mythology, Psychology
Find it on: Amazon US | Amazon AU | Amazon CA | Amazon BE
Rating: 4/5★

MYTH IS NOT OVER.

It survives in the choices we repeat, the losses we carry, and the questions that return when certainty gives way.

What if the figures of myth were not distant symbols, but lives we could approach more closely—lives shaped by love and loyalty, power and error, grief and change?

The Intimate Afterlife of Myth revisits ten Greek and Mesopotamian myths, from Persephone and Gilgamesh to Inanna, Psyche, Hector, and Prometheus. Rather than reducing them to simple lessons or fixed interpretations, the book stays with the psychological and emotional questions their stories leave unresolved and with the ways those questions still echo in modern life.

Each chapter brings together:

• Literary myth retellings grounded in ancient sources
• Thoughtful explorations of what each story leaves unresolved
• Imagined voices that draw the mythic figures closer
• Reflective questions and space for personal integration

Read from beginning to end, return to the figure whose story calls to you, or follow one of the thematic paths offered at the close of the book.

Neither a conventional mythology collection nor a prescriptive self-help book, this is an invitation to remain with ancient stories long enough to recognise where they continue and what becomes visible when their questions meet your own.

For readers drawn to Greek and Mesopotamian mythology, psychology, literary reflection, and ancient stories that still speak to modern life.

"A path does not have to be visible before movement begins. For now, one direction is enough."

The Intimate Afterlife of Myth offers a thoughtful, intimate look at myths that have survived for thousands of years, from Mesopotamian to Greek myths. I love it when mythology feels less like something from the distant past and more like something we can still see ourselves in. And this book shows exactly just how timeless these stories and the questions they raise can be.

I really liked how each chapter began with a short retelling of a myth rooted in ancient sources, then explored the unanswered questions surrounding it, delved into what the character themselves may have thought, and ended with some thoughtful self-reflection. I enjoyed this unique format and how the book falls somewhere between an exploration of mythology and personal reflection, both of which really spoke to me.

Overall, The Intimate Afterlife of Myth: Ancient Stories for the Inner Life by Venus Gunyeli was an insightful and nuanced examination of mythology that gave me a new way of looking at these ancient stories.

About the author:

Venus Gunyeli is an Istanbul-born writer interested in what stories, traditions, and forms of knowledge become as they pass from one life and one era into another.

Her interest in ancient cultures began in childhood and has remained a quiet constant in the way she reads and understands the world. Her work turns to ancient texts, inherited practices, and cultural memory without treating the past as a storehouse of ready-made answers. She is drawn instead to what survives change: the questions a story continues to hold, the knowledge carried through ordinary acts, and the meanings that shift when old forms enter new lives.

Across her books, this has led her from the healing traditions and everyday knowledge of Anatolia to contemplative practice inspired by Rumi, and most recently to the unresolved human questions held within Greek and Mesopotamian myth.

Years spent working within holistic wellness and exploring movement disciplines deepened her attention to the ways inner life, the body, and everyday experience continually shape one another. Art and music have long been part of how she notices image, rhythm, atmosphere, and form.

She lives near the Aegean coast and writes about what we inherit, what we alter, and what remains.

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Review: The Odyssey: A Modern Retelling by Liv Albert

 

Title: The Odyssey: A Modern Reteling
Author: Liv Albert
Illustrator: Hazem Asif
Publication: June 23, 2026 by DK Children
Genre: Greek Mythology, Middle Grade
Find it on: Amazon | Apple Books | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Libro.fm | Waterstones
Rating: 5/5★

Voyages across the sea, man-eating monsters, witches, gods, and goddesses: The Odyssey is the ultimate adventure story.

Take a journey across the sea and follow the heroic, catastrophic, and sometimes downright gruesome tales of the Greek king Odysseus in this modern retelling of Homer’s The Odyssey. A story of trickery, lies, and perseverance, watch as Odysseus is tested to the limits by the Cyclops; sirens; and lots of meddling, angry gods.

Written by self-proclaimed Greek myth nerd, and host of the Let’s Talk About Myths, Baby! podcast, Liv Albert brings this ancient Greek Epic to life. Liv’s version of The Odyssey portrays Odysseus as he really was: a complex man who did many great things … and just as many bad. Littered with historical facts, maps, and family trees, Liv brings all of her knowledge and expertise to this future classic, making it the only version of The Odyssey you’ll ever want to read.

The Odyssey: A Modern Retelling by Liv Albert is now one of my favorite Odyssey adjacent books. It had it all: writing that was accessible to the reader, illustrations that were beyond stunning and since it's marketed toward younger readers (middle grade), slightly simplified but definitely not dumbed down. We stil got the author's trademark wit that we know and love her for. As the synopsis says, Liv's version does really portray Odysseus exactly as he is, the good and the bad.

If you listen to Liv's podcast "Let's Talk About Myths, Baby" (sing it in your head, if you know you know), you know that with this book you not only get The Odyssey retold by someone who knows the story well but also someone who's truly passionate about Greek mythology.

The book wasn't just a retelling of The Odyssey, it also had several maps, character guides and tidbits about life in ancient Greece which I truly loved. These facts were all really refreshing and fun to read about.

Now I obviously can't end this review without talkined about the illustrations. They're made by Hazem Asif and they are absolutely gorgeous. I think they're some of the most beautiful I've seen in a book about mythology. And they definitely fit all the characters and the story really well.

About the author:

Liv Albert is the host, creator, writer, editor, and producer of Let’s Talk About Myths, Baby!, author of several books including the bestselling Greek Mythology: The Gods, Goddesses, and Heroes Handbook, and founding member of Mnemosyne: The Memory Collective. Liv is a giant nerd for a great many things, though most notably, Greek & Roman mythology. Liv has a degree in English Literature & Classics (Classical Civilizations) from Concordia University in Montreal where she studied ancient Greece and Rome broadly. 

Liv began her career working for prestigious publishing houses and institutions, including Penguin Random House and Kobo. With a deep love of literature and appreciation for storytelling, the natural evolution of Liv’s educational and professional background (along with her undying love of ancient Greece) led to the creation of Let’s Talk About Myths, Baby! along with several published works (and more on the way soon…). 

Originally from the west coast of BC, Liv currently resides in Toronto along with her two cats, Squid and Anchovy, who were each adopted from a place near and dear to Liv’s heart (Vancouver Island and Greece, respectively).

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Review: Greek Gods: The Gods and Goddesses of Greek Mythology by Patrick Auerbach

Title: Greek Gods: The Gods and Goddesses of Greek Mythology
Author: Patrick Auerbach
Publication: December 6th 2015
Genre: Nonfiction ~ Mythology
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Rating: 4/5

The ancient Greeks believed there were a great number of gods and goddesses. These gods had control over many different aspects of life on earth. In many ways they were very human. They could be kind or mean, angry or pleasant, cruel or loving. They fell in love with each other, argued with each other and even stole from each other.

The ancient Greeks built great temples and sanctuaries to their gods. They held festivals in their honour, with processions, sports, sacrifices and competitions. Stories of the gods' exploits were told to children by their mothers and to large audiences by professional bards and storytellers. People today still enjoy hearing stories about the Greek gods.

This book tells the tales of gods and goddesses such as Zeus, Aphrodite, Apollo, and Athena and heroes and monsters such as Helen of Troy, Perseus, and Medusa will fascinate and engage your imagination.

Here is a selection of what you will learn:
The Creation and the Gods
The Olympian Gods (and a few others)
Prometheus, Epimetheus and Pandora
Psyche and Eros
Oedipus and His Children
The Trojan War

Learn more about Greek Gods NOW and scroll up to the top of this page and BUY it Now!

I was familiar with all of the mythologies and gods (being obsessed with Greek mythology like I am) in this book but that didn't even take away how enjoyable it was to read. It would also be a great book for those who are less familiar with them. 

There are quick introduction about the gods and goddesses, their names (and Roman names), who they are related to (although they're pretty much all related to each other) and other information like that. There are also chapters about Oedipus, the Trojan War (this was my favorite), Medusa, Heracles and more. 

Overall, Greek Gods: The Gods and Goddesses of Greek Mythology by Patrick Auerbach was a quick but very interesting and informative read about the Greek gods and the most known mythologies surrounding them. The writing style was simple and easy to read but also unique in its own way. Definitely a book I'd recommend.

Review: Song of Princes by Janell Rhiannon

Title: Song of Princes
Author: Janell Rhiannon
Series: Homeric Chronicles #1
Publication: June 22nd 2016
Genre: Fantasy ~ Mythology
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
Rating: 4/5

Sing Muse. Sing of the shining citadel of Troy rising from the hot sands of Asia. Sing of the Greek palaces ascending from their rocky hilltops. Sing of one woman’s dream heralding the madness of men and the murder of innocents. From bull dancing rings and wild meadows, the Forgotten Prince must choose between love and a golden crown. From seclusion and safety, the Golden Warrior must choose between his honor and his life. From behind the Great Wall, the Golden Prince must choose between his family and his city. And from a rugged realm on the far side of Greece, the Warrior King must choose between his son’s life and certain exile. Here shepherds and princes, warriors and kings, and seers and lovers seek to conquer their passions, outwit destiny or surrender to it.

PARIS, the FORGOTTEN PRINCE. Abandoned at birth and raised as a shepherd, Paris believes he is destined for a simple life. His heart belongs to the nymph, Oenone, until the beautiful Helen forces him to choose.

ACHILLES, the GOLDEN WARRIOR. Destined to live a short life, Achilles becomes the young lover of a princess who he abandons for the passions of war. He discovers that love is his only weakness.

HEKTOR, the GOLDEN PRINCE. As guardian of the citadel, Hektor must balance his heart’s desire between the beautiful Andromache and the people he’s sworn to protect.

ODYSSEUS, the WARRIOR KING. Forced into a war against his will, Odysseus leaves his young wife, Penelope, behind. Their love must stand the test of time and temptation.

The HOMERIC CHRONICLES tell the stories of Paris, Achilles, Hektor, and Odysseus in one chronological tale, beginning before the ILIAD and ending long after the ODYSSEY. Blending both history and myth, this series will satisfy your love of Greek mythology, while paying homage to the original storyteller, Homer.

HOMERIC CHRONICLES is an epic mythological trilogy about the Trojan War meant for grown-ups who like to mix a little warfare with their romance

It's been a few days since I finished reading Song of Princes and I still can't stop thinking about it. I've been a huge fan of (Greek) mythology since I was a kid so when I saw this book on sale I bought it right away. It sounded right up my alley and luckily for me I really enjoyed it.

I finished this book in only two days, which is something I can't seem to do anymore lately unless I'm really into the story and can't stop reading. I did exactly that with this book. 

The thing that struck me the most when I started reading the book was how amazing the writing was. It was written in such a beautifully detailed way that I couldn't help but love it. 

This book was the kind of read about mythology that I hadn't know I was waiting for. It featured well known characters like Paris, Helen, Hektor, Oddyses, Achilles but also less known ones as well. The story mostly led up to how the Trojan war started. I just loved it.

Overall, Song of Princes was such a good book. The writing, the characters, reading about some of my favorite mythologies combined with how the author doesn't shy away from the tough stuff is what made this a great read. 

Janell Rhiannon always had her nose in a book when growing up, reading by flashlight when it was "lights out" time. Her love of reading turned into a desire to tell stories. She now writes in all the spare moments she can squeeze out of a day. She adores historical fiction, historical romance, mythology and epic fantasy. Anything magical and mystical. And dragons. And gargoyles. She is an avid Game of Thrones fan. A complete geek about it, actually. Writing takes up a huge chunk of time, but she makes time for those important people in life. She texts a lot. Loves coffee. And still hangs out with her very first best girlfriend!
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Review: The Gospel of Loki by Joanne M. Harris

Title: The Gospel of Loki
Author: Joanne M. Harris
Publication: February 25th 2014 by Hachette Australia
Genre: Adult ~ Fantasy
Purchase: Amazon | Book Depository | Kobo
Cover Rating: 5/5
Overall Rating: 5/5

With his notorious reputation for trickery and deception, and an ability to cause as many problems as he solves, Loki is a Norse god like no other. Demon-born, he is viewed with deepest suspicion by his fellow gods who will never accept him as one of their own and for this he vows to take his revenge.

But while Loki is planning the downfall of Asgard and the humiliation of his tormentors, greater powers are conspiring against the gods and a battle is brewing that will change the fate of the Worlds.

From his recruitment by Odin from the realm of Chaos, through his years as the go-to man of Asgard, to his fall from grace in the build-up to Ragnarok, this is the unofficial history of the world's ultimate trickster.

“Loki, that's me. Loki, the Light-Bringer, the misunderstood, the elusive, the handsome and modest hero of this particular tissue of lies.” 


I don't even know where to begin with my review of The Gospel of Loki. I can genuinely say that it was fantastic, funny, entertaining and I even think this is the best book I've read so far this year. 

So even though I'm a huge mythology fan I didn't know a whole lot about Norse mythology. After this book I must say that I know more than I knew before so yes, this book is pretty informative and it's obvious that Joanne Harris put a lot of effort into this story and did her research. Pretty amazing!

Although I wasn't too well known with Norse mythology, like I said before. I've always liked Loki the most of all the gods. Marvel may have something to do with that but whatever... I loved the way Loki recounted the story, telling his version of events. He was so funny. I laughed my ass off a lot while reading it and I'd definitely recommend reading the character list. But Loki? He was also dramatic, deadly in his own away and just plain fabulous. Yeah, I loved him in this story.

The writing was excellent, too. The descriptions of Asgard and the other worlds made me feel like I was really there. It really was a pleasure to read about all of Loki's adventures. I can't remember the last book I enjoyed this book. It was simply superb! Everyone should absolutely read this book. 

Favorite Quotes:

Words can shatter faith; start a war; change the course of history. A story can make your heart beat faster; topple walls; scale mountains — hey, a story can even raise the dead. And that's why the King of stories ended up being King of the gods; because writing history and making history are only the breadth of a page apart.

Whoever said names can't hurt you was either drunk or stupid. All words have power, of course, but names are the most potent of all, which is why the gods had so many.

here were a few compensations to having corporeal Aspect. Food (jam tarts were my favourites); drink (mostly wine and mead); setting things on fire; sex (although I was still extremely confused by all the taboos surrounding this - no animals, no siblings, no men, no married women, no demons - frankly, it was amazing to me that anyone had sex at all, with so many rules against it).

About the Author:

Website | Twitter | Facebook

Joanne Harris (MBE) was born in Barnsley in 1964, of a French mother and an English father. She studied Modern and Mediaeval Languages at Cambridge and was a teacher for fifteen years, during which time she published three novels, including Chocolat (1999), which was made into an Oscar-nominated film starring Juliette Binoche and Johnny Depp.

Since then, she has written 14 more novels, two collections of short stories and three cookbooks. Her books are now published in over 50 countries and have won a number of British and international awards. She is an honorary Fellow of St Catharine’s College, Cambridge, has honorary doctorates in literature from the universities of Sheffield and Huddersfield, and has been a judge for the Whitbread Prize, the Orange Prize, the Desmond Elliott Prize and the Royal Society Winton Prize for Science.

The Oracle of Delphi Blog Tour Day 2

Day 2 of the tour! 

Today I have the review of Prophecy of the Setting Sunrise + a giveaway!

Enjoy! :]

Title: Prophecy of the Setting Sunrise
Author: Diantha Jones
Series: Oracle of Delphi #2
Publication:  November 12th 2012 by Diantha Jones
Genre: Young Adult
Format: e-book, 327 pages
Cover Rating: 5/5
Overall Rating: 5/5

It's official. Myth is doomed.

And it’s all Chloe Clever’s fault.

Still as whacked out as ever, Chloe is now faced with an even uglier truth: Not only is she the Pythia of the Great Unknown, but she is more powerful than she ever imagined and only the manifestations of her prophetic mind can save them all now.

With her Prince boyfriend, Strafford, and the Quad Fraternity always armed and ready to annihilate the opposition, she will embark on a mission to stop a great power that could consume every god in Myth...and everyone else she’s come to love.

But the worst is still to come.

Dark, painful secrets are revealed, threatening to tear Strafford from her arms, and just when she thinks the future could not look more grim, she is betrayed in the worst way.

With the heavens crumbling down around her, she must hurry to find a way to set things right. But will she be in time to save the one she loves most in the world from a fate that may be more dangerous than her own?

(Beware of spoilers!)

That moment when you're...

Action packed, imaginative, full of frantic, nailbiting twists and turns with a kick-ass heroine and swoon-worthy guys ~ Prophecy of the Setting Sunrise by Diantha Jones is a marvelous story based on Greek myth that will keep you in its grip with an all-consuming need to keep reading until the early hours.

Diantha Jones did it again! Not only did this book leave me speechless and totally amazed, it also earned one star more than the previous book, (Prophecy of the Most Beautiful) which makes a ful rating of 5 stars for Prophecy of the Setting Sunrise. It was superb!

Diantha Jones asked me to read and review this book for the awesome blog tour and of course I said yes right away. After really liking the first book I just had to know what was going to happen in this one. I was dying to find out more about my man, Strafford and I got so much more amazingness than I had dared to hope.

I have to admit, I was never really a fan of the heroine, Chloe... At least not in the first book. But it has all changed in this one. Chloe was more kick-ass, smarter and more willing to sacrifice herself for the people she loves, even though that was not always considered smart. I admire how she was willing to do everything in her power to save her little brother, Benjy, even with the unexpected events that surrounded him. So I definitly like her now and I feel like she's really starting to find herself and how she fits into the world of myths and the Oracle thing.
My opinion about Strafford hasn't changed. I don't think it ever could. Although in this novel it was all so intense and heavy for him, he's still amazing. My Irish with his sexy lip piercing and dragon tattoo. ♥
Strafford and Chloe are so perfect together! They are both willing to risk their own lives for each other and definitely have a bond. I'm glad that Chloe knows what happened to Strafford that made him the disgraced prince. Like, all the secrets are in the open now. Finally. 
Their romance is sweet with a little bit of sexy involved, especially with the looks and kisses they share and give. And I love their nicknames for each other; Red & Irish. 

Reading this book was like coming home to family with all the familiar characters. I love each and one of them.
Ace is my favorite guy character after Strafford. He's hilarious and sexy but would do anything to help protect and heal others. 
Swindle I just love too. We've found out a lot more about him and yet there's still lots of mystery around his character. I need to know what's up with all that!
The twins, oh, how I love them. Theseus and Hector are the characters that make the gang complete. I have to say when the disastrous thing happened to one of them at the end my world turned upside down and I had to wipe away a tear or two. So damn sad!
A new character sort of join the gang. Anne Maria, one of the god Artemis' bounties. I loved her. She was also kick-ass and amazing like the others. She really belonged with them. And I loved to see her and Theseus together. So sweet!
I actually had a favorite scene in this book. It was the scene where Strafford was teaching Chloe how to fight and so they were fighting each other. That was so much fun! Another awesome scene was the cavern water slide, you'll know what I'm talking about when you read it.

The plot of this book was written really well! So fast-paced that I had finished in about three days. That's pretty damn fast if you ask me. The flow was just really good. Just like the first book, figuring out the prophecy took until the very end. I love trying to figure out what it all means but I never can of course. But that's what I love about these books. 
Another thing of my favorite things is the Greek myth aspects. Me being a history geek just can't get enough of stuff like this. Love! Love! Love!
We've met some new gods we hadn't met before like Artemis, Hypnos and even Hades! All very cool and exciting! Of course there were the familiar gods like Apollo joining us and Dionysius. 
Also a new character that I'm really interested in reading more about is Zeus's son Torrent. I loved how Chloe was insta-crushing over him but when she found out who he was the insta-crush was definitely over. That'll be my new favorite word; Insta-crush. 

So, yes, I LOVED this book. I devoured every single chapter and page with ease. The action is outstanding and fierce. This book is not only about myths and prophecies but also about love, friendship and loyalty. Readers will hopefully not only enjoy this book, but also completely be stunned by it as I was.

Lockhart was giving them his best intimidating glare and trying to pretend that Strafford's glare wasn't kicking his glare's butt.

At his worst, Strafford Law was gorgeous beyond reason. He was Irish-bred with perfectly unkept carbon black hair that drove her wild, intense gray eyes that could melt glaciers, and the most unflawed olive skin she had ever seen on a guy. His gladiator physique gave her chills every time she laid eyes on it and he had a hypnotic smile that could make women twice his age blush like schoolgirls. The bottom lip of his sexy mouth was pierced with a tiny hoop and he had a fiercely bad ass dragon tattooed around his muscular right arm. He was about as dazzling as dazzling could get, and she had yet to comprehend how a romance had actually managed to blossom between them.

"Babe, help me turn it."
Strafford came and stood behind her.
"Babe?" he mumbled.
She shrugged. "I don't know. Trying it on for size. You like?"
"No."
"How about 'sugar plum,' then?"
"Funny, Red."

Diantha Jones is a southern belle from Georgia, but resides in Washington, D.C. She is the author of the Unknowing ghost short story series and the Reaper of Bogota blog series. Prophecy of the Setting Sunrise, Book Two in the Oracle of Delphi Series, is her second full-lenght novel.

Visit Diantha on: www.diantha-jones.com

Stalk her on: Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Goodreads ~ Blog

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