Hi all!
Today I am doing the Greek Mythology Book Tag! If you know me at all, you know I adore ancient history and mythology. Earlier this year I was fortunate enough to travel through Greece and learn even more about this fascinating subject in museums, temples and ruins. I sourced these questions from The Book Nut so click on the blog name if you wish to read her responses. Also, the following photographs were taken by my talented husband in Santorini, Athens and Delphi. I hope you enjoy them. Without further ado, let’s get into it!
ZEUS – GOD OF THE SKY!
What is your favourite book/series of all time?
I honestly cannot pick a favourite book/series – I have too many! I’ll just list my top 7:
– The Vampire Chronicles by Anne Rice
– Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
– The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare
POSEIDON – GOD OF THE SEA!
What book/series drowned you in feels?
A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness. I cried so much whilst reading this book and even harder during the film adaptation. This story follows Conor, a boy who is struggling to come to terms with the fact that his mother is dying from cancer. One evening, a monster visits and begins telling him stories to help him let go. Even though you know what’s coming, this book will break you anyway. It hit me quite hard having been through something similar with my own mother. Thankfully, she is a 10+ year survivor but it was still a horrible experience that makes me emotional whenever I think about it.
HADES – GOD OF THE UNDERWORLD!
What is your favourite dark book/series?
Nevernight by Jay Kristoff. This was one of those books that I knew I would love and devour before even starting it. Sure enough, it hit my best books of 2017 list hard! It is so dark and beautifully narrated. Set in a fantastical realm resembling ancient Rome, we follow Mia Corvere who witnesses her father being hung for treason at only ten years of age. When she turns sixteen, she journeys to a place called The Red Church which is a secret school for assassins. Mia has a strong desire for revenge and a gift for manipulating shadows. I’m so glad I met Jay Kristoff at his book launch and got my copy signed. The Nevernight Chronicles are incredible!
HERA – GODDESS OF FAMILY & MARRIAGE!
What book/series features your favourite cutest couple?
My favourite OTP of all time is Magnus Bane and Alec Lightwood from The Mortal Instruments Series by Cassandra Clare. I love how much they complement one another. Magnus is a really flamboyant and dramatic warlock whilst Alec is a much more serious and sensible Shadowhunter. Throughout the series, they have been through so much together and shown real commitment despite the rough-patches. In recent companion novels, Magnus and Alec have adopted two children together. My heart!
ATHENA – GODDESS OF WISDOM & BATTLE STRATEGY!
What book/series features your favourite intelligent heroine?
For this question, I’m going to go with Celaena Sardothien from The Throne of Glass Series by Sarah J. Maas. She is such a bad-ass warrior woman who is also highly intelligent. Celaena is forced to live in slavery before being offered the opportunity to become the evil King’s personal assassin. She suffers so much and loses many loved ones along the way but through it all, she fights for what is good. She is the Athena of the YA world!
GAEA – GODDESS OF THE EARTH!
What book/series has the best world building?
Without a doubt, A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R. R. Martin. The world-building is so intricate and detailed which is further aided by multiple points of view storytelling. The television show, Game of Thrones, has helped bring this epic world to life. Each region and its citizens are vastly different from the next. Every book includes a labelled map to assist readers with the setting and placement. It always amazes me how authors can create an entire world out of nothing. George R. R. Martin has this skill nailed.
APHRODITE – GODDESS OF LOVE & BEAUTY!
What book/series has the most gorgeous cover(s)?
The most beautiful book cover I have ever seen is The Secret Science of Magic by Melissa Keil. I’m actually going to post my top 10 favourite book covers next week so stay tuned for that. I met Melissa this year at the Melbourne Writer’s Festival and got my gorgeous copy signed. I told her that it was the most aesthetically pleasing cover to which she agreed wholeheartedly (click the link above to check it out). I have yet to read this book but I know it follows a teenage boy who is madly in love with a girl-genius. He tries to woo her with magic tricks which backfires when he accidentally makes her schoolwork disappear. I cannot wait to dive into this cute story!
ARES – GOD OF WAR!
What is the most violent book/series you have ever read?
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins has always struck me as the most violent book I have ever read. The series is fantastic don’t get me wrong but the premise of children killing other children in a competition to the death is brutal. The violence lies not in the graphic gore but rather in the concept itself. If the competitors had been adults, maybe it would not have been so shocking. Despite everything, I loved every minute and the film adaptation!
HEPHAESTUS – GOD OF BLACKSMITHS & FLAME!
What is the hottest book/series you have ever read?
Tee hee, A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas. It was so erotic I was blushing with every turn of the page! If you haven’t read this series, it’s a loose re-telling of Beauty and the Beast. One day, a mortal woman named Feyre kills a wolf in the woods out of defense. It is revealed not long afterwards that the wolf was a faerie in disguise and as punishment, Feyre is dragged to the magical realm to live out the rest of her life, away from her family. When she and her love interest (I won’t reveal his name due to spoilers) awaken their mating bond together, they are fueled with the desire to keep having sex over and over. It is graphic, detailed and fiery. Sarah J. Maas knows how to write a good steamy scene!
ARTEMIS – GODDESS OF THE HUNT!
What book/series features a heroine that doesn’t need a man to save her?
Cinder by Marissa Meyer. I only recently began reading The Lunar Chronicles for the very first time and I totally understand all of the hype now. The series takes place in a futuristic world full of cyborgs, androids and a fatal plague. Cinder is definitely my favourite book so far. Set in New Beijing, well-renowned mechanic and cyborg, Cinder (based off of Cinderella) finds herself in the middle of a world war against the evil Lunar Queen Levana. I loved how tomboyish and sassy Cinder was. Despite having a love interest, she is an incredibly independent heroine who wears the pants.
APOLLO – GOD OF MUSIC, LIGHT & HEALING!
What book/series is the exception to a genre you don’t typically like?
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. I don’t usually read or enjoy books set in the World War I or II genre but this one was absolutely outstanding. I’m sure the majority of people who have read it would agree. This story is narrated by death and follows young Liesel who is living with a foster family in Nazi Germany. Amidst the terror, our protagonist finds books in different places and steals them for her own. This was one of the best book to film adaptations I have ever seen. I cried so much at the end!
HERMES – GOD OF MESSAGES, TRAVELERS & THIEVES!
What book/series stole your heart?
My heart was stolen by The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. I have written a full spoiler-free review for this book so click here if you wish to check it out. I was lucky enough to attend Angie Thomas’s YA & Activism event at the Melbourne Writer’s Festival in August and get my copy signed by her. This story revolves around The Black Lives Matter Movement, following Starr Carter, a teenager who witnesses her unarmed best friend get killed by a police officer. I was an emotional mess after reading this. It really opened my eyes to so many important issues. I believe everybody should read this book.
HESTIA – GODDESS OF HEARTH & HOME!
What book/series do you go back to for comfort?
I’m going to go with the majority here and say Harry Potter by J.K Rowling. I’ve re-read this series and watched the films multiple times – always enjoying them more and more. It’s so comforting to know that they will always be there and that no matter how many years pass, their legacy will continue live on. If you wish to read my Ultimate Harry Potter tag, click here. Ravenclaw forever!
DEMETER – GODDESS OF AGRICULTURE & FERTILITY!
What book/series has the best setting?
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. The language in this book is flawless. It is set exactly where you would imagine – a Night Circus. There is so much vivid imagery and enchantment woven throughout the story, many have described reading it as an interactive experience. You feel as though you are inside the book, witnessing the magic, watching the performances and tasting the delicious food. I won’t explain the plot as it’s best left mysterious…
DIONYSUS – GOD OF WINE & FEASTING!
What book/series are you most anticipating next year?
Obsidio by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff. It will be released early 2018. This book is the third and final installment in The Illuminae Files. I have written a full spoiler-free review for both Illuminae and Gemina so click here if you wish to check that out. This science-fiction series takes place in outer space. It is told in a really unique way through dossiers, manuscripts, recorded dialogue and images. The first and second books were absolutely, mind-blowingly incredible and I just cannot wait to see how it all ends!
HECATE – GODDESS OF CROSSROADS & MAGIC!
What book/series is your favourite magical read?
I’m not going to say Harry Potter again even though a big part of me wants to. Instead, I will say (in tribute to this tag) the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series by Rick Riordan. These books were so much fun! Rick Riordan is such a hilarious author with a knack for educating his readers on the topic of mythology in an exciting way. This saga follows Percy Jackson, a boy who learns he is a demi-god and son of Poseidon. He is sent to Camp Half-Blood to hone his budding magical abilities and that is where the adventure begins. I’m going to start reading Rick’s other mythological works soon.
NEMESIS – GOD OF REVENGE!
What book/series features your favourite revenge story?
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. Wow this book was so gripping and intense. I definitely enjoyed the revenge aspect to this dark novel. In this story, we follow Nick who wakes up on his fifth wedding anniversary to discover his wife Amy is missing. The police come to his home shortly afterwards targeting him as the lead suspect. He is accused of mentally and emotional abusing Amy which he profusely denies. I won’t reveal anything else in case of spoilers. Read and watch the film for a great twist.
There you have it! Thank you for reading this incredibly long book tag. I hope you enjoyed it. If you do it too, please link the post down below so I can read your responses. Also, who is your favourite Greek God/Goddess and why? Mine is Hermes because he is the ‘Gemini’ God of communication with cool winged sandals!
Peace & Love xoxo
Disclaimer: This post contains links to my Book Depository Affiliate which helps fund my blog, I am not being paid or sponsored for this post/products – all my thoughts/opinions are my own
Great – more book recommendations! I’m going to start with your top 7 (I’ve only read two of them – HP and RPO). Love the Greek photography too!
Yay! I hope you enjoy – they are all so different from each other. Thanks! I wish I was back in Greece right now 🙂
Haha. Well you can relive it in your head in the meantime, perhaps while eating some Greek food 🙂
Another creative book tag, Bec! Didn’t know you were quite a huge fan of Greek Mythology! Over the last year I’ve learn a bit about it from fellow blogger Aquileana, and it’s fascinating how many characters and layers of personalities there are within this genre. So interesting to see how many fictional books can fit under the Greek mythology theme based on characters and story line. Beautiful photos by Francis as usual…and did you take a photo of Francis walking down the slope 😀
Thank you so much friend! It was nice to be able to share some more holiday photos. Yep I took the one of Francis, he did the rest haha. I am so fascinated by Greek Mythology, Roman and Egyptian Mythology. Hope you are well and I will see you soon xxx