Bonds of Hercules
This book was HIGHLY anticipated on my TBR!
I have only attended one book release, and it fell flat. I’ve always viewed book releases like movies, it’ll be there when I’m ready for it so what’s the rush.
Don’t get me wrong, I put the date on my calendar and look forward to the release. I skip over all the booktok/bookstagram posts in case of spoilers until I’m ready to read it myself.
So I probably waited 6 months until I picked this book up. It happened to be at Walmart when I was wandering the book aisle, and I don’t keep a long physical TBR.
Once it reaches 3 or 4 books I have to knock them out.
Now I was patient because I knew this was one I wanted to annotate.
I don’t do it nearly as much as I’d like to, and I’m still figuring out my personal style of annotation. But I really enjoy it!
I am the kind of person that wants to write in my books, highlight things, dog ear the pages, and add my personal notes. So if I ever lend you a book you should expect to see all of my thoughts and lots of highlight colors.
Now the book started out strong. Alexis is being trained to fight the baddies and even has a chance to go on a trip with Achilles and Patro.
Now during that trip things go sideways and Achilles ends up abandoning her after Patro gets badly injured. But this gives her a chance to shine.
She’s pretty badass and doesn’t take no for an answer. So she’s able to take down one of the super mutated baddies and the other one gives her a run for her money.
She nearly dies, her back shredded, but she fights in front of the people of Rome earning her the nickname Angel of Rome.
Our men swoop in just in time to see the ending and save our girl. They take her to a secret base to heal her, and as much as I would love a little MM slow burn, there is none. I respect it but damn, missed an opportunity.
Once healed they head home, and here the tournament will be moved up.
Now I’ll be honest, I don’t really remember why they have a tournament. Basically the Olympians feel like the Chthonic owe them for being more powerful. I never quite understood this part, it always felt like the Olympians were just sore losers.
But I’m a mood reader and just here for the vibes.
Also in the mix is Medusa. She shows up and Alexis gives her sanctuary against everyone else’s better judgement.
Medusa is a big nerd and just reads and studies all day long. She’s a cute background character.
Now the main story is about the trials and it honestly got tedious.
Everyone had their time in the sun, their own battle with their own flare. Then a dinner afterwards, all while the Chthotics were held like prisoners. Again, I didn’t quite get that part.
Our trio was crammed into a room with a single bed, and their pets!
And fluffy is having a hard time in his own body, obviously going through some kind of transformation. I tried ignoring it but he was obviously turning into a dog version of a pegasus.
Now after each battle the contender is taken to interrogation and asked if they helped Medusa escape. Zeus uses some pretty messed up torture methods.
The Olympians pull some strings and mess with Kharons trial, leaving him nearly dead but our boy pulls through.
Augustus pulls him off with ease. And Poco, his racoon, steals the entire show! He was the cutest little side critter imaginable and might go down as my number one favorite animal companion in a book!
For all the boring bits and repetitive fights, dinner, sleep mechanics of the book, the writing is spectacular! I was laughing and highlighting nearly every page!
By the time Alexis battles we know Zeus is not to be trusted.
So when he interrogates her she records it and he admits to kidnapping her as a baby, nearly killing her and setting her up to die in book 1.
She knew this all along but she played it for the entire assembly at dinner that night.
Hades and Persephone lose it. Hades almost rips Zeus’s head off.
The book wraps up with an official trial for Zeus where Hades is the judge, it’s delicious.
And we learn Alexis helped Medusa escape. In a crazy turn of events she snuck into the super secure prison, heard Medusa’s cries and freed her. Her father caught her and helped them escape.
No one else knew but Alexis was included in Medusa’s ‘punishment’.
Medusa has to go to college basically, but at the prestigious Olympian only academy. She’ll no doubt be hated, bullied, and maybe even killed on campus.
So she asks that they send Alexis as well.
Alexis is secretly thrilled, she’s such a nerd. Hades is scared, that’s his baby girl. And Augustus and Kharon refuse to let her go alone.
All the while Medusa is having some serious tension between her, Patro, and Achilles.
OMG, please tell me there will be a third book!
Oh, wait – there is!!!! Battle for Hercules is expected June 22, 2027
Overall ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 💕 Would Recommend | R – Restricted / Adult-Only (Ages 21+)
Worldbuilding🗺️🗺️🗺️🗺️
Ick Factor 😇
Fangirl Moments 💖💖💖💖
Spice🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Errors/Plot Holes
Tropes: Romantasy, fantasy, Mythology, Dark Romance, Why Choose, Enemies to Lovers
Title: Bonds of Hercules
Author: Jasmine Mas
Genre: Romance / Fantasy
Series: Villains of Lore
Format: Physical
Release Date: October 28, 2025
Length: 544 pages
