****I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review****

Norse Mythology lovers, rejoice! “The Exile of Fenrir” is just the thing to scratch that mythology retelling itch you probably didn’t even know you had—until now. This is the story of one of Norse Mythologies shapeshifting giants, Fenrir, and his siblings as they run afoul of the gods in Asgard, and the punishment/judgement they face thereafter. The names you recognize thanks to the Marvel movies, such as Thor, Loki, and Odin, all make an appearance, but stay in the role the mythology originally intended. So, if you are looking for a heroic tale of Thor battling creatures of legend, this isn’t the story for you, though if you are a fan of Thor and his friends, I’d still recommend giving this a read anyway as it presents a different perspective. Ultimately, if you love mythology retellings that stick a bit closer to their source material, then I urge you to give this book a read!

“The Dark Wife” is a reimagining of the Persephone and Hades story from Greek mythology. Essentially, Diemer takes what we know about the classic mythos and flips it on its head in order to create a young adult lesbian love story. Which, ultimately, I find charming because there just aren’t enough books for LBGT kids that speak and represent them. And I’ll be honest, this was my first time reading a love story like this, and I’m glad I did. In this tale, Hades is not a man, but a woman who is called “lord” of the Underworld as a slight by Zeus for preferring the company of women. Persephone is not tricked and whisked away to the Underworld where she is raped and forced to stay there for part of every year like it is in the myth. Persephone chooses to go to the Underworld. She chooses Hades.