06 Jul Zenobia Neil Ariadne Unraveled Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour #HistoricalRomance #HistoricalFantasy #AncientGreece #BlogTour #CoffeePotBookClub @ZenobiaNeil @maryanneyarde

FEATURED AUTHOR: ZENOBIA NEIL

I’m delighted to feature Zenobia Neil as part of The Coffee Pot Book Club Blog Tour being held from July 5th – July 16th, 2021. Zenobia Neil is the author of the Greek Retelling/ Historical Romance novel, Ariadne Unraveled: A Mythic Retelling, which was released by Hypatia Books today, 7th July 2021 (345 pages). 

Below are highlights of Ariadne Unraveled: A Mythic Retelling, Zenobia Neil’s author bio, and my 5 of 5 star review of her book.

To follow the tour, click Tour Page Link

HIGHLIGHTS: ARIADNE UNRAVELED

Ariadne Unraveled: A Mythic Retelling

by Zenobia Neil 

Ariadne, high priestess of Crete, grew up duty-bound to the goddess Artemis. If she takes a husband, she must sacrifice him to her goddess after no more than three years of marriage. For this reason, she refuses to love any man, until a mysterious stranger arrives on her island.

The stranger is Dionysus, the new god of wine who empowers women and breaks the rules of the old gods. He came to Crete seeking vengeance against Artemis. He never expected to fall in love.

Furious that Dionysus would dare meddle with her high priestess, Artemis threatens to kill Ariadne if Dionysus doesn’t abandon her. Heartbroken, the new god leaves Crete, vowing to become better than the Olympians.

From the bloody labyrinth and the shadows of Hades to the halls of Olympus, Dionysus must find a way to defy Artemis and unite with his true love. Forced to betray her people, Ariadne discovers her own power to choose between the goddess she pledged herself to and the god she loves.

Buy Links:

Universal Amazon Link  ♦  Amazon UK  ♦  Amazon US  ♦  Amazon CA  ♦  Amazon AU

AUTHOR BIO: ZENOBIA NEIL

Zenobia Neil was named after an ancient warrior queen who fought against the Romans. She writes historical romance about the mythic past and Greek and Roman gods having too much fun. Visit her at ZenobiaNeil.com

Social Media Links:

Website   ♦  Twitter  ♦  Facebook   ♦  Instagram  ♦  Pinterest  ♦  BookBub  ♦  Amazon Author Page  ♦  Goodreads 

BOOK REVIEW: ARIADNE UNRAVELED

5 of 5 stars

Author Zenobia Neil retells the epic tale about a High Priestess of Artemis in Ariadne Unraveled: A Mythic Retelling by weaving various Greek myths and lore together into a compelling story. The daughter of the vengeful king, Minos, and the sorceress mother, Pasiphae, Ariadne grows up in a maze-like palace in Crete. Every year, Midas sacrifices young Greek men and women to her brother, the Minotaur, in retribution for the death of another brother. The story begins with the prologue in which Theseus has abandoned the pregnant Ariadne to die. Then in Part One, we find out what previously happened to her.

Ariadne devotes all her loyalty and love to the goddess Artemis. If she marries a man, she must slit the man’s throat to sacrifice to Artemis. She meets the new god, Dionysus, bearing the gift of an intoxicating new drink, wine, in a meadow. His only goal is to serve Ariadne and fulfill her desires. However, Ariadne’s life unravels after she tastes erotic pleasure with the new god of the vine. Unbeknownst to Ariadne, her liaison with Dionysus incites Artemis’ jealousy and vengeful anger because she has allowed herself to be seduced by a godling of no consequence. The ramifications of Artemis’ revenge propel Ariadne and Dionysus into an epic adventure across the Mediterranean region and into the Underworld as they both struggle to understand their new roles in a changing world.  

Author Neil has masterfully re-imagined the Greek myths about Ariadne. Readers who enjoyed Madeline Miller’s recent novel, Circe, should also enjoy reading Ariadne Unraveled: A Mythic Retelling. The author captures the female-centered religion and culture of the Minoans in Ancient Crete, where women openly display their breasts with pride of their womanly attributes. The Greek paternalistic society is slowly displacing the Minoan civilization with its pantheon of lusty and vengeful gods. The primary characters, Ariadne and Dionysus, are engaging and spice-up scenes with their sensual lovemaking. The tale is also an epic adventure in which both Ariadne and Dionysus struggle to find their roles in a changing world. It is a multi-layered, mythic story that explores deeper themes of unconditional love, vengeance, coming-of-age, redemption, and spiritual resurrection.

I highly recommend Ariadne Unraveled: A Mythic Retelling for readers who enjoy reading Greek myths and learning more about ancient civilizations.

@coffeepotbookclub