Book: Pandora’s Serpent by Augustine Kent
Reviewed by thereadingolive
Rating: 4/5
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
This is a story about Janessa, a witch with opposing powers, and Varku, a demon (kinda). Janessa is a surgeon and trauma doctor with a constant need to help others. You better bet your morning coffee; if someone is in trouble, Janessa is on her way. This book follows these two as they fight against meddlesome gods and discover old secrets.
This book is an interesting take on mythology. There are multiple pantheons at work here, and while it isn’t fully accurate, the pieces of mythology cobbled together here work so, so well. This is a new and surprising take on a story many of us have heard before.
Janessa is a free spirit. Her character is very well laid out, and different from other FMC I’ve read recently. Her background could use a little more exploring, but I have a feeling that will be done in the next book.
Varku is my favorite character! His inner monologue is a riot. He had me giggling a fair number of times with some of his insane thought processes. He is such a chaotic, vengeful softy. I love how much he cares for Janessa and how much he supports her in being herself.
This story is fun and keeps you on your toes. I was not expecting how the timeline worked for this at all. The book takes place over a handful of decades, with years passing at a time (sometimes on one page). While I won’t normally pick up a book that I know will progress like this, I really liked this one. The passage of time worked well for the story and especially the ending. That’s all I’m going to say on that…
Also, huge shoutout to Augustine Kent (1) for the ARC copy to read and review, and (2) for putting up with my crazy DMs as things unfolded. I can’t wait for the next book in this series and to see where Varku and Janessa end up.
If you like books loosely based on mythology, morally grey FMCs and MMCs, and forbidden romance, you should give this book a try. Fun read, with lots of twists and turns. Oh, and did I mention the spice? The spice was spicing…