Audio Review: Bonds of Hercules by Jasmine Mas

BONDS OF HERCULES
Series: Villains of Lore #2
Author: Jasmine Mas
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Release Date: October 28, 2025

Available for the first time in audio, the highly anticipated sequel to the viral sensation, Blood of Hercules , this audiobook features multiple narrators! Pre-order Bonds of Hercules today!

I’ve awakened my powers, and things are not well.

When I turned twenty years old, I discovered I had horrifying secret powers, got trapped into marriage with my enemies, accidentally joined a cult, and signed up for a bloodthirsty Gladiator Competition. To make matters worse, my terrifying husbands are trying to seduce me, and my old mentors are acting really strange.

Now, someone is killing Olympians—and it’s not Titans. Things are spiraling out of control.

I’m fighting for my life and drowning in secrets.

It doesn’t help that Titans are mutating and getting stronger. Chthonics are also revolting against Olympians and ghosts from my past are coming back to haunt me.

Everybody better beware.
Things are about to get very messy.

Get ready for Bonds of Hercules from bestselling author Jasmine Mas.

Perfect for listeners who

Kickass Heroine “Who did this to you?” Extreme Enemies to Lovers Morally Gray Alpha Heros Greek Myths and Gladiator competitions

AMAZON

If I cannot move Heaven, I will raise hell.”

I have never felt so conflicted about rating a book. I finished the audio over a week ago and I have sat on my rating since. Did I love it? Not really. Did I hate it? Also no. Where do I even start?

Let’s talk narrators. About 90% of the book is in Alexis POV and I loved the female narrator. I do wish that it was duet audio because the male POVs were so rare, I would have loved to hear them more throughout the dialogue in Alexis’s POV. We also finally get a POV from Achilles, which I was really hoping for. Alas, Patro totally killed the vibe for me. My issue was that I absolutely LOATHED his character and the turn he took. The betrayal cut extra deep because I never really felt like they made up for it. Not even close. He just continued to be absolutely insufferable until the bitter end. And the male narrator for Patro didn’t help because it made him sound even snootier than he acted. Le sigh.

The story was entertaining, but it also felt too long for the amount of true plot we got. I felt the story go one way in book one, and then it took a completely different turn in this book which I still don’t know how I feel about. On the one hand, considering how much I LOATHED a certain two characters, I’m glad. But on the other hand, I feel bamboozled and I’m still bitter about it.

Alexis was great and I loved Nyx. I also fell so hard for Poco, the fierce cuteness was unreal. I also loved some of the twists, especially at the end. While I do wish we got a fully satisfying conclusion, it was clear there are more books to come in this world, and I’m excited for it. Though I have no idea how these particular male characters will ever redeem themselves in my eyes, I will definitely be reading the next book.

The spice and romance was very much a slow burn and I do wish that the payout felt worth it. I wanted more time with them, and while I was fully immersed and consumed with the story, I couldn’t help but wish we got a touch more spice for all the waiting we had. But I can’t complain too much because I still very much enjoyed it.

So now you see why I’m so conflicted, because while certain parts of this book I loved, some of it I just couldn’t vibe with. The signature humor that Jasmin writes definitely helped, because it made the audio that much more fun. But I just can’t connect with the turn the story took in the conclusion. It’s a dichotomy of feelings because on the one hand after the direction some characters took, I get it. I just wish that they didn’t take that turn. Alas, it is what it is. Would I recommend it? Sure! It was a fun audio and I’m definitely looking forward to the next book. Do I wish it ended differently? I really do.

Audio Review: Blood of Hercules by Jasmine Mas

BLOOD OF HERCULES
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Series: Villains of Lore #1
Author: Jasmine Mas
Release Date: November 26, 2024

The overnight viral sensation everyone is talking about, Blood of Hercules, is a sarcastically funny, dark fantasy romance reimagining of Hercules from bestselling author Jasmine Mas.

I’m just a girl. And it turns out, I’m Hercules.

I’m struggling to survive in a Titan infested world where Spartans, immortals from twelve royal families who have god-like powers and obscene wealth, rule over all. A shy-stammering foster child with nothing, I keep my head down, cover my scars, and focus on excelling in school. At least, I try to. Then it happens.

My blood test reveals I’m part of the powerful elite. I’m one of them. A Spartan.

Forced to attend the Spartan War Academy, I undergo the most harrowing test of all time to see if I have what it takes to be an immortal. There’s just a few problems. Achilles and Patro are my scary mentors. Kharon, the ferryman of death, and Augustus, the son of war, are my terrifying professors. Also, I’m pretty sure either someone’s stalking me everywhere I go, or my sanity’s slipping––I have a bad feeling both are true.

I’m surrounded by Villains and they’re smothering me with their hate, obsession, and dark possessiveness. Too bad for them, they have no clue just who they’re messing with.

Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.

Perfect for listeners who love:

“Who did this to you?”
  • Extreme Enemies to Lovers
  • Morally Gray Alpha Heros
  • Stories where the Villains get the girl
  • Greek Myths and War Academies

AMAZON 

 

During the day, the feminine urge to lead a fictional revolt plagued me.”


I am not usually an audio girly because for whatever reason, I tend to check out when I listen to a book. But there was something about this one that just clicked with me. Interestingly enough, it took me a bit to get into (around 20%). But after that, I was completely obsessed and incapable of setting it down for even a minute and ended up binge listening to it in one day. Suffice it to say, I was obsessed.

Having read and absolutely LOVED Jasmine’s Cruel Shifteverse, I was so excited for this new world and I was not disappointed. I love Mas’s combination of self depreciating humor, wit, and world building. And I especially love how she crafts these fierce FMC who survive hell to become legends. And Alexis has definitely survived hell. As an abandoned baby, she grows ups with abusive foster parents who she finally escapes at a young age when her foster mother brutally dies at the hands of a mysterious entity and her father is blamed for the death. Being left homeless with her foster brother, she is desperate to finish school so she can place herself in a situation to provide for them. But then she receives the shock of a lifetime when a standard school test finds her to have spartan blood and placed in the midst of a grueling challenge.

I enjoyed the narrator bringing Alexis to life with personality and found it fun and engaging. But I especially loved when we finally get the small trickle of POVs from 3 of the 4 men. We have Alexis’s two mentors; Achiles, who doesn’t speak because of his voice powers and muzzle and Patro. And then we have Augustus and Kharen, who we get the most of. There’s a small snippet of Patro’s POV in the end which I definitely devoured.

The story and world building was deliciously enchanting and gripping. And the romance is very much slow burn. If you’ve read anything by Jasmine, you’re already familiar with her brand of humor. And I for one enjoy it thoroughly.

I hope book two brings us more of the male POV because I am absolutely dying to hear Achiles. If you’re looking for a slow burn romantasy with unique spin on greek god mythology, this one hits just right. 

Copyright © 2015 · Dirty Girl Romance

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