Twelve Labors Spotlight!

Hera and Aries have taken over Olympus. The other Gods have one chance to free Zeus, however in order to do so the other Gods must be willing to sacrifice their freedom for his. Twelve keys will release Zeus from Icarus and those keys are each a mate to the chosen ones, and the stones will lead the way. Each obstacle is a labor Hercules is all too familiar with. Can they succeed before their time runs out or are they all doomed?

Hercules's first labor was to slay the Nemean Lion. Drawn to a Cat Shifter village Hercules finds his panther mate, Micah. The Alpha has been promised strength and stamina in exchange for Micah's death. Micah had accepted the fact he will die until he is saved by his mate. However, when Hercules's life is threatened Micah willingly gives himself up to save his man. A war is about to begin and the question is, who will survive?

Well, this book caught me off guard!  I wanted to read this because I am a huge mythology nut, and I love reading stories about that time frame, so I couldn’t wait to start reading this one.

I have really mixed feelings as to how I feel about it after finishing it though.  I do want to say, that this book ISN’T set in ancient times, which I was given the impression that it was.  So the mention of internet and a microwave kinda threw me for a loop big time.  But I was able to move past that because I was drawn into the story. 

I think that the twists that Ms. Storm added about the God’s needing to find their mates was really cool.  I just wish it wasn’t as insta-love as it was.  Even though you could tell that Hercules felt strongly about Micah, I couldn’t help but wonder at times if he really did love him, or if he was just mating him because of what was needed.

I do think that Ms. Storm as a great start to the series, and that is the reason that this book gets a 4 star instead of 3, because I do want to read more and find out what happens next.

This is book one of the Twelve labors series. Hercules and Micah’s story, Hercules is a demigod on a quest to find one of the twelve keys that will free Zeus. Micah is a Panther shifter, living under an Alpha that has been abusing him and ruling the pack with an iron fist.

We start the story with Olympus is an uproar; Aries and Hera have captured Zeus and taken over. We find out that the only way to set this all right is to discover the Twelve Keys, and certain Gods are given stones to help them start the quest. Hercules being the first, as he sets out on this journey, Clotho, one of the fates is helping him. As the stone leads him through a forest, he comes upon a small village and falls in insta-love, GFY to a guy tied to a pole that is about to be whipped. Hercules calls upon the other demigods, Gods, for help to release this guy, who we find out is Micah, and Hercules mate. Once Micah heals from his wounds, he also falls in love with Hercules but will it be an enough?

I really wanted to love this book, but found it only okay. Too many characters, to modern, to unusual match, just didn’t work for me. When reading about God’s, demigods and shifters and the the story was unfolding I was expecting more ancient times, then all the sudden, we are given a sentence that has a microwave in the kitchen. Just didn’t fit.  However, I did enjoy the back story of Hercules and the other God’s and demigods. I liked the quick one liner thrown out between them.  

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Hera and Aries have taken over Olympus. The other Gods have one chance to free Zeus, however, in order to do so the other Gods must be willing to sacrifice their freedom for his. Twelve keys will release Zeus from Icarus and those keys are each a mate to the chosen ones and the stones will lead the way. Each obstacle is a labor Hercules is all too familiar with. Can they succeed before their time runs out or are they all doomed?

When Stephan finds out he is the mate of Perseus, Son of Zeus, and the reason that a deadly disease has been unleashed, killing people all around him, in order to get to him, Stephan is more determined to stop it at all costs…even if it means his own life. Working together, can they stop it before it is too late? Or will Stephan have to die for others to live?

 

After reading book 1, I couldn’t wait to get started on this book but I think that was my downfall.

I did like the twists with Stephan, Perseus, and Deb.  I mention Deb because she did have a very big role in this book being that she was Stephan’s sister.  There was just something about Stephan that I did enjoy while reading, and I thought that he brought a lot to the story itself.  I also thought it was really smart of Ms. Storm to add in the twist about his father, because that did add a whole new level to the series, and gives me something to want to read more into the future books.

Now onto why I rated it 3 stars.  To be honest, this book would have gotten a 2 star rating if it wasn’t for the fact that I am still interested in the series and want to find out what happens at the end and that brings it up to 3.  The first 2 chapters of the book, I felt like I had read them before – and I did.  It was almost word for word the first 2 chapters in book 1.  Yes, there were small parts that it was told from Perseus’s point of view, but the overall feeling and words were just what I had read in the previous book.  Also, I wasn’t prepared for in the epilogue, it jumps to an M/F almost hardcore BDSM scene.  I wasn’t ready for that and it bothered me a bit that there wasn’t a warning about that. (And yes, I did go back and check).

Despite that, like I did say earlier, I do want to keep reading this series to find out what is going to happen next.

This is book two in the Twelve Labors series, and you have to read in order. Perseus is in the Great Hall when all hell breaks loose and then sent a quest to find a “key”, which by now we know means a mate.  Dr. Stephan Kimmel is a Dermatopathologist, treating a couple patients with an unusual skin condition, the end result being death to the patient. 

We start this story just like the last, with everyone meeting in the great hall for Hera and Aries big announcement. Then Apollo and Perseus go off to rescue Perseus’s quest before Hera and Aries can get to him. They end up in a hospital, Apollo being the Doctor and Perseus acting as his nurse.   After introductions, Stephan heads to sleep and Apollo and Perseus stay with the patients, discovering that all of them have been bitten by what appear as snake punchers wounds on different areas of each body. Enter in two more characters, Merc and Minerva who are helping Dr. Stephan, but Perseus doesn’t trust either one, apparently for good reason. Perseus also has many people to help him on this quest including Atropos, another Fate, and this one cutting time. And we find Stephan is not who he appears to be either.

Just like the last book, I found it just has way too many characters. Not only are we dealing with Greek Gods but now we have been given Roman ones as well. Plus the ones we are picking up with each story. And all seem to have major roles. Although once again I did enjoy getting the back stories of the main MC, and I find that the author does a good job keeping everyone separate. But I find you lose something in the connection we are establishing between the two new MC’s.  

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Murray and Apollo have silently loved each other since the day they met. When they go to the lands below to find the stolen scrolls needed to release Zeus from prison, Apollo and Murray discover they are mates. Murray is blissfully happy until he is kidnapped.

Taken to an old mining cave, Murray is scared. He knows that Apollo is doing everything he can to find him. However, Murray also knows that Hera and Aries will be there soon to take him and the scrolls away. Not wanting Apollo hurt, Murray tries to escape, only to find he is not alone in the cave.

Traipsing through the Mountains of New Mexico, looking for his mate, is not what he had envisioned on his Honeymoon phase. Finding out who took his mate not only angers him but also hurts because trust is not something he gives freely. However, Apollo will find his mate before it is too late or die trying.

To be completely honest up front, the one thing that I loved about this book was Murray.  His true innocence was just amazing and it was really fun getting to see the world from his perspective.  Apollo though, I thought he was a jerk in the beginning of the story, and even still come the end of the book, I just couldn’t connect with him. I was very happy that I didn't feel as though I was reading the previous books in the series when I started this one. It started off completely on it's own and I liked that.

It did seem as though we were introduced to quite a few new characters throughout this part of the series.  It almost left me wondering if they were all setups for the future books in the series.  I thought it was smart to a degree that the author did that, however it was a bit confusing trying to keep everyone straight.

Overall, I can’t wait to read more into this series and I really want to find out what’s going to happen next.

This is book 3 of the Twelve Labors series, Apollo and Murray story. Apollo is also in the Great Hall when Hera and Aries tell everyone they have taken Zeus and is also sent on a quest to find a mate. This upsets him more that he wants, because he has been in love with Murray for ages. Murray is the Scroll keeper, living full time in Atlantis. Never been outside of this sea world, he knows his love for Apollo could never be.

Just like the first books, this one also starts in the Great Hall and Cronos telling them to get to Atlantis. After Apollo gets there he notices that Murray is acting very nervous and they quickly find out that he told Hera and Aries how to capture Zeus.  Once everyone settles down, Murray than explains that he left out important details that would be found in the scrolls. He and Apollo head to the scroll rooms, only to find that someone has taken the scroll needed and the only one to find the scroll is Murray. Apollo is commissioned to help, protect Murray. Even though Murray doesn’t want him to because he knows on this journey Apollo will find his mate and that will not be Murray. We also have Lachesis, the last of the three Fates helping. This is the light thread, Fate.

I enjoyed this story better than the first two, but still found too many players and too much going on to be able to really connect with the two main MC. However, I’m a sucker for the woe-is-me; I’m not worthily, which Murray plays perfectly. Plus it was nice to be able to see the world through his eyes. Not ever being out of Atlantis, so the underworld, Earth, is amazing to him.   And Apollo comes off more Alpha male then the previous MC’s, which I also enjoy. But by the end of book 3, we are running the same path and same storyline. Pretty predictable, however, if the end characters are going to be book 4 mains, then we have added another layer of myth and crazy.  

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 Iphicles is accused of using the mate bond in order to release Zeus from his prison. Wanting Pegasus to have his freedom, Iphicles annuls the mating and then sets off to stop Aries's armies.

Pegasus is thrilled when Iphicles agrees to be his mate, knowing the man is petrified of animals. Until he discovers that the only reason Iphicles agreed is because Iphicles must mate with him in order to fulfill his part of the prophecy to release Zeus from his prison. Pegasus's anger overtakes him and he says things he regrets. However, before he can apologize he finds out that Iphicles has annulled the mating and has fled into the path of Aries's armies.

Setting out to find his mate and convince him to give them a chance at a lifetime of happiness, can Pegasus find Iphicles before the armies kill his mate? And can Pegasus save his mating before it is too late?

Out of the books in this series so far, this one is my least favorite of the bunch.  I think that part of why that is is because in book 3, Murray was very innocent and sweet, and in this book we have Iphicles who was the same way.  I feel that by having 2 such innocent characters stories back-to-back wasn’t a real smart move because after the sweetness of book 3, I was looking for more dominance in book 4.

I will say that I do like how Ms. Storm is combining both Roman and Greek gods in the storyline, but at the same time it was very confusing as well.  I don’t really understand what Bacchus was really doing during the storyline, and I am a bit confused over him as a character since he was introduced. 

I feel like the storyline in this series is getting a bit predictable, but for some reason I don’t want to stop reading the series because I have to find out what’s going to happen next.

This is book four in the Twelve Labors series. Iphicles and Pegasus story, Iphicles isn’t a God, Demigod but is still brought into the quest of freeing Zeus. Pegasus is a horse/man shifter and is hanging out with his human friend Hunter.

Just like the other three, Iphicles is in the Great Hall when Hera and Aries do the big speech. And shortly after Iphicles, Murray and Apollo are heading to Hunters ranch in New Mexico to try and get answers and find a mate for the next in line, Iphicles. The only problem is he is deathly afraid of animals and his mate is Pegasus. When they arrive Pegasus is immediately drawn to Iphicles and pulls him to the side and helps him over comes his fear of animals. Pegasus is so happy that he finally found someone to love him for him, until he realizes that Iphicles as a different agenda.

So this is book four, and I don’t know if it’s because the story and characters are getting more and more out there or if I’m over the whole God’s/Mates thing.  But just when I think, ok we really can’t bring any other crazy in… we do.  We have more characters show up, Bacchus (who is Roman BTW, we are dealing with Greeks), Deimos and the Titan army and the Hoplites. Let’s not forget the magic bed, were we stopped and had a second mating sexual encounter in the middle of finding Deimos camp. And don’t forget Harley, the piglet. What I did enjoy was how Iphicles, even though he didn’t find himself worthy of any of this, he still did his duty to Zeus and went on his quest. And even after he found his mate, lost his mate he still wanted to make everything right. I did like the hopefulness that Pegasus has towards his mate, even after finding out his fears. I have to be honest, I’m not sure I’ve signed up for anymore, but I don’t think I will continue with this series. I find the authors writing good, but the storyline, not to my taste.

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 Hunter has never liked pompous, overbearing men, and that was Poseidon. When Hunter is told he is Poseidon's mate he refuses to have anything to do with the God of Atlantis. Fearful of Hera and Aries' wrath, Hunter is taken to Atlantis, where Poseidon must convince Hunter he is not the man Hunter thinks he is before it's too late.

When Hunter has a run in with mermen determined to go to war against the people from the land below, he decides that an intervention is needed and decides to gather the other mates together to try and stop a war. Not knowing there is a traitor amongst them all, during the meeting, Hera and Aries attack Atlantis and the mates. Can Poseidon save his mate before it is too late or will Hera and Aries take the one man that was meant to be his?

I have been hoping that Hunter was going to get a book of his own since we first met him in Apollo, so when I realized that this book was his, I was excited to start it!

I did really love how he knew what he wanted and wasn’t willing to take any crap from anyone, least of all his mate.  I thought it was great getting to know a different side of Hunter, and to see him finally happy.  Especially with everything that had happened to him in the past, he deserved his happy ending.

I am a bit confused about Hunter in this story though because Hunter mentions how he was Alex’s mate, yet he is now Posidon’s mate?  Especially since the fates do mention that you can only have 1 mate, how does he end up with 2?

Besides all of that though, I do have to say that I thought Hunter really carried this book and I hope that we get to see some more of him in the future books of the series.  Like I said before, for some reason I can’t stop reading this series and I want to find out what’s going to happen next.

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