Page & Wick #7: March 2025
I actually received this Page & Wick box over a month ago, but the box itself was delayed to begin with. Apparently, the UK has been dealing with ongoing printing issues, which means a lot of book boxes are arriving later than planned. No big deal – it’s not like I was out of reading material, right? 😉
The theme of the month was Blood of the Titan, and come on, if that doesn’t scream Greek or Roman-inspired, I don’t know what does! The teaser promised an adult fantasy, first in a series, set in a war academy, with gods and monsters, brutal trials, and deadly duels. Throw in some buzzwords like ancient ruins and forgotten myths, and I was so ready to get my hands on that book.
The book turned out to be Blood of Hercules by Jasmine Mas.
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.
I was completely on board with the first half of that description – it sounds bold and exciting. But the second half gave me a sinking feeling. It started to sound less like an epic fantasy inspired by Greek myths, and more like a romantasy. And judging by the number of male characters being mentioned, I suspected a reverse harem – which Goodreads genre tags quickly confirmed. Not exactly what I was hoping for, to be honest 😅.
The new Page & Wick cover by @nim_br also points entirely in the direction of romantasy. And look, I can’t say it’s not a beautiful design – the colours are rich and deep, and the details clearly well thought-out. But I’m just not completely feeling it. Maybe it’s the butterfly? Or maybe it’s just that I expected something tougher, something that matched the vibe of the teaser card and, as it turns out, the standard edition. That one screams bold epic fantasy. But then again, if the story doesn’t actually deliver that kind of tone, I’d be disappointed by that cover too.
The naked hardcover features printed artwork by @vitkovskaya_art, more in line with what I had envisioned: a Greek landscape with temples and ruins – epic, mysterious, full of potential.
The book edges are beautifully sprayed with a design by @alyesasworld that wraps nicely around all three sides. While it’s nicely executed, it honestly just confirms that I’m not really a fan of those angular insects. Kind of reminds me of old-school clipart, lol.
Inside, there’s a signed page and a letter from the author, along with gorgeous endpapers illustrated by @hoanglapdoan – again with a very romantic atmosphere, clearly leaning into romantasy rather than the fierce Spartan warrior I was hoping for.
All in all, this is certainly a beautifully produced edition from Page & Wick, with careful attention to design, colour, and finish. It’s just that the story seems to be heading in a different direction than I had hoped based on the theme and the teaser. Not a bad book – I’m not judging it yet – but definitely not what I was expecting, and I’m still wrapping my head around that.
Cheers,
Charlotte
