Snakes & Stones

This anthology was amazing. Every single story put a different spin on Greek mythology. Each author made me fall in love with their stories and the characters. Each tale of Medusa was unique and had its own voice, and style.No story is alike which is amazing. All of the stories were my favorite. Fans of Greek Mythology will thoroughly enjoy the stories that are in this collection. Each author brought their A game and I cannot wait to read more of their works. I give it 5/5 Stars

Loved this twist on a classic myth! Ali Winters posses such a magical and inventive way with her words. Her stories capture you and take you hostage ♡ She's absolutely gifted and every story is such a beautiful present that gets more enthralling the more you open it ♡♡♡♡ Reading her novella about Medusa makes you feel for a creature that I never thought to feel empathy for before ♡ This is the ultimate tale of understanding a monster that most shy away from spending their reading time upon. The whole twist of our hero saving the day was such a creative turn of events!! For a whole new and refreshing view on Medusa, make sure you read this!

Lies of the Beholder by Erin HayesThis one hit the creep factor right on the head! I loved how fast paced it was but kept you wondering and guess. Great fun read.

I love this anthology! The different versions of Medusa were fabulous. I particularly liked Erin Hayes's story "Lies of the Beholder"--telling the story through the perpetrator's eyes is a great reminder that bullying is a complex issue.

Snakes and Stones AnthologyI'm a huge Greek mythology fan and this anthology didn't disappoint! I loved seeing how six very talented authors created six very different tales based on one single character, Medusa. These stories drew me in with their tales of love, friendship, trauma, mystery, hope, and perseverance. Their message that the power to overcome trauma, betrayal, insecurity, and bullying lies within yourself is much needed and a great reminder to the YA audience. I'd highly recommend this for anyone that loves to read!When I Fell-Christina BenjaminThis was a great story that pulled at the heartstrings and ended with a bit of a cliffhanger (great for sequel potential). I loved how the concept of family was challenged and how the characters demonstrated this to Calista. It was well written and I'd love to know what happens next.Medusa- Kaitlin BevisAbsolutely loved this heart-wrenching and poetic story of betrayal, loss, and unexpected friendship. I also admired how the main character found power and hope in the midst of a bleak situation. It reinforces that a “monster” is what you do, not how you appear. A very unique spin that offers an alternative perspective on the classical Medusa tale.The Case of the Missing Soul- Susan BurdorfAn intriguing steampunk detective story featuring a modernized Medusa. It was well written but since it's not really my genre of choice, I had a harder time connecting to it. I did like that it was unpredictable with several twists and featured Medusa's abilities as more of a benefit rather than a curse.Lies of the Beholder- Erin HayesThis story was probably the most contemporary and reality-based story of them all. It is applicable to everyone that uses digital media to connect and also shed some light on cyberbullying. However, it was pretty intense at times and felt a little unbalanced in favor of the bully for most of the story. It did speak well to the seen and unseen effects of cyberbullying and gave insight into some of the personal and social reasons one might engage in it.Medusa's Curse- Suzanna LynnWhat if Medusa's curse wasn't a curse at all? This is a beautiful story with an interesting spin on Medusa's character. It focuses on Medusa overcoming trials and trauma to become stronger and to learn to use her “curse” for good. The ending was very powerful and moving and solidified this as one of my favorite stories of the anthology.Favor of the Gods- Ali WintersMean Girls meets She's All That Greek style. It was a very sweet story with a fun switch-up in the Medusa-Perseus relationship. The author did a wonderful job drawing me into the story, so that I was experiencing it as Medusa did. There was strife, bullying, friendship, comedic relief, and ultimately a satisfying ending.

So far really enjoying this boxset! I've read Ali Winters' story, Favor of the Gods, and Christina Benjamin's When I Fell! Each of the stories in this boxset, multiple authors each write a story that has to do with the story of Medusa, they are all short stories, and the 2 I've read so far lean towards YA.In When I Fell, Medusa's daughter is held prisoner by her mother because she is too good, the daughter escapes and tries to live as a normal teenager. This one was sweet, and I was really hoping everything would work out for Calista, she has had a difficult time with her mother, and just wants to find acceptance. Calista has a wonderful adoptive family, great friends, and a perfect boyfriend, but someone is set on bringing her back to her mother.In Favor of the Gods, Medusa is a teenage gorgon in a high school with other teenage mythological people, she pisses off mean girl, Andromeda, when she talks with Perseus, so Andromeda makes it her mission to make Medusa's life Hell. I liked Medusa, and it was sad how she was treated! I would've liked for her to stand-up more for herself! The story has some sweet moments, and I would've liked for there to be more of an ending, but the story presented was interesting, and I enjoyed it!Looking forward to reading the rest of the stories! I'll update the review as I finish!

I'm a big fan of mythology and Snakes and Stones did not disappoint. I really enjoyed reading all the different authors takes on Medusa. I highly recommend this book especially if you enjoy mythology. It's always great to find new authors that you can fall in love with.

Not only is this a great box set for a great cause , but the various retellings of the story of Medusa mixed with mythology and magic made me really love this box set. Will be re-reading over and over again.