Reviews

War of the Mind by Dana Claire

carrmel21's review

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5.0

“War of the Mind” is a captivating tale of love, vengeance, and mythology. Following demigod Calli Bordeaux on her quest against a notorious pirate, the story weaves a complex narrative of erased memories and rekindled passions. With its rich prose and thrilling action, it’s a standout addition to the Olympian Wars series that will leave readers eagerly awaiting the next chapter. ♥♥

inkreads's review

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

War of the Mind by Dana Claire broke my heart. Not even, it can't be the end, I need more! (And, Dana Claire always delivers, so while I am bereft with a big Olympians hole in my life, I can either read the series over, or focus on the Syphon series until there is more. There will be more? Right?)

Yes, this is supposed to be the end of the series, but there is so much potential for spinoffs that I truly hope that this is not the last we see of this incredible series. Apologies for the scatterbrained wiffle, but this is exactly what happens when I am so invested in a series and come up for air at the end of each book. I just want more!

There are so many twists and turns and "oh my demigod" moments in War of the Mind that to break it down would be to give it away and it really needs to be experienced. Having read the series to date, my jaw just kept dropping with every belting twist, let alone such a powerful storyline.

I will leave it at this. The series is phenomenal. Don't just read one, or two, read the entire series and you will not be disappointed, utterly fantastic

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

chantie's review

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adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Once again, Dana Claire pulls you into her story and won't let you go. As soon as I started War of the Mind, I was addicted and couldn't stop reading it. I love the characters and I love how Dana writes so that I can picture exactly what is happening.  I LOVE the cover.  I hope there are more books in this series. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

mylastromancenovel's review against another edition

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adventurous fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

My Rating: ❤️❤️❤️.75

Disclaimer: I received a review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily. Thanks, BookSirens.

Reading Order: This is the third in an interconnected standalone series. You could read these out of orders, but you will have some spoilers for the first and not have the full background of prior characters who make cameos.

General Thoughts: I liked the writing and the overall story. The author does a great job creating witty banter and fun adventurous pirate stories. If you like adventure romance, I think you'll like it. It's original, fun, and creative. I like how the author has reimagined the Greek gods/goddesses, and I love the heavy pirate themes being interconnected in the books.

And this book is also a tough one for me. I have really enjoyed this series, and I also really enjoyed these characters in past books. And I also like much of the book. And yet, I really disliked the main plot point that is revealed in the synopsis. I felt like it was such a deeply un-okay act and I had a hard time getting past it. I also didn't like what the author did with some of the characters in past books. That made this one a hard one for me to know how to rate in many ways. I guess I needed more revolving the main point. The ending also confused me a bit.

But all in all, still a really enjoyable book and series.

Spice Meter: 💞 This series has been a sweet YA romance with very tame hints of spice that was suitable for all ages. However, this one did flirt a bit more on the very tame side of new adult.

Romantic Tropes
-Greek mythology
-Pirates
-gods/demi-gods
-Young adult/new adult
-dual POV
-childhood love
-dislike to love

You can also find me on Insta @mylastromancenovel.

anacarter's review

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dark emotional lighthearted sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

araskov's review

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5.0

"War of the Mind" by Dana Claire is a captivating tale of love, sacrifice, and redemption that had me hooked from the very first page. Calli and Henrik's journey is an emotional rollercoaster, filled with heartache, passion, and the relentless pursuit of justice.

Claire's storytelling prowess shines through in this action-packed adventure, as she weaves together a gripping narrative that kept me on the edge of my seat. The depth of emotion conveyed by the characters is palpable, and I found myself shedding a few tears for the love that was lost and the sacrifices made in the name of redemption.

What truly sets this book apart is Claire's ability to create richly developed characters that leap off the page. Calli and Henrik are flawed yet compelling protagonists whose struggles and triumphs resonate deeply with readers. Their journey is not only one of physical peril but also one of self-discovery and growth.

I had the privilege of witnessing the evolution of this story from its early drafts to the polished masterpiece it has become. Claire's dedication to her craft is evident in every word, and her passion for storytelling shines through on every page.

"War of the Mind" is a testament to the power of love, forgiveness, and the indomitable human spirit. It is a story that will stay with me long after the final page, and I cannot recommend it highly enough to fans of action-packed fantasy and epic romance. Dana Claire has once again delivered a spellbinding tale that is sure to captivate readers from start to finish.

proudtobeabookaholic's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

When demigod Calli learns that her parents have been murdered she gets obsessed with revenge. She rebuilds her parents' ship, recruits an all female crew and set out to hunt down the notorious pirate Captain Fredrick, their murderer and her beloved Henrik's father. To stop Henrik from following her she does the unthinkable: she erases herself from his memories. 

The third book in the Olympian Wars series and it starts very intense with the information that Lou and Rylander, the main characters from the first book, are dead. We get to follow their daughter Calli in her pursuit for revenge, but also her soulmate Henrik, who, without knowing it, has lost parts of his memories. I first thought it would be strange and awkward to read about, but Claire solves it beautifully and I need not have worried!

We also get to know Medusa, who will come to play a big part in, above all, Henrik's life. Claire gives us a somewhat different picture of the goddess, and I love the gift she bestows on Henrik!

If you love Greek mythology, pirates and a love that conquers all this is a series for you! If you also enjoy reading about friendship, loyalty and sacrifices with characters that come alive on the page and doesn't always do as you wish, than you should definitely check this out! I really hope we get more of this series in the future because I'm not ready to leave this world!

* I received an ARC through BookSirens and I'm giving my honest review. *

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georginap92's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I was super excited for this book, and after reading book two I just knew that Calli and Henrik needed their own story, and this was one that read like the swoon worthy romance they both deserved! I absolutely loved watching their romance from the past, to the present and with that epilogue their future! 

The characters are so well developed, and their personalities shine through so well, I love the fact that Dana had aged them in the book so they felt a lot more realistic, and it fed into the star-crossed lovers/soulmate trope even more, as they just could not imagine life without one another! It was brilliant to read more about them both. Although a couple of trivial things, I would absolutely adore a family tree print, as I got slightly confused in the beginning remembering and tracing who was related to who, and I didn’t like just how much Calli’s need for revenge consumed her, but it was there for major plot development, and it definitely worked a treat as this book really did produce some real tear-jerker moments (the first chapter, and the epilogue I am looking at you!)

This book was just so fast paced, and action packed, with the right amount of sass from the characters, especially Sadie, she was a brilliant new introduction. Plus, Etta and Sphinx what adorable new characters that just shone of the page, I really loved all their interactions! I found the plot very unique, with Medusa not being displayed as a villain for once which was a refreshing change, and I like what the author did with her and Henrik’s relationship, that was a lovely touch, and I like how this came full circle for Henrik. Plus, those dastardly pirates who have been nothing but trouble for the entire series, I am glad there was some karma that came around for them!

This is a series I completely love; all three books are fantastic and have been five star reads for me, they can all be read as standalones, but I would recommend reading the entire trilogy just because its great! 

justmyfantasyworld's review

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adventurous challenging funny hopeful medium-paced

4.5

• 𝑩𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘 •

𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: ☆☆☆☆ 4.5/5

Wow. This was such an addicting read. I loved the characters, they felt real and flawed to me. Which made for some good character growth during the story. The magic and everything was just amazing. Surprising twists and some humor. And if you read the other books in this story you'll see some familiar characters (which I loved). You do not have to read the other books to read this one, but I highly recommend that you do!

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘨𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘣𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸, 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.

A lot of my reviews are also available with photo at my Bookstagram: @justmyfantasyworld

queveereads's review

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emotional funny fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

 I was so excited to be able to continue reading through this world! War of the Mind pulled at all of my emotions from the first chapter. I am also a Medusa stan so this really filled my cup.

Claire’s writing is lovely and I had to constantly remind myself that this is a YA, closed-door romance. I left this book and WOTL wanting more from the characters and the plot but for YA it is great.

Callie and Henrik age so beautifully in this book. Callie takes on a lot of her mother’s traits and her story follows a bit of her parents’. iykyk. Henrik, blessed, blessed (not quite a baby) Henrik. I was so mad for him the entire book. He just could not win with relationships (familial or friendly). Conleth and Savina really stepped into the guardian role for him and I may have shed some tears at their interactions. Conleth will forever be that guy for me <3 The ending did leave me a bit confused and was quite rushed but we got there in the end!

In this book there are: snuggly pet snakes, pirates meet Greek gods and an HEA

 
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