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Death and Rebirth
Phoenix: The Rise follows a demi-god and a vampire who are struggling to defeat a powerful enemy while protecting humanity and trying to get married. What was the inspiration for the setup to your story?
The set up was established way back in book one and this was just a natural progression of where and how I wanted the characters to evolve. I also wanted them to experience a level of drama that the reader could relate to.
Carissa and Xen are intriguing and well developed characters. What were some driving ideals behind your character’s development?
As writers, we often talk about character types, and I always come back to trying to make them as three-dimensional as I can, and for that, there needs to be interaction, reflection, and some form of decision making. It is through the reflection stage that we can dive just a little bit deeper to see what they are made of, and it is at that point where we can either sympathize or feel their anger, joy and other emotions. It is how we make a connection with them. Sometimes that can be a hit-and-miss situation, and I am always biting my nails and hoping I got it right. 😊
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
Death and rebirth. I hate to say it, but I had to kill one of my darlings. It was time. Another theme was the magical element of Carissa’s power. I wanted to explore a little more of that and the danger of having such a gift. And of course a big battle scene, that encompasses the theme of good vs evil. No story is complete without one of those.
This is book three in your Phi Athanatoi series. Do you have plans for book four?
Book four is Kane’s story, so we get to see what makes him tick. The gods are also present, and of course there will be a little of Carissa Xen in the story too. Sadly, that will not be released till early 2024, but things do change. I am currently working on a new three book series, The Willow Witch Chronicles. Book one is scheduled for release in November and is already up for pre-order. There’s more information on my website.
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Demi-god Carissa Alkippes has fought her equal share of demons and Olympian gods, when one battle ends another begins. Only this one may destroy the thin veil between supernatural creatures, gods and humans. To make things worse Zeus offers her a ‘get in and out of Olympus’ card, which paints a dangerous target on her back. Now she must get a handle on her power.
With new enemies hunting her down, Carissa must use everything she knows to protect those she loves from being collateral damage.
Xen Lyson, has seen much in his immortal life and walking Carissa down the aisle is at the top of his vampire list, but when an ancient libation bowl turns up, so does Discord and Death.
Now they have fight not only to protect humanity, but themselves too. Will they defeat their enemies in time to tie-the-knot?
ThePhi Athanatoi is a paranormal, fantasy romance series featuring; vampires, werewolves, witches and Greek gods. If you love stories with strong heroines, adrenaline-filled drama, prophecies, Greek mythology and immortal warriors, then you’ll love the Phi Athanatoi.
Phoenix: The Rise (Phi Athanatoi Book 3)
Carissa Alkippes is a demi-god, daughter of greek god, Ares. She is unable to control her powers but is learning to get a better grip on it. Being a demi-god can be dangerous, but has its wonderful moments (such as having cool powers and visiting the home of the gods, Olympus). Having danger around every corner means Carissa’s loved ones are in danger. She is determined to keep her grandmother and Aunt Paula, as well as mankind, safe from the darker things that lurk in the shadows. Along with her close friends, and mated vampire Xen Lyson, she fights the creatures most people have nightmares of.
Carissa is a strong and well thought out character that I loved following. She is put in situations that most people would not be comfortable with, as we expect with action packed paranormal novels, but what I enjoyed most about her character was how she thrived in those situations and how she handled them. This made her character a compelling protagonist to follow and one readers will easily enjoy following over a long series.
Xen Lyson and Carissa share a telepathic bond that gives their relationship an intriguing depth. Though they are placed in tough situations, the couple’s relationship doesn’t waiver which, to me, makes this novel stand out from other paranormal romance novels where the couple in the story often, and easily, struggle with this kind of stuff. In this novel author Efthalia has transcended that issue and taken her characters relationship to a new level.
Adam and Kane, Xen’s friends and colleagues, are also interesting to read about because they keep the story light and entertaining, which is welcome in a novel that is dramatic and emotional. The scenes about Greek gods add a fascinating layer of complexity to the story. The unique feel the author is able to imbue in her story with the creative use of mythology is something that kept me coming back to this novel again and again. While I enjoyed this rousing paranormal action novel I would have liked to have seen the characters challenged a bit more in the fighting scenes. The action scenes were fun, but I wanted to feel the danger a bit more.
Phoenix: The Rise is a gripping urban fantasy novel with alluring characters and a story that feels deep and meaningful. Well written and surprisingly deep, this is a great read and a fantastic addition to a spellbinding series.
Pages: 342 | ASIN: B09GKVX173
Labyrinth or Mayhem
Phantasia follows demigod ex-cop Carissa who is hellbent on clearing her father’s name. What was the inspiration for the setup to this thrilling story?
The single myth that drove this story forward was the one with Alkippe, Ares’ daughter who was raped by Poseidon’s son. Ares retaliated and killed him. Poseidon was obviously unhappy about this and Ares’ became the first god to be tried for murder on the Areopagus. The Areopagus, a hill in Ancient Athens was where judicial business took place. This myth is the over-reaching story arc that spans from book one, right through to book three, which I am writing as we speak. Book one was the kill, book two the trail and book three is the verdict.
Carissa is an intriguing and well developed character. What were some driving ideals behind her character development?
Apart from the basic ideals and psychological needs, I want her to go from ordinary to extraordinary and she still has a bit more learning to do before she hits her full potential. When I sat down to write the series, Carissa was standing in the middle of a labyrinth or mayhem, that said, you are here, and she needed to find her way out of the maze both internally and externally. There is a lot that we can take away from myths and we only need to look at our own life experiences to see how much we grow and change due to life throwing things at us.
I enjoyed the infusion of Greek mythology throughout the book. What kind of research did you undertake to keep things accurate?
I am so pleased to hear that. I loved myth when I started my first book and it seemed natural to me. I have always loved Homer’s representation of the gods because they are so vivid and intervening. I wanted my gods to exude the same presence of Homer’s and I do play a little bit on that whole anger and revenge cycle. In terms of research, I am in the middle of a degree in the Classics and Archaeology. A little late in life but why not? 😃 So, I guess I can say that I have a bit of arsenal up my sleeve. 😊
This is book two in the Phi Athanatoi series. What can readers expect from book three?
Spoiler Alert: I keep saying, and apologies for being so cliché, it’s going to be bigger than Ben-Hur. You can expect more craziness from Carissa’s family. A character may not survive. The gods are as intervening as ever, and Xen and Carissa may go through a small learning curve before they get their Big Fat Greek Wedding. 😃 Definitely some fun moments to deal with the darker elements.
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Xen Lyson shouldn’t dwell on Carissa when he’s supposed to be stopping demons from feasting on humanity. But the sexy vampire worries her solitary journey to Olympus will put her in grave danger. And with absent gods causing devastating natural disasters, he must trust her father, Ares, to keep her safe.
With every mortal sphere at risk, Carissa races to retrieve a magical codex believed to hold the key to defeating her enemy. And when Xen discovers the true source of the threat, saving both humans and gods will put his own immortality in jeopardy.
In between battling Titans, gods, missing keys, and baklava can Carissa and Xen summon the power to conquer the sinister foe and return to each other’s arms?
PHANTASIA – A Bad Day on Olympus is the second book in the Phi Athanatoi paranormal series. If you like strong women, adrenaline-filled action, and fun twists on Greek mythology, then you’ll love Efthalia’s passionate page-turner.
Phantasia: A Bad Day On Olympus
![Phantasia: A Bad Day On Olympus (Phi Athanatoi Book 2) by [Efthalia Author]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/519f3tZrFdL.jpg)
Phantasia by Efthalia is the second installment in Efthalia’s Phi Athanatoi series. This novel follows Carissa, an ex-cop and demigod granddaughter of Zeus, as she embarks on the greatest mission of her life thus far – saving a few morally astray Greek gods from causing ruin and chaos to not only their ethereal realm in Mount Olympus, but also to the susceptible and unknowing mortal world below. Efthalia’s entertaining way of storytelling and character building, combined with a unique plot that blends romance, adventure, Greek culture, and Greek mythology, are all key aspects that make this a thrilling paranormal romance.
Even though this is the second book in her Phi Athanatoi series, Efthalia does a great job at building each character so that even if a reader picks up the book out of sequence, they have enough context about important details to still be able to follow the story line. Carissa and Xen’s romance is hot, steamy, and palpable in all the right ways, while still making apparent the couple’s devotion to one another. Even auxiliary characters, such as Carissa’s mortal family members, are given the chance to shine, reminding readers how embedded loyalty and familial ties are to Greek culture. All the characters are likable, realistic and have their own sense of morality that adds to the depth of the overall novel. Each scene is portrayed in a way that allows the reader to easily envision happenings as they unfold.
Efthalia is a brilliant writer who also uses her work as an opportunity to highlight Greek culture. Her numerous and regular Greek vocabulary and cultural references add significant depth to the reader’s experience. The Greek glossary at the end of the book, which provides definitions of all Greek vocabulary used throughout the text, is a further welcome touch. Her vivid depictions of each of the Greek gods in the story, from Zeus to Ares to Hades, reflect the well-researched nature of her storytelling.
There are definite aspects that are reminiscent of popular thrillers, such as Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code and Stieg Larsson’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Since there are sexual scenes, depictions of alcohol use, and some images of violence, this novel is best enjoyed by an adult audience. I would recommend Phantasia and the rest of the Phi Athanatoi series to anyone with an interest in the adventure romance genre, as well as any aficionados of Greek mythology.
Pages: 289 | ASIN: B083TBWNPH
LITERARY TITAN 