Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.

Start by marking “Muse (Descended From Myth, #1)” as Want to Read:

Other editions

Enlarge cover

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Open Preview

Muse

(Descended From Myth #1)

Erin McFadden (Goodreads Author)

4.12 · Rating details · 157 ratings · 64 reviews

The Brotherhood of the Guardians has existed for thousands of years to serve a single purpose: the protection of Talents, the mortal descendants of the original nine Muses.

Twenty-one year-old Daniel Lyoncourt has trained his entire life to join the Guardians. Daniel is prepared to risk his life in order to keep his Talent safe, but when he's assigned to nineteen year-old ...more

Get A Copy

Mass Market Paperback, 180 pages

Published September 13th 2013 by Createspace (first published September 12th 2013)

More Details... Edit Details

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about Muse, please sign up.

Be the first to ask a question about Muse

Lists with This Book

This book is not yet featured on Listopia. Add this book to your favorite list »

Community Reviews

Showing 1-30

Average rating 4.12 ·

Rating details

· 157 ratings · 64 reviews

More filters

Sort order

Start your review of Muse (Descended From Myth, #1)

Jan 07, 2015 Booknut rated it liked it

Shelves: gorgeous-guys, mythology, mystery-and-sherlocking, romance

A mix of mythology & good old romance, Muse is a fun read.

The highlight? Daniel, for sure! Here's a sneak peek:

'"I don't see any bruises," Sara chimed in.
"Just mmuuuuuuscles," Ginger sighed.

That was about enough for me, now I had to see who the heck they were ogling, though I had a sneaking suspicion that I already knew. Tylinda and I both walked over to the window, even though she had been able to see most of the view from where we'd been sitting.

Out in the yard, one of the big trucks had pulle

...more

flag 5 likes · Like · see review

Jun 26, 2015 Claire - The Coffeeholic Bookworm rated it it was amazing

Daniel had worked all his life to be the great Guardian he was destined to be. But he had second thoughts when he finally learned who he would be watching over. Anna was breathtakingly beautiful and he assumed it was only a matter of time before he became blind in love and be like his father and would leave his family soon. Of course, this devastated his mom a whole lot, but then what choice did they have?

Anna was working her way up to success. But she didn't have confidence in herself. She's no ...more

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Nov 29, 2015 CARLA rated it really liked it

Shelves: paranormal-myth-fantasy

https://celebrityreaders.wordpress.co...

Solid first book by Mrs. McFadden! And I love the cover.

I received this book from the author because she is super nice. I would categorize this as a YA paranormal romance. It was a great, cute story. I felt that the romance might have been rushed a little bit for the story within the time frame; but with extreme circumstances come extreme emotions so with that the book was consistent.

Totally appropriate for ages 14 and up I feel. The book had a very easy g ...more

flag 3 likes · Like · see review

Aug 19, 2013 A Girl Amongst Books rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

*I was given a copy of this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review.*

I wasn't ready for how fast this book sucked me into it's gravitational pull. From page one I was hooked. The author seamlessly draws you into a world where being a Muse can be dangerous. I really enjoyed the storyline and plot of this novel, it was different than most of the young adult books out there. I've read lots of novels in this genre and this is one of the best I have read in a long time. The ch ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Apr 24, 2014 Katie McKnight rated it it was amazing

I received this book in exchange for an honest review. Daniel Lyoncourt trained his whole life to join the Guardians. At the same time, he promises himself not to place the Talent he'll represent before his family. His father placed his Talent before the family, causing his mother to suffer a great deal of pain.

His promises die the moment he lays his eyes on Anna Saint-James. Not only is she beautiful, she is not aware of her abilities. Daniel promises to protect and teacher her at the same tim ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Apr 10, 2020 Megan (BookWifeReviews) rated it really liked it

I enjoyed this book quite a bit. I really love when there is any kind of mythology in a book. I find it fascinating. This was an interesting premise with Talents and Guardians. The world is so intricate and the characters were well rounded and felt very real. I really liked the detail Erin McFadden put into this book. I look forward to more from this author.

#audiobookobsessionreviewer

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Mar 31, 2020 Christine rated it it was amazing

**This book was provided to Nerd Girl Official in exchange for an honest review.**

Muse by Erin McFadden is the first in her Descended From Myth Series. I truly enjoy Ms. McFadden’s books, and this was no exception.

Talents are descendants of the original nine muses, and each is assigned a Guardian from the Brotherhood for protection.

Daniel has trained his whole life to be a Guardian, but when he’s assigned Anna, he wonders if he can do his job — all aspects of it — with the unexpected reaction ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Aug 22, 2013 Michele Breaux-Rowley rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 5-star-faves, my-reviews, faves-new-series

******I received Muse as an ARC for an honest review.*******

I waited after finishing this book to write this review to see if after a couple of days my thoughts on it might change. Nope! Simply put, I loved this book, from start to finish. I loved the characters, the story, the action, the sarcasm, the obscure references to television shows and movies of my youth. There were awwww moments, there were angry moments and there were moments that were truly laugh out loud. It was a coming of age stor ******I received Muse as an ARC for an honest review.*******

I waited after finishing this book to write this review to see if after a couple of days my thoughts on it might change. Nope! Simply put, I loved this book, from start to finish. I loved the characters, the story, the action, the sarcasm, the obscure references to television shows and movies of my youth. There were awwww moments, there were angry moments and there were moments that were truly laugh out loud. It was a coming of age story, a love story, an action packed roller coaster wrapped up in a neat little package.

I was unsure how this book would play out. Ms. McFadden managed to pull off something extraordinary here. She wrote this entire book in first person. The chapters vacillated back and forth between the 2 characters, entirely in the first person aspect of each. It was never repetitive, never boring, and the story flowed as well as if it were written from a single character's perspective. For that, I applaud you. She also managed to captivate my imagination, I understood everything she was telling me, but she wasn't overly wordsy. So here goes, I will try not to give anything away because this is a must read.

The plot was well researched, well thought out, and excellently executed. There were no moments of lag, the flow was smooth, the resolution complete. I look forward to the next books in the series as there is a lot more I want to know about the supporting characters and their stories, especially the Brotherhood of the Guardians...I WANT MORE!!

The characters are well developed, strong and are interesting enough that they could develop into lead characters with little effort. The main characters are well written. Unlike most novels in this genre, they are not unbelievable in their strengths and weaknesses. They are down to earth, strong, likable, and seem very very approachable.

Anna, what can I say about Anna? This girl is amazing, but not unbelievably so. She comes from a loving home, with doting parents. She was adopted at a young age and she has always wondered where she comes from and what happened to her parents. She is slightly naive, a little dingy, totally down to earth, totally real, and the kind of person I could see myself being friends with. I don't know how she did it, but I could totally see myself doing some of the things she did.

Daniel, one word. YUM. Down to earth, chiseled hottie, who only has eyes for his Talent. He is funny, he is handsome, and totally dedicated to his job and family. He is completely in love with Anna, but is torn because he has seen the road that Talents usually take and knows that he will get his heart broken. I love that no matter what she can do to him, he is always on her side and loves her without hesitation.

Unlike most, I started this book with no expectations beyond the interesting premise, but was sucked in immediately and entirely. I will not hesitate to read anything else that Ms. McFadden puts to paper. Mark my words, this girl is going to be BIG!

~Michele
Book Geeks Unite
https://www.facebook.com/bookgeeksunite
...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Dec 17, 2015 Shy rated it really liked it

The series title of this book got me really curious because I love Myth stories and how they relate or differ to the Mythology I learned from school.

The premise of the story was very original which made me glad that I read this book. The characters are very dimensional with also so much room for progress and growth for the next books. I personally loved Daniel's character. Which is something unusual for me because I always tend to like more the characters that are not the main characters to the ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Oct 06, 2013 Branden rated it it was amazing

Epic, is a word that comes to mind after reading this book... I don't read many books, mainly because it's hard for me to find a book that hooks me from the beginning. Not a problem with this one! The way the author alternates chapters between the two main characters really drew me in and kept me interested. Being a male, I found myself chuckling a lot as you sometimes got both Anna's and then Daniel's, very different, points of view on the same situation and thinking "yep that's what I would ha ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Sep 19, 2013 Michelle Moklebust rated it it was amazing

Let me start with: if you haven’t read Muse: Descended from Myth: Book One, the debut offering by indie author Erin McFadden, you should.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story, and I’m thrilled I was paying attention long enough to know when it was released. The writing is smooth and crisp. The main characters, Daniel and Anna, are well-rounded, and their relationship believable. I was rooting for them the whole time. The world Erin has created is exactly what I expect from an urban fantasy, meaning sh ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Jul 18, 2016 Julie McCleary rated it it was amazing

In this story Erin really knows how to capture the readers attention, I was completely and utterly engrossed from the very first chapter.
This story to me is about love at first sight and it's journey to being true love. When Daniel & Anna meet for the first time you can see their connection is immediate. Anna is a quiet, caring and reserved young woman and Daniel is a strong loving man that will do whatever it takes to keep Anna safe.
If you love the thought of muses and their powers to do good, ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Sep 19, 2013 Shane Miller rated it it was amazing

My wife read this book in two days and she loved it. I decided to give it a shot. Wow. I now know why she couldn't put it down. The characters are so real. They talk like real people, like you do with your friends. The book is witty, funny and action packed. I can't wait for the next book to come out.

...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Aug 29, 2016 Danielle rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

Absolutely love, love, love this. A little bit of Greek mythology is always a plus! I wished there was more of it, but I get why there wasn't. Anna wasn't annoyingly stupid or helpless, she was the right amount of kind, brave, and personable. Daniel was just a little dramatic, but in such an adorable way.

I would definitely recommend! ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Aug 22, 2013 L.A. Remenicky rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Loved it! I cannot wait to read the next book in the series to see how the relationship between Anna and Daniel grows and changes.

I'm also looking forward to see how Anna's talent has changed and how she will use it in her life. ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

May 27, 2016 Amanda Gibson rated it it was amazing

This was different than the book I normally read and I loved it! It had some romance, some funny, some action. I loved finding out about the talents and puzzling out what was going to happen next. Once you pick it up, you won't put out down! I received a free copy of this book. ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

May 22, 2020 Stephanie Augustine rated it it was amazing

FEEDBACK

This book was so much more interesting than I thought it was going to be. One of the things I liked about this book was how it started off right away. Daniel is assigned to Anna who is a Talent which means she can influence the people around her. Due to her parents dying, she was put in an orphanage and adopted by a fantastic family. However, this caused her not to know her own powers until Daniel entered her life. After revealing to Anna what she really is, Daniel immediately becomes in FEEDBACK

This book was so much more interesting than I thought it was going to be. One of the things I liked about this book was how it started off right away. Daniel is assigned to Anna who is a Talent which means she can influence the people around her. Due to her parents dying, she was put in an orphanage and adopted by a fantastic family. However, this caused her not to know her own powers until Daniel entered her life. After revealing to Anna what she really is, Daniel immediately becomes involved in her life. The events that unfolded in the book were amazing. It just continuously flowed and never stopped. There were a couple of time hops that took me a moment to figure out where I was in the story. But this never lasted long. How much time passed throughout the whole year? I think a year? That’s the only downfall to this book. But it didn’t stop my enjoyment. The story was unique and I loved the twist that was given for Muses.

Muse was told in a dual POV between Daniel and Anna. I really liked the dual POV and felt that it was very successful for this book. Earlier in the book, it is provided that Talent’s are usually self centered and not the nicest people. They know their power and influence and typically use it to become famous. Since Anna’s point of view is given, it is known very early that Anna is not this type of person. I loved Anna’s character. She was a good person and knew exactly what she wanted. Once she figured out how to use her influence, it was so nice to see what she decided to do with it. Daniel was a great character as well. He is immediately drawn to Anna and it’s pretty obvious that their attraction is mutual. Daniel’s protection was just enough. It was nice that he wasn’t portrayed as an over bearing guardian but he was always there to protect her. He was humble and always put others first. I really enjoyed watching their relationship grow and can’t wait to continue their story.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Overall, Muse by Erin McFadden as a very good book. I really enjoyed the twist on the Muse mythology that was presented. The pacing of the book was fantastic even if the time jumps were a little ambiguous. I always wanted to continue with the story and was excited when I was able to pick it back up again. Daniel and Anna were fantastic characters to follow. I really liked both of their personalities and how they were portrayed. These are two characters I immediately got behind and wanted them to succeed. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a great read with some mythological aspects.

AUDIO REVIEW

NOTE: The narration does not affect my rating of the book

I really liked this narration. Leanna Abbott did a fantastic job narrating this whole book. During Daniel’s chapters she deepened her voice so it was very clear who the POV was. I do think this would have been a little more successful if it was in a dual narration but I cannot deny that Leanna did wonderfully. I would definitely recommend this audiobook.

**This has been an Audiobook Obsession Review** ...more

flag Like · see review

Apr 30, 2019 Gladys Gonzales Atwell rated it it was amazing

This is the first book I have read by Erin McFadden and it won't be my last!

The Brotherhood of the Guardians has existed for thousands of years to serve a single purpose: the protection of Talents, the mortal descendants of the original nine Muses.

In this book we have Daniel, 21, and Anna, 19, who are assigned to work together. Daniel must teach Ana to control her gifts and to keep her safe. He must also find a way to show her how talented she is and that he deserves a place in her life.

All ...more

flag Like · see review

Apr 05, 2020 Shayay rated it it was amazing

Shelves: books-on-my-kindle

Listened to this story on Audible. The narrator did a great job. She even has a decent male voice. An enjoyable listen!

Loved this! The characters are intelligent and use common sense! They are only 19 for Anna and 21 for Daniel, but both characters are mature and are quick thinkers. Anna and Daniel are both great characters that are easy to root for. Plus, the connection they have is adorable! The romance was heart-touching and I just loved the whole thing! Love how protective Daniel is; I suppo ...more

flag Like · see review

Jul 04, 2017 Dorothy Kirby rated it it was amazing

This review is from: Muse: Descended from Myth: Book One (Kindle Edition)
I was given this eBook in exchange for an honest review.
Erin McFadden is an new author to me and I am very glad that I read this book. As a former school librarian, I have read quite a few stories written for the young adult and very few are so entertaining and well done. There are elements of danger, romance, intrigue and family ties all presented in an easily recognizable style to which young adults would understand and ...more

flag Like · see review

Apr 17, 2020 Daisy Sauceda rated it it was amazing

This is a great book to read. I liked that there was a little bit of mystery and constant action. So I was not sure what this would be like. It was definitely different. You have Anna who has a talent and Daniel who is a guardian. What is a talent? Well it can be many different things but a guardian is assign to protect the person with said talent. However it seems that both is becoming obsolete. Some one is trying to manipulate talents to benefit the bad and kill off the guardians. Will Daniel ...more

flag 2 likes · Like · see review

Oct 26, 2020 Claire Milbrandt rated it it was amazing

Shelves: romance, mythology

Muse is a fabulous book which focuses on Anna (muse) and Daniel (her protector). I love these characters! Anna is so sweet, smart, and sooooo full of sass! Daniel is exactly what a protector should be: strong, smart, and stubborn. But so quickly things change from 2 people who work together and who both have a lot of misconceptions about each other to 2 people who care about each other and will fight for each other. This story is amazing, and I would definitely recommend it! Leanna Abbott was gr ...more

flag Like · see review

Feb 17, 2020 Jeri rated it really liked it

This story really captivated me immediately. A talent is a descendant from The Greek Mythological muses that must have a protector. Anna and Daniel were both strong characters you could connect to immediately. The plot was fast paced and filled with action and intense emotions. Each character on their own was complex and rich with dimension. I would've have liked to see a little more layering in the relationship building between Anna and Daniel, but overall it worked really well. I can't wait to ...more

flag Like · see review

Apr 12, 2020 Lynn Zagrod rated it it was amazing

I received this audiobook free, as an Audiobook Obsession reviewer, for an honest review. I really loved this story. The characters had depth, the story was thrilling, and the young love was the cutest. This is my first book by this author and this narrator. Was very please. It took me a minute to understand what was going on, but it didn't take too long to get vested in the story and the characters. The author was great and the narrator did an excellent job with the characters, their personalit ...more

flag Like · see review

Jan 20, 2019 Emma rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This was a great way to spend the weekend snowed in. It's been some time since I read something so quickly and easily. The pace was good the ideas were fresh and the characters were likeable. I always enjoy hearing stories from multiple perspectives. I didn't want to wait to get my hands on the next book, and purchased it immediately after finishing this one. It was a great straightforward plot which is just what I wanted right now for a quick escape. ...more

flag Like · see review

Apr 18, 2020 Toula rated it really liked it

Audio book review

First story by both the author and narrator. This story will grab you and having you listen to the very end . The characters are well written with depth and not one sided .
Hero is Danial. Heroine is Anna

Danial has a mission to keep Anna safe Danial Is a watcher and that’s why he needs to keep Anna safe. You will see magical gifts right from the start . Those gifts safe the day
grab it and see what happens

flag Like · see review

Aug 29, 2020 Teri rated it really liked it

At a time when very few books are holding my attention I pulled this one out thinking I owed it to the author to finally get it read. This is the first book I've read by her and it was exciting fun although there are points that I would have liked to know more about it's an exciting read. I love the premise Love the characters wove them all together and it just works. ...more

flag Like · see review

Apr 19, 2020 Ginger rated it really liked it

Well written with complex storyline. It was easy to fall in love with these characters, especially our hero who would do anything to keep his charge safe even assign her to another.
Leanna did an excellent job bringing these characters to life.
🎧Review for Audiobook Obsession 🎧

flag Like · see review

Apr 04, 2020 Mandy Sawyer rated it really liked it

Ooh I like this world that Erin has created. Lots of action and great characters. It’s a good place to escape to. Excellent narration from Leanna.
#audiobookobsessionreviewer

flag Like · see review

Nov 25, 2020 M.T. rated it really liked it

A very entertaining read! Daniel and Anna were such a cute couple! The first part of the book focused on building their relationship and world building, then came more and more plot twists and sudden turns, and everything was wrapped up in a very lovely way. I loved how Anna made her big choice, and the detail about the ‘mistake’ that was in the revelations shown to her…but no spoilers! There was a little bit of everything in this book, kept me entertained till the end, and it was also a lovely ...more

flag Like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one »

Recommend It | Stats | Recent Status Updates

Readers also enjoyed

See similar books…

Genres

Fantasy

14 users

Fantasy > Mythology

10 users

Romance

7 users

Fantasy > Paranormal

7 users

Young Adult

5 users

New Adult

3 users

Fantasy > Urban Fantasy

2 users

See top shelves…

About Erin McFadden

Erin McFadden

81 followers

Contemporary fantasy author Erin McFadden lives in Indiana with her two daughters. They love reading and watching movies together, as well as camping and hiking in the great outdoors. Erin dreams of packing up and visiting all the magical, historical spots in Europe she has read about.
An unabashed geek, Erin loves science fiction, all things paranormal, and anything involving a conspiracy theory. ...more