ebookreview | Entries tagged with author: abigail owen

The Games Gods Play by Abigail Owen

Series:
The Crucible #1

Genre:
Greek Mythology, Fantasy, Mythology, Fantasy Romance, New Adult, Adult, Romantasy, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Magic

Publication Date:
September 3, 2024

Pages Numbers:
509

Read Date:
December 7th, 2024 - December 11th, 2024

Rating:
4.4/5

Blurb:

The gods love to toy with us mere mortals. And every hundred years, we let them…

I have never been favored by the gods. Far from it, thanks to Zeus.

Living as a cursed office clerk for the Order of Thieves, I just keep my head down and hope the capricious beings who rule from Olympus won’t notice me. Not an easy feat, given San Francisco is Zeus’ patron city, but I make do. I survive. Until the night I tangle with a different god.

The worst god. Hades.

For the first time ever, the ruthless, mercurial King of the Underworld has entered the Crucible—the deadly contest the gods hold to determine a new ruler to sit on the throne of Olympus. But instead of fighting their own battles, the gods name mortals to compete in their stead.

So why in the Underworld did Hades choose me—a sarcastic nobody with a curse on her shoulders—as his champion? And why does my heart trip every time he says I’m his?

I don’t know if I’m a pawn, bait, or something else entirely to this dangerously tempting god. How can I, when he has more secrets than stars in the sky?

Because Hades is playing by his own rules…and Death will win at any cost.

Review:

Every one hundred years, the gods battle to lay claim to the throne, but none of them want to fight it out themselves. Instead, they pick humans to do the work for them. Each Crucible is just as bad as the next, and Lyra, a cursed office worker for the Order of Thieves, has been keeping her nose cleaned and laying low ever since she angered Zeus, but when she thinks she has escaped the games, the Mercurial God of the Underworld appears and makes her his champion.

Now, Lyra will have to play these games with the gods and come out the winner.

I loved, LOVED this story. I was held captive from the moment I opened the book and saw those beautiful end pages and the gorgeously sprayed edges. I was surprised to see Hades try to battle for the throne. Normally, he rarely is present and seems more inclined to remain in the shadows. In this one, he is more present, and his intentions are clear. It was nice to see a different side of him than we do see in other books.

I know this book pushed to be slow burn, but it seemed more like an insta-love/connection between our two characters. Not one of my favorite tropes, but I can tolerate it enough if the story is as intriguing as this one is.

Lyra's character was a bit annoying. She was more mercurial than Hades seemed to be. I don't think I saw any character growth with her. I am hoping there will be some changes over this in the next book. I nearly dropped this book because I was unable to stomach her. I 'm hoping we see a bit more growth in her character in the second novel.

Overall, the worldbuilding is a unique take on Greek gods mingling with the human realm and pushing those chosen humans to play a game they, themselves, won't play.

Similar Books:

Phantasma by Kaylie Smith
Quicksilver by Callie Hart
The Songbird & the Heart of Stone by Carissa Broadbent

Current Mood: bitchy
Current Location: Aboveground
Current Music: Take a Bow .:. Madonna

katara

The Stolen Throne (Dominions #2) by Abigail Owen

Sypnosis
My twin sister is the true queen of Aryd. She survives, hiding and clinging to life in the desert, while I reign as the false queen alongside the monstrous King Eidolon. There’s only one escape from this gilded prison: Reven. My Shadowraith. My heart. Only the shadows that he struggles to control are growing more sinister, more powerful.

It’s just a matter of time before they turn on him…and on me.

Even escape doesn’t mean true freedom, though, when we’re still on the run from Eidolon’s unstoppable armies. And when we discover there’s a traitor among us, I have no choice…I must become the queen I was never meant to be.

Because as one evil hunts me, the other loves me more than himself.

And my fate lies with both.

Review:
What makes a book good or great?

Characters
Storyline
World-building
The realism of Romance (if romance is present)

The characters are meant to draw you in, have you invest in them, and make sure that once the book is over, you still think of them. Without these qualities, the characters have no charms which makes the story less interesting for the reader. Yet, this does the opposite. The characters are ones you become invested in, drawn to and connect with, and think of when the story is over. Each character is flawed and that makes them more human. Meren is fearless, determined, compassionate, and flawed. A shadow princess is meant to stand in for her sister if she becomes sick or unable to remain on the throne. She has lived outside the palace and has seen the world with different eyes. This is what makes Meren a far better candidate for queen. Tabra is weak-willed, naive, and sweet. She would be used immediately by the court and even by other dominion-ruling families because of it. When she accepts something that causes Meren to try to dissuade her from it, Tabra ignores it and wears it anyway. She should have been suspicious and cautious when accepting something from a King known to be cruel and dark. Now Meren has to find a way to heal her sister and keep Eidolon from taking the throne belonging to the generations of her family. This is placed heavily upon her shoulders but Meren is a strong character and resourceful character that won't stop the fight. Reven is flawed and yet perfect at the same time. A shadow wraith shed and born with the abilities to move through the darkness and yet unable to contain the power he has. He does everything to protect Meren and help her fight against Eidolon. There is just something about him that makes him the anti-hero that is compatible with Meren.

World-building is unique, filled with a lush world steeped in history and yet still flawed with dangers. The beautiful imagery and the secondary characters are what make this world unique and complex. This is what this book has done. It is everything in world-building and lush visuals that offer glimpses into each world and its characters. You feel part of it be it scenery or secondary characters that charm you. This is the world-building you want. The world-building that makes a story complete and lush. It is everything that is in this book and I love it. Every bit of it is great and I enjoyed every second of it.

The storyline is a puzzle weaved with intricate details that help develop not only the characters but draw the reader deep within the world and keep them glued to the very end of the story. Authors want their readers invested in their work and characters. If you are pulled into the story, invested in how it ends, and continued page-turning, the author has done his or her work. This is what this book does. All characters have developed since the first book and the storyline has developed since. The story is twisting and turning and the reader has no way of knowing how it will end. This is what the author wants and it works here in this story. I absolutely love it when a story cannot be put down. I was like this with the first and second books of this series. No matter how many times I needed to do something I was always drawn back to this book. I wanted to know how it would end. I wanted to know where the character development would go. I am so invested in this series that I NEED THE LAST BOOK! I WILL SELL MY SOUL TO THE AUTHOR OF THAT BOOK. xD Sorry I cannot contain myself with this series.

The romance between Meren and Reven is the chef's kiss. It is not too over-powering to the story. To be honest, it does not even saturate the story. It is slowly built and although the two characters, Meren and Reven, should not have happened it does and you cannot help but be invested. Reven wants nothing more than to protect Meren. And then there is Cain. Don't get me wrong I would have gladly been his supporter had he been the main interest but come to think of it, I just don't feel he is right for Meren. Their relationship feels more like friends than the thought of being lovers or in any romantic relationship. The romance between Meren and Reven feels right, meant to be, and personally, you become invested in it. I need more of them. I need to see their ending and revel in the beauty of their romance. I want their ending to be everything I can envision. Don't fail me!

But in all honesty, I am invested in this story and its characters. I love all of it. Every aspect of this story is superseding. I cannot wait for the final book in this series. I am super excited to see how the author wraps this story up in a neat little package.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Genre:

Historical Fiction, Mythology, LGBTQ+, Romance, Fantasy, Historical, Retellings, Greek Mythology, Queer, Folklore, Young Adult, Novella, Netgalley

Stars:

4.8 out of 5

Current Mood: migraine from hell
Current Location: The Underworld
Current Music: Take a Bow .:. Madonna

katara

The Liar’s Crown (Dominions #1) by Abigail Owen

Sypnosis

Some shadows protect you…others will kill you in this dazzling new fantasy series from award-winning author Abigail Owen.

Everything about my life is a lie. As a hidden twin princess, born second, I have only one purpose—to sacrifice my life for my sister if death comes for her. I’ve been living under the guise of a poor, obscure girl of no standing, slipping into the palace and into the role of the true princess when danger is present.

Now the queen is dead and the ageless King Eidolon has sent my sister a gift—an eerily familiar gift—and a proposal to wed. I don’t trust him, so I do what I was born to do and secretly take her place on the eve of the coronation. Which is why, when a figure made of shadow kidnaps the new queen, he gets me by mistake.

As I try to escape, all the lies start to unravel. And not just my lies. The Shadowraith who took me has secrets of his own. He struggles to contain the shadows he wields—other faces, identities that threaten my very life.

Winter is at the walls. Darkness is looming. And the only way to save my sister and our dominion is to kill Eidolon…and the Shadowraith who has stolen my heart.

Review:

Oh myyyy! How the heck did I miss the release of this book?

Born of twins, Meren has been the hidden princess. She has been raised away from the palace and enjoying some freedoms she has been given. Things change one night. Her grandmother has died and her sister is about to ascend to the throne. This forces Meren to return to the palace and prepare to become the shadowed twin. When Tabra prepares for ascension, she is gifted a strange gift from Eidolon, and Meren is kidnapped by a Shadowraith named, Reven. Kidnapped and dragged to Reven's world, Meren learns that there are far more secrets to be unraveled.

I loved, loved the characters. Each character, dialogue, and world draws you into the story and keeps you captivated until you have reached the end of the book. Meren is one of the twin princesses born from a line of twins that are there to ascend to the throne. One sister ascends to the throne and the other is the spare. If something happens to one, the other takes up the throne. This story is unique from all other high fantasy.

Have I mentioned I love Reven? I do. He is my book boyfriend. xD Seriously that guy is just yummy. I love his voice - I don't know describe it. There is a need, a desperate need quality to it. He wants to save his world and the people within and he knows that his only way is to kidnap the queen. He wants her to see his world through her own eyes and help him make things better. This is what I love about him. He has created his own world for people to seek refuge within the shadowed world.

The world-building is quite imaginative. Filled with different regions and different areas that have their own ecosystem. Yet, there are creatures and goddesses in each realm. I love this. I love the idea that these worlds are different and I would love to see more exploration of them.

Genre:

Fantasy, Romance, Retellings, Fiction, Young Adult, New Adult, Magical Realism, High Fantasy, Enemies to Lovers, Paranormal

Stars:

4.9 out of 5

Current Mood: blah
Current Location: The Underworld
Current Music: Phantom Manor .:. Disneyland Paris

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A Reader's Guide to Books and Reviews

Entries tagged with author: abigail owen

[ 623 ]

The Games Gods Play by Abigail Owen

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The Stolen Throne (Dominions #2) by Abigail Owen

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The Liar’s Crown (Dominions #1) by Abigail Owen

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