Every seven years, nine gods--both old and new--walk the Earth in mortal bodies for seven days as punishment for a failed rebellion against Zeus. If they are killed by a hunter, they forfeit their immortality. During the last Agon, Lore's entire family was brutally murdered by a rival family and since then, she has turned her back on the hunt. But now as the next hunt dawns on New York City, it seems that the hunt will find her as two participants seek her help--one, a childhood friend and the other a gravely wounded goddess.

I binge-read this chapter sampler from Disney-Hyperion and it was packed with such amazing writing and so much action! Plus, the mythology of it is so fun and so solid. We are eased into the world-building with classical language, which I felt was so appropriate, and I doubt that we have heard the last of it. I do also have to say--not that I mind, personally--that there is definitely a lot of blood and violence. Lore herself is a boxer, plus the injuries that Athena shows up with. And again, I'm sure this is just the beginning.

So if you are a mythology-lover, don't mind blood and gore, want something fast-paced, BIPOC-inclusive, and probably more, then put this one on your radar! I recommend it!

I liked what I read thus far!!! I absolutely adore Greco-Roman inspired worlds, and this definitely satisfies my craving. But I need more than just a short sampler!!! :(((( Hopefully that'll release soon, so I can provide a full review!

AH! What the hell? Just when things were getting <em>good</em>!!! I've only really ever had one experience reading Alexandra Bracken novels and that's her <em>Passenger</em> series. While many people know her for <em>The Darkest Minds</em>, I only had access to the audiobook by the time I sat down to read. I hated the narrator so much that I haven't picked it up since. That said, considering how much I <em>adored</em> her <em>Passenger</em> novels, the second I saw her with a Greek Mythology--which I love--book coming out, I jumped on it <em>so </em>quickly.

I honestly don't know what exactly I was expecting when I picked up the sampler from NetGalley, though I can admit that the level of violence within this novel was <em>not</em> it. It was, admittedly, somewhat off putting the degree of blood and gore that came about in such a short period of time. I'm no horror fanatic, so I don't really care for stuff like that.

That said, it also doesn't really phase me much. I watched Game of Thrones, after all.

<b>Those edge of your seat moments</b>

Despite shocking me with violence, <em>Lore</em> is the kind of book that really pulls you in. You spend the majority of your time reading with your nose almost touching the pages, that's how engrossed you are. I cannot even begin to express how in love I have fallen with these characters. The funniest thing about it is that the characters I <em>love</em> are the ones I've barely even seen. Lore, herself, is a solid main character. She's nowhere near garnered the love that the two men in her life have gotten from me, but still!

There's really never a dull moment with this book. Granted, I've only read the first six chapters, but I just about cried when I realized I'd reached the end of the sample. I nearly went out and bought the book that very second, only to remember that it's not even out yet!

In other words, let me just say, 2021 could <em>not</em> come fast enough.

<em>I was provided a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.</em>

LORE, if I had to describe it in pop culture terms, would be the young adult version of Percy Jackson meets Shadowhunters, but with a healthy dose of Game of Thrones-esque violence. Murder! Rage! Despair! Family trauma! You get them all in one delicious package with Alexandra Bracken’s newest book set to be released on January 5, 2021.

“I am Wrath.” The new god knelt, dipping his fingers into the bloody mud. “I am your master.” He dragged them down over his cheeks. “I am your glory.”

“Now,” the new god said, “we begin.”

Gods were untouchable. But what if they…weren’t? What if humans could become gods through death through the Agon, a punishment Zeus set upon nine gods who rebelled against him thousands of years ago.

Cursed to walk the earth as mortals every seven years, the gods are picked off one by one throughout the decades. If a hunter from a dynasty of godkillers manages to slay them, the hunter steals the god’s immortality. Now, only Athena and Artemis remain, which brings us to the beginning of the book, when Lore, the last of the House of Perseus, finds Athena bleeding out on her doorstep, begging for help.

I received an ARC sampler from Netgalley, and I gobbled it so fast, so furiously. LORE is probably the most fascinating rendition of Greek mythology to come out in a long time, and I was impressed by Bracken’s diversity in characters. Miles, a friend of Lore, is gay and South Korean, and as gay Asians are absolutely underrepresented in writing, I can’t wait to see where the author takes him.

The cover art is gorgeous. Majors kudos are also given to Bracken, who spices up the milquetoast world of white-washed greek mythology with BIPOC characters and an elevated storyline.

I’m so happy I picked this baby up on Netgalley, and I’m excited to read whole 480 page book once it’s released. It’s a big baby for sure, but no doubt worth the wait and read.

For now, check out Lore’s synopsis on Goodreads.

At first I was confused as to what was going on and what I was reading but the more I read the more I fell in love with this story. Lore is a strong main character and her personality shines through from the very first chapter. I love the concept of the Agos and the gods fighting against the hunters. The concept is innovative and so fascinating. I adore the way Bracken has flawlessly brought Ancient Greece to New York and I cannot wait to see what happens next. I would love to read the full version and review it on my blog and all my other social media accounts.

Lore belongs to an old, now-dead bloodline that participates in the Agon, an event that occurs once every 7 years where the old gods of Olympus are forced to materialize in mortal form and walk the earth for 7 days. Hunters from the remaining bloodlines track down the old gods and attempt to kill them in order to gain their power. After her bloodline died off thanks to one of the new gods, Lore attempted to put that world behind her and live in hiding, until one day Athena turns up at her doorstep and offers a chance for revenge.
The New York City setting created a nice playground for gods and hunters, and I found myself enjoying thinking of old Greek gods in a modern setting. The plot set-up was well-paced and had me hooked quickly, and the world-building, while not the most subtle (Lore found herself having to explain the details of the Agon to her best friend, who was there when Lore found Athena, which is not a plot device I personally enjoy for world-building) answered my questions and made everything clearer, which contributed to my excitement for the rest of the book. The idea of a high-stakes game for godly power is extremely appealing to me, and truly unique.
Lore had some more "witty" dialogue that felt a bit forced (she is a strong and independent woman on her own, so I felt that she didn't need to have the typical try-hard banter that a lot of heroines seem to have in fantasy,) but as a character she is promising. I'm hoping that she explores her trauma and strength more throughout the book, and feel as though she truly is a good heroine, someone I want to root for.
While this is only an excerpt from the novel, this was definitely a promising start, and I'm excited to read it once it gets published!

Oooh this is going to be a good one, I can tell! Just a couple of chapters and I was already ready to keep on reading until the early hours of the mornings. Of course, I couldn't do that as this is just a sampler, but I'm not very excited for when the whole text comes out! This is like a more mature hybrid version of 39 Clues and Percy Jackson and I can already see many young readers absolutely devouring it

Every so often a book comes along that intrigues me so much I cannot wait for it to be released. This is one of those books. Is it the description that takes a part of Greek Mythology that I have never heard of and infuses it into a modern setting? Yes. Is it the sampler that introduces characters that, even after only 63 pages, have so much depth you are completely captivated by their stories? Yes. Is it the gorgeous cover? Yes. Everything about this book has me wanting more. While it did take the entire sampler to wrap my head around the plot of this book and understand what was happening, by the end of it I was ready to go on a journey with Lore and avenge her family.

I’ve always loved Greek Mythology and to put a modern spin on it was delightful. This chapter sampler was very intriguing and has me very excited to read the rest of the book.



I just reviewed Lore - Chapter Sampler by Alexandra Bracken. #Lore #NetGalley

I can't wait for the entire book to be released. It's agoing to end up being one of my favorite books ever, I can already tell.

When I first began reading this book, I felt as if I was left out of a joke or a story everyone else knew. However, as I got further and further into it I wanted more than just a sample- I wanted to read the whole book and figure out what happened to her family and if she gets revenge. One of the things that drew me in was the greek mythology, so I imagine this will attract many more readers.

exited for the release- will read depending on the cost!

Alexandra strikes again! I am so excited to read the full story. I’m so intrigued by her story-telling and how she is able to draw the audience in - even with chapter samplers. This is definitely one of my most anticipated reads of 2021.

I am incredibly intrigued by the modernization of the myths and am excited to read the rest of the story when the book is published. I love the idea of the bloodlines of the heroes continuing their work. Lore seems like an amazing character and I am delighted to see the rest of her story.

ive always loved Bracken’s work that ive read, so i was really looking forward to her reimagining of greek mythology, and these first few chapters far exceeded my expectations. im so much more excited for this now. this looks like the start to a new favorite book of mine.

I am SO excited for this book and this sampler just made me even MORE excited. I cannot wait for it to come out so I can keep reading.

This is Alexandra Bracken at her best. This chapter made me want to read the entire book and you can't ask for more than that.

This was a bit much to digest, based on the sampler I feel like I was right in the middle of the action with very little context. As I read on, I started to get a little bit more aware of what was happening.

Right now I’m really liking the mythology aspect of it and I’m looking forward to read the rest of the book!

This chapter sampler was super intriguing! Not at all what I expected from this novel based on the book description. The story is paced in such a way that made me want to keep reading. Definitely keeping this one in mind!

This chapter sampler has me really excited. First, that cover is breathtaking. Second, what's not to like about mythology. The characters seem great, the story started off with a bang. I can't wait to read more!

I have to say the cover for Lore is absolutely stunning . I'm really thankful to have been approved for the chapter sampler and I'm really hoping to get approved for the full arc after reading the six chapters. The world and character building within these chapters are beautifully written I love the flow of the words and details of everything going on. Reading these chapters have me really excited to see where and what Lore, Athena, and Miles will be doing next and how their characters are going to develop within the book and what new characters will be introduced later in the book.