ARC Provided by NetGalley and Publishers in exchange for an honest review and opinion.

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“Lore” is a novel written by #1 NYT bestselling author Alexandra Bracken.
It follows the story of Lore - our main character - as she tries to survive a deadly hunt, in which ancient deities are targeted in the hopes of gaining their immense power.

This book had such promise - it’s not that I believe it failed to live up entirely, but I do think it failed to hit the mark in some places.

The story starts off really great, it’s interesting, and there’s enough intrigue to hold your attention. It’s a fresh take on old stories, and knowing the author has Greek heritage herself - I appreciated the amount of research and history that was woven into this tale.
However, I felt the conflict in the story lapsed at times as it carried on or became very circular.

One other thing I was not a fan of - was the romance.
I enjoyed seeing flashbacks between the two characters, and the way they interacted as kids, however I didn’t necessarily feel as much romantic chemistry between them as I would have liked.

Overall I did enjoy the characters and the way they interacted with one another; they felt life-like and the conflict within the story, for the most part, felt organic and aligned with the character goals - even if I felt it stumbled at times.

So small issues aside I did find this an enjoyable read.
I liked our cast of characters and the idea is an interesting take on a subject that is frequently overused.

It’s a fun read and does have moments that are really enjoyable.

For readers who grew up on Percy Jackson, this is a great upper YA and almost NA foray into mythology, with a new perspective. Every 7 years the agon occurs for 7 days, a time where the old and new gods are mortal, able to be killed and their powers stolen. The agon began to change horrifically 7 years ago when Melora, Lore, was a young child. She saw the aftermath of her dead family, brutally slaughtered in a hunt for her. The old gods continue to be murdered, vengeful and savage new ones replacing them. She disappeared after the last agon, trying to escape the life she was born into. When this agon rolls around and an old friend is seemingly back from the dead, Lore is drawn back into the life she swore to forget and discovers her role in the agon is much larger than she'd ever thought. In a sweeping tale of Greek mythology like you've never heard it before, the gods, both new, old, and false, take the stage in New York City to avoid death in this year's agon. Despite their wishes, this book is filled with death upon death upon death, filling the underworld up with plenty of souls.

Lore was a refreshing read, something we just don't get enough from in young adult literature. Post Percy Jackson, the world left Greek mythology behind and, rightfully, made the push towards diverse cultures and myths that are just as exciting, if not more. However, there was a void in Greek mythology, of people seeking something different than Percy Jackson, much like the void of vampire novels since Twilight. Lore sought to fill that void and made a valiant entry into the world of mythology novels. Aligning more towards new adults rather than young adults, Lore describes the old gods more like feuding families, with all the intricacies, layers, and patriarchal dictatorships we love to see. She introduces the idea of new gods or false gods, the hunters who slay the old gods and take their powers when the old gods are mortal each agon. This allows for personality, but not power, changes. While we know Ares was a brutal god, seeing his new god (mortal turned into a god) makes Ares seem like a child. This sort of savagery builds into a book that is much more brutal than anyone would ever expect. I constantly texted my best friend every time there was a death and it felt like hundreds of text messages. While I did not expect that going in, it was refreshing to read.

The only, absolutely only, reason I gave this a 4 and not a 5 (truthfully, it's a 4.5), is the sheer number of times the terms old god, new god, and false god are used. It has to be well over 1,000 in this 480 page novel. There are a lot of names and terms repeated way more frequently than they should be when simple pronouns like she/her, he/him, and they/them would have been fine. Outside of that, it truly was an enjoyable read and I devoured most of it in two days despite what my dates read says. I would highly recommend picking it up and giving it a try as it is a refreshing entry into the lost world of Greek mythology.

LORE by Alexandra Bracken is a powerful tale that combines mythology and a bold young woman and it contains an original air about it that is as refreshing as it is adventuresome. High on details, human passions, gods who have forgotten their own mortal emotions and weaknesses all wrapped into a tale of personal resolve to seek vengeance on those she cared about.

I admit that the beginning was a little confusing. I had a little trouble differentiating all the families and understanding how exactly the Agon works (who can take the power of the god, who is hunting which god, etc.), but it became clearer in the 4th and 5th chapters.

“A deadly hunt in a modern day setting where Greek mythological goddesses and gods are hunted, Alexandra Bracken’s Lore delivers in this action packed novel that never lets up until the very end.”

Lore Perseous is a survivor.

She has to be; she’s the sole heir to an ancient bloodline of the house of Perseus. Just like Suzanne Collin’s Katniss Everdeen, in The Hunger Games, Lore is drawn into a game, a battle for her life in order to save her city, her family, and herself. Although Collin’s novel is a dystopia, Bracken’s thrilling action and Greek mythology infused tale has a modern day backdrop of New York City.

And if you’re a Greek mythology enthusiast like me you’ll enjoy the way Bracken pulls from the legends of past and weaves them together in this newly imagined action packed narrative as though she were Arachne herself. Each of the goddesses and gods brought low by being mortal, Bracken blends the deities pasts into her very own story to magnify the sheer brutality and hubris of the gods along with the underlining message of greed and power (felt by both divine and mortal alike).

Bracken also writes about some touchy and heavy topics that may be overshadowed by the hunt itself. Poverty, murder, rape, and sexism are all touched on in Lore’s story, but some of these topics seem to get lost or become confusing in the overarching story. As though we are given glimpses of an image, but not given the proper lighting. It does not detour from the overall story, however it makes it difficult to follow if not fully addressed.

Let’s not forget the romance! I think Bracken’s Passenger duology is brilliant and the romance is the biggest aspect of the novel that I absolutely loved. And she does not disappoint in Lore. This is no enemies to lovers trope, but one built on a lifetime of friendship.

Lore and Castor’s bond is very clear. As the reader you become fully immersed into their friendship. The way they fight for each other and keep each other safe. How Bracken builds their relationship over the course of the novel will keep readers wondering when these two are going to act (kiss already moments) and see if they both can survive the hunt, and each other.

Unforeseen plot twists, murderous goddesses and gods, and some clear societal concerns, Bracken’s Lore isa multifaceted story that will have fans of Suzanne Collin’s The Hunger Games and Roshani Chokshi’s The Gilded Wolves ready to dive into this book.

Happy Reading ̴ Cece

Lore is very much Shadowhunters meets The Hunger Games but — ten times better. Alex Bracken proves again how her writing style is head and shoulders above the rest with her deep dive into Greek mythology and history. I finished this book wanting so much more and wishing it wasn’t just a standalone but also I feel like I learned so much about ancient Greek culture. I loved the characters and I will most certainly be purchasing the hard copy to keep with me amongst my favorite books.

The idea of this book is so interesting, but I feel like it could have been written better. Personally, I believed that the first half of the book was a little better than the second half. In the first half, I enjoyed the characters, especially Lore, because she always stood up for herself and she wasn't necessarily the "chosen one", which I think was an interesting way to frame a young adult novel centered around greek mythology, since mythology is always riddled with "chosen ones." As far as having this be a greek mythology "retelling", I found the modernity of it to be interesting, and I liked the way in which is was Hunger Games-esque, but there were some phrases that the characters said that were incredibly cringy, like "For the love of Cerberus!" and things like that.

As far as the plot, I got confused about the histories of the different bloodlines because there were several info-dumps with a lot of characters, and even doubles of some characters because of the old and new god thing. Also, there were so many things happening behind the scenes, or hidden from the direct narrative, that when things did get revealed, it felt out-of-the-blue, forced and confusing. The pacing of the plot was very weird because it seemed like it was non-stop action the entire time, but I couldn't find myself caring about any of it. Something that really bothered me, and bothers me in a lot of books, is when a character will suddenly realize the most important piece of information, the thing that will save the day, right at the last moment possible, like before or during a battle, and this happened twice in Lore.

I know I heavily critiqued this book. I did have some problems with it, but I did not hate it, or even dislike it. I found it to be okay, so that is why I am giving it a 3 star rating instead of a 1 or 2 star rating. This book wasn't anything special, but I am still happy that I read it. So, I do recommend this book, but only if you're in the mood for greek mythology.

Every seven years, the hunt begins. As punishment for a past rebellion, nine Greek gods are forced to participate in the Agon, where they must walk the earth as mortals for a week. If losing their powers wasn't enough, all the while, the gods are being hunted by the descendants of ancient bloodlines, who are eager to kill the gods to take over their powers. Lore Perseous used to have high hopes of becoming a hunter, but those dreams were dashed when her family was brutally murdered. Afterward, she turned her back on everything she knew, and for years has tried to silence the part of herself which longs to take revenge on the one she believes to be responsible.

As the next hunt gets ready to wreak havoc through New York City, Lore is approached by two unlikely participants: her childhood friend, Castor, who Lore believed was dead, and the goddess Athena, who shows up on her doorstep gravely injured. The goddess offers Lore a bargain she can't refuse: if Lore will bind her fate to Athena, then she will get the revenge she desires and a way to end the Agon forever. But Lore quickly discovers her choice to return to the hunt isn't that simple, and there are even bigger forces at play with deadly consequences that could bring all of humanity to its knees.

I grew up obsessed with Greek mythology, so I was sold on this book right from the get-go, and boy did it deliver! It was non-stop action from the very first page and didn't let up one bit. It was relentless in the best possible way. I loved how the characters and gods were depicted, especially Lore. She was so headstrong and defiant and had such a chip on her shoulder, but was willing to sacrifice all she had to protect the ones she loves. She really felt like one of those heroes from the stories. My only slight issue with this was I did get confused at times because some characters go by a few different names, so it made it a bit hard to keep track of. Other than that, I thought this was stellar.

Thank you to NetGalley and Disney Hyperion for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

I have to be honest, it took me a bit to get into this. The beginning is by no means bad, it just lulled a few times. About 40% in, it started to kick up and really get going. But the last 45%? I’m pretty sure my jaw was open the whole time. Now? I’m sitting here, just having finished, a few tears running down my cheeks. That was a FANTASTIC ending.

My true rating is a 4.5/5.

This book follows Lore, a young woman who’s family was deceased. When an old friend enters back into her life, she’s thrust into a world she thought she could leave behind. When both worlds collide, she’s fated to make decision that could not only affect her old world but her new world too.

I love Greek Mythology, so when I heard about this I got so excited. While it took me a minute to get into, I actually enjoyed the content. The world/family building was so well done. It took a little bit to keep them all separate and figure out The Who’s who, but once you did this flowed beautifully. The pacing, for the most part, is great. I enjoyed the arc of each main character. It felt like genuine growth and learning. Each one understood what they needed to do and it helped them grow as people. The romance? Perfection. That slow burn friends to lovers is one of my favorites. Alexandra did a fantastic job with this. It’s beautifully woven throughout the story and action.

While I warn there’s a few TWs for mentions of rape and death, all and all this is a great book.

Lore follows the story of Melora Perseus, the last of the descendants of the hero Perseus (I recommend reading the synopsis above, it’s a bit hard to explain the premise). It’s filled to the brim with fight scenes, romance, and good old Greek god drama. It is definitely a unique take that I was excited to jump into–I went in with expectations of something in the vein of Percy Jackson.

Unfortunately, Lore was written with the same simplistic style of Percy Jackson without the lovable characters or gripping plot. From the start, I was quite disappointed by the way things progressed; it followed the formula of a typical YA–all action, no substance. The story moved at a non-stop pace, but I was never brought to the edge of my seat and it was almost a chore to keep reading. The writing lacked subtlety and the “plot twists”, while somewhat unexpected, felt inconsequential.

I never felt connected to the characters or invested in their story. I feel like Bracken tried to create an anti-hero complex within Lore, but it was shallow and a bit confusing. Lore and the lover boy had zero chemistry and the friendships were absolutely lackluster. The side characters were basically cardboard and the antagonists are out-villained by Doctor Doofenshmirtz. There were violent scenes that were horrible to read and didn’t contribute much beyond shock factor.

I feel like I don’t have much beyond complaints for this one. It was a long book that I didn’t enjoy very much. I can’t tell if it’s because I’ve outgrown YA or because this one was particularly bad. Based on my past experiences with Alexandra Bracken (which weren’t great), I’m hoping it’s the latter.

Lore Perseous fled that brutal world in the wake of her family's sadistic murder by a rival line, turning her back on the hunt's promises of eternal glory. For years she's pushed away any thought of revenge against the man--now a god--responsible for their deaths. But Lore's decision to bind her fate to Athena's and rejoin the hunt will come at a deadly cost.
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Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and Alexandra Bracken for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Welcome to the world of gods and goddesses and mortals and mythology and madness. It is such a wild ride from end to end.

Lore is an appearingly average 17-year-old just trying to figure out the next step in life when mayhem falls into her lap. She has a house, a “job”, and a friend that cares deeply for her. When life is a mess, this truly is all you can ask for.

Castor, a blast from her past, is such a mess of a boy. He disappeared years ago after being the one true constant in Lore’s life, and reappears now with all of his baggage in tow.

The relationship between these two characters is so dynamic. It rocks a massive friends to lovers situation, and is so slow burn while exploding off the page all at the same time. I found myself digging for more just to see where these two would go.

The cast of side characters was massive, but never confusing. Miles, the dorky roommate, Van, the kind of aggressive assistant, Athena, the..... something, Iro, the long lost friend, and all of the other named and nameless people shuffle around the plot, really building up the storyline. While there were a lot of characters, each one felt dramatically important.

The plot itself is a whirlwind adventure through New York in a Hunger Games meets Greek mythology storyline. While I felt each of these other stories within Lore, I never felt like I wasn’t reading something unique. I was drawn into Lore’s completely real struggles of living up to your family, missing those you have lost, and figuring out what to do in life, with just a fantastical twist.

While the book was very character-focused, I did love all of the action. It never slowed down or lagged, but just kept getting more and more intense and fantastic. This book was the perfect fantasy adventure and I’m so glad I had the opportunity to live in its pages.

After reading the sampler, I could not WAIT for the full book. Lore is set in modern-day New York where Greek gods and the descendants of heroes like Perseus and Achilles still exist. Every 7 years, the Agon happens--a Hunger Games-esque battle between gods and hunters--the descendants of Greek heroes. Gods take on mortal form (with their powers still intact) and must escape being killed by rival hunters. If you kill a god, you take their powers, thus leaving only a few original gods at the beginning of the book. We follow one of the last of the Perseus bloodline--Lore--as she enters into another Agon. She's tried her best to leave the world of hunters and gods behind her, but a wounded god showing up on her doorstep pulls her right back in.

It's no surprise to anyone that knows me that I'm a sucker for mythology of any kind, especially Greek. This incredibly unique and fresh take on modern mythology is exactly what we need--both in quarantine and for the mythology world. Darker than Percy Jackson, Lore takes on questions of what humanity and morality mean and keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire time. It's quite confusing at first to keep track of all of the bloodlines, new and old gods, and what the Agon actually is. Don't be disheartened, it gets easier the further along you get.

This is a great book for young adults and adults alike who want to scratch that mythology itch and want a fresh new take on the world of modern gods.

I received this book in exchange for my honest review from NetGalley.

<i>Thank you so much to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.</i>

This is the easiest 5 stars I’ve given to a YA book in ages.

When I first read the ARC chapter sampler, I was definitely intrigued; but I did not anticipate to love this as much as I did. As soon as I got approved to read the book it shot to the top of my TBR.

Lore reminded me of early 2010-2015 YA books. It felt nostalgic but incredibly original at the same time. It’s so easy to have bad tropes or cliche plots ruin things in YA for me, but this reminded me just how much fun this genre can be.

Lore is a heroine for the ages. I absolutely adored her spirit and originality. The plot and twists kept me on my toes and had me guessing until the very end. From the characters to the Greek mythology references and storyline, I found nothing predicable or a rip-off in any way.

I know this is a stand-alone and I love that it ended the way it did, but I’m PRAYING we get a prequel or another standalone in this world. There’s so much potential for more! I truly hope this isn’t the end or the last we see of this world and characters.

I think a ton of people are going to love this book when it drops next year, and it’s so deserving of all the praise. With my TBR being as long as it is I rarely reread books, but I seriously cannot wait to reread this one.

Truly I can’t recommend this book enough!

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<i> ARC chapter sampler from NetGalley</i>

January 2021 needs to get here immediately. After reading this I can confidently say that this book just jumped to the top of my most anticipated books for 2021. Alexandra Bracken is back and I could not be more excited!

To punish nine gods for their rebellion, Zeus has cursed them to walk the earth every seven years for seven days as mortals, while ancient bloodlines named after heroes from Greek Mythology try to kill them. Whoever kills a god receives that god's powers, but as a result, they are the hunted ones during the next Agon. In twenty-first century NYC, Lore (the last living descendant of the line named after Perseus) has turned her back on the Agon and is trying to live as a mortal. Her family was murdered during the last Agon and she swore she would have nothing to do with it ever again. That is, until Athena--one of the very few original gods left--finds her with a proposition that means Lore gets to avenge her family and maybe end the Agon once and for all.

This book was SO. ADDICTIVE. One of those novels that's been living rent-free in my head since I started it. It's the Hunger Games meets Greek Myth and it's fantastic. It's one of those novels that drops you right into the center of the action and you have to stick with it to figure out exactly what's going on, but it's revealed at such a pace and in such a way that getting to the backstory and the world-building doesn't seem like much of a chore at all. It's a creative interpretation of the original myths, but it's well done and every character in this novel has a personality and complex layers. The old gods (the few originals that haven't been killed by a mortal who's ascended to godhood in their place) all have unique personalities and motivations that make them seem real and I walked away with new perspectives on more than one of them.

The supporting characters and secondary storylines were all well-done too. I enjoyed reading something that didn't include the obligatory love triangle. I also enjoyed that it is planned to be a standalone--I love a good series as much as the next girl but I also have to say that it's an art form to wrap your whole story up in one book, not leave any loose ends, and do so well in storytelling and world-building that even Manhattan feels like a character all on its own.

Thank you to Netgalley & the publisher for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Murder Olympics are here and I am living for it.

Lore is an incredible YA read for all Greek Mythology fans, filling the step between Middle Grade's Percy Jackson and Adult Fiction's Circe. I read the chapter sampler a few months ago, loved it, and once granted the full book for early reading, I love it even more!

This book captures the brutality of Ancient Grecian mindsets and strategies. It did not shy from death and slaughter, almost made more horrific by the backdrop of modern-day New York City. The clash of archaic customs in a modern world created tension from the outset.

It needs to be stated that, aside from violence, I would place a Trigger Warning for the blatant crimes against women and mentions of sexual assault. Again, this book is truly upfront about topics, including the heavy-handed toxic patriarchy of the conquering "heroism" of Ancient Greek Myth.

Having said that, I adored it. The story is quick, given that it takes place over a week, but still finds the snatches of pause and reprieve between battle. The character portrayals are also wonderful. I adored Lore and her struggle between vengeance and freedom for all that she's suffered. Castor is the sweet bean we all need, and the supporting cast was just as excellent. Athena's portrayal is nuanced and threaded with layers.

The only reason it's not a full five stars is because I wanted just a little more time to decompress and debrief at the conclusion, but this is a fantastic and strong standalone, and I can't wait to have a hardcopy for my shelf.

I was not sure going into this book about how I'd like it as I am such a fan of Greek Mythology, but Alexandra Bracken didn't disappoint me.
Gods and Goddesses battle it out every seven years with a family hunt. Those who end up killing one of the old gods when they are in mortal bodies for a week become the new god for the next hunt. Lore is dragged back into this world and fights her way towards the end of this year's hunt.
This book took me a bit as I read it at the same time as my best friend thanks to both of us receiving Netgalley arcs. When we are both extremely invested in a book, we know it is a winner. First thing we did after reading the ARC was to pre-order our physical copies for our bookshelves as this is one that we will be going to over and over again.
The characters tore at our hearts, especially in the middle when two chapters tore my soul apart one after another. The gods and goddesses were so well written that ones that I usually disliked from original Greek Myths became some of my faves. Just a beautiful book all around.

I think teens are going to love this, but the worldbuilding was just a little too much for this reader. I went in knowing that that could be the case, and unfortunately, it was! Sometimes I love an off-the-wall sounding premise, but the secret societies, the gods and how they all related was a wall of worldbuilding that I just couldn't handle with pandemic brain (and y'all, I know a decent amount about Greek mythology thanks to good ol' Uncle Rick). I'll still recommend it to fans of secret-society fantasies with lots of worldbuilding like Legendborn or Ace of Shades. It wasn't for me.

Book Review for Lore by Alexandra Bracken
Full review for this title can be found at: @fyebooks on Instagram!

This book has a very intriguing start. I did not get to finish it due to technical issues, but I was very sad that I didn't get to keep reading it.

5/5 stars
I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

"Monsters had fangs, but that was why lionesses were given claws."

The Hunger Games meets Percy Jackson in a world where Greek gods are hunted down and slaughtered by mortals seeking their power.

The Agon--a hunt that occurs every seven years where nine of the Greek gods become mortal, vulnerable. Hunters attempt to find them and kill them as the one who kills a god gains their powers. This was the world Lore grew up in...at least until her whole family was brutally slaughtered. After hiding and trying to stay out of the upcoming Agon, Lore is drawn back into the hunt when two interesting players seek her out: a friend who should be dead and goddess on the verge of dying. Making a deal with the goddess and binding her fate to hers, Lore re-enters the game, aware that this year's Agon is the deadliest of them all.

I was captivated as soon as I read the first page. This book was unpredictable, riveting, and left me hanging onto every word. Never boring and never slowing its pace, Lore had me on the edge of my seat until the very last page.

"'Surprise?' she said, because Lore had never met a situation she couldn’t make even more painfully awkward."

Lore is such an epic main character. She is fierce, determined, and stubborn; however, she cares deeply for those close to her and is actually a very kind person. Struggling with the ghosts of her past and the horrors of the present, Lore wrestles with figuring out exactly who she is and who she is meant to be. I was rooting for her from the first page and I definitely got drawn into the story thanks to her.

Castor is another great character! I can't say much about him without spoiling things, but he is sweet and charming! Like Lore, he is a talented fighter who also has a very kind and gentle heart. The other characters (Miles, Athena, Van, etc.) are super interesting! Miles is hilarious and had me laughing out loud!

The plot itself was the most mesmerizing part of the book in my opinion. The concept of various houses trying to outdo each other by killing gods and taking their powers during a week-long hunt is darkly fascinating. Lore's fight to protect her friends and to keep an evil god from rising to an even higher level of power was intense, and I was constantly going back and forth between shock, horror, and joy. To call this book an emotional roller-coaster would be an understatement!

Needless to say, I loved this book whole-heartedly! I'd definitely recommend it to other readers! If you love The Hunger Games, Percy Jackson, Greek mythology, or just simply an intense and unpredictable read to keep you up until 2 in the morning, this book is for you!

This book hooked me right in from the get-go! A perfect love letter to New York and ancient myths. I loved it! The characters were dynamic, interesting, flawed, gritty, real (yet godly ha!), and funny. The plot had you invested from the beginning and although it was a bit predicable sometimes, it kept you turning the page to see how our favorite characters were going to get out of the pickle they got themselves in. Also, as a New Yorker, I loved how Ms. Bracken really incorporated the city into this book. It really was a character in itself. Highly recommend!