DNF @ 33% ~163 pages

My very first DNF of 2021 on the very last day of 2021. I really liked the first couple chapters of the book and from there, I was completely lost. I love Greek mythology and although I'm no expert, I feel I know plenty and I was just so lost here. I could read a few pages and not be able to tell you anything that happened. I finally decided at 33% to just let this one stack into the DNF pile. I hardly ever attempt to get that far before I DNF and this one isn't a tiny book - it's 494 pages. I am also starting to think that perhaps Alexandra Bracken is not the author for me. I felt very disconnected much like I was with The Darkest Minds.

Honestly...pretty meh for me. Parts of this book just felt really confusing. I wasn’t sure what was going on or why. The backstory was really complex and I didn’t feel like all of the rules were explained. I normally love all things Greek mythology, but this one just didn’t do it for me.

This was a ton of fun, and so action-packed, I felt like I got whiplash from trying to keep up.

Every seven years, the Agon brings the hunters out as the gods become mortal for seven days. They are trying to find and kill them in order to claim their powers and become immortal. Lore has fled from that world and chosen to live a normal life in her brownstone in New York, but of course, her past can't be avoided forever, and when her training mate and best friend finds her, she has to decide whether to launch herself back into the gods' world for the chance to end it all.

Because this is a plot-driven book, I did find myself perhaps not as invested as I would be with a more character-driven one. Lore is a wonderful MC, and her struggles feel real, even as she wavers in her convictions and wonders what she should be doing with the situations she finds herself in. But she is often a product of circumstance, and though I do feel like I know her fairly well, I also feel like the plot kept her at arms' reach.

But that said, I still really really loved the cast of characters in this. Miles was so sweet, so game for anything, and I loved his dynamics with Lore and then later on with Van. And Van and Castor were so much fun too, with complex motivations and backstories that made me love them more. Castor as a love interest was sweet and lovely, though I wanted more from that too - more development, more "action" (heh). The gods were another high point for the whole thing; I was very interested in Athena from the start, and she was unexpectedly comical in quite a few scenes.

As I said earlier, though, the pace of the action really did negate the opportunities for those quiet moments for the characters. This felt very Hunger Games-esque at times, where no one is safe and everything is at stake, and wow, did the carnage really start building up by the end of things. I never quite knew what was coming next, and went "huh" out loud a few times. I love it when a book can surprise me, and this one did, in spades.

I love Alexandra Bracken's writing, and this was a great addition to her already impressive catalog of books. If you like action, Greek mythology, or kickass female characters, you'll like this one.

Fanfastic! Enjoyed every minute of this read! I believe I read this book in under 24 hours, would definitely reccomened this!

3.6 stars

Content warning: sexual assault and child abuse (death and torture)

This was entertaining read.

Mythology in modern times, easy flowing writing, strong female characters, adventure, fast pace, nonstop action, lotsa violence, high stakes, and plot twists

Unfortunately I couldn't connect with the story as much as I wanted too because the characters, their motivations, the romance and the pacing was inconsistent

3.5 actually. . . This was a fun book for fans of Greek Mythology. The characters were varied and there was representation for people to see themselves in the pages. I think it has great messages of friendship, loyalty, betrayal, trust, and redemption and opens the door for conversations with friends.

I found this story to be exciting and a great read. It got me hooked within the first chapter and I really appreciated how the well known mythology meshed with the story that the author was trying to tell.

I really loved the characters, who drew me in and kept me engaged with the fast paced story.

There is not a book by this author I wont read. I was completely engaged in her last series so I was very excited to receive and early copy for review from netgalley for this release!

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book. I loved the twists and turns of the story. I loved the development of Lore and her relationships. And I especially appreciated the ending. This story could have easily turned into a series and I’m so grateful that it isn’t. It ended perfectly!

Lore is full of strong females, Greek mythology, Hunger Games vibes and so much more!
I definitely recommend picking this book up if you've not already devoured it!!

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This book is well written and the characters are described well. Lore and Mile's characters is great. This is a quick paced book. This book has good LGBTQ representation. It is in stores for $18.99 (USD). This is a good book. I can't wait to read more books by Alexandra Bracken in the future. I highly recommend this book to anyone and everyone.

What a unique story inspired by Greek mythology. I couldn't put it down once I got into it. Alexandra never disappoints!

New York My God did I get tired of the New York references. We get it.


This book felt so long to me. And there was constant action. Everyone knows how I love my action. But it was 500 pages straight. I got tired reading it. I know that we are supposed to appreciate the twists and turns, but I felt like they were just excuses to continue writing.


Lore was an okay character overall. I liked her enough. I enjoyed her willingness to jump into the fray, though at times it seemed that she was just looking for trouble for the sake of it. Or that she had something to prove from the time she was in class with Castor. That she deserved to move above her family rank or something.
Castor was such a boring god. All that power and he is just bland. I get that he didn't want it to go to his head and all. He made that clear early on with Phillip. But still, he just didn't do anything for me.
Athena there in the middle. I wanted to like her. I did like her for a while. She wasn't all bad in the end, but still not what I wanted her to be.
Wrath kept things interesting what with being the primary antagonist. He came off as more a thing though, like a force, than someone who was once a person.

Overall, not the most impressing mythological re-write I've read.

3.5 stars - Lore is fast paced with vividly written descriptions. Some of passages were a little over the top and the book is lengthy for its intended audience. As soon as I finished it, I put it in the hands of a student who has read everything Riordan has written. I'm hoping we'll hear from Lore again - readers need strong female protagonists, and Bracken did an incredible job setting up Lore as likeable and relatable with physical and mental strength. I have already picked up a copy of The Darkest Minds. Thank you so much to #NetGalley for the opportunity to preview #Lore by Alexendra Bracken!

whew, what a wild ride this was! this was technically my first Alex Bracken book, and it was impressive! growing with Rick Riordan contributed to my mythology geek (still am one) and may have made me a bit based for this review, but that doesn't matter! it made me see the gods from a whole new perspective, kind of like Trials of Apollo but gorier, edgier. with the supporting main character being Athena, my intuition told me it would be an amazing book. and i was right.

This is an easy read YA. I really wanted to like it but I had a hard time starting it. Thankfully I was able to get past it. I enjoyed the introduction of Ancient Greek gods into a modern day New York setting with a hint of gladiatorial survivalism. The fact that there is a murder melee every seven years to take the powers from the ancient gods for your own is an incredible idea. But also what I liked the least.

There was also a lot of self discovery from almost every character introduced.

The scheming from the characters was pretty clever.

Lore is fast paced, murderous, action packed, and has a hint of romance. I loved Lore! She's a baddie from the moment we first meet her. She's literally in a boxing ring kicking boys asses! You go! If you like mythology and you're in the mood for some YA urban fantasy read this! The hype is real!

I have tried to love this book for so long. It is such a cool and interesting story line, and the cover is AMAZING I just think it might be a little too long. I love the fact that it’s a YA story.

<i>Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.</i>

Admittedly, I requested this book because I found the cover to be enticing. I usually do not like YA fantasy. Of course, there are some exceptions from time to time, and there are some YA fantasies that have ended up being some of my favorite books, so I was hoping that <i>Lore</i> would be one of those exceptions.

Unfortunately, I had a hard time getting through this book. It was easy to read, but I just couldn't get myself invested in the plot. The characters were not that memorable and I found my mind wandering throughout the book. Even though all the action, suspense, and twists and turns were present, I still was bored and felt like the plot was dragging. Honestly, I lost my understanding of the plot early on in the book, not because it was deeply complex but because I was having an incredibly difficult time paying attention. There were some interesting moments here and there, but nothing to write home about. However, if you are a die-hard fan of YA fantasy books from the early to mid 2010s, you'll probably still like </i>Lore</i>.

This is sooooo good! I already bought it for the library and a personal copy as well. I pitch it to kids as Hunger Games meets Percy Jackson and they gobble it up. Well written, great plot, and well developed characters!