Lore tells us that the Greek gods we know from mythology and legends are real, but with a twist. Every seven years, the Old and New gods are forced to participate in the Agon. This blood-thirsty hunt makes every god into mortal humans for one week. If someone kills a god in their human form, then that person gains all of their powers and immortality. It has been a never-ending cycle of gore and death for hundreds of years. The Agon is what forced Lore away from that world and strike it out on her own. However, when her old childhood friend shows up to tell her she is in danger in the upcoming hunt cycle, Lore thinks she can ignore his warning. Until Athena, in near-death, winds up on her doorstep looking for her help. Athena can provide her the opportunity to get revenge ultimately – killing the god who murdered her entire family. Except the god wants to win the Agon for good and will do whatever it takes to do so. As the week goes on, Lore is unsure of how this can end as the stakes get higher and deadlier.

​Wow, what a book I just read! I cannot stress this enough when I say I would recommend adding this to your TBR list if you ever get the chance to read it. It's just that good.

​The world-building was absolutely phenomenal from top to bottom. Bracken clearly did her research before writing this book. It shows by the amount of detail and backstory we're given. Her pacing was also great and didn't lag too much, in my opinion. I was captivated from beginning to end. She combined mythic legend with contemporary fiction that blended so well it was seamless. That's not an easy thing to do because many have tried it before, and it didn't work out.

I connected to Lore and her story almost right away. Her story intrigued me just as much as the background we come to know. Lore's journey and her fate are tied up into the one thing she wants to forget: the Agon. Her past is filled with grief, anger, and horrific memories of her family. These dark elements help build the tension throughout the novel that ultimately forces her back into the gruesome tradition. In fact, Bracken made sure that Lore's story was just as defined as the world-building. The one thing that didn't change was her consistency, and I could feel her voice in the whole story. I wish we almost got more out of the other characters like we did Lore, such as Castor, Van, or Miles.

From family legacy and duty to taking control of your fate, Lore tackles it all. It's definitely not for the faint of heart due to the vivid details and graphic violence. Bracken didn't shy from the darker tones in this novel, and it explained why Lore fled this world.

I couldn't put this book down, and it's one of my favorite reads this year!

Rating: 4.5/5

Wow. I don’t even know what to say. That was fantastic. It’s been a long time since any book sucked me in from the very beginning, but this one did for sure.

It was nice for me to have a genre change and get sucked back into the world of Greek mythology with a modern twist.

I don’t want to go into any spoilers, but I highly recommend this one. It was fun, super character driven, and had the perfect amount of past and present thrown in.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

This book was wonderful! As soon as I picked it up I was pulled into Lore’s world, and all of the characters just were amazing! The pacing was very good, and it was the perfect blend of Greek mythology and almost The Hunger Games!
I have never read anything by Alexandra Bracken, but I am excited to read more from her!
TW- Intense violence, blood, and gore; sexual assault

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

Mixing the modern world and Greek mythology, Lore is an action-packed, emotional roller coaster from beginning to end. A group of multi-dimensional characters is led by Lore, the last human descendant of the house of Perseus. It’s humans vs. gods, and even gods vs. gods, as the time has come for a long lost prophecy to be fulfilled.

This story was such a great read. I did not want it to end, but when it did it was satisfying. Everything from the world building and character development for these complicated, yet capable, characters was truly well done. As a long-time fan of Alexandra Bracken’s books, this one did not disappoint.

I want to start by thanking NetGalley, Alexandra Bracken, and Disney Books for the chance to review the eARC of this amazing story. Make sure to pick this up when it comes out on January 5th, 2021!

-Characters- (1/1)

Lore's journey is one of fate and revenge, as her past is filled with horrors unspoken and memories left buried by time. Her development over the course of the story is incredible, as she goes from a girl filled with hatred for the person that murdered her family, to a girl who will do anything to save her city and friends. Castor was the only character I wish I'd had more connection with. I feel like Lore mostly saw him as a big-muscled friend, rather than a person she could love and confide in.

-Plot- (1/1)

Love this story! Lore's past is interwoven throughout the novel, building suspense and raising tension. Bracken ensured that no matter what twist came Lore's way in the story, the protagonist would handle it in a way that was true to herself and made even the most surprising decisions understandable. Greek mythology is prevalent through the entirety of the book—definitely for fans of Riordan and all things Greek mythology!

-World-Building-(1/1)

Phenomenal. As I said above, Bracken's take on Greek mythology is outstanding. Many mythological stories involve the end-of-the-gods or something to that effect, but this was completely different. A mix of Greek weaponry, myths, settings, and the overall plot make LORE one of the best mythological fictions I've ever read.

-Romance- (0.5/1)

LORE is an unusual case as far as romance goes. There is nothing exactly *wrong* with the romance at all. I just couldn't feel the chemistry or underlying suspense/tension between Lore and Castor. I think my main issue is that we got a lot of his backstory, which was heartbreaking and powerful, but not a lot of who he was in the present. I would definitely have given this 1 full point if I'd seen more of his true colors in his dialogue with Lore, and if she had tried to look upon him in a more friendly way than how he was heavily muscled.

-Writing- (1/1)

No surprise here, Bracken's writing (especially in those action scenes) is masterful. Pacing? Check. Diction? Double check. Need I go on? Obviously since this is an ARC, revisions for repeated words will be made, but other than that, an outstanding story with even better characters.

Final grade: 4.5/5⭐

I really thought I would like this, since I’m a fan of the Percy Jackson series. I tried but just couldn’t get into it. Maybe if I hadn’t read Percy first? Oh well. I’m sure others will like it, just not for me.

This was an action packed take on a retelling about the gods. I really enjoyed the main character, and how relatable her thought process was. I also liked that you didn't have to be super into Greek gods or myths to enjoy the storyline. It felt like an original idea. I would definitely reccomend.

Percy Jackson meets the Hunger Games in this newest story by Alexandra Bracken. Lore is the story of Melora who is drawn back into the Agon— a one week battle that occurs every seven years. During this week the Olympian Gods are made mortal and the descendants of Heroes attempt to kill them and claim their power. At first Lore thinks that she can kill the man who killed her family, but as the week wears on, and as she befriends gods and mortals alike, she realizes that there is much more at stake.

The book is an amazing look into the legacy of our ancestors, the mechanisms of fate, and the strength of one’s own will. I give this book 4/5 stars and highly recommend it to all YA fans when it is released in January.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an early copy of the book.

"It's not always the truth that survives, but the stories we wish to believe. The legends lie."

When I read that line in Lore, I literally had to stop reading, take a few deep breaths, read it again, wait for the goosebumps to disappear, and then keep going. I had to do that at least 20 times while reading, and each and every time, they took my breath away! Lore drew me in like Medusa herself, tempting me to just take a peek at the next chapter, and each and every time I did, I was frozen in place, unable to stop reading until the last page!

I finished this book, and I was ready to participate in the Agon... like someone fetch me a shield and sword... because I'm feeling empowered, and I'm ready to do this thing! BRING IT! Anyone who loves the Hunger Games and Percy Jackson, and has been looking for something new to read that will give them all those gritty, determined, fight for what's right vibes with a dash of mythology, unbreakable friendships, and romance - needs to read Lore IMMEDIATELY!

Lore is full of strong female heroines that I wish I'd read more of as a child who was obsessed with mythology, and so confused as to why the princesses needed saving. The friendships, the romance... gah, the romance... I can't even get into it because it's just so well done...

This is a book that everyone needs to read, mostly so I can fangirl and gush about it with them... okay? Like for real, I'm here to chat!

PS: Big thanks to Disney for letting me read an e-ARC via Netgalley!

I read the preview of this book and was so excited for the rest. It did not disappoint. There are twists and turns. Most of these are because most of the characters are complex and nuanced, including the gods. Every seven years these gods become human for seven days and can be killed. Whoever kills them gets their power, but becomes human the next cycle. Families descended from Greek heroes are given special tools by Zeus and train to kill the gods while they are in human form during the week known as the Agon.

The story is told in alternating timelines, the current Agon unfolds against the slow reveal of events from the past Agon, when Lore's entire family was killed. Each new revelation about the past influences the current story, sometimes echoing Lore's evolving understanding and other times laying bare backstory that explains current actions or feelings. It's very effective.

I've already preordered the book for my daughter's 22nd birthday on Jan 5. She grew up with Percy Jackson and the Hunger Games. Other reviewers have mentioned this as a mash of the two. There's some truth there, but there is something different that this one leaves you with.

Thank you Alexandra Bracken, Disney, and NetGalley for the advance ebook in exchange for my honest opinion

Are you a god, hunter, blooded-or-mere mortal? In LORE, the Agon strikes every seven years, temporarily turning gods into vulnerable mortals. If a human kills a god in this state, then the human seizes all of their powers. It’s a never-ending, bloody battle that 17-year-old Lore (the last of the Perseides) sets out to finish with her childhood training partner, Castor (a fellow blooded-mortal who killed Apollo and is now a god), Adonis’ son Van, and her enthusiastic human bestie, Miles. In time, it’s revealed that former ally Athena is actually an enemy, guilty of murdering Lore’s family. If Lore doesn’t hand her the Aegis (the mighty shield of Zeus), she’ll destroy Lore’s friends and favorite place: NYC. Fortunately, Athena ultimately redeems herself. Not only does she help Lore defeat Wrath, the original villain, but she also has Lore kill her, thus transferring her abilities. Even though powers are cool, all Lore truly wants is to be released from the Agon. Luckily, Zeus hears her wish and turns Lore and Castor into mortals, now able to lead loving, normal lives. Led by a multilayered, badass teen girl, LORE is a captivating read that takes Greek Mythology and puts a NYC twist on it. It's high stakes and edge-of-your-seat action with comedy, stakes and drama. It's a bit cliche and I would have loved a little bit more world-building (how the Gods' behavior affects the city), but that being said, still worth reading if you're a fan of fantasy adventure.

Special thanks to Netgalley and Disney Publishing Worldwide for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. This is a review for the entire book, not the chapter sampler that many received

You know those ancient Greek gods you learned about? Yeah, they're still around. Every 7 years, they become mortals and are hunted by the descendants of ancient bloodlines during an event called the Agon. If a hunter succeeds at killing a god, they gain their power and immortality. Lore, our main character, left the world of the hunters after her family was brutally murdered during the last hunt 7 years ago. We catch up with Lore as she is shoved back into the world she wants to leave behind, intrigued by the idea of possibly getting revenge on her family's killer - a new god named Wrath, who wants to win the Agon once and for all.

I am not sure what to think of this novel. On one hand, this book was a lot of fun and I can see a ton of people really enjoying it. On the other hand, it was extremely confusing and info-dumpy. I would argue there isn't enough exposition. We need more development of what is happening and how it all came to be, but we are just thrown in and playing catch up the whole time. There were a lot of times during the action scenes where I felt I wasn't on the same page with Lore. She understood the world she was in, but I did not. As a result, many of the actions and reactions that characters had just didn't make much sense to me.

Flaws aside, I did think this was a unique story. Greek gods murdering everyone in NYC? That's definitely something I haven't read before. It is pretty brutal and graphic, so consider this a warning if that isn't your thing.

I recommend brushing up on your knowledge of Greek mythology before diving into this one. I didn't and maybe that's where things went wrong.

Happy reading!

(No Spoilers) I was given a sampler on here, which I loved... but now I read the whole book, and I absolutely loved it!

Alexandra Bracken’s stories are something that I’ve always loved since I read The Darkest Minds and saw the film. It was so good that I read the whole series soon after, and then her other series Passengers. I’ve been anticipating this one because Alexandra was writing a Greek story and I am Greek.

This story was beautiful and fun! I loved the main character, as well as the other characters, and I was immersed in the story from the get-go! This is definitely worth a reread and I’ll be picking up my copy on release day!

This was great, actually. As someone who wasn't exactly, the biggest fan of Miss Bracken's previous works (The Darkest Minds crew is amazing, but the plot was weak), I went into this with low expectations, honestly. But this surprised me. Miss Bracken managed to create a new world (or as much of a new world you can create inside of Greek mythology), and made me feel sympathy for characters I would normally hate. The plot was actually STRONG, and everything connected together and there were no plot holes (except for the ending, which somewhat left things up for grabs). The main character, OHMY, I loved her so much. She was strong, and didn't take no one's stuff, which was refreshing. But, as I said before, the plot was the most strong part of the book. Miss Bracken has shown that she can write a good plot, and for that, I commend her.

I was really excited to receive this book. I had gotten a sneak peak chapter and was really hoping to get the full book. Lore is a action packed nonstop story. There are a lot of characters/families to keep track of. but most of them are fairly familiar from mythology. There are a lot of twists and turns in this one. You never know who you can and can't trust. It was nice to see a solid standalone book for once, but i must say it did leave me wanting more.

I was provided and eARC by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

As an avid consumer of mythology I was thrilled to see Alexandra Bracken write a YA novel based around Greek mythos. This book is almost like The Hunger Games meets Starcrossed or for those that have never read that Percy Jackson.The book can seem a bit muddling at first with the amount of information packed into the first chapters and the fast pace, but it is incredibly engaging. If you aren't knowledgeable about Greek Mythology there is back content you might want to read over before starting the book. All of the characters are well developed and to see Lore grow into herself over the novel from running from her past to embracing it and her future was freeing. Lore is the type of feminist character that embraces other women instead of climbing over them to reach her end goal or feeling like everyone has to be like her to get her support. The love story is well integrated into the plot without overwhelming the focus of the Agon and fate.. The one thing I hated was that because it all ended in one book we did not get time as much time or interaction with the other characters as I would have liked. Maybe in the future there will be spin-offs with the characters developed here which would be warmly welcomed. There is a lot of brutal violence and death in this book as well as sexual assault being mentioned so it will not be for all readers.

Alex Bracken is one of my favorite authors, so I was excited to get a copy of Lore. This is not The Darkest Minds. This is a fresh new take on a YA modern day version of Greek Mythology reborn in NYC. It follows two main characters - Lore and Castor - childhood friends who were separated by tragic and violent means - who are now thrown back together in a fight to save their lives. It's an amazingly original spin on the traditional Greek Mythology and the stories we know and love. LOVED IT!

OMG! I was not expecting to like this book as much as I did. I was looking forward to a new Alexandra Bracken book and it exceeded all my expectations. It is a book complete with twists and turns and tons of action that had me on the edge of my seat. The main character, Lore, is so badass and capable of anything she sets out to do; she is easily my favorite character that Alexandra Bracken has written. The supporting cast is phenomenal in their own right and their banter is gold. The book is very light on the romance which I think was a good call considering how action packed the book is. Did I mention the twists? Because I didn't see any of them coming and I was properly shook by them. I may even go so far and say that this has become my favorite Alex Bracken book to date. I felt the care and time that she took to research the mythology of the gods and I think that anyone with an iota of interest in Greek mythology will find this book intriguing.

eARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, I haven't read a YA fantasy like this in years! I ripped through Bracken's latest, absolutely absorbed by the intense world she created. It's brutal, bloody, and cruel, but Bracken doesn't pull her punches, slamming you over and over again. I couldn't put this book down, not just because of the relentless plot, but because of the beautiful character relationships (so cute!) and the thematic line throughout the entire novel. One of my favorite YA fantasies in recent memory.

This book is amazing. Its has the feel of Percy Jackson meets the Hunger Games. The Agon is every 7 years, and hunters go and find gods to kill. If they kill a god they get the gods power. Its a very good book, you will not regret picking it up.