The Games Gods Play (Standard Edition)

The Games Gods Play by Abigail Owen is nothing short of a literary masterpiece that captivated me from the very first page. Owen’s skillful weaving of myth and magic into a captivating narrative makes this book an absolute must-read for fans of fantasy and romance alike.

From the outset, the world-building in this novel is exceptional. Owen’s depiction of a realm where gods and mortals interact with intricate rules and high stakes is both imaginative and immersive. The depth of the world she’s created is astonishing, and her attention to detail is evident in every aspect of the story.

The characters are vividly drawn and incredibly relatable. The protagonist’s journey is both thrilling and heart-wrenching, filled with moments of intense emotion and gripping suspense. Owen excels at creating multi-dimensional characters whose personal growth and relationships drive the story forward.

The romance element is handled with such finesse. It’s passionate and electric, yet deeply nuanced, adding layers of complexity to the narrative. The chemistry between the leads is palpable and beautifully rendered, making their story all the more engaging.

Owen’s writing style is fluid and captivating, with a rhythm that keeps you eagerly turning the pages. Her ability to balance action, emotion, and intrigue is nothing short of masterful. The twists and turns in the plot are unexpected and well-executed, ensuring that readers are kept on the edge of their seats.

The Games Gods Play is a spellbinding read that blends mythology, romance, and adventure in a way that only Abigail Owen can. It’s a book that lingers long after you’ve turned the final page, leaving you yearning for more. If you’re looking for a story that combines epic fantasy with an emotionally charged romance, this novel is an absolute triumph. Don’t miss out on this extraordinary journey!

This book. Wow. Just wow. It was definitely a stay up too late, cannot put it down, it should get more than 5 stars kind of book. I fell head first into the story and was equally desperate to read it all at once and also to savor it and make it last. The Greek mythology based storyline was imaginative, the characters were real and relatable, and the writing was addictive. The world building was phenomenal, woven together scene by scene, layer by layer until it became a living breathing place full of three dimensional beings. Plus, this epic fantasy will have you feeling all the deep emotions - laughing, crying, swooning, cringing, teeth gritting, knuckle biting, raging, and cheering. I was right there with Lyra feeling all the things and by the end I was in love with Hades. Lyra is a human who is cursed by Zeus, bartered to the Order of Thieves at the age of three to pay her parent’s debt and is friendless and loveless. On the night when the once a century Crucible’s participants are to be chosen, Lyra encounters Hades. And for some inexplicable reason, Hades joins the Crucible for the first time ever and names Lyra as his champion. The 13 champions must participate in 12 labors devised by the Gods to entertain themselves and for the chance to win prizes and hopefully escape death. The God whose champion wins the Crucible is crowned King of the Gods and the champion gets a boon as well as abundance for their families and their homeland. Hades agrees to lift Lyra’s curse if she wins. Thus begins the God centered Crucible filled with arrogant Greek gods, terrifying monsters, impossible tasks, difficult choices, pain, death, and heaps of physical and emotional overload. Regardless of the winner, none of the Champions will be the same at the end assuming they live through it. The book has a little bit of everything just like you would expect from this genre - sweet moments, spicy times, real life issues, imperfect characters, dangerous moments, mystery, supernatural creatures, secrets, plot twists, painful pasts, evil actors, and love. I am really looking forward to reading the next book in this series and seeing what happens next with Lyra and Hades because that ending…

I round up, but would give this book 4.5 stars; this is a must read for anyone that is a fan of Percy Jackson or the Hunger Games. I love Greek Mythology so finding this book put it to the top of my to read pile and I'm so glad that I did. It has a modern take which makes it super unique, and I like that it has some different elements that don't follow traditional books that use Greek Mythology as inspiration. There is so much world building and twists/turns that make this an easily devour-able book. The secrets build each chapter and trying to figure out the end game for each character keeps you immersed in the story.

Lyra is such a strong, independent, fierce woman, and her sass level is epic (you will laugh at some of the things that she says to these all powerful gods!). Hades is our morally gray MMC that holds his cards close to his chest. However, I think Cerberus might be my favorite character and I wish we got so much more of him! Fingers crossed for books 2.

My reason for the half star deduction was because the ending seemed a bit quick and squished together. There was a lot that happened in a short amount of time and I had to re-read a few sections to figure out what was happening. Maybe we'll get some type of recap in Book 2 that better helps explain the last few chapters. It's such a minor thing, but given the length of the book and the epic story telling it was a bit challenging to follow along at the very end.

Note: This does end on a cliffhanger so prepare to wait for book 2! Overall, I highly recommend this book and can't wait for the next one.