I loved this book and I couldn’t stop reading. Though the start was a little slow but once it got going it didn’t stop. At first I didn’t think I would like Lore but as the book went on I fell in love with her. She wasn’t like the typical young adult heroine where they are all about them. She listened to her friends and didn’t really do that much stupid stuff. Though I do have to say Miles and Van were my two favorite characters. Alexandra Bracken wrote the perfect blend of the old Greek myth with a modern day setting. Her writing was easy to follow and get into. I will be recommending this to all my friends. Thank you Netgalley and Hyperion for letting read and review this book.

I am intrigued by Greek mythology and loved the blurb for this one, so I eagerly requested it when it became available and was delighted to be approved.

However, now that I’ve finished it, I’m torn about my feelings about the book. The first quarter is a complete info dump that is very involved about Greek deities being killed and reborn. There are so many different names thrown about, some of which are the “original” deities and some are now different people inhabiting the deities with their power? It confused the heck out of me.

While it was definitely fast paced and kept me reading, I really was shocked that it was Disney Hyperion who published this. The brutal violence and gore presented rather graphically went beyond what I’ve read in YA, especially considering quite a bit of it involved the torture and murder of children. I wish I had seen any warnings about this, as this is something I definitely try to avoid in books.

Interesting premise. Likable/hated characters. Cool plot. I would recommend this story to others. Some spots I found that didn't hold my attention, but overall, I still liked it.

I truly enjoyed this story. I loved the cross between mythology and The Hunger Games. It was really fun and intriguing.

I do think I’d have appreciated a second POV. Castor showed tremendous growth. It would have also helped with world-building.

Still a great, fun story.

I enjoyed this book but I do have some issues with it.

I was apprehensive about starting this book, to begin with. I have read other books by Alex Bracken, the Passenger duology which I did not like, and The Dreadful Tale of Prosper Redding duology which I loved. So I have already had mixed opinions about the author which made me eager to see how I would enjoy this book by her. I love Greek mythology, and the incorporation of those myths is what initially drew me into this book. However, I found myself getting easily confused by the world-building and the ties to mythology. There were several times in which I had to re-read a few pages to understand what was going on. I think there could have been a lot more explanation to the greek myth tie in world-building. I have studied Greek mythology thoroughly in school and was still getting extremely confused by the mythology in this book, and I find that to be problematic.

The relationships in this book were my other major problem. The majority of the time, it felt like they were just thrown in and never were developed. As readers, we were expected to route for relationships and friendships that had no foundation, they were just suddenly there.

There were aspects of the book I enjoyed. Even though I felt like the characters and relationships weren't developed enough, I did enjoy the characters. Lore was fierce, Castor was adorable, Miles was hilarious and my favourite character, and Athena was intriguing. The premise was extremely interesting, I just feel like the execution slightly missed the mark because of how underdeveloped the characters, relationships, and world-building was. And the ending was satisfying but also predictable.

I was seeing Lore everywhere so I knew I had to read it. I love books based on Greek Mythology, especially when it is set in todays world! The characters were really well written and the plot kept me interested. I thought the writing was also really well done. Overall I really loved and enjoyed this book!

<em>How we are remembered is less important than what we do now.</em>

It's safe to say, at this point, that Alexandra Bracken is a phenomenal writer. I was pretty on board with <em>Lore </em>from the start, preordering myself a copy immediately after I read the excerpt. But I did also give a bit of a warning in my review of the first six chapters from the sample, noting that this was a novel <em>filled</em> with violence. Immediately upon starting, you're thrown straight into an incredibly bloody battle. What's striking is that the novel was just so thoroughly gripping you couldn't turn away.

<b>Those Edge of Your Seat Moments</b>

Despite the incredible excess and shock of 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<em>, that's</em> how <em>engrossed</em> you are. In the span of an instant, you are in this world with the characters. And there's a <em>visceral </em>feeling to it all.

Lore takes place in a modern day arena, that which exists because Zeus cursed a select number of gods as punishment for their greed and anger induced behavior. This punishment forces them to spend seven days fighting for their lives as mortal decedents of famous Greek heroes fight to kill them for their powers. Every seven years, the Aegon begins. Those with the power of the gods lose their immortality for one week and the bloody vying for power is repeated.

<b>The Aegon Arena</b>

Of course, our story really begins with Lore. She's done everything she can to distance herself from her family's legacy and the world that killed them after they were brutally murdered in the previous Ageon. But when her childhood best friend--a boy she believed dead--and one of the original gods forge paths into her life, Lore finds herself once again entrenched in the horrors of the Aegon.

What ensues is a violent and terrifying game in which family houses vie for the powers of the gods, intent on killing the gods of the other houses. One house, that of Kadmos, seeks to destroy all the other gods entirely. In ending the Aegon, he intends to rule over them all. And Lore? She wants revenge upon the one who made her the last of her line.

However, revenge can only get one so far when they have people to protect.

<b><em>Lore</em> is it for me in 2021</b>

<em>Lore</em> is an amazing novel, filled with utterly brilliant characters. Better yet, it has plot twists even I didn't see coming. As an avid reader, I'm very rarely shocked by a plot twist. And this may very well be the second time Bracken has taken me by surprise. I genuinely felt as though I were living through the story with these characters, engaged in the very moments they experienced. I recall, even, shouting out at the novel at various points while reading it. My emotions were in complete turmoil.

There are many ways in which <em>Lore</em> turned out to be an excellent story. Braken wove together a tale of immense power with one of the most amazing feminine heroes I've ever had the pleasure of reading. I really fell in love with these characters, the world, and all the twists and turns they encountered. I'm only one month into the year and already certain this book is it for me in 2021.

If you've not read <em>Lore</em> already, you've done a disservice to yourself. And I suggest you go pick it up as soon as you possibly can.

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

Great book I loved the main character and the greek mythology in it. The relationship between Castor and Lore was well developed, the plot was exciting and the ending was amazing. The book was difficult to understand at first and it was a. bit dense but. I enjoyed it.

This book was described to me as Greek mythology meets the Hunger Games. Be forewarned that the story is a very mature YA book containing many scenes of violence and brutality.

Lore, by author Alexandra Bracken, was created out of the authors own childhood love of Greek mythology as well as her own Greek heritage and the stories of her immigrant grandparents, to dream up a secret network of ancient families--descendants of Greek heroes--battling for immortality and dominance. This novel turns the misogyny and violence against women running through Greek mythology on its head, reclaiming the hero's journey and reversing our ideas about heroes and monsters. Thousands of years ago, 9 gods—Athena, Artemis, Poseidon, Dionysus, Apollo, Hermes, Aphrodite, Hephaestus, and Ares—staged a failed revolution against Zeus.

As punishment, they are doomed to face the Agon every seven years. “For 7 days every 7 years, the Gods walk the Earth as mortals. If you can kill one, you become a new God and take their power and immortality. But you’ll be hunted again and again until only one remains whole.” Only 4 bloodlines still participate in the Agon. Aphrodite (Heartkeeper), Dionysus (The Reveler), Poseidon (Tidebringer), and Ares (Wrath) are deceased as the current Agon begins and replaced by so called new Gods. Melora (Lore) Perseous is the last of her line from the legendary hero, Perseus and is largely alone in the world after hiding from the Agon and its members for many years once her family was murdered by their opponents.

Lore thinks she has escaped the Agon until one day she returns home and finds the goddess Athena, mortal and open to attack and the theft of her powers by anyone who kills her, bleeding out on her front porch. After binding her fate with Athena, she goes into the hunt to fight a new God to avenge her family and save her home, New York City. With the upcoming hunt, comes the reappearance of her childhood friend Castor. Lore discovers that Castor, the childhood friend she believed was dead, actually ascended as the new Apollo seven years ago.

I am going to actually say that this book is on the dark side. This is, after all, a sort of last person standing war with plenty of blood and death. If you are a lover of Greek Mythology, you are going to really enjoy this YA standalone. As fragile alliances are formed and Lore struggles to keep those she cares about safe until the end of the Agon, she can't help but remember the heinous crimes done to her in the past and the person she used to be. Except for Miles who she took in, Lore has been alone for many years and only survived because she was kept hidden. Until now.

Lore is complex, flawed, has a temper, has lots of baggage, and struggles to process her guilt, past traumas, and grapples with the idea of destiny (or the "Fates") and whether she is truly in control of herself. The entirety of this story takes place over 7 days, so the action is hot and hectic and for a book that is almost 500 pages long, nearly continuous. The ending is both surprising and open ending. Yes, there really could have been a different ending, and yes, there really could have been a sequel had the author and publisher desired.

Rating: 4 Stars

As the first book I picked up and finished this year, I had high hopes and Lore met most of them! Lore reads like a love letter to mythology, but also like a comic book that starts out with fire and anger that makes for some of the most compelling action I’ve ever found in a book. That’s the gist of it, and the easiest way to explain why it was a solid 4 star read for me.

The story follows Melora Perseus, or as we know her— Lore. Struggling with the inner turmoil over the recent loss of a friend, Lore is burdened as expected but the way she channels her anger is unique. Our first glimpse of her is in a fighting ring underneath a New York restaurant, and she only gets more interesting from there

There are so many aspects that make the book exciting but I’ll be splitting them into the main three reasons: the cast of characters (some of who are Ancient Greek gods), the uniqueness of its plot, and lastly the writing.

If you all know me, then you know I enjoy almost any book that is rich in folklore or mythology solely because it makes the book seem more grounded and yet more magical. Bracken takes this very quality and immerses modern-day New York with its environment-friendly university students and its rich city pride, and then engulfs the city underneath a web of Greek mythology. In Lore, Greek gods are nearing extinction at the hands of the very lines of heroes who once sought their blessings because Zeus cast out the Olympians as punishment.

This would be exciting enough for me as a plot point, but it becomes so much more interesting when Lore and her band of close friends interact with these gods. It feels like you’re watching stories of old play out like an action sequence in your favorite comic book movie. Once I picked up the book, I knew I wouldn’t be able to put it down until the very last page because of this pacing. Additionally, the story is filled with plot twists and secrets, and while some are easier to guess than others they always leave me knocked out of breath.

Those are some of my general thoughts, but I’d like to mention some tropes I enjoyed before I jump into why the book isn’t at 5 stars in my book. I loved the flashbacks, the childhood friendship, the “last one standing wins” theme. But I found my main issue to be the pacing of the book. I love action and I love the plot quickening but the buildup wasn’t gradual and almost every scene felt high stakes. Also, the book could have benefitted from being a duology rather than a standalone since it felt like there was too much happening, too quick, at certain points in the story.

But if you’re someone who likes when a story is wrapped up neatly in just one book, then I think you’ll enjoy the pacing more than I did. And if not, the mythology, Athena, Lore, and the other brilliant characters more than make up for it.

Thank you to Disney Publishing Worldwide and Netgalley for a digital advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is is a promising start to a new series. It’s fun, but it’s not tissue paper thin. There is good world building and slow, steady character development. There are mysteries to solve and questions to answer, but they’re embedded into a carefully thought out exposition; sometimes this kind of book has melodramatic, clunky cliffhangers, but this one has a nice build. I’m looking forward to what’s next.

Disclaimer: I received the e-arc from the publisher and then bought my own copy. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: Lore

Author: Alexandra Bracken

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 1/5

Diversity: one gay side character by the time I DNFed

Recommended For...: Greek Mythology lovers

Publication Date: January 5, 2021

Genre: YA Fantasy

Recommended Age: can’t recommend, DNFed

Publisher: Hyperion

Pages: 480

Synopsis: Every seven years, the Agon begins. As punishment for a past rebellion, nine Greek gods are forced to walk the earth as mortals, hunted by the descendants of ancient bloodlines, all eager to kill a god and seize their divine power and immortality.
Long ago, 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.

Yet as the next hunt dawns over New York City, two participants seek out her help: Castor, a childhood friend of Lore believed long dead, and a gravely wounded Athena, among the last of the original gods.

The goddess offers an alliance against their mutual enemy and, at last, a way for Lore to leave the Agon behind forever. But Lore's decision to bind her fate to Athena's and rejoin the hunt will come at a deadly cost--and still may not be enough to stop the rise of a new god with the power to bring humanity to its knees.

Review: I DNFed this read at 134 pages. I really like the concept of it, but Alexandra Bracken basically drops you into the middle of a story and 134 pages in and I'm still so lost and confused about what's going on. The characters aren't developed, the book expects you to know the backstory and to have read the blurb before you read it, the timeline and world building are disastrous, and the whole thing is just so cluttered. If you didn't have any knowledge of Greek Gods you'd be utterly confused throughout the book and even with my basic knowledge I'm still very lost. The author didn't take the time to set up anything in the book, we hit the ground running from page 1. I feel like I'm reading the rough draft of this book while I'm actually reading the first edition. I think this would have been a good sequel book, but as a first it's bad and underdeveloped.

Verdict: I wish it was just a little bit better in the beginning and helped bring you into the world.

Lore is part of a world where every 7 years 9 greek gods walk the earth as mortals for one week. And if they are killed by a mortal in that time, the mortal gets their powers. Lore, having lost her entire Family in the last hunt - the Agon- has spent the last 7 years trying to stay out of that world. But Athena and an old friend draw her in for one last hunt. I loved this book. I loved Lore because she was such a flawed,imperfect character. Even better Bracken managed to equally write a dark, bloody story that still spoke so much hope.

In addition, this has to be one of my favourite stories that integrated greek mytholgy into a modern world. Greek myths are unique in the humanity of their gods and Bracken
exemplifies that in her story. She also slowly draws out a story of misogyny and rape culture. It's shocking and jarring in such a modern setting, but also shows how much work needs to be done there. Honestly, amazing characters are placed in a phenomenal setting and a story that is absolutely captivating. And it's a stand alone book. Read this book. It earned medusa on the cover.

I loved the combination of Greek mythology with the modern world. The blend of the two with the addition of a hunt of the gods was awesome to read.

This one was unfortunately, very disappointing.

The first 100 pages was amazing, but then quickly went downhill from there.

I lost my connection with Lore and I found the story hard to keep track of.

If this took place in Greece during the time of the Gods, I think I would have enjoyed it a lot more. It was hard for me to think of Greek mythology in the streets of NYC.

Overall, this one just wasn’t for me.

“It’s okay to want good things […] and to believe that you deserve a good life”

I absolutely freaking adored this book!! I loved how the author blended Greek Mythology with The Hunger Games and brilliantly weaved it into a modern New York City setting. Everything about this worked; from a complex plot and strategic execution, to the detailed characters and their relationships; all of it was believable. And normally I’m not a fan of the childhood friends to lover's trope, but this one was done so well. I loved that Lore was a strong, independent woman and the boy was soft and lovable and just wanted to help. His transformation was glorious to read. I loved learning all about the different types of magic and all the different artifacts; how they fit with each of the different clans.

I cannot recommend this book enough. I’ve sung its praises to everyone I know and I’ll keep doing so.

First, let me start by saying WOW. This is a beautifully written book with complex and multi-layered characters that transforms something old into something new and exciting.

Lore:
I did feel a bit at a distance from the characters. Even as I wish it wasn’t true this includes Lore. I’m not sure if this is simply because of the number of characters introduced or if it was done on purpose.
Either way, it contributed to the steely, ice-cold character of Lore. She reminded me a little of a UFC fighter. A fallen warrior desperate to prove herself humane.
I appreciated her integrity, strength, strong-will, fighting abilities, soft side, and her greatest weapon and tool, her heart.

The world:
The setting of New York combined with Greek mythology led to a few interesting scenes. As a reader, I felt the descriptions were vivid precise.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to Netgalley for an advance copy of this book.

I am very conflicted when it comes to LORE. On one hand, it is a neat concept--the old gods are punished by Zeus to run along and be hunted by mortals every 7 years. Once a mortal kills the original god that mortal then takes over that god's abilities. On the other hand the execution was... so so.

I was not a fan of the entire novel being set in NY--I love NY, for the most part it is a great setting, but in Lore it felt constricting. If it had branched out, maybe to the god's home turf for example, in order to discover the origin of the Agon and make Athena confront her past transgressions in that way, and maybe even get an actual confrontation with Zeus...

Maybe it shouldn't have been a stand alone? Perhaps a duology would have served it well. That way not everything would have been so clustered together, you would have gotten some time to fall in love with the characters,etc. A LOT happens, a lot of characters are at play, and maybe they didn't all get the page time they deserved.

Overall my favorite characters would have to be Lore and Miles--in fact, if this entire novel had been just them facing Lore's past I would have been fine with it. Miles is the regular best friend to Lore. He is funny, he is brave, and a joy to have on the page. Lore is complicated and conflicted. In her heart she wants to fight, but she also knows that is not the right path. She battles her inner demons/desires on a daily basis, but once presented with the opportunity for revenge from Athena she is hooked.

Athena is seriously fun to read about. She is one of the few original gods left, and feels oh so disgusted to have to go to a mortal for help. Her dialogue is fantastic. She gets confronted by Lore about her past, in one of the best chapters of the entire book, and has to tell her side of the story when it comes to her neglect or even her seemed attack on women (aka Medusa).

I really think Lore should have been bigger, longer. It feels like a story that is being chocked by its limitations. It is a lot of fun, and a lot of interesting things happen, but if it could have been expanded it would have been truly great, and those reveals would have punched us a little harder.

I was never much of a Greek Mythology kid growing up but I'm making up for it now and this book was exactly what I was looking for. Lore is not only a story about Greek gods that brings them to life with new and complex depths, but it is also a story about a woman (re)claiming her power. This book is for every woman who has been told they are too much, for those who have heard the word no too many times but never listened, who refuse to listen to the role society tries to create for them. It made my heart sing.
Plus there's swoony romance, lots of bloody fighting, and a true and deep love for NYC, all things I'm a sucker for in a book.