This book was a great read. It was a fun and easy read with the perfect balance of fantasy and romance. I loved the LBGTQIA+ aspect of the book especially when mixed with mythology because it was so reminiscent of relationships in this period. It was almost like a fantasy mythology red, white & royal blue but better!

I thought the characters had great depth & that the split POV allowed to really explore each of them. The only thing I feel I would have enjoyed with this is reading from Temi’s point of view as she was one of the most interesting characters in the book. I hope we will get to see this in the following books in the series!

I’m excited to see what’s to come from this author and would recommend this book to anyone looking for a light fantasy romance with substance.

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC. I think this book said it was for Teens/YA but I chose it anyway and I loved it! It left me on a cliffhanger I did not see coming AT ALL! The storyline was so good! Maybe because this was a coming-of-age of sorts for Apollo is why it was considered Teens but I was totally into this book and I cannot wait for the next book! I will be on the lookout

Thank you NetGalley and Victory Editing Co-op for my ARC of A Veil of Gods & Kings. This will be published on April 27, 2022.

This book will always hold a special place in my heart because it was my first ever NetGalley ARC that I received 🤍.

I enjoyed the writing and the characters, especially Apollo and his need to not act all high and mighty like a God, but I felt there was something missing, I wanted there to be more from the story; it felt a bit slow. The twist at the end got me, I did not see that coming and I thought that was done really well!

This is the first book in a series and my I’m thinking it might have been a bit slow because you need build the setting and characters so they flow into the next book. I’ve read many series where the first book is slow but once you get to books 2, 3, etc you appreciate that the first book took its time so you can know the back story, history, and characters. I feel that’s what is going to happen with this series & I am curious to see what happens in book 2.

I definitely think everyone should check it out, especially if you’re a fan of Greek mythology!

More like a 2.5 stars, but I'll round up for the sake of things.

I didn't think I was going to enjoy reading this - the first sentance was so clunky that I very nearly put it down right then and there. But the completionist in me held firm, and so I managed to push past the pitfalls of amateur writing and actually found myself falling into the rhythms of the story, poor craft aside.

The characters are fun (especially Temi!) and the love story made me feel good. There is the barest hint of spice, but I'll let that go since sometimes a hint is all you need. The reimagining of Greek myths took a moment to get used to, since there is A LOT being reimagined. I'm curious just how much of the original myth (aka the ending, for those familiar) is maintained as this series continues.

The writing itself is the real downfall of this novel. Please, for the love of all things good, take the thesaurus aways from new authors. Characters are allowed to simply walk, they don't need to amble, traipse, or even meander all of the damn time. There was some weird confusion with tuck/duck as well that totally pulled me out of the moment. In general, every sentance was overwrought, and I think a lot stands to be gained if the author puts more of a focus on the story and less on using five descriptors per object every single sentence.

Overall, I might pick up the second of the series when it comes out, since my enjoyment of the story overwhelmed my pickiness about the writing.

*I was provided this ARC by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

I really enjoy books with good characters and I LOVED Temi & Pip in this!
This is a multiple POV (4 in total) written in a way that isn’t overwhelming. There is MM romance included and a little spice.

I found the pace of this book to be a little slower than I normally prefer but I do feel like it flowed well.
I’m really glad it didn’t end on a cliffhanger and I’m intrigued to see how the rest of this series pans out!

As someone who isn’t huge on Greek mythology I felt you didn’t need to know much about mythology in order to understand.

4.5⭐

When I read the blurb for this book, I thought it sounded interesting. I'm a massive lover of TSOA so I didn't expect to enjoy this book nearly as much BUT boy was I wrong and happily so!

While I liked Epiphany's POV, I could have easily just read the book from Apollo's and Hyacinth's POV. Only reason I gave this book a 4.5 instead of 5 stars is because I wanted more details on the steamy scenes. However this book was amazing and I would reread it in a heartbeat. I really can't wait for the next book!

Look out for this book releasing!!

3.5 stars
**Thank you NetGalley and Victory Editing Co-Up for a copy of this ARC. These are my honest thoughts.**

I am glad I picked this book up. Whilst I didn't feel it was too much of a retelling (rather more of a reimagining) or heavy on the enemies to lovers trope as described in the synopsis, I enjoyed reading A Veil of Gods and Kings. Apollo hasn't ascended into the sun god in this book, in fact, he's doing everything to avoid it and his father Zeus. In doing so, he's pushed Zeus too far, and for punishment, he's sent to stay in Niria, where Prince Hyacinth is currently overseeing the kingdom whilst his father is away. Of course, both "hate" one another (due to making past assumptions), but over time realise they have more in common, and sparks fly.

Whilst I liked their romance, I didn't really feel a connection to either Apollo or Cyn as individual characters, so I wasn't rooting for them as much as I could have. There wasn't much steam (everything does a fade to black), but it was tastefully written when scenes did delve a little deeper. I spent a lot of time waiting for the angst of the original tale of these star-crossed lovers to come into play and was pleasantly surprised that nothing major occurred (it was when I finished said book that I realised this is part one in a series, oops). I liked the friendship Apollo and Hyacinth had by the end of the book, and how much Cyn would risk keeping Apollo at his side was rather admirable.

I also appreciated Temi's character, though she was the one main character who didn't get a POV in this book. I have to admit, when Epiphany, Hyacinth's sister, started to get her own place in this world, I was a little confused. And whilst I came to enjoy her subplot of women empowerment and breaking the shackles of her role as a Princess, the other story arc of her love for Valerian felt very repetitive and did take away from the main storyline at times. I loved, again, how Temi worked alongside Pip to help her reach out for her worth. The friendships were written very well in this novel.

The ending plot twist was done well, I was not in the slightest expecting it to go that way, and I'm interested enough to want to pick up the second book to continue the series. Whilst the pacing sometimes let me down here and there, and I also struggled in the beginning with where this was set in my mind (there was quite a fair amount of modern speech between characters), I did get invested enough to enjoy the second half of this book a great deal.

i’d like to thank netgalley and the publisher for this arc!

this really pleasantly surprised me.

i have been obsessed since greek mythology retellings since i first read the song of achilles years ago and this one did not disappoint.

this really felt like a fanfiction of madeline miller’s books, as the writing sometimes came across out of place and modern when it shouldn’t have been (usually in the make out or sex scenes) but apart from that i really enjoyed this.

i hadn’t heard about apollo’s story before let alone his romance with mortal prince hyacinth but this was so fun and interesting. it’s brilliant to read about new greek gods that i didn’t know the stories of before.

the romance was great and felt real, and the side plot of apollo’s sister artemis and hyacinth’s sister epiphany was really cool too of them wanting to make their own histories and help the people in pip’s town.

i’d definitely be up to reading the sequels or any other books by this author!

Apollo and Hyacinth retelling.

I love Greek myth retelling so much.

Apollo is still human and has not yet ascended because he wants to stay with his human sister Artemis . His father, Zeus, gives him an ultimatum; ascend now or spend his last year as human under the tutelage of the perfect prince Hyacinth. Apollo finds himself falling for the handsome prince.

This was amazing!! Extremely well written.

There are the povs; hyacinth, Apollo, and hyacinths sister epiphany.

I lowkey think that epiphany and Artemis would be good together, but I also feel like there are hints that Artemis is aromantic.

I am obsessed with Greek myth retellings. Now the original has a sad ending, but this is the first book in the series so we shall see if it has sad ending.

2/5🌶 the scenes are slightly more explicit than your average ya book but this is not a spicy book.

I just love Greek retellings and this one is amazing. Apollo isn't normally one of the main characters portrayed in Greek Lore so to get his story in this way is great. The enemies to lovers trope sat well for the plot and their journey was well written. Just as the book started to get interesting it ended, I will defiently need this for my book shelf and the next installment on my wish list.

What a delightful read! I loved every second of it and cannot wait for the next book.
Apollo and Hyacinth hold my entire heart, as do Pip, Val and Temi. I adored them all and the start of their journey towards the future they all deserve. It was very accessible and read so easily, I had so much fun with it. The banter and their respective reltionships were just chefs kiss, really.
I highly recommend it for everyone looking for some wholesome NA fantasy (even tho it read more like YA, but I didn't mind it at all). I will be pateintly waiting for the rest of the story to unfold because I am beyond excited for what comes next for our dear group<3

Red White and Royal Blue but make it fantasy. AHH. this book was so good, i am obsessed!

This story follows demigod Apollo, his sister Temi, mortal prince Hyacinth and his sister Epiphany(Pip). Enemies to lovers beteeen a god and a mortal, oh my good was it beautiful. Apollo’s character was absolutely perfect, the epitome of a man written by a woman lol. Apollo is sent by his father, Zeus, to study under Hyacinth who he believes his son should be just like (and spy a little bit) & afterwards complete his ascension even though Apollo doesn’t want that for himself. He brings his sister Temi along with him who is apparently* mortal. & We see how that romance buds, the internal struggle of Apollos fate, and perhaps the rest you just need to read for ;)

Temi and Pip form a beautiful friendship that made my heart so happy. Temi and Apollo had grown up in a village where women were not bound to men and had the ability to do whatever they’d like unlike most places now. Temi obviously still holds this value and shows Pip that she has free will and choice- which i think is absolutely amazing. We also see a little romance subplot for Pip which i’m desperately rooting for. Although, Lord Galeson didn’t seem too bad i wouldn’t even be mad at that either.

This book was extremely well written and captures your interest right away. i could’ve read this book in one sitting if i had the time to do so. There’s multiple povs with the main characters but done in way where it’s not even remotely confusing. A fun and well worth your time read. & the cover? beautiful.

AND THE ENDING ?!? oh my god, i NEED the next book asap.

Thank you to Netgalley, Victoria Editing Netgalley, and the Author, Nicole Bailey for the eARC. I am always so grateful!

goodreads review:https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/44463248

tiktok review: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZTdPdSLRE/?k=1

Please let me know if there’s anywhere else you’d like me to post! i will literally post to the ends of the earth about this book lol!

This was going to be a 4 star, but after finishing, it's going to be a 3.5 star rounded down to 3.

The issue is probably that I went into this book with incredibly high expectations. I love Greek mythology retellings and so I thought this was right up my alley. And while it was, in a way, it ultimately fell short of my expectations. The strongest part of this story, for me, is the dialogue. It felt natural and I enjoyed the character's interaction.

What felt short for me was the writing, and later, the plot. The writing is decent, but I noticed a lot of references to hair and 'lip smacking'. Enough that it drew me out of the story to think about it. I also felt like this story didn't really know what era it was set in. I know this story is simply inspired, but to me, it felt like the author just didn't really want to do the research that would make this world feel cohesive. Phrases like 'kick ass!' again drew me out of the story. Overall, this didn't detract from most of the writing, but it was enough for me to initially round down to a 4.

The reason it moved down to a 3 was because the plot, at least in the middle, just got...pretty boring. I didn't care much for Pip's issues. I'd honestly much rather have had Temi's POV since, to me, she is a far more interesting character. With regards to Apollo and Cyn, their relationship made sense, but it wasn't as passionate as I'd have liked. I expected far more enemies to lovers and it was more 'distate' to lovers.

Saying all this, the last few chapters did hook me back in and I do want to read the next book, especially as it seems more action packed.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The perfect book for lovers of the Greek myth romance reimagined genre (which I am) especially those looking for queer representation with a feminist slant. The story was well written and compelling. The romance between Apollo and Hyacinth is charming and I found myself murmuring "aww" out loud more times than I could count, but beyond that each secondary character was just as interesting and well developed. This book was very enjoyable and I very much look forward to the sequel.

i really liked the concept of this book! was just expecting a different execution of it.

set in a completely new world, this book is a reimagining of the story of apollo/hyacinth before apollo "ascends" and becomes a god. before you pick up this book, note that it is a "reimagining." the author does not retell the story, but rather creates a mix of a modern/ancient setting and puts them in it under the circumstance of zeus sending apollo to work with and learn from prince hyacinth.

i wanted this to work for me, but it was only okay. intriguing enough to keep me reading, but the use of modern swear words and slang just did not feel right and there was a lot of repetitive imagery. also aside from some obvious scenes, it read more like YA than NA. hyacinth's sister epiphany had her own subplot and pov that never really went anywhere, and i would have much rather read apollo's sister temi's point of view. but i did like the connections that the characters had with each other (especially apollo/temi's bond), and it ended with a nice small cliffhanger for the next book.

overall it was a pretty decent read, but i just wish there was more depth.

Thank you to Netgalley and Victory Editing Netgalley Co Op for the ARC of this book!

I will be posting my full review of this book onto my Goodreads account and my bookstagram account (@booknook43 - both websites) on April 1st. Linked is my review page on Goodreads where I will share my full thoughts on that date.

The book,A Veil of GOds and Kings by Nicole Bailey, is the story of Apollo, a half-mortal, half-god, and his punishment to be under the crown Prince Hyacinth under the order of Apollo's father Zeus. This book is a enemies to lover fantasy/mythos./romance novel that spans the course of a handful of months between the life of Apollo and Hyacinth.

This book was such a delight of a read. I loved the blend of high fantasy and Greek mythos as it was able to weave in and out of stories that were both known and unknown. It created a world of familiarity without being too in your face and a world that could be explored even further, hopefully, in the future. The characters were lovely as the author made them human and grounded within such a vast setting. I am a big fan of multi POV chapters and this feature was used throughout the book as a huge positive. Without it, it would have been much more slow paced than necessary and each viewpoint garnered a fresher perspective on the lives and matters of other characters.

The romance between Apollo and Hyacinth has strong tension from the start which helped the two very strong headed character's conflict, but showed that in reality they are just two very open people that love one another. Their shift to lovers was a little too slow for my personal pacing preference but it helped the shift when they finally kiss. The romance scenes between the two characters were excellent and evoked the sense of passion between the two. Not only did passion do well for the book, the quotes each character said about each other was melodic in its core. I highlighted many a quotes when the characters were talking about their desires and passion as the prose was lyrical.

I wish Epiphany's story was explored a little bit more. She clearly has potential to flourish as she is a character that clearly wants not to be part of the traditional societal role, but someone who wants to feel like they are more worth a part of the world rather than be just a wife. Epiphany almost seemed like it was written to break up the narrative between Apollo and Hyacinth and would have loved a bit more development on her character (unless it will be explored further if there is a Book 2) Speaking on side characters, I loved Temi's role as a guide/mentor character. She was incredibly wise and helped people on her path. I was surprised at her big reveal at the end, in the best way, as this will aid in her character development. I loved that she showed Epiphany ways to break out of the societal shell and allowed her to feel comfortable to engage with her own thoughts vs thoughts she is supposed to go with.

In regards to the queer representation, although focused heavily on the gay relationship between Hyacinth and Apollo, I did see that there may have been some aromantic representation from Temi! I really hope that is the case because this label, in which I identify with myself, is so underrepresented in all forms. It was laid out and explained distinctly without it being felt like it had to be a coming out line or something that Temi was ashamed of. She was just a character that was aromantic vs an aromantic character. While both are just as valid in each's own right, it felt much more natural for Temi as it felt like this was something she has already come to the realization and conclusion that she was (possibly) aromantic.

I wish the world building was explored more than just scenes outside the castle limits as this would have given this book more of a fantasy feel vs a romance feel. If there is a second book, I hope it explores more than just the castle walls and able to create a fuller experience. Because this book is so character driven, the plot lacked slightly as I wished there was just a bit more than just the romance scenes. I would have loved to see Hyacinth deal with more meetings and politics with Apollo present to see what Hyacinth is capable off, and what can actually be carried over into a possible second book.

Overall, this was a lovely read. New Adult Fantasy Romance fans will enjoy the book a lot. I highlighted so many quotes, and this is a book I can definitely see myself reading again. I would love to purchase this book so I can physically hold it and read it. Additionally i would love to highlight those quotes and experience this story over and over again.

I rate this book at a basic star rating of 4.25 stars.

Thank you again for the ARC!

As someone who really loves Greek mythology but has been bogged down with a million Hades/Persephone books and not much else, a book about Apollo was just what I was looking for. The cover is absolutely stunning and the fact that it is the first in a series really piqued my interest.

This story follows Apollo and the beginnings of his relationship with Hyacinth (whose name is Hyacinthus in most books about mythology.) I remember reading about this story when I was young so I was intrigued to see what the author would do with it. There are very blurred lines in mythology when it comes to friendships between gods and mortals. Were they good friends or something more? This book goes with the something more option. The romance is very sweet and the side characters add to the overall story.

But I do feel like this story does really do a lot. It is very character driven to the point where there is almost no plot. That isn’t something that normally bothers me but the writing was also very on the nose instead of the beautiful purple prose we normally get with a mythological retelling. I think this book laid down a decent foundation to build upon in the second book, but it didn’t blow me away.

If you like slow-burn enemies to lovers, multiple POV, Greek mythology retellings, and lots of LGBTQ representation, you'll really enjoy this NA fantasy book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Overall, I thought this book was good. It didn't totally wow me, but it was definitely a fun, entertaining story. I especially loved the Epiphany and Valerian forbidden-romance subplot, being one to absolutely DIE for the "commoner falls for the royal" trope.

As for the main plot, I thought the romance was a bit stereotypical, but that isn't always a bad thing. The world-building is super unique and interesting, because while it's based off actual Greek mythology, the world is entirely original. There's a bit of a modern twist to it as well. The characters feel very 21st century, which I find refreshing.

The book is almost entirely character-based, so don't go into it expecting an elaborate plot. The stakes aren't that high at all, but we get to see the characters grow and embark on their own personal journeys. I definitely found the characters to be well-developed and intriguing.

The story centers mainly around Apollo, who in this version is not yet full-deity. Zeus, his raging and hateful father, is forcing him to "ascend", to become full god. If Apollo ascends, he will be forced to reign from Olympus, away from his mortal sister and closest confidant, Temi (an original twist on the goddess Artemis). Apollo wants nothing more than to be human & to live freely on earth with his sister, but once he ascends, he won't be able to stay on earth for an extended amount of time without feeling sick.

So, Zeus offers him a deal. He can ascend now, or wait one full year, during which time he must let the snarky, full-of-himself Prince Hyacinth mentor him. Naturally, he chooses to live another year as a half-mortal on earth, thinking he can at least live a little and experience the world for a bit longer despite having to do so in the presence of an insufferable royal.

As the year progresses, he finds he might just enjoy the prince's company a bit more than he expected to. And vice versa. Hyacinth finds that there might be more to Apollo than just being the arrogant, impulsive deity that he pretends to be.

All in all, I enjoyed this story. It was fun, entertaining, and lighthearted, full of drama and intrigue. I could visualize the scenes and the characters impeccably well.

3.5 rounded up to 4 stars.

I requested an arc of A Veil of Gods and Kings on a whim, mostly because mythological retellings are my jam and I always enjoy pretending to put my minor in folklore and fairytale literature to work somehow. This was a pleasant surprise with a well-paced story, developed characters, and a nice hook for a sequel.

In A Veil of Gods and Kings, we follow the story of not-yet-a-god Apollo, who is refusing to ascend to his position as god of the sun despite the demands of his father, Zeus. He has his reasons, some of them good (anyone with any familiarity of Greek mythology knows Zeus is a shitty and vindictive father, after all), and some of them petty (Apollo likes his flings). This is going well, until Zeus tells him he has a year to ascend... after studying under the perfect son (and sworn enemy of Apollo), Hyacinth. At least Hyacinth is attractive. And maybe not as terrible as Apollo first thought him to be.

The premise of the story drew me in from the start, since the original myth of Apollo and Hyacinth is so lacking in details aside from its tragic ending. I was curious to see how author Nicole Bailey would pull from the original story in her writing of A Veil of Gods and Kings. This is a fun twist on that, and I enjoyed the details she added to Hyacinth (who is nothing more than a tragic figure in the originals) in particular. He is an honorable, overburdened young man who really just wants to do nothing more than whatever is right for his family. Apollo takes a bit more time to be likeable, seeming immature from the beginning and slowly developing into a more humanized figure as details are revealed throughout the story. Artemis - Temi - is a personal favorite (we love an aro-ace queen), and watching her calm demeanor while everyone else flounders is amazing. Epiphany, Hyacinth's younger sister, is arguably the weakest of the characters, and her narrative chapters are a low point in the story - largely unnecessary to the overall plot.

While I enjoyed what Bailey has done to build up a plot (the existence of both Zeus and Jupiter is an interesting twist), the biggest weaknesses for the book are the Epiphany chapters and the initial "rivalry" between Apollo and Hyacinth. It's so contrived and easily talked out. The other weakness? The title itself. Please, writers and publishers, stop with the "A [blank] Of [blank] And [blank]" title formatting.

Overall, though, this is a fun, quick New Adult read. I look forward to what's coming next in the series.

This is a good start to a series!

We've got some romance, some big bads to fight, and the incentive to start an epic upheaval.

The characters are likeable and their development keeps them interesting.

Interested to see how this plays out in the rest of the series.