Well I didn’t think I would actually like Apollo but it has been done! I love him!
I love this version and once again I hate Zeus. That apparently hasn’t changed.

The story follows Apollo who is on the verge on his ascension and his father, Zeus sends him to spend a year with Prince, Hyacinth to learn a thing of two from the “stuck up” prince.

The beginning of their relationship reminds me a lot of Red, white and royal blue which I loved so I loved the enemies to lovers of course.

I did feel Like whenever it switched to Ephinany pov it was much more of a filler and I didn’t enjoy it as much as Apollos or Cyn’s pov. Although I did love the friendship her and Temi created and excited to see them in the next book!

I am already looking forward to the next book and this one isn’t even out yet!

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this early.

3.5 stars

A Veil of Gods and Kings is a Greek myth retelling of Apollo and Hyacinth's love story. Refusing to ascend to his full godhood, Zeus sends Apollo to spend a year with Hyacinth in the hopes that Apollo will learn how to be a dutiful son, as well as see why the kingdom's sacrifices are less than adequate. Apollo and Hyacinth have met briefly years before, both making bad impressions on the other. As the two spend more time together (at the urging of both of their sisters, Temi and Epiphany), Apollo and Hyacinth can't deny the attraction that looms between them. But Hyacinth and his kingdom have a secret, something that a son of Zeus should never find out.

I will always show up for Greek myth retellings. I think this book was a good start to a series and it definitely laid a lot of groundwork for future books! This book was definitely a slow burn, but I found it hard for myself to grow attached to the characters. I think part of the reason was cycling through the multiple points of view in short chapters, I didn't have time to sit with one character for long enough at a time. I will say that this book is written quite beautifully, I think the author did a great job of weaving poetic language into an easy-to-read novel. While this will likely turn out to be a true fantasy series, I would say this first book is really a romance book first, the fantasy elements really just being the involvement of Greek gods. I will be looking to read the next book in the series because it will be able to expand more on the plot threads that just got started towards the end of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

First of all, huge thanks for making me receive this ARC.
I have read very few Greek Mythology retellings, because most of them were actually a heterosexual romance with misogyny sprinkled in. So I do appreciate queer retellings. And I must say, this one has potential to be a new favourite of mine. I liked the characters very much, how all of them were fleshed out and their interactions were a delight to read. I liked how much representation this book had, especially the AroAce representation was very dear to me. I loved the language, the expressions and the modern aspect of the writing, I could see this story to be set in current Greece. It was a fresh breath of air in the "Greek Mythology retelling"-genre, with an excellent enemies to lovers relationship and an amazing cast. I am very hyped to see where this story is going, especially with Temi and Pip who both grew on me the longer I read.
I can definitely see this book be YA, because it keeps the spicy scenes rather mild, and I can see it being a beloved book in this genre, but this is the publisher's choice.
Overall, I did really enjoy it and hope to see where it is going, and if it can be my favourite retelling of all time.

I had mix feelings about this book.

It is a slow burn hate-to-love love story. Which is my favourite trope.

I didn't know much about the god Apollo before reading this. And I made me like him alot more. Seeing how much he struggles with the pressure of ascending and becoming a god.

I also like prince Hyacinth. He struggled with the weight of ruling the kingdom. And dealing with Apollo.

Their relationship worked. They had chemistry. They were believable.

My only issue was at times I didn't want to pick the book up and continue reading it for some reason. I also found the pace of the book overall a little too slow.

But however being the first book of a series I gave it some slack. And I do look forward to reading the next book.

Title: A Veil of Gods and Kings
Author: Nicole Bailey
Publication: April 27, 2022
My Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Trigger Warnings: Provided by author. Misogyny, abusive parenting, mentions of animal sacrifice, hunting and animal death, and deaths in fire.

ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Apollo lives his life dreading and avoiding his Ascension to immortality at all costs, so his father, Zeus, presents him with a choice--spend the next year with the insufferable Prince Hyacinth, who seems determined to upstage Apollo at every chance he gets, or take his rightful place on Olympus immediately. Apollo and Hyacinth, first struggling with shared contempt for each other, begin to realize they may have more in common than they thought. When their disdain begins to blossom into friendship, and maybe something more, their lives, families, and kingdom will be put at risk.

A Veil of Gods and Kings was an absolutely wonderful retelling of Apollo and Hyacinth’s story. Told from three first-person points of views and littered with mythological references, beautiful quotes, and amazing banter, this book grabbed me from the first chapter and held my attention to the very end.

First, the characters, and especially the relationships between them, were absolutely adorable. Apollo and Hyacinth, though they were a tad bit boring on their own, were a fantastic couple. The slow understanding they both had as they realized they were falling for each other was beautiful to see, and their back-and-forth bickering and nicknaming was so cute. I also loved the characters of Artemis, or Temi, and Epiphany. The aroace rep was absolutely delectable, and their friendship made my heart so happy.

Another thing I really liked about A Veil of Gods and Kings was the author’s writing style. It had this natural rhythm and casual flow to it that made the book an easy and relaxing read. It wasn’t particularly polished or refined, if that makes sense, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

A couple things you should keep in mind when reading this book: It is not historically accurate, as the author actually addressed in a note at the beginning of the book, or even mythologically accurate. It almost felt like it was more inspired by the myth than an actual retelling. It’s also a series, so don’t expect the whole myth, story, or--slight spoiler warning--tragic ending in this book.

The main problem I had in this book, which was more a personal preference than an actual flaw, was that it had very little action or mystery. It was almost completely political intrigue and romance, which I completely understand is some people’s cup of tea but isn’t really mine. I wish we had gotten to see more of Temi hunting, or Apollo using his powers, or even a more detailed description of a discus game.

All in all, this book wasn’t my favorite, but it was really really good and I definitely recommend it if you like political-based romance. I’m so thankful I got a chance to read this book, and I can’t wait for the second one to be released. <3

“We lay there together until long after the stars had appeared, glittering out destinies, sparkling with whispered wishes. I didn't know then that those stars were already gone. They were only light remaining, a memory of what once was. Like we one day would be.”
Okay don't tell anyone but i Hyacinth and Apollo might be my new fave Greek couple keep it a secret sorry Patrochilles i can't pit two baddies against each other. All I'll say is, I am OBSESSED.

Thanks to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for sending me an arc of this wonderful book!

A Veil Of Gods And Kings is unlike any Greek Mythology fantasy I’ve ever read! While I love Greek mythology, I often find it hard to get in to historical settings, but with Nicole Bailey’s fresh and modern way of writing, I got into the story immediately and loved being immersed in the world she created. The story is a slow burn enemies to lovers and I loved every minute! Apollo and Hyacinth’s relationship was built so well and their chemistry was amazing! I also loved the aromantic and asexual representation and the different points of view for the different chapters. I enjoyed reading about Temi and Epiphany just as much as Apollo and Cyn and the characters were built so well. I really appreciated the contents warning before the story started and that helped prepare me for some of the scenes. I’m so excited to read what happens with all of these characters next and I’ll definitely recommend this to my friends.

4.5*

I am so glad I was able to read an e-ARC of this book, because I just adored it.

For me, one of the most important things when reading a book is the characters, if the characters are too unlikeable or too flat then you really have to have an amazingly strong plot to make me finish a book. So, I need to start this review by saying that all the characters are so strong and whole in this book. We've got Apollo and Hyacinth and the pressures they both have on them, but with two very different ways of handling things. And as a nice surprise, we've got Temi and Epiphany, two women who are strong in different ways and trying to live their lives in a patriarchal society.

I did love Epiphany's chapters, and her subplot was so important and refreshing to read in an M/M romance (because we have to acknowledge they're not always the best with their female characters). I will say that a couple of the Epiphany chapters felt a little disjointed from the flow of the book, but not enough to really bother me, just enough that I noticed.

Which is the other amazing thing about this book. The writing style! My goodness. I'm not usually one to highlight and make notes during my first read of a book because I'm too wrapped up in the story, but there are so many lines in this that are just too beautiful not to make note of.

This is definitely a book I'll be recommending and I'm thrilled there's going to be a sequel, I'm already eagerly anticipating it.

I'm such a sucker for a Greek Gods & Goddesses retelling, but it's a genre I all too often neglect so I was so happy to get the chance to read A Veil of Gods and Kings by Nicole Bailey on NetGalley.

I really enjoyed this take on Apollo the Sun-God as I've never come across a retelling that features him as one of the dominant characters within the plot. Enemies to lovers is one of if not my all time favourite book trope so I absolutely loved the tension and angst between him and Hyacinth in the first half of the book. I really enjoyed Apollo's backstory and his refusal to ascend, I felt that although his own father terrified him, his refusal to do as Zeus wished was what gave his character real strength - and this was reinforced by his relationship with Hyacinth. The way that both Apollo and Hyacinth were young men with equal weights on their shoulders and equal flaws was what made their relationship so wonderful to read about. The way their love blossomed from hate to love was so lovely. I also really enjoyed the subplot of Apollo's sister that wove alongside Apollo's story and I hope to hear more about Temi in the next book!

Whilst I really enjoyed the characters in this novel, I found the plot to be quite slow paced and was expecting something major to happen at the end of every chapter but nothing ever did. I felt that the plot needed something else to keep the reader more engaged. I continued and finished the book because I enjoyed the characters but I just couldn't invest myself in the plot.

If you like Greek myth retellings and want something quick and easy to read this is a good choice - but if you're looking for something a little spicier and with a little more action then this may not be for you.

As a fan of the original myth, I was originally hesitant to read a retelling. But I am happy to say that I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Unique tenderness oozed from the pages with every interaction between Apollo and Hyacinth, and I enjoyed the setup to the sequel. I thought parts of it moved a little fast with exceeding amount of paragraph breaks that didn't give me a chance to breathe and languish into the otherwise well-constructed prose, and I do wish that the book felt a little less like two hardly-related narratives existing independently of each other. But I enjoyed the free-wheeling world-building and the authentic characterization, and will be on the lookout for the sequel.

3.5 rounded up
arc received from netgalley in exchange for an honest review
I REALLY ended up enjoying this book more than I thought I would, especially after the start. I'm personally not much of a romance reader so the beginning started out very slow for me and it didn't really seem to have a concrete plot set up, it was just Apollo was ment to visit Hyacinth. I espically struggled with the start of Epiphany's story line because it seemed essentially useless, but the second half of the book felt way more drawn togather and despite the beginning being slow the characters were always fully developed with firm characterization. I also enjoyed Epiphany's narration more in the second half but it still seemed a bit over the top and irreverent to Apollo and Hyacinth who this book is shown to be about. The writing was also a major plush and helped me push past the first half because of how poetic and vivid the descriptions are. all in all the was a solid book and I cannot wait to see where the second book takes up since it's setting up to be much more plot driven.

The cover drew me in m, but I stayed for the plot. Everything about this book was great and it’s reminiscent of Circe and Song of Achilles, in that mythological sense. Great book and it hooked me from the start. Won’t lie, I’m not a big fan of the romance, but nonetheless it was nicely written

4 stars

First off, I have to give props to the person who designed the cover. It is gorgeous and immediately drew me in! Second, this slow burn enemies to lovers romance was so good. I loved Apollo and Hyacinth's relationship development. Also Temi was such a strong character and I would've loved to have gotten more from her. Maybe in the next book or future books if there's to be some companion novels? Either way I am beyond excited for the next book and will be ordering physicals of both!

Initially what attracted me to A Veil of Gods and Kings was its exquisite cover, but within the pages, I found an amazing story based off of Greek mythology that was original in its telling and absolutely fascinating. The story is beautifully written and incredibly well-paced. I enjoyed the multi-perspectives woven together to tell the tale and they were done so well that I was actually excited to hear from all the points of view. The characters were extremely well developed and the plotline was flushed out incredibly well. Even though Apollo and Hyacinth were the main characters of the novel, that didn’t mean the author neglected to give side characters time to shine. Those characters were also beautifully written and well developed. The romance was beautiful and told in a unique way and now I am DYING to get my hands on the next book. I am blown away by this story and the emotions it brought up. I received an ARC from NetGalley but am leaving my review voluntarily and with my own opinions.

Thank you to netgalley for the e-ARC!

This was really fun! I had expected something totally different and was pleasantly surprised by the store I actually got. Apollo was obviously struggling with himself and something from the start. But I loved his POV and how he slowly saw Cub for who he iz. That Cyn is just wearing a mask because he is a prince. Also loved the POV from other characters, Cyn and Pip. Seeing Cub’s inward struggle, the weight of his crown, and how he slowly fell in love with Apollo was beautiful. I actually can’t away from this loving Cyn the most? He protects himself so fiercely with others but not with Apollo.

I will say I’m giving this 4 stars simply because it felt like something was missing? I loved the resolve at the end, of Cyn going after Apollo and the twist about Zeus. I’m eager to read the sequel but I just think it ended too quickly? Not sure how to explain it. I still had a lot of fun though.

Also I need to know about Pip and Valerian! I hope they get their happy ending. Their story was sweet to watch evolve through the book as well.

Surprisingly the three POV’s wasn’t annoying as I’ve found in other books. It actually fit quite seamlessly! And all the characters were pretty well rounded through their POV’s.

Apollo is the son of Zeus and the mortal Leto. He spent his life among humans and does not wish to ascend and become a god, because he cares deeply for the mortals and knows that he will not be able to help them or care for them if he becomes the god he is meant to be. All he wants to do is spend his life quietly and happily with his mortal sister Temi. In an attempt to pressure him into ascending, Zeus sends Apollo to spend one year with Prince Hyacinth, who is the perfect model of an obedient and responsible son.

I like this new take on the myth, and how the author kept it simple. It’s easy to get lost in all the details of the Greek gods and goddesses, and the author managed to make everything easy to understand, while also keeping the magical and mythological aspect of the story (it is a loose retelling though, don't go in expecting the story to follow the myth step by step). The setting is simple and easy to imagine, but I would have enjoyed a little more details.

The Olympian gods and goddesses do not care about the mortals at all in this book. Most of them are cold and even cruel, and that creates tension between Apollo and the other deities, but also between humans and gods because the humans know that gods can level their cities without needing any reason to do it.

This version of Apollo is more layered than some I’ve read in the past. He is charismatic (and gorgeous of course), but he’s also very caring and sensitive. He wants to help people and his worse fear is that he might be responsible for someone’s pain or misfortune because he knows that Zeus will not hesitate to use and threaten people Apollo cares about in order to manipulate him. We can see how desperate he is to find a way to escape his destiny, and how he craves real, meaningful, connections and a purpose in his life. He knows that he does not wish to ascend, but on the other hand, he doesn’t see himself staying in his village as an anonymous man, helping the mortals the best way he can, but never had true friends or lovers that are more than just a meaningless physical relationship.

I really like the strong bond between Apollo and his sister Temi. They are very close and devoted to each other, they always have each other’s back, but also do not hesitate to speak the truth and let the other know when they are being stupid. Temi sees the best in Apollo and she makes sure that he’s not too much of an asshole with Hyacinth. Their relationship is strong and true, and I loved every interaction they had.

Hyacinth is under enormous pressure as he is left in charge of the Kingdom while his father is away. He has a lot to prove, to himself and others, and he hates to disappoint people or break the rules. Hyacinth and Apollo both despise each other, because they met once a few years ago and they see each other as pretentious, selfish, and uncaring for the people around them. Little did they know that they have much more in common than they think.

The main romance in this book is between Hyacinth and Apollo. I would describe their relationship as a hate-to-love (those are the best!) with a slow burn and good chemistry developing between them. They start off hating each other because of their preconceived ideas, but they slowly learn to know each other and to see each other for who they truly are under the pretense and masks. There is some banter between them, and also a sexual tension. I like how they learn to respect each other and pushed each other to try new things.

There is sexual tension and some smut between Apollo and Hyacinth, but it is mild in comparison to other books I’ve read. Much of it happens off-page or behind closed doors, but we can still feel the love and passion between them. It’s just enough to keep the second half of the story spicy, but it doesn’t take the focus away from the relationship and character development.

There is another romance in this book, but while I am hoping to see it come to fruition, I am not sure if it will happen or not. Honestly, I am not sure yet if Epiphany’s arc will impact the big plot in the next book or not, but I enjoyed her chapters. It’s more of a forbidden love story, with both parties being separated by their social status. They have the cutest friendship in this book and it is so obvious that they love each other! I really hope that their friendship will become more in the next book.

Temi and Epiphany (Hyacinth’s sister) quickly become friends. They are both strong women who are not happy to play the part of the meek and demure lady. They encourage each other to live their life to their best, to take risks, and find happiness. They are in very different situations, but at the same time their lives share many similarities, and they can relate to each other. I would have loved to have some chapters in Temi’s POV, and I really hope we will get it in the next book. She is an interesting, strong, and independent character, and I wanted to know what was going on in her head!

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The pace is good, and while the plot is not the most elaborate because it’s mostly about Apollo and Hyacinth’s relationship, we can see that there is a bigger plot and that this plot will be more important in the second book. I like how I had no idea if this book would have a happy ending for the main couple, or if it would end with heartbreak because love stories between mortals and gods never end well. I had to wait until the very end to know for sure, and it made the read even more enjoyable because I was hoping for a sweet ending, but dreading a tragic one… Also, knowing how the romance between Apollo and Hyacinthus ends according to the myth, I am a little scared.


Review posted on Goodreads and Instagram on April 13th.

Big thanks to NetGalley and Victory Editing for the ARC!

Where do I even begin with how much I loved this book? I love Greek mythology retellings, I love enemies to lovers, and I love queer romance. This has it all! I had high hopes for this book and it definitely did not disappoint.


"It doesn't matter how long something lasts. I'd rather have a moment of intense beauty and joy and treasure that than something dull that lasts forever."

This was the first book I've seen where Apollo was the main character. Apollo and Hyacinth's characterisations were both so unique and distinct, and yet you could easily see why they work. The characterisation in general was amazing, from the MCs to the supporting characters.

Temi in particular was one of the best side characters for me. I loved that she was strong and independent, and fiercely herself. One thing that really stood out to me was an interaction in chapter 14, where she and Pip are talking about romance and she so easily says;

"I have friends and my community and my brother. Why would I ever be lonely?"

To me, that was such a casual but firm statement of her being aroace that I've not seen in a book before! Whether that was the intended point or not, it was lovely.

Now to the story! The overarching plot of this book is super intriguing. The gods are portrayed in interesting light and I love that you get to see both sides of how people view them through the book.

It's multi-POV so you do get to see bits and pieces from 3 of the main characters; Apollo, Hyacinth and Epiphany. The only reason I gave this book 4 stars rather than 5 is that the POV switches in the first half were a little too often for my personal preference. While it can be a bit much sometimes, I can see why it's necessary for worldbuilding, and once you hit the halfway mark and beyond, you're able to start piecing together the different parts of the story and how everyone's chapters interlink and it's beautifully done.

I would definitely say there's a bit of slow-burn to Apollo and Hyacinth's relationship, not so much that it feels dragged on, but in a way that you can actually understand each of them as they slowly develop from hating each other to falling in love.

"Perhaps fate has always drawn me to him, like a gravitational pull. An asteroid set o a course to destroy."

Sarah does a really good job of building a romance you can really care about and want to see protected. If nothing else, read this book for the beautifully romantic moments peppered through the story!

The last 1/3 of this book had me gripped and I couldn't stop reading it until I was through. It's really well done and ties all of the previous chapters together in an exciting way. It very much sets up book 2 in the series which I can't wait for! Though I got a digital ARC of this book I did order a physical copy because I already know I'm going to pick up the rest of the series!

A full in-depth review will also be coming to my blog, www.allthesethings.co.uk, this weekend. So if you'd like to see more make sure you stop by!

“It doesn’t matter how long something lasts. I’d rather have a moment of intense beauty and joy and treasure that than something dull that lasts forever.”

Rating: 3 stars

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an e-arc to read :)) I was so excited when I saw that this was a queer Greek myth retelling with enemies to lovers romance, and I loved the concept of the book. But it did fall a bit short for me!

I do love a multi perspective book, so I did enjoy that aspect of the book and enjoyed all the perspectives of the characters/side characters. The romance and plot was enjoyable enough for me to continue reading it.

One of the biggest issues that I had with the book was the lack of plot. I enjoy a good balance of characters and plot, however most of the book was focused on the romance of Cyn & Apollo. I really wanted to learn more about the world/politics and just more plot in general. This made the pacing off at some points of the book. The book is marketed as enemies-to-lovers BUT I personally didn’t get enough of the enemies. I love a good slow burn enemies to lovers, but they seemed to just dislike each other and quickly got over this in the beginning of the book. I also found the writing to be too descriptive at points (lots of similes) which made it hard to read at times.

Overall I felt like this book had a lot of potential, and I would love to see some more exploration plot wise in the next books!

✨ thank you so much to @netgalley for this E-ARC! | Let me start off by saying I’m so excited for more Greek gods retellings to be out there! I love Hades and Persephone but there’s so many others!

The story follows Apollo, who’s a demi-god and refuses to ascend to Olympus and join his father Zeus among the other deities.
The writing is very lyrical (and beautiful), perhaps not 100% consistent throughout the whole book but it didn’t bother me much. At the same I kind of loved how everyone spoke as if they were from America despite the setting 😂 It’s also written in first person past tense, which needed a bit to get used to as it’s something I’ve rarely encountered. There were a few repetitions from Apollo's part, which is perhaps the one thing that bugged me.
It’s told in three POVs, which I personally appreciate as it always adds to the narration. The main characters are lovable and well-rounded, and considering this is the first in a series there will definitely be room for them to grow more in future installments. I want to see more of Valerian!
The romance trope is enemies to lovers — I have to say I wish the enemies part lasted longer (but that’s just personal preference ahah)! Overall it was a pleasant read, hopefully there will be more action in book two as some parts tended to drag, but I understand the foundations were being put in place!

I would give this about a 3.5 star review. I do think that my students who love retellings would enjoy A Ceil of Gods and Kings. Overall, I liked it but I didn’t love it.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc ebook in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.