The Games Gods Play

By: Abigail Owen

Narrated by: Piper Goodeve

THE GODS LOVE TO PLAY WITH US MERE MORTALS. AND EVERY HUNDRED YEARS, WE LET THEM …

I have never been favored by the gods. Far from it, thanks to Zeus.

Living as a cursed office clerk for the Order of Thieves, I just keep my head down and hope the capricious beings who rule from Olympus won’t notice me. Not an easy feat, given San Francisco is Zeus’ patron city, but I make do. I survive. Until the night I tangle with a different god.

The worst god. Hades.

For the first time ever, the ruthless, mercurial King of the Underworld has entered the Crucible—the deadly contest the gods hold to determine a new ruler to sit on the throne of Olympus. But instead of fighting their own battles, the gods name mortals to compete in their stead.

So why in the Underworld did Hades choose me—a sarcastic nobody with a curse on her shoulders—as his champion? And why does my heart trip every time he says I’m his?

I don’t know if I’m a pawn, bait, or something else entirely to this dangerously tempting god. How can I, when he has more secrets than stars in the sky?

Because Hades is playing by his own rules … and Death will win at any cost.

©2024 Abigail Owen (P)2024 Recorded Books

Not usually my cup of tea but so good however leans towards YA

I’m pretty sick of the epic games trope but this was done really well! I really liked the book but there are a couple of things that bother me (some I guess are technically spoilers? If you are super picky about spoilers TLDR: it’s more YA than adult but still wonderful)

It’s supposed to be an adult book but is really more of a YA book. It’s written better than most YA books and accessible but it’s very much written like a YA book and doesn’t really get deep into anything to make it more than a YA book which leads me to my second issue.

It is supposed to be this epic game set of labors 3 of which they just fly through and the others don’t really go deep into what in theory would be a very well thought out purposeful labor. They are all relatively the same and don’t really have a deeper meaning or lesson… seemed like a huge miss especially for a YA book

Lyra is supposed to be in her 20s but acts like and thinks like a teenager the whole time I picture her as 16 or 17 and her inner monologue is confusing. You don’t really get a sense of why she cares so much about everyone else other than she wasn’t cared about? I don’t know seemed week and confusing and it kind of explains her actions but not really again screamed YA not adult


The romance pieces are ridiculously predictable but kind of fun

Overall it was a great read I thoroughly enjoyed it and will be reading the next one! Just was a bit lacking for an adult book. The narrator for the audiobook is also wonderful!

An absolute masterpiece 💫

This book is an absolute masterpiece! It’s filled with thrilling twists and turns that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. I found myself completely absorbed in the story, unable to tear my eyes away from the pages. As someone who loves Greek mythology, this book exceeded all my expectations. The characters are vividly portrayed, and the plot is beautifully woven, making it an incredibly engaging read. I’m already eagerly anticipating the release of the next installment! If you enjoy engaging tales filled with mythology and adventure, I definitely recommend picking up a copy of this book. It’s an experience you won’t want to miss!

💫Rating💫

🌟🌟🌟🌟

🌶️Spice🌶️

❤️‍🔥

Fantastic Escape

The story is so much fun. The character development, the twists, the romance, all beautifully put together.
the voice actor was amazing too!

Loved it

Can’t wait for the other book. Recommended to all my friends. It just grabs your attention from the start

Loved this book more than I thought I would and the narration was fantastic!

That I have to wait for the next book. I can’t think of anything else.

The Games Gods Play

A fun and entertaining story. Contemporary immersed in Greek mythology…. It took me three tries to get mossy the first few chapters as I thought it would be way to ostentatious and dry … little did I know. You have to get used to the characters, especially Lyra, but once that is settled, it really was a very good book. I cannot wait until the next one comes out !! (In September 👀)

Amazing narration

The VO actor for this made even the cheesy stuff feel grounded. LOVE this book, can't wait for more!!

Personal: main character issues

The story is great and intriguing and interesting, however the main character is kind of frustrating. She does a lot of standing around when she needs to be moving, she is always the last one to get going and not because of the gods putting her last. She went from being alone and watch her own skin to she has to save everyone all the time, and under utilizes her gifts and tools. I am also not a fan of “learning one truth that doesn’t make sense to you so it’s a lie and I don’t want to hear what you have to say even though the situation we are in isn’t exactly the best time for explanation “ but the book is good just the last trial gets under my skin

I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!

I love this book. The storyline was so good and the character growth was amazing. I can’t wait for the next one.

This book is amazing!

I picked it up because I saw the cover and sprayed edges. After I read the description and realized it was based around Greek Mythology I took it home. I finally read it and now I can’t wait for the next one!