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Of Blood and Lightning
In the idyllic town of New River, North Dakota, 16-year-old Ophelia Johnson and six other teens inherit the powers of the old gods—Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Artemis, Apollo, and Ares—and embark on a mission from the Vessel of Destiny to find the missing Fates, restore the Codex, and save the ancient world.
Still grieving the recent and mysterious death of her father, Ophelia begins to unravel the secrets woven into her family’s history as she and her friends plunge into the quest of a lifetime. Armed only with powers they don’t totally understand, Ophelia, Roman, Cassius, Olivia, Alessia, and Baxter are soon immersed in a mythical chess match upon which rests the fate of the universe. As they journey into a world of blood pacts and war, the diverse group members find more than they bargained for, and Ophelia discovers a family tie that might mean the ensuing chaos and destruction is her fault. Of Blood and Lightning is an upper YA contemporary fantasy (age 16-25) with a gripping and fresh twist on Greek mythology as the ancient pantheon of gods inhabit an ensemble of BIPOC and queer teenaged characters.
Still grieving the recent and mysterious death of her father, Ophelia begins to unravel the secrets woven into her family’s history as she and her friends plunge into the quest of a lifetime. Armed only with powers they don’t totally understand, Ophelia, Roman, Cassius, Olivia, Alessia, and Baxter are soon immersed in a mythical chess match upon which rests the fate of the universe. As they journey into a world of blood pacts and war, the diverse group members find more than they bargained for, and Ophelia discovers a family tie that might mean the ensuing chaos and destruction is her fault. Of Blood and Lightning is an upper YA contemporary fantasy (age 16-25) with a gripping and fresh twist on Greek mythology as the ancient pantheon of gods inhabit an ensemble of BIPOC and queer teenaged characters.
400 pages, Paperback
Published October 8, 2024
6 people are currently reading
4199 people want to read
About the author
Micki Janae
1 book31 followersMicki Janae is an Alabama-based author on a mission. Tired of growing up with scant representation of young Black women in fantasy, Janae took matters into her own hands to craft Janae took matters into her own hands to craft OF BLOOD AND LIGHTNING (the first book of The Godender Saga), a compelling novel full of intricate world-building, electrifying storytelling, and diverse characters. Currently, Janae is studying at the University of Alabama, Birmingham, where she continues her passion for literature and explores visual creativity as a budding filmmaker with an eye on expanding the voices of young Black women in both fields. When she's not reading or writing, Janae enjoys watching Netflix with her dog, Dexter.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
October 27, 2024
This was excellent! A perfect young adult read for fans of the Percy Jackson and Pegasus book series. Ideal for autumn as it is set in September and has a witch in it. Extremely suitable for Black History Month, with good POC representation.
[ Contains some spoilers ]
PLOT SUMMARY
16-year-old Ophelia Johnson’s life has been bleak thus far. Not knowing who her mother is has to be the least of it: her grandparents and cousins 4 years prior, and now her father, have all died. She has been taken in by her uncle Janus and aunt Cherice after her father’s death, moving from Austin, Texas to New River, North Dakota.
There, she meets a group of high school kids around her own age: Roman, Cassian “Cass”, Baxter, Alessia and Olivia. They all swiftly become friends over the summer. As the new term starts at New River High, one by one Ophelia’s friends begin to mysteriously skive school. Ophelia keeps having nightmares, as do her friends. They discover they have all inherited powers from Greek Gods: Zeus (Ophelia), Poseidon (Roman), Hades (Cass), Apollo (Baxter), Artemis (Olivia), and Athena (Alessia).
One night, a Vessel of Destiny, General Griffin, appears before the kids seeking their help. The three Fate sisters are missing and have been held hostage in the Underworld since the day Ophelia’s father died. They are all brought to the Sacred House of Athena, where it is believed if the Codex Sanctus an ancient book can be found, it can be exchanged for the Fates. They must first retrieve the Eye (an all-seeing-all-knowing artifact) which can tell them where it is.
But not all is as it seems, with her aunt and uncle keeping secrets from her. With Scions watching them carefully in the shadows at every corner, and with the imminent threat of the merciless Nyx, the Mother of Shadow and Queen of Paradise, Ophelia must watch her back, for nowhere is safe and there is a traitor in their midst.
This is told from the first-person present-tense POV of Ophelia.
OVERALL OPINIONS
A decade ago, when I was a teenager, I was a fan of books containing Greek mythology: particularly the Percy Jackson and Pegasus series, by Rick Riordan and Kate O’Hearn respectively. This has a lot of vibes from these but with a touch of the Stoneheart trilogy by Charlie Fletcher because this also contains a Sphinx with a riddle, though Fletcher’s is more helpful than Jane’s. Micki Jane has taken everything that came before and brought it back as a beautiful epic story with excellent POC representation. The present-tense narrative is on brand with the young adult genre and is used effectively here, making you feel as if you are going through the motions there and then with Ophelia.
This story captured the typical high school atmosphere perfectly. The descriptions of the canteen, for example, “we both take ceramic blue plates that are hot to the touch. The steam wafting into my face carries the scent of fried tenders”. Another thing we can all relate to is the peer pressure in high school to do things, like how Cass dares Ophelia to jump off the cliff early on. Also, when Ophelia and Roman discuss what universities they are hoping to get into after graduation, and what career they plan to pursue.
The novel also explores another aspect many will know of or relate to: the “strict parents raise sneaky kids” idea. While it is her aunt and uncle, the same vibes are there. She starts poking around her family history, and they tell her not to, so she says she won’t but eventually, of course, she does. And she questions why she is not allowed, which is again something kids do. Even if they explained why, she would have still gone behind their back.
I like how we get that reminder that it is okay for men to open up and allow themselves to feel scared or upset.
I think some sections could have been fleshed out, particularly the final section. Overall, for me, this is a rating of 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4. If I was younger I would like it more.
<< Positives >>
🠚 There are some gorgeous descriptions! Take this example: “The tower’s platform overlooks New River in all its sleeping glory. The forest is a castle of shadow and foliage. In the distance, an ocean of sparkling lights stretches from east to west like a wall of fire.” Or how about this one: “ The melody is light and whimsical, like a waltz between fairies.”
🠚POC representation and its release on Black History Month should not be ignored. This is huge for teenagers who struggle to find media and books with main characters who look like them, and this will be amazing for them!
🠚I learned more about both today’s culture and Greek mythology. One example is when Baxter says “In a town where nothing happens, the possibilities are endless” and Olivia laughs and says “Thank you, Langston Hughes” – Hughes (1901-67) was a black American writer who made the earliest jazz poetry.
🠚A decent amount of humour throughout, which I like. My favourite part is when they all are coming up with excuses and settle with “Oh, Marvel movie night” and Griffin is confused and they all say “Parents” in unison, as an explanation.
🠚The plot twist was good, about who the intel working on the inside was. I had my suspicions when they mentioned the map was wrong and who had given them the map, but I liked when it was confirmed.
<< Negatives >>
🠚Having Alessia, Olivia and Ophelia for names is confusing because they all end in “ia”, especially Olivia and Ophelia.
🠚It is never revealed why nobody mentions Ophelia’s mother.
🠚I’d love to have been given more information about the other characters, like how the friend group all met and became friends, and their own problems.
🠚Some of the plot particularly near the end feels rushed. I really didn’t expect Alex to be bumped off so early on, too. I didn’t see the point of that especially because it was never addressed later.
🠚I feel like some of the narrative is unrealistic. An example of this is when Ophelia first meets the group. They are all talking among themselves, then Roman eventually is like “Oh yeah, this is Ophelia”, like this should have been much earlier.
🠚Cass asking Ophelia about cliff-jumping after they have just met felt so random for me to read. And she immediately says “yes” like he was asking if they could all go have coffee.
🠚Baxter’s issues and conflicts with his father I thought would be covered more because it is mentioned at the start. The name of his father is mentioned too, which I feel is misleading as nothing comes of it.
🠚I thought there would be more to that restricted section too, that they would sneak into there later. To my knowledge, they don’t seem to.
🠚Logic doesn’t seem to always be there: when Baxter asks who Cherice and Janus are on page 242, though they clearly saw them previously when the parents are summoned to the school.
🠚(Minor) This book has moments where characters shout but full-stops are used. I think this should be changed to exclamation marks.
CHARACTERS
-ˋˏ ꒰ Ophelia꒱ ˎˊ-
↳ I like that the main character’s name is Ophelia, the name of the tragic heroine from Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Like Shakespeare’s character of the same name, she suffers greatly. The name itself means “help” or “aid”, which is also fitting as this Ophelia is the Godender, destined to help in the war to come.
I like her strength, resilience and positivity! There were some moments where she got on my nerves or the logic wasn’t there – like her going alone after Nyx with severe wounds and after nearly dying. Overall though, she is one of the most real, well fleshed out characters in this story. Poor girl, so many questions and not enough answers.
“If I don’t get out of this car, none of this is real.” – This sort of denial is relatable. Another moment like that was when she says “I’m so angry I think I could cry”, because this is literally the sort of mood I can get.
-ˋˏ ꒰ Other characters꒱ ˎˊ-
↳ I liked Roman and Cass the most other than Ophelia. Roman is just your typical book boyfriend, how can you *not* love him? And Cass has a sense of humour and a good heart.
FAV QUOTES
• “You’re a lucky man.” | This time, he doesn’t laugh. “I don’t think so. I think I’d be luckier if I knew what your favorite color was. Or how you like your coffee.”
•I try to ignore the wild, fluttering sensation in my stomach. I hate it when boys call you magical on water towers and split bottles of wine with you. It’s just not practical.
• We reach across time and her hand is warm. It makes me sob. All this time, all these layers between us, and her hands are still warm.
• With sunlight spilling over him, it’s easy to imagine that thousands of years ago, people would be clamoring to carve slabs of marble into his likeness.
• “I always think that people have the wrong idea about death. Fear, repulsion, avoidance–it’s the wrong attitude. When the leaves die, they decay into pieces of gold, and pave our streets. Death is beauty.”
• “I’ll always come when you call.”
• The hummingbirds in my stomach are restless. It’s stupid. It’s so, so stupid. But it’s the best feeling I’ve had in months. Something wild and warm, breaking the ice around me. Something new.
• Today, we had our first real brush with death. Somehow, the thirty-second conversation Olivia has with her mother is so much worse.
• I’m beholding. It’s terrible. And it’s beautiful. He walks the road between dreams and nightmares, bridging them both.
• “Lord Zeus was the King of Olympus, the most powerful god in his Pantheon. I believe you inherited his powers for a reason, and you’re proving it everyday.”
• “Hail the Gods of Olympus–rule all, kneel to none”
══════════ ⋆★⋆ ══════════
I received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review and I’d like to thank Micki Jane, and Three Rooms Press for the opportunity. This has not affected my opinion in any way.
Every time I swing my sword, the storm finds a new voice. Thunder cut straight from the pounding in my chest. Lightning called from my blood.
[ Contains some spoilers ]
PLOT SUMMARY
16-year-old Ophelia Johnson’s life has been bleak thus far. Not knowing who her mother is has to be the least of it: her grandparents and cousins 4 years prior, and now her father, have all died. She has been taken in by her uncle Janus and aunt Cherice after her father’s death, moving from Austin, Texas to New River, North Dakota.
There, she meets a group of high school kids around her own age: Roman, Cassian “Cass”, Baxter, Alessia and Olivia. They all swiftly become friends over the summer. As the new term starts at New River High, one by one Ophelia’s friends begin to mysteriously skive school. Ophelia keeps having nightmares, as do her friends. They discover they have all inherited powers from Greek Gods: Zeus (Ophelia), Poseidon (Roman), Hades (Cass), Apollo (Baxter), Artemis (Olivia), and Athena (Alessia).
One night, a Vessel of Destiny, General Griffin, appears before the kids seeking their help. The three Fate sisters are missing and have been held hostage in the Underworld since the day Ophelia’s father died. They are all brought to the Sacred House of Athena, where it is believed if the Codex Sanctus an ancient book can be found, it can be exchanged for the Fates. They must first retrieve the Eye (an all-seeing-all-knowing artifact) which can tell them where it is.
But not all is as it seems, with her aunt and uncle keeping secrets from her. With Scions watching them carefully in the shadows at every corner, and with the imminent threat of the merciless Nyx, the Mother of Shadow and Queen of Paradise, Ophelia must watch her back, for nowhere is safe and there is a traitor in their midst.
This is told from the first-person present-tense POV of Ophelia.
OVERALL OPINIONS
A decade ago, when I was a teenager, I was a fan of books containing Greek mythology: particularly the Percy Jackson and Pegasus series, by Rick Riordan and Kate O’Hearn respectively. This has a lot of vibes from these but with a touch of the Stoneheart trilogy by Charlie Fletcher because this also contains a Sphinx with a riddle, though Fletcher’s is more helpful than Jane’s. Micki Jane has taken everything that came before and brought it back as a beautiful epic story with excellent POC representation. The present-tense narrative is on brand with the young adult genre and is used effectively here, making you feel as if you are going through the motions there and then with Ophelia.
This story captured the typical high school atmosphere perfectly. The descriptions of the canteen, for example, “we both take ceramic blue plates that are hot to the touch. The steam wafting into my face carries the scent of fried tenders”. Another thing we can all relate to is the peer pressure in high school to do things, like how Cass dares Ophelia to jump off the cliff early on. Also, when Ophelia and Roman discuss what universities they are hoping to get into after graduation, and what career they plan to pursue.
The novel also explores another aspect many will know of or relate to: the “strict parents raise sneaky kids” idea. While it is her aunt and uncle, the same vibes are there. She starts poking around her family history, and they tell her not to, so she says she won’t but eventually, of course, she does. And she questions why she is not allowed, which is again something kids do. Even if they explained why, she would have still gone behind their back.
I like how we get that reminder that it is okay for men to open up and allow themselves to feel scared or upset.
I think some sections could have been fleshed out, particularly the final section. Overall, for me, this is a rating of 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4. If I was younger I would like it more.
<< Positives >>
🠚 There are some gorgeous descriptions! Take this example: “The tower’s platform overlooks New River in all its sleeping glory. The forest is a castle of shadow and foliage. In the distance, an ocean of sparkling lights stretches from east to west like a wall of fire.” Or how about this one: “ The melody is light and whimsical, like a waltz between fairies.”
🠚POC representation and its release on Black History Month should not be ignored. This is huge for teenagers who struggle to find media and books with main characters who look like them, and this will be amazing for them!
🠚I learned more about both today’s culture and Greek mythology. One example is when Baxter says “In a town where nothing happens, the possibilities are endless” and Olivia laughs and says “Thank you, Langston Hughes” – Hughes (1901-67) was a black American writer who made the earliest jazz poetry.
🠚A decent amount of humour throughout, which I like. My favourite part is when they all are coming up with excuses and settle with “Oh, Marvel movie night” and Griffin is confused and they all say “Parents” in unison, as an explanation.
🠚The plot twist was good, about who the intel working on the inside was. I had my suspicions when they mentioned the map was wrong and who had given them the map, but I liked when it was confirmed.
<< Negatives >>
🠚Having Alessia, Olivia and Ophelia for names is confusing because they all end in “ia”, especially Olivia and Ophelia.
🠚It is never revealed why nobody mentions Ophelia’s mother.
🠚I’d love to have been given more information about the other characters, like how the friend group all met and became friends, and their own problems.
🠚Some of the plot particularly near the end feels rushed. I really didn’t expect Alex to be bumped off so early on, too. I didn’t see the point of that especially because it was never addressed later.
🠚I feel like some of the narrative is unrealistic. An example of this is when Ophelia first meets the group. They are all talking among themselves, then Roman eventually is like “Oh yeah, this is Ophelia”, like this should have been much earlier.
🠚Cass asking Ophelia about cliff-jumping after they have just met felt so random for me to read. And she immediately says “yes” like he was asking if they could all go have coffee.
🠚Baxter’s issues and conflicts with his father I thought would be covered more because it is mentioned at the start. The name of his father is mentioned too, which I feel is misleading as nothing comes of it.
🠚I thought there would be more to that restricted section too, that they would sneak into there later. To my knowledge, they don’t seem to.
🠚Logic doesn’t seem to always be there: when Baxter asks who Cherice and Janus are on page 242, though they clearly saw them previously when the parents are summoned to the school.
🠚(Minor) This book has moments where characters shout but full-stops are used. I think this should be changed to exclamation marks.
CHARACTERS
-ˋˏ ꒰ Ophelia꒱ ˎˊ-
↳ I like that the main character’s name is Ophelia, the name of the tragic heroine from Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Like Shakespeare’s character of the same name, she suffers greatly. The name itself means “help” or “aid”, which is also fitting as this Ophelia is the Godender, destined to help in the war to come.
I like her strength, resilience and positivity! There were some moments where she got on my nerves or the logic wasn’t there – like her going alone after Nyx with severe wounds and after nearly dying. Overall though, she is one of the most real, well fleshed out characters in this story. Poor girl, so many questions and not enough answers.
“If I don’t get out of this car, none of this is real.” – This sort of denial is relatable. Another moment like that was when she says “I’m so angry I think I could cry”, because this is literally the sort of mood I can get.
“There’s no justice in this world, Roman. You have to forge your own.” I turn the blade over, letting the catch the light. “The Old Gods have to die. That’s the only justice my father can have, so that’s what I’ll do. I’ll kill them all, starting with her.”
-ˋˏ ꒰ Other characters꒱ ˎˊ-
↳ I liked Roman and Cass the most other than Ophelia. Roman is just your typical book boyfriend, how can you *not* love him? And Cass has a sense of humour and a good heart.
FAV QUOTES
• “You’re a lucky man.” | This time, he doesn’t laugh. “I don’t think so. I think I’d be luckier if I knew what your favorite color was. Or how you like your coffee.”
•I try to ignore the wild, fluttering sensation in my stomach. I hate it when boys call you magical on water towers and split bottles of wine with you. It’s just not practical.
• We reach across time and her hand is warm. It makes me sob. All this time, all these layers between us, and her hands are still warm.
• With sunlight spilling over him, it’s easy to imagine that thousands of years ago, people would be clamoring to carve slabs of marble into his likeness.
• “I always think that people have the wrong idea about death. Fear, repulsion, avoidance–it’s the wrong attitude. When the leaves die, they decay into pieces of gold, and pave our streets. Death is beauty.”
• “I’ll always come when you call.”
• The hummingbirds in my stomach are restless. It’s stupid. It’s so, so stupid. But it’s the best feeling I’ve had in months. Something wild and warm, breaking the ice around me. Something new.
• Today, we had our first real brush with death. Somehow, the thirty-second conversation Olivia has with her mother is so much worse.
• I’m beholding. It’s terrible. And it’s beautiful. He walks the road between dreams and nightmares, bridging them both.
• “Lord Zeus was the King of Olympus, the most powerful god in his Pantheon. I believe you inherited his powers for a reason, and you’re proving it everyday.”
• “Hail the Gods of Olympus–rule all, kneel to none”
══════════ ⋆★⋆ ══════════
I received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review and I’d like to thank Micki Jane, and Three Rooms Press for the opportunity. This has not affected my opinion in any way.
July 11, 2024
Ophelia has lost a lot in her short life. Grandparents, cousins, and now her dad. When she moves in with her aunt and uncle, her expectations are pretty low. But she finds a group of friends right away.
Unfortunately, she and her new friends get tangled up in some weird stuff. Turns out Ophelia is related to Zeus - the god Zeus. And someone is trying to kill her and bring about the end of the world.
I enjoyed this book. The characters were likeable and the story was fun. There was a lot of stuff going on that I had a hard time following, but I still liked it.
Thanks to LT, the publisher, and the author for the chance to read this one.
Unfortunately, she and her new friends get tangled up in some weird stuff. Turns out Ophelia is related to Zeus - the god Zeus. And someone is trying to kill her and bring about the end of the world.
I enjoyed this book. The characters were likeable and the story was fun. There was a lot of stuff going on that I had a hard time following, but I still liked it.
Thanks to LT, the publisher, and the author for the chance to read this one.
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August 29, 2024I was pleased to review Of Blood and Lightning for Foreword Reviews:
https://www.forewordreviews.com/revie...
https://www.forewordreviews.com/revie...
June 24, 2024
Of Blood and Lightning is a YA greek mythology-in-the-modern-world story, where teens have the powers of the greek gods and have to save the world from ending.
This was an interesting and good read! I love greek mythology, I love seeing it intertwined in the modern day, and I love a good fantasy meets modern world story. This definitely gives a similar vibe of Percy Jackson, but is also not similar at all - if that makes sense. Totally unique in it's story and world, the transfer of powers, what's at stake and who is in danger, and how they go about saving the world is super interesting! I really liked the concept of this story.
We follow Ophelia, an 18 year old girl who's life has been turned upside down with the death of her father and having to move back to her old small town with her aunt and uncle. She is grieving and trying to get through life, and befriends a group of other teens who assimilate her into their group right away.
Things happen, powers are given, the world is in danger, and we must follow them in their journey to save the world, accept and learn their power, and also live as teens.
I enjoyed this story, and the characters we follow. Ophelia has been through so much, and I loved seeing her find a group of friends who help her heal. They all had their own struggles, and seemed to come together and lift each other up.
3 things I want to comment on as areas for improvements: These are not deal breakers, just things I noticed while reading.
The only thing I didn't personally like was Ophelia and Rowan's implied sex scene. I think this book is similar in age to Percy Jackson, except this part. It really threw me off, and made me wonder what age group this was supposed to be for. I initially was thinking my 11 year-old high reading level brother would be a great person for this, because he loved Percy Jackson, however once I read that in the story I crossed his age group off the list. The writing I think really fits in with that 11-13 year old age group, so if this was cut out then I think it would fit the vibe of the rest of the story. Personal opinion!
I do also think there was a lot of information (houses, people, etc.) that is got confusing at times, but not too much where I was completely lost. There was just a TON of info, and I think we needed a bit more about the most important bits to truly understand the whole web of people and places and info.
The writing was a bit choppy here and there, and chunks of time were glossed over or completely ignored to where we maybe needed another sentence or 2 transition to smooth things out. I feel like at times we went from talking to boom we are at a place to boom the action is over and boom we are back at headquarters recapping it. I think if the author/editor does another pass and adds a bit more info or transition, it would definitely smooth things out! It did not take too much away from the story, but I did notice it at times.
Overall, I enjoyed Of Blood and Lightning and I am glad I was able to arc read it!
This was an interesting and good read! I love greek mythology, I love seeing it intertwined in the modern day, and I love a good fantasy meets modern world story. This definitely gives a similar vibe of Percy Jackson, but is also not similar at all - if that makes sense. Totally unique in it's story and world, the transfer of powers, what's at stake and who is in danger, and how they go about saving the world is super interesting! I really liked the concept of this story.
We follow Ophelia, an 18 year old girl who's life has been turned upside down with the death of her father and having to move back to her old small town with her aunt and uncle. She is grieving and trying to get through life, and befriends a group of other teens who assimilate her into their group right away.
Things happen, powers are given, the world is in danger, and we must follow them in their journey to save the world, accept and learn their power, and also live as teens.
I enjoyed this story, and the characters we follow. Ophelia has been through so much, and I loved seeing her find a group of friends who help her heal. They all had their own struggles, and seemed to come together and lift each other up.
3 things I want to comment on as areas for improvements: These are not deal breakers, just things I noticed while reading.
The only thing I didn't personally like was Ophelia and Rowan's implied sex scene. I think this book is similar in age to Percy Jackson, except this part. It really threw me off, and made me wonder what age group this was supposed to be for. I initially was thinking my 11 year-old high reading level brother would be a great person for this, because he loved Percy Jackson, however once I read that in the story I crossed his age group off the list. The writing I think really fits in with that 11-13 year old age group, so if this was cut out then I think it would fit the vibe of the rest of the story. Personal opinion!
I do also think there was a lot of information (houses, people, etc.) that is got confusing at times, but not too much where I was completely lost. There was just a TON of info, and I think we needed a bit more about the most important bits to truly understand the whole web of people and places and info.
The writing was a bit choppy here and there, and chunks of time were glossed over or completely ignored to where we maybe needed another sentence or 2 transition to smooth things out. I feel like at times we went from talking to boom we are at a place to boom the action is over and boom we are back at headquarters recapping it. I think if the author/editor does another pass and adds a bit more info or transition, it would definitely smooth things out! It did not take too much away from the story, but I did notice it at times.
Overall, I enjoyed Of Blood and Lightning and I am glad I was able to arc read it!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 1, 2024
I really like this book and to be honest it really gave me the Percy Jackson vibes but more like a major reboot. They are older teens and the Gods are long gone. I'll admit the beginning was a bit slow paced for me and I sat it down a couple times but once I sat down and focused on it, I was hooked. it is a fun read and well written for anyone that likes Greek mythology mixed with modern society, I feel the author did a real good job in that. The stories although fiction still made me feel connected and relatable. I am so happy that this is a series because I definitely look forward to seeing what else happens. The world building and the back stories were easy to follow and there was nothing that felt convoluted at all. And although I did love this book it wasn't a 5 star for me only because it was a bit slow paced in the beginning and to be fair sometimes Ophelia's character could be annoying, she was either a risk taker or almost kind of whiny and I'm not a big fan of the art on the cover, I think with such a cool as Story we can get a better cover. the cover makes it seem more towards 10 year old's which I do not feel this is that audience.
Overall 4 stars and I highly recommend. I am also looking forward for more in the series.
Just want to thank Three Rooms Press , kat.georges@threeroomspress.com for sending me this advance copy and giving me the chance to read it.
Overall 4 stars and I highly recommend. I am also looking forward for more in the series.
Just want to thank Three Rooms Press , kat.georges@threeroomspress.com for sending me this advance copy and giving me the chance to read it.
May 22, 2024
Thanks to Net Galley for this ARC.
Well, as soon as j saw it was a mythology theme book, I had to have a nose. Especially when it's based on Greek mythology.
To be honest, the first chapter wasn't grabbing me, but I thought I would push on, and I'm glad I did.
If I had to describe this book, I would say it's definitely a Percy Jackson ish vibe but more late teen based. There's no camp but is based around high school, and houses are involved. Don't expect the intervention of God's as they are mostly gone. I love the way other parts of Greek mythology have been involved, like the old gods before the Olympians and even some mythological creatures. The story was fast flowing, and at one point,I didn't want to put this book down. For a debt novel, this book was brilliant. I don't like to give too much away when reviewing books, but I think the author got the balance of of modern day and mythology just about right.
If I had to give it any negative input, I would say a list of who and what the houses are as a glossary as at times I was confused at who and why these houses existed. Also, i think the cover of the book needs to be improved. I know you should judge a book by its cover, but unfortunately, it's jot just the title of the book that grabs me and draws me in.
From the way the book ended, there must be more to come. I'm not sure if it will be a dualogy or more. I am looking forward to continuing this adventure.
I would definitely recommend this for the older teens. Well done on such a great book.
Well, as soon as j saw it was a mythology theme book, I had to have a nose. Especially when it's based on Greek mythology.
To be honest, the first chapter wasn't grabbing me, but I thought I would push on, and I'm glad I did.
If I had to describe this book, I would say it's definitely a Percy Jackson ish vibe but more late teen based. There's no camp but is based around high school, and houses are involved. Don't expect the intervention of God's as they are mostly gone. I love the way other parts of Greek mythology have been involved, like the old gods before the Olympians and even some mythological creatures. The story was fast flowing, and at one point,I didn't want to put this book down. For a debt novel, this book was brilliant. I don't like to give too much away when reviewing books, but I think the author got the balance of of modern day and mythology just about right.
If I had to give it any negative input, I would say a list of who and what the houses are as a glossary as at times I was confused at who and why these houses existed. Also, i think the cover of the book needs to be improved. I know you should judge a book by its cover, but unfortunately, it's jot just the title of the book that grabs me and draws me in.
From the way the book ended, there must be more to come. I'm not sure if it will be a dualogy or more. I am looking forward to continuing this adventure.
I would definitely recommend this for the older teens. Well done on such a great book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 31, 2025
should start off this review by reminding everyone that I'm absolutely horrible with character names. It's a fatal flaw for a casual book reviewer as myself, I'm aware. There was one author who used to give you reminders of who the characters were once in a while, and honestly, I'd never been more grateful. Why am I mentioning it now? Because this book has 5 or 6 (I'm not even sure) protagonists. If the story was written in their POV like Six of Crows, it'd be a different story because I'd be forced to delve into their perspective. Now it's just a bunch of teenagers I have to remember and need to be able to separate in my head and I cannot, I'm sorry.
On to the actual review. While I appreciate so much wanting to write a story where a young black woman finally gets to be the hero, it's clearly a debut novel. That in itself is not a bad thing but I do feel the author wants to force writing an epic fantasy story, and it's just not there yet.
The writing style is not my favourite, and it's trying to play into readers' interests by comparing itself to other books but it does fall a bit flat for me. I think it's missing what makes the comparing series so fantastic and gripping. It was advertised to me as a Percy Jackson like story with a badass female protagonist and more for young adults whereas PJO would be more middle grade (in theory). For me it misses what makes PJO fantastical and wonderful. Sure, there's a lot of mythology but it doesn't play into it as much with telling familiar stories in a different way, which is the whole PJO-MO. Also, those characters are truly the strength of that book series. They're clever, they're funny, they're adventurous. I am missing the truly iconic characters in this book. Until the end of the book, I could not tell you all seven names of the teenage characters nor which God they're supposed to be. I feel like a lot of the characters also share similar personality traits which doesn't make it any easier. It's a darker and more adult version of PJO but that also makes it so that it doesn't work.
Another comparison I've seen is to Legendborn and again, it doesn't feel the same. Bree (Legendborn) is a strong female protagonist that lives in my head rentfree. I cannot say the same for Ophelia, sady. I think at a certain point it's unfair to compare Of Blood and Lightning to other books but it's sad when you advertise it as such. You better deliver and while it might be with similar mythology, the vibes are not the same. There are 10,000+ on Greek Mythology, that does not mean we should compare them all. Stand on your own, be proud of your work as something new, not something to be compared because in this case, it falls short.
One last note, actually plot related, they find out there's a traitor among them and I have to say, for how paranoid and stoic Ophelia is about everything... What the actual fuck. Suddenly she forgot all her character traits and while the reader could clearly tell this was the traitor, our MFC was being extra nice and helpful. If you want the reveal to be a shock, at least make it less obvious in these final pages so we can be shocked and affronted together with our main character. Now she just looked really naive.
On to the actual review. While I appreciate so much wanting to write a story where a young black woman finally gets to be the hero, it's clearly a debut novel. That in itself is not a bad thing but I do feel the author wants to force writing an epic fantasy story, and it's just not there yet.
The writing style is not my favourite, and it's trying to play into readers' interests by comparing itself to other books but it does fall a bit flat for me. I think it's missing what makes the comparing series so fantastic and gripping. It was advertised to me as a Percy Jackson like story with a badass female protagonist and more for young adults whereas PJO would be more middle grade (in theory). For me it misses what makes PJO fantastical and wonderful. Sure, there's a lot of mythology but it doesn't play into it as much with telling familiar stories in a different way, which is the whole PJO-MO. Also, those characters are truly the strength of that book series. They're clever, they're funny, they're adventurous. I am missing the truly iconic characters in this book. Until the end of the book, I could not tell you all seven names of the teenage characters nor which God they're supposed to be. I feel like a lot of the characters also share similar personality traits which doesn't make it any easier. It's a darker and more adult version of PJO but that also makes it so that it doesn't work.
Another comparison I've seen is to Legendborn and again, it doesn't feel the same. Bree (Legendborn) is a strong female protagonist that lives in my head rentfree. I cannot say the same for Ophelia, sady. I think at a certain point it's unfair to compare Of Blood and Lightning to other books but it's sad when you advertise it as such. You better deliver and while it might be with similar mythology, the vibes are not the same. There are 10,000+ on Greek Mythology, that does not mean we should compare them all. Stand on your own, be proud of your work as something new, not something to be compared because in this case, it falls short.
One last note, actually plot related, they find out there's a traitor among them and I have to say, for how paranoid and stoic Ophelia is about everything... What the actual fuck. Suddenly she forgot all her character traits and while the reader could clearly tell this was the traitor, our MFC was being extra nice and helpful. If you want the reveal to be a shock, at least make it less obvious in these final pages so we can be shocked and affronted together with our main character. Now she just looked really naive.
September 2, 2024
Percy Jackson meets Legendborn and it's so much fun! Ophelia, who has lost a lot in her young life, meets new friends and later they learn they are descended from the greek gods. So much action and a deep dive into the mythology makes this a series to watch.
I received an arc from the publisher but all opinions are my own.
I received an arc from the publisher but all opinions are my own.
October 19, 2024
Despite not being a fan of the cover, I enjoy this book. There are some similarities between the story and the Percy Jackson series, but there are also many differences. In this story, the characters are older teens and the gods have disappeared. The book is a fun read with a modern twist on Greek mythology. It has a relatable storyline with an easy-to-follow world-building. I am looking forward to the continuation of this series.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this eARC.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this eARC.
September 18, 2024
Just finished reading the first chapter Of Blood and Lightning by Micki Janea aka Micki Zi!
OMG! What a GREAT FOUNDATION! Very detailed! I literally forgot I was reading! Micki totally captured me! She literally pulled me right into her world!
My heart bleeds for Ophelia as she begins to process Grief! I wanted to just reach out and give her a big Ole hug!
This books is sooo good This book is sooooo good….its really that good! She did that! I’m so proud of her! Can’t wait to read the next chapter! I can hardly put this book down! Whew!
Kudos to Three Rooms Press Publishers! What an amazing publish!
OMG! What a GREAT FOUNDATION! Very detailed! I literally forgot I was reading! Micki totally captured me! She literally pulled me right into her world!
My heart bleeds for Ophelia as she begins to process Grief! I wanted to just reach out and give her a big Ole hug!
This books is sooo good This book is sooooo good….its really that good! She did that! I’m so proud of her! Can’t wait to read the next chapter! I can hardly put this book down! Whew!
Kudos to Three Rooms Press Publishers! What an amazing publish!
October 17, 2024
—This review will be on Goodreads, Amazon, and LibraryThing if book is present on those sites. —
An enjoyable read for a Greek mythology and Percy Jackson fan. As much as I enjoy books in Ancient Greece, I also enjoy when the gods are brought to a modern setting—one way or another. The gods in this book are long gone, but we still see their influence, almost like they are haunting the narrative.
The writing was enjoyable, though sometimes stop-and-go, and the first chapter was a bit slow for me, but it definitely picked up in the later chapters. I do think the influx of information about places and people was a bit much, but a detailed map or glossary could solve that. There were also a few plot holes information wise, but the next books might solve those so I won't hold it against the first.
I really liked Ophelia. I did get annoyed with her during some parts, but I think that was down to her being a child. I would really like to see her and her friends grow up in the other books and become more responsible as she becomes older.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
An enjoyable read for a Greek mythology and Percy Jackson fan. As much as I enjoy books in Ancient Greece, I also enjoy when the gods are brought to a modern setting—one way or another. The gods in this book are long gone, but we still see their influence, almost like they are haunting the narrative.
The writing was enjoyable, though sometimes stop-and-go, and the first chapter was a bit slow for me, but it definitely picked up in the later chapters. I do think the influx of information about places and people was a bit much, but a detailed map or glossary could solve that. There were also a few plot holes information wise, but the next books might solve those so I won't hold it against the first.
I really liked Ophelia. I did get annoyed with her during some parts, but I think that was down to her being a child. I would really like to see her and her friends grow up in the other books and become more responsible as she becomes older.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 23, 2024
Basically bad Percy Jackson / I Am Number Four fan fiction. Nearly gave up several times and it only got worse towards the end.
Pros:
Battle magic was fun.
Cons:
Plot has major pacing issues and too many holes to list here.
Is the cast diverse? The 6 children certainly don’t have any memorable personality traits or culture.
Main characters don’t even work out they have Greek god related powers after 2 months of having them.
The world could apparently end but that’s not even what the bad guys want so there’s actually no time pressure. The characters certainly don’t act as if there’s time pressure because they keep going back to school for weeks at a time.
The author forgets that the main character is unconscious for a week after the big battle. So the surviving good guy soldiers leave their dead soldiers lying in a field for a week before cremating them and for a week no one notices that the General had died.
You can teleport out of the Underworld? So why didn’t the Fates just do that…?
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC
Pros:
Battle magic was fun.
Cons:
Plot has major pacing issues and too many holes to list here.
Is the cast diverse? The 6 children certainly don’t have any memorable personality traits or culture.
Main characters don’t even work out they have Greek god related powers after 2 months of having them.
The world could apparently end but that’s not even what the bad guys want so there’s actually no time pressure. The characters certainly don’t act as if there’s time pressure because they keep going back to school for weeks at a time.
The author forgets that the main character is unconscious for a week after the big battle. So the surviving good guy soldiers leave their dead soldiers lying in a field for a week before cremating them and for a week no one notices that the General had died.
You can teleport out of the Underworld? So why didn’t the Fates just do that…?
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC
October 15, 2024
If you're a Percy Jackson fan looking for your next fix, this book is for you. "Of Blood and Lightining" takes the demigod concept that Riordan brought to life, and adds some more mature themes and diverse characters to it. The perspective of a black main character in a work heavily steeped in Greek mythology is appreciated, especially since many of the myths did take place in areas with historically mixed ancestry (Middle East, Mediterranean, and North Africa), despite the white washing we see in today's media. While the humor is not to the same level of Riordan, the action/adventure scenes are well done as compensation, and of course it's always refreshing to see another twist on a classic tale.
Thanks to LibraryThing and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Thanks to LibraryThing and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
January 3, 2025
DNF at 25%.
My main issues with this book:
- There are too many coincidences to help the plot along, the biggest being that Ophelia randomly befriends 5 strangers who magically turn out to have the same skills as her.
- Too much explanatory background story is hidden by characters for example to "protect" other characters. This does not add to mystery, but just annoys me as a reader.
- The decisions don't make sense and also feel like they are made to help the plot along.
- The writing feels choppy and does not flow easily, which impacts the readability of the book.
Overall I am very disappointed, as I had high hopes for this one. I usually love stories with influences from (Greek) myth but unfortunately this book was not for me.
My main issues with this book:
- There are too many coincidences to help the plot along, the biggest being that Ophelia randomly befriends 5 strangers who magically turn out to have the same skills as her.
- Too much explanatory background story is hidden by characters for example to "protect" other characters. This does not add to mystery, but just annoys me as a reader.
- The decisions don't make sense and also feel like they are made to help the plot along.
- The writing feels choppy and does not flow easily, which impacts the readability of the book.
Overall I am very disappointed, as I had high hopes for this one. I usually love stories with influences from (Greek) myth but unfortunately this book was not for me.
July 7, 2024
Intriguing urban fantasy that jumps between our world and various others that are in ways, related to the old Greek Gods. I like how the young protagonists assume the powers of ancient gods and figure out how to use them for their fight against the bad guys. Two things that struck me: First there are times when it's challenging to determine where the teens are, and second, the ending feels a tiny bit rushed. Still a satisfying read.
March 12, 2025
I have unfortunately restarted this book four times over the past year because I just can't seem to get into it.
The character names aren't sticking, the plot line is convoluted, and the fantastical element has yet to come into play. This is unfortunate because when I requested this book, I was deep in my Percy Jackson series reread, but now the whole comparison is putting me off.
I will try to reassess if I restart this for the fifth time and the timing finally works out!
The character names aren't sticking, the plot line is convoluted, and the fantastical element has yet to come into play. This is unfortunate because when I requested this book, I was deep in my Percy Jackson series reread, but now the whole comparison is putting me off.
I will try to reassess if I restart this for the fifth time and the timing finally works out!
November 24, 2024
This book sounded really promising, like a Percy Jackson-ish story. It didn't totally work for me unfortunately. I really wanted to love it, but I ended up skimming a lot. There were definitely some fun parts here though and I liked the characters. I'm curious to see where the story goes next.
I read an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All comments are my own.
I read an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All comments are my own.
October 3, 2024
Not badly written, but a lot of inexplicable decisions and wasted potential. Full, slightly frustrating review here:
https://infinitefreetime.com/2024/10/...
https://infinitefreetime.com/2024/10/...
January 8, 2026
Horrible pacing leads to a very un-fun experience. The progression from the characters knowing literally nothing to becoming powerful enough to fight gods is somehow both way too fast and not fast enough. Not to mention the fact that they all felt like 2-dimensional cardboard cutouts. Overall, just another unoriginal Greek-myth modernization in a sea of similar sludge.
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