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Apollo Ascending #2

A crown of hopes and sorrows: Edizione italiana (Apollo Ascending Vol. 2)

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Due anime legate dal destino.
Ma c’è qualcosa che minaccia di separarle.
La gelosia.

Mentre le tensioni crescono e il fato muta, Hyacinth e Apollo vanno in cerca di Zephyrus, il dio del vento dell’ovest.  Ha ottimi contatti con le divinità minori. Ed è un ex amante di Hyacinth.
Tra complotti politici e conflitti personali, Apollo e Hyacinth arrancano in un mondo sul ciglio della guerra. Ma quando la gelosia divampa e i segreti vengono alla luce, tutto il loro piano tanto accuratamente studiato rischia di andare in cenere.
 

338 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 22, 2022

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Nicole Bailey

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 127 reviews
Profile Image for Lucie V..
1,228 reviews3,658 followers
July 3, 2024
I was provided an e-copy of the book by the author in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

✅ Greek mythology
✅ Angst
✅ Pace
✅ Characters
✅🆗 Romance
✅🆗 Plot

3.5 stars

The love story of Apollo and Hyacinth continues in this second installment of the Apollo Ascending series. Apollo has decided to help the nation of Niria in their quest to align with Jupiter and bring Zeus down. In order to do so, Apollo and Hyacinth have to travel to meet with Zephyrus, the god of the West wind, who also happens to have a history with Hyacinth. In the meanwhile, Temi and Pip are traveling to Sappho's island to try to figure out who Temi's father is.

While the plot felt a little weak at times, I was still invested in Apollo's and Temi's quests, and I was surprised when I reached the end of the book. I knew how things were supposed to end since Zephyrus was involved in the story and I already knew about Apollo and Hyacinthus's myth, but it was still a shock when it happened.

I also have to say that the fact that Apollo and Cyn were on a different mission than Pip and Temi made it harder for me to get into the book because I had the impression of reading two separate stories. I would have liked it more if their journeys were more connected, or if they had more interactions together instead of only being together at the very beginning, and at the very end. Even Apollo and Cyn got separated for a while...

If I could capture a single moment to tuck aside and step back into, I might choose that one. Apollo at peace, his divine form relaxed, the beauty of his features at ease in a way no other got to see. It was a privilege to know him on that level, to be the one person he truly unveiled himself for. And it wasn’t because he was a god. It was simply gratitude for getting to see him, the person, that rippled through me.


This book focuses a lot on the romance between Apollo and Hyacinth, but also on the feelings between Pip and Valerian. The plot did not progress as much as I hoped it would, and I feel that while the characters have more information about who would stand with them against Zeus, things are pretty much the same as they were at the beginning of the book. There was personal growth though, which compensates for the weaker parts of the plot. I enjoyed the relationship between Apollo and Cyn in this book, even though it was put to the test, and they struggled at times, but on the other hand, I feel that they had so little time together with all the traveling and scheming...

“I’m all yours at this moment, Prince,” he whispered, breaking the silence. “Have me now, and let the future worry about itself for the time being.”


Apollo and Cyn's relationship is on borrowed time because of Apollo’s ascension that's supposed to take place in a few months. I liked the fact that their relationship was "doomed" from the beginning though, it gave it a bittersweet quality that is different from the usual happily ever after romances we see in young adult books. The mythology is also very present in this book (more than in the first one), and I liked the mix between the usual greek gods and goddesses, and the roman gods. It is an interesting perspective on mythology and I am curious to see how everything will connect in the next book. I do find that some of the deities and gods were pretty nice and helpful, which is not how I am used to seeing them depicted in fantasy and YA books, but it works well with the plot so I am not complaining.

“What’s wrong?”
“He has wings, Cyn.”
“What?”
“Zephyrus. Seriously… how could you fuck a man with wings?”


Zephyrus and Cyn have a history together, although according to both of them, it was nothing serious. Nothing more than one intense night. Still, Zephyrus seems to still be interested in Cyn, because of his good looks, and probably also because he wants to use him, so it makes everything even more complicated for Apollo and Cyn. They have to hide their relationship, lie, and try to come up with a plan that will allow them to gain support, without dooming their people or angering even more gods. We can feel that the stakes are higher in this book.

“Who am I, Apollo?”
I chewed my lip. “I wish I had wise words to offer you. You know this is something I struggle with myself.”


After the shocking revelation that she is a deity, Temi is on a personal quest to find out who her father is. She travels with Pip and a few guards, and I loved how we could see the friendship between both women grow even stronger than it did in the first book.

Some secondary characters could have used more depth and development, and I am thinking specifically about Valerian here. He has his own chapters in this book (although they are very short and few), but they added nothing to the story and told us nothing new about him. It's as if his only purpose in this book was to add to Pip's journey and internal conflict.

Overall, I did not like this book as much as the first one, but it's still a fast-paced and entertaining book. It's a quick and light read, and I recommend it to any mythology and YA lovers looking for a cute MM romance mixed with politics and scheming.


1. A Veil of Gods and Kings ⭐⭐⭐⭐


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Profile Image for theresa.
333 reviews4,607 followers
June 1, 2022
#1: A Veil of Gods and Kings review


A Crown of Hopes and Sorrows continues the historical / fantasy romance series, Apollo Ascending which retells the story of Apollo and Prince Hyacinth. I really enjoyed where Bailey took the story in the sequel and look forward to continuing the series!

This series is incredibly readable — it sucks me in and doesn’t let me go, even if I do find it a bit mediocre at times. I never felt like I was overly invested in the story, until suddenly it was the end of the book and there were tears in my eyes from the sheer emotion the book conveyed after a rather upsetting scene.

A Crown of Hopes and Sorrows gives equal weight to romantic and personal arcs as the main overarching plot, which, as a fan of character driven stories, is fantastic. I really enjoyed the relationship development in this sequel, from Apollo and Hyacinth putting their new relationship to the test and Epiphany’s friendship with Temi and blooming relationship.

I also enjoyed the plot development from the reveal at the end of book one of a bigger conflict and how this book explored it. I think it offers a really interesting perspective on the mythology it’s based on and am excited to see how it concludes. Though I would have liked to see more of a link between the narrators — the characters split up for most of the book on entirely separate journeys and at times it almost felt like reading two different books.

My main qualm about this series is that it is far from historically accurate and I know this will bother some people. For me, I quickly got used to it and enjoyed what the author did with figures from Ancient Greek myth, even if at times I found myself rolling my eyes. In particular, I think the Gods were far too nice and helpful from my understanding of them.

I felt like some characters’ individual development could have been better, as they only seem to exist in relation to their partner, rather than as an individual with their own story and internal conflicts. This was especially true for Valerian, whose perspective was added to this book for two chapters which revealed nothing new about him as a character; it only existed to further another character’s journey and I didn’t find it necessary.

I would also like to mention that the book one summary was much appreciated, even if I read it recently. It was a nice refresher and something I would like to see more books include because if I can't read a series in one go I usually forget what happened.

Overall, A Crown of Hopes and Sorrows was as incredibly readable as its predecessor, and surprised me by how touching the emotional scenes towards the end were. I do still find that it’s not the most memorable series once I finish the books, but they are enjoyable and I recommend them to anyone looking for a quick, fun, romantic read who’s not too bothered by historical accuracy.

*Thank you Nicole Bailey for an advanced copy. This has not affected my review.*
Profile Image for Julie - One Book More.
1,325 reviews238 followers
May 27, 2022
Nicole Bailey has written one of my favorite reads of 2022, and I’m so excited to shout about it today. The second book in the Apollo Ascending series, A Crown of Hopes and Sorrows made me laugh and cry and immersed me into the story from the first pages. I’m a big fan of mythology retellings, and Apollo and Hyacinth’s story continues to captivate me. I love how the author puts a fresh spin on their story while still paralleling the familiar myths.

Like the first book in the series, this one follows Apollo, Temi, Hyacinth, and Epiphany’s journey as they face their future, learn more about themselves, and follow their hearts. Each of the characters and their stories are layered, unique, and intriguing, and I like that the chapters switch perspectives and allow for all of their thoughts and feelings to be explored. Their intertwined journeys are compelling and layered.

Of course, my favorite part of the story is the romance. The love stories in this book are everything!! Beautiful and moving and so very complicated, both love stories also have their fair share of obstacles. The depth of feelings in both romances sizzle off the page, and even though I knew the ending of Apollo and Hyacinth’s story, I hoped beyond hope that they would find happiness together. They have so many loving and touching scenes together, and their deep and unbreakable feelings for each other are the heart of this fantastic story.

Epiphany’s romance seems as doomed as her brother and Apollo’s, but these friends to lovers so deserve a happy ending. Epiphany goes through so much over the course of the story, and even though Valerian feels undeserving of her love and thinks too much stands in their way, he never gives up on her. This couple has a lot to work through, but their potential for a long-lasting, love filled-relationship is so close!

In addition to the amazing love stories, there is a ton of intrigue and suspense as politics, family pressures and expectations, and power-hungry and jealous antagonists challenge Apollo, Hyacinth, Temi, and Epiphany. It’s exciting and intense, and I found it difficult to put the book down. It’s the type of story that pulls you in and doesn’t let go until the last page.

I’ve read all of Bailey’s books, and this is my favorite yet. The action, intrigue, suspense, romance, character development, mythological elements, and world-building are all outstanding, and I didn’t want the story to end. Luckily, there is another book to look forward to! Special thanks to the author for providing me with an advanced copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

Profile Image for Dan.
1,740 reviews50 followers
January 15, 2023
Romance and twists, yes. Fast paced, absolutely not. I'm not sure if it was the fact that we jump between five points of view, or that at one point we have four different stories at the same time and we're jumping between them, but this book dragged. I remember the first book being slow, but this is another level.
I liked Apollo and Hyacinth, and their storyline. That's the main point of this series, I think. Artemis's story is interesting, albeit could have been shortened without the whole chapters just to her feelings on her lot. Sticking them between moments of action in the Apollo and Hyacinth story wasn't the wisest move. Epiphany and Valerian had me pulling my hair out with their "will they, won't they", to the point where I would have been content to have them fully break up if that meant they decided something. Their chapters, I feel, dragged the book to be slower than it needed to be.
I'm keeping it up because I already got the last two books, but I'm seriously hoping the pace picks up.
Profile Image for andy .
116 reviews28 followers
March 20, 2024
let's say i wanted to dnf this at 90% because i knew the inevitable. this definitely puts a spin on the original story of Hyacinth and Apollo! im glad i didn't have to cry for too long 😭😭
Profile Image for Abigail.
127 reviews5 followers
June 19, 2022
4.5⭐️
Bailey delivered an incredible sequel! It further developed the plot and the characters so amazingly and left me wanting more.

I loved seeing both Hyacinth and Apollo develop more individually as well as a couple. I also loved Valerian and Epiphany’s so much and getting to see his POV was great! My favorite character development would have to be Temi though. She is amazing and I really loved seeing her growth as she went though this difficult transition.

My heart was broken. Broken. By Nicole Bailey. It was stitched back together, though not fully, and I know she’s going to break it again. I went on an emotional roller coaster though this book and I loved every second of it.

Thank you so much to the author for an ARC copy of A Crown of Hopes and Sorrows! I immensely enjoyed and can’t wait for the next book. I definitely recommend giving this series a read.
Profile Image for tata.
29 reviews
January 10, 2024
I enjoy the world you built, and how addictive the chain of events is, but I guess that’s the only thing I liked

Relationships don’t seem mature at all, even when I consider the fact that they are 20-year-olds, the conflicts within the relationships are very naive and the dialogues don’t read well, especially between Pip and Val. The book is progressive in certain ways, but I wish the relationships were following the same path too…

Moreover, I feel they face too many conflicts, which reach to conclusions rather fast/easy

When Val died, he came back to life in 2 pages maybe, same with Cyn… I feel like these two losses could have been processed better, or maybe Val should have stayed death, so that Pip could invest jn Gale or even Temi tbh, I ship them…

I’ll finish the series, let’s see if book 3 is better
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for ChellesOfBooks.
638 reviews50 followers
June 24, 2022
3.5 stars

Thank you to the author for a copy of this ARC. All thoughts are my own.

Initial thoughts
I was excited to return to this world after enjoying A Veil of Gods and Kings earlier this year, and happily, Nicole Bailey added me to her ARC team so I could continue to enjoy and review this series. This second novel in Apollo Ascending is angstier than the first, which I expected to happen.

What's great about this book?
- The continuation of the tale of Hyacinth and Apollo is weaved well into this world. Knowing how the legend ends, I was prepared for the hurt to come, but the way this played out was surprisingly fulfilling. I enjoyed the author's take on Zephyrus' jealousy towards Apollo and Hyacinth's love and the aftermath of this.
- Temi, who was my favourite character in the last book, really shined in this. Her storyline was my favourite, and I could have happily read her POVs without the others and still been fulfilled.
- Valerian and Epiphany's confession of mutual feelings was rewarding after the building tension in book one, but I will admit they were my least interested POVs in this novel.
- The addition of new Gods/Goddesses, especially within Temi's storyline. I loved Hecate and everything that happened on the island of Sappho.
- The ending. (No spoilers!)

Things I didn't quite enjoy
- Whilst I appreciate the different voices being told in this book, I did have a bit of trouble with the swapping to and fro of everyone. It got a little chaotic at times, especially when I had just settled into the voice of one character, only to swap to happenings in another place.
- It was also a little too hectic towards the end with everyone's storylines coming together, but all culminating in high stakes. The adrenaline rush was a bit much to keep up with.

Final thoughts
This series continues to be a solid read, and an enjoyable take on Greek characters I like to read about. I'm looking forward to book 3, and a small note - the covers of these books are just divine.
Profile Image for Sara.
72 reviews18 followers
October 12, 2024
Quite good sequel, but the ending, the big tragedy of Apollo and Cyns lovestory, was very disappointing, it could've been written way better....more sentimental, not so dry. I expected so much more from it, so much more "drama" and grief. But ughhhhhhh (maybe I'm just used to more poetic and heart wrenching writing when it comes to death of beloved characters....yes, I'm looking at you TSoA...).
Already started reading book 3.
Profile Image for Ella.
235 reviews3 followers
July 4, 2024
Honestly, the best part of this book is the ending. I understand that this book is mostly just to build up to the upcoming war, but I didn't really feel the urgency until the very end, and even then I mean, most of this book was just focused on relationship drama, and a lot of that wasn't even Apollo and Hyacinth, it was Epiphany and Valerian. Let's be honest, I did not start this series so I could spend an entire book reading about straight people's relationship problems from the perspective of a girl who doesn't take even a moment to consider why her lover is staying away from her for her own good. I mean, come on, they have the same argument over and over again, and it ends up the same way every time. I didn't enjoy this book nearly as much as the first one, but the ending gave me some hope for it to pick back up in the next book. I was hoping to see more of Ares in this one, because I really liked the dynamic between him and Apollo in the first one, but I guess I'll just have to hope to see it again in the next one.

That's my main problem with this book - its only real purpose was to set stuff up for the next book, which meant that this one wasn't very engaging. I want more obvious stakes, and a clear danger, instead of this vague threat of war, which has barely been present in these first two books. The urgency just showed up in a big burst at the very end, instead of building up over the course of the book, which I think would have made the big crescendo a lot more impactful for me.

I'm going to continue this series, because I might as well, but I didn't really care for this book.
Profile Image for Maé.
477 reviews23 followers
October 14, 2024
Since I absolutely loved the first book of the Apollo Rising series, I was really excited to delve back into its universe. This second volume is set a few weeks after the end of the first one, as Apollo and Hyacinth are trying to come up with a plan to see who would align with Jupiter if a war between the Gods occur. So they embark on a road trip to the Wind Gods house, because they think Hyacinth’s past connection with Zephyrus will help them. Temi is also going on her own roadtrip, with Epiphany and Valerian, to discover the truth about her Godly origins.

That kiss was like a million flowers blooming at once, a thousand sunsets over rippling waves, a hundred poems so pure they broke your heart.


Two shiny new POV were added to this book: Temi’s (which I was OVERJOYED about) and Valerian’s (which I’m still trying to find the use of). I’m not a big fan of the multiple POV aspect, unless they tell the same story, so following all of these characters in these two plot lines that had nothing to do with each other was really frustrating for me. Especially because the POV changed with every new chapter, so during multiple times I found myself so invested in a scene, only to get frustrated with a cliffhanger and go back to Valerian’s love problems.

So, maybe this wasn’t the right book for me, because I’m not a big fan of roadtrip stories. So when the story took a long time to properly start, I was just blaming on them still being on the road (and nothing truly happening), and I thought things would start progressing once they all arrived in their destinations. But I was wrong, because nothing kept happening until the last quarter of the book. The plot wasn’t the first book’s strongest quality, but since we got a really nice romance development with very good character building, I genuinely didn’t care much. Sadly, this one also lacked in these areas.

I trailed him like the sun he was, golden and radiant. And I would follow him anywhere, right into the maw of death, if necessary.


I speak for all the characters (maybe not Temi, she can do no wrong) when I say they all regressed in this book. Apollo, Hyacinth and Epiphany all learned in the first volume how to share their feelings with other. They all had very good communication, which I absolutely loved in them. So tell me why, after all this time, whenever there’s something even a tiny bit eventful happening in their lives, they absolutely all jump to conclusions without trying to understand, and make illogical decisions for it? That was actually really frustrating.

The one that disappointed me the most was Hyacinth. In the very beginning of the book, we see through his POV he cares a lot about Apollo’s feelings, and he understands that some moments are not appropriate for Apollo to tell him what bothers him. But then, as their relationship stretched, he completely revokes what he originally thought, and started blaming Apollo for hiding things from him, knowing they haven’t managed to be alone for more than a week at this point. He says he can understand that Apollo having to witness him with his ex might be complicated, then completely blame him whenever Apollo hints at being jealous. I found him really frustrating.

“You're everything good in the world to me. I shall never love another as I do you." His hands coursed along my arm like he carved me into stone, like he could capture me forever with his touch. "I don't think I'll ever love anyone again. You've ruined me."
"That sounds like a long eternity for you.”I trailed him like the sun he was, golden and radiant. And I would follow him anywhere, right into the maw of death, if necessary.
“If you allow me to spend your mortal life with you, then every moment of missing you in that eternity will have been worth it.”


Apollo actually broke my heart multiple times. He genuinely tries to do the best he can at all times, and he’s trying to juggle his feelings for Hyacinth, conserving the peace in their Kingdom and finding a way to defeat Zeus, while not ascending. It’s very understandable (for me, at least) that he makes mistakes at times, but he genuinely has a really good heart. I know that, with a bit more communication, he will be able to build a long lasting relationship with Hyacinth.

The only interesting part of the plot was Temi seeking Sapho in order to find out more about her Godly powers. Though I’m disappointed that it wasn’t to hint at a budding romance between Temi and Epiphany, I loved how it allowed us to see more of the other Gods, like Hera, Persephone or Hades. Seeing Temi struggling to find her identity among them was very interesting, and I loved the development of her character. I can’t wait to see her become the Goddess of the moon and the hunt we all know and love.

He leaned back against me and sighed. "I love you."
Those words felt like home to me after a lifetime of not having one. And despite the fear that still surged through me over everything we prepared to face, I would be nowhere else.


Epiphany and Valerian’s relationship was by far the most boring romance I’ve read in a long time. I thought we would get a delicious slow burn over 4 books, but they developed way too quickly for my taste, and then it was miscommunication upon miscommunication. I genuinely did not care for them by the end, and I almost wanted for Valerian to die for Epipany to grow by herself. To this day I still don’t think Valerian is the right person for Epiphany (when Temi was RIGHT THERE… I know the author wrote her as aromantic because they knew everyone would be blinded by their chemistry).

I did really like the ending, the way the myth and the retelling joined each other in the most heartbreaking way. I did think it was almost a little fast, especially because now we’ve consumed every myth material (related to Hyacinth at least), so we have two whole books to get through with original material only. I’m still very curious to see what will happen with these two, especially knowing where we left them, and I can’t wait to see a bit more of the war between the Gods. Hopefully the third book is better at telling it than this one.
Profile Image for tessa.
131 reviews
February 2, 2025
3,5/5

a LOT happened. Loved it dat Pip, Temi en Val apart op een reis gingen van Cyn en Apollo. 2 verhalen letsgo!!! VALERIAN EN ARTEMIS POV!!! Ik ben dit boek zo van Artemis gaan houden ze is makkelijk mijn favoriete karakter. Haar hele self discovery over een godin zijn, de manier waarop ze SHADE gooit naar dr vader ugh i love her. Het moment dat haar vader zei “okee is mn debt nu betaald aan je?” en zij gewoon zegt “nee maar alsnog bedankt” GIRL YOU ATE THAT. She is a fucking girlboss. Ik vond tbh het liefdesverhaal van Val en Pip een beetje vermoeiend. Het hele boek is er omheen gedanst en wanneer de ene voor hun relatie wilde vechten wilde de ander het weer niet uit eer en om de ander te beschermen. Na meerdere keren deze rollen omgedraaid te hebben werd het een beetje irritant. Ik had t tbh echt cool gevonden als Pip naar de slechte kant was gegaan na haar grote crashout, maar zo werkt dit boek niet. Het is namelijk vrij simpel MAAR WEL LEUK. Had het ook wel cool gevonden als Valerian gewoon dood was gegaan. Ja het is tragisch maar besef DE PIJN. Dat is eig wat ik meer zou willen van dit boek gewoon echt zieke PIJN.

Okee goed over naar het verhaal van Cyn en Apollo. I didnt like the whole jealousy thingy they had going on, maar ik vond het overleggen met andere goden enz wel heel leuk en gaaf. I like scheming. Toen ze even uit elkaar gingen vond ik t tbh ook wel realistisch. Vooral toen Cyn zn vader uitlegde dat het verder komen in een relatie ook komt door het accepteren dat de ander niet perfect is. I didnt like their break maar het was wel heel real en dat maakte het juist wel weer goed. EN DE LOVE POEM. THE FUCKING POEM. AND I CANT BELIEVE THEY KILLED MY BOY HYACINTH. Bro dat kwam als een fucking shock. Ik geloofde t ook zolang niet. Nu leeft hij weer doordat zn spirit in de Hyacinth flower zit (nogmaals vetter als ie echt DOOD dood was), maar bro ik had PIJN. Vooral toen werd gereaveled wat die poem nou precies was.

Ohja ik denk ook dat Emrin echt naar de slechte kant gaat man i dont trust him hij heeft ziek rare opmerkingen gegooid in de 2 boeken.

Al met al was het weer erg leuk. Zeker niet de meest speciale fantasy die ik heb gelezen maar zeker enjoyable en het leest ook heel makkelijk. Ook deze heb ik weer uit in een dag. Tot nu toe vind ik het leuke boeken, maar niet heel speciaal.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for j.
41 reviews12 followers
April 13, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
4.25/5 stars

Once again I am loving this series! 💕 The author just makes it so easy for me to connect to the characters and all the relationships between them :) Each character goes on these realistic arcs that made me proud of them as well as all being developed with lots of background to them. 💜

I love all the relationships between each of them - from romantic to platonic and familial, for me they were all executed perfectly - making way for characters I know I won’t be able to move on from once I finish this series 🥲. I love the use of multiple povs and how temi got more focus in this book - as well as the other ‘cameos’ from different deities - it was interesting to see the authors take on the interactions / characterisations of them and I can’t lie I got excited when (minor spoilers) hades turned up to help Persephone trick Hera into not hurting Temi 😋

I think this book took such a unique and lovely take on the Hyacinthus x Apollo story, the ending having a twist to it which in some ways made me wish it was the origin story itself 🥳

I can’t wait to read the next book and i’m so excited to see more of Pip, Temi, Val, Apollo and Hyacinth 😋 I’m also curious to see more of Gale (I don’t ship him with Pip as Val x Pip is 100000x better but he does seem sweet 🫶🏻) and Delon (he was really funny and I’m glad for him cheering Apollo up 😜 HOWEVER when he was like ‘Apollo you owe me a game of discus’ and Hyacinth was like ‘Im gonna join in’ I WAS SO NERVOUS KNOWING THE ORIGINAL STORY LMAO 😭😭😭).

If you like fantasy books with found family, greek mythology inspired books or gay romantasy I recommend this book 😽💕

ANYWAYS major spoilers for this one thing I want to say ⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️



















Im so excited for Hyacinth and Pip to reunite like she missed Cyn so much when he died it’s gonna be such a tearful scene when they reunite I feel like 😿 But also since Cyn is a nymph now is he gonna outlive Pip 😧😿🙀🙀🙀🙀 I swear the author better not kill of Pip I will cry. 🫣🫣 I am so nervous for the next books I feel like they will probably have a sad ending 😿🙀😨

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
📚📚📚📚📗/📖📖📖📖📖
📗💐
Profile Image for Noah Boggs Riley.
52 reviews1 follower
August 1, 2024
The plot is plotting so hard. I really enjoyed the storyline of this book as it had so many twist and turns every chapter. Every character had their own storyline which allowed the character development to grow even more than a usual story. This book had me on the edge of my seat wanting to know what was going to happen. I like this series because I want to like it. However, if you want great writing, this book/ series isn’t the best to read. Nothing against Bailey because she has the story down, but she is still working on her writing style. That is why I gave it a 4 star and not 5 star. This book did make me laugh and cry with themes of forgiveness, love of all types, betrayal, journey, and heroism. It makes you think about the extent you would
go for someone you love. If you love Greek Mythology, this series is for you!
Profile Image for Rachel Emily.
4,473 reviews379 followers
June 25, 2022
First of all - can we admire these stunningly beautiful covers? I just love the font with the flowers and the whole look.

Secondly - you need to read this series in order. This book picks up right where book one ends and we have even more POV chapters in this (I’m SO happy to see Artemis get her own POV chapters!)

Thirdly - it’s really hard to talk about without giving away any spoilers LOL. I mean - if you know the mythology of Apollo and Hyacinth, and you see the name Zephyrus get thrown in - well - anxiety lol.

But pick up this series if you haven’t already and I think you will enjoy this! I believe the author has another 2 books planned, where each one continues the overall story, so there’s plenty of time to jump into this Greek mythological series.
Profile Image for issacannafic.
300 reviews3 followers
July 6, 2022
i want to say i liked this more than the last one. it had much more tension and drama with the steaks infinity raised higher, but i feel like some of the characters suffered because of it. apollo and hyacinth mainly, up until the end i felt like they lost their spark. temi, pip and val really got a chance to shine with their storyline though and it definitely made more sense that it was included as opposed to the first book where it just felt like a separate story. i did really like the ending but it felt very abrupt without as much build up towards it, but with hades and the hyacinth flowers it definitely had me tearing up.
Profile Image for Meg (queer_book_recs).
927 reviews60 followers
June 28, 2022
Apollo and Hyacinth’s story continues in this second installment of the Apollo Ascending series. This time we get more of Epiphany and Valerian’s romance as well as some chapters written from Artemis’s perspective as she goes through her own personal journey. I enjoyed all the various storylines, although I do find Epiphany to be a bit of a petulant brat. The series is really more of an ensemble cast than it is a romance between two characters, although I love the romance between Apollo and Hyacinth and it is central to the plot. The story kept me interested the whole time and I was definitely crying towards the end! I’m interested to see where the story goes after that ending!
Profile Image for ⓀⒶⓇⒾ .
115 reviews11 followers
September 6, 2022
3🌟

Le iba a da 2 estrellas por que en ciertas partes se me hacia eterno el libro, pensaba que no lo iba a terminar más. Y la historia de Val y Pip no me interesa para nada. Me gusta para donde va yendo la trama de Temi.

Una estrella más solo por ese final 👀
Profile Image for Robyn.
214 reviews11 followers
October 31, 2024
this book was kind of boring lol, i really don't care about Pip and Val's romance, they're both pretty annoying ngl. I did like all the Temi bits she's my girl and i love her!

TOO LITTLE APOLLO AND CYN!
Profile Image for Isa Bron.
7 reviews1 follower
June 28, 2022
Another BANGER. So so curious to read the next one.
Profile Image for Maggie Hayton.
22 reviews
March 16, 2023
I absolutely loved this book. I love Nicole Bailey so much. Her writing style is both beautiful and descriptive. If you like mythology and folklore do yourself a favour read this series.
Profile Image for Hayles ^-^.
57 reviews
May 5, 2024
There were times it felt a bit slow but overall great book
Profile Image for Nothing.
813 reviews44 followers
Read
July 8, 2025
DNF @ 24%
clearly i hate myself
Profile Image for S.M. Pearce.
Author 2 books16 followers
August 22, 2023
Great read!

I really enjoyed this book, and the cast of compelling characters that came with it! Looking forward to the rest of the series, especially if Temi is prominent.
Profile Image for Ashley.
153 reviews4 followers
May 30, 2022
I don't even know where to start trying to find the words to describe how much I loved this book.

Book 1 was great, a fantastic opening to the series. But this book? This book raised really stakes and had me gripped from the moment I started reading it. I read over 70% in one sitting, that's how hooked I was.

The character development we see in this book was incredible. I already felt a connection to the characters and cared about them, but that was just massively reinforced after we got to see huge jumps and development in their character arcs, their own individual stories and take relationships.

The twists and turns in this book, and the way the story developed, I honestly couldn't have predicted them and was left reeling after each one. It's fast paced, there's a lot of action and there's a lot of new characters we get to meet. Some we love - I'm looking at you Sappho and Delon! And some we really, really hate. I'm glaring at you Zephyrus.

Nicole has a fantastic was with poetic language that really brings not only the fantasy and the adventure to life, but can make you feel things. She does an amazing job of doing justice to Apollo and Cyn's myth, but also to their deep love for each other.

The end portion of this book had me ugly sobbing right through the last few chapters. She broke me, then pieces me back together again.

I absolutely cannot wait for book 3 in this series - this book is a strong contender for one of my favourite books of this year. Highly, highly recommend!
Profile Image for Duckie Mack.
Author 30 books211 followers
June 5, 2022
WOW!!! This book was an awesome follow up to A Veil of Gods and Kings. Mysteries are revealed, tensions are high, war is on the horizon, and our heroes are off on different journeys. The sisters, Temi (Artemis) and Epiphany (Pip) are seeking a witch who may have answers to Temi's heritage.
Apollo and Hyacinth are off to determine who might stand by their side on their quest to free their people from Zeus' hard rule.
Each group faces challenges, and Apollo and Hyacinth's relationship is put to the test. Nicole's perfectly/evilly timed switch in POV's had me desperate to keep reading to find out what was happening with either of the storylines.
Also...Nicole brings the feels with this one- beautiful, amazing, tender moments, and moments where my heart lodged in my throat and my tears welled up.
The story isn't over, and I have a feeling that there will be a lot more emotions along the way, but it will be worth it to keep reading these amazing characters and the beautiful world that Nicole has created.
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