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Apollo Ascending #1
A Veil of Gods and Kings
A god fighting his fate. A prince burdened with secrets. And a romance that could end in flames.
Apollo is a deity… almost. Half mortal and refusing to take his position as god of the sun, he spends his nights drowning out haunting memories and his days avoiding responsibilities.
Until his father forces him into an ultimatum:
Ascend immediately.
Or spend the year mentoring under the obnoxious Prince Hyacinth.
Forced together, Apollo and Hyacinth grapple with their mutual disdain for each other.
But what starts as a kindling of irritation begins to burn into something new. A spark that, if it turns to flame, could incinerate everything they’ve always protected.
A reimagining of the Greek myth of Apollo and Prince Hyacinth, this NA, enemies-to-lovers fantasy series is a whirlwind journey full of romance, intrigue, and enthralling characters.
Apollo is a deity… almost. Half mortal and refusing to take his position as god of the sun, he spends his nights drowning out haunting memories and his days avoiding responsibilities.
Until his father forces him into an ultimatum:
Ascend immediately.
Or spend the year mentoring under the obnoxious Prince Hyacinth.
Forced together, Apollo and Hyacinth grapple with their mutual disdain for each other.
But what starts as a kindling of irritation begins to burn into something new. A spark that, if it turns to flame, could incinerate everything they’ve always protected.
A reimagining of the Greek myth of Apollo and Prince Hyacinth, this NA, enemies-to-lovers fantasy series is a whirlwind journey full of romance, intrigue, and enthralling characters.
347 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 27, 2022
376 people are currently reading
10261 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 645 reviews
July 6, 2022
There is something so special about Greek Mythology that has appealed to me since I was a young teen. I have never felt more represented by a book than when I read the Song of Achilles in 2016. There are not enough retellings that champion queerness. That fact is especially hard to swallow considering Greek myth is very queer. I was a babbling mess after finishing the Song of Achilles, and desperately wanted more. I emailed Madeline Miller, and she responded, and gave me a list of myth recommendations. I asked her if she would ever write a book about Apollo and Hyacinth – my favourite myth – and she said the word that has plagued me for years – maybe.
I have been waiting for a retelling of Apollo and Hyacinth. When I first heard about this book, I did a double take. The exact thing I had wanted for years was finally being published and I couldn’t request an ARC quickly enough. I was immediately engaged by the crisp writing and enjoyed the brilliantly constructed atmosphere. I really loved the early chapters of the novel which is a testament to the strength of the sibling relationship between Temi and Apollo. I felt so much anticipation during the lead up to the boys first encounter. Apollo and Hyacinth start as rivals, both with an intense dislike for the other. This book was labelled as enemies to lovers. I think a lot of books recently have been mislabelled with this trope. I wouldn't describe this as enemies to lovers. It's more dislike to lovers, or at a stretch, rivals to lovers.
I love when characters are forced to question their perception of someone and realise that they have projected an image onto that person that was never true. Watching a relationship unravel at the seams, and then be built back up from nothing, is always a joy. There was a moment where Apollo and Hyacinth stumbled upon a little rabbit that reminded me of my favourite queer film, Jongens. It was those gentle, quiet moments where this book really shone. The moments where hands touch and their entire souls light on fire, were wonderful. I was able to enjoy the writing and the beauty of their relationship. Stolen moments of intimacy always thrill me. My favourite passages of the book were those that described the fleeting moments of passion. For the most part, if I focused on the relationship, I really did like this book. I think the romance could have developed a little slower, but it wasn’t a huge deterrent.
I read this book over the course of a few months. I flew through the first 40% and then fell into a slump somewhere near 50%. The reason why I did not fully connect with this book is something I recognise to be more of a me problem. I sometimes struggle with alternating POVs, especially if there is a character I do not enjoy. I started the novel expecting to fall into the rhythm of Apollo and Hyacinth’s relationship and loved following both of their thoughts. I was not expecting to read so many chapters from Pip’s perspective, and I just couldn’t connect with the character. I personally was not really interested in what was going on outside of Apollo and Hyacinth’s storyline but recognise that the novel is about more than just their relationship. I think I would have just personally fallen more in love with the story if it only followed those two. Her chapters were the primary reason it took me so long to finish this book. The synopsis didn’t give any indication that Pip would be so pivotal to the story, so I was expecting something different.
The underlying plot was interesting, but not as engaging as I wanted it to be. I enjoyed the appearance of Ares toward the end of the novel, and the emerging threat of war. I wish the build-up had been more fluid, and that sense of danger had been present throughout, as it heightened the stakes of their relationship. There were a few twists at the end which I saw coming – particularly the one with Temi – but I still enjoyed them. Zeus was not the domineering, terrifying villain I craved, but I see room for him to become that as the series continues.
I’m sure that fans of Greek Mythology and queer retellings would enjoy this, so definitely give this a try if it sounds like something you would enjoy!
Thank you to Victory Editing and the author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
You can follow me on: Instagram Twitter TikTok
I have been waiting for a retelling of Apollo and Hyacinth. When I first heard about this book, I did a double take. The exact thing I had wanted for years was finally being published and I couldn’t request an ARC quickly enough. I was immediately engaged by the crisp writing and enjoyed the brilliantly constructed atmosphere. I really loved the early chapters of the novel which is a testament to the strength of the sibling relationship between Temi and Apollo. I felt so much anticipation during the lead up to the boys first encounter. Apollo and Hyacinth start as rivals, both with an intense dislike for the other. This book was labelled as enemies to lovers. I think a lot of books recently have been mislabelled with this trope. I wouldn't describe this as enemies to lovers. It's more dislike to lovers, or at a stretch, rivals to lovers.
I love when characters are forced to question their perception of someone and realise that they have projected an image onto that person that was never true. Watching a relationship unravel at the seams, and then be built back up from nothing, is always a joy. There was a moment where Apollo and Hyacinth stumbled upon a little rabbit that reminded me of my favourite queer film, Jongens. It was those gentle, quiet moments where this book really shone. The moments where hands touch and their entire souls light on fire, were wonderful. I was able to enjoy the writing and the beauty of their relationship. Stolen moments of intimacy always thrill me. My favourite passages of the book were those that described the fleeting moments of passion. For the most part, if I focused on the relationship, I really did like this book. I think the romance could have developed a little slower, but it wasn’t a huge deterrent.
I read this book over the course of a few months. I flew through the first 40% and then fell into a slump somewhere near 50%. The reason why I did not fully connect with this book is something I recognise to be more of a me problem. I sometimes struggle with alternating POVs, especially if there is a character I do not enjoy. I started the novel expecting to fall into the rhythm of Apollo and Hyacinth’s relationship and loved following both of their thoughts. I was not expecting to read so many chapters from Pip’s perspective, and I just couldn’t connect with the character. I personally was not really interested in what was going on outside of Apollo and Hyacinth’s storyline but recognise that the novel is about more than just their relationship. I think I would have just personally fallen more in love with the story if it only followed those two. Her chapters were the primary reason it took me so long to finish this book. The synopsis didn’t give any indication that Pip would be so pivotal to the story, so I was expecting something different.
The underlying plot was interesting, but not as engaging as I wanted it to be. I enjoyed the appearance of Ares toward the end of the novel, and the emerging threat of war. I wish the build-up had been more fluid, and that sense of danger had been present throughout, as it heightened the stakes of their relationship. There were a few twists at the end which I saw coming – particularly the one with Temi – but I still enjoyed them. Zeus was not the domineering, terrifying villain I craved, but I see room for him to become that as the series continues.
I’m sure that fans of Greek Mythology and queer retellings would enjoy this, so definitely give this a try if it sounds like something you would enjoy!
Thank you to Victory Editing and the author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
You can follow me on: Instagram Twitter TikTok
April 28, 2022
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley (thank you Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op). All thoughts and opinions are my own.
✅ Greek mythology
✅ MM romance (and some mild smut)
✅ Pace
✅ Multiple POVs
✅ Retelling of Apollo and Hyacinth’s love story
✅ Characters
✅🆗 Simple plot
✅🆗 Setting
Apollo is the son of Zeus and the mortal Leto. He spent his life among humans and does not wish to ascend and become a god, because he cares deeply for the mortals and knows that he will not be able to help them or care for them if he becomes the god he is meant to be. All he wants to do is spend his life quietly and happily with his mortal sister Temi. In an attempt to pressure him into ascending, Zeus sends Apollo to spend one year with Prince Hyacinth, who is the perfect model of an obedient and responsible son.
I like this new take on the myth, and how the author kept it simple. It’s easy to get lost in all the details of the Greek gods and goddesses, and the author managed to make everything easy to understand, while also keeping the magical and mythological aspect of the story (it is a loose retelling though, don't go in expecting the story to follow the myth step by step). The setting is simple and easy to imagine, but I would have enjoyed a little more details.
The Olympian gods and goddesses do not care about the mortals at all in this book. Most of them are cold and even cruel, and that creates tension between Apollo and the other deities, but also between humans and gods because the humans know that gods can level their cities without needing any reason to do it.
This version of Apollo is more layered than some I’ve read in the past. He is charismatic (and gorgeous of course), but he’s also very caring and sensitive. He wants to help people and his worse fear is that he might be responsible for someone’s pain or misfortune because he knows that Zeus will not hesitate to use and threaten people Apollo cares about in order to manipulate him. We can see how desperate he is to find a way to escape his destiny, and how he craves real, meaningful, connections and a purpose in his life. He knows that he does not wish to ascend, but on the other hand, he doesn’t see himself staying in his village as an anonymous man, helping the mortals the best way he can, but never having true friends or lovers that are more than just a meaningless physical relationship.
I really like the strong bond between Apollo and his sister Temi. They are very close and devoted to each other, they always have each other’s back, but also do not hesitate to speak the truth and let the other know when they are being stupid. Temi sees the best in Apollo and she makes sure that he’s not too much of an asshole with Hyacinth. Their relationship is strong and true, and I loved every interaction they had.
Hyacinth is under enormous pressure as he is left in charge of the Kingdom while his father is away. He has a lot to prove, to himself and others, and he hates to disappoint people or break the rules. Hyacinth and Apollo both despise each other, because they met once a few years ago and they see each other as pretentious, selfish, and uncaring for the people around them. Little did they know that they have much more in common than they think.
The main romance in this book is between Hyacinth and Apollo. I would describe their relationship as a hate-to-love (those are the best!) with a slow burn and good chemistry developing between them. They start off hating each other because of their preconceived ideas, but they slowly learn to know each other and to see each other for who they truly are under the pretense and masks. There is some banter between them, and also a sexual tension. I like how they learn to respect each other and pushed each other to try new things.
There is sexual tension and some smut between Apollo and Hyacinth, but it is mild in comparison to other books I’ve read. Much of it happens off-page or behind closed doors, but we can still feel the love and passion between them. It’s just enough to keep the second half of the story spicy, but it doesn’t take the focus away from the relationship and character development.
There is another romance in this book, but while I am hoping to see it come to fruition, I am not sure if it will happen or not. Honestly, I am not sure yet if Epiphany’s arc will impact the big plot in the next book or not, but I enjoyed her chapters. It’s more of a forbidden love story, with both parties being separated by their social status. They have the cutest friendship in this book and it is so obvious that they love each other! I really hope that their friendship will become more in the next book.
Temi and Epiphany (Hyacinth’s sister) quickly become friends. They are both strong women who are not happy to play the part of the meek and demure lady. They encourage each other to live their life to their best, to take risks, and find happiness. They are in very different situations, but at the same time their lives share many similarities, and they can relate to each other. I would have loved to have some chapters in Temi’s POV, and I really hope we will get it in the next book. She is an interesting, strong, and independent character, and I wanted to know what was going on in her head!
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The pace is good, and while the plot is not the most elaborate because it’s mostly about Apollo and Hyacinth’s relationship, we can see that there is a bigger plot and that this plot will be more important in the second book. I like how I had no idea if this book would have a happy ending for the main couple, or if it would end with heartbreak because love stories between mortals and gods never end well. I had to wait until the very end to know for sure, and it made the read even more enjoyable because I was hoping for a sweet ending, but dreading a tragic one… Also, knowing how the romance between Apollo and Hyacinthus ends according to the myth, I am a little scared. 😬
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✅ Greek mythology
✅ MM romance (and some mild smut)
✅ Pace
✅ Multiple POVs
✅ Retelling of Apollo and Hyacinth’s love story
✅ Characters
✅🆗 Simple plot
✅🆗 Setting
There are sounds that can define an entire life.
The wail of a child being born.
The crunch of an accident.
The roar of an army.
That sound—the click of the door latching, the snap of the lock sliding into its place—was the sound that would change my destiny.
Apollo is the son of Zeus and the mortal Leto. He spent his life among humans and does not wish to ascend and become a god, because he cares deeply for the mortals and knows that he will not be able to help them or care for them if he becomes the god he is meant to be. All he wants to do is spend his life quietly and happily with his mortal sister Temi. In an attempt to pressure him into ascending, Zeus sends Apollo to spend one year with Prince Hyacinth, who is the perfect model of an obedient and responsible son.
I laughed. “Humans have so much that the gods don’t. The gods don’t even understand what they miss.”
“And do you have that, what the mortals have, down here in the human world?”
I paused, dropping my face. “No.”
“You’re a god, Apollo. It’s what you were born for.”
“I’m half a god and haven’t ascended yet, so I’m still as mortal as I am divine. And I plan to keep it that way.”
I like this new take on the myth, and how the author kept it simple. It’s easy to get lost in all the details of the Greek gods and goddesses, and the author managed to make everything easy to understand, while also keeping the magical and mythological aspect of the story (it is a loose retelling though, don't go in expecting the story to follow the myth step by step). The setting is simple and easy to imagine, but I would have enjoyed a little more details.
The Olympian gods and goddesses do not care about the mortals at all in this book. Most of them are cold and even cruel, and that creates tension between Apollo and the other deities, but also between humans and gods because the humans know that gods can level their cities without needing any reason to do it.
“You can drink and party and sleep around all you want, and it will always leave you feeling empty inside. What you need is a real connection and a real purpose in your life.”
This version of Apollo is more layered than some I’ve read in the past. He is charismatic (and gorgeous of course), but he’s also very caring and sensitive. He wants to help people and his worse fear is that he might be responsible for someone’s pain or misfortune because he knows that Zeus will not hesitate to use and threaten people Apollo cares about in order to manipulate him. We can see how desperate he is to find a way to escape his destiny, and how he craves real, meaningful, connections and a purpose in his life. He knows that he does not wish to ascend, but on the other hand, he doesn’t see himself staying in his village as an anonymous man, helping the mortals the best way he can, but never having true friends or lovers that are more than just a meaningless physical relationship.
I really like the strong bond between Apollo and his sister Temi. They are very close and devoted to each other, they always have each other’s back, but also do not hesitate to speak the truth and let the other know when they are being stupid. Temi sees the best in Apollo and she makes sure that he’s not too much of an asshole with Hyacinth. Their relationship is strong and true, and I loved every interaction they had.
I’d never been a man for risks. I played everything safe.
Apollo made me want to burn the rules to the ground, watch their ashes darken the sky.
And, if I continued hovering about him like a moth drawn to a flame, I feared I might just do that.
Hyacinth is under enormous pressure as he is left in charge of the Kingdom while his father is away. He has a lot to prove, to himself and others, and he hates to disappoint people or break the rules. Hyacinth and Apollo both despise each other, because they met once a few years ago and they see each other as pretentious, selfish, and uncaring for the people around them. Little did they know that they have much more in common than they think.
He studied me for a moment and then burst into a laugh. “I think you’re right. I’m drunk. Because, I’m actually enjoying your company.”
“Oh, I’ll try not to take that too personally.”
The main romance in this book is between Hyacinth and Apollo. I would describe their relationship as a hate-to-love (those are the best!) with a slow burn and good chemistry developing between them. They start off hating each other because of their preconceived ideas, but they slowly learn to know each other and to see each other for who they truly are under the pretense and masks. There is some banter between them, and also a sexual tension. I like how they learn to respect each other and pushed each other to try new things.
He laughed, his shoulders loosening.
And for a moment, we weren’t a god and a prince. Or men facing down the blade of their futures. Or people who held the fate of tens of thousands in our choices.
We were just Cyn and Apollo.
Two tired but happy young men.
There is sexual tension and some smut between Apollo and Hyacinth, but it is mild in comparison to other books I’ve read. Much of it happens off-page or behind closed doors, but we can still feel the love and passion between them. It’s just enough to keep the second half of the story spicy, but it doesn’t take the focus away from the relationship and character development.
“This is my prophecy,” I whispered.
“What? Being the downfall to human princes by distracting them away from their work?”
I burst into a laugh, turning my head to meet his gaze. I held it for several heartbeats as the color of his irises transformed when he tilted his face out of the sunlight.
There is another romance in this book, but while I am hoping to see it come to fruition, I am not sure if it will happen or not. Honestly, I am not sure yet if Epiphany’s arc will impact the big plot in the next book or not, but I enjoyed her chapters. It’s more of a forbidden love story, with both parties being separated by their social status. They have the cutest friendship in this book and it is so obvious that they love each other! I really hope that their friendship will become more in the next book.
“It doesn’t matter how long something lasts. I’d rather have a moment of intense beauty and joy and treasure that than something dull that lasts forever.”
Temi and Epiphany (Hyacinth’s sister) quickly become friends. They are both strong women who are not happy to play the part of the meek and demure lady. They encourage each other to live their life to their best, to take risks, and find happiness. They are in very different situations, but at the same time their lives share many similarities, and they can relate to each other. I would have loved to have some chapters in Temi’s POV, and I really hope we will get it in the next book. She is an interesting, strong, and independent character, and I wanted to know what was going on in her head!
We lay there together until long after the stars had appeared, glittering out destinies, sparkling with whispered wishes.
I didn’t know then that those stars were already gone.
They were only light remaining, a memory of what once was.
Like we one day would be.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The pace is good, and while the plot is not the most elaborate because it’s mostly about Apollo and Hyacinth’s relationship, we can see that there is a bigger plot and that this plot will be more important in the second book. I like how I had no idea if this book would have a happy ending for the main couple, or if it would end with heartbreak because love stories between mortals and gods never end well. I had to wait until the very end to know for sure, and it made the read even more enjoyable because I was hoping for a sweet ending, but dreading a tragic one… Also, knowing how the romance between Apollo and Hyacinthus ends according to the myth, I am a little scared. 😬
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March 23, 2022DNF at 15%
As soon as I saw that this was a retelling of Apollo and Hyacinthus myth from Ovid, I had to request it. This is a myth that I had not seen retold and I was super excited to read a retelling of this rarer myth (by that I men there are lots of Hades/Persephone and Troy retellings, compared to other myth).
Sadly, however, the writing for this one is just not for me. I loved the cover, but the writing is maybe for a much younger audience than I am: It didn’t keep my attention engaged.
Whenever I read retellings of myths I think I just prefer something close-ish to the source material, which this wasn’t, so I found it hard to fully enjoy.
All of these characters also had modern mannerisms which I found a bit jarring as then I was confused as to when this was set.
Thank you to NetGalley for the E-Arc!
As soon as I saw that this was a retelling of Apollo and Hyacinthus myth from Ovid, I had to request it. This is a myth that I had not seen retold and I was super excited to read a retelling of this rarer myth (by that I men there are lots of Hades/Persephone and Troy retellings, compared to other myth).
Sadly, however, the writing for this one is just not for me. I loved the cover, but the writing is maybe for a much younger audience than I am: It didn’t keep my attention engaged.
Whenever I read retellings of myths I think I just prefer something close-ish to the source material, which this wasn’t, so I found it hard to fully enjoy.
All of these characters also had modern mannerisms which I found a bit jarring as then I was confused as to when this was set.
Thank you to NetGalley for the E-Arc!
April 25, 2022
"It doesn't matter how long something lasts. I'd rather have a moment of intense beauty and joy and treasure that than something dull that lasts forever."
"A Veil of Gods And Kings" is the first book in the Apollo Ascending series, written by Nicole Bailey. It's a new-adult fantasy story with a swoon-worthy romance at the centre. Multi pov, fast paced, intense, investing and very very emotional.
"A Veil Of Gods And Kings" re-tells the story of Apollo, a half-god and a favoured son of Zeus. A prophecy claims that he's destined to be the God of Sun. So, his father wants him to ascend soon, sooner than Apollo is ready for. Apollo loves the Mortal. He loves spending time in the Mortal World with his half sister. His days here are peaceful and he is able help those in need. He knows he won't be able to do any of these things once he ascends. So he constantly refuses to ascend. His refusal infuriates his father. Consequently Zeus forced him into an ultimatum. He sends Apollo to spend the year mentoring under the obnoxious mortal Prince Hyacinth.
Forced together, Apollo and Hyacinth grapple with their mutual disdain for each other.
But what starts as a kindling of irritation begins to burn into something new. A spark that, if it turns to flame, could incinerate everything they’ve always protected.
It's an incredible retelling of the Greek Myth of Apollo and Hycinth. The depth of the story amazed me. The author has an exquisite writting style. The story is so carefully planned and successfully executed. "A Veil Of Gods And Kings" undoubtedly announces the arrival of a singular talent in the field of Greek Mythology retelling. From the first spark down to the last ember, the author's words paint a vibrant, enrapturing picture. Every description, whether literal or figurative, is deliberate and purposeful.
I LOVED THIS BOOK! I really didn't expect it to be so good. This book had everything I always look for in a Greek retelling. It was a a rollercoaster of emotions I thoroughly enjoyed. The characterization was phenomenal. This book truly made me fall in love with Apollo, which I never thought would be possible. The sad tone of the book made me cry. Can't wait to read the second book as soon as it comes out.
｡☆✼★━━━━━━━━━━━━★✼☆｡
Thanks to Netgallery and publishers for providing me an arc of this book in exchange for my honest review.
April 23, 2022
A Veil of Gods and Kings begins a new queer historical / fantasy romance series following the Greek god Apollo. I have been loving fantasy romance recently so when I saw this book up on Netgalley I leapt at the chance to read it!
A Veil of Gods and Kings retells the myth of Apollo and Prince Hyacinth. This is a lesser known story which I have to admit that I'm not familiar with so I can't comment on the accuracy of the retelling. I did enjoy reading about a different Greek myth and of course loved that it was queer. I would say, however, not to go into this book expecting historical accuracy. There were many things in this book that I don't believe existed in Ancient Greece, as well as very modern language that felt a bit out of place in a historical setting.
I enjoyed reading from all three perspectives in this book: Apollo, Prince Hyacinth and his sister, Epiphany. To begin with I wasn’t sure about Epiphany’s perspective – why have someone else’s POV in a romance? – but I ended up quite enjoying reading about her and her friendship with Apollo’s sister, Temi, and their work towards helping women and poor families. I really enjoyed Apollo and Hyacinth’s relationship as they went from mutual dislike to friendship to something more. I felt that it developed at the perfect pace and loved the banter between them.
Honestly, as I sit to write this review a few days after finishing the book, I find myself struggling to remember it. Which is the main reason that it’s getting three stars: it was good and fun while I read it (in close to one sitting while on the beach) but it just didn’t stick with me or particularly blow me away. And that’s okay – not every book is going to change your life.
A Veil of Gods and Kings was an enjoyable read that kicked off a new romance series exploring a lesser known Greek myth.
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*eARC received in exchange for an honest review via Netgalley*
A Veil of Gods and Kings retells the myth of Apollo and Prince Hyacinth. This is a lesser known story which I have to admit that I'm not familiar with so I can't comment on the accuracy of the retelling. I did enjoy reading about a different Greek myth and of course loved that it was queer. I would say, however, not to go into this book expecting historical accuracy. There were many things in this book that I don't believe existed in Ancient Greece, as well as very modern language that felt a bit out of place in a historical setting.
I enjoyed reading from all three perspectives in this book: Apollo, Prince Hyacinth and his sister, Epiphany. To begin with I wasn’t sure about Epiphany’s perspective – why have someone else’s POV in a romance? – but I ended up quite enjoying reading about her and her friendship with Apollo’s sister, Temi, and their work towards helping women and poor families. I really enjoyed Apollo and Hyacinth’s relationship as they went from mutual dislike to friendship to something more. I felt that it developed at the perfect pace and loved the banter between them.
Honestly, as I sit to write this review a few days after finishing the book, I find myself struggling to remember it. Which is the main reason that it’s getting three stars: it was good and fun while I read it (in close to one sitting while on the beach) but it just didn’t stick with me or particularly blow me away. And that’s okay – not every book is going to change your life.
A Veil of Gods and Kings was an enjoyable read that kicked off a new romance series exploring a lesser known Greek myth.
I also talk about books here: youtube | instagram | twitter
*eARC received in exchange for an honest review via Netgalley*
May 2, 2022
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
A Veil of Gods and Kings was such a good book. I'm honestly surprised with myself for taking so long to jump into it. Maybe surprised isn't the right word but that's how I feel. Oh, and annoyed at myself too.
In this, you will meet Apollo and Hyacinth. From the very beginning, we get the vibe that they don't like one another. Of course, it's mostly because of their assumptions toward the other person. So, when pesky Zeus forces Apollo to work with Hyacinth I bet he didn't plan on them falling for one another. Or maybe he did because he could use it against them down the line? Either way, he's an evil genius.
After meeting every character, I just kept falling in love with everything. The characters themselves were completely lovable. Then we dive into the romance, and I was completely gone. Swooning and falling in love. Whether it was watching these two guys dance around one another or shipping two completely other people. The pages just kept turning and I kept on hoping for certain things to happen.
Eventually the ending came, and I wasn't prepared at all. Still in shock and desperate for the next book to fall into my hands. I'm so happy that I got the chance to jump into this book and secretly hope that I get the next one as well. Definitely can't wait for whatever is coming our way but I hope to see some more rebellion because let's face it - Zeus deserves it.
A Veil of Gods and Kings was such a good book. I'm honestly surprised with myself for taking so long to jump into it. Maybe surprised isn't the right word but that's how I feel. Oh, and annoyed at myself too.
In this, you will meet Apollo and Hyacinth. From the very beginning, we get the vibe that they don't like one another. Of course, it's mostly because of their assumptions toward the other person. So, when pesky Zeus forces Apollo to work with Hyacinth I bet he didn't plan on them falling for one another. Or maybe he did because he could use it against them down the line? Either way, he's an evil genius.
After meeting every character, I just kept falling in love with everything. The characters themselves were completely lovable. Then we dive into the romance, and I was completely gone. Swooning and falling in love. Whether it was watching these two guys dance around one another or shipping two completely other people. The pages just kept turning and I kept on hoping for certain things to happen.
Eventually the ending came, and I wasn't prepared at all. Still in shock and desperate for the next book to fall into my hands. I'm so happy that I got the chance to jump into this book and secretly hope that I get the next one as well. Definitely can't wait for whatever is coming our way but I hope to see some more rebellion because let's face it - Zeus deserves it.
April 6, 2022
"Big thanks to Netgalley and Victory Editing for the e-arc!
4.5 stars
"You're a god, Apollo. It's what you were born for."
I love a good Greek mythology retelling and this one did not disappoint. Sorry Achilles and Patroclus, but Apollo and Hyacinth are supreme. This was a fun enemies to lovers filled with some amazing characters. This is the first book I've read where Apollo was centered stage and I really loved seeing him get the attention he deserves!
"It doesn't matter how long something lasts. I'd rather have a moment of intense beauty and joy and treasure that than something dull that lasts forever."
Let's look at characters. I loved Apollo in all his stubborn and flirtatious, goofy self and he paired perfectly with *cough* *cough* stick in the mud Hyacinth - who everyone lovingly calls Cyn - who learned to loosen up a little with Apollo's help. Epiphany was a great character and watching her fight for her freedom and recognize what she wanted in life was amazing to watch. At times I don't think her perspective was needed, but it created a nice subplot through the story. Temi is by far my favorite character. She stands up for what she believes in and is the kick - butt, rule breaking huntress she deserves to be.
"I didn't know then that those stars were already gone.
They were only the light remaining, a memory of what once was.
Like we one day would be.
And I didn't know that yet, either."
I loved the pacing of the story. It was by no means fast, but wasn't slow enough that you would get bored or feel the story drag. This story is very much character driven although I have a feeling the second book will be more plot driven based off of the ending.
"We'd snuck out of the palace and played games and spoke of our dreams, as if we were boys, our futures still so far ahead it shone as bright as the morning star, not close enough to it yet to see the scars it brought, to notice that some parts didn't sparkle."
Overall, if you love Greek mythology retellings and enemies to lovers I highly recommended A Veil of Gods and Kings. It will not disappoint!
4.5 stars
"You're a god, Apollo. It's what you were born for."
I love a good Greek mythology retelling and this one did not disappoint. Sorry Achilles and Patroclus, but Apollo and Hyacinth are supreme. This was a fun enemies to lovers filled with some amazing characters. This is the first book I've read where Apollo was centered stage and I really loved seeing him get the attention he deserves!
"It doesn't matter how long something lasts. I'd rather have a moment of intense beauty and joy and treasure that than something dull that lasts forever."
Let's look at characters. I loved Apollo in all his stubborn and flirtatious, goofy self and he paired perfectly with *cough* *cough* stick in the mud Hyacinth - who everyone lovingly calls Cyn - who learned to loosen up a little with Apollo's help. Epiphany was a great character and watching her fight for her freedom and recognize what she wanted in life was amazing to watch. At times I don't think her perspective was needed, but it created a nice subplot through the story. Temi is by far my favorite character. She stands up for what she believes in and is the kick - butt, rule breaking huntress she deserves to be.
"I didn't know then that those stars were already gone.
They were only the light remaining, a memory of what once was.
Like we one day would be.
And I didn't know that yet, either."
I loved the pacing of the story. It was by no means fast, but wasn't slow enough that you would get bored or feel the story drag. This story is very much character driven although I have a feeling the second book will be more plot driven based off of the ending.
"We'd snuck out of the palace and played games and spoke of our dreams, as if we were boys, our futures still so far ahead it shone as bright as the morning star, not close enough to it yet to see the scars it brought, to notice that some parts didn't sparkle."
Overall, if you love Greek mythology retellings and enemies to lovers I highly recommended A Veil of Gods and Kings. It will not disappoint!
April 29, 2022
"I'd rather have a moment of intense beauty and joy and treasure that, than something dull that lasts forever."
Nicole Bailey is a new-to-me author and the blurb for A Veil of Gods and Kings actually managed to drag me away from my current contemporary MM love-in, back to my old stomping ground of NA fantasy, worked in with some Greek mythology.
A Veil of Gods and Kings is a "reimagining" of the tale of Apollo and Prince Hyacinth, and is the first in the four book 'Apollo Ascending" series.
I loved it. Obviously a lot of book 1 is spent developing the characters and building the world, but the author writes well and creates beautiful pictures for the reader.
The romance in the story is MM, slow burn and being NA, there is a lot of 'fade to black' in the steamy scenes (which was disappointing for this more mature reader! 😁) but means A Veil of Gods and Kings is suitable for the YA/NA market.
Knowing a little bit about Greek mythology and Apollo, I am worried for him and Cyn moving forward, but can only hope this 'reimagining' leads us to a HEA nonetheless 💕.
A Veil of Gods and Kings ends in a HFN, but is of course a continuing series, with a war coming....
Highly recommended if you're a fan of the fantasy/Greek mythology genre. And how stunning is the cover art?! 🤩
4 ✨✨✨✨
March 15, 2023
Character archetypes were nothing new. Apollo was the type of character I found irriating so that ruined the experience. Not sure I'll continue with the series though.
April 26, 2022
2.5 stars
A NA Greek myth retelling, with a HFN ending as this is the first book in a series. It’s worth noting that this is pretty low steam - it tends towards vagueness or fade to black for most of the physical parts outside of kissing.
While I found the writing itself to be decent, I have some larger criticisms, though I think it has potential.
Romance
This promises an enemies-to-lovers, high emotion book. I personally found the romance to be lacking on several fronts. First, it’s barely enemies to lovers. Mild dislike predicated on assumptions to lust to love. They don’t meet for a while in the beginning, and barely start interacting until halfway through.
I would not classify it as a slow burn either - there’s no burn. As a book labeled as a romance, I’d expect at least interaction between the characters for more of the book.
Characters
Hyacinth: The prince is painted as a stick in the mud, rule bound, no fun person. As far as what is shown to the reader, he’s just being responsible, trying to run a kingdom while his father is out.
He does have a consistent personality based around this, which makes for a solid characterization. I also appreciated that he is a competent prince - taking his responsibility seriously, and trying to improve his kingdom and caring about his people.
Apollo: Apollo comes off as a childish brat for a very long time. He is judgmental of Hyacinth for weak reasons, and never really walks those opinions back in a satisfactory manner. It ends up with him coming off as self-centered, to the point of unable to care about people on a large scale, versus his favorite pastime of giving nuts to individual poor people.
While this can make a solid character personality - and does - I don’t think he ever managed a redemption arc or personal growth, which made him less appealing.
Everyone else: There are a fair amount of secondary characters to keep track of. Notably, we have the sister of Hyacinth, Epiphany - I’ll get to her having her own, frequent POV chapters next. Epiphany seems to be mainly a vehicle for discussing the plight of women in this world, and her romantic arc fell flat for me.
We spent a lot of time with Temi, and though I liked her a lot, it still didn’t work for me as far as book cohesion. Temi voiced a lot of my own opinions though, especially at chiding Apollo for being an unreasonable brat, which was satisfying.
The king, when he returned at the very end, is probably one of the better characters. It was nice having a reasonable, loving father figure present. Especially in contrast to Evil Zeus.
The sister’s POV:
This, I did not like. There are a lot of chapters in Epiphany’s POV. Why? Why are we reading her entire sort-of-romance and interactions separately? It takes away from the main storyline without contributing much. Her struggles with her lot in life could have been communicated through interactions with Hyacinth in his POV. This would keep the book feeling more focused, rather than jumpy. I ended up skimming these chapters fairly heavily.
General other thoughts
I felt that the pacing in general was a bit inconsistent. The beginning had much longer chapters and slower build, and by the end it felt like we were racing along with each chapter barely a conversation. The content of these later chapters didn’t match the sense of urgency created by these rapid switches in POV either, so it was not effective if the intent was to use it that way.
The politics stuff - this was very very heavy in the beginning, and felt wildly out of place. It’s trying to take on the plight of the poor, feminism, rich vs. poor attitudes, etc. It’s a lot, especially given how there’s other things that would be a better fit for the story. Despite all the focus on this in the beginning, it gets unceremoniously dropped once the lust kicks in.
Overall, I think this would have been more successful if it had adhered more strongly to the theme of fighting your fate. This did pop up occasionally, but if it had been a stronger thread, it could have brought all the plot, romance, characters together much better. A focus on fate would be a better match for the gods vibe as well. The big, overarching plot barely began at the very end, so perhaps the sequel will have more intrigue and plot action.
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All the opinions are my own.
Read this review and more on my blog:
https://horsetalkreviews.blogspot.com/
A NA Greek myth retelling, with a HFN ending as this is the first book in a series. It’s worth noting that this is pretty low steam - it tends towards vagueness or fade to black for most of the physical parts outside of kissing.
While I found the writing itself to be decent, I have some larger criticisms, though I think it has potential.
Romance
This promises an enemies-to-lovers, high emotion book. I personally found the romance to be lacking on several fronts. First, it’s barely enemies to lovers. Mild dislike predicated on assumptions to lust to love. They don’t meet for a while in the beginning, and barely start interacting until halfway through.
I would not classify it as a slow burn either - there’s no burn. As a book labeled as a romance, I’d expect at least interaction between the characters for more of the book.
Characters
Hyacinth: The prince is painted as a stick in the mud, rule bound, no fun person. As far as what is shown to the reader, he’s just being responsible, trying to run a kingdom while his father is out.
He does have a consistent personality based around this, which makes for a solid characterization. I also appreciated that he is a competent prince - taking his responsibility seriously, and trying to improve his kingdom and caring about his people.
Apollo: Apollo comes off as a childish brat for a very long time. He is judgmental of Hyacinth for weak reasons, and never really walks those opinions back in a satisfactory manner. It ends up with him coming off as self-centered, to the point of unable to care about people on a large scale, versus his favorite pastime of giving nuts to individual poor people.
While this can make a solid character personality - and does - I don’t think he ever managed a redemption arc or personal growth, which made him less appealing.
Everyone else: There are a fair amount of secondary characters to keep track of. Notably, we have the sister of Hyacinth, Epiphany - I’ll get to her having her own, frequent POV chapters next. Epiphany seems to be mainly a vehicle for discussing the plight of women in this world, and her romantic arc fell flat for me.
We spent a lot of time with Temi, and though I liked her a lot, it still didn’t work for me as far as book cohesion. Temi voiced a lot of my own opinions though, especially at chiding Apollo for being an unreasonable brat, which was satisfying.
The king, when he returned at the very end, is probably one of the better characters. It was nice having a reasonable, loving father figure present. Especially in contrast to Evil Zeus.
The sister’s POV:
This, I did not like. There are a lot of chapters in Epiphany’s POV. Why? Why are we reading her entire sort-of-romance and interactions separately? It takes away from the main storyline without contributing much. Her struggles with her lot in life could have been communicated through interactions with Hyacinth in his POV. This would keep the book feeling more focused, rather than jumpy. I ended up skimming these chapters fairly heavily.
General other thoughts
I felt that the pacing in general was a bit inconsistent. The beginning had much longer chapters and slower build, and by the end it felt like we were racing along with each chapter barely a conversation. The content of these later chapters didn’t match the sense of urgency created by these rapid switches in POV either, so it was not effective if the intent was to use it that way.
The politics stuff - this was very very heavy in the beginning, and felt wildly out of place. It’s trying to take on the plight of the poor, feminism, rich vs. poor attitudes, etc. It’s a lot, especially given how there’s other things that would be a better fit for the story. Despite all the focus on this in the beginning, it gets unceremoniously dropped once the lust kicks in.
Overall, I think this would have been more successful if it had adhered more strongly to the theme of fighting your fate. This did pop up occasionally, but if it had been a stronger thread, it could have brought all the plot, romance, characters together much better. A focus on fate would be a better match for the gods vibe as well. The big, overarching plot barely began at the very end, so perhaps the sequel will have more intrigue and plot action.
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All the opinions are my own.
Read this review and more on my blog:
https://horsetalkreviews.blogspot.com/
June 29, 2022
Rating: 4.5 stars
“We lay there together until long after the stars
had appeared, glittering out destinies, sparkling with whispered wishes. I didn't know then that those stars were already gone. They were only light remaining, a memory of what once was. Like we one day would be.”
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!
This book was so good I don’t even know where to start. First of all, the writing in this book was beautiful. My camera roll is currently full of screenshots of quotes from this book because I was just obsessed and in love with the writing. The way Apollo would describe Hyacinth and vise versa… it made my heart squeeze a little 🥺❤️
The romance and tension between Apollo and Hyacinth was so fucking good and so fucking beautiful. I was absolutely obsessed as in love with them. (Don’t tell anyone but they might beat Achilles and Patroclus as my fav gay Greek mythology book couple 😳)
However, I do have some critiques. I wish there was more of a plot outside of Apollo and Hyacinth’s romance. Once they finally got together, the book started to get slow because there was no plot built outside of their relationship that I was looking forward too. The plot could have easily been put into Epiphany’s POV but instead I found myself dreading Epiphany’s POV and just wanting to go back to Hyacinth or Apollo’s POV.
Maybe it’s just me being a whore but the fade to black scenes had me screaming and frustrated 😭 LOL
Anyway, I CANNOT wait for the next book!! Everyone read this book when it releases next month, PLEASE!
“We lay there together until long after the stars
had appeared, glittering out destinies, sparkling with whispered wishes. I didn't know then that those stars were already gone. They were only light remaining, a memory of what once was. Like we one day would be.”
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!
This book was so good I don’t even know where to start. First of all, the writing in this book was beautiful. My camera roll is currently full of screenshots of quotes from this book because I was just obsessed and in love with the writing. The way Apollo would describe Hyacinth and vise versa… it made my heart squeeze a little 🥺❤️
The romance and tension between Apollo and Hyacinth was so fucking good and so fucking beautiful. I was absolutely obsessed as in love with them. (Don’t tell anyone but they might beat Achilles and Patroclus as my fav gay Greek mythology book couple 😳)
However, I do have some critiques. I wish there was more of a plot outside of Apollo and Hyacinth’s romance. Once they finally got together, the book started to get slow because there was no plot built outside of their relationship that I was looking forward too. The plot could have easily been put into Epiphany’s POV but instead I found myself dreading Epiphany’s POV and just wanting to go back to Hyacinth or Apollo’s POV.
Maybe it’s just me being a whore but the fade to black scenes had me screaming and frustrated 😭 LOL
Anyway, I CANNOT wait for the next book!! Everyone read this book when it releases next month, PLEASE!
March 22, 2022
A Veil of Gods and Kings is a fantastic start to Nicole Bailey’s Apollo Ascending series. A retelling of Apollo and Hyacinth’s romance, the story is told from multiple perspectives, which I really liked. Each character has a strong voice, and it’s great to see the story from each of their points of view. I also like how vividly the author brings well-known characters to life so that they are familiar but also feel totally new and fresh. Apollo, Temi, Ares, and others are exactly what I expected, and yet there are layers to them that I found surprising and delightful.
This is the most layered characterization of Apollo that I’ve read, and I really loved his character. He’s charismatic and funny and self-deprecating, and underneath it all, he’s so sensitive and sweet. He is desperate to be free of his all-powerful father and to maintain his autonomy, which is what propels him through much of the story. There are so many sides to Apollo, and I became really invested in his story. Hyacinth is also dynamically crafted, and though he has the support of his father, he faces tremendous pressure as the future leader of his kingdom. He has a lot to prove to others and himself. I like how both of these men grow throughout the book and learn what is most important to them.
As in her previous series, the author is so skilled at creating vivid and immersive worlds. Her use of sensory language, metaphors, and imagery create a setting and characters that are so easy to visualize. It’s the kind of story you become so engrossed in that you struggle to put it down. I also really like the symbolism throughout the story and the examination of many different relationships from friendships to family bonds to romantic connections.
The sibling relationships are one of my favorite parts of the story. Apollo and Temi are so close, and their devotion to each other is lovely. The way they tease and have fun together is wonderful, and I love that they are so close. They can be totally honest with each other, and they always have each other’s backs. This is so different from the other relationships in Apollo’s life, and it stands out as the most important and true. Hyacinth and Epiphany have a similar relationship, though they have more secrets between them than Apollo and Temi.
I also really like the growing friendship between Temi and Epiphany. These young women are kindred spirits, and I like how they encourage each other to take chances, fulfill their dreams, and find happiness. They develop such a great bond, and relate to each other in many different ways although they are quite different. It’s interesting – all of these characters – Apollo, Hyacinth, Temi, and Epiphany – are trapped in their own way, and it’s fascinating to see how they each deal with their situations.
There are two romances in the story, and I adored both of them! The enemies-to-lovers romance between Apollo and hyacinth is slow-building and has tons of chemistry. I like how Apollo and Hyacinth slowly begin to see each other for who they really are. They learn a lot about each other and from each other, and to see them go from despising each other to begrudgingly respecting each other to becoming attracted to each other is wonderful. Plus, they have the best banter. Their conversations are never dull, and they’re both so sharp and acerbic. It makes for many witty scenes filled with sexual tension and tons of swoon-worthy moments!
The other romance in the story is more of a forbidden, brother’s best friend love story, and I’m so eager to see this couple together! They have known each other since childhood, and they both seem to have carried more than friends feelings for years. However, their social status and familial expectations very much keep them from acting on their feelings. There is so much yearning between the couple, and I’m hoping we’ll get more of their story in the next book.
Political intrigue, familial expectations, forbidden romance, the fear of punishment from the gods, and more make for an engrossing and exciting read, and after that ending, I can’t wait to see what happens next! Apollo’s journey is not over, and I have a feeling the stakes will only get higher and more dangerous!
Special thanks to Nicole Bailey for providing me with a copy of the book. All views are my own.
This is the most layered characterization of Apollo that I’ve read, and I really loved his character. He’s charismatic and funny and self-deprecating, and underneath it all, he’s so sensitive and sweet. He is desperate to be free of his all-powerful father and to maintain his autonomy, which is what propels him through much of the story. There are so many sides to Apollo, and I became really invested in his story. Hyacinth is also dynamically crafted, and though he has the support of his father, he faces tremendous pressure as the future leader of his kingdom. He has a lot to prove to others and himself. I like how both of these men grow throughout the book and learn what is most important to them.
As in her previous series, the author is so skilled at creating vivid and immersive worlds. Her use of sensory language, metaphors, and imagery create a setting and characters that are so easy to visualize. It’s the kind of story you become so engrossed in that you struggle to put it down. I also really like the symbolism throughout the story and the examination of many different relationships from friendships to family bonds to romantic connections.
The sibling relationships are one of my favorite parts of the story. Apollo and Temi are so close, and their devotion to each other is lovely. The way they tease and have fun together is wonderful, and I love that they are so close. They can be totally honest with each other, and they always have each other’s backs. This is so different from the other relationships in Apollo’s life, and it stands out as the most important and true. Hyacinth and Epiphany have a similar relationship, though they have more secrets between them than Apollo and Temi.
I also really like the growing friendship between Temi and Epiphany. These young women are kindred spirits, and I like how they encourage each other to take chances, fulfill their dreams, and find happiness. They develop such a great bond, and relate to each other in many different ways although they are quite different. It’s interesting – all of these characters – Apollo, Hyacinth, Temi, and Epiphany – are trapped in their own way, and it’s fascinating to see how they each deal with their situations.
There are two romances in the story, and I adored both of them! The enemies-to-lovers romance between Apollo and hyacinth is slow-building and has tons of chemistry. I like how Apollo and Hyacinth slowly begin to see each other for who they really are. They learn a lot about each other and from each other, and to see them go from despising each other to begrudgingly respecting each other to becoming attracted to each other is wonderful. Plus, they have the best banter. Their conversations are never dull, and they’re both so sharp and acerbic. It makes for many witty scenes filled with sexual tension and tons of swoon-worthy moments!
The other romance in the story is more of a forbidden, brother’s best friend love story, and I’m so eager to see this couple together! They have known each other since childhood, and they both seem to have carried more than friends feelings for years. However, their social status and familial expectations very much keep them from acting on their feelings. There is so much yearning between the couple, and I’m hoping we’ll get more of their story in the next book.
Political intrigue, familial expectations, forbidden romance, the fear of punishment from the gods, and more make for an engrossing and exciting read, and after that ending, I can’t wait to see what happens next! Apollo’s journey is not over, and I have a feeling the stakes will only get higher and more dangerous!
Special thanks to Nicole Bailey for providing me with a copy of the book. All views are my own.
November 16, 2023
Second read:
Just as good as I remembered.
First read:
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc!
This really surprised me. I don't know why but I was not expecting to like it as much as I did (just thought this would be another Lore & Lust). It was waay more emotional than I anticipated, had very well fleshed out characters and a pretty well paced plot that didn't just take over the story which I really liked. Apollo and Temi were definitely my favourite characters but they all had very clear personalities and things you could like and dislike about them. I'll be impatiently waiting for book 2 after what happened in those last few chapters.
Just as good as I remembered.
First read:
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc!
This really surprised me. I don't know why but I was not expecting to like it as much as I did (just thought this would be another Lore & Lust). It was waay more emotional than I anticipated, had very well fleshed out characters and a pretty well paced plot that didn't just take over the story which I really liked. Apollo and Temi were definitely my favourite characters but they all had very clear personalities and things you could like and dislike about them. I'll be impatiently waiting for book 2 after what happened in those last few chapters.
March 14, 2022
Attracted to the cover, love the book.
Nicole Bailey wrote an enthralling romance between a mortal Prince & Demigod Apollo.
Written in the enemies to lover trope, these men’s dislike for the other raises higher throughout the year they are forced to work together. Thankfully their sisters give them a push to see beneath the armor, discovering a friendship that weaves them together. I devoured the book and have preordered it for my bookshelf.
Thank you to NetGalley & Victory Editing NetGalley for the Advanced Reading Copy.
Nicole Bailey wrote an enthralling romance between a mortal Prince & Demigod Apollo.
Written in the enemies to lover trope, these men’s dislike for the other raises higher throughout the year they are forced to work together. Thankfully their sisters give them a push to see beneath the armor, discovering a friendship that weaves them together. I devoured the book and have preordered it for my bookshelf.
Thank you to NetGalley & Victory Editing NetGalley for the Advanced Reading Copy.
April 27, 2022
A book of Greek Mythology?
Count me in!
Apollo and Cyn 🔥💕💕
Count me in!
Apollo and Cyn 🔥💕💕
April 30, 2022
This was…so bad. First of all can authors stop selling their books as tropes when they clearly don’t even know what that trope actually is? Enemies to lovers? Enemies? The main characters marginally disliked each other at best. And really it was just a misunderstanding of each other’s personalities from one event that they met at. Pushing this as enemies to lovers is so laughable. Secondly the couple didn’t even truly interact until 50% of the book. Yes you heard that correctly FIFTY percent of the way is when we got a real interaction that wasn’t they saying two words and walking away. And when they finally did I just didn’t care. Nothing about them had that spark or made you giggle or feel the romance it was just bla. Like ok cool guess they like each other now? Thirdly explain to me why the hell I had to deal with the prince’s sister getting a POV? This is a romance between Apollo and Hyacinth and we randomly get the sisters pov thrown in every few chapters which just kept throwing me off I literally started skipping part her story because what? Why the hell do I care about her? The story is in no way sold as her being important to their romance yet I’m bombarded with her issues that I didn’t sign up for. Lastly nothing happens. NOTHING HAPPENED. I got to 50% and just started skim reading the rest because absolutely nothing of worst happens. I just finished and I couldn’t tell you a thing. This was boring and I would like all my time back from reading. It is safe to say I will not be continuing this series.
May 1, 2022
RTC I always want to read more MM mythology retellings and I was very excited for this one and it did not dissapoint me at all. This book was just such a nice time to read and I really really enjoyed it.
I received an ARC of this book and this is my honest review
I received an ARC of this book and this is my honest review
April 29, 2022
Thank you to Pride Book Tours and the author for a review copy in exchange for an honest review and promotion. All opinions are my own.
Wow I loved this so much. The ending has me shook. When does the next one come out?
This book is a retelling of Apollo and Hyacinth in Greek mythology. However it’s set in a fantasy world and some of the gods are a little different than their typical personalities. Apollo & Hyacinth really don’t like each other from past meetings. When Apollo is sent to live with Hyacinth after failing to ascend to godhood, the two are forced to work together.
I really love what Nicole did with this world. We get a lot of recognizable Greek mythology elements mixed with brand new stuff! Some of it surprised me, and I have a ridiculous knowledge of Greek myths 😂.
The romance was well developed. I loved how Cyn and Apollo are straight up resentful of each other and then grudgingly go to being open minded and finally to lovers. I’m unsure if I’d categorize them as enemies to lovers but it’s definitely close!
The ending seriously surprised me. I’m so hooked by the way everything wrapped up. I can’t wait for book 2/however many there will be because I need answers!! If you’re a fan of Greek mythology or retellings in general, pick this one up, I think it will surprise you!
Rep: White pansexual cis male MC, white achillean cis male MC, white cishet female MC, BIPOC aromantic cis female MC.
CWs: Cursing, sexism, misogyny, sexual content. Moderate: Animal death, alcohol consumption, blood, physical abuse, violence, death, past death of a parent, emotional abuse, grief, past disaster involving fire and fire injuries. Minor: Extortion of side character, body shaming.
Wow I loved this so much. The ending has me shook. When does the next one come out?
This book is a retelling of Apollo and Hyacinth in Greek mythology. However it’s set in a fantasy world and some of the gods are a little different than their typical personalities. Apollo & Hyacinth really don’t like each other from past meetings. When Apollo is sent to live with Hyacinth after failing to ascend to godhood, the two are forced to work together.
I really love what Nicole did with this world. We get a lot of recognizable Greek mythology elements mixed with brand new stuff! Some of it surprised me, and I have a ridiculous knowledge of Greek myths 😂.
The romance was well developed. I loved how Cyn and Apollo are straight up resentful of each other and then grudgingly go to being open minded and finally to lovers. I’m unsure if I’d categorize them as enemies to lovers but it’s definitely close!
The ending seriously surprised me. I’m so hooked by the way everything wrapped up. I can’t wait for book 2/however many there will be because I need answers!! If you’re a fan of Greek mythology or retellings in general, pick this one up, I think it will surprise you!
Rep: White pansexual cis male MC, white achillean cis male MC, white cishet female MC, BIPOC aromantic cis female MC.
CWs: Cursing, sexism, misogyny, sexual content. Moderate: Animal death, alcohol consumption, blood, physical abuse, violence, death, past death of a parent, emotional abuse, grief, past disaster involving fire and fire injuries. Minor: Extortion of side character, body shaming.
April 26, 2022
I will preface this by saying, even with the harsh rating, this book wasn’t badly written at all. The original concept is interesting, and the writing style was fine. There were some scenes I liked, and moments where I could definitely see potential. Sadly, the execution of both the plot and the romance was lacking and by the end of the book I was a little bored.
So this is a story about the god Apollo and the mortal prince Hyacinth. It’s not really a retelling, because it doesn’t follow the original myth, but borrows the characters. In this, Apollo hasn’t “ascended” yet, which means he still lives on Earth with the mortals and doesn’t have access to his full divine powers. He doesn’t want to join his father, Zeus, and be a pawn in the games he plays with no regard to mortals’ lives. As a lesson, Zeus sends Apollo to live with Hyacinth for a year. This is marketed as an enemies-to-lovers romance, but rapidly, this premise runs thin. There’s no reason for those two to hate each other. Basically, Apollo despises Hyacinth because, at an event organized to praise the Gods 5 years prior, Hyacinth was polite and tried to please Zeus? As he should, as a mortal Prince whose kingdom is at the mercy of Zeus will. In the end, Apollo just seemed petty and rude in regards to his initial dislike of Hyacinth. I didn’t buy the enemies-to-lovers dynamics at all, which probably didn’t help me appreciate the romance. Hyacinth was a better character, in my opinion : well-rounded and actually competent at his job, which I appreciated. I thought he was a solid and likeable character. There were a few secondary characters I also quite liked, like Temi, who was great. Ares, Apollo's brother and the God of war, was a fun interpretation of the classical figure and makes a good impression even though he only makes a few appearances.
The other problem I had with Apollo is his simplistic views of how poverty and society in general work. He spends the first part of the book complaining about how Hyacinth is doing political tasks and doesn’t truly understand poor people, not like he does (because he goes around under disguise and offers food to poor children in the village?). At first, I thought this might be by design and would act as a starting point for character growth for Apollo, but Apollo’s Disney-like political views ended up reflecting the overall heavy-handed way this novel approached a lot of social issues. I don’t normally expect my romance books to be a valid criticism of privilege and wealth inequality, but this was a really big focus of the first part of the novel and the main initial conflict between the two MCs.
Notice how I said “first part of the book” and “initial conflict”? Yeah, there were some pacing issues and all those politics issues are forgotten at some point and only brought up in the last 10% where EVERYTHING gets solved really quickly. The romance also has pacing issues. It doesn’t really start until 50% and even then I just didn’t feel romantic tension. There were still some good moments between the MCs, but since there was minimal prior build-up, it didn’t totally work for me. Maybe it would have helped if 25% of the book wasn’t in Hyacinth sister’s POV, who is having her own lackluster romance… Yeah.
I received a free copy (ARC) on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Read this review and more on my blog: https://horsetalkreviews.blogspot.com/
So this is a story about the god Apollo and the mortal prince Hyacinth. It’s not really a retelling, because it doesn’t follow the original myth, but borrows the characters. In this, Apollo hasn’t “ascended” yet, which means he still lives on Earth with the mortals and doesn’t have access to his full divine powers. He doesn’t want to join his father, Zeus, and be a pawn in the games he plays with no regard to mortals’ lives. As a lesson, Zeus sends Apollo to live with Hyacinth for a year. This is marketed as an enemies-to-lovers romance, but rapidly, this premise runs thin. There’s no reason for those two to hate each other. Basically, Apollo despises Hyacinth because, at an event organized to praise the Gods 5 years prior, Hyacinth was polite and tried to please Zeus? As he should, as a mortal Prince whose kingdom is at the mercy of Zeus will. In the end, Apollo just seemed petty and rude in regards to his initial dislike of Hyacinth. I didn’t buy the enemies-to-lovers dynamics at all, which probably didn’t help me appreciate the romance. Hyacinth was a better character, in my opinion : well-rounded and actually competent at his job, which I appreciated. I thought he was a solid and likeable character. There were a few secondary characters I also quite liked, like Temi, who was great. Ares, Apollo's brother and the God of war, was a fun interpretation of the classical figure and makes a good impression even though he only makes a few appearances.
The other problem I had with Apollo is his simplistic views of how poverty and society in general work. He spends the first part of the book complaining about how Hyacinth is doing political tasks and doesn’t truly understand poor people, not like he does (because he goes around under disguise and offers food to poor children in the village?). At first, I thought this might be by design and would act as a starting point for character growth for Apollo, but Apollo’s Disney-like political views ended up reflecting the overall heavy-handed way this novel approached a lot of social issues. I don’t normally expect my romance books to be a valid criticism of privilege and wealth inequality, but this was a really big focus of the first part of the novel and the main initial conflict between the two MCs.
Notice how I said “first part of the book” and “initial conflict”? Yeah, there were some pacing issues and all those politics issues are forgotten at some point and only brought up in the last 10% where EVERYTHING gets solved really quickly. The romance also has pacing issues. It doesn’t really start until 50% and even then I just didn’t feel romantic tension. There were still some good moments between the MCs, but since there was minimal prior build-up, it didn’t totally work for me. Maybe it would have helped if 25% of the book wasn’t in Hyacinth sister’s POV, who is having her own lackluster romance… Yeah.
I received a free copy (ARC) on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Read this review and more on my blog: https://horsetalkreviews.blogspot.com/
June 8, 2024
I was excited at first, but that stopped at the first page. There's no real plot, just stuff happening that doesn't really link together. I don't see the necessity of Epiphany's pov? How does her pov benefit the plot? Also, switching between characters every chapter is more confusing than enjoyable. There's only dialogue, no real descriptions, or worldbuilding. The "romance" feels forced and doesn't come naturally. The characters are superficial, so it's hard to care about them. Sorry to say that I felt really disappointed.
March 15, 2022
A Veil of Gods and Kings: ✰✰✰✰✰
≻ Intro ≺
I received this book in exchange for an honest review on NetGalley. I requested this book because I fell in love with the synopsis of the book. Enemies to lovers? Fantasy? Sign me up.
≻ Plot Evaluation: Greek Mythology ≺
I’d say that this book is a mix of Circe and The Song of Achilles (granted I have read neither yet but I have a good idea of what they are about). I know absolutely nothing about Greek mythology so the beginning of this book was a little hard for me to follow. We are introduced to all of Apollo’s siblings within the first few chapters which was a lot to take in and it made me a little nervous to continue on with.
Again, I know nothing about Greek mythology so I don’t know how much of the book related to Greek mythology was true but it seemed well researched and put together. This is the first Greek mythology book that I have read and it made me want to read more books like it (Circe and The Song of Achilles).
≻ Romance: Apollo and Hyacinth ≺
The first thing that I’ll say about this relationship is that it is not quite enemies to lovers. Their mindset towards each other in the beginning reminds me of Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice. Mr. Darcy doesn’t hate Elizabeth from the beginning but hear me out. Apollo and Hyacinth only have assumptions of what the other is like based on things that they have heard. When the two meet, they have a negative mindset towards each other because they have made negative assumptions. For the sake of convenience, I will still call their romance enemies to lovers.
Personally, this is the most realistic enemies to lovers that I have read. Apollo avoids Hyacinth completely in the beginning. All of the enemies to lovers books that I have read were more forceful with the characters being together. I think the realistic touch made the story more enjoyable because it’s what I would do in Apollo’s situation and it’s not something I’ve read before.
I think that the banter between the two was healthy unlike other books I’ve read. Most of the time in enemies to lovers it is almost bullies to lovers. The two people will be throwing personal blows at each other and saying actual mean things while Apollo and Hyacinth were just throwing small non-meaningful insults.
The transition between enemies to lovers was a little abrupt. I won’t spoil anything but they went from not liking each other to silently thinking things and eyeing each other to acting like a couple. I won’t lie, it threw me for a loop. I thought it was a little weird that it just automatically seemed like they were a couple after the first person made a move but it is an easy thing to look past.
Apollo and Hyacinth have a super healthy relationship and they have nothing but respect for each other which is rare to see in enemies to lovers fantasy books.
Overall, they are probably one of my top ten book couples ever.
≻ Characters ≺
At first, I loved Apollo. He was a bit of a grump and I thought that was all it would be but eventually he started to get on my nerves. Once he and Hyacinth got closer, he was more bearable and actually turned into a better, less grumpy person. He had a small but great character development. He went from grumpy and annoying to a person who was happier all of the time.
Hyacinth I liked from the very beginning and throughout the book. He was a respectable person throughout the whole book and was a moral person which was good for Apollo to be around. I have to say that Hyacinth is my favorite character in the book.
Temi, Apollo’s sister, was a very moral person - even more so than Hyacinth. Personally, something about moral characters in books gets on my nerves. I think Temi was well written but her personality was something that started to grate on me as the book went on.
Epiphany reminds me of Princess Claude from Reign in a way. She is getting to the age of marriage but she isn’t looking forward to it because she will be marrying a stranger. Temi introduces Epiphany to a more rebellious side of herself and they get up to all kinds of mischief together. Personally, I didn’t think there was anything special about Epiphany in the story. In my opinion, she was just a filler character with no real importance.
≻ Extra Notes ≺
This book made me feel things that I haven’t felt for a book in a long time. This book made me cry a couple of times because I got so attached to the relationship between Apollo and Hyacinth.
I bought a physical copy of this book on Amazon because I loved it so much and I wanted a physical copy that I could put tabs in and go back to and maybe read again in the future.
≻ Intro ≺
I received this book in exchange for an honest review on NetGalley. I requested this book because I fell in love with the synopsis of the book. Enemies to lovers? Fantasy? Sign me up.
≻ Plot Evaluation: Greek Mythology ≺
I’d say that this book is a mix of Circe and The Song of Achilles (granted I have read neither yet but I have a good idea of what they are about). I know absolutely nothing about Greek mythology so the beginning of this book was a little hard for me to follow. We are introduced to all of Apollo’s siblings within the first few chapters which was a lot to take in and it made me a little nervous to continue on with.
Again, I know nothing about Greek mythology so I don’t know how much of the book related to Greek mythology was true but it seemed well researched and put together. This is the first Greek mythology book that I have read and it made me want to read more books like it (Circe and The Song of Achilles).
≻ Romance: Apollo and Hyacinth ≺
The first thing that I’ll say about this relationship is that it is not quite enemies to lovers. Their mindset towards each other in the beginning reminds me of Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice. Mr. Darcy doesn’t hate Elizabeth from the beginning but hear me out. Apollo and Hyacinth only have assumptions of what the other is like based on things that they have heard. When the two meet, they have a negative mindset towards each other because they have made negative assumptions. For the sake of convenience, I will still call their romance enemies to lovers.
Personally, this is the most realistic enemies to lovers that I have read. Apollo avoids Hyacinth completely in the beginning. All of the enemies to lovers books that I have read were more forceful with the characters being together. I think the realistic touch made the story more enjoyable because it’s what I would do in Apollo’s situation and it’s not something I’ve read before.
I think that the banter between the two was healthy unlike other books I’ve read. Most of the time in enemies to lovers it is almost bullies to lovers. The two people will be throwing personal blows at each other and saying actual mean things while Apollo and Hyacinth were just throwing small non-meaningful insults.
The transition between enemies to lovers was a little abrupt. I won’t spoil anything but they went from not liking each other to silently thinking things and eyeing each other to acting like a couple. I won’t lie, it threw me for a loop. I thought it was a little weird that it just automatically seemed like they were a couple after the first person made a move but it is an easy thing to look past.
Apollo and Hyacinth have a super healthy relationship and they have nothing but respect for each other which is rare to see in enemies to lovers fantasy books.
Overall, they are probably one of my top ten book couples ever.
≻ Characters ≺
At first, I loved Apollo. He was a bit of a grump and I thought that was all it would be but eventually he started to get on my nerves. Once he and Hyacinth got closer, he was more bearable and actually turned into a better, less grumpy person. He had a small but great character development. He went from grumpy and annoying to a person who was happier all of the time.
Hyacinth I liked from the very beginning and throughout the book. He was a respectable person throughout the whole book and was a moral person which was good for Apollo to be around. I have to say that Hyacinth is my favorite character in the book.
Temi, Apollo’s sister, was a very moral person - even more so than Hyacinth. Personally, something about moral characters in books gets on my nerves. I think Temi was well written but her personality was something that started to grate on me as the book went on.
Epiphany reminds me of Princess Claude from Reign in a way. She is getting to the age of marriage but she isn’t looking forward to it because she will be marrying a stranger. Temi introduces Epiphany to a more rebellious side of herself and they get up to all kinds of mischief together. Personally, I didn’t think there was anything special about Epiphany in the story. In my opinion, she was just a filler character with no real importance.
≻ Extra Notes ≺
This book made me feel things that I haven’t felt for a book in a long time. This book made me cry a couple of times because I got so attached to the relationship between Apollo and Hyacinth.
I bought a physical copy of this book on Amazon because I loved it so much and I wanted a physical copy that I could put tabs in and go back to and maybe read again in the future.
March 31, 2022
Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!
Quick sum of thoughts: I would recommend this if you like fantasy/romance - with equal parts world building, plot, and spice. Though it is less embedded in contemporary romance tropes, it reads a lot like Royal Red White & Blue - enemies to lovers to political allies - but with more mythology, fantasy and world building. We love to see it.
Longer, more rambling-thoughts:
So, to start, I don't really know anything about the Gods - the story of Apollo and Hyacinth, as lore, is unfamiliar to me. Because of this, one of the "reveals" in this book really surprised me - which I loved, and won't spoil, but I can't guarantee that it would be a universal reading experience. That being said, the romance between Apollo and Hyacinth was very, very sweet... and I loved that the central romance arc runs parallel to the relationship between Temi and Epipheny - two women who are frustrated (to say the least) with the patriarchy. I was *very here* for their feminist mischief and look forward to the next installment.
Overall, I am REALLY looking forward to the sequel. This review is spoiler-free, so I won't get into anything that happens (I cannot compare to the lore, so I literally don't even know what might be a spoiler and don't want to ruin any future plotlines for myself, haha) but there are a couple of twists near the end which really caught my attention and made me interested in this not just as a standalone NA fantasy/romance, but as a series.
A small thing: I would barely classify this as "NA" because there isn't a ton of spice and it's not central to the story. It's like, YA + a sex scene (and no teenagers, obviously). The tension and romance is primary, for sure, but be cautious if you're someone who reads mainly for spice - this book has world building and series potential as well. I (personally) loved the balance here because I ended up feeling engaged with their relationship as it builds and am curious to see how it adapts/changes across later books - but I know if spice comes before world building for you, this won't be it.
Finally, I would 100% recommend this for sure to people unfamiliar with the story of Apollo and Hyacinth, but looking for an engaging fantasy romance series. And SUPER PROPS to the author for making the book a reasonable length. I cannot - absolutely cannot - with authors exceeding 900 pages for no reason. I can't speak at all to people who love mythology - so if you're looking for fidelity, I would check out other reviews - but I will say if you turn off your measurement in that regard, or you simply like intertextuality, give this a try! It's fun!
Quick sum of thoughts: I would recommend this if you like fantasy/romance - with equal parts world building, plot, and spice. Though it is less embedded in contemporary romance tropes, it reads a lot like Royal Red White & Blue - enemies to lovers to political allies - but with more mythology, fantasy and world building. We love to see it.
Longer, more rambling-thoughts:
So, to start, I don't really know anything about the Gods - the story of Apollo and Hyacinth, as lore, is unfamiliar to me. Because of this, one of the "reveals" in this book really surprised me - which I loved, and won't spoil, but I can't guarantee that it would be a universal reading experience. That being said, the romance between Apollo and Hyacinth was very, very sweet... and I loved that the central romance arc runs parallel to the relationship between Temi and Epipheny - two women who are frustrated (to say the least) with the patriarchy. I was *very here* for their feminist mischief and look forward to the next installment.
Overall, I am REALLY looking forward to the sequel. This review is spoiler-free, so I won't get into anything that happens (I cannot compare to the lore, so I literally don't even know what might be a spoiler and don't want to ruin any future plotlines for myself, haha) but there are a couple of twists near the end which really caught my attention and made me interested in this not just as a standalone NA fantasy/romance, but as a series.
A small thing: I would barely classify this as "NA" because there isn't a ton of spice and it's not central to the story. It's like, YA + a sex scene (and no teenagers, obviously). The tension and romance is primary, for sure, but be cautious if you're someone who reads mainly for spice - this book has world building and series potential as well. I (personally) loved the balance here because I ended up feeling engaged with their relationship as it builds and am curious to see how it adapts/changes across later books - but I know if spice comes before world building for you, this won't be it.
Finally, I would 100% recommend this for sure to people unfamiliar with the story of Apollo and Hyacinth, but looking for an engaging fantasy romance series. And SUPER PROPS to the author for making the book a reasonable length. I cannot - absolutely cannot - with authors exceeding 900 pages for no reason. I can't speak at all to people who love mythology - so if you're looking for fidelity, I would check out other reviews - but I will say if you turn off your measurement in that regard, or you simply like intertextuality, give this a try! It's fun!
March 13, 2022
Got an eArc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
"We both seem to have an issue with our hearts wanting something duty demanded we ignore."
When I saw this book on NetGalley, which has captivated me because of the cover, I just had to have it. Then, I saw that it's Greek Mythology fiction; I love Greek Mythology, and it's LGBTQIA+, I instantly hit 'request.' And when I got the email that said request accepted, I got soo excited.
A Veil of Gods and Kings is the first instalment on the Apollo Ascending series, and Nicole Bailey did a great job of introducing the characters. I love how some or almost all of the main characters are BIPOC or POC. How Nicole Bailey described the characters in each point of view is outstanding, I love it! She also stated before why little things modernized in their world, and I absolutely understand because I still enjoyed and got captured in this book.
I love the platonic love Temi and Epiphany have for each other. I won't get disappointed if the author does make them a couple XD But Temi said that she's not interested in romantic relationships. So, she may be aromantic. And I respect that.
I swear, I was adding to my storygraph journal the lines I like and/or love from the book, but I was soo into reading that I wasn't able to do so XD This happens to books I can't get enough of, which means I'll be doing a reread to save the parts or lines that made me laugh, smile, and love.
In conclusion, just know if it's still not obvious, I love A Veil of Gods and Kings, and the second book of the series will come out in May! I can't wait to know more about how their plan will come to fruition and how Temi and Epiphany will wave their flag to show sexism is shit. Apollo Ascending is the second Greek Mythology series that I will be committing to, and not stop hinting this is added to my favourite books.
Head to Nicole Bailey's website to see a bonus chapter, what the characters look like, and the pronunciation of names. There's also a YouTube playlist for this book attached to the author's website! (I instantly stalked her website just for those reasons)
I admire Nicole Bailey for adding to the book that the trigger/content warnings mentioned may be spoilers before proceeding to the story when a particular author refuses to add TW because of that purpose. Though, Nicole Bailey still added it for the well-being of the readers.
TW: Hunting, animal death, animal sacrifice (mentioned), misogyny, a father hitting an adult son, blood, death, sexual assault (mentioned), deaths in fire, strong language and sexual content (These are all mentioned by the author in the book)
"We both seem to have an issue with our hearts wanting something duty demanded we ignore."
When I saw this book on NetGalley, which has captivated me because of the cover, I just had to have it. Then, I saw that it's Greek Mythology fiction; I love Greek Mythology, and it's LGBTQIA+, I instantly hit 'request.' And when I got the email that said request accepted, I got soo excited.
A Veil of Gods and Kings is the first instalment on the Apollo Ascending series, and Nicole Bailey did a great job of introducing the characters. I love how some or almost all of the main characters are BIPOC or POC. How Nicole Bailey described the characters in each point of view is outstanding, I love it! She also stated before why little things modernized in their world, and I absolutely understand because I still enjoyed and got captured in this book.
I love the platonic love Temi and Epiphany have for each other. I won't get disappointed if the author does make them a couple XD But Temi said that she's not interested in romantic relationships. So, she may be aromantic. And I respect that.
I swear, I was adding to my storygraph journal the lines I like and/or love from the book, but I was soo into reading that I wasn't able to do so XD This happens to books I can't get enough of, which means I'll be doing a reread to save the parts or lines that made me laugh, smile, and love.
In conclusion, just know if it's still not obvious, I love A Veil of Gods and Kings, and the second book of the series will come out in May! I can't wait to know more about how their plan will come to fruition and how Temi and Epiphany will wave their flag to show sexism is shit. Apollo Ascending is the second Greek Mythology series that I will be committing to, and not stop hinting this is added to my favourite books.
Head to Nicole Bailey's website to see a bonus chapter, what the characters look like, and the pronunciation of names. There's also a YouTube playlist for this book attached to the author's website! (I instantly stalked her website just for those reasons)
I admire Nicole Bailey for adding to the book that the trigger/content warnings mentioned may be spoilers before proceeding to the story when a particular author refuses to add TW because of that purpose. Though, Nicole Bailey still added it for the well-being of the readers.
TW: Hunting, animal death, animal sacrifice (mentioned), misogyny, a father hitting an adult son, blood, death, sexual assault (mentioned), deaths in fire, strong language and sexual content (These are all mentioned by the author in the book)
October 4, 2022
Such a cool story but I found myself skimming throughout the book. will I be reading the second one? Hell yeah, will I probably skim again... no comment. Apollo was described so divinely I was literally quaking but yeah, 2 slays out of 5.. hyacinth and his sisters povs are lowkey boring. why must Apollo go through so much :(( BUT this is so well written ! I’m a little confused on the Apollo being a demigod part but i don’t mind lol, I understood it though I guess?? The book was a semi- slow burn and ALSO mlm + Apollo = perfection
March 14, 2023
⭐⭐⭐⭐. 5
So good. I'm gonna write a full review on this one😌
So good. I'm gonna write a full review on this one😌
April 27, 2022
The book is out now!
A Veil of Gods and Kings is the story of Apollo and Hyacinth, but it would be better if you treat it as a totally new story and worldbuilding with a loose inspiration from Greek Mythology. Apart from the names and some very basic lore, the author hasn't kept much from the original myths and crafter her own story - this isn't a criticism, you'll enjoy the book much more if you don't expect to see a spin of the old myth.
The book is a slow starter for me and took a while to grow on me. It picks up after the 20-25% mark and the progress of the relationship between Apollo and Hyacinth as well as the side plot of their sisters is well-paced and a pleasure to read.
And of course in the final part the stakes are upped and the basis for the rest of the trilogy is set, and this caught me by surprise!
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
A Veil of Gods and Kings is the story of Apollo and Hyacinth, but it would be better if you treat it as a totally new story and worldbuilding with a loose inspiration from Greek Mythology. Apart from the names and some very basic lore, the author hasn't kept much from the original myths and crafter her own story - this isn't a criticism, you'll enjoy the book much more if you don't expect to see a spin of the old myth.
The book is a slow starter for me and took a while to grow on me. It picks up after the 20-25% mark and the progress of the relationship between Apollo and Hyacinth as well as the side plot of their sisters is well-paced and a pleasure to read.
And of course in the final part the stakes are upped and the basis for the rest of the trilogy is set, and this caught me by surprise!
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
April 26, 2022
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley (thank you Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op). All thoughts and opinions are my own.
To be completely honest, I probably should have DNF’d this one. I spent a long time simply trying to get through it. By halfway, I was really hoping that I’d be wowed by the ending. I wasn’t.
While I think this story has an interesting and inspiring premise, I found myself wanting so many more things to be explained in further detail, and wanting more depth from the story than I was getting. I didn’t understand the Apollo or Hyacinth enough, and that made them un-relatable. I didn’t understand their motivations and that made their interactions feel very superficial. The way their animosity was presented felt to me that they’d just decided to hate each other on a whim. Without a greater explanation I felt no drive to find out why they hated each other so much. I got through it, but it definitely made it a bit of a struggle for me.
I also think this story was meant to be a slow burn, but it missed the mark for me. Yes, It takes Apollo and Hyacinth some time (nearly at least half the book) to warm up to each other, but that’s more a result of the time spent following side characters and all the other pointless interactions that happen in the time before they’re finally forced to spend time together. Once they finally FINALLY spend time together their feelings turn to fondness rather quickly.
Finally, something that I wasn’t expecting, and didn’t love, was the multiple POV. What felt like more than half of this story was time dedicated to side characters that aren’t even mentioned in the synopsis. In my opinion, the relationship between the more “side” characters should have taken a back seat to help give more room for Apollo and Hyacinth’s growth as a pair. As I understand it this is book 1 in a series, and the side characters and secondary relationships could have been explored further in those, rather than cramming it all into one book.
Needless to say, this book was not for me, and I probably wont be picking up book two.
To be completely honest, I probably should have DNF’d this one. I spent a long time simply trying to get through it. By halfway, I was really hoping that I’d be wowed by the ending. I wasn’t.
While I think this story has an interesting and inspiring premise, I found myself wanting so many more things to be explained in further detail, and wanting more depth from the story than I was getting. I didn’t understand the Apollo or Hyacinth enough, and that made them un-relatable. I didn’t understand their motivations and that made their interactions feel very superficial. The way their animosity was presented felt to me that they’d just decided to hate each other on a whim. Without a greater explanation I felt no drive to find out why they hated each other so much. I got through it, but it definitely made it a bit of a struggle for me.
I also think this story was meant to be a slow burn, but it missed the mark for me. Yes, It takes Apollo and Hyacinth some time (nearly at least half the book) to warm up to each other, but that’s more a result of the time spent following side characters and all the other pointless interactions that happen in the time before they’re finally forced to spend time together. Once they finally FINALLY spend time together their feelings turn to fondness rather quickly.
Finally, something that I wasn’t expecting, and didn’t love, was the multiple POV. What felt like more than half of this story was time dedicated to side characters that aren’t even mentioned in the synopsis. In my opinion, the relationship between the more “side” characters should have taken a back seat to help give more room for Apollo and Hyacinth’s growth as a pair. As I understand it this is book 1 in a series, and the side characters and secondary relationships could have been explored further in those, rather than cramming it all into one book.
Needless to say, this book was not for me, and I probably wont be picking up book two.
March 18, 2024
4.5/5 🪐
one of those books everyone has to read!
teeny tiny spoilers below!
(writing style was not my favourite and i was lied to abt this being enemies to lovers (it is but not the way i like it))
- ohmygosh i have been looking for a retelling of Apollo for so long but i could not find any in English. imagine my surprise and joy when i found this!
♪°›Apollo: His boyishness is one of my favourite parts of the book. i love how he hasn't been fully tainted by the problems that come with godhood! His nickname for Artemis is so sweet i love it!
♪°› Hyacinth: I adore his character so much! I went in preconceived notions on who he was, but oh boy does this story depict him in a greater light! I don't hear many people speak on his royal lineage, or perhaps im ignorant! His devotion to him family had me awhing and sorts! He was an absolutely wonderful contrast for Apollo and he was great in bringing out that other side!
♪°› Temi: Imagine my surprise when i saw this name. i instantly assumed she was black😂 and I still do tbh. she was just a very strong character imo, but i was so confused why she was mortal! her relationship with Epiphany just makes me so happy to see good friends portrayed in books, like damn, there is nothing better than having a sister for life not connected by blood!
♪°› Epiphany: She was a really cool character to read into! love how she changed as she and Temi got her working on her future! Like girl just needed a change of scenery cmon!!
★ My favorite quote for Temi and Pip was the line where they say something along the lines of:
" " We may only be known as Apollo and Hyacinths sisters."
It sorta broke my heart because I really only associate Artemis with Apollo and I never even heard of Epiphany! It shows that I really didn't know much about Greek myths as much as I thought I did. A lot of figures in the myths are only recognizable through connections and associates and its often difficult to seperate the two 😭
my fav quotes from Hyacinth and Apollo:
🪻""Every day with him seemed to dip our relationship deeper into something I couldn't quite name. It would drown us I was sure of it, but knowing that didn't make me wish to kick for the surface anyways.""
LIKE CMON LET ME LIVE???
🪻"Hyacinth, you are everything. If I'm the sun, you're the sky that's held me up. You've made me feel human and worthy and like I could do good for the first time in my life. But I will burn you. I will cause your death if not worse. And I cannot allow that. So, yes, I made love to you, breathed in the sweetness of your scent while we slept curled up together, and now I'm walking out, and it's going to ruin me. It's going to rip my heart into pieces and leave nothing but shreds remaining. And centuries-millennia from now-I will still bleed for you. But the one thing I have it in my power to do is to leave before I cause you harm."
This has to be my absolute favorite monologue in the book like what the heck you shoulda said this out loud?!?!
———
Now in my defense the writing is a little for younger audiences, even though there are some triggering aspects targeted for older audiences. regardless of that i think the book is completely enjoyable, like i had this down in a couple hours! its such a palate cleanser and its so sweet to read!
this is probably my favorite retelling after tsoa! So if you liked the Song of Achilles, I'd say check this out!
However it is not enemies to lovers as the book may imply! They start out disliking each other out of spite, not fighting against eachother which i would call the difference between real and fake enemies to lovers!
Altogether this has to be one of my favourite books for March!
one of those books everyone has to read!
teeny tiny spoilers below!
(writing style was not my favourite and i was lied to abt this being enemies to lovers (it is but not the way i like it))
- ohmygosh i have been looking for a retelling of Apollo for so long but i could not find any in English. imagine my surprise and joy when i found this!
♪°›Apollo: His boyishness is one of my favourite parts of the book. i love how he hasn't been fully tainted by the problems that come with godhood! His nickname for Artemis is so sweet i love it!
♪°› Hyacinth: I adore his character so much! I went in preconceived notions on who he was, but oh boy does this story depict him in a greater light! I don't hear many people speak on his royal lineage, or perhaps im ignorant! His devotion to him family had me awhing and sorts! He was an absolutely wonderful contrast for Apollo and he was great in bringing out that other side!
♪°› Temi: Imagine my surprise when i saw this name. i instantly assumed she was black😂 and I still do tbh. she was just a very strong character imo, but i was so confused why she was mortal! her relationship with Epiphany just makes me so happy to see good friends portrayed in books, like damn, there is nothing better than having a sister for life not connected by blood!
♪°› Epiphany: She was a really cool character to read into! love how she changed as she and Temi got her working on her future! Like girl just needed a change of scenery cmon!!
★ My favorite quote for Temi and Pip was the line where they say something along the lines of:
" " We may only be known as Apollo and Hyacinths sisters."
It sorta broke my heart because I really only associate Artemis with Apollo and I never even heard of Epiphany! It shows that I really didn't know much about Greek myths as much as I thought I did. A lot of figures in the myths are only recognizable through connections and associates and its often difficult to seperate the two 😭
my fav quotes from Hyacinth and Apollo:
🪻""Every day with him seemed to dip our relationship deeper into something I couldn't quite name. It would drown us I was sure of it, but knowing that didn't make me wish to kick for the surface anyways.""
LIKE CMON LET ME LIVE???
🪻"Hyacinth, you are everything. If I'm the sun, you're the sky that's held me up. You've made me feel human and worthy and like I could do good for the first time in my life. But I will burn you. I will cause your death if not worse. And I cannot allow that. So, yes, I made love to you, breathed in the sweetness of your scent while we slept curled up together, and now I'm walking out, and it's going to ruin me. It's going to rip my heart into pieces and leave nothing but shreds remaining. And centuries-millennia from now-I will still bleed for you. But the one thing I have it in my power to do is to leave before I cause you harm."
This has to be my absolute favorite monologue in the book like what the heck you shoulda said this out loud?!?!
———
Now in my defense the writing is a little for younger audiences, even though there are some triggering aspects targeted for older audiences. regardless of that i think the book is completely enjoyable, like i had this down in a couple hours! its such a palate cleanser and its so sweet to read!
this is probably my favorite retelling after tsoa! So if you liked the Song of Achilles, I'd say check this out!
However it is not enemies to lovers as the book may imply! They start out disliking each other out of spite, not fighting against eachother which i would call the difference between real and fake enemies to lovers!
Altogether this has to be one of my favourite books for March!
Read
July 11, 2025honestly feel bad about how much i want to rip this book to shreds
April 23, 2022
i received an arc through netgalley (thank you Victory Editing Netgalley Co-Op) All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I found this a very addicting read, ive never read a greek mythology book with Apollo being the main character so it was good to read that. Apollo and Hyacinth relationship was written really well and the enemies to lovers served i loved it.
The banter between Apollo and Hyacinth i loved, the nicknames and the little moments of going somewhere alone. Golden Boy was a fave.
One quote that has stuck with me since finishing was
“It reminds you of a sin that isn’t yours, Leave the past behind you Apollo.” I slipped my fingers into his. “A different future awaits.”
I teared up a bit at Apollos confession.
Apollo and Hyacinth complete each other.
Epiphany and Temi their platonic relationship was so beautiful to see too.
Epiphany and Valerian the bonus scene got me! There is something genuine between them and can’t wait for more of everyone
Really good, developed characters throughout. Enjoyed it so much i didn’t want it to end.
Can’t wait for Book 2!!
I found this a very addicting read, ive never read a greek mythology book with Apollo being the main character so it was good to read that. Apollo and Hyacinth relationship was written really well and the enemies to lovers served i loved it.
The banter between Apollo and Hyacinth i loved, the nicknames and the little moments of going somewhere alone. Golden Boy was a fave.
One quote that has stuck with me since finishing was
“It reminds you of a sin that isn’t yours, Leave the past behind you Apollo.” I slipped my fingers into his. “A different future awaits.”
I teared up a bit at Apollos confession.
Apollo and Hyacinth complete each other.
Epiphany and Temi their platonic relationship was so beautiful to see too.
Epiphany and Valerian the bonus scene got me! There is something genuine between them and can’t wait for more of everyone
Really good, developed characters throughout. Enjoyed it so much i didn’t want it to end.
Can’t wait for Book 2!!
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