The Crucible Books 1 & 2

Brief premise
Lyra competes as Hades' champion in a deadly contest run by the gods in book one, and in book two she faces more danger trapped in Tartarus. Across both books, the trials are the way into a much bigger story about power, loyalty, and what the gods ask of mortals.

My take
I'm a big fan of mythology and magic, so I was quick to add this to my TBR. I stayed with the books for the smartass heroine, gods with actual personalities, and relationships that made the danger matter.

Characters
Across The Games Gods Play and The Things Gods Break, Hades is a god who would burn down heaven and earth to get to Lyra. His devotion is obsession, and because we get his POV, we understand his motives and commitment at a deep level. That is what makes their chemistry work. It starts when he picks her as his champion, and by book two he is ready to bury the gods who want her dead. The people around Lyra start to feel like a found family, but it is Hades and Lyra who kept me reading.

What worked
Political intrigue paired with snarky and smartass gods kept my attention through the first two books. The continuously escalating complexity and high emotional stakes make these books hard to put down.

Read it if
For readers who like the idea of a mythological Hunger Games with a heroine who gives as good as she gets and a romance that takes its time. The next book in the series will be released soon, and you can bet that I've preordered it.

Written in the reader's own words and published by the reader.