#disney-hyperion

Plagued by recurring nightmares where a ghostly voice is calling out for help, the son of Hades Nico di Angelo must journey back into Tartarus in order to save a friend from eternal torment. But it wouldn’t be a Camp Half-Blood quest if he went alone, so joining him is his boyfriend, Will Solace. The Sun and the Star gives Nico his chance to shine (no pun intended) after more than a decade of…

Lore by Alexandra Bracken

Genre: YA fantasy Rating: 4.5/5 Representation: queer, Korean and Black supporting characters

CWs: heavy TV-14 level graphic fantasy violence, torture, murder, cancer and sexual assault Complete list: [here]

Summary:

Thousands of years ago, Zeus banished nine Olympians and cursed them with the Agon: every seven years, each of the banished is to become mortal for seven days. During this time, the descendants of famous Grecian heroes hunt down the gods in order to kill them and steal their powers and immortality. Lore, a descendent of Perseus, managed to escape this world at the end of the last Agon, but before she can flee New York City as the next begins, she finds herself drawn back in by an old friend she believed was dead and by Athena herself.

Review:

This book was such a whirlwind, and I loved every second of it.

As a huge Greek mythology fan, this world was just incredible to feel a part of. It really is basically like a modern-day Greek pantheon Hunger Games, and it was so cool to have sets of characters that are literal gods or descendents of famous heroes. Every couple of chapters I would just stop reading and think “wow, that’s Athena just chilling on the streets of New York City.”

That being said, I loved all of the characters, especially Athena’s. On the whole I tend to think of Athena as an overused character and I usually don’t find her particularly interesting, but she was so nuanced in this book while so true to her origins, it was incredible to read. Lore’s character was also really compelling because there aren’t a lot of physically powerful female characters that embrace and are empowered by their anger. And in addition to the two women, all of the main players had a set personality that really made them compelling, and they came together and worked as a squad so well.

I was also impressed by the way that the book kept me on my toes. It starts out at a point of anticipation, but once the ball gets rolling, it really doesn’t stop. And even though there are so many mysteries where you can tell that some critical, surprising information will be coming from, I found myself unsuspecting of the major plot twists that really left me shook. The whole story struck what I thought was a good balance of small character moments and big plot moments. We were constantly moving on multiple levels, and it really kept me eager for what would happen next.

The few criticisms I had were ironically criticisms I have towards the Greek mythos in general. There were a lot of characters right away, and it took me a while to keep them all sorted. Much like the never-ending Greek pantheon. In addition, I think the focus landed on gods that are really overutilized, which made it feel a little predictable, despite its successful, nuanced depictions.

And also, we have to talk about the feminism. It’s heavy-handed, sure. But it has to be. The Greek mythos is full of sexism, as well as many other issues. There’s no feasible world that can be created from this mythos that wouldn’t have some lingering remnants of these issues. So Bracken chooses to tackle it head on. Sometimes it’s a bit much, but it also provides for my favorite part of the entire book: the conversation between Lore and Athena where Lore confronts Athena about her role in punishing women and championing men. It’s so complicated and well done and it’s also really gratifying for a classics student who does find frustration in the way ancient women were treated (to say nothing of today’s issues).

This book definitely isn’t for everyone. There are A LOT of content warnings here. It’s definitely a dark YA. As someone quick to feel queasy, there were a few moments that made me a little nervous. It’s got war themes, so expect everything that comes with that. And it’s just a lot to remember. There’s always a lot of moving pieces.

But it’s become one of my favorite books that I’ve read in a while, and I was so happy I picked it up.

Recommend for:

The January-June LGBTQIAP YA 2020 Preview is here! 72 titles you definitely want on your gaydar for the next six months:

There’s a New Queer Year upon us, and so much goodness within it can hardly be contained in a single post! Below are 72 (!) new US and UK YA titles releasing in the next six months, filled with representation across genres and genders, races and orientations.

If you’re looking for trends and landmarks, as I always do, you might notice the continued rise of queer (and especially Sapphic) YA…

(via Book to Movie Review: The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken)

                                      ｔｈｅ ｂｅｌｌｅｓ

                                                           by

                                               Dhonielle Clayton

❝Camellia Beauregard is a Belle. In the opulent world of Orléans, Belles are revered, for they control Beauty, and Beauty is a commodity coveted above all else. In Orléans, the people are born gray, they are born damned, and only with the help of a Belle and her talents can they transform and be made beautiful. But it’s not enough for Camellia to be just a Belle. She wants to be the favorite—the Belle chosen by the Queen of Orléans to live in the royal palace, to tend to the royal family and their court, to be recognized as the most talented Belle in the land. But once Camellia and her Belle sisters arrive at court, it becomes clear that being the favorite is not everything she always dreamed it would be. Behind the gilded palace walls live dark secrets, and Camellia soon learns that the very essence of her existence is a lie—that her powers are far greater, and could be more dangerous, than she ever imagined. And when the queen asks Camellia to risk her own life and help the ailing princess by using Belle powers in unintended ways, Camellia now faces an impossible decision. With the future of Orléans and its people at stake, Camellia must decide—save herself and her sisters and the way of the Belles—or resuscitate the princess, risk her own life, and change the ways of her world forever. ❞

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