Friday, April 15, 2022

Book Review: "Neon Gods" by Katee Robert

Title: Neon Gods
Author: Katee Robert
Series: "Dark Olympus" #1
Genre: Adult Romance
Page Length: 380 pages
Publication Date: June 1, 2021
Rating: 4.5 // 5 stars

Hands up if you like romance or Greek mythology? Boy do I have the book for you...

I first encountered Neon Gods last summer when it got big on BookTok. I've had it on my TBR since then, but the timing to read it never felt right. I wanted to wait until I was reading it because I was interested, not because I wanted to fit in. And, well, that time finally came. 

This book was everything I wanted and expected it to be. It hit my expectations dead on, which sometimes doesn't happen in a book. However, it also didn't exceed my expectations which is something I always wish for. That being said, this was a strong novel that kept me engaged from the first page.

So, let's dive into it then. The main thing I liked about this book was the main character. I liked our narrator, I liked her character voice, I liked that she was strong but also accepted help when she needed it. I just liked her a lot. When it comes to the love interest, I enjoyed him. I think he's a lot more nuanced than a lot of romance leads tend to be a lot of the time. But I mostly enjoyed him when he was interacting with the main character.

The romance itself was great. I liked how it seemed to grow naturally. It felt, to me, that even if there was insta-lust at the beginning the emotional elements of the relationship grew on their own. And we actually got to see some of that formation rather than these characters just being instantly in love and as close as can be. Obviously I read romance books for the romance, and this one didn't disappoint. 

When it comes to most romance books, I always kind of expect some level of steam to them. But I also have to be in the mood for steamy books and I'm not always wanting to read these types of scenes. I purposefully waited until I was in the mood for this kind of spice before reading this book because I didn't want the necessary steamy scenes to negatively impact my reading when they otherwise would make it better. Since I did wait until I wanted them, I really enjoyed them. I won't get too deep into the sexual dynamics in this book but, honestly, it all was great and very much what I'm into reading about. 

What honestly sets this romance book apart for me from so many others that I've read is the world, the relationships outside of the love pairing, and the plot. This is such an interesting world based in Greek mythology and I'm so fascinated with the world and society itself outside of any romance plot lines. I would probably read a book that had no romance in it that was set in this world purely because it fascinates me so much.

The plot itself was a little similar to some romance books but because of the way the world and society are set up, it seemed unique while reading it. Even if looking back it has familiar elements, the way it was done for me was unique as someone who doesn't read a lot of dark romance or mafia romances. If I read more of this type of romance, which I always enjoy but don't reach for nonstop, I would probably have found the plot a little less original. But, because I don't read this as often it was perfect. 

Additionally, the characters had relationships (friends, family, etc) outside of the main romance pairing and it was nice to see these explored and discussed. I think not only did it add depth to this book, but it also made me care about the characters that we're going to be seeing featured in future books set in this world. 

Overall, this book was great. I was sucked in from the first page and read it in one sitting. I loved the world and enjoyed the characters a lot. I am excited to see how the rest of the series goes and can only hope that they are as good, if not better, than this first book. 



Thanks for reading!
xoxo
Lauren



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