Book Review: The Games Gods Play by Abigail Owen
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The Games Gods Play by Abigail Owen
Published: September 3, 2024
Series: The Crucible #1
Genres: Adult // Fantasy, Romance
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.25
Spice Rating: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Quick Thoughts: As a person who has been obsessed with Greek mythology since forever and a trials aficionado, I was really excited to read The Games Gods Play. The story was addictive and the premise was a lot of fun. I just wish there was more character development and connection in the romance.
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Blood/Gore
Violence
Dangerous situations
Hospitalization
Illness and injury
Vomiting
Abuse
Bullying
Theft
Isolation
Death
Grief
Alcohol use
Common phobias (Iike heights, burning, drowning, bugs, and darkness)
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Greek Mythology
Trials
Mentor/Mentee Romance
Hades MMC
Political intrigue
What is the plot of The Games Gods Play?
The gods love to play with us mere mortals. And every hundred years, we let them…
I have never been favored by the gods. Far from it, thanks to Zeus.
Living as a cursed office clerk for the Order of Thieves, I just keep my head down and hope the capricious beings who rule from Olympus won't notice me. Not an easy feat, given San Francisco is Zeus' patron city, but I make do. I survive. Until the night I tangle with a different god.
The worst god. Hades.
For the first time ever, the ruthless, mercurial King of the Underworld has entered the Crucible—the deadly contest the gods hold to determine a new ruler to sit on the throne of Olympus. But instead of fighting their own battles, the gods name mortals to compete in their stead.
So why in the Underworld did Hades choose me—a sarcastic nobody with a curse on her shoulders—as his champion? And why does my heart trip every time he says I’m his?
I don’t know if I’m a pawn, bait, or something else entirely to this dangerously tempting god. How can I, when he has more secrets than stars in the sky?
Because Hades is playing by his own rules…and Death will win at any cost.
The Games Gods Play Review
As a person who has been obsessed with Greek mythology since forever and a trials aficionado, I was really excited to read The Games Gods Play.
I’ll admit it: something about this story was addictive. When I wasn't reading it, I was thinking about it. The humor hit for me too—a little dry, self-deprecating, and maybe a little corny. The premise was 10/10, but it falters in the execution and most of my issues come down to the characters and the romance.
Characters
Our FMC Lyra was difficult to root for. She's an orphan turned thief who was cursed to be unlovable, so she has no ties to the mortal world. Her lack of backstory made it really hard to connect with her because her motivations were unclear and didn't explain her actions throughout the trials. She was constantly trying to save or help people who were literally trying to kill her or, at best, didn't care if she died. The promise of breaking the curse didn't seem to be driving her, and she wasn't prioritizing her own survival, so I was confused about what her storyline was supposed to accomplish. Lyra just needed so much more development to be a character worth rooting for.
And Hades? I expected so much more from the King of the Underworld. He had good moments where his personality peeked through, but overall, he was too bland to care about.
Romance
As for the romance, I really didn’t understand their connection, as Lyra and Hades barely interacted with each other. Their relationship felt kind of familial, so the romance felt shocking to me. There was definitely good banter and humor here and there, but I don’t think they had any chemistry.
So, should you read The Games Gods Play?
Overall, this is a fun read if you manage your expectations going in. I enjoyed it and will probably read the next one in the series; I just wanted more from the characters and the story. Definitely recommend for those looking for a fast-paced story with Greek mythology and trials.
Check out this review on Goodreads or Storygraph.
Happy reading!
Kim
The Games Gods Play FAQs
Some of the answers may be spoilers if you haven’t read it already. Proceed with caution!
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The Games Gods Play is a 3 🌶️ or Open Door. That means readers are present for spice scenes but we’re spared from the explicit details and the author may use euphemistic language to describe scenes.
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In The Games Gods Play, there is a short spice scene in Chapter 88, but the main spicy chapter is Chapter 89.
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Yes, there is a Book 2 for The Games Gods Play. It’s named The Things Gods Break, which is the second book in The Crucible trilogy. It released in October 2025.
Click here for the Goodreads link.
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Yes, The Games Gods Play by Abigail Owen is book 1 in The Crucible Trilogy.