Book Review: The Things Gods Break by Abigail Owen

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

The Things Gods Break by Abigail Owen

Mogsy’s Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Genre: Romance, Fantasy

Series: Book 2 of The Crucible

Publisher: Red Tower Books (October 21, 2025)

Length: 528 pages

Author Information: Website

I really enjoyed The Games Gods Play when it came out, enough that I knew I’d be picking up the sequel The Things Gods Break. For one thing, I’m fascinated by anything inspired by Greek mythology. And since the series’ mix of modern fantasy and new adult romance hit all the right buttons for me the first time around, I was curious to see how Abigail Owen would build on that foundation.

What I found was a bigger, more ambitious story—one that I both admired and occasionally found myself frustrated with. The story picks up not long after the events of the first book, with Lyra trapped in Tartarus after survival the gods’ brutal trials. Her only way out of this abyssal dungeon designed to imprison the Titans is to find a way to break a series of seals, each one linked to an individual challenge. In other words, it’s a set up that’s very similar to what we saw in The Games Gods Play.

However, while unlocking the seals may be the key to Lyra’s freedom, beating the challenges themselves might lead to something greater as well. As she progresses through the depths, Lyra begins to uncover a larger pattern behind the gods’ infighting and manipulations, as well as her own role in this chaotic cycle. At the same time, the narrative introduces a new wrinkle: time travel. Through the use of her growing powers, our protagonist begins slipping through time, appearing at key moments in her lover Hades’ past. These encounters gradually reveal how long their destinies have actually been intertwined, long before she even knew it.

All these new ideas make The Things That Gods Break feel much grander in scope than its predecessor, but not without a few growing pains along the way. The plot is intriguing, yes, but it’s also very messy. Sure, Owen might be pulling out all the stops here, throwing in time travel in an already crowded space filled with layered myths and divine politics, but it becomes a lot to keep track of. There’s so much happening that the story sometimes loses focus, and the repetition of the challenge-and-lock structure—not to mention its similarity to the trials from the first book—also made parts of the book feel like déjà vu.

Still, there are a lot of goodies that come with the expansion of the world-building. Owen widens the scope of her universe beyond the Greek pantheon, introducing other mythological traditions like Egyptian, Norse, and possibly more. What’s especially interesting is how this continues to blend with the modern world, suggesting a multiversal framework of ancient forces that still ripple through mortal reality, shaping history and culture into the present day.

Character-wise, I had mixed feelings. Lyra remains endearing, but she also started testing my patience in this sequel. After all the progress she made in the first book, it was a little disappointing to see her wallow once more in self-doubt, particularly when it came to her strained family ties and her complicated relationship with Hades. And speaking of Hades, he takes more of a backseat this time, and although we still get glimpses of him across time, I missed their dynamic in the present. As a result, the romance overall feels more subdued.

Perhaps not surprisingly, I felt that The Things That Gods Break carried some of that “middle book” energy. The story juggles a lot, not least the complications that come with time travel. The author clearly has a grand plan in mind, but there’s a sense that much of the plot is busy laying the groundwork for what’s to come rather than delivering a satisfying payoff in this installment.

But at the end of the day, despite my critiques, I still genuinely enjoyed reading The Things Gods Break. The concept is bold, and my interest in its mythological influences kept me engaged. I just wish the execution had been a little tighter and clearer at times, though the final stretch did wrap things up in style. Abigail Owen’s writing has that cinematic flair that plays up emotion and high drama, making the experience so much fun—and keeping me hooked to see where the story goes next.

More on The BiblioSanctum:
Review of The Games Gods Play (Book 1)