In a world where the divine bloodlines of ancient Gods still linger, the Fates—Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos—have summoned the heirs of Olympus to face a brutal reckoning. Sickened by their decadence and failures, the Fates decree a tournament, a web of trials designed to strip away power and pretense. But these trials are no mere tests of strength—they are labyrinths of deceit and torment, forcing the descendants to confront their deepest fears and darkest truths.
The stakes are far greater than control over the mortal realm. With each trial, the heirs are unraveled, their godly facades shattered, exposing vulnerabilities they’ve long buried.
In this tale of divine legacy and mortal fragility, the heirs will face not only the cruelty of the Fates but the monsters within themselves. The question isn’t just who will claim dominion—but what price they’ll pay. For Romantasy fans who love Greek mythology, slow burn, trials, and high stakes, The Rite of Fates series is a story of growth, love, found family, and redemption.
I am an Afro-Latina author. I have a deep love for all things fantasy and romance. I find joy in getting lost in captivating stories and savoring hot chais—when my children give me the chance.
A brutal, breathtaking tale of fate, power, and a love that defies the gods themselves.
From the very first page, The Rite of Fates pulled me into a world where the divine heirs of Olympus are forced to prove their worth in deadly trials—where power is stripped, secrets are laid bare, and survival is anything but guaranteed.
This book is everything I love in a romantasy: 🔥 A possessive, protective hero (Aurelius stole my heart with his intensity!) 💀 High-stakes, cutthroat competition (The Fates don’t play fair.) 🏛 Greek mythology meets ruthless trials (The gods may rule, but the Fates decide.)
Aurelius and Bailey’s dynamic? Absolutely addicting. The tension, the devotion, the way he refuses to let fate take her away—I was hooked. The world-building was immersive, the stakes were high, and the emotional moments hit hard.
If you love powerful, unbreakable love stories wrapped in dark mythology and impossible choices, The Rite of Fates is an absolute must-read.
📖 Now excuse me while I scream about that ending. 👀🔥
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Unfortunately had to DNF At about 70% 😭 the premise was so unique and I was so excited but it got repetitive….yes we know all the gods were vulnerable and struggling with their emotions and their mortals were so strong but did we have to read the same descriptions over and over, chapter by chapter? And there were literally no variations of the descriptions, I felt as if the author copied and pasted similar sentences and paragraphs over and over again. The book honestly lost me with the trial that took place at the dance club (because what even was that?) but I kept going to see if it would pick up.
Maybe this was just too slow for me but I did skip to the end and am glad I didn’t keep reading. Maybe it would have been better if we had different POV chapters instead of everything jumbled all together? All in all, 2 stars for the unique storyline idea though!
I love this book!! The relationships are great and the build up is everything. Some of the gods really go through so much growth and others stay in their stubborn mindset. It really shows how some gods would be in their feelings about humans and ruling the world. The trials that they are all put through are crazy, and of course absolutely love the villainous Fates causing all this mayhem. The ending was just so perfect!! I can't wait to see what's coming next!
The Rite of Fates by Atlas Avery was a wonderful read! I enjoyed the dynamic of the characters and the unlikely comradeship they had that helped them tackle the trials and challenges they faced. The concept of this book was very intriguing and refreshingly unique! Includes: 🖤 Greek Mythology themes 🖤Mortals 🖤Greek Heirs/Descendants 🖤Trials 🖤Found Family
This amazing book was my first Greek mythology fantasy book, and now I'm definitely looking forward to reading anything that Atlas Avery writes!!!!! This has a Game of Thrones type vibe, but with the Greek God twist. The character and world building is REALLY good!! The storyline will keep you engaged and not wanting to put the book down.
Couldn’t put this down! I had a great time reading it. Alexander, Aurelius, and Caius… my heart is yours🫠 I am really curious about what book two is gonna be about! I can’t wait!!
Also, the audiobook is really good!! Highly recommend
If you love games and trials, you’re going to love this book! It’s a journey of self discovery & reflection. It’s a very intriguing spin on Greek mythology. The character development was also so so good!
This book is very psychology-forward and very feelings-forward, which I honestly loved. We’re following the heirs of the gods who get thrown into these brutal trials and each of them is paired with a mortal. The whole goal? The gods have to keep their mortal alive. That’s it. That’s the assignment. And the super stressful part is we don’t even know what happens to the mortals once the trials are over, which just hangs over everything like a dark cloud the entire time.
Also: I LOVED that we’re not stuck with just one couple. We follow three different pairings and thank the book gods for that because I am such a sucker for multiple POVs and multiple relationships. Each pairing feels different, and I got attached way too fast.
This isn’t just “fantasy trials.” It’s very emotional, very introspective, very much about fear, pressure, identity, and the absolute mental spiral these characters are going through. It’s one of those books where you’re not just watching stuff happen—you’re in their heads with them, stressing out, questioning everything, and occasionally wanting to scream at them (affectionately).
There are twists. Some of them genuinely caught me off guard. And the whole book has this heavy, kind of haunting vibe that just sits in your chest while you’re reading.
Since this is book one, you can tell it’s setting a lot up. The character development is starting especially with the two main MMCs and I’m already very invested in seeing how that growth (and emotional damage) continues in book two.
Long story short: I loved these characters, I loved the concept, I loved the emotional pain, and I am 100% continuing this series. If you like myth vibes, multiple POVs, and books that make you stare at the wall for a bit after—you should absolutely read this.
I was constantly finding myself trying to get in 5 minutes of listening whenever I could…whether it was whilst cooking, walking the dog or driving - this audiobook had me hooked.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Rite of Fates by Atlas Avery completely pulled me in, especially as an audiobook. The story is rich, emotional, and surprisingly thoughtful, with a fresh take on Greek mythology that focuses on character growth rather than just action.
The trials are intense and often psychological, and the heir–mortal pairings add so much heart to the story. Hearing those relationships develop through the audiobook made the emotions hit even harder — the tension, vulnerability, and quiet moments really stood out. I found myself genuinely invested in the characters and their choices. My favourite character was Bailey and I loved everything she stood for and how her character and pairing developed throughout the story.
While a few sections required extra focus (definitely a “don’t zone out” listen), the payoff was absolutely worth it. Overall, this was a gripping and immersive audiobook experience, and I’m very glad I listened.
if you liked Lore or Blood of Hercules you will enjoy this. With heirs of the gods battling to save mortals in different trials, there are hints of mythology with divine heirs learning what it is to be human. The storyline flows well, my only issue is that there was little distinction between character voices, so I kept having to rewind to see who was talking, until I got used to it and could tell if Arelius and Bailey were talking etc. it was a really interesting book and I like the different elements thrown in. particularly enjoyed the part where mortality was the trial
Review:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ & 1/2! Book: The Rite of Fates Author: @atlasaverywrites
I really enjoyed this story as well as doing a read/listen combo for it. I am a huge fan of all things Greek Mythology and the Gods/Goddesses so when I initially saw this story it definitely piqued my interest. I liked the twist that the story focuses on the Descendants of the gods throughout trials alongside mortals to see who will rule over the mortal realm.
Atlas Avery did a beautiful job of creating each individual charcater with unique personalities that still held attributes that complemented their Godly lineage. I really enjoyed the idea that the Demigods had to pair with a mortal throughout their trials. A pairing that seemed unlikely to lead to any success ended with some interesting twists and relationships formed amongst some pairings. I loved seeing the relationships that formed amongst some of the Demigods as well as with their mortal counterparts. There was a natural flow of development between many chosen pairs, although some more hesitant than others, which had me feeling invested in the outcome of multiple characters.
I enjoyed the fact that the trials the main charcaters faced were more than just a one of brute strength or powers and focused also on trust, bonds formed, mentality, mind strength, understanding, empathy, determination, and will power. I enjoyed the total development of the story as well as the characters and excited to see more in the continuation of this series.
The narration that was done by Veronica and I felt she did a fantastic job of bringing The Rite of Fates to life as well as pulling me into the story. I normally prefer a dual narration for male and female character or with multiple main characters but the narrator did a wonderful job of changing her voice inflections for the different scenes and charcters even with the men's voices.
This was a really interesting story. As a total sucker for anything mythologically themed, I especially loved the twist on the usual trope...rather than humans competing for the gods’ favor, it’s the divine who must prove themselves in the trials. There’s still an element of humans seeking boons through their involvement, but the larger purpose centers on the divine striving to better themselves and protect humanity. I was a bit surprised that the pacing sometimes felt slow despite the high-stakes, action-driven plot. Still, the emotional growth the characters undergo during the trials is clearly the heart of the story. There are some unexpectedly heavy, poignant moments as well, and the slow burn romance was wonderfully executed. One challenge is the number of shifting points of view; the rapid switches can make it easy to lose track of what’s happening. Even so, this remains a unique and refreshing take on mythology and deadly trials, and I genuinely enjoyed the journey.
Favorite Quotes:
“ Strength isn’t always found in the grand gestures, but often in the everyday connections we nurture.”
“ I used to think the pinnacle of my life would be ascending, but it’s not. It’s you loving me.”
This was a really interesting story. I definitely liked the take on how the divine were the ones proving themselves in the trials, rather than the usual humans competing for a favor from the gods. Granted, this did have that aspect to it, but the overlying purpose was for the divine to improve themselves and protect the humans. The humans were more willing participants looking to gain a boon through their assistance. I was a little surprised that it managed to somehow feel a little bit slow paced, even though it was a fairly high stakes, high action kind of story. They definitely go through a lot of emotional growth in the trials though, and I think that is the main focus. There are some heavy, emotional moments as well and I wasn’t expecting it. I think Veronica Thames does a very good job with the audiobook narration. There are a lot of POVs in this book and it sometimes switches back and forth quickly, yet Veronica does a very good job of making it easy to follow the shifts. All in all, I think this was a very unique take on the mythology x deadly trials themes and I enjoyed following along.
Thank you to Atlas Avery for the gifted audiobook! My thought & opinions are entirely my own.
Premise 3 stars, the rest for me is a little less.
I like the whole idea of Gods/half gods working with humans and going through trials to see who should be the one to rule over humankind. Introducing empathy to all powerful beings was interesting…
However :
This book was way too long for what it was. The descriptions were basically the same things regurgitated multiple times. For example - “eyes/focus shifted” is literally in the story so often I wanted to start to count them all only like 50 pages in. Sigh.
Also the whole “let out a breath they didn’t know they were holding” popped up at least twice. It just felt like I was reading the same thing over and over again.
That being said, I did like some of the characters. I just felt like because there are SO MANY characters it was a bit difficult to keep up with who was who until the end.
I didn’t DNF specifically because I was interested in seeing where the story went and although I wasn’t attached to any characters I loved seeing the way they all started changing bit by bit. The conclusion worked well for the story and was satisfying but unfortunately this book just was not for me.
Not sure what this is tagged with but I’d recommend as YA, Fantasy with a greek gods theme.
Goodreads I am begging you to give me half stars. Work with me here?
I’d like to start by noting this is 3.5 stars 😮💨
I enjoyed watching the characters grow and change and have their beliefs and sense of self challenged. I enjoyed the trials and that we got right into it. I adored Caius and Cali and cannot wait to see more of them. Alexander was a wonderful addition as a side character and both Aurelius and Bailey were beautiful to watch grow as well. I truly loved how the heirs started out full of distain for each other but these 3 grew closer in a way that was enjoyable to witness. Ivy, Bailey and Cali were a beautiful trio and I hope we haven’t seen the last of their friendship.
I will say my biggest issue was I felt a little unsure of the why? There’s no real back story or build up to tell me why any of this is happening or how the world between the gods, their heirs and the mortals really works. It left me feeling a little confused by the point of everything. I do hope to get more of this in book 2 though so I’ll circle back after that.
Again a really interesting twist on the usual books based around Greek mythology and I cannot wait to see more of Caius and Cali 🥰
This story follows the bloodlines of gods and let me tell you, these heirs are arrogant, reckless, and total failures when it comes to compassion or vulnerability. The Fates, sick of their antics, throw them into brutal trials alongside mortal partners. These trials aren’t just about strength, they push the heirs mentally, physically, and emotionally, forcing them to face their darkest truths and worst fears.
What I loved most was the contrast between the heirs and the mortals. The mortals bring the heart, humanity, and vulnerability that the godly bloodlines lack. The character development is chef’s kiss and had me hooked from start to finish. Aurelius, the broody Master of the Seas, and Caius, the equally broody Prince of the Underworld, completely stole my attention. But my absolute favorite character? Bailey. I can’t wait to see where her story goes in book two!
This book was even more special for me because it was my first ever audiobook. Huge thank you to Atlas Avery for the gifted copy, it made the experience unforgettable. I can’t wait to dive into book two!
4.5⭐️ - I really enjoyed this book! I’m always a sucker for anything with Greek mythology, and I felt like this book and story brought a new twist to the typical Greek mythology trials we typically see.
The divine heirs of Olympus are forced into deadly trials by the Fates in order to prove they’re worthy of ruling over the human world. The added twist? They’re each paired up with a human of their own who they must keep alive.
As one might expect, chaos ensues from the start of the first trial. But not only that, true bonds are forged between some of the heirs and their human counterparts.
The world building was super immersive in this one, the stakes were high, and tensions were higher. The friendships and relationships between some of the humans were so heartwarming, but it was even better to see the friendships and relationships forming between the heirs themselves and the heirs and their humans.
I’m about 3/4 of the way through Book 2, and I’m loving that one even more. Definitely don’t miss out on this series by Atlas Avery! ✨
The heirs were descendants of the gods not the gods themselves - the mortals chose the heir that they thought could help propel them the farthest in the challenges. The heirs main objective was to keep their mortal alive and by winning the whole event they became better gods themselves and learned something about the mortals.
I enjoy this authors writing. For me they are an automatic buy. They put all of their artistic and creative ideas into their writing. This is the first in this series. Just imagine the individual growth these characters will achieve.
And can I ask why everything has to have super spicy scenes to be considered good? I am in no way a prude but I kinda like not having a sex scene every other chapter. This had the right amount of spicy.
If you want more writing by this author check out the first book in her other series “The Sun & The Moon” but the whole series is fantastic!!!
I am a sucker for all things mythology especially any and all the include aspects of the greek gods. This book did not disappoint. I loved that the story was based on descendants of the Gods and these heirs learning how to be more human so to speak. I absolutely loved the 6 main-ish characters, their growth and bonds were so fun to read. I will say some of the growth and acknowledgment of certain feeling from their heirs became a little repetitious at times but nothing that pulled me away from fulling enjoying the story. I loved the trials they went through and the fun little twist with Cali. I am excited to see how book two plays out.
Love love love the idea of the three fates the sisters like in the Hercules and all the other mythology being in control of the airs along with a human and the winner gets to rule mankind I am always rooting for Hades, for some reason that underdog gets me and the air of the Hades throne that underdog got me that’s who I rooted for the whole way through and I loved listening to it where the sisters would talk truly reminded me of some of my favorite parts of Hercules and the reason why I love mythology
Wow I was wrapped up in this book!! Did not put it down until I was done! The book is done in a multiple POV, which I enjoyed. The manner in which each character developed through their trials was so well written. There was a touch of suspense in trying to figure what lesson the fates was trying to teach each participant.
If you enjoy.. Greek mythology Trials and prophecies God vs demigods Banter Found family, this book is for you!
I’m excited to jump into the next book in the series!!!
I love books related to myths and The Gods. This was an interesting twist on those stories with trials set forth by The Fates to 6 heirs of various Greek Gods. Set in a more modern world they are paired with humans to complete the challenges.
With some fun banter and a tiny bit of spice, it was a little slow paced for me. But the storyline was consistent and had some character development.
What a great concept for a book … Greek mythology with crazy intense trials !!! This book grabbed my attention and held it from beginning to end … I loved Bailey as the FMC and throw in Aurelius who is just the best … the fates interfering… so well written and enjoyable …
I read this for the first time back in August, and re-read this past week in tandem with the sequel, and let me tell you - THE RITE OF FATES was just as thrilling and challenging (emotionally) the second time around.
Confront your humanity, your inner emotions and find yourself aligned with a God that battles the same internal issues? SAY LESS.
While the story is labeled as deadly trials designed by the Fates, it's so much more than that. You learn the thing holding you back isn't death, or the fear of it, you learn it's that sometimes confronting emotions and letting people see things in your past, letting them carry that burden, maybe be the most harrowing thing to overcome.
This is trials. This is emotional rollercoasters. This is acknowledging your downfall. This is a slow burn of love and letting light in.
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THE MANUSCRIPT - the plot
When I signed up for THE RITE OF FATES as an arc reader awhile back, I knew I was in for deadly trials, mortals vs Gods, mind games of the Fates, and one hell of a ride.
What I didn’t expect was to cry. To find moments of my own life in the vulnerability of the mortals. Or to see Gods truly dissect what it means to be mortal and wear that humanity like a double-edged sword of survival and softness through every moment. It’s truly unique to see relationships and emotions be such a driving force to an entire novel that I found myself wondering what trial would come next and what it would force the challengers to face internally, as well as externally.
Every second of the trials didn’t focus solely on death. It seemed to be dragging the reader into their own conscience and finding themselves in the lines. How would you survive the labyrinth of shadows? Would the crushing waves of the ocean save you or smother you from existence? Would beasts devour or would you find ways to command death with your weaponry? Through it all, would you find allies? Would you understand that winning isn’t always about the grand prize but about the humility and grace you gather amongst chosen family along the way?
No matter the specific trial placed before the Gods and their mortals, one underlying current ebbed through the whole story - we are stronger together than apart.
And it was beautifully rendered. We fell for characters that learned that letting people in isn’t weakness, it’s the pillar of a life well-lived. Even if that life is eternal.
THE ALCHEMY - the characters
Rarely am I invested in every character of a story. Some are mains that we worship or loathe. Some are side characters meant to hold up the main love story. But THE RITE OF FATES does it right that every character stands on a precipice of their own story, their own trials, and their own character growth. While there are more than 3 gods and 3 mortals, those are the main stories that progress and actually develop throughout.
THE GODS - Caius (heir of Hades), Aurelius (heir of Poseidon), and Alexander (heir of Aphrodite) are three men with glaringly different personality traits that mimic the powers of their lineage. Aurelius is sheltered behind tentative smiles and brisk grunts of acknowledgment. Caius is ever watchful, cloaked in shadows, carrying the allure of secrecy. Alexander is brash, boisterous, and always meddlesome. But as they meet their mortals, their entire demeanors change. They confront emotions they have never even acknowledged. Almost like a part of their internal structure was left turned off and it took finding some light in the mortal realm to turn it back on and remind them it’s supposed to be there in the first place. The girls truly are the saviors here - they gift the Gods back their humanity with companionship, honesty, strength, trust and devotion (to the Gods, to themselves and to each other).
THE MORTALS - Bailey (partner to Aurelius), Cali (partner to Caius), and Ivy (partner to Alexander) all come with one for-sure shared personality trait - they where their hearts on their sleeves. Showing the Gods that humanity is steadfast in its strength of person but even more so in its strength of loving others. As if who we truly are is ingrained in who we choose to surround ourselves with. Their humanity is written in beautiful prose, and overall relatable moments that lend a sense of understanding to every passage of their trials. Well, until some twists occur *wink wink*
DOWN BAD - the feelings
The way I’m still thinking about relationships and humanity is never-ending. I’m constantly thinking back to what really makes us who we are - is it something our parents instilled in us? Or is it cultivated more in relationships? I truly think the latter because I find more of myself in found family than I do with blood relatives. And for the Gods (Aurelius, Caius, and Alexander), I have no doubt their found family of mortals (Bailey, Ivy, and Cali) will further envelop their storyline in the sequel THE RITE OF ASCENSION. They all have a lot to learn from each other, and I learned a lot from these characters and their trials. I’ve jumped into the sequel already and will post that review soon but let me tell you - it starts off with a BANG and I may be saying I loved it more than the first! Ladies that love SHADOW DADDIES - you need to meet Caius, I swear to you, he’s one of my favorites. And once you meet him, you’ll fall for Aurelius and Alexander as well. The entire story begged me to be why choose because I’m weak for men that yearn and slowwwww burns!
I really enjoyed The Rite of Fates by Atlas Avery because it combines Greek mythology with one of my favorite tropes: deadly trials chosen by fate. You get heirs of the gods who are forced into a competition designed by the Fates themselves, and it’s very much that “prove your worth or perish” energy. Think divine Hunger Games vibes but with mythology, destiny, and a lot more emotional depth.
What I loved most is that this story isn’t just about power — it’s about growth, humility, and facing your flaws. The heirs aren’t perfect gods walking around feeling superior. They’re arrogant, scared, angry, and broken in different ways, and the trials force them to confront who they really are. I’m such a sucker for the “privileged characters learning empathy” trope, and this book does that really well.
The characters were honestly my favorite part. Each heir felt distinct, and I liked watching their walls slowly crack as the trials went on. There’s tension, rivalry, and moments where you’re not sure who you can trust. Some of them start off unlikeable in the best way — the kind of characters you grow attached to because you get to see their transformation. I also loved the dynamic between the heirs and the mortals they’re paired with, because it adds a human perspective to all this divine chaos.
Trope-wise, this book gives: ✨ Greek mythology reimagined ✨ Chosen by fate ✨ Deadly trials / tournament arc ✨ Forced proximity ✨ Character redemption ✨ Found family beginnings ✨ Power vs. humanity
The worldbuilding was immersive without feeling overwhelming, and once I got into the rhythm of the story, I found myself genuinely invested in who would survive and who would change. It’s not just action for the sake of action — there’s emotion behind every trial and consequence behind every choice.
Overall, this felt like the kind of fantasy that’s about more than just gods and magic — it’s about identity, fear, and learning what it actually means to be worthy of power. If you like mythology-based fantasy with character development and high-stakes trials, this one is definitely worth picking up.
This book started off fast paced, jumping straight into the story and the trials amongst the heirs & the mortal pairings. Throughout the book it switches from the fates POV which gave a overall view of the trials/characters and then the POV from a selection of heirs and mortals.
I enjoyed the development of the characters, the message that was being portrayed and the greek mythology background in this book.
At the start all the heirs had a air of superior. Self centered in power and one goal - ruling over the mortal world.
When paired with the mortals from the human realm each heir had a path to chose. The choice led between continuing with thier stubborn self centredness or lowering thier mental walls to reflect on thier own insecurities and how power & brute strength isn't always the best way forward.
The main part of this book closely follows three heirs (Aurelius, Caius & Alexander) that chose to follow the path of self reflection. Each trial breaking down the resistance of dropping their walls for the females they were partnered with. This formed a connective bond between each of the pairings.
As the story goes on, each heir slowy changed and adapted with every trial the fates put in front them. With the male heirs also learning heavily by watching how the three women (Bailey, Cali & Ivy) behaved towards eachother within thier family like friendship. This comes to reflect slowly in male heirs bond too as they become a group joined by these trials.
This book touched on friendship, vulnerability, grief and that everyone has strengths and weaknesses. But by learning to lean/ trust in people you're able to grow and gain strength from others. I very much liked that aspect of the book as we can all relate to it.
While there was some points that raised questions for me, overall I found that it didn't take away from the read itself.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.