Apart from taking a moment to change into my pyjamas, I read this in a single sitting. It really is that easy to read.

Essentially, the plot to this book is an Agatha Christie style whodunit (complete with classic party games), with added spice and a fake-dating trope. It really shouldn't work, but somehow the sheer randomness of it just does! The plot does make sense, and it flows nicely from the last book even with the introduction of new characters, but it's perhaps just a bit too 'twee' for the world the author is trying to build. There's also a few loose threads, which I'm hoping get tidied up in the next books.

That being said, the character of Apollo is also very different from the other members of the Thirteen we've met, in that he's actually a nice guy! And I'm not entirely convinced that throwing him into one of the darker scenarios would have worked. His working relationship with Cassandra is a great foundation, and his almost constant respect for her, her position and her past is a really lovely contrast to many of the other characters. Even when he takes on a dominant role in the bedroom, he's still somehow soft and gentle, which again works even though it probably shouldn't. However, it does mean his character doesn't come across quite as strongly as others - the author writes the wicked streak so well that, when it's missing, it just doesn't quite feel right.

I do feel a little sorry for Cassandra's character, mainly because she comes across as a cheap imitation of Psyche from book two, just with a bit more attitude. I feel like a little more thought could gave gone into the descriptions of her character to make her stand out more or give her more in the way of personality and individuality. 

I did enjoy how the author managed to subtly weave in elements of the mythical characters to her Dark Olympus counterparts. In particular, the fact that Cassandra is not believed by the majority, and the little hints at Apollo's musical interests. But equally, the original lore the author has created for the Olympians is really starting to come together, and the twists and turns serve ad a really good hook into the next book. 

I guess that's how I'd categorise this book at the moment; the bridging book between the set up and the meat of the action; it's getting all of the people in the right places at the right times so that the next section of the story can go off. Stuff of importance for the series does happen, but the majority of the book serves as something of a romantic interlude, leading to the third act action.  

Very enjoyable, even if it isn't my favourite of the series.