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A review by plumpaperbacks
Wicked Beauty by Katee Robert
dark
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
[second read, October 2023]
The question I asked going in: exactly how Trionysus-coded is this book?
The answer: EXTREMELY. ❤️🤍🩷
No one else will know what I’m talking about, but that’s okay, because I do and I’m having a grand old time.
That aside, this is definitely one of my favorite Dark Olympus books. The snark, the smut and the story are all top-tier, so as far as I’m concerned, it’s a win.
[first read, August 2022]
I went into this hopeful because I adore Neon Gods, but also tentative because I wasn’t as big a fan of Electric Idol. Katee Robert didn’t disappoint—this was SO GOOD!!! I immediately loved Helen and Patroclus, and (eventually) Achilles grew on me too. I liked seeing the two men as an established couple, and how their dynamic shifted to include Helen, even if their refusal to communicate at first did lowkey drive me up the wall. The three of them had obvious chemistry, and a believable relationship arc that felt well-paced despite the relatively short timespan over which the story took place.
Aside from the initial miscommunication, I don’t think I have any other complaints. This book had an abundance of banter, some action, a couple of surprise plot twists, and much more political turmoil than I was expecting. Everything was well-balanced—the action in particular felt much more consistent in this book, compared to its predecessors—and in general, this was just a delight from cover to cover. I was smiling and cackling and even squealed a couple of times, which, in my humble opinion, means Katee Robert did her job exactly right. We’ve had a few mishaps, but nonetheless, she’s become one of my favorite romance authors. ❤️
Representation:
The question I asked going in: exactly how Trionysus-coded is this book?
The answer: EXTREMELY. ❤️🤍🩷
No one else will know what I’m talking about, but that’s okay, because I do and I’m having a grand old time.
That aside, this is definitely one of my favorite Dark Olympus books. The snark, the smut and the story are all top-tier, so as far as I’m concerned, it’s a win.
[first read, August 2022]
I went into this hopeful because I adore Neon Gods, but also tentative because I wasn’t as big a fan of Electric Idol. Katee Robert didn’t disappoint—this was SO GOOD!!! I immediately loved Helen and Patroclus, and (eventually) Achilles grew on me too. I liked seeing the two men as an established couple, and how their dynamic shifted to include Helen, even if their refusal to communicate at first did lowkey drive me up the wall. The three of them had obvious chemistry, and a believable relationship arc that felt well-paced despite the relatively short timespan over which the story took place.
Aside from the initial miscommunication, I don’t think I have any other complaints. This book had an abundance of banter, some action, a couple of surprise plot twists, and much more political turmoil than I was expecting. Everything was well-balanced—the action in particular felt much more consistent in this book, compared to its predecessors—and in general, this was just a delight from cover to cover. I was smiling and cackling and even squealed a couple of times, which, in my humble opinion, means Katee Robert did her job exactly right. We’ve had a few mishaps, but nonetheless, she’s become one of my favorite romance authors. ❤️
Representation:
- three bisexual protagonists
- MMF main throuple
- multiple queer side characters and side characters of color, with some overlap (includes bisexual, pansexual and asexual rep, as well as a sapphic Black woman and a nonbinary Black person that uses they/them)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, and Sexual content
Moderate: Blood, Violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child abuse, Death of parent, and Murder
Sex scenes are explicit but always consensual. One protagonist was previously in a toxic, emotionally abusive relationship, and is forced to interact with her ex on-page, though nothing unsavory comes from it. Violence stems from a gladiatorial-style tournament central to the main story, resulting in some blood and various injuries. There are also mentions of one protagonist’s emotionally abusive childhood, and the past, off-page murder of a parent.