Still not great by any means, but it held my attention more than Neon Gods did. The plot was more active in this one, but it took a back burner too many times for the convenience of stretching the book out so you got more interaction from the MCs. It went with the political intrigue a little too heavy when it didn't really help move the story along. I also didn't care much for the influencer stuff.

The connection to the first is barely there, the biggest connection being Zeus becoming a likeable character (due to the events in the 1st book) and Persephone living in the Underworld with Hades. Because Roberts gives a quick rundown of what happened, this can fully be treated as a stand-alone.

I found it enjoyable enough that I'm going to give the 3rd book a shot. But that one is going to make or break my continuing with the series. We'll see how it goes.