lottieemoore's review against another edition
5.0
Probably my favourite book of the year... I realise this is only Feb. HOWEVER I have read over 20 books this year.. So still a compliment. Also FINALLY a character that isn't 18 years old. Lina is 43 and I'm ABOUT IT.
You will laugh, you will cry and you will get a warm fuzzy feeling. Absolutely recommend this book.
You will laugh, you will cry and you will get a warm fuzzy feeling. Absolutely recommend this book.
kbrainbows's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
morgan_haybook's review against another edition
4.0
Once in a while, a girl needs a good romance with little else to interfere in the story. Initially I thought I was reading a book from the series of "Goddess by Mistake" and I anticipated more danger and a darker tone to the underworld. The comfortable beautiful underworld that Cast created in this book was still fascinating, and it made me reread the original Greek stories about the gods and goddesses.
The reason I didn't give it 5 stars: The book felt a bit rushed in places, and I get the feeling that her publishers wanted the book before it was really finished. I would have loved a few more glimpses into the stranger more exotic parts of the underworld.
So far I have enjoyed everything I have read so far from this author. P.C. Cast is a reliable source for a light, well done romance with great women's characters.
The reason I didn't give it 5 stars: The book felt a bit rushed in places, and I get the feeling that her publishers wanted the book before it was really finished. I would have loved a few more glimpses into the stranger more exotic parts of the underworld.
So far I have enjoyed everything I have read so far from this author. P.C. Cast is a reliable source for a light, well done romance with great women's characters.
readingrenbo's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
dsims93's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
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? It's complicated
4.5
jazzybellz_'s review against another edition
4.0
Rating: 4.5 stars
Summary: Lina, a baker in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is in debt with the IRS and is on the verge of becoming bankrupt. While trying to save her business, she unknowingly summons the goddess of the harvest, Demeter. To help her, Demeter exchanges Lina’s soul and her daughter’s, Persephone’s, soul. While Persephone is in the modern mortal realm trying to save Lina’s business, Lina is assuming Persephone’s position as the spring goddess where she is needed and where she is needed is the underworld. While there, she finds herself falling for the King of the dead, Hades. Will the secret of her identity make Hades turn away from her or will their love be strong enough to look past the body she resides in and into her soul?
Review: I loved the story but then got pretty annoyed at Hades unwillingness to talk about his problems or his insecurities with Lina. Though I do understand why he’s so withdrawn, I feel like a lot of hurt could have been avoided if he confronted Lina about things he has seen. Other than that, this is a really sweet story about how you love with your soul and not your body. Spoiler
I mean, Lina could have died!!
brinastewart's review against another edition
5.0
This is my favorite so far out of this series. I absolutely loved how she took the idea that we have of Hades and made it different and a misunderstood notion. I would definitely recommend this!
trysarahtop's review against another edition
3.0
I kept going back and forth on what I wanted to rate this and I finally decided on the above rating for many reasons.
I tried not to let my view of the first book, The Goddess of the Sea, to taint my view of this book BUT I found the characters to be fairly similar. The personality of the characters left something to be desired. For me, there was no growth or change in the main female character. There wasn't a lot of depth involved in the main character and I found the leading male to be too tortured (I know bizarre right??). The other characters changed very well, Hades, Persephone and Demeter. Lina was just Lina. I will admit that she did change her view point of herself (which I guess is the whole point of the novel besides finding love). But I think she could have gone through more of an overall growth and not just a personal one.
I really, really like the overall ideas that were involved in the book, the twist on the mythology of Hades and Persephone. I think that was done very well. I like that there were other mythological stories told within this one. P.C. Cast obviously did her research and did it well. I find anything to do with mythology fascinating and I think that's what keeps me going in this series.
I kept wanting more from the characters and more from the plot. It wasn't a hook, line and sinker for me. I am willing to continue on to the next book in the series but I'm trying to not keep my hopes up on how good it will be.
I tried not to let my view of the first book, The Goddess of the Sea, to taint my view of this book BUT I found the characters to be fairly similar. The personality of the characters left something to be desired. For me, there was no growth or change in the main female character. There wasn't a lot of depth involved in the main character and I found the leading male to be too tortured (I know bizarre right??). The other characters changed very well, Hades, Persephone and Demeter. Lina was just Lina. I will admit that she did change her view point of herself (which I guess is the whole point of the novel besides finding love). But I think she could have gone through more of an overall growth and not just a personal one.
I really, really like the overall ideas that were involved in the book, the twist on the mythology of Hades and Persephone. I think that was done very well. I like that there were other mythological stories told within this one. P.C. Cast obviously did her research and did it well. I find anything to do with mythology fascinating and I think that's what keeps me going in this series.
I kept wanting more from the characters and more from the plot. It wasn't a hook, line and sinker for me. I am willing to continue on to the next book in the series but I'm trying to not keep my hopes up on how good it will be.
allymuddyorbs's review against another edition
5.0
I have to admit, I was really skeptical when I read that this book would be about Hades because just like Lina, I thought that Hades was just some boring god who had chosen to isolate himself out of total angst and wanting to be different. Actually, the image of Hades that was ingrained into my memory was the one from the Disney cartoon Hercules, which I now know should not have been the case. The depiction of the god here was definitely not boring or asexual. He was actually hot.
I honestly didn't like Demeter's character for majority of the book because of how willing she was to just let her own daughter be sent into the mortal world without any protection. I understand where she was coming from; a mother wanted her daughter to know that life wasn't all about frolicking in gardens and fooling around with gods. But she didn't have to send a total shock to her system by switching her body with another mortal, which is where Lina comes into the plot. Demeter's assignment to Lina was also something that wasn't so favorable in my eyes because honestly, who sent someone to Hell? Granted that it didn't turn out to be Hell, but Paradise, but still!
The progression of the relationship between Hades and Lina/Persephone was definitely the most entertaining to read throughout the story. I already knew that they would fall in love with one another, but the romance between them and generally just how sweet he was to her was definitely something that I didn't expect. I loved what Hades said about how soul mates would always find one another no matter where they were in the world or what lifetime they were living in. It honestly was something that gave me hope for my situations and my life, but that would be steering off topic.
The most heartbreaking moments in this story were the following:
1.) When Lina told Demeter about how she was in love with Hades and Demeter said that he was just toying with her heart because that was what immortals did. That was an outright lie on Demeter's part and the worst part was that she knew that she was lying. That was probably the second coldest and harshest thing she did in the story.
2.) When Lina stepped into Tartarus and the voices around her made her feel guilty about what she'd done. My heart was definitely pounding at this point in the story. I kept wondering about what would happen because of the line about Lina's soul tearing away from Persephone's body.
3.) When Demeter revealed the truth in a rather rude manner to Hades. She purposefully caught him off guard so that she could make Lina believe that he didn't want her, didn't love her, but instead loved who he thought was the Goddess of Spring. And that was the coldest and harshest thing she did in the book.
I admit that the parts after this were difficult for me to read because the events were being narrated through the points of view of two crushed souls that thought would never find each other again. To see what the separation did to both of them was heart-wrenching and honestly really depressing.
But when Orion walked up to Lina again and she and Hades reunited, oh my GOD (pun fully intended), that moment made all the heartbreaking ones worthwhile. The only thing that kept me wondering was how they would stay together, especially since she was a mortal woman. Then I read the article of her death, which strangely brought me sheer and utter delight. Don't get me wrong, I'm no sadist and I definitely don't take pleasure in reading about people dying, but knowing that she died meant that she could actually have a future with her soul mate, as the rightful Queen of the Underworld. The reactions of all the spirits when she returned confirmed the fact that no matter what body she possessed it was her soul that was their Queen, and it was her soul that he fell in love with.
One thing I wished to read more into, though, was the relationship between Eurydice and Iapis. I knew since the moment they met that something would happen between those two and I was honestly disappointed when I didn't get to see their relationship blossom in the story.
Once again, I should have known better than to judge the ending of the book by what was currently happening. I really should learn that any book written by a Cast would end with either chills (the good kind, of course) or tears of joy. I have so many more books to get to, so I certainly hope that by the time I'm done, I'm still as excited to turn the next page as I was when I started reading her books. Truly another remarkable masterpiece. I can't wait to read the next installment of this spectacular series.
I honestly didn't like Demeter's character for majority of the book because of how willing she was to just let her own daughter be sent into the mortal world without any protection. I understand where she was coming from; a mother wanted her daughter to know that life wasn't all about frolicking in gardens and fooling around with gods. But she didn't have to send a total shock to her system by switching her body with another mortal, which is where Lina comes into the plot. Demeter's assignment to Lina was also something that wasn't so favorable in my eyes because honestly, who sent someone to Hell? Granted that it didn't turn out to be Hell, but Paradise, but still!
The progression of the relationship between Hades and Lina/Persephone was definitely the most entertaining to read throughout the story. I already knew that they would fall in love with one another, but the romance between them and generally just how sweet he was to her was definitely something that I didn't expect. I loved what Hades said about how soul mates would always find one another no matter where they were in the world or what lifetime they were living in. It honestly was something that gave me hope for my situations and my life, but that would be steering off topic.
The most heartbreaking moments in this story were the following:
1.) When Lina told Demeter about how she was in love with Hades and Demeter said that he was just toying with her heart because that was what immortals did. That was an outright lie on Demeter's part and the worst part was that she knew that she was lying. That was probably the second coldest and harshest thing she did in the story.
2.) When Lina stepped into Tartarus and the voices around her made her feel guilty about what she'd done. My heart was definitely pounding at this point in the story. I kept wondering about what would happen because of the line about Lina's soul tearing away from Persephone's body.
3.) When Demeter revealed the truth in a rather rude manner to Hades. She purposefully caught him off guard so that she could make Lina believe that he didn't want her, didn't love her, but instead loved who he thought was the Goddess of Spring. And that was the coldest and harshest thing she did in the book.
I admit that the parts after this were difficult for me to read because the events were being narrated through the points of view of two crushed souls that thought would never find each other again. To see what the separation did to both of them was heart-wrenching and honestly really depressing.
But when Orion walked up to Lina again and she and Hades reunited, oh my GOD (pun fully intended), that moment made all the heartbreaking ones worthwhile. The only thing that kept me wondering was how they would stay together, especially since she was a mortal woman. Then I read the article of her death, which strangely brought me sheer and utter delight. Don't get me wrong, I'm no sadist and I definitely don't take pleasure in reading about people dying, but knowing that she died meant that she could actually have a future with her soul mate, as the rightful Queen of the Underworld. The reactions of all the spirits when she returned confirmed the fact that no matter what body she possessed it was her soul that was their Queen, and it was her soul that he fell in love with.
One thing I wished to read more into, though, was the relationship between Eurydice and Iapis. I knew since the moment they met that something would happen between those two and I was honestly disappointed when I didn't get to see their relationship blossom in the story.
Once again, I should have known better than to judge the ending of the book by what was currently happening. I really should learn that any book written by a Cast would end with either chills (the good kind, of course) or tears of joy. I have so many more books to get to, so I certainly hope that by the time I'm done, I'm still as excited to turn the next page as I was when I started reading her books. Truly another remarkable masterpiece. I can't wait to read the next installment of this spectacular series.