**REVIEW** Persephone (Daughters of Zeus) by Kaitlin Bevis

There are worse things than death, worse people too
The “talk” was bad enough, but how many teens get told that they’re a goddess? When her mom tells her, Persephone is sure her mother has lost her mind. It isn’t until Boreas, the god of winter, tries to abduct her that she realizes her mother was telling the truth. Hades rescues her, and in order to safely bring Persephone to the Underworld he marks her as his bride. But Boreas will stop at nothing to get Persephone. Despite her growing feelings for Hades, Persephone wants to return to the living realm. Persephone must find a way to defeat Boreas and reclaim her life.

 Release Date:  July 6, 2012

Published by:  Musa Publishing

Review Copy: ebook

(copy was provided to me for reviewing)

Review

  This was a cold and hot read for me.  For me this was one of the few books that didn't want to make me smack Persephone.  I have always understood why she did what she did and why things were the way they were between her and Hades but the attitude she normally has tortures me.  She is normally a girl that comes off more than a bit bitchy and above those around her.  Here however there is another feel.  Though everything isn't exactly her choice and the circumstances are different, she kind of accepts her surroundings.  Now this could change I get that this is only the first book in a series but I think that the different story and edge kind of captured me.

  Things aren't always as they seem and Persephone has gone a long time without seeing.  When Persephone learns that she isn't just another girl, to say she freaked out would be an understatement.  She thought she may be dreaming but figured she's not creative enough to make up something this fantastical.  So to try and prove everyone wrong she gives her gift a go and things kind of go south from there.  Turns out that some Gods want more (isn't it always the way) and Persephone's little show caught someones attention.  In order to save her Hades whisks her into the underworld.  Not quite the winter vacation she expected but she makes due.  Problem is she has to really find out who she is and become what she is meant to if she wants to be able to walk free.  Lucky for her the underworld has just the people to help her.

  Persephone was a lot easier to like for me in this book.  Despite this fact I still didn't connect with her.  I wish I could have though.  She was a much more accepting person than I expected but retained the stubborn quality that you would expect.  Her reaction to finding out that she was actually a Goddess was amazing.  I hate when people just automatically accept something.  Persephone did well once she adjusted but the initial reaction wasn't calm. Basically she was a good person and her attitude was much more easy to enjoy.  She also wasn't much into needing to be rescued, she was more of an action girl but did accept the offer of help when it was needed.   

  Though Persephone is the main character I think I ended up loving Cassandra.  She is the first person that Persephone really meets and she also has no problem telling Hades what she thinks.  Not an edited version either, she just tells him and anyone else actually just what she thinks.  She is the cause of many smiles and a few laugh out loud moments.  Though not as often seen I enjoyed Helen as well.  Her and Cassandra do spend time with Persephone together and kind of become her Underworld best friends.

  The romance in this one is kind of difficult.  I loved that there was a twist/change in story for this version of the story.  Instead of Hades being the big evil and kidnapping Persephone he actually took her to save her.  Though it didn't make her happy and she basically hated the thought, Persephone learned to be okay with it.  She also learned to like/love Hades.  It wasn't a case of instant love but a feeling that grew over her time with him.  There was also complications that were brought up.  One being the fact he had lived for a very long time and she was currently 17.  This is however the long dilemma of the Gods and being immortal.  Who's to say age matters when you live forever and it's not like they were doing the nasty anyways.

  This was a good read.  It was well written and paced.  Kind of helped that it was a new and fresh twist that kept all the basics of the story for the most part.  I also seriously enjoyed the Underworld that Kaitlin painted throughout the novel.  The way that Hades intereacted with the souls and how everything was run was well done and easily pictured.  I am really looking forward to the next book in this series and hope to form a bit more of a connection!!

Quotes

"Bricks," Melissa muttered.  I gave her a tight smile.  Melissa always joked that she was going to keep a pile of bricks in the car to chuck at bad drivers.  Not a bad idea, but with our luck they would just blow back into my windshield.

I didn't know a lot about crazy people.  Was this the first step before my mom went on some kind of murderous rampage?  Oh my God, would she take my suggestion to smite people seriously?

I studied the two of them.  The psychotic serial rapist was afraid of pissing off Hades?  What kind of a world had I stumbled into?

What could I possibly say to a bunch of dead people?  Sorry you're dead?  Abandon all hope?  Welcome to hell?  Good news, we've got cable?

His eyebrows rose in surprise, but I was used to that reaction.  I was admittedly not the brightest crayon in the box, so people seldom thought I was the type of person who would sit around on rainy days and read books.