Soul Bound

Moonstone Saga #2

by Courtney Cole

The gods are playing games again and this time it’s going to get ugly. Empusa is the daughter of the goddess of witchcraft and the moon. As a child of the moon, she has all of the ethereal lunar powers that come with it. She is beautiful, vulnerable and strong. But since she is cursed by her father to drink souls and mortal blood, her powers will come back to haunt her…Brennan is the son of Apollo, the god of the sun. As a child of the sun, he is handsome, golden, brave and strong. He’s just learning to harness his own immortal powers, only there isn’t much time…In this second book of the Moonstone Saga, there’s an ugly, twisted storm brewing on Olympus and Brennan and Em are in the center of it. Their powers are conflicting, polar opposites. If they can’t learn to handle their abilities without killing each other, they will kill everyone in the mortal world, as well. Time is ticking and the gods are watching. Who will rise, who will fall and who will be left standing? About the Courtney Cole is a novelist who lives near Lake Michigan with her small domestic zoo ( family), her favorite cashmere socks and her pet iPad. She is always hard at work on her latest novel. Other books by Courtney The Bloodstone Saga (Every Last Kiss, Fated, With My Last Breath and My Tattered Bonds), The Moonstone Saga (Soul Kissed, Soul Bound and the upcoming Princess of the Night), The American Princess series (Princess and the upcoming Glass Castles) and Guardian.

Genres: Mythology, Young Adult, Greek Mythology, Romance, Fantasy, Paranormal, Fantasy Romance

203 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 13, 2012

About the author

Courtney Cole is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling novelist who loves to eat your emotions for breakfast.

She believes in the power of blonde hair dye and red lipstick, and that a well-timed smile can save the world.

Learn more about Courtney and her books at www.courtneycolecreates.com

Find her on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/#!/courtneyc...

Reviews

[M. Leighton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the characters in this book! Seriously! I feel so much for Empusa. She is cursed and she hates the person she is forced to be, but there are things she MUST do in order to live. I feel like Brennan is sort of her reward for living hundreds of years in the hell of her bondage. And that Brennan! *sigh* He is wonderful! He's her hero, he's her biggest fan, he believes in her even when she doesn't. He's the perfect man! Their chemistry is genuine and off-the-charts! The writing in this book is superb and there are plot twists and turns galore, ones that I will not divulge so as not to spoil the story for new readers. I think it's sufficient to say it does not disappoint. Pick up this series, y'all. You'll be glad you did.

[FicTalk Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed by Meg

I’m not sure if you can tell from reading my reviews, but I’ve pretty much been stalking Courtney Cole’s The Bloodstone Saga and the Moonstone Saga for the past year. So far, the two series have completely rocked my world with their twists on Greek Mythology. When Soul Bound, the second book in the Moonstone Saga, came out at the beginning of April, I was beyond ecstatic. I could not wait to get my hands on the continuation of Em and Brennan’s story. Go read my review of Soul Kissed, the first book in the Moonstone Saga, here.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from Soul Bound, if there’s anything Cole is good at, it’s keeping her readers on their toes. With that being said, she definitely delivered a total surprise to me. In Soul Bound, Em and Brennan are faced with the task of figuring out how they can be together and essentially not bring about the apocalypse (talk about a killer on a relationship…that would suck). Not only that, but they’re still hiding from Em’s deranged father who wants nothing more than to kill her. The pair start off in the past, stumbling across Em’s half sister, who eagerly comes to their aid, in an ancient world. Through a series of events, we learn that the gods, in their anger, have orchestrated a vicious game to pit Em and Brennan against one another, a game that every time they fail to meet the challenges Zeus throws at them, will result in the sacrifice of a mortal soul.

I loved the plot of this book, it’s probably my favorite from all six of the books that make up both series. I feel like the twists and turns that Cole put in this novel were impossible to anticipated, even though they perfectly blend with the mythology of the book. The things the gods did were things that fit perfectly with their fictional characterizations and fit perfectly with their historical representations. They were feasible actions, ones that anyone familiar with the basics of Greek Mythology, could easily associate with the Zeus and Hades and Apollo.

The characters were also spot on for me. I especially found myself partial to Em in this book, more so than even before. The struggles she had to endure, and the choices she had to make in response to the good of the world and the good of her relationship with Brennan were befitting to the choices that a girl newly in love would make. Add in that she’s a thousand years old, and the choice she makes is even more realistic and heartbreaking. I feel that her character really grew in Soul Bound, that she took that last step to truly embracing her heritage as a daughter of the gods.

I wish there had been a little more insight into Brennan’s thoughts, just because of the many changes he’s had to endure throughout his time with Em, but even so I still loved him. But not as much as I loved Hades. This was truly Hades’ chance to shine, and I was so floored by his constant presence in this book. I grew attached to his character many books ago, in the Bloodstone Saga, and I’ve hoped and hoped to see more of him as the two series progressed. Cole certainly didn’t let me down.

As I’ve said before, I would recommend the Bloodstone Saga to anyone. It’s truly a series that needs more recognition, and the Moonstone Saga is shaping up to be an equally impressive series. With Soul Bound, we get more insight into the intricate, and not always perfect Gods that everyone had heard of through Greek Mythology, we get a dose of history that I feel everyone should have some familiarity with, and there is no shortage of epic battles! We also get adventure, beautiful imagery and a heartwarming romance that is filled with hope in a world full of darkness and uncertainty.

For anyone who’s interested in starting the Bloodstone Saga and the accompanying series, the Moonstone Saga, Courtney Cole will be offering Every Last Kiss, the first book in the Saga, free from Thursday, April 26th to Saturday, April 28th, on Amazon.com in the Kindle section. She will also be releasing a short story collection based on the characters from Every Last Kiss for free as well, just over the weekend, as a gift to fans. I highly recommend this series to you, and hey, the first book is free, along with a short story collection to accompany! So go grab it up and enjoy!

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was a big fan of Soul Kissed, the first book of the Moonstone Saga by Courtney Cole. I loved the relationship between Empusa and Brennan. I loved the instalove story about soul mates finding themselves. I was excited to start this second book in the series, and I found that this book is another good addition to the Bloodstone/Moonstone universe. In Soul Kissed Empusa and Brennan found each other. In Soul Bound they have to find a way to keep each other. This book has the same strong relationship between the two of them and the same horribly interfering and manipulative Olympian gods who try to influence every bit of action within the story. There is the same wonderful Greek mythology driving the plot, and it was an enjoyable story for me to read.

What I liked:

Hades! That's right . . . Hades. He is an amazing character. I loved him when he showed up in the Bloodstone series, and he gets an even bigger role in this book. Hades is such a wonderfully layered character. He's a hottie with a magnetic personality that automatically draws people to him, whether they want to be drawn that way or not. He's a bad guy. Or is he? Is he simply trying to do his job? Is he simply a victim of the manipulative natures of the entire society of gods? I don't know. He's a little good and a little bad. He seems to have an agenda, but it isn't clear whether that agenda is good or bad. In this book it seems to be mostly good, but self-serving as well. I loved the nuances of his character. I loved trying to figure out his motivations throughout the book. He was the definite high point of this book. There is a revelation about him in this book that sheds new light on his personality, and it was wonderful to read this. I can't wait to see the new revelations about him that are yet to come. He made every scene in which he appeared to be a deeper, richer scene. Loved him!

The setup for the next book in the series and the upcoming battle between the gods. In the Bloodstone series it seemed as if Zeus was a hero of sorts. In this book he definitely seems to be the villain. He was horrible in this book -- manipulative, creating challenges simply because of boredom or poor self-esteem, threatening the mortal world without qualms. He made it easy to see how Empusa could contemplate changing teams in order to fight against him. The drama he creates is going to have to be taken care of, and that should be a major showdown in the final book of this series. I am excited to see how all of this plays out, and Courtney does an excellent job of setting the stage for this great upcoming battle. The world she has created here is so uncertain in so many ways because of the goofiness of the gods that it will be interesting to see how things resolve themselves in the next book.

The Greek mythology of the book. Once again Courtney has created a book that makes me want to reacquaint myself with the stories of Greek mythology that I read as a youth. The world of the gods plays out like a giant celestial soap opera. These gods are not completely benevolent, loving deities. They are weak in some ways. They suffer from human emotions such as jealousy and pride. They use the mortals around them as pawn in their own personal games. Their very human weaknesses make for a fascinating read, and I have enjoyed getting to see this side of mythology that makes it all seem so much more easy to understand and relate to.

What I wished was a little different:

The growth of Brennan as a character. I really loved the character of Brennan in the first book of this series. I thought it was fascinating to think about this man who had lived his entire life as a mortal with no understanding or belief in a world of Olympian gods. Then in one moment he finds himself in love with his soul mate, discovering that he is the son of Apollo, and fighting to prevent the annihilation of the mortal world. That could be a really interesting angle to explore in his character. That would have to be a very difficult change to process. Yet Brennan seems to just jump right into his new role with barely a blip. Except for a few "this is strange" looks, he rolls with everything, becoming an automatic strength to Empusa in her times of need. I love this about him. I really do. Yet it makes his personality almost too flat. Had he struggled a bit more with his new role I think it would have deepened him as a character and made him more fascinating to read about. I wanted to hear more about how he was coming to terms with all of this, but other than a couple of thoughts that Empusa had about his recent introduction into this world it is unexplored. If I didn't know any better when picking up this book I would have guessed that Brennan had always been a part of this world. More struggle from him would have made his character even better in my opinion.

The relationship between Empusa and Brennan. I love instalove stories, and I don't mind relationships that speed right into soul mate territory. However, if these relationships do not have any amount of growth at all they can be boring to read about. Empusa and Brennan obviously are meant for each other and have a deep connection to one another. However, they still have much to learn about each other. They have spent the majority of their lives apart, and for Empusa that life is a thousand years old. That is a lot of time to be separated from one another, so there is a lot that they have to learn. Sure, they are MFEO, but that doesn't mean that they can't experience the joy and wonder of discovering the deeper sides to their personalities. It is the depth of love that comes from shared understanding and experience, and that creates a more engaging love story for me rather than an automatic "drawn to each other" reaction to everything. At one point in the story Empusa does something to Brennan in order to protect him that should be a major sticking point in their relationship, and yet Brennan doesn't seem to bat an eye at it. He just jumps back into the relationship as if she hadn't just taken away his free will. It might have been a bit more interesting to have the two of them spend a bit more time working through this issue. Granted, they were in the middle of a ridiculous set of tasks set up by Zeus so they didn't have a ton of conversation time available. However, I feel as if the book could have greatly benefited from the two of them showing more growth in their relationship.

Empusa's struggle with her curse. In the first book of the series Empusa really had to struggle to come to terms with the actions that she was forced to take in order to live. This curse also created a huge stumbling block for Empusa's relationship with Brennan. Simply trying to have any sort of physical relationship was a danger to Brennan and to the world around them. It was interesting to read about how Empusa learned to work around this curse as she attempted to form a lasting relationship with Brennan without destroying the world around them. In this book the struggle is still there, but it almost takes a back seat in the story. There doesn't seem to be as much of struggle as I would have expected after all of the conflict in the last book. Empusa seems to work through it without as much struggle most of the time. It isn't that there aren't plot points where she has to struggle. She does have a few major events in this book where her struggle (Good Night! I'm using the word 'struggle' a lot in this review!) with her curse take center stage. I just thought there would be more of a constant struggle going on than I found in this book. It isn't a huge deal, but I think that the book would have been enhanced by further digging into the struggles that Empusa had with this curse. It would have lent a sense of urgency to her need to lift this curse from her life, and I think that it would have strengthened the drama throughout the book.

Still, with these minor complaints, I still do recommend this book and this series. It is an interesting look at the world of the Greek gods and the struggle for two people to try to find happiness in this wacky system. I look forward to reading the next book in this series to see how everything works out for them. (And please, please, please, please, please find a way for Gaia to get out of the punishment doled out by Zeus. That was a major jerk of a move by him in this book, and I hope she finds a way out in the next book:o)

[Shari · Rating 5 out of 5]

So as I downloaded this latest book in the Moonstone saga on a rare day when the house is quiet and the kids are occupied, I made myself a cup of tea, which is one of my favourite things to do while I read a good book. Later, as I'm absent mindedly reaching for my cup of tea as I'm about to begin a new chapter, I suddenly realise my tea has gone cold. I glance at the clock and 2 hours have passed in an instant.

THAT is how I love to read a good book. Completely engrossed, flipping pages as fast as I can and lost in the book world.

This second instalment in the Moon Stone Saga is yet another example of Courtney Cole's incredible talent of writing, and her gift of creating imagery that lets the reader all but feel the world around them.

The stage is set in the time of the Ancient Druids, and what I love most about Courtney's spin on this is that she creates the story around a group of Priestesses, which are traditionally less common to be focused upon in stories and historical references . The story quickly takes on a unique path, where Empusa and Brennan find themselves not only surrounded by these powerful and spiritual women who worship Empusa, are devoted to the Goddess Hecate and the Night world, but also in the presence of family - Empusa's half sister. What a fabulous twist in the story and what's even more exciting, is it's just the first of many...and definitely not the most shocking!

Of course the story has no shortage of Olympian cameos, and I was DELIGHTED to see Hades take on a much larger role than he has in previous books. He has fast become one of my favourite characters... so bad and yet, so good! Once again I was thrilled to see my old friends Harmonia and Cadmus, as well as Aphrodite and Ares make short appearances.

The emotional connection between Empusa and Brennan is electrified and can literally ignite a forest fire...not to mention a boat load of steam is delivered about 3/4 of the way through the book - wooboy! I loved seeing their relationship grow to a higher level in this book. Brennan, so lovely and wonderful, is beginning to develop in depth as a character and his God-like qualities are fast becoming apparent. I can't wait to see where things head next.

Overall, another wonderful book. Highly recommended to anyone who is a fan of The Blood Stone Saga, or anyone who enjoys a great love story. Can't wait for the next one!

[Ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, I didn’t see that coming! If I said that once…well, I said it lots of times while reading this book. Picking up where the first book ended, we follow Empusa on her quest to rid herself of the curse brought upon her by her father. But this time, she has more than just herself to worry about. Brennan, her soul mate, is a mortal who has just learned he’s the son of Apollo, and he’s also the reason that she could destroy the world as we know it. Their love is explosive to say the least. And that’s not the half of it!

Once again the imagery in this story is wonderful. It’s just as easy to picture yourself in a clearing in the forest as it is to imagine yourself in Hades’ palace in the underworld. The descriptions are crisp and clear. The larger than life gods loom over the reader, their lives filled with an excess that’s easy to imagine. And the plot is so filled with twists and turns that you stop trying to guess what will happen next.

But, for me, the real distinguishing factor about this book (all of these books, to be honest) is the characters. These are names we’ve all heard before…Apollo, Zeus, Aphrodite, Hades…but these books bring them to life. In this story, we begin to see the gods in a different light. We begin to understand what living for all eternity can do to someone. How it could make them easily bored, make them cold and calculating. The gods are merciful but they also hold grudges and demand retribution. Empusa continues to be a strong character but in this story she gets lots of support, not only from Brennan but also from a long-lost friend and someone you may not expect. Brennan is solid and true. His love for Empusa does not waver. Hades continues to be a mystery. As the god of the underworld he constantly challenges the reader to define him…is he good or bad, are his intentions pure or self-serving? I change my mind about him several times within each scene but deep down I cannot help but love this character! This book even manages to change our mind about Zeus, the god of gods.

This book sets up the inevitable war between the gods that we sensed was coming from the beginning of the series. What it will turn into and what the outcome will be is a great mystery at this point. But one thing is for sure, the final book will be quite a ride!

[BookHookup · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, I didn’t see that coming! If I said that once…well, I said it lots of times while reading this book. Picking up where the first book ended, we follow Empusa on her quest to rid herself of the curse brought upon her by her father. But this time, she has more than just herself to worry about. Brennan, her soul mate, is a mortal who has just learned he’s the son of Apollo, and he’s also the reason that she could destroy the world as we know it. Their love is explosive to say the least. And that’s not the half of it!

Once again the imagery in this story is wonderful. It’s just as easy to picture yourself in a clearing in the forest as it is to imagine yourself in Hades’ palace in the underworld. The descriptions are crisp and clear. The larger than life gods loom over the reader, their lives filled with an excess that’s easy to imagine. And the plot is so filled with twists and turns that you stop trying to guess what will happen next.

But, for me, the real distinguishing factor about this book (all of these books, to be honest) is the characters. These are names we’ve all heard before…Apollo, Zeus, Aphrodite, Hades…but these books bring them to life. In this story, we begin to see the gods in a different light. We begin to understand what living for all eternity can do to someone. How it could make them easily bored, make them cold and calculating. The gods are merciful but they also hold grudges and demand retribution. Empusa continues to be a strong character but in this story she gets lots of support, not only from Brennan but also from a long-lost friend and someone you may not expect. Brennan is solid and true. His love for Empusa does not waver. Hades continues to be a mystery. As the god of the underworld he constantly challenges the reader to define him…is he good or bad, are his intentions pure or self-serving? I change my mind about him several times within each scene but deep down I cannot help but love this character! This book even manages to change our mind about Zeus, the god of gods.

This book sets up the inevitable war between the gods that we sensed was coming from the beginning of the series. What it will turn into and what the outcome will be is a great mystery at this point. But one thing is for sure, the final book will be quite a ride!

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second book in this series I found more interesting, than the first book. Maybe it's because I had a better understanding of the characters' motivations. I loved reading about how Em and Brennan worked together to overcome the challenges that Zeus forced onto them. They never waivered in their devotion to each other. The intense chemistry between them was great, but seemed forced at times, because they are soul mates, created for each other by Zeus. The fact that there is no choice in the matter, bothers me a little.

There was quite a few surprises in the storyline that I really loved, because that means that the third book will be even better, I hope. As much as I love reading about supernatural characters, I missed that wasn't a single mortal that I could relate it. That's the reason why I gave both books a middle-shelf rating.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just when i think things couldn't get any worse for her Zeus comes up with cruel and sadistic game and if she and Brennan survive then they get what they want: her curse broken and him a full god. Things turn really ugly after she finds out that who she thought was her father is not that is the reason he absolutely hates her. Because her mother cheated on her soul mate with Hades (major twist in the story for me). So now she's teamed up with Hades and Harmonia & Cadmus join her too along with her mother to take on this huge fight with the gods. Great part for me was them getting married but it low key gets ruined with suspicion when she has a vision but she sweeps it under the rug. Can't wait to see what happens in the next book with her Brennan and the gang haha.

[Tia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall as a whole the book was delightful but the ending kind of made me ticked for even reading it. I know that there should at least be a third book in this installment but it makes me wonder what shall happen. I don't want the hero to abandon the heroine. In this book they stuck together through better and worse but the kicker is, they made it all seem like in the third book he would betray her and love shouldn't be like that. We learn a lot of key factors in this book, like about the heroines father and trust me, it will shock you. We also learn why Zeus is doing, what he is doing. It explains so much that left us guessing in the first book of the installment. Read it!

[Kimberly Schaaf · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am utterly speechless at the turn that this series has taken. I can't believe that I have to WAIT for Princess of the Night...

Greek mythology is something that I have always found so intriguing, and Courtney has made it so much more exciting than I remember it from school.

Empusa is by far one of my most favorite characters EVER and her relationship with her soulmate, Brennan, is intoxicating. One that we ALL hope to achieve some day.

The Moonstone Saga is my favorite so far....

How long till Princess of the Night??!!

[Tatiana Paz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been a fan of Cole's writing since the bloodstone sage....but what I really want to know is when number 3 is coming out. Cause I have been waiting forever.

[Dani Morales · Rating 5 out of 5]

http://www.goodreads.com/search?utf8=...#

[Czarinah · Rating 4 out of 5]

H

[April · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loving all the mythology. Wonderful in depth material. Story is fantastic as well. Very happy with it.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seriously? I have to wait until Fall for book three??? Soul Bound had me laughing, cheering, pulling my hair out and in tears. This is truly an amazing series and is a must read!!

[Amanda Carroll · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really great continuation of Empusas story! However I am a little upset that this book came out FOUR YEARS AGO and there is still no third and final story...