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Shifted Fates #3
Fatal Goddess
Cole made the ultimate sacrifice to save me… but I’m not letting him go that easily.
All my life, the only thing I ever wanted was to belong–and then I found him, in my afterlife. A male who infuriated me with his taunts and secret-keeping yet won both my heart and my wolf’s. If he thinks I’ll let him go that easily, he’s wrong. Even if I have to travel to the deepest pits of Tartarus and sell my soul to get him back, I will have him by my side again. Or there’ll be Hell to pay… [Full blurb to come]
All my life, the only thing I ever wanted was to belong–and then I found him, in my afterlife. A male who infuriated me with his taunts and secret-keeping yet won both my heart and my wolf’s. If he thinks I’ll let him go that easily, he’s wrong. Even if I have to travel to the deepest pits of Tartarus and sell my soul to get him back, I will have him by my side again. Or there’ll be Hell to pay… [Full blurb to come]
287 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 11, 2024
736 people are currently reading
3164 people want to read
About the author
Vasilisa Drake
13 books697 followersVasilisa Drake is based in New England and is constantly bouncing from city to city while she tries to find her home amidst overpriced rental apartments. Forsaken Mate is Vasilisa Drake's debut, though she's written contemporary romance under another name for several years. Fantasy romance is her first love, closely followed by pet dragons and men who are obsessed with their women. She can be found staying up way too late reading, organizing her bookshelf for the millionth time, and winning the imaginary arguments in her head at least 30% of the time.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 145 reviews
March 18, 2024
I don't think I can describe how much I loved this trilogy. Though it started as a standard rejected mates story it became soomething else. Congratulations to the author for marrying the Hades and Persephone story (which is one of my favorites myths) with the wolf shifters. I was cut into pieces and glued together several times throughout this story. It has fated mates, fantasy world building, action, love, friendship, loyalty, angst, anything you can imagine.
May 28, 2024
was it below average? YES! did i skim the last 25% of this book? also yes!
October 16, 2025
It wasn’t as good as the previous two books — it was full of tension and trails, felt rushed and boring. Total disappointment..
February 3, 2025
So this FMC is in my top 5 heroines that I do not like. She is immature and selfish with tunnel vision masked as loyalty.
January 11, 2024
I received an arc and am voluntarily leaving a review ✨
Wow, what a beautiful ending. I absolutely loved Cole and Avery’s story throughout this whole series. The cliff hanger in the second book was absolutely worth the wait because Avery’s wrath and determination to get her man back was admirable! The trials, banter, and fantasy elements make this the perfect book for a romnatasy reader & it has just the perfect amount of spice. Cole is swoon worthy throughout the whole series but Fatal Goddess brought him to another level 🥵
“Because if Cole can’t kill him, I can”
I am sad to see this series and world come to an end, but i can’t wait to see what else Vasilisa has in store for us readers. I have no doubt she will enthrall me with another beautiful magical world.
Wow, what a beautiful ending. I absolutely loved Cole and Avery’s story throughout this whole series. The cliff hanger in the second book was absolutely worth the wait because Avery’s wrath and determination to get her man back was admirable! The trials, banter, and fantasy elements make this the perfect book for a romnatasy reader & it has just the perfect amount of spice. Cole is swoon worthy throughout the whole series but Fatal Goddess brought him to another level 🥵
“Because if Cole can’t kill him, I can”
I am sad to see this series and world come to an end, but i can’t wait to see what else Vasilisa has in store for us readers. I have no doubt she will enthrall me with another beautiful magical world.
January 1, 2024
I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The writing in the series is amazing. It was a great ending to the series. I wish the would be more books in this series. The way that the author writes is great. When reading I felt like I was in the scene she was describing. From what the characters were seeing, smelling and feeling the details are amazing. Avery is definitely a fighter and doesn't let anything stand in her way. She shows her strength in this book and how much she loves Cole. All the work she had to do to get what she wanted shows. I wish I could read this book and series for a first time all over again.
The writing in the series is amazing. It was a great ending to the series. I wish the would be more books in this series. The way that the author writes is great. When reading I felt like I was in the scene she was describing. From what the characters were seeing, smelling and feeling the details are amazing. Avery is definitely a fighter and doesn't let anything stand in her way. She shows her strength in this book and how much she loves Cole. All the work she had to do to get what she wanted shows. I wish I could read this book and series for a first time all over again.
November 3, 2025
Significantly better than book 2. Happy with how the series wrapped up.
April 19, 2025
It was alright.
It didn't work for me. I picked up the series not knowing it was a Hade - Persephonie retelling. The shifter + H-P just didn't work. The FMC didn't make one good choice. The plot pivoted around her terrible choices.
It didn't work for me. I picked up the series not knowing it was a Hade - Persephonie retelling. The shifter + H-P just didn't work. The FMC didn't make one good choice. The plot pivoted around her terrible choices.
February 19, 2024
WENT INTO THIS BLIND, AND I FREAKING LOVED IT! Obviously, I missed out the final note in the blurb claiming this as a shifter-hades and persephone romance. Doesn't that just sound remarkably exciting or the worse combination ever?! Well, you be the judge.
THIS REVIEW IS BASED ON THE ENTIRE TRILOGY.
*May contain teensy spoilers*
This author's new for me, and I found the story to be vastly entertaining - with the right amount of ups and downs. The heroine being a past reincarnation and having lost her memories would be the reason why you'll pick up the next book after every cliffhanger.
COLE/HADES - I won't review much about him because he's like an NPC who's entire purpose was to love and devote himself to our heroine. Frankly, that's all he does. He's possessive, protective, talented, hot and good in bed. You're welcome. I just explained him in a nutshell, and don't worry, he wasn't too bland a character. His purpose was to keep the story going by withholding plenty of information from Avery (and us) so that we'll be glued to our seats - as annoying/frustrating as that sounds.
My only comment is, as the King of Hell, why wasn't Cole all-powerful? Technically, their whole lives were wrecked because of THAT ONE PERSON who thirsted for power. The fact that he's the King of Hell but yet was later thrown into Tartarus to atone for Avery's mistake, well, I thought he had more power to get himself out of that predicament.
AVERY was the main character whom we will experience the journey of pain, betrayal, growth, love and plenty of understanding with. I was thrown into a loop when her story started off as a weak shifter rejected by her mate, and then she was killed and went to hell. Now a shade, she ended up in Cole's castle, where she learns plenty of new things about herself - her wolf, her power and her unholy attraction to the asshole who owns the place. Naturally, there was the BIG QUESTION MARK OF WHO Cole was too. There were just plenty of question marks that drove the plot.
While Avery trains with Cole, she also learns that she has witchy powers, and eventually unravels the secrets of her past - one that Cole was very reluctant to divulge to the point where he hid it from her. I'm certain not many readers would be pleased with his actions/reasonings at times, even I felt that he could have better protected her had he told her the truth, and not just shoulder the burden on his own. Aren't Kings and Queens supposed to rule as one?
OVERALL know that SHIFTED FATES was enjoyable, passionate, fun and definitely had me till the end. Was it cliche? At least for me, it wasn't. I found it entirely refreshing how we got to enjoy everything in one book - shifters, hades and persephone, a little hocus-pocus and maybe Greek mythology. You'll never know what you're going to get.
ONE THING'S FOR SURE, BORING WOULD BE THE LAST ADJECTIVE ANYONE CAN USE TO DESCRIBE THIS SERIES. If you feel otherwise, then I'm sorry our tastes are so diverse.
THIS REVIEW IS BASED ON THE ENTIRE TRILOGY.
*May contain teensy spoilers*
This author's new for me, and I found the story to be vastly entertaining - with the right amount of ups and downs. The heroine being a past reincarnation and having lost her memories would be the reason why you'll pick up the next book after every cliffhanger.
COLE/HADES - I won't review much about him because he's like an NPC who's entire purpose was to love and devote himself to our heroine. Frankly, that's all he does. He's possessive, protective, talented, hot and good in bed. You're welcome. I just explained him in a nutshell, and don't worry, he wasn't too bland a character. His purpose was to keep the story going by withholding plenty of information from Avery (and us) so that we'll be glued to our seats - as annoying/frustrating as that sounds.
My only comment is, as the King of Hell, why wasn't Cole all-powerful? Technically, their whole lives were wrecked because of THAT ONE PERSON who thirsted for power. The fact that he's the King of Hell but yet was later thrown into Tartarus to atone for Avery's mistake, well, I thought he had more power to get himself out of that predicament.
AVERY was the main character whom we will experience the journey of pain, betrayal, growth, love and plenty of understanding with. I was thrown into a loop when her story started off as a weak shifter rejected by her mate, and then she was killed and went to hell. Now a shade, she ended up in Cole's castle, where she learns plenty of new things about herself - her wolf, her power and her unholy attraction to the asshole who owns the place. Naturally, there was the BIG QUESTION MARK OF WHO Cole was too. There were just plenty of question marks that drove the plot.
While Avery trains with Cole, she also learns that she has witchy powers, and eventually unravels the secrets of her past - one that Cole was very reluctant to divulge to the point where he hid it from her. I'm certain not many readers would be pleased with his actions/reasonings at times, even I felt that he could have better protected her had he told her the truth, and not just shoulder the burden on his own. Aren't Kings and Queens supposed to rule as one?
OVERALL know that SHIFTED FATES was enjoyable, passionate, fun and definitely had me till the end. Was it cliche? At least for me, it wasn't. I found it entirely refreshing how we got to enjoy everything in one book - shifters, hades and persephone, a little hocus-pocus and maybe Greek mythology. You'll never know what you're going to get.
ONE THING'S FOR SURE, BORING WOULD BE THE LAST ADJECTIVE ANYONE CAN USE TO DESCRIBE THIS SERIES. If you feel otherwise, then I'm sorry our tastes are so diverse.
September 18, 2024
I had been enjoying the story up to this point, but honestly? This last book felt SO rushed!!
10 chapters in, she had been to the Tartarus, found her mate, rescued him, bought him back to land, and there was no lasting damage or affects, she just waltzed in with no objection from the ruler of the “pits” and found him no bother? This is suppose to be Tartarus, this is suppose to be where souls go to be tortured, where time stand stills as souls are tortured continually and Avery just waltzed in no bother, found Cole no bother, then bought him back to Hell no bother?
Then ohhh they got married, again in the same book, then they had to save all the realms with the 3 trials, again all in the same book. By about 50% it was all wrapped up with nowhere else to go…Author decided at this point lots and lots of sex was suddenly needed in the book/plot
Nearly every other page they were having sex off some description, it just felt so forced, so rushed and honestly felt like it had been written by somebody completely different with the sudden path, sudden rush this book was now taking.
So not only did she rescue him, they got married, then they managed to partake in 3 trials for all off the realms, and she also managed to make it back down to the pits to rescue all the souls she’d managed to not save previously? It was ridiculous and on my eyes really ruined the pacing, the storyline and the world building we’d had in the first two books.
You can tell this book was rushed as well, there was SO many grammatical errors, wrong spelling, wording and spacing being wrong, like how can this be available to buy but have so many errors in it. The demon went from calling her “Love” all the time to suddenly “Dove”
Cole felt her in between her folders (as opposed to folds)
Like honestly SO many errors, we then had the usual of referring to her vagina as her sex, the only thing worse is “mound”
Honestly it ruined it for me after this, it was rushed in both storyline, too many spelling errors, spacing, grammar etc etc just wasn’t worth the time I had spent previously.
It’s not a bad retelling of Hades and Persephone, but there’s better out there, with better pacing, better story telling and less spelling/grammar errors.
How they haven’t been picked up I’ll never know especially going from calling someone Love constantly to then “dove” it’s so laughable, but not as bad as moist folders 😂😂
10 chapters in, she had been to the Tartarus, found her mate, rescued him, bought him back to land, and there was no lasting damage or affects, she just waltzed in with no objection from the ruler of the “pits” and found him no bother? This is suppose to be Tartarus, this is suppose to be where souls go to be tortured, where time stand stills as souls are tortured continually and Avery just waltzed in no bother, found Cole no bother, then bought him back to Hell no bother?
Then ohhh they got married, again in the same book, then they had to save all the realms with the 3 trials, again all in the same book. By about 50% it was all wrapped up with nowhere else to go…Author decided at this point lots and lots of sex was suddenly needed in the book/plot
Nearly every other page they were having sex off some description, it just felt so forced, so rushed and honestly felt like it had been written by somebody completely different with the sudden path, sudden rush this book was now taking.
So not only did she rescue him, they got married, then they managed to partake in 3 trials for all off the realms, and she also managed to make it back down to the pits to rescue all the souls she’d managed to not save previously? It was ridiculous and on my eyes really ruined the pacing, the storyline and the world building we’d had in the first two books.
You can tell this book was rushed as well, there was SO many grammatical errors, wrong spelling, wording and spacing being wrong, like how can this be available to buy but have so many errors in it. The demon went from calling her “Love” all the time to suddenly “Dove”
Cole felt her in between her folders (as opposed to folds)
Like honestly SO many errors, we then had the usual of referring to her vagina as her sex, the only thing worse is “mound”
Honestly it ruined it for me after this, it was rushed in both storyline, too many spelling errors, spacing, grammar etc etc just wasn’t worth the time I had spent previously.
It’s not a bad retelling of Hades and Persephone, but there’s better out there, with better pacing, better story telling and less spelling/grammar errors.
How they haven’t been picked up I’ll never know especially going from calling someone Love constantly to then “dove” it’s so laughable, but not as bad as moist folders 😂😂
March 6, 2024
DNF at 59%. This trilogy could have been a single book - and a short one at that. I would have expected the characters to gain knowledge and get smarter as the story evolved, but both MCs were making dumber decisions in this book than they did in previous ones. "Oh, this evil baddie who has been trapped for 1000s of years wants to meet up in her realm where she has the most power? Yeah, that sounds legit. Let me just rush off to do that." ::insert eye roll here::
I was curious about the backstory of the characters and the romance portion of the story kept me reading, but frankly these two are too stupid to live. I have no desire to continue to watch them make asinine decisions and get tortured as a result.
DNF (1.5 out of 5)
I was curious about the backstory of the characters and the romance portion of the story kept me reading, but frankly these two are too stupid to live. I have no desire to continue to watch them make asinine decisions and get tortured as a result.
DNF (1.5 out of 5)
October 26, 2025
I honestly think this book could have been so much more. I’m honestly sad about how disappointed I am because this series was so promising.
It feels like the author started it, got tired of it, and then rushed the last one to be done with it.
Avery needs to get the Mantle of Hell to become the Queen now that Cole is gone. Seems like a proper quest, no? No. She gets it 39 pages in. The ‘trials’ to get it last a whopping two short chapters. Changing my daughters diaper is more of a challenge than those trials were.
Next, she needs to free Cole from Tartarus. Getting the mantle was kind of her destiny, but getting someone out of the pits? IMPOSSIBLE… Except for Avery. Not only does she find the entrance to Tartarus as easily as I find my way to the fridge when I’m bored, she finds Cole and gets back out with him just 17 pages later.
I must admit the part about the trials with the Moon Goddess got a bit better. Still I think there was a lot more potential there.
There was a decent build-up in the final trial, but then as soon as Avery succeeds in shifting, the battle is over. It’s the damn Moon Goddess, supposedly one of the most powerful beings in all of the realms, and she goes down without fighting back in a way that I can only describe as anticlimactic. As soon as the tables start turning, they flip entirely.
Also, something that just kind of annoyed me throughout the book: Avery overheard Hecate call Cole Hades in the previous book. During the trials for the Mantle when she saw Persephone, Persephone did the same. But Avery seems to ignore that. Doesn’t flinch, doesn’t budge, doesn’t ask and just keeps calling him Cole. I suppose she doesn’t know who ‘Hades’ is, having grown up in her pack where she was only taught wolf lore, but if someone suddenly called the love of my life by a different name, I would ask questions. And even after she gets all the memories of her previous life back, she keeps calling him Cole and it’s never explained why he took that name.
This book is a perfect example of a great premise with a poor execution.
I feel like this could have been two books with how much was happening: the first one for finding the Mantle and rescuing Cole, and a second one for the trials.
There was just too much happening too quickly, and it made everything seem way too easy for Avery. Nothing was really suspenseful, because when something bad happened to one of the characters you already knew it would be resolved again within the next two chapters.
The only character I actually cared about was Cole. I liked Avery at first despite her naivety, but in this book she just started annoying me so much - even though she did start growing on me again toward the second part and end of the book. There was hardly any depth to any of the other characters besides maybe Daphne - though it did make me smile when Hector returned to the realm of the living.
I did quite like the ending, but if I take everything into consideration, I really can’t give more than two stars for this one - even though I want to give three because two seems so harsh.
There were just too many questions left unanswered for a series finale, and I can’t ignore that the first half of the book made me feel I was reading a badly written fanfic on Wattpad.
It feels like the author started it, got tired of it, and then rushed the last one to be done with it.
Avery needs to get the Mantle of Hell to become the Queen now that Cole is gone. Seems like a proper quest, no? No. She gets it 39 pages in. The ‘trials’ to get it last a whopping two short chapters. Changing my daughters diaper is more of a challenge than those trials were.
Next, she needs to free Cole from Tartarus. Getting the mantle was kind of her destiny, but getting someone out of the pits? IMPOSSIBLE… Except for Avery. Not only does she find the entrance to Tartarus as easily as I find my way to the fridge when I’m bored, she finds Cole and gets back out with him just 17 pages later.
I must admit the part about the trials with the Moon Goddess got a bit better. Still I think there was a lot more potential there.
There was a decent build-up in the final trial, but then as soon as Avery succeeds in shifting, the battle is over. It’s the damn Moon Goddess, supposedly one of the most powerful beings in all of the realms, and she goes down without fighting back in a way that I can only describe as anticlimactic. As soon as the tables start turning, they flip entirely.
Also, something that just kind of annoyed me throughout the book: Avery overheard Hecate call Cole Hades in the previous book. During the trials for the Mantle when she saw Persephone, Persephone did the same. But Avery seems to ignore that. Doesn’t flinch, doesn’t budge, doesn’t ask and just keeps calling him Cole. I suppose she doesn’t know who ‘Hades’ is, having grown up in her pack where she was only taught wolf lore, but if someone suddenly called the love of my life by a different name, I would ask questions. And even after she gets all the memories of her previous life back, she keeps calling him Cole and it’s never explained why he took that name.
This book is a perfect example of a great premise with a poor execution.
I feel like this could have been two books with how much was happening: the first one for finding the Mantle and rescuing Cole, and a second one for the trials.
There was just too much happening too quickly, and it made everything seem way too easy for Avery. Nothing was really suspenseful, because when something bad happened to one of the characters you already knew it would be resolved again within the next two chapters.
The only character I actually cared about was Cole. I liked Avery at first despite her naivety, but in this book she just started annoying me so much - even though she did start growing on me again toward the second part and end of the book. There was hardly any depth to any of the other characters besides maybe Daphne - though it did make me smile when Hector returned to the realm of the living.
I did quite like the ending, but if I take everything into consideration, I really can’t give more than two stars for this one - even though I want to give three because two seems so harsh.
There were just too many questions left unanswered for a series finale, and I can’t ignore that the first half of the book made me feel I was reading a badly written fanfic on Wattpad.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 22, 2025
I didn't hate it, but this book was just too much. Everything was over the top — the trials, the romance, the pacing. It tried to do everything all at once, and instead of building tension or impact, it just felt rushed.
Avery was especially annoying here. She came across as self-absorbed, and every “victory” felt like dumb luck rather than anything earned. Watching her stumble into win after win was frustrating and made the story feel even more bland.
The writing got more juvenile and read like bad fanfiction. By the end, I was just pushing to finish.
Overall Rating:
⭐️: 3/5 🔥: 3.3/5
Avery was especially annoying here. She came across as self-absorbed, and every “victory” felt like dumb luck rather than anything earned. Watching her stumble into win after win was frustrating and made the story feel even more bland.
The writing got more juvenile and read like bad fanfiction. By the end, I was just pushing to finish.
Overall Rating:
⭐️: 3/5 🔥: 3.3/5
January 1, 2024
This final installment of the Shifted Fates trilogy was so good. I read it in a day and now I can’t figure out where to go from here. This entire series was so good but I love how this one wrapped up but still left the story open for more in this world. Avery is really a character that can be related to and the growth shown and the self awareness was so nice to watch throughout the series. Cole is my new fictional crush and I absolutely adored Daphne and her loyalty to her friend
June 25, 2024
It got me back in. The second book felt a little lackluster to me, but this one picked back up. Avery comes fully into her own and I'm here for it.
Good amount of spice, though the main fight with the big bad left me wanting a little more. Definitely not mad that I tore through all 3 books very quickly.
The ending was great and I felt the characters left on a high note.
Good amount of spice, though the main fight with the big bad left me wanting a little more. Definitely not mad that I tore through all 3 books very quickly.
The ending was great and I felt the characters left on a high note.
July 8, 2025
The third book of the Shifted Fates Series.
I loved every minute of all three books.
This one had a happy ending, obviously. The saving of the main male was a bit too rushed in my opinion. The world building of the different stages of life and death was creative and well executed.
I loved every minute of all three books.
This one had a happy ending, obviously. The saving of the main male was a bit too rushed in my opinion. The world building of the different stages of life and death was creative and well executed.
April 3, 2025
Better than the first book but not as good as the second book. I'm still confused and think there are some major gaps in the supporting storyline. It was enjoyable but I'm fine leaving this fantasy work behind.
November 29, 2025
Great finish to this trilogy! I really enjoyed this world that Vasilisa wove and her take on Hades and Persephone. Cole was definitely the best part of the series.
November 2, 2025
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
I really enjoyed these books! Where some parts predictable... Yes! But in the best way it made the unpredictable bits that much more shocking!!
So glad I read these! It's a re telling like I've never read before 🖤🩷
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
I really enjoyed these books! Where some parts predictable... Yes! But in the best way it made the unpredictable bits that much more shocking!!
So glad I read these! It's a re telling like I've never read before 🖤🩷
October 7, 2025
This book had it all!! Action, suspense, spice, love, friendship and everything in between!!! Solid series that I would absolutely recommend. I love any Hades & Persephone story/retelling!!
December 23, 2023
Fantastic conclusion to the series. This was flawless. No loose ends, no questions, just a bad B, and the ending she deserved.
I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving a review.
October 5, 2025
Sadly, there was too much going on during the action parts, and it was also too brief.
January 8, 2024
Thank you to Vasilisa for the ARC of Fatal Goddess!
This was such a great conclusion to the Forsaken Mate series. I was absolutely obsessed with the first two and this one definitely kept up the same hype as the others! I love Avery and Cole and the story wrapped up so nicely. The story was fast-paced and action-packed and I just never wanted to put it down!
Highly recommend!!
This was such a great conclusion to the Forsaken Mate series. I was absolutely obsessed with the first two and this one definitely kept up the same hype as the others! I love Avery and Cole and the story wrapped up so nicely. The story was fast-paced and action-packed and I just never wanted to put it down!
Highly recommend!!
November 29, 2024
My summary of the series: overly sexually charged Twilight series mixed with some Greek mythology.
There are some surface-level ideas that have some merit, but the execution is superficial, dull, and lacking. The logic of the MCs is nowhere to be found 99% of the time. Everyone's a hero, especially the FMC, who is all powerful and has an innate understanding of her powers and dives head first into all the challenges. Such ego, power-seeking and confidence... There is taking back one's power, and then there is this. The FMC doesn't want to be a queen, but somehow ends up being one and performs the role with such pride and devotion that rival Miss Swan's delusions.
It's a great series for turning off one's brain when one wants something extremely light, with some good ideas, ordinary-unlike-others characters who behave like horny teens, unexplained character (non)developments, and lots of illogical and too easily solvable challenges, which could have been developed much better instead of including all the unnecessary innuendos and what not. Smut does not necessarily add anything to the plot, and in this case, it took away the enjoyment and made me realise how empty the story is. So, instead of chasing all the popular tropes to ensure the audience, it would have been better to work on their incorporation to create a smooth delivery, instead of a granulated and unpalatable one.
There are some surface-level ideas that have some merit, but the execution is superficial, dull, and lacking. The logic of the MCs is nowhere to be found 99% of the time. Everyone's a hero, especially the FMC, who is all powerful and has an innate understanding of her powers and dives head first into all the challenges. Such ego, power-seeking and confidence... There is taking back one's power, and then there is this. The FMC doesn't want to be a queen, but somehow ends up being one and performs the role with such pride and devotion that rival Miss Swan's delusions.
It's a great series for turning off one's brain when one wants something extremely light, with some good ideas, ordinary-unlike-others characters who behave like horny teens, unexplained character (non)developments, and lots of illogical and too easily solvable challenges, which could have been developed much better instead of including all the unnecessary innuendos and what not. Smut does not necessarily add anything to the plot, and in this case, it took away the enjoyment and made me realise how empty the story is. So, instead of chasing all the popular tropes to ensure the audience, it would have been better to work on their incorporation to create a smooth delivery, instead of a granulated and unpalatable one.
July 19, 2025
I'm confused on how to feel about this entire series, so I'll break it down:
Avery: If there is one nice thing I can say about our FMC, it's that she is consistent. She makes horrible decisions constantly, and she somehow makes it out of every bad decision by sheer dumb luck. The evil goddess wants to talk to you in private in her realm? Sure, let's go. You JUST won the trials and saved your souls after 1,000 years of being in danger, but lets go and bargain with the realm of eternal damnation, barter our souls again with absolutely zero actual plan? Sure, makes sense. She sucks at making bargains and everyone she bargains with finds loopholes, and she never learns her lesson. I love her powers, but I wish she was better at using them, and her shifter side takes a seat at the very back of the bus in this book, which was sad to see since I like Wolf-Avery way better than Human-Avery.
Cole: I don't get how he is the King of Hell when he seems so weak. He honestly doesn't do anything fitting of a King of Hell, and he never really seems in control of anything. It feels disingenuous to be a mega powerful King of Hell that people cower before when he nearly dies at the hands of an undead dragon and then throws himself into the Pits... and his mate makes bad decisions constantly that he never seems to anticipate.... But ugh, his loyalty and dedication is so cute and I honestly love the love between him and Avery even if it seems a little closer to obsession than love.
Supporting characters: I love Daphne. I love Hecate and was honestly convinced she was going to be more of a morally gray character (author did her a disservice by not giving her a small villain arc). I love Phaidros. Loved the Queen's Dragon until that really confusing magic tattoo thing. So what, you introduce a dragon, and the FMC promises the dragon she will have a home where she is always welcome... and then the dragon POOFS into green sparks and turns into a tattoo... and Avery just laughs about it. What happened and what does that even mean??? The dragon is no more? What happened to Cole's dragon that caused it to become a tattoo. I have so many questions and zero answers, and I'm not happy about it.
Villain: Don't get me started on the Moon Goddess and the Alpha Clique. The way Cole dismembered Jett? Awesome. Mostly satisfying, though I wanted the asshole to grovel more. Sabine got off way too easy. And the Moon Goddess? She has held a grudge for 1,000 years for literally no reason. The living realm was left alone when Avery/Persephone went to the underworld with Cole/Hades, and the Moon Goddess saw her opportunity to siphon magic off the shifters to keep her realm going. Okay, I get all that. But why does that translate into her being hell-bent on getting Avery and Cole destroyed and thrown into Tartarus? Nonsense, honestly. Messy and sloppy storyline.
Magic and Plot: Overall, the storyline was interesting and just this side of enough to keep me reading and invested. And I loved the ending, despite my disappointment in how we got there. The balance and the way the souls had a chance to choose the path they wanted to take in the afterlife was harmonious, and I enjoyed how it tied in several religions to find that balance. I've read a lot of these kinds of retellings, and I've enjoyed this ending the best so far.
Avery: If there is one nice thing I can say about our FMC, it's that she is consistent. She makes horrible decisions constantly, and she somehow makes it out of every bad decision by sheer dumb luck. The evil goddess wants to talk to you in private in her realm? Sure, let's go. You JUST won the trials and saved your souls after 1,000 years of being in danger, but lets go and bargain with the realm of eternal damnation, barter our souls again with absolutely zero actual plan? Sure, makes sense. She sucks at making bargains and everyone she bargains with finds loopholes, and she never learns her lesson. I love her powers, but I wish she was better at using them, and her shifter side takes a seat at the very back of the bus in this book, which was sad to see since I like Wolf-Avery way better than Human-Avery.
Cole: I don't get how he is the King of Hell when he seems so weak. He honestly doesn't do anything fitting of a King of Hell, and he never really seems in control of anything. It feels disingenuous to be a mega powerful King of Hell that people cower before when he nearly dies at the hands of an undead dragon and then throws himself into the Pits... and his mate makes bad decisions constantly that he never seems to anticipate.... But ugh, his loyalty and dedication is so cute and I honestly love the love between him and Avery even if it seems a little closer to obsession than love.
Supporting characters: I love Daphne. I love Hecate and was honestly convinced she was going to be more of a morally gray character (author did her a disservice by not giving her a small villain arc). I love Phaidros. Loved the Queen's Dragon until that really confusing magic tattoo thing. So what, you introduce a dragon, and the FMC promises the dragon she will have a home where she is always welcome... and then the dragon POOFS into green sparks and turns into a tattoo... and Avery just laughs about it. What happened and what does that even mean??? The dragon is no more? What happened to Cole's dragon that caused it to become a tattoo. I have so many questions and zero answers, and I'm not happy about it.
Villain: Don't get me started on the Moon Goddess and the Alpha Clique. The way Cole dismembered Jett? Awesome. Mostly satisfying, though I wanted the asshole to grovel more. Sabine got off way too easy. And the Moon Goddess? She has held a grudge for 1,000 years for literally no reason. The living realm was left alone when Avery/Persephone went to the underworld with Cole/Hades, and the Moon Goddess saw her opportunity to siphon magic off the shifters to keep her realm going. Okay, I get all that. But why does that translate into her being hell-bent on getting Avery and Cole destroyed and thrown into Tartarus? Nonsense, honestly. Messy and sloppy storyline.
Magic and Plot: Overall, the storyline was interesting and just this side of enough to keep me reading and invested. And I loved the ending, despite my disappointment in how we got there. The balance and the way the souls had a chance to choose the path they wanted to take in the afterlife was harmonious, and I enjoyed how it tied in several religions to find that balance. I've read a lot of these kinds of retellings, and I've enjoyed this ending the best so far.
August 18, 2025
⭐ Rating: 3/5 ⭐
Fatal Goddess by Vasilisa Drake is the final book in the Forsaken Mate series, and while I loved parts of it, I also had plenty of frustrations.
Avery is nothing if not consistent. She makes terrible decisions over and over, relying on luck more than logic to escape the chaos she causes. Bargaining away souls without a plan, trusting the wrong people, and never learning from mistakes drove me crazy. Her wolf side, which I personally love, barely made an appearance, and I missed that. I do enjoy her powers, but I wish she actually knew how to use them instead of stumbling through.
Cole, the King of Hell, continues to puzzle me. For someone who is supposed to be terrifying and powerful, he often feels weak and out of control. He nearly dies, throws himself into danger, and somehow never sees Avery’s bad choices coming. Still, his devotion to her is sweet, even if it sometimes feels more like obsession than love. Their relationship is messy, but there’s something magnetic about it.
The side characters really carried this book for me. Daphne, Phaidros, and Hecate were fantastic, though I think Hecate deserved a more morally gray storyline. The dragon twist left me frustrated and confused. One minute we have a loyal, powerful dragon, and the next it disappears into a tattoo on Avery’s body with no real explanation. I still have so many questions.
The villains were a mixed bag. I loved watching Cole deal with Jett, but Sabine got off far too easily. The Moon Goddess’s grudge felt petty and stretched thin. A thousand years of resentment with no solid reason behind it made the storyline feel messy at times.
Despite my complaints, I did enjoy the overall story. The pacing kept me invested and the ending was beautifully done. I loved how the souls were given the chance to choose their paths, and the way it tied multiple belief systems together was unique and satisfying. It gave the series a sense of harmony and closure that I appreciated.
In the end, Fatal Goddess was a flawed but enjoyable conclusion to a series that kept me entertained from the very beginning.
Fatal Goddess by Vasilisa Drake is the final book in the Forsaken Mate series, and while I loved parts of it, I also had plenty of frustrations.
Avery is nothing if not consistent. She makes terrible decisions over and over, relying on luck more than logic to escape the chaos she causes. Bargaining away souls without a plan, trusting the wrong people, and never learning from mistakes drove me crazy. Her wolf side, which I personally love, barely made an appearance, and I missed that. I do enjoy her powers, but I wish she actually knew how to use them instead of stumbling through.
Cole, the King of Hell, continues to puzzle me. For someone who is supposed to be terrifying and powerful, he often feels weak and out of control. He nearly dies, throws himself into danger, and somehow never sees Avery’s bad choices coming. Still, his devotion to her is sweet, even if it sometimes feels more like obsession than love. Their relationship is messy, but there’s something magnetic about it.
The side characters really carried this book for me. Daphne, Phaidros, and Hecate were fantastic, though I think Hecate deserved a more morally gray storyline. The dragon twist left me frustrated and confused. One minute we have a loyal, powerful dragon, and the next it disappears into a tattoo on Avery’s body with no real explanation. I still have so many questions.
The villains were a mixed bag. I loved watching Cole deal with Jett, but Sabine got off far too easily. The Moon Goddess’s grudge felt petty and stretched thin. A thousand years of resentment with no solid reason behind it made the storyline feel messy at times.
Despite my complaints, I did enjoy the overall story. The pacing kept me invested and the ending was beautifully done. I loved how the souls were given the chance to choose their paths, and the way it tied multiple belief systems together was unique and satisfying. It gave the series a sense of harmony and closure that I appreciated.
In the end, Fatal Goddess was a flawed but enjoyable conclusion to a series that kept me entertained from the very beginning.
September 21, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
Fatal Goddess by @vasilisadrake was the perfect conclusion to the Forsaken Mate series, and I am OBSESSED. 🔥 This final book had everything—action, romance, angst, and all the feels I was craving! If you’ve been following Avery and Cole’s journey, trust me, this one delivers. 💫
The story picks up with Avery determined to get Cole back, even if she has to fight through the pits of Tartarus to do it. Her strength and loyalty to those she loves are so inspiring, and I couldn’t help but root for her every step of the way. Plus, I’m a sucker for anything that combines Hades and Persephone vibes with wolf shifters, so this series has been chef’s kiss from the start. 👏
This book is fast-paced and action-packed, with so many twists and turns that I literally couldn’t put it down. The world-building, fated mates, and deep sense of loyalty between characters like Avery and Cole made this such a powerful read. And that romance? Still 🔥 as ever. Cole and Avery’s bond is one for the ages.
The trilogy started out as a standard rejected mates story, but it quickly evolved into something SO much bigger. The blend of mythology and shifters, along with love, friendship, and loyalty, made this series stand out. I laughed, I cried, and I was glued back together more times than I can count! 😭💕
If you love fated mates, myth-inspired fantasy, and a story with heart-pounding action, you need to finish this series! Fatal Goddess wraps it all up perfectly, and I can’t recommend it enough. 🖤
#FatalGoddess #VasilisaDrake #ForsakenMateSeries #HadesAndPersephone #ShifterRomance #FatedMates #FantasyRomance #BookReview #Bookstagram #ParanormalRomance #EpicConclusion
Fatal Goddess by @vasilisadrake was the perfect conclusion to the Forsaken Mate series, and I am OBSESSED. 🔥 This final book had everything—action, romance, angst, and all the feels I was craving! If you’ve been following Avery and Cole’s journey, trust me, this one delivers. 💫
The story picks up with Avery determined to get Cole back, even if she has to fight through the pits of Tartarus to do it. Her strength and loyalty to those she loves are so inspiring, and I couldn’t help but root for her every step of the way. Plus, I’m a sucker for anything that combines Hades and Persephone vibes with wolf shifters, so this series has been chef’s kiss from the start. 👏
This book is fast-paced and action-packed, with so many twists and turns that I literally couldn’t put it down. The world-building, fated mates, and deep sense of loyalty between characters like Avery and Cole made this such a powerful read. And that romance? Still 🔥 as ever. Cole and Avery’s bond is one for the ages.
The trilogy started out as a standard rejected mates story, but it quickly evolved into something SO much bigger. The blend of mythology and shifters, along with love, friendship, and loyalty, made this series stand out. I laughed, I cried, and I was glued back together more times than I can count! 😭💕
If you love fated mates, myth-inspired fantasy, and a story with heart-pounding action, you need to finish this series! Fatal Goddess wraps it all up perfectly, and I can’t recommend it enough. 🖤
#FatalGoddess #VasilisaDrake #ForsakenMateSeries #HadesAndPersephone #ShifterRomance #FatedMates #FantasyRomance #BookReview #Bookstagram #ParanormalRomance #EpicConclusion
January 5, 2025
⭐ ⭐ ⭐ I found myself torn when deciding on a star rating for this book. Overall, I think the series lands at a solid 3. Drake manages to maintain a consistently gripping story that’s easy to digest, with characters that feel engaging and relatable. However, there were a few things I couldn’t quite overlook.
First, the names. The king of hell – dark, brooding, undeniably sexy – and his name is… Cole. Nothing against the Coles of the world (no hate, I promise), but I can’t help wondering why that particular name was chosen. It felt a little too ordinary for a character of his stature.
There were also a few errors throughout, but my personal favorite was when her "lady garden" was referred to as "folders" instead of folds. A rather… unconventional filing system.
For me, the biggest letdown was the intimacy in the series. It felt repetitive, and by the end of this book, I was craving real conversation between Avery and Cole. I wanted them to connect beyond just Cole’s eternal brooding and dominant persona. As much as those traits can be appealing, they didn’t add much depth to him as a character. I would have loved to see them share more meaningful or even mundane conversations – something to make them feel more human.
The standout character by far was Daphne. She brought much-needed energy and depth to the story.
Ultimately, this book – and the series as a whole – is best taken at face value. It’s light, entertaining, and fun. It won’t sweep you away into a profoundly moving fantasy world, but if you’re looking for an easy, enjoyable read, it delivers. Just sit back, enjoy the ride, and don’t take it too seriously.
First, the names. The king of hell – dark, brooding, undeniably sexy – and his name is… Cole. Nothing against the Coles of the world (no hate, I promise), but I can’t help wondering why that particular name was chosen. It felt a little too ordinary for a character of his stature.
There were also a few errors throughout, but my personal favorite was when her "lady garden" was referred to as "folders" instead of folds. A rather… unconventional filing system.
For me, the biggest letdown was the intimacy in the series. It felt repetitive, and by the end of this book, I was craving real conversation between Avery and Cole. I wanted them to connect beyond just Cole’s eternal brooding and dominant persona. As much as those traits can be appealing, they didn’t add much depth to him as a character. I would have loved to see them share more meaningful or even mundane conversations – something to make them feel more human.
The standout character by far was Daphne. She brought much-needed energy and depth to the story.
Ultimately, this book – and the series as a whole – is best taken at face value. It’s light, entertaining, and fun. It won’t sweep you away into a profoundly moving fantasy world, but if you’re looking for an easy, enjoyable read, it delivers. Just sit back, enjoy the ride, and don’t take it too seriously.
January 20, 2024
ACTION PACKED! Avery has been to hell and back (literally) and I’m glad that she doesn’t define being Queen of the underworld as someone being bonded to the rules. She has her own set of rules and sympathy that gets her into a whole lot of trouble but that defines her to a fault. And that’s what I love about Avery’s character the most, she is always willing to give up a part of herself to help others even when she has moments of self doubt. Jett was still a douche and I’m glad he was dealt with. Phaidros really didn’t seem like that much of a bad guy once you think about it, I mean he took out the guard but still, his mother could have been a better person. There is just something about a man that just lets his woman do their thang because he’s knows that she will own it that gets me FERAL!!! Cole just stood back and was like, “I know she can handle herself” and lets Avery make her own decision and I love him for that. The SPICE was real y’all! I love the playful tension and I’m glad it was the right amount of spice without it being the whole plot. Avery has proven herself time and time again with each trial. Her character development since book 1 has been massive and I’m so happy about the ending. I can’t wait to read more from this author!
January 15, 2024
Wonderful ending to this series. It kept me on my toes and wondering what could happen next. After the cliffhanger of Forgotten Queen I was so anxious to dive into Fatal Goddess. Thankfully it picked up right after the cliffhanger and dove right into the chaos that Avery would have to endure this go around. I loved Vasilisa Drake's writing style. The character's personalities hold true throughout the entire series and the paths they take only make them learn more about themselves as they go. More than anything there's a lot of self acceptance and growth in this book. This trilogy is worth the read and time to get lost in a unique world.
The connection and relationship formed between Avery and Cole is beautiful. They give a full throttle meaning to ride or die partners. Neither one of them let anything get in the way of finding or saving each other again...not even death. Even with some self doubt sometimes Avery found she had a strong support system through the hard times in Daphne and Hectate. Daphne's ending also had me in tears and I wasn't expecting that turn of events to happen but she deserved it. I definitely recommend Avery and Cole's story to everyone!!
The connection and relationship formed between Avery and Cole is beautiful. They give a full throttle meaning to ride or die partners. Neither one of them let anything get in the way of finding or saving each other again...not even death. Even with some self doubt sometimes Avery found she had a strong support system through the hard times in Daphne and Hectate. Daphne's ending also had me in tears and I wasn't expecting that turn of events to happen but she deserved it. I definitely recommend Avery and Cole's story to everyone!!
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