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Demon Gods #2
Hades and His Witch
I'm dying, and the only one who can save me is him.
Hades, king of the Underworld, god of the dead, ruler of... Honestly? He's got too many names to list.
You know the guy.
Apparently, I need him to survive this disease that's been a death sentence since I was born.
Apparently, I'm also the reincarnation of his queen, Persephone. How's that for a kicker?
Little, hideous me, who uses tattoos to cover his endless flaws and whose only power is seeing death at every corner.
And apparently, we have to do the deed to save me from certain demise.
Yeah. If I wasn't so unequivocally...me, I'd think it was a very elaborate scheme to get me into bed.
But even that goes wrong.
So. Terribly. Wrong.
And now everything is effed up.
Figures. Only I could break the god of the freaking dead.
Hades and his Witch is the second book in the Demon Gods series, a spin-off series set in the Cursed Hearts universe.
Inside you'll find a magical tattoo artist in need of saving, a god of death who's a hopeless romantic, ghostly "interactions", and a snarky mobile phone (among other things). Written in British English with US spelling and grammar.
This book can be read as a standalone.
Hades, king of the Underworld, god of the dead, ruler of... Honestly? He's got too many names to list.
You know the guy.
Apparently, I need him to survive this disease that's been a death sentence since I was born.
Apparently, I'm also the reincarnation of his queen, Persephone. How's that for a kicker?
Little, hideous me, who uses tattoos to cover his endless flaws and whose only power is seeing death at every corner.
And apparently, we have to do the deed to save me from certain demise.
Yeah. If I wasn't so unequivocally...me, I'd think it was a very elaborate scheme to get me into bed.
But even that goes wrong.
So. Terribly. Wrong.
And now everything is effed up.
Figures. Only I could break the god of the freaking dead.
Hades and his Witch is the second book in the Demon Gods series, a spin-off series set in the Cursed Hearts universe.
Inside you'll find a magical tattoo artist in need of saving, a god of death who's a hopeless romantic, ghostly "interactions", and a snarky mobile phone (among other things). Written in British English with US spelling and grammar.
This book can be read as a standalone.
424 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 9, 2024
55 people are currently reading
157 people want to read
About the author
Rhys Lawless
31 books163 followersRhys Everly-Lawless is a hopeless romantic who loves happily-ever-afters.
Which would explain why he loves writing them.
When he's not passionately typing out his next book, you can find him cuddling his dog, feeding his husband, or taking long walks letting those plot bunnies breed ferociously in his head.
He writes contemporary gay romances as Rhys Everly and LGBTQ+ urban fantasy and paranormal romances as Rhys Lawless.
You can find him and all his latest projects on rhyswritesromance.com
Which would explain why he loves writing them.
When he's not passionately typing out his next book, you can find him cuddling his dog, feeding his husband, or taking long walks letting those plot bunnies breed ferociously in his head.
He writes contemporary gay romances as Rhys Everly and LGBTQ+ urban fantasy and paranormal romances as Rhys Lawless.
You can find him and all his latest projects on rhyswritesromance.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 104 reviews
February 26, 2024
Tropes: amnesia, second chances, paranormal
Feels: 3/5
Steam*: 2.5/5
Kinks: n/a
Angst: low
HEA: yes
Pairing: MM
Triggers/potential icks/content warnings: suicidal thoughts, death, violence, cancer, hearing impaired MC
2.5 stars
This is a MM retelling of Hades and Persephone. Sandro is a witch who is a reincarnation of Persephone. Sandro has the ability to foresee death. He's been sick his whole life, and now he's having visions that his death is imminent. He's trying everything he can to find a way to cure himself. And in his travels a woman with ancient powers sees that he's dying because he's been separated from his soulmate for so long this weakened his life force and he needs to be reunited with his love. She summons his love, and surprise, it's Hades who has been pulled from hell to Earth. The last time Hades saw Persephone she was in a woman form but because of the magic that the old woman did, he can recognize his soulmate is now in a male form in Sandro.
Sandro doesn't have his memories of his past. He doesn't believe that he is Persephone reincarnated. Sandro and Hades race against time to heal Sandro and keep Hades alive. And they have to fight against other gods that are conspiring against them.
I was disappointed with this book. It did start to have a few moments that stood out as nice at about the 70% mark. But here's what I didn't like:
- I don't like this three-way conversation that we're having between Sandro, Hades and Tao (the dead body Hades is possessing). Especially early on, it was hard to tell who was talking and who was talking to who. The author expended so many pages devoted to conversations between the three of them and I just didn't think it was space well used. I know it was a creative decision of the author's, but I just thought it was a bit of a waste.
- I don't like the way that they're writing Persephone and Sandro. This mythos of them having been both genders in different lives and the mixed memories and sense of identity just gave me unpleasant second hand gender dysphoria.
- I didn't like the world building. It didn't seem like a well built world, it was a mish mash of trying to combine a modern contemporary world with the ancient Greek gods living eternal lives separate and oblivious to modern Times. It just came off as flawed for various reasons. When Hades gave up his power to Hermes, he stopped being able to hear Sandro which makes sense on its own, but what didn't make sense is that the other gods could still hear Sandro - you'd think that only her maze would have been able to hear Sandro. And later all of a sudden Hades could hear Sandro. They had the scene where Sandro let go of memories of his past lives saying that his brain couldn't hold all the memories at once, and then after they had him remember moments from past lives. I've seen this type of world building done much better in other books. For me, it compared poorly to books by Ben Alderson.
- It didn't feel right, them having sex while Hades is in the body of Tao. And really Sandro is not in his original body either. It feels awkward for them to be having sex in these bodies and lusting after the body and making comments about the bodies, when they're just borrowed. I wish that Hades at least was in his own body. Also the ritual they did involved in exchange of blood, and I couldn't stop thinking that the blood isn't even Hades, it belongs to Tao, so wasn't he binding Sandro to Tao?!? And I was also confused when if ever did Hades exit Tao's body and take on another form?
Some notable moments:
Ha! "So that was why I wasn’t running. To hell with being naked. To hell with being peeped at. Fuck, I’d even stand there and let the old witch wank me off if it meant I lived another day. “That won’t be necessary, witchling.” Her voice echoed across the room before she even stepped into it."
Nice imagery "I knew this feeling. I remembered it. It was one of the reasons I’d fallen in love with him all those lives ago. Because being with him eased the responsibility I was born with. My warmth made him feel more alive, and his cold made me feel less so. We were the ying to each other’s yang. The dark to my light."
*FYI about steam: I rate steam based on a combination of quality & quantity. I note kink separate from steam because I don't want to underrate steamy reads that don't have much kink.
**Note about spoilers: I like to comment on the plot of a book in reviews, so I almost always mark my reviews as containing spoilers. But I try to avoid spoiling the big dramatic moments! As a reader, I personally like to know what I'm getting into before I read a book so I know more about the content and if it's to my taste/mood, so I try to give that information in my reviews for myself when I'm considering rereading and also for other readers.
Feels: 3/5
Steam*: 2.5/5
Kinks: n/a
Angst: low
HEA: yes
Pairing: MM
Triggers/potential icks/content warnings: suicidal thoughts, death, violence, cancer, hearing impaired MC
2.5 stars
This is a MM retelling of Hades and Persephone. Sandro is a witch who is a reincarnation of Persephone. Sandro has the ability to foresee death. He's been sick his whole life, and now he's having visions that his death is imminent. He's trying everything he can to find a way to cure himself. And in his travels a woman with ancient powers sees that he's dying because he's been separated from his soulmate for so long this weakened his life force and he needs to be reunited with his love. She summons his love, and surprise, it's Hades who has been pulled from hell to Earth. The last time Hades saw Persephone she was in a woman form but because of the magic that the old woman did, he can recognize his soulmate is now in a male form in Sandro.
Sandro doesn't have his memories of his past. He doesn't believe that he is Persephone reincarnated. Sandro and Hades race against time to heal Sandro and keep Hades alive. And they have to fight against other gods that are conspiring against them.
I was disappointed with this book. It did start to have a few moments that stood out as nice at about the 70% mark. But here's what I didn't like:
- I don't like this three-way conversation that we're having between Sandro, Hades and Tao (the dead body Hades is possessing). Especially early on, it was hard to tell who was talking and who was talking to who. The author expended so many pages devoted to conversations between the three of them and I just didn't think it was space well used. I know it was a creative decision of the author's, but I just thought it was a bit of a waste.
- I don't like the way that they're writing Persephone and Sandro. This mythos of them having been both genders in different lives and the mixed memories and sense of identity just gave me unpleasant second hand gender dysphoria.
- I didn't like the world building. It didn't seem like a well built world, it was a mish mash of trying to combine a modern contemporary world with the ancient Greek gods living eternal lives separate and oblivious to modern Times. It just came off as flawed for various reasons. When Hades gave up his power to Hermes, he stopped being able to hear Sandro which makes sense on its own, but what didn't make sense is that the other gods could still hear Sandro - you'd think that only her maze would have been able to hear Sandro. And later all of a sudden Hades could hear Sandro. They had the scene where Sandro let go of memories of his past lives saying that his brain couldn't hold all the memories at once, and then after they had him remember moments from past lives. I've seen this type of world building done much better in other books. For me, it compared poorly to books by Ben Alderson.
- It didn't feel right, them having sex while Hades is in the body of Tao. And really Sandro is not in his original body either. It feels awkward for them to be having sex in these bodies and lusting after the body and making comments about the bodies, when they're just borrowed. I wish that Hades at least was in his own body. Also the ritual they did involved in exchange of blood, and I couldn't stop thinking that the blood isn't even Hades, it belongs to Tao, so wasn't he binding Sandro to Tao?!? And I was also confused when if ever did Hades exit Tao's body and take on another form?
Some notable moments:
Ha! "So that was why I wasn’t running. To hell with being naked. To hell with being peeped at. Fuck, I’d even stand there and let the old witch wank me off if it meant I lived another day. “That won’t be necessary, witchling.” Her voice echoed across the room before she even stepped into it."
Nice imagery "I knew this feeling. I remembered it. It was one of the reasons I’d fallen in love with him all those lives ago. Because being with him eased the responsibility I was born with. My warmth made him feel more alive, and his cold made me feel less so. We were the ying to each other’s yang. The dark to my light."
*FYI about steam: I rate steam based on a combination of quality & quantity. I note kink separate from steam because I don't want to underrate steamy reads that don't have much kink.
**Note about spoilers: I like to comment on the plot of a book in reviews, so I almost always mark my reviews as containing spoilers. But I try to avoid spoiling the big dramatic moments! As a reader, I personally like to know what I'm getting into before I read a book so I know more about the content and if it's to my taste/mood, so I try to give that information in my reviews for myself when I'm considering rereading and also for other readers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 5, 2024
This is my first book by this author and I absolutely loved it! I haven’t read too many Hades and Persephone retellings but I thought this one was done really well and an interesting take on it! This is the second book in the series and I had no issue following along but I definitely want to go back and read book 1 as it sounds great as well!
Hades is so freaking amazing! Some of my favourite characters are the ones that are complete psychos with everyone else besides their love who they are total teddy bears with. Hades is perfect example of one of those characters! Sandro was an awesome character as well and it was amazing seeing him go from the sick witch that he was to the amazing god that he should have been.
I love that this book not only had me laughing out loud multiple times but also had my heart aching at some emotional parts and also had a ton of action. It was a very well rounded romance novel! The ending was perfect and I also look forward to reading the next book in this series!
Hades is so freaking amazing! Some of my favourite characters are the ones that are complete psychos with everyone else besides their love who they are total teddy bears with. Hades is perfect example of one of those characters! Sandro was an awesome character as well and it was amazing seeing him go from the sick witch that he was to the amazing god that he should have been.
I love that this book not only had me laughing out loud multiple times but also had my heart aching at some emotional parts and also had a ton of action. It was a very well rounded romance novel! The ending was perfect and I also look forward to reading the next book in this series!
March 16, 2024
Audio update:
John York paired with the writing of Rhys Lawless is a pairing that I can not pass up. He makes already amazing stories better and just that much more intriguing, and you feel every emotion all that much more. When each character is speaking, you know its them, unlike some others I have listened to before.
The tale of Hades and Persephone with a queer twist of fate. Sandro was born to die young, something he's known his whole life. Hades has been waiting for many reincarnation to have a chance with his Persephone once again. With the help of Mother Red Cap, their fates are once again intertwined. These two do not have an easy journey, but they are powerful and show how much they have always been meant to be together.
As with Loki and His Master, Rhys weaves a captivating tale from start to finish that will have me coming back for more with each installment.
John York paired with the writing of Rhys Lawless is a pairing that I can not pass up. He makes already amazing stories better and just that much more intriguing, and you feel every emotion all that much more. When each character is speaking, you know its them, unlike some others I have listened to before.
The tale of Hades and Persephone with a queer twist of fate. Sandro was born to die young, something he's known his whole life. Hades has been waiting for many reincarnation to have a chance with his Persephone once again. With the help of Mother Red Cap, their fates are once again intertwined. These two do not have an easy journey, but they are powerful and show how much they have always been meant to be together.
As with Loki and His Master, Rhys weaves a captivating tale from start to finish that will have me coming back for more with each installment.
January 13, 2024
"Only a fool would turn down an epic love like this. The kind that challenges your very soul, your very being."
Hades is one of my favorite old gods to read stories about and I really enjoyed Rhys Lawless take on his story. I loved how certain Hades was that he would find his soulmate again. It's been YEARS since Persephone was lost to him and he was confined to the Underworld, but Hades never gave up hope. And when fate gave him the owner of her soul in the form of Sandro, he never once had second thoughts. Sandro was as perfect to him as his Queen had been.
On the other hand, Sandro had a much harder time believing he was in fact Hades long lost soulmate. He's had a hard life and was suffering from deep depression. His self esteem was basically in the toilet when Hades came along so it took a lot of work for the two of them to get back to what they had. It also didn't help that it seemed someone mysterious was working against them from the get go.
The steam in this one was interesting and fun to read. Sandro and Hades definitely didn't have any issues working through their relationship in that department! I do like to be honest in my reviews so I will mention the only thing I wasn't a big fan of was when Sandro would have a vision flashback of Hades in bed with Persephone. I'm not a fan of MF sex in my MM or the use of the word pussy. It kinda kicked me out of the moment. However, that is a PERSONAL PREFERENCE of mine and others may be perfectly fine with it.
The addition of Tao to the story was a great comic relief from the darker moments! I was so happy that we got to see some growth and a sort of resolution to his story as well. I'm interested in seeing where the author goes with this series next! There are so many characters I'm hoping to get their HEAs -I'm looking at you Damien and Tao! A girl can hope!
Hades is one of my favorite old gods to read stories about and I really enjoyed Rhys Lawless take on his story. I loved how certain Hades was that he would find his soulmate again. It's been YEARS since Persephone was lost to him and he was confined to the Underworld, but Hades never gave up hope. And when fate gave him the owner of her soul in the form of Sandro, he never once had second thoughts. Sandro was as perfect to him as his Queen had been.
On the other hand, Sandro had a much harder time believing he was in fact Hades long lost soulmate. He's had a hard life and was suffering from deep depression. His self esteem was basically in the toilet when Hades came along so it took a lot of work for the two of them to get back to what they had. It also didn't help that it seemed someone mysterious was working against them from the get go.
The steam in this one was interesting and fun to read. Sandro and Hades definitely didn't have any issues working through their relationship in that department! I do like to be honest in my reviews so I will mention the only thing I wasn't a big fan of was when Sandro would have a vision flashback of Hades in bed with Persephone. I'm not a fan of MF sex in my MM or the use of the word pussy. It kinda kicked me out of the moment. However, that is a PERSONAL PREFERENCE of mine and others may be perfectly fine with it.
The addition of Tao to the story was a great comic relief from the darker moments! I was so happy that we got to see some growth and a sort of resolution to his story as well. I'm interested in seeing where the author goes with this series next! There are so many characters I'm hoping to get their HEAs -I'm looking at you Damien and Tao! A girl can hope!
January 23, 2024
***ARC Review***
This is my honest and voluntary review for the ARC I received.
I enjoyed this second installment in Rhys Lawless’ Demon Gods series! I really liked the small/small pairing in this book. I was also a fan of the term godmate instead of soulmate. Sandro and Hades are a perfect match! I was a fan of all of the mythological redeem. This book has both humorous and suspenseful moments in it. The spice in this book has some interesting elements as well…
Sandro is a deaf witch that can predict death. Hades is the god of the Underworld. Hades believes Sandro to be his queen Persephone reincarnated. Sandro has some insecurities that he has to deal with throughout the book. I liked that Hades is sweet and affectionate in this book. I like how protective he is of Sandro once things take a turn. I like how Hades helps Sandro come to accept himself and to see more strengths than flaws. Sandro and Hades have quite a few things to overcome in this book. Their HEA is definitely hard won and very well deserved.
There are some interesting characters in this story. Tao is a snarky little ghost. Ivy and Mila are entertaining. The Moirai (the Fates) were pretty compelling. Death, Sleep, and Hermes weren’t my favorites. It was nice seeing glimpses of Tomasz and Loki again in this novel. I’m definitely looking forward to Drew’s book, up next in the series!
This is my honest and voluntary review for the ARC I received.
I enjoyed this second installment in Rhys Lawless’ Demon Gods series! I really liked the small/small pairing in this book. I was also a fan of the term godmate instead of soulmate. Sandro and Hades are a perfect match! I was a fan of all of the mythological redeem. This book has both humorous and suspenseful moments in it. The spice in this book has some interesting elements as well…
Sandro is a deaf witch that can predict death. Hades is the god of the Underworld. Hades believes Sandro to be his queen Persephone reincarnated. Sandro has some insecurities that he has to deal with throughout the book. I liked that Hades is sweet and affectionate in this book. I like how protective he is of Sandro once things take a turn. I like how Hades helps Sandro come to accept himself and to see more strengths than flaws. Sandro and Hades have quite a few things to overcome in this book. Their HEA is definitely hard won and very well deserved.
There are some interesting characters in this story. Tao is a snarky little ghost. Ivy and Mila are entertaining. The Moirai (the Fates) were pretty compelling. Death, Sleep, and Hermes weren’t my favorites. It was nice seeing glimpses of Tomasz and Loki again in this novel. I’m definitely looking forward to Drew’s book, up next in the series!
January 16, 2024
This was an interesting twist on Hades and Persephone that I was not expecting. I liked Hades and Sandros as characters but we didn’t really get to see them fall in love since Hades knew right away Sandros was reincarnated, and Sandros reacted in turn.
What i didnt like was Sandros parents were doing way too much and Hades just taking it felt so weird to me.. you are god of the underworld and you are letting two humans choke you out??? And the moms trying to k word him for things out of his hand was just annoying considering they are witches and knew Sandros was running out of time as is.. i feel like they really ruined the story for me that plus Hermes and co. Antics just felt rushed, childish and EASILY avoidable.
Im giving this 3 stars because there was some great steamy moments, some really funny moments and I am a huge greek mythology fan.
What i didnt like was Sandros parents were doing way too much and Hades just taking it felt so weird to me.. you are god of the underworld and you are letting two humans choke you out??? And the moms trying to k word him for things out of his hand was just annoying considering they are witches and knew Sandros was running out of time as is.. i feel like they really ruined the story for me that plus Hermes and co. Antics just felt rushed, childish and EASILY avoidable.
Im giving this 3 stars because there was some great steamy moments, some really funny moments and I am a huge greek mythology fan.
January 10, 2024
This is such a beautiful retelling of Hades and Persephone love story, but with a twist. Sandro is the reincarnation of Persephone who Hades has been waiting to return to him for centuries. Sandro has no knowledge of this, he only knows he's slowly dying and needs to find a cure. Luckily Hades says he can save him. Unfortunately, there is someone conspiring against them and is doing everything possible to keep them apart. Sandro and Hade will not give up easily. Love is always stronger and nothing will keep Hades away from his Persephone again.
Hade's suffering and pain just broke my heart but there was also much humor to balance out the heartache. And there is no dragged out moment, once the enemy is known, Hades and Sandro set their plan in motion.
Hade's suffering and pain just broke my heart but there was also much humor to balance out the heartache. And there is no dragged out moment, once the enemy is known, Hades and Sandro set their plan in motion.
January 11, 2024
Life and Death
Talk about epic. Sandro and Hades were apart for centuries, but their love just burned all the brighter when they reunited. This was an absolutely fantastic take on the Greek myth, a very enjoyable read.
Talk about epic. Sandro and Hades were apart for centuries, but their love just burned all the brighter when they reunited. This was an absolutely fantastic take on the Greek myth, a very enjoyable read.
January 11, 2024
Interesting Story
I enjoyed this second story of the series more than book one. It was quite an interesting story to read.
I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion
I enjoyed this second story of the series more than book one. It was quite an interesting story to read.
I received an ARC and this is my unbiased opinion
January 13, 2024
really bummed.
I want to start by saying that I love Rhys and all his books. I 100% think he is an amazing author and that this book was very technically well written which is why I even gave it 2 stars.. because gotta be honest.. I fucking hated this one. I felt like we had zero growth or even honest chemistry between Sandro as a person and Hades. The Persephone connection over shadowed everything and really ruined the story for me. I almost had to DNF around 60% and didn’t because I wanted to see it through but ya.. really bummed on this one and the utter lack of real connection between the MCs.
Again I love Rhys and will def try the next story but this one was a big no for me.
I want to start by saying that I love Rhys and all his books. I 100% think he is an amazing author and that this book was very technically well written which is why I even gave it 2 stars.. because gotta be honest.. I fucking hated this one. I felt like we had zero growth or even honest chemistry between Sandro as a person and Hades. The Persephone connection over shadowed everything and really ruined the story for me. I almost had to DNF around 60% and didn’t because I wanted to see it through but ya.. really bummed on this one and the utter lack of real connection between the MCs.
Again I love Rhys and will def try the next story but this one was a big no for me.
January 1, 2024
Hades and His Witch by Rhys Lawless is the second book in his Demon Gods series. This is an interesting retelling of the Hades and Persephone myth. Sandro is a witch whose main power is sensing death in others and he has been sensing it in himself for a long time. He is deaf and has been weak for most of his life and is getting weaker. What he doesn’t know is that he is the reincarnation of Persephone and has been separated from Hades for many years. This is their last chance to be together for eternity so they must get back together before he dies, and if he dies then Hades will die. He has been looking for a way to heal and finally stumbles upon an old witch named Mother Red Cap who says she can help him, and when she does he somehow summons Hades from the underworld. But he doesn’t recognize him or remember that they are mates which bothers Hades but he is confident he can heal him and bring back his memories. However, their mating ritual only makes things worse so they embark on a journey to find out why and to fix it. This leads them to other gods and underlings and a particularly bad god who holds the key to what happened and they have to defeat him to get their happy ending. There are several battles and lots of suspense in order for this to happen but when it does it is spectacular. I really enjoyed this book. Sandro was a wonderful character and it was so sad that he was dying and couldn’t find anyone to help him. His mothers were both witches and they were so afraid for him yet jumped to his defense when he needed it. And when his memories came back he was in his glory and put a few characters in their places. Hades was so sure in his love for Sandro/Persephone and was devastated when their mating only made things worse, yet he wouldn’t give up until they found a way to fix it. The other characters were also fabulous in how they interacted with the pair, especially Loki and Tomasz, Hypnos and Thanatos, Mila, and the Moirai fates, current fashion models Chloe, Lacey, and Aisa. The bad guy, Hermes, was so bad that you wanted to help Hades and Sandro do away with him. Tao, the body Hades inhabited when he came back to Sandro’s world, was hilarious and I loved Pluto, his dog, who was really Cerebus. I was enamored by the mythological world Mr. Lawless created, as it brought back memories of what I had learned about it and yet it was so creative in how he blended everything together to make it his own. There was also a lot of suspense and I couldn’t put the book down once I started it because I just had to see how they figured out what to do to solve their problems. I kept thinking it was going to end when more unsettling things happened and they had to keep looking for their solution. There were also a lot of very steamy scenes where Sandro and Hades showed their love for each other. I highly recommend this book, especially if you like retellings of myths with lots of suspense, interesting characters, and two beings who have loved and lost each other over time but never gave up on finding a way to be together because of their love.
January 16, 2024
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Rating: ⭐⭐⭐✨
The first book wasn't exactly to my liking, and it was a bit of a dissapointment. But I was excited and intrigued by this one, so I decided to give it a go. Lucky me!
The Hades and Persephone myth is interesting and it has so much potential for romance stories. This was no less. It was interesting seeing Sandro and Hades together, how they feel right for each other even if Sandro doens't remember his past lives as Persephone and isn't so very sure Hades had that right.
I'm not a huge fan of reincarnation tropes, but this time I feel like the author took into consideration all those reasons why I usually dislike it and makes Sandro jealous of his past self. Because, who says the lover who remembers (in this case, Hades) is really in love with their reincarnated partner (aka, Sandro) and not just with the memory of who he once was (that would be Persephone). And yes, authors usually take the route of "they are the same soul" but, at the same time, they make both characters (past and present) different in so many things that made them different individuals.
Even though things happen in barely a couple of days, the book takes its time developing things between Hades and Sandro, all the while they must fight to survive and save themselves and each other from those wanting to takes whats theirs. The pace made it easier to connect with them as a couple, and we even get to see different stages in their relationship, mostly due to Sandro changing with each passing day and new realization.
Also, I liked seeing how different Hades was with Sandro and with others. He's a complex character, and he can both be the sweetest and the most vindictive man (god) on Earth. But whatever he does he does it in hopes of saving Sandro, his love, and you can always understand where he comes from.
Again, and following what we already say in the first book with Hela and Elsa, there's also Tao here, the supporting character who once was the soul in Hades' current body. Tao was funny, snarky and so innapropiate sometimes. He made me laugh, and I hope we will be seeing more of him in the future. But, really, there are MANY supporting characters here whose books I'd love to read (Hermes, Drew, Damien, Tao, Hypnos and Thanatos for example!). I'm really intrigued by what's to come next, and I can't wait to discover it.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐✨
The first book wasn't exactly to my liking, and it was a bit of a dissapointment. But I was excited and intrigued by this one, so I decided to give it a go. Lucky me!
The Hades and Persephone myth is interesting and it has so much potential for romance stories. This was no less. It was interesting seeing Sandro and Hades together, how they feel right for each other even if Sandro doens't remember his past lives as Persephone and isn't so very sure Hades had that right.
I'm not a huge fan of reincarnation tropes, but this time I feel like the author took into consideration all those reasons why I usually dislike it and makes Sandro jealous of his past self. Because, who says the lover who remembers (in this case, Hades) is really in love with their reincarnated partner (aka, Sandro) and not just with the memory of who he once was (that would be Persephone). And yes, authors usually take the route of "they are the same soul" but, at the same time, they make both characters (past and present) different in so many things that made them different individuals.
Even though things happen in barely a couple of days, the book takes its time developing things between Hades and Sandro, all the while they must fight to survive and save themselves and each other from those wanting to takes whats theirs. The pace made it easier to connect with them as a couple, and we even get to see different stages in their relationship, mostly due to Sandro changing with each passing day and new realization.
Also, I liked seeing how different Hades was with Sandro and with others. He's a complex character, and he can both be the sweetest and the most vindictive man (god) on Earth. But whatever he does he does it in hopes of saving Sandro, his love, and you can always understand where he comes from.
Again, and following what we already say in the first book with Hela and Elsa, there's also Tao here, the supporting character who once was the soul in Hades' current body. Tao was funny, snarky and so innapropiate sometimes. He made me laugh, and I hope we will be seeing more of him in the future. But, really, there are MANY supporting characters here whose books I'd love to read (Hermes, Drew, Damien, Tao, Hypnos and Thanatos for example!). I'm really intrigued by what's to come next, and I can't wait to discover it.
January 22, 2024
Story v character
A well done twist on the gods stories, placing it in modern day with some magic and a mixing of multiple different pantheons to keep things interesting. The only problem is the character of the lead characters themselves that truly keeps it from being a great story.
Sandro has been dying since he was born, but it turns out it is because he is supposed to be mated to Hades. Now that Hades can return to Earth the two end up being brought together to save Sandro. Things don't go as planned though and Hades must find a way to save his disbelieving mate.
Sandro was a bit of a tricky character. He was born ill, both in magic and in health, and much of his life has been a fight against this looming death. As such he is quite self depreciating and also has very low confidence. Even as Hades shows him love and trust he cannot believe it. This made sense, and the slow and painful journey to overcome that was believable. The unfortunate thing was that when he started to come to his own he increasingly acted like a complete jerk. Once he starts getting confidence in what he must do be starts to order others around, care nothing about them, and generally assume his way is right and these others are incompetent. It was not a pretty thing to see and it made it hard to like his journey.
Hades had similar problems. When we first meet him as Sandro's mate, Hades is loving and kind and hopeful. But the second anyone else gets involved he is a complete jerk. The witch who revived him, the friends who could help, and especially the gods who work under him he treats as inferior and to be expected to do whatever he says. He is vicious and demanding, not afraid to swiftly exact physical punishment even when there hasn't been a crime. It honestly makes it easy to see why what happens happens, as he is not someone that would be nice to follow for millennia. The idea that it is okay for him to be the worst to everyone else simply because he was nice to his mate did not sit well in any way and it made it very difficult to root for him.
Having this pair be at the centre of the entire story meant that no matter how interesting the journey they went on was it meant rooting for people who really didn't seem to be worth rooting for. Much of the issues were because of how they acted and who they were, so it was easy to see all the problems from all sides. While it was a fascinating story with lots of good ideas, none of the characters were enjoyable which sadly takes away from it all.
A well done twist on the gods stories, placing it in modern day with some magic and a mixing of multiple different pantheons to keep things interesting. The only problem is the character of the lead characters themselves that truly keeps it from being a great story.
Sandro has been dying since he was born, but it turns out it is because he is supposed to be mated to Hades. Now that Hades can return to Earth the two end up being brought together to save Sandro. Things don't go as planned though and Hades must find a way to save his disbelieving mate.
Sandro was a bit of a tricky character. He was born ill, both in magic and in health, and much of his life has been a fight against this looming death. As such he is quite self depreciating and also has very low confidence. Even as Hades shows him love and trust he cannot believe it. This made sense, and the slow and painful journey to overcome that was believable. The unfortunate thing was that when he started to come to his own he increasingly acted like a complete jerk. Once he starts getting confidence in what he must do be starts to order others around, care nothing about them, and generally assume his way is right and these others are incompetent. It was not a pretty thing to see and it made it hard to like his journey.
Hades had similar problems. When we first meet him as Sandro's mate, Hades is loving and kind and hopeful. But the second anyone else gets involved he is a complete jerk. The witch who revived him, the friends who could help, and especially the gods who work under him he treats as inferior and to be expected to do whatever he says. He is vicious and demanding, not afraid to swiftly exact physical punishment even when there hasn't been a crime. It honestly makes it easy to see why what happens happens, as he is not someone that would be nice to follow for millennia. The idea that it is okay for him to be the worst to everyone else simply because he was nice to his mate did not sit well in any way and it made it very difficult to root for him.
Having this pair be at the centre of the entire story meant that no matter how interesting the journey they went on was it meant rooting for people who really didn't seem to be worth rooting for. Much of the issues were because of how they acted and who they were, so it was easy to see all the problems from all sides. While it was a fascinating story with lots of good ideas, none of the characters were enjoyable which sadly takes away from it all.
January 12, 2024
This was my first time reading this author, but I'd heard lots of great things so I took the chance when I had the opportunity to read an ARC of Hades And His Witch. I love a mythological retelling and I wasn't disappointed here.
Set in London, the story centres on how Sandro must bond with the current form Hades has taken in order to prevent him from wasting away from an unknown illness. Newsflash, though…not only is Sandro a witch who can tattoo spells (love this!), he's unbeknownst to himself the current reincarnation of Persephone - the love of Hades’s extremely long life. Second newsflash, it obviously doesn't quite go according to plan…
So, what did I like about this book? It's a nice take on the Hades/Persephone mythology in well developed urban fantasy wrapping with plenty of humour. The main characters are personable and relatable. Sandro has a lot of baggage and self-doubt linked to his illness and disability but is so resilient and resourceful. Meanwhile Hades, one of the bad boys of the Greek pantheon, loves torturing those who deserve it as much as the next god but he is a complete cinnamon roll when it comes to Sandro. He is fallible and though in those moments the character skirts the line of being a whiny B, he doesn't cross it and eventually remembers who he is. It’s also a really important aspect fr me that he live Sandro for being Sandro as well as for being Persphone reincarnated. Yes, some of the side characters may be a little 2D (mums) but they're still likeable. There are also cameos from characters from the first book in the series. Also, I think I need a witch bartender to make me just the right cocktails. :)
This is the second Demon Gods book and, whilst I didn't feel lost or that I was missing out by starting with Hades and Sandro, I will go back and read the first story whilst waiting for the next in the series. Definitely an enjoyable read…4* from me.
An e-copy was provided by GRR. This is my honest review.
Set in London, the story centres on how Sandro must bond with the current form Hades has taken in order to prevent him from wasting away from an unknown illness. Newsflash, though…not only is Sandro a witch who can tattoo spells (love this!), he's unbeknownst to himself the current reincarnation of Persephone - the love of Hades’s extremely long life. Second newsflash, it obviously doesn't quite go according to plan…
So, what did I like about this book? It's a nice take on the Hades/Persephone mythology in well developed urban fantasy wrapping with plenty of humour. The main characters are personable and relatable. Sandro has a lot of baggage and self-doubt linked to his illness and disability but is so resilient and resourceful. Meanwhile Hades, one of the bad boys of the Greek pantheon, loves torturing those who deserve it as much as the next god but he is a complete cinnamon roll when it comes to Sandro. He is fallible and though in those moments the character skirts the line of being a whiny B, he doesn't cross it and eventually remembers who he is. It’s also a really important aspect fr me that he live Sandro for being Sandro as well as for being Persphone reincarnated. Yes, some of the side characters may be a little 2D (mums) but they're still likeable. There are also cameos from characters from the first book in the series. Also, I think I need a witch bartender to make me just the right cocktails. :)
This is the second Demon Gods book and, whilst I didn't feel lost or that I was missing out by starting with Hades and Sandro, I will go back and read the first story whilst waiting for the next in the series. Definitely an enjoyable read…4* from me.
An e-copy was provided by GRR. This is my honest review.
January 15, 2024
Hades and His Witch is the second book in Rhys Lawless’ Demon Gods series. While this is a standalone book we do get fun moments with the characters from book one. This was such a refreshing take on a classic couple. I have read numerous books about Hades and Persephone, but this one definitely broke the mold. When you think Hades you think tall dark and handsome, maybe a little menacing and a lot grouchy or angry. Persephone is usually this regal bombshell with long flowing hair and kind of intimidating. Just the fact that this is an M/M romance already shakes it up. I love that Hades is so romantic towards Sandro, absolutely mushy. He’s also reincarnated into the body of a young Asian man. Not what you would expect from the Lord of the Underworld but it works so well. Sandro, a young man who’s dying of an unknown and incurable condition is covered in tattoos and feels like his life is falling apart is not the “Persephone” we are used to but he is lovable and relatable. The secondary characters are fantastic, if Tao doesn’t get his own story I will be highly disappointed. The steam and romance is so hot, the twists and turns keep you on your toes, and I really enjoyed how Rhys meshed the Greek mythology into the current world. There are si many laugh out loud moments that add lightheartedness into a story that could get too dark too fast and Rhys did a wonderful job balancing the two. Rhys, as always, gives us a cast of characters that bring diversity and inclusion into worlds that can be very two dimensional. There is something and someone for everyone. This book didn’t go how I thought it would, in the best possible way. It’s a journey for sure and I enjoyed every minute of it. If you love Greek mythology but are tired of the same stories over and over, Rhys will have you rethinking what you think you know. Definitely recommend picking this one up!
February 20, 2024
Second book in this new series. But it’s not necessary to read them in order. It’s a retelling of Persephone and Hades (but an MM twist) I love tales of Hades and Persephone, so I was intrigued to see where this one would take me.
Reading the blurb had me wondering how the role of Persephone would work with a male in that role…..
Sandro is dying! All the doctors he’s seen don’t know what’s causing it! His last attempt is going to a witch that his friend recommends, and Sandro is desperate enough to try anything!
But the witch tells him that yes he’s dying, but not through a disease or an illness. No he dying because he’s not with his mate? But she can help him if he desires it!
Hades is reborn into a body that’s not his own! And he’s in the human world with the ghost of the firmer owner of said body! But all that disappears when he comes face to face with his lost love Persephone! But it’s a male body not female…..
This book had me in tears and stitches all the way through. With Hades ready to godmate his beloved and Sandro not sure!
We also have text messages from Tao to Hades (he attached the ghost of Tao to the cell phone) Tao is also not as helpful to hades as he’s like!
We also have someone who wants Sandro dead! So you can expect a twist and betrayal in this book too!
Whatever can go wrong goes wrong in this story. Hades and Sandro have a long uphill battle to remain together.
I really liked all the side characters, I didn’t feel that the author was just filling space.
So if you like Greek mythology retelling a then I highly recommend you grab this one. 👍🏻
🦋
Reading the blurb had me wondering how the role of Persephone would work with a male in that role…..
Sandro is dying! All the doctors he’s seen don’t know what’s causing it! His last attempt is going to a witch that his friend recommends, and Sandro is desperate enough to try anything!
But the witch tells him that yes he’s dying, but not through a disease or an illness. No he dying because he’s not with his mate? But she can help him if he desires it!
Hades is reborn into a body that’s not his own! And he’s in the human world with the ghost of the firmer owner of said body! But all that disappears when he comes face to face with his lost love Persephone! But it’s a male body not female…..
This book had me in tears and stitches all the way through. With Hades ready to godmate his beloved and Sandro not sure!
We also have text messages from Tao to Hades (he attached the ghost of Tao to the cell phone) Tao is also not as helpful to hades as he’s like!
We also have someone who wants Sandro dead! So you can expect a twist and betrayal in this book too!
Whatever can go wrong goes wrong in this story. Hades and Sandro have a long uphill battle to remain together.
I really liked all the side characters, I didn’t feel that the author was just filling space.
So if you like Greek mythology retelling a then I highly recommend you grab this one. 👍🏻
🦋
January 10, 2024
What an imaginative story! I have always loved Greek mythology, and this story presents a modern, pop reinterpretation of several Greek myths in a homosexual key, and it works! Gods living in the open on earth, taking over human bodies, with very human behaviour and feelings (but this is nothing new - we all know the dramas, struggles, envies and loves of the classical gods).
The romantic side of the relationship between Hades and Sandro fades into the background, giving way to a race against time between Earth and the Underworld, but also between reality and memories, between human life and divine life.
Personally, I am not a fan of instant love stories, and in this case it is even an eternal love lost and found, and the courtship phase is completely missing. A few sweaty moments (one of which that ended pretty badly…) were not sufficient to create the heat and love connection I would have expected in a book defined as romance.
Aside from the MCs of the first book who were part of a few crucial moments of the story, one of the characters I loved the most was Tao, a sarcastic but lovable secondary character. His interaction with Hades made me laugh every time.
Having also read the first book in the series, I seem to see a common thread: the main gods in these books have a strong tendency towards 'self-pity' and are basically extremely insecure, and it is their human partners who have proved psychologically superior.
I recommend this book for its fast pacing and its creative reinterpretation of classical myths.
The romantic side of the relationship between Hades and Sandro fades into the background, giving way to a race against time between Earth and the Underworld, but also between reality and memories, between human life and divine life.
Personally, I am not a fan of instant love stories, and in this case it is even an eternal love lost and found, and the courtship phase is completely missing. A few sweaty moments (one of which that ended pretty badly…) were not sufficient to create the heat and love connection I would have expected in a book defined as romance.
Aside from the MCs of the first book who were part of a few crucial moments of the story, one of the characters I loved the most was Tao, a sarcastic but lovable secondary character. His interaction with Hades made me laugh every time.
Having also read the first book in the series, I seem to see a common thread: the main gods in these books have a strong tendency towards 'self-pity' and are basically extremely insecure, and it is their human partners who have proved psychologically superior.
I recommend this book for its fast pacing and its creative reinterpretation of classical myths.
January 17, 2024
A Life Lived for Many Loves
We met Sandro in Loki and his Master.
He's a young witch and tattoo artist who foresees death and is slowly dying from a unknown illness.
In desperation he asks Tomasz for help, and he's directed to Mother Red Cap.
Apparently he is dying without his soulmate - his other half - Hades. And he is the last reincarnation of Persephone.
Taking a different approach to the Hades mythology, this novel has Hades brought back in the body of Tao, a Triad member who died young.
So much happens in this book, but it's predominantly about trying to save Sandro and getting him his memories back.
Tao is actually in the book throughout despite Hades having his body, and he's a terrific, fun character.
As for Hades - or H - he's a romantic guy but also ruthless and anyone who tries to hurt him or his people is in deep trouble.
I love the way Lawless has reimagined a lot of the greek mythology including Tartarus and the other characters who come along with the story.
Sandro's moms are wonderful and the fates are also great fun.
Drew, who we also met in book one, finally reveals tidbits about himself and my guess is he will feature in book three.
As for the human settings, like Java Jinx and the new cafe at the end, I can't wait to read more.
This is a spin off from the Cursed Hearts series, also worth reading.
It's sweet, funny, dangerous, action-filled, steamy and very romantic.
Well worth investing in.
We met Sandro in Loki and his Master.
He's a young witch and tattoo artist who foresees death and is slowly dying from a unknown illness.
In desperation he asks Tomasz for help, and he's directed to Mother Red Cap.
Apparently he is dying without his soulmate - his other half - Hades. And he is the last reincarnation of Persephone.
Taking a different approach to the Hades mythology, this novel has Hades brought back in the body of Tao, a Triad member who died young.
So much happens in this book, but it's predominantly about trying to save Sandro and getting him his memories back.
Tao is actually in the book throughout despite Hades having his body, and he's a terrific, fun character.
As for Hades - or H - he's a romantic guy but also ruthless and anyone who tries to hurt him or his people is in deep trouble.
I love the way Lawless has reimagined a lot of the greek mythology including Tartarus and the other characters who come along with the story.
Sandro's moms are wonderful and the fates are also great fun.
Drew, who we also met in book one, finally reveals tidbits about himself and my guess is he will feature in book three.
As for the human settings, like Java Jinx and the new cafe at the end, I can't wait to read more.
This is a spin off from the Cursed Hearts series, also worth reading.
It's sweet, funny, dangerous, action-filled, steamy and very romantic.
Well worth investing in.
January 21, 2024
I was really intrigued by the concept of this reimagined Hades/Persephone story, but while I generally enjoyed this book, it also took me to some really strange and unexpected places. Maybe it would have helped if I'd read the first book in this series and knew what I was getting into, but without that context I felt a bit off-kilter as I was trying to follow along. Sandro's connection with death had been present all his life, and he'd pretty much accepted he was going to die young without a cure for his disease. In a last ditch effort to find answers, he ended up out in the middle of nowhere performing a ritual to awaken his supposed soulmate, and that kickstarted a wild whirlwind of reincarnated gods, scheming enemies, and more. Hades and Sando had little moments where I saw romance growing between them, but most of their time together was overshadowed by the race to save Sandro from death or dealing with the enemies who wanted to take Hades's crown and force the two of them apart forever. I wish there'd been more time for the two of them to bond without anything getting in the way, because without that strong connection this book felt more like a couple of strangers going on an adventure than an actual romance. I was invested enough to keep reading all the way to the end, but I can't say I was rooting for Sandro and Hades as much as I wanted to be.
**I voluntarily read an ARC of this book. This review expresses my honest thoughts and opinions.
**I voluntarily read an ARC of this book. This review expresses my honest thoughts and opinions.
January 11, 2024
I'm not very familiar with Rhys's work but when I read the blurb for this book I knew I wanted to read it. I don't read too many mythology retellings, but the ones I have read that have had an mm spin on them I've really enjoyed, and this I enjoyed as well! Especially considering the way Persephone's character was written was so unique, and I haven't read anything like it before. The concept of her soul being reincarnated into different versions of herself was so unique to this story and really added a great uniqueness to the story.
Hades character was a bit brash but he was completely devoted to Persephone and wanted his queen back, the other half of his heart. I liked how persistent his character was with finding a way to save Sandro, even if Sandro didn't get his memories back of his time as Persephone, Hades still tried to save Sandro. I enjoyed how all of the intense action scenes were written, they were all very intense but done quite well. I loved that Sandro's dog ended up being a certain three headed dog, I thought that was really cool!
The way this story started off was quite confusing to me at first but once I was able to get into the book I was able to understand what was happening a bit more. Overall a creative and unique take on Greek mythology!
Hades character was a bit brash but he was completely devoted to Persephone and wanted his queen back, the other half of his heart. I liked how persistent his character was with finding a way to save Sandro, even if Sandro didn't get his memories back of his time as Persephone, Hades still tried to save Sandro. I enjoyed how all of the intense action scenes were written, they were all very intense but done quite well. I loved that Sandro's dog ended up being a certain three headed dog, I thought that was really cool!
The way this story started off was quite confusing to me at first but once I was able to get into the book I was able to understand what was happening a bit more. Overall a creative and unique take on Greek mythology!
January 2, 2024
This retelling of the Hades and Persephone story is fast paced, quite fun, and filled with snark. Considering that only one of the main characters is corporeal for about half of the book, their chemistry is great. And their sexy times are kindle meltingly hot.
Sandro, Persephone's reincarnation, has no memory of his first life. He doesn't appreciate when Hades calls him his queen. Because he's.... a guy. And he doubts Hades' belief that he is the reincarnated queen of the Underworld.
The secondary characters really make the story. Sandro has two moms who are scarier than Demeter. Thanatos and Hypnos, Hades minions, aren't the sharpest tools in the shed. The fates are fashion models. Sandro's recently dead dog is brought back as a ghost. And the former owner of the body that Hades was given by the Red Cap witch, Tao, is a ghost that Hades attaches to Sandro's cell phone. His sarcastic texts to Hades are definitely a highlight of the story.
A fun, quick read. A little angsty, what with Sandro dying of an unknown disease and his dog being murdered by his ex. And a really nice twist on Greek mythology.
I received an advance copy of this book and this is my honest review.
Sandro, Persephone's reincarnation, has no memory of his first life. He doesn't appreciate when Hades calls him his queen. Because he's.... a guy. And he doubts Hades' belief that he is the reincarnated queen of the Underworld.
The secondary characters really make the story. Sandro has two moms who are scarier than Demeter. Thanatos and Hypnos, Hades minions, aren't the sharpest tools in the shed. The fates are fashion models. Sandro's recently dead dog is brought back as a ghost. And the former owner of the body that Hades was given by the Red Cap witch, Tao, is a ghost that Hades attaches to Sandro's cell phone. His sarcastic texts to Hades are definitely a highlight of the story.
A fun, quick read. A little angsty, what with Sandro dying of an unknown disease and his dog being murdered by his ex. And a really nice twist on Greek mythology.
I received an advance copy of this book and this is my honest review.
January 11, 2024
🔥Fresh, creative🏛
4 🌟stars
I have to give the author kudos for a very imaginative, fresh, MM romance take on the Greek Hades-Persephone legend.
It's modern and fresh, with Sandro, the tattoo artist male reincarnation of Persephone, his two mothers and many others taking witch or other paranormal roles and a fiery Hades in crisis due to his inability to help his ailing mate. A real adventure, with gods not limited to the Greek pantheon, a diabolical plotting, knockdown battles and poignant despair as Hades reunites with his long-lost mate only to see their hopes for eternal happiness repeatedly snatched away. And Sandro's transformation from a pathetic guy on death's door to an image of strength and clever plotting when his ingenuity is most crucial was a great character arc.
I did, however, find it a bit too lengthy. I had to take breaks and that interfered with the building tension of their adventure.
I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.
4 🌟stars
I have to give the author kudos for a very imaginative, fresh, MM romance take on the Greek Hades-Persephone legend.
It's modern and fresh, with Sandro, the tattoo artist male reincarnation of Persephone, his two mothers and many others taking witch or other paranormal roles and a fiery Hades in crisis due to his inability to help his ailing mate. A real adventure, with gods not limited to the Greek pantheon, a diabolical plotting, knockdown battles and poignant despair as Hades reunites with his long-lost mate only to see their hopes for eternal happiness repeatedly snatched away. And Sandro's transformation from a pathetic guy on death's door to an image of strength and clever plotting when his ingenuity is most crucial was a great character arc.
I did, however, find it a bit too lengthy. I had to take breaks and that interfered with the building tension of their adventure.
I read a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.
January 18, 2024
First, I am not a huge fan of fantasy romance, but with a book like Hades and His Witch, I am ready to read more. This was an interesting twist on the story of Hades and Persephone. Although I have read the first book in the Demon Gods series, I followed along and allowed myself to be enveloped in the storyline and the character development.
It was interesting to see the soft side of Hades and to feel the soul-deep love he has for Persephone. Sandro being a reincarnation was an interesting twist. I loved how Hades accepted and loved Sandro from the start. The revelations throughout the story and the characters involved in their lives were all written with a purpose. The wit and banter between the characters were creative and imaginative and helped to keep my attention. After reading this book, I am most certainly going to go back and read the first book. I would highly recommend this book especially if you enjoy Greek Mythology. Thank Rhys Lawless for this book and for bringing me into the fantasy world.
I received this book as an ARC for my honest review.
It was interesting to see the soft side of Hades and to feel the soul-deep love he has for Persephone. Sandro being a reincarnation was an interesting twist. I loved how Hades accepted and loved Sandro from the start. The revelations throughout the story and the characters involved in their lives were all written with a purpose. The wit and banter between the characters were creative and imaginative and helped to keep my attention. After reading this book, I am most certainly going to go back and read the first book. I would highly recommend this book especially if you enjoy Greek Mythology. Thank Rhys Lawless for this book and for bringing me into the fantasy world.
I received this book as an ARC for my honest review.
March 21, 2024
Hades and his Witch is a MM retelling of the Hades and Persephone romance and I am here for it. I love reworkings of fairytales and Greek myths. Hades is also set in the Cursed Hearts universe which is a pretty awesome universe. If you haven't read any of those stories, go catch up, they are seriously worth it.
I really enjoyed this story for multiple reasons. The snarky phone? That is absolutely hilarious. I love that Hades is romantic and willing to fight so hard for Sandro. I felt like Sandro was so hurt by life that he kept expecting Hades to give up on him. The fact that Hades fought so hard makes this book worth a reread in my opinion. In fact, this entire series is wonderful and together could take a reader on a magical trip for the weekend. In the author's note, Rhys Lawless writes that he shares more similarities with Sandro than he cares to admit. For me, those feelings of where I meet the characters, add so much to a story. I feel like those moments and feelings bring the story to life for me. I can't wait for Drew's story and what will happen next.
I really enjoyed this story for multiple reasons. The snarky phone? That is absolutely hilarious. I love that Hades is romantic and willing to fight so hard for Sandro. I felt like Sandro was so hurt by life that he kept expecting Hades to give up on him. The fact that Hades fought so hard makes this book worth a reread in my opinion. In fact, this entire series is wonderful and together could take a reader on a magical trip for the weekend. In the author's note, Rhys Lawless writes that he shares more similarities with Sandro than he cares to admit. For me, those feelings of where I meet the characters, add so much to a story. I feel like those moments and feelings bring the story to life for me. I can't wait for Drew's story and what will happen next.
January 8, 2024
This is book 2 in a series. I hadn't read the first one, and it was said this could be a standalone, so I figured I would try it out. I honestly do not feel like I missed out on any major enjoyment by not reading the first book. Would it have been helpful to know some of the characters and world? Perhaps yes, but I don't think it was necessary. That said, it did take me a bit to get into this at the start. I wasn't quite sure what the heck was going on and it took some time for me to weave through some of the story. Once I got through that, though, I really enjoyed the story. It was a cool idea of having Persephone reincarnated as Sandro. I felt like maybe Sandro was very insecure and that was ignored a bit with Hades being so sure of everything. It all seemed to work out without having Sandro tell Hades his thoughts and concerns, and that felt a bit to easy for me. Overall, though, I enjoyed the story.
January 11, 2024
Great second book in the Demon Gods series. Sandro is a dying witch, who turns out to be the reincarnation of Persephone and the soul-mate of the God Hades. Their story is familiar, yet unique, and full of twists and turns. Finding each other is not enough to save Sandro, and they discover there is something or someone with a dark purpose preventing their bonding. Will they find out who and a way to stop them before Sandro's time runs out? I loved this twisty tale. There is humor, sadness, love, some drama, but not too much angst, and with a great HEA. I loved the cameos from characters from the first book, Loki and his Master (Loki, Tomasz, Drew), and I absolutely love Mother Red Cap. A little bit fairy godmother, supremely knowledgeable, more than a little snarky, and always sarcastic and entertaining. I look forward to more in this series.
I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.
I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.
January 16, 2024
Sandro has spent his whole life battling a mystery illness, his powers allow him to see death and he knows his time is running out so he visits a witch who claims to have all the answers.
Hades has been trapped in his realm, forced to face centuries without his soul mate, he’s never given up hope that she’ll find her way back to him. Then he wakes up on earth and finds Sandro, he has no memory of his past lives but Hades recognises his soul as Persephone and he is determined to prove he is his soulmate.
Together they battle against fate and time to reclaim everything that has been lost to them and make a future together.
I loved Hades and Sandro, they were truly the missing half of each other, providing strength and support for one another without question. Their HEA was hard won and I loved the twists and turns along the way.
We met some really great side characters too and I’m really hoping we see more of them in the future.
Hades has been trapped in his realm, forced to face centuries without his soul mate, he’s never given up hope that she’ll find her way back to him. Then he wakes up on earth and finds Sandro, he has no memory of his past lives but Hades recognises his soul as Persephone and he is determined to prove he is his soulmate.
Together they battle against fate and time to reclaim everything that has been lost to them and make a future together.
I loved Hades and Sandro, they were truly the missing half of each other, providing strength and support for one another without question. Their HEA was hard won and I loved the twists and turns along the way.
We met some really great side characters too and I’m really hoping we see more of them in the future.
January 18, 2024
I liked this book but in my opinion the first one was better. I love the plots and how the story unraveled, but I didn't really like how Hades was portrayed but I loved it at the same time. I love how Hades was this very cold and heartless cruel person to everyone else but was not for Sandro but I hated the decisions that he made even though I got that he was desperate. I also didn't like how he kind of gave up and started to mope a couple of times when he could have tried to come up with different ideas to save Sandro that part was really irritating. I do have to say though I cried at the betrayal that happened and that feeling of hopelessness that he had wow that had me really speechless for a bit. But I think that reveal of the betrayal happened too early because I think it could have been played up a bit more and have that come out along with the final climax. I am interested in seeing who Drew ,the bartender we know from book one, and his story.
January 4, 2024
Sandro is dying and goes to Mother Red Cap for a cure. But going that route is seldom straightforward. When the Hades, the God of the Dead tells him he’s really Persephone reborn, he has serious doubts and not believing him really isn’t an option.
I liked this take on Hades and Persephone. All the supporting characters were were well done, especially Hermes and Drew.
I liked the story, I just didn’t love it. It seemed to bog down in the middle. And while I enjoy an interesting love story, I just wasn’t feeling their connection throughout most of the book. I realize part of that was plot device but even when they finally got through the trials and were completely reunited, it just didn’t gel for me.
I really like the author and will read anything they write.
Review Copy requested and reviewed on behalf of OMGReads.
I liked this take on Hades and Persephone. All the supporting characters were were well done, especially Hermes and Drew.
I liked the story, I just didn’t love it. It seemed to bog down in the middle. And while I enjoy an interesting love story, I just wasn’t feeling their connection throughout most of the book. I realize part of that was plot device but even when they finally got through the trials and were completely reunited, it just didn’t gel for me.
I really like the author and will read anything they write.
Review Copy requested and reviewed on behalf of OMGReads.
January 9, 2024
I really liked this MM Hades and Persephone retelling. Sandro is a young witch with the power to foresee death, but without the power to stop his own fast approaching one. After being directed to seek out an ancient witch, he learns he is marked for death b/c he is without his godmate, who is none other than Hades himself. However something goes terribly wrong when they mate, not the least of which is that Sandro believes he is the wrong witch for the job. Hades is then on a mission to save his beloved at any cost, even if it is to give up his power. But Sandro, with the help of his ghostly dog by his side, has a few tricks up his sleeve once he lets himself believe that he is the reincarnated Persephone. Hades is truly terrifying to those who would hurt Sandro, but a total marshmallow for his beloved. It was nice to see Tomasz and Loki again, and I am definitely looking forward to reading Drew's story next. If you like mythology with a MM twist I think you'll really enjoy this world Rhys Lawless is building.
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