In the Underworld, Prue must stop Apollo from stealing the throne. But when Cyrus allies himself with the enemy, she fears losing him—and her kingdom—forever.
In the mortal realm, Mona and Evander seek out allies to help them take down Apollo. When they hear whispers of the Titans reawakening, they realize the threat is more deadly than they imagined.
In Elysium, Pandora works alongside a reluctant Sol to rebuild the kingdom of the gods. But as the dark magic from her box draws closer, Pandora will stop at nothing to redeem herself—even if it means sacrificing herself to the darkness forever.
Salt & Blood is Book 4 of the Ivy & Bone series, a Hades and Persephone retelling with a twist, full of steamy romance, dark paranormal themes, and allusions to Greek mythology. Perfect for fans of Kingdom of the Wicked and A Touch of Darkness.
This book starts off with a bang, an Apollo bang. Only I wish it were he that went up in smoke! No smoke was actually emitted, unless you count the smoke coming out of my ears! Oh not because of the book, which I was eager to read, but because of Apollo! What a @#£* he is! But I smothered the flames of my wrath at him and once more, I couldn't tear my eyes from the pages! Riveting, complex and emotional to boot! How Ms Perez does this to me with EVERY book of hers, is akin to magically holding me in place, but through words alone. Stupendous!
I love the complexity of these characters, I can really sink my teeth into them, drawing their very essence into my being, understanding them, feeling them to my core. These 3 sisters, Prue, Mona and Pandora, so diversely different, each with their own set of problems, trying to overcome almost impossible odds. Actions THEY enacted had serious repercussions and consequences.Take Pandora for instance, a huge mama chip on her shoulder (quite appropriate at what she's endured, though misguided!) She's desperate for mama's approval yet fearful she'll be rejected, so true an emotion in all of us! But I digress, SHE was the cause of a major bang, SHE destroyed 2 Realms out of misplaced vengeance. And now, well, now she's riddled with guilt. Then there's Prue, who because of HER choice, has in effect crippled Cyrus, he's no longer what he is, who he is. And let's not forget about Mona, she's cast into Earth through a portal, amazingly alive but Evander is barely hanging on. Yep, choice equals deed, equals consequences! So the dangerous games begin, emotional entanglements, desperate measures and surreptitious manipulation. Oh boy did my heart flip over, so many times! For Prue and her situation with Cyrus, for Mona and her situation with Evander but it shattered completely for Trivia/Pandora, just OMG in pieces! In fact, so much of this story left me in tatters!
With Apollo scheming, and with the help of Cyrus, a darkness, a danger even worse than Pandora unleashed is unshackled, that had the sisters mind spinning! Mine too! With Titans and demons and Prue and Mona.... I was barely remembering to catch a breath! The action was off the charts! Hyperion! The hydra! These scenes made my eyes as wide as saucers but that final battle was truly explosive! Ms Perez has the ability to pull the wool over my eyes, to capture me entirely with her craftsmanship, to conjure the unexpected. I was speechless, breathless, my lids glued in place incapable of blinking by the onslaught of the events.
This isn't a story 'just' about deities and gods, this is a tale of a mother's unconditional love, a tale of sacrifice, a tale of misconceptions and betrayal, of half truths and secrets, a tale of immense passion and a story that took me to new heights! I'm a bubbling mess after THAT ending! Dear heavens, my stomach is still in spasm! Ms Perez has outdone herself with this book!
Three sisters. Three realms. Three foes. This is book 4 of the Ivy & Bones series, a Hades and Persephone retelling with witches, demons, goddesses and princes of the Underworld.
Prue is taking on Apollo in the Underworld. Mona seeking allies in Gaia seeks out Fire witches and the Gorgon sisters. Pandora is trying to rebuild Elysium and redeem herself.
This was my favorite of the series so far. We are getting to see character development across the board. Prue is trying to protect her new kingdom from Apollo and his surprise allies - the Titans. They’re still willing to sacrifice everything for one another.
Mona is still the empathic kind hearted sister who is there to support Pandora / Trivia while she seeks atonement. She’s also there to help Evander as he struggles with his new loss of Typhon. They meet the Gorgon sisters, a coven of fire witches and the lost god King Midas. Gaia is finally reunited with her other two daughters and Pandora tries to seek revenge but Sol is there for Trivia to ground her back into reality.
While Pandora / Trivia, Sol and Gaia head to Elysium to restore the realm, Mona and Evander race to the underworld to help Prue and Cyrus face their toughest foes yet.
The ending comes with Cyrus becoming a worthy king of the Underworld, Prue and Mona kidnapped by the Titans, Trivia sacrificing herself to save Gaia and Sol and a whole new set of battles to come.
Once again I want to thank the author for the eARC copies of the full series.
Tropes: - - dark paranormal romance - Witches , goddesses & the devil himself - Hades & Persephone retelling - Dual timelines & multi POVs - Redemption and reunion - Betrayal
Favorite Quotes: - "I was afraid for the longest time that you wanted me to be her. That you were disappointed that I wasn't. I need you, Sol. You are my rock during all this, even though I don't deserve it. I don't deserve any of this. I-I never meant to fall in love with you. But I did. And now, I couldn't stop it even if I wanted to. I am hopelessly lost in my love for you, and I would do absolutely anything for you. Even if it means giving you the space to grieve a woman I could never be." - "When I said you drive me mad," he said, leaning in so his nose brushed hers, "I meant that from dawn until dusk, you consume my thoughts, my heart, my mind. You evoke my rage, my frustration, my desire. You draw out everything from me, even the pieces I want to keep buried forever." He kissed her again, his lips moving urgently and hungrily over hers. "I love you, Trivia." Another kiss. "And I want you to keep consuming me forever."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Thank you R.L.Perez and Willow Haven Press for sending me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
So much is always happening in these books, the action is always fast paced, and the romance and tension builds flawlessly. One thing I will say though is that it sometimes feels like a bit of a soap opera? I can’t keep track of who has died or who has lost their powers, and there always seems to be some sort of resolution in the end. Somehow.
In Salt and Blood, Apollo seeks to seize control of the underworld by unleashing the titans, but he does not have the power to do it himself. So he uses Cyrus’ sour attitude to manipulate him into joining his cause. While Prue is trying to help Cyrus see his worth without depending on his god powers.
Cyrus was SUCH a sourpuss at the beginning of this book! That’s all I’ll say without spoilers.
While Sol has good reason for hating Pandora, he goes from hating her, to inexplicably loving her again quite suddenly. Seemingly with no build up. But because their relationship is building on strong feelings from the previous book, the author is able to draw from that and it helps Sol work through his complicated feelings.
I found Pandora to be a bit immature in this one. Sure she has the rage of Pandora fighting against her, to murder Gaia, but she also seems to want reconciliation. But when Gaia try’s to reconcile, she’s met with resentment again. And then Pandora/Trivia blames Gaia for not trying…
Mona and Evander and officially reunited. I think there’s is the most wholesome romance out of all the characters.
Both Prue and Mona get a chance to get to know their sister, Pandora, over the course of this series. Each of the sisters have reason to resent their mother. But they all reach the same bottom line. They are blood.
Things get pretty intense at the end of this book, and just like the previous books, with the introduction of new characters who are less than trustworthy, we’ll have to wait for the next book for the resolution.
The hits keep on coming. Picking up where book 3 left off we find Apollo scary tail trying to upsurp the Underworld. He fled the battle against Pandora with his tail between his legs looking for a new place to try to overthrow. With Cyrus now a mortal, Prue knows it is up to her to save not only her husband but to protect the Underworld and keep it out of Apollo's clutches.
In the mortal realm we have Mona, Evander and Pandora (who is desperately trying to make amends). They are on a mission to find allies to help them bring down Apollo but once rumor spreads that the Titans have been released from Tartarus, they realize they have bigger fish to fry than a rogue god. As part of her journey towards atonement Pandora must work alongside Sol and Gaia in rebuilding Elysium after her destruction brought it to ruin.
All three sisters are up against some unsurmountable odds. Witches within their own right they are still trying to learn how to harness their goddesses' abilities. With realms on the brink of destruction and Titans once again roaming the earth, Prue, Mona and Pandora are i for the fight of their life.
This a story of family, secrets, betrayal, sacrifice, rebirth and the limits one will go for the ones they love. The battle between gods, goddesses, witches and titans hangs in the balance and the fate of the otherworldly and mortal realms are caught in the crossfire.
I received an ARC from the author in return for an early review.
This is the 5th book in the series and it just gets better and better! Two of Gaia’s three daughters have died and been reborn thus gaining their goddess powers and becoming immortal.
Prue and her estranged husband are the queen and king of the Underworld but Cyrus has a deep hatred for Prue now because in bringing her back after she died he lost his god powers of the Underworld and became human! Now Apollo is there claiming the Underworld as his new kingdom after Elysium fell. Prue still stays loyal to Cyrus even when he aligns himself with Apollo against her. He finally comes to realize how much she means to him when she gives him the opportunity and means to free himself of her!
While this is going on Mona and Pandora ( Trivia) are in the Mortal Realm and meet with a coven of fire witches. They are taken to meet King Midas and after a Titan has been released and they succeeded in stopping it, Pandora is told to go to Elysium with Sol and Gaia to repair the wards so Elysium can flourish again. She accepts this as her punishment for what she has done.
However, when they accomplish this deed, they find out they were deceived with the appearance of someone who shouldn’t be there at all! Pandora then makes a sacrifice to save the other two.
Meanwhile the Titans have been released by Apollo and they turn on Prue to consume her powers but Mona and Evander return to stop them momentarily before they grab both Prue and Mona and disappear!
This story will grab you and leave you gnashing your teeth because you want to continue reading the story now and not have to wait until the next book ( Willow & Grave) comes out!
You MUST read this entire series from the start to understand the complexities of these main characters! What happened to Pandora ( Trivia) will tear at your heartstrings to understand what she had to endure all alone cut off from her mother and never knowing her sisters until some twenty years later and having a vengeful spirit trapped inside her mind by her evil father Apollo!
This book will keep you up reading well into the early mornings because you’ll find it so difficult to put it down! It is so well written and covers the whole spectrum of human emotions from love to hate; from joy to despair and hatred along with the intense feelings each person has for their mates or the one they love!
I enthusiastically recommend not only this book but this series as one that once you start it, you’ll find you’re hooked to read all five books and after the cliffhangers here you’ll be anxiously awaiting the next book to find out what happens to these three sisters, one of whom never knew she had sisters at all until just a short time ago!
Reading about these characters the story comes alive to you and you feel they are real people and you can’t help but have empathy with them all as they fight against those who would destroy them!
I urge you to get and read this series and see if you don’t feel exactly like I do afterwards!
I for one can’t wait until Willow & Grave comes out and neither will you!!
This book is the fourth installment in the Ivy & Bone series, and it continues to deliver a thrilling blend of Greek mythology, dark magic, and steamy romance. The book masterfully juggles three interconnected storylines: Prue's battle to thwart Apollo's bid for power in the Underworld, Mona and Evander's desperate quest for allies against the rising Titans in the mortal realm, and Pandora's dangerous mission to rebuild Elysium while grappling with the dark magic threatening her soul.
Perez excels at character development, with each sister's journey showcasing growth and emotional depth. The stakes are high, the twists are relentless, and the romance—fiery and tantalizing—perfectly complements the darker, paranormal themes.
This book leaves readers on edge, eagerly anticipating the next chapter in the series, Willow & Grave. If you enjoy mythology retellings with a dark and spicy twist, Salt & Blood will grab you and refuse to let go!
Salt & Blood had be from the first page… I read this in a day.
Prue, Mona, and Pandora all face the weight of their decisions. Pandora’s guilt, Prue’s complicated relationship with Cyrus, and Mona’s desperate fight to save Evander make for a deeply emotional and intense journey. Apollo’s manipulation, Cyrus’s betrayal, and the release of some crazy creatures thickens the plot, but it’s the emotional depth of each character that really makes this book so amazing. And that ending - I’m still REELING.
This story focuses on sacrifice, family, and redemption. Perez’s storytelling is on another level. If you haven’t read this series yet, do yourself a favour and start now. This is an emotional rollercoaster you won’t want to miss!! The sequel continues with Willow & Grave - set to release in December!
Thank you to the author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 Wow, this book had me stressed from page 1 to the very end. I am not okay.
Cyrus losing his powers and his relationship with Prue hanging by the thinnest little thread. My heart aches because I love this couple so much. 💔😭
And Pandora… seriously, can someone give this girl a break? She’s out here battling cursed power, side-eye from everyone around her, and her own inner demons. My heart just wants to wrap her up in a blanket and tell the rest of the characters to back off for five minutes.
Also, Apollo. Every time he showed up, my blood pressure spiked. He’s manipulative, smug, and downright infuriating. Sir, you need to stop.
Hello? 911 here. This whole book was pure tension, drama, and heartbreak. Excuse me, R.L. Perez, who gave you the right to do me like that?! My poor heart was not prepared. Honestly, I’ll be sending my therapy bills. Do I want to read the next book? Absolutely, because clearly I don’t value my emotional stability anymore.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
‘Let the games begin’ A truly creative twist on the “Clash of the Titans” theme! The three daughters of Gaia courageously fight against their foes to protect their realms…while fighting for their partners. Talk about women “doing it all”!
A tale truly based on “history is written by the victors”! No spoilers, just wanna point out how much I enjoyed the author’s perspective on one of Greek mythology’s most famous curses. I think this version of Midas makes so much more sense…
Nobody “owes” anybody forgiveness. People (and even the immortals) who have been hurt ARE owed the time and space to deal with their emotions. Everyone needs at least some time to witness the damage caused by our actions as a vehicle for redemption, healing, and growth. Our guilt and remorse aren’t necessarily a punishment, but rather part of the process.
Some sage advice from the author: Protect your blind spots. Be worthy of your crown.
Fave line: ‘Trust your goddess blood.’
Sad to note that darkness knows no boundaries and that ‘the Underworld isn’t the only place capable of monsters’. This saga of standing up for what’s right continues in ‘Willow & Grave’.
May we all find the strength to fight for what important and true; may there come a day when nobody needs to do so anymore.
OMG!! The war of the gods is coming!! Salt and Blood is a continuation of the Hades and Persephone series. This is book 4 and the worlds are in chaos since Pandora’s box has been open. I love how the story continues and we can see the outcome and the struggle the sisters had to go through to get back together. This book is all Prue, Mona, and Pandora’s story to fix what happened once the box was open. We finally get an interesting moment with Gaia, and see more of an understanding about the manipulative Apollo. I love how fast pace and suspenseful the story gets when vengeance and understanding comes together. It really had me at the edge of my seat and I can’t wait to know more!! That ending!! I can’t wait to see what happens next!
I voluntarily leave an honest review of this gifted advance readers copy.
THIS WAS SO GOOD! I LOVED EVERY CHAPTER And can we talk for a moment about these crazy plots? I wasn't expecting any of the things that happened. I think I liked it even more than the others, some of the scenes were so epic I couldn't believe what I was reading (I think one of my favorite scenes was the fight with the hydra!) I couldn't lift my eyes off the book once I saw the sentence "let the games began", it gave the story the twist it needed to truly start. Almost every conflict between the characters had been solved and then there were the last three chapters: OMG. I don't even know what to say, it really caught me off guard! I can't wait to read the next book and to know what will happen next!
Another lovely book by R.L. Perez. This series has me in an absolute chokehold. I can't get enough. It's striking to see how each of the main characters handles their own individual crises. Main themes in this book are the choices we make and living with the consequences, facing guilt and shame and personal growth. I adored all of the ways these characters evolved. Of course there's romance and good fun spice. There is one element of the plot that feels like a hole at this point so I'm hoping that gets shored up in book 5. I have all the trust in R.L. to take care of it! I can't believe we have to wait until December for Willow & Grave! 😭😍
So first I would like to thank the author because I received an ARC copy of this book. I would like to say I thought the series was going to end here but come to find out we end on a cliffhanger and we have to wait for a fifth book to come out! Then the cliffhanger that it ended on…like are you kidding me?!?!? I wasn’t expecting that to happen and now for that to have happened I’m in turmoil. We had a lot of redemption arcs going on for Pandora and especially Gaia and then we had some tricksters that were revealed. Didn’t see that coming. I feel like I thought I was gonna get answers in this book and it left me with more questions, then answers.
I couldn’t put this book down! I devoured it in one day! I have become so invested in all the relationships and the story as a whole. This fourth book picks up right after the cliffhanger of book 3, and it’s full of action and twists right till the end. The characters we love are back and fighting for the realms. And I love the new characters that were brought in and all the Greek mythology references. As with all the previous books, we end on a cliffhanger, possibly the biggest one yet. It actually had me saying “No!!!” out loud when I read it. Need the next book now!!!!
Firstly thank you R.L Perez for the eARC in exchange for an honest review! WHOA installment 4 of this series did NOT disappoint. These characters are extremely complex without being overly repetitive in nature. The writing flowed and I love how intertwined things become. It’s world building without being daunting to the reader. I am fully invested in these characters and already immediately want book 5. Also hear me out…I don’t think any couple will top Evander and Mona for me lol but I love how every relationship is developing!
Book: Salt & Blood by R.L. Perez, Author Just finished my ARC for Salt & Blood, and WOWZA! The action was actioning and spice was spicing! While I think reading as a standalone would be fine, I’d highly recommend reading in order as to understand better why things are the way they are. I absolutely loved Trivia and Cyrus’ character development. It took me a bit to really get into to story but once that hook hit, there was no going back. AND that cliffhanger ending! I rolled out of the bed so fast in disbelief! I cannot wait for Book 5!
This far into this amazing series I feel like a score card might just be in order to keep track of exactly who the bad guys are as nothing is as simple as it first appeared back in book 1. Elysium has fallen thanks to Pandora’s box being opened and Apollo has appeared in what remains of the Underworld to claim the throne even if it means killing his own daughter. But is he really the worst Titan out there for our team of former Gods, newly crowned Goddesses and a rag tag team of demons and witches to take down so they can restore all of the realms? It’s a page turner!
The 4th book in the Ivy & Bones series and my favorite one so far. There has been so much character growth throughout the series. The inner fighting deception between the Gods is interesting and at times shocking. My favorite character from the beginning has been Cyrus King of the Underworld. He has had the most growth as a character since the first book. He has grown from a power hungry God to someone who loves and wants to protect his subjects all because of his love for Prue. Great book. Cant wait for book 5.
This book was action-packed! So much happened while continuing the story of the 3 sisters. Especially the last few chapters! I will admit, Cyrus frustrated me so much in this book! I felt that Prue handled his emotions well. But, in the end, Cyrus gave me hope. Gotta love Lagos!! Of course, Evander was a loving, steady rock (when he wasn't near death anyway). He's still my favorite! This book ended on a huge cliffhanger. Already ready for the next one!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
This series has had me hooked from the very first book and this latest addition only enhances it even more! The three sisters and their partners face even more challenges in their realms as they must stop Apollo and the titans as the danger & the magic intensifies. Our characters have come so far and grown so much but this latest book sees them really pull together as the author weaves their spell and intertwines their lives and has you totally addicted and engrossed in this incredible World.
Like the last one, it was one the better ones of the series. Less Prue and Cyrus (sometimes I just skipped their chapters, I just cannot stand them). LOVE Trivia/Pandora though and Mona too. I devoured their chapters. 3.5⭐️
Ohhh loved this story part of a series. Picked it up in the morning and I couldn’t put it down. Have the rest of the series in Audio. Love how the author had more than the Greek gods in the story. She had the titans , King Mides and a Hydra but so much more
This is my favorite book of the series so far. Everything that's happened to this point has lead to Apollo trying to take over the Underworld and get rid of anyone that stands in his way. The battle between Apollo and Cyrus was pretty good--I'm curious as to how Cyrus's magic will play into the next book and I love how other characters are reunited. The sisters each have their own part to play in finding out information and rebuilding the worlds. I love Prue and Cyrus together but Cyrus got on my nerves for a big part of this story--I'm glad he finally got his act together--and I loved getting to see Mona and Evander work together as well. More villains and new characters are introduced and I'm interested to see how they are part of the bigger picture. Another cliffhanger!!! I'm ready to see how this one plays out in the next book...luckily it will be out later this year!
I read it so fast because it was so good! I love this book and this series. A lot of bumps in the road in this one, it made it really difficult to put it down. I can't wait for the next book!
Well. These books just get better and better. I felt very privileged to be emailed by R.L.Perez to ask if I would like to read Salt & Blood after I read Crown of Slumber last year. Of course, I said yes. However. I hadn't read books 1-3. Now I have finished all 4, and wow 👌 what a series. I have never finished a series so quickly in my entire reading history!! Everytome you think you know what's coming - BAM, a twist just flies straight at you, making your mouth hit the floor in shock. I ate this series up! I honestly can't wait for the final book as I need to know how this all ends! Xx
Salt & Blood is book 4 in the Ivy & Bone series. ❤️Blurb- In the Underworld, Prue must stop Apollo from stealing the throne. But when Cyrus allies himself with the enemy, she fears losing him—and her kingdom—forever. In the mortal realm, Mona and Evander seek out allies to help them take down Apollo. When they hear whispers of the Titans reawakening, they realize the threat is more deadly than they imagined. In Elysium, Pandora works alongside a reluctant Sol to rebuild the kingdom of the gods. But as the dark magic from her box draws closer, Pandora will stop at nothing to redeem herself—even if it means sacrificing herself to the darkness forever. Salt & Blood is Book 4 of the Ivy & Bone series, a Hades and Persephone retelling with a twist, full of steamy romance, dark paranormal themes, and allusions to Greek mythology. Perfect for fans of Kingdom of the Wicked and A Touch of Darkness. 💜 Review - I really enjoyed this novel. I couldn't put it down and I kept reading until the end as I wanted to know what happened. R.L Perez's writing is beautiful and the storytelling was perfect. I loved following the characters journey throughout the book and I loved all the characters and the pacing was just right. If steamy fantasy romance novels and with touches of paranormal and Greek mythology is your thing then you will love Salt & Blood and the author's other books, I highly recommend it and I look forward to reading more by the author. ❤️Salt & Blood is released on 7th February. 💝 Thank you to the author, R.L Perez for my arc ebook copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.