My Ex From Hell

The Blooming Goddess Trilogy #1

by Tellulah Darling

Pass gym.
Get revenge on the mean girl.
Saving the world was never part of the curriculum.

Prior to the Halloween dance, Sophie’s biggest problems are the bitchy girls at her boarding school and her mouthy behavior landing her in detention.

Then she meets bad boy Kai. And gets the kiss that rocks her world.

That kiss reawakens Sophie’s true identity: Persephone, Goddess of Spring. Now school is the least of her worries.

She’s key to saving humanity and target numero uno of Hades and Zeus.

All she’s gotta do is master her powers, land her bad boy crush, and save the world.

Happy Sweet Sixteen!


**Alternate-cover edition: 9780988054035

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

272 pages, Paperback

First published June 26, 2013

About the author

Tellulah Darling
noun
1) YA & New Adult romantic comedy author because her first kiss sucked and she's compensating.
2) Firm believer that some of the best stories happen when love meets comedy and awkwardness ensues.
3) Sassy minx.

Both a hopeless romantic and total cynic, Tellulah Darling is all about the happily-ever-after, with a huge dose of hilarity along the way. Her romcoms come in a variety of heat levels and flavors; straight up romantic comedy, shaken with Greek mythology or stirred with urban fantasy.

Sassy girls. Swoony boys. What could go wrong?

Reviews

[Jaime Arkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not sure that this book could have been more perfect.



Sophie Bloom... I'm not even sure how to describe her other than to say I wish that she and I were friends in High School... I think it would have been a whole lot more fun, and a lot more exciting.

Sophie attends Hope Park boarding school and we first meet her plotting revenge against Bethany..."that red-haired, black-souled cow". Yes she has a nemesis in this story and while you might be shaking your head thinking 'of course there is a mean-girl who makes her life hell', Sophie gives just as good as she gets and I adore it.

The night of the Halloween dance, Bethany has planned to meet up at midnight with some hot guy she met on a field trip. Sophie has other plans for her, and decides to go meet this hot guy in her place. Little did she know it would change her life forever.

She meets bad boy Kai and what she thinks will be a simple kiss, turns out to be so much more. It awakens her true self, and in a flash of memory she finds out that she is Persephone, Goddess of Spring and she is the key to saving humanity in the war between The Underworld and Olympus. Hades, Kai's dad and Zeus, her dad are less than pleased with her and it turns out ... someone had tried to kill her in her last memory of her life as goddess.

Big picture: master her powers, get her memories back, defeat Persephone’s would be assassin, and save the world. Also, sneak into the Underworld to retrieve stolen property, battle the minions of Hades and Zeus, outwit psycho nymphs, slay a dragon, rescue a classmate, keep from getting her butt expelled from the one place designed to keep her safe …

… and stop kissing Kai, Prince of the Underworld.

Characters make or break a book for me. I've said it before and I'll say it again. But I can honestly say that Darling creates some incredible characters in this story and next to Sophie, I'm not sure who my favorite is. From Hannah, Sophie's genetically perfect, Swedish nerd of a best friend and roommate, to Theo, her best guy friend who watches her back they are all wonderfully written. I think I loved reading the banter and relationship between these friends the best.

Some of my favorite highlighted parts...

"I'm guessing that's a costume and not you finally announcing your lack of a dick to the world," I said to Anil.

"Nice trying to go as an actual chick, Bloom," he sneered back. "Maybe one day you won't need the socks."

In the improved movie version of my life, I came back with the best comeback ev-ah.

or here ...

He shot me a cocky grin. "You gonna come out and play, sweetheart?"

Insolent puppy. My total crushing on this dude was at odds with my natural inclination when hearing something like that to shoot off some sarcastic comment.

Or even...

"How big was my rack?" I asked hopefully.

"Such tact," Theo admonished. "I never noticed."

"How would big boobs help you save humankind? Unless you're planning to poke out Hades' eye with your diamond hard nips." Hannah rolled her eyes at me.

As you can see from the quotes, another thing that Darling seems to be really incredibly talented with is dialogue. I loved it in her other book Sam Cruz's Infallible Guide to Getting Girls and I love it in this story as well. I found myself laughing out loud at parts and ignoring the looks of judgement from my sister.

Sophie is written in a way that makes this story believable ... equal parts snarky, witty, feisty and overly dramatic. It's the perfect mix for her and I am putting her up there with some of my favorite characters of all time for sure.

Darling has created a wonderfully fresh romantic comedy that is not only filled with Greek Mythology that you'll love learning about but a story that you'll be dying for more of once you get to the end. I know I was!

I can't recommend this enough to anyone looking for something fresh and new. It's not out yet, but you definitely need to pick this one up come April 1st!!! I know I will be!

Tellulah Darling has officially been put on my 'will read anything by her' list.




GAH - thank you to Tellulah for the advance copy in exchange for a fair and honest review!

This review can be found on my blog, Fic Fare:

[aqsa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Funny.

[Katy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really liked "Sam Cruz's Infallible Guide to Getting Girls" so I am SO disappointed that I didn't care for this one. Sam Cruz was a bit shallow and rude, but it was hilarious and fun to read. There were a few good moments, but I just didn't feel the same about this book.

First of all, I couldn't connect with the characters. There was just something about Sophie that I just didn't like. She's not really the shy girl that gets bullied, nor is she the spunky girl who doesn't give a crap about what others think. She's just kind of hard to place. And yes, the queen bee Bethany was a total bitch, but Sophie wasn't a lovable character herself, and I just did not get the warm and fuzzies from her.

And Kai? I really wish he had made me swoon. Or, I wish he was the type of jerk that frustrated you, but you can't help but be intrigued and turned on/lured in. But really, he was just an ass in this book. And I just couldn't help but be annoyed every time Sophie and Kai bickered.

Now the plot itself was just all over the place. It wasn't that I minded that Darling disregarded pretty much everything we learned in mythology. No, it was I felt a lot happened, and everything rushed by too fast, and I just felt that Darling really didn't give much thought into all the scenes. I understand this is supposed to be a quick, fun read. But honestly, I'm not sure why she wrote some of the things she did.

1) Sophie's mother Felicia doesn't make a single appearance in this book. No, she didn't. Sophie was on the phone with her once, and there were a few stories about the past, and of course, there were the illusions. Otherwise, not a single time. And another thing.

2) I recalled Theo being gay. Why? I mean, I don't have a problem with him being gay, but he wasn't flamoyant nor did he have any love interests in the book. It was just a random thing to point out. And Hannah? I'm not sure why Darling made her beautiful but nerdy. Other than the one flirt scene with Kai, her beauty didn't do much for her. And she wasn't nerdy except I guess she helped give some trivia (not much) about mythology. And for a best friend, she really had a minor role in the book.

3) And the other thing was there was a brief period where no one remembered who Cassie was. And later Bethany. What was up with that? Maybe I missed it because so much was going on. But then again, Theo and Sophie went to the Underworld, and they came back, and poof, everyone just forgot them. So the transition wasn't really smooth.

4) So Bethany was just a normal girl? How lame. For someone who had so much conviction to make Sophie a living hell, I was hoping there was some kind of history behind that, like maybe Sophie did her wrong in her goddess life, and she's seeking revenge. Nope.

I don't know. Maybe it's because I've read so many stories about Hades and Persephone. Or maybe it's because I've been reading a lot of mythology books lately. Or, I don't know. I know this is not a book to analyze, especially after reading "Sam Cruz," and I never planned to. It's just that there were too many holes, and because I couldn't relate to any of the characters, I just couldn't like it.

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Greek goddess hidden away in a 16 year old. This book could have been super cheesy…but it wasn’t. It was sooo good. I loved it. Like big puffy heart loved.



Sophie Bloom is just your average 16 year old girl. She goes to a boarding school, has a close group of friends, has a nemesis, and schemes to take down said nemesis. During the night of the Halloween dance, Sophie’s plan to take down Bethany (nemesis) goes slightly awry when a simple kiss turns out to be something more. This something awakens her true self – the Greek goddess Persephone.

“Then I met a guy. I know that’s the worst cliché ever. But sadly, it’s true. And of course, me being me, he couldn’t be just any bad boy. No. He had to be Kai, son of Hades, Lord of the Underworld.”

“Who knew when I was cramming Greek mythology for my English final, I was studying the family tree?”

Suddenly, she finds herself back in the same war she was hidden from. Both Zeus and Hades want her, and neither of these options seems like a good idea. I mean, who would you choose?



Not to mention there’s the tiny little fact that someone tried to kill her and that’s the reason why she was placed in a human shell. There’s mystery, intrigue, comedy and drama all rolled into one.

It wasn’t just Sophie’s voice that I loved, even though her inner monologue was hilarious. All of the surrounding characters were written extremely well. The banter mixed with pop culture references made this an enjoyable read.

“Stranger things have happened, Neo. And it was Halloween.” “It was, Morpheus. But since I wasn’t abducted, thrown into a shipping container, and sent on my way to the Baltics to be sold into sex slavery, highly unlikely.”

“Nice try. I may only know Mythology 101 but those gods predated New Kids on the Block.” (A New Kids on the Block reference, I bow to you Tellulah Darling.)

“Rule number two, I agree with Theo. No blowing your cover. You are strictly Clark Kent around here.” “Couldn’t I at least be Tony Stark?”

Sophie, Kai, Hannah, Theo…I just loved them all. I also have mad love for Greek mythology and I loved the way Darling has woven that into her story. The story matched with her writing style sold me on this. I will now read anything by this author and I cannot wait for the second book.



Thank you to Netgalley and Te De Media for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

This review can also be found here at my blog.

[Tabitha (Bows & Bullets Reviews) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The review is also available on my blog, Bows & Bullets Reviews




Sorry, I’m just so fucking happy. I’ve been in a reading slump lately where I have enjoyed a few novels, but I’ve not LOVED anything, you know? I’ve found some funny/wacky/amusing/heartful/insert positive adjective here novels lately, but nothing that has made me want to bow down in front of his magnificence. Well, ladies and gentleman, here it is. This novel has me groveling on my knees at its awesomeness and I can honestly say that I loved every minute of it (and am dying on the inside for the next installment).

Sophie Bloom is just your average teenager. Average looks, average grades, with an adoptive mother who saw to it that she was enrolled in a boarding school so she wouldn’t have to put up with her. Everything is quite ordinary…until she kisses a handsome stranger on Halloween and her world is turned upside down. What that oh-so-delicious kiss revealed was that Sophie isn’t average after all, she’s really Persephone, the Greek goddess of Spring. Wait, what?!? That’s right kiddies, Sophie is really a goddess and she is smack-dab in the middle of a war between Zeus and Hades who both want her dead. Then there is her ex, Kai, son of Hades (aka mysterious kissing stranger). Things between these two are complicated at best. So much for a semester of worrying about teenage drama and backstabbing, yoga-pants wearing bitches, Sophie’s off to fight the baddies, slay a dragon, and save humanity…if she can pull it off.

Where to start? I guess I’ll go for Sophie first. She is the absolute perfect heroine. Snarky and sarcastic, she was had me giggling and rolling my eyes at/with her within the first few pages of the novel. She’s that heroine that it is entirely too easy to sympathize with as she is dragged along on this thrill ride, whether she likes it or not. Then there is Sophie’s best friend, Hannah, who is one of the greatest supporting characters ever. She’s brainy and busty and over-protective, with just the right of amount of bossiness to keep Sophie in line. I loved the two of them together. I loved that when Sophie finds out that she’s a goddess, the first thing she does is demand to see Hannah to tell her about it. Not for one second did she contemplate leaving Hannah in the dark to “protect” her or some other such bullshit.

The only character I’m undecided about is Kai…and that’s probably the point. One minute I’m lusting away after him (just like Sophie) and the next I want to assist Sophie in the nailing the bastard to the wall while inflicting several thousand paper cuts along his body then dousing him in salt and lemon juice so they all feel like they are on fire. Apparently Kai and Persephone had some kind of epic romance, star-crossed lovers and all that. They defied everything to be together, but his royal Dickhead can’t seem to decide if he wants to help Sophie or just fuck with her head. Trying to figure out whether to root for the pair to work it out or to see them in a knock-down drag-out brawl was enough give me a headache.

I am quickly discovering that I one of the most important things for me in any story is the characters. I have to like (hopefully love) at least a few of them to become invested in the story. This novel succeeds not only on that front, but has all the things necessary for me to adore it. It has amazing characters, clever dialogue, just the right amount of humor to keep me smiling, and a plot that even kept me guessing. Even with all these amazing things, the one thing that stands out even more is Tellulah Darling’s writing style. She manages to flawlessly pull off the wholly believable voice of this teenage girl. It’s so utterly true to life. I absolutely adore it and I recommend it to everyone.

****Thank you to Te Da Media for providing me with an eARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review****

[Booknut 101 · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Who knew when I was cramming Greek mythology for my English final, I was studying the family tree?"

Sassy, magical and perfectly executed My Ex From Hell is a modern take on Greek mythology filled with nerdy Titans, dangerous dragons, Hades-sent boys, peanut-butter chocolates, and feisty goddesses who are sure to have you falling hook, line and sinker for this YA tale with a twist.

[Estelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Original review posted on: Rather Be Reading Blog

I can’t be the only person who sees Greek mythology and thinks of this guy:



Right?

Before I launch into one of my favorite Hercules songs, I should say that I don’t normally read paranormals. But every once in awhile I’ll crawl out of my comfortable cocoon of contemporaries and try something new. My Ex From Hell‘s title was so catchy and who couldn’t get behind a name like that? We have ALL been there.

Sophie, a ballsy teenager, known for pranks especially when it comes to the bitchiest girl at her boarding school. On the night of one of her biggest jokes yet, Sophie’s world as she knows it changes when she kisses Kai, the hottest boy she has ever seen, and she starts to see visions. Her friend, Theo, (someone she now knows she goes way back with) fills in the pieces and bam, there is it. She is actually a goddess, caught in the middle of a war between the Underworld and Mt. Olympus.

I’m always curious about the amount of time a character takes to get used to outlandish news like this. Huge! Crazy! Unbelievable and when they just sort of go with it and don’t question it all too much, my investment in the story starts to wane. Unfortunately this happened here. Darling has a great premise but the voyage into the world of the Greeks happens so fast; I felt like I was getting whiplash. (Even her best friend, Hannah, was pretty ho-hum about the news.)

It did help that Sophie was funny and quirky and for a kind of insta-love/hate plot, she and Kai had some intense chemistry. (I wanted more of them!) Every now and then, I would get caught up in the tone of the characters though. Sometimes the story felt so juvenile and then there would be a line or two injected in there about foreplay and sex and I would be like WHOA. These ARE teenagers.

Maybe it’s just a personal preference but I need a dose of reality in my fantasy. While I’m glad to have read My Ex Goes to Hell (and I think it could make an awesome Disney Channel movie), I’m not sure I’ll pick up the rest of the series.

[Heather K (dentist in my spare time) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have a split personality on this book. On one hand, I think that the writing style was fresh and fabulous. This is my first book by this author and I am definitely going to read more by her. I like her brand of snarky, sarcastic, confident YA writing. However, my issue with this book was with the plot. I found that it dragged at times and it just couldn't keep my attention. I was skimming at the end because I just wanted to finish it, which is a shame because I think the author is capable of some amazing stuff.

Honestly, a big part of my problem is that I'm burnt out on mythology books. I'm just done with them. I need a break. After the entire Dark Hunter series and countless others, mythology books have really lost their appeal to me. I encourage others to give this one a shot because I think most of the issues that I had with it were personal taste.

**Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review**

[starryeyedjen · Rating 4 out of 5]

So...I remember some blogger pals back in the day -- some who are no longer with us, sadly 😢 -- raving about this series. I caught the first two books on sale back then and downloaded them for my Kindle, but I remember thinking that I've read quite a few Persephone retellings and if you've read one, you've read them all. (Wrong. This book is clever and funny and snarky and just fun.) Have you ever just NOT known what to read next, like you've searched through the library and Amazon and Audible for new releases or something that just strikes your fancy and nothing does? That was me as I decided to scroll through my oft-forgotten Kindle library. And lo and behold I stumble across this gem. It's set mostly at a boarding school. The star-crossed lovers practically hate each other. And Persephone is saved from a tragic fate by being brought back as a human. Oh, and she doesn't remember anything about her life as Persephone. For the most part. 😉 Which makes for some awkward misadventures as she comes into her goddess powers.

[Namera [The Literary Invertebrate] · Rating 2 out of 5]

RTC

[Kar Achondo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I completely loved this! I didn't expected it to be so good, I loved Sophie's voice and Hannah's brains, it all was an amazing surprise!


Updated: March 13, 2012



I received a copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Being the first book on a series it makes a great first impression. I loved it from the very first page. The story is narrated from Sophie's point of view and it is awesome, because everything she thinks seem so authentic that you can actually say: "That's a teenage girl". I really liked the witty dialogue and the snarky comments and the way that Sophie's mind works.
I loved Hannah, the sidekick and best friend, who is beautiful and smart at the same time even if she's just human, she can kick some serious butts.
Kai, well, he's infuriating! I just wanna shake him hard and yell at him for being such a jackass and then just kiss him and then slap him in the face (I'm not making any sense, am I?).
About Theo, this mysterious best friend who has a lot of secrets and a wicked sense of humor... I really liked this character, but that's mostly because I feel like he's hiding something and has all this mysterious vibe. We don't really get to know him in this book, but I'm hoping we'll get to the bottom of his personality in the next books.
Bethany... she's a b*tch, a beautiful, powerful, self-centered b*tch. If I were Sophie I would have kill her as soon as I knew I was able to. Creepy much? Well, she totally deserves it!
I love the role of mythology in the story since I've always been a huge fan of Greek mythology. I've read a lot of books which the central theme is some Greek myth, but this one was somehow special. I really liked the way the information was treated and I loved that there wasn't info-dump moments or anything and it all went pretty smoothly.
The dialog always felt right. It was authentic and never forced. Also, I really liked the titles for every chapter, they said so much about what's in them and most of them are hilarious.
I had a lot fun reading this book, sometimes I even laughed out loud and I'm not usually like that while reading a book, but this one has some majorly funny stuff going on. However, even though this book was funny that doesn't mean that it was less deep than other within the genre.

I would recommend it to: Young Adult genre lovers, who likes Greek mythology and whoever who had enjoyed The Goddess Test or Percy Jackson series.

[Tee loves Kyle Jacobson · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Ex From Hell is one of the funniest craziest book I have ever read. I love me some mythology but this was so much more. It was mythology and some crazy friends who betray and hide things and secrets man could these characters well one in particular held some secrets. Theo man oh man I need more of him because not only is he hot sex on a platter but he has this whole dark and mysterious I have deep secrets vibe going on and that is what I love because his character grabbed me and held me and I wanted no I needed more of him.

Sophie she is the life of the party and she is so funny. She has to save the world and try to stop kissing Kai which is impossible because once she kissed him the first time things changed and they will never be the same. She has to stop the fighting between Hades and Zeus. The war is between the Underworld and Olympus and how can the Goddess of Spring save the world? Sophie is Persephone and someone tried to murder her and she has no memory of it. What is she to do? Is her memories going to come back or will they stay hidden deep and the murderer remain free?

All Sophie wants to do is learn how to master her powers. She needs her memories back in order to find out who tried to kill her. Then she has to kill her would be killer. Oh and if that is not enough she has to save the world from destruction. Can Sophie do it all or will she crack?

[Maraya21 (The Reading Dragon) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

This was highly entertaining in all its unexpected glory!

I'm half Greek so I take an interest - whenever it suits me - with all things Greek. Especially Greek Mythology, cause let us face it, who wouldn't love insanely OTT bundles of bloody whatthefuckery?

So, this one is about Persephone but it gets of the well known myth into a spin off, which I did like. Not sure if the blutant inaccuracy was planned or not but somehow it works for this if you don't go neatpicking that is.

Points I liked:
• I did like Sophie/Persephone. "Murder is me" kind of girl and after my own heart.
• #friendship_goals with Sophie and her BFF Hannah.
• Also #friendship_goals with Sophie and her other BFF Theo.
• Theo & Hannah were great side characters. They had snark and brains.
• No insta-love that melts your brain. I mean there was attraction but thank Goddess nothing of the normal insta variety.
• Kai actually acting like a God, meaning being a little douche (albeit a likeable one), instead of saying he's one and acting like a hormonal teenage boy 25/7.

Interested in seeing where this will end up going. Onwards, I go.


Auxiliary Challenge Winner for January 2018 (Theme: MYTHOLOGY / GODS)

[♥♡¢σσкιє♥♡ (Krystle) · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can read this review and more on my blog:

I received a free copy of this book from the author via Young Adult Bound Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.

When I started reading this book, I was not in the best of moods. I was tired, sore, and had a massive headache. Reading this book at that time was a huge mistake on my part. I thought this was going to be a cute light read, and it was, but nobody warned me about how funny it was going to be. I was laughing so hard that headache just kept getting worse, but I couldn’t stop reading! This is one of the funniest books that I have read in a very long time!

Sophie’s conversations with her two best friends Theo and Hannah were responsible for most of my uncontrollable laughter. They talk to each other the way real friends do, and it was hilarious. Sure they cared about each other and had a few sentimental moments, but most of the time they were either entertaining on another at someone else’s expense or making fun of each other. All of this was done in a very friendly way though. If a girl has to find out that she is humanities only hope for survival, Theo and Hannah are the people you want on your team. They are useful and they know how to have fun when you aren’t in immediate danger.

Sophie’s inner monologue was also hilarious. She handled the whole “You are the daughter of Zeus” thing rather well especially considering she only has a few memories of her life as a goddess. She should have been curled up in a little ball somewhere, wetting herself, but instead she handles the news like a pro and meets every challenge that is thrown at her head on. She was far from that annoyingly perfect heroine. I mean the girl though of some very creative ways to torture/kill Bethany, the school’s resident mean girl, but that’s what I like about her character, she is that cool snarky girl that we should all want to be friends with.

Theo is Sophie’s male BFF, and he is still somewhat of a mystery for me. One moment he is sarcastic and making Sophie laugh so hard that she almost wets herself and the next minute he is very serious and mature. I’m not sure which personality is his dominate personality, but I like him all the same.

Hannah, Sophie’s best girl friend, was fantastic! She is a nerd who is trapped in the body of a six-foot tall, blond-haired, big boobed supermodel. No matter how many times I have read the story of the just above average looking girl who is best friends with the gorgeous chick, I have never read it this way. Hannah both loves and hates how pretty she is, she knows she has a look that causes most guys to become idiots, but she wants to meet a man who appreciates her bod and her brains!

Now on to our leading man, Kai, the son of Hades. First let me say that I completely understand why he turns Sophie and almost every woman he comes into contact with into jelly. He is handsome, tall, and apparently has a voice that is so swoonworthy it should be considered illegal in at least twelve states, but he doesn’t do it for me. I like a guy who is unapologetically himself whether he is super nice or a charming jerk, and I really do like the character of kai, but he won’t be added to my list of favorite leading males just yet. He spends far too much time pretending that Sophie has no effect on him. Even when he hits on her or kisses her, he acts like he only did it to prove a point when it is so obvious that he likes this girl. even though Sophie is Persephone, the goddess that he loves, she isn’t at the same time. Sophie is a lot mouthier than she was before she was stuffed in a human suit and had her goddess memories wiped clean. She is similar to the woman he loves and looks like her, but they are very different. I just want him to admit to himself and to Sophie that he likes the differences because it is very clear to me that he does. As soon as he mans up and gives in to the awesomeness that is Sophie, I am sure that Kai will become a favorite of mine.

Before I end my review, I want to talk a little bit about the way the Greek mythology was handled. The extent of my Greek mythology knowledge comes from Disney’s Hercules. I am aware of some of the more popular stories, I know a few names here and there, but I am basically clueless. However, even with my limited knowledge, I can tell that this novel was written by someone who truly enjoys This subject. All the different legends were seamlessly woven into the story. I learned a lot, but never felt like I was in a class on Greek mythology, it always felt like these things happened to the characters.

Overall, this was an incredibly funny, interesting, romantic, and fascinating book. Lucky for me, I get to read the next one very soon, but I am not looking forward to the fact that the third one is not out yet so be prepared to listen to me whine about that fact in my next review!

Because of violence, mild language, and mild sexual content, I would recommend this book for ages 14 and up.

[Lauren (Northern Plunder)]

This review was first posted on Northern Plunder, if you want to see more reviews please click here.

I was fortunate enough to receive a copy of My Ex From Hell for part of a book tour hosted by Xpresso Book Tours, this will in no way effect my opinion on the book!

My Ex From Hell is about plain ol' regular Sophie Bloom at boarding school, with her best friends Hannah and Theo, and has the best Halloween prank planned to take down Queen Bee Bethany a notch or two.

This is where Sophie's regular life comes to a quick end.

On Halloween night she sneaks out to corrupt Bethany's current cute boys' opinion of her, only things don't exactly go to plan.

The boy in question is Kai, he's dreamy and giving off all kinds of bad boy vibes and gives Sophie a breathtaking kiss.

For real.

The kiss wakes up all kinds of memories that Sophie shouldn't have, but she does because uh-oh secrets loose now. She's actually Persephone, daughter of Zeus and Kai is the son of Hades. Recipe for disaster?

Well actually more like the recipe for ending Hades and Zeus' war against each other, but whilst Sophie starts regaining some of her memories from her life as Persephone, she doesn't remember everything and is fuzzy on some vital information - like who tried to kill her and what was the plan to stop Zeus and Hades all out war on Earth.

On her route to remembering she has some tricky obstacles to pass - including a Dragon - and of course school to study for (I'm super happy we actually got to see Sophie try and balance a normal life whilst trying to deal with being a Goddess, it made it more believable).

I really enjoyed the storyline, and the regaining of Sophie's previous memories, plus the whole dealing with a Dragon chapters were great. However there are a few things I didn't like which is why its stuck at three stars.

The sarcasm and humour that comes across in the beginning was light and great, but because every important character seemed to have some kind of sarcastic joke to say it became a little overbearing, however I think the sequel could potentionally loose some of the snark when Sophie has full memory, I'm hoping she will become a whole new character you know? We'll get to see the Persephone side of her but that will create a new Sophie who is all Sophie and all Persephone, rather than just a bit of Persephone.

I also didn't really get Kai's fascination of Bethany but I'm thinking thats probably more to do with the fact we're seeing Bethany from Sophies point of view, and as she hates her then of course so do the readers.

I'm looking forward to the sequel a lot though, because it definitely has some lovely loose ends to tie up. I need questions answering so I'm hooked and I want to know more about the Kai that Persephone loved, not the mystery we've been dealing with.

[Marynea Collina · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Ex From Hell contained a unique, alternate dimension of Greek Mythology, specifically on Hades x Persephone tale, and as a huge shipper of those two, I was very much satisfied. I completely loved it even from the first page; it was funny, adorable, and enjoyable to read. The characters were all fun to read, and of course, the mythology elements were spot on and detailed very well.

Perhaps the part that I loved the most was the way it was written. Darling had let us see the world of My Ex From Hell through Sophie's world, letting us see glimpses of her own personality. Through that, the connection to Sophia became easier and it was hard not to love her. She was exactly how I would have imagined Persephone.

The rest of the characters were amazing .. well, except for Bethany (the bitch), of course, yet I recognize how Darling had characterized them. Kai's relationship with Sophie had been interesting, and I am honestly glad they were still in a little bit of limbo in this book, with only a few kisses here and there. They weren't established yet and that is fine with me.

There were moments when it just didn't make sense to me. And truth be told, I couldn't connect with Kai as much as I wish to. I recognize his connection with Sophie, but separately from her, he didn't feel as complex as I had hoped. I thought he was just simply an ass. Hopefully the next books will reveal more.

Nevertheless, My Ex From Hell had been a fun ride. If you're fond of Greek Mythology, especially someone who ships Hades and Persephone as much as I do, then this will perhaps satisfy your OTP feels.

3.5/5!

[Carina · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was ok. Some parts I kept rolling my eyes at, and then when I had the thought, "I should just DNF this", it picked up to a good part, and now I found my self thinking, "Oh yes! It just needs to stay like this until the end!". But it didn't.
It was an up and down ride for me. Good parts, bad parts. Bored, entertained. And that confused me more, because I usually stick to one feeling for a while.
I think the writing style is fast paced. A little too fast paced? I think for me, yes. I would have liked a little more detail to some conversations and scenes. But it also meant I wasn't hung up on a long ass description that might have been unnecessary. So like I said, conflicted emotions.

I think I enjoyed more that this authors debut, . Not as much as I was hoping unfortunatelly. But enought to want to continue with the series? Yes.


2.5
Carina Says OK
Carina Wishes She Had Loved

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with a copy to review.

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Greek Mythology. Especially stories about Hades & Persephone.

Spoiler alert, this is not your average Persephone story. Instead of being kidnapped and obsessed by Hades, in this story it is Kyrillos Prince of Hell! Hades is far to self absorbed to be entranced by another God. So this is a love story about Persephone & Kyrillos. How they bonded over having shitty fathers, defied everyone and stayed together. Until Persephone was murdered.

Sophie is a misunderstood teenager. Locked away at boarding school with mean girls and misfits she struggles to get through each day. During an act of revenge memories and powers unlock from a previous life.

She was Persephone. In her old life. But now she is Sophie. Talking about angst & drama. Now she must figure out who she really is. Ignite an old flame. Come to terms with her best friend being a Titan. Fight mean girls & a dragon. Oh and lose her virginity to save the world. NO. PRESSURE.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

I <3 me some Greek Mythology, and especially a retelling or adaptations. That being said this book was kind of a futuristic Adaptation, it was a new twist to the story of Hades and Persephone, or in this case Kia and Sophie :)
The actual number I give this is 2.5 but the reason I am rounding up is because the ending was TOO much of a cliff hanger.
This book has teenage angst, hormones and some funny and witty dialect sprinkled though out the story. Though it also has plenty of face palm moments and you will without a doubt get annoyed with everyone in the story, it was still enjoyable.

I can't really write to big of a review because honestly though I enjoyed it and it was a fairly new take on the tragic love story, but it didn't suck me into a world or make me want to read into the wee hours of the night.

Good luck and I hope you enjoy :)

[Anna Aurora · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have mentioned this book here and there for the past month ,so it's finally time to talk about it! This is hilarious , interesting and action packed. Our main hero Sophie is a very flawed character ,and it makes the story even more exciting. The whole book is written in her perspective ,and guys...being in her head ..it's like comedy gold.
This is one of my favourite books ever and my 5 🌟 read!

Disclaimer- the humour in this one isn't suitable for young children, and can be sexual. Just be warned.

[Ilinalta · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't finish this book due to how stiff the book was. It was a long tedius battle with the actual book to try to read it, which is unfortunate cause I kinda liked the story. I got too tired battling with a book to actually read it, so I'm dropping it.

I'm not sure what the publishers thought when they decided to make the book as stiff as 50 layers of cardboard. Maybe if I find a better edition I'll finish the book up.

[Nadia Said · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kelsie and I did this review on our website, pagetrotter.blogspot.com
Feel free to go there for more of our reviews!

Now because Nadia and I could not agree on who should write the review we are both doing it. Dogs and a bone. ALSO! We would like to thank the awesome Tellulah and Te Da Media for the ARC, y'all rock! And now the goods...

Me first, me first, me first!!!!

Kelsie's review (because she fights dirty and it not above acting like a five year old on a sugar rush):

SQUEEEEEEEAAAAAALLLLLLLLL!!!!!! RAWR you guys I LOVE this book! So funny and filled with awesome sauce!

First you have Sophie who is a feisty little booger. She acts her age, but isn't super annoying. She has these moments of maturity that are so surprising and show so much depth and I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE HER CHARACTER GROWTH. *heaving* Sorry. Just a little excited. Let me preface something before I continue to hardcore fangirl-it. I LOVE mythology. Especially Greek, so if you are writing about it you can bet your bottom Drachma I am going to read it. Ms. Daahhling does an awesome job with it.

After reading it I had to call Nadia, who was waiting patiently for me to catch up, bless her heart, and we jabbered on about it for a good hour. Here's a little of what we gushed about. First off, the humor is so spot on. I had plenty of LOL moments. But there is also a balance here where it tones down to be a bit more serious. Not, beat you over the head with dark emotions, because yikes, but a subtlety that you don't recognize until you are a couple pages down. It is a real talent to be able to balance these moments and transition seamlessly with them. The dialogue is flippin' fantastic. Now this could be because Ms. Daahhling is a screenwriter as well and let me say you can tell. She is dah masta. Legit in the extreme. It has such a flow that it's never stunted unless it is intended. It's also realistic which is greatly appreciated by former and current teenagers everywhere.

The characters! Holy Hades (pun intended-you'll see ;) I gots crushes on 'em all! Especially Theo. I have a special place for Theo. I want to cuddle him and spoon him and tell him everything is going to be ok. Kai on the other hand I want to shake him and kiss him and kick him in the shins. Dude is frustrating. And he does it on purpose. He is also hilarious and pulls no punches. I love his interactions with Sophie. I am intrigued by him to say the least. I cannot wait to see more of him and I kinda dread it at the same time? I haven't sorted my feelings for him out yet. Which probably has to do with Sophie! (Awesome segway, I'll take my compliments on the comments section.) Sophie, Sophie, Sophie. You are one confused sixteen year old. And you know what? That's ok! Cause you're sixteen! And you share memories with a vapid, mirror loving Goddess! Sophie is strong, a little immature, dramatic to the max, smart, and so funny I was rolling. Her life is turned upside down, which is ok since it wasn't that great to begin with thanks to FEEELIIIICIAAA (her "mom" is hell on high heels). She finds out that she is/was the Goddess Persephone, but is human. She has her powers though which is badass. She wields pollen-y plants peeps! Watch out allergics! Use the power of Claritin! Anywho! She handles everything like you would expect a sixteen yr old too. She also has moments of depth that sneak up on you and you're like whoa there Joey from Dawson's Creek, where'd you come from. What is so exciting about her is her potential. She's going to be a fun one. Then there is her awesome nerdtastic sidekick Hannah. I want a Hannah. She is pretty kick ass in the brains department and refuses to be forgotten because she is human. I am Human, hear me roar! Ya she's pretty kickass. Then there is Bethany. I have to admit it, y'all, I loved her too. She is shallow as hell and meaner than a junkyard dog, but she also is formidable. She could so easily be written off as a Regina George, but she's not and that's cool as hell.

I'm going to stop here so Nadia has stuff to say too, but I am super excited for this series. Brava Ms. Daahhling! Keep on truckin!

Nadia's review (Because she let's Kelsie think she's getting her way, when really it's what she wanted all along hehehe)

Funny Kelsie should mention that she pronounces her last name like that, cuz in my head I give it a good ol' Southern twang pronouncing it like Durlin'. Kelsie and I already had this convo, but I couldn't resist adding it in here. Anyways! Back to the review.

THIS. This is the reason we started reading YA. This is the reason we keep slogging through the crappy duds. Because every so often instead of a dud, we get an explosion. And boy did this one rock our Mythological loving world.

It was just so delightfully refreshing. No joke, afterward I felt renewed and refreshed. It completely restored my flagging faith in YA as ridiculous as that sounds. It's so easy to become cynical and bored with a genre, especially if it explodes with authors (both good and bad) as YA has. Not so with MEFH. I completely and utterly devoured this book. I even kept trying to measure it out, like a dehydrated runner with a limited supply of water, only to end up gulping it down.

I completely agree with everything Kelsie said. I don't know if this tells you something, but I literally laughed out loud. I don't think anyone other than Kelsie knows how rare this is for me. Only a handful of authors can make me do that, and Tellulah Darling just became one of them. The dialogue is so dead on. It's funny, witty, and isn't trying too hard. Perfect.

And Theo. So mysterious, brooding, and sarcastic. Still waters be runnin' deep with that kid. His closed off personality makes me want to get in his head, know everything about him, and not stop til I've figured him out. Theo's the type that would totally shove me out and tell me to Fuck Off. And I love him for it! Now, Hannah. I love Hannah. The ultimate Breaker of Stereotypes, she is not afraid to be herself. Insanely smart and loyal to death, you read it just as much for her witty dialogue. I also think she's going to play a bigger role of reminding Sophie of her human roots and keep her grounded as Sophie gets more powerful. Oh and Kai is infruriating! He acts all callous and cool, but you know deep down inside he's shit scared of losing Sophie again. No matter how he denies she's Persephone and she's a watered down version blah blah blah. He's running scared. I got you Kai. I know this is a case of caring too much. Don't get me wrong though. He's a selfish bugger, and boy can I not wait until Sophie breaks into her own and gives him the hell he deserves.

Which brings me to Sophie. She is such a wonderful heroine. She could have easily gotten caught up in this mythological world, abandon her old life, and not come back again as main characters often do. I think that's such a cop out. It's so easy to leave it behind, instead of sticking around and trying to mesh the two world's and make it work. Instead she keeps Hannah involved as much as she can, and keeps her loyalty to the humans. She doesn't dwell on the shitstorm that is her life, she just goes about trying to resolve her problems. She has so much potential and depth. Stuff that would have felled other people, she takes in stride and keeps it moving. I will say though, I think she has a huge coping mechanism of completely ignoring the stuff that emotionally hits her hard. Like her adoptive mother and real mother. That's a huge issue that only gets touched on a couple times in the book. I know it's going to play a bigger role later on in the series, but still. That type of coping mechanism is gonna come back and bite her in the ass.

What I loved most about the book was, oddly enough, Sophie and Hannah's friendship. In so many books, girls have such superficial friendships with other girls. It's almost all about the guys. OR the main character seems to be incapable of sustaining a female friendship cuz all other girls are bitches who're jealous of her beauutyy, and try to compete with her but lose everytime, so she just has close male friends cuz you know, it's like easier without the jealous bitches. End run on sentence lol. It's such a common theme, I don't understand why they do this. Just because a girl has close male friendships, doesn't make her remarkable, it just means you can't relate to your fellow female. Sisterhood and all that. Anyways back to Hannah and Sophie. It's subtle, but it plays a huge role in the book and in Sophie's life. For all intents and purposes she has no family. And yea there's Theo, but he majorly broke trust with her. Not saying she's ungrateful for what he did, but it'll take her time to go back to fully trusting him. (Also can I say that I love, love, love, that her and Theo didn't automatically become closer just cuz of their God heritage) So essentially Hannah is her family and the person she trusts most in the world. Without giving too many spoilers away, the power of their friendship even kept Sophie from getting killed. I love that.

Anyways, sorry about the gushing, but seriously this is a great read. Get out there and buy it!

[Nuzaifa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stop by Say It with Books this week to read our chat review,to find out what cartoon character wrote her Master's Thesis on and to win a copy of My Ex From Hell!

Nuzaifa: Hi Everyone! Since the response for our first chat review in April was amazing we have decided to make the chat review a monthly feature here at Say It with Books. So welcome to our second chat review-Today we will be reviewing Tellulah Darling’s YA romantic comedy, My Ex from Hell! J
So Rach tell me what are your thoughts on My Ex from Hell?
Rachel: Do you know the feeling when you totally didn’t see something coming? That’s what I felt when I read My Ex from Hell. When I first heard of it, I expected it to just be another typical story of a teenage girl and a bad boy-you know the story. But when I started reading it, I was instantly engrossed and I liked Sophie right away. She’s witty and downright hilarious! I know readers will absolutely love her and all the other characters.
Nuzaifa: Spot on, Rach-that is exactly how I felt about Sophie! This girl’s sarcasm will leave you in a fit of giggles! One of the Darling’s strengths is her knack for writing witty dialogue. Thanks to this factor the story moved fast and there was never a dull moment!
"I'm guessing that's a costume and not you finally announcing your lack of a dick to the world," I said to Anil.

"Nice trying to go as an actual chick, Bloom," he sneered back. "Maybe one day you won't need the socks."
“In the improved movie version of my life, I came back with the best comeback ev-ah. "
Rachel: Ditto! Right from the first page of this story, I can assure you that you will laugh your hearts out!
Dear Your Royal Imperialness

Demeter, Goddess of Grain and
Fertility, Preserver of Marriage, and
Bringer of Seasons,
Or can I just call you Mom?
Rachel: This immediately heightened my curiosity because and it already gives you an idea of what Sophie went through, in bits and pieces. We have studied Greek Mythology back in high school but this is such a refreshing take on this subject. I’ve never been that interested with gods and goddesses, but when I read My Ex From Hell, I swear I suddenly wanted to know more about it.
Nuzaifa: I can definitely relate to that, Rach! Greek Mythology is something that’s growing popular in the YA category but I don’t think I’ve come across a book that tackles the whole Persephone and Hades angle in such a way. And I definitely don’t think I’ve ever come across a Persephone that is hilarious as Sophie!
Rachel: The plot itself was interesting and funny. The reason why Sophie met Kai and the circumstances and the place and everything! And after that, it’s when Sophie’s whole world started to turn upside down. And add Hannah and Theo to the story, then bam, get ready to laugh your asses out. Their personalities are so different from each other, especially with Hannah and Sophie. Hannah’s the perfect example of a popular girl with her oh-so-perfect face and model-like body while Sophie’s the simpler one but they seem to blend well just right. Another character that made this story more interesting is Bethany. Just a glimpse of their exchange:
Bethany: “I know a great pose for relieving stress. It involves shoving your head up your ass.”

Sophie: “I couldn’t steal your signature move. Oh wait. That’s shoving your head up the teachers’ asses. My bad.”
Seriously, there were times when I wanted to smack Bethany for being so mean to Sophie and thinking that she’s the most superior creature in the world. But as what I said, she also shook things up and made it more exciting.
Nuzaifa: Supporting characters is where a lot of books fail but the entire cast of My Ex from Hell was well constructed and were all involved in the story. Theo would probably be my most favourite supporting character! With his dry humour and air of mystery Theo was a total winner in my opinion.
"How big was my rack?" I asked hopefully.

"Such tact," Theo admonished. "I never noticed."
"How would big boobs help you save humankind? Unless you're planning to poke out Hades' eye with your diamond hard nips." Hannah rolled her eyes at me.
Whether it’s saving the universe from pissed off Greek Gods or slaying dragons you can always count on Sophie, Theo and Hannah to make laugh your heart out!
Rachel: Of course, last but not the least. Kai. The swoon worthy guy, but let me tell you, he can be a pig sometimes most of the time. And our dear Sophie is very attracted to him:
Kai’s voice was dark and lazy and slightly foreign and … whoa baby, I’m getting weak

just thinking about it.
Name, voice, it all worked for me. Fortunately, he couldn’t see me nod like an idiot puppy at his words.
I still don’t know if I am going to love or hate Kai, well because of the ending, but right now it’s 60% love, 40% hate.
Nuzaifa: And here I was wondering when we were going to get to the most yummy part! ;) Kai….I think I’m going to wait and read the sequel, My DateFrom Hell before deciding on how I feel about him since we didn’t really get to know Kai very well in My Ex From Hell. So Rachel time to wrap this up, what did you think of the book as a whole?
Rachel: My Ex From Hell is a refreshing take of the story of gods and goddesses and readers will surely love the twists and turns that Tellulah created for this story. Perfect blend of the characters and well-written lines, thumbs up for Ms. Darling!
Nuzaifa: My Ex From Hell is great choice for Mythology fans who love retellings and a good laugh. I’m definitely looking forward to reading more of Tellulah’s wonderful writing in the sequel, My Date From Hell!

[Andrea Heltsley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sassy

This book was cute and sassy with a touch of flirty. The main character Sophie aka Persephone is a snarky drama queen with two fabulous best friends. Add high school angst and superpowers of mythical proportions, and you end up with this little gem of a read. Persephone in modern culture, not Ancient Greece. Looking forward to seeing what happens after that epic cliffhanger. Four glittery stars!

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three stars: An entertaining, modernized version of an old Greek tale.

Sophie is sick and tired of always being the one who is in trouble, especially when it comes to her ongoing feud with the school's popular girl, Bethany. Bethany never gets caught and she seems to have everyone wrapped around her little finger. Sophie decides to go big by plotting a wicked revenge. Sophie intends on breaking up Bethany's little make out session scheduled for midnight on Halloween with some hot guy she just met. A little vodka, laxatives and a jimmied lock on a bathroom door ought to do the trick. Sophie will go in Bethany's place and check out this guy for herself. Little does she know that in doing so she is setting her feet on a path that will completely change her life as she knows it. What will happen to Sophie?

What I Liked:
*Books that incorporate Greek mythology into modern day are always fun, and I love seeing how authors revise the classic Greek tales for today's teens. This book brings us a new version of the tale of Persephone. Sophie is the embodiment of Persephone who was murdered in Hell sixteen years ago by an unknown assailant. Her spirit was captured and placed in a human body by Prometheus before she expired. Before she was attacked, Sophie was engaged in an elicit love affair with Kai the son of Hades. Hades sent Kai to retrieve Sophie not expecting the two to fall in love. Things definitely get complicated as you fast forward to sixteen years later and find Persephone as a naive teenager. I like that this story borrowed from the original tale and that it was also unique and different. If you are a fan of Greek mythology retellings give this book a try.
*The book is filled with plenty of humor and snark that will make you laugh and smile. I admit it did take awhile for me to get used to Sophie's sarcastic voice, and at times she is a bit over the top. However, I am not the target audience and I am certain that teens will appreciate her hilarity. I did enjoy the humor for the most part.
*I enjoyed the secondary characters, Hannah and Simon, Sophie's two best friends. Simon is the reincarnation of Prometheus, and he has taken it upon himself to watch out for and protect Sophie. He is smart and kind despite his tragic past. I like that he has overcome his past even though it still haunts him. Hannah is a beautiful geek who proves that brains and beauty can go together. She is the brains behind the trio, and I think she was my favorite of all the characters.
*The world building was well done and I had no problems picturing the school or the confines of Hell. The boarding school setting was fun, and I know that there are many readers out there that enjoy a boarding school setting.
*Normally I am not a fan of mean girls, but I found that I actually enjoyed the banter and the plotting between Sophie and Bethany. Bethany is the typical popular girl who rules the school and can do no wrong, but when the adults aren't looking she is cruel and calculating. I liked that Sophie stuck it to her, and yet Sophie does the right thing when Bethany is in danger. Their wicked banter and interactions were a highlight for me.
And The Not So Much:
*The pacing of the story moves incredibly quick at times and this doesn't allow for things to be fully fleshed out and explained. I think slowing the story down and taking time to detail and explain further would greatly enhance the read. The whole plot with the dragon/guidance counselor was a bit weak because of the speed.
*Kai's character was underdeveloped. I kept waiting for further revelations regarding his past and his intentions, but he remains a mystery. He is introduced as this sexy, powerful son of Hades and I was expecting big things from him, but instead he is a fizzle and a flop. I especially wanted more on his relationship with Persephone.
*I was frustrated that so many things were left unanswered, especially when it comes to Persephone's life and her demise. I was expecting to get some exciting answers by the end, and instead I got nothing but a dreaded cliffhanger. So frustrating! At least, the second book is out so I don't have to wait.

My Ex From Hell was a fresh and entertaining modernized version of the Greek mythological tale of Persephone. This is a book that brings Persephone to modern day with some originality, spunk and snark. If you are one who enjoys Greek mythology retellings and lots of humor, give this little book a try.

Favorite Quotations:
"How would big boobs help you save humankind? Unless you're planning to poke out Hades' eye with your diamond hard nips."
"I even stayed focused, only taking the occasional thousand glances or so out the window."
"Because when you've been around forever, you have to find something outside yourself to believe in or go mad. I believe in humanity. I believe in you."

I purchased a copy of this book. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted @Rainy Day Ramblings.

[Laura | What's Hot? · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I recently downloaded a whole heap of books and I had absolutely no intention of reading them until my exams were over, but curiosity got the better of me and I started looking their reviews up on Goodreads. Most of them sounded alright, but when I got to 'My Ex From Hell', I found two very, very convincing reviews (if I don't manage to convince you to read this book then go check theirs out because they most certainly will) and an overall rating of 4.6 which is pretty darn high. I don't think I've ever read the synopsis of a book and felt so excited. I think the book summary does a really good job of capturing Sophie's (the protagonist) personality and gives you a great insight into the book, so I won't bother giving you any more details, I'll leave you to find them out for yourselves!

I absolutely love books that have anything to do with Greek mythology and this book was no exception. I liked this book a lot more than other mythology books because it didn't seem to stray too far away from the original stories and there weren't too many made up characters. By that, I mean that the families ties were mostly correct and the story was written in such a way that you could believe that this really was based on an ancient myth. Of course, the character Kai (or Kyrillos), son of Hades, was a made up character but he's sounds like a seriously hot God so who cares. I actually learnt quite a lot about Greek mythology from this book, like who's related to who, who's the God of what and what everyone's job is, so you could even class this as a semi-educational read. ;)


Although the romance plays a fairly substantial part in this book, it isn't really the main focus, which allows the characters of Hannah and Theo, Sophie's best friends, to have more of an active role. I absolutely loved Hannah, she just sounded like such an awesome person and right now I'm not sure which emotion is stronger: the desire to be best friends with her, or the desire to be her.

I didn't like the character Bethany, Queen-B and mean girl, though I suppose that's the point. However, what I did like, was the way that she was written. I felt like she was quite an authentic b****, who wasn't totally OTT, which made me kinda fear and hate her at the same time. I don't usually have much of an opinion on these sorts of characters in books, because they're usually just sort of there, but Bethany has a presence that really gets under your skin.


I actually found Kai's character a little confusing. I mean, he's hot. Like super hot. Like super-God-hot. But his character wasn't featured as much as I would've liked. It's also pretty hard to figure out what his intentions are, especially at the climax of the book but I suppose we'll find that out later. In the meantime you can tide yourself over with brain images of a sexy, bad-ass, flirty, player of a God (who's also an amazing kisser).

Something else that was a little hard to get my head around was the idea of Persephone and Sophie as two separate people, and yet the same person? (It makes sense when you read it). Although Persephone's dying soul was moved into Sophie's body, they're two separate people. Well actually it's more like Sophie is her own person but ever since her memories were re-awakened bits of Persephone have started to filter through. I don't think I'm making much sense right now, but you'll understand it when you read it and it's all pretty cool once you figure out what the heck is going on. The entire book is written from the point of view of Sophie and it's just so easy to like her. She's funny and brave and it feels like a real person is telling you the story (if that makes sense). Lots of YA authors are good at portraying the teenage mind but very few of them get it spot on. Well, Tellulah Darling has. I alternated between laughing, feeling some serious butterflies and rolling around in a ball in frustration. This is story is just everything that you could possibly want from a YA book and I highly recommend it!

This book ended on such a good cliffhanger, I am now desperate to read the rest of this series! I'm also loving the look of Tellulah Darling's other book: 'Sam Cruz's Infallible Guide to Getting Girls' which looks exactly like my kind of book!

P.S. I tried to turn my fan girl off whilst writing this review, when really all I wanted to say was shgkfghksdfhgksdjfhgksdfjhbksdfjhksdjfhgksdjhgkjsdfgkjdshfgkjhOMGskhgkadgfkdshfgkdshfgkdhsfgkjh.

Thanks to Te Da Media for this ARC ^^

[Eleanor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a little weary writing this review, just because I don't want to sell the book short and because I'm scared of spoiling it for whoever reads this review prior to reading the book.

I haven't read Darling's Sam Cruz's Infallible Guide To Getting Girls (and I will be!!), but I love that my introduction to her work is My Ex From Hell. The book in a nutshell is brilliant. It has a unique combination of romance, comedy and a fresh voice that you won't find from anyone else.

Here is the plot without actually telling the story:

On one end of the ring we have Sophie, who is a 16 year old girl in a boarding school, her best friend, Hannah, a gorgeous Swedish looking (is she actually Swedish? I can't remember now) and the third musketeer, Theo, their gay guy bestie. On the other end we have Bethany (and some insignificant, in this book anyway, of her followers). Then we have Kai, a gorgeous transfer to the school, who Bethany decides is hers *enter epic eye-roll here* and who makes Sophie relive things from the past.

But this is where things get complicated - Sophie is actually Persephone, daughter of Zeus and Demeter, in human form. And Kai is actually the some of Hades, Zeus' brother. And here is where we kind of have a 3rd end to the ring: Zeus and Hades want Persephone dead.

The whole book is written from a nowadays sixteen year old girl, very hip, very much immersed in pop-culture, and very, very, VERY funny.
What more I love about the book, are the supporting characters. Hannah and Theo are who you'd want to be your best friends if you were to relive high-school again. They are loyal, loving, funny to a boot and as crazy as Sophie seems to be.

I found myself highlighting pretty much the entire book, since there were so many quotes I loved, that made me double over - burst out loud - laughing, like:

Sophie and Hannah: "You think I'm a freak?" I asked carefully. "Only sexually. Maybe physically. Definitely mentally."

or:

Sophie and Theo: He glanced at the bottle in surprise as he pushed his glasses back up his nose. "Vodka? Thought she'd be more of a peach cooler girl." He launched into his "commercial voice." "Parents, do your daughters come home smelling like an orchard? Is their giggle quotient higher than usual? They may be in thrall to the dangerous wine cooler. Gateway drug of the terminally insecure, its usage results in excessive clumsiness and the condition 'trophy wife-itis.' The lethalness of which only manifests after age thirty-five and ends in gutter living and suicide." By this point, I was trying not to pee, I was laughing so hard. "Shut up," I hissed.

or:

"You dirty little Hobbit!" Hannah exclaimed. "You smooched your cousin."
I shuddered. "My cousin?" I thought I might throw up.
Theo had the good grace to look sheepish. "Human standards of familial taboos don't apply to the gods. Even so, first cousins can legally marry."
"In the backwoods of Alabama," I groaned. "Just give me a banjo and teach me the 'Deliverance' theme now." I slapped my knee. "Yee haw!"

And the quote portion of the review ends here, because in all honesty, I'd just as well quote the entire book.

The way Darling used the Greek mythology to her advantage is nothing short of fantastic, literally. And making it work with modern day culture makes it all the more fun to read.
Anything Tellulah Darling writes from now on goes on my automatic 'to-be-read' list. Miss Darlin, you've got another fangirl!

This one is definitely a 2013 must read.



Thank you NetGalley, Te Da Media and the author for this advanced copy.

[Belle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dear Your Royal Imperialness Demeter, Goddess of Grain and Fertility, Preserver of Marriage, and Bringer of Seasons,
Or can I just call you Mom?
Bet you never thought you’d be hearing from me. Sorry for not having written sooner, but until about twelve hours ago, I didn’t know you existed. Nothing personal.

I AM PLEASANTLY SURPRISED.. this book was not what I expected.. but SO MUCH MORE!

“How big was my rack?” I asked hopefully. “Such tact,” Theo admonished. “I never noticed.”

“How would big boobs help you save humankind? Unless you’re planning to poke out Hades’ eye with your diamond hard nips.”
Hannah rolled her eyes at me.
“Maybe that was my fiendish plan all along. I am goddess, see me poke.”


What if your existence as an average teenage girl living a normal teenage is suddenly twisted on its head after a prank gone wrong, that ends in a hot and heavy kiss with a gorgeous stranger,causes hidden memories and powers resurfacing revealing your true identity - as Persephone, yep that's right you're a goddess? Oh, and better yet you are wanted dead by not just one powerful god but two - Hades and Zeus... Welcome to Sophie's world.

I fought him as best I could. “Let me up.”
“As imperious as always,” he muttered, keeping me firmly in place.
That surprised me. “I would have thought I was a lovely goddess. Everyone likes Spring.”
“Yeah,” he said, in voice that sounded oddly sarcastic, “you were a real doll.”

I closed my eyes. “I’m going to make children cry now, aren't I?"

I will say I was expecting a feel good YA story based on my favourite characters in history - the Greek Gods, and I was right. But not only that, this book was hilariously funny, addictive and the characters had me hooked! From the sarcastic, completely self-obsessed heroine to the best friend slash titan to the seriously gorgeous ex from hell, each character had me laughing, sighing, gasping along with them!

“Rule number two, I agree with Theo. No blowing your cover. You are strictly Clark Kent around here.”

“Couldn’t I at least be Tony Stark?”

“Yeah, ‘cause that’s subtle,” scoffed Theo.

A great book to read just before bed :)! Recommend to all those who love a bit of action, bit of history, bit of romance, and a whole lot of comedy. NEED THE NEXT BOOK RIGHT NOW!!

MOST TRUTHFUL LINE IN THE ENTIRE BOOK (who knew this book was philosophic as well) :
God or human, males were stupid across the board.

Here are some other quality quotes from the book..

“I never told you this before, but I kissed Jason Fried in grade two.”
“I liked him! I even put glue in his hair so he’d notice me.”

Hannah shrugged. “Yeah. Sorry. He was cute.”

“Some defense,” I replied, aghast at the elementary school betrayal.

“The part where you let innocent people be hurt without trying to save them,” I retorted. “What part of that don’t you get?”

Theo sighed. “Much as I hate to defend Kai, he’s not actually acting like a psychopath. There’s a fundamental difference between how humans and gods think.”
“Yeah,” Kai interjected. “Humans get all upset about the littlest things.”

“Littlest things?” Hannah sputtered. “We’re talking lives.”

“Little picture, sweetheart.”

Hannah made an “ugh” of disgust. “Don’t ‘sweetheart’ me.”

“Who did you get these crackpot bracelets from, anyway?” I whispered.
He shrugged. “I still have my resources. I am a very well loved Titan.”
“Wouldn’t the correct form be ‘was a very well loved Titan’ since your boney human butt bears zero resemblance to anything ti- tanic at the moment?”
“You think busting my chops is in your best interests right now?” he chided.

[Alexa (Alexa Loves Books) · Rating 3 out of 5]

[Originally posted on the blog]

I’m always interested in books that incorporate Greek mythology, which explains my instant attraction to My Ex from Hell. It sounded quirky and fun, and that’s exactly what you get when you read it. While I did have problems with the storytelling, overall, I did end up enjoying it.

What I Did Like

Sophie Bloom is quite a character. She’s got a great sense of humor, and a mindset that pretty much screamed “teenager”. I enjoyed reading her thoughts, her nefarious schemes and pranks, and even seeing how she managed to talk her way through or out of things. She made for a fascinating heroine, even though there was one thing I really had an issue with.

[Puts on Wakko Warner voice] Well, hellooooooo Kai! Sure, he’s the son of Hades and therefore, he’s pretty much always dealing with death. Plus, usually Hades is depicted as evil and tyrannical and that can’t bode well for someone you want to date. Kai is handsome, and knows exactly how to turn on the charm. While there were certainly moments he infuriated me, it was hard not to find myself attracted to his bad boy persona. Cliché, I know, but I couldn’t resist.

There’s a lot of Greek mythology incorporated into this book. Apart from the gods and goddesses, we also get to see an oracle, a dragon, a nymph and some of the dead. It’s a pretty eclectic combination, and I just thought it was fun that the author managed to utilize those things. She also did create some beings of her own, as inspired by the mythology, which I thought was fairly cool.

There’s a contemporary aspect to the book. Apart from the mythological bits, I liked that there were contemporary bits too. There’s Sophie’s relationship (or lack of one) with her adoptive mother, her two best friends, dealing with the bitchy popular girl, classes and things like prom. I do, however, feel like this got lost as the story progressed (and you can see below for more about that).

What I Didn’t Like

The characters took all this “revelation” of Sophie being a goddess in stride. Honestly, if you found out you were Persephone, would you not really freak out? I know I would and that it would take a while for me to wrap my head around it, let alone the people who find out. But Sophie and her friend Hannah apparently both manage to accept the truth really quickly. That bothered me a lot, mostly because I don’t think that would be the case at all.

The storytelling felt rushed. There was definitely a lot going on in the story, and I felt like a lot of it just didn’t get the extra detail it deserved. We’re in one harrowing situation after another, faced with one enemy after another, and it just felt like it was all done too fast. I’m not saying, of course, that I didn’t enjoy it (I did for the most part), but I do think that it could have been better and more evenly spaced out.

There’s an imbalance between the contemporary and mythological aspects of the story. While the story started with a strong contemporary angle to balance out the mythological revelation, I do kind of feel like it faded way into the background about halfway in. Even though I understand that Sophie was obviously concerned with regaining her memory and figuring out her master plan, I still think it would have made for a nice touch if the contemporary aspect had been more present.

My Ex from Hell was easy and quick to read. I found it fairly entertaining, and the perfect way to kill a couple of hours on a Saturday afternoon. Though I certainly had issues with the story, overall, it was pretty fun and I may be enticed into checking out the sequel.

[Rachel R. (My Book Empire) · Rating 4 out of 5]

“In the improved movie version of my life, I came back with the best comeback ev-ah."

Do you know the feeling when you totally didn’t see something coming? That’s what I felt when I read My Ex From Hell. When I first heard of it, I expected it to just be another typical story of a teenage girl and a bad boy and you know the story. But when I started reading it, I was instantly engrossed and I liked Sophie right away. She’s witty and downright hilarious! I know readers will absolutely love her and all the other characters.

Right from the first page of this story, I can assure you that you will laugh your hearts out!

Dear Your Royal Imperialness
Demeter, Goddess of Grain and
Fertility, Preserver of Marriage, and
Bringer of Seasons,
Or can I just call you Mom?

This immediately heightened my curiosity because and it already gives you an idea of what Sophie went through, in bits and pieces. We have studied Greek Mythology back in high school but this is such a refreshing take on this subject. I’ve never been that interested with gods and goddesses, but when I read My Ex From Hell, I swear I suddenly wanted to know more about it.

The plot itself was interesting and funny. The reason why Sophie met Kai and the circumstances and the place and everything! And after that, it’s when Sophie’s whole world started to turn upside down. And add Hannah and Theo to the story, then bam, get ready to laugh your asses out. Their personalities are so different from each other, especially with Hannah and Sophie. Hannah’s the perfect example of a popular girl with her oh-so-perfect face and model-like body while Sophie’s the simpler one but they seem to blend well just right.

Another character that made this story more interesting is Bethany. Just a glimpse of their exchange:

Bethany: “I know a great pose for relieving stress. It involves shoving your head up your ass.”

Sophie: “I couldn’t steal your signature move. Oh wait. That’s shoving your head up the teachers’ asses. My bad.”

Seriously, there were times when I wanted to smack Bethany for being so mean to Sophie and thinking that she’s the most superior creature in the world. But as what I said, she also shook things up and made it more exciting.

And Theo! Oh how I love him for saving Sophie, and when they’re together with Hannah, you’ll not be bored.

"How big was my rack?" I asked hopefully.

"Such tact," Theo admonished. "I never noticed."

"How would big boobs help you save humankind? Unless you're planning to poke out Hades' eye with your diamond hard nips." Hannah rolled her eyes at me.

Of course, last but not the least. Kai. The swoon worthy guy, but let me tell you, he can be a pig sometimes most of the time. And our dear Sophie is very attracted to him:

Kai’s voice was dark and lazy and slightly foreign and … whoa baby, I’m getting weak just thinking about it.

Name, voice, it all worked for me. Fortunately, he couldn’t see me nod like an idiot puppy at his words.

I still don’t know if I am going to love or hate Kai, well because of the ending, but right now it’s 60% love, 40% hate.

My Ex From Hell is a refreshing take of the story of gods and goddesses and readers will surely love the twists and turns that Tellulah created for this story. Perfect blend of the characters and well-written lines, thumbs up for Ms. Darling!

*I received an ebook from the author in exchange for an honest review. This, however, did not influence my review in any way.*