My Date From Hell

The Blooming Goddess Trilogy #2

by Tellulah Darling

Breaking up is easy. Dating is deadly.

Sophie has to unlock Persephone’s memories if she has any hope of uncovering the ritual to stop Zeus and Hades from taking over the world.

Even if it means striking a deal with the Goddess of Love. What choice does she have?

The mission: stop Hermes from turning mean girl Bethany into a global mega-celebrity.

The catch? Work with the Prince of the Underworld.

With the Goddess of Love involved, and being forced to work with her ex, Sophie has her hands full.

How hard could it be?


**Alternate-cover edition: 978-0-9880540-6-6

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

379 pages, Paperback

First published October 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

[starryeyedjen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This sequel was even wittier and even more fun than Ex was! I'm seriously still so sore at myself for having these books on my Kindle for FIVE years and never even cracking them open to find out what I was missing. I love how Darling weaves real mythology into our world, showing how the gods and goddesses would behave today, what havoc they might wreak on our world if given half  a chance, but also including stories of old, some as hints for challenges and some as lessons. My mythology heart is eating this up! The romance and snark are catapulted to extreme levels in Date, and it made the book nearly unputdownable and oh so fun.

[Colleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

I was still procrastinating about finishing Into the Water, so I continued on with this trilogy. As with the first book, My Date From Hell was an entertaining easy read. A little brain candy.

The story continues along a similar vein as My Ex From Hell with Sophie having a bit of an identity crisis trying to reconcile her current life with her previous life as the Greek goddess Persephone. In My Date from Hell, Sophie and friends get sent off on a typical Greek god quest (meaning far-fetched wild goose chaise with a strong chance of dying). If you know anything about Greek mythology, then you are probably aware that the gods were fickle asshats who tended to cause problems even when trying to help. (If any Greek gods are reading this, I do humbly apologize. Please don't shish kabob with your lightning bolts.) It was an odd combination of agnsty teen drama and the vindictive selfishness of the gods. Since there are multiple gods in teenage human form, there were some clashes. They aren't very convincing teenagers. But then again, technically they are not teenagers; they're powerful gods who have lived thousands of years and are used to taking whatever they want without consideration for consequences.

Book 2 does feature Kai more than the first book. In My Ex From Hell, he was more of a catalyst than a character. My Date from Hell also introduced several new, entertaining characters. The story was meatier and a little grittier.


RATING FACTORS:
Ease of Reading: 4 Stars
Writing Style: 3 Stars
Characters and Character Development: 3 Stars
Plot Structure and Development: 3 Stars
Level of Captivation: 3 Stars
Originality: 2 Stars

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

I was weak in the face of bad boys with ink.



Sometimes I think Darling is peering directly into my soul when I read her work. Because come on, who doesn't love a bad boy? And there's even a new character with a British accent!! It's like this book was written just for me! Okay, anyway, moving on...

My Date From Hell picks up right where My Ex From Hell left off. Sophie is being held captive by her father, the all-powerful Zeus, and trying all means of possible escape. I'd want to get the heck out of there too. Father dearest is proving he's not above torturing his little girl for answers. Once reunited with Kai and getting the hell out of Olympus, Sophie sets out on the seemingly impossible task of getting Persephone's memories back.

Our favorite players are back: Sophie, Kai (swoon), Theo, Hannah - even ones we don't love, such as Bethany.

But we also get a few more players added to the mix: Pierce (aka Cupid. Get it, Pierce - cause Cupid pierces the hearts of his victims with arrows? I thought that was wicked clever.) and Festos (aka Phaestos) are two additions that I loved. Especially the back story with Theo and Festos...ahhh so brilliant! We also get to meet Aphrodite (self-centered) and Hermes (think Trickster for all you Supernatural fans) as they play their parts in this game of helping Sophie regain her memories.

Oh, and did I mention there's more Kai...sigh. Prince of Darkness can be sweet, imagine that.

What Darling does so exceedingly well is give us just the right balance of Greek mythology and real teenage life. Most YA books showcase their teenagers as these unrealistic versions of what they think teens are like and their voices don't come across as teens. Many teenagers are impulsive, scared and young. They try to be brave but deep down life terrifies them. Darling captures that innocence without making it seem immature. And she gives them voices that are true to their ages. The characters just jump off of the page, their personalities their own not blending into others. And she has a knack for seeing relationships that most wouldn't have seen or put together (ex: Pierce and Hannah). Mix this with witty one-liners and pop culture references, Date definitely lives up to its predecessor.

There's just one little thing. Umm...Tellulah, my dear, what was with that ending?? How can you leave it there?!?!?! Not cool at all! I need more!!



PS: You know, I'm not really threatening you right? Well, not really...

I received an e-copy of this book from the author is exchange for an honest review.

This review can also be seen here on my blog.

[Sakina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay here we go! Considering how many 4 and 5 stars this as well as the previous book has got, I thought this would be one hell of a ride! Unfortunately for me this was quite an okay book. Light, time-pass read, nothing really exhilarating.

Sophie and Kai are supposed to stop Jack(Hermes) from going further with Bethany's campaign. And they have to fall in love with each other and try to keep their hands to themselves (hit my the love arrow!) Anyways add a little extra romance into it since now even Hannah is melting in front of Pierce aka Cupid/Eros himself and Theo has a blast from the past Festos to deal with. Along with that drama, trickery, a little suspense and humor and Voila you get My Date From Hell. While this may sound interesting and fun, it wasn't that interesting or fun for me.

The book had it's good moments but then there were moments where it felt very lacking. And I am not really fond of Sophie.

Sophie: I am a goddess. I didn't ask for this but I am dealing with it the best I can, especially with Kai in the mix.
Kai: I am going to make you fall in love with me Sophie.
Sophie: I hate Kai! He only has feelings for Peresphone. But I will make him fall in love with me first.

One thing that annoyed me a lot about Sophie was that she explained her actions too much or more like provided justification for it. I can't give examples without giving away spoilers but let's try explaining it.

Sophie: I know I shouldn't be doing this but hey with everything going on I gotta enjoy what I can.
Sophie: I know this isn't the appropriate time but well I can forget the world for 5 min.
Sophie: I know I shouldn't do this but I am mad and blah blah blah....

Totally irritating! And then there are others which I can't tell without giving spoilers. Anyways overall this book was an okay read. The ending was good enough but then it annoyed me as well, especially the part where Kai finds out Peresphone was going to betray him, Peresphone but then he is acts as if Sophie betrayed him which is completely unfair since the girl just got her memories back and she isn't entirely Peresphone. She is much more human and the long love rant they both had should have put some sense into him. I just can't stand characters being so over dramatic when it can be avoided.

Overall a good enough read.

[Eleanor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Remember Greek mythology? Well then… imagine most of the gods and goddesses are teens.

Yes, I know, we know this already from My Ex From Hell, the first book in the trilogy, but it’s just that we meet so many more of them culprits in this book.

Teenage Greek mythology is nothing new, right? Right. Now add Darling’s sassy writing to this premise and you’re in for a treat.

In all seriousness, Darling is pretty much the only YA author I’ve read that gets her teens to sound and behave like teens. Plus, her use of pop culture references is brilliant, funny and spot on. All that aside, we want my thoughts on the book and not my fangirling…

Ok, here goes.

We pick up where Ex left off. Sophie is stuck, sans Kai who left to deal with his own daddy issues, in Zeus’ lair (my choice of words!!) and is trying to escape him and his minions. She doesn’t know, however, that her pendant is a tree-type-portal that could make her escape waaaaaaay easier. Daddy issues are blown to mythological proportions here, and to be honest, quite amusing. At this point, we know Zeus and Hades hate each other and are battling for power, so when we discover they work together…

“Great,” Hades muttered. “She’s going to die before she reveals it. She’s the only one that knows the location. You always break them too soon. But then,” he said slyly, “‘too soon’ is a reoccurring problem of yours, isn’t it?”

And don’t you love it when 2 gods compare sizes?

When they see each other again, Sophie realizes that Kai possibly does have feelings for her when he slips incoherent tidbits about his time in the Underworld. From here on out she is constantly contemplating her status in Kai’s eyes, while convincing herself her feelings for him are purely physical. Of course, Kai being Kai, his feelings what they are or not, can’t just turn off his own version of sass:

“I don’t believe it,” Kai said. “We’ve finally rendered her speechless.” He smiled slowly and evilly. “This is like the best present ever.”

There are also many sweet Kai moments in the book. And Kai being the Prince of Darkness, showing a sweet side is muy swoony.

Part of her quest to recover Persephone’s memories leads her, with the help of Theo (Prometheus), his estranged love subject and the God of Love himself, to Aphrodite – Goddess of Love and Beauty. Aphrodite is, how should I say is, confusing. She has a Southern, somewhat (to me it sounded, at least) Yat dialect type speech, she seems a little dumb, but is anything but. And her task for Kai and Sophie is one heck of a ride in this book.

Festos (Phaestos) or as Sophie calls him, Fee, is along for the ride. The boy is hilarious:

“Again,” I panted.

Festos shook his head. “You look wan. And not as in Obi.”



Festos is introduced to the plot by way of Theo’s past. Turns out he’s the one that got the God of Fire’s liver to be eaten brutally, pre Sophie era. That leaves some disgruntled feelings on Theo’s part. LOL – I wonder why. Theo on his part reveals one hell of a surprise during one of their challenges along the way to recover Persephone’s memories.

Another newbie to the group, as mentioned before is the little winged angel with a bow and arrow; Cupid himself, or as he’s called here: Pierce. I personally think the name fits perfectly.

Very clever, Tellulah, very clever. He’s also very much taken with our Hannah.

Hannah gave damn fine stare, and on most other people, the look combined with her five-foot-ten height would have them conceding whatever point she wanted. Years of proximity had made me immune.

I felt bad because she seemed really worried. Her “tell” being the calming, deep breaths she took under her winter coat.

Pretty boy had noticed too. He was pretty fixated on making sure her chest rose and fell okay. His concern was touching.

I, again, loved all instances involving Hannah. She’s such a great supporting character. Her nerdy personality fuels Sophie’s retorts, turning them to true teen situations.

“Much as I hate him and would love to pulverize his butt, he’s Hermes. God of Tricksters. He’s screwed with us enough today. We need to be smart about this.”

“Ohmigod,” Hannah said, “I’ve dreamed of this moment. Sophie wants to be smart!” She clasped her hands to her heart, dramatically.

One of the things I wondered about since book one was: Who’s Demeter? Though my suspicions about a certain character were founded, I didn’t realize just how founded they were. So we find out who Demeter is. And it ain’t pretty.




Giving Hannah and Theo love interests in this book was a great step. We can’t have our heroine get all the fun, can we?

There was a part about 1/3 way in where I’m not sure if life just got in the way of my reading or the story lagged just a wee bit, but other than that… Take all I said before and sprinkle is with an ebil Bethany dose, a little high school drama and a smidgen of an expulsion threat and we have My Date From Hell.




The book *chanting: not the story, not the story* ends in a cliffy that made me very anxious and wanting the 3rd book in my arms (or in my Kindle, not picky here) somewhere around yesterday, or last week. Thing is, I’m not sure it’s fully written yet. GAHHH



So please, Tellulah, please tell me My Life From Hell is already written? It’s essential to my emotional well-being.

My Rating: 4.5 Stars!

Thank you to the author, Tellulah Darling, for providing me with an advanced copy for this book in exchange for an honest review, participating in life and death challenges, and my eternal love and devotion.

The review can also be found on The Book Hammock.

[Stacee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I reread My Ex From Hell before reading Date and absolutely loved being back in this world with these characters. Sophie's inner monologue is one of the best out there and coupled with her awesome friends, Date was a lot of fun.

MCs:

Sophie: The snark is strong with this one and it's one of my favorite attributes of Sophie's. She does struggle with the memory of Persephone, or more that she struggles with everyone else remembering someone that she doesn't know. To me, that just made her more relatable. What girl doesn't struggle with self-confidence at some point in their life? However, Sophie doesn't let it get her down. She uses the skills she has to get through the challenges of the book [I'm being intentionally vague] while maintaining her epic awesomeness. Did I mention that she's awesome?

Kai: There was a lot more of Kai in this book and the chemistry between him and Sophie was pretty much off the charts. There's a lot going on with Kai this time around and it's humorous to see the situations that he's put in. However, he's the same delightfully cocky Kai that he was in Ex. Well, maybe not exactly the same, but...spoilers.

And the swoons? They're plentiful, but I'll let you find those on your own.

Secondary Characters:

Hannah and Theo: Yep, they're still awesome. Did you like them in Ex? Then you'll love them in Date.

Festos: OMG, I want one. Festos was my favorite character of this book and I wanted him in every single scene. He's feisty and fierce and loyal to a fault and a perfect addition to the cast of characters. Festos breaks up a lot of the tension by injecting comments here and there. His dialogue was the main reason for all of my cackles and I found myself rereading a lot of his scenes. FYI: if you don't like him, I'm pretty sure we're not friends.

Persephone: For a character who isn't really on the page, Persephone certainly does have a presence in the book. Tellulah does an excellent job of inserting her in the most interesting scenes and sitting back to watch the sparks fly.

Plot & Pacing:

Date picks up pretty much right after the end of Ex [which I loved] and the fun starts right away. We also don't have to wait forever for Kai and Sophie to interact, it's within the first couple of chapters. As soon as the gang is all together, it's non-stop action and adventure. The ending is a bit of a cliffhanger. There's two huge reveals and then a WTF moment all in the last 10 or so pages. I need book 3 like yesterday.

Rec It?

A million times yes. My Date From Hell continues the awesome journey that Sophie is on. If you love snarky girls, swoony gods and delicious banter on almost every page, this is for you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Huge thanks to Tellulah for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review!

[Jess at Such a Novel Idea · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVES. *hugs imaginary book*

---

*I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

Can Tellulah Darling do what so many authors fail to do -- write a stellar sequel that matches (or surpasses) a first book in a series? The answer is yes, yes she can. I've been waiting to read this book since the moment I put the first one down. I'm a sucker for a Hades/Persephone story and this is definitely one of my favorites. So why did I wait so long to pick it up? Because, I am dumb, that's why. Sometimes the best way to read a book is to put a deadline on it.

This book starts off with a short little summary that basically gives you everything you need to know about Sophie and the first book. I'd tell you it is enough to go on if you don't read book one, but I'd hate for you to miss out on such a great book! Seriously, that short chapter gives you so much insight into the story and Sophie's personality.

Sophie is just the best. Tellulah Darling is a fantastic writer with whit and spunk who breathes so much life into her characters. But, Sophie is and always be my favorite. She is just the girl I want to hang out with on a Saturday night (or any night of the week, I'm not particular).

First let's talk logistics - obviously the writing is great. Tellulah (awesome name, don't ya think?) just hits the high points and has this fabulous way of packing so much into a concise amount of space. It's really refreshing to see writing like this. The pacing is great, you are dropped right into the action from the very beginning and it never lets up. The characters are just perfection (seriously, can these people exist in real life??) and the dialogue (inner and outer) is just the cherry on top of the icing of gooey goodness. They SOUND like teenagers, without losing the mythology.

I was happy that we finally started getting into the romance of things -- Sophie and Kai are starting to become fond of one another and we finally get to see what is underneath his outer layer of pretentiousness. Oh and there is swooning, lots of swooning. I just love swooning. The best part is that Kai and Sophie don't have to have sex to save the world (seriously, THAT would be a lot of pressure), but fall in love. Hah. I'm pretty sure I'd handle it just as Sophie does - with an incredulous quip and lots of attitude. This line says it all:

“The ritual is us declaring our love. Not having sex.”
“No, no, no. It’s one thing to have sex. Fleas have sex.” I was gesturing madly in agitation by this point. “Love is supposed to involve choice. You can’t force people to fall in love and then hinge saving the world on it. Who does that?”

“Get over yourself, Sophie, because like it or not, not only am I not going anywhere, I just made it my personal mission to get you to fall for me so hard, you won’t know which way is up. And I won’t need an arrow to do it!”

Sophie is dealing with being compared to "perfect Persephone", and that's hard folks. It was nice that she started to come into her own during this book, as well as see that her friends (and Kai!) value her for her, and not just the goddess that is buried within her.

We get some new characters in this one (Aphrodite, Festos, Pierce, etc.). I love that even the side characters have spunk and a compelling story line. Also Sophie finally meets Demeter, the mother she wondered why she had yet to meet. And of course we get an ending that is maddening, because, well... I NEED MORE. Most people want the spring equinox so they can get rid of winter. I just want it so I can have the third book in my hand.

[Ruby Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been sitting in front of my computer for twenty minutes, staring at the screen and trying to find a better way to start off this review, other than "OMG!!". See, I'm learning and/or trying! I get cookies for that, right?

You all know how much I loved My Ex From Hell. To say I was impatient to read what happened next is an understatement. I couldn't wait and I had really high expectations. I'm happy to say My Date From Hell does not disappoint.

Sophie is still the same funny, cool and slightly devious girl we met in the previous book. Only now she's a little more mature and more aware of what her responsibilities are or should be and what she needs to do in order to keep the people she loves safe. She has some insecurities, but those are more than normal, especially if you think about her being torn between her past as Persephone and her present as Sophie. She's also discovering things about herself in this book, things she didn't know she had before.

I also understood Kai more in this second book. There's a side of him that was hidden in the first book. He's still bad ass and he's still sexy and dangerous and funny as before, but he's also a little bit vulnerable and more mature than I thought he was at first. Also, there are things about his past that helped me understand him a lot better.

There are a few new characters, some good, some not so good. There's an addition to the group that I love and adore. He's a great, amazing guy and I hope to see more of him in the next book. Hannah is still as funny and smart as she was previously and Theo is still as loyal and he's still willing to sacrifice himself to protect Sophie.

There were so many funny moments in the book, I couldn't count them all. There was one that made me laugh so hard, I think I actually woke up a neighbor or two (sorry, neighbors!). There were also very serious, deep moments. And also some huge surprises that left me gasping.

Remember in the beginning when I said my first thought was to start this review with something other than "OMG"? Well, here's why: cliffhanger. Seriously, I have no... I'm speechless. Basically, I can't even express how I feel after that cliffhanger. I didn't even see it coming. I thought something else might happen but not THAT! I actually resisted the urge to scream, I was so surprised by it. And I have to wait until next year to see what happens next with these great characters. *pout*

If you haven't read My Ex From Hell, go ahead and read it before this book comes out at the end of this month. If you have read the first book, be prepared to love this one as well and to be very, very surprised.

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so excited to start reading the sequel to My Ex from Hell, it was totally worth the wait! I had no idea how Tellulah Darling was going to improve on the first book, but boy oh boy, she surprised me to no end. From the get go, with a recap of the previous book aptly titled The Cheat Sheet to my Life Thus Far, laughs abound in this fantasy adventure novel.

If you’ve enjoyed the first book, you’ll love My Date from Hell. That I can assure you. The plot moves at an incredible pace and the story hardly allows the reader time to take a deep enough breath before plunging into the next action sequence. The romance between Sophie and Kai heats up, and if that’s a plus point for me (who isn’t one for romance in books), then it should give you a pretty good idea of what to expect. The lighthearted tone throughout this novel adds to the enjoyment thereof and keeps the story flowing. But of course, the real star of the show is our lovely protagonist, Sophie, who is the personification of brave and witty. I absolutely adore her character. And as much as she shines in her role as innocent-bystander-thrust-into-the-middle-of-a-supernatural-war, many secondary characters – especially Sophie’s friends – help make this book a hit.

As per what I’ve grown accustomed to in My Ex from Hell, this sequel sure doesn’t disappoint. The writing is clever and concise, the dialogue is natural, and the characterization for each character is realistic and believable. Tellulah Darling sets the bar high for the next book in this series and I’m even more excited than I was before to read more from this author. I’d recommend My Date from Hell to anyone looking for a read that would make them laugh, take them on a mindboggling fantasy adventure and leave them feeling as good as when coming off an adrenaline-pumping theme-park ride. Just in case I wasn’t clear enough before, I’m saying you should get the first book and this one and add both to your to-read list asap!

[Marynea Collina · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Date From Hell starts off from the ending of My Ex From Hell, and just like what I had expected, it begun with snarks from our dearest Sophie. She was still feisty as ever, along with her friends who were very supportive of her.

Unfortunately, I didn't like it as much as I had hoped.
Don't get me wrong -- I thought it was okay. But truth be told, the only thing letting me give this book a 3-star rating was Festos. I LOVED THAT GUY. He was perhaps one of the few reasons why I had kept reading and probably why I would finish this series off anyway. There were a few kisses here and there between Kai and Sophie, but to be honest, I didn't really care as much. Kai was too confusing for me. I could see why people would swoon over him but he reminds me so much of the boy I used to have feelings for from years ago (and broke my heart). I suppose it's unfair to cloud my judgment since it was more of a personal thing, so don't mind me. I was just disappointed. Even Sophie had been annoying sometimes too.

Quick review since I don't really have much to say. Perhaps this book will work to some. Definitely not me.

3/5!

[Dianne]

International Giveaway
1 Ebook Copy of
MY DATE FROM HELL
by Tullulah Darling
Entries are accepted October 30 - November 5, 2013
Prizes are scheduled to be sent via Xpresso Book Tours November 25, 2013.

[Lisa Dess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again Tellulah has blown we away with her writing and laughter. Tellulah's writing is superb and keeps your attention. OMG the ending was totally not what I was expecting but I love the twist and talk about a cliff hanger. I cannot wait for the last book!

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

Damn! I didn't see that ending coming! 10/10 This was super entertaining ✔⚡

[Alya Atiera · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.8 ★★★★☆

❝Was wanting to like and be liked in return, just for me, as me, too much to hope for?❞

⚠︎ Spoiler if you haven’t read the previous book. ⚠︎

❥ Have to fall in love to save the world
❥ Memories lost
❥ Insecurity with past self

《 Thoughts 》
33% - LOL, they're hillarious
52% - KYAAAAAA
68% - Oh my gosh, he did not just do that!!

😨😯🥰😅😏😰

What a twist towards the end of the book! But kinda makes sense cause Sophie does seem a bit entitled. Most of the times always making it about her. And damn, what about Kai? I feel like he should have given Sophie a chance cause she's no longer Persephone. It's like she's reborn so she might have different kind of thinking? Or perhaps remorse? I don't know what to say without spoiling but I do enjoy all the jokes and actions going on in this one. It's funny and cute. Can't wait to read the next one! 😄

《 Story 》
◆ Type? Series.
◆ POV? Sophie's.

⚝ Language: Has cursing.
⚝ Fluff: 💐💐💐
⚝ Romance: 🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹
⚝ Action: ⚔️⚔️⚔️
⚝ Suspense: 🎭
⚝ Trigger: Violence & bully.

✒ Synopsis
Zeus and Hades are always at war against each other. But this time they're working with each other. To destroy Sophie. Okay no. More like to find out what she and Kai have been planning together.

But how can she tell them when she doesn't even know what they are talking about? She still doesn't have any memories when she's Persephone (not that she would tell them even if she does remembers them obviously). Sophie has to find a way for her old memories to come back to stop them from destroying Earth. Could she remember before everything is too late?

《 Characters 》
❐ Sophie Amalia Bloom, Persephone
Sophie is very insecure with herself. I mean her old persona, Persephone. Still as snarky as she is.

❐ Kai, son of Hades
Kai is being well, Kai. Except he's a bit less jerk in this book. Still an arrogant & 'don't mess with me' God.

❐ Hannah & Theo, Sophie's friend
They are always there for her. Very supportive friends especially Hannah since she's just a normal human being. Theo too, but he's a Titan so yeah.

《 Merits & Demerits 》
☑ Writing
↳ I think the writing improves from the previous book so yeay!

[♥♡¢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.

Just this once, can I give a book six stars?! Please?!

I was not the biggest fan of Kai in the first book. I liked him and everything, but I really wanted him to give in to the feelings that he had for Sophie. Well, I got more than what I wished for in this book!

Kai and Sophie have such a cute, passionate, and genuinely friendly relationship now. somehow Bethany, the resident mean girl has hooked up with the Greek god Hermes, and he has decided to use her supernatural hotness and beauty to bleed the world dry of all its money and turn everyone into her mindless slaves. Not to mention the fact that Sophie is still without all those Persephone memories that she desperately needs to save the world.

Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on who you ask, Aphrodite is willing to help Sophie regain her memories if the gang ensures that Hermes’ plan to make Bethany famous fails.

This would be when a whole lot of adventure and cuteness begins. Kai finally gets around to telling Sophie that the fate of humanity hinges on the two of them declaring their love for one another. So Aphrodite orders them to treat their mission, to find Hermes and persuade him to drop Bethany like a bad habit, as a date.

Because Kai and Sophie are a little stubborn, they get a little boost in the romance department in the form of a couple of cupids arrows, but instead of the arrows causing them to fall madly in love, it forces them to feel a constant need to be near each other.

I know that plot might sound a little cheesy, but trust me when I tell you that this book manages to be wonderfully romantic without ever resorting to melodrama or clichés.

Kai and Sophie had a genuine attraction for one another before the arrows ever came into play. That was obvious in the first book and it is even more obvious at the start of this one. After they get shot by the arrows, they are still themselves, they don’t believe that they are in love, they just REALLY want to be together. this combination enabled the author to fill the book with some extremely romantic scenes, but add some humor at the same time. They faced some very dangerous obstacles in their quest to find Hermes, but the effects of the arrows made it almost impossible to complete certain task. When Sophie’s feelings got hurt because another chick flirted with Kai, she couldn’t help but let him know and he couldn’t help but comfort her. It was both cute and hilarious to read about them battling a monster while also managing to keep their arms around each other. Lol

Sophie and Kai spent a ton of time with each other during this novel (Thankfully), but they were not alone all of the time. Sophie’s besties, Hannah and Theo were right, and a couple of new characters were seamlessly added to the group.

Despite what we have been told, Cupid is not actually a cute, pudgy baby with wings. He is in fact, a gorgeous, blond, hottie with a British accent who developes quite a crush on Hannah. Sophie also finds her snarky soul mate in Festos, a Greek god who shares a very complicated past with her other best friend Theo. They fit in perfectly with the gang, and were a source of several fits of laughter for me.

Somehow this book managed to be effortlessly romantic, tear enduringly funny, heart breakingly sad, pulse poundingly suspenseful, and “some other adjective that I can add the ‘ingly’ suffix to the end of” original. I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in this series and had high hopes for the second instalment, but the second book blew the first one out of the water for me! My Ex from Hell got a well deserved five-star rating from me, but because I loved this book so much more, I wish I could somehow give it six stars. When I first started reading, I used to occasionally go back and reread my favorite parts, but that was very rare. Fast forward a couple of years, and I never do that anymore. No matter how much I enjoy a story, I write my initial thoughts down right after I finish it and then move on to the next book in my list. suffice it to say, I immediately went back and read over my favorite parts of this book when I finished because I enjoyed it that much.

I am not a reader who is difficult to please. I review honestly, but when it comes to ratings, it is rare that anything gets less than a three because I usually enjoy whatever I read well enough to honestly give it that score. I was like that before I started my blog, and I’m that way now. It is, however, difficult for a book to become a favorite if mine. I’ve read hundreds of books, and have maybe twenty favorites, but I am always on the lookout for a new book to join that list. Sadly nothing has measured up in the past year, and I was starting to get a little antsy. That sound that you just heard was my huge sigh of relief because after a long dry spell, I have finally found a new favorite!

This book had a heck of a cliffhanger and those don’t usually phase me. Even when I really enjoy a book, I have no problem waiting patiently for the author to finish the next instalment. My philosophy is, “There are plenty of good books that I can read in the mean time.” But I think I might lose it while I wait for the next book in this series to come out! It’s not that this cliffhanger was any worse than others that I’ve dealt with; actually, I have dealt with worse, but I love Sophie too much to have to wait a long time to continue with her story! Thank goodness the author was nice enough to ensure we didn’t have to wait too long. March needs to get here already!

I hope my intense desire to read the next book doesn’t deter anyone from reading this one now though. Sure it will be tough to wait for the next one to come out, but I’m kind of enjoying the anticipation, and thankfully I can gor back and reread all of my favorite scenes as much as I want. :D

Because of mild language and sexual content, I would recommend this book for ages 15 and up.

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

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

Sophie’s life is never going to get back to normal. After that fateful kiss from Kai that unlocked her true self (AKA Persephone) and battling a dragon, you think poor Soph could catch a break. Nope, not yet. Zeus and Hades are more determined than ever to find (and destroy) the ritual location, so Sophie needs Persephone’s memories more than anything. The only catch is to unlock those, she must go on a mission for Aphrodite to prevent Hermes from making Bethany a celebrity, all the while acting like she and Kai are on a romantic date. That’s right, Aphrodite thinks the pair should give it the old Greek try and date. Tons of chaos ensues and we’re left wondering, yet again, if Sophie can pull this off.

Sophie is just as snarky and sassy as in MEFH. Smart and very irrational when it comes to all things Kai, Sophie still has that kick-ass heroine vibe that I’ve come to adore. No damsel in distress to be found here. She actually saves Kai a time or two. And speaking of Kai……can I just say wow? I mean, I liked him before even though he was a jackass, but I LOVE him now. He reminds me a great deal of Daemon from Onyx, you know, when D was trying to win Katy. Kai really turns up the charm in this installment, trying to show Sophie that he really does care for her, and not just because she’s Persephone’s reincarnation. Seeing Kai’s sweet side really sealed the deal for me (and for Sophie, though she takes forever to admit it).

Then there is the rest of this ensemble cast. Hannah and Theo, plus a few new additions: Pierce (aka Cupid), Festos, Aphrodite, and Hermes. Hannah is still her normally geeky self, with one glitch: a major crush on Pierce. Watching Hannah try to balance science and attraction was epic. I love that there is an attractive geeky character. I love that Hannah is never portrayed and ugly or mousey, like most geeky or smart characters are. Theo is just as sarcastic and grumpy as ever. I loved Festos immediately. It’s obvious he and Sophie are kindred spirits, being so similar. Pierce I was initially on the fence about, but he won me over. I didn’t care for Aphrodite or Hermes, both seemed like selfish asshats.

I’m still battling with myself over the rating. 4 stars or 5 stars? Goodreads doesn’t allow half-star rating, so there is no viable way to compromise. Ultimately I’m going with 4 because of the major cliffhanger. If you thing the ending of My Ex From Hell was bad, well you were wrong. This is much, much worse. If the novel would have ended a little sooner, it would have been absolutely perfect, but they….he…she…


It was PERFECT. Kai and Sophie finally admit their feelings and Sophie has recovered Persephone’s memories, though she hasn’t had time to sort through them yet, and then we learn that Felicia is really Demeter and she is the one who killed Persephone because Persephone was a back-stabbing bitch who was going to seize power and leave everyone else in the dust. Which would have been fine, we could live with that, but Kai takes the irrational route and blames Sophie for everything and runs off before saying she betrayed him. Felicia runs away and then Bethany FUCKING STABS HER. Hannah and Theo arrive to find Sophie bleeding out on the pavement and cue curtains. How can you leave me like that? HOW? Stupid Sophie, WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL KAI YOU LOVED HIM BEFORE YOUR MEETING? Things would have turned out alright and he wouldn’t have run off then. Hopefully. I NEED the next novel, like I need my next breath. Let’s just say it doesn’t end the way we were all hoping for, K?

This novel was everything I was expecting and more. Sophie’s journey forces her to grow a bit and realize some hard truths. Darling’s writing style is just as believable and honest-feeling as her previous works. I am yet again floored by her ability to create such a realistic, grounded character with all the crazy tearing her world apart. Another accomplishment is the ability to write characters who are similar but still feel different. Sophie and Festos are so close in personality and all of characters show signs of Darling’s signature snarkiness, but they never felt like they were just carbon copies of the original character. They all have enough individuality to make them stand on their own.

She also has this amazing ability to write twists that I didn’t see coming. Call me naïve, but I didn’t see the ending of this coming, at all. It smacked me in the face as hard as it did Sophie and I cannot believe how that all came together. Sophie, with the people and the things, and just…fuck me, that was not what I was expecting. I know I was sincerely (and naively) hoping for a happy-ish ending to tide me over until the final installment and I knew that things wouldn’t go as smoothly as I was dreaming, but DAMN.

In all honesty, I really did love this. In spite of the appalling cliffhanger, it has everything that I need for a book to be shelved with the rest of my favorites. It has the clever dialogue we have come to expect from Tellulah Darling, with a plot that will have you sighing and keep you guessing until the last minute. The tag line from her website is so highly appropriate that it’s what I’ll leave you with: Sassy girls. Swoony boys. What could go wrong?

****Thank you to Tellulah Darling for providing me with a eARC in exchange for an honest review****

[MGGMMGGM · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally posted at The Solitary Bookworm

OMG! OMG! OMG! Let me compose myself for a little bit. This book (series rather) has blown my mind and the minute I finished reading it, I wanted to re-read it all over again just so I can relive the experience. I am left with a mix of emotions that I can't sort out right now. I warn you, I will praise this book because it deserves it and more! I was fully entertained with the characters and their hilarious dialogues, enjoyed an adventure that I was not expecting and was left with a eagerness and craving like an addict in withdrawal. Tellulah had me high with so much awesomeness and I knew I needed the last book, My Life From Hell, that instant. Ohhhh the wait! But enough gushing, let's list down the major points of how insanely good My Date From Hell is.

WHY MY DATE FROM HELL ROCKED:

Characters. First and foremost reason why My Date From Hell and the series as a whole is fantastic is because of how well the characters are written. I love characters that has spunk and can kick ass. I love character who stands out. Not only is there Sophie and Kai, the driving force of this adventure, but even the secondary characters rocked. That does not happen often. I love Theo and Hannah even before but the additional of Festos is really the cherry on top. These guys were pure entertainment. Sophie + Theo + Hannah = will make you laugh 'til your tummy ache, Sophie + Kai = makes your insides tingly and your heart race, Theo + Festos = all the mush and gush in a good way, and put them all together = AHSKSOGERFSLBDGNPGERG!!!! No words. Seriously, no words.

Story. If you have started the series from the first book, My Ex From Hell, you already know that Sophie/Persephone is in deep trouble as both Zeus and Hades team up to kill our star. Both head huncho does not want our dear hero to remember everything as Persephone thus the never ending torment and danger in Sophie's life. Now in My Date From Hell, the story picked up right were the first book ended and progressed as we uncover the secrets to finding the truth about Sophie's life as Persephone. She does not remember and the journey of uncovering those is wicked. We are given answers to questions that we were eager to ask. And so much more.

Ending/Twist. OMG! I have to state that there were no cliffhangers so all of you who hates that can simmer down. Immersed as I was with the trilogy, I did not expect and imagined that twist in the end. I love were the story is heading and I can't wait to finally read how this story will end. HA!

Pacing. So let e give you an idea. I started reading this book immediately after I finished work. I was planning to read a couple of chapters but ended up finishing it. This bad boy did not let me sleep a wink. I stayed up all night and worked right after - feeling energized and giddy. It was like me whenever I had 2 cups of coffee in 3 hours. It was all worth it!

Sophie + Kai. OMG! OMG! OMG! Oh all the feels! Anybody who reads my review know that I am not a fan of romantic stories especially in YA. YA books tends to make romance the selling point regardless the connection of it to the plot. I hate that fact. I want a romance in its purest form. A romance that feels right. It needs chemistry, it needs the right partnership between the peeps involved. It needs to feel normal without sounding script-y. You know what I mean. Sophie and Kai may not be the most romantic and would not be my number one choice if asked the question BUT their relationship is one that I enjoyed the most. It was mushy in the right places, the chemistry between these two is insane and both characters complemented each other.

Tellulah Darling. The series will not be a hit without the ability of this fantastic writer. After reading the first book, I immediately knew that this series will rock but Tellulah exceeded all my expectations and more with My Date From Hell. I knew that I would enjoy it but I was not expecting this much. As I said earlier, I immediately wanted to re-read the series all over again and grab a copy of My Life From Hell right there and then. But I am kind of afraid for the final book as Tellulah needs to really write an explosive ending. High expectations and all that. Anyway, thank you Tellulah from writing such an entertaining read that became one of my favorites for 2014.


WHY MY DATE FROM HELL SUCKED:



Yup that's right! there is not a single thing to hate about this book unless you hate mythology, anything teen related, or you just don't like to laugh. -.- or to wait.

Let's wrap this up. BEWARE of My Date From Hell. It causes serious troubles to those who has read it. So far I have experienced uncontrollable laughter from remembering Sophie's antics. Stomach aches from forgetting to eat because I can't stop reading. Lack of sleep for eagerness to finish the book. Euphoria and tingling sensation from the feels of Sophie and Kai (and the other one, well three - hopefully). And a major hungover. I can't seem to pickup and read any book after reading My Date From Hell. Geeez! I may somewhere in this review sounded insane but seriously, if you can't see how much I loved this book then I don' know how to explain it anymore. Not only are you getting a well thought and written story with characters that rocked but you'll also enjoy endless entertainment that you will remember day, months and even years from now. This is one of those books that you'll want to read because it is that good!

[Jennifer Madero (Boricuan Bookworms) · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can see more of my reviews on my co-owned blog Boricuan Bookworms

ARC Provided by Author In Exchange of Honest Review


There are books that make you think of life and all its things, others make you cry, mad, or hate the book itself. Then there are the books that make you cry with laughter, swoon over the clouds with the romance, cheer at the action and possibility of a happy ending, and at the end shatter your heart to a million pieces, throw it to the deepest part of Tartarus, is shot, stomped, spat, burned, and the remaining ashes are put in a tiny crystal bottle to bury in the coldest part of the ocean. That's an understatement for what this book did to me. One of the best I've read this year from the moment I read the first sentence.

Sophie Bloom has had it bad since that first kiss with Kai, the sexy and swoony Prince of Darkness. Sophie's life has turned down a road that can get her killed by her dad and uncle, also known as Zeus and Hades. After that fireworks and earth-shattering kiss,  Sophie discovered she was a human version of Persephone and that she needs Kai to save all of human kind, but they have to sleep together for that, or was it only to be together? It's top-most important thing for Sophie to retrieve all her memories as Persephone to get the details on how to save human kind, but Bethany somehow gets in the way. With a magic tattoo, she becomes a social-media star and everyone loves her. She puts them under her spell and Sophie can't let that happen, plus Aphrodite isn't too happy about it either. Sophie and Company have to stop all this nonsense, save the world, and go with the Goddess of Love's catch in the mission: that Sophie and Kai go on a date to fall in love. Being a teen goddess can be hard sometimes.

The sequel to My Ex From Hell didn't disappointing with bringing lots of humor, swoony scenes, lots of action and angst. Tellulah Darling has a way of hooking you to her story, needing and gasping for more and more and more...

What I most love of this trilogy is the Greek Myths in it. Tellulah isn't limited to going with the basic stuff. She makes her own twist perfectly woven to amaze you. For example, Persephone isn't married to Hades, but she's in love with his son Kai.

Sophie didn't disappoint either. Here we see her get more serious with her role as savior of humans with her awesome ribbons of light. She's sassy, funny, down-to-earth, she's like the ultimate best friend. Plus, she's a really strong heroine with having to deal with all the things thrown at her at once.

Kai, Oh My Sweet Lord. Why isn't he real in my world? Seriously, it'd be worth it to have Zeus and Hades wanting to kill me if I had him with me to bear the pain. In the first book we have our big doubts regarding to where his alliance and loyalty lied with. He had, after all, left Sophie to die, or at least she thought so. He was very serious and player-like int the first book, but in this one Tellulah has shown us just how truly and deeply he loved Persephone, and even more Sophie for who she is, not who she used to be. He's really infuriating at times, but it only adds to loving him more. He's protective in his own way, tough in the outside but completely vulnerable in the inside. I was shattered with that cliffhanger. My heart died and wept in my dreams (I finished the book at 2am or something).

In this story we have the golden BFFs, Theo and Hannah who make everything better with Sophie. I liked how they developed here and how we get to know them all more. Plus, the addition of characters, specially the gods, was unexpected but welcomed. Spoiler alert Hephaestus is gay here, Hermes is an idiot I want to strangle, and Aphrodite is a bitchy bimbo kinda girl. Things like that I loved because even as they went with the normal perception we have of those gods, Tellulah shaped them differently than other modern YA novels of Greeks.

In general, this book was an amazing roller coaster ride of emotions. Heated kissing and love scenes, betrayal, truths and lies, angry gods and goddesses, awkward teen love, sassy remarks, friendship, it was impossible to put down. Tellulah Darling has made it again with an astounding YA novel for teens and adults alike. The story was rich in twists and keeping you guessing what was going to happen and why. While it took the usual humor of the first novel, it also has more seriousness to it, giving it the feel that something worse than before is coming. All Greek lovers have to read this. While it might not me exactly as the original myths, it is still worth the read because you'll love the great imagination in this trilogy. My Life From Hell, you better be in development soon for me to devour and see what happens next.

Rating: 5 stars

[Yessenia Andaverde · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad. Defenitely better than the last one. The characters start to show a bit of depth. Still, this girl has mommy issues pretty thick. And is pretty dramatic. I'm getting fed up wih that.

[Isabella · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

[helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. There were a lot of jokes I didn't get and either had to look up, read over again, or just accept that I didn't get it. But overall, loved it

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sigh. This series. IS SO MUCH FUN! I love it! I have been closed to review requests because I am drowning in all the books, but when Tellulah contacted me to read this I was like 'Oh heck yes.' I missed Sophie and crew so it was awesome to pick back up with them to find out what was in store for them next! And whew! Poor girl can't seem to get a break! It's hard enough being a teenager, but to find out you're actually a goddess who has no recollection of her former identity but has some supercool powers? Oh, and to top it all off- Sophie has to recover her memories in order to stop Hades and Zeus. No big deal. Just another day in the life of Sophie Bloom.

Sophie is such an awesome main character. She's full of snark, sass, and still manages to keep her wits about her even when it seems like all the forces are against her. With that being said, Sophie doesn't show moments of weakness or vulnerability very often. Having grown up with a foster mother who does not nurture and treat her as a young girl should be treated, Sophie's exterior is not easily cracked. She can't deny that she's attracted to Kai, even though she's quite pissed at him in the beginning because of previous events. Yet the two are thrown back together in this book and must work together to discover the ritual location and stop Zeus and Hades from causing chaos.

Oh, Kai. That boy completely won me over in this book. He was a little sketchy in the last book because we weren't really sure where his allegiances lay, and while I still remained wary of him, he has some great moments in this book. He's not all bad boy- he also shows us moments of weakness and vulnerability like Sophie, and when he's not being a sarcastic, cocky boy (err god) wonder, he's quite likeable. Sophie and Kai's relationship plays a large role in this book because the two are trying to figure out reality from illusion and determine whether the other's feelings are real or a product of circumstance. I felt for Sophie- and because she has never really been on the receiving end of love (with the exception of her besties Theo and Hannah), she has serious issues trusting Kai. Once she starts to really fall for him, she is afraid that he won't feel the same for her, but only have feelings for Persephone. Sophie really struggles with that because while she is Persephone, she is still Sophie and wants to be loved as such.

This book really took a fun turn as Sophie and her friends spent more time chasing down the other gods (Hephaestus, Aphrodite, and Hermes). Hephaestus, or Festus, was a great addition to Sophie's group. She originally went to seek his help to help her regain her memories, but he ended up tagging along with the group, as he has history with another of Sophie's friends. Sophie seeks out Aphrodite and Hermes to help stop the madness that is known as 'Everyone loves Bethany and she is mind controlling the entire school!' Because let's face it: mean girls can't win. Hannah and Theo are also back and better than ever- both standing strong by Sophie's side as her best friends- even though both are dealing with their own love lives. We also have a new addition in Pierce, who is actually Eros (or Cupid), and watching him interact with the group was also a great time. That is, when he's not busy shooting arrows and accidentally throwing kinks into everyone's well laid plans.

The book does end on a cliffhanger and I didn't see any of that coming. My heart hurt for Sophie because she's really just a victim in everything that's happening. Yes, she may be Persephone, but at the same time she's not. She's still Sophie and everything that's led her to this moment are because of her and her alone- not the goddess.

Darling has done such a great job of taking a YA novel and setting and weaving in Greek mythology- which as we all know is my favorite. Add in sassy girls, swoony boys, betrayal, love, friendship, and pissed off gods and you've got yourself a fantastic second novel in the Blooming Goddess Trilogy. Bring on the final book My Life From Hell!

*Received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.*

[Erin Arkin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here’s hoping this review is not super rambly…I tend to get that way when I don’t want to give anything away but still want to tell everyone all the great things….apologies if it gets away from me.

My Date From Hell picks up shortly after Ex ended. Sophie believes that Kai deserted her and the gang after stealing Theo’s chain. Soon after getting back to school, she is kidnapped by Zeus and taken to Olympus. Zeus wants to know where Persephone and Kai were planning the ritual and unfortunately for both Zeus and Sophie, she still doesn’t have her memory back. This is where the book opens and it was one of the parts I loved. Not only do we get a glimpse of what Sophie’s relationship with Zeus is and his feelings toward her, but it leads into her realizing just what Kai did when he left everyone behind.

From the very beginning Darling takes the reader on an action packed ride with this group. Between trying to stop Bethany from taking over the world and creating havoc with her power, trying to get Sophie’s/Persephone’s memories back, and avoiding getting kicked out of school, Kai and Sophie decide they need to go on a date…what really happens is that all of these things (and more) become their date from hell.

Darling continues to build these characters out and we get to have more of Kai this time around as he is now closer than ever to Sophie and the group. I still really like Sophie and want her to be a real life friend (don’t judge me – I know she is fictional). She’s perfectly sarcastic and snarky and doesn’t take everything too seriously. Considering how much her life has changed since that first kiss with Kai, I love that she still has a sense of humor about everything.

With all of that in mind, she continues to struggle with her identity and who she should be. She is continuously being compared to Persephone and that does raise her hackles but she is slowly getting past it. The good thing is that by the end of the book, she gets that those people who are important to her and know her, know she is not really Persephone. Yes, she has pieces of her within but she is Sophie and I think she is coming around.

Kai is one of the reasons Sophie is adjusting. He is slowly chipping away at this wall she has built up to protect herself from him loving Persephone and he does a great job of making her realize it is Sophie he is drawn to not Persephone. It was great to have him involved within the group dynamic and Darling took the opportunity to introduce some of his background which was great and explained a bit more about who he is.

Darling also took some time to introduce some great new characters as well and I have to say, she may have outdone herself this time. First, I have to address Aphrodite – it was brilliant to reference her as “Lina Lamont made flesh.” Every single time she came up and spoke, all I could picture were scenes from Singin’ in the Rain and really made that character come to life for me.

Festos was another great addition – he comes across as the male version of Sophie. Perfectly snarky and he truly has feelings for Theo. From his first interaction with Sophie it was clear he was going to be a great addition to the group.

The other person I will mention is Pierce who is really Eros (Cupid). He makes Hannah realize there is more to life than books and science and she definitely notices him. He actually works for Aphrodite and because of a mishap with one of his arrows; things get interesting between Kai and Sophie.

If you like your books with a lot of action, an assortment of Greek gods and goddesses, quite a bit of sarcasm and some mystery, you will definitely enjoy My Date From Hell. I can’t wait to see what happens next as based on the ending we were left with; it could go any number of ways. I may just have to see what I can bribe Tellulah Darling with in order to get a copy of book 3 because I’m pretty sure I’m too impatient to wait for the book to be released.

[Jillian (Peapod Historical Bookery) · Rating 4 out of 5]

{ I was kindly provided an ebook ARC by the author in exchange for an honest review. Review originally posted on my blog, PidginPea's Book Nook. }


Ok. It is now official. Anything Tellulah Darling writes, I will devour. I was a big fan of the first book in this trilogy, My Ex From Hell (you can read my review here), so I was very excited (reality: I freaked the heck out) when the fabulous author herself invited me to join the Sassy Girl Swoony God Tourney and read book 2! My Date From Hell brings us right back to the saga of Sophie and Kai as they work out their own issues along with their budding romance, and some pretty epic battles with other gods and goddesses too.

First of all, Sophie and Kai, since their issues are kind of central to the story: I love the on-again,-off-again-ness of their relationship. They struggle against each other, yet they're pulled together (literally, at some points). Throughout the book, Sophie fights the feeling that Kai is not really into her, but rather acting on his feelings for Persephone, which made my heart break for her. Although the events between her and Kai later in the book TOTALLY made up for it! So many adorable moments!

On that note, I really liked seeing Sophie struggle to separate herself from Persephone - it felt real, and despite the fact that I've never been in any situation remotely close to being a reincarnated goddess with missing memories, I could relate to her. She's trying to make her own path, to shake off what others expect her to be and do... and really, who can't relate to that at some point in their lives? I feel like we get to see Sophie grow a bit and start to find herself in My Date From Hell. There's also plenty of sarcasm and snark from Sophie too. She had a lot of great moments in the book, but the scene at prom was one of my favorites. I felt like it really captured that sort of blindingly wonderful bliss of high school first love, along with Sophie's trademark spunk... one of her friends is in mortal danger, but Sophie still takes a moment for herself:

I'm not saying I was a good person for dancing but yeah, I took the four minutes that the damn song lasted and danced.

We also get introduced to some awesome new characters, including Festos, who might just be my favorite character in the series so far. (Seriously. Read this book and tell me you don't LOVE Festos.) And then try and tell me you don't LOVE Theo and Festos together too! I wasn't sure about their relationship at first, since Festos was just introduced in this book and I thought it might feel too rushed, but it didn't - it was done just right! Pierce is a great new character also. Although I wasn't crazy about the Pierce + Hannah pairing. They were cute together, but it didn't feel as natural as Sophie + Kai or Theo + Festos.

And there is lots of interaction with other gods and goddesses, including battles, torture, mind trips, trickery, and other god/goddess-induced mayhem. I loved the scenes in the first book with the gods and goddesses, and I thought the scenes in this book were even better! Aphrodite and Hermes are introduced, and they're both great. I tore through the pages that covered Hermes's twisted game (which was awesome).

And that ENDING. God(s and goddesses) help me. That was intense. I can't wait to see how Sophie's story wraps up! The next book, My Life From Hell , is due out in 2014!

[Lori (Ficwishes) · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can see this complete review along with many others on my blog. http://ficwishes.blogspot.com


Gigantic thanks to the author who provided an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. She also offered one amazing blog tournament that I enjoyed immensely.

Background...


After sharing an amazing kiss, Sophie discovers that she is actually the goddess Persephone and the boy who kissed her is Kai, or Kyrillos, son of Hades.

With Sophie's awakening comes new powers and new enemies. Where once her only enemy was the gigantic ego of Bethany, the yogi-wannabe who spreads her crazy philosophies like they are gospel. Now, Sophie is being pursued by both Zeus and Hades for her and Kai's previous attempt to overthrow their rule.

Kai struggles with accepting that Persephone lives in Sophie. Sophie knows that while Kai loved Persephone, he doesn't quite know what to do with the Sophie part of her, the part she so desperately wants him to accept.

The Story...


After Kai's bitter betrayal at the end of book one, Sophie hopes to never see him again. Unfortunately her father, Zeus, has locked her up in energy drawing manacles in the same room with Kai. Using her brain to outsmart the manacles and the other wards placed on their prison, Sophie helps Kai escape from their maniacal fathers. Kai sends Sohpie back to school with a promised to join her shortly. Upon returning to school, Sophie discovers that Bethany has taken over. Everyone has fallen under her spell and her popularity has even spread to a television reality show.
I looked up from the shirt back to Bethany. "Wow. That's really impressive the way you combine self-empowerment and porn moves. Who are your gurus? The Kardashians?"
I liked book two better than book one (and I did like book one). We meet more gods and get a lot more history. It's obvious that Kai cares about Sophie, but he still has trouble separating her from Persephone. Sophie spends a lot of this book feeling like someone who has an older sister that she just never can measure up to. She also has an encounter with her mother, Demeter, that has her wondering if she will every be able to inspire the kind of love from people that Persephone always did.

Kai asks Sophie out on a date and it ends up being an elaborate life-threatening, mind-melting, soul-searching game set up by Hermes. Kai and Sophie face battles together and grow much closer. After finally admitting that he sees her, the Sophie side of her, Kai finds out that everything he thought he had with Persephone was a lie. He cannot separate his feelings for Sophie from his feelings for Persephone and he runs, leaving Sophie vulnerable to an unexpected attack.

What Worked...


Meeting more gods was great. I absolutely enjoyed getting to know Festos (Hephaestus). His and Theo's past makes for an interesting reunion. Also, the depiction of Aphrodite is one of the best I've ever seen. It was absolutely perfect.

Kai feelings for Sophie grow and become a lot more evident in this story.
"Goddess are easy. Sure, they're temperamental but I know how to handle them. But you. You were this prickly, mouthy, human girl. And I couldn't figure you out and I couldn't get you to fall in line and you just kept getting under my skin."
What Didn't...


There were some scenes in the story that seemed to come out of nowhere. Like the fact that Sophie had to dance with dolphins and get the routine exactly right. My favorite Backyardigans episode had this same premise.

That being said, the story is very entertaining and the tension between Kai and Sophie pulls you in and carries you through to the end.

This series is full of fun and is a great way to experience Greek Mythology.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Find this review and more on my blog...

Sophie and friends are back in the second installment of the The Blooming Goddess series and this time they have a whole new cast of mythological friends with them. Aphrodite, Zeus, Hades, Apollo, Hephaestus (Festos) and Artemis join Kyrillos (Kai), Prometheus (Theo) and our other favorites in a new story filled with the same snark, drama and romance as the first book in the series, My Ex From Hell, had. I was every bit as entranced with this story as I was the first.

“Had Kai come with a medicine label it would have read: take sparingly. Side effects may include full body tingling, inability to catch a breath due to tightening ribs, and wonkyheadedness.”

Kai is amazing in this book. He’s even more swoon-worthy than he was in the first book. His true feelings for Sophie are starting to shine through, though neither of them are quite ready to make the jump, even with Aphrodite around, flinging arrows at unsuspecting people. Sophie handles all the ups and downs, the mythological nightmare she’s facing, with the humor and attitude I have come to expect from her. There were lots of laugh out loud funny moments in this book as well.

“The ritual is us declaring our love. Not having sex.”
“No, no, no. It’s one thing to have sex. Fleas have sex.” I was gesturing madly in agitation by this point. “Love is supposed to involve choice. You can’t force people to fall in love and then hinge saving the world on it. Who does that?”

“Get over yourself, Sophie, because like it or not, not only am I not going anywhere, I just made it my personal mission to get you to fall for me so hard, you won’t know which way is up. And I won’t need an arrow to do it!”

Sophie gets some pretty disconcerting news in this book: in order to save the world, she and Kai have to admit their love for each other. She was all prepared to have sex with him in order to save the world, but love? She’s not sure she can go there. She’s not even sure she likes him. (Ok, she totally does, she’s just not ready to admit it.) But, Kai’s also keeping secrets. Who will take the jump first? Honesty when it comes to love is scary, especially when the fate of the world hinges on it.

“I, the queen of being in her head, was mindless, thoughtless, and speechless. I was overwhelmed with Kai in the best way possible.”

The plot of this book is so fantastic and action-filled, I don’t want to give anything else away. You really just have to read it for yourself. Get wrapped up in Sophie and Kai’s back and forth, the ridiculously adorable crush shared by Theo and Festos, the rise of the idol Bethany and all the godly Drama. (Yes, Drama with a capital “D.”) I guarantee you’ll fall in love with the characters and get as sucked in as I was. The story is unique and littered with pop-culture references that were just plain genius.

“Goddesses aren’t half as challenging as humans. You drive me nuts and I still can’t stay away from you.”

To say I’m anxiously awaiting the third book in this series would be a gigantic understatement. This one ended with quite a cliffhanger. Whether you like mythology or not, if you enjoy a great contemporary young adult book, you HAVE to pick this series up. You will not be disappointed. With humor and heart, Tellulah Darling knocked it out of the park again!

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. All quotes come from the review copy and may differ from the final version.

[Dayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review first appeared on my blog: Book Addict 24-7

I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review

Tellulah Darling is back with another awesome installment in her young adult series, The Blooming Goddess Trilogy. In My Date from Hell, the sequel to My Ex From Hell, Sophie, the protagonist, is back for more butt kicking adventures full of quirky characters, witty and quick dialogue, and of course, the inevitable romance that we have been anticipating since the first book made its debut. With great pacing and unforgettable characters, Darling’s sequel continues to be an original take on a classic tale.

One of the things I greatly appreciate in certain novels is the quality of the dialogue. Beautiful prose is a wonderful attribute, of course, but there’s nothing like reading a novel that has dialogue that just…clicks. Darling’s writing has yet to let me down regarding dialogue. Sophie’s banter with her love interest and friends makes this a comical read, and also allows us to connect with her. A lot of the time, friends are less formal with each other and share inside jokes and whatnot, and it is this aspect of friendship that Darling adopts in her writing that makes her novels more enjoyable and memorable.

Okay, I’m going on and on about dialogue, but I personally believe that aside from impeccable prose, it takes a great dialogue writer to make a book truly something special. That’s why, if I ever recommend a book, I always mention the dialogue first.

Another reason why I bring up the dialogue is because Darling’s dialogue allows us to give the characters a personality. None of her characters are flat, because they ALL have a unique voice, making this a unique story, not just in how it adapts the original tale of Persephone, but in how much care is taken into making sure that each character is someone special. We, as readers, invest our emotions in these characters because we actually get to see what they’re like, and that’s just brilliant.

Darling’s latest is quickly paced and can be easily read in just a few sittings, especially if you’re reading the first book right before this one. The need to know what happens next is nearly overwhelming as the story progresses, and the originality used to introduce other gods and mythological tales makes us wonder what else Darling has up her sleeve.

I love that the two main characters, despite any preplanned destinies, still fight to attain their own lives. Even under any influences they encounter, there is an underlying sense of independence. True to each characters’ experiences, Darling makes it difficult for either character to trust—because really, it would be just too convenient for two characters to suddenly work well together. Darling makes these characters’ struggles appear realistic because they aren’t instantly fixed, but instead fight to overcome their insecurities.

The conclusion killed me. I mean, I HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE THIRD BOOK!!!!! The cliffhanger definitely makes for a fantastic conclusion—I’m already craving my next Sophie Bloom hit! The awesome thing about this conclusion is that the twists and turns that Darling suddenly throws at the reader are completely unexpected. That’s skill…especially since I usually see twists coming from a mile away.

I recommend this young adult series to anyone who enjoys quirky adaptations of mythology stories. Sophie is a powerful female protagonist who has her faults and a shaky past, but she truly has a hero’s heart. Her love interest is sigh worthy, and the adventures are exciting! Her friends makes this doubly enjoyable and the villains will make you cheer for Sophie’s future success.

[Lori Palle · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Love, apparently, really was a battlefield.”–Sophie

The good news: Sophie finally gets to meet her dad. The bad news? He’s Zeus, and he’s ready to torture her for information that she doesn’t have. Well, technically she does have it; she just can’t remember it. Getting Persephone’s memories are the key to making sure she–and all of humanity–stays alive. No pressure. And that’s just the first step in saving the world. Step two? Be in love with the oh-so infuriating prince of darkness, Kai…

Well, this is one of those books where after I finished reading it, I couldn’t immediately read another one for fear that I wouldn’t enjoy the next book–no matter how good–because it would be overshadowed by the awesomeness of this one! Just like the first book, My Ex from Hell, this book totally rocks, and I loved it even more than the first one! I’ve been trying to figure out a way how to explain this book rather than calling it a young adult romantic comedy since that doesn’t do it justice. After reading one scene in particular, the perfect comparison popped into my head: think Buffy the Vampire Slayer the movie, not the series. It’s funny with crazy, unbelievable moments but all the characters just go with it anyway; there is/are great kick-butt action scenes and tension because minions are out to kill Sophie, a tough and snarky heroine who doesn’t quite have the grasp of her powers, awesome side kicks, including a mentor, and a swoony love interest. That’s about all the comparisons though. Sophie’s got a lot more baggage and is more of a misfit than cheerleader, and there are no vampires in this book–although there are gods, goddesses, titans, and more!

“I’m not digging being downgraded to Disney prince status.”–Kai

Oh, Kai, you dog. I wasn’t too keen on him in the first book since he seemed like such a jerk, but I’m totally in love with him after this book. Sophie and Kai’s relationship plays a much bigger role and takes more screen time, so we really get to see Kai’s romantic side. As crazy as it sounds, I totally get his side of things and why he was so difficult in the first book. Of course, their relationship isn’t going to be easy. The fact that he was in love with Persephone before Sophie, is afraid to care for another person and get hurt, and is–frankly–a dog when it comes to other women makes falling in love tricky. Add in a prophecy, a time line to fall in love by, loyal friends, and Cupid’s arrows and you’ve got a hilarious romantic comedy! Just like the first book, I was smiling and laughing in so many places.

“It’s Romeo and Juliet squared by infinity with the specter of the ex thrown in for good measure.”–Sophie

If you haven’t read the first book, there’s a little cheat sheet at the start to get you caught up, and frankly, the real fun is in the writing and journey and not the actual plot. So even if you read book two before book one, you’ll still enjoy both (although I’d still read them in order). I’m not dissing the plot though; the twists and turns in this book were great, and I’m still shocked by the bombshell dropped at the end of book two (did not expect that at all and am *dying* to read the third book in this trilogy)!

If you like smart-mouth, sassy heroines with a heart of gold, swoony heroes, and loyal sidekicks, you’ll enjoy this book. If you like Greek mythology, too, then that’s an added bonus, and this book is definitely for you! This one is a page-turner and a real hard one to put down. My Date from Hell is a 5 out of 5 for me!

(Originally posted on my blog; I received a copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.)

[Deniz · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5Stars

Just when I was convinced that 2013 is cursed with the second book syndrome, Darling managed to not only produce a good second novel. NO! She did better! Because I liked My Date from Hell quite a bit more than My Ex from Hell. I found myself snickering over witty banter and being totally absorbed in the story. In fact in my Date from Hell I got what I missed in the last installment of the series- the cheeky and gritty humor I loved so much in Darlings Debut Sam Cruz's Infallible Guide to Getting Girls. It Darlings best asset in my opinion, it's what sets her apart from most other YA writers.

Just like with Sam Cruz Darling managed to somehow get it right- cute but not too cutsey, sexy, some gritty and lots of humor. So why only 3,5 Stars rather than 4? Because The Blooming Goddess Series is too melodramatic for my taste. Does that mean I was exasperated with the rather annoying Sophie? Hell yeah! But I like her more this time around the last time. She is growing on me, no matter how melodramatic and self-pitting she is at times, Darling has done a better job this time with the character building. I found myself understanding Sophie's dramas way more and routing more and more for her.
I am so team Kai- let's not even go there! While reading, I kept on thinking see! I knew he is cool!
Is the support cast still cliche? Hell yeah! Probably even more so than in the last book.

Just like in the last book the story line is a roller coaster of emotions and full of action. Maybe even more than the first book. This installment is non-stop - there is always something happening. Which made this a page turner for me. I started and found myself unable to put it down, needing to know what will happen next, despite it being really predictable.
I expected the cliffy at the end. But it still made me wanna email Tellulah and ask her how she thinks I will survive another year? And yes, I am waiting for the next installment (in case you read this Tellulah; I am happy to read a chapter at the time,  as you write them ;))

I liked the world building in the last book. The idea of taking well know myth, mixing them in, adding new things and making it your own just somehow does it for me. And Darling does a great job at it. I love how the Gods are kinda similar but still so different and the descriptions of the places they end up are really well done. It's my favorite part right after the humor.

Telullah's prose is straight forward, tongue in cheek and no frilly bits. It works incredibly well for her story line and humor.  As you know I wouldn't bother looking at a third book if I wouldn't like it, having been invited to take part in her Sassy Girl Swoony God Tourney (THANK YOU! it was so much fun!) I was given a small window to meet to Darling as a person, and to be honest I kinda feel that it works so well, because its authentic to her personality.

My biggest critique to this: a bit too predictable and some of it is not only too melodramatic but also too cliche.


A fun and exciting second book (FINALLY a good one!!! after so many disappointments this year!) which left me wanting more!

ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having really enjoyed the first book in this trilogy I was understandably excited to be offered an ARC for its sequel, and I’m glad to say it didn’t disappoint. Be warned though, this review contains spoilers for the first book.
At the end of My Ex from Hell we left Sophie at the mercy of her father Zeus, with whom she is not on the best of terms, to put it mildly. It was a major cliffhanger, and thankfully we go pretty much straight into the action at the start of this book. Zeus wants to know how and where Sophie and Kai had planned to overthrow him and Hades. The trouble is of course that Sophie still doesn’t actually remember everything from her past life as Persephone, including the details of their plot, and the last time she saw Kai he had betrayed and abandoned her and her friends to die.
Sophie manages to escape (of course, or there wouldn’t be much of a book to follow), and returns to her school only to discover that her arch-nemesis Bethany’s popularity has grown to world-encompassing proportions, thanks to her magical popularity tattoo and the help of mega media mogul Jack, who is actually Hermes. Oh, also, Sophie has only one chance left not to be expelled. Which would be bad, since the school is the only place where she’s safe from Zeus and Hades’ minions.
Cue a convoluted plot involving Aphrodite wanting Bethany stopped (because no one should be more popular than Aphrodite) which results in Sophie and her friends hopping all over the world in search of Jack/Hermes.
What I liked: oh, so many things. The bickering and bantering is as snarky as it was in the first book, and the book often had me sniggering. The reunion of Sophie and Kai is very, very sweet and sexy, and it confirmed my notion that Kai really isn’t the dick he appeared to be in the first book. In fact: I really liked Kai in this book, even if his actual behaviour isn’t much different than in book one. The devil is in the details, really.
I like that Theo is gay without being camp, because too many authors make their protagonist’s gay best friend the most ridiculously clichéd camp ‘get outta here, girlfriend!’ kind of person. I liked the various spins on the traditional Greek gods while at the same time keeping important details (like Hephaestos’ manky foot). I loved all the scenes between Sophie and Kai, which were everything they needed to be to illustrate the journey of two people who are attracted to each other yet don’t really want to like each other, but kinda have to.
What I didn’t like: there were a few times when I was confused, and it took a while before I understood what was going on, such as when Kai was hit by Aphrodite’s arrow. Did it have an effect? Didn’t it? I’m sure it took me three chapters to fully understand what had actually happened. There were a few other places where I felt the same – sometimes the plot felt a bit rushed and I would have liked to see a little more explanation about where a character came from and what he was suddenly doing there. It’s not that the explanation is missing altogether, it was just very perfunctory.
That said, the writing is solid and very entertaining, and the book ends with a major plot twist that I didn’t see coming at all, and another cliffhanger that makes me want the next book yesterday. If My Ex from Hell was a just-about 4-star effort then My Date from Hell is a very, very solid 4-star effort, almost a 4.5.