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The Hades Trials #1
The Power of Hades
I've been kidnapped by Zeus. Plucked from the streets of Manhattan and frightened half to death by a freaking Olympian god.
And now I'm trapped in the Underworld, being forced to compete in a series of deadly trials for the position of Queen of the Underworld. Which would mean marrying Hades, the utterly terrifying Lord of the Dead. Who the hell wants a husband at all, let alone one made of smoke and riddled with death?
I have to get back home, to New York and my brother. But I can't leave without completing the trials and they've been designed for a godly Queen, not Persephone - barista and botanical garden enthusiast.
I'm surrounded by lethal, all-powerful maniacs. Sexy-as-hell maniacs, sure, but as dangerous as they come. And I'm going to have to prove to all of them that there's a goddess of hell inside me. It's the only way I'll survive the Hades Trials. But then what? And why, why, why am I so desperate to see under Hades smoky exterior and find out what he's hiding from me?
If I win the trials, I have to marry the devil himself. But losing might mean losing my life.
And now I'm trapped in the Underworld, being forced to compete in a series of deadly trials for the position of Queen of the Underworld. Which would mean marrying Hades, the utterly terrifying Lord of the Dead. Who the hell wants a husband at all, let alone one made of smoke and riddled with death?
I have to get back home, to New York and my brother. But I can't leave without completing the trials and they've been designed for a godly Queen, not Persephone - barista and botanical garden enthusiast.
I'm surrounded by lethal, all-powerful maniacs. Sexy-as-hell maniacs, sure, but as dangerous as they come. And I'm going to have to prove to all of them that there's a goddess of hell inside me. It's the only way I'll survive the Hades Trials. But then what? And why, why, why am I so desperate to see under Hades smoky exterior and find out what he's hiding from me?
If I win the trials, I have to marry the devil himself. But losing might mean losing my life.
231 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2020
4028 people are currently reading
25695 people want to read
About the author
Eliza Raine
39 books2,560 followersEliza Raine writes Greek mythology inspired fantasy that is fast paced, full of new worlds and creatures and sprinkled with a healthy dose of romance. She lives near Reading in England with her husband, three cats and outrageously cute puppy. She has a BA Hons in History and has a deep-rooted passion for mythology and stories about women who don't need rescuing.
She can usually be found reading fairytale retellings, playing board games or binge-watching Netflix shows.
You can read some of Eliza's stories for free by visiting her website at www.elizaraine.com
She can usually be found reading fairytale retellings, playing board games or binge-watching Netflix shows.
You can read some of Eliza's stories for free by visiting her website at www.elizaraine.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,192 reviews
November 2, 2020
Eh, this was just okay. I was hoping for something darker and angstier. This was definitely much more lighthearted and we honestly didn't get a lot of romance in this book. Persephone and Hades have a past, but they barely have any page time together and even then, they just talk and no one will tell Persephone anything she wants to know.
Persephone wasn't my favorite and took being kidnapped and put on trial pretty in stride. She asked a lot of questions, but never really tried to escape or take charge of what was happening to her. Also, the way she talked and thought fell more on the cheesy side. While this was entertaining, it didn't really capture me like I thought it would.
Persephone wasn't my favorite and took being kidnapped and put on trial pretty in stride. She asked a lot of questions, but never really tried to escape or take charge of what was happening to her. Also, the way she talked and thought fell more on the cheesy side. While this was entertaining, it didn't really capture me like I thought it would.
January 30, 2022
"All this time, all those years alone in New York, and someone, somewhere, loved me this much. And I never knew."
Uh yeah, I couldn't resist with that cover!
Also, a romance/mystery story with Hades and Persephone?
Greek Gods and Mythology?
Yes please.
But-side note I was also wondering why the author chose to have her dialogue is only single quotations instead of actual quotations?
It took me a bit to get use to reading because I thought they are usually meant to create emphasis inside of a quote- like "When I say 'immediately,' I mean now." (???) But eventually I stoped noticing. All in all don't mind Nitpick Nancy over here.
*Edit* I was informed below that in fact often times British authors will generally use single quotes in their writing- so thank you for that interesting info fact! 😊
It really was a fun read and would recommend if you have KU
January 15, 2025
✅🆗 Pace
✅🆗 Action
🆗 World-building / Setting
🆗 Plot
🆗 Characters
🆗❌ No real romance
Meet Persephone, a human barista working in New York and studying to become a botanist or garden creator, or something linked to gardens and plants. That is until she is abducted and sent to Hades realm to compete in the trials to find his next wife. She discovers that she is Hades' first wife but has no memories of it and she is not a goddess with powers anymore.
It feels as if the whole story is about Persephone asking for her memories and everyone telling her that she could not have them. I was hoping for more details, but until the last 10 pages, we knew absolutely nothing about the reasons for her mortal life without powers and memories. I was also expecting more flirting and more interactions between Hades and Persephone. All she does is plan a party with a goddess (actually, the goddess plans everything, and Persephone only hosts the event), I feel that some information is missing for me to really get into this story.
The pace of the story is good, but the characters are bland and quite boring. There is much potential for feisty and colorful characters when you are in the realms of Olympus and yet the gods feel as if they are all interchangeable, and Persephone is your everyday boring mundane girl. She has no character, no spunk, no special talent, or particular qualities to make her appealing.
I do not think that I will continue with this series. It was not a bad book, but I do not care enough to want to know what will happen next...
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✅🆗 Action
🆗 World-building / Setting
🆗 Plot
🆗 Characters
🆗❌ No real romance
Meet Persephone, a human barista working in New York and studying to become a botanist or garden creator, or something linked to gardens and plants. That is until she is abducted and sent to Hades realm to compete in the trials to find his next wife. She discovers that she is Hades' first wife but has no memories of it and she is not a goddess with powers anymore.
It feels as if the whole story is about Persephone asking for her memories and everyone telling her that she could not have them. I was hoping for more details, but until the last 10 pages, we knew absolutely nothing about the reasons for her mortal life without powers and memories. I was also expecting more flirting and more interactions between Hades and Persephone. All she does is plan a party with a goddess (actually, the goddess plans everything, and Persephone only hosts the event), I feel that some information is missing for me to really get into this story.
The pace of the story is good, but the characters are bland and quite boring. There is much potential for feisty and colorful characters when you are in the realms of Olympus and yet the gods feel as if they are all interchangeable, and Persephone is your everyday boring mundane girl. She has no character, no spunk, no special talent, or particular qualities to make her appealing.
I do not think that I will continue with this series. It was not a bad book, but I do not care enough to want to know what will happen next...
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March 4, 2023
'Harm a single hair on her body and we'll find out once and for all which king is strongest,' hissed a voice, at the same time as my skin felt like it was being covered in ice.
Ladies and Gentlemen, this is not the most original of stories, and the writing isn't perfect, but I have to admit that I'm hooked. Like, totally. It's like reading trashy fanfiction, and even though some parts of it suck, you just need to find out what happens next.
----------------------------------------------
The reviews for this book don't give me much hope, but I need a dose of smutty greek mythology, so here we go.
May 2, 2020
I received an ARC of this book in an exchange for an honest review.
Everything you are about to read is my messy thoughts and opinions.
Ahhh, well now that it has finished I am actually kinda disappointed that I don't have the next installment in the series (yet). It was really refreshing to find a writer that knows more things about the basic 12 faces of the ancient Greek gods and mold it into something as nice as that was. It had tension and a need loomed into it to know what the actual fuck was going on. The Atmosphere was steady throughout the whole book. We didn't have any rapid changes where we would question from where the f* came that. And if I can say that note in the first pages of the book was promising and feministic.
About the cover, I love the lettering and the colours but the Hades there looks like a dom. Not good for the actual content. And the title, we see Persephone, why the title to be about him!?
Sure, it is the classical tale of Persephone and Hades but with a new perspective . I really enjoyed this read.
And so you know, I was stunned that the writer knew even the name of the gods' blood. For those who have studied ancient greek, you'll know what I am talking about.
Funny, engaging, charming, full of surprises, promising, and entertaining.
Really, really good... Well done!
It was a mind-blowing read and only for the writer's knowledge in ancient history from 4.5 stars it gets 5!
Everything you are about to read is my messy thoughts and opinions.
Ahhh, well now that it has finished I am actually kinda disappointed that I don't have the next installment in the series (yet). It was really refreshing to find a writer that knows more things about the basic 12 faces of the ancient Greek gods and mold it into something as nice as that was. It had tension and a need loomed into it to know what the actual fuck was going on. The Atmosphere was steady throughout the whole book. We didn't have any rapid changes where we would question from where the f* came that. And if I can say that note in the first pages of the book was promising and feministic.
About the cover, I love the lettering and the colours but the Hades there looks like a dom. Not good for the actual content. And the title, we see Persephone, why the title to be about him!?
Sure, it is the classical tale of Persephone and Hades but with a new perspective . I really enjoyed this read.
And so you know, I was stunned that the writer knew even the name of the gods' blood. For those who have studied ancient greek, you'll know what I am talking about.
Funny, engaging, charming, full of surprises, promising, and entertaining.
Really, really good... Well done!
It was a mind-blowing read and only for the writer's knowledge in ancient history from 4.5 stars it gets 5!
November 5, 2020
This was such an average read for me because it focused mostly on action and less on romance. If you're a fan of the hunger games, ya'll gonna love this one.
October 13, 2021
I am absolutely obsessed with this series.
It is SO MUCH FUN and a total page turner! I love the unique take on Hades and Persephone and stayed up way too late multiple nights reading this one. Highly recommend for people who love a Rhysand type character. And what’s great is that this series is complete and on KU so it’s totally binge-able.
Highly recommend. But be warned, you’ll have to go into the next book immediately!
Thanks so much to the author for sending me a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
It is SO MUCH FUN and a total page turner! I love the unique take on Hades and Persephone and stayed up way too late multiple nights reading this one. Highly recommend for people who love a Rhysand type character. And what’s great is that this series is complete and on KU so it’s totally binge-able.
Highly recommend. But be warned, you’ll have to go into the next book immediately!
Thanks so much to the author for sending me a copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
August 20, 2020
Unfortunately this one just didn't grab me fully. It was interesting enough, it just felt like most of the time I was really waiting to get to something bigger like some answers, or strong emotions, some flirting, a twist, a big reveal etc. Something(s) that never came about even after finishing. I am walking away with more questions than I had before. I love mystery but it felt to me this book was lacking some crucial elements, which I'm sure will be in the following book I feel I needed more to want to continue on. Not for me, especially with my massive TBR staring me down.
May 6, 2020
Note: I received a free soft copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book is amazing! I couldn't stop reading it the moment I started. From the first chapter alone I was immediately engrossed with Persephone's journey and where it would lead her. Surprisingly, it led her to where it all began, the Underworld.
What I loved about this book was how easy it is to be swept of by its world, its characters, and the action and mystery it packs within. Persephone is back; she's back to compete for a throne she has no recollection of and to redeem and discover powers she seemed to have lost. Along the competition, Persephone also grows curious as to what truly happened to her and Hades relationship; and while this aspect of the story is still a mystery, the book is not lacking in any way. The book was able to keep me interested as it focused on Persephone's discovery of the underworld, its inhabitants, and the trials she must surpass. May I add that it was also a lot of fun to read about this version of Persephone because of her badass character, sassy inner thoughts, and hilariously straightforward mouth.
I seriously can't wait to know what is next for this series and of Persephone's journey.
This book is amazing! I couldn't stop reading it the moment I started. From the first chapter alone I was immediately engrossed with Persephone's journey and where it would lead her. Surprisingly, it led her to where it all began, the Underworld.
What I loved about this book was how easy it is to be swept of by its world, its characters, and the action and mystery it packs within. Persephone is back; she's back to compete for a throne she has no recollection of and to redeem and discover powers she seemed to have lost. Along the competition, Persephone also grows curious as to what truly happened to her and Hades relationship; and while this aspect of the story is still a mystery, the book is not lacking in any way. The book was able to keep me interested as it focused on Persephone's discovery of the underworld, its inhabitants, and the trials she must surpass. May I add that it was also a lot of fun to read about this version of Persephone because of her badass character, sassy inner thoughts, and hilariously straightforward mouth.
I seriously can't wait to know what is next for this series and of Persephone's journey.
February 21, 2021
I am about to use one review for 3 different books I have read, so be prepared when you see my review over and over again.
I read one Hades and Persephone type book and I decided I just might have found a new trope to sink my teeth into. The gods are laughing at me right now.
A bunch of nothingness and the little that happened was so boring that I might have preferred a bunch of nothingness. The plot was dry, everything that happened could have been achieved with a quicker solution, instead we had to sit through pseudo action scene. Wasn't worth it.
I read one Hades and Persephone type book and I decided I just might have found a new trope to sink my teeth into. The gods are laughing at me right now.
A bunch of nothingness and the little that happened was so boring that I might have preferred a bunch of nothingness. The plot was dry, everything that happened could have been achieved with a quicker solution, instead we had to sit through pseudo action scene. Wasn't worth it.
November 8, 2020
It was a lot different than what I usually read. And I thoroughly enjoyed it..
And now I want the next book, I want to know more about the back story and I am eagerly waiting to see the romance between Hades and Persy..
The trials were good not as thrilling as I thought they would be. But it was a good start for this trilogy...
And now I want the next book, I want to know more about the back story and I am eagerly waiting to see the romance between Hades and Persy..
The trials were good not as thrilling as I thought they would be. But it was a good start for this trilogy...
October 3, 2021
Review 4.5 stars!
Ok so I completely binged so glad I have the complete collection!!! 😍
This was my first Hades & Persephone retelling and I must say I am addicted, I need Hades in my life. The story is so fast paced that the pages literally flew in my hands, I sat down to read after lunch and by dinner I had already finished book 1.
Persephone is kidnapped by Zeus and taken to the Underworld to compete in the Hades Trials in order to become Hades wife and Queen of the Underworld. Problem is, not only does she not want to be there or compete in the trials, she is human and discovers that the entire Olympus is hiding a tremendous secret from her: She was Hades' first wife and she has no recollection of this.
The entire mystery behind Persephone's past and her relationship with Hades made this such an intriguing read, combined with the action-packed rounds of each trial and I found myself completely immersed. I absolutely loved reading about all the Greek Gods and how their traits fall into their personalities. As much as Hades and the underworld are death and darkness, Persephone is light and life. Persephone starts to see beyond the wisps and shadows surrounding Hades that he is much more than just darkness, however, as the secrets slowly come to light she might not even trust who she is anymore. Who was she before and was she still a person of light? Will she be able to give up her dreams and the outside to stay in a world so full of death?
I feel the slow-burn building up and it's killing me! I'm anxious for some spice in book 2 ! Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy!
Ok so I completely binged so glad I have the complete collection!!! 😍
This was my first Hades & Persephone retelling and I must say I am addicted, I need Hades in my life. The story is so fast paced that the pages literally flew in my hands, I sat down to read after lunch and by dinner I had already finished book 1.
Persephone is kidnapped by Zeus and taken to the Underworld to compete in the Hades Trials in order to become Hades wife and Queen of the Underworld. Problem is, not only does she not want to be there or compete in the trials, she is human and discovers that the entire Olympus is hiding a tremendous secret from her: She was Hades' first wife and she has no recollection of this.
The entire mystery behind Persephone's past and her relationship with Hades made this such an intriguing read, combined with the action-packed rounds of each trial and I found myself completely immersed. I absolutely loved reading about all the Greek Gods and how their traits fall into their personalities. As much as Hades and the underworld are death and darkness, Persephone is light and life. Persephone starts to see beyond the wisps and shadows surrounding Hades that he is much more than just darkness, however, as the secrets slowly come to light she might not even trust who she is anymore. Who was she before and was she still a person of light? Will she be able to give up her dreams and the outside to stay in a world so full of death?
I feel the slow-burn building up and it's killing me! I'm anxious for some spice in book 2 ! Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy!
June 3, 2020
Well the Lore Olympus comic is on hiatus so I need a mythology fix. Kindle Unlimited to the rescue.
This one didn’t feel so much like an entire book as it did a small part of the actual story. Enjoyable enough, but reads like a novella.
This one didn’t feel so much like an entire book as it did a small part of the actual story. Enjoyable enough, but reads like a novella.
August 27, 2020
Word to the wise: do NOT read the blurb of the other two follow up books of this trilogy! Do NOT read them because they will spioler you SO HARD! And that's no fun at all.
I am someone who usually does her research a bit before commiting to a book/series. I read for pleasure (guilty as it may be) in my free time and well...I wanna make sure I actually get what I came for beforehand. Nothing worse than starting off a series and just hating it completely, but being too stubborn to not finish it. Very much the story of my life. But this time it got me spoilered, just reading the blurb of the second book. Really, I could have skipped the first one completely after reading the blurb of the second one. Bummer.
As to the story in the book: I liked it. Greek Gods, Olympus mixed with a bit of modern day NY and whatnot. I was imagining an adult version of a Percy Jackson-meets-the-Selection-meets-ACOTAR-esque vibe here. And I wasn't completely off. There is even a Hunger Games type of anchor man.
This book is short. Close to 200 pages. That does affect the story quite a bit as it leaves a lot of things underdeveloped in my eyes, not just the world building and world fusion, but also the characters and their relationships. That sucks a little bit. At the same time I am glad that not all authors aspire to write a minimum of 500 pages per book. And for what it is I think it is written well.
All of that being said, I am not the biggest fan of Persephone. I find it a bit tedious when a character is just so lost within her own story and doesn't catch onto things, doesn't move on either...I get that this is the first book, and loads of stuff is happening despite her being a bit slow and annoying, but...yeah, she is not my favourite. If your personality and thoughts consist of 90% panic, feeling inferior, being confused and overwhelmed it just get's on my nerves after a while.
Maybe I just really lack empathy.
Hades on the other hand is my man! No bully-hero here, no sex-craved and dick-driven doushbag God! He is kind, and soft and romantic in a suttle way (but you catch up on it), loyal and caring and witty and a bit sassy (and hot. Obviously Hades is very hot).
Because this book is short and the story compelling enough I recommend this to anyone looking for a quick fix (in the romance, action, angst, Greek gods department). Really liked it!
I am someone who usually does her research a bit before commiting to a book/series. I read for pleasure (guilty as it may be) in my free time and well...I wanna make sure I actually get what I came for beforehand. Nothing worse than starting off a series and just hating it completely, but being too stubborn to not finish it. Very much the story of my life. But this time it got me spoilered, just reading the blurb of the second book. Really, I could have skipped the first one completely after reading the blurb of the second one. Bummer.
As to the story in the book: I liked it. Greek Gods, Olympus mixed with a bit of modern day NY and whatnot. I was imagining an adult version of a Percy Jackson-meets-the-Selection-meets-ACOTAR-esque vibe here. And I wasn't completely off. There is even a Hunger Games type of anchor man.
This book is short. Close to 200 pages. That does affect the story quite a bit as it leaves a lot of things underdeveloped in my eyes, not just the world building and world fusion, but also the characters and their relationships. That sucks a little bit. At the same time I am glad that not all authors aspire to write a minimum of 500 pages per book. And for what it is I think it is written well.
All of that being said, I am not the biggest fan of Persephone. I find it a bit tedious when a character is just so lost within her own story and doesn't catch onto things, doesn't move on either...I get that this is the first book, and loads of stuff is happening despite her being a bit slow and annoying, but...yeah, she is not my favourite. If your personality and thoughts consist of 90% panic, feeling inferior, being confused and overwhelmed it just get's on my nerves after a while.
Maybe I just really lack empathy.
Hades on the other hand is my man! No bully-hero here, no sex-craved and dick-driven doushbag God! He is kind, and soft and romantic in a suttle way (but you catch up on it), loyal and caring and witty and a bit sassy (and hot. Obviously Hades is very hot).
Because this book is short and the story compelling enough I recommend this to anyone looking for a quick fix (in the romance, action, angst, Greek gods department). Really liked it!
September 9, 2020
So I am definitely onboard with the Persephone and Hades twist.
I am onboard with the creativity and the plot.
I am on board with the world-building and magic, and the gods. Because #OlympusIsAwesome
But I cannot seem to get fully onboard with the characters.
Percy aka Persephone finds herself kidnapped by no other than Zeus. Kidnapped to compete to become the Queen of the Underworld. A title she held before but has no recollection off.
Because how can a part time barista and student be the wife of Hades?
I struggled to find Percy an enjoyable character. Not that she wasn’t likeable, but that “spark” that “sense of “real-ness” to me was missing. A bit too juvenile dialogue sometimes. Plus I didn’t get excited whenever Hades and Persephone had a moment, and I think my problem was that I might have wanted it a bit too much and I was expecting all this heat and passion, this “confused” tension between the pair and I found that missing too.
I do think plot wise we have something special, and I do want to continue reading the series. And it might.. just might... have made me want to watch Hercules again😳😂 or like - maybe listen to the soundtrack😂
Read: 09/09/2020
1st rating: 3 stars
Genre/tropes: Fantasy/romance/mates/gods/trials
Cover: 3 stars
POV’s: Single -1st person (Persephone)
Will I recommend: Yes
I am onboard with the creativity and the plot.
I am on board with the world-building and magic, and the gods. Because #OlympusIsAwesome
But I cannot seem to get fully onboard with the characters.
Percy aka Persephone finds herself kidnapped by no other than Zeus. Kidnapped to compete to become the Queen of the Underworld. A title she held before but has no recollection off.
Because how can a part time barista and student be the wife of Hades?
I struggled to find Percy an enjoyable character. Not that she wasn’t likeable, but that “spark” that “sense of “real-ness” to me was missing. A bit too juvenile dialogue sometimes. Plus I didn’t get excited whenever Hades and Persephone had a moment, and I think my problem was that I might have wanted it a bit too much and I was expecting all this heat and passion, this “confused” tension between the pair and I found that missing too.
I do think plot wise we have something special, and I do want to continue reading the series. And it might.. just might... have made me want to watch Hercules again😳😂 or like - maybe listen to the soundtrack😂
Read: 09/09/2020
1st rating: 3 stars
Genre/tropes: Fantasy/romance/mates/gods/trials
Cover: 3 stars
POV’s: Single -1st person (Persephone)
Will I recommend: Yes
November 6, 2020
I couldn’t even get past 20%.
Goodness gracious.
Goodness gracious.
October 6, 2021
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Hello weakness, my old friend! Greek Mythology is a fascinating topic to me, but I’m no expert on it. I know the basics taught in school in Italy and that’s about it. However, something about the myth of Hades and Persephone hooks me every time. Maybe it’s the contrast of light and darkness, the idea of a woman who can be at once tied to Spring—the symbol of life and rebirth—and the Underworld, or maybe the thought of a dangerous, powerful man who can love a woman so fiercely, despite the odds stacked against them. Let’s be honest, that last one gets me every single time. Long story short, I was eager to dive into THE POWER OF HADES, first book in the Hades Trials trilogy (the individual covers are gorgeous, but I really recommend checking out the bind-up of the trilogy because that cover is everything and more). In many ways, the story delivered what I was expecting, but I am left feeling like I would have wanted a little bit more.
The story follows Persy, a young woman who works at a Manhattan bar. During one of her shifts, a gorgeous man walks in and asks her out. Persy refuses, but once her shift is over, sexy stranger follows her out, and impossible to explain events unfold. Persy tries to escape, but can’t. The man chasing her, in fact, is Zeus, and he’s chosen her to compete in the Hades Trials. The winner of the competition gets to marry Hades, the god of the Underwold, and though Persy wants nothing to do with this, competing and winning are the only way she’s getting out of this mess alive. Matters are further complicated, however, when Persy is told she is the goddess Persephone, though she has no recollection of this, nor does anyone explain to her why she was made to forget her life as a goddess. Even more complicated are her feelings for the elusive and mysterious Hades, to whom she feels drawn and inexplicably connected to. What happens next? Well, you’ll have to read the book to find out!
The plot is very fast-paced, which isn’t a bad thing, as I love fast-moving plots, but I think the story would have benefitted on a character level if some parts had been a bit slower. We’re immediately thrust into the action, but it leaves us knowing very little of Persy and her life before she is thrust into the trials. I also would have liked to see more interactions between Hades and Persy. I know we’ll be getting a lot more of them in the next books and this first installment is setting up an epic romance, but I don’t feel like I’ve read enough to be fully invested in the ship yet.
However, the same cannot be said for my love for Hades. He falls right into the dark and mysterious type I get weak in the knees for, and his shadowy aesthetic gives me life…no pun intended. I really can’t wait to find out more about him and to know more of his relationship with Zeus, who was another character I was oddly intrigued by. We see him assume various faces, which is very accurate to his depictions in mythology, and his flirtatious and mercurial personality and wicked scheming made it hard for me to dislike him…even if he’s not always the kindest man in the Pantheon.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I’m very curious to see where the story is headed. Recommended to all fans of Greek mythology and Hades and Persephone!
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy to review. All opinions are my own.
Hello weakness, my old friend! Greek Mythology is a fascinating topic to me, but I’m no expert on it. I know the basics taught in school in Italy and that’s about it. However, something about the myth of Hades and Persephone hooks me every time. Maybe it’s the contrast of light and darkness, the idea of a woman who can be at once tied to Spring—the symbol of life and rebirth—and the Underworld, or maybe the thought of a dangerous, powerful man who can love a woman so fiercely, despite the odds stacked against them. Let’s be honest, that last one gets me every single time. Long story short, I was eager to dive into THE POWER OF HADES, first book in the Hades Trials trilogy (the individual covers are gorgeous, but I really recommend checking out the bind-up of the trilogy because that cover is everything and more). In many ways, the story delivered what I was expecting, but I am left feeling like I would have wanted a little bit more.
The story follows Persy, a young woman who works at a Manhattan bar. During one of her shifts, a gorgeous man walks in and asks her out. Persy refuses, but once her shift is over, sexy stranger follows her out, and impossible to explain events unfold. Persy tries to escape, but can’t. The man chasing her, in fact, is Zeus, and he’s chosen her to compete in the Hades Trials. The winner of the competition gets to marry Hades, the god of the Underwold, and though Persy wants nothing to do with this, competing and winning are the only way she’s getting out of this mess alive. Matters are further complicated, however, when Persy is told she is the goddess Persephone, though she has no recollection of this, nor does anyone explain to her why she was made to forget her life as a goddess. Even more complicated are her feelings for the elusive and mysterious Hades, to whom she feels drawn and inexplicably connected to. What happens next? Well, you’ll have to read the book to find out!
The plot is very fast-paced, which isn’t a bad thing, as I love fast-moving plots, but I think the story would have benefitted on a character level if some parts had been a bit slower. We’re immediately thrust into the action, but it leaves us knowing very little of Persy and her life before she is thrust into the trials. I also would have liked to see more interactions between Hades and Persy. I know we’ll be getting a lot more of them in the next books and this first installment is setting up an epic romance, but I don’t feel like I’ve read enough to be fully invested in the ship yet.
However, the same cannot be said for my love for Hades. He falls right into the dark and mysterious type I get weak in the knees for, and his shadowy aesthetic gives me life…no pun intended. I really can’t wait to find out more about him and to know more of his relationship with Zeus, who was another character I was oddly intrigued by. We see him assume various faces, which is very accurate to his depictions in mythology, and his flirtatious and mercurial personality and wicked scheming made it hard for me to dislike him…even if he’s not always the kindest man in the Pantheon.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I’m very curious to see where the story is headed. Recommended to all fans of Greek mythology and Hades and Persephone!
Thank you to the author for gifting me a copy to review. All opinions are my own.
January 14, 2021
De la mitología griega mi personaje favorito es Hades por eso me decidía a leer esta trilogía.
La historia trata sobre una humana que es secuestrada y es llevada al olimpo para que compita en las pruebas de Hades y la que resulte ganadora sea su esposa pero esta humana y es nada más ni menos que Perséfone esposa de Hades que fue desterrada del olimpo y sus recuerdos han sido borrados.
Como inicio no estuvo mal pero sí hay muy poca interacción entre Hades y Perséfone pero no lo hace aburrido porque tiene mucha intriga y misterio y lo único que quieres saber es que pasó entre Hades y ella y porque fue el motivo por el que la desterraron.
Espero que el siguiente libro mejore.
La historia trata sobre una humana que es secuestrada y es llevada al olimpo para que compita en las pruebas de Hades y la que resulte ganadora sea su esposa pero esta humana y es nada más ni menos que Perséfone esposa de Hades que fue desterrada del olimpo y sus recuerdos han sido borrados.
Como inicio no estuvo mal pero sí hay muy poca interacción entre Hades y Perséfone pero no lo hace aburrido porque tiene mucha intriga y misterio y lo único que quieres saber es que pasó entre Hades y ella y porque fue el motivo por el que la desterraron.
Espero que el siguiente libro mejore.
dnf
August 6, 2022Dnf @ p 70
Mehhhh. I wasn’t feeling the writing style or the plot.
Mehhhh. I wasn’t feeling the writing style or the plot.
June 24, 2020
I really enjoyed this!
Plot: Persephone (Persy) is a barista in New York, just doing her job, when a guy plucks her out of the street and takes her to attend the Hades Trials, to compete for marrying Hades. We then find out that Persy was actually his first wife, and for some reason she was sent to the mortal realm and doesn't remember anything from her past life.
Zeus (the bastard) had a bad disagreement with Hades, so that's why he brought Persy back to compete in the trials, because Hades still loved her and he was going to either see her die as a human in the trials or maybe lose her again.
The trials were not a big part of the book, more of the plot was focused on the relationship between Persephone and Hades, she is desperate to find out what happened in her past life married to Hades, as people show up to kill her because she apparently murdered their loved ones.
As Persy eats the seeds, more of her powers come back, and the mystery between her and Hades grows. Sooooo many questions!!
Ending bit of a cliffhanger -
→4.25 stars
Plot: Persephone (Persy) is a barista in New York, just doing her job, when a guy plucks her out of the street and takes her to attend the Hades Trials, to compete for marrying Hades. We then find out that Persy was actually his first wife, and for some reason she was sent to the mortal realm and doesn't remember anything from her past life.
Zeus (the bastard) had a bad disagreement with Hades, so that's why he brought Persy back to compete in the trials, because Hades still loved her and he was going to either see her die as a human in the trials or maybe lose her again.
The trials were not a big part of the book, more of the plot was focused on the relationship between Persephone and Hades, she is desperate to find out what happened in her past life married to Hades, as people show up to kill her because she apparently murdered their loved ones.
As Persy eats the seeds, more of her powers come back, and the mystery between her and Hades grows. Sooooo many questions!!
Ending bit of a cliffhanger -
→4.25 stars
July 21, 2020
The premise was very interesting. Unfortunately, the book ended up being very juvenile and very disappointing. The writing was choppy, there was little to no character development, and the plot didn't make sense to me. The interactions and dialogue between characters were also very forced and felt unnatural. And don't get me started on the grammar and punctuation 😭. There were so many run on sentences and grammar issues in this book that made it a pain in the butt to read.
December 8, 2022
I’m a sucker for books about Greek mythology, especially everything that handles the story of Hades and Persephone. When I stumbled upon the Hades trials while browsing Audible, I knew I wanted to give it a go.
In this book Persephone is a human, who doesn’t remember being a former god or Hades Ex-wife. She doesn’t even know that the world of the gods really exists until she meets Zeus, who pressures her to take part in the Hades trials. She’s the human underdog in these games and she doesn’t even really want the prize - marrying Hades, all she wants is not dying and going back to her old/new life in New York City.
Persephone was a little irritating, which actually is more than understandable, considering her situation. Nevertheless, it took me some time to like her, but over time she won me over. She was clever and faced every challenge bravely, it was quite admirable. I liked Hades from the beginning (yes, I’m biased), it was clear that he and Persephone shared something in the past and that he still really cared for her.
Annoyingly enough no one really answers Persephone's questions about her past and we’re not even told why no one can give us any answers. It left so many unanswered questions and I think at least a few more insights of the world we were visiting would have been nice and made it easier to immerse in the story.
I definitely will continue this series, though. I still want to know what’s going on and if/how Persephone and Hades will find a happy end for both of them.
In this book Persephone is a human, who doesn’t remember being a former god or Hades Ex-wife. She doesn’t even know that the world of the gods really exists until she meets Zeus, who pressures her to take part in the Hades trials. She’s the human underdog in these games and she doesn’t even really want the prize - marrying Hades, all she wants is not dying and going back to her old/new life in New York City.
Persephone was a little irritating, which actually is more than understandable, considering her situation. Nevertheless, it took me some time to like her, but over time she won me over. She was clever and faced every challenge bravely, it was quite admirable. I liked Hades from the beginning (yes, I’m biased), it was clear that he and Persephone shared something in the past and that he still really cared for her.
Annoyingly enough no one really answers Persephone's questions about her past and we’re not even told why no one can give us any answers. It left so many unanswered questions and I think at least a few more insights of the world we were visiting would have been nice and made it easier to immerse in the story.
I definitely will continue this series, though. I still want to know what’s going on and if/how Persephone and Hades will find a happy end for both of them.
August 17, 2020
A classic retelling. The title gives you enough clues into what's this.
The new element that I have encountered was the goddess "Hedona". Usually, the retellings of this particular myth skip her.
The relationship between Hades and Persephone is nearly nonexistent. And when it wants to exists it is forced out of proportions.
It is more interesting to follow how she makes new acquaintances between the Greek Gods.
It is a fairly decent retelling.
The new element that I have encountered was the goddess "Hedona". Usually, the retellings of this particular myth skip her.
The relationship between Hades and Persephone is nearly nonexistent. And when it wants to exists it is forced out of proportions.
It is more interesting to follow how she makes new acquaintances between the Greek Gods.
It is a fairly decent retelling.
July 26, 2020
Persy (Persephone) is minding her business as a coffee shop barista when she’s snatched off the street by pretty boy Zeus and taken to the Underworld for the Hades Trials. You see, Zeus has decided that Hades needs a mate. The trials seek to fill the Queen of the Underworld position by putting contestants through a series of tasks.
And as if that’s not enough to piss her off, especially since she’s missing her college classes, Persy finds out she actually was Hades’s first wife but was stripped of her memories and placed in the mortal world, but not one will tell her why. Now she’s on her way to four trials in Glory, Intelligence, Loyalty and Hospitality.
So I have to say this book was cute ... and that’s about it. It’s quite short, and I would have loved to have seen more world building, but with only about 238 pages, you don’t leave enough room for it.
There is a hint of romance, but again, if you’re expecting lots, don’t go looking here for it. The trials were only so so, and I think it disappointed me that we only see Persy go through her trials, and not any other contestants. It’s not like a Hunger Games trial where everyone goes for broke. It’s just Persy either battling a demon, facing a fear, or some such thing.
It’s light and cute, but not enough of anything for me.
And as if that’s not enough to piss her off, especially since she’s missing her college classes, Persy finds out she actually was Hades’s first wife but was stripped of her memories and placed in the mortal world, but not one will tell her why. Now she’s on her way to four trials in Glory, Intelligence, Loyalty and Hospitality.
So I have to say this book was cute ... and that’s about it. It’s quite short, and I would have loved to have seen more world building, but with only about 238 pages, you don’t leave enough room for it.
There is a hint of romance, but again, if you’re expecting lots, don’t go looking here for it. The trials were only so so, and I think it disappointed me that we only see Persy go through her trials, and not any other contestants. It’s not like a Hunger Games trial where everyone goes for broke. It’s just Persy either battling a demon, facing a fear, or some such thing.
It’s light and cute, but not enough of anything for me.
October 6, 2021
Like probably everyone (or most) in the book community who loves to read romance, I love the myth of Hades and Persephone and the different ways it can be retold and depicted. Add that to the gorgeous three covers of the singular book and the stunning bind up cover for the entire trilogy (which is the version I’m reading from Kindle Unlimited), and I was very intrigued.
The synopsis promised an exciting story, and indeed it was. Persy is working at the local bar when this extremely gorgeous man tries to ask her out. She refuses, only to find him after her shift is over and…things aren’t normal. Lightning strikes, and the man is clearly not human. Persy runs, but still she’s unable to escape. Turns out, the gorgeous man is none other than Zeus, and he chose her to compete in the Hades Trials, a competition held to choose Hades’s next bride. Not only that, but Persy is told that she’s the goddess Persephone, though no one is willing to tell her why she was made to forget her life and was sent away to live her life as a human. Persy thinks she’s dreaming and it’s not real, but she soon realizes it’s all true. Also, whenever she sees Hades’ mysterious and shadowy figure, she can’t shake the feeling that she knows him, and that she belongs with him.
The plot is fast paced from the start, which made from some great action scenes and made it so that even the down moments were exciting. However, I feel like we don’t know Persephone well, because we barely get to spend any time with Persy in the human world before Zeus whisks her away to face the trials. We know she loves plants, and we’re told she’s a fan of Greek mythology, but we don’t see any friend or family or see if she has any hobby outside of gardening. So I think this is the sort of story where you really need to read the entire series to grasp the full picture and to truly get to understand the characters’ every facet, because you find out things about them alongside the action rather than being eased into their lives first and then following them in their journey.
As far as the romance goes, this first book teases exciting thing to come in the following two books. Hades and Persephone don’t have many scenes together, but I could feel the tension in the ones that were there. I’m also looking forward to understand what it was that Persephone did that got her banished—if it was even her fault. Seeing how most of these gods are petty, jealous, and entitled, I wouldn’t be surprised if things are even more complicated than one could imagine.
I recommend this book to fans of fast-paced books and of Greek mythology, although I would warn them to buckle up and be patient because I have a feeling that the best is yet to come!
Thank you to the author for sending me a copy of the complete trilogy The Hades Trials: The Complete Collection. (By the way, the cover is gorgeous and I'll be featuring it on my Instagram page soon!) Opinions are my own.
The synopsis promised an exciting story, and indeed it was. Persy is working at the local bar when this extremely gorgeous man tries to ask her out. She refuses, only to find him after her shift is over and…things aren’t normal. Lightning strikes, and the man is clearly not human. Persy runs, but still she’s unable to escape. Turns out, the gorgeous man is none other than Zeus, and he chose her to compete in the Hades Trials, a competition held to choose Hades’s next bride. Not only that, but Persy is told that she’s the goddess Persephone, though no one is willing to tell her why she was made to forget her life and was sent away to live her life as a human. Persy thinks she’s dreaming and it’s not real, but she soon realizes it’s all true. Also, whenever she sees Hades’ mysterious and shadowy figure, she can’t shake the feeling that she knows him, and that she belongs with him.
The plot is fast paced from the start, which made from some great action scenes and made it so that even the down moments were exciting. However, I feel like we don’t know Persephone well, because we barely get to spend any time with Persy in the human world before Zeus whisks her away to face the trials. We know she loves plants, and we’re told she’s a fan of Greek mythology, but we don’t see any friend or family or see if she has any hobby outside of gardening. So I think this is the sort of story where you really need to read the entire series to grasp the full picture and to truly get to understand the characters’ every facet, because you find out things about them alongside the action rather than being eased into their lives first and then following them in their journey.
As far as the romance goes, this first book teases exciting thing to come in the following two books. Hades and Persephone don’t have many scenes together, but I could feel the tension in the ones that were there. I’m also looking forward to understand what it was that Persephone did that got her banished—if it was even her fault. Seeing how most of these gods are petty, jealous, and entitled, I wouldn’t be surprised if things are even more complicated than one could imagine.
I recommend this book to fans of fast-paced books and of Greek mythology, although I would warn them to buckle up and be patient because I have a feeling that the best is yet to come!
Thank you to the author for sending me a copy of the complete trilogy The Hades Trials: The Complete Collection. (By the way, the cover is gorgeous and I'll be featuring it on my Instagram page soon!) Opinions are my own.
June 6, 2022
“Your wish is my command. Did I tell you about when Dionysus tricked Poseidon into having sex with a tree?”
This book was a speed of non-stop adrenaline.
It went straight in without a beginning or an introduction of things.
That got me confused in the beginning. I didn't understand what was happening and had to pick up on the pacing.
After a while, I got it, and the world-building and history were plotted into each chapter.
There was a lot of action and fighting in the plot, which I love.
I love seeing the badassness of Persephone even though everything else is all over the place.
There wasn't much focus on the romance, but the humour makes up for it.
"I wanted to see those eyes again, desperately. They had been the only thing I'd recognized here, the only thing that made some sense since I'd arrived - even if I didn't know what they meant."
This book was a speed of non-stop adrenaline.
It went straight in without a beginning or an introduction of things.
That got me confused in the beginning. I didn't understand what was happening and had to pick up on the pacing.
After a while, I got it, and the world-building and history were plotted into each chapter.
There was a lot of action and fighting in the plot, which I love.
I love seeing the badassness of Persephone even though everything else is all over the place.
There wasn't much focus on the romance, but the humour makes up for it.
"I wanted to see those eyes again, desperately. They had been the only thing I'd recognized here, the only thing that made some sense since I'd arrived - even if I didn't know what they meant."
January 23, 2025
i really enjoyed this book , its been a long time since ive read about gods and goddesses , i couldn't put it down Persephone has been dragged from new york the underworld where zeus and the other gods rule , shes been told that she used to be a goddess too , but they refuse to let her remember the terrible things that have happened , she has to pass twelve trials to marry hades , but he wants nothing to do with her , want her to fail the trials yet the more they meet the more sparks fly , amazing book
July 26, 2023
This was much better than I thought it would be. The author really did her research on Greek mythology and the story was quite entertaining
September 12, 2022
So, I read this. I thought really hard about DNFing this but it was short so figured I might as well finish. I don’t understand why these were split up into 3 books in the beginning. Who ends the whole book, like a chapter, and starts the new book exactly where the first one ended? Like why? It should’ve have always been one big book. Just a petty tick of mine.
This book moved too fast, it had no world building and no character development. The writing is sub par, I honestly felt like I was reading a fan fiction. I couldn’t take it seriously, everything was just too unbelievable and silly. Especially the characters. I felt Persephone was oddly okay with being kidnapped, forced to compete in these trials and learning about her history that she didn’t know she had. I just didn’t feel much shock and urgency from her.
Judging by the cover of this book (I know, I know, I’m not supposed to) I’d expect the spice level to be high up there and it’s not at all. Not that I was looking forward to it, but I thought the romance would be better, more interesting, more tension. I’m sure that comes in these next books, but I was very surprised to find the romance severely lacking. I also have no intention of continuing on, especially since it seems that each book is Persephone completing only 1 trial. I thought she’d complete the trials and the books would build her and Hades relationship from there, but it doesn’t seem likely. So I have no interest in reading a repeat of the same song and dance another two times.
I tried really hard to like this and I want to say some good things about it, but their just isn’t much for me. It was somewhat entertaining which is why I’m giving it 2 stars.
This book moved too fast, it had no world building and no character development. The writing is sub par, I honestly felt like I was reading a fan fiction. I couldn’t take it seriously, everything was just too unbelievable and silly. Especially the characters. I felt Persephone was oddly okay with being kidnapped, forced to compete in these trials and learning about her history that she didn’t know she had. I just didn’t feel much shock and urgency from her.
Judging by the cover of this book (I know, I know, I’m not supposed to) I’d expect the spice level to be high up there and it’s not at all. Not that I was looking forward to it, but I thought the romance would be better, more interesting, more tension. I’m sure that comes in these next books, but I was very surprised to find the romance severely lacking. I also have no intention of continuing on, especially since it seems that each book is Persephone completing only 1 trial. I thought she’d complete the trials and the books would build her and Hades relationship from there, but it doesn’t seem likely. So I have no interest in reading a repeat of the same song and dance another two times.
I tried really hard to like this and I want to say some good things about it, but their just isn’t much for me. It was somewhat entertaining which is why I’m giving it 2 stars.
August 31, 2020
This review covers all the 3 books in this completed series which I binge read, one after the other.
Let me start off by saying that out of all the Greek mythology stories, the one about Hades and Persephone is my favorite. That’s the main reason why I picked up book 1 of this series. But what hooked me into continuing on and giving this trilogy 4 stars were the following reasons:
▸ I liked that this was not just a retelling but more of a evolution or twist in their love story.
▸ I liked that it was a second chance, slow burn.
▸ I liked that she competes in trials/quests. I love stories that have contest/survival of the fittest games scenes. It’s very Survivor/Amazing Race/Hunger Games, which is catnip to me. So I found the action scenes very entertaining.
▸ Book 1 is all her POV BUT in books 2 and 3, we get Hades’ POV and I loved hearing his voice.
▸ I liked the world building.
▸ I liked the secondary or supporting cast of characters (Hectate, Skop, Buddy).
▸ The plot twists surprised me.
▸ Laslty, this version of Hades and Persephone didn’t disappoint me. I thought they had amazing chemistry and that both totally delivered on the feels.
I’m so glad that this is a completed trilogy. Because books 1 and 2 end on a cliffy. And I would’ve hated waiting to find out what happened next. I’m very glad I could binge read!
Let me start off by saying that out of all the Greek mythology stories, the one about Hades and Persephone is my favorite. That’s the main reason why I picked up book 1 of this series. But what hooked me into continuing on and giving this trilogy 4 stars were the following reasons:
▸ I liked that this was not just a retelling but more of a evolution or twist in their love story.
▸ I liked that it was a second chance, slow burn.
▸ I liked that she competes in trials/quests. I love stories that have contest/survival of the fittest games scenes. It’s very Survivor/Amazing Race/Hunger Games, which is catnip to me. So I found the action scenes very entertaining.
▸ Book 1 is all her POV BUT in books 2 and 3, we get Hades’ POV and I loved hearing his voice.
▸ I liked the world building.
▸ I liked the secondary or supporting cast of characters (Hectate, Skop, Buddy).
▸ The plot twists surprised me.
▸ Laslty, this version of Hades and Persephone didn’t disappoint me. I thought they had amazing chemistry and that both totally delivered on the feels.
I’m so glad that this is a completed trilogy. Because books 1 and 2 end on a cliffy. And I would’ve hated waiting to find out what happened next. I’m very glad I could binge read!
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