The Passion of Hades

The Hades Trials #2

by Eliza Raine, Rose Wilson

I’m trapped in actual hell. And just about everything here is trying to kill me. Even the god who claims he once loved me has come pretty close to ending my life.

But things are about to change. I’m fed up of being Persephone - human underdog in the Hades Trials. I’ve managed to awaken a little bit of goddess inside me, and now I have power, I’m not afraid to use it.

Although I don’t actually have a clue how to. Nor do I know what I did to get cast out of Olympus twenty-six years ago, or why strangers are seeking to punish me for it. All I know for sure is that I survived the first round of the Hades Trials, and now I need to survive another. One step at a time I will get back to New York.

Because I can’t stay here. Olympus is filled with monsters, and ruled by monsters, and I do not fit in.

The trouble is, the more I discover about the mysterious King of the Underworld, the less sure I am that he fits in either. My connection to him is undeniable, and it’s not escaped the other gods' notice. They don’t want me to stay in Olympus, and now that I have my power back, they’re going to make the next three Trials even more lethal.

If I can survive, I’m a step closer to getting home. But if I spend much more time with Hades, I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to leave.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Mythology, Paranormal, Greek Mythology, Paranormal Romance, Magic

260 pages, Paperback

First published June 15, 2020

About the author

Eliza 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

Reviews

[Ashleigh (a frolic through fiction) · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Rated 4.5/5 stars

[♦♣ queen of faerie ♠♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wwwwwooooooaaaaahhhhhh.

Guys? Listen
This book? The stakes just got hit up a notch
Romance? Even better.
Persephone? Love her so much.
Plot? Even more muddled and so much mystery to be solved.
That cliffhanger? Insane.
Book three?... NOT FLIPPING OUT YET??!!!!!


→4.5 stars

[Al *the semi serial series skipper* · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Tiera McMillian · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5-4 stars. Oh my lord what is going on in this series! The competition continues and gets even more intense in this book. Luckily Persy has some of her powers.. even if she isn't sure how to use them. Honestly, I'm so lost. We are getting tiny tidbits of info here and there and its just not enough to make any decisions. Persy's wishy washy, back and forth attitude is a total reflection of this. I mean I'm right there with her. I love Hades.. but come on, if someone would just tell her what is going on she could actually make some informed decisions. Now right when she is starting to decide that she may want to stay.. Now they are going to kick her out? Why is she so dangerous? Why is everyone out to get her? Wtf did she do wrong all those years ago?

All these questions and no answers.. the reveals are really slow, and all the while Persy is just barely scrapping by in the competition. I'm so ready for her to come into her powers and unleash some whoop dat A all upon Virgo and any other realm. The lack of answers is starting to make me super anxious. I've decided that I have to wait till this series is done before continuing. All this waiting is just too much and the cliffhangers at the end are wrecking me.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

The trials are heating up, and Persephone has to test herself in more ways that she first thought. From her increasing anger at the Olympians, to the battle with her past actions, and her growing attraction for her ex-husband --all of these feelings are just the tip of the iceberg when a plot to possibly kill her during the trials is slowly unraveling.

Also, that ending had me shook after everything she went though in this one! Can't the girl Catch a break?

[Grecia Robles · Rating 3 out of 5]

En este siguiente libro vemos más de Hades sus sentimientos y motivaciones y como sufrió por perder a Perséfone y lo que duele no tenerla de vuelta y que ella no lo ame.

En este libro hay un poco más de acción y de romance sigue la intriga porque todavía no sabemos que pasó con Perséfone y surgen más misterios porque al parecer hay un traidor en el olimpo.

En este libro me cayó mal Perséfone porque sigue haciendo sufrir a mi Hades y él no se lo merece.

Y ese final.. necesito saber que va a pasar.

[Alaina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I freaking hate cliffhangers.

The Passion of Hades basically had everyone and their mother cockblocking Hades and Persephone from doing the deed. They did get close though and the tension filled moments gave me life. BUT that is all I freaking got. I so want more from these two because I think it will be explosive.

I'm also real sick and tired of everyone's shit right now. I want to know who is behind trying to murder the girl. I also want the gods to get the sticks surgically removed from their own ass. Seriously - some of these people need a swift kick to a certain area. Maybe even a throat punch or five hundred.

All I want is for these two to be together but NO that doesn't happen one freaking bit. Again, I hate cliffhangers and I don't like how this one ended. I'm mad. Heck I'm probably more than mad. I want all the answers and for these two to be happy and TOGETHER. Dammit!

In the end, if they aren't together I will definitely riot. Oh, and I want her memory back and lots of revenge for the people saying she's dangerous. I'll show you dangerous!

[Sou · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 27%

I finished the first book with the hope that the 2nd book would finally give some insight into whatever was hinted at in the first book. But god was it boring and disappointing. The writing wasn't great in the first book and it seems like it took a nose dive in this one. Maybe I'll return to this some other day just so I know how it ends but I'm not super excited to know. How do you take Hades and Persephone and make this boring ass series?? Like how????

[Thais • tata.lifepages • · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok this just got so much hotter and spicier and deadlier than book 1 😱😱😱

[Mairy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally you guys...!
Yesterday, I was sent this ARC and I couldn't resist the temptation to read it even though my exams are due...
Anyways, the author in the previous book left us with a Pershephony in a not so... um... good position; Now we get to see what happened.
Well, some trials happened, our waiting happened, and more questions happened.
And we, the naive readers, expected the secrets to unfold and reveal themselves.
It is a delightful read if you like ancient Greek myths, and most of all Hades and Persephone. Now I don't know about their current state in the book but their past must have been explosive and full of sex.
I highly suggest it! It is fresh, eventful, murderous, promising, and it is for a fact keeping you on the edge of your seat.
The ending was a bummer for me, it was sudden and I thought it would end with another epic episode continuing the pattern of the previous installment, but nevermind me I am sad because I have to wait for the next one now.....
What can u do/???!!

I think it can get 4.6 stars, because of the ending for nothing more.
Keep waiting and let's see what happens next...

[Debra Henn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Juvenile with an R rating

I didnt realize this was a novella, first of all. The first book was entertaining enough to buy this one but the authors need to make up their minds as to who they're writing for. Very juvenile dialogue for much of it but extremely mature sex scenes. Also, if the heroine is from NY, why is she talking like she's a Brit half the time? It's a no from me.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

RTC

[Ta || bookishbluehead · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book left me very unsatisfied. We not only didn’t get a lot of answers to our previous questions, we also got a lot more unanswered questions and a cliff-hanger, which I’m mostly not a fan of. Lucky for me I have the third and last book in the series on my phone and can start listening to it, as soon as I finish this review.

I didn’t completely like the writing. The way the characters were written and the way their inner monologue and dialogue was written gave me the feeling they were much younger than they were supposed to be.

There is a little more spice in this book than in the first one, which I enjoyed. I think the scenes were well written and implemented in the story.

Another great thing about this book was Persephone, especially her discovering and growing into her powers.

[Just Josie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars


We are back at the trials and Persephone got her hands full.

Much more captivating than the previous book. I am still not too keen of the characters, but the world-building and the mythology is splendid.

Turns out I am all for Greek Mythology in books😈

Persephone is still competing in the trials to win the title of Queen of the Underworld, and at the same time parts of her past and powers are revealed.

Also - I have a pretty good idea who Cronos is to Persephone so I need to read the final instalment to see if I was correct😂

Read: 11/09/2020
1st rating: 3.75 stars
Genre/tropes: Fantasy/romance/Greek mythology/fated mates
Cover: 3 stars
POV’s: Dual -1st person (Hades & Persephone)
Will I recommend: Yes

[Aly · Rating 4 out of 5]

These books are getting crazy! I love the trials, they're all so different and it's fun to cheer for Persephone to win. Each day is different and the pacing for the story is so quick. We also got to see more into Hades' mind and his relationship with past Persephone. I so desperately want her to remember what happened and for them to be in love again.

There are a lot of characters, since there are so many gods and goddesses but it's not hard to remember the important ones. I'm digging her friends Hecate and Skop, they're funny and right by Persephone's side. I hope they truly are good allies and not misleading her...

I am immediately jumping into the last book because the ending of this is a killer cliffhanger. I need answers now!

[TheBookPlatypus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Persephone continues to battle in the trials to win being Hades wife. Again. The problem is, there are many Gods and Goddesses who are against her and trying to destroy any chance of her winning.
Persephone is in a really hard spot because she has had her memory swiped clean and been told that she’s a mortal her entire life. Her powers have finally started to emerge in book 2 and she’s had to learn really quick on how to yield them. Still not understanding why she left the underworld the first time, she is battling these trials to become the wife of someone she was already with but has no memory of.
Despite not understanding Hades, she can’t help but feel this intense attraction to him.

This book is packed full of mystery and suspense. I’m dying to know why she had to leave the underworld the first time and have her memory swiped clean.
There’s so much more to Hades than we think that we know. It almost sounds like he had no choice but to take Persephone out of the underworld.
He loves her. And it’s clear how much he loves her.
This book leaves off on a crazy cliffhanger.
Her life ends up in danger again. And it’s too much for Hades to deal with.
“You can’t keep a light this bright in the dark, ‘I whispered, gathering every ounce of control I had left, and drinking in her every future.
“I’m sorry.” - Hades

[laura 🧸 · Rating 5 out of 5]

¡Hay tanta acción, aventura, romance y misterio en este libro que es muy difícil dejarlo!

Obtuve exactamente lo que quería, el punto de vista de Hades incluido en la mezcla, ¡y tengo que decir que fue una gran perspectiva para ver! Se hizo más fácil meterse en el Inframundo a través de los ojos de Hades, incluso si estaban completamente enfocados en Persy y los juegos.

Hades era fácil de enfatizar a lo largo de la historia, su necesidad de mantenerla a salvo y saber que ella llegaría a odiarse a sí misma aún más si supiera la verdad sobre su pasado, una verdad que incluso él no podía entender por completo.

Persy se mantiene fiel a quién es mientras continúa siendo empujada a través de los juegos para recuperar sus poderes, su oportunidad de pasar más tiempo entrenando con Hades, así como la oportunidad de aprender la verdad sobre quién fue una vez como Reina. del Inframundo.

Me gustaron las criaturas descriptivas y los monstruos a los que se enfrentó Persy durante este libro, estaban bien detallados y representaban un desafío adecuado para nuestra protagonista, que continúa confiando en sus rasgos humanos para superar las tareas.

La historia continúa volviéndose más interesante a medida que somos testigos del crecimiento de sus poderes, incluidas sus vides de seducción, lo que aporta una ventaja emocionante a sus sesiones de entrenamiento con Hades.

[Zen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second round of trials

Great continuation of this story. There is a bit of a change in this second installment as this novel is told from a dual POV instead of a single, like the first. Although this is the case, most of the story still comes from Perry's POV. As the trials become more difficult, we do see a bit more of Hades's realm, and it's not always pretty. As before, Hecate and Skip shine in this and provide the friendship needed to make it through.

[ReadingInPyjamas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This sequel was action-packed, thrilling, and fun. Lots of character development for Persephone, i started to appreciate her a lot more. She's fierce and stubborn and doesn't back down from any challenge that comes her way. She has to face some terrifying trials in this book, and i was on the edge of my seat waiting to see if she would come out victorious. The romance continues to be slow burn, but there are a couple sexy encounters between Persephone and Hades, which make the story even more exciting. The cliffhanger at the end left me wanting more, and i'll be diving into the next book asap 😍

[Treena · Rating 4 out of 5]

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!

[Brittany Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

And she does it again!! Eliza Raine delivers an absolutely superb sequel in the Hades Trials.

Persephone has gained some of her powers back and she has gone on to round two of her trials. But everything is a whole lot more now! Hades learns the name of the sect that is after Persephone. Persephone is in a situation where she doesn’t know who she can trust or what she can believe. As the trials are going on she needs to figure out her magic, her past, and even her desires. She is attracted to Hades but does she want to be his queen?!

The characters are so full of life! You love some, you hate others and the rest make you laugh out loud. The story progression is fantastic;it picks up right where book one leaves off and it is non-stop action from the get go.

This book totally transports you to Olympus and the realm of the gods. The details are fantastic and you can tell that the author has a passion for the subject. A brilliant retelling of Persephone and Hades. I can not wait for book three!!

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

”You can’t keep a light this bright in the dark,” I whispered, gathering every ounce of control I had left.”

The trials for Persy pick right back up in this book. 4 riddles, 4 endurance tests. A slice of mystery you don’t see coming and a little exploration into Tartarus.

I love these trials. There’s a lot that you just don’t see coming and twist in all of them that keep you super engaged with what’s happening. Add a little more build up between Persy and Hades and 🔥.

I said it before though, these books whilst great, just feel like one big story spliced into 3 and if this series wasn’t completed, I’d be a lot more annoyed about this. Though, it flows well. The build up between these two is so annoyingly bittersweet. You get a glimpse and it’s like FINALLY but nope. It’s nothing heavy and it’s not satisfying. 😂 Can these two just have magic sex, already??

Persy’s growth throughout this series has been incredible. She’s not been whiney, don’t get me wrong but initially she started out a lot milder than she is. The way she curses the Gods out now? It’s like she’s found her spark, even without her memory.

I’m sooooooooo glad I can start this last book and get some answers! That cliffhanger sucks.

[Isha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book even more that the first (which is rare for me). I felt like this book was more well-rounded than the first, but maybe that's because we already knew the characters. I love that, in this book, we got to see Hades perspective as well! I really enjoyed those parts!

I also enjoyed learning about Persephone's powers. Some of them were not what I thought they would be. And the ending of the book was SO suspenseful! I really really want to read the last book in the series and finally find out what Persephone did!

I will say that I think this book could have combined with book 1.

[Erika B. (SOS BOOKS) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Things are heating up. Usually, I'm more a fan of the romance, BUT in this case, I was totally digging the trials that Persephone has to go through. My one complaint would be the MANY cliffhangers/loose ends. Fingers crossed that the author can pick them all up and tie them up nicely in the end!

[(old.enough.for.fairytales) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would’ve finished this way sooner but I got to almost the end and knew we were about to end on a nasty cliffhanger and couldn’t force myself to continue reading 😂 but I found the courage to finish today and gahhh I love these books.

[Faith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everytime the commentator announces the "gods and goddesses" I imagine them walking in in slow motion with thrift shop playing in the background.
Ps. Zeus's a dickhead 🙂

[Viri · Rating 3 out of 5]

¿Confirmamos que amo a Hades?

Confirmamos.

Me gustó más este libro porque sale más Hades jajajaja soy súper fácil!

Así que sigo con el tercero que promete mucho. 🥰🥰🥰

[Sofia B · Rating 3 out of 5]

*as Thor from Marvel*
I quite enjoy this.

[S. Morgenstern · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mira que Hades y Persefone en todos los libros me encantan como personajes pero en estos Skop se roba todo el protagonismo cada vez que apetece. Me encanta los personajes de cómicos como él.

[Jade Buchanan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have absolutely binged this series with no regret!! The author set this book at just the right pace for their love and that ending made me shriek.
Although I do have some suspicions about some characters I have absolutely adored this series!!