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The Devil Takes What's Willingly Given #1
The Devil Takes
Who needs dating apps when you can stand naked in a graveyard at midnight calling for the Devil to take you away?
Percy
I don’t exactly know what I’m doing at college. I feel directionless, an omega adrift in a sea of promising young minds already on track with their five-year goals and life plans. My only goal has ever been to get away from my merciless father and his narrative that I’ll never amount to anything. And maybe he’s right, maybe I traded in my trailer park for stinky gym socks and red solo cups.
But when my frat initiation leads to a sexy chance encounter with a purple-demon-devil-incubus-dude, I can’t help but think that maybe the college life ain’t so bad, after all.
Haden
I may be purple but I am not a demon. Or a devil. Or even an incubus.
As the king of the underworld and keeper of the dead, my humanity has been long since forgotten.
That is until a young man in a graveyard calls to me one night. Like a kicked puppy, his sad, soulful eyes lure me in, and I can’t deny him. This sweet, stubborn boy who visits me in his dreams, he stirs up feelings in me that I left behind centuries ago. I want him. I crave him. But I know I cannot keep him…unless I take him…
The Devil Takes is a poetic, steamy, and seductive MM omegaverse romance loosely based on the tale of Hades and Persephone.
It is part one of a duet following Percy, an inexperienced and timid college student, and Haden, the god of the underworld. Book one has a HFN ending and no cliffhanger.
Percy
I don’t exactly know what I’m doing at college. I feel directionless, an omega adrift in a sea of promising young minds already on track with their five-year goals and life plans. My only goal has ever been to get away from my merciless father and his narrative that I’ll never amount to anything. And maybe he’s right, maybe I traded in my trailer park for stinky gym socks and red solo cups.
But when my frat initiation leads to a sexy chance encounter with a purple-demon-devil-incubus-dude, I can’t help but think that maybe the college life ain’t so bad, after all.
Haden
I may be purple but I am not a demon. Or a devil. Or even an incubus.
As the king of the underworld and keeper of the dead, my humanity has been long since forgotten.
That is until a young man in a graveyard calls to me one night. Like a kicked puppy, his sad, soulful eyes lure me in, and I can’t deny him. This sweet, stubborn boy who visits me in his dreams, he stirs up feelings in me that I left behind centuries ago. I want him. I crave him. But I know I cannot keep him…unless I take him…
The Devil Takes is a poetic, steamy, and seductive MM omegaverse romance loosely based on the tale of Hades and Persephone.
It is part one of a duet following Percy, an inexperienced and timid college student, and Haden, the god of the underworld. Book one has a HFN ending and no cliffhanger.
210 pages, Hardcover
First published February 23, 2023
179 people are currently reading
1000 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 173 reviews
February 23, 2023
the romance is bad, absolutely zero connection, one dimensional characters, percy is dumb as fuck, the world building is flimsy, there are two unnecessary time jumps and for the writing i’ll just leave a quote.
“They looked like twins, probably because they were.”
???????? i have no words.
i won’t read the next one because i just can’t anymore.
“They looked like twins, probably because they were.”
???????? i have no words.
i won’t read the next one because i just can’t anymore.
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February 24, 2023
The Devil Takes is an omegaverse Hades and Persephone retelling. If you know me or have followed me for a while, you know I absolutely love omegaverse. One of my favourite subgenres in MM, so when I found out about The Devil Takes, I was so excited. Many of the tropes were all green flags for me, so going in, my expectations and excitement were at a level 10.
However, as much as I wanted to love The Devil Takes, it was just not for me. Some aspects of the world-building and characters left me with more questions than answers. Second, it did not feel like it was retelling. I have read a few Hades and Persephone retellings, and while there are countless directions a writer can take their story, I felt like there was a lot missing from it that I wanted. Also the author's writing style is more on the telling and than showing side.
This is a me thing, but with omegaverse, I prefer when there is an erotic aspect. I love it when it is high steam and spice, especially during heat sex, and while Fae delivers on the spice when it happens, I felt it was short and too little. It was a solid 2/5. I love when authors go outside their zones, and I'm happy that Fae wrote an omegaverse story! Was it for me? No, but I appreciate it nonetheless.
Overall while it was not my cup of tea, fans of Fae Quin will enjoy it! Many readers have loved it, so this is definitely a me thing, as I am very particular about my omegaverse stories.
However, as much as I wanted to love The Devil Takes, it was just not for me. Some aspects of the world-building and characters left me with more questions than answers. Second, it did not feel like it was retelling. I have read a few Hades and Persephone retellings, and while there are countless directions a writer can take their story, I felt like there was a lot missing from it that I wanted. Also the author's writing style is more on the telling and than showing side.
This is a me thing, but with omegaverse, I prefer when there is an erotic aspect. I love it when it is high steam and spice, especially during heat sex, and while Fae delivers on the spice when it happens, I felt it was short and too little. It was a solid 2/5. I love when authors go outside their zones, and I'm happy that Fae wrote an omegaverse story! Was it for me? No, but I appreciate it nonetheless.
Overall while it was not my cup of tea, fans of Fae Quin will enjoy it! Many readers have loved it, so this is definitely a me thing, as I am very particular about my omegaverse stories.
March 3, 2023
⭐︎
2.5 Stars Rounded Up
⭐︎
This was strangely disappointing overall.
It felt like Haden (i.e. Hades) was barely in this at all. It felt like it was mainly about Percy (i.e. Persephone) and his life and the people around him and that made this kinda boring at times.
Also, had I known that this was the first part of their story, I probably would have waited and probably not have felt so bereft at the end when it ended on a cliffhanger. I thought this would be their complete story, but nope.
Which, yeah, is probably why it took its time and didn't have much of them, but also at the same time, why not include more of them to keep the reader hooked? As much as I liked and enjoyed Percy, I didn't need so much about his dorm life and his day to day. For such a short book, you'd think there would be more focus on the main couple, but nope.
And when it did focus on them, aside from the hot first scene between them, it wasn't especially detailed.
They did have a few good moments here and there, and one more hot sex scene that I really enjoyed, so those are pluses.
Also, the ending did hook me in for more. So, despite my low rating, I rounded up because I did get me interested for more. And now that we will be spending a lot more time with these two, I'm eager for that.
So this book gets points for that.
But...just, I was disappointed with a lot of the rest. And how it would skip by months at a time, just vaguely describing the time Percy and Haden spent together when Percy's soul would visit Haden. They spend months and months together and yet we barely saw any of it? Any of the foundation of them falling in love? That wasn't good, in my opinion. I wanted more with them, while instead we got more on Percy's relationship with his best friend or these alpha frat bros or his shitty father and so on.
Also, Haden barely tells Percy anything? He doesn't tell him exactly who he is, and why Percy has to stop coming to him, why exactly it's dangerous and that made no sense? Why would he just say "it's dangerous" and leave it at that? Why not explain?
Also, why has Haden not taken his mask off the entire time Percy has known him? What's the reason? Not knowing any of that is annoying.
I feel like, if you're gonna have a multiple book series about the same couple, the first book should be setting the groundwork, not skipping out on a lot of the groundwork to be done in the next book. It doesn't hook the reader.
Instead, so much is left out here and has me left wondering, and not in a good way. It left it so there was barely anything between them in this book so it didn't make for an exciting read.
Honestly, the cliffhanger at the end of this could have been enough to definitely draw the reader in for more in the next book. Keeping so much else out wasn't needed.
Like, cut out some of the unnecessary day to day stuff - like even the stuff with the Alpha frat Percy joins, which wasn't really all that important to the plot - and add more Haden and Percy scenes where get to see they're actually talking and getting to know each other like the text vaguely hints at. That would have been so much better, in my opinion.
So, I was left disappointed at the end of this for those reasons.
But it had enough to keep me interested, especially at the end, to warrant a rounding up instead of down from me. I like this author, and as disappointing as this was, I know this author can do better, so I'm eager to dive into the next book to get more of the main couple I'm here for, and learn a lot more about Haden and the underworld and everything.
Just...this was a weak start, unfortunately. Oh well.
This was strangely disappointing overall.
It felt like Haden (i.e. Hades) was barely in this at all. It felt like it was mainly about Percy (i.e. Persephone) and his life and the people around him and that made this kinda boring at times.
Also, had I known that this was the first part of their story, I probably would have waited and probably not have felt so bereft at the end when it ended on a cliffhanger. I thought this would be their complete story, but nope.
Which, yeah, is probably why it took its time and didn't have much of them, but also at the same time, why not include more of them to keep the reader hooked? As much as I liked and enjoyed Percy, I didn't need so much about his dorm life and his day to day. For such a short book, you'd think there would be more focus on the main couple, but nope.
And when it did focus on them, aside from the hot first scene between them, it wasn't especially detailed.
They did have a few good moments here and there, and one more hot sex scene that I really enjoyed, so those are pluses.
Also, the ending did hook me in for more. So, despite my low rating, I rounded up because I did get me interested for more. And now that we will be spending a lot more time with these two, I'm eager for that.
So this book gets points for that.
But...just, I was disappointed with a lot of the rest. And how it would skip by months at a time, just vaguely describing the time Percy and Haden spent together when Percy's soul would visit Haden. They spend months and months together and yet we barely saw any of it? Any of the foundation of them falling in love? That wasn't good, in my opinion. I wanted more with them, while instead we got more on Percy's relationship with his best friend or these alpha frat bros or his shitty father and so on.
Also, Haden barely tells Percy anything? He doesn't tell him exactly who he is, and why Percy has to stop coming to him, why exactly it's dangerous and that made no sense? Why would he just say "it's dangerous" and leave it at that? Why not explain?
Also, why has Haden not taken his mask off the entire time Percy has known him? What's the reason? Not knowing any of that is annoying.
I feel like, if you're gonna have a multiple book series about the same couple, the first book should be setting the groundwork, not skipping out on a lot of the groundwork to be done in the next book. It doesn't hook the reader.
Instead, so much is left out here and has me left wondering, and not in a good way. It left it so there was barely anything between them in this book so it didn't make for an exciting read.
Honestly, the cliffhanger at the end of this could have been enough to definitely draw the reader in for more in the next book. Keeping so much else out wasn't needed.
Like, cut out some of the unnecessary day to day stuff - like even the stuff with the Alpha frat Percy joins, which wasn't really all that important to the plot - and add more Haden and Percy scenes where get to see they're actually talking and getting to know each other like the text vaguely hints at. That would have been so much better, in my opinion.
So, I was left disappointed at the end of this for those reasons.
But it had enough to keep me interested, especially at the end, to warrant a rounding up instead of down from me. I like this author, and as disappointing as this was, I know this author can do better, so I'm eager to dive into the next book to get more of the main couple I'm here for, and learn a lot more about Haden and the underworld and everything.
Just...this was a weak start, unfortunately. Oh well.
March 29, 2023
First of all I'm gonna apologize first if the review seems so harsh it's my personal opinion.
This was horrible
I don't even know where to begin, as I read this I kept thinking how things could've gone so much better if the story written this way or that way.
Hell I don't know whats the book relying on anymore probably just the cover because the cover looks great,
But the whole story omg.....
Let's start with the Mc
Percy is A stupid Selfish Prick
I think the author wanted to paint him as this broken character so that his actions is more justified but it failed so horribly.
- From the way he was using his friend for his own benefits, it's just so bad
Haden is Meh two dimensional but meh his character just mysterious.
What bugs me off the most is their conversation,
Like these two never have those heart to heart conversation or at least just a casual one.
They basically met fuck and deny each other and hot for each other.
Side characters are just as bad except maybe the omega roommate.
The whole plot doesn't have any clear direction it was just confusing most of the time.
This was horrible
I don't even know where to begin, as I read this I kept thinking how things could've gone so much better if the story written this way or that way.
Hell I don't know whats the book relying on anymore probably just the cover because the cover looks great,
But the whole story omg.....
Let's start with the Mc
Percy is A stupid Selfish Prick
I think the author wanted to paint him as this broken character so that his actions is more justified but it failed so horribly.
- From the way he was using his friend for his own benefits, it's just so bad
Haden is Meh two dimensional but meh his character just mysterious.
What bugs me off the most is their conversation,
Like these two never have those heart to heart conversation or at least just a casual one.
They basically met fuck and deny each other and hot for each other.
Side characters are just as bad except maybe the omega roommate.
The whole plot doesn't have any clear direction it was just confusing most of the time.
February 20, 2023
"Hell was waking up every day knowing there was nothing you could do to end the nightmare."
Star Rating: 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
POV: Dual, First Person
HEA: To Be Continued
Spice Rating: 3/5 🔥🔥🔥
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review
Overall Opinion
Once again, Fae has knocked it out of the park with her unique storytelling, this time with a Hades/Persephone retelling! I am a sucker for retellings and for omegaverse, and this one has set the bar so high! I was hooked from the very first page and I couldn't put it down. Percy is the most adorable student, disguising how he is an omega so he can apply for the alpha/beta fraternity. His family have abused him, leaving him feeling like being an omega is a fate worse than death, and unfortunately in a lot of emotional pain. Haden on the other hand, is super mysterious and we don't get much of a glimpse into him, other than the fact he is a demon or devil of some sorts. These two are instantly drawn to one another, and the chemistry they try to fight is extremely fiery and hot! It does end to be continued, and I won't spoil how it ends, but it has left me utterly craving more! As always, Fae's writing style is magical and beautiful, full of spicy fun, and captures you long after the book is finished!
Read if you like:
❣️ MM Non-Shifter Omegaverse
❣️ Hades and Persephone Retelling
❣️ God/Human
❣️ Size Difference
❣️ Hurt/Comfort
❣️ Fated Mates
Trigger and Content Warnings: Abuse from side characters, hazing, child abuse, murder (side characters), dubcon, medical problems, mating-induced illness, violence.
Star Rating: 5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
POV: Dual, First Person
HEA: To Be Continued
Spice Rating: 3/5 🔥🔥🔥
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review
Overall Opinion
Once again, Fae has knocked it out of the park with her unique storytelling, this time with a Hades/Persephone retelling! I am a sucker for retellings and for omegaverse, and this one has set the bar so high! I was hooked from the very first page and I couldn't put it down. Percy is the most adorable student, disguising how he is an omega so he can apply for the alpha/beta fraternity. His family have abused him, leaving him feeling like being an omega is a fate worse than death, and unfortunately in a lot of emotional pain. Haden on the other hand, is super mysterious and we don't get much of a glimpse into him, other than the fact he is a demon or devil of some sorts. These two are instantly drawn to one another, and the chemistry they try to fight is extremely fiery and hot! It does end to be continued, and I won't spoil how it ends, but it has left me utterly craving more! As always, Fae's writing style is magical and beautiful, full of spicy fun, and captures you long after the book is finished!
Read if you like:
❣️ MM Non-Shifter Omegaverse
❣️ Hades and Persephone Retelling
❣️ God/Human
❣️ Size Difference
❣️ Hurt/Comfort
❣️ Fated Mates
Trigger and Content Warnings: Abuse from side characters, hazing, child abuse, murder (side characters), dubcon, medical problems, mating-induced illness, violence.
February 17, 2023
Tropes:
- Hades & Persephone retelling
- god x human
- omegaverse
- virgin
- dark, ish
- knotting
Oof! The Devil Takes is a queer romance loosely based on the myth of Hades and Persephone and honestly has me in a bit of an emotional chokehold.
The story follows Percy, a directionless college student, who has spent the last several years hating and hiding his designation as an omega thanks to his abusive father. Which is partially the reason he finds himself alone and naked in a graveyard in the middle of the night, willing to do anything to make his father hate him a little less—like joining a frat of alphas and betas and pretending to be something he’s not.
It is there, while contemplating his poor life choices and hoping he doesn’t freeze to death, that Percy meets a masked stranger named Haden, who draws him in like a moth to a flame. Percy ends up having a very intense sexual encounter with the sexy purple man who may or may not be a demon (he’s actually the king of the underworld, no big deal), but wakes up alone the next morning questioning everything.
Jokes on them though, because neither realize how much their lives are about to change because of that night…
As per usual Fae has written a story that hooks you in and I’ve absolutely fallen in love with these characters and their story! Percy is just such a sweet little angel baby, and with everything he’s been through… My heart just ached for him. & while Haden is still a bit of a mystery… I loved what we got to see, especially the gentler side that Percy brings out in him and can’t wait for more!
- Hades & Persephone retelling
- god x human
- omegaverse
- virgin
- dark, ish
- knotting
Oof! The Devil Takes is a queer romance loosely based on the myth of Hades and Persephone and honestly has me in a bit of an emotional chokehold.
The story follows Percy, a directionless college student, who has spent the last several years hating and hiding his designation as an omega thanks to his abusive father. Which is partially the reason he finds himself alone and naked in a graveyard in the middle of the night, willing to do anything to make his father hate him a little less—like joining a frat of alphas and betas and pretending to be something he’s not.
It is there, while contemplating his poor life choices and hoping he doesn’t freeze to death, that Percy meets a masked stranger named Haden, who draws him in like a moth to a flame. Percy ends up having a very intense sexual encounter with the sexy purple man who may or may not be a demon (he’s actually the king of the underworld, no big deal), but wakes up alone the next morning questioning everything.
Jokes on them though, because neither realize how much their lives are about to change because of that night…
As per usual Fae has written a story that hooks you in and I’ve absolutely fallen in love with these characters and their story! Percy is just such a sweet little angel baby, and with everything he’s been through… My heart just ached for him. & while Haden is still a bit of a mystery… I loved what we got to see, especially the gentler side that Percy brings out in him and can’t wait for more!
February 25, 2023
3.75
Well, this was lovely!
Short and angsty, with some very steam moments and a whole lot of delicious, delightful tropes that were *chef's kiss*
I think I was probably expecting something more romance-coded, but I definitely have high hopes for the sequel. "The Devil Takes" feels like a prequel novella in some ways, because of its length and the fact that it acts as a sort of premise to what I expect (and hope) the sequel will be.
So yes, while I was expecting a bit more from this, especially in the romance department, it was definitely a winner read for me, one I managed to devour in two sittings.
Percy was a delightful protagonist; he's so endearing, and precious and lovable, and his insecurities and what he has to put up with his father, and in general, all the alphas in his life (minus, of course, Haden), was downright cruel and ugh, I wanted to jump into the book and smother him in comfort: he needs to be protected at ALL costs.
Haden was, and still is, quite the mystery and I seriously can't wait to discover more of him and his role as the King of Hell. I also cannot wait to see their relationship blossom: their dynamic was seriously delicious.
Omegaverse has become, over the years, one of my favourite genres and I'm so happy to see Fae Quin venture into it too. I can't wait to see all the delicious omegaverse tropes play out in a more fleshed out way when the sequel comes out: I need all the heats, all the ruts, all the pining and craving and neediness!
I'll be VERY, very impatiently waiting for the next part in Haden and Percy's story, because that ending? Omg, I desperately need to know what will happen with them both. And I also desperately need to know if Haden will finally come to earth, kick certain someone(s) in the teeth (maybe with the help of kickass, snarky Tommy, who I absolutely adored), and finally give Percy the affection, validation and love he craves, and deserves.
Well, this was lovely!
Short and angsty, with some very steam moments and a whole lot of delicious, delightful tropes that were *chef's kiss*
I think I was probably expecting something more romance-coded, but I definitely have high hopes for the sequel. "The Devil Takes" feels like a prequel novella in some ways, because of its length and the fact that it acts as a sort of premise to what I expect (and hope) the sequel will be.
So yes, while I was expecting a bit more from this, especially in the romance department, it was definitely a winner read for me, one I managed to devour in two sittings.
Percy was a delightful protagonist; he's so endearing, and precious and lovable, and his insecurities and what he has to put up with his father, and in general, all the alphas in his life (minus, of course, Haden), was downright cruel and ugh, I wanted to jump into the book and smother him in comfort: he needs to be protected at ALL costs.
Haden was, and still is, quite the mystery and I seriously can't wait to discover more of him and his role as the King of Hell. I also cannot wait to see their relationship blossom: their dynamic was seriously delicious.
Omegaverse has become, over the years, one of my favourite genres and I'm so happy to see Fae Quin venture into it too. I can't wait to see all the delicious omegaverse tropes play out in a more fleshed out way when the sequel comes out: I need all the heats, all the ruts, all the pining and craving and neediness!
I'll be VERY, very impatiently waiting for the next part in Haden and Percy's story, because that ending? Omg, I desperately need to know what will happen with them both. And I also desperately need to know if Haden will finally come to earth, kick certain someone(s) in the teeth (maybe with the help of kickass, snarky Tommy, who I absolutely adored), and finally give Percy the affection, validation and love he craves, and deserves.
February 22, 2023
[I received a digital arc for an honest review]
The Devil Takes is an erotic paranormal romance by author Fae Quin. A nonshifter omegaverse (no mpreg) romance between the devil himself and a virgin omega drowning in his day-to-day life.
There was so much I loved about this one. I love a good omegaverse romance , the knotting, slick, mating bonds, and the extreme dominant/submissive behaviors of the alpha and omegas, give me all of it! I thought these aspects of the story were very well done. The intimacy is hot and dirty and gloriously steamy.
"Good boy," he purred. I should've been pissed but I wasn't. I just melted. He liked the way I cried.
Let's talk characters. I loved our omega Percy so much. I just wanted to wrap him in a bubble and protect him from the world. His situation with his abusive father and the alphas around him in college made me so mad. The fact that he's always had to suppress himself as an omega and taught that he was inferior simply broke my heart. Omegas should be cherished not treated the way he was. At least he had his best friend fellow omega Tommy to show him care and comfort. I loved him and their friendship.
Mate, my soul whispered as my lashes fluttered and I finally succumbed to sleep, his warm body atop my own. Mate.
Unfortunately I didn't love Haden, the devil, as much as I thought and I think that because I couldn't really connect with him. We don't get much from his POV. I felt kind of indifferent towards him, but I did enjoy the way he fought his instincts when it came to having feelings for Percy. I'm hoping in the next book we get to know him better.
"I need it." He shook so beautifully. "I need you." And who was I to deny him? A god who worshiped a mortal.
Overall, The Devil Takes> by Fae Quin is a high steam omegaverse romance between the devil and a virgin omega with hurt/comfort, emotion, dream visits, mountain dew, nights in the graveyard and a ending that will leaving you wanting more.
The Devil Takes is an erotic paranormal romance by author Fae Quin. A nonshifter omegaverse (no mpreg) romance between the devil himself and a virgin omega drowning in his day-to-day life.
There was so much I loved about this one. I love a good omegaverse romance , the knotting, slick, mating bonds, and the extreme dominant/submissive behaviors of the alpha and omegas, give me all of it! I thought these aspects of the story were very well done. The intimacy is hot and dirty and gloriously steamy.
"Good boy," he purred. I should've been pissed but I wasn't. I just melted. He liked the way I cried.
Let's talk characters. I loved our omega Percy so much. I just wanted to wrap him in a bubble and protect him from the world. His situation with his abusive father and the alphas around him in college made me so mad. The fact that he's always had to suppress himself as an omega and taught that he was inferior simply broke my heart. Omegas should be cherished not treated the way he was. At least he had his best friend fellow omega Tommy to show him care and comfort. I loved him and their friendship.
Mate, my soul whispered as my lashes fluttered and I finally succumbed to sleep, his warm body atop my own. Mate.
Unfortunately I didn't love Haden, the devil, as much as I thought and I think that because I couldn't really connect with him. We don't get much from his POV. I felt kind of indifferent towards him, but I did enjoy the way he fought his instincts when it came to having feelings for Percy. I'm hoping in the next book we get to know him better.
"I need it." He shook so beautifully. "I need you." And who was I to deny him? A god who worshiped a mortal.
Overall, The Devil Takes> by Fae Quin is a high steam omegaverse romance between the devil and a virgin omega with hurt/comfort, emotion, dream visits, mountain dew, nights in the graveyard and a ending that will leaving you wanting more.
February 24, 2023
The Devil Takes By @fae.loves.art
I was very curious about this retelling, because I'm a total sucker for Hades & Persephone, so make it gay and have it written by Fae Quin? Yes please!
The writing was lovely, even poetic, and very visual. We were in every place described throughout the book, felt every touch, smelled every scent, heard every moan, and tasted... well we will take Haden's and Percy's word for it, right?
Omegaverse It's not one of my favorite things, I enjoyed this book and Fae's unique style! This opened up a lot of possibilities in the plot for the next book, and I'm very curious to find out more about this mated couple, now that they are in the Underworld!
I received an ARC from the author, and this is my honest opinion.
I was very curious about this retelling, because I'm a total sucker for Hades & Persephone, so make it gay and have it written by Fae Quin? Yes please!
The writing was lovely, even poetic, and very visual. We were in every place described throughout the book, felt every touch, smelled every scent, heard every moan, and tasted... well we will take Haden's and Percy's word for it, right?
Omegaverse It's not one of my favorite things, I enjoyed this book and Fae's unique style! This opened up a lot of possibilities in the plot for the next book, and I'm very curious to find out more about this mated couple, now that they are in the Underworld!
I received an ARC from the author, and this is my honest opinion.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 25, 2023
I’ve been looking forward to this book for awhile because it hits a lot of tropes that I absolutely love. I also have a hard time finding omegaverse books that don’t have mpreg (not always my thing). This was a cute story that had a lot of potential.
While I enjoyed Percy’s characterization and the overall premise of the story, I felt like there was a lot of telling and not a lot of showing in the writing which made it hard to get into the story and characters. I also would’ve loved to know more about Haden in this book rather than wait until the next book (I presume). I could see where the original connection could go but we know almost nothing about Haden which made it difficult to invest in the couple. I'm so intrigued by so many aspects of this story so i hope the second book delves a bit deeper! There’s definitely room to explore with a longer book.
Thank you Fae for the ARC 😊
While I enjoyed Percy’s characterization and the overall premise of the story, I felt like there was a lot of telling and not a lot of showing in the writing which made it hard to get into the story and characters. I also would’ve loved to know more about Haden in this book rather than wait until the next book (I presume). I could see where the original connection could go but we know almost nothing about Haden which made it difficult to invest in the couple. I'm so intrigued by so many aspects of this story so i hope the second book delves a bit deeper! There’s definitely room to explore with a longer book.
Thank you Fae for the ARC 😊
February 28, 2023
I loved this!
Short and sweet with a loveable MC and great conflict. An omegaverse that is unique and done well is hard to come by. Most have the same cliches and this was different enough to keep me interested! I’m obsessed with Fae’s writing and I’m glad to add another of her books to my favourites! I
Short and sweet with a loveable MC and great conflict. An omegaverse that is unique and done well is hard to come by. Most have the same cliches and this was different enough to keep me interested! I’m obsessed with Fae’s writing and I’m glad to add another of her books to my favourites! I
March 12, 2023
Cóż, myślę, że zachwyty nad ilustracjami Fae Quinn (szczególnie tych do Necessary Evils) nie wystarczą do tego, żeby zachwycać się jej książkami.
I ten retelling w tytule nie jest potrzebny - Percy z Persefoną nie ma nic wspólnego.
I ten retelling w tytule nie jest potrzebny - Percy z Persefoną nie ma nic wspólnego.
May 1, 2023
I'm not usually one to do this, but for me, my true rating on this first book is actually going to be contingent on the second book. Hear me out...
While I do think it's only fair to rate and review a book as it stands on its own, there's something about the way this is written that makes me reluctant to choose between two different paths. Because this doesn't feel like a fully-fledged novel - it's more like a prelude to something bigger? Almost like this was just one long prologue? If that truly is the case, I'm surprisingly not mad about it. Because that would mean that this first book in the series was just to name the players and set the stage.
The players, of course, being Haden and Percy. I really like them as characters - clearly, this book is heavily written from Percy's POV so there are about a million unanswered questions about Haden. There's also a million more questions about Haden's world in relation to Percy's. I'm very familiar with Omegaverse so I really liked the way the dynamics were set up, but again, SO. MANY. QUESTIONS.
SO HERE'S THE THING. If, and only if, I was right in my assumption that this book serves to be more of a precursor to a bigger picture - I'm in. Totally on board. (my current rating reflects this assumption)
BUT if I'm wrong? If the second book just brings about even more questions without answering any of the ones from the first? If it feels just as floaty and mysterious and lacks the building blocks for the emotional investment that the reader so clearly needs? Then, shit, that's just edging minus the fun ending, a.k.a. torture.
I sincerely hope that I'm right. Because as of now, Haden is a just a shadow (albeit a fucking sexy one); more an idea of a character than an actual presence in the story. We need the man behind the mask and the story behind the man so I'm going to put my trust in Fae and hope that she delivers.
With that being said, I really do love this set up. Not to mention the sex - good lord, it was hot. Which, I can totally see why some people are gonna be mad because instead of going from 0 to 100 - it's almost the complete reverse. That's why the edging is so torturous because we're given a taste of what it could be like right in the beginning and then we're abruptly cut off. But, again, if my gut instincts are right (please please please with a cherry on top let me be right), that's literally the whole point.
If you're the kind of reader who needs answers now now now, I'd steer clear of this one - at least until more of the story has been written. But if you don't mind (or even crave) a little edging now and again...
While I do think it's only fair to rate and review a book as it stands on its own, there's something about the way this is written that makes me reluctant to choose between two different paths. Because this doesn't feel like a fully-fledged novel - it's more like a prelude to something bigger? Almost like this was just one long prologue? If that truly is the case, I'm surprisingly not mad about it. Because that would mean that this first book in the series was just to name the players and set the stage.
The players, of course, being Haden and Percy. I really like them as characters - clearly, this book is heavily written from Percy's POV so there are about a million unanswered questions about Haden. There's also a million more questions about Haden's world in relation to Percy's. I'm very familiar with Omegaverse so I really liked the way the dynamics were set up, but again, SO. MANY. QUESTIONS.
SO HERE'S THE THING. If, and only if, I was right in my assumption that this book serves to be more of a precursor to a bigger picture - I'm in. Totally on board. (my current rating reflects this assumption)
BUT if I'm wrong? If the second book just brings about even more questions without answering any of the ones from the first? If it feels just as floaty and mysterious and lacks the building blocks for the emotional investment that the reader so clearly needs? Then, shit, that's just edging minus the fun ending, a.k.a. torture.
I sincerely hope that I'm right. Because as of now, Haden is a just a shadow (albeit a fucking sexy one); more an idea of a character than an actual presence in the story. We need the man behind the mask and the story behind the man so I'm going to put my trust in Fae and hope that she delivers.
With that being said, I really do love this set up. Not to mention the sex - good lord, it was hot. Which, I can totally see why some people are gonna be mad because instead of going from 0 to 100 - it's almost the complete reverse. That's why the edging is so torturous because we're given a taste of what it could be like right in the beginning and then we're abruptly cut off. But, again, if my gut instincts are right (please please please with a cherry on top let me be right), that's literally the whole point.
If you're the kind of reader who needs answers now now now, I'd steer clear of this one - at least until more of the story has been written. But if you don't mind (or even crave) a little edging now and again...
Read
June 24, 2023**2 ⭐️⭐️
Honestly 2 stars is generous.
I wanted to love this so bad, the cover is amazing and anything Hades and Persephone I eat up.
But this was not it.
The smut was great, everything else sucked.
The plot was so boring, Percy hardly had a personality and Haden was barely even in the book.
Instead it mainly focused on Percy’s frat bullies and his shitty father. It was also pretty instalovey which I’m just not a fan of, especially since they had like 2 SCENES TOGETHER that weren’t dream sex.
Sorry but I definitely won’t be continuing 😢
Spice: 🌶🌶
Tropes: Omegaverse, instalove, demon/devil, dreamspice,
Would I read again: unfortunately not
Honestly 2 stars is generous.
I wanted to love this so bad, the cover is amazing and anything Hades and Persephone I eat up.
But this was not it.
The smut was great, everything else sucked.
The plot was so boring, Percy hardly had a personality and Haden was barely even in the book.
Instead it mainly focused on Percy’s frat bullies and his shitty father. It was also pretty instalovey which I’m just not a fan of, especially since they had like 2 SCENES TOGETHER that weren’t dream sex.
Sorry but I definitely won’t be continuing 😢
Spice: 🌶🌶
Tropes: Omegaverse, instalove, demon/devil, dreamspice,
Would I read again: unfortunately not
Read
November 24, 2023Currently, this book is not a Romance.
There is a second installment coming (which I learned after reading this book) which could turn this into a pretty cool romance...eventually.
So, the first twenty percent of this is one long sex scene that ends . The rest of the book the MC spends soul searching () and struggling with his identity as an omega, his desire for the Alpha who took his virginity, his friendship, his relationship with his abusive father...
There is very little page time with the MC and the Alpha who
The book ends with the MC
I am intrigued to read book 2 but for me, it should have been one book with half of this one edited out. I kept asking myself when do I get to see the MCs together? When do we get to learn more? At the time I did also think it was the only book so that will be part of that.
Quote
NSFW infos:
- virgin omega MC who is big, burly and describes himself as not being pretty and not how omegas should look
- Alpha who is king of the underworld which we only know because this is a Hades Persephone retelling and not because it's explicitly stated in the book
- fake heat by meeting mate
- begging
- cockwarming (orally)
- knotting
- fucking the mouth with fingers
Pet names:
- pretty boy, good boy, pet, little one
- thought but not said: sweet puppy, sweet rabbit
There is a second installment coming (which I learned after reading this book) which could turn this into a pretty cool romance...eventually.
So, the first twenty percent of this is one long sex scene that ends . The rest of the book the MC spends soul searching () and struggling with his identity as an omega, his desire for the Alpha who took his virginity, his friendship, his relationship with his abusive father...
There is very little page time with the MC and the Alpha who
The book ends with the MC
I am intrigued to read book 2 but for me, it should have been one book with half of this one edited out. I kept asking myself when do I get to see the MCs together? When do we get to learn more? At the time I did also think it was the only book so that will be part of that.
Quote
"If I wanted to hurt you, you would not be standing here, looking up at me so prettily."
I wanted to point out that I was thicker than him, even if he was tall, but I bit my tongue, my heart wobbling as my traitorous pulse thrummed, pretty, pretty, pretty. No one called me pretty." (p. 61)
NSFW infos:
- virgin omega MC who is big, burly and describes himself as not being pretty and not how omegas should look
- Alpha who is king of the underworld which we only know because this is a Hades Persephone retelling and not because it's explicitly stated in the book
- fake heat by meeting mate
- begging
- cockwarming (orally)
- knotting
- fucking the mouth with fingers
Pet names:
- pretty boy, good boy, pet, little one
- thought but not said: sweet puppy, sweet rabbit
February 24, 2023
1/5⭐
As much as I wanted to love this book I just couldn't. I loved There's a Monster in the Woods and Let Your Hearts Be Light, but was struggling with Bite Me!. So far for me this author was one great book, one meh, one great, one awful. I know they are a pretty new author, so maybe it's a case of them finding their voice but I just don't know.
This book was a mess. It was told mainly from the PoV of Percy, who was annoying AF. His personality was all over the place. I guess he was supposed to have internalized a lot of omega hatred his dad instilled on him but it just read really off. Haden felt super passive and just totally unaffected. It's supposed to be a mated story and it didn't read like this at all.
I guess the author was in the mood to write some omegaverse and it just failed spectacularly. I'm both sad and disappointed because I was really looking forward to this. And don't be fooled, the description says it has no cliffhanger, but it does end in a cliffhanger! I won't be continuing with this series.
As much as I wanted to love this book I just couldn't. I loved There's a Monster in the Woods and Let Your Hearts Be Light, but was struggling with Bite Me!. So far for me this author was one great book, one meh, one great, one awful. I know they are a pretty new author, so maybe it's a case of them finding their voice but I just don't know.
This book was a mess. It was told mainly from the PoV of Percy, who was annoying AF. His personality was all over the place. I guess he was supposed to have internalized a lot of omega hatred his dad instilled on him but it just read really off. Haden felt super passive and just totally unaffected. It's supposed to be a mated story and it didn't read like this at all.
I guess the author was in the mood to write some omegaverse and it just failed spectacularly. I'm both sad and disappointed because I was really looking forward to this. And don't be fooled, the description says it has no cliffhanger, but it does end in a cliffhanger! I won't be continuing with this series.
February 23, 2023
I am completely obsessed with this omegaverse story by Fae! It’s a hurt/comfort, opposites attract, delicious and sultry, yet dark novel that has left me feeling warm and fuzzy in the end and anticipating what happens next for Percy and Hades.
This half of the duet we follow along with Percy in the human world. Percy has to hide who he truly is due to his family and upbringing. We really get into his psyche and feel all of his problems and worries. However, one night during a frat dare he meets Hades in a dark cemetery while naked. The chemistry flew off the pages the instant they were in the same vicinity. Nothing could’ve stopped them from coming together in that moment. Neither Percy or Hades fully understanding the bond that they form that night.
In the second book, we’ll dive more into Hades side and learn about the underworld and his story. I am beyond excited for it!!.
I received a free copy of this book via Indie Author Creative and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This half of the duet we follow along with Percy in the human world. Percy has to hide who he truly is due to his family and upbringing. We really get into his psyche and feel all of his problems and worries. However, one night during a frat dare he meets Hades in a dark cemetery while naked. The chemistry flew off the pages the instant they were in the same vicinity. Nothing could’ve stopped them from coming together in that moment. Neither Percy or Hades fully understanding the bond that they form that night.
In the second book, we’ll dive more into Hades side and learn about the underworld and his story. I am beyond excited for it!!.
I received a free copy of this book via Indie Author Creative and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 22, 2023
The Devil Takes by Fae Quin
Happy Aussie release day to this absolute un-put-downable ride of a book! To say I am obsessed with @fae.loves.art is an understatment.
This gothic style omegaverse, MM romance with a supernatural twist will have you picking your jaw up from the floor.
Percy has a tough life, presenting as an Omega, much to his fathers disgust. The trials that he goes through take him to a very dark place and continue to spiral as the plot thickens. Enter Haden. A masked figure who he meets one night out in the cold of a graveyard for the most soul destryoing (and hot 🔥) interaction that changes the course of his life forever.
From the very first chapter this read will have you writhing in pure literary ecstasy. It then spirals into a dark and wonderful story of characters from two different world pining for a love that is unexpected and forbidden. Their magnetic attraction to each other is the driving force behind 💫events💫 and the push/pull of their connection is sensational.
This is so well written, I was enthralled by the dynamics between the two characters. I love the way Quin writes. It is lyrical and emotive- one moment you are hit with all the feels whilst the next second you are chuckling out loud. She has the knack of making her characters leap off the page and have you fall in love with their story. She truly crafts her stories to keep you in the moment, revealing elements at the perfect pace and time.
This read delivers so much more than you could expect from an omegaverse, Hades/Persephond retelling. It is buidling to *something huge*, the last part will have you gripping on for dear life and holding your breath.
To add a 🍒 on the top of an already amazing read, it has to mentioned that the cover art and character art (both of which are 💫 sublime💫) are also done by the author. She's a genius 🥰
I absolutely loved this and cannot wait for part two- What is Willingly Given, because frankly I need more of the doomed fate and delicious tension between these two. 5⭐
Happy Aussie release day to this absolute un-put-downable ride of a book! To say I am obsessed with @fae.loves.art is an understatment.
This gothic style omegaverse, MM romance with a supernatural twist will have you picking your jaw up from the floor.
Percy has a tough life, presenting as an Omega, much to his fathers disgust. The trials that he goes through take him to a very dark place and continue to spiral as the plot thickens. Enter Haden. A masked figure who he meets one night out in the cold of a graveyard for the most soul destryoing (and hot 🔥) interaction that changes the course of his life forever.
From the very first chapter this read will have you writhing in pure literary ecstasy. It then spirals into a dark and wonderful story of characters from two different world pining for a love that is unexpected and forbidden. Their magnetic attraction to each other is the driving force behind 💫events💫 and the push/pull of their connection is sensational.
This is so well written, I was enthralled by the dynamics between the two characters. I love the way Quin writes. It is lyrical and emotive- one moment you are hit with all the feels whilst the next second you are chuckling out loud. She has the knack of making her characters leap off the page and have you fall in love with their story. She truly crafts her stories to keep you in the moment, revealing elements at the perfect pace and time.
This read delivers so much more than you could expect from an omegaverse, Hades/Persephond retelling. It is buidling to *something huge*, the last part will have you gripping on for dear life and holding your breath.
To add a 🍒 on the top of an already amazing read, it has to mentioned that the cover art and character art (both of which are 💫 sublime💫) are also done by the author. She's a genius 🥰
I absolutely loved this and cannot wait for part two- What is Willingly Given, because frankly I need more of the doomed fate and delicious tension between these two. 5⭐
September 29, 2024
I have very mixed feelings about this book. I thought Percy’s backstory was very moving, as was the way he was dealing with abuse. I teared up several times. His meeting with Haden was well done, but I just didn’t feel the connection between them. I honestly kinda disliked Haden, because he just kept using Percy when he was so vulnerable. And then dropped him, leaving him even more alone. Twice. Like, figure your shit out, man.
Spice: 3/5
Triggers: grief from parent death, child abuse (off page), abuse, mentions of bullying by brothers, murder in self defense, severe illness, severe depression, social isolation, poverty
Spice: 3/5
Triggers: grief from parent death, child abuse (off page), abuse, mentions of bullying by brothers, murder in self defense, severe illness, severe depression, social isolation, poverty
February 22, 2023
4.5
I had the pleasure of seeing this book go from a “what do you think about” through “omg I can’t wait for the next one”. Omegaverse done well and uniquely, with a dream-like quality you can’t get enough of.
Percy and Haden are just everything…
I had the pleasure of seeing this book go from a “what do you think about” through “omg I can’t wait for the next one”. Omegaverse done well and uniquely, with a dream-like quality you can’t get enough of.
Percy and Haden are just everything…
February 28, 2023
Hades and Persephone retelling trope - it slaps. Never gets old IMO… but The Devil Takes said ‘hold my beer’ and upped the game. Brought the retelling into the OMEGAVERSE.
THE OMEGAVERSE YOU GUYS. If you know me you might know there are a few things I will always drool over.
- OV
- Demon Boyfriends
- Forbidden Love (duh. We all love that one)
- Dark Backstories
- Found Fam/ Strong PLATONIC Relationships (TOMMY)
Fae threw all that into The Devil Takes, so maybe I’m def biased but…. Ya. Here we go. 4⭐️ solid.
SIMPSIMPSIMPPPPPP.
FRTC
THE OMEGAVERSE YOU GUYS. If you know me you might know there are a few things I will always drool over.
- OV
- Demon Boyfriends
- Forbidden Love (duh. We all love that one)
- Dark Backstories
- Found Fam/ Strong PLATONIC Relationships (TOMMY)
Fae threw all that into The Devil Takes, so maybe I’m def biased but…. Ya. Here we go. 4⭐️ solid.
SIMPSIMPSIMPPPPPP.
FRTC
February 25, 2023
So, I really liked this and was not prepared for it to just end! How could you?
Percy is so sweet and has had a terrible life, my baby deserves much better. Luckily, Haden has come along to show him affection and care for him. I need more of these two ASAP please!
Percy is so sweet and has had a terrible life, my baby deserves much better. Luckily, Haden has come along to show him affection and care for him. I need more of these two ASAP please!
September 10, 2023
Fae Quin’s The Devil Takes has left me wanting more. A big thank you to Fae for giving me a chance to read an ARC of this novella. I’ve read my fair share of Hades & Persephone retellings but this one sticks out from the rest. Hades is Haden, a very mysterious alpha hidden behind a skull mask and covered in scars. Persephone is Percy, a college student omega that is trying his best to get by in a world that hasn’t been very kind to him.
I love Percy, he’s a sunshine boy with a love for plants and a big heart for small things that most of us would overlook 🦗. Near the ending, Percy is able to put his foot down on something that has been causing him a great deal of pain and I was rooting for him the entire time. Haden remains mysterious throughout the novella even during his POV chapters, we know from his POV that he feels torn between the role he’s been given in the underworld and all of the feelings that he has developed for Percy but we never get to dig deep into it. I do love that Haden was very dedicated to doing some research into what was going on, love a man that wants to know all the facts. There is a book 2 mentioned at the end so I very much am looking forward to picking that up and getting more of these characters and this world.
When it comes to spice, this book starts off with a bang before simmering down a bit. The rest of the scenes are just as good and in some ways even better. 🥵🫣
I have spent years reading Omegaverse fics so I was absolutely ready to jump into this book but there is a glossary included for anyone who is new to Omegaverse. This book contains the aches of mating & the differences in treatment of alphas vs omegas that I have come to expect from Omegaverse while also having a couple of twists that I didn’t see coming.
Highly recommend giving this book a read when it comes out February 23rd 2023.
I love Percy, he’s a sunshine boy with a love for plants and a big heart for small things that most of us would overlook 🦗. Near the ending, Percy is able to put his foot down on something that has been causing him a great deal of pain and I was rooting for him the entire time. Haden remains mysterious throughout the novella even during his POV chapters, we know from his POV that he feels torn between the role he’s been given in the underworld and all of the feelings that he has developed for Percy but we never get to dig deep into it. I do love that Haden was very dedicated to doing some research into what was going on, love a man that wants to know all the facts. There is a book 2 mentioned at the end so I very much am looking forward to picking that up and getting more of these characters and this world.
When it comes to spice, this book starts off with a bang before simmering down a bit. The rest of the scenes are just as good and in some ways even better. 🥵🫣
I have spent years reading Omegaverse fics so I was absolutely ready to jump into this book but there is a glossary included for anyone who is new to Omegaverse. This book contains the aches of mating & the differences in treatment of alphas vs omegas that I have come to expect from Omegaverse while also having a couple of twists that I didn’t see coming.
Highly recommend giving this book a read when it comes out February 23rd 2023.
February 23, 2023
I pre-ordered this book because I saw it advertised on TikTok by the author and the cover art is BEAUTIFUL. Unfortunately, her writing style and world building, as well as character development, is just not for me/not my style. I DNFed it at 36%...and I really wanted to like it! :(
(This does NOT mean that you won't like it! I encourage everyone who wants to read this book to give it a try! Every author's style is different, and Fae has her own unique style! It just wasn't to my taste.)
First, the premise of the book was very fascinating to me! A frat boy who was getting hazed and was forced to spend the entire night naked in a graveyard?? YES PLEASE! However, the opening chapter was all sex and little to no plot...to me as a reader, I want to see things unfold a little more slowly and be fed a little bit more info. I feel that I was just thrown into the story, and I knew nothing about the MC, Percy, at all, which means that I couldn't connect with him...I love connecting with authors characters, but I felt nothing for Percy OR the demon, Hayden, because I had no time to get into their backstory or into their inner most thoughts. I just feel like this was a missed opportunity for the characters...but the sex scene was HOWT! (however, it didn't add depth to the story...)
Second, It is a Omegaverse, which I have to admit that I normally don't read, but I do enjoy once in a while! MM paranormal is my jam! however, once again, the plot fell a little flat. I wanted to know backstories and the characters more intimately. I felt like I was just thrown into the story in the middle and I had a million and one questions before I was even 20 percent in. I kept reading, thinking I would get some answers to those questions, but sadly I did not. :( It just left me with even more.
I also found that this author writes quite poetically, which is by no means a bad thing, but it's hard for my brain to keep up with. She provides a lot of examples to feelings, which again, is fine, but showing more than telling would have worked better. She also tends to have her characters think and do things that doesn't add to the story, making those paragraphs seem wasteful. (example: Percy finds a dead grasshopper and burys it, and then in another chapter thinks back to the dead grasshopper. Why? What did this dead grasshopper mean? How did it add to the story? It didn't...and I found myself wondering about that grasshopper more than necessary, just like Percy.)
All in all, this authors work is just not for me. I also tried to read her last book, (Bite me, you know I like it) and I couldn't get past the first few pages. It was written way too poetically and just didn't flow.
To those who love devils, Omegaverse, and knotting, this book may be for you! Unfortunately, I can't tell you anymore about it because I DNFed it. (Please note that this is my personal opinion and is not by any means negative towards the author. I have seen a lot of 5 star reviews and I am very happy that those readers enjoyed her work! It was just not for me for the multiple reasons listed above. I hope she keeps writing and keeps improving! :)
(This does NOT mean that you won't like it! I encourage everyone who wants to read this book to give it a try! Every author's style is different, and Fae has her own unique style! It just wasn't to my taste.)
First, the premise of the book was very fascinating to me! A frat boy who was getting hazed and was forced to spend the entire night naked in a graveyard?? YES PLEASE! However, the opening chapter was all sex and little to no plot...to me as a reader, I want to see things unfold a little more slowly and be fed a little bit more info. I feel that I was just thrown into the story, and I knew nothing about the MC, Percy, at all, which means that I couldn't connect with him...I love connecting with authors characters, but I felt nothing for Percy OR the demon, Hayden, because I had no time to get into their backstory or into their inner most thoughts. I just feel like this was a missed opportunity for the characters...but the sex scene was HOWT! (however, it didn't add depth to the story...)
Second, It is a Omegaverse, which I have to admit that I normally don't read, but I do enjoy once in a while! MM paranormal is my jam! however, once again, the plot fell a little flat. I wanted to know backstories and the characters more intimately. I felt like I was just thrown into the story in the middle and I had a million and one questions before I was even 20 percent in. I kept reading, thinking I would get some answers to those questions, but sadly I did not. :( It just left me with even more.
I also found that this author writes quite poetically, which is by no means a bad thing, but it's hard for my brain to keep up with. She provides a lot of examples to feelings, which again, is fine, but showing more than telling would have worked better. She also tends to have her characters think and do things that doesn't add to the story, making those paragraphs seem wasteful. (example: Percy finds a dead grasshopper and burys it, and then in another chapter thinks back to the dead grasshopper. Why? What did this dead grasshopper mean? How did it add to the story? It didn't...and I found myself wondering about that grasshopper more than necessary, just like Percy.)
All in all, this authors work is just not for me. I also tried to read her last book, (Bite me, you know I like it) and I couldn't get past the first few pages. It was written way too poetically and just didn't flow.
To those who love devils, Omegaverse, and knotting, this book may be for you! Unfortunately, I can't tell you anymore about it because I DNFed it. (Please note that this is my personal opinion and is not by any means negative towards the author. I have seen a lot of 5 star reviews and I am very happy that those readers enjoyed her work! It was just not for me for the multiple reasons listed above. I hope she keeps writing and keeps improving! :)
February 18, 2023
A solid Hades/Persephone (Haden and Percy) retelling with an omegaverse twist.
When I say this book hooks you from the first page, I mean it truly hooks you and keeps you. If I hadn’t been at an event where I HAD to go to bed, I would have read it in one sitting. Instead I read it in two.
The pacing is perfect. We get into parts where you are so hooked in you can’t stop, followed by breathers where we get world building. The world is an interesting take on omegaverse that hits a lot of the traditional bits but does not contain shifters. MPREG is mentioned but is not on page in this book.
Percy is a college student. He’s an omega who never intends to mate, he comes from a really awful family, he’s hiding his omega status, and he’s kind of a hot mess, but we love him.
Haden is pretty mysterious, but from all the glimpses we get we know he’s a devil or demon type that resembles Hades except he is most definitely purple and is really hot, dominating, and kind of a jerk except he’s super drawn to Percy and is honestly kinda mad about it.
When I tell you I was sucked in to this book, I mean I could not stop reading it. I can’t wait to learn more about this universe and this couple.
It ends with a “to be continued” but I wouldn’t say it’s either a cliffhanger or a HFN. I don’t want to spoil it, but you can tell the couple is physically together and we’ll get to see it work out in part two, which I will be obsessively waiting for. Bravo, Fae! I loved it.
Check the TW and tropes on the author’s website or social media if desired.
Five starts, super steamy, low swoon with the clear promise of high swoon in book two, lots of angst.
Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Swoon: ❤️❤️ (but it’s coming!)
Angst: 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺
When I say this book hooks you from the first page, I mean it truly hooks you and keeps you. If I hadn’t been at an event where I HAD to go to bed, I would have read it in one sitting. Instead I read it in two.
The pacing is perfect. We get into parts where you are so hooked in you can’t stop, followed by breathers where we get world building. The world is an interesting take on omegaverse that hits a lot of the traditional bits but does not contain shifters. MPREG is mentioned but is not on page in this book.
Percy is a college student. He’s an omega who never intends to mate, he comes from a really awful family, he’s hiding his omega status, and he’s kind of a hot mess, but we love him.
Haden is pretty mysterious, but from all the glimpses we get we know he’s a devil or demon type that resembles Hades except he is most definitely purple and is really hot, dominating, and kind of a jerk except he’s super drawn to Percy and is honestly kinda mad about it.
When I tell you I was sucked in to this book, I mean I could not stop reading it. I can’t wait to learn more about this universe and this couple.
It ends with a “to be continued” but I wouldn’t say it’s either a cliffhanger or a HFN. I don’t want to spoil it, but you can tell the couple is physically together and we’ll get to see it work out in part two, which I will be obsessively waiting for. Bravo, Fae! I loved it.
Check the TW and tropes on the author’s website or social media if desired.
Five starts, super steamy, low swoon with the clear promise of high swoon in book two, lots of angst.
Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Swoon: ❤️❤️ (but it’s coming!)
Angst: 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺
January 15, 2025
1.5 rating
i love the hades persephone retelling idea, especially with a queer twist. but the entire book wasn't even a romance or erotica, it was just constantly talking about percy (persephone)'s abusive father and 'friendships'. it's marketed to be about the relationship between haden (hades) and percy, so this is pretty problematic.
personally, i felt like it was just gutted of any actual meaningful storytelling. i don't mind the story beats about the abusive dad, or percy feeling as if he never fit in. but it just felt like he was making a lot of random and insane choices, and we were getting random worldbuilding for settings we never stayed long in (such as the convenience store trip). the way conflict was handled was really unrealistic and not even in an 'it is fiction so it is exaggerated' way, but like, why is an abusive dad yelling at you in the middle of a dorm room? abusive parents tend to keep up appearances in public. it's just so weird. and then percy supposedly giving his well-guarded secret (being an omega) to his roommate? it's just so strange.
i mean, the smut was written alright, and haden is super interesting and it left me wanting to know how the retelling was going to play out, given they seemed to have such an inherent 'fated mate' kind of connection. but the mystique is never capitalized on, at least not in this book, which is a shame.
um, overall, it was alright. i did like fae quin's other work, let your hearts be light considerably more. i think this book could've benefitted from being longer and spending more time on the connection between haden and percy.
i love the hades persephone retelling idea, especially with a queer twist. but the entire book wasn't even a romance or erotica, it was just constantly talking about percy (persephone)'s abusive father and 'friendships'. it's marketed to be about the relationship between haden (hades) and percy, so this is pretty problematic.
personally, i felt like it was just gutted of any actual meaningful storytelling. i don't mind the story beats about the abusive dad, or percy feeling as if he never fit in. but it just felt like he was making a lot of random and insane choices, and we were getting random worldbuilding for settings we never stayed long in (such as the convenience store trip). the way conflict was handled was really unrealistic and not even in an 'it is fiction so it is exaggerated' way, but like, why is an abusive dad yelling at you in the middle of a dorm room? abusive parents tend to keep up appearances in public. it's just so weird. and then percy supposedly giving his well-guarded secret (being an omega) to his roommate? it's just so strange.
i mean, the smut was written alright, and haden is super interesting and it left me wanting to know how the retelling was going to play out, given they seemed to have such an inherent 'fated mate' kind of connection. but the mystique is never capitalized on, at least not in this book, which is a shame.
um, overall, it was alright. i did like fae quin's other work, let your hearts be light considerably more. i think this book could've benefitted from being longer and spending more time on the connection between haden and percy.
March 10, 2023
*Book Received in Exchange for Honest Opinion/Review*
This is my first dip into Fae Quin's paranormal works and I have to say, I was captivated. I really enjoyed this story. It was so different from other omegaverse stories I've read and the alphas/omegas didn't fit into the stereotypes which made me adore the story so much more.
First, lets start with my sweet, precious, clueless marshmallow, Percy. My heart ached for the man; his trauma, his hardships. his lack of support...he is so isolated and alone. Is he the brightest crayon in the box? No, but he might not be so dim if he wasn't constantly being put down so much. Then there is our lovely Haden, who is the perfect counter to Percy. The attraction and chemistry between the two are instantaneous, dare I say fated?
Haden makes the hard decisions for Percy, he provides the solace and safety Percy is so desperate for. I loved the balance between these two. Percy was also bulky and tall, unlike your typical omegas and the second Haden called him pretty I was done for. These two just worked together. The sizzling scenes were balanced with plenty of real world drama.
The ending was the plot twist I never saw coming, in fact...I think my biggest grievance with this story is that it isn't a stand-alone! But at the same time, I can't wait to see what Percy gets up to H*ll...manifesting Mountain Dew for him.
This is my first dip into Fae Quin's paranormal works and I have to say, I was captivated. I really enjoyed this story. It was so different from other omegaverse stories I've read and the alphas/omegas didn't fit into the stereotypes which made me adore the story so much more.
First, lets start with my sweet, precious, clueless marshmallow, Percy. My heart ached for the man; his trauma, his hardships. his lack of support...he is so isolated and alone. Is he the brightest crayon in the box? No, but he might not be so dim if he wasn't constantly being put down so much. Then there is our lovely Haden, who is the perfect counter to Percy. The attraction and chemistry between the two are instantaneous, dare I say fated?
Haden makes the hard decisions for Percy, he provides the solace and safety Percy is so desperate for. I loved the balance between these two. Percy was also bulky and tall, unlike your typical omegas and the second Haden called him pretty I was done for. These two just worked together. The sizzling scenes were balanced with plenty of real world drama.
The ending was the plot twist I never saw coming, in fact...I think my biggest grievance with this story is that it isn't a stand-alone! But at the same time, I can't wait to see what Percy gets up to H*ll...manifesting Mountain Dew for him.
March 10, 2023
3.5 ⭐️ I don't even like omegaverse, but I knew I had to try this one since I enjoyed other books from the author.
One thing I wish I'd realized before I started reading The Devil Takes (maybe that's on me for not reading the blurb in its entirety): it is the first part of a duet. As it is with this book, I feel like we're missing a lot of the connection and romance between Haden and Percy, but I'm choosing to put faith in the second book... I really hope we get to see them connect on a deeper level than the lust we've seen in The Devil Takes. It's hard to show the connection between two characters when one of them only makes a few appearances—throughout the story, Haden remains very mysterious. We don't know much about his world, but I'm excited to see more in book #2.
One thing I really enjoyed was the climax of this first instalment, which was heart-wrenching and gripping. The book ends on a HFN.
Special mention to the beautiful cover and artwork included at the end!
One thing I wish I'd realized before I started reading The Devil Takes (maybe that's on me for not reading the blurb in its entirety): it is the first part of a duet. As it is with this book, I feel like we're missing a lot of the connection and romance between Haden and Percy, but I'm choosing to put faith in the second book... I really hope we get to see them connect on a deeper level than the lust we've seen in The Devil Takes. It's hard to show the connection between two characters when one of them only makes a few appearances—throughout the story, Haden remains very mysterious. We don't know much about his world, but I'm excited to see more in book #2.
One thing I really enjoyed was the climax of this first instalment, which was heart-wrenching and gripping. The book ends on a HFN.
Special mention to the beautiful cover and artwork included at the end!
May 9, 2023
…………. 3.5/3.75 stars ………….
I liked this one but my feelings for it overall are mixed. There were parts that I really enjoyed and other parts where I was left wanting more. And maybe that has to do with this being book one in a duology? Because it kind of felt like this was a bit unfinished. I liked Percy but I felt like he could have had a little more….something. I can’t quite put my finger on what exactly though. And I feel like Haden needed some more development and a bit more screen time. Because even though he was the love interest, he wasn’t around a whole lot.
I did really like the spooky vibes that this book gave me. I think this would be a perfect read for around Halloween! I also liked the omegaverse aspects, but I also feel like they could have been a little bit more prominent. So as you can see, mixed feelings all around. I think overall I’m stuck somewhere between 3.5 and 3.75 stars for this one.
I liked this one but my feelings for it overall are mixed. There were parts that I really enjoyed and other parts where I was left wanting more. And maybe that has to do with this being book one in a duology? Because it kind of felt like this was a bit unfinished. I liked Percy but I felt like he could have had a little more….something. I can’t quite put my finger on what exactly though. And I feel like Haden needed some more development and a bit more screen time. Because even though he was the love interest, he wasn’t around a whole lot.
I did really like the spooky vibes that this book gave me. I think this would be a perfect read for around Halloween! I also liked the omegaverse aspects, but I also feel like they could have been a little bit more prominent. So as you can see, mixed feelings all around. I think overall I’m stuck somewhere between 3.5 and 3.75 stars for this one.
March 16, 2023
I was really excited to read this book when I first saw the cover and the summary but then…I started reading it. The beginning was really interesting but I felt like the plot of the book was missing.
All we really got out of it was that Percy’s dad hates Omegas, and Percy hated himself for being one. I originally thought this was going to be a romance book but Haden appeared a handful of times…at least the spice was a good read but everything else was just boring and confusing 😅 and that’s really hard for me because I’m a sucker for Omegaverse
THEN the ending came around and Percy KILLS his dad and I’m just looking at my phone wondering if that’s how we’re really going to end this book.
All we really got out of it was that Percy’s dad hates Omegas, and Percy hated himself for being one. I originally thought this was going to be a romance book but Haden appeared a handful of times…at least the spice was a good read but everything else was just boring and confusing 😅 and that’s really hard for me because I’m a sucker for Omegaverse
THEN the ending came around and Percy KILLS his dad and I’m just looking at my phone wondering if that’s how we’re really going to end this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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