Lovin' los libros

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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