Get Real (Get Real #1)
   by: Tellulah Darling

Publication Date: Sept. 26, 2015
Publisher: Te Da Media
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Age Group: New Adult
Source: e-ARC received via the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Page Count: 358 pages
Order Links: Amazon | iTunes | Kobo
My Rating: 3/5 stars

Magic and Mayhem in Manhattan

Francesca Bellafiore comes from a nice Jewish family -- one that happens to have magical powers. Underneath her good-girl exterior, though, she’s a wannabe badass with dreams of becoming a paranormal detective.

Party boy Rafael Muñoz does everything possible to publicly disappoint his high profile father. Privately, it's a different story. His carefully crafted bad boy reputation masks the fact he’s a master illusionist, forced into solo covert ops. The role is wearing thin and Rafael longs to be part of a team.

When Francesca and Rafael meet, it’s love at first sight… For about five minutes. Rafael is spectacularly attractive—and, Francesca discovers, fully aware of the fact. Rafael knows from experience that girls like Francesca are more trouble than they’re worth.

So it sucks big time when they’re caught in a web of magic, minions, secrets, and enough sexual tension to power NYC. Their only chance to save the city and survive is to team up, trust each other–and maybe even fall in love.

Provided they don't kill each other first.

Get Real is a romantic comedy, urban fantasy whirlwind with sass, sex, and swoon.

 

 

Having really enjoyed Tellulah's Blooming Goddess trilogy because of its snarky humor, I knew that I would give Get Real a try because I was sure it would provide much of the same. While Frankie wasn't quite as snarky as Sophie, I did enjoy her badass attitude. She could hold her own, especially when it came to Rafa, but she also has a vulnerable side to her too- a side that doesn't want to disappoint the ones she loves.

 

I am always up for urban fantasy, so I liked this idea that there were a group of humans called Cadabras and they were born with certain magical abilities. Frankie was born a Bio, which primarily means she can heal and therefore is expected to follow in her family's footsteps and become a Healer. However, Frankie dreams of being a Boiler, which is one of MAGE's detectives. (MAGE is the organization that all Cads will work for once they come of age.) Frankie is too afraid to talk to her moms and disappointing them, so she decides to be the Healer they want her to be instead, much to her dismay.

 

The book is told from Frankie and Rafael's point of views. Rafael, or Rafa, is the son of the director of MAGE and there is some serious tension there. Rafa resents his father because he has been employing Rafa on missions long before he's actually supposed to, as Rafa's abilities are unique. Rafa hates being under his father's thumb and can't wait to be initiated into MAGE for real and hopefully be given a different job. I liked Rafa, but I didn't like the way he treated Frankie. There is a lot of back and forth on his part and it was hard to fall for him because of that.

 

I am always up for a hate to love relationship because there's something so intense about those kinds of relationships. However, I struggled with Rafa and Frankie's. It almost felt too much at times, but then again Frankie is Italian and Rafa is Venezuelan, so I can't say I'm surprised that they are both hot headed and stubborn.

 

While the story itself was fun, I did find myself getting a bit overwhelmed. There's so much going on and I almost felt there was TOO much so it was hard to keep my head wrapped around everything. I think because of that, the romance didn't feel developed enough to me.

 

This is the first installment of the Get Real series, and while the major conflict is introduced here, it is not resolved. The next book will follow a different couple, but I'm sure we'll still see Frankie and Rafa, as their groups of friends have merged and are working together to help solve the issue at hand. 

 

A special note from author Tellulah Darling:

BOOK PIMP SPECIAL!

 

The first 50 people to:

 

1. Convince a friend to pre-order Get Real.

2. Tell the friend to send their screenshot/photo to td@tellulahdarling.com for their short story and mention your name as their book pimp.

3. Will receive from me (in thanks for book pimpage) one of these limited edition (first 50 people part) truly awesome wristbands, containing a quote by the very swoony Rafael. Look. Here's a photo of one:

 

 

You get the entire quote - half on one side of the bracelet and half on the other.

 

And I’ll autograph it for you.

 

 

My Life From Hell (The Blooming Goddess Trilogy #3)
   by: Tellulah Darling

Publication Date: March 20, 2014
Publisher: Te Da Media
Genre: Mythology
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: e-ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Page Count: 414 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N
My Rating: 4/5 stars

To say that Sophie Bloom is at the top of her game with one only week until spring equinox and the final showdown with Zeus and Hades would be, well, lying. The Goddess of Spring feels more like the Goddess of Bzz Thanks For Playing than the savior of humanity. And could her relationships be any more messed up?

Good times.

Sophie is convinced that things can’t get any worse than crawling back to her mother Demeter and begging for help. But she’s about to find out how very wrong she is.

It’s a race against time for Sophie to implement the big battle strategy in the YA romantic comedy/Greek mythology finale My Life From Hell. Love meets comedy with a whole lot of sass in book three of this teen fantasy romance series. Save herself; save the world. Humanity may be screwed.

 

 

I just LOVE this series! I can't even stress how much you guys need to read it! If you're a fan of mythology and snarky, sassy teenagers these are the books for you! Darling has done such an awesome job of transforming the Persephone myth and giving it some flair! Sophie Bloom is by far one of my favorite heroines- she is snarky, fun, and completely kickass! Her crew is made of awesome and I loved how much voice Darling gave to her secondary characters. Theo, Fee, Hannah, Pierce, and Kai all make up a rather motley crew, but they are essential to the development of this series. Their added humor and loyalty is what makes them so memorable and I wish I had a group of friends like them!

 

And then there's Kai. Prince of the Underworld. Bane of Sophie's existence. Love of her life. KAI. I can't even. I love their relationship so much. Kai is without a doubt, 100% bad boy, cause you know- PRINCE of the UNDERWORLD. But OMG- the boy is not without a heart. And I love how he and Sophie can't get enough of one another one minute and then ready to throw down the next. They have this magnetic attraction- they can't stay away from each other, no matter what the other has done, and while it sounds frustrating- their back and forth banter is what really makes their relationship awesome. Did I mention all the kissing? Oh yeah! There's plenty of it in this final book for all you romantics!

 

Time is running out for Sophie and the gang. They are days away from the spring equinox and in turn, the end of the world as we know it. Hades and Zeus have teamed up to rid the world of humanity and Sophie is caught in the crosshairs. It is up to her to stop them, make things right with Kai, and figure out where the ritual is to be held.... no pressure, right?

 

We see some old enemies, as well as meet some new... friends? in this one. We also get to take a trip down to the Underworld, which is always exciting. One of my favorites was Oizys. She is totally awesome and I love seeing her and Sophie interact with one another. They have that back and forth banter her and Kai do and I just love seeing all the snark and sass!

 

I obviously don't want to spoil anything, but I feel Darling did the final book in her series justice. I love how everything came together and she did a great job of making sure she resolved all plot points and storylines. There were a few moments I felt my heart constrict and I was cursing the gods above for how manipulative and malicious Felicia (Sophie's stepmother) is. Ugh. That woman.

 

I love the message behind the prophecy. I can't say much- but Sophie really sees herself in a different light by the end and it is really empowering.

 

Have I convinced you yet to give this awesome series a try? Let's put it this way: You get a snarky heroine, a sexy, swoon-worthy love interest, lots of kissing, a great group of friends that will make you laugh out loud, a new twist on mythology, AND did I mention LOTS OF KISSING?

 

 

 

 

My Ex From Hell (Book #1): Amazon | B&N | Goodreads

My Date From Hell (Book #2): Amazon | B&N | Goodreads

A Date of Godlike Proportions (Book #2.5) Amazon | Goodreads

 

 

 

 

 



My Date From Hell (The Blooming Goddess Trilogy #2)
   by: Tellulah Darling

Publication Date: Oct. 31, 2013
Publisher: Te Da Media
Genre: Mythology
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: e-ARC provided by the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Page Count: 288 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N
My Rating: 4/5 stars

Sophie Bloom’s junior year has been a bit of a train wreck. After the world’s greatest kiss re-awakened Sophie’s true identity as Persephone (Goddess of Spring and Savior of Humanity), she fought her dragon-lady guidance counselor to the death, navigated mean girl Bethany’s bitchy troublemaking, and dealt with the betrayal of her backstabbing ex, Kai (sexy Prince of Darkness). You’d think a girl could catch a break.

Yeah, right.

With Zeus stepping things up, it’s vital that Sophie retrieve Persephone’s memories and discover the location of the ritual to stop Zeus and Hades. So when Aphrodite strikes a deal that can unlock Sophie’s pre-mortal past, what choice does the teen goddess have but to accept?

The mission: stop media mogul Hermes from turning Bethany into a global mega-celebrity. The catch? Aphrodite partners Sophie and Kai to work together … and treat this suicide mission as a date. Which could work out for Sophie’s plan to force Kai to admit his feelings for her–if she doesn’t kill him first.

Add to that the fact that BFF Theo’s love life and other BFF Hannah’s actual life are in Sophie’s hands, and suddenly being a teenager—even a godlike one—seems a bit like … well, hell. Whatever happened to dinner and a movie?

The YA romantic comedy/Greek mythology fireworks continue to fly in My Date From Hell. Love meets comedy with a whole lot of sass in book two of this teen fantasy romance series. Breaking up is easy; dating is deadly.

 

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!

My Ex From Hell (The Blooming Goddess Trilogy #1)
   by: Tellulah Darling

Publication Date: April 1, 2013
Publisher: Te Da Media
Genre: Mythology/Fantasy
Age Group: Young Adult
Source: e-ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review
Page Count: 272 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N
My Rating: 4/5 stars

Sixteen-year-old Sophie Bloom wishes she’d been taught the following:

a) Bad boy’s presence (TrOuBlE) + teen girl’s brain (DraMa) = TrAuMa (Highly unstable and very volatile.)
b) The Genus Greekulum Godissimus is notable for three traits: 1) awesome abilities, 2) grudges, and 3) hook-ups, break-ups, and in-fighting that puts cable to shame.

Prior to the Halloween dance, Sophie figures her worst problems involve adolescent theatrics, bitchy yoga girls, and being on probation at her boarding school for mouthy behaviour. Then she meets bad boy Kai and gets the kiss that rocks her world.

Literally.

This breath stealing lip lock reawakens Sophie’s true identity: Persephone, Goddess of Spring. She’s key to saving humanity in the war between the Underworld and Olympus, target numero uno of Hades and Zeus, and totally screwed.

Plus there’s also the little issue that Sophie’s last memory as Persephone was just before someone tried to murder her.

Big picture: master her powers, get her memories back, defeat Persephone’s would be assassin, and save the world. Also, sneak into the Underworld to retrieve stolen property, battle the minions of Hades and Zeus, outwit psycho nymphs, slay a dragon, rescue a classmate, keep from getting her butt expelled from the one place designed to keep her safe …

… and stop kissing Kai, Prince of the Underworld.

My Ex From Hell is a romantic comedy/Greek mythology smackdown. Romeo and Juliet had it easy.

                                                        -goodreads.com description

I have to give it to Ms. Darling. When I first started reading this book, I almost felt like I was on speed. The writing style was so quirky and fun and Sophie's inner dialogue was hilarious. It read so fast that I found my brain trying to keep up with the quick wit and humor. I absolutely loved all the pop culture references and I found myself laughing out loud more times than I can count!

Favorite Quote:

"Come on!" I protested. "There've got to be some perks to this stupid destiny."
"We should set some ground rules," Hannah decided. "A code of conduct. Like Dexter has."
"I'm a goddess, not a serial killer. I have no codes."

Sophie Bloom is just an ordinary run of the mill geeky teenager who attends a boarding school, with her friends Hannah and Theo, and has to deal with everyday teenage drama- like Bethany, the resident bitchy popular girl. I loved Sophie. Like I said before, she is quirky, sarcastic, and has such a fun voice throughout the book. The book begins with her exacting revenge on Bethany the night of the Halloween dance. She knows Bethany is planning to meet a guy outside at midnight, so Sophie concocts a plan to be the one meeting him instead dressed as Bethany, so she can ruin any chance of the two being together.

However, things don't go quite as she plans.

"How to put this without sounding stupid? Aw, screw it. There is no way. His voice made me tingle and shiver and warmed me in places that definitely should not have been warm at that moment. Think of every bad romance cliché and you're getting close. Kai's voice was dark and lazy and slightly foreign and... whoa baby, I'm getting weak just thinking about it."

Her cover ends up getting blown, yet for some reason he still ends up kissing her. And what a kiss. The kiss between them launched a whole set of events into motion and now Sophie must come to terms with the fact that she is really Persephone, yes the Greek goddess, Persephone. With the help of her friends, Sophie is now thrown into a world she doesn't quite understand as she has no memories from before- all she knows is that Kai, Prince of the Underworld, is the new transfer student who goes from ignoring her one minute to kissing her the next. Boys. She also has the slight issue of both Zeus and Hades sending lesser demons after her. Lucky for her, she is able to call on her powers to help her out in times of trouble. And she seems to be finding a good amount of it lately.

I loved Theo and Hannah's characters. Theo is protective of Sophie and while I won't spoil who he really is, ends up playing a significant role in helping her figure everything out. Hannah, on the other hand, is just a mortal, but besides being super smart, is incredibly beautiful. I love her and Sophie's back and forth banter. In fact, their bantering and the dialogue Darling uses is what really made this book awesome for me.

"You dirty little Hobbit!" Hannah exclaimed. "You smooched your cousin."
I shuddered. "My cousin?" I thought I might throw up.
Theo had the good grace to look sheepish. "Human standards of familial taboos don't apply to the gods. Even so, first cousins can legally marry."
"In the backwoods of Alabama," I groaned. "Just give me a banjo and teach me the 'Deliverance' theme now." I slapped my knee. "Yee haw!"

Oh, Kai. You bad boy, you. He definitely is hard to figure out. Kai and Persephone were lovers and had big plans to overthrow Hades and Zeus. However, Persephone's attempted murder put a damper on those plans. Now that Persephone is technically Sophie and Sophie is technically Persephone, Kai is torn between his love for the goddess and having to deal with the girl that is Sophie. He seems to always be there to help her when she gets in trouble, calling her a walking suicide mission. Yet, if you've ever learned anything from mythology it's this: never trust a god. Their allegiances can be swayed like a flower in the wind and you never know what you're going to get. I wanted to trust Kai because I found it quite sexy, him just kissing her, when they clearly dislike one another.

Overall, if you're in the mood for a good laugh, need a good snarky, witty main character, a bad boy love interest from Hell (literally!), and an action packed plot- you need to check this one out.