Blodeuedd's Monday: Girl, Goddess, Queen by Bea Fitzgerald

Format: 496 pages, Paperback

Published : January 25, 2024 by Penguin Books

YA Mythology/own

When I had finished this one I read it was YA. Huh, I actually did not know that. It really works as both.

In this one Persephone says F it! She does not want to be a prize given away to whatever God wins. She choses her own fate so she jumps into the underworld. And Hades is not happy, but grants her sanctuary.

This was about Persephone finding her voice, her self worth and well all of that! She grows and no Gods or Goddesses can tell her what to do.

It takes a while for something to grow between her and Hades but it does. And I like it.

To hell with love, this goddess has other plans...

Thousands of years ago, the gods told a lie: how Persephone was a pawn in the politics of other gods. How Hades kidnapped Persephone to be his bride. How her mother, Demeter, was so distraught she caused the Earth to start dying.

The real story is much more interesting.

Persephone wasn't taken to hell: she jumped. There was no way she was going to be married off to some smug god more in love with himself than her.

Now all she has to do is convince the Underworld's annoyingly sexy, arrogant and frankly rude ruler, Hades, to fall in line with her plan. A plan that will shake Mount Olympus to its very core.

But consequences can be deadly, especially when you're already in hell . . .

Movie Review: The Odyssey (2026)

Title: The Odyssey

Length: 2h 52m

Released: 2026

Genre: Drama, Dark Fantasy, Action/Adventure
Rating: R
Where I Got It: Theaters

SUMMARY:

After the Trojan War, Odysseus faces a dangerous voyage back to Ithaca, meeting creatures like the Cyclops Polyphemus, Sirens, and Calypso along the way.

Trailer

REVIEW:

I really, really wanted to watch this on the big screen. How can you not? This story has remained a classic for a reason. 

Here we follow Odysseus and his family. Odysseus went to war and then tried to come home. Along the way, he will suffer many of the gods' creations. Is it a test? Is it a punishment? Is it both? While he is making his journey, his wife and son are at home trying to keep his throne open, but Penelope is forced to house suitors who want her hand so they can rule. 

Man, this was an amazing cast. Even the side characters were amazing. Don't listen to the haters who hated that they cast a diverse cast. THIS IS A FANTASY. THIS IS NOT A BIOGRAPHY. Everyone was cast perfectly. They all did amazing!!! I was especially in awe of Robert Pattinson playing our main baddie of a suitor. Damn, he was good at being evil, but also being a coward. Loved it.

The way they told  this story was awe-inspiring. I loved how the past was told in story form. We only got glimpses when someone was telling the story. It really is a lovely nod to how stories used to be told. It was clever and amazing. 

I am SOOOO glad we had limited CGI. The CGI we did have was clean and nice. It was nice seeing some old Hollywood tricks coming into play. 

AND THAT ENDING? OMG the big reveal was heartbreaking and beautiful, and I couldn't stop the tears from falling. Man, that was a powerful scene. 

But yes, this is bloody, and it is set during ancient Greece....so it is dark, and human and animal life meant little. 

5 stars from me. I want to watch this again!

Book Review: Hexed by Kevin Hearne

Author: Kevin Hearne

Title: Hexed

Series: The Iron Druid Chronicles #2

Genre: UF, Paranormal

Format: Ebook

Pages: 346

Published: June 7, 2011

Where I got It: Borrowed from library

Summary: 

Atticus O’Sullivan has had cause to mistrust witches in his storied past, but he’s willing to live and let live with the Sisters of the Three Auroras, a legendary local coven, even going so far as to sign a non-aggression treaty with them. But that treaty is tested immediately when a deadly new coven sweeps into town seeking to take over, along with some Bacchants from Las Vegas and a fallen angel who’s decided to snack on high school students like they were trail mix.

It’s more than Atticus can handle alone and he must enlist the trickster Coyote, the headhopping abilities of the witch Laksha Kulesekaran, and his neighbor’s illegal arsenal if he wants to keep the city safe from diabolical takeover. He must also exchange favors with his vampire attorney, Leif Helgarson, in a deal that might prove to be the worst of his long life—for Leif doesn’t want to be paid by the hour.

To defeat the mortal hexes of this new coven and keep his apprentice—and his city—safe, Atticus must think fast, make promises, keep his sword handy, and hope he’ll survive to fight another day.

Review:

Been meaning to get back to this series. Book 1 was fun, and my friend loves this series.

We are back at it with Atticus. He has reason to mistrust witches, but he's willing to sign a treaty with the local coven. However, a new coven, along with some Bacchants and a fallen angel, has arrived and wants to take over. It's more than Atticus can handle alone, so he will enlist Coyote, his neighbor with an illegal arsenal, and his vampire lawyer, Leif. Oh, don't forget his best friend, Oberon the dog. 

The author didn't waste any time. We pretty much just jumped right in! It was nice seeing Atticus and Oberon again, and I would've liked some one-on-one time with them for a minute. Poor Atticus has everyone pounding on his door, demanding that he work for them. Stressful indeed! 

There is a LOT going on in this one. Lots of characters and species. I do feel that the author did a good job keeping track of everything and making sure the reader doesn't get overwhelmed.

Lots of magic. Lots of fighting. This was intense and kept me wanting to read more. 

I'll give this 4 stars. 

Reading Challenges

- Library Love #22

Audiobook Review: Shards of Hope by Nalini Singh

Author: Nalini Singh

Narrator: Angela Dawe

Title: Shards of Hope

Series: Psy-Changeling #14

Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, UF, SciFi

Format: Audiobook 

Published: June 2, 2015

Where I Got It: Borrowed from library

Summary: 

Awakening wounded in a darkened cell, their psychic abilities blocked, Aden and Zaira know they must escape. But when the lethal soldiers break free from their mysterious prison, they find themselves in a harsh, inhospitable landscape far from civilization. Their only hope for survival is to make it to the hidden home of a predatory changeling pack that doesn’t welcome outsiders.

And they must survive. A shadowy enemy has put a target on the back of the Arrow squad, an enemy that cannot be permitted to succeed in its deadly campaign. Aden will cross any line to keep his people safe for this new future, where even an assassin might have hope of a life beyond blood and death and pain. Zaira has no such hope. She knows she’s too damaged to return from the abyss. Her driving goal is to protect Aden, protect the only person who has ever come back for her no matter what.

This time, even Aden’s passionate determination may not be enough—because the emotionless chill of Silence existed for a reason. For the violent, and the insane, and the irreparably broken . . . like Zaira.

Review:

Still slowly making my way through this series. I really should pick up the pace and read more, but I like going slow with these. 

Here we follow Aden and Zaira. They wake up battered and bruised...and their psychic abilities are blocked. They have to escape at any cost. Zaira, being as lethal as they come, and Aiden, being as smart and tough as a leader should be, manage to break free. Their only hope for survival will be in the hidden home of a predatory changeling pack that isn't welcoming to strangers and outsiders. The two may finally find the freedom to be together, but Zaira has a lot of demons that Silence had kept at bay...but with the fall of Silence...who knows. 

I'm not crazy about two Psys falling in love. There is just so much coldness there. Aiden, luckily, has adapted well to not being in Silence, but Zaira has a LOT of walls. So many that it just seemed so impossible. Thank goodness for the Changlings. I think their spending time with a warm pack helped thaw her out a bit. 

I didn't really feel the love between the two, but I still enjoyed the journey. A lot happened in this book. Lots of events were set off after the baddies made a terrible mistake of kidnapping these two. What WERE they thinking? Idiot baddies. 

It was nice diving back into the audio version. I've done a few ebooks, but I loved coming back to the audio version. It was like coming back home! The narrator is just so good. She does a great job changing her voices and doing accents. Love her. 

All-in-all, I enjoyed this. I didn't fully buy the romance until near the end, but I enjoyed the story a lot. Lots of stuff is happening, and the world is still shifting. There was one scene with an old character that made me tear up. AWWWWW. 

4 stars. 

Reading Challenges

- Audiobook #36

- Library Love #21