A Touch of Ruin by Scarlett St. Clair the second book in the Hades & Persephone series.

 

Trouble in paradise.

Warning Spoiler, If you haven’t read the first book this review may contain spoilers!

““I love you. Even if the Fates unraveled our destiny, I would find a way back to you.””

In the first book we follow along as Persephone tries to find her place in the world, and to balance what she is. A Goddess without power, and as she makes assumptions about Hades, only supported by her mothers opinion of the God. She finds her own powers and the strength that comes with it, when she finally breaks free from the prison her mother forced her into, and she accepts that Hades loves her, and that she is in love with him as well.

In the second book, we pick up pretty much where we left of. Only there is trouble in paradise. Persephone’s Powers are acting up and she finds it more and more difficult to trust in herself and her own powers. Her unwavering faith in the written word is put to the test when her lates article about the abuse off power by a god, lands her in hot water. And a personal Tragedy threatens to Ruin everything she and Hades has built.

““Hades doesn’t feel worthy without trust. He needs you to believe in him, to find strength in him.””

The evolution of Persephone is at a standstill, if not an actual devolution. she started out so confident, but her being thrust into the inner workings of the underworld. And the souls acting like she is their queen, she loses confidence in her-self, and she begins to make stupid choices. I know hindsight is 20/20, but she knows the choices are bad, if not only because she doesn’t have all the pieces to the puzzle.

““There are always consequences. The difference between you and other gods, is that you care about them.””

And Persephone is different from the other Gods, she has lived life as a mortal, powerless and at the mercy of unfeeling Gods, she knows the strife, and she knows that the consequences might not always be yours to pay initially, but you always end up paying in the end.

““Everyone needs protecting,” he said. “Life’s hard.” Persephone frowned. She’d said something similar to Hades’ once when she’d argued with him about why it was important to forgive mortals. She’d never considered she required the same grace.”

It doesn’t exactly make her situation better that Hades former Lover crawls out of the woodwork and upends her entire life. I mean yes, Hades doesn’t help the situation any by keeping her reappearance quiet, but considering Minthe the mint plant, I’m not sure it wasn’t a bad idea to keep her a secret. If only he had been honest with them both from the beginning.

“The woman lifted her chin, her chest rose as she spoke with misplaced pride. “I am Leuce, Hades’ lover.””

A lot of the problems facing the couple isn’t in fact a lack of love or differences in opinions, it’s the lack of communication that plagued the throughout the first book, only it has gotten worse than ever, the stakes are higher now that they hade admitted their feelings to each other, and their own fears are what is driving the apart.

““Do you know what I think?” He whispered furiously. She wanted to take a step away—she didn’t want to face what she’d done. How she’d retaliated against him. “I think this is all a game to you. I pissed you off so you wanted to piss me off, is that it? One for one—now we’re even.””

A lot of what happened could have been avoided if Hades had sat Persephone down and told her about what was happening, and why I couldn’t do what she wanted him to do. And then again, had Persephone trusted Hades enough to begin with, we wouldn’t bee in this mess. But fear and grief make people do stupid things. And an honest conversation is definitely not one of them.   

““You want Hades pissed off. Don’t lie to me, Sephy. You’re looking forward to hot makeup sex when you two reconcile.” Hermes shoved the dress into Persephone’s hands. “Now, go.””

We are also given a new treat in this book Hermes goes from being a funny side character, to have more of a function of a hilarious and adorable sidekick to the couple, and thereby he joins the hall of fame as the best sidekicks in the written word in my opinion.

““I’m not uncertain,” she said. “I’m afraid, you idiot!””

I like the fact that the book touch in on matters that are actually relevant for today’s society, the woke wave in the last book where opinions are more important than the truth.  And in this book we touch in on women’s issues.

“She shrugged. “I know how history treats women.””