Kindle Edition Download to your Nook (eBook) Amazon Barnes & Noble.com Goodreads ARE Musa Category:  Young Adult/Teen Publisher: Musa Publishing ISBN-10:  B00CUFSIIY Type: Fiction Pages: 196 Copyright: May 17, 2013 ISBN-13: 9781619376045 Death is a luxury she can't afford  Life is hell for Persephone. Zeus will stop at nothing to gain access to the living realm and the Underworld, and as the only living god with a right to both, Persephone’s in trouble. Captured and tortured beyond the limits of her resolve, Persephone must find the power to stand against Zeus. But will she be strong enough?    Meanwhile, Hades contemplates desperate measures to rescue his queen. Persephone never thought of herself as dangerous, but there’s a reason gods never marry for love. A being with the power to destroy all of creation shouldn’t place more value in one individual than the rest of the planet. But Hades...Hades would break the world for her.   To save the world and stop both Hades and Zeus, Persephone must make a difficult choice. One that may cost her everything.   Excerpt Watching my wife chase after a human boy was hell. The heavy rain drenched the thin fabric of her clothes in seconds, plastering them to her body in a way that would be appealing…if he wasn’t going to see her, too. I clenched my jaw. She just doesn’t want him to get hurt. It wasn’t as though I wanted any mortals caught in the crossfire when we faced Zeus either. Persephone was just going to charm the boy into leaving the park. Tearing my gaze away from her as she scurried up the hill, I searched the parking lot for Aphrodite, or Zeus, or whoever he, she, it may be. I had the layout of Memorial Park memorized, anyway. Who was I kidding? The entire city of Athens, Georgia was embedded in my mind. The precaution was reasonable. Persephone spent most of her time here, and she was a magnet for trouble. I followed her up the dirt-packed path in my mind’s eye. She’d be rounding the corner now well above the park, oblivious to the way the plants she passed leaned toward her. Persephone was beautiful. Vibrant. Light and vitality pulsed from her that like the first warm gust of a spring breeze promised everything would soon be new and alive again, that winter would thaw into life. Everything was drawn to her. Unfortunately. My thoughts returned to the human boy she was following. I scowled. Rain fell, pinging against the transparent shield that kept me out of sight while I sat dry atop a metal picnic table. My fingers worried a spot of rust. I tried not to think too hard about whatever else might have touched the shining surface. This realm was disgusting. Insects swarmed the park, and birds flew through the air, dropping waste indiscriminately onto the world below. I couldn’t wait to return to the Underworld. The surface had its charms, but I had no desire to stay for long. Joel! Persephone’s voice rang through my mind, and I tossed up a mental wall. It wasn’t just good manners preventing me from listening in. This boy had been in her thoughts every night. I’d seen the way he looked at her like she was something to be consumed, the way he touched her like her body was his for the taking, the way her heart raced when she felt his breath upon her neck. I clenched my jaw and studied the parking lot like it might change shape any moment. She’d probably think less of me if I ripped him apart. Not that her opinion was all that stopped me. It wasn’t my habit to go around killing mortal children, and not just because I’d have to deal with them in the Underworld. I liked humans. Just not when they groped my wife. My heart thudded at an uncomfortable speed, filling my body with adrenaline. I couldn’t seem to catch my breath. My hands gripped the edge of the picnic table, and I leaned forward, muscles tensed. That was strange. I had no reason to be this anxious. He was just a kid, and Persephone was Persephone; she had no idea what effect she had. I couldn’t really fault him for being interested, and I had encouraged her to see other people. A spectacularly stupid move on my part. Not only was it condescending as hell to tell Persephone what she should and shouldn’t feel toward me, but I’d managed to push her into the arms of another man. It had taken all of two seconds for me to realize I really didn’t want her to be with other men. Apparently on top of all my other charming flaws I’m over-possessive. Who knew? I took a deep breath to force myself to calm down, but it didn’t seem to work. What was the matter with me? Channeling Persephone’s power away every night had given me a very unwanted front row seat to her developing relationship with Joel. I’d seen every kiss, everything, and not felt this before. It hadn’t been pleasant, but— Cold dread filled the pit of my stomach, and I frowned. This didn’t even feel like rage. My heart was still beating a mile a minute, like it might burst free from my chest at the slightest provocation. I felt strange, no…terrified. That was it. Fear. But why was I—? It wasn’t mine. My thoughts flew to Persephone, crashing through the mental wall. Her abject terror flooded my thoughts with such paralyzing force that for a second I lost the ability to move or breathe. All that existed was her fear. The boy spoke in a harsh voice, grip tight on her arm. I rose from the picnic table, ready to relieve him of that limb, when his words filtered through her thoughts. …Hades. I blinked. How would he know my name? A red sports car squealed into the parking lot, and I swore. Hate to interrupt, I directed the thought to Persephone. The boy locked gazes with Persephone and seemed to look through her to me. I knew those eyes. Images and thought fragments flashed from Persephone’s mind to catch me up, but I already knew everything I needed to. Persephone, run! I tore through the parking lot to reach the path. Hades, it’s Joel! He’s Zeus! The whole story passed through my mind accompanied by waves of fear and guilt. Persephone gripping Joel’s arm to teleport but nothing happening, followed by her realization that Joel wasn’t from this realm. Her shock and horror when his glamour melted away. Why wasn’t she running? Get out of there, now! I couldn’t keep the panic out of my thoughts. If Zeus hurt her… Our plan, she protested. She wouldn’t. Only a fool would risk going through with our plan now. We’d intended to trap Zeus by having him stand on an entrance to the Underworld so we could bring some of my realm up and around him. A little slice of Tartarus. It had worked to imprison some of the Titans before, and it could work with him. But not like this. Not with her alone and hopelessly overpowered. But this was Persephone. The girl who fled the safety of the Underworld to confront Boreas with nothing but righteous indignation on her side. It was foolish of me to expect her to do anything else. I swore and scrambled up the hill. Just teleport. Leave! I can get him to the entrance. Hades, this is our best chance.Her determination pounded through me coupled with her desperate need for this to be over. She wouldn’t run. If I couldn’t reach her in time… A bright light seared my vision as I rounded the corner. She screamed, intense pain flashing through her and reverberating to me. I stumbled, blinded by her white-hot agony. Another flash. Pain flared through her, exploding within my mind in a cacophony of anguish. My vision cleared for a split second, and I saw the ground rush toward me. Then everything went black. Chapter II Aphrodite Persephone’s anguished scream echoed through the park. I’d rushed over as soon as she called me for help, but knew I was too late. The air hummed with energy, setting my hair on end as I jumped out of the cherry red convertible I’d “borrowed” from some random guy. I sloshed onto the wet pavement, twisting my ankle in my haste, and made a mental note not to wear heels next time Persephone needed me. Not that she made a habit of calling me when she needed something. She must really be desperate. I hurried up the wooded running path and almost tripped over a crumpled shape. Hades. What could knock Hades out? “Aphrodite.” A voice as smooth as silk sent shivers up my spine. I cast a shield and jumped in front of Hades. Zeus emerged from a grove of trees holding Persephone like he was some knight out of a painting. Her limp, dangling arms swayed as he walked. Golden hair, so bright against her corpse- pale skin that it didn’t look real, cascaded in waves toward the ground. He strode toward me, strong and radiant. Like the sun had reached through him just to get a little closer to earth. The scene would have been breathtaking, like something out of a storybook, if it wasn’t for the sinister expression on his face. Damn it, I’d hoped it would never come to this. She was my sister and my friend, and I’d stabbed her in the back by pretending “Joel” was anyone other than Zeus. Yes, he’d forced me to help him, but that was no excuse. I never wanted Zeus to win. But now he had Persephone and, with her, access to the Underworld and the living realm. We were all doomed. “You said you wouldn’t hurt her.” I’d meant to sound defiant, angry, but it came out petulant and scared. “I said I didn’t have to. There’s a difference.” I closed my eyes. Of course there was. “You’re leaving me here, aren’t you?” Zeus grinned. “I’m sure you’ll make yourself useful.” I was surprised it still hurt. I’d known from the beginning I was no more than a pawn to Zeus. He’d created me from the remains of Uranus to give me unprecedented levels of charisma and then abandoned me in the world without the knowledge to control the charm. Charisma, or charm, is kind of like mind control if you know how to use it. I can smile at pretty much any human and make him do what I want, but uncontrolled it’s dangerous. Like, Trojan War dangerous. Used without direction, it steers humans toward their baser instincts. They become obsessed. Anything could have happened to me, but either way, it served Zeus’ purposes. He had backup plans for his backup plans. Now he was leaving me with two very pissed off deities who would move heaven and earth to find Persephone. No telling what they’d do to me. Did Persephone even know how lucky she was? I’d sell my soul for just one of the following she collected anywhere she went. To be someone worthy of worship instead of the obedient abomination Zeus created, stripped of my free will and forced into servitude. Zeus shifted and grabbed the necklace Persephone wore. “Tell Hades”— he cast a knowing glance at the shield behind me with a smirk—“and Demeter I’ll take their realms in exchange for the girl.” The silver chain snapped, and he tossed the necklace toward me. “Give him that.” Before I could answer, he vanished. Plucking the necklace out of a puddle, I shook water off the small green plant that sat anchored in a wire basket and dried the pomegranate charm on my shirt. Oh yeah. Hades was definitely going to kill me when he came to. I’d run, but it wasn’t like I had a choice. Zeus created me with an extra special tweak. I was loyal to family. Loyal to the point of obedience if they outranked me enough. That was why I was almost glad I was still “useful” to him; I had a feeling the minute he didn’t need me anymore, he’d ask me to swear fealty and give him all my power. Suicide by devotion. And I’d have no choice but to oblige. If I swore over everything to him, would he release my soul to the Underworld? Would I finally be free? Or would he keep me, my thoughts and memories, and everything about me that was me locked in his head in case he ever found it useful? I sat beside Hades and pulled my knees to my chest. Hollow. I felt hollow inside, like Zeus had carved out everything that mattered, everything I cared about, and left me empty. Hopeless. The rain dripped down my face, mimicking the tears I didn’t dare cry. Chapter III Persephone Getting struck by lightning hurts. A lot. Most people die long before they fully process the pain of a storm’s worth of voltage passing through their body in the blink of an eye. I don’t have that luxury. Instead, I discovered something that hurt far worse than becoming a sadistic deity’s living electrical conduit. Healing from a lightning strike at godspeed. When I came to, my body felt like it was pulsing molten lava through my veins with each heartbeat. Gods! An inhuman moan tore from my throat. What happened? It wasn’t until the bed shifted that I realized I wasn’t alone. Hades. I let myself relax. Relief calmed me enough for unconsciousness to threaten to pull me back under, so I forced myself to take steady breaths. It was too soon to open my eyes. I knew how to stay conscious through horrific pain. Thanatos taught me that. I breathed in too deeply, and a bolt of pain lanced through me. When I shifted positions to get comfortable, a low moan worked its way up my throat. There was no comfortable. The lightning had seared every single nerve ending in my body. Healing from this didn’t feel good at all. His hand brushed the hair out of my face. “Hades?” I croaked, struggling to open my eyes. He shushed me, stroking my arm. I leaned into his touch as the memories rushed back—Hades finding out about Thanatos and killing him, destroying his soul, planning to trap Zeus, waiting at the park for Aphrodite, and realizing Joel was there. What happened to Joel? The voice shushed me again, and the hand on my shoulder didn’t feel comforting anymore. His touch felt…wrong. My eyes flew open, and I bolted upright. With a horrible certainty I turned to see who sat next to me on the bed.

Love this take on Hades and Persephone!
This is another series where I am incredibly thankful for the day I decided to join the blogging community. I never ever would have picked this series up were it not for blogging. It is such a hidden gem and I just want to make every mythology loving person pick up this series and start reading it as soon as possible. Kaitlin Bevis has taken mythology and thrown it on its head and created a world you cannot help but get lost in.

Persephone has really grown into an incredible heroine and a force to be reckoned with. I love her strength and determination and that she will always do what needs to be done. I also love that she is stronger than she knows. She isn't egotistical and power hungry, but she has power and will use it when she has to. I always love and appreciate a character like Persephone.

Then there is Hades, who I am absolutely in love with. I have said it in previous reviews for this series, but I never though I would love Hades the way I do. Kaitlin took a character that was always the villain and always feared and turned him into one of my favorite heroes. I love his devotion to Persephone and I love that he is willing to do anything for her. I also love that Kaitlin took Zeus, who is traditionally the good guy, and made him a truly evil and sadistic villain.

Another character who I began to love in this one was Aphrodite. We get to see from her perspective and I liked getting inside her head. She is very interesting and provides the reader with what it is like to be inside the head of a more typical goddess.

What I really liked about The Iron Queen is that it took me by surprise. There was a twist that I just didn't figure out. Looking back on it I can see all the signs, but it really just smacked me in the face and I absolutely loved it.

This is a series that has really taken me by surprise. It is the perfect read for fans of mythology. Persephone and Hades will work their way under your skin and their story will keep you addicted from beginning to end

Great Ending to an Awesome Series
Why You Should Buy It

This is the third book in the Daughters of Zeus trilogy and wraps up the modern-day love story of Hades and Persephone. If you love Greek mythology and young adult books, this series is a perfect choice!

My Thoughts

*I won a copy of this e-book through Kaitlin Bevis' Facebook page.*

A couple of years ago I got my first Nook and began to dive into the world of e-reading. This was also in the time period I read the Hunger Games and became a bit obsessed with dystopian fiction. So, when I stumbled on P.J. Hoover's Solstice, I snatched it up. Little did I know the book also was full of Greek mythology. Myths were something we were forced to read in school, and while some of the stories were interesting, I never got wrapped up in them. Well, that all changed with Solstice. I then found myself obsessed with Greek mythology, particularly books set in modern times. And especially the Hades/Persephone story. Which led me to find Kaitlin Bevis' Persephone.

This book series was amazing! I loved the way Bevis used the myths in her modern story and really latched on to the story. When book two came out, I devoured it in a couple of hours. SO, it has been a long six months waiting for book three to come out. And now that it has, I'm sad that it is over.

The story line is great -- a young girl who doesn't know she's a god, who comes into her self throughout the story. A shy timid girl who turned into a confident, self-sacrificing, and strong willed goddess. Some of the parts of this book were hard to read, because of the pain the characters went through. In the story, we see Hades and Demeter struggle with how to save Persephone without breaking the world apart. Everyone in the book has to make a choice - and none of the choices are easy ones to make.

The book was told from three perspectives, so we could get a better grasp of what is happening. One thing I hated was just when you were getting into one character's perspective, the chapter would end and you would have to switch scenes. I think that was more of a pet-peeve because I wanted to know what was going to happen next!

And the ending was amazing. I won't give it away, but I really admire writers who can end a trilogy well -- it is a hard thing to always execute in a way that wraps things up without everything conveniently working out and everyone living happily ever after. A more realistic approach and open ended-ness is much appreciated in my book.

Although I am sad it is over, I know Bevis has written somewhere that she may write other Daughters of Zeus perspectives, so that is something to look forward to! SO, if you want a little romance, action, and coming-of-age, this is definitely the book series for you!

You will fall in love with Hades!
I don't think I have loved another Greek Myth series as much as this one. This series is AMAZING!! I know I have said it before but I will, gladly, repeat myself....I LOVE HADES!! LOVE HIM LOVE HIM!!!!

Best part of book: In Book 2: Daughter of the Earth and Sky we left off when Zeus confronted Persephone in the park. Then was left with a HUGE cliffhanger. So happy that Kaitlin Bevis picked right up where we left off at.

Well, Zeus really needs Persephone because with her he could gain access to the Underworld and the Living Realm. Zeus is a big ol' jerk, let me tell you and I did not like him at all. When he finally got Persephone and had her captive, he torture her. He need her to swear fealty to him and Persephone was a lot stronger. Although, I was not sure how long she was going to last because she still had not come into her powers yet.

This book was different than the other two because Kaitlin Bevis told it from three points of view: Hades, Persephone and Aphrodite. I really, really enjoyed Hades point of view because you could see his real struggle. He loves Persephone, a lot, and wants to save her. I did enjoy Aphrodite's point of view because we could see her struggle with being loyal to her family and doing the right thing. I felt really bad for her at time.

Hades came up with a plan to get Persephone back and then Aphrodite comes up with a plan. All of which made me hold my breath because I was scared what would happen to Persephone.

Now, I don't want to spoil what happens but TRUST ME you will not want to put this down!!!

Not so great about the book: I loved the progression of the story. I could not put it down. I LOVED IT!! The one thing I was confused about (and I am hoping that Kaitlin will answer me back on it) the story ended. There was no huge cliffhanger, but I felt like there was still an opening for a another story. Or, possibly, a spin off of the other characters in the book. THIS WOULD MAKE ME SO HAPPY!!!

You will not be disappointed when you read this series and YES you will fall in love with HADES!