If you can get past the writing style, I'm sure it gets less exhausting to read. I just....couldn't force myself past chapter three.

The Maiden and The Unseen
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

First, thank you @netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

This story is a modern retelling of Hades and Persephone. We're all familiar with their tale, but this one is set in a modern, human world, where Gods from Olympus are allowed to live off the mountain in secret.

So...ok...

If you're looking for a super smutty book, this is it. The beginning had a lot of world building and character development, but as soon as the s*x began...that's all we got. I, personally, could of gotten into some more plot. These guys were absolutely voracious for each other.

Thank you to NetGalley and Rose & Star Publishing for sending me a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!

As a lover of all things Greek Mythology, this Hades and Persephone modern retelling should have been right up my alley. I was disappointed to find that it was not.

Set during modern times, The Maiden and The Unseen by Jeanette Rose and Alexis Rune tells the story of glorified babysitter of the Gods, Hades, and earthly acclimated and humble Persephone. One is over the antics of the Gods and Goddesses on earth needed constant financing whilst the other lives independently from the rest wanting to full assimilate herself to the culture.

It was unfortunate that I DNF’d this book as it had so much potential but the writing was not something that was my cup of tea. I enjoyed the typical HBIC energy of Persephone but to be this Hades fell flat in comparison to other retellings.

Most of what I had read felt similar to a cheesy typical romance novel and for that I was just not very interested.

All in all, I give this book a very regrettable 2 stars for its fun and gumption.

Okay, ladies, I see what you did here. A grumpy God of the Underworld and a gorgeous, driven Godess of Spring. Toss in some fate and a sprinkle of insecurity on both their parts…mix in a dash of sexy possessiveness and a BOATLOAD of spice and, (chef’s kiss) it’s perfect.

The cliffhanger at the end? Not nice, girls. But I’ll be waiting for book two. I am so excited!

This was a fun read! It had me at Hades and Persephone and the rest kept me. Super steamy — can’t wait for the next!

A Hades and Persephone retelling, where the gods of Olympus can choose to create lives in the mortal realm. Hades spends six months of the year running the company that organises and funds the Greek celestial beings. It's here he meets Persephone, and the fates intervene...

It was a fun read, but I felt it got a bit repetitive for me, and dragged in the middle with both of the MCs insecurities (hence the star rating). However, the story started to move forward when Persephone found out more from Hades. I will read the next book because the final line in the book was an interesting cliffhanger and I liked the characters enough to visit them again.

3.5 stars

This was a solid Hades and Persephone retelling. It was spicy and I liked the dynamic between the main characters. I wasn’t expecting a cliff hanger ending, but it was well done. I would recommend this one.

This is the Hades and Persephone tale that you need to read. It was different than any others I have read and that's hard to do at this point. So great job!!!! This was so good.

I just reviewed The Maiden & The Unseen by Jeanette Rose & Alexis Rune. #TheMaidenTheUnseen #NetGalley
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I received this book for free from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was very excited to read this book, as I love retellings of myths, legends, and fairytales. And, with the creation of Lore Olympus, I've been eagerly reading all that I can featuring Hades and Persephone!

This book gets a solid 3 stars from me. The writing wasn't bad, and as many others have said, there's a ton of sex. That doesn't bother me at all, and whenever I'm in the mood for it, I'm sure I'll pick this book up. My issue with the book comes from character development. The book focuses almost entirely on the sexual relationship between Hades and Persephone and the reader barely gets to explore the relationships each character has with anyone else. Snippets of other relationships are mentioned, but then not explored. We don't see either character grow and develop, and other than intense sexual chemistry, and the fact that they're fated, I struggle to see why Hades and Persephone are drawn together. Also, I'm trying to think if this book would pass the Bechdel Test and it worries me a bit that I honestly can't remember if it does.

All that being said, the book left off on a brief cliffhanger, so I may pick up the second book if I'm in the mood for well-written sex scenes.

*I received this ARC from NetGalley in response for an honest review*
How do I summarize this experience?

It was like Ohio…. Pot Plot holes & characters who probably had more depth to them if they were explored properly instead of created on assumptions.

I love Persephone & Hades’ story. I mean they’re some of the most faithful (to one another) people in Greek mythology. However, this just felt more like a retelling of Neon Gods than the original Greek mythology. Focusing primarily on darker smut themes and ignoring any form of storyline.

Also Persephone was insufferable. She was portrayed to be this naive rich girl who couldn’t decide between a mortal with a basic name and Hades the God of the Underworld. She’s different because she actually works in the human world. But her job is still so far out of reach most readers won’t relate.

Overall, I just felt disconnected the entire time I was reading it.

Even if it doesn't say on goodreads that there will be a second volume, the way this book ends, we clearly need a sequel. I can't say that I liked this book, but it wasn't bad either. We have a lot of smut in it, so if you like this kind of book, I recommend it. In short say, this book is a retelling of Hades and Persephona with a large dose of spicy scenes, set in our modern world. I hope you like it more. I gave it 3 stars.

I love retellings and this was a modern retelling of Hdes and Persephone which is one of my favourite Greek myths to be retold. I loved everything about it, I loved the writing, the storyline which had ne compelled the whole way through and the well developed characters which worked really well both together and alone.
I loved it and I can't wait for ore

As soon as I read the blurb, I had to request this ARC. I have developed a rather unhealthy obsession with everything Hades and Persephone this year lol.

This is a modern retelling of Greek Mythology and so far, I’m glad to see that the Authors have shown that the 3 brothers Zeus, Hades and Poseidon seem to have a normal sibling relationship, with lots of banter and Hades’s middle child issues.
Unlike the other versions that I’ve read, this Persephone is confident and fierce and she knows what she wants.
Their initial encounter is all fuel and flames, their chemistry is amazing and around the first half of the book you might think that the book is just a smutty retelling with lots of hot encounters between our H and h.
Then the secrets, curses and predictions start rolling in.
If you are a Hades and Persephone fan this definitely belongs in your collection. Recommended for fans of Neon Gods and A Touch of Darkness.

This book was provided to me in exchange for a unbiased review by NetGalley.

Overall this is another Hades and Persephone retelling, office/boss drama, somewhat enemies to lovers? If the Hades/Persephone relationship wasn’t already defined outside of this book it would have fallen flat. This was instalove, sex, sex, sex with not much substance otherwise through the middle. Once we got to where they were actually having sex things changed and the story got interesting. I will be reading the 2nd book, 3.5 stars.

5

A rose with a bite


I received an ARC for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Alright.. Alright... Let's talk about it...


The Maiden & The Unseen is the first hades x persephone book that I have actually thoroughly enjoyed. The amount of filth mixed with modern spin but still have it be ominously tragic is literally gold. I truly don't feel like I am lying here when I say that if I didn't have to sleep I would have finished this book overnight. The amount of spice and mixture of plot but not losing yourself to the baseline story is an absolutely great mix and I applaud the hard work that was obviously put into this book.


Lets meet our MCs:

Persephone:
After being caged in Olympus her entire life under her mother's roof she has finally find a away to break free, but not without three important rules. After two years of coming to the mortal lands she is finally coming to a screeching halt when her money suddenly disappears from her account. Taking things into her own hands she goes straight to the source but the one thing she never expected was to come face to face with her destiny.

Hades:
Our all knowing God of the Underworld and keeper of the Gods and Goddesses that are on the mortal realm. After noticing someone try to evade his security protocols he decides to have a little fun with the new batch of people but as time passes and more Gods come to Earth, Hades mission is sidelined until the day she shows up.

Think of like their story mixed with so much real world and drama but with a sharp new spin and some drastic changes to their story and here you lie to The Maiden & The Unseen. I truly loved this retelling more than I have with any other so I will be highly recommending this book to any and everyone I know that loves their story :)

Tropes:
-hadesxpersephone
-modern retelling
-greek mythology
-forced proximity
-ominous tragic mysteries
-fated destiny

Smut Rating:
80%


Tension Rating:
90%


If you liked any of the following you will love this book:
The Cursed And The Broken
A Touch of Darkness
Infernal

This was so entertaining! While this book isn't super plot heavy the spice in this is extremely well done. I love all persephone and hades retelling and this book did them justice. It is super easy to read in one day and is great if you are in a book slump.

Big thanks to Netgalley, Jeanette Rose and Alexis Rune for the eARC in exchange for a review.

This is a retelling of Hades and Persephone set in a more modern world where God's and humans can mingle. It's got a Boss/employee dynamic with other meddling Gods popping by to cause some havoc and give some unspecified advice.

5 stars! I loved it. I love all Hades and Persephone stories and this one takes the cake! It's hot. Like, really hot.

Waiting for the next in the series....

It's a Hades x Persephone retelling, and honestly it didn't disappoint. It had spice and angst and chemistry. Plus the author didn't over dragged some plots...

♡ "It's fate. We are fated. Hades & I are inevitable. There is no fighting it."

It's a hades x persephone retelling. that should be enough to convince you to read this, but i'd like to say more.

I have always loved hades-persephone retellings & this one is definitely going to be one of my favorites.

💌:
— romantasy done right
— strong characters
— office romance
— grumpy mmc × headstrong fmc
— 'it's always been you'
— fated mates
— 🌶🌶🌶🌶/4
— shadow play

♡ "My throne. My kingdom. My heart. My life. It's all hers anyway."

chef's kiss. but let me warn you, this book ends with a cliffhanger. book 2 is not out yet:(
also, this book is more on the romance side, than fantasy.

Overall I liked this Hades and Persephone retelling. This was a quick read and I was pretty hooked from the beginning. Im not a huge fan of retellings in the “modern” world but this was enjoyable for what it was (romance/smut).