A Touch of Ruin: 2 (Hades X Persephone)

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I just found it incredibly infuriating to see how Persephone's trauma had been so casually mishandled. Without growing as a character, coming to some revelation about herself, or even at the very least, getting some therapy, Persephone's trauma was just sort of brushed aside and not really spoken about afterward. Beyond all these issues, the first 85% is pointless nonsense and cringe worthy sex scenes. I’m not sure what happened between the last book and this one but the sex scenes were just straight up grim in this, and CONSTANT. I cannot stress enough, there is NO PLOT ADVANCEMENT IN THIS BOOK UNTIL THE LAST 15%. And there was not enough character development to support the plot advancement. Oh so Persephone can now take down Zeus after approximately three magic fighting lessons?

It didn’t matter that Sybil didn’t know of Persephone’s Divinity. She couldn’t do it. After a moment, Sybil looked up, meeting her gaze. “Persephone?” “I don’t make promises, Sybil.” The oracle frowned. “I was afraid you’d say that.” Throughout this novel, the romance between Hades and Persephone goes through many phases. Some of these phases are pleasant and others look a little more bleak. That’s only normal for a relationship and drives the character dynamics forward.EVEN IF ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, AND I MEAN LITERALLY NOTHING, HAPPENED DURING THE FIRST 90% OF THIS BOOK, BECAUSE IT'S NOT LIKE ANYTHING DID, AT THE VERY LEAST, SHOULDN'T THE BATTLE OF THE GODS THAT TAKES PLACE DURING THE LAST 10% OF THE BOOK BE WORTH ALL OF THE SENSATIONALIZATION OF THE PREVIOUS BOOKS AS WELL AS THE DIALOGUES OF CHARACTERS IN THIS BOOK? SHOULDN'T THE PLOT HOLD AT LEAST SOME VALUE??? The book becomes slightly better toward the end, and it hints at an intriguing-enough sounding plot for the next book. Overall

Demeter shows up and all of them (ie, Theseus, Persephone, her friend Sybil, her girlfriend Harmonia, and Demeter) go to the entrance to the Underworld that leads straight to the vault where Hades' weapons (the Helm of Darkness amongst other things) are kept. CHAPTER II - A TOUCH OF DUPLICITY Persephone’s body vibrated, warmed from the spark Hades had ignited. Without supervision, the flame had spread, consuming her whole body. She sought a distraction and wandered outside where she walked through the garden, consumed by the smell of damp soil and sweet blossoms. She caressed petals and leaves as she passed until she came to the edge of the plot where a wild field of yellowing grass danced, encouraged by a whispered breezed. She took off at a run, orange flowers bloomed at her feet as she sailed across the field. She didn’t have to focus on using her magic. It radiated from her, unfiltered and uncontrolled. Hades’ Dobermans joined her, chasing each other until she came to a halt at the edge of Hecate’s meadow. The goddess sat cross- legged outside her cottage with her eyes closed. Persephone wasn’t sure if she was meditating or casting a spell. If Persephone had to guess, she’d say the Goddess of Witchcraft was probably cursing some mortal in the Upperworld for some heinous deed against women. Cerberus, Typhon, and Orthrus did not follow Persephone as she approached the goddess. “Sated already?” Hecate asked, her eyes were still closed. Persephone would never forgive Hades for what had gone down in front of his staff. “Does it look like it?” she grumbled. Can I ask you something?” Lexa said. Persephone waited, and sort of dreaded the question. “You’ve always wanted notoriety for your work, so what’s the problem with all this attention?” Persephone sighed. “I want to be respected in my field,” she said. “Now I just feel like a possession of Hades. Every article is Hades this and Hades that. No one even uses my name. They call me mortal.” “They would use your name if they knew you were a goddess,” Lexa supplied. “And I would have recognition for my Divinity and not my work.” “What’s so wrong about that?” she asked. “You might be known for your Divinity initially, but it could lead to being known for your work.” Persephone couldn’t explain why it was important for her to be known for writing, it just was. She’d spent her whole life being horrible at the one thing she was born to be, and despite that not being her fault, she’d worked really hard in college. She wanted someone to see that hard work, and not just because she wrote about and dated Hades. “If I were you, I’d leave this life without a second thought,” Lexa said. Persephone blanched, surprised. “It’s way more complicated than that, Lex.” “What’s so complicated about immortality and wealth and power?” Everything, Persephone wanted to say. Instead, she asked, “Is it really so wrong to want to live an unassuming, mortal life?” “No, except that you also want to date Hades,” Lexa pointed out. “I can have both,” she argued. She’d had both until a few days ago. “That’s when Hades was your secret,” Lexa said. And even though she and Hades had neither confirmed nor denied media speculation, she was going to have to reveal her relationship if she wanted to keep her job. Persephone frowned. “Hey,” Lexa said, pouring more wine into Persephone’s glass. “Don’t worry about it too much. Pretty soon they’ll become obsessed with some other god and some other mortal. Maybe Sybil will decide she actually loves Apollo.” Persephone wasn’t so sure about that. The last time they’d talked about it, Sybil had expressed that she wasn’t interested in a relationship with the God of Music. “I’m going to shower,” Persephone said. The thought of scalding hot water sounded better and better. She didn’t want to feel this day on her skin any longer, not to mention, she still felt like she was See, right after Zeus gives Hades and Persephone permission to marry, they do. There was a prophecy that their union would produce a god stronger than Zeus. All of the characters immediately thought that this entailed Persephone and Hades having a child, even though it was stated earlier that he had bargained the ability to have children away with the Fates. All of the characters also conveniently forgot something else that was stated earlier: that a marriage between gods entailed that some of their power would be shared with the other. Other times, books are terrible, but when you read them, you get the feeling that it actually could have been much better, and that there was potential in the plot and characters that ultimately went to waste.To get there, they travel across Lake Lerna, where they encounter Ceto, who is engaged by Demeter. The two fight for a while before Persephone gets everyone to calm down and let them onto the shore so that they can enter the Underworld/vault. Contents DEDICATION MORE BOOKS BY SCARLETT ST. CLAIR PART I CHAPTER I - A TOUCH OF DOUBT CHAPTER II - A TOUCH OF DUPLICITY CHAPTER III - A TOUCH OF INJUSTICE CHAPTER IV - A TOUCH OF WARNING CHAPTER V - ROYAL TREATMENT CHAPTER VI - LOVER’S QUARREL CHAPTER VII - TRUCE CHAPTER VIII - ABDUCTION CHAPTER IX - A TOUCH OF POISON CHAPTER X - GOD OF MUSIC CHAPTER XI - UNRAVELING PART II CHAPTER XII - THE DESCENT INTO HELL CHAPTER XIII - A TOUCH OF PANIC CHAPTER XIV - INIQUITY CHAPTER XV - A NETWORK OF SECRETS CHAPTER XVI - BREAKING POINT CHAPTER XVII - THE PLEASURE DISTRICT CHAPTER XVIII - THE FURIES CHAPTER XIX - GODDESS OF SPRING CHAPTER XX - COMPETITION CHAPTER XXI - A TOUCH OF BETRAYAL CHAPTER XXII - THE SEVEN MUSES CHAPTER XXIII - THE SOLSTICE CELEBRATION PART III CHAPTER XXIV - A TOUCH OF MADNESS CHAPTER XXV - COLLECTING PIECES CHAPTER XXVI - A TOUCH OF SERENITY CHAPTER XXVII - EMPOWERMENT CHAPTER XXVIII - A TOUCH OF RUIN THANK YOU FOR READING! AUTHOR’S NOTE ABOUT THE AUTHOR