Underworld

Underworld is a YA retelling of the Greek myth of Persephone, and the sequel to Abandon, by one of my favorite authors: Meg Cabot.

If you haven’t yet read Adandon, you shouldn’t read a word of this review! This is a series, so there will be unavoidable spoilers of the first book in even the sparsest of a summary for Underworld. Please don’t ruin Abandon, which I loved, by reading the review of Underworld! Instead, read my review of Abandon here and get a copy of the book!

Now, for all of you bibliophiles that HAVE read Abandon… let us continue:

The last time seventeen-year-old Pierce Oliviera was in the Underworld she was dead.

Not this time.

John Hayden, the insanely masculine and terribly hot lord of the Underworld, has taken her there for her own safety – or that’s at least part of the reason.

The fact that they’ve been tiptoeing around a rather steamy attraction might also be a factor…

But Pierce can’t deny the threat of the Furies who have an insatiable, irrational desire for revenge on John – therefore an obsession with hurting the one thing he loves… Pierce. And she recently realized she’s been in danger for more years than she would have guessed – part of an epic vengeance plan.

Yet, despite the sometimes pleasant captivity/protection of being in the Underworld with John, Pierce can’t forget that her family and friends are still back on earth – in danger. They’re not safe.

Will John trust her to return if he lets her out long enough to save the life of someone close to her?

Or does trust have nothing to do with it?

I absolutely adored Abandon and was ecstatic when my copy of Underworld arrived!

So… did Underworld live up to my own hype?

Well, yes! And… sorta no.

This has the feel of a “middle book” in a trilogy. All of you bibliophiles will know what I mean, as I’m sure most of you have read just as many trilogies as I have. Sometimes I felt that Underworld had a bit of a lack of an obvious plot – I wasn’t sure where we were going, or how it advanced the trilogy. I was left wondering why, it seemed, so little actually happened – in my opinion.

BUT – I didn’t really care.

The thing about Meg Cabot is I’m never REALLY disappointed. Because she always delivers!

Underworld sizzles with a dark, sexy vibe that is practically on fire! Pierce and John still have an irrefutable chemistry that is magnetic. Underworld zipped along, fast as ever, providing a ton of delicious morsels of supernatural romance – only making me ravenous for more!

I’m always happy to return to any world Meg creates because it’s always fun and easy to read – and flat-out entertaining. You get laugh-out-loud moments and swoon-worthy male characters! So, even though I felt there was an absence of clear storytelling in the sense of overall plot (and I could be wrong), I very much relished even minute of the ride!

What’s my main response to Underworld? I want book three NOW!!! I’m not sure where it’s going or how it’ll end – but the characters and passionate love story are enough to hook me and keep me!

So… ahem… is Awaken (book three) ready yet?