Title: The Light in Hades (Olympus Retold Book 1)
Author: Elise Nelson
Genre: YA Fantasy Romance
Book Blurb:
Correlia of Olympus was “gifted” the destiny of becoming Persephone, Goddess of Nature and Spring. As every Great One is told, she must follow the path appointed to her or the world will be off-balance.
Beneath Mt. Olympus, Theron of Tartarus has been groomed to become Hades, God of the Underworld. Despised by everyone on Olympus and tormented by his mentor, he has only known a life of abuse and despair.
The two were never meant to cross paths, but when Theron is sent on a mission to Mt. Olympus, he finds the goddess who is meant to be his enemy and his greatest opposition.
One encounter is all it takes for everything to change.
Now, the sheltered Corre finds herself in a position she never could have imagined: falling in love with the God of Death and questioning everything. Even her destiny.
The Light in Hades is a YA romantasy about forbidden love and finding belonging in a world of darkness. It features mental health topics and low spice.
My Review:
Corre and Theron were never supposed to meet each other yet when they do, their destinies will forever be changed. The Light in Hades is an imaginative young adult fantasy romance retelling of the myth of Hades and Persephone. Greek mythology retellings are all the rage these days, but Elise Nelson adds her own spin to it, to this reader’s delight. The world-building is exceptional. The descriptive narration sweeps the reader away. The characters, though, are what make The Light in Hades an unputdownable read.
Let’s start with the characters. Corre is destined to be the next Persephone. She’s coming of age yet is hesitant to jump into her destiny. It’s a bit overwhelming. But everything changes when Theron appears above ground. She’s heard all the stories about him but what if it’s not true. Corre is a heroine readers will connect with, as I did. Her voice rings true of a teen dealing with lots of pressure. What I loved most about her is how she can see people for who they are. That, and her love of nature.
Then there’s Theron. He’s a dark hero with some personal issues to work through. He’s been put through the ringer and needs to forge his own path. I really liked this character. He’s got faults and insecurities like the rest of us. Even gods have self-esteem issues. How refreshing.
The world-building is well-done with a complex layering of setting, characters, and transforming myths to real life. There’s an alluring quality to this world-building where once I entered, I didn’t want to leave.
The romance is clearly young adult/teen with low steam. It’s well-written with angst, emotion, and a bit of magic.
If you’re looking for a new spin on an old Greek mythical couple, pick up The Light in Hades. I can’t wait to read more from this author.
My Rating: 5+ stars
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Author Biography:
Elise Nelson is an award-winning writer, professional editor, journalist, and published author. She wrote her first novel at the age of eleven and published her first novel at the age of nineteen. Recently, her novel Smoke & Mirrors made it onto one of Amazon's Top 100 Bestseller Lists upon publication and received raving reviews.
Elise has been published in various literary periodicals, including The Nassau Review and Essig Magazine, and has worked as an editorial intern for Christopher Matthews Publishing as well as a writer and editor for many other companies, magazines, and websites. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Boise State University, where she studied English literature, creative writing, and multimedia storytelling.
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Reviewed by: Nancy