Book Review: Soul in Darkness by Wendy Higgins

Stand Alone

Format: Paperback

Pages: 352

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

How I Got It: Purchased

Genre: New Adult, Historical Fantasy

Publisher: Self-Published

Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads

People travel from afar to the small isle in the Aegean Sea hoping for a single glimpse of Princess Psyche. Their adoration for the mortal woman is so all-consuming that citizens begin to shower her with the very gifts and offerings they once left at the alter of Venus, goddess of love and beauty. 

But gods are known for their jealousy.

Cupid, the god of love, takes pleasure in causing strife and mischief in the lives of humans. He uses love as a weapon, humoring in the weakness of people at the whims of their feelings. When his mother Venus approaches him about punishing the human girl who dares to steal her offerings and affections from the people, Cupid gladly accepts. 

Psyche's punishment is to be given to a mysterious creature who only comes to her in the dark of night under the pact that she will never lay eyes on him. She is terrified of this stranger, who the oracle described as a serpent. Her mate, however, is masterful in his dealings with his bride. He takes his time, morphing her fears into different sensations completely. 

Based on the Roman/Greek mythology of Cupid and Psyche by Lucius Apuleius, New York Times bestseller Wendy Higgins brings the tale to life, weaving layers that show exactly how a sacrificial lamb can be enchanted by an unseen monster.

Review

I didn't know about this book until right before it's release. I'm really I glad I did end up seeing in on Twitter. This is a Cupid and Psyche retelling which I like. I actually did a project on this type of story back in college.

Also, can there please be more New Adult that isn't contemporary? 

Psyche could've been a Mary Sue, but she wasn't. And I really enjoyed reading her story and getting in her head. Cupid was interesting but not quite as developed as Psyche.

The romance was pretty well done especially considering the forced proximity. Sometimes that can cause the romance to feel forced. The second part did fall a little, but I think a part of that was Ms. Higgins' loyalty to the original story. Maybe it would've been better as two separate books, but I also love that it was a stand alone.

I'm glad I picked this up. It was fun, fast-paced, and had great tension. It makes me want to read the Wendy Higgins books I've missed over the last couple years.

Thanks for reading!

Holly

Review: Sweet Temptation by Wendy Higgins

Series: Sweet Book #4

Format: Paperback

Pages: 475

Rating: 5 Stars

How I Got It: Purchased

Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Angels,

Publisher: HarperCollins/HarperTeen

Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads

Bad boy Kaidan Rowe has never wanted for anything—money, popularity, musical talent…hot girls—but seducing them is part of his duty as a Nephilim, slave to the demon Dukes. As the son of the Duke of Lust, Kaidan has learned his father’s ways, becoming a master of passion, a manipulator of chemistry. Disobeying his father would mean certain death. Thankfully for Kaidan, he’s good at his job. And he enjoys it.

Until he meets Anna Whitt—sweet, smart, feisty, and inexplicably good—the one girl seemingly immune to his charms. The daughter of a guardian angel and a fallen one, she has a certain power over him, one that makes him wish for more than he could ever deserve.

Determined to save all the Neph from their dark lives as the influencers of sin, Anna joins forces with Kaidan to overcome the demons’ oppressive ways. In the light of her affections, Kaidan must undergo his toughest test of all, a battle of the heart.

Sensual and swoon worthy, this companion volume to the acclaimed Sweet Evil series from New York Times bestselling author Wendy Higgins, told from the perspective of the irresistibly sexy and mysterious Kaidan Rowe, gives readers revealing insights into his struggle, his intense connection to Anna, and most of all, the true emotions that drive him.


Author Note:
Sweet Temptation will encompass the entire trilogy in a condensed version, beginning with Kai's life before he met Anna, and taking readers through the epilogue of Sweet Reckoning. Sweet Temptation is a companion novel, not meant to be a stand alone story. It will definitely be a richer experience for those who have read the original trilogy.

 

Review

This was exactly what I wanted. It definitely can’t stand on its own, but it doesn’t claim to. And Wendy Higgins did a great job of condensing three books into one with a cohesive plot.

I really liked Kai when I was reading the original Sweet Trilogy. And I fell even more in love being able to be in his head. He was a lot of internal struggles and self-hatred to deal with. And this really showed how much he developed over the years and throughout the series.

I was still a little bothered by the way Kai talks. Not his vulgar language. I actually really like that Ms. Higgins went there. But I’ve always struggled with his British slang. Eventually I get used to it, but it’s a little jarring.

And that beautiful epilogue. The one in Sweet Reckoning was probably my favorite epilogue. But this one was even more devastatingly beautiful. Kai makes that epilogue so his POV on it were just perfection.

This book is for fans of the Sweet Trilogy and Kai. If you like the other ones I think you will enjoy this book.

Thanks for reading!

Book Review: Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins

Series: Sweet Trilogy (Book 1)

Format: Paperback

Pages:447

Rating: 4 Stars

How I Got It: Purchased

This is actually a re-read for me. I want to re-read the whole trilogy (one book a month) in preparation for Sweet Temptation which comes out in September.

I definitely saw some flaws I missed the first time around, but I completely stand behind my 4 star rating.

One of the things I like about this series is how religion is incorporated. And I’m not a particularly religious person. So many paranormal books with angels and demons avoid the ideas of God and religion. Plus, it’s an added conflict for Anna since she is so religious but is told she’ll go to hell no matter what she does in her life.

Some of the dialogue feels a little stiff especially from Kai. I think it’s because Ms. Higgins is so focused on him being British. But it isn’t constantly like that.

I do really like Anna. She’s definitely a good girl, but she has to face some serious temptations. It’s like Ms. Higgins is addressing common teenage temptations (sex, drugs, alcohol), but in an even more high-stakes environment. Kai is also a great “bad boy.” He reminds me of a slightly tamer Daemon Black.

I think the best praise I can give this is that I really wanted to read the second book right away. I already know how this whole series plays out, but am still eager to check it out again.

Thanks for reading!