Persuasion (Curse of the Gods Book 2)

this is my new favorite series!

I want to be a chaos demon. I loved this one. I knew where it was heading and I’m glad for definitive answers but the journey to them was the bomb. Can’t wait for the next one.

An abundance of action, drama, comedy, passion and connection

This is book two of the Curse of the Gods series and I loved it even more than the first one.
This book has humour, action, passion and bonding in abundance. The characters are relatable and developing along with the depth of the story. Plus I have at least five new book boyfriends now! Our heroine is just as clumsy, feisty and passionate as ever and I love her a little bit too.
I have once again put off other things I was meant to be doing in order to continue with this story. I suspect the same will be true of book three, which I’m about to get now.

This review MAY contain spoilers.

The books in this series are so entertaining! I have no idea how a book full of such absurd things could have me flipping the pages so quickly. It must have something to do with the reverse harem aspect of the books in this series. I am all for polyamorous relationships. I understand that. But one girl and five guys that are brothers seems to be beyond the bounds of reality. And the funny thing is that I don’t care in the slightest. If anything, I welcome the absurdity of it all because it works in this series. And I am sure as hell enjoying it. I don’t know what that says about my depraved mind, but I’m going with it.

I think that one of the reasons why this series works so well is the characters. The bonds that are formed are magnificent. I love the relationship that Willa and the Abcurse brothers have formed. I love how it only seems to grow with every page. I love that there is humor throughout and that their relationship is full of ease and familiarity. I love Willa’s headstrong character. I identify with her on so many levels. I love that she is clumsy, brash, and opinionated. I love the personalities of each of the Abcurse brothers and what they bring to the group dynamic. Their characters are developing just as much as Willa’s. The only thing that I would have liked to see more of it Emmy. She is Willa’s sister so you would think that she would spend more time with her or check in on her more. I know that the Abcurse brothers are taking up all her time, but if it was my sister I would not abandon her for five attractive gods. (Not entirely anyway. =P) And I am curious about Cyrus’s character. He kind of seemed like a douchebag at times, but it also seemed like Willa humored him a little. He didn’t seem all that bad, so I am eager to find out if he will play a bigger part in the story.

I felt that the plot was much more developed in this book than it was in Trickery. Though most of this happened in the second half of the book. The first half of the book didn’t feel like the plot was doing much. I did like the adventure in this book though. I wasn’t quite sure what was going to happen or what would be revealed. I was able to guess the main reveal at the end of the book, though I didn’t guess the reasoning behind it. So there was a little predictability, but not all the cards were shown.

The world-building in this book comes at the heels of Trickery, but there is a little more world-building in this one. We get to see more of Topia. I feel like the world-building in this series is just enough to get by though. I feel like I need more details about this world. I sometimes question what part of this world actually looks like or how something is even possible. Not everything is explained and that sometimes bothers me while reading. Again, there is enough world-building that you have a basic understanding of things.

There is so much sexual tension in this book! The good kind. The kind that comes from befriending five hot gods and then being with them 24/7. I like that the sexual tension felt real, not some ridiculous lust nonsense. Willa has formed a bond with the five Abcurse brothers and their growing relationship is the driving force to the sexual tension, not just that everyone is attractive. There isn’t any real intimacy in this book, apart from a little kissing. And even then, the kissing was usually for a purpose and not simply a declaration of love or feelings.

I like that this book isn’t totally fluff and nonsense. There is character progression and enough of a plot to make things interesting. This series is my first adventure in the reverse harem genre and I thought that there would be smut at every turn, and this series isn’t that at all. It is a series that is obviously written with the reverse harem aspect at the forefront, but there is more to the series as well. It may not have a serious tone like an epic fantasy or be entirely believable like a contemporary, but it still works.

Overall, I am totally enjoying this series! If you love a lighthearted fantasy series that will entertain you and make your heart flutter a bit then I’d recommend this series. If you liked the first book then I have no doubt that you’ll like this one even more. If you don’t take this series too seriously there is a lot of enjoyment to be had in reading it. I am very impressed with this series so far and I can’t wait to dive in further.

I loved Trickery and had ridiculously high expectations for Persuasion. Expectations so high that I honestly couldn’t expect them to be met. Never underestimate the JJ’s. Persuasion is excellent, excellent, excellent. Without a doubt, I have never loved a lead female like I love Willa with her ridiculous (in the best way) inner monologue, and the Abcurse’s are beyond male perfection. Jane Washington and Jaymin Eve are two talented writers individually. Together, they are brilliant.

The book picks back up at Blesswood. Willa is tied to the 5 Abcurse brothers, so she has to be with at least one at all times. She has moved into their rooms, takes classes with them. They have accepted her completely as one of the family. She has turned parts of their lives upside down; she still gets herself into the most ridiculous situations with her clumsiness, her impulsiveness, her uniqueness. She also entertains them completely, brings out a protective quality in them, and opens their eyes to the world beyond their own existence.

This book expands our knowledge of Topia, the gods, and the curse of Rau. There’s so much going on. Willa has everyone’s focus which puts her in danger. The Sols resent her for not knowing her place, the Dwellers are starting to rebel wanting a life more like hers, and the gods are up to no good. Each group is planning and plotting and Willa is caught up in their plans. She blunders her way through each new threat; sometimes with pure luck, sometimes with her own brand of ingenuity, sometimes with the strange new powers she sporadically has, and sometimes with the direct intervention of the Abcurses. It takes a lot to keep Willa in one piece.

We also get more of Willa and the brothers. Her relationship with each one is unique. Yael, Siret, Rome, Aros and Coen are all complete individuals. She needs each one in a different way and they respond to her distinctively. It’s slow moving, but the bond is deepening. The connection goes beyond the curse and when tested, the brothers show that they want Willa in their lives. The emotion they show for her when she’s been in danger or missing gives me the warm fuzzies. I want more! There’s a bit of kissing, lots of touching, and plenty of nakedness, despite the pact and the new rule. Again, I want more!

It’s clear the world is changing. Blesswood itself is on the edge of pandemonium. The gods, Sols, and dwellers are all going to have to make changes, and the change won’t be easy. Willa has triggered some of this and will be swept up in the turmoil, no doubt. The Abcurse’s now have an idea about Willa’s role in this discord, and at the very end provoke her to get their proof. What they prove changes everything once again. Willa’s life just got even more complicated. She thought that she didn’t fit in before, now she know’s where to place herself (if not what to call herself), but she can’t fulfill her new role for the sake of the world. She’s definitely in over her head, but the Abcurse’s will be right there with her.

This book is brilliant. Original, well written, funny, sexy, suspenseful. JJ’s I can’t wait for the next one!

Fantastic book 2! Willa is still amazingly clumsy and totally sassy, I love it! The Abcurses are just HOT! Something definitely needs to be done about Rau though, he is crazypants. We meet a few new characters in this one, one in particular I think will be interesting later on. On to Book 3 Seduction to find out what happens next!

Well, it’s been a few days since I finished this book and I’m still just as confused about it as I was after Trickery . I thought maybe some distance would bring clarity, but NOPE. I just… don’t understand what’s happening to me???? Some kind of written wizardry is going on. That is the only explanation why I would love a reverse harem series this much.

This story is so random and chaotic, I should probably hate it. But DAMMIT. There’s something so endearing about the humor and characters the authors have established and I can’t get enough of it. The crazy way it’s written and the randomness of the story are actually pretty clever given the subject matter. Willa and her infamous inner monologues always manage to make me laugh. Plus, all the guys are just adorable and I love their banter.

In the last novel I was constantly mixing up the guys and getting them all confused. Willa would mention someone by name and I would have no idea who she was talking about. But now I’m starting to know each one and their individual personality, which has been really cool to see evolve. And I forgot to mention this before, but Vanessa Moyen totally deserves a shout out. She’s a GREAT narrator and has brought so much life to these characters. I’m pretty convinced that she’s half the reason why I find this series so hilarious.

I will say that this second installment fell a little flat after the last one. The beginning of the story dragged on and it took a little time before I really got into it. Plus, this just wasn’t quite AS funny as Trickery. I mean, I can only laugh at Willa falling on her face so many times before the novelty wears off.

FINAL WORD
Another hilariously fun masterpiece! If you loved the first one, you’ll love this one too.

Loved this book as well. It’s such a slow burn of goodness. Very witty and funny too.