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 … 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 from 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.
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I have always been a big fan of Greek/Roman mythology, so when I heard Wendy Higgins was writing her own twist on the Cupid and Psyche story I was so excited! Wendy Higgins always brings the swoon and I was dying to see what she did with this story and she delivered.
Going into this I knew the Cupid and Psyche story, so I kinda knew what was coming, but I loved seeing how Wendy gave it her own spin and really fleshed out the characters. Psyche and Cupid are both great characters and you want them to make it work. So much is stacked against them and nothing comes easy. Throw in that Cupid is a god and well it’s going to be harder. We all know the gods and we all know they have an arrogant streak and think they know best and that doesn’t always work for Cupid, but Psyche was a match for him. And man the SWOON between these two. Wendy does adult very very well.
I also loved the way this was written. We get to switch between Psyche and Cupid’s POV, but we spend the beginning of the book with Psyche before switching to Cupid and then alternating between the two. I love how this built the mystery of Cupid and kept the reader in the dark while Psyche was in the dark, but at the same time allowed the reader to see how things came to be and see Cupid’s motivations. And I think it’s very important the reader come to understand his motivations because like I said before, he is a god, he doesn’t think like we do all the time.
All in all, Wendy Higgins delivered again. I love Greek/Roman mythology so much and she delivered a great romance with a myth that hasn’t been done over and over again. Such a good read for fantasy fans.
Loved this book and its characters ! I have not read much with Greek mythology so this story involving Cupid and Psyche was a nice touch. It pulled me right in and keep me reading. I recommend this book!
Breathtaking and original take on old mythology. I absolutely loved this story and the rich world that it builds. If you are a fan of mythology this is definitely a book for you.
I had so much fun hearing the audiobook, Cupid and Princes Psyche was one I heard a while ago, having Wendy Higgins writing their story was absolutely amazing, this stand alone adult story is one I shall cherish. I need more Greek mythology retelling so whenever Wendy Higgins is inspired count me in to read it.
Loved it
I loved this book about Cupid and Psyche! What a roller coaster ride it was…definitely had some twists and turns I wasn’t expecting. Great writing, steamy love scenes, and a lot of heart. Definitely recommended!
Title: Soul in Darkness
Author: Wendy Higgins
Publisher: Amazon Digital Services LLC
Edition: Kindle
Amount of Pages: 289
Genre: New Adult, Fantasy, Mythology, Romance
Date Read: 13-02-2019
Favorite Quote: “Sometimes we fear that which we should embrace because we do not know better.”
Review:
I was really excited to read this book! I love Greek mythology so I couldn’t wait to get started.
I ended up being a bit disappointing that it wasn’t actually Greek Mythology. It was mostly Roman mythology with some Greek mythology mixed into it. It was a bit hard to keep track sometimes.
I found Psyche a bit naive, quite childlike and sometimes a bit slow? It fits the time period of the book so I can’t fault her for that but I hoped it would change throughout the book and it didn’t really.
I do know if it was me I’d be shot down in seconds, I wouldn’t be able to bed the gods for forgiveness, and especially not do the things Psyche did to be forgiven for something she didn’t even do. I’d be to petty and stubborn for that hahaa.
I never read anything about Cupid and Psyche, so I found it interesting to learn more about their story/myth.
What is this story about:
Like I said this is the story about Cupid and Psyche. Cupid is the roman god of love. Eros, in greek mythology.
Psyche is a human princess. She was born to a king and queen that where blessed by Venus (Roman goddess of love). She was born so beautifully that thats all people seem to see. Her beauty was legendary. people come to see her from all over the world. They worship her like they would the gods. But they seem to forget the god(dess) that made this all possible and that pisses them off.
When Psyche is off age she’s told she would go to the highest tower and she would wait for her husband. If she didn’t her parents and people would be punished heavily because they betrayed the gods. Her husband would be a winged serpent, a monster. She would not be able to see or touch him. Will Psyche be able to survive? Is what she was told true? She will have to decide whether or not she can trust her own instincts before it’s to late, or will she continue to listen to that little voice in this is a trap, that she is being lied to.
What did I like about this book
I liked to learn about the cupid/psyche myth. I found it an interesting and nice story.
I really liked cupid. I found him interesting. I put two and two together in the beginning of the book and was baffled it took psyche that long. When he told her a specific name it should have be clear to Psyche hahah.
Anyhow I loved the beginning of the book. It was interesting. The third part was a bit much for me, in the way that I couldn’t really connect with it as I wouldn’t be able to beg or do whatever it took to be forgiven for something I didn’t even do. I’m not religious so I can’t connect with having faith in gods.
I wish that the author would have picked one mythology and stuck with it. It would have made it less confusing for me. I don’t know what myths overlap or not but I found it a bit confusing.
Overall I enjoyed reading this series. It’s a nice story and it’s well written.
Rating:
3 1/2 I liked it stars
This is a fantastic retelling of the romance between Cupid and Psyche.
OH.MY.GOSH, what did I just read?! It has been sooooo long since I’ve read a Wendy Higgins book and this was the BEST point to pick things back up again. I’ve been a fan of mythology since I was kid, I can’t say that I have a plethora of knowledge, but I always loved reading about it. In Soul in Darkness, we have Cupid and Psyche’s story, a very new story to me … I didn’t even know Cupid had his own love story. I just couldn’t get enough of their story and had trouble putting my book down.
Since I had zero idea about their story, I had no expectations and was fully ready for the journey this book was going to take me on. I honestly thought this was going to be a YA, but Higgins definitely gives a little note that this is very much an adult read and THANK GOODNESS for that.
For Psyche being young and being very new to relationships in general (well she just skips that and has to marry), I found her to be mature about everything. She has so much beauty, but was so humble about everything. She didn’t care about the gifts that people would adorn her with and would give them to those in need. Psyche was a character that surprised me, she’s a strong, daring and a kind-hearted person. Her name means soul, which is very fitting to her personality.
She definitely irked me at sometimes with quick to believe what everyone tells her. I very much expected her to ALWAYS listen to her natural instincts, but I’d say it definitely got the best of her at times. She’s not one to tuck tail and hide, so I loved how determined she was.
Cupid intrigued me the most! I knew next to nothing about him except for what Valentine’s Day paints him as. He was mysterious and downright alluring, and I was just eager to learn everything about him. Despite everything that she was told about her husband,it was always the exact opposite. Like I’ve mentioned before, he’s nothing like you’d expect.
Everyone, I absolutely loved Cupid! He was so kind and endearing to Psyche, willing to give everything he could to her. As much as I loved the unique aspect of their relationship where she couldn’t see him, it definitely frustrated me to no end. I wanted nothing more for her to just see him and it’s seriously such a tease. But I loved every minute of it and you will too!
Gosh, I wish I could re-read this book over for the first time. I hope we get more Wendy Higgins mythology retellings because I am there for all of it. Such a beautifully written and intriguing tale where trust is the key.
Can’t recommend this book enough!
Wendy Higgins
I’m conflicted about this one. I’m giving this 3 out of 5 stars. This review is for an ARC, and reflects my honest opinion.
I think mythology is fascinating; I know a decent amount, but I’m no expert. When I saw the summary of this book, I thought it would be an entertaining read. And it was good overall, but I found myself being annoyed with Psyche quite often. I don’t want to give details that will spoil this book for others, so I’ll just say that the way she handled/reacted to certain things didn’t sit well with me. She was a little more childish than I expected. This was an adult book, so I was expecting all of the characters to act like such.
Another reason I couldn’t rate this higher was the fact that some parts of the book weren’t very entertaining. It was kind of a repeat of: she woke up, ate, played with animals, ate again, bathed, etc. I was waiting for something to happen in those moments, and if there wasn’t some mystery/mythology involved, I might have stopped reading soon into this book if I’m being honest.
The closer we got to the ending, the better this was. I enjoyed the epilogue as well as the chapter before it. This story was almost exclusively told through Psyche’s POV (first person), but there were some passages from another’s POV (third person); that was another thing that threw me off while reading. I wouldn’t say I was really surprised by anything that happened. I didn’t love this, but I did enjoy it overall once I got past some of the slow parts. I’d probably try this author again, but not anytime soon.
I have been a huge fan of mythology ever since I was a teenager. I aced the mythology class I took as a high school senior. The stories these ancient people wrote are so fascinating. And, sadly, most of them do not have the HEAs I love. So many stories – especially those featuring a romance of some sort – end in tragedy. Either cheating or death or some other horrible event parts lovers forever. Perhaps that’s why I’ve always loved the story of Cupid and Psyche. It’s one of the few that has it all – a reformed bad boy, a daring heroine, a villain, and a forever love that’s earned genuinely. I’ve always wondered at the story behind the story. Now, thanks to Wendy Higgins, I don’t have to wonder anymore.
If you’re not familiar with the tale of Cupid and Psyche, please don’t read it before you read this book. Wendy does an amazing job of sticking to the original legend, so if you read the original story first, you’ll get the spoilers without the good stuff. If you ARE familiar with their story already, then you pretty much know what’s going to happen, but don’t let that deter you from reading this wonderfully written book. There’s so much here to love and appreciate even though you already know the ending.
As a brief overview, Psyche is a beautiful princess. So beautiful that her people have forgotten to honor Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty, and instead give their offerings to Psyche. She doesn’t want them – she just wants real friends and someone who will love her for HER, not what she looks like. But, Venus has been angered, so she sends her son Cupid, the god of love, to cause her to fall in love with someone hideous and awful as punishment. But, once Cupid meets Psyche, he can’t do it. He puts Venus off for awhile until she cottons on. They strike a deal – Cupid has one month to have Psyche fall in love with him and profess it out loud. If he succeeds, they can stay together. If not, she is Venus’ to do with what she wishes. There are caveats to this deal that make it nearly impossible. However, Cupid is determined to have the love of his eternal life.
Guys – this book is incredible. We get the story from both Psyche’s and Cupid’s POV, and hearing their thoughts and listening to their dialog makes this story absolutely come alive. It makes these two characters seem so much more real. Psyche is sweet, but stubborn. Cupid is jaded, over-confident and adorably smitten. We are allowed to feel the depth of Psyche’s fear and desolation in the beginning, then her determination and devotion toward the end. Cupid is fearful that he will not succeed and frustrated at his limitations and barriers. It all makes for a captivating sequence of events and a stunningly perfect ending.
Soul in Darkness has a Beauty and the Beast-esque feel to it, so if that is your thing, you will love this book. It will also appeal to those who appreciate forbidden love stories – none is more forbidden that that of a god and a mortal. And, of course, fans of Wendy Higgins should also check this out because of the excellent writing. But be aware – unlike most of Wendy’s other books, Soul in Darkness is adult. NOT YA. Psyche and Cupid get up to some sexy stuff, and it’s AWESOME.
I was so excited to read this book, and it absolutely lived up to – and even surpassed – all my expectations.
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC and it is amazing!! Sexy, surprising, heartfelt, and full of adventure and angry gods! Another must read from Wendy!
I just finished reading this amazing book and I was riveted! Cupid has fallen in love and his mother, Venus, is enraged!! A love-struck God of Love and a Jealous Goddess intent on punishing a young Princess for daring to be beautiful and capturing the heart of her son. I loved this book and could not get enough! 5 stars and 2 thumbs up!!