Originally published February 2015The Fates are cackling their bony asses off…It’s been a year since Seth made the deal with the gods that pledged his life to them. And so far, the jobs they’ve given him have been violent and bloody–which is kind of all right with him. But now Apollo has something else in mind for Seth. He’s got to play protector while keeping his hands and fingers off, and … fingers off, and for someone who really has a problem with restraint, this new assignment might be the most challenging yet.
Josie has no idea what this crazy hot guy’s deal might be, but it’s a good bet that his arrival means the new life she started after leaving home is about to be thrown into an Olympian-sized blender turned up to puree. Either Josie is going insane or a nightmare straight out of ancient myth is gunning for her.
But it might be the unlikely attraction simmering between her and the golden-eyed, secret-keeping Seth that may prove to be the most dangerous thing of all.
Because history has once again been flipped to repeat.
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“I don’t think you ever can quit. Being a Sentinel is like being in the damn mafia. You don’t get out.”
Seth is back! Ok, now that I got that out of the way, if you haven’t already read the Covenant series then you need to stop now and go back to read those. Seriously, you’re going to be extremely lost and confused if you don’t, although Deacon does give Josie a great cliffs notes version of what happened.
We left Seth at the end of Sentinel where he had basically given up everything, his present and his future, so that Aiden could become a demigod and spend eternity with Alex. At the beginning of The Return he is working for the gods tracking down and handing out punishment, in other words killing, any traitors that are left. Apollo comes to him and sends him on a new mission to find someone and get them to Covenant in South Dakota. Enter Josie. She’s a psych major at Radford University and has no idea that her father is really Apollo and that she’s a demigod that has had her powers bound since she was born.
It turns out that Perses, yep the Titan, has decided that he doesn’t want to abide by the deal that he made to get him out of Tartarus and he has broken some of the other Titans out. Now, we find out from Apollo that the gods had a backup plan in case things didn’t go well with the whole god killer thing and that plan came in the form of 12 of the gods each siring a child resulting in 12 born demigods. At this point in time there are only 6 left and they are needed to fight the Titans. This is why Seth needs to protect Josie and get her to South Dakota. While there Seth begins training Josie and the more time that he spends with her the more she gets under his skin. There are lot of things that Josie doesn’t know about Seth until Deacon makes the decision that she needs to know and tells her all about what when down. After listening to all of it and taking the time to think about everything Josie decides that regardless of what Seth has done in his past, he is a different person. She sums it up perfectly when she says:
“I’m not saying that you’re devoid of responsibility, but that’s not the only thing that makes you who you are. You are more than just the Apollyon. You are more than the guys who sided with Ares. You’re…you’re also the guy who made a major step in righting what he’d done wrong. You’re the guy who regrets what he’s done.”
I absolutely love Josie. She’s such a badass heroine and she’s so incredibly strong. She’s thrown into a world that she knows nothing about and while she has her moments she handles things way better than most people would. She makes the decision to start training because she doesn’t want to be helpless and not only does she see the person that Seth has become she sees him as just Seth, and not the Apollyon, which is something that he desperately needs in his life.
Seth, Seth, Seth. This broken man absolutely breaks my heart. His childhood was awful and because of that Lucian and Ares were able to manipulate him into doing what they wanted and it caused him to do some absolutely horrible things. He has so much guilt over what he’s done in the past and even what he had been doing in the past year for the other gods that he feels like he doesn’t deserve and goodness in his life. Josie entering his life is just what he needs when he needs it. He still doesn’t feel like he deserves happiness or her but she’s not willing to accept that.
I was excited that there was going to be a series about Seth that I couldn’t wait to read it. I loved going back into this world and actually seeing things from Seths point of view and meeting Josie. Jen certainly knows how to write some amazing heroins. I loved this book so much and I can’t wait to read the next one.
“The kiss…It stole my soul, laid claim to me in a way I didn’t know what possible. It reached down inside me, doing more than building a fire. There was hope in that kiss. There was a promise of more, of redemption. Of salvation.”
(Reread Review)
This review may contain some vague spoilers, not detailed plots, but still spoilers.
Titan series is a Covenant spin of series, both based in Greek Mythology, and The Return is the beginning of that incredible story. Titan follows the other main character on the Covenant series…the one that didn’t get the happy ending, the one that sacrificed everything, my favorite character of this world, the Apollyon that was never meant to be born, the problematic, issues boy, the bad boy addicted to power, but also the incredible complex and funny and damn swoon worthy Seth, no last name (actually we know his last name on this book).
At the start of this book, we are set one year after the events at the end of Sentinel, and the Gods are now among their offspring again, and they are cleaning up the mess after everything that happened with Ares, or at least they are sending someone to do the dirty work. Want to guess who that is? Yes, of course, its Seth.
My baby doesn’t deserve everything that has happened to him, and everything that will still happen. Yes, he did some big mistake, some unforgivable things but he isn’t evil, and he struggles with what he did and the beast inside him craving eather like a daimon and no one blames him more then himself.
This story sets of when Apollo, the God commanding the strings of the deal on Seth’s head, orders him to go search for a mysterious person. That person is Josie, a college student, and you would think why the hell would Apollo sent the Apollyon to guard and bring to the University Covenant e mortal girl? Well she is not 100% human, she is a demigod! And not only a demigod she is the daughter of freaking Apollo!!!! Looks like when Seth was first created the Gods developed a plan B situation to contain the God Killer and that involved creating demigods. These demigods have their powers locked up and have no idea of who they are. What the Gods weren’t expecting was that they had to use that plan B not to contain the God Killer but the Titan problem that was created after Perses escape at the end of Sentinel.
She and Seth don’t start great, we all know how much of an ass Seth can be and Josie doesn’t take any of his crap. But as they travel to the University (after Seth doing a crappy job at telling Josie everything about the Greek Gods) they form a bond as they travel, with some major incidents that leave Josie with all kings of baggage. Josie its new to all of this and she tries to keep strong but like Seth says she is so mortal sometimes she is not used to that life, but she might not be physical strong but she is determined, stubborn and strong in her own way.
I love seeing the relationship between Seth and Josie grow, she sees him with a clean slate without everything in his past and even if she eventually discovers what happened she seems him for what he is, and she is the first to say he is not just the Apollyon he is Seth. And since this is dual POV you also see Seth starting to really care for someone, besides himself, for the first time and its so sweet seeing him incapable of staying away from Josie.
Deacon, Luke, Marcus, Solos, Laadan and Alexander are still present some more then others. Deacon and Luke are like the welcoming team, they embrace Josie in the gang and make her feel welcome Luke also helps her train at some point, because Josie is determined to not be a weakness and I love her for that!
Another major thing going on in this book and this series is the repercussions of the Breed order being over, not all Pures are happy about that and there are Halfs that want revenge because some really bad things start to happen and it’s so revolting to see this behavior in the Pures because in a way it’s not much different from some people in the real world and it just gets me so angry!!!!
We get introduced to a new Titan I this book, Hyperion and he is here to cause big troubles. But we know that the others are not going to be less dangerous…. We also have other problem in this book, the shades, with so much running out of the Underworld, that it makes you think what the hell Hades is doing!
I do have to confess something, and since this is not my first read, I can say this. I love Covenant….but I love Titan more! And its because, well obviously, Seth and his awesomeness and assholness but Jennifer steps up in this series they way she writes this story it just gets me so addicted that even being a slow reader I reread this book in little more than a day and that is impressive for me, like I said slow reader here.
If you are a fan of Greek Mythology, awesome action-packed stories, amazing characters, determined and fierce main character, and jerk, but also sweet bad boy hero, this book, and series is for you!
Anyone who has read my recs before knows how much I LOVE Jennifer Armentrout, and The Return does not disappoint. This book kicks off a sequel series to her Covenant series, but it also stands alone, and you can read it without having read the Covenant books. Seth and Josie are characters who I feel like I would have hung out with in college, even if they are descended from Greek Gods. Josie’s strength of character as her world turns upside down is admirable, and Seth’s fluctuation between cockiness and self-loathing makes me want to give him a huge hug. This is a great start to what is sure to be a great series!!!
I had the pleasure to buddy read this beauty of a series with my good friend Mandy. So thank you for sharing this journey with me, girlfriend. <3
Speaking of buddy reading... When I told my husband that I am buddy reading a series with a friend, he asked me "What, body reading? What is that?" to which I replied "not BODY but BUDDY." Mandy and I had a good laugh about it and then she told me "you know, he is kind of right. We will read Seth's body together." And man... did we ever!
To be honest, I was nervous to start reading this series for the longest time, because those of you who read the Covenant series before starting this one knows that Seth was well... a bit of an douche. And by bit I mean a douche of epic proportions. And while he redeemed himself by the end of the Covenant series , that still doesn't change the fact that I wished him to disappear since his first appearance in Half-Blood . But I must say I am glad I decided to put my big girl panties on and dove right in.
The Return starts off with Seth doing the dirty deeds for the gods, and it basically shows him not giving a crap since he is convinced that he doesn't have a future anyway, so what the hell!
He didn't change much since the Covenant, still the same cocky Seth we know and love. Then Apollo appoints to protect a girl and this is where the story starts.
I took liking to Josie straight away. She was really funny and really wasn't afraid to say what she was thinking. All things considered, she really took her new reality really well, which I really admired. It is not everyday that girl learns that she is a demigod, and while she had a momentary freak out, she still got over the shock pretty fast.
Honestly I couldn't wait to see how things will develop between Seth and Josie. There was so much sexual tension and all I wanted is for them to kiss, but it just wasn't happening! However things leading up to the kiss made the wait so worth it. Seth walking in on Josie while she was taking a bath was one of my favourite scenes (Seth, you're such a perv. I love it!).
Seth being obsessed with Josie's ass and wanting to spank it, but never does. When Josie was eyeing up the box of condoms and the receptionist tells her that she should takes some, that they're free. I smiled every time Josie told Seth she doesn't like him and all I could think about is that she will (and when she does she will be the one doing the body reading).
And when I thought that that kiss I've been waiting for is finally going to happen, Apollo comes in and ruins the perfect moment.
But when the kiss did eventually happen? Man, it stole my breath away. It was absolutely perfect.
I really loved the soft side Seth showed when it came to Josie. He was still wild but was gentle with her. How protective he was and how he called her baby after she has been hurt. Jennifer really knows how to pull on your heart strings.
To be honest, I didn't know how to feel about Seth in the beginning. I loved him, but was a bit apprehensive after all that he has done. It really helped that the books was written in dual POVs and we got to see what is going on in Seth's head. You could really see how he regrets everything he has done and it honestly broke my heart.
I really couldn't get enough and it is safe to say that this book took over my life. I hated going to work because all I wanted to do is stay at home and read. Not to mention I was wrecked going to work because I stayed up all night reading (and I did not regret a second of it). It started off good and it continued to get better and better as the story went on.
Can't wait to get started on The Power.
P.S. I would love for Seth to give me some private training lessons, preferably with as fewer clothes on as possible. I want to get a good look at that 8-pack of his.
P.P.S. I need a friend like Deacon.
The Return is the first book in the Titan series and this was just a great way to start off a series. This series is centered around the same world as the Covenant series so you get to see some familiar characters that crossover such as this series main character is Seth who you’ve previously met if you read the other series. I am just so glad that Seth is finally getting his own series. I just didn’t want to see his story end and I just loved getting go along for the ride and see him meet Josie. I just had so much fun and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.
Oh, my Sethie. Talk about redemption. This book delivered in spades. I don’t know what took me so long to pick up this series after reading the Covenant series, but it was definitely a mistake to wait. At the end of the Covenant series, I loved Seth. I knew in his heart, he was not the terrible person he was made out to be. It took meeting his match to really bring out his softer side though. Someone that saw through everything else and didn’t judge him because of his past. Josie was his salvation. (True story, I might have teared up during this part.) Onto the next book!