Krystal's Review: Hades by Alexandra Adornetto

Hades (Halo #2)

by Alexandra Adornetto

Hardcover, 422 pages

Published August 30th 2011 by Feiwel & Friends

ISBN 0312656270

Courtesy of author

Bethany and Xavier are even closer since battling Jake Thorn and his evil influence (in Halo) and Beth and her angel siblings must still protect Venus Cove from the Dark Forces.
When a party game – a séance – inadvertently releases Jake from the Underworld, he disguises himself and tricks Beth into taking a ride on his motorcycle. When the highway opens up and swallows them, Beth learns too late that she’s now a prisoner in hell. What happens to angels there? As her archangel brother, Gabriel, her sister Ivy, Xavier, and her best friend, Molly search for her, Beth must weigh Jake’s bargaining for her freedom: one night with him, and she will be released back to Earth.
Can Jake be trusted in this wager? And is he also using Beth to engineer the fall of the archangel Gabriel? Xavier has already lost one love – when Jake tricks him into thinking that Bethany is dead, his grief and anger result in a betrayal that will leave Bethany – and readers – wondering if he is so good after all.
It will be up to Beth to use everything she’s learned about her powers as an angel – and about love – to free herself and those she loves from the clutches of Hades.

GoodReads

Krystal's Thoughts:

This book picks up right where it left off. Beth and Xavier are happy to be together, Ivy is still learning the ropes of human life, and Gabriel is still cool and collected. Life is pretty good for the angels, but happiness rarely lasts forever. Not long into the book, Beth is captured by Jake, a fallen angel, and taken to Hell aka Hades. Jake admits to wanting Beth from afar, that she makes him feel something more. Beth does not take kindly to this, she responds by fighting the whole way. She also meets quite a few interesting characters, from a woman who sold her soul to save a friend to a previously selfish girl who gives up her chance at freedom to save Beth from the literal Hounds of Hell.

Beth gets in plenty of trouble in Hades, one would imagine an angel wouldn't be well-behaved in that place. Jake actually saves her multiple times, her friends try to keep her out of trouble and provide her with some comfort. Beth's good intentions get her into trouble in Hades, one time too many. They say the road to Hell is paved with good intentions...how true that saying is in this book.

Beth is a fun character to read about. She is very...pure, the author portrays her as wanting the best for others. She is determined, sometimes foolish, serene, and strong. The reader does not see too much of Xavier in this novel, but Xavier still very obviously loves Beth. He is just as handsome and caring as ever. Gabriel is still the cool one of the bunch, taking everything as it comes. Ivy is slightly more excitable, she'd do anything to save Beth. Jake is the evil angel with the handsome exterior, he is charismatic and too suave for his own good. The reader will enjoy getting re-acquainted with these characters and getting to know the secondary characters better.

This book was fast-paced, interesting, and fun to read. The author writes very smoothly and the transitions are far from choppy. This book is recommended to young adults/teens-especially those who enjoyed Halo.

Rating: 4 Wine Glasses