Title: My Ex From Hell (Blooming Goddess #1)
Author: Tellulah Darling
Genre: Contemporary Romance; Humour; Mythology; Urban Fantasy;
Publisher: Te Da Media
Publication Date: April 2013
Pages: 272
Rating: 4 stars

Synopsis (from goodreads):
Sixteen-year-old Sophie Bloom wishes she’d been taught the following:

a) Bad boy’s presence (TrOuBlE) + teen girl’s brain (DraMa) = TrAuMa (Highly unstable and very volatile.)
b) The Genus Greekulum Godissimus is notable for three traits: 1) awesome abilities, 2) grudges, and 3) hook-ups, break-ups, and in-fighting that puts cable to shame.

Prior to the Halloween dance, Sophie figures her worst problems involve adolescent theatrics, bitchy yoga girls, and being on probation at her boarding school for mouthy behaviour. Then she meets bad boy Kai and gets the kiss that rocks her world.

Literally.

This breath stealing lip lock reawakens Sophie’s true identity: Persephone, Goddess of Spring. She’s key to saving humanity in the war between the Underworld and Olympus, target numero uno of Hades and Zeus, and totally screwed.

Plus there’s also the little issue that Sophie’s last memory as Persephone was just before someone tried to murder her.

Big picture: master her powers, get her memories back, defeat Persephone’s would be assassin, and save the world. Also, sneak into the Underworld to retrieve stolen property, battle the minions of Hades and Zeus, outwit psycho nymphs, slay a dragon, rescue a classmate, keep from getting her butt expelled from the one place designed to keep her safe …

… and stop kissing Kai, Prince of the Underworld.

My Ex From Hell is a romantic comedy/Greek mythology smackdown. Romeo and Juliet had it easy.

My Review:

In the past year I’ve read a few retellings of the Persephone myth but I think My Ex From Hell would have to be my favourite.

Snarky, sneaky and oh-so sarcastic Sophie Bloom has enough drama trying to keep herself out of trouble without adding a gorgeous greek god ex without adding a past life and magical powers in to the picture. But when a prank on a mean girl goes wrong, Sophie finds herself thrown into a world she’d never believed existed.

I love Tellulah Darling’s style. She manages to write characters that I’m interested in, fabulously snarly dialogue, a plot that intrigues with many twist and turns and throws in hundreds of pop-culture references at the same time.

“Our story starts back on Mt. Olympus sixteen years ago,” he began.
“Nice try,” Hannah interrupted. “I may only know Mythology 101 but those gods predated New Kids On The Block.”

Greek Gods, magical powers and a NKOTB reference? Seriously.. I’m in love.

Sophie is one of those character that I think you’ll either hate her and her egocentric teen attitude or you’ll love her cantankerous nature. I thought she was a good character to have leading the drama and action in this book. She’s not fearless nor is she super self-sacrificing like many heroines I read about. But she’s got an element of real to her that I found endearing and enjoyable to read.

The supporting characters are an interesting bunch. Interesting in terms of I’m not quite sure what to think. Ky – the Ex that the title refers to – is a bit of a cad and his motives are murky from the start. BFFs Theo and Hannah, the chocolate to Sophie’s peanut butter, are the kind of sidekicks that every teen goddess wishes she could have. Loyal, intelligent and desperate to help Sophie’s cause – these are two that I really enjoyed reading about. And what novel set at a boarding school would be complete without the Queen B who is just as dangerous as any lord of the Underworld. I would have loved to have seen more of the mythological gods but considering the length of this book – there’s a lot going on and any more characters would probably be a little too much.

This is just the start of Sophie Bloom’s journey into goddess-hood and there is still so many unanswered questions and mysteries. I’m hooked on Tallulah’s books and will definitely be reading the second book in the series, My Date From Hell, when it comes out next year.

Purchase the novel from:

Amazon