Review--Rise of the Blood by Lucienne Diver

Weddings can be war.

Latter-Day Olympians, Book 3

Great. Tori Karacis’s face is on the front of yet another tabloid “news”paper, linked to Hollywood hottie Apollo Demas. It was ONE dinner, and she was pissed with him at the time. But that’s the least of her worries. Just before leaving for her cousin’s destination wedding in Delphi, she learns that her arch nemeses, Zeus and Poseidon, have escaped police custody.

Despite looking forward to seeing Detective Nick Armani in a tux, her bad pre-flight jitters are confirmed when Apollo, with his sexy new co-star on his arm, boards the same plane. A plane that a freak storm nearly tears out of the sky.

What awaits them atop Mount Parnassus is even more deadly. A prophecy, a kidnapping, and a bloodletting that stirs up the mother of all trouble—literally. Rhea is awakened, and she’s none too happy with her offspring for losing their usurped dominion over the Earth.

The Olympians have fallen. It’s time for the Titans to rise again. Which means it’ll be a bad day for anyone standing in their way.

Warning: Bloodbath or blissful union…either way, the stakes are high in this destination Delphi wedding high atop the peaks of Mount Parnassus. Passions will flare, Titans will rise, monsters will awake, blood will boil and some will spill.

Lucienne Diver's Rise of the Blood picks up a few months after Crazy in the Blood. Tori's uncle is home safe and sound, but thing are far from calm. The newshounds have been calling Tori constantly over a picture that was taken showing her and Apollo having dinner. Explaining that to Nick wasn't easy, but he understands in some sense. 

To add to the matters, Tori is informed that Poseidon and Zeus have escaped their prison and are gunning for her. And anyone she loves is fair games as well. Tori and Nick escape the chaos though when she must return home to Greece for her cousin Tina's wedding. But trouble follows them across the seas.

Not only is Apollo aboard the plane, but he comes with a gorgeous actress on his arm, his new costar in a movie that her uncle happens to be making. Just as the plane gets ready for its voyage, it's attacked by Zeus and his lightening and so begins Tori's adventure to Greece with a near death experience!

Landing in Greece doesn't prove to be any safe, for now, she's on the gods' home turf. And there's a new enemy rising, Rhea, the mother of the gods. And she's about to bring about a whole new kind of chaos onto Greece, in the world ending variety!

I can't believe how fast I blew through these books, granted it was only three, but still. This is just an incredible series and I can't believe I only just discovered it! It seriously is the prefect blend of Greek mythology and Urban Fantasy and I sooo cannot wait to read more!

Lucienne really pushes the challenges at Tori this time, sure they are gods gunning for her, but that's nothing compared to having her new boyfriend meet her crazy family. Plus there are still strifes that keep popping up between Tori and Nick. It tore at my heart, because I am really rooting for these two. But I can see Nick's point. Tori, despite her not liking Apollo that way, really does do a lot for the god and spends a lot of time with him helping him or he helping her with whatever problems the other one has. I keep hoping the two will pull through in the end, but only time will tell as the series moves on. But the happier moments that Nick and Tori share together are definitely endearing and romantic!

Of course, that doesn't make the moments she has with Apollo any less steamy or heart-racing! This is a god who won't give up and I can't decide if I like that or not. I keep thinking of poor Daphne and Cassandra, but it seems possible that Apollo might have changed since those times, because he doesn't really seem that way with Tori. True, he throws out sexual innuendos left and right and never lets her forget that he wants her, but he still knows when to back off, for awhile at least!

Rise of the Blood is even more action packed than its predecessors it seems. There are lots of fights between Tori and her enemies, both new and old. And then there was a huge epic battle at the end that was totally jaw-dropping at several points! There are definitely a few threads that are being put into place now that might weave us into new story points! It's hard to say more than that without getting into spoiler territory, but I can safely say that the ending here definitely is a game-changing plan for Tori. Nothing and no one will be the same by the next book and I soooo want to read that one now!

I've said it twice now in my previous reviews of this series, but I'll say it again: if you're looking for an action packed Urban Fantasy with the perfect blend of Greek mythology this is the read for you! Tori is without a doubt one of my most favorite heroines now! She has a wicked sense of humor and she's strong. Even when she gets knocked down and out and beaten bloody, this woman gets up and fights again! She's a character you just have to love and you pretty much love her right away! I look forward to reading more of her adventures and whatever mischief she gets herself into!


Overall Rating 5/5 stars

This read was read for the COYER Challenge