Styxx Summary:Just when you thought doomsday was over...
Centuries ago Acheron saved the human race by imprisoning an ancient evil bent on absolute destruction. Now that evil has been unleashed and it is out for revenge.
As the twin to Acheron, Styxx hasn’t always been on his brother’s side. They’ve spent more centuries going at each other’s throats than protecting their backs. Now Styxx has a chance to prove his loyalty to his brother, but only if he’s willing to trade his life and future for Acheron’s.
The Atlantean goddess of Wrath and Misery, Bethany was born to right wrongs. But it was never a task she relished. Until now. She owes Acheron a debt that she vows to repay, no matter what it takes. He will join their fellow gods in hell and nothing is going to stop her.
But things are never what they seem, and Acheron is no longer the last of his line. Styxx and Acheron must put aside their past and learn to trust each other or more will suffer.
Yet it’s hard to risk your own life for someone who once tried to take yours, even when it's your own twin, and when loyalties are skewed and no one can be trusted, not even yourself, how do you find a way back from the darkness that wants to consume the entire world? One that wants to start by devouring your very soul
Styxx Review:
This book was amazing and absolutely heartbreaking! When I first read this novel, I couldn't stand Styxx, but after reading I felt like a horrible person. I had assumed so much of Styxx's personality because I had read Acheron. And I loathed Ryssa in this because it had completely changed how I saw Ryssa. I could no longer see a protector of Ash, but a whiny, spoiled, self absorbed girl. She was supposed to be 28, but she acted like a child, and I can't get over her personality from this book. While Ash can still cherish his relationship with her I can't stop hating her.
Now, that my rant is over I can safely say that I loved this book from start to finish. What could have been days of reading turned out to be only 8 hours. Once I started I could not put it down! For readers who didn't enjoy Acheron, you probably won't like Styxx as well. It has two parts. One is before Ash became a god, which does show a lot from Acheron only from his POV. The second part starts a few months before Night Embrace takes place and moves on until 2013. The first part is horrific and heartbreaking as Acheron's past was, and it honestly doesn't get much better in the second part. So be warned, it is a tear-jerker and you will get pissed off a lot throughout this book.
“You're right Acheron. I am a selfish bastard. I had to be, because no one else gave a single shit about me except me.” Styxx
The first part had the same intro as Acheron. His birth and the reason why he was named Styxx. From here, we are constantly bombarded with torture, humiliation, death, rape and perverted gods. Everything horrible that could have possibly happened, happened to Styxx. It was horrific, but don’t skip if you are reading this book. Unlike Ash, Styxx does have some very good moments. We get to meet the love of his life, Beth. She is the daughter of Egyptian God, Seth and is the balance to his chaos. For more information on her read the Rising Son, it gives a really good explanation on the past of this book. We also get to meet Galen who is almost like a surrogate father to Styxx. I fell in love with the two and was devastated at the end of this part. Unlike Ash, Styxx didn’t get his happily ever after. He lost everyone he loved was locked away on the Vanishing Isle for eleven thousand years.
By this point I was furious at everyone, especially Ash. In the second part, we see him taken away from the island by Camalus, pretending to be Ash and plotting to kill him (plot from Night Embrace). From here is locked up again, asks for freedom only to be locked away again. Eventually, he moves to the Sahara to find peace. As you can see, there is nothing good that has happened to him, and it doesn’t stop for a long time. I wonder how Ms. Kenyon wrote something like this, and where she would get the ideas from.
“Tell my father I was abducted by a lucius nymph and pulled to her lair." Styxx
"For the record, I resent being called a lucius nymph." Galen”
The two saving graces were Urian and Simi. Even though she hurt Styxx quite a lot, it was impossible not to love her. She was protecting Ash and when she made a mistake she apologized and helped Styxx celebrate his birthday! She lights up every book that she comes into and she is the reason that Bethany is awoken, so how can you not love her? Urian was the same surly self, but to Styxx he was a fan. Honestly, he had a tattoo of Styxx on his arm! Styxx and Urian’s relationship was humorous and helped me to get through the whole book.
“Akri won't let me eat any of them nasty gods. What's the world coming to when a demon gots to beg for tidbits...not eve a finger sandwich or a single knuckle. Tragic. Terribly tragic.” Simi
and
“Man, I'm messed up right now. My best friend is my father? The man I idolized as a kid... whose tattoo is on my arm... And he's younger than me. Yeah, I don't think I can handle this. Mindwipe me, somebody... please! Where's that dragon from Sanctuary? Simi, go get Max. I need him.” Urian
Styxx was a hero, he rarely took something for himself and gave instead. Even when he was being tortured, he would still protect others. He had an unbendable strength that Ms. Kenyon perfected, and his tortured past made his future so much better. Bethany was a strong, honorable goddess. They had a wonderful pairing, together they created a bond so strong that it last for eleven thousand years. There was no insta-love, and I love that Beth was blind in the beginning so that she fell in love with Styxx for his personality, not his looks. Also, I had an ah-ha moment when Styxx and Beth met in the fishing scene, reading Rising Son, you’ll understand.
I can’t help but dislike Ash. I know he was not justified in his actions, but I can understand why he would do something like that. I can never look at him the same, but I still like him. Ryssa is a completely ruined character. Apolloymi is a little bit in a worse situation than Ash. What she did is unforgivable, but I can still understand why, in her previous state of mind, she thought it was okay. This book really opened my eyes to the prejudice of their world. In Seize the Night, I got the eye opener of the Dark Hunters. This book once again covered that while including the other species as well.
The conclusion was a great show of retribution! I won’t talk about it for spoilers, but fans everywhere will be ecstatic at the turn of events for one of our least favourite gods. We also got to see the shifting balances between good and evil, and what is being awakened in Noir’s realm. The epilogue was adorable with a fairy tale happy ending that has been long overdue for Styxx. Finally, we got to see a time shift that is happening, and it directly affects Tory.
Overall, this book was a 5 star read! Ms. Kenyon seems to be writing in the right direction. I can only hope that she keeps writing at the same skill level. I would recommend this book to everyone in the Dark Hunter world, it is a must read.
“Life before toilet paper was not worth living.”
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