Ryder has finally decided to take her life into her own hands but things don’t always turn out as they seem. Ollie and Ari have made a pact that leaves Ryder alone until she chooses her soul mate. But she can’t pick until she ends the curse that looms over her every day. Although her new roommate at Demi God Academy is her exact opposite, Kara is able to teach Ryder to trust again and gives her a chance to have real high school experiences—as real as a half Goddess can be.
With her knights practically absent, Ryder learns to be independent. She sees things in her visions that change her perspective on the curse and herself. As Ollie continues his mission to find Athena, they discover that maybe she doesn’t want to be found.
As strange things start to happen at DGA, Ryder realizes it all comes back to her. She must protect her new friends in ways she never thought imaginable. Her new powers leave her strong and fast but as new threats start to surface, she may not be strong enough to protect them all.
In book two of The Curse Books, Ryder will discover what it really means to be Eurydice.
A college student in her small town in Connecticut, Taylor loves everything having to do with literature. She is an avid reader, a blogger, a writer- obviously, and a reviewer. Her favorite genres are fantasy, paranormal, young adult, and romance.
We are brought up being told tales of love and triumph. Hell, I should know, I’m in the damn books.
I was brought up being told that there is always a happily ever after and that I deserved one.
Well, what if there isn’t?
What if bad things really do happen to good people? I consider myself a good person.
Yes, I have a special skill set where at times,
I’ll admit too taking advantage of them.
But still, I’m good.
I never hurt someone until the day she came into my life, those thousands and thousands of years ago.
Her death was my fault. It’s always my fault. This curse is my fault.
He doesn’t waste one day rubbing that in my face.
I can’t help that I love her.
He can’t help that he loves her, too.
I wish I could die to end this constant torment. How easy would that be?
I’ve even asked Hades himself for a swift end.
But no.
Of course not.
That would be too damn easy.
I don’t deserve this.
Yet here I am, walking back into his trap. I can’t stay away from her.
Her very essence calls to me no matter how many miles I shove between us.
The problem?
Neither can he.
CHAPTER ONE
high school hell
I pull in a ragged breath hoping to regain my composure but it’s no use. My heart races and spots blur my visions making me stumble out of the bathroom. I collapse onto my bed and the chills take over, racking my body in long tremors of terror.
With numb hands, I reach towards my night stand for my cell phone needing my crutch. I send out a quick SOS text and hope that Junior is awake.
Shooting pain travels up my chest making my short breath even shorter. With the lack of oxygen I start fearing that I might pass out and the full on panic starts to take over.
“What’s wrong?” A worried voice rings out in the room seconds later. My vision is still spotty but I’d know that voice anywhere.
“I can’t—“ I start to say but I don’t have enough breath to even complete a god damned sentence. I’m frustrated with myself for letting the panic take over me again so I start banging my fists on the bed hating this empty person I’ve become.
“Shh. I’ve got you now, Ryder.” Junior soothes me, holding me tightly in his arms so I can’t break free. I try to fight him for a second but eventually melt into his arms loving the comfort he continuously brings me.
Whenever he comes to my rescue like this, it brings me back to my first panic attack about two years ago. I used to be this bubbly, outgoing typical popular girl in school but then one day, my life turned upside down.
My best friend Becca screwed me over. She spread nasty rumors about me to the entire school, turned all of our friends against me and left me to rot on the gym floor. If it weren’t for Junior finding me curled up in the fetal position, I would have stayed there paralyzed all day.
I’ll never forget the way he stood by me no matter what people said. He took the heat along with me and has been outcasted ever since. The only difference is that he genuinely doesn’t give a shitand moved on, making new friends who also have the same I-don’t-care attitude.
He could care less what Becca or Kevin, the school power couple, think. He could careless if they call him an emo kid for his colored mohawk or a band geek for playing the drums.
Whereas I let the torture sit inside of me and eat me from the inside out. Is it so bad to want to be included and have friends? I don’t think so but through the past few years, I’ve learned a lot—never trust anyone.
After I’m quiet and coming down from the panic attack, Junior lets me go. I rub my arms up and down, the chills still present in the background but no longer a contributor to my pain.
“I’m sorry.” I tell Junior hating how he has to come to my aid all of the time. I definitely feel like I hold him back but I have to be selfish—I need him to get through these.
“Don’t apologize. I don’t mind.” He says, grabbing my desk chair and sitting himself down on the comfortable swirler across from me. He knows the drill by now and if that attack shows anything, it’s that the night is going to be a long one.
“I hate that they’re starting up again.” I say, burrowing my head into my hands hoping that I can just crawl into a dark hole and never come out.
“It’s just because you’re nervous about tomorrow.” He says, “After that, I’m sure they’ll fade away again. You just have to know you’re okay. I’m here for you.” He says rolling over to me and making me look up at him.
“Okay.” I say not really convinced.
“I know when you’re bullshitting me.” Junior says when I roll my eyes in his direction. He tackles me onto the bed, pulling his hand up my side to tickle me. He starts the war and a few minutes later, I can barely breathe but for a different reason.
We end up watching reruns of the Walking Dead in each others arms but it’s exactly what I need the night before the start of my senior year. I fall asleep in the crook of his neck but my sleep is far from sweet. I’ve been having bizarre dreams night after night that leave me restless.
Sept 1
Something is wrong with me. Strange things are starting to happen.
I don’t understand it. I can’t tell anyone.
I can’t tell my dad. He doesn’t even know about the bullying at school.
He’ll make me see a therapist and I can’t go there.
Yesterday, I shut my laptop and the screen cracked in half.
It’s not like I slammed it.
I just pushed the top down and the corner shattered.
That night at dinner I put a plate on the table and it crumbled into pieces.
Dad thought I dropped it—I couldn’t tell him the truth.
What’s happening to me?
Reading Renee 