Review of Demigods and Monsters (Sphinx #2) by Raye Wagner

Demigods and Monsters (Curse of the Sphinx #2) by Raye Wagner

Reviewed by Char for Late Night Books and Reviews


Demigods and Monsters is the second installment in Curse of the Sphinx series by Raye Wagner. D&M is set just after the first book ends. As in Curse of the Sphinx, the epilogue and prologue were written from Athan’s point of view while the rest of the novel is seen through Hope’s eyes.

In the first book, Hope was beginning to get a taste of what life could be like if she didn’t have her curse. For the first time she was enjoying life, making friends and having fun. She didn’t want to give all that up but she fled with Priska when she overheard Athan and his father Hermes speaking about her.

Hope grew as a character in the first book and continues to transform into a stronger person in D&M. Although, she showed much more vulnerability in this book, she also demonstrated more initiative. She is desperate to break the curse Apollo placed on her family so she is driven to do whatever it takes to get answers. She learns that the answers she seeks could be found in one of the Conservatories, the sanctuary for Demigods who will kill her if they discover her secret.

I loved the character development. D&M introduced some new people that were good additions to the story line. I enjoyed meeting Xan, Dahlia, Thenia, Obelia and even Endy. It was also great to see Hope interacting with even more people.

Xan is mysterious, attractive, fit and has an appealing accent. In the beginning, he was abrasive, sometimes rude and short with Hope. He slowly changed into a good guy, who was acting as Hope’s mentor. She starts to care about him as a friend and there seems to be chemistry building between them.

Athan is missing from the first half of the book and that was disappointing. He was out searching for Hope and ends up discovering her accidentally. In D&M, he was less sure of himself and showed more depth of character. We see his playful side and he is still incredibly appealing. Finding Hope did not go as smoothly as he had planned because she had learned some disturbing information about him.

Demigods and Monster has a well-developed plot. The beginning was a little slow but the pace picked up and had some exciting action scenes. This book left us with even more questions and very few answers, which makes me wanting the third book. (Right now, please!)

Five Stars * * * * *