Destined, by Jessie Harrell

When Psyche receives a prophecy gone horribly wrong, she learns that even the most beautiful girl in Greece can have a hideous future. Her fate? Fall in love with the one creature even the gods fear. 

As she feels herself slipping closer into the arms of the prophecy, Psyche must choose between the terrifyingly tender touch she feels almost powerless to resist and the one constant she's come to expect out of life: you cannot escape what is destined.

Destined is a fresh and heartachingly romantic retelling of the Cupid & Psyche myth from debut novelist, Jessie Harrell. 

The competition for July's Pick-of-the-Month selection was fierce, but as soon as I read that Destined is a retelling of the Cupid & Psyche myth, I knew I'd found my book. Coincidentally, it was in another book (Coffeehouse Angel) that I first read about Cupid and Psyche's love story, so it was interesting to see how each author interpreted the myth. 

I think I most enjoyed Harrell's modernization of a very old story. While the characters and setting come from ancient times, the dialog remains fresh and current, making the story an easy read. I could almost envision Destined becoming a teen-drama series in the same vein as Vampire Diaries or Pretty Little Liars.  

Harrell did a good job, too, of creating memorable - if not always likable - characters. She portrays Aphrodite as a first-class witch and Psyche as a sort of spoiled brat you just want to shake and/or slap across the face a few times (from one writer to another, I mean that as a compliment). Strangely enough, it was Cupid for whom I felt the most sympathy. Despite his (numerous) faults, there were times I thought he was too good for wishy-washy Psyche.

The story makes me want to revisit Greek mythology and maybe even write a modern retelling of my own one day. Always a plus when a book gets the creative wheels turning! 

I give Destined 4 out of 5 stars, so support this indie author and download a Kindle copy for yourself today! 

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