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Raye Wagner
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Cursed by the Gods (Sphinx Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Raye Wagner (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 883 ratings
See all formats and editions
Hope has a deadly secret…

Hope has spent her entire life on the run, but no one is chasing her. In fact, no one even knows she exists. And she’ll have to keep it that way. It’s safer.

Even though mortals think the gods have disappeared, Olympus still rules. Demigods are elite hunters, who track and kill monsters. And shadow-demons from the Underworld prey on immortals, stealing their souls for Hades.

When tragedy destroys the only security she’s ever known, Hope’s life shatters. Is it the fulfillment of Apollo’s curse, or is she being hunted?

Forced to hide, alone this time, Hope pretends to be mortal. She’ll do whatever it takes to keep her secret safe— and her heart protected. But when Athan arrives, her world is turned upside down.

With gods, demigods, and demons closing in, how long can a monster stay hidden in plain sight?

Join Hope on her unforgettable journey to discover what it means to live and her daring fight to break Apollo’s curse. *Previously released as Curse of the Sphinx.*


The Sphinx series is filled with Greek gods, monsters, demigods, action and romance. It challenges the concepts of fate, true love, and what defines courage and heroes. This series is perfect for teens or young adults at heart.


***
"This book is AMAZING! I read it everywhere. It is the perfect mixture of young love, survival, and mythology."
- DELUXE, Amazon reviewer ★★★★★

"The story is addicting and emotionally engaging. I found that I was invested in the extremely well developed characters and and the complex plot. I could not put the book down."
- Hannah, The Not So Public Library ★★★★★

"I can't explain how much I loved this book! I've been really wanting more Greek mythology ever since my obsession with the Percy Jackson series and this did not disappoint!"
-Britt, Amazon Reviewer ★★★★★
Previous page
  1. Reading age
    12 - 18 years
  2. Print length
    276 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Grade level
    6 - 12
  5. Publication date
    August 9, 2015
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  9. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  10. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"A fresh and captivating take on Greek mythology!" -Ednah Walters, USA Today Bestselling Author of Runes "In CURSE OF THE SPHINX, an exciting tale of a monster trying to live as a normal girl, Wagner manages to blend high school, romance, and Greek mythology in a satisfying brew of a debut. Highly recommend! --A.G. Henley, Author of the bestselling Brilliant Darkness series "A fast-paced read with myth and reality seamlessly woven together to create a story that will appeal to fans of Percy Jackson. I can't wait to see what's next for Hope!" -Jen McConnel, Author of Daughter of Chaos >Curse of the Sphinx is YA fantasy with a dollop of mythology, some romantic fare and a young girl trying to make it on her own in a world that stands against her. Ms. Wagner gives us just enough information to mentally take us down several possible avenues, not sure which will be the correct one until the next book in the series. Wonderful writing, geared toward young adults, without too much overpowering angst. I was hooked by the possibilities that could be explored!
Dii @ Tome Tender Book Blog

About the Author

Raye Wagner writes young adult urban fantasy with a mythology twist. She's a big fan of both the Percy Jackson series (shocker) and the Twilight saga (gasp), and those two series *might* have led her to pursue her dream of writing teen fiction.

Raye's a big believer in realistic characters and draws on her background in healthcare to ensure that her strong protagonists are believably flawed and act rationally. She loves reading paranormal romance so there's bound to be some kissing in her books. That being said, Raye writes for all ages, so it's still a clean romance. ;) Raye also relies heavily on her martial arts training (3rd degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do) to pen realistic fight scenes with believable consequences.


Raye loves to hear from readers. You can connect with her via Facebook (Raye Wagner), Twitter (@rayewagner), Instagram (rayewagnerauthor), or her website: rayewagner.com

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B013PD4U5O
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ R. Wagner; 1st edition (August 9, 2015)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 9, 2015
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 2709 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 276 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 883 ratings

About the author

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Raye Wagner

Raye Wagner

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RAYE WAGNER is a romantic fantasy author who loves courageous heroes and strong heroines (be they dragons, demigods, fae, mages, or werewolves). She loves drama, tension and plot-twists, and is all about saving the world by defeating a tyrant or overthrowing a corrupt regime with a hard-earned HEA. Plus magic. And kissing.

IRL, Raye spends far too much time trying to be responsible--and getting distracted. If she could learn potions, find a magic wand, or get some help from a broody fae or talking familiar, that would be great. TYSM.

Looking for Raye? Try rayewagnercom--or FB, IG, TT, or other SM.

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
4.2 out of 5
883 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Keyanna
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent!
Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2016
Verified Purchase
Everyone cannot pull of a story like this one. The research, the creativity, and the meticulous writing is not easy. But Raye Wagner must be a Goddess herself because this book is absolutely fabulous. Curse of the Sphinx is mysterious, intriguing, engaging, and full of adventure. And to top it all of it has a hint of romance that gave my heart palpitations.

The mythology was well researched and impressive. Having the Gods and it's history known in the modern world added a new level of amazing to the plot than if it were to be set in the history it was written about. From the names and history to the way the characters spoke, everything was so believable. I felt myself being swept up in the story from beginning to end and trusting that it would take me on a ride and journey I would never forget.

Hope was an incredibly strong girl having to take on some much at a young age while also being burdened with a curse she did not ask for. I admired how she lived with the many struggles in her life and despite all of them still opened herself up to friendships and even love.

I loved Athan to absolute pieces. His confidence and obvious affection for Hope was so cute. I adored him. His story definitely kept me on my toes and left me wanting to know more. His chemistry with Hope was so great and I loved seeing their friendship develop because of his persistence and charm.

This book is a great start to what I think will be an epic series. The writing is excellent, the characters are endearing, and the story has the perfect balance of action and heart. I can't wait for the next book in the series!
5 people found this helpful
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TBalla04
4.0 out of 5 stars A fresh new take on a YA contemporary mythology story!!
Reviewed in the United States on March 31, 2016
Verified Purchase
"The gods don't fix problems. They make bigger ones. Every story, every myth, every legend ends tragically for a human. Gods have amazing powers, but they leave a path of destruction and never think about the consequences that others have to deal with."

Truer words have never been spoken. I loved the way this story started right with the Gods causing havoc. It jumped right into the thick of it, and then fell back into some back story. It grabbed my attention right away and kept me hanging on. I LOVE books with mythology intertwined in it! What I really enjoyed about this one was having some new mythological beings and players being stars of the show. I can't think of another book off the top of my head that included Sphinxes. So it was really neat to get their story here.

I instantly felt for Hope and her family, always on the run because of the curse. Hope's life was a lonely one, never having a chance to make friends or stay in one place long. I was sad for her loses as the story progressed but I did love the relationships she was able to gain because of them. I thought it was pretty darn cool that this story was told from Hope's POV, being that she is "the monster" of the story. It was an interesting route to take and I thought it was awesome. Especially considering there was nothing truly bad or evil about Hope, but that was the rep she got because of what she was, the Sphinx.

Not only were the Sphinxes something new, but the demigods littered throughout the story were also new to me, which I really liked! As much as I enjoy a Percy or Hercules story, it's nice to see some of the other Gods children taking the limelight and bringing some fresh stories to the mix. Athan, son of Hermes, was a great leading guy! While his intentions towards Hope seemed more "job" related at first, he always seemed like a genuinely nice guy, and I treasured the relationship he started forming with Hope, even though each of them were holding on to their secrets until pretty much the end. Mr. Stanely deserves an honorable mention, just because his kindness and daily riddles for Hope never failed to bring a smile to my face.

I also liked the fact that Curse of the Sphinx was set in a modern world, but it was slightly different, in the sense that the Gods were still very much relevant, and ruling. I thought it was neat to see all the human students learning about mythology and all the Gods, demi-gods and different creatures in school. If I would have been learning that in "History" during my school days, that might have been my favorite class! It was a fresh take on a similar theme that has been done before, and I appreciated that!

The ending shook me a little. I am so unsure of where this story will go from here! What I do know is that I need to get my hands on it asap! All in all this was a great start to a promising new series, and fans of YA mythology definitely need to give this one a try!
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BlueBug
5.0 out of 5 stars The one thing she doesn’t count on is finding friends and falling in love. These are the things that take her to ...
Reviewed in the United States on November 1, 2016
Verified Purchase
I found this story to be a unique take on Greek mythology and was completely enthralled from the very beginning. Though one would expect it to take place in some long ago past, it occurs in a modern setting involving contemporary situations. Hope and her mother are on the run from the forces of the Gods due to a curse placed on them though their lineage, beginning with her grandmother. But it doesn't stop there. In the first couple of chapters, we are introduced to the major players in the story, but it takes the entire novel to convey how their lives are intertwined. There's an air of anticipation that runs throughout.

I kept thinking, even when Hope was in hiding without adult supervision, knowing the dangers she is in just attending school, I kept thinking that she was going to be discovered any minute. But as I sat on the edge of my seat, we watch a girl grow into a young woman who spends most of her time doing the things she’s always been taught, following the rules she knows have kept her alive over the years. The one thing she doesn’t count on is finding friends and falling in love. These are the things that take her to a whole new level.

The characters’ relationships are a little muddled at first, especially if you have no knowledge of Greek mythology. But Ms Wagner continues to clear the fog as the story continues. And by the end, we are not only rooting for Hope but some of the other characters in the story also. There were moments that had me upset with the world of the gods and moments that had my heart breaking for several of the characters. This first book give us a good base for a jumping off point that will lead into the second. I want to know what happens next. I want to know if Hope will find any happiness in her immortal life or if she will always be cursed.
10 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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giseli pereira
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!
Reviewed in Canada on March 25, 2019
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I’ve read this book now twice, once for myself and I just finished reading it to my daughters who loved it as well.
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Astrid Rudloff
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book
Reviewed in Germany on December 20, 2016
Verified Purchase
I got a free copy of this book and review voluntarily.
I just loved it - the fast paced writing, the characters, that demigods and other mystical creatures live amongst mortals and have to hide. I could identify with the heroine who craves to find acceptance, a home, friends or love.
I can't wait to find out how this series will be continued.
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Alisha Bookseller
5.0 out of 5 stars ORIGINAL AND FREAKING AWESOME
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 7, 2015
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ANOTHER new favourite series. Why? HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO SAY THAT I FREAKING LOVE GREEK MYTHOLOGY!?
I LOVED the concept for this. Modern day world, Greek Gods in charge. It was so brilliantly done, and such an original concept, I loved every single page.
It was a world that I could get completely lost in, everything was vividly brought to life.
Original point number bajillion for this book.....the narrative is a Greek monster. Yes. How freaking awesome?! It was such an interesting way to do the book and I loved Hope!
I couldn't stop reading, the book was full of twists and turns and it keeps you glued to the page until a ridiculous time at night when you only meant to read the first chapter!
I need the next book like yesterday, I'm so excited for this series and to see where it goes next!
2 people found this helpful
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Amanda
4.0 out of 5 stars Loved this introduction into the world
Reviewed in Canada on October 29, 2016
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Loved this introduction into the world. I am a fan of mythology and look forward to the rest of the series.
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Debbie Kent
4.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Mythology Fiction
Reviewed in Australia on April 12, 2017
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I am not usually a Young Adult fan, but my daughter pushed me to read this book anyway...and Holy Hot Hades, Batman...it was amazing!
A coming of age type of novel packed full of action, romance, teen angst, heartache and... fantasy/mythology. I love how the author has a fresh take on the myth of the Sphinx and makes it her own.
I lived with Hope through all her battles, insecurities and dreams and whilst I didn't always agree with her motives, I was there beside her to feel what she did. Humanity is inherently flawed, and Hope shows us that that is ok if we are true to ourselves.
A great, intriguing read and I eagerly await tge next book!
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