Dreamless by Josephine Angelini

Dreamless
(Starcrossed #2)
Josephine Angelini
Release Date: May 29, 2012

As the only Scion that can enter Hades at will, Helen descends to the Underworld in search of a way to overcome the Furies and end the cycle of revenge that has cursed the Scions. But she’s running out of time. Each descent weakens her both in mind and spirit. A mysterious stranger might be her only salvation, but the price may be her love for Lucas Delos.
As an unforgettable love triangle emerges, Josephine Angelini’s compelling saga becomes ever more intricate and spellbinding. The eagerly awaited sequel to the internationally bestselling Starcrossed, Dreamless delivers with a huge emotional impact that will leave readers satisfied—and longing for more.

Dreamless far surpasses the first in the series with more action, better character development, and fewer scenes taking place at the high school.

Angelini brings her terrific writing style and obvious love for mythology to this sequel. In this one, Helen continues working with the Delos clan to get used to her abilities and hone her skills. As always, the scenes with the whole family are some of my favorite. The different abilities and personalities of the clan get shown off even more in Dreamless, with characters like Jason, Claire, Matt getting more 'face time'. I loved Matt in this one, he even reminded me of the character of the same name from The Vampire Diaries since he is the only human surrounded by these mythological demi-gods, and yet he still makes himself important and useful. Zach, who we saw here and there in the first book, plays an interesting role in this one. We saw some foreshadowing toward the end of Starcrossed of what was to come in the sequel regarding Zach, and I must say that Angelini made me both hate and pity him here. Helen continues to be a bit ho-hum for me as the main character. There's just nothing about her that really stands out for me in a young adult genre flooded with generic heroines. Throughout the book, we see Helen in the Underworld as she tries to find a way to free the Scions from the Furies. These are the parts of the books where I think I like Helen the most.

Angelini makes a bold move in this book by introducing a new character - and a love triangle! A decision that could have turned out horribly, but actually made me love this book even more. Orion is mysterious, funny, charming, and dangerous. He has all of the personality features that Lucas was lacking for me in book one and he is a breath of fresh air. On the contrary, Lucas gains a little more intrigue in this one due to the development of a new ability which affects his personality a bit. Going into book three, I am excited to see where this love triangle is headed.

Hector! Who could forget Hector? I love him even more in Dreamless. His anguish over being separated from his family is clear, and since Helen is one of the few who can see him without being affected by the Furies, they get some cute scenes together. Hector is currently staying with Daphne, who remains mysterious and I am still highly suspicious of her motives, as well as the lie she keeps from Helen.

After reading Dreamless I am amped up for the next in this series, which I believe is a trilogy. This series is a gem and is possibly my favorite of all the series that have tackled mythology.

Recommended for lovers of mythology, love triangles, and books with an ensemble cast of characters.