The speed of the plot was really hard to tell. The plot itself was a little boring and the plot seemed to be all over the place. The ideas were good but seemed to shot or too long. Things could have been described better. THe characters were good though. I really like the way the characters were described!

When I first read Abandon I wasn’t overly impressed by it. But the premise really intrigued me and I decided to give Underworld a shot. Thankfully, I enjoyed it a lot more than Abandon. Whereas Abandon felt like it was all over the place, Underworld was more focused. Easier to follow. There was a clear direction to this book which made the story significantly more interesting and gripping. One of the things that really sold this story for me, was the secondary characters. John’s crew, Peirce’s family and classmates. They were all fabulous. Partially because they all felt really authentic and partially because they were all really engaging. Even when they were being stubborn and frustrating - in particular Pierce’s cousin Alex - they were believable and interesting. In fact these secondary characters were often so interesting I wanted to know more about them, then I did the main characters - John and Pierce. They were fine characters on their own but together they kind of lost me. I just had a hard time buying them as a couple. They barely knew each other in Abandon, so I expected a certain level of getting to know one another in Underworld. And it was there to an extent, but not as much as I would have liked. Not enough to convince me that they were really and truly in love. They couldn’t even communicate very well. I’m really hoping for more relationship development in the third book. Like Abandon, Underworld is a fast pace, fun read. But Underworld takes the story one step further and makes it more engaging for the reader. It’s a series that just keeps getting better. Final recommendation: Relationship underdevelopment aside, YA readers who are fans of Greek mythology will enjoy this unique twist on the myth

After the exciting finish to Abandon, I couldn't wait to get my hands on Underworld and learn what would happen to Pierce next! Now that we understood Pierce and John's complex history together, the storyline could progress in chronological order this time around without so many flashbacks. Any confusion I had felt while reading the first novel faded away in Underworld, to my relief! Fans of Greek mythology will be definitely eager to continue reading Meg Cabot's re-imagining of the Persephone and Hades myth! Pierce is in the last place she ever wanted to find herself again: the Underworld. However, her desire to return to the land of the living with her family is warring against her love for John and wanting to be near his side, leaving her completely torn. In the meantime, the terrifying Furies haven't given up trying to torment and kill Pierce, and with her out of their reaches in the Underworld, they're going after the people she holds dear in her heart back in Isla Huesos. John is just as manipulative and overprotective of Pierce as ever before, desperate to keep her in the Underworld with him. He would do absolutely anything for her, but sometimes he's not afraid of withholding the truth too because a part of him still disbelieves Pierce could truly care about him. John's past was always such a great mystery in Abandon, but we get more answers in this book, learning the tragic truth of how he became a death deity so many years ago. New characters with ties to when John was still a normal human are also introduced in Underworld! They seemed to lighten the mood of the book with their very presence and I loved their loyalty to John, helping him sort departed souls to their final destinations. Whereas Abandon felt more more like an introduction to the trilogy, Underworld quickly launches into the storyline and entices readers from the very first page. Meg Cabot has once again delivered a dark, alluring tale brimming with danger and romance. I'm now desperately waiting for the final book in the trilogy, Awaken! You can also read this review at: http://midnightbloomreads.blogspot.ca/2012/06/underworld-by-meg-cabot.html

The beginning was a tad bit weak, and it had been a while since I read the first book. By a quarter through the book I couldn't put it down all night. Even though the descriptions of the characters are not stretched out, you get a good sense of them. I really like where this book is leading to. I only wish it was longer and more detailed... but such is young adult fiction. I recommend this series.

I am a big fan of Greek Mythology and when I first heard that Meg Cabot was writing a new series retelling the myth of Hades and Persephone, I was totally in! Yet, Abandon, the first book in the Abandon Trilogy, was a bit disappointing for my taste, and if I hadn't received a copy of Underworld (Abandon Trilogy #2) from the publisher, I wouldn't have read this book so soon. Yet, I did and I am glad of it. Underworld is definitely much better than its precedent. My problem with Abandon was that it didn't hooked me and I didn't get to love the characters as much as I would have like to. Fortunately, Underworld offers a more intriguing plot that kept me hooked for great part of a day and almost a whole night (I'm a slow reader). The romance is great part of the plot and I love that! Yet, John is not really the kind of male character I can easily fall for. He is a very complex character (probably due to his own nature) but I still can't see how can a girl fall for a guy like that. Pierce has her own issues and I can justify why she loves him so badly, yet I don't think is a very healthy relationship. Unfortunately, this is the one thing that still bothers me in Underworld. In the other hand, Pierce and her cousin develop a very strong connection in this installment and I really love to see this grow so much through the course of the book. I was really surprise to find myself liking this character (which I hated before) during this installment. Underworld definitely adds some great character development between these two. The plot this time is not full of flashbacks, which I'm glad of it since that was probably one of the things that didn't hook me when I read Abandon. This time the story is set in the present and thanks to this, I felt much more connected to the story. In addition, I really like the Furies factor that Meg Cabot added to the story. I think it is a great addition that raised the consistency of the plot. Moreover, Meg Cabot inserts a nice dose of humor in this installment that definitely made my smile (with teeth and everything) a good number of times! By the end of the book, finally some questions are answered, but at the same time, more questions pop-up (how unfair!) which makes me want to get Awaken, the final book of the trilogy, like... like now! Oh yes, I am definitely reading the final book of the trilogy! I am hooked! I certainly enjoyed Underworld much more than Abandon. The plot is definitely more enjoyable and intriguing. Yet, it didn't blow my mind but Underworld is definitely a good read. Fans of Meg Cabot and Greek Mythology will absolutely devour this book in an instant!

*Copy provided by publisher for review* Welcome to the Underworld Meg Cabot just oozes of awesome! I honestly didn't think it possible before after reading and enjoying Abandon, but Underworld, the second installment in her Abandon series, was so much more exciting, action packed, and thrilling! Drawing me in once more with it's gorgeous and serene-looking cover, Underworld continues off where readers were left off on Abandon. After suffering a near-death experience in Abandon, Pierce finds herself loosing not only her privileged life but also her family. After meeting John, her life changed for good. In Underworld, Pierce finds herself being held captive by John who claims it's for her own safety. In a fast-paced and thrilling sequel, Underworld is full of encounters with Furies, romance, revenge, and relentless suspense. Romance, Suspense, and Mythology Actually relentless suspense doesn't quite cut the way Underworld left me feeling when I reached it's very last page. Deprived of awesome? Maybe even desperation? I think that would fit perfectly the feelings that Underworld left me with. Absolutely loving Meg Cabot's writing once more, Underworld completely captivated me. Pierce's story in the highly anticipated sequel posed so much more of an intensity, something I didn't really quite expect. Pierce in Underworld, in comparison to Abandon, matured and grew from her already honest and mature persona. Not to mention that John, a character that once fascinated me so deeply, left me reeling for understanding. In fact, John by far is the one character I just couldn't grasp in this installment! Did I love him or did I hate him? Meg Cabot certainly had me switching my thoughts back and forth, but that was the beauty of it! Leaving me begging for more, Meg Cabot's second installment in her Abandon trilogy, Underworld, is the perfect read for lovers of mythology, the paranormal, romance, suspense, and incredible writing!

Ah….John Hayden. The hottest bad boy with some serious anger management issue. But here’s the thing…after reading this novel I’ve realized that John is changing. That Pierce is making him change. He has more of a grip on his anger issues now and he truly loves her because even though he knows he shouldn’t he does things for her when she asks even when he knows it will lead to something bad. Although the idea of being the Lord of the Underworld has still gone to his head a bit I am happy to see the change that John is undergoing. And Pierce…she seems to be undergoing some changes too becoming a little bit stronger. And this entire book is about a couple who is so complete in love that they misinterpret each other’s feelings and actions, walk around on egg shell with each other, and forgive each other for everything. Although this novel left me with some answers and a lot of questions I still love this series and I still have high hopes for it. Basically everything happen in the span of about a little over 24 hours which is what I thought was a little weird, that and the fact that there isn’t much action in the this novel compared to the previous one. Although, there is still a lot of action…and a lot of heat. But sometimes I find myself asking how is the author going to get out of this situation? And Underworld had me asking how Meg Cabot is going to write her way out of this corner. Not that I don’t think she can I just have no clue how she will do it. Will John and Pierce be together? Will Pierce stay with him in the underworld? Oh so many questions and only one more book to go until they are finally all answered. Dear me. What will I do? Good: Pierce: filled with sarcasm, bravery, and general love for John, her family, and friends. She makes you want to help out more in the community and give everyone the benefit of the doubt. John: Filled with concern for Pierce and gets angry when he doesn’t know how to talk and/or express himself he is constantly worried that he will do something, or reveal something he has done, to Pierce and make her hate him. Hope: the most understanding and expressional Dove you’ve ever met. I like her attitude. Henry, Frank and the Crew: Awesome. Capitan Bad: Not as much action as I thought there would be. I thought that there would more than her first one, although there are a lot of furies I expected something like an epic battle to happen and preparation for an epic battle I guess. That and I some times wondering if John is go for Pierce but then I realize they need each other and slowly they are both becoming better people. Overall (Writing style, story line, and general): Overall I still love Meg Cabot and her writing. She’s funny and her characters are generally innocent, and she knows what its like to be a girl. Like how a girl can conveniently lose some of her memory after making out with a guy. Yup…we’ve all done it. View more of my review and others at my blog: www.mynotsovacantshelf.blogspot.com

I really liked abandon the first book in this series so having Underworld come out I was really looking forward to it, just like with the first book I found the stroy really interesting and I liked that it picked up right where things left off it made things very fast paced and action pact. I still LOVE John's character and I think him and Pierce are a great match. Overall this was a great book very solid sequel and I look forward to the next and final book in the series. :0)

The Good Stuff The cover is beautiful (I'm a sucker for a jewel toned cover) Really enjoyed the secondary characters, especially John's crew and Kayla Hilarious dialogue at times (Unfortunately, not as much as in previous books) Story is very fast paced The premise of the story is a unique twist on the persphone tale Keeps me guessing on what is going on and the motivations behind everyone's actions -- can't wait till the final book in the trilogy Adored the scene where Pierce is discussing pregnancy in the Underworld with Mr. Smith -- it's hilarious, made me giggle on the bus Smokin chemistry between Pierce and John (Which probably explains why she puts up with his slightly stalkerish ways) The background info about Isla Huesos is fascinating and enjoy all the bits about mythology The Not So Good Stuff John is a tad too controlling for my comfort - I can understand his reasoning, but still kinda creepy Pierce is on the weak side - I expect stronger heroines from Meg Story jumps around a little which was a tad frustrating Honestly, I enjoyed Abandon more, but this was ok for a second book in a trilogy -- always a tough book to write I imagine Only a minor thing but I got a tad irritated with the constant mentions of the Hurricane of October 1846 and that Isla Huesos (Island of Bones) is over the Underworld -- we get it (I know picky picky and I am in a bit of a mood today - so take this with a grain of salt) Favorite Quotes/Passages "Sorry," Kayla said. But she didn't look sorry."Impulse control issues. Why do you think I'm in New Pathways for, anyway? Be happy I didn't hit you in the head with a fire extinguisher." "But I get it. People have always been desperate for stories that explain why bad things happen to good people, myths with happy endings to give them hope. They don't want to know that when we die, what lies beyond may not be all harps and halos." "This is certainly better than world history, which is where I'd be sitting if I were back in Isla Huesos right now." If school hadn't been canceled due to the giant hurricane bearing down on the island, anyway." Who Should/Shouldn't Read Would say only for those who have read the first book, you may be way too confused if you don't For fans of mythology (but start with the first book - trust me) 3.5 Dewey's I received this from Scholastic in exchange for an honest review