I’ve been making up magical worlds ever since childhood, when I populated the creekbanks and vacant lots in my hometown with ghosts, fae, Land of Oz residents, and other creatures from my imagination. Fantasy and forbidden love have always been my two main allures in reading, and different varieties of sexuality and gender identity also fascinated me once I became more aware of such issues in college, through books as well as my anthropology classes. I was recently pleased to learn there’s at least one cool label for me as well—demisexual—and nowadays I love populating my fantasy novels with queer characters. Everyone deserves adventures in the otherworld!
The story of Persephone and Hades is my favorite Greek myth—and a lot of other people’s, to judge from how many of us have written about it. Therefore I’ve read lots of the novels that retell it, but The Dark Wife stands out for being the only Sapphic version I’ve found! Here Hades is a goddess rather than a god, and rather than abducting Persephone, she shelters her in the Underworld, where Persephone can avoid the sexual predators among the gods above. (Of which there are a lot, in canonical myth; let’s be honest.) Though set in the deliciously spooky land of the dead, the romance between the two goddesses is sweet and comforting, and the writing is as lyrically pretty as a classical poem.
Three thousand years ago, a god told a lie. Now, only a goddess can tell the truth. Persephone has everything a daughter of Zeus could want--except for freedom. She lives on the green earth with her mother, Demeter, growing up beneath the ever-watchful eyes of the gods and goddesses on Mount Olympus. But when Persephone meets the enigmatic Hades, she experiences something new: choice. Zeus calls Hades "lord" of the dead as a joke. In truth, Hades is the goddess of the underworld, and no friend of Zeus. She offers Persephone sanctuary in her land of the dead, so the…
I’ve been obsessed with fantasy since my grandmother bought me the entire Dorothy and the Land of Oz series as a kid. I love discovering new types of fantasy characters, spins on characters, new lore in genres, and mythology woven in creative ways. For my fantasy group, I’ve researched many interpretations of fae, witches, elves, vampires, and shapeshifters. I’m always looking to add to my list, and I love finding Indie authors new to their niche. I feel so privileged to interview many authors like these and Jennifer L. Armentrout (squeal) for my podcast, The Finding the Magic Book Podcast. I hope you love these books as much as I did.
This book spins two genres I love together: mythology and urban fantasy. Characters must be likable, even lovable, for me to get into a book, and Korrina definitely is that!
I haven’t read many Siren books, but Korrina's story and plight drew me in. I became endeared to her and her band of friends quickly. I loved how the author hides secrets within layers of the story and twists of the plot. These discoveries kept me turning pages.
My voice kills. His touch silences my song. Together we'll either save the world...
Or destroy it.
I once believed sirens had mermaid tails, crustacean companions, and you know...weren’t real.
How wrong I was.
Turns out sirens have wings, a talking owl spirit guide, and are very, very real.
Not only that, they’re cursed with wings to soar the skies, searching for the lost goddess Persephone, because it was their fault she was kidnapped by Hades.
My family’s fault.
Centuries later, only a few sirens remain. And apparently I’m the one destined to break the curse to save them all.…
In The Worst Ship In the Fleet, Ramirez introduces an intriguing collection of characters including the washed-up, alcoholic war hero Brad Mendoza and the victimized and abused Jessica Lin. He brings aboard even more colorful characters as the series unfolds (keep an eye on Hayley Uvalde) and does a great job creating a rich and varied universe that kept me turning pages until I fell off the end of the series.
Warning: Book 1 is pretty short and Ramirez almost lost me at a cliff hanger ending mid-series, but I kept reading in spite of it. The series was just so compelling, I pushed on.
Brad Mendoza is an idiot. He knows it, and so does everyone else in the star nation of Prometheus. A promising naval career down the drain just because he accidentally killed 504 civilians. So, it's time for him to give up and accept a dead-end command on Persephone, the worst starship in the fleet. Until he meets the beautiful and cunning Jessica Lin, his new executive officer, who harbors a terrible secret of her own. Now, with an enemy warship four times their size bearing down on them, Brad's in a race to save Jessica and his stupid ship.
Set against a backdrop of apocalyptic climate change, Sharma’s book is part retelling of a Greek myth, part dystopian nightmare, fused together with an inventive narrative, interwoven with beautifully crafted writing.
I found that one of the book’s greatest strengths is its effective use of metaphor, leaving the reader to consider possible futures and endings, elements that I always enjoy when reading fiction centered around the fallibility and rigor of the human condition. I loved Pomegranates and its sublime storytelling.
Pomegranates is a dystopian tale, where climate change is an all-too-real backdrop to the events of the novella. Persephone is in the Underworld, relating her family’s history to a human who’s found his way there. As events unfold, and we see the horror her anger has unleashed on the world, we’re drawn deeper and deeper into the heart of this amazing story. The author has drawn a vivid picture of the world’s decay set against the backdrop of the repercussions of a dysfunctional family. And what a family it is―the gods themselves, bringing destruction on us all.
I especially love reading fantasy stories and stories based on actual historical events. I've been an avid reader since I was a little girl; while my siblings were playing outside or inside with toys I was the one sat curled up in the corner reading. I've also worked hard and gained qualifications in creative writing. I've also had a passion for writing and have written my own fantasy novels; being an author is simply amazing because you can create characters that are unique and special as well as true to life, plus you get to create worlds that are entirely different to our own.
I loved this book because it is both captivating and well written with different worlds and forbidden romance. This story is based not only on enemies who become lovers but also has sizzling tension and an epic dark mystery element, all beautifully written and combined.
This book immediately pulled me into the author's world. The tension inside was just as unique as the storyline itself. There is nothing quite like reading a book that has you on the edge of your seat but melting your heart at the same time; definitely, a surprising and unique twist combining many elements.
Marry him. Kiss him. Kill him. But never love him.
The goblin prince killed my sister. For years, I've waited for justice, and I've finally found the perfect opportunity: Kier Kollastus, the prince himself, will agree to peace with his human enemies if a sacrifice is given. A human bride.
With my face veiled and my knives hidden, I offer myself as the prince’s sacrifice, wearing a liar’s smile as I wait to cut his throat when he sleeps.
But Kier is indestructible except for one night every year. And worse—he’s not the barbarian goblins are supposed to be. He's…
Since I was a child, my imagination would run rampant with ideas and fantasies I had no idea how to channel. Then, when I was fifteen, I joined my high school’s creative writing class, and suddenly, every fantasy I’d ever concocted in my head had somewhere to develop. Sweet romance books have always fulfilled me, and I love it when, from the first page, you can feel the sparks between the main characters. They have a wholesomeness that leaves me feeling refreshed and hopeful, and I love that, for a few hundred pages, I can dive into another world and experience love through someone else’s eyes.
Watching these two characters grow up, fall apart, and then find their way back to each other was touching. I loved seeing them ascend into adulthood and grapple with feelings beyond the childhood friendship they’d been comfortable in all their lives. I also liked that, even as things were falling apart in the past, readers could see them reconciling in the future.
I thought this book was the perfect example of how messy young love can be and how, in the heat of the moment, people make mistakes that can change everything.
Six summers to fall in love. One moment to fall apart. A weekend to get it right.
They say you can never go home again, and for Persephone Fraser that has felt too true for the last decade, ever since she made the biggest mistake of her life. Instead of glittering summers on the lakeshore of her childhood, she spends them in a stylish apartment in the city, going out with friends, and keeping everyone a safe distance from her heart.
As an author I emerged from a divergent path in life. Having navigated a hard childhood, new adulthood, and careers I didn’t love, I found my passion. I want to evoke deep emotions, drawing from the depths of my and others past experiences. Finding myself came with the realization that PTSD was something I didn't have to only suffer from. I wanted to advocate for PTSD. My dream is to continue The Hearts Redress series by taking others' pasts and weaving them into fiction. Giving them a voice they didn't have. Everyone deserves love, belonging, and redemption!
If you are looking for a bewitching romance that combines elements of mythology, forbidden love, and self-discovery I recommend A Touch of Darkness.
I fell in love with Scarlett St. Clair’s complex characters. One of the things I enjoyed most about this book is how it gently guides you through the effects of trauma in life. The other is how engaging the book was. I had a hard time putting it down to go to sleep.
From bestselling author Scarlett St. Clair comes a dark and enthralling reimagining of the Hades and Persephone Greek myth.
"Let me worship you," he said.
She remembered the words she had whispered to him in the back of the limo after La Rose. "You will worship me, and I won't even have to order you." His request felt sinful and devious, and she reveled in it.
She answered, "Yes."
Persephone is the Goddess of Spring in title only. Since she was a little girl, flowers have only shriveled at her touch. After moving to New Athens, she hoped to lead…
I’m going to date myself horribly here, but…I’m an old-school fan of the guy in the grey hat. Think Kerr Avon ofBlake’s 7.The guy you could never quite predict. Or Han Solo until about halfway throughThe Empire Strikes Back. Are they going to do the right thing? Are they going to follow their heart? And it’s so satisfying when they do! Of course, it’s equally satisfying when they go right ahead and sucker punch the bad guy, ‘cuz hey—only the good guys give warnings, right?
The King of the Underworld must be a bad guy, right? And those folks up on Olympus are the good guys? Yeah…maybe rethink that a bit. There’s more to this Hades than you’ll find in dusty old mythology. He cares for his realm and its denizens, and he’s looking for a queen to share his kingdom and be his equal partner.
Held in Demeter's overprotective grip, power burns deep and seductive in Persephone. She will do whatever it takes to win her freedom and the Olympian Duel of Yule.
When Hades, King of the Underworld, swaggers into the baking competition, Persephone's competitive spirit rises to meet his challenge. The two clash over more than cookies. Until a little chaos interrupts the competition. She shouldn't trust Hades, but a fiery death with Ares doesn't appeal. An escape to the Underworld leads to a passion that burns hotter than Tartarus.
Persephone is all too aware of Olympian rules. Loving Hades comes with a…
As a woman who comes from a culture that normalizes arranged/forced marriages, turning it into a more delicious fantasy in books rather than a bitter harsh reality has become an obsession of mine. Now, as I’ve written an entire series in the trope, I read and enjoy many by other awesome authors, too. I hope you enjoy the books on the list as much as I have.
It’s amazing to see a new author soar high like this. I loved the darkness of this book, the viciousness of the antihero, the taboo, and, of course, the high steam dosage. Promises and Pomegranates is a Hades and Persephone modern retelling turned into a sizzling forced marriage mafia romance worthy of your time.
My daughter loved this book because it
included all four main goddesses’ perspectives: Artemis, goddess of the hunt; Athena, goddess of wisdom, inventions, and war; Persephone, goddess of plants
and queen of the Underworld; and Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty.
It also
included 3 God Boys and one human boy: Ares, god of war; Hades, god of the
dead, jewels, and king of the Underworld; Heracles, who was turned into a god;
and Acteon, who is a mortal. These 8 special God Boys, Goddess Girls, and a mortal
go on an exciting expedition…
But you’ll have to read the book to find out much
more about these adventurers!
The first-ever standalone Super Special in the Goddess Girls series--let the games begin! Athena, Persephone, Aphrodite, and Artemis are so annoyed at being left out of the annual boys-only Olympic Games. Their solution? The Girl Games! But as the Goddess Girls work to turn their dream into a reality, they come up against plenty of chaos, competition, and even the cutest kitten ever. Told in the four girls' alternating points of view, this Super Special is packed with Olympic spirit!
