Book Review: A Touch of Darkness series

Cue the book hangover. I have been reading the A Touch of Darkness series by Scarlett St. Clair for the past few months and I just finished the last book that’s currently out, yesterday. The series is a Hades and Persephone retelling that is full of romance, spice, mythology.

There are 5 books out and the order they should be read are as follows:

1. A Touch of Darkness
2. A Game of Fate
3. A Touch of Ruin
4. A Game of Retribution
5. A Touch of Malice

The books that are “A touch of” are told from Persephone’s perspective and “A game of” are from Hades perspective.

I definitely should have done book reviews after each of these books instead of doing one for all of these books now, but lesson learned for future series that I begin! Although I should’ve learned this last year with A Court of Thorns and Roses or Throne of Glass, but I was less serious about being bookish last year. So I’ll just give a mini review of each of these books.

A Touch of Darkness – In this first book in the series, we meet Persephone, a college senior in a city called New Athens. She wants to be a journalist and begins an internship at a local newspaper. Everyone, including her best friend Lexa, thinks she’s just a normal college aged girl, but she’s actually a goddess. She is the daughter of Demeter, the Goddess of Harvest. She, herself, is the Goddess of Spring. However, her whole life (before college), she was kept in a glass house or greenhouse and never got to experience the world. She finally convinced her mother to let her out and live in the real world. While out with friends one night at a nightclub, she happens to go upstairs to where the owner of the nightclub makes deals. The owner is Hades. They end up making a deal after she loses at poker. Persephone has to create life in the Underworld or lose her freedom forever. The problem is Persephone has no idea how to use her powers since her mother never taught her. Over time, she learns that Hades is not anything like his reputation and she learns how powerful she truly is. Of course, they fall in love too! Great introduction to the series.

Quote: “I have waited lifetimes for you.” He said as if it was an oath he was swearing upon every star in the sky, every drop of water in the ocean, every soul in the universe. “I know it.”

A Game of Fate – This is A Touch of Darkness from Hades point of view. I loved reading his point of view and I think his books are even a bit spicier! It’s not just the same exact story from his perspective though. There is also a lot that goes on with him and the other gods that Persephone has no idea about so it creates a whole other layer to the series.

Quote: “Take her, and I will destroy this world. Take her, and I will destroy you. Take her, and i will end us all.”

A Touch of Ruin – The next book shows Hades and Persephone really in a relationship together and navigating life together. I don’t want to give spoilers, but things happen that cause friction and disagreements between the couple. I’ll just say things happen that Persephone thinks Hades has control over as the God of the Dead, but he cannot control fate or death. It really tests them and they learn a lot about each other and their love for one another. I loved the book and think the struggles they go through in this book only make them stronger.

Quote: “Are you saying you wouldn’t fight for me?” Hades sighed and brushed his finger along her cheek. “Darling, I would burn this world for you.”

A Game of Retribution – This novel just came out a few weeks ago (yes, the author wrote them a little out of order because she started the Hades saga later, but since I just started reading them this year I was able to read them in order!). This is Hades perspective of A Touch of Ruin and again loved it. I loved his perspective and there is a ton of things that happen when he is not with Persephone in A Touch of Ruin. There is so much going on with the other gods and Olympians with an uprising from a group of demi-gods who want to bring down the gods. Persephone really doesn’t know about any of this in A Touch of Ruin but it does catch up with her in the next book. We also meet even more characters in this book and I know that Scarlett St. Clair has mentioned before that she would like to write a series for Aphrodite and Hephaestus and I would totally read that based on all the tension between them in this book.

Quote: “I love you. Even if the Fates unraveled our destiny. I would find a way back to you.”

A Touch of Malice – Hades and Persephone are engaged in this novel, but things won’t be easy for them. They need Zeus’ blessing and remember that war that was brewing in the previous book? It doesn’t help that Demeter is furious at her daughter for being involved with Hades and is taking it out on the world by plunging them into severe winter weather in the middle of summer. The war between the demigods and gods/goddesses and Olympians really starts to take off and Hades and Persephone are caught right in the middle of it. This novel was so good, but it ends on a cliffhanger and I don’t know what to do until I can see what happens next!

Quote: “I am not sure who you think I am,” she said. “But let me be clear – I am Persephone, future Queen of the Underworld, Lady of Your Fate – may you come to dread my presence.”

Right now the next book, A Touch of Chaos, is slated to come out fall 2023. Hopefully her next Hades book, which would be his pov of A Touch of Malice will come out way before then so I can get my fix.

Anyway, as you can see, I love this series!

Read this if you like:

• Greek Mythology retellings
• Dark (but not too dark) romance
• spice