I always love a story of Hades and Persephone.

This one is slightly different than the others that I've read before as there's a little more of Hades' background involved but Persephone wasn't as much as a bada** that I prefer her to be. Yes she tries but Hades is always there to stop her from pushing too hard and protecting her where she should try.

Add a little heartbreak that he is not allowed to touch anyone. Ever since he became the King of the Underworld, his touch meant death to mortals. And excruciating pain to gods. But here comes Persephone, his mate, and the one person he is allowed to touch at last.

This book had a great plot with intriguing characters. I’ll definitely be looking out for more from this author.

Thank you Netgalley for giving me an opportunity to review this super interesting greek retelling!

Hades and persephone tale is my personal favourite and the book did justice to them. I like how the author has beautifully woven a retelling with fantasy elements. The chemistry between hades and persephone is great and felt genuine but felt a bit forced? But the ending of the book definitely makes us wait for the second book!
Eagerly awaiting for persephone 's journey

I love this view of Hades and Persephone. Escaping the rules and control of her mother, she's now with Hades in the underworld. They fight to be together, but there are bigger forces at work.

I do like a retelling and I think the book had everything to be good but I did feel it was a bit "more of the same" which is sad I really wanted to like it a lot more but some parts just seemed empty

I absolutely loved this retelling of the Hades and Persephone myth. The world-building was rich and intricate, weaving in layers of depth that kept me completely engrossed. The characters remained true to their traditional portrayals, yet the author infused them with fresh nuances that made them feel unique and compelling. I found myself racing through the pages, eager to uncover what twists awaited me. Now, I can't help but feel a buzz of excitement for what the next installment will bring!

This was all that I wanted in a Hades and Persephone retelling! Very well done. I loved it!! It gives me the same vibes as ACOTAR and the Games Gods Play!

I liked this story, but I feel like it could have been a bit better, because at times I found it to be lacking whether it was world building, character development or, at times, the dialogue (especially during the spicy scenes). I also would have liked the enemies to lovers part to be longer, and for Hades to be more mean, instead of being the nice guy from the beginning (almost).

Adding more worlds in order to introduce new races alongside the clasic, Greek mythology was a refreshing and pleasant idea, however, I would have liked to learn even more about them. The fact that the souls get to do stuff in the afterlife and even reunite with their loved ones without losing their memories was sweet, just like the special place for people who decided they didn't want to live anymore, where they can finally get the help they needed.

Personally, I enjoyed this book and while I already read quite a few retellings of their story, this one has enough unique elements to make it worth a try.

Goddess of Spring and Shadows is a Hades and Persephone retelling that did not follow the same premise of most retelling that I've read in this story it revolves more around the idea of everybody had magic and in my option had a darker aspect to the story as a whole. What I did love about this book is that Hades and Persephone never fails to make me swoon with their relationship! The dynamic between these two was everything but the conflict that happens in this book had my jaw dropped and I cant wait for the sequel. This book has everything, fighting, magic, a powerful love story. If you need a Hades and Persephone that has your jaw dropped at every other chapter this book is for you.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC. I typically love Hades/Persephone retellings, but there is a lack of character development (individual and relationships) and world-building. When reading, the characters were not engaging and not much storytelling. The characters were not particularly likable and the writing style felt more like it was talking at you like a nonfiction.

This just felt like rework of "A Touch of Darkness" by Scarlett St. Clair which was is not the best writing/storytelling either.

I love finding new stories about Hades and Persephone, they are two of my favorite Greek Gods and I tend to be a harsh critic of such books. So I was so happy when I read this one and absolutely feel in love with it. I felt like this author did such amazing justice to their story. She wrote it so beautifully and really made you feel apart of the story. The characters are provided with strength and definition , I love every single moment of the book and cant wait for more by this author

A Goddess of Spring and Shadows by Lena J. Castle is a unique, captivating, and fast-paced Hades and Persephone retelling for Fantasy-Romance readers everywhere.

It starts off with Persephone enacting her plan to escape her mother's control. With her powers suppressed, she must get past numerous obstacles. Finally, she escapes and flees to the Underworld. There, she attempts to hide, but is easily found by the God of the Underworld, Hades. He will only let her stay on one condition..

This was my first Hades and Persephone retelling and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It starts off fast paced, which I really enjoy in a book. I love that it started off entertaining and was still able to do all the world building necessary for it all to make sense. I don't know much about Hades and Persephone, and this story didn't make me feel like I was missing any details about them, or any of the other characters. I liked that it was easy to understand what was going on. The language is easy to understand, but also eloquently written.

One thing that I absolutely appreciated in this was that Persephone acted her age. It made the story more realistic. She was trapped in her house for twenty-some years, she's not going to be the most mature person, especially next to other gods and goddesses who are centuries older than her. I don't think she was annoying by any means, but I think she was realistic. I enjoy when the character can grow through out the book/books.

This was a wonderfully written fantasy-romance, and I am so thankful to have been able to read it.

I enjoyed a lot this new Hades and Persephone story. The pace is quite fast, the spice is great, Hades is a sweet guy, and Persephone is a strong character who grows a lot.
I can't wait to read the next book.

⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️

For me the plot was missing a lot of key details, I was thrown into the middle of story without much explanation so I was confused until about 30% of the way in.

I loved the idea and intention behind this book, Greek mythology has always been a huge interest in mine, for this I felt like I had read this book before however and so it didn’t make for a good reading experience.

The writing style was excellent, however I feel as though Hades could have more of a villain in the sense of his actions and words towards Persephone.

Unfortunately this book just wasn’t for me.

This just didn't seem to hold my attention like I thought it would.
When it starts off, it feels confusing, like I've missed half a book. And then, Persephone makes it sound like Basile is important to her plan, but as things happen, it doesn't seem that way at all... It felt pointless.
She runs to the Underworld for escape from her mother, Demeter, but immediately binds herself to Hades and wants to stay there.
While there is a slight bit of tension between Hades and Persephone, it is kind of short-lived as they become fated mates. Suddenly, they're all over each other. Perhaps this is why I found it hard to connect with them.
The writing felt a bit choppy and unclean at times. And the jump from scenes between chapters had me thinking I missed things. Sometimes, I was unclear where we were or what was happening. I was also unclear of a time period as the human realm was involved but seemed slightly modern? I'm not really even sure how it's supposed to matter other than it was said so. Plus, I was bugged about Hades running to the human realm to kill sinners to get away from his own problems....
As a villain, Demeter felt lacking in depth. However, maybe more could be elaborated later on?
Overall, this was not a bad read, but it wasn't for me.

This book was okay but I did struggle throughout. There was no depth or worldbuilding to the story and the characters fell a little flat. Although being quite fast paced there seemed to be a lot of unanswered questions.. its an easy read so others may enjoy.

I have always loved the story of Hades and Persephone, and that love drew me to reading this book.

Things I Liked:
-adding other worlds beyond Olympus (mortal, Faerie, even vampires are mentioned)
-the love between Hades and Persephone
-the fact that Demeter is an antagonist rather than a protagonist
-interesting world building and spin on the Hades/Persephone story

Things I Didn’t Love:
-some of the dialogue in the spice scenes was cringy
-the pacing of the story was confusing. I wasn’t ever really sure how long it had been (weeks, days, etc)
-enemies to lovers premise at the beginning which ended VERY quickly into the book. I think that could have been cut entirely or lengthened.

All in all it was an enjoyable read, but I’m unsure if I’ll read the next book.

Mega thank you to NetGalley and the author Lena J. Castle for providing me with an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this before publication on November 15, 2024.

First Impressions: Loved the cover and the idea of Persephone/Hades/Demeter retelling. Unfortunately, that's where the excitement ended.

Characters: 2/5 — Characters felt two-dimensional and flat. Castle does not delve enough into Persephone's past with Demeter (her mother) nor does she develop Persephone's feelings regarding her mother's abuse enough for the reader to feel like they understand her trauma (without it being spelled out for us). The same with Hades and his loneliness, not fleshed out enough to feel the triumph of finding his mate in Persephone. It felt like they were suddenly mates without any explanation or buildup.

Plot/storyline: 2/5 — Persephone escapes her mother by heading to the Underworld where her mother cannot reach her. The writing felt disjointed. She was escaping and then she was there and then there was Hades… you get the point. A lot of what was happening was told and not described. And then what I really wanted explained (see above in Characters) was never explained.

Storytelling: 2/5 — Average and serviceable. As you can tell, I wasn't wow-ed by Castle's writing or character development.

Spice/Smut: 4/5 — Descriptive sex scenes but not particularly scintillating.

Overall Review: Subpar to average read. I appreciate the opportunity to read this story courtesy of NetGalley, but I would not recommend this book nor would I buy it with my own money. The writing felt flat and was not a particularly inventive retelling of Persephone/Hades/Demeter dynamic and relationship. I do not plan to read the sequel.

A Goddess of Spring and Shadows will enchant you if you enjoy slow-burning romance in fantasy with mythological overtones. Following Althea, a hesitant goddess navigating rivalries, developing powers, and a dangerously endearing figure from the Underworld, Lena J. Castle reimagines it with a novel twist. I only wish there was a bit more world building. Overall I enjoyed reading this .

The story centers around Persephone, who grapples with the suffocating control of her mother, Demeter. Castle's portrayal of their relationship is both poignant and compelling, capturing the essence of a daughter's longing for independence in the face of an overprotective parent. The sense of isolation that permeates Persephone's existence is vividly depicted.
When Persephone makes the bold decision to escape to the Underworld, the stakes instantly rise. Here, Castle introduces Hades, the God of the Underworld, as a character who is both enigmatic and dangerous. His presence draws Persephone in an almost magnetic way, creating a tension that fuels the narrative. Castle excels at crafting a slow burn romance that is both thrilling and fraught with danger, exploring the nuances of attraction and the complexities of power dynamics between her characters.
Castle’s world-building is commendable, with rich descriptions that will transport you to both the enchanting realms of nature and the ominous depths of the Underworld. The stakes become personal as Persephone learns that her choices may have dire consequences not only for herself but for the world above as well. This adds a layer of urgency to her internal conflict, making the story not just a romantic escape but a gripping tale of consequence and responsibility.
Overall, this is a beautifully crafted tale that will appeal to lovers of mythological retellings and those seeking a story rich with emotional depth. Castle has created a remarkable narrative that explores the complexity of love and the struggles we face in defining our own identities.