Queen of Night

Faeries of the Underworld #2

by Katherine Macdonald

A Hades and Persephone Retelling

The courts divided.

A heart broken.

A lover lost.

Reeling from the loss of Hades, Persephone grudgingly takes on the mantle of Queen of the Underworld, a role she struggles to fill. Obsessed with reopening the way to Tartarus and finding her mate, Persephone must balance her responsibilities as queen with following her heart… or risk the destruction of the entire human race.

For something is stirring in the Pit, and betrayal will come from unexpected places...

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Fae, Mythology, Retellings, Greek Mythology, Young Adult

376 pages, Paperback

Published July 21, 2021

About the author

Katherine "Kate" Macdonald writes the books she wishes she could have read more of as a teen—stories of fierce girls and gentle boys, of romance and adventure, and where the "three Cs" (chemistry, communication and consent) reign supreme. There may still be a little bit of miscommunication along the way as the characters grow as people, but she tries not to rely on that trope too much!

She loves books packed with witty banter, stories where you can feel the love growing between a pair, that include excellent, well-developed side-characters and a few subtly-foreshadowed twists and turns. She despises toxic relationships and tales that rely on old-fashioned notions of male and female stereotypes. She enjoys bending expectations and crafting worlds where sexism is a thing of the past. She considers herself an LGBTQIA+ friendly author, and her stories include a range of characters from within the community and absolutely no discrimination in sight.

She holds a BA in English and Creative Writing from Lancaster University, and a PGCE in teaching English and Drama from the University of Exeter. She's been a writer since she was old enough to hold a crayon, but it was only after surviving a year of parenthood and a full-time job on less than six hours of sleep a night that she finally gained the courage to publish her debut novel, "The Rose and the Thorn." It's a retelling of Beauty and the Beast inspired by a dream of a girl surrounded by snow in a field of flowers.

At her heart, Macdonald is storyteller, and it is her dream to inspire others in the way that she has been inspired.

She lives in Devon with her manic child and well-behaved cats.

Reviews

[M.E. Aster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Queen of Night is one of those rare sequels that blows the original out of the water!

I loved everything about this story! The pacing, the romance, the plot, the characters! All of it was stellar and I honestly can’t find a single thing to harp on!

I loved the reintroduction of Sephy’s dad and Libby. I thought they brought an added element to the story that I was missing in the first book. With Hades temporarily out of the picture, I enjoyed getting to know everyone else who was working so hard to save him.

I can’t say too much since I don’t want to spoil things but I loved how everything was tied up and the ending left me feeling all warm and fuzzy!

Macdonald does a fantastic job crafting a unique tale with traditional fae and Greek elements. This book is definitely one of my favorites and I can’t wait to read more by this author.

*I was given an ARC from Booksprout and this is my honest, voluntary review.*

[Judy Ferrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Into the Pit.

Persephone is determined to save her Hades from TarTarus. Katherine MacDonald has taken the story of Persephone and Hades and made it a glorious romantic adventure. Every girl who reads it will secretly wish to find a love like this, even me!

[Hayley Chow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short review for a great sequel to finish this duology! I loved the raised stakes and the growth of the Persephone's character as the strands of her life come together. I also really loved the peeks we got into Hades' perspective, and the happily ever after was a perfect end to their sweet romance. The only thing that kind of surprised me was that Persephone and Hades are apart for around 60% of the book and I totally missed their fun banter from book one. On the whole this book was more serious and heavier than book one. It starts off a littler slower than the first, but makes up for it with an intense, action-filled second half. If you enjoyed the first book, I absolutely think you will love this one! Highly recommend this duology and can't wait to read more by Katherine Macdonald.

[L.V. Russell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perfect sequel
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 11 August 2021
Ahhh! I absolutely loved Thief of Spring and wondered if Katherine Macdonald could top it... And oh my does she ever!

Sephy is so much stronger in this book, fierce and powerful butnwith a very human vulnerability that Macdonald always writes so well.

And Hades... Could I love him more... Unlikely. I just... Well I could fangirl a lot over him.

It's heartbreaking and romantic and wonderful! An absolute perfect sequel!

[Paula lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG who is crying? I am crying.

Why am I crying? Because I received an email with the Arc for this book.



I am so happy, I want to scream, y'all.

Ma'am I will read the book next week and review. Ah, cannot wait.



Okay this time I decided I'll add comments as I go.

So the beginning oh my boy Luliver, I want to hug him so bad and protect him.



Persephone: I'll bite.
Hades: please do.

Bruh I laughed so hard.

My boi just learned that she has a boyfriend, oh my precious cinnamon roll.

If I was not Persephone, I would totally be Libby lol. She is my spirit animal or lets say spirit fictional character.

Y'all, they are united. I knew it was going to happen but still I'm crying.

Lol Hades saying he never had to snap his finger to do stuff around castle but he ddi it anyway because it looked cooler. Broooo

Hades, Lord of the Underworld, scared of girlfriend's dad. Hahahhahha

Okay I'm finished and have tears in my eyes. I just love a happy ending and not gonna lie I was worried that she will sacrifice herself.

In general I liked that we saw things from Hades' POV at the beggining of the book, it was just so cute.

Yeah and sorry for the late review, my life is hectic right now and I couldn't read it before.

[Michele Quirke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg it was so great to be back with Persephone and Hades in Queen of Night! This book perfectly wrapped up the duology and I'm super excited for the upcoming release of the same story from Hades' POV!

I especially loved the beginning of Queen of Night. The scenes from the POV of a young Hades as he gets to know adorable little Sephy were just so sweet and sad. I wanted to give him the biggest hug ever! I'm really impressed with how Macdonald started with their childhood, then recapped what we read in Thief of Spring. She gave just enough info to remind us what happened, but not too much to make it feel like we were rereading the same story. And then...and then we were caught up and I was so eager to see Hades rescued. The pacing did seem to slow down once we were back in Persephone's POV and she was adjusting to life as Queen of the Underworld as plans were being made to rescue Hades. I was so eager for the reunion that unfortunately, it made the pacing slow quite a bit in the middle. However, once Hades was saved I was once again able to enjoy everything I love about Macdonald's story telling. I was so happy they were back together, and the scenes where Hades needed comfort after his ordeal really made this book for me.

The ending was PERFECT! I don't want to give any spoilers, but that ending made it so worth while. It was happy and sweet and filled with hope. That brought the final rating up to 4.5 out of 5 stars.

I look forward to reading Heart of Hades once it releases!

[giuligatt · Rating 4 out of 5]

FUCCKKKK this was so good I can’t EVEN!!! The Medusa plot line brought tears to my eyes and I won’t apologize for it. And her getting with CHARON?!!! Stooooppp OBSESSED. This author was on her ZOOM writing this shit. That word doc hated to see her coming my goodness. This was beautiful. HADES!!! My MANNNN!! Lowkey tho I wanted more of hades, like I understand the man was in the pitts of hell or whatever but still!! God forbid a woman wants to see her man. Anyhow, I fear a vulnerable crying man is my kryptonite. I just love seeing them in agony 😏. Obviously my heart broke for the fucker but also… everytime he put his head on Persephone lap I did giggle 🤷🏻‍♀️. Don’t get me started on the badass diva that was Persephone. She quite literally served the house down. Her emotions were so complex human coded compared to everyone else which just shows her mortality side and I eat it the fuck up!! I love a complex character god forbid. God fucking bless this didn’t exist during my Greek mythology phase cause… I don’t think I would’ve survived that. I’m already an annoying psycho as is, this would not have helped. Hades and Persephone 4ever 😛😛

[Stephanie Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

I immediately picked this book up after finishing Thief of Spring. I raced through the whole thing in one sitting! I absolutely loved all the characters and the fae world that the author has created.

I want more of Hades and Persephone, Libby, Artemis, Emetria, Phillip and Fluffy!

[Deyae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seeig as the first book, Thief of spring, ended in a cliffhanger, I was more than ready to dive into the sequel. I was impatiently waiting for it, and being able to read it had brightened my day immensely.
I won't go into too much detail so as to make this review as spoiler-free as possible, but I will say that it didn't disappoint me one bit!!
One thing I love very much about this series is how it keeps the original story intact while being a "modern" kind of retelling (does that make any sense?... I hope it does). I would love to read more from this quite talented author and would encourage everyone to at least try one of her books!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[K. Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such satisfying closure.

I just realized my review never posted on this. I ate this book up the minute it hit my kindle from the preorder. It’s super HEA, very satisfying for a fairytale duo. The author makes me love hate her stories (in a good way). You are so invested you’re MAD when the bad things happen! Then she turns around and gives you everything you wanted. Get both books in this duo and read them back to back! With chocolate ice cream, and a fuzzy blanket to catch your anger tears.

[Vita (Booksdramaqueen) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐
Queen of Night è il secondo ed ultimo volume della dilogia Faeries of the Underworld , e l'ho amato alla follia.
Questo libro è ricco di azione, non si ha mai un attimo di respiro, i personaggi hanno tutti una crescita meravigliosa e se ne aggiungono degli altri altrettanto stupendi. Persephone è stata una protagonista fortissima e ho amato tutte le fragilità che invece ha mostrato Hades.
L'epilogo è stato dolcissimo. L'unica pecca che non mi ha permesso di dare il voto pieno al libro è stata la mancanza di Hades in qualche capitolo (anche se l'autrice è riuscita a bilanciare bene la cosa grazie alla prima parte del libro).
Mi sono affezionata tantissimo a questa storia e non me l'aspettavo perché l'ho scovata per caso, non vedo l'ora di leggere i volumi dal punto di vista di Hades.

[R. Raeta · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was a fan of the first of this duology and had high hopes for the second. I am thrilled to say “Queen of Night” delivered.

A fantastic read that kept me on my toes and my heart on my sleeve. I was particularly thrilled to find the novel starting with a recap in Hades POV. And I appreciated the changes in Sephy—the exploration of power and how easy we can lose our humanity to it.

Overall, another wonderful read and one that I am happy to have on my bookshelf.

[Aimy · Rating 5 out of 5]

LULIVER, MY SWEET, PRECIOUS BABY DUCKLING, I WILL BUY YOU AN ENTIRE MOUNTAIN WORTH OF HARRY POTTER PJS, PLEASE DON’T CRY, I scream as they drag me to a white padded cell

[Cat Bowser · Rating 5 out of 5]

Received an ARC of this yesterday and finished it today. Would have finished it yesterday if not for other responsibilities because it grabbed hold of my attention and refused to release me.

I adore this book! Definitely on par with if not better than the last one. We get to see some awesome character development, explore more of this Fae world and some very complicated situations arise.

I love Persephone‘a personality. The way she approaches situations, the changing way that she thinks about circumstances, the way you see her confidence grew throughout the pages. This girl is Queen and while it takes her a bit to realize it, once she does, she owns it.

The side characters continue to entertain, either by challenging or supporting the MC. That’s exactly what I want in a story and I found myself cheering on most of them.

Hades continues to be a sweet boi that must be protected at all costs.

Let’s just say I’m thrilled Katherine has announced some bonus scenes!

[Chesney Infalt · Rating 5 out of 5]

EMOTIONS.

If you loved the first book, you will love this one. The sequel builds off of the first one well, adding to the stakes and dealing with all sorts of emotions instead of just glossing over them. The characters, the story, the mythology—I loved it all!

[Nicole Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can I have one?

It’s official, I want my very own Hades. I do not often swoon over men in the books I read as I seldom read romance, but this, THIS, gets all the swoons. I loved every page.

[Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is very VERY uncommon for the second book to be better than the first... but Macdonald delivered that. I can't stress enough how much I love Luliver. He's literally the most precious thing and must be protected at all costs. I love Persephone and Luliver's relationship, and there were many times where they actually really reminded me of my relationship. Especially when Luliver was sick and unwell. My boyfriend acts a lot like Sephy did. It's true that it was a "too good to be true" relationship, but hey, it was cute so I ain't complaining.

Again, I think it was extremely clever that Macdonald made a Fae and Greek god crossover. This book was full of all the action, all the feels, and I couldn't put it down. I would have liked to see more of their kids when they were younger, but I don't know, maybe that will be in Luliver's POV books. Guess I'll have to see.

"He held back a sob. Don’t cry. Don’t you dare cry.
He thought of Persephone in the room behind him, sleeping soundlessly, untroubled by anything."
My gosh. How'd this poor boy turn into such a sweetheart

"One night, after he’d finished decorating the halls with the remains of his enemies, he slouched back to the palace and lay against the throne. It still felt wrong to sit in it, the surface sharp and cold and glassy. No glamour he’d cast could dispel it.
“I am a monster,” he whispered to the dark.
And he knew, if he could say it, then it must be true."
Noooo Luliver🥺💕

"Guys that look like you and are that smooth do not walk about in rainstorms dressed like that professing love for children’s literature—”
Hades’ smoothed down the tight grey shirt and wondered what was wrong with it. He’d seen other young mortal men wear similar things. He touched his hair, wondering if he’d forgotten to take off his crown. “What’s wrong with the ensemble?”
“It’s… you’re…” Persephone blushed a shade of deep magenta. “Libby really didn’t send you? You genuinely love children’s literature?”
It must be exhausting to be mortal, and never sure whether or not someone was lying to you. “I do,” he said.
Persephone breathed, long and slow. “OK, all right. I’ll bite.”
"Please do, he said, and quickly squashed the thought down."
Love Luliver's thoughts😂😂😂😂

"So, what's her name?"
"Diana.”
“Diana? Cool. After the Roman version of Artemis?” Libby tries not to look too pleased that she’s remembered this.
“No,” says Artemis shortly. “After Wonder Woman.”
Libby stares at her, disbelieving, before remembering that faeries can’t lie. She bursts out laughing. “You’re serious?”
“We can’t be anything but,” she says, although her smile is wry.
Artemis is smiling.
“You, goddess of the hunt, named your daughter after a superhero?”
“I am not a goddess,” says Artemis sagely. “And yes.”
Is it weird that I immediately knew Artemis's daughter was named after Wonder Woman?

"I brush his hair from his face and kiss his brow, squeezing out whatever troubles might be lurking behind it. I'm too afraid of whispering and waking him, so I just think what I want him to hear instead.
You’re safe, Luliver. I have you. Everything’s all right now.
I drift off to sleep, curled around him. For a little while, my dreams are untroubled. No images disturb me. All is quiet.
In the middle of the night he bolts upright, scrambling out of the bed, his eyes wild.
“It’s all right, Luliver,” I whisper in the dark. “You’re safe."
I reach for him, but he moves away from me and dives into the bathroom, retching into the toilet. I bring the lights up, just a fraction, and follow him in, making up a glass of water and sitting beside him to stroke his back as he convulses. I murmur words, but I don’t think he hears me. His face is beaded with sweat, his skin clammy, and I'm trying to work out if it's just fear and stress or if there's something wrong with him.
I coil my fingers into his damp hair. “Are you all right?”
He shakes beneath me. “I’m vomiting into a toilet.”
“I mean… should I fetch Emetria?”
“No,” he says quietly. “I don’t want anyone but you.”
He vomits once more into the bowl, and I stroke his back until the trembling subsides. A few minutes tick by in silence.
“Do you think you’re done?”
“I’m not… I’m not sure.”
I hand him the glass of water. He drinks thirstily, swilling out his mouth, and I tug him away from the floor and into my lap. “We’ll stay here until you’re sure,” I say."
🥺❤

"There's a stark look of panic in his expression.
“I’ve never met anyone’s dad before. I mean, I’ve technically already met him but… mainly when I glamoured him. Oh, sweet spirits, does he hate me already?”
“He’ll love you.”
“Yes, fathers are known for loving the men that kidnap their daughters and take them to the Underworld, said no one ever.”
“He knows it’s not like that.”
“Does he, Sephy? Does he really?”
😂😂😂

"Something brushes against our legs. Used to the presence of Diana during our meetings by now, I ignore it. Hades flinches, peering under the table. He frowns at the room.
“There appears to be a small child under the table,” he says. “Would anyone like to lay claim to it or shall I assume that it is, in fact, a very attractive goblin?”
Artemis scowls at him. “She’s mine. Diana."
“You have a child?”
“Clearly.”
“And what unfortunate soul did you ensnare into breeding with you?”
“Bite me.”
“I’d rather not. I don’t know where you’ve been.”
Artemis hurls an apple in his direction, but he catches it deftly in his elegant fingers and slides under the table. At first, I think he's just shielding himself from another attack, but he doesn't come back up.
"Hades? Are you all right down there?”
“Quite fine.” He leans against my legs. “Lovely view…”
Dad coughs uncomfortably, and I bite my lip, squishing Hades’ head between my legs and trying not to blush or laugh. Artemis groans, but she says nothing. Neither does she check on what Hades could be doing under the table with her daughter. She trusts him in some ways, at least."
I love Hades so much😂

"At the top of the dais sit two thrones, carved of wood and branch, so close together that the armrests join. They look moulded from the one piece, almost identical save the engravings. One is etched with blooms and buds, the other bones and feathers.
“Oh,” says Hades, smirking, “I wonder which one’s mine?”
When we take our seats, my flowers bloom, and the feathers of his shine ink-black."
😂😂😂

"Oh God, Peony. She’s dead. She’s really dead. I try to think of the last time we spoke, what I said to her, but we’ve uttered precious few words since returning from Tartarus.
Except when she asked me if I ever thought Zera was right. When she asked me what I thought of humanity, as if…
As if she wasn’t human.
Not me, not me.
I flashback to finding Peony in the cell, the blood splashed over her tabard, and wonder if that was her, either.
What did we bring back?"
Oh my gosh. I was not expecting that. So is this the betrayal? Still Peony but not?

"A woman bent over an empty cradle, weeping, rage waving off her. Kronos stands over her, his shadow dark and menacing.
“You killed our baby,” she seethes.
“I will kill them all,” he says. “Every child you ever beget, I shall consume, until the Oracle gives me another prophecy.”
She looks up at him. Rhea, black eyes burning."
I figured it was Rhea since her body was beside Peony😔

"They beat him and break him and ply him with drugs. They ask him to open the way. He refuses. He keeps refusing, no matter what they do, no matter what they hurt, or how long they deny him food or water, or how close he’s brought to the brink of nothing."
“I won’t break,” he spits, his eyes bloodied pits. “I won’t open the gate for you, not ever. Not while she’s safe.”
I scream his name when he speaks, wishing to rip through time and save him before. To stop him enduring this for me.
Rhea binds his wounds. “Who is she?” she asks. “This girl you’d do anything to protect?”
He tells her everything, and then, only then, this boy who swore he wouldn’t break does, and his sobs go on for hours.
The only thing he screams is my name."
Gosh WHY am I crying. Don't DO me like THAT.

"Hmmph,” Dad pouts. “I don’t get called sweet when you rescue me from spiders. I just get condescending remarks about, ‘who is the parent here?’ and once, ‘grow a vagina, Dad.’”
I grin. “He’s cuter than you are.”
“I get that,” he sighs. “I resent it, but I get it.”
I wander across the room, put my arms around his neck, and kiss his cheek. “You’re cute too, Daddy.”
“Aww, it’s been ages since I got a ‘daddy’.”
“Yeah, it’ll be a while before you get another one.”
“As long as I don’t get ‘granddad’ any time soon…”
My cheeks flush. Hades’ do too. He becomes suddenly very interested in the floor. “Dad!”
OH MY GOSH. That's my father.

“No, no, I’m serious, because we’ve got a lot more weapons in our arsenal now… worked on Buffy.”
“I think we should look at a few options other than tank,” Dad suggests.
“You’re just jealous because you don’t have one.”
“I could get you a tank,” says Hades. “Just putting it out there.”
“Hmm,” says my dad thoughtfully.
“What’s that?”
“Nothing. Go enjoy your sparring, children. Take care.”
“Umm, I’m actually thirty-two,” says Hades, “just… putting that out there. But that’s still age-appropriate to be dating your daughter. For a faerie. I get that it’s weirder when—”
“Hades?” I start.
"Yes, love?”
“Stop talking.”
“Yes, right. Good idea.” He links his arm into mine, and Libby guides us into the armoury."
😂😂😂

"That can’t be true. You’ve known me since I was in pink dungarees.”
“Badassery has many forms, darling.”
Libby declares the sport over, and starts collecting the weapons, dumping several of them in Hades’ arms as I release him. “Don’t forget the narwhal tusk,” she says.
Hades snorts. “Yeah, sure.”
“Why are you laughing?”
He stares at her intently, an eyebrow raised, as if he’s trying to work out if she’s messing with him. “Narwhals don’t exist.”
Libby stares back. “Yeah, they do.”
“Very funny. Don’t try to lie to me. I’m not fooled.”
I blink at him. “You genuinely don’t think narwhals exist?”
“They don’t.” His gaze wanders between the two of us. “Do they?”
We nod in unison.
“But… but… they have ‘nah’ in the name! Like… literal, ‘nah-whale’!”
“Were you dropped on the head as a baby?” Libby quips.
“I was held?”
I let out an awkward gasp and Libby stifles a giggle. “Luliver!”
“What?”
“That’s not funny!”
“Libby’s laughing.”
“This is awkward sympathy laughter,” she explains. “Dude, that’s rough.”
He shrugs, as if it means nothing."
I can't😂 Luliver is just too perfect

"Hades grins. “I like this girl.”
“Good,” I tell him. “You need more friends. We should invite Apollo.”
“Ugh, no, I hate him.”
“Why?”
“He’s always coming up to me and making silly jokes and—”
“Being friendly?”
"Is he being friendly? I always assumed he was trying to gain information and/or murder me.”
I blink at him incredulously. “We need to get you some more friends. Libby, round up Apollo.”

"She drifts off, leaving us both stunned. Hades is still crying into my neck.
“It’s all right,” I tell him, holding him close.
“You don’t know,” he weeps. “You don’t know how terrified I’ve been almost all of your life, knowing that I was going to have to watch you die, certain that I would outlive you. A few decades is nothing to us. You don’t know, you don’t know…” He holds onto me, tighter than before. “Thank you,” he breathes."

[Valeriya Lloyd · Rating 3 out of 5]

I figured out why I could not connect completely with the characters in this version of Hades and Persephone retelling. They both are very young and immature in this story. Well, I can't portray Hades as a teenage guy, sorry((( He is a dark and sexy character, certainly a seasoned Underworld God with a mysterious past. If Persephone was OK here, Hades was certainly a failure.

So, this duology is a very YA version of the famous myth. It deserves to be, but, unfortunately, not for me.

[A.N. Willis · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent finish to this story! I'm a big fan.

[Jada · Rating 4 out of 5]

The depth of the emotion in this second book had me reeling. Several times I had to put the book down and simply breath for a minute, remembering that I was only reading a story and not actually experiencing anything myself. It can be very difficult to convey emotion without it sounding false or overdone, but it was well done here. Along with emotional content, we can see how the characters adapt and evolve from their initial introduction and how their personalities continue to show. I appreciate Persephone's strength in spite of circumstances; in my opinion, her separate upbringing counts as more of an advantage, as there is no "norm" that she is predisposed to follow. Yes, there are expectations from others, but Persephone has the facility to make her up her own rules as she goes to some extent. Better still, she has the gumption to do it. From start to finish, it was very difficult for me to pull myself out of that world and back to reality. Without a doubt, I'll be sure to revisit this story.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved the first book and was excited to continue the journey with Sephy and lovely Hades, well it didn’t disappoint.
Part one is Hades’ back story and it pulls you right in, it also makes you want to really hurt some awful people.
You get to see him meet Persephone and feel his grief as she is made to forget him each time.
Part two begins the fight to get him back from Tartarus and it’s exciting, nerve - wracking stuff.
There were times when I wanted to crawl into the book and punch someone ( I’m looking at you Ares).
Part three is just nonstop action and is impossible to put down as they battle Zera the absolute epitome of an evil Queen.
This is why I finished it at 04:20 and spent the next afternoon half asleep.
Thank you Katherine for this wonderful experience, and folks, if you only read two books this year, make it these!
I only wish I could read them again for the first time…..

[Chaos · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved everything about this book! It was even better than the first book! Which is hard to imagine. But the first one was missing critical parts of the story, that this one gave us, Libbey and her dad!!! They were so amazing in this. And getting to know the rest of the underworld, emetria, and some of the others gods and goddesses was awesome. Seeing them in this particular light was different and added so much. Persephone, I really can't love her more! She is amazing! I love her strength and her determination. And the romance was EVERYTHING!!!!!!

[Kayla Wimer · Rating 3 out of 5]

The pacing for this book was Wacky. There were so many points where the main characters were just waiting around for something to happen that they would just react to, rather than them making active choices to resolve the ongoing major conflict. Three stars cause the cuteness of the ensemble cast interacting during the slow moments was enough to keep me going.

[Hannah Gorton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thrilling from start to finish, and the ending was so beautiful! Really enjoyed both books in this series!

[anne ✧.*]

dnf this but i also was in the biggest slump so idk

[Shoshanna Ford · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! This duology is excellent. The story is lovely and engaging. The characters are relatable and endearing. I highly recommend. This is a great sequel. You absolutely must read the first book before reading this. They belong together. 

The plot twists in this story are excellent. This duology is the first of Katherine Macdonald's work that I have read. I am eager to read the rest of her back cannon and follow for more awesome stories! This series is easy to read. 

I love mythology of all kinds, and I love stories of the fae. Put them together, and it's a romping good time! I recommend this duology to YA/NA readers. 

[SN · Rating 2 out of 5]

Love interest was not present in literally half the book. Love story also became weird and creepy and corny. I didn't like the pacing. It wasn't even that much of a problem in this book, but what is it with authors introducing so many new elements in the last book. We don't need them. Sometimes I was confused. Sometimes funny.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I subjected myself to a small amount of torturous suspense with this book. I’ve been anxiously waiting to receive an ARC email about this conclusion book to the duology. Well I received it about a week and a half ago and decided that I would make myself wait until my upcoming vacation to read it. Oh my goodness, it was hard to wait but so, so worth it!

THIS BOOK. The story here is book 2 of a duology so make sure you start with book 1, Thief of Spring.

Part 1 of this book is a beautiful telling from Lulliver’s point of view of the encounters Lulliver and Persephone had over the years of their childhood. Poor Lulliver - what a horrible upbringing he suffered through. Persephone was genuinely his tether to any kindness in the world. Part 1 brings us up to the end of the Thief of Spring book, all through Lulliver/Hades’s perspective. Very good backstory info that we got a few glimpses into in Thief of Spring, as well as some important information for the rest of this story. .

The beginning of Part 2 drops us back into the story from the point Thief of Spring ended. One of my favorite nuances of this story is that Persephone is not magically (no pun intended) all of a sudden able to do anything and everything well with her powers. She struggles. She’s bad at things. She’s not as strong as some of the others. I really enjoyed this realistic portrayal of her as a flawed person/fae. Stories where the lead (often female) comes into some power or magic and then all of the sudden is amazingly stronger, faster, and more skilled than others really bugs me. I love this about Macdonald’s approach to Persephone’s character. She is so real as are her emotions from missing Hades, trying to learn her new role, and planning to save Hades. My heart truly broke for her over and over. I must have been making so many different emotion faces while reading that I really hope no one on my beach vacation was looking too closely at me!

And now for the best part of the book: Hades. I will keep my gushing to a minimum here but let me tell you - he is a snuggle worthy character if there ever was one. I just wanted to scoop him up and hug him! Every time he hid under a table just made me swoon, tear up, and laugh all at the same time! And again with the realism in writing - some of the conversations between Persephone and Hades were so raw and real. They each saw the best in each other but overlooked it in themself. I found their relationship to be one for the ages - heartwarming, tender, exposed, and beautiful.

The plot moved along fairly nicely here, only dragging a bit for me at the start of part 2. But once we hit about 2/3 Of the way into part 2 the rest of the book was fast paced and action filled. I could not get through it fast enough!

I highly recommend this duology to those who love fair tales, fantasy, and romance. I see myself rereading these books in the future!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[amajesticread · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨ARC REVIEW✨

"But one look at her face, and the world was all right again, just for a moment."

It was AMAZING and an absolute JOY to read. You may recall this is a YA retelling of Hades and Persephone. Additional Greek mythology has been added and combined perfectly with the Fae.
After the giant cliffhanger ending of Thief of Spring, Queen of Night opens and takes a step back. Back into the past, to be precise, and we are given the history of Luliver and Sephy's relationship from his POV.
These first few chapters were so tough yet lovely to read. Luliver was truly alone until he met Persephone. She quickly became his happiness and escapism. It was great to see the true depth of his emotions for her and everything he did to protect her.
Persephone is dealing with loss and depression for a large amount of this book. I loved that she recognizes she is not okay and her hope of Lulliver's return is what keeps her going. She is undergoing changes both physically and emotionally. She throws herself into training and taking on her role as Queen. The development of her character was exceptional.
I was able to connect very well with the characters in this series. Their relationships are complex, entertaining, and very heart felt. The characters are diverse and good additions to the famous ones we already know from mythology. I was also very pleased with the inclusion of a few LGBTQ+ characters in a way that didn't feel forced into the plot in order to be politically correct.
I loved the romance, action, drama, political intrigue, and plot. There were betrayals and plot twists that I DID NOT expect. It was well paced and I caught myself staying up late to finish just one more chapter. It was EVERYTHING I was hoping for in the conclusion. If you haven't read Thief of Spring yet, what are you waiting for?! I highly recommend this series.

Queen of Night releases JULY 21st! Thank you to the author and @Booksprout for the opportunity to read this ARC. This review is left voluntarily.

✨Get it here: https://amzn.to/2V0sL5O

✨Thief of Spring: https://amzn.to/3AwCfGc

For more book reviews, reccomendations, and content follow me on IG @amajesticread

[Alixa · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Spoilers*
First of all, the Luliver's views getting described as a child that this book started with- surely helped me remember the significant yet subtle events in Part 1. I find the backstory of Luliver more interesting as I went on reading. I noted that part with my favorite word though, Petrichor. Such a romantic scene and the quote "I’d thread raindrops for you, he realised. I’d press this moment into a necklace for you, if I could."

In Part 2 I admit, finally got me from almost dropping this read. I thought Part 1 may be really cute and romantic but the details bored me. Might've been better for it not to take the whole 5 chapters. Part 3 of course, is the absolute most awaited part. I'm so glad that it gets better and more interesting as it goes.

The characters' names, however, which I failed to mention last time, are quirky. And I love it. That besides the Greek gods/ goddesses names used which already is an automatic plus point for me in reading. Btw, the Oracle here is certainly different from all the other oracles in other books I read. “Badassery has many forms, darling.” -A quote most beloved from this book that deserves praise. I'm borrowing that to describe this book too.

Better than the first book, this finally has a happy ending even if I felt various emotions altogether as I was reading. The first book's cliffhanger and the wait for this ARC, is absolutely worth it. This could be the next big thing! Seriously people, just read these books and you'll know too that this is worth fame too.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.