Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Children's, and Delacorte Press for the opportunity to read an advanced reader's copy of this book for an honest review.

“Her Dark Wings” by Melinda Salisbury was an unexpected story that I couldn’t put down. Described as a reimagining of the Persephone myth, I had a good idea plot-wise what I was getting into, but I was surprised by what the author threw at me throughout the book.

Corey is flawed but a likable and relatable character. When she is grieving the loss of her best friend, the author did a great job describing that intense storm of emotions. The teenage angst and drama were amped up throughout the book, making it seem like a dark soap opera at times but very fitting for the targeted audience.

When Corey goes to the Underworld, I was confused at times by what was going on and why certain well-known Greek mythology characters were acting so strangely. Looking back, I think it was possibly because the characters were rewritten as teens, so they didn’t seem as bold, serious, or even scary. I was really annoyed by Hades to be honest. Without spoiling anything, I was expecting him to be completely different and was frequently irritated by his interactions – or maybe lack of – with Corey.

Overall, this book was fast paced, explored deep feelings of betrayal, sadness and anger, and had a moral of what shocking things can happen if you let anger control you. Any teen or young adult who enjoys darker reads with a Greek mythology twist will enjoy this book!

Thank you Netgalley for an advance copy of this book, all opinions are my own.

This is the type of book I should have probably read the synopsis for before diving in, because I spent so much of the book wondering what the point of the story was, or what we would work up to. I thought maybe the MC would try to save her friend, or keep the world from going into ruin, or....I don't know. I finished the book and I am still not sure I know what the purpose was. But also, maybe there will be a sequel?

I like the Greek Mythology bits. I thought Hades would pop in and be a love interest, but he's just kind of there and serves no real purpose. We see more of the Furies, which are cool, but are also insane and definitely want to keep the MC for themselves.

The pacing of this book felt a little off. I feel like it dragged more often than not, and there is not a lot that actually happened. The main character fell into the Underworld, tried to find a way to live there, found out some things about herself, then BOOM final act. I guess I was expecting some higher stakes or more action, but this book kind of fell short for me.

Let us talk about the main conflict in this book too: the main character was cheated on, the boyfriend slept with her best friend. In a way, this book felt super young adult-ish because the main conflict was that betrayal and hatred, and nobody ever really moved past that. The girl even does eventually explain herself, but it is glossed over so quickly before the next act that it really lacked a punch. I feel no sympathy for her, and it was not enough of an apology to feel like anyone can move on.

Overall, I was pulled in by the premise of this story when I first requested it, but in the end I am left feeling like I wanted more. This was not a bad book by any means, it just wasn't right for me. I think the conflict being different could have added some more enjoyment for me, and I just wish there was more action overall. The Greek Mythology bits were interesting, and I liked the world building this author did. If you enjoy young adult fantasy with Greek Mythology in it, then this one is for you!

Content warnings: death, child death, infidelity, toxic relationship, confinement, emotional abuse, gaslighting, infidelity, violence, kidnapping

I think this book didn't work for me because I'm not a teenager which is totally valid because I think the audience it is intended for will really have fun with this book and connect with it so my criticisms and lack of enjoyment mean almost nothing. The characters behave like teenagers and I found the main character really frustrating in that regard but I think I would have really connected with her anger when I was a teenager. The world is a little confusing but I actually found the connections of this Island with Greek gods and mythology super interesting even if it isn't explained that much. I know this is a retelling of the Persephone myth and I definitely got a lot of those connections and actually enjoyed that it is about Persephone herself and not Hades and Persephone as a duo as if her story is only interesting when linked with him. Hades is there but the relationship between the two of them is not the point or focus and is really only in the earliest stages of becoming anything by the end. It was definitely a fast paced read, I just didn't ultimately love it and found it a little shallow for my boring old adult interests but I bet it will be great for actual teens as intended.

Her Dark Wings is a YA modern retelling of the Hades and Persephone myth. A myth which is quite popular right now and has been retold several times recently.
Corey was best friends with Bree since 4 years old until Bree stole Corey’s boyfriend Ali. Now publicly dumped by both her bestie and her boyfriend, Corey is filled with rage and the only thing that comforts her is working in her garden. At a local party near a lake she gets to kiss a new boy (hoping her ex sees her and gets jealous) and then mysteriously Bree dies a few minutes later.
Forsaking going to the funeral services, Corey instead goes to the outskirts of town and watches Bree being taken to the Underworld and confronted by Hades. Eventually Corey falls into the Underworld and is embraced by the three Furies who punish the dead. Corey must decide if her true home is with her family above or below in the Underworld where she now has the power to bring new life where there once was none.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House/Delacorte Press for the opportunity to read and review this book in exchange for my honest review. I’m giving this book 3 stars because while I enjoyed it, it was just Ok.
Corey was an ok main character but there was nothing special about her. Her relationship to the Furies was also just ok. There was no emotional depth to these interactions and no real sense of emotional attachment between any of the characters much less myself the reader to the characters. Almost no time was spent developing the relationship between Corey and Hades and in the end the resolution was pretty much fine but again nothing special. This book was ok as a quick read but ultimately not one I will rave about or highly suggest on social media. If you are looking for a time filler this would be it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced release copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this one! This version of Greek mythology takes a little YA twist. Instead of the usual Mount Olympus setting, this one takes place in the underworld. And maybe everyone that lives there is more interesting than you previously believed…
Hades is even kinda cute.
Fingers crossed for a sequel!

At its heart this is a retelling of the Persephone myth, but this story is so much better. I loved how the author took that basic story and turned it into a story of grief, anger, self discovery, empowerment and finally forgiveness. It was beautiful and certainly blurred the lines between reality and myth.

Corey was an interesting character. I didn’t really like her at the start of the story. I thought she was being very self centered, stubborn and very whiny. She was unable to move on from Bree’s betrayal. But as the story progresses she does show tremendous growth and depth. I really enjoyed watching her change into a strong young lady with tremendous power.

The Furies were my favorite characters. They were scary and powerful, and yet at times they were incredibly kind towards Corey. As the story unfolds, though, we discover just how manipulative they have been and we really begin to see their true nature which was horrifying. I did feel sorry for them at times, they have been given a terrible role in the Underworld, but they fill it well.

The original myth has Hades kidnapping Persephone and then manipulating her into staying in the Underworld. This story changes this part of the myth quite a bit. In fact, we barely see Hades in the whole story. But, it totally works for this tale. I liked this particular Hades. He actually cares for Corey and wants to do right by her. He is totally drawn to her because of her power, but I truly believed that he comes to respect her for who she is towards the end.

The writing was beautiful and very atmospheric. The Underworld felt truly haunting and not a place I would ever want to visit. The pacing was good, but did drag just a tiny bit in the middle. The juxtaposition of the Underworld with Corey’s life on the island was well done. The connection between Hades and Corey was also nicely done and believable. The ending was perfect.

This is the first Persephone retelling I’ve read. I understand that there are a lot of them out there that more closely follow the myth. If that is what you want, then choose one of them to read. If you want a different retelling that focuses on the grief and self awareness of a remarkable young lady, then this is the story you want to pick up.

I tend to really like mythology retellings and Her Dark Wings is not a standard retelling of Hades & Persephone, which is good. The writing and detail are very vivid and kept me reading. However, the pacing of the story was slow, and it felt like the story just ended. I had a hard time staying connected with our main character. Overall, it was an okay read.

YA reimagining of the Persephone story. The author captures the feelings of a teenage girl who has been betrayed by her closest friends. The time Corey spent in the Underworld was my favorite part of the tale. If you like Greek mythology and want a modern take on a very old story, you will love this book.

Corey is just a teenage high school student, with nothing "special" to offer, or so she thinks. Her best Friend is Bree, and her boyfriend Ali. That is until there is a betrayal that rocks Corey to the core. Corey is so hurt by the actions of Bree, that she finds herself wishing her dead during an annual festival. Her anger quickly turns to a combination of anger, grief, and guilt, as Bree is found dead at the end of the festival. As she works through her emotions, Bree finds herself noticing more "things" around the island they live, and sees Bree's spirit arrive in the afterworld. Without warning Corey finds herself in the land of Hades, and is face to face with the Dark God himself. Then Corey creates a relationship with the Furies, and struggles to work through her varying emotions regarding Bree.

Her Dark Wings is a reimagined story of Hades and Persephone, and although there are numerous retelling of the Greek myths, this one stuck out to me. I cannot pinpoint the reason I enjoyed this novel so much, but it still makes me think after finishing it. I enjoyed that the ending was different from other novels in the genre. The writing took me to another world, but left room for the readers imagination and interpretation. I appreciated that not every question is answered and that the reader can fill in some of the lingering gaps with their own interpretations.

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

Contemporary YA re-telling of Persephone and Hades with a bit too much fluff for me.

Despite the sultry cover, this is truly YA. It starts off dark and vengeful, which I loved, Salisbury's ability to craft an eerie atmosphere ripe with mystery immersed me despite the meh world building. I felt all of Corey's emotions: the hate and bitterness and hopelessness between her ex-bff's death and her trip to the underworld.

After the first half, the story slows and we're as stuck as Corey is, just trying to get back to life in the beginning. Of course Corey grows throughout and I loved her fight with the darker side of her powers, but those were sprinkled in bits of excitement. The rest was me PLEADING with Corey to do SOMETHING more than be preened and comforted.

I thought we'd get morally grey Hades, we didn't. We got a dude who is doing his job, keeping the underworld running, and seeing a bit of hope in Corey. That's really where their romance ends, and I think since this Hades/Persephone retelling came on the heels of some very dark and smutty retellings, it had an expectation to meet that it didn't and it wasn't good enough as an adorable love story to carve its own path from the others.

Overall it was a decent book and I think readers who prefer true YA (like teenage problems and we only got two on screen kisses) will enjoy this. I would definitely read more of Salisbury's books.

This was a story of Hades & Persephone. It did not disappoint! When I wasn’t actively reading the book, I was thinking about the characters. From the very beginning I was sucked in. Greek mythology mixed with the modern world, I absolutely loved it.

There are so many retellings of Persephone’s story, it’s hard to find one that is unique. But Her Dark Wings achieves that and so much more. We get a Persephone retelling where the whole basis isn’t about the Hades/Persephone romance, but rather the relationships Persephone has with others, particularly female friendships. Getting to experience a story based mainly on friendship and grief is such a nice change of pace, and Corey’s personal growth comes so far that it just really makes this story stand out. My only complaint, is I do wish we had a tiny bit more of the Hades/Corey interactions, but I also understand that that isn’t the main part of this story. I just want to have my cake and eat it too :D

Wonderful wonderful story though, must read if you’re a fan of Persephone retellings!

I was gifted this ARC in exchange for an honest review, these opinions are my own.
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“I always thought getting used to something automatically meant you'd accepted it, but that isn't true. Acceptance is a choice; you have to do the work to achieve it and make peace with the outcome, even if especially if it's not what you want."

Met with devastation after devastation Corey doesn't know how she can continue to live her life normally; But what she finds is that maybe this life isnt even the life meant for her, this earth, these people, this place. It all changed when she saw Him, that was when everything went to Hell.

I didnt know how this book would go at first... When I think of Hades and Persephone I always expect it to be about her being forcefully taken to the underworld and all of that jazz that usually is always surrounded by the myth. But this rendition had a surprising twist and I really like how Salisbury went about writing it!!

The characters were done tastefully and were easy to relate to and understand. Her main character Corey was VERY well written and I have several more highlighted quotes from her, like the one above, that had me just say "Wow. That was really deep" As far as Hades goes he's honestly not as present as I would've liked him to be, but again this is a storytelling of Persephone and how she came to be where she ended up.
There IS name drops and slight appearances from the other Gods of Olympus but through and through this is a story solely for her.

The plot was also well done and had much information to digest, and sort through, to understand the story as a whole. The annoying thing for me was that it was majorly centered around her friend Bree I cant say much more than that) but wished it would have branched off and not made that the root of everything that transcended. You also have to understand and know the myths/legends of Olympus and the gods to have a really in depth understanding; But even for me, someone who isnt that knowledgeable on them, it was easy to read through.

As far as everything else if you're looking for like a romance setting or even action you wont really find it here. Its hard to explain but this book was good even without having action and spice (even though that would have been nice)

Ok, I wanted so bad to love this. I’ve read a previous book by this author, Hold Back the Tide, and absolutely loved it. So when I saw this was by the same author and had such an amazing cover, I immediately wanted it. Unfortunately, I was super annoyed with the main character and couldn’t connect with her at all.

I do think others will love this story, sadly, it just wasn’t for me.

While I found the premise behind Her Dark Wings interesting, I didn’t connect with the characters or plot the way I had hoped, Others are likely to feel differently.

"Her Dark Wings" by Melinda Salisbury is a powerful and passionate reimagining of the Persephone myth that delves into themes of friendship, betrayal, and the darkness that can consume us.

The story follows Corey, whose life has always revolved around her best friend, Bree. Their friendship is unbreakable until a betrayal tears them apart. Corey is left heartbroken and angry, unable to reconcile her grief with her unresolved feelings of betrayal. However, when Bree suddenly dies, Corey's world is shattered even further.

Corey's encounter with the afterlife brings her face to face with Hades, the lord of the dead, and the Furies, terrifying yet fascinating creatures. As Corey delves deeper into the mysteries of the Underworld, she discovers that the legends she heard in her girlhood were real. Her journey leads her to confront her own rage and the darkness within her.

Melinda Salisbury weaves a compelling narrative, drawing readers into a world where mythology and reality intertwine. The exploration of grief, anger, and forgiveness adds depth to the characters, particularly Corey, who undergoes a profound transformation throughout the story.

The author's writing style is evocative and immersive, creating a vivid portrayal of the Underworld and its inhabitants. The themes of self-discovery and empowerment are central to the narrative, making Corey's journey one of both inner and outer exploration.

"Her Dark Wings" is a thought-provoking and emotionally charged retelling of a classic myth, offering a fresh perspective on the characters and their struggles. It will appeal to fans of mythology, fantasy, and stories of personal growth.

I could not put this book down! It was engaging, mentally beautiful, and a beautiful story of growth! I loved that there wasn’t a happily ever after for the girls because that does happen in life, but Corey found her own happiness! Love, love, love!!!

"Her Dark Wings" by Melinda Salisbury is a spellbinding dive into the realms of magic, darkness, and the complexities of the human spirit. Salisbury's prose is enchanting, weaving a web of mystery and intrigue that captures the reader's imagination from the very first page. The characters are brilliantly crafted, each with their own demons and desires, making them relatable and utterly compelling. As the story unfolds, it delves deep into themes of power, identity, and the blurred lines between good and evil, leaving readers questioning the very nature of morality. With its rich world-building and expertly plotted twists, "Her Dark Wings" is a thrilling read for anyone who craves a dark and immersive fantasy experience. Salisbury's storytelling prowess shines, creating a narrative that lingers long after the book is closed, making it a must-read for fantasy enthusiasts and newcomers alike.

I am a sucker for a Persephone and hades retelling.

There isn’t much romance, but more so a personal growth story. I’d love to see this become a duology or series though, I want to read more about Corey’s choice, more Hermes and more hades - more romance next!

If you’re expecting romance - this isn’t the vibe.
I went in blind, so I think it was fine for those who aren’t expecting romance.

Neat bits of darkness,

Thank you NetGalley for an arc