I love a good Greek mythology tie in. The sisters are likeable characters and you genuinely feel for Henry. This novel explored the intricacies of family struggles and dynamics. There is mystery, magic, love and adventure. It was great!

I definitely saw the Farthing sisters as variations of Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy March. I was really annoyed with Evelyn throughout the book because her only excuse for almost ruining her sisters’ lives was, in summary, ‘but I love him’ (him being a ghost who can ultimately never have a life with her). Winnie, the narrator, spent 10x more talking about her sister’s than she did herself, and as a result I really didn’t know anything about her. I didn’t even know her name until at least halfway through the first chapter. The ending felt kind of rushed, but overall I enjoyed reading this book.

Persephone’s Curse was an intriguing story with touches of mythology, the paranormal, and family bonds. The Farthing girls, believed to be descendants of Persephone, have to navigate growing up “different” or in the “paranormal” world of sorts. Each vastly different, the girls work through their own issues and learn about their powers/gifts. There is also romance in the story with one of the girls falling for a ghost that haunts their home. This centers on finding him again after he gets “banished” by one of the girl's powers.
The author did a great job at setting the scene for the reader. One of the few negatives to the book though was that it was really slow and drawn out in some areas. The pace could have been a bit faster to really keep attention. All in all it was a beautiful story of sisterhood. I would recommend it.

I really enjoyed Persephone’s Curse! It’s a beautifully written story that weaves mythology into a modern setting in such a compelling way. While it’s not an action-packed or high-thrill kind of read, it still held my attention from start to finish. The pacing felt deliberate and atmospheric, which really worked for the story being told.

One of my favorite elements was the bond between the sisters—it added emotional depth and heart to the narrative. And I absolutely loved the subtle nod to Charmed! It was a fun, nostalgic moment that fit perfectly with the magical tone of the book.

Overall, this was a thoughtful and imaginative read, and I’d absolutely recommend it to anyone who enjoys myth-inspired stories with strong character dynamics and a touch of the mystical.

I tend to usually drift towards these types of books, mystery/paranormal/thriller. So I was excited to start this. But……there’s always a but, right? Well, but…. This book started out really slowly for me and I almost quit reading about halfway through. I kept with it though, and I’m sure glad I did. The second half of this book satisfied my need for cuteness mixed with paranormal. I truly loved this book and would definitely recommend it.

Thank you to Net Galley and Wednesday Books for the opportunity to read this book in advance, and to Katrina Leno for making my first ARC experience on Net Galley an enjoyable one!

It is fairly uncommon for me to be drawn into the world of a book as early as the third page and to devour it within two sittings. That just happened with Persephone’s Curse!
As descendants of Persephone, the Farthing sisters had the unique experience of growing up with a ghost named Henry. Something that may seem odd to some, but Henry was quite the opposite of frightening so they accepted him as a sort of brother and respected his wish that they wouldn’t question the circumstances of his death. I really enjoyed that the Farthing sisters’ interdependence played the central role in this book and the romantic interests were more of a sweet aside. As an only child, it was neat for me to witness the banter, love, and dynamics that exist between siblings as they grow up together. I love how each sister has a very distinct sense of self and they all admire each other for those qualities. Though their strong personalities lead to frequent clashes, forgiveness seems effortless for them!
I loved Winnie as the main character—she is witty, empathic, and brave. Her funny side comments often provided levity to stressful situations (this is one of my coping mechanisms as well!) Truly, every character that made an appearance was a delight for me. Especially Maybe!
The nod to Edith Hamilton’s Mythology brought a smile to my face because when I was a little girl, I found my grandfather’s copy and carried it around for a time. It was unlike anything I’d ever seen before and intrigued me. I still have it!
Overall, for me this book was both heartwarming and haunting (in a good way). I feel like all of the characters were well-developed and I will miss them now that the book is over. Hoping to see a continuation of this storyline pop up someday!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an arc of this book.
If you love book with strong sister bonds, I recommend this one. The writing was nice and the past was fast. It’s a YA coming of age story mixed with Greek mythology and ghosts. I really liked seeing how all the sisters, even if they’re different, were able to work together. Winnie let her emotions cloud her judgement and it did have pretty bad consequences for the sisters but in the end they were able to make it better. I would definitely read another book by this author.

At the core of this book is the relationship between the 4 sisters. It reminds me a lot of little women , if they could see ghost and visit the underworld. It’s a cozy read despite the edge of your seat mysteries in some part of the book. I thought Greek mythology would have a bigger part in this book but I was pleasantly surprised that it went in a different direction.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

PERSEPHONE'S CURSE by Katrina Leno (Dec 2)

Thank you Netgalley and Wednesday Books for the earc

The four Farthing sisters are descended from Persephone, at least that's what they've been told. This is what they've been told by their aunt. When one of the girls falls for a ghost, another banishes him. As they work to save Henry, they are plagued with more questions about their lineage, their abilities, etc.
PERSEPHONE'S CURSE is a YA fantasy book that weaves mythology, ghosts, romance, and a slight mysterious edge together. It's an interesting book to say the least...it did take a bit for me to really get as interested as I could. PERSEPHONE'S CURSE does start a tad bit slow, but that helps tell the story and gives a  plentiful amount of information so we as readers get the gist of what is happening, what would happen, and what had happened to these four sisters.  I found these chapters to be rather long, and I wasn't a big fan of that, but I've never been a fan a long chapters even in the best of books.
I did end up devouring this book, and before I knew it I was at the halfway point. That's partly because  I wanted to know what was going to happen, and I wanted to give this book the chance it deserves. But partly because I was loving the book. Literally, I finished this in under a day.
I thought the relationships between the sisters was great, even if betrayal and hatred happened between them (which was not a shock because of what was said in the description.)
Once the halfway points hits, this book is BAM, BAM, BAM...action, action, action---like everything seems to come at once. Honestly, I loved how it turn fast-paced.
I enjoyed PERSEPHONE'S CURSE. I thought it was intriguing, beautiful with the message, and well-written.

thanks to net galley for this early release copy!! the concept of this book sounded awesome, but i wasn’t a fan of the execution personally. it felt slightly repetitive and the story sort of dragged on. i wasn’t a huge fan of the main character either. i personally felt like if this was set in a more victorian or 1800s time period it could have worked a bit better. but i did over all enjoy the book, and the liked the ending. thanks again for the arc copy!

My Thoughts
This book surprised me in the best way. Katrina Leno blends mythology, sisterhood, and a touch of the supernatural into a compelling YA fantasy that feels both timeless and modern. Persephone’s Curse is fast-paced, emotionally grounded, and told entirely from the point of view of Winnie, the second-oldest of the four sisters. Her voice felt true to age, not overly mature, not too naive and that balance carried the whole narrative with ease.

Where Persephone’s Curse shines most is in its portrayal of family dynamics. Books that center around sisterhood can easily veer into cheesy or chaotic territory, but Leno hits a sweet spot. Each sister felt distinct, occupying her own stage of life, but none ever overshadowed the others. Their banter, support, and even the moments of quiet frustration all rang authentic. The familial relationships were the real heartbeat of the novel.

Leno’s writing is lyrical without being flowery, atmospheric without overindulging in detail. I usually struggle with first-person POV, but here it was used to great effect. Winnie's internal thoughts flowed naturally, and the dialogue was especially sharp, you could feel the emotion, the weight behind even the smallest conversations.

A huge strength of this book is its thoughtful portrayal of mental illness, specifically bipolar disorder. It isn’t a subplot or sensationalized, just present, complex, and handled with grace. The depiction felt personal, honest, and specific, especially in how intellectualization (a coping mechanism not often mentioned in YA) was woven into the character’s behavior. It was refreshing to see a narrative treat mental illness with this kind of respect.

That said, the book wasn’t without its flaws. One character was repeatedly described as “very cute” to the point of distraction. It felt like the story paused too often just to reinforce her adorableness. Also, while the mythological backdrop was intriguing, I did wish for more explanation, especially around certain elements like the gash in the sky. Some of the lore felt underexplored, though it’s possible this was a deliberate choice to keep the mystery alive.

Lastly, major points for subtlety: unlike many YA books today, Persephone’s Curse doesn’t rely on graphic scenes or overdramatized romance. The ghostly love story is quiet and poignant, never stealing the focus from the sisters’ bond or the mystery at hand.

Who Should Read It
- Fans of soft yet haunting YA fantasy
- Readers who love myth-inspired fiction with a modern voice
- Anyone looking for a story that centers female relationships over romance
- Those seeking accurate, nuanced mental health representation in fiction

Final Verdict
Persephone’s Curse is a delicate, eerie, and emotionally resonant novel about myth, mental health, and sisterhood. Katrina Leno’s writing draws you in gently, and even when the world feels uncertain, the characters are solid and real. This book lingers, like a half-remembered dream or a ghost with unfinished business.

Persephone’s Curse follows the four Farthing sisters as one of them falls in love with a ghost and one banishes him to the Underworld. Their family has always traced their lineage back to the Goddess of the Dead and its more important than ever for their belief to be true. Because a mistake was made and the sisters have to harness their legacy and save Henry, their world, and each other.

While I adored the premise of the book, it fell a little flat for me. It was a bit slow and drawn out and I wanted more action and intrigue. I definitely think this will be a huge winner for a lot of people. I just wanted something more. I did absolutely love the setting and thought the author did an amazing job of capturing New York City. It felt like I was walking through the streets with the sisters. The prose was really lovely too.

What I really enjoyed and what worked for me was the sisters relationship. It was so accurate to how real sisters behave with one another and I really loved how the author captured that. It felt very relatable. All of the sisters too were very well defined and had their own things going on. I really enjoyed all their personalities and how they contributed to the story. Really beautiful tale of sisterhood!

Overall, if you love stories about sisters with a dash of magic, I’d definitely recommend checking this one out.

Thank you to Wednesday Books and Netgalley for the arc!

🌿✨ 5 Stars for Persephone’s Curse by Katrina Leno ✨🌿

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced reader copy—this review is 100% my own, honest opinion.

As a longtime fan of Greek mythology—especially the stories of Persephone and Melinoë—I was immediately drawn to the premise of Persephone’s Curse. And wow, did it deliver. Katrina Leno has crafted a breathtakingly beautiful reimagining of the myth, blending sisterhood, spectral romance, and ancient magic into something wholly original.

While the story takes its time to build, I found myself savoring the vivid descriptions of New York City and the Farthing sisters’ brownstone. The atmosphere was rich and immersive, and the inclusion of ghosts (especially Henry!) added a layer of emotional depth I didn’t expect. I laughed, I cried, and I absolutely fell in love with this world.

I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a follow-up—because I need a book of Evelyn and Henry’s journey in the Otherworld. Highly, highly recommend this one to fans of myth, magic, and stories that linger long after the last page. 🖤👻🌸

PersephonesCurse #KatrinaLeno #GreekMythologyRetelling #NetGalleyReads #StMartinsPress #GhostlyReads #MythAndMagic #BookReview #ARCReview #SisterhoodAndSpirits #HighlyRecommended

I'm a big fan of Katrina Leno as she wrote multiple fantastic YA and middle grade novels, and of course I'm here for her new mythology book too. It turned out to be more of a contemporary story with some speculative elements than an actual fantasy novel, which is not uncommon for the author, but I had hoped for something else with a book called "Persephone's Curse". My main issue here was that all mythology was presented through telling and never through showing, and I just see lots of wasted potential there. There were short paragraphs at the beginning of every chapter about Persephone and her abilities, but little was mentioned in the actual story and then in a repetitive nature. (Still, I need to know if Katrina Leno is a fan of the "Hades" video games, because she used the specific family relation of Hades + Persephone and Zagreus and Melinoë as their only children.)

The premise of four sisters possibly descended from Persephone is intriguing, but the actual plot develops agonizingly slow. I understand that the idea was about introducing the sisters first and then letting them handle a certain supernatural situation, but the pacing was really off for me anyway. The portrayal of the sisters and the sister relationships was pretty good, though. Bernadette, Evelyn, Clara and Winnie all had very different personalities and everyone had their own thing going on. One sister drops out of college without giving a reason, one is working on a painting that came to her in a nightmare, one is seeing ghosts everywhere and one is in love with a certain ghost boy living (… well, not living) in the family home. The main plot eventually starts revolving around the ghost boy Henry and Evelyn, but that was only later in the book. And while there are some characters that I cared for, Henry is certainly not one of them for he was never actually explored as a character. I know nothing about him and it was hard for me to care. Winnie, the main character, stays also strangely flat, especially in comparison to her sisters. She serves as the narrator, but grasping her actual personality was difficult. There's a disconnect on multiple levels with this book for me, making any emotional impact impossible. I probably had all the wrong expectations, but it was still a bit of a disappointing read for me.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Wednesday Books for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

Persephone’s Curse was not at all what I was expecting!

Oh goodness, I thoroughly enjoyed that book. I loved getting to know the Farthing girls, and of course, getting to know Henry!

I love that we saw so many sides of Winnie, and yet she always stayed true to the core of who she was.

I hope Henry continues keeping the girls’ safe and warm, and they know he’s always looking out for them.

Unfortunately, this book was a miss for me. I had a hard time discerning what genre we were in- I thought it was YA, but it was laced with so much profanity, I wasn’t sure it might not be better suited for adults, but the content is very much YA with the primary characters spanning the ages of 14-20. For what felt like the first half of the book, I didn’t know the name of the main character, and the name of the book felt like a bit of a weak stretch- was it a curse or a gift? And why did only Aunt Bea know or care anything about it? Anastasia- the mother - was spacey for much of the book and only used their connection to Persephone as pet names for her children on occasion calling them godlings or demigods without any real conviction.

Aunt Bea was a running family joke (not unkind one); she often would repeat the family lore through the same stories over and over. Of the older generation of Farthing girls, Bea did believe the family had a connection to Persephone, but why did she live in Vermont if the family Farthing home was in NYC? How did Anastasia end up living there if she grew up in Vermont? Why were they in Vermont at all? And if the Farthing girls truly are descended from Persephone, how on earth is it that they are so clueless about their gifts and abilities? Why was the older generation so decidedly unhelpful leaving the younger generation of Farthings to bumble about for most of the story stumbling over and over into the next plot point? I had a hard time buying the setting so the plot fell flat for me.

Winnie finding she had the power to banish a ghost and then wanders around aimlessly in crypts and doing seances trying to call him back was meandering in a way that if not for the occasional witty banter between characters, I might not have finished. I could not get invested in the threat that was going to destroy the earth because it truly didn’t feel threatening. The stakes were nil, unfortunately. A tear in the sky that gave the Farthing girls the creeps but no one else could see or feel? Weird things materializing out of the tear that seemingly had no impact on the world at large but made the Farthing family tired and lethargic? Also, the love story between Winnie and Maybe felt like an afterthought. The love story between the ghost and the girl was - unusual.

I would like to thank St Martins Press and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for access to this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I could not put this book down. I’ve never read something so unique and haunting at the same time. Love this so much can’t recommend enough!

This is just one of the many I will be adding to my comfort retellings list. This is a classic Hades and Persephone tale with a modern voice. I will put it up there with one of my favorites Scarlett St Claire.

Katrina Leno has done it again—Persephone’s Curse is a hauntingly beautiful, spellbinding tale that lingers long after the final page. Rooted in myth yet utterly modern in voice, this novel reimagines the Persephone story with a lyrical, feminist twist that is both dark and empowering.

Leno’s writing is atmospheric and immersive, dripping with poetic melancholy and quiet rage. The world she crafts is one of duality—life and death, light and shadow, girl and goddess. Her protagonist is richly layered: vulnerable but strong, angry but tender, cursed yet courageous. Watching her navigate the liminal spaces between girlhood and godhood is both heartbreaking and exhilarating.

What sets Persephone’s Curse apart is how deeply it resonates with the experience of reclaiming power after trauma. The themes of transformation, agency, and reclamation are explored with nuance and emotional intelligence. Leno doesn’t shy away from the darkness—but she also never forgets to leave space for hope.

This is a novel for readers who love myth with teeth, who crave characters who bleed and bloom, and who believe in the quiet, relentless magic of survival. Persephone’s Curse is fierce, tender, and unforgettable.

Thank you so much for this free copy in exchange for an honest review!! I absolutely loved this book! WOW! What an amazing read. This is a love letter to sisters everywhere. Such a fabulous story