New versions of the story of Hades and Persephone are now a famous example of stories where characters who start as enemies fall in love. The way Scarlett St. Clair tells their story has become very popular online, especially with lots of people talking about it on BookTok and Bookstagram.
You can choose to read the “A Touch of Darkness series order” in two different ways, based on what order you like and how the story is told.
Who is Scarlett St. Clair?
Before Scarlett St. Clair was known for her books, she worked as a librarian in Oklahoma City. She was still in that job when her book “A Touch of Darkness” came out in 2019 and became very popular.
On TikTok, videos with the “A Touch of Darkness” hashtag have been watched over 13 million times. The BookTok community really supported the books, helping them become bestsellers. St. Clair first published the books herself, but then she teamed up with Bloom Books in July 2021, and they printed her earlier books again.
Bloom Books is part of Sourcebooks, a company that likes to publish books by women writers and lets writers make more choices about their books than usual. They want to work with writers who have published their own books and those who have worked with other publishers.
St. Clair, who used to be a librarian, was very happy to work with this publisher and make her books easier for more people to find.
#1 – A Touch of Darkness Series Order by Subseries
One way to enjoy the “A Touch of Darkness” series is to read it in the order the books were released. This method divides the story between two viewpoints. The “Hades x Persephone” part is told from Persephone’s point of view, and the “Hades Saga” shares Hades’ side of the same story, including his thoughts, understanding, and reasons.
Hades x Persephone Books
- A Touch of Chaos (2024)
- A Touch of Malice (2021)
- A Touch of Ruin (2020)
- A Touch of Darkness (2019)
Hades Saga
- A Game of Gods (2023)
- A Game of Retribution (2022)
- A Game of Fate (2020)
#2 – A Touch of Darkness Series Order by Author Recommendation
The other way to read the “A Touch of Darkness” series, which is suggested by the author Scarlett St. Clair, mixes the “Hades x Persephone” series with the “Hades Saga.” If you read it this way, you can follow the story in the order that events happen, by reading Hades’ side of the story right after you read Persephone’s side.
- A Touch of Chaos
- A Game of Gods
- A Touch of Malice
- A Game of Retribution
- A Touch of Ruin
- A Game of Fate
- A Touch of Darkness
A Summary of A Touch of Darkness Series Order
Here are the short summaries of the “A Touch of Darkness” series, arranged the way Scarlett St. Clair suggests you should read them. These summaries will give you a better understanding of the setting, which is a new version of Greece, and the people in the story.
However, be careful, because these summaries will reveal key parts of how Hades and Persephone’s relationship changes over time. If you have not read the books yet, you might learn things that could spoil the surprises in the story.
A Touch of Darkness
From the time she was young, Persephone has had the strange power to make flowers die when she touches them. She hopes that by moving to New Athens and working as a regular journalist, she can leave behind her title as the Goddess of Spring.
However, Persephone meets Hades, the God of the Dead, by accident and agrees to a deal that seems impossible. Hades, who runs a gambling business among humans, challenges her to do something that seems unthinkable: to bring life to the Underworld. If she fails, she will lose her freedom.
As they spend time together, they unexpectedly find themselves falling in love. Persephone tries hard to earn her freedom while her feelings for Hades grow strong and wild.
A Game of Fate
Hades is a strict ruler. He is as famous for his tough leadership as he is for his fancy night clubs and tough deals. However, everything changes when he finds out that the Fates have picked a determined journalism student, who is also the Goddess of Spring, to be his wife.
Persephone, on the other hand, seems determined to show the world how mean and heartless Hades can be, even though they are attracted to each other. Hades has to convince Persephone that she is wrong about him, which seems like the hardest thing he is ever done. However, he soon realizes he is willing to do anything for their love, even if it means going against Fate.
A Touch of Ruin
Persephone cannot keep a low profile after her romance with Hades becomes known, and this fame might reveal her true identity as the Goddess of Spring. At the same time, people are eager to dig up Hades’s dark history to separate the couple.
A terrible event then shatters Persephone’s heart. Hades’s unwillingness to assist leads to a rift between them, prompting Persephone to make a risky deal with serious repercussions. With her heart in pieces and questioning Hades’s actions, Persephone doubts if she can really be his queen.
A Game of Retribution
Hades is known for not changing his rules, even for Persephone, his partner and the Goddess of Spring. Normally, people are too scared of him to fight back, but this situation is different.
Hera, the Goddess of Women, wanted Hades to help her with her plan to take down Zeus. When Hades said no, Hera made him do a bunch of really hard tasks as a penalty. These tasks get harder and harder, and they take Hades away from Persephone right when she is unsure if she can take on the role of Queen of the Underworld.
A Touch of Malice
After Persephone and Hades decide to get married, Demeter, Persephone’s mother, creates a huge snowstorm that stops everything in New Greece. She will not stop the storm unless Persephone calls off the engagement.
Then, the other gods from Olympus step in. What happens to Persephone now is up to these old gods, and they cannot agree on a decision. There is a threat of war as they try to choose whether to let Persephone and Hades be together or to stand against Hades, the God of the Dead.
A Game of Gods
Hades and Persephone’s wedding is coming up soon, but the gods are causing trouble that could ruin their future. Demeter is causing chaos in New Greece because she doesn’t want them to get married, and Theseus is making plans against the gods. He is working with the Triad, a group that hates the gods, to try to overthrow Olympus.
To make sure Persephone becomes his wife, Hades has to be very clever in dealing with the gods of Olympus. It is not easy to tell which gods are actually supporting him.
The book “A Game of Gods” is expected to be published on July 25, 2023.
FAQs
What is the “A Touch of Darkness” series about?
It is a fantasy romance series that reimagines the Greek myth of Hades and Persephone. Persephone, the Goddess of Spring, has to create life in the underworld as part of a deal with Hades, the God of the Dead.
Who wrote the series?
Scarlett St. Clair is the author of the series.
How many books are in the series?
There are several books, including “A Touch of Darkness,” “A Touch of Ruin,” “A Touch of Malice,” and others. The series also has books from Hades’ point of view, like “A Game of Fate.”
