A Game of Retribution
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A Game of Retribution

Scarlett St Clair ā€” 2022
Become enchanted by the fantasy world of gods and mortals in bestselling author Scarlett St. Clair's reimagined New Greece. Readers are hopelessly addicted to the story of Hades and Persephone told from Hades's point of view. Hades, God of the Dead, does not take sides or bend the rules. He makes no exceptions to these values--not for god or mortal, even his lover, Persephone, Goddess of Spring. Usually, fear prevents retaliation. But not this time. When Hera, Goddess of Women, approaches Hades with a plan to overthrow Zeus, he declines to offer help. As punishment, Hera sentences Hades to perform a series of labors. Each feat seems more impossible than the last and draws his attention away from Persephone--whose own tragedy has left her questioning whether she can be Queen of the Underworld. Can Hades maintain the balance he craves?
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Reviews

Photo of Selin Igten
Selin Igten@emerense
2 stars
Apr 2, 2024

i had to FORCE myself to finish this wtf

Photo of Cindy McKee
Cindy McKee@cindy-lou23
4 stars
Nov 20, 2023

Always a delight in approaching a story you know and love from a different point of view! Hades and Persephone struggle to maintain and grow their relationship despite trouble seeming to close in from all sides. Another excellent installment in this stellar series! **I received this book from NETGALLEY for an honest review **

Photo of Cindy McKee
Cindy McKee@cindy-lou23
4 stars
Oct 30, 2023

Always a delight in approaching a story you know and love from a different point of view! Hades and Persephone struggle to maintain and grow their relationship despite trouble seeming to close in from all sides. Another excellent installment in this stellar series! **I received this book from NETGALLEY for an honest review **

Photo of Taylor Arevalo
Taylor Arevalo@tails
4 stars
Apr 24, 2023

Hades journey is far more interesting and way less annoying than Persephone's

Photo of Faith Kitowski
Faith Kitowski@faithkitowski
4 stars
Mar 20, 2023

why is persephone like this

Photo of Jordan Allison
Jordan Allison @4jordan_all7
4 stars
Feb 23, 2023

I read this book months after I read TOD,TOR, and TOM. I definitely recommend to read them after each other, because I was a little confused about what happened when. Altogether this was a good book. I like that we got his pov on things.

+2
Photo of Lera D
Lera D@lerad
4 stars
Jan 29, 2023

We are already aware how smitten Hades is with Persephone from previous books, but I can I just start by saying I couldn't help feeling giddy whenever he described his feelings for her!

I loved reading about everything Hades was going through when not with Persephone and that the book is not just simply going over the events in A Touch of Ruin from his POV. The amount of fires he had to put out and all he did in his fight to be with Persephone builds up his character fantastically. It was very enlightening to see why he said or did certain things I did not agree with or questioned when reading A Touch of Ruin. The way that the same conversation reads very differently depending on whose POV you are reading is simply chef's kiss- a testimony of the author's talent! (I was indeed jumping back and forth betwen the two books!) I also liked the fact that there wasn't too much focus on the spicy times, but it was instead on everything Hades had to go through to make sure they can be together.

My knowledge of Greek Mythology is predominantly from high school and the ad hoc Wikipedia page, so I am by no means the best person to make such judgements, but I loved how we see multiple myths being incorporated in the story and the clever way they have been interpreted to fit in the modern world the books take place (honourable mention for the Maenads).

P.S. I started the series mostly because it had spice and I was intrigued by Persephone and Hades's story (thank you Lore Olympus) but honestly I don't care if we don't see another spicy scene as long as these two end up happy at the end and we get to see Hades being more and more enamoured with Persephone every day šŸ˜

+7
Photo of Farra McChesney
Farra McChesney@ffmooney
4 stars
Jan 21, 2023

As a fan of this series I was not disappointed. St Clair hits some excellent thoughts as usual. I feel like she also dove deeper into some thought provoking point regarding Persephone and her journey. Cannot wait to see who she becomes in ATOC! I loved seeing what Hades was up to outside of his time with Persephone. He continues to amaze me with his strength and understanding. I loved that we got to see some of his deeper sins in this one. Intiquity from Persephone's POV was revealing but from Hades' POV... well... enlightening. I am continuously amazed by her interpretations and mingling of Greek Myths. I am SO satisfied with her interpretation of Theseus! I am also even more excited, now, for the stories of Dionysus to come! The Authors Note at the end was a touch of beauty to end this novel. I LOVE how real and candid Scarlett remains with her readers. Please never stop adding these little revelations to the end of your novels. Why is SEPTEMBER 2023 so far away! Consider me in chaos and agony until then. Well, at least until December 2022 and then I'll be okay for a week or 2 maybe.

Photo of Cindy McKee
Cindy McKee@cindy-lou23
4 stars
Jan 20, 2023

Always a delight in approaching a story you know and love from a different point of view! Hades and Persephone struggle to maintain and grow their relationship despite trouble seeming to close in from all sides. Another excellent installment in this stellar series! **I received this book from NETGALLEY for an honest review **

Photo of Quinn Sparacino
Quinn Sparacino @qspar20
3 stars
Jan 2, 2023

The events of this book were just Hades side of the plot during the time of Touch of Ruin. There were points that seemed a bit monotonous but overall the book was good. The scenes with Hades and Persephone are superior.

Photo of Lisette Haasnoot
Lisette Haasnoot@lisettethereader
5 stars
Dec 6, 2022

I loved it even though it was a lot like the one from Persephone's perspective but since it was from Hades's perspective it was quite different and it gave me a lot of insight into what he was thinking when certain things happened

Photo of Charlee Boone
Charlee Boone@appetite-for-books
3.5 stars
Nov 5, 2022

I am still partial to persephone's side of the story. I enjoyed as always how thoughtful the author is and how truthful she tries to stay to the original mythology. I appreciate her takes when she does slightly change things.

there were definitely some good quotes in here. and as always hades is mega swoonworthy. but I did feel some parts ended abruptly while the spicy scenes sometimes felt thrown in just to have a spicy scene. hades was sometimes thinking with his other head, which maybe is normal for guys but doesn't make it less annoying.

overall ready for the next one but mostly anticipating the dual pov finale.

+1
Photo of Meg (megschapters)
Meg (megschapters)@megsalv
4 stars
Aug 19, 2022

** spoiler alert ** Actual Rating 4.5 I don't think I was ready to revisit Lexa's death šŸ˜­ incredible as always full review to come soon

Photo of Cierra
Cierra @cierranicolelove
5 stars
Jun 23, 2022

Scarlett did it again. Fueling my love for Hades this book was cute and funny!

+2
Photo of Nimet Akiturkmen
Nimet Akiturkmen@niem
5 stars
Jun 13, 2022

AAAH šŸ„°. I've waited months for this one to be released and it did not disappoint. I'm a Hades girl and will always be a Hades girl. I thought this book was going to be A Touch of Ruin (pt 2) but from Hades' POV (like A game of Fate x A Touch of Darkness (pt 1) but this one was so much more. There were so many things happening in this one that weren't even mentioned in aToR. Even my girlie Medusa was mentioned a couple of times. I'm as obsessed as I was w the other books in this series, and I cannot wait for the other 2 books (which of course I already pre orderedšŸ¤­). There's also some bonus content from the next book, which unfortunately won't be released till September 2023 šŸ„²

Photo of Sophia
Sophia@sophia25
4 stars
Jan 27, 2025
Photo of Lauren Robinson
Lauren Robinson@lozrobinson5
3 stars
Jan 18, 2025
Photo of Fumi Calafateanu
Fumi Calafateanu@fumimarina
3 stars
Aug 16, 2024
Photo of Kristen Savage
Kristen Savage@savage_one
3 stars
Jul 27, 2024
Photo of Loredana
Loredana@lorepanda
4 stars
Jul 7, 2024
+5
Photo of Eleanor
Eleanor @night05
4 stars
Jun 3, 2024
Photo of Amber Reed
Amber Reed@ambug283
4 stars
May 9, 2024
+4
Photo of Brittany
Brittany@brittyboo
3.5 stars
Mar 14, 2024
Photo of liss
liss@lissjpg
4 stars
Jan 15, 2024

Highlights

Photo of Sophia
Sophia@sophia25

Dionysus looked toward Hades. ā€œIā€™ll send maenads to scout. Maybe they can discover his next move.ā€ He looked at Ariadne. ā€œAnd start planning an escape for Phaedra.ā€

ā€œI thought you didnā€™t take sides,ā€ Hades replied.

ā€œYeah, well, fuck anyone who sides with Hera,ā€ Dionysus said.

Ariadne and Dionysus are so enemies to lovers coded haha

Photo of Sophia
Sophia@sophia25

You can try, Hades thought. But it will be the last action you take.

Apollo knew that, and Hades worried that perhaps that was what the god wanted.

Him being suicidal for centuries is actually sad even tho he was an assholešŸ™ƒ

Photo of Sophia
Sophia@sophia25

You can try, Hades thought. But it will be the last action you take.

Apollo knew that, and Hades worried that perhaps that was what the god wanted.

Him being suicidal for centuries is actually sad even tho he was an assholešŸ™ƒ

Photo of Sophia
Sophia@sophia25

He had never allowed himself to think long on loss, not when it came to Persephone, though heā€™d always promised to end the world if anything did occur.

Now he was certain of it, but heā€™d not just set it aflame.

He would tear it to pieces.

Photo of Sophia
Sophia@sophia25

They whispered to him as they circled, monstrous things they used to infect mortal minds and drive them to madness.

And Hades felt mad.

Now and then, the deities flashed red eyes or gnashed long, sharp teeth. They were monsters more than they were human, and Hades needed them.

ā€œFind. My. Queen!ā€ he commanded.

Photo of Leslie
Leslie@leslieb

Donā€™t put me on a pedestral because you feel guilty for your decisions. Justā€¦forgive yourself so you can forgive me. Please.

šŸ™ŒšŸ»