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Persephone's Curse
The Hazel Wood meets Laini Taylor in this gorgeous speculative tale of sisterhood, ghosts and old family curses.
Are the four Farthing sisters really descended from Persephone? This is what their aunt has always told that the women in their family can trace their lineage right back to the Goddess of the Dead. And maybe she's right, because the Farthing girls do have a ghost in the attic of their Manhattan brownstone —a kind and gentle ghost named Henry, who only they can see.
When one of the sisters falls in love with the ghost, and another banishes him to the Underworld, the sisters are faced with even bigger questions about who they are. If they really are related to Persephone, and they really are a bit magic, then perhaps it’s up to them to save Henry, to save the world, and to save each other.
Are the four Farthing sisters really descended from Persephone? This is what their aunt has always told that the women in their family can trace their lineage right back to the Goddess of the Dead. And maybe she's right, because the Farthing girls do have a ghost in the attic of their Manhattan brownstone —a kind and gentle ghost named Henry, who only they can see.
When one of the sisters falls in love with the ghost, and another banishes him to the Underworld, the sisters are faced with even bigger questions about who they are. If they really are related to Persephone, and they really are a bit magic, then perhaps it’s up to them to save Henry, to save the world, and to save each other.
328 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 2, 2025
66 people are currently reading
22214 people want to read
About the author
Katrina Leno
10 books1,190 followersKatrina Leno has written a few books. She has also read a few books. Ah, books. You know?
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 203 reviews
December 19, 2025
a retelling of one of the best myths from one of my favorite authors...thank you universe.
(review to come / thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
(review to come / thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
June 5, 2025
I thoroughly enjoyed diving into the Farthing sisters’ whimsical, mystical world—especially the fantastical belief that they’re descended from Persephone herself! (Although I must admit, I found their last name just a touch too ironic.) These four sisters gave off major Little Women vibes, only with magical powers and the ability to see a ghost: Henry, a 17-year-old boy who has lived in their attic since they were children. The girls share a special bond with him, keeping his presence a secret from the outside world.
Their dynamic is intriguing—while their eccentric, sociable parents occasionally venture off to host gatherings and outings, the sisters are much more introverted and tightly knit. They spend their days wandering through museums, taking long walks in Central Park (Winnie, our protagonist, even strolls there at night despite the lurking city dangers), sipping coffee at their favorite breakfast spots, and rummaging through thrift shops (a favorite pastime of Bernadette, the eldest).
The narrative unfolds at a slow burn, with much of the focus on the deeply rooted connection between the sisters. Winnie, the third sister and our thoughtful narrator, is a late-blooming 16-year-old with a big heart and observant nature—very much the Beth of the family. She often finds herself worrying about her sisters, especially Bernadette, the oldest at 20, who suddenly returns home bruised and stormy after dropping out of college. Evelyn, 18, is the practical yet romantically-inclined second sister, clearly emotionally tied to ghost-boy Henry and desperate to break free from their family home. And then there’s 14-year-old Clara, artistic, eccentric, and connected to Persephone’s daughter—the goddess of nightmares. Her abstract, haunting paintings seem to look straight through you.
When Winnie makes a mistake that spirals out of control, letting her fury cloud her judgment, it not only threatens her bond with Evelyn but also sets off a chain of events that could bring apocalyptic consequences to their lives. The only way to undo the damage? She must reunite with her sisters—and team up with the spectral boy they’ve long held dear—to restore balance before it’s too late.
Overall: This is a beautifully eerie, slow-building fantasy that reads like a paranormal tribute to Little Women, infused with Greek mythology, witchcraft, and ghostly secrets. While it’s not the kind of high-stakes, action-packed fantasy that shakes your soul, it still captivated me from page one. Winnie and Clara absolutely stole my heart with their growth and charm. Evelyn, however, occasionally frustrated me with her short-sighted choices—but the authentic, unconditional bond between the sisters ultimately won me over.
Final rating: 4 stars, rounded up from 3.5, for the powerful, sacred connection of sisterhood and the bittersweet beauty of their magical world.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press / Wednesday Books for sharing this intriguing fantasy tale with me in digital format in exchange for my honest thoughts!
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Their dynamic is intriguing—while their eccentric, sociable parents occasionally venture off to host gatherings and outings, the sisters are much more introverted and tightly knit. They spend their days wandering through museums, taking long walks in Central Park (Winnie, our protagonist, even strolls there at night despite the lurking city dangers), sipping coffee at their favorite breakfast spots, and rummaging through thrift shops (a favorite pastime of Bernadette, the eldest).
The narrative unfolds at a slow burn, with much of the focus on the deeply rooted connection between the sisters. Winnie, the third sister and our thoughtful narrator, is a late-blooming 16-year-old with a big heart and observant nature—very much the Beth of the family. She often finds herself worrying about her sisters, especially Bernadette, the oldest at 20, who suddenly returns home bruised and stormy after dropping out of college. Evelyn, 18, is the practical yet romantically-inclined second sister, clearly emotionally tied to ghost-boy Henry and desperate to break free from their family home. And then there’s 14-year-old Clara, artistic, eccentric, and connected to Persephone’s daughter—the goddess of nightmares. Her abstract, haunting paintings seem to look straight through you.
When Winnie makes a mistake that spirals out of control, letting her fury cloud her judgment, it not only threatens her bond with Evelyn but also sets off a chain of events that could bring apocalyptic consequences to their lives. The only way to undo the damage? She must reunite with her sisters—and team up with the spectral boy they’ve long held dear—to restore balance before it’s too late.
Overall: This is a beautifully eerie, slow-building fantasy that reads like a paranormal tribute to Little Women, infused with Greek mythology, witchcraft, and ghostly secrets. While it’s not the kind of high-stakes, action-packed fantasy that shakes your soul, it still captivated me from page one. Winnie and Clara absolutely stole my heart with their growth and charm. Evelyn, however, occasionally frustrated me with her short-sighted choices—but the authentic, unconditional bond between the sisters ultimately won me over.
Final rating: 4 stars, rounded up from 3.5, for the powerful, sacred connection of sisterhood and the bittersweet beauty of their magical world.
Huge thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press / Wednesday Books for sharing this intriguing fantasy tale with me in digital format in exchange for my honest thoughts!
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
medium blog
July 3, 2025
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.
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.
November 20, 2025
This novel is a magical and beautiful story! It is a young adult retelling of the Greek mythology of Persephone, in a modern setting. I was pleasantly impressed by the writing, it is an easy to read book that quickly captured my attention. Even though it is a retelling, I found it to be very unique and enjoyable. While reading it, this novel made me feel emotional, reflective, sad, hopeful and lighthearted. It gave me more of a whimsical feeling. The characters are lovable, especially Henry! The characters were strongly developed and change and grew throughout the story.
I found the plot to be well structured. It starts off a little slow and had a strong finish to it! This story is about sisterhood, an extremely lovable ghost, love, curses and sacrifices! It is lyrical, has cozy vibes and is in an urban setting.
This novel reminded me of the book “Daughter of Smoke & Bone” by author Laini Taylor! I believe that anyone who loves mythical retellings, along with family dynamics, would really enjoy reading this one! Some of the content warnings include death and grief. Be sure to check out all of the content warnings. This one comes with no spice, which is nice for a change. Overall, I give this book a solid 4 out of 5 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley, author Katrina Leno and St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books for this wonderful eARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
This book is expected to be published on December 2, 2025!
I found the plot to be well structured. It starts off a little slow and had a strong finish to it! This story is about sisterhood, an extremely lovable ghost, love, curses and sacrifices! It is lyrical, has cozy vibes and is in an urban setting.
This novel reminded me of the book “Daughter of Smoke & Bone” by author Laini Taylor! I believe that anyone who loves mythical retellings, along with family dynamics, would really enjoy reading this one! Some of the content warnings include death and grief. Be sure to check out all of the content warnings. This one comes with no spice, which is nice for a change. Overall, I give this book a solid 4 out of 5 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley, author Katrina Leno and St. Martin's Press | Wednesday Books for this wonderful eARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
This book is expected to be published on December 2, 2025!
December 3, 2025
Just finished reading this through from beginning to end for what will probably be the last time. Feeling very emotional. PERSEPHONE'S CURSE comes out in nine months exactly. I'm so proud of this book, I put
absolutely everything I have into it, for you and for me 💕💕
absolutely everything I have into it, for you and for me 💕💕
December 2, 2025
✨Thank you to St. Martin's Press for an ARC copy of Persephone's Curse! All opinions are my own. ✨
What to expect
➳ Sisters ❤️
➳ Mythology
➳ Ghosts
➳ Magic
Description
Persephone’s Curse follows four sisters descended from the goddess Persephone, each gifted with the ability to see Henry, the ghost who haunts their attic. But when one sister falls in love with him, and another banishes him, the family is forced to confront the unexpected consequences of their supernatural inheritance.
This book was definitely a grower. I went into Persephone's Curse blind and it took me a while to figure out where this story was going. We didn't get into the plot, the real meat of the story until a ways into the book. It kinda meanders a bit.
I do like the ✨vibes✨ the book elicits. It's a little creepy, a bit spooky, and a little further into the book, there are some very interesting elements that are introduced, like the underworld (which I love from a mythological standpoint. The ancient Greek underworld can't be beat.)
Do I recommend this?
Honestly, I'm not sure. It was easy to read, but it definitely took a while to get anywhere. The vibes were good, so if you like ghosts and/or Greek mythology, you might enjoy this book. But go into it knowing that it's going to be a slow burn.
Pre-read *⁀➷
Ahhhhhh!! Guess who just won a Goodreads giveaway! This looks so good, I can't wait to get it!
What to expect
➳ Sisters ❤️
➳ Mythology
➳ Ghosts
➳ Magic
Description
Persephone’s Curse follows four sisters descended from the goddess Persephone, each gifted with the ability to see Henry, the ghost who haunts their attic. But when one sister falls in love with him, and another banishes him, the family is forced to confront the unexpected consequences of their supernatural inheritance.
This book was definitely a grower. I went into Persephone's Curse blind and it took me a while to figure out where this story was going. We didn't get into the plot, the real meat of the story until a ways into the book. It kinda meanders a bit.
I do like the ✨vibes✨ the book elicits. It's a little creepy, a bit spooky, and a little further into the book, there are some very interesting elements that are introduced, like the underworld (which I love from a mythological standpoint. The ancient Greek underworld can't be beat.)
Do I recommend this?
Honestly, I'm not sure. It was easy to read, but it definitely took a while to get anywhere. The vibes were good, so if you like ghosts and/or Greek mythology, you might enjoy this book. But go into it knowing that it's going to be a slow burn.
Pre-read *⁀➷
Ahhhhhh!! Guess who just won a Goodreads giveaway! This looks so good, I can't wait to get it!
December 2, 2025
Thank you to netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Persephone’s Curse. The pacing dragged a bit in places, but by the time I reached the ending it felt completely worth it. The dynamics between the sisters were so vivid and believable and that authenticity really strengthened the emotional core of the story. I felt that the author did a goodl job weaving their bonds into the larger plot, making every twist feel more personal and emotionally charged. By the time the book had ended. I felt fully invested in each sister’s choices and struggles. Although it did take me a little bit to differentiate each sister. Overall, Persephone’s Curse balances a mythic atmosphere with deeply human/ghostly relationships and that combination is what made it such a fun and emotional read.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Persephone’s Curse. The pacing dragged a bit in places, but by the time I reached the ending it felt completely worth it. The dynamics between the sisters were so vivid and believable and that authenticity really strengthened the emotional core of the story. I felt that the author did a goodl job weaving their bonds into the larger plot, making every twist feel more personal and emotionally charged. By the time the book had ended. I felt fully invested in each sister’s choices and struggles. Although it did take me a little bit to differentiate each sister. Overall, Persephone’s Curse balances a mythic atmosphere with deeply human/ghostly relationships and that combination is what made it such a fun and emotional read.
Want to read
June 15, 2025um i won another giveaway?!!!
November 27, 2025
3.5☆ | I finished this like 5 days ago but didn't update Goodreads because I was too lazy to write a review until right now..
°❀.ೃ࿔* 𝑻𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔 :
▹ This book was 𝘴𝘭𝘰𝘸, not necessarily a bad thing, I just wish it had been a bit quicker to get to the point. I get that we were to see the sisters & everything that happens before the main events of the books, but pacing was a little too slow for my liking.
▹ I really loved seeing the four sisters, their personalities, and their relationship.
Every one of them has their own personality and something going on
(Bernadette dropped out of college, Evelyn is in love with a ghost, Winnie sees ghosts everywhere, and Clara is working on a painting that came to her in a nightmare.)
I do wish that Winnie, the main character, had a bit more..personality? She seemed a bit dull compared to her sisters, though still likeable.
I also wish that there was more of Henry in the beginning. Possibly some more conversations or background earlier on. But from when he was on page, he was loveable.
▹ It also seems that there was more talking of and not showing the mythology part of the book. I'm not sure what I would hope for to have the 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 bit of it but yeah. If we had a little more on Persephone or her daughter that would be nice
▹ The plot was really well structured and clearly very thought through. A nice story about sisterhood, ghosts, curses, and sacrifices. I also loved how there was romance but not taking over the whole plot. I didn't expect Winnie to find a lover in this story but was pleasantly surprised.
°❀.ೃ࿔* 𝑫𝒊𝒔𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆𝒔 :
▹ While there were many things I loved in this book, there were things I didn't like as much.
-There were so many times where Winnie didn't feel like the main character, more so just the narrator. She felt a little forgettable and most times I couldn't even remember her name until another character said it.
-As said before, the book was slow. And it didn't really get to the point to where stuff started happening at like 40 or so percent? I found myself not all that interested until that part. And then I went and finished about half in a day.
-There were times, where I felt that the characters spent time doing stuff that didn't help the plot move forward a whole ton, and maybe instead of spending too long on that, it could've been a little shorter to focus on something else (likeeee Evelyn and Henry's time in the underworld?? I would've 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 that. If we got a 2nd POV, possibly Henry's)
-In the book, it was said, multiple times. "Girl, girl, girl, girl, ghost" but it kind of seemed like it was "Girl, girl, girl, girl" I wish there was more of Henry. Like..much more.
°❀.ೃ࿔* 𝑸𝒖𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒔 :
▸ "𝙉𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙪𝙨 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙮𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚, 𝙘𝙖𝙣'𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙨𝙚𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩? 𝙒𝙚 𝙙𝙤𝙣'𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚. 𝙂𝙊 𝘼𝙒𝘼𝙔, 𝙃𝙚𝙣𝙧𝙮."
"𝙊𝙝." 💔
▸ "𝙄 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙙𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙄 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪. 𝙔𝙤𝙪'𝙧𝙚 𝙢𝙮 𝙨𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧. 𝙄'𝙡𝙡 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧."
▸ "𝘽𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙨𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙢𝙨 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙘𝙡𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙨, 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙚𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨, 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙜𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙩𝙨."
°❀.ೃ࿔* 𝑶𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒍 :
While this wasn't the best Greek Mythology retelling I've read, it was still very charming. I adored the characters and loved their bonds. I truly think it's a personal thing with this one and any lover of Greek Mythology retellings would enjoy this one.
Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to have an arc of this book!
°❀.ೃ࿔* 𝑻𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔 :
▹ This book was 𝘴𝘭𝘰𝘸, not necessarily a bad thing, I just wish it had been a bit quicker to get to the point. I get that we were to see the sisters & everything that happens before the main events of the books, but pacing was a little too slow for my liking.
▹ I really loved seeing the four sisters, their personalities, and their relationship.
Every one of them has their own personality and something going on
(Bernadette dropped out of college, Evelyn is in love with a ghost, Winnie sees ghosts everywhere, and Clara is working on a painting that came to her in a nightmare.)
I do wish that Winnie, the main character, had a bit more..personality? She seemed a bit dull compared to her sisters, though still likeable.
I also wish that there was more of Henry in the beginning. Possibly some more conversations or background earlier on. But from when he was on page, he was loveable.
▹ It also seems that there was more talking of and not showing the mythology part of the book. I'm not sure what I would hope for to have the 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 bit of it but yeah. If we had a little more on Persephone or her daughter that would be nice
▹ The plot was really well structured and clearly very thought through. A nice story about sisterhood, ghosts, curses, and sacrifices. I also loved how there was romance but not taking over the whole plot. I didn't expect Winnie to find a lover in this story but was pleasantly surprised.
°❀.ೃ࿔* 𝑫𝒊𝒔𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆𝒔 :
▹ While there were many things I loved in this book, there were things I didn't like as much.
-There were so many times where Winnie didn't feel like the main character, more so just the narrator. She felt a little forgettable and most times I couldn't even remember her name until another character said it.
-As said before, the book was slow. And it didn't really get to the point to where stuff started happening at like 40 or so percent? I found myself not all that interested until that part. And then I went and finished about half in a day.
-There were times, where I felt that the characters spent time doing stuff that didn't help the plot move forward a whole ton, and maybe instead of spending too long on that, it could've been a little shorter to focus on something else (likeeee Evelyn and Henry's time in the underworld?? I would've 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 that. If we got a 2nd POV, possibly Henry's)
-In the book, it was said, multiple times. "Girl, girl, girl, girl, ghost" but it kind of seemed like it was "Girl, girl, girl, girl" I wish there was more of Henry. Like..much more.
°❀.ೃ࿔* 𝑸𝒖𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒔 :
▸ "𝙉𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙪𝙨 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙮𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚, 𝙘𝙖𝙣'𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙨𝙚𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩? 𝙒𝙚 𝙙𝙤𝙣'𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚. 𝙂𝙊 𝘼𝙒𝘼𝙔, 𝙃𝙚𝙣𝙧𝙮."
"𝙊𝙝." 💔
▸ "𝙄 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙙𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙄 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪. 𝙔𝙤𝙪'𝙧𝙚 𝙢𝙮 𝙨𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧. 𝙄'𝙡𝙡 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧."
▸ "𝘽𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙨𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙢𝙨 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙘𝙡𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙨, 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙚𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙨, 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙜𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙩𝙨."
°❀.ೃ࿔* 𝑶𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒍𝒍 :
While this wasn't the best Greek Mythology retelling I've read, it was still very charming. I adored the characters and loved their bonds. I truly think it's a personal thing with this one and any lover of Greek Mythology retellings would enjoy this one.
Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to have an arc of this book!
July 18, 2025
⋆｡°✩ 𝕣𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 ⋆｡°✩
3.5 stars | a contemporary magical realism with a dash of mythology and ghosts | 0/3 spice, 1/3 violence, profanity, no trigger warnings that I could think of | sort of slow pacing, witty narrating, and an interesting family dynamic
*:･ﾟ✧♡ 𝕝𝕚𝕜𝕖𝕤 *:･ﾟ✧♡
First, the character relationships were interesting. The sisters' bond was extremely strong, and the intuitive way they just knew each other was cool.
Also, the way they each had a gift was nice, and I felt like that strengthened the main character for not having one.
Okay, and the main relationship? I love how it was just snuck in there, and it was soooooo cute! Like the casualness of it, and yet the way it progressed was just unique and different and refreshing.
I also really liked the narrating. It was less serious and structured, with little comments and stuff outside the norm, and I enjoyed it. It was sort of giving Percy Jackson but a 16 y/o girl with less sarcasm, in a good way.
Also, I liked the ghost element to the book. Henry was cool, the random Farthing ghost sightings were cool, and, for lack of a better word, it was all very cool.
‧₊˚❀༉‧₊˚. 𝕕𝕚𝕤𝕝𝕚𝕜𝕖𝕤 ‧₊˚❀༉‧₊˚.
While the character relationships were strong, at times they were also... weird. The way the siblings talk to each other doesn't always seem realistic; I can't really explain it though. I think just the way the author writes dialogue and formats character relationships is different to me.
Also, the main character was a little forgettable. Like, half the time I legitimately couldn't remember her name. I do think this has something to do with being with the same people in the same house for most of the book, so most interactions don't require Winnie's name to be said, but still.
The thing with the magic side of the story is that I think I expected more mythological elements. Like, the book is called Persephone's Curse, and the description saying ghosts and saving the world and whatever... which all happens, just really late into the book. This was definitely a slow start, better finish, because I stopped reading this book for almost a week at about 37% (besides like a few words a day because, you know, have to keep up the reading streak), and it was hard to sit down and read it again when I did. But when I made myself read it, and I got to 40%, stuff started happening and I binged the rest of the book in a few hours.
The magical element also came into play more in the second half, which I appreciate; for a second, I thought the whole book was going to be about Winnie's guilt and Evie's sadness and all of their feelings, which, sure, works as a book, but it wouldn't have been what I wanted for a book that was supposedly about Greek mythology. And it wasn't true, so that was a relief.
* ੈ✩‧₊˚ 𝕨𝕣𝕒𝕡-𝕦𝕡 * ੈ✩‧₊˚
All-in-all, I think this book was pretty good. It was a new take on mythology, and parts of it were very refreshing. I'd recommend this book to people interested in Greek mythology, and people looking for a very character-driven story.
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ 𝕢𝕦𝕠𝕥𝕖𝕤 ˏˋ°•*⁀➷
"𝒩𝑜, 𝓃𝑜𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓌𝑒𝒾𝓇𝒹 𝓁𝒾𝓀𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉. 𝐼'𝓂 𝒿𝓊𝓈𝓉 𝓉𝓇𝓎𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓉𝑜 𝒸𝑜𝓂𝓂𝓊𝓃𝑒 𝓌𝒾𝓉𝒽 𝒶 𝑔𝒽𝑜𝓈𝓉. "
"𝒲𝑒 𝓌𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝓈𝓆𝓊𝑒𝒶𝓂𝒾𝓈𝒽 𝒶𝒷𝑜𝓊𝓉 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒹𝑒𝒶𝒹, 𝓊𝓈 𝒽𝓊𝓂𝒶𝓃𝓈. 𝒜𝓁𝓁 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓈𝑒 𝒽𝒶𝓃𝑔-𝓊𝓅𝓈 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒻𝑒𝒶𝓇𝓈 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓂𝓎𝓉𝒽𝑜𝓁𝑜𝑔𝒾𝑒𝓈 𝒶𝓇𝑜𝓊𝓃𝒹 𝓈𝑜𝓂𝑒𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝓌𝒶𝓈 𝒾𝓃𝑒𝓋𝒾𝓉𝒶𝒷𝓁𝑒. "
"𝒪𝓃𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒶𝓁𝓁 𝒽𝓊𝓂𝒶𝓃𝓈 𝒽𝒶𝒹 𝒾𝓃 𝒸𝑜𝓂𝓂𝑜𝓃: 𝑜𝓃𝑒 𝒹𝒶𝓎 𝓌𝑒'𝒹 𝒶𝓁𝓁 𝒷𝑒 𝒹𝑒𝒶𝒹. "
⋆˚⚡︎˖° 𝕣𝕖𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕖 ⋆˚⚡︎˖°
Persephone's Curse releases December 2, 2025!!!
˙⋆.˚𐙚 𝕡𝕣𝕖-𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕 ˙⋆.˚𐙚
Thank you so much to the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, and to NetGalley for giving me a free e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!
All thoughts are my own :D
3.5 stars | a contemporary magical realism with a dash of mythology and ghosts | 0/3 spice, 1/3 violence, profanity, no trigger warnings that I could think of | sort of slow pacing, witty narrating, and an interesting family dynamic
*:･ﾟ✧♡ 𝕝𝕚𝕜𝕖𝕤 *:･ﾟ✧♡
First, the character relationships were interesting. The sisters' bond was extremely strong, and the intuitive way they just knew each other was cool.
Also, the way they each had a gift was nice, and I felt like that strengthened the main character for not having one.
Okay, and the main relationship? I love how it was just snuck in there, and it was soooooo cute! Like the casualness of it, and yet the way it progressed was just unique and different and refreshing.
I also really liked the narrating. It was less serious and structured, with little comments and stuff outside the norm, and I enjoyed it. It was sort of giving Percy Jackson but a 16 y/o girl with less sarcasm, in a good way.
Also, I liked the ghost element to the book. Henry was cool, the random Farthing ghost sightings were cool, and, for lack of a better word, it was all very cool.
‧₊˚❀༉‧₊˚. 𝕕𝕚𝕤𝕝𝕚𝕜𝕖𝕤 ‧₊˚❀༉‧₊˚.
While the character relationships were strong, at times they were also... weird. The way the siblings talk to each other doesn't always seem realistic; I can't really explain it though. I think just the way the author writes dialogue and formats character relationships is different to me.
Also, the main character was a little forgettable. Like, half the time I legitimately couldn't remember her name. I do think this has something to do with being with the same people in the same house for most of the book, so most interactions don't require Winnie's name to be said, but still.
The thing with the magic side of the story is that I think I expected more mythological elements. Like, the book is called Persephone's Curse, and the description saying ghosts and saving the world and whatever... which all happens, just really late into the book. This was definitely a slow start, better finish, because I stopped reading this book for almost a week at about 37% (besides like a few words a day because, you know, have to keep up the reading streak), and it was hard to sit down and read it again when I did. But when I made myself read it, and I got to 40%, stuff started happening and I binged the rest of the book in a few hours.
The magical element also came into play more in the second half, which I appreciate; for a second, I thought the whole book was going to be about Winnie's guilt and Evie's sadness and all of their feelings, which, sure, works as a book, but it wouldn't have been what I wanted for a book that was supposedly about Greek mythology. And it wasn't true, so that was a relief.
* ੈ✩‧₊˚ 𝕨𝕣𝕒𝕡-𝕦𝕡 * ੈ✩‧₊˚
All-in-all, I think this book was pretty good. It was a new take on mythology, and parts of it were very refreshing. I'd recommend this book to people interested in Greek mythology, and people looking for a very character-driven story.
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ 𝕢𝕦𝕠𝕥𝕖𝕤 ˏˋ°•*⁀➷
"𝒩𝑜, 𝓃𝑜𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓌𝑒𝒾𝓇𝒹 𝓁𝒾𝓀𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉. 𝐼'𝓂 𝒿𝓊𝓈𝓉 𝓉𝓇𝓎𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓉𝑜 𝒸𝑜𝓂𝓂𝓊𝓃𝑒 𝓌𝒾𝓉𝒽 𝒶 𝑔𝒽𝑜𝓈𝓉. "
"𝒲𝑒 𝓌𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝓈𝓆𝓊𝑒𝒶𝓂𝒾𝓈𝒽 𝒶𝒷𝑜𝓊𝓉 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒹𝑒𝒶𝒹, 𝓊𝓈 𝒽𝓊𝓂𝒶𝓃𝓈. 𝒜𝓁𝓁 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓈𝑒 𝒽𝒶𝓃𝑔-𝓊𝓅𝓈 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒻𝑒𝒶𝓇𝓈 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓂𝓎𝓉𝒽𝑜𝓁𝑜𝑔𝒾𝑒𝓈 𝒶𝓇𝑜𝓊𝓃𝒹 𝓈𝑜𝓂𝑒𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝓌𝒶𝓈 𝒾𝓃𝑒𝓋𝒾𝓉𝒶𝒷𝓁𝑒. "
"𝒪𝓃𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒶𝓁𝓁 𝒽𝓊𝓂𝒶𝓃𝓈 𝒽𝒶𝒹 𝒾𝓃 𝒸𝑜𝓂𝓂𝑜𝓃: 𝑜𝓃𝑒 𝒹𝒶𝓎 𝓌𝑒'𝒹 𝒶𝓁𝓁 𝒷𝑒 𝒹𝑒𝒶𝒹. "
⋆˚⚡︎˖° 𝕣𝕖𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕖 ⋆˚⚡︎˖°
Persephone's Curse releases December 2, 2025!!!
˙⋆.˚𐙚 𝕡𝕣𝕖-𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕 ˙⋆.˚𐙚
Thank you so much to the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, and to NetGalley for giving me a free e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!
All thoughts are my own :D
June 3, 2025
Fabuła tej książki nie jest szczególnie skomplikowana, jednak to relacje pomiędzy bohaterkami — siostrami — tworzą tę powieść; i to bardzo mnie ujęło. Kreacja postaci i dynamika ich charakterów jest w pełni satysfakcjonująca.
November 1, 2025
This story was not at all what I expected, but it was excellent!
Not that I'm surprised, because anything Katrina Leno writes is amazing.
The four Farthing sisters--Winnie, Bernie, Evelyn, and Clara--have always been told they are descended from Persephone. And who knows, it could be true, because there's a ghost that lives in their house, a young man named Henry, that only they can see.
It all works out until Evelyn and Henry fall in love and Winnie attempts to solve the problem. It seems each sister has a bit of magical powers, and Winnie sets off a series of catastrophic events involving closed portals and the Underworld.
It might sound over the top, but it all works really well. So much of this beautiful, magical ghost story is simply four sisters attempting to navigate growing up in the world. Bernadette, the eldest, is trying to figure out if she belongs at college. Evelyn is grappling with her love for Henry. Winnie, our main narrator, has big feelings and an ability to see the ghosts of Farthings past (and perhaps a crush on the cute girl at the magic store), and feisty Clara is the artistic wise youngest sister who despite her wisdom, still requires the love and guidance of her older sisters.
This well-written, lyrical story is an ode to New York City and sisterhood. It's utterly fascinating, with equal dashes of magic and Little Women mixed together, along with some lesbians! What more could we ask for, really? I loved it.
Not that I'm surprised, because anything Katrina Leno writes is amazing.
The four Farthing sisters--Winnie, Bernie, Evelyn, and Clara--have always been told they are descended from Persephone. And who knows, it could be true, because there's a ghost that lives in their house, a young man named Henry, that only they can see.
It all works out until Evelyn and Henry fall in love and Winnie attempts to solve the problem. It seems each sister has a bit of magical powers, and Winnie sets off a series of catastrophic events involving closed portals and the Underworld.
It might sound over the top, but it all works really well. So much of this beautiful, magical ghost story is simply four sisters attempting to navigate growing up in the world. Bernadette, the eldest, is trying to figure out if she belongs at college. Evelyn is grappling with her love for Henry. Winnie, our main narrator, has big feelings and an ability to see the ghosts of Farthings past (and perhaps a crush on the cute girl at the magic store), and feisty Clara is the artistic wise youngest sister who despite her wisdom, still requires the love and guidance of her older sisters.
This well-written, lyrical story is an ode to New York City and sisterhood. It's utterly fascinating, with equal dashes of magic and Little Women mixed together, along with some lesbians! What more could we ask for, really? I loved it.
August 20, 2025
Thank you Net Galley and the publisher for a ARC of this book!
5/5 ⭐️ If I could give this 6 stars I would
Little Women meets Greek Mythology
Genre: Contemporary fiction with hints of Fantasy and Greek Mythology
Characters:
- Winnie: Our MC - she’s the most connected to the ghost world seeing more than the other sisters. She’s very akin to Beth from Little Women. At 16 she’s still learning so much about herself, her sisters and the world. She cares so much and lets her emotions dictate what she does.
- Bernadette: Eldest Daughter, 20- a recent high school graduate who doesn’t have any idea was she wants to do, she just wants to live her own life.
- Evelyn: 2nd oldest - recently turned 18, a high school senior who is in love with a ghost and lets her emotional/romantic brain run her day-to-day
- Clara: youngest- she’s 14 and met Henry the day she was born so he has always been there for her. Clara is one of the more connected sisters, she is frequently visited by Melinoe the goddess of Nightmares.
- Henry: Ghost in the house- This Seventeen year old boy lives in the house the Farthings have lived in for generations. The girls have basically grown up with him so each one shared a different but equally important bond.
- Bea: Aunt - she tells the girls all the stories about how this family is related to Persephone. She is constantly telling the same stories which makes her seem unreliable or crazy and for the longest time the girls thought they were just stories but they soon question whether these stories are actually the truth.
Plot: The sisters live in NYC and you follow them as they go about life growing up and learning about themselves and each other. Shortly after Evelyn realizes she’s in love with a ghost the world begins to change and the girls are forced to make decisions between what’s good for them versus what’s good for the state of the world.
Review: This felt very close to home as I feel like Winnie, I just see myself in this book. I love all the book references. You can tell that this book was MADE for book lovers. This has the whole range of emotions- there were times I was laughing, crying, my jaw was on the floor with some of the plot twists. I honestly think anyone who likes Greek mythology would LOVE this book!! This is such a simple but emotionally impactful story about family and everything they’d do for each other.
Quotes
- “I’m descended from gods, so, I wont be changing any diapers”
- “I was a possible descendant of Persephone and slightly obsessed with morbid facts”
- “I know you were just doing what you thought was right, and I forgive you. You’re my sister. I’ll love you forever”
5/5 ⭐️ If I could give this 6 stars I would
Little Women meets Greek Mythology
Genre: Contemporary fiction with hints of Fantasy and Greek Mythology
Characters:
- Winnie: Our MC - she’s the most connected to the ghost world seeing more than the other sisters. She’s very akin to Beth from Little Women. At 16 she’s still learning so much about herself, her sisters and the world. She cares so much and lets her emotions dictate what she does.
- Bernadette: Eldest Daughter, 20- a recent high school graduate who doesn’t have any idea was she wants to do, she just wants to live her own life.
- Evelyn: 2nd oldest - recently turned 18, a high school senior who is in love with a ghost and lets her emotional/romantic brain run her day-to-day
- Clara: youngest- she’s 14 and met Henry the day she was born so he has always been there for her. Clara is one of the more connected sisters, she is frequently visited by Melinoe the goddess of Nightmares.
- Henry: Ghost in the house- This Seventeen year old boy lives in the house the Farthings have lived in for generations. The girls have basically grown up with him so each one shared a different but equally important bond.
- Bea: Aunt - she tells the girls all the stories about how this family is related to Persephone. She is constantly telling the same stories which makes her seem unreliable or crazy and for the longest time the girls thought they were just stories but they soon question whether these stories are actually the truth.
Plot: The sisters live in NYC and you follow them as they go about life growing up and learning about themselves and each other. Shortly after Evelyn realizes she’s in love with a ghost the world begins to change and the girls are forced to make decisions between what’s good for them versus what’s good for the state of the world.
Review: This felt very close to home as I feel like Winnie, I just see myself in this book. I love all the book references. You can tell that this book was MADE for book lovers. This has the whole range of emotions- there were times I was laughing, crying, my jaw was on the floor with some of the plot twists. I honestly think anyone who likes Greek mythology would LOVE this book!! This is such a simple but emotionally impactful story about family and everything they’d do for each other.
Quotes
- “I’m descended from gods, so, I wont be changing any diapers”
- “I was a possible descendant of Persephone and slightly obsessed with morbid facts”
- “I know you were just doing what you thought was right, and I forgive you. You’re my sister. I’ll love you forever”
November 24, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing an e-graphic novel in exchange for an honest review.
I'm falling in the middle of the road category for this one. I thought this story would have more fantastical elements to it, and while it was speculative, it leaned more towards contemporary story. There was more telling than showing throughout the story which is ok sometimes, but explanations definitely can use some more description to add to the plot. The plot lulled a little at times which made it hard to keep my attention, but overall interesting. The characters however, I found on the boring side, even the ghosts. Henry was not really developed well I feel and we could have been provided more background for him to make a connection.
I'm falling in the middle of the road category for this one. I thought this story would have more fantastical elements to it, and while it was speculative, it leaned more towards contemporary story. There was more telling than showing throughout the story which is ok sometimes, but explanations definitely can use some more description to add to the plot. The plot lulled a little at times which made it hard to keep my attention, but overall interesting. The characters however, I found on the boring side, even the ghosts. Henry was not really developed well I feel and we could have been provided more background for him to make a connection.
December 21, 2025
3.5 stars
Full review coming soon
Full review coming soon
July 19, 2025
Sometimes, if you're lucky, you find a book that has taken a piece of your soul and spread it between the pages.
This one is mine.
I have always had a weird fascination with the inhabitants of Hades, especially the children, the pawns of the most powerful chthonic gods, the life in the realm of the dead. So obviously when I saw a book about the descendants of Persephone, my dread queen, I absolutely ran.
This is a very simple story.
There isn't some grand adventure that these sisters go on that tests their bonds and demonstrates all their supernatural powers to defeat some grand evil. It's not a story where the gods come down and rain terror on the world. It's all much quieter than that.
It's a story about sisters, and the lengths they'd go for the ones they love. It's about a bond forged in both blood and time, it's about family. It's about love.
With references, both subtle and not, to heartbreaking moments in history, it's not a particularly happy story. As descendants of the goddess Persephone, and her daughter melinoë, that isn't always possible. But it is beautiful in its sadness.
thanks to netgalley and wednesday books for the arc
February 18, 2025
I absolutely ADORED this book. Little women mixed with Greek mythology set inside a love letter to New York. It’s to early to say definitively, but I can definitely see this being my favorite read of the year. I can’t wait till it’s published I absolutely have to have a physical copy.
March 19, 2025
My friend/manager recommended I read this book and she did not disappoint. 10/10. No notes.
Want to read
February 11, 2025"The Hazel Wood meets Laini Taylor in this gorgeous speculative tale of sisterhood, ghosts and old family curses."
new katrina leno!
new katrina leno!
November 21, 2025
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: Dec. 2, 2025
The four Farthing sisters have always been told that the females in their family are descendants (six-times great-grandchildren) of Persephone, the goddess of the Underworld and the Dead. As children, they didn’t really believe it, even though all of them has special talents that no one else seems to have. Winnie, for example, could see ghosts and the youngest, Clara, seems to be able to know when things were going to happen. Whether they were related to Persephone or not, the thing they knew for sure was that their family home had a ghost residing in the attic, a friendly ghost named Henry who all of them could see, but only Evelyn could physically interact with. When Evelyn tells her sisters she is in love with Henry, Winnie accidentally banishes him to the Underworld, but when Evelyn decides to go after him, the Farthing sisters open a portal to the “in between” that no one else can see, and they must work together to save Henry, Evelyn, and the human race as they know it.
“Persephone's Curse” is the new novel by YA writer, Katrina Leno. It is not a retelling, but instead a story inspired by the goddess of the Underworld, experienced by her great-grandchildren in modern day New York City. “Curse” has paranormal and romance components, as well as a beautifully emotional relationship between a close-knit group of sisters that had me thinking both of “Little Women” and “The Virgin Suicides” (without the dysfunctional bits).
Winnie is the third sister and she is the sole narrator of “Curse”. She has the power to see other ghosts, besides Henry, although her sightings seem to be restricted to deceased female members of her family. When the novel begins, Winnie is sixteen and is just coming to terms with who she is and how she fits into the world. She is vulnerable and passionate but also brave and protective, making her the perfect protagonist for a YA novel of this type.
I loved the Greek mythology component and Leno provided all of the background information you want to know on Persephone and her fable without making the story an official retelling or inundating readers with too much mythology.
Leno is a well-published author, but she hasn’t come across my radar, as the majority of her books are YA and I just haven’t had the time to uncover a new YA author. I generally love fairy tale and fable retellings and, although “Curse” is more of an “inspired by” type of story, I definitely enjoyed the modern setting and the adorable relationship between the sisters was emotional and heartwarming.
I’m so happy that “Curse” introduced me to Leno, and I hope to see more of these creative pseudo-retellings, as I will line up to read them.
Expected publication date: Dec. 2, 2025
The four Farthing sisters have always been told that the females in their family are descendants (six-times great-grandchildren) of Persephone, the goddess of the Underworld and the Dead. As children, they didn’t really believe it, even though all of them has special talents that no one else seems to have. Winnie, for example, could see ghosts and the youngest, Clara, seems to be able to know when things were going to happen. Whether they were related to Persephone or not, the thing they knew for sure was that their family home had a ghost residing in the attic, a friendly ghost named Henry who all of them could see, but only Evelyn could physically interact with. When Evelyn tells her sisters she is in love with Henry, Winnie accidentally banishes him to the Underworld, but when Evelyn decides to go after him, the Farthing sisters open a portal to the “in between” that no one else can see, and they must work together to save Henry, Evelyn, and the human race as they know it.
“Persephone's Curse” is the new novel by YA writer, Katrina Leno. It is not a retelling, but instead a story inspired by the goddess of the Underworld, experienced by her great-grandchildren in modern day New York City. “Curse” has paranormal and romance components, as well as a beautifully emotional relationship between a close-knit group of sisters that had me thinking both of “Little Women” and “The Virgin Suicides” (without the dysfunctional bits).
Winnie is the third sister and she is the sole narrator of “Curse”. She has the power to see other ghosts, besides Henry, although her sightings seem to be restricted to deceased female members of her family. When the novel begins, Winnie is sixteen and is just coming to terms with who she is and how she fits into the world. She is vulnerable and passionate but also brave and protective, making her the perfect protagonist for a YA novel of this type.
I loved the Greek mythology component and Leno provided all of the background information you want to know on Persephone and her fable without making the story an official retelling or inundating readers with too much mythology.
Leno is a well-published author, but she hasn’t come across my radar, as the majority of her books are YA and I just haven’t had the time to uncover a new YA author. I generally love fairy tale and fable retellings and, although “Curse” is more of an “inspired by” type of story, I definitely enjoyed the modern setting and the adorable relationship between the sisters was emotional and heartwarming.
I’m so happy that “Curse” introduced me to Leno, and I hope to see more of these creative pseudo-retellings, as I will line up to read them.
July 2, 2025
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. That being said— 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? Aside from genealogy, Persephone played no role in the book at all. 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 an unkind one); to the sisters fond amusement, 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 along until they found the next plot point?
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.
Aunt Bea was a running family joke (not an unkind one); to the sisters fond amusement, 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 along until they found the next plot point?
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.
November 22, 2025
Live, laugh, love speculative fiction 🫶
This was a such a cute, warm, emotional little read!
I loved the way this book was written because it was clear from the start that it was heavily inspired by Little Women. The sisters were so dynamic and interesting, but I do wish that their bond with Henry was further developed earlier on in the story because it would’ve made some of the more dramatic parts more impactful if the audience knew more/were able to connect more with him. I think the city setting was really interesting because a lot of the story revolved around history and mythology, so by juxtaposing that with a modern day New York it made the story feel kind of timeless and nostalgic. One thing I will say is I do wish that the last quarter of the book was paced a bit differently. More specifically, the part where we’re told exactly how it’s going to end, but then the characters take sort of a holiday break before actually putting the plan in motion. That long pause kind of took away from the impact of the ending, and by telling the audience the plan in advance it also removed the total gut punch of a surprise it would’ve been to go into that with no warning at all. But it is still a great little read, regardless, and I really did enjoy it! Thank you to NetGalley for early access! 🫶
This was a such a cute, warm, emotional little read!
I loved the way this book was written because it was clear from the start that it was heavily inspired by Little Women. The sisters were so dynamic and interesting, but I do wish that their bond with Henry was further developed earlier on in the story because it would’ve made some of the more dramatic parts more impactful if the audience knew more/were able to connect more with him. I think the city setting was really interesting because a lot of the story revolved around history and mythology, so by juxtaposing that with a modern day New York it made the story feel kind of timeless and nostalgic. One thing I will say is I do wish that the last quarter of the book was paced a bit differently. More specifically, the part where we’re told exactly how it’s going to end, but then the characters take sort of a holiday break before actually putting the plan in motion. That long pause kind of took away from the impact of the ending, and by telling the audience the plan in advance it also removed the total gut punch of a surprise it would’ve been to go into that with no warning at all. But it is still a great little read, regardless, and I really did enjoy it! Thank you to NetGalley for early access! 🫶
November 12, 2025
3.5 Stars
Thank you to Wednesday Books & St. Martin's Press for providing me with a gifted ebook copy of Persephone's Curse through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Persephone's Curse is a Young Adult urban fantasy that follows the four Farthing sisters, who range in age from 14 to 20. I really loved the sister bond between the four girls and that they were each well written with their own distinct personalities. The setting of Manhattan mixed with the family's connection to Persephone and the supernatural elements, made for a really great setting and world building.
I did find myself wanting more depth and substance to the plot. I felt like time was spent on moments that didn't move the plot forward, that could have been dedicated to more show writing than telling writing. Two of the characters spend three days earth time in the Underworld (equaling three years for them) and I think the story would have really benefited from showing some of their time there, and it would have brought the Persephone mythology full circle.
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭:
* Long Chapters
* Mental Health
* Sibling Bond
* Paranormal/Mythological Elements
* Young Adult
𝐈𝐬 𝐈𝐭 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐲?
🥶 (No)
Persephone's Curse was an enjoyable read and I would recommend it for YA lovers, but if you are considering it for a younger reader, the story does contain a lot of strong language.
Thank you to Wednesday Books & St. Martin's Press for providing me with a gifted ebook copy of Persephone's Curse through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Persephone's Curse is a Young Adult urban fantasy that follows the four Farthing sisters, who range in age from 14 to 20. I really loved the sister bond between the four girls and that they were each well written with their own distinct personalities. The setting of Manhattan mixed with the family's connection to Persephone and the supernatural elements, made for a really great setting and world building.
I did find myself wanting more depth and substance to the plot. I felt like time was spent on moments that didn't move the plot forward, that could have been dedicated to more show writing than telling writing. Two of the characters spend three days earth time in the Underworld (equaling three years for them) and I think the story would have really benefited from showing some of their time there, and it would have brought the Persephone mythology full circle.
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭:
* Long Chapters
* Mental Health
* Sibling Bond
* Paranormal/Mythological Elements
* Young Adult
𝐈𝐬 𝐈𝐭 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐲?
🥶 (No)
Persephone's Curse was an enjoyable read and I would recommend it for YA lovers, but if you are considering it for a younger reader, the story does contain a lot of strong language.
December 6, 2025
The Farthing sisters have always been told they are descendants of Persephone, and have always had special gifts. Not to mention, they’re the only ones who can see Henry, the ghost that lives in their attic.
This was beautiful; lovely prose, such care with the characters. Leno has created this space where magic and ghosts can exist and it feels like you could open a door and walk in yourself.
Persephone’s Curse is a story of family, sisterhood, and growing up. For a young adult book, it was incredibly mature and I really do think this is a story that can transcend age.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Available December 2, 2025
Thank you to Wednesday Books for a free advance review copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
This was beautiful; lovely prose, such care with the characters. Leno has created this space where magic and ghosts can exist and it feels like you could open a door and walk in yourself.
Persephone’s Curse is a story of family, sisterhood, and growing up. For a young adult book, it was incredibly mature and I really do think this is a story that can transcend age.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Available December 2, 2025
Thank you to Wednesday Books for a free advance review copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
October 19, 2025
3.75/4
I got into this book not realizing it was YA. Once I realized our characters were basically 14-20 I could see it written for that age range. That doesn’t mean it wouldn’t be a great read for anyone!
It’s a slow burning mythology & family drama. There are some themes of the occult and witches. However, the story brings you into the world of the 4 Farthing daughters as told through middle child Winnie’s perspective. Our parents and and aunt are very flighty and don’t have much to do with the story. We are really digging into the world of the girls, their quirks and a residing ghost, Henry.
Romance is very much a subplot in this book. It really is about the bond of the sisters. Them being their authentic selves and what family lore and history really means.
Thank you to NetGalley & Wednesday Books for this ARC.
I got into this book not realizing it was YA. Once I realized our characters were basically 14-20 I could see it written for that age range. That doesn’t mean it wouldn’t be a great read for anyone!
It’s a slow burning mythology & family drama. There are some themes of the occult and witches. However, the story brings you into the world of the 4 Farthing daughters as told through middle child Winnie’s perspective. Our parents and and aunt are very flighty and don’t have much to do with the story. We are really digging into the world of the girls, their quirks and a residing ghost, Henry.
Romance is very much a subplot in this book. It really is about the bond of the sisters. Them being their authentic selves and what family lore and history really means.
Thank you to NetGalley & Wednesday Books for this ARC.
December 9, 2025
love love LOVE!!!!
Before the author ever mentioned Little Women/the March sisters, I pegged this as a super modern retelling(ish) if the March sisters were descendants of Persephone. I love a book with sisters being the main source of relationships. I loved the dialogue between each sister and how different the author was able to make them! Ahh, so glad I got my hands on this one soon after its realease!
Before the author ever mentioned Little Women/the March sisters, I pegged this as a super modern retelling(ish) if the March sisters were descendants of Persephone. I love a book with sisters being the main source of relationships. I loved the dialogue between each sister and how different the author was able to make them! Ahh, so glad I got my hands on this one soon after its realease!
December 17, 2025
In Persephone’s Curse, Persephone’s “curse” is not merely a mythological device, but a metaphor for the process of female growth. She is forced to move between light and darkness, symbolizing how women, in their coming of age, must confront both external expectations and their inner desires. This division is not accidental, but a structural arrangement of fate.
The underworld in the story is not simply a place of confinement, but a space of self-awakening. Persephone does not grow within safety or protection; rather, she comes to understand her own strength through loss, solitude, and the deprivation of choice. Her growth is not achieved by conquering others, but by learning to face the darkness and acknowledging it as part of herself.
The underworld in the story is not simply a place of confinement, but a space of self-awakening. Persephone does not grow within safety or protection; rather, she comes to understand her own strength through loss, solitude, and the deprivation of choice. Her growth is not achieved by conquering others, but by learning to face the darkness and acknowledging it as part of herself.
December 2, 2025
Girl, girl, girl, girl, ghost.
This was remarkable. Quiet and stunning and truly Little Women meets Practical Magic. Katrina Leno, I love your words. Keep writing them.
This was remarkable. Quiet and stunning and truly Little Women meets Practical Magic. Katrina Leno, I love your words. Keep writing them.
December 17, 2025
4.5 stars
this is a more quiet story than I thought it would be, but I liked the sisters relationship
this is a more quiet story than I thought it would be, but I liked the sisters relationship
August 22, 2025
Absolutely adored all the characters in this book and I love all the different way that mythology can be construed, this was such a unique one for me
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