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“Careful what you say, Goddess,” he breathed, “I may not let you leave.”…
A wicked smile spread her lips once more, “Perhaps it is you who should be careful, my king.”

Hades, the King of the Underworld and God of the Dead, had a lonely existence in his realm. Meeting and judging the shades, attending the few meetings in Olympus, and spending as little time in the mortal realm as possible. That is until Thanatos goes missing, Elysium begins to decay, and he is stuck leaving his realm to collect souls on the fates' request.

His task was simple, retrieve Icarus and return.

But when he finds the young Goddess of Spring massacring a patch of wildflowers, he soon finds he is not the only Divine with Duality.

Over several chance encounters, he learns the sweet Goddess of Spring has far more to offer than dainty petals, and that her vengeance is just as insatiable as his.

In this second installment to The Taking of Persephone Series, we see Hades’ account of the events. Not just the same tale told twice over, but new Gods, new creatures, and new locations rediscovered from Hades’ eyes.

"The Taking of Persephone Series" is a mythological historical fiction setin times of antiquity that contains slight gore, crude language, and graphic sex scenes.
It is intended for an Audience 18 or older or whatever is considered a legal adult by the laws set by your own Government.!

*This copy does NOT have the Hermes Bonus Chapter

476 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2022

179 people are currently reading
1419 people want to read

About the author

Ambrosia R. Harris

11 books234 followers

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5 stars
180 (38%)
4 stars
160 (34%)
3 stars
92 (19%)
2 stars
27 (5%)
1 star
5 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
Profile Image for Leah.
262 reviews49 followers
January 16, 2023
I went into this thinking that I liked Hades well enough in the first book, what could go wrong?! Well, apparently he is a bore, and his logic and decisions were creepy sometimes. This was very repetitive with not much growth from the characters, and all things considered, Hades and Kore should have been a single, dual POV book. I personally felt like this didn’t give as much insight into the events and story to warrant so many pages, but that’s just me. I also think there are better characterizations of Hades out there, this was just the simplest, most boring, and one-dimensional take on him and his reasoning.

Originally I gave this 3 stars because the book did leave me with that meeh feeling, but in truth, it barely hit even that mark, and 2 stars feel more honest.

Rating: ⭐⭐
Spice Meter: 🌶️.5
Heat Scale: 🔥🔥
Profile Image for Laura E..
120 reviews13 followers
October 4, 2022
I wanted to love this more, but so much was just his side of what I read a few days earlier, so I was bored by it. I'm a bit afraid of the next book. I don't want a 3rd telling of the same story with very little new information.
Profile Image for Kat.
259 reviews
September 17, 2022
A humongous thank you to Ambrosia for blessing me with this ARC! I read Kore at the beginning of this year and it was actually one of my first 5 stars of the year. I loved the writing, the mythos, the characters I completely fell in love and have been counting down the days for Hades. I'm not even sure if I can accurately describe all the emotions I went through with this book. The story of Hades is in the same timeline as the events of Kore but told through the perspective of the king of the underworld himself. If you think for one moment that it's going to be repetitive or similar...think again. Ambrosia honestly managed to capture my heart once again. It was heartwarming to see Hades as he struggles with his growing feelings for Kore, the questions about fate and choice, and then of course his role in the underworld and his relationship to the other gods. As we got to some of my favorite moments in Kore I found myself reading books 1 and 2 in tandem to get the full experience and WOW Ambrosia really did a great job of capturing the voices and characters so well in the way they react and the different things they notice about each other that made the scenes all the more special. Oh my god! The spicy scenes from the perspective of Hades were oh so cute and fun...I loveddd it. And finally, I can't believe the little gauntlet that was thrown at us at the end. This book answered so many questions I had at the end of Kore but now I have so many more. I am in suspense as we wait for the third book but very happy with what we got. I honestly couldn't recommend this book and series more, it is amazing!
Profile Image for Storieswithsophie.
101 reviews5 followers
September 17, 2022
*i received this an ARC from the author for an honest review of my thoughts and feelings

Now i dont know how i could like this series better then i already do. i loved how it is the the central story but told from a more in-depth version from Hades view, with him understanding Kore's powers far more than she does as he understands the darkness in her and her dual divinity is similar to his own, even though she is far more powerful than he or any divine is of their time

You can see from page 1 that Ambrosia's writing has evolved through how she describes the mortal realm and the underworld far more than the first book, adding to the world building as the book goes on

I loved how we see more of the ending than we did in Kore's book with her power fully unleashing when she is under pure duress due to Are's arrogance, but she overpowers them and the other divines with ease, with her unleashing something new and dark

I cant wait to see it from Demeter's pov as her mother and the grief she fills when Kore disappears

Ares' is a bastard and deserves all the karma Kore is gonna give to him
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Dionne.
15 reviews1 follower
March 8, 2023
waste of time same story.

I Enjoyed Kore. It had some editing issues but enjoyable this was the same story as Kore from Hades POV which was a little creepy like a Twilight/midnight sun Edward/Bella situation. But not enough goes on in the underworld Plus Hades is boring. I almost DNF this book but pushed through. To see if anything new happens. This should just be combined with Kore and made into one book and both books would be better.
Profile Image for Hikami D..
253 reviews12 followers
August 20, 2022
Amazing, an absolute delight! Ambrosia has gotten souch better as an author and it really shows in Hades. I love hades' POV, the romance, mixed with all the mystery and thrill of the underworld and it's lore.
Profile Image for Hannuuhhhh.Reads.
108 reviews17 followers
October 2, 2022
This book is the Hades POV of the book Kore. I was able to read this book without reading Kore first, though after reading this book, I will definitely read Kore. The author does state that it is its own story and not the same one retold in Hades POV. It was a beautiful version of Hades and Persephone. It is a grumpy/sunshine story, with so much more. I was immersed in the realm of the Underworld. You got to hang out with Hades while he does the mundane tasks of dealing with the undead and cleaning up messes his family causes.😂 He has accepted his life as King of the Dead and being alone… That is until he meets Kore. She sparks something inside of him and realizes there is more to his time in the Underworld. This is a slow slow burn, and usually I hate slow burns. But this book kept me hooked. I loved the blossoming romance and the craziness that occurs after Kore meets Hades. Hades' love for Kore was the sweetest thing.🫠🫠🫠 And I love Kore, she is strong and outspoken, the girl knows what she wants!
Profile Image for TINA | DejaLu✨.
739 reviews12 followers
August 3, 2023
These two books, Kore and Hades, are basically mirrors of each other, Kore being from her story and Hades being his. Some may find this annoying but I personally found it informative to see each of their personalities. I did skim a lot of the repetitive scenes in Hades though.

This is one of those books people will either love or not based on the authors writing style, in my opinion. See my review for Kore for a little more thoughts! I hope you give it a chance, especially if you are into Greek Mythology!

Profile Image for S. Nemo.
122 reviews5 followers
November 15, 2025
I did get this book without knowing it was from a series. Still it was entertaining, as I was able to follow because of further knowledge of greek mythology. Yet sometimes I was confused on the switch of times and events. I can see that a lot of work and love went into this story but to me it seems a bit unpolished at certain parts.
Nonetheless it was a splendid read.
Profile Image for Christina.
172 reviews3 followers
March 31, 2023
“She was life, death, and beauty in divine form. And he loved it. He loved her.”

4⭐️ 1🌶 (not fade to black)

This sequel follows the events of the first book “The Taking of Persephone: Kore” but in Hades’ perspective/pov. Although the story follows closely with the events of the first book, it gives you more insight into Hades’ motives, thoughts, and even some more details on what he was up to when away from Kore. You also received more of an explanation during the last two chapters which gave you a bit more detail to the events that followed Kore’s departure from the Underworld.

Since the plot was the same in the first book, I really liked it. I loved being back in that world again. The writing is beautiful, as always, and the details well-researched - making it stand out from other Hades and Persephone reimaginings as a historical retelling instead of a more modern version.

My favorite elements of this story were as follows: the incorporation of the duals (I loved the idea of alter egos and the more intense/passionate side of the characters); more explanation of the role of the pomegranates; and the exploration of why Kore was so important to the Underworld realm and her role as a new divine.

However, my minor gripes are that it was a little too similar to the first book. Obviously it’s Hades’ pov, but maybe it would’ve served better as one book with multiple povs. I feel like you could easily read this book without reading the first. This is, of course, just my opinion. I enjoyed reading his side of the story, but wished there was a little bit more departure from the events of the first story. That’s why I took one star away, as I truly did enjoy this read.

I do recommend this series to anyone who loves Greek mythology retellings, Hades and Persephone stories and historical fiction with romance.

-spicey scenes
-animal companion (the pups)
-hair washing (cute)
-what did they do to you/touch her and suffer trope
-fated mates
Profile Image for Hope.
36 reviews
September 23, 2022
A quick and easy read that details Hades' side of the same story (with a little more overall story included) that we found in the first book of the series, Kore. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and will continue the series as it comes out. All that said...

I have the Amazon extended ending version of this book, so I don't know if the formatting issues I will mention below can be found in other formats of this novel.

Because this is a self-published book I won't be taking off any stars for the issues, and am aware that the author is working on re-releasing Kore with more editing done. I know the author has Beta readers, but I would suggest that she either screens for more English degree readers or pay for a formal editor because there are a few errors and they constantly brought me out of the story. The author will use a sentence after one that should be added after a comma or occasionally even a colon, but she uses a period and splits them up. As someone who uses too many commas and comma splices, I understand the problems she is facing, but wish I didn't have to see them in the finished product. That's the most glaring issue.

Occasionally a sentence at the end of a paragraph will lack a period or a quotation mark will be missing.

One of the images at the beginning of the chapters (skull and flowers) is printed at the end of the previous page and not where it should be. There is also at least one totally blank page between the end of a chapter and the beginning of the next. These issues seem to purely be a formatting one and one I am curious to know if are also in the other versions of the novel.
Profile Image for Ariel.
187 reviews13 followers
December 18, 2022
Hades by Ambrosia Harris is essentially Kore but from Hade’s perspective. Overall, I would have liked the book more if I did not re-read Kore in preparation for Hades. The author did not expand on the original story, except for several plot points that do not include Kore. This led me to be bored from reading the same story twice. I was ready to continue the story from where we left off originally, which was on a cliffhanger. It feels as if I spent an entire year waiting to receive the same plot again. Ambrosia Harris has claimed that readers are getting a new story with Hades, but I do not think that is true. I wish Harris had expanded on the storyline already written. I might have appreciated this book more in a couple of years once Kore's story is complete. I do not think the book is bad, but the storyline was repetitive, and Kore and Hades do not need to be read close together. The next book in the series is called Demeter, so now I am wondering if the plot will be the same 18-year period but from Demeter's perspective, which I also do not know if I need.

Overall, I am rating this book four stars. It was fine. I would have enjoyed it as a stand-alone. I did enjoy it last year ... as Kore.
Profile Image for Tayler.
551 reviews11 followers
September 5, 2022
Thank you to the author for this eARC in exchange for an honest and willing review.

This book tells Hades’ side of the preceding book, Kore. It’s closer to a Greek written book than it is as a retelling, in my opinion. Think… War and Peace> by Tolstoy. Very descriptive, lots of words, often older terms used, etc.

I appreciate the help that Harris puts in to the beginning of the book with words and their definitions. It’s been a minute since I’ve read Kore, but I believe that was one of my biggest gripes. They weren’t really pointed out or defined. So bravo!

However…

I did have to DNF this book. I tried, I swear, I tried but I just don’t think this style of writing is for me. Again, I don’t think it’s for me. This could very well work for another reader, and I do think you should give it a shot to read.

I had a hard time getting through the verbiage used, the number of sentences used to describe certain events, and the length of the chapters. It’s just too much for me, which has no bearing on this authors writing ability at all. It’s more of a personal preference.

I do think, if you prefer the type of book described that you should read this book.
Profile Image for Limaris Vargas.
83 reviews3 followers
September 30, 2023
I couldn't put it down since I started reading the second book of the series. You get to know more about Hades character as we get to see his version of what happened in this Persephone retelling. You get to see his inner battles with himself, not wanting to be influenced by his dual divinity, battling with his feelings and desires for Kore, his realm slowly falling apart. His attentive and caring ways towards her are so good that he makes me melt.

I love this version of Kore that Ambrosia portrayed in the series because most of the Hades & Persephone retellings they put her as weak character. We see a Kore who's curious and fearless. Who knows what she wants, and you see her growth during her stay in the Underworld. I wasn't expecting that plot in the extended chapter after Hermes was on his way to send Kore back to her mother, Demeter. It was so intense to see the new facet of Kore I wasn't expecting to see... and the way it ended left me wanting more.
82 reviews1 follower
July 28, 2023
Good fucking GOD I love Ambrosia Harris. But rn I hate her. I love her books sooooo fucking much, she's genuinely one of my favourite authors because not only does she come up with the most INTERESTING plots that ALWAYS leave us wanting more but she is also SO good at writing. She is such an amazing author and I love her to the moon and to saturn.
I won't lie it took me a while to finish this book, no fault of Ambrosia, I got distracted with other things in my life. But when I came back to it I read it in a DAY. I do enjoy yet hate how she's written different books for different perspectives because each time she leaves me at like 1am wanting to stat another book. Hades' POV did NOT let down and that bonus chapter just made me SCREAM, audibly and loudly. I can't WAIT for the next.
Profile Image for Karen Argüello.
129 reviews
February 25, 2025
I don't know what to feel.

I loved this story, it's definitely sure when the writer has read and likes Greek mythology.

The combination of Greek myths and creativity to develop the story, I loved it. And obviously the character of Hades is wonderful, but ..... that ending? It can't be the end, right?

And yet I've looked for more books and there is none that continues the timeline where Hades ends and that doesn't make sense, I want to think that the author has some new book pending to continue the story (although there is nothing published) and not believe that she left a completely unfinished ending.

Outside of that detail, I loved the book and it's a solid 5 🌟
Profile Image for Erika Radabah.
270 reviews3 followers
October 30, 2025
Dates do not reflect time read.
I found it interesting how this book, shows Hades point of view from the first book Kore. What he experienced and more of their time together. With that said I did find joys and the fact there was more detail. Since finishing this, I am really contemplating reading the next book. Which is called Demeter. Which will be in her POV during the story, and wonder if I want to read almost the same story. BUT different parts, while Kore is away. I hope the book titled Persephone is finished in the near future. With how these first two books ended
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Kat .
146 reviews19 followers
August 22, 2022
I don't think many people will be prepared for this book.
🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤
Hades will rip your heart in two and have you wishing that you could hug him. So grab your tissues and prepare to bask in your feels.
🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤
Sad Boy GIF - Sad Boy - Discover & Share GIFs
#SadHades
Profile Image for Willie Mercedes.
1,479 reviews136 followers
September 6, 2022
This book tells Hades’ side of the preceding book, Kore. Where we see new gods, and uncover new secrets. Hades life in the Underworld is companionless filled with obligations and mocked by the Olympian Gods. Until Thanatos goes missing which results him into running an errand for the Fates. He stumbles upon a young goddess which he later learns that she has a vengeance of her own. I loved Hades' POV, the romance, mixed with the thrill of the underworld.
Profile Image for Jossan.
4 reviews1 follower
November 9, 2022
I really enjoyed reading from Hades’s point of view - making the story all its own but still familiar. I always enjoy reading dual point of views - I even go back to Kore to reread certain scenes from her point of view just to get the full picture. The additional details really helped to add depth and layers to the world that Ambrosia created. ✨

The Taking of Persephone Series has been so enjoyable to drop into. I can’t wait to see what Demeter brings to the table. 🌾
Profile Image for RJ.
429 reviews2 followers
December 18, 2022
I love Kore and Hades. This is Kore’s story from the perspective of Hades. Hades is heavenly and I know he is lord of the underworld and ruler of the dead but man oh man, do I adore him. I think I liked having this version of the story because it explains the actions of hades so well. His thoughts, his actions, the whys, the voice in his head that matches Persephone. I had received the ARC, thank Ambrosia Harris, but ordered a physical copy about 40% in because I knew I had to have it.
Profile Image for Nicole Cross.
153 reviews1 follower
June 13, 2023
I enjoyed reading the story from Hades perspective but I wish we had gotten more new moments instead of a lot of repeats between him and Kore or if the story had continued where the first book had left off.

Still a very enjoyable read and well worth my time but I wish it had more differences from the first book.
Profile Image for Emily Wallace.
83 reviews
July 23, 2023
This was a good book, I enjoyed it more than the first in the series. Especially since it the writing style was a lot less repetitive. However, reading the same story twice was a bit tiring. I'm going to wait a bit before starting the 3rd in the series, but I liked this enough I could read it again.
Profile Image for Emylee Gussler.
122 reviews8 followers
March 18, 2024
The world Harris paints is vivid and intoxicating. I greatly enjoyed the dive into Hades' perspective and the insight offered to the reader. It provides a deeper understanding of Kore's experiences as well.

I love their dynamic. I find him to be so much more than what the "stories" say, both within the realm of the Kore's world and our own. Hades is often portrayed as evil, vengeful, and spiteful. However, in this series we see many more facets of him, creating a beautifully flawed and wounded soul.

A great read, highly recommend.
10 reviews
October 11, 2022
Loved hearing the story from Hades' side, and was really pleased (and consequently dying for the rest of the books to be released!!) with how the story wrapped up. However, just like with Kore... Reading does become a bit of a struggle with typos and poor sentence structure.
Profile Image for Morgan Brittany.
38 reviews
November 8, 2022
loved it!!

I loved this book! Kore was good but reading it from Hades pov was amazing! His pov was more in depth than Kore's story. You get to see what he was feeling in those moments with her plus moments with just him and what he's going through
Profile Image for Alexis Rex.
16 reviews2 followers
March 5, 2023
Loved it! Added so much more to the series, building beautifully on content from the first book but in such an engaging way. I like the author’s style, incorporation of references, and creativity in this retelling. Very much looking forward to Demeter.
Profile Image for Jerri.
25 reviews
April 15, 2023
I’m rating this a 3 star now I may change it after reading Persephone point of view but I really felt like there was to much fluff!! The whole time I was waiting for him and Persephone to interact but it rarely happened. When they did interact I loved it! I love how they are as a couple and this version of Persephone is how I imagine she would be. It’s just very slow and I felt like some of it could have been left out. I didn’t enjoy the cliffhanger but hopefully the next book will tie it up. It’s not the best Hades X Persephone book I’ve read but it’s also not the worst. Just be prepared for some boring chapters.
47 reviews
January 25, 2025
The same Persephone x hades retelling stories reimagined. I usually get really bored and they are easily forgettable since they are written around the actual permanent storyline. This was good though from what I remember.
Profile Image for Danielle Alkema.
3 reviews
October 24, 2022
Just as captivating as the first.

Such a good read and hard to put down! I enjoyed the point of view from hades and seeing how things unfolded from the first book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews

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