A String of Fate in the Darkness by Azzie Drauch - Review

About the book

Publication Date: April 17, 2025

Pages, Paperback: 372

Genre: Greek Mythology, Dark romance

Blurb:

It had been three long years since Lilliana St. James vanished without a trace and Persephone had nearly resigned herself to the heart-wrenching reality that she might never see her best friend again. But, just as her last flicker of hope was about to extinguish, Lilliana was found. Not by any ordinary being, but by the one god Persephone's mother had warned her to avoid at all costs. Hades, the enigmatic God of the Dead. Determined to uncover the truth behind her best friend's disappearance, the Goddess of Spring decides to throw caution to the wind. She seeks out Hades, the one being in all the realms that may be able to help her stop other mortals from going missing. Driven by his own desires to solve the case, Hades proposes a daring plan; Persephone will go undercover as his favored mortal to lure out the culprits behind the kidnappings. But as they dive deeper into the case, the proximity between Persephone and Hades ignites a forbidden attraction. Hades, despite his stoic nature, finds himself captivated by Persephone's strength and determination. The tension between them sizzles as they navigate the dangerous waters of their new found feelings. Every moment they spend undercover bring them closer, the lines between their ruse and reality quickly blurring. But with that closeness comes a target painted on Persephone's back. Will Hades protect her from the rising threat, or will their fate unravel as the darkness threatens to consume them?

ARC REVIEW
I had the chance to be chosen to Arc Read this book and I thank the author for this!

A String of Fate in the Darkness is an amazing story full of drama, action and romance.
It is a Greek mythology inspired book, but each character had their own perks and strong opinions, making them feel unique. I missed a bit of character depth when it came to Hades. I would like to have seen more from the loneliness he felt and how he was as a ruler in the Underworld before he met Persephone. This would be to match Persephone's character which had so many layers and made you root for her. It was easy to empathize with her situation and to understand her decisions. The way she wanted to control and her and make her own choices felt relatable and human. It was raw and powerful.

Hades and Persephone's relationship developed beautifully, their emotions and feelings for one another were shown clearly. However, I felt like she abandoned her friends slightly.
In the beginning we were promised with a murder mystery case, but the layers of the story (the case, the gods, her friends and her relationship) seemed to be separate stories at times. Hades and Persephone fake dated because of the case, but we don't see much solving during the book. In the beginning Persephone was a worried friend and then it's like she forgets about them. This is understandable from the point of view that she was discovering who she was and fighting for the control in her life. Still, I wished we would have had more balance in these aspects.

Plot wise, it was incredible. The twists, the characters, the action, the description. All well-written and the author had a unique voice and a talent for moody description (my favorite was Hades' palace).

Everything I pointed out didn't stop me from really enjoying the book. My biggest complain is that it ended.

Thank you so much for reading! Click below to check out the book!

Read: 10 September 2025 - 18 October 2025