Melinda Salisbury’s Her Dark Wings is a fresh and modern day look at the Persephone myth. We follow Corey, a young girl recently betrayed by her boyfriend and best friend. When her best friend unexpectedly dies, Corey sees something she shouldn’t and finds herself trapped in the underworld. Can Corey make it back to her family and will she be the same person when she does?

I really thought this was going to be a five star read for me. Everything I’ve read from Melinda Salisbury previously has been, but this one just didn’t quite hit the mark for me. Salisbury has a really beautiful writing style and that definitely shines through in this story. The story was well paced but the plot did feel a little bit lacking. I had expected this to be an epic adventure in the Underworld but it focused more on Corey and her desire for revenge.

Corey is an interesting main character but she is very unlikeable. She does go through a lot of growth in the tale and the ending is satisfying but overall the story wasn’t what I was expecting it to be. The book does have a really stunning cover and I would definitely be keen to read more from Melinda Salisbury in the future. If you’re a fan of modern takes on Greek myths filled with beautiful writing, this might be exactly what you’re looking for.

Full disclosure: I’m a massive fan of Melinda’s writing and I will basically read every single thing she writes even if it’s just a shopping list.

Now that’s out of the way, I do love a retelling but I truly feel like Melinda makes this her own and fully puts her stamp on things! I love her decadent writing, it’s so beautiful and really had me in my head contemplating a fair few things!

I truly rooted for the characters and I liked the way in which it dealt with anger and the darker side of people.

Her Dark Wings is such a beautifully written YA fantasy. The world-building is outstanding. The story is well written with an enchanting storyline and well-developed characters that engage from start to finish. The world is atmospheric and feels real with vivid descriptions and rich imagery. I cannot get enough. Highly recommended. Be sure to check out Her Dark Wings today.

Don't think of this as a Greek mythology retelling and you'll enjoy it so much more. Well-written, engaging and fresh with a unique main character.

Thank you for letting me read this book. I really liked this story. I am a fan of mythology retellings. But why are there always snakes on the covers.

I absolutely loved this book! It's a fantastic retelling of the old story. I loved the characters and the way they developed and interacted with each other, how the human elements bleed into the Underworld is brilliant.
A really good read to get teenagers engaged and let them get their teeth into a legend!

Beautiful writing, but a bit too overpowering for me. This definitely falls on the purple prose category, and it really wasn't to my personal taste. In terms of the plot, I was a little disappointed that this didn't lean more heavily into the Greek God aspects, especially Hades who we barely even see, let alone get to know. We do get an underworld, but it's all a bit colourless and dull. Which to be honest, is also a reflection of the plot itself. It's very slow moving, with Corey spending a lot of time moping over Bree and getting everyone to tell her that actually it's all OK. She's a difficult character to warm too - beyond the constant reflection of how awful she was to Bree, she's also rather shallow and self indulgent. I couldn't empathise with her at all. In fact, many times throughout the course of the story I grew to deeply dislike her and really felt sorry for Bree.

Also the world building, beyond a colourless underworld, really could have done with some more work. The story is set in a world that still worships the Greek Gods but we have modern technology - and this got me really confused. I didn't know whether it was set in alternative version of our own world, or one entirely new.

A rather muddled story that really needed a more watertight world with its own distinct lore to make this make more sense. And some more likeable characters.

This was beautiful and brilliant.
Corey was such a great character, you could feel the depths of her pain, at the betrayal of her best friend and boyfriend, in everything she did
The fact that her first thought was always what Bree would think or do in any situation was heartbreaking and made her fury really believable.
The wonderful way that Green mythology was interwoven with the story and how Corey's actions mirrored Persephone but still remained her own story was inspired.
I adored this book and would highly recommend it to anyone.

Yet another triumph under Salisbury's belt. Immersive, life-like and intoxicating, driven by grief-tinted anger. I adored it.

I really enjoyed this! It was such a fast paced read, I barrelled through it! I have read Hold Back the Tide by Melinda Salisbury and I love how atmospheric she writes her settings and the creepy vibes that accompany it, this was no different. The world building was great, the characters all felt realistic and I enjoyed the plot.

I was rooting for the MC the whole time, I felt so much sympathy for her and what she’d been through. Anyone who has experienced this kind of hurt would 100% relate with the emotions in this book. I feel like this was portrayed realistically and I’m glad we got the type of ending that we did! I feel like Corey changed as a person throughout the novel and she definitely became stronger and more independent. Obviously, I was a fan of Hades.

The Furies were just plain scary, I liked how they were humanised. The punishing scenes sounded horrific and traumatising.

Would recommend to fans who like Greek mythology, romance, a strong MC, overcoming loss and adventure.

4/5 stars.

I really enjoyed this Hades and Persephone reimagining. Both the characters were interesting and had a lot of depth, Corey specifically was very interesting, and I loved how she progressed, matured and developed throughout the book! Hades was more mellow than I’ve seen him in other retellings, something I also found very refreshing. Another aspect I enjoyed was the extra attention to Furies, this was probably my favourite aspect of the book. It was creepy and eerie, and added an extra spooky, mysterious hue to the already murky atmosphere of the Underworld.

I would say that the integration of Greek Gods into the modern world was slightly jarring for me initially, but as the book went on I seemed to get used to it. Other than that, this was a pretty fun and easy read, definitely something I’d recommend during Autumn time if you want to escape all the fae-fantasy, as the world building is similar but with a new note to it! Overall, this was a solid YA read and a good introduction to the fantasy genre as a whole, albeit still very different to writings like Madeleine Miller, perhaps a breath of fresh air.

Thank you to the NetGalley and the publishers for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This has to be one of my favourite books of the year. I was obsessed from the beginning and couldn’t put it down once I started. It is fantastic!

An absolutely fantastic read! ‘Her Dark Wings’ was a refreshing and modern retelling of Hades and Persephone. So if you love a good Greek mythology retelling, then you are in for a treat!

A friendship that was thought to be forever, Corey and Bree have been inseparable since childhood. That is until Bree betrays Corey, leaving her heartbroken and alone. Corey’s emotions begin to spiral out of control, until her ‘fury’ clouds her judgement and puts her on a dark path.

This book was incredibly raw and powerful. It was beautifully written and the world building was spectacular. It was interesting to explore the underworld in more depth and how it’s perspective changes with the development and growth of Corey’s character. The landscape almost reflects Corey’s moods and was a great way of portraying self reflection.

Thank you to David Fickling Books and Netgalley for sending me this book to read!

Rating: 4/5⭐️

I need to start off by saying that Melinda Salisbury is one of my favourite authors. If you haven't read the Sorrow duology yet, I highly encourage you to do so. Salisbury is a phenomenal writer, and Her Dark Wings is no different. Her writing packs a punch, and she has a talent for making you feel exactly what the characters are feeling. You could feel Corey's rage, and her heartbreak.

I do wish that this book was about 100 pages longer. I would have liked some side characters to be more fleshed out. As far as retellings go, I enjoyed this one. It's not your traditional Hades & Persephone retelling. Her Dark Wings doesn't focus on the romance so much as on the bond between friends, betrayal, and being true to yourself.

If you're looking for a Hades and Persephone retelling with a twist, I highly recommend this.

Set in a modern world where worship of the Greek Gods is the dominant faith, Corey thought she and her best friend, Bree, had an unshakeable bond. Until Bree betrays her in the worst way possible, and then dies suddenly, leaving Corey heartbroken, guilty—and furious. But when she finds her way to the Underworld and is taken in by the Furies, Corey is confronted not just with the depths of her rage, but the price of justice and punishment, grappling with the potentially eternal consequences of the power the Furies—and Hades—insist lies within her. But does Corey encourage life… or death?

I loved the glimpse of this world, where worship of the Greek Gods has spread in much the same way as Christianity to become a dominant religion. And if you’re feeling angry—and there’s a lot to feel angry about in the world these days—then Corey’s rage, and the unchangeable nature of the Furies, will be a balm. This is a book that deals unflinchingly with anger and fury, and vindictiveness, the worst parts of a person that they keep hidden from everyone else: their darkest impulses, the terrible things they can say or do to themselves and others.

But there is colour and light, for this is also a take on the Persephone myth, showing that light cannot exist without shadows. That acceptance doesn’t always mean forgiveness, and that repentance—or a lack thereof—is at its heart, part of human nature.

3.75 rounded up to 4.

Thanks to DFB for my copy! I enjoyed this book and definitely enjoyed the first half more than the 2nd. The pacing is great and the readability is v easy.
I just wish the 2nd half was more developed. I also feel like there are some inconsistencies with character and relationship development and some parts felt a little superficial.

Overall an enjoyable and easy read, but could be better with some tweaks.

I really enjoyed this book- I finished it within 24 hours!
Its modern day but the main character is on a little island which is close to The Underworld.
I like the superstitious actions mentioned that the residents of the island do to appease the gods - a coin on the lips of the dead to pay for their fair to the underworld / throwing pine dolls into the ocean for Possidon to take care of the fishermen and so on. It really immersed you into the world in this book. I think coming from the UK myself I also enjoyed these aspects a lot because different places throughout the UK do have their own superstitious beliefs and folklore so that really made me enjoy it all the more.

I would recommend it to people who are interested in a Haydes and Persephone retelling but don't like romance because the romance in this book is very light. There is no smut too so if that is important to some people then this won't disappoint. I personally like romance to be heavy in my books but that is just my personal taste and I haven't lowered my rating because of that.

BOOK REVIEW: Her Dark Wings by @melindasalisbury

4 Stars

I was so excited about this Hades and Persephone retelling and it definitely did not let me down!

Her Dark Wings is about Corey (Persephone), a teenager who has a broken heart and a love for gardening. The story is both modern but integrated well with some fantastic greek mythology. In the story the humans know the greek gods exist. I won't say much about the story as I don't want to give much away but it is definitely the most different reimagining of this story that I have read so far.
Corey is such an interesting character and I loved getting to know all her different sides and seeing her grow. I also loved this verison of Hades who was much quieter and kinder than other versions I have read. He had a calmness to him that others have not had and I loved it!
The writing was fantastic and I flew through the book as it was such a fun, easy read. I only hoped for more scenes between Hades and Corey which I felt were lacking as most of the time she spent with the Furies which was such an interesting interpretation.
Overall, a fantastic YA imagining of this epic story and one I will definitely read again!
Please note that I was #gifted this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Corey struggles to move on from the betrayal of her best friend and boyfriend. Then her best friend is found dead. Corey cannot believe this was an accident and seeks advice from The Oracle who lives on a neighbouring island. Plunged into The Underworld she is attacked, manipulated and lied to, but can she escape and go home?
I loved this mythology inspired novel, so much going on! Even though there are strong elements of mythology the characters are very real and believable, from her feckless bff Bree to The Furies and Hades himself.
It was hugely entertaining and I'm hoping for a sequel.

I seem to always say that Melinda Salisbury’s latest book is her best yet, but this one is, no doubt about that. I’m confident in saying it’s also one of my favourite Teen/YA books of all time. Rather than focusing on the experience of being a teenager, this book is a successful portrayal of the inner life and psyche (no pun intended) of a teenage girl who has been betrayed by those she loves the most. It’s so beautifully and fiercely written, a complete triumph.