I want to be upfront about something: Scarlett St. Clair is not the kind of author I would have discovered on my own. My reading tastes run toward psychological thrillers and historical mysteries — not Greek mythology retellings with dark romance. But my teenage daughter is a devoted fan, and when she handed me A Touch of Darkness and said “just read the first chapter,” I made the mistake of thinking I’d humor her for ten minutes.
Two hours later I was still reading. That’s the thing about St. Clair’s writing — it’s immediately, almost alarmingly immersive. The version of Ancient Greece she builds in New Athens is strange and seductive and contemporary all at once, and Persephone’s voice pulls you into it before you’ve had a chance to decide whether you’re the target audience.
Whether you’re coming to this guide as a new reader or a longtime fan trying to navigate the multiple interconnected series, the reading order genuinely matters here. Let me make it simple.
The Most Important Thing to Know: The Hades x Persephone Reading Order
This is where most new readers get confused, and it’s worth addressing directly before any lists appear.
Scarlett St. Clair has written eight books in the Hades x Persephone world, split across two series: the Hades x Persephone series (four books) and the Hades Saga series (three books), plus a prequel novella. These are not separate stories — they are one continuous narrative told from alternating perspectives. The Hades x Persephone books follow Persephone’s point of view; the Hades Saga books follow Hades’s point of view covering the same events.
The correct way to read them is interlaced — alternating between the two series rather than finishing one before starting the other. Reading all four Persephone books and then all three Hades books will spoil events and create significant narrative confusion. The correct combined order is below.
The Complete Hades x Persephone Reading Order (Combined)
Read these in this exact sequence:
- A Touch of Darkness (Hades x Persephone #1, 2019)
- A Game of Fate (Hades Saga #1, 2020)
- A Touch of Ruin (Hades x Persephone #2, 2020)
- A Game of Retribution (Hades Saga #2, 2022)
- A Touch of Malice (Hades x Persephone #3, 2021)
- A Game of Gods (Hades Saga #3, 2023)
- A Touch of Chaos (Hades x Persephone #4, 2024)
It is necessary to read the books in the Hades x Persephone Saga in the order they were published, as this reflects the progression of Persephone’s relationship with Hades and the challenges they face within the realm of the gods. The interlaced order above is the version of publication order that actually makes narrative sense across both series simultaneously.
Every Hades x Persephone Book Summarized
A Touch of Darkness (2019)
The one that started everything. Persephone, disguised as a mortal and devoid of her magical powers, starts a journey of discovery and defiance in New Athens. She is a journalism student trying to live a normal life while hiding the fact that she is actually the daughter of Demeter, goddess of the harvest. A chance encounter with Hades — god of the Underworld, de facto ruler of New Athens’s criminal underworld — sets everything in motion when he makes her a bargain she can’t refuse. The worldbuilding in this first book is exceptional: a contemporary city where gods walk among mortals, run nightclubs, and appear in tabloids, but the ancient power dynamics are very much still in play. Persephone’s voice is sharp and funny and vulnerable in ways that make her immediately likeable.
A Game of Fate (2020)
The same story from Hades’s point of view. Where Book 1 shows us a woman trying to understand a world she’s been kept from, Book 2 shows us the god who has watched that world for millennia and is suddenly, unexpectedly undone by one mortal-disguised goddess. Hades’s internal voice is considerably darker and more self-aware than Persephone’s — he knows exactly who he is and exactly what he wants, which makes his vulnerability more interesting rather than less. This book deepens everything that happens in Book 1 and reveals details that recontextualize several scenes.
A Touch of Ruin (2020)
Persephone and Hades’s relationship deepens and grows more complicated as outside forces — divine politics, old enemies, and Demeter’s fury — begin to press in. The stakes shift from personal to mythological. St. Clair expands the pantheon of gods populating New Athens, and the world becomes richer and more dangerous.
A Game of Retribution (2022)
Hades’s perspective on the events of A Touch of Ruin and the aftermath. The gap between Books 2 and 4 in publication order is one reason reading interlaced rather than series-by-series matters — by this point in the combined reading order, both characters are fully established and the dual perspective adds genuine depth rather than redundancy.
A Touch of Malice (2021)
Hades and Persephone are finally engaged. But Demeter is unhappy with the engagement and invokes a snowstorm that cripples New Greece. The Olympians decide to intervene and Persephone suddenly finds that the ancient gods are in control of her future, divided as they are over whether to go to war against Demeter, allow the marriage to proceed, or forbid it entirely. The divine politics reach full complexity here and the personal stakes become genuinely threatening. FictionDB
A Game of Gods (2023)
The final book in the Hades Saga. Hades’s perspective on the climactic events building toward the war that threatens New Greece. St. Clair uses this book to deliver emotional payoffs that have been building across six novels — moments that only land because of everything that preceded them.
A Touch of Chaos (2024)
The world will burn in the final installment of the Hades x Persephone saga. The gods are at war, the Titans have been released, and Hades and Persephone must fight tooth and nail for their happy ending. This is the conclusion of the central story — the full arc from Persephone’s first bargain with Hades to the final battle for the future of New Greece. Readers who have been with the series from the beginning will find it a satisfying, emotionally earned ending.
The Adrian x Isolde Series — In Order
This is St. Clair’s second major series — a vampire fantasy set in a completely different world from the Hades books. It can be read before, after, or alongside the Hades saga with no continuity issues.
The Adrian x Isolde series:
- Born of Flames and Sacrifice (prequel novella, 2025)
- King of Battle and Blood (Book 1, 2021)
- Queen of Myth and Monsters (Book 2, 2022)
The series follows Isolde, a princess turned queen, as she contends with political intrigue and her evolving relationship with the vampire king Adrian. The tone here is darker and more epic fantasy in scope than the Hades books — less contemporary urban mythology, more world-building and political power dynamics. The romance is equally central but the conflict is more externally driven.
Read the prequel novella Born of Flames and Sacrifice before King of Battle and Blood for full context, though the main novels stand reasonably well on their own. It is necessary to read the books in the Adrian x Isolde series in the order they were published, as this reflects the progression of Adrian and Isolde’s relationship and the evolving political and supernatural conflicts they face.
The Fairy Tale Retellings — In Order
Two standalone-ish novels set in St. Clair’s fairy tale retelling world. These can be read independently but share a connected world.
- Mountains Made of Glass (2023)
- Apples Dipped in Gold (2024)
Mountains Made of Glass is a dark retelling of Cinderella — not the Disney version but the older, stranger folk tale version, with all the darkness restored and a romantasy lens applied. Apples Dipped in Gold follows in the same world with a Snow White retelling. Both are considerably shorter than the Hades books and work as a good entry point for readers who want to sample St. Clair’s style before committing to a seven-book saga.
The Blood of Lilith Series — In Order (New Series, 2025–2026)
St. Clair’s newest series and her most ambitious world-building project to date — a departure from Greek mythology into something entirely original.
- Terror at the Gates (Book 1, July 2025)
- Coiled at the Roots (Book 2, October 6, 2026)
At the heart of the Blood of Lilith series is Lilith Leviathan, a woman born to a legacy she refuses to bow to, carving out her existence in Nineveh — a city pulsing with forbidden magic, rigid dogma, and the simmering tensions between its five ruling families. What begins as survival through quiet defiance soon draws her into the orbit of Zahariev Zareth, a man whose influence is as dangerous as his allure, and whose presence threatens to unravel the fragile walls she has built around herself.
The setting — a neon-lit urban fantasy world described as where urban fantasy meets noir seduction — is a significant creative evolution from New Athens. Readers who loved the atmosphere of the Hades books but want something fresher and less mythologically familiar will find this series particularly compelling.
Coiled at the Roots releases October 6, 2026 and is currently available for pre-order. Read Terror at the Gates first — this series requires order.
The Standalone Novel
When Stars Come Out (2018)
St. Clair’s debut novel and the book she wrote before the Hades saga took over her career. A YA retelling of the Orpheus and Eurydice myth — lighter in tone and content than the later romantasy work, but it shows the mythological obsessions and atmospheric writing style that would define everything that followed. Her debut showcases her versatility and is worth reading for fans who want to see where she started.
Who Is Scarlett St. Clair? The Author Behind the Books
Scarlett St. Clair is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and a citizen of the Muscogee Nation. She has a master’s degree in library science and information studies and a bachelor’s in English writing. She lives in Oklahoma.
She has always been obsessed with the afterlife, Greek mythology, love stories, and murder mysteries. That combination of interests is visible in every series she writes — the mythology is always the scaffolding, but the emotional core is always the love story, and the darkness is always present underneath both.
Her influences include The Lord of the Rings trilogy, which is the inspiration for her settings in her Greek mythology retellings. That epic scope — the sense of a world with its own deep history and internal logic — is what makes the Hades books feel more substantial than most romantasy despite their addictive pace.
St. Clair didn’t set out to reinvent Greek mythology — she simply asked the kind of questions that myths had left unanswered for centuries. What if Persephone wasn’t a passive figure? What if Hades, the god of the Underworld, wasn’t the villain? From those questions bloomed a literary world where ancient legends are unspooled into something darkly sensual, unapologetically modern, and irresistibly addictive.
All Scarlett St. Clair Books in Publication Order — Master List
For readers who want everything in a single chronological view:
- When Stars Come Out (2018) — standalone YA
- A Touch of Darkness (2019) — Hades x Persephone #1
- A Game of Fate (2020) — Hades Saga #1
- A Touch of Ruin (2020) — Hades x Persephone #2
- King of Battle and Blood (2021) — Adrian x Isolde #1
- A Touch of Malice (2021) — Hades x Persephone #3
- A Game of Retribution (2022) — Hades Saga #2
- Queen of Myth and Monsters (2022) — Adrian x Isolde #2
- Mountains Made of Glass (2023) — Fairy Tale Retelling #1
- A Game of Gods (2023) — Hades Saga #3
- A Touch of Chaos (2024) — Hades x Persephone #4
- Apples Dipped in Gold (2024) — Fairy Tale Retelling #2
- Born of Flames and Sacrifice (2025) — Adrian x Isolde prequel novella
- Terror at the Gates (2025) — Blood of Lilith #1
- Coiled at the Roots (October 6, 2026) — Blood of Lilith #2
Where to Start — My Honest Recommendation
For most readers: Start with A Touch of Darkness (2019).
It’s Book 1 of the Hades x Persephone series, the entry point to her most popular world, and the book that established her voice. If you enjoy it, the combined seven-book reading order above gives you the full arc.
If you want something shorter first: Mountains Made of Glass (2023) is a single self-contained novel that delivers St. Clair’s signature dark romance and lush atmosphere in a fraction of the page count. It’s an excellent way to find out if her style works for you before committing to a saga.
If you prefer vampire fantasy over mythology: Start with King of Battle and Blood (2021). The Adrian x Isolde world has its own distinct flavor — grittier, more political, and more traditionally epic fantasy than the Hades books.
For her newest work: Start with Terror at the Gates (2025), the first Blood of Lilith novel, which sets up Coiled at the Roots (October 2026). This series is early enough that new readers can get in at the beginning with no back catalog required.
Frequently Asked Questions
What order should I read Scarlett St. Clair’s books?
Each series has its own internal reading order and should be read in sequence. The most complex order is the Hades x Persephone world, which requires interlacing the Hades x Persephone and Hades Saga series rather than reading one then the other. The correct combined order is listed above. All other series are straightforward — read in publication order within each series.
How many books has Scarlett St. Clair written?
Scarlett St. Clair has published 15 books as of 2026 across five series and one standalone, with Coiled at the Roots (Blood of Lilith #2) releasing October 6, 2026.
Is the Hades x Persephone series finished?
Yes. A Touch of Chaos (2024) is the final installment of the Hades x Persephone saga. The complete seven-book story is now available to read in full.
Do the Hades x Persephone and Hades Saga series need to be read together?
Yes — they tell one story from two perspectives and are designed to be read interlaced. Reading all four Persephone books first and then all three Hades books will create spoilers and narrative confusion. Follow the combined reading order listed above.
Can I read the Adrian x Isolde series without reading the Hades books?
Yes. The two series are set in completely different worlds with no shared characters or continuity. You can start with Adrian x Isolde at any point.
What is Scarlett St. Clair’s newest book?
Coiled at the Roots, the second book in the Blood of Lilith series, releases October 6, 2026. The first book in the series, Terror at the Gates, was published in July 2025.
Is Scarlett St. Clair a #1 New York Times bestseller?
Yes — Scarlett St. Clair is a #1 New York Times bestselling author.
What should I read after Scarlett St. Clair?
If you love the Greek mythology romantasy, Aly Martinez’s recent mythology work and Jennifer L. Armentrout’s From Blood and Ash series cover similar dark romance fantasy territory. For the fairy tale retelling side of St. Clair’s work, Stephanie Garber’s Caraval series and Marissa Meyer’s Lunar Chronicles are natural next steps. If it’s specifically the enemies-to-lovers slow burn you responded to, look at Hannah Nicole Maehrer’s Assistant to the Villain series.
Final Verdict
Scarlett St. Clair is one of the defining voices of the romantasy genre’s current explosion in popularity — and she got there by doing something most genre fiction doesn’t bother to do: asking genuinely interesting questions of the source material. Her version of Hades isn’t a villain who gets redeemed through love. He’s a complex, morally grey god whose power and loneliness and unexpected tenderness feel earned across seven books of careful character work.
The reading order complexity can look intimidating from the outside — multiple series, interlaced timelines, different worlds. But once you’re inside the Hades x Persephone world, none of it feels complicated. It just feels like a story you don’t want to leave.
My daughter was right. Read the first chapter. See what happens.
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