by Katrina Leno
Publisher: Wednesday Books
Pub Date: December 2, 2025
Genre: Young Adult, Mythology, Fantasy
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
Book Links: Goodreads Amazon Bookshop
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.
Unfortunately, that's where it also ends. The book was slow and boring. Painfully so, that it was headache inducing.
Mythology was very little to none. It was mainly telling tales of how they are a descendant of Persephone and few tidbits at the start of each chapter. Also, wouldn't really call it a retelling but more of an alternative version of future relatives than a retelling of Persephone's story.
Its very focused on the sisters and their sisterhood and the fact they can see and communicate with ghosts. The character development could have had more though. You also have Henry, the ghost who is a big part of the story but you know nothing about him.
I needed more from this book. More mythology, world building, character development, faster pace, etc. But for me it fell flat in pretty much every way.
However, I will say that at the end is when it finally grabbed me and made up for some things. Henry was back and we finally got his story. The pace started to pick up and I actually was grabbed into the story and found to really enjoy the ending.
If the first 80% of the book had those tweaks to it then it probably would've turned out differently for me.
Now, it's not to say this was a bad book, it just wasn't for me. If you want a slow pace read with the main focus on sisters with a smidge of fantasy and magic then this would be more for you.
My Rating:
✪✪✪
