A Touch of Darkness is the first book in a new series by author Scarlett St. Clair. This novel was first published in 2019 by self-publication. In 2020 it was published again. A Touch of Darkness is a NA mythological, fantasy novel.
In this article, you will find some frequently asked questions about this book. I have tried to answer them as best and honestly as possible.
I hope you enjoy reading these, and I hope this post answers some of the questions you may have about this book!
Since I will be answering questions about the book and its story, this article will contain spoilers.
What genre is A Touch of Darkness?
This book and its entire series is New Adult (NA).
The main character Persephone might be within the age range of young adult (only just) but the subjects and sexual content all make this book a NA fantasy book.
Is this book LGBT?
There is some LGBT content in this book. Most of the Gods have no preference toward males or females as lovers. So there are a lot of same-sex (sexual) relationships.
Is A Touch of Darkness self-published?
In 2019, Scarlett St. Clair self-published ATOD. In 2020 a publishing agency re-published the book.
When was A Touch of Darkness written?
This book was first published in May 2019. So Scarlett St. Clair wrote the book sometime before that.
Is this book part of a series?
Yes, it is a series. So far there are three books available in this series. The order in which to read the books is:
- A Touch of Darkness
- A Touch of Ruin
- A Touch of Malice
Also, there is a spin-off series from Hades’ point of view. You can read the books after the regular series, or switch between books. They take place in the same universe. The order in which to read the spin-off book series is:
- A Game of Fate
- A Game of Retribution
- A Game of Gods
Is this book series finished?
No, the series isn’t finished yet. Book 4, A Touch of Chaos is expected to be in stores in 2023. It’s not clear yet if this will be the last book.
Can A Touch of Darkness be read as a standalone?
It is possible to read this book as a standalone. But I would not recommend it.
It’s not so much that there is a major cliffhanger or open ending. But it does feel like the story isn’t over yet. And there is so much more to tell.
is A Touch of Darkness spicy?
This book is indeed spicy. However, this first book is the least spicy. But still, there are a few sex scenes. And the author describes these scenes in a graphic way.
When does A Touch of Darkness get spicy?
The first 2/3 of the book Persephone and Hades try to deny the chemistry between them. Persephone still think Hades is evil. And he is trying to prove himself to her. But at the last part of the book they give in to the attraction and the real spicy parts happen.
What are the prominent tropes in A Touch of Darkness?
It starts as a classic enemies-to-lovers story. Persephone wants to show the world how terrible Hades is all because of the deals he makes with mortals.
But when she gets trapped into a deal of her own, she notices he isn’t what she thought he was. Rather, Hades just doesn’t want the world to know his weaknesses and has had to deal with other gods and fates as well.
Does A Touch of Darkness have romance?
There is a lot of romance in this story. Persephone and Hades pull toward each other. At first, it looks like it is just lust. But Hades and Persephone realize they have real feelings for each other.
A Touch of Darkness kiss
At the beginning of the story, Persephone mentions that she has never been kissed before.
Because of this, she does not want to kiss Hades at first. But once she gets to know him better, she changes her mind.
And finally, she admits to Hades that she wants him to be her first with everything.
Hades and Persephone
Hades and Persephone don’t start out as lovers. But when they eventually come together, the whole relationship is very passionate. It is foretold by the prophecy that Hades and Persephone are meant to be together. But this relationship also has its price.
A Touch of Darkness Characters
Hades
Hades is the God of the Underworld. He takes care of the people who died.
Hades is one of the 3 Olympian Gods together with his brothers Zeus and Poseidon.
In the upper world, as the world of the living is called, Hades owns a nightclub. Here people come to bargain with him for their own lives or the lives of loved ones.
Hades and Persephone first meet In this nightclub.
Persephone
Persephone is the Goddess of spring. She is the daughter of Demeter but does not know who her father is.
Her mother kept her locked away for 18 years, all because an oracle told Demeter that Persephone and Hades are meant to be.
When Persephone persuades her mother to let her study in the mortal world, she makes a promise to not reveal who she really is. So she lives in the mortal world, pretending to be mortal as well.
Persephone goes to the nightclub owned by Hades to try and find out what Hades does. She wants to write an article about Hades and the unfair deals he makes. But she ends up making a deal with him herself.
Lexa
Lexa is a human girl and the best friend of Persephone. She and Persephone live together in a small flat.
When Persephone starts her relationship with Hades, Lexa is one of the first to know. Even though Lexa does not know Persephone is a Goddess, she supports her relationship with Hades. Towards the end of the book Lexa also finds out Persephone is a Goddess.
Minthe
Minthe is Hades’ assistant. She is mostly around in the nightclub owned by Hades.
Persephone feels a bit of jealousy towards Minthe. And she is afraid that there might be more going on between Minthe and Hades than just a boss and employee relationship.
As it turns out, Persephone was partially right. Hades and Minthe had a short sexual relationship in the past. Hades does not have any feelings for Minthe. But Minthe wants Hades for herself. And to get him, she tries to get rid of Persephone.
Then Minthe tries to destroy Persephone, with help from Adonis. But Persephone knows what Minthe is up to and turns her into a mint plant.
Adonis
Adonis is one of Persephone’s colleagues. She first met him while going out with some friends.
At first, Persephone likes Adonis and sees him as a friend. But she soon realizes he is using her for his own goals, and he doesn’t care who he hurts along the way.
How many chapters are in A Touch of Darkness?
This book has 26 chapters. However, it also has bonus content. This bonus content includes 3 chapters from the first Hades book.
What are Persephone’s powers in this book?
When Persephone confronts her mother, she realizes she has great powers of her own. But Her mother did everything she could to make sure Persephone didn’t find out.
The result is that Persephone does not know yet what she can do and how to control those powers. For instance, she turns Adonis into a tree and Minthe into a Mint plant. Also, she almost destroys her mother’s greenhouse when she confronts her.
How does A Touch of Darkness end?
Persephone finally realizes who is trying to harm her. She fights Adonis and Minthe and uses the powers she didn’t know she had.
She then returns to her mother to confront her. Demeter did her best to make sure Persephone never found out what powers she has. But now that Persephone knows, she just needs to learn how to use it best.
Demeter tries to capture her daughter again. But Persephone isn’t the same girl anymore. She uses her powers to take down the greenhouse and escape her mother.
Conclusion
A Touch of Darkness is the first book in the new adult fantasy series about Hades and Persephone. Scarlett St. Clair knows how to keep her readers interested and combines mythology with romance. So if you love a good fantasy story with some spice in it, this is the one for you.
I hope I have answered some of the questions you may have had about this book!
And if you have more questions that I didn’t answer, feel free to let me know in the comments below!
