The Catacomb King

Rise of Persephone, Book 1

by Cordelia Casse

This title was previously available on NetGalley and is now archived.

Buy on Amazon

*This page contains affiliate links, so we may earn a small commission when you make a purchase through links on our site at no additional cost to you.

Book 1 of Rise of Persephone

Pub Date 15 Oct 2025 | Archive Date 11 Oct 2025

ARC provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op

General Fiction (Adult) | Romance | Sci Fi & Fantasy

Talking about this book? Use #TheCatacombKing #NetGalley. More hashtag tips!

Description

Do not cross the border. Do not eat their fruit. And do not let them touch you.

Persephone has one duty: Protect her dying mother, no matter the cost. Even if it means risking her own life stealing medicinal herbs from the mouth of the underworld.

Until she’s dragged underground by Hades, the underworld’s dark, brooding prince.

Persephone, though, is no meek prey. She will fight tooth and nail to escape. But Hades has his own reasons for abducting Persephone, and he will do anything to keep her.

And as Persephone discovers Hades's buried secrets — and as her loathing for him yields to a forbidden attraction — she uncovers an evil that threatens to destroy not only the underworld, but her own village.

If Persephone escapes the underworld, she will be dooming both of their lands. But if she doesn’t, she risks her mother’s life.

Make no mistake: There’s nothing she won’t do to leave.

But there’s nothing he won’t do to make her stay.

The Catacomb King is the first book in the Rise of Persephone duology, a romantic fantasy series. Featuring slow-burn enemies-to-lovers, spicy banter, and our unlikely heroine saving the world, this Hades and Persephone retelling is perfect for fans of hot, plot-heavy, character-driven romantasy like Servant of Earth, Quicksilver, and A Court of Thorns and Roses.

Available Editions

EDITION	Ebook
ISBN	9040042798663
PRICE	$4.99 (USD)

Available on NetGalley

NetGalley Reader (EPUB)

NetGalley Shelf App (EPUB)

Send to Kindle (EPUB)

Download (EPUB)

Additional Information

Average rating from 29 members

Featured Reviews

Claire C, Reviewer

I devoured this book! It was so good. Persephone x Hades retelling. I adored Perse in this book. She went from a shy doubtful village girl to a badass, formidable Goddess of the underworld. Hades was such a great character as well in this book, I felt sorry for him but also proud of him at the end. Hades and Perse attraction was off the charts, and the spice was spicy 🌶. I honestly can't wait for book 2, The Resurrection Queen, that comes out next year.

I'd like to thank @netgalley for the arcs of this book.

Was this review helpful?

Hollee K, Reviewer

I absolutely devoured this book! I couldn't put it down, I adored this version of Hades and Persephone. This book is well written and the plot grabs you. A very very slow burn romance that had me waiting on baited breath for the next scene, wanting more.

Persephone is so strong in this, she's been through a lot in her young life but you can tell it's really shaped her as a person and she's so REAL! That's what made me really connect with this book, she's so human, so everyday and believable.

I definitely give this book a 5 star rating, the spice... mmmm absolutely delicious 3 chili peppers for sure. I can't wait for this book to actually be published, I'll be grabbing a copy just to put on my shelf as a trophy since it was my first ever ARC.

This review is brought to you thanks to NetGalley for letting me get this title early to review.