Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter Review

Title: Goddess Interrupted (Goddess Test #2)

Author: Aimee Carter @aimee_carter

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Mythology, Paranormal

Page Count: 296 pages

Publish Date: March 27, 2012

Book Type: Kindle Galley

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

ISBN: 9780373210459

From Goodreads: KATE WINTERS HAS WON IMMORTALITY.

BUT IF SHE WANTS A LIFE WITH HENRY IN THE UNDERWORLD, SHE'LL HAVE TO FIGHT FOR IT.

Becoming immortal wasn't supposed to be the easy part. Though Kate is about to be crowned Queen of the Underworld, she's as isolated as ever. And despite her growing love for Henry, ruler of the Underworld, he's becoming ever more distant and secretive. Then, in the midst of Kate's coronation, Henry is abducted by the only being powerful enough to kill him: the King of the Titans. 

As the other gods prepare for a war that could end them all, it is up to Kate to save Henry from the depths of Tartarus. But in order to navigate the endless caverns of the Underworld, Kate must enlist the help of the one person who is the greatest threat to her future. 

Henry's first wife, Persephone.

My Review: I am not quite as fond of this cover as I was of the first, but it is still fun. The tagline, “What if immortality isn’t forever?” is pretty intriguing. The tagline on The Goddess Test was “Become immortal or die trying,” so the contrast between Book 1 and Book 2 is pretty strong. In Book 1, everything was about becoming immortal and the journey there, while Book 2 seems to suggest that immortality might not be everything Kate had expected.

I loved how we got to know more of the characters throughout Goddess Interrupted. Persephone actually played a fairly large role which created some delicious tension between Henry and Kate. It was nice to be able to see the familial interactions between Kate, Persephone, and their mother as well.

Henry and Kate drove me nuts throughout much of the book, however, it didn’t detract from the story. There was tension between the two of them, but it was a good kind of tension. I’m telling you... sometimes I just wanted to shake them. If they would just talk about the issues they are having, half of the problems wouldn’t exist!  

The ending will leave you yearning for the next book in the series. Talk about an epic cliffhanger. Jeeze. Actually, there were a few moments throughout the book where I found my jaw dropping. Aimee Carter really stepped it up with the plot twists. 

Books based on Greek mythology get a big thumbs up from me!

Thanks to Aimee Carter, NetGalley, and Harlequin Teen for this e-galley!

Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini Review

Title: Starcrossed (Starcrossed #1)

Author: Josephine Angelini

Genre: Young Adult, Mythology, Fantasy

Page Count: 496 pages, 833 KB

Book Type: e-galley

Publisher: HarperTeen

ISBN: 9780062011992

ASIN: B004JN1D3W

Picture from Amazon

From Goodreads: How do you defy destiny?

Helen Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how different she is—no easy task on an island as small and sheltered as Nantucket. And it's getting harder. Nightmares of a desperate desert journey have Helen waking parched, only to find her sheets damaged by dirt and dust. At school she's haunted by hallucinations of three women weeping tears of blood . . . and when Helen first crosses paths with Lucas Delos, she has no way of knowing they're destined to play the leading roles in a tragedy the Fates insist on repeating throughout history.

As Helen unlocks the secrets of her ancestry, she realizes that some myths are more than just legend. But even demigod powers might not be enough to defy the forces that are both drawing her and Lucas together—and trying to tear them apart.

My Review: I love this cover. I cannot wait to go and get a physical copy of this book--it’s that beautiful. The colors and her flowing dress are gorgeous. The black and white version on the Kindle does not do it justice. The blurb doesn’t even really bother me since it is so small and isn’t a main focus (and you know how much I hate blurbs on the front of books). The only problem I have with this cover is that it seems like her face is cut off at a weird part. It’s not too big of a deal though.

I’ll have to admit, I’m loving this Greek mythology trend in books. I first read The Goddess Test and now Starcrossed. I’ve enjoyed both of them! Granted, I really know nothing about Greek mythology, so I don’t really know if sticklers would enjoy this book or not. If you’re not sure if you want to read this, based on accuracy in Greek mythology, please remember that this is a work of fiction. If you can’t invent something in a fictional world, when can you? (/endrant)

I am insanely jealous of Helen getting to spend time with the super-large Delos family. They seem like such a fun group of people. The supporting characters in this novel were just as fabulous as the main characters. Helen’s best friend, Claire, had me laughing out loud a few times. I can’t say too much without spoiling it, but look for the part where Helen goes to Claire’s house to talk with her (and the following scene). Claire is so funny throughout. 

I read this book very quickly because every time I would put it down, it was all I could think about. This, I think, is a testament to how much I enjoyed it. 

There was a little bit of insta-love (or, more accurately, insta-hate turned insta-love), but at least it was explained. I cannot wait to see where Josephine Angelini takes this series. Definitely one of my favorite reads of 2011 so far. I can’t wait to re-read this one. Cliff-hanger warning! Go. Buy. This. Book. Now.

Thanks to NetGalley, HarperTeen, and Josephine Angelini for this review copy!

Have you read this? Did you love it as much as I did? I would love to hear your thoughts! (Side note: sorry for the huge gust-fest!)

The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter Review

Title: The Goddess Test

Author: Aimee Carter @aimee_carter

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Mythology, Paranormal

Page Count: 304 pages

Book Type: e-galley

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

ISBN: 9780373210268

ASIN: B004U73CRW

Picture from Amazon

From Goodreads:  It's always been just Kate and her mom—and her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate's going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear her mother won't live past the fall.

Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerizing. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworld—and if she accepts his bargain, he'll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests.

Kate is sure he's crazy—until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she succeeds, she'll become Henry's future bride, and a goddess.

My Review: I love the writing on this cover. It goes perfectly with the whole Greek mythology theme. I love the use of the sigmas for the “e’s.” What I am not too wild about is the blurb from Cassandra Clare. I’m sure it will attract readers, but I don’t generally like blurbs on the front cover. I would rather them be on the back cover so they do not interfere with the image. The tagline, “Become immortal or die trying”  is interesting. Would you rather risk your life immediately for a chance at becoming immortal or just live a normal life knowing you will die eventually? The idea of immortality is intriguing--imagine all of the things you could learn, the places you could see and, most importantly, the books you could read! On the other side, imagine all of the people you know and love eventually dying and you surviving over and over again. It’s something to think about.

I’m pretty sure this is the first book dealing with Greek mythology that I have read. If I have read one before, it is escaping me right now. The Goddess Test has me wanting to read more! I’m glad I requested this galley because it has opened me up to a whole new genre of books. I have read some complaints about the book not following Greek mythology specifically; however, I didn’t find that to be intrusive. This is a work of fiction, so I feel that some liberties can be taken. That’s all I’m going to say about that one. 

Kate and her mom have an amazing relationship. This relationship is really the driving force of the book. Nearly every decision Kate makes revolves around her mother and their bond. 

Even though I figured out a few of the secrets in the book, it still kept me guessing. I loved the setting of the novel and Carter described everything vividly. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this debut novel by Aimee Carter! I will definitely be checking out the sequel. I am also excited for the dystopian novel Carter is working on.

Would you risk your life for a chance at immortality? Are you looking forward to The Goddess Test? Let me know in the comments! 

Thanks to Harlequin Teen for this e-galley!