Review: Starcrossed by Josephine Agelini (Starcrossed #1)

Title: Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini

Release date: May 31st 2011 by HarperTeen 

Source: Purchased

Format: Paperback

Age group: Young adult

Genre: Contemporary/Mythology

Reviewer: Arianne

Grade rate: A

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.

Starcrossed is a story that I've loved for a long time. Not only is it the most intriguing and well-executed take on the defining romance of Greek mythology (that of Paris and Helen of Troy, and the Trojan War that followed) I've ever read, but it's also a hugely entertaining read that makes you smile long after you've finished reading.

Helen's always known she's different, but when she sees the scorchingly hot Lucas Delos for the first time and immediately tries to kill him in front of the whole school, she suddenly realizes there's more to it than just feeling like the odd one out: she's destined to restart an aeons-old conflict that will not only tear apart the gods, but her family and the meaning of her life as she knows it, too. The war almost destroyed the gods and their mortal heroes the first time around, but the Furies love patterns; they're the ancient Greek version of catty cheerleaders and they've scented blood.

Thrust into a dangerous world of Scions, demigods, curses and treachery, Helen faces a decision she always thought she'd know the answer to - but choosing between the love of her life and the survival of the human race may not be entirely hers after all. Everything she does seems to bring the threat of war closer, and no matter how hard she tries to resist loving Lucas, there's a part of her that just can't let him go.

This book may be slow to start, but it's definitely worth the wait. The writing style takes getting used to - it's intense, tightly packed and overwhelms the content from time to time - but if you can get through the first quarter, you'll be totally hooked. Starcrossed is all about story and its plot pulls no punches. There are twists and turns everywhere you look!

The importance of family is a theme that plays a huge role in Starcrossed. From the tight-knit but sometimes lonely existence lived by Helen and her father to the chaotic, clamouring warmth of the extended Delos family, there's a sense that although this book focuses on mythology, if you took that element away, there would still be great characters and dynamic relationships to build the story around. Lucas was my favourite character, but Ariadne comes in at a close second - and not just because we share a similar name! She's the feistiest character and stands out from the crowd. There was no shortage of action and danger in Starcrossed, but sometimes I found myself wishing for even more big family scenes. Josephine Angelini really understands what it means to belong, illustrating beautifully the strength and bonds within the Delos tribe. 

If I had to find one fault with the book, it would be that the minor characters are somewhat underdeveloped. Helen's hgih school companions just don't have the depth they need, and they don't hold the readers attention. I really liked Claire, Helen's best friend, but it is true that she probably doesn't have the complexity or realism she deserves.

In short: Starcrossed is a well-written, well-researched story that brilliantly reinvents Greek mythology for a modern young adult audience. It sets a high standard for the contemporary-mythological genre of YA. A book that's been close to my heart since the day I first read it.

Review: Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge (Cruel Beauty Universe)

Title: Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge

Published: January 28^th, 2014 by Balzer and Bray

Source: ARC from ALA

Format: Paperback

Genre: Fantasy | Paranormal | Romance

Age group: Young adult

Grade rate: C+

Based on the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, Cruel Beauty is a dazzling love story about our deepest desires and their power to change our destiny. Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him. With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she's ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people. But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle-a shifting maze of magical rooms-enthralls her. As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? With time running out, Nyx must decide what is more important: the future of her kingdom, or the man she was never supposed to love.

Liza’s Review

Well, that was not what I expected.  Cruel Beauty was pitched at a Graceling meets Beauty and the Beast and that it was not. Instead, the book is a mix of a Greek mythology fantasy, romance, and magic. 

I love Beauty and the Beast and retellings based on the story and thus I was eager to read this book.  Cruel Beauty was confusing, which is not something I like to feel when reading.  At first, the world that was introduced to is very strange.  It is based on Hermetic principles – four elements that create or destroy everything – that are studied by the people of the island of Arcadia.  It is believed that the island has been isolated from the rest of the world by magic created by the Gentle Lord.  Nyx, our protagonist, was raised to destroy the Gentle Lord upon marriage (more about that later), and trained on Hermetic principles and other useful things, since birth.  Are you with me so far? 

Let me try to explain something really quickly: the book can be divided in two parts that I will call Before and After. When Nyx marries the Gentle Lord, which is called Ignifex, is when my confusion starts.  What ensues next is a series of encounters with the very handsome demon and his shadow.  Nyx spends a lot of time searching the castle for clues and trying to steal keys to said rooms from Ignifex.  At the end the ‘Before’ part Nyx does the unthinkable, bound by a promise that she made to her sister.  I didn’t like this ending at all.  I think it was precipitous and disjointed. 

Also, I didn’t particularly liked Nyx.  Before she was cruel, hateful, and insecure.  She did have some redeeming qualities though, she was smart, fearless, and learned to love.  On the other hand, Ignifex was more straightforward.  He didn’t remember how he ended up the way he did, but he was unapologetically good and bad at the same time and more importantly, he was happy that way.  I like them both better when they were together. 

After the ‘first ending’ (confused yet?), we get to meet the same characters, but they are different.  Not only is the world itself altered, but the story takes a different turn.  This second part (the After) is much shorter, the last three chapters, and that might be why I was taken aback.  This Nyx is easier to like and much braver.  Ignifex is weaker and we don’t get to spend any time with him to even get to know him. 

Astraia is Nyx’s twin sister and it seems like the only purpose for her being in the story is for Nyx to have someone to hate.  Nyx’s father and aunt were horrible as well (at least Before) and expected Nyx to figure out how to defeat the Gentle Lord and fix everything, even though it was an impossible task. These are very minor characters because

The setting is weird.  Most of the story takes place while Nyx is inside the castle.  True to the B&B story, it is enchanted and changes all the time.  Another similarity is the mirror that Nyx uses to look to the outside. The world building is good and heavily based on Green mythology. The writing is straightforward and easy to read.

Overall, I enjoyed Cruel Beauty, but unfortunately I didn’t love it.  I’ll still read the next book settled in this universe and hope that they improve with time. 

Some quotes for you:

“If you start wondering how this house works, you'll likely go mad. That could be amusing, I suppose. Especially if it's the kind of madness that causes you to run naked through the hallways. Do feel free to indulge in that anytime.”

“You deserve all that and more. It made me happy to see you suffer. I would do it all over again if I could." I realized I was shaking as the words tumbled out of me. "I would do it again and again. Every night I would torment you and laugh. Do you understand? You are never safe with me." I drew a shuddering breath, trying to will away the sting of tears.

He opened his eyes and stared up at me as if I were the door out of Arcadia and back to the true sky. "That's what makes you my favorite." He reached up and wiped a tear off my cheek with his thumb. "Every wicked bit of you.”

“Why is he scared of the dark?"

I meant the words for a joke, but Shade nodded seriously. "Like all monsters. Because it reminds him of what he truly is".”

About the cover:  It’s gorgeous, and one of the things that had me reading the book in the first place. The roses have a very deep meaning in the Beauty and the Beast story, but not so here.  Also, the spiral stairs emphasize the confusion of the ever-changing castle. 

Waiting on Wednesday: The Shadow Prince by Bree Despain (Into the Dark #1)

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine in which we have the opportunity to let others know about books that we are eagerly waiting for.

Title: The Shadow Prince by Bree Despain 

Published by: Egmont

Release date: March 11th, 2014

Haden Lord, the disgraced prince of the Underrealm, has been sent to the mortal world to entice a girl into returning with him to the land of the dead. Posing as a student at Olympus Hills High—a haven for children of the rich and famous—Haden must single out the one girl rumored to be able to restore immortality to his race.Daphne Raines has dreams much bigger than her tiny southern Utah town, so when her rock star dad suddenly reappears, offering her full tuition to Olympus Hills High’s prestigious music program, she sees an opportunity to catch the break she needs to make it as a singer. But upon moving into her estranged father’s mansion in California, and attending her glamorous new school, Daphne soon realizes she isn’t the only student in Olympus who doesn’t quite belong.Haden and Daphne—destined for each other—know nothing of the true stakes their fated courtship entails. As war between the gods brews, the teenagers’ lives collide. But Daphne won’t be wooed easily and when it seems their prophesied link could happen, Haden realizes something he never intended—he’s fallen in love. Now to save themselves, Haden and Daphne must rewrite their destinies. But as their destinies change, so do the fates of both their worlds.

Why I want to read it: I love mythology and just by reading the blurb, it sounds like the Persephone/Hades myth (which I'm partial to.) I read the first book of Despain's Dark Divine series and I enjoyed it. Also, this cover is gorgeous. 

What are you waiting for this week?

Review: My Date from Hell by Tellulah Darling (The Blooming Goddess Trilogy #2)

Title: My Date from Hell by Tellulah Darling

Published: October 31^st, 2013 by Te Da Media

Source: ARC provided by the author for review

Format: eBook

Genre: Paranormal | Mythology | Romance

Age group: Young adult

Challenge(s):

Grade rate: B+

Sophie Bloom’s junior year has been a bit of a train wreck. After the world’s greatest kiss re-awakened Sophie’s true identity as Persephone (Goddess of Spring and Savior of Humanity), she fought her dragon-lady guidance counselor to the death, navigated mean girl Bethany’s bitchy troublemaking, and dealt with the betrayal of her backstabbing ex, Kai (sexy Prince of Darkness). You’d think a girl could catch a break. Yeah, right. With Zeus stepping things up, it’s vital that Sophie retrieve Persephone’s memories and discover the location of the ritual to stop Zeus and Hades. So when Aphrodite strikes a deal that can unlock Sophie’s pre-mortal past, what choice does the teen goddess have but to accept? The mission: stop media mogul Hermes from turning Bethany into a global mega-celebrity. The catch? Aphrodite partners Sophie and Kai to work together … and treat this suicide mission as a date. Which could work out for Sophie’s plan to force Kai to admit his feelings for her–if she doesn’t kill him first. Add to that the fact that BFF Theo’s love life and other BFF Hannah’s actual life are in Sophie’s hands, and suddenly being a teenager—even a godlike one—seems a bit like … well, hell. Whatever happened to dinner and a movie? The YA romantic comedy/Greek mythology fireworks continue to fly in My Date From Hell. Love meets comedy with a whole lot of sass in book two of this teen fantasy romance series. Breaking up is easy; dating is deadly. 

My Review

What a ride!  My Date from Hell is action packed, unpredictable and, oh so funny!

I missed Sophie and her snarkyness (yes, I know it’s not a word!).  Our heroine is trying to stay alive, recover her Persephone memories, save her friends, the rest of humanity, all while trying to have a date with Kai.  Sophie is a mix of the old and the new, trying to come together to form a special person that’s full of power and that, above all, tries to do the right thing.  She’s fiercely loyal and in My Date from Hell, that loyalty is tested time and time again.

We have Kai back, in all his tattooed glory and he’s going all out to make Sophie fall in love with him.  He can be sweet when he wants to.  We have to remember that he lost the love of his life in Persephone and it’s trying to reconcile the past with his present. This couple is so much fun together. I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Theo and Hannah are trying to help Sophie and keep her safe.  We meet new characters in this installment, some good and some not so good.  I really liked Festos and Pierce, I think they add something to the story and they are definitely in Sophie’s team.

The Blooming Goddess series is so much fun to read.  These characters and full of faults, but also full of life and uniqueness.  The plot, as I said before, is full of action and also very fast paced.  The writing is so funny, sarcastic, and also full of self- discovery and felling. 

What an ending!  It is quite the cliffhanger, surprising and unforeseen, all rolled into one. I fervently hope that Kai comes back to his senses and that something awful happens to Felicia and Bethany (after all, fair is fair and karma is a b*#%^).  I don’t have to tell you that I’m looking forward to My Life from Hell, the conclusion of the trilogy, which will be published sometime next year.

Overall, My Date from Hell is a fast paced adventure, full of twists and turns and characters all and new.  Funny and entertaining :)

Sassy Girl Swoony God Tourney

Hello gorgeous people!  I'm participating in this fun tournament for the next six weeks to celebrate the second book in the Blooming Goddess series by Tellulah Darling.  You can find a lot more information here.

Here is the first challenge:

Since I'm traveling for work this week, I'll get to do the challenge when I get back home.  Please follow along to see how I do :)

Review: Awaken by Meg Cabot (Abandon Trilogy #3)

Title: Awaken by Meg Cabot

Published: July 2^nd, 2013 by Point

Source: ARC from BEA

Format: Paperback

Genre:  Paranormal / Romance / Mythology

Age group: Young adult

Challenge(s): Finish the Series

Grade rate: B

Death has her in his clutches. She doesn’t want him to let go. Seventeen-year-old Pierce Oliviera knew by accepting the love of John Hayden, she’d be forced to live forever in the one place she’s always dreaded most: the Underworld. The sacrifice seemed worth it, though, because it meant she could be with the boy she loves. But now her happiness — and safety — are threatened, all because the Furies have discovered that John has broken one of their strictest rules: He revived a human soul. If the balance between life and death isn’t fixed, both the Underworld and Pierce’s home back on earth will be wiped away. But there’s only one way to restore order. Someone has to die.

My Review

Even though I wasn’t impressed with Abandon (see my review here), the first book of the trilogy, I’m glad I continue reading because it did get better and better.  Awaken a pretty good conclusion to the series.

Awaken starts right after the end of Underworld (see my review here) and finds Pierce helping John with his work in the Underworld and of course, the furies have not given up in making their life hell (pun intended).  Pierce and John continue to be very much in love and even though they have to deal with a lot, they stick together and learn about each other in the process.  Pierce grew a significantly from the hesitant, whining girl of the first book, into a more confident and powerful young woman.  On the other hand, John learned to compromise and taking Pierce’s feelings into account.  I love his protectiveness of her.

Alex keeps being annoying, obtuse and egocentric and quite frankly I dislike him to almost the end.  I’m glad that something good happened to the poor guy.  Kayla is also in the Underworld (temporarily) and seems to be getting along very nicely with Frank, a strapping pirate type guy from John’s crew.  Pierce’s parents have a bit of the spotlight in this one and I’m happy that the cat is out of the bag, it makes life a lot simpler (to all the teens reading this, please take note).

I have to say (it’s my civic duty!) that the blub doesn’t do the book justice.  The fact that Pierce and John revived a soul is not as significant and prominent as it sounds here.  However, someone sort of dies, which was a big unexpected surprise.  As it happens often in the series, the dead have a tendency of not staying that way and the problem gets fixed shortly (and thankfully) after.  The plot is action packed and full of twists and turns and an overabundance of furies. 

The ending was neat and all loose ends were tied.  I’m happy with it and I hope that Pierce and John are too :)

A few quotes for you:

“It isn’t funny,” John said. “ You kissed him on purpose just to annoy me. So do you know what I get to do now?” He stopped pacing and pointed to himself. “I get to kiss someone – whoever I want – just to annoy you.” …

“All right,” I whispered, rubbing his hand across my check. “You get one free kiss…whomever you want.”

“What if who I want to kiss is you? he asked.

“ I think that can be arranged,” I said.

“You don’t know my parents,” I said. “I’ve been trying to tell them the truth about you since the day I died and met you, and all it’s gotten me is a lot of appointments with a bunch of shrinks.  They are not going to believe the truth about you, and they are not going to let me be with you.”

On the landing, John caught hold of my arm, then turned me around to face him.

“Pierce,” he said, looking down into my eyes and smiling, as he smoothed a dark curl of hair from my forehead. “They can’t stop us from being together. And they will believe you. Because I’m here with you. You’re not alone anymore.”

About the cover: These covers are all beautiful and this one is my favorite. It’s so soft, gentle and projects love.  

Review: My Ex From Hell by Tallulah Darling (The Blooming Goddess Trilogy #1)

Title: My Ex From Hell by Tallulah Darling

Published: April 1^st, 2013 by Te Da Media

Source: Netgalley ARC

Format: eBook

Group age: Young adult

Genre: Fantasy / Greek Mythology

Challenge(s): 2013 eBook

Grade rate: B+

Sixteen-year-old Sophie Bloom wishes she’d been taught the following: a) Bad boy’s presence (TrOuBlE) + teen girl’s brain (DraMa) = TrAuMa (Highly unstable and very volatile.)b) The Genus Greekulum Godissimus is notable for three traits: 1) awesome abilities, 2) grudges, and 3) hook-ups, break-ups, and in-fighting that puts cable to shame. Prior to the Halloween dance, Sophie figures her worst problems involve adolescent theatrics, bitchy yoga girls, and being on probation at her boarding school for mouthy behaviour. Then she meets bad boy Kai and gets the kiss that rocks her world. Literally. This breath stealing lip lock reawakens Sophie’s true identity: Persephone, Goddess of Spring. She’s key to saving humanity in the war between the Underworld and Olympus, target numero uno of Hades and Zeus, and totally screwed. Plus there’s also the little issue that Sophie’s last memory as Persephone was just before someone tried to murder her. Big picture: master her powers, get her memories back, defeat Persephone’s would be assassin, and save the world. Also, sneak into the Underworld to retrieve stolen property, battle the minions of Hades and Zeus, outwit psycho nymphs, slay a dragon, rescue a classmate, keep from getting her butt expelled from the one place designed to keep her safe … … and stop kissing Kai, Prince of the Underworld. My Ex From Hell is a romantic comedy/Greek mythology smackdown. Romeo and Juliet had it easy.

My Review

It’s no secret that I LOVE mythology and Greek myths are my favorite.  My Ex From Hell was a really great take on the Persephone story and it is SO FUNNY!

How can I describe the plot without giving it away?  As always, I’ll strive to do my best!  Sophie is 16 and in reality is Persephone in human form.  She is human because of something that happened in the Underworld that she can’t remember (and reasons better left to your own discovery).  Sophie has two best friends: Hannah, a gorgeous geek and Theo.  As you can read in the description, when Kai comes into the picture and kisses her it unlocks some of her memories, but unfortunately not all of them.  What happens next is a type of quest in search for some missing students and for Sophie’s memories.

The characterization is amazing!  We have Sophie, which is full of flaws, but very feisty and funny.  Hannah is beautiful, but really smart and a loyal friend.  Theo is (gay?) and a bit more than a good friend.  Kai is breathtaking!  Oh, and let’s not forget the bully and ever popular girl, Bethany.

As I said, the story is a modern take on the myth of Persephone, and in this case, Kai is Hades’ son.  The couple finds themselves in the middle of a power struggle between the gods (this happens often in mythology, right?).  The book is fairly short and fast paced.  As Sophie doesn’t have all her memories, we get to experience everything from her point of view.  I really enjoyed the writing.  It is hilarious!  It’s full of modern references, technology, snark, slang and such.  However, the ending was a total cliffhanger, and I’m not a fan of that.  Thank goodness that My Date From Hell, book #2, is due to be published in

October.

My Ex From Hell is a must for mythology fans, especially if you love the tale of Persephone and Hades (er, like I do!).

Some quotes for you (note these are from the ARC):

“The name is Kai”. He corrected.

How to put this without sounding stupid? Aw, screw it. There is no way. His voice made me tingle and shiver and warmed me in placed that definitely should not have been warm at the moment. … Kai’s voice was dark and lazy and slightly foreign and…whoa baby, I’m getting weak just thinking about it.”

“Hannah was staring wide-eyed at the two of us. “Mommy, daddy, please don’t fight”.

“Stay”, he ordered me. [Theo]

“I’m not a dog,” I shot back at him.

“Too bad for me,” he muttered and staked out.

I glanced at Hannah. “Did I miss something at the dance? Who peed in his cornflakes?”

“How did she end up here? This sudden epidemic of Greek figures in teen bodies is a little to Invasion of the Body Snatchers for me” – Hannah

About the cover:  Not really my cup of tea.

Waiting on Wednesday: The Chaos of Stars by Kiersten White

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine in which we have the opportunity to let others know about books that we are eagerly waiting for.

Title: The Chaos of Stars by Kiersten White

Published by: HarperTeen 

Release date: September 10th, 2013

Isadora’s family is seriously screwed up.
Of course, as the human daughter of Egyptian gods, that pretty much comes with the territory. She’s also stuck with parents who barely notice her, and a house full of relatives who can’t be bothered to remember her name. After all, they are going to be around forever—and she’s a mere mortal.
Isadora’s sick of living a life where she’s only worthy of a passing glance, and when she has the chance to move to San Diego with her brother, she jumps on it. But Isadora’s quickly finding that a “normal” life comes with plenty of its own epic complications—and that there’s no such thing as a clean break when it comes to family. Much as she wants to leave her past behind, she can’t shake the ominous dreams that foretell destruction for her entire family. When it turns out there may be truth in her nightmares, Isadora has to decide whether she can abandon her divine heritage after all.

Why I want to read it: I really enjoyed Paranolmancy by the same author.  Also, it seems like this involves Egyptian mythology which is a bit unusual. Finally, this cover is so pretty!

What are you waiting for this week?

Review: Persephone by Kaitlin Bevis (Daughters of Zeus #1)

Title: Persephone by Kaitlin Bevis

Published: July 6^th, 2012 by Musa Publishing

Source: Provided to be by the author for review

Format: eBook

Grade rate: B

There are worse things than death, worse people too The “talk” was bad enough, but how many teens get told that they’re a goddess? When her mom tells her, Persephone is sure her mother has lost her mind. It isn’t until Boreas, the god of winter, tries to abduct her that she realizes her mother was telling the truth. Hades rescues her, and in order to safely bring Persephone to the Underworld he marks her as his bride. But Boreas will stop at nothing to get Persephone. Despite her growing feelings for Hades, Persephone wants to return to the living realm. Persephone must find a way to defeat Boreas and reclaim her life.

My Review

When Ms. Bevis approached me with the offer to review Persephone, I jumped at the chance.  I was in the midst of reading the last book in the beloved Goddess Test series and I was in a Greek mythology high :)  Persephone did not disappoint.

I liked Persephone a lot.  Even though it took her a little bit to get acclimated to her status as goddess, she tried her best and did fairly well.  I don’t quite understand why her mother kept all of it a secret or how Persephone is Zeus’ daughter if he is supposed to be dead, but I hope to find out as the series progresses.  Persephone is loyal, loving, very young and yet to come to her full powers.  She makes some not-so-good decisions, but everything works out at the end.

I love Hades!  He is used to spend millennia by himself, but he quickly falls for the brave and innocent Persephone and wish them the best (hopefully to come :)  Hades is loyal, very powerful; he cares for his work and for his friends and family. Did I mentioned that he is very protective and way hot?

Other notable characters are Cassandra, Charon, Helen and Thanatos.  The characterization is one of the things I like most about the book.  The writing is good, easy to read and it flows nicely.  The story is a modern take on Pherephone and Hades story, but with all modern conveniences and with a more willing couple I suppose.

I liked Persephone so well that I already purchased Daughter of Earth and Sky, book two in the series, and I can’t wait to get started. 

Here are some quotes for you:

"I'd never seen anyone that looked like him.  Movie stars, models, they paled in comparison, and as terrified as I was that I'd died, I couldn't seem to look away from him" - Persephone when she first saw Hades

"I've been around since the beginning of time, and I've never been afraid until I met you" - Hades 

"You'll find your own way. Violence isn't in your nature. You're..." He sighed, glancing up at the ceiling as he searched for the right words. "You're light." - Hades

About the cover:  It’s gorgeous, right?  It’s what made me decide to read the book (besides the blurb).

Have you read this book?  Do you like mythology? What is your favorite myth?  

Review: The Goddess Inheritance by Aimée Carter (Goddess Test #3)

Title: The Goddess Inheritance by Aimée Carter

Published: February 26^th, 2013 by Harlequin Teen

Source: eGalley (ARC) from Netgalley

Format: eBook

Challenge(s): Finish the series

Grade rate: A+

Love or life.Henry or their child.The end of her family or the end of the world.Kate must choose. During nine months of captivity, Kate Winters has survived a jealous goddess, a vengeful Titan and a pregnancy she never asked for. Now the Queen of the Gods wants her unborn child, and Kate can't stop her--until Cronus offers a deal. In exchange for her loyalty and devotion, the King of the Titans will spare humanity and let Kate keep her child. Yet even if Kate agrees, he'll destroy Henry, her mother and the rest of the council. And if she refuses, Cronus will tear the world apart until every last god and mortal is dead. With the fate of everyone she loves resting on her shoulders, Kate must do the impossible: find a way to defeat the most powerful being in existence, even if it costs her everything. Even if it costs her eternity.

My Review

And so it starts my first review of the first series that end this year...

Oh my goddess!  I wish there was a rating higher than A+ because this book would certainly get it!  An amazing ending to a beloved series!

If you’ve seen my review of Goddess Interrupted (find it here), you know that I was not too crazy about it.  I found like Kate’s personality changed to an insecure, whining child and that nothing much happened.  To top it all, the ending was one of the worst cliffhangers of all time!  What a nice change to see Kate getting her spunk back, to finally see more of Henry, to get to the bottom of it all!

Goddess Inheritance starts about six months after the ending of the previous book.  This book is action packed, there’s no opportunity to get bored and it was hard to put down.  Kate is sort of rescued at the beginning of the book and after that the action is non-stop.  Fortunately and in spite of her insecurities, Kate is more herself.  That is, she is brave, smart, selfless, and loyal.  She learns a lot about being a goddess (finally someone starts teaching her something!), and probably a lot more than she bargain for.  Kate is still trying to find a way to help the gods win the war even though some of them (and herself at times) find her inadequate.  Not to say that she didn’t made some pretty dumb mistakes, but her, she is only 17 :)

How I adore Henry!  Goddess Inheritance finally gives him a moment to shine and to express his feelings for Kate.   Handsome, possessive, strong, loyal Henry, I’m so happy for you and Kate and your eternal happy ending!

If you started the series or are familiar with Greek mythology, you know about the other characters (gods).  James is his usual awesome and funny self, Ava is trying to make up for her perceived betrayal, Walter (Zeus) is plotting in his sneaky-devil-may-care ways, and Diana is as sweet as ever and a very supporting mother for Kate.

The plot was magnificent (never doubted Kate or Henry for a second!) and the writing, like always impeccable.  I really enjoy the involvement of the other gods and all the action.  The ending was perfect and bittersweet at the same time, BUT a wee-bit open ended.  What I mean by that is that I really hope that Ms. Carter graces us with a story about James and the new goddess search, since I’m not ready to let these much-loved characters go (*hint, hint*). 

If you enjoyed The Goddess Test, you must finish the series (all installments); I promise that you will not be disappointed.

Some quotes: (please note that these are from the ARC, not the final copy)

“James chuckled. “You’re the worst goddess I’ve ever met.”

“Calliope’s the worst goddess you’ve ever met. I’m just the most incompetent.” I scowled.  “It’d help if anyone bothered to teach me how to do things, you know.”

“Hey, I showed you how to think.” He grinned…  - James and Kate

“Henry, as badly as I want to rip the bastard’s hear off, you’re in no condition to get into a pissing match with a Titan. Rest first, and we’ll figure something out later.” – Kate to Henry

“Across from me, James winced. “You really need to get over your martyr complex.  One of these days it’s going to get you killed.” – James to Kate

“You are my life.” Though his words were barely a whisper, they seemed to echo from somewhere deep within him, enveloping my body and infusing me with something unshakable. “There is nothing I would to do to make you happy…” – Henry to Kate

About the cover:  The covers are all gorgeous, but I think this is my favorite as well.

Have you read this series?  Do you like Greek mythology?  Do you like to read modern takes on those tales? 

Waiting on Wednesday: The Goddess Inheritance by Aimeé Carter (The Goddess Test #3)

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine in which we have the opportunity to let others know about books that we are eagerly waiting for.

Title: The Goddess Inheritance by Aimeé Carter

Published by: Harlequin Teen 

Release date: February 26th, 2013

Love or life.

Henry or their child.

The end of her family or the end of the world.

Kate must choose.

During nine months of captivity, Kate Winters has survived a jealous goddess, a vengeful Titan and a pregnancy she never asked for. Now the Queen of the Gods wants her unborn child, and Kate can't stop her--until Cronus offers a deal.

In exchange for her loyalty and devotion, the King of the Titans will spare humanity and let Kate keep her child. Yet even if Kate agrees, he'll destroy Henry, her mother and the rest of the council. And if she refuses, Cronus will tear the world apart until every last god and mortal is dead.

With the fate of everyone she loves resting on her shoulders, Kate must do the impossible: find a way to defeat the most powerful being in existence, even if it costs her everything.

Even if it costs her eternity.

Why I want to read it: I adore this series!  I can't wait for Harry to gt the happy ending that he deserves. Oh, and this is my favorite cover too!

What are you waiting for this week?

Please see all the amazing giveaways at the right of the blog and enter!

Review: The Goddess Legacy by Amimée Carter (Goddess Test #2.5)

Title: The Goddess Legacy by Amimée Carter

Publication date: July 31^st, 2012 by Harlequin Teen

Source: eGalley from Harlequin Teen and NetGalley

Format: eBook

Challenge(s):  eBook

Grade rate: A

For millennia we've caught only glimpses of the lives and loves of the gods and goddesses on Olympus. Now Aimé e Carter pulls back the curtain on how they became the powerful, petty, loving and dangerous immortals that Kate Winters knows.

Calliope/Hera represented constancy and yet had a husband who never matched her faithfulness...

Ava/Aphrodite was the goddess of love and yet commitment was a totally different deal...

Persephone was urged to marry one man, yet longed for another...

James/Hermes loved to make trouble for others-but never knew true loss before...

Henry/Hades's solitary existence had grown too wearisome to continue. But meeting Kate Winters gave him a new hope...

Five original novellas of love, loss and longing and the will to survive throughout the ages.

My Review

The Goddess Legacy is a compilation of five novellas that basically read like a book and build upon each other.  These stories are based on the Greek myths and are revamped by Ms. Carter and her infinite craft and imagination.  I like this book much better than Goddess Interrupted (my review is here).  As I read an ARC eBook, the formatting was off and it was hard to understand when one story ended and the next started.

The Goddess Queen - The first story starts when the original six Olympians siblings (Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Hera, Demeter, and Hestia) have just won the war against the Titans.  This is mainly Hera’s story and her struggle to find love, respect and most of all, power.  I definitely understand why she is so bitter and unhappy, but I think that happiness is also a choice and some of her choices were not the best.  Not only did she choose not to be happy by holding on to her power, but she made others most unhappy by being so strict and unforgiving.

The Lovestruck Goddess - Aphrodite is, overall a very happy person, but since she is the goddess of love, she craves loves, like we do food and she needs to feel constant adoration.  She is, as you might know, gorgeous, which helps a lot.  This story involves her struggle to find a partner that can give her the unconditional love that she craves, but allows her to be herself too.

The Goddess of the Underworld – We met Persephone in the previous book and now we get to know the whole story and how much suffering she endured, but must of all, it made me feel very sad for Hades.  I do not like Hera (I’m trying to avoid spoilers).

God of Thieves – Oh, James!  I don’t know how these gods were alive for so long and still made so many mistakes.  Overall I liked this story, although not so much the ending. 

God of Darkness - Hades / Henry is my weak spot.  I feel so bad for him and all he has endured, the loneliness, the lack to love and companionship, and his one sided love for Persephone.  In this story (the shortest one of all) we find out more about Henry and the role that Hera plays in his unhappiness, as well as Diana’s struggle to keep him from fading.

Good Lord!  Greek mythology is like reading a soap opera!  The comings and goings, affairs, infidelities, married siblings and the like are hard to fathom and very easy to get lost in. It was very helpful and this story could have very well been published sooner as a LOT was explained here.  As a matter of fact, someone please give a copy to Kate ASAP! Ms. Carter’s writing is always a delight, easy to read and follow. 

The Goddess Legacy is a great addition to the series and a must for Ms. Carter’s fans.  Thank you to Harlequin Teen for the opportunity to review this great addition to the Goddess Test series.

About the cover:   These books have such amazing covers, don’t you agree?  I imagine that the girl in the cover is Ava/Aphrodite (being blond and all) and in a very natural setting looking to the heavens.  

Have you read the Goddess Test series?  Do you like Greek mythology?  What is the best book about mythology that you've read?

Review: Underworld by Meg Cabot (Abandon #2)

Title: Underworld by Meg Cabot

Published: May 8^th, 2012 by Point

Source: Won from

Format: Paperback ARC

Challenge(s): ABC Challenge

Grade rate: A-

 Escape from the realm of the dead is impossible when someone there wants you back. Seventeen-year-old Pierce Oliviera isn’t dead. Not this time. But she is being held against her will in the dim, twilit world between heaven and hell, where the spirits of the deceased wait before embarking upon their final journey. Her captor, John Hayden, claims it’s for her own safety. Because not all the departed are dear. Some are so unhappy with where they ended up after leaving the Underworld, they’ve come back as Furies, intent on vengeance…on the one who sent them there and on the one whom he loves. But while Pierce might be safe from the Furies in the Underworld, far worse dangers could be lurking for her there…and they might have more to do with its ruler than with his enemies. And unless Pierce is careful, this time there’ll be no escape.

My Review

I liked Underworld much better than Abandon!  The main reason is that Pierce doesn’t come across as a whiny brat with very poor decision making, as she did in the first book.

In Underworld, Pierce is much more mature and (unlike the misleading synopsis) she does want to be with John regardless of where they happen to be.   She is more outspoken, and not afraid of John or her feelings for him.  Pierce is loyal, beautiful, sensitive and caring.  One of the best things I liked about this book is that John is in it much more than in the first.  We finally get to really know him, his story, why he acts the way he does and to what extent he will go to protect Pierce.  *Love you John!*

We get to visit with some of the characters from Abandon, Pierce’s mom, uncle Chris, Alex and Kayla; but we also get to know some characters from the underworld that are John’s ‘crew’.  I particularly liked Frank and little Henry. 

The story picks up right after the events of Abandon and we follow how John and Pierce deal with each other and their new found relationship.  I’ve always loved Greek mythology and I love this take on the myth of Hades and Persephone, even if it is much less literal.  The plot is much better and action packed. Meg’s writing is flawless, easy to read, interesting, and lyrical and her character building is impeccable.

The ending was good, but a bit ambiguous; still I can’t wait for Awaken, the last part of the trilogy, due out sometime next year.

About the cover:  The cover is amazingly beautiful, with deep purple color and with whimsical swirls and font.  In it we see Pierce with her long dark hair and flowing white dress being pulled ‘under’ by John’s hand.  As I said, beautiful. 

Giveaway and Q&A: Goddess Interrupted by Aimée Carter

Hi there gorgeous people!  I have a treat for you today in the form of a Q&A post from none other than Aimée Carter author of the Goddess Test series.  You can find my review to The Goddess Test here and my review of Goddess Interrupted here. Here's your treat, please enjoy (and scroll down for dessert :)

How familiar were you with Greek myths and folklore before writing the Goddess Test series?  Was a lot of research required?

+ I first fell in love with Greek mythology when I was a kid learning how to read, and my infatuation only grew from there. I’ve studied various kinds of mythology for years, sometimes for class and always for fun, but even then I put a great deal of research into the Goddess Test series. Mostly as a refresher to make sure I was getting my facts right, but I also researched the various myths looking for ways to tie the plots and characters together in unexpected ways.

Was Goddess Interrupted any easier or harder to write than the first book in the series, The Goddess Test?

+ It was both easier and harder, in a strange way. I rewrote The Goddess Test multiple times, and I’ve never edited a book more heavily in my life. Goddess Interrupted did require some editing, of course, but it was much easier.

However, the pressure to deliver a sequel worthy of the series made the writing process for Goddess Interrupted more difficult than I’d anticipated. There’s something called the “sophomore slump”, where sequels or second books generally don’t quite match up to the second, and I wanted to avoid that at all cost. So that added a lot of stress, but in the end, I was very happy with the results.

You give the gods and goddesses in the series “ordinary names” – Zeus is named Walter, Aphrodite goes by Ava, Hermes is named James.  Why did you do that and do the more contemporary names have any significance?

+ This was something I went back and forth on multiple times. Initially the characters Kate encounters weren’t council members at all – I changed that very, very quickly though. By the second draft, I had a place for each of the Olympians, and I did some heavy rewriting to replace my first draft characters with the gods. I wanted to find a way to keep their names the same, but since they’re supposed to live among us in secret in the modern world, it didn’t really make sense. How many men named Zeus do you know, or women called Aphrodite? On top of that, keeping the council’s identities secret was incredibly important to the plot. So eventually I decided they would have changed their names when Western civilization stopped worshipping them as gods, allowing them to live freely among us.

I did choose each name for what it means, some more than others – Walter, for instance, means “army leader”, while James means “supplanter”. The exception is Calliope, which in the story was chosen by her counterpart for its Greek roots. The reason the gods changed their names – and why Artemis didn’t wind up with the name Diana – is explained throughout the series, but you get to actually see this happen in The Goddess Legacy (July 31).

Goddess Interrupted begins with the main character Kate Winters adjusting to her new life as an immortal.  Given Kate’s innate strength and stubbornness, was it difficult to switch gears to portray her as a bit more vulnerable and unsure of herself in her new role as goddess AND wife?

+ Not so much, to be honest – her progression felt natural to me. While Kate is very tough in certain ways, she’s extremely vulnerable as well. She’s emotionally dependent on the people around her (her mother in the first book, Henry in the second), and that in and of itself carves the path she takes in the sequel. She’s spent six months with Henry, falling in love with him and forming a relationship she thinks is going to last for eternity. But Henry is battling his own demons and isn’t ready to be the person she needs him to be, and because Kate is so stubborn, she has a hard time coming to terms with that. In the sequel, Kate really is her own worst enemy emotionally – her entire world has changed, after all, and that’s a lot for anyone to take – but it’s all part of her development into a goddess and queen.

Kate finds herself trying to work through her rather complicated relationship with James, as well as her relationship with her new husband, Henry (Hades).  Neither seems to be black and white, but rather varying shades of gray.   Were any of Kate’s feelings or situations based on any relationship struggles you’ve been through?

+ Not personally, no, but I did try to make Kate’s relationships with the people in her life as realistic as possible. She isn’t perfect, and neither are they, and that’s something they all have to work through at varying points in the series. None of the relationships in the books are based off of specific experiences I’ve been through though.

What is your favorite part of the writing process?  Least favorite?

+ Outlining is by far my favorite part of the process. I love the idea stage, where anything’s possible, and it’s such a shiny place. All of that comes crashing down when I write the first draft though, which is the hardest part for me. I tend to get mentally exhausted about two thirds to three quarters of the way into the manuscript, and it’s always a struggle for me to push through it, especially if I’m on a deadline. And inevitably there are a ton of problems I didn’t notice in the outline stage that have to be fixed for the story to work. I’m a perfectionist, so in order for me to continue writing the story, everything I’ve already written has to make sense.

Do you have a favorite quote or line from a poem or book?

+ I love so many quotes that I couldn’t possibly pick a favorite.

How did you get your first publishing deal and how did that feel?

+ My agent, Rosemary Stimola, sent the manuscript out to various publishers, and after a long submission process, Harlequin TEEN offered to publish it! I was stunned at first, but that quickly gave way to giddiness. It was an incredible feeling to know I’d be published, and to this day, I still can’t quite believe it.

When is the next book in the series due out? Any hints on what will happen in book 3?

+ Goddess Interrupted, the sequel to The Goddess Test, came out in late March. The next book in the series, The Goddess Legacy, will be out July 31. It’s a collection of five novellas told in the perspectives of Calliope, Ava, Persephone, James, and Henry, and together they form one story.

The third book in the series, The Goddess Inheritance, is currently scheduled to be released in March 2013. Unfortunately I can’t say too much about it, but the challenges that Kate will face are pretty clear by the end of the sequel!

After the huge success of The Goddess Test, Goddess Interrupted is on many, many TBR lists for this summer.  What’s on your TBR list?

+ I’m so excited for a slew of books coming out – The Girl in the Clockwork Collar, Grave Mercy, The Selection, The Serpent’s Shadow, Philippa Gregory’s YA novel, and a ton of others. I never have as much time to read as I want, but I’m definitely making time for all of those and more!

Yearbook Superlatives! If you went to high school with the Greek gods and goddesses, who would you vote for?

·         Most likely to succeed? - Hera

·         Class clown? - Hermes

·         Nicest? – Demeter or Hephaestus

·         Best dressed? - Aphrodite

·         Best dancer? - Apollo

·         Most school spirit? - Iris

·         Most likely to attend summer school? - Ares

·         Teachers pet? - Athena

    Enter the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win a copy of a great summer read, Goddess Interrupted.  The giveaway is limited to US and Canada only, You don't have to be a follower, but you get extra entries if you are,  see other rules in the form below.  Good luck!