Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Double Post Review: The Goddess Test & (ARC) Goddess Interrupted

Author: Aimee Carter
Genre: YA Fantasy



In a modern-day take on the myth of Persephone, 18-year-old Kate Winters is thrust into a mythical world, where she must pass seven impossible tests and outsmart a spiteful god in order to save the life of not just her mother but of her captor as well.


-- See it at Goodreads




Kate Winters has won immortality.

But if she wants a life in the Underworld with Henry, 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.


-- See it at Goodreads




This is my first double-post review in which I’m reviewing both The Goddess Test and Goddess Interrupted on one post. If you haven’t read the first book, then the summary alone (as seen on Goodreads) could be a slight spoiler for some so I must offer up some apology there. Other than that, I try to keep all of my reviews as spoiler-free as possible like always.


I read The Goddess Test back in November--and decided to move on to Goddess Interrupted earlier this month after receiving an eARC through Net Galley (thanks also to Harlequin!) as the first book captured my attention enough to move on to the second. Goddess Interrupted is set to release March 27th.


I love Mythology, and while I honestly am not a huge fan of how Ms. Carter plays out the mythology with this series, I must admit that it’s just read-able. I find it entertaining and fun, and the action flows through one scene until the next to keep me turning the pages. There are flaws, and I don’t enjoy much of the characterization but there’s an intrigue to the story that held me to the story. Henry bothered me mostly, in both books. I don’t have a problem with tortured souls normally, but he was just a little too much to handle at times. He became unnecessarily whiney, or ridiculously withdrawn. It became somewhat annoying. I had no connection with him--and it also took awhile to get a connection with Kate with her constant “Does he love me or not” whining as well.


I liked the action and descriptions though. The details give you a stunning visual.


When I first met Kate in The Goddess Test, I liked her attitude better there I think, as well as the build-up of the story and tension between all of the characters. It had an effect and a lot of good twists and turns with a good solid ending. This is where we start to get to know some of the past, feel sympathy for Kate’s background, and learn the myth/inspiration of the Carter’s world. I wasn’t completely satisfied with how Ms. Carter turned around the mythology, but as a writer I also like the creative, new story she created from the inspiration of the old myth using the gods and goddesses. So I’m on the fenceline for that one.


Goddess Interrupted picked up immediately right where the first one left off. I had a difficult time getting into the second as much as the first. I fear I may not read the third after this--but we’ll see. I probably will though due to some unanswered questions that are now nagging me at the back of my brain. There is a lot going on in the second that sometimes had me sighing with frustration and sometimes smiling. This was the installment where I felt the characterization mostly fell flat for me---when Henry became more “tortured” and Kate became needy and whiney, and I got annoyed. I admit, however, that I felt that this is where I also felt that the story seemed to pick up more too, and I got to know the characters and background more intimately as well. I really like James and Ava most particularly. Their characters are so protective and fun, in both books, and I was instantly drawn to them from the start. The ending was a surprise and it’s what may be the glue that keeps me holding on for the next. It’s just a fascinating storyline that I can’t help but to find to be beautiful and charismatic.


This series has a charming quality that keeps me at attention. It’s unique and engaging with plenty of drama and action.


3.5 stars overall!






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