Blog Tour: The Goddess Inheritance by Aimée Carter

Welcome to the next stop on The Goddess Inheritance blog tour! I am thrilled to be a part of this event, hosted by the eternally amazing Kismet Book Touring team. Today I'll be sharing some of my favourite quotes from the series, but first, here's a summary of the upcoming The Goddess Inheritance (note: spoilers for the previous books in the series are present!):

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.

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Chapters | The Book Depository

Amongst many other things, one of my favourite aspects of the Goddess Test series is the beautiful writing. Today I'll be sharing some of my absolute favourite quotes from the series. Hope you enjoy!

The Goddess Test

“I care," he said in a trembling voice. "I care so much that I do not know how to tell you without it seeming inconsequential compared to how I feel. Even if I am distant at times and seem as if I do not want to be with you, it is only because this scares me, too.”

“Sometimes we misjudge what is possible and what is not.”

“I don’t need to be introduced to society. Society and I have gotten by without knowing each other for years, thank you very much.”

Goddess Interrupted

“It is supposed to be the truth." He stared at me and my breath caught in my throat. "If I were a better man, I would be able to show you the love and affection you deserve. As I am not, I can only offer you what I'm capable of giving. But I assure you, just because I do not show it, doesn't mean I do not feel it.”

“Being with Henry doesn't mean you have to give up who you are. Henry doesn't define you.”

"Being brave doesn’t mean never being afraid, you know. It means going for it anyway because you know it’s the right thing to do… How do you know until you try?"

The Goddess Inheritance

“Sadness doesn't equal weakness, sweetheart. If anything, it shows the love you have inside of you, and nothing stronger in this world exists.”

“I don't need to be ancient to be worth something.”

***

GIVEAWAY TIME!

Enter with the Rafflecopter form below for your chance to win any one copy of a book in the Goddess Test series! All entries will also be counted toward the grand prize of a Kindle Paperwhite skinned in the gorgeous and lush The Goddess Inheritance cover art! Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Check out the other tour stops!

Monday, January 28th - Harlequin Paranormal Blog
Wednesday, January 30th - Alison Can Read
Friday, February 1st - Mundie Moms
Monday, February 4th - Soul Unsung
Wednesday, February 6th - Starry Eyed Revue
Friday, February 8th - Two Chicks on Books
Monday, February 11th - The Story Queen
Tuesday, February 12th - Simply Infatuated
Wednesday, February 13th - Me, My Shelf and I
Friday, February 15th - IB Blogging

Speechless by Hannah Harrington

Speechless by Hannah Harrington

Add to: Goodreads
Source: Ontario Blogger Meet-Up
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Format: Paperback, 288 pages
Release Date: August 28, 2012

Everyone knows that Chelsea Knot can't keep a secret

Until now. Because the last secret she shared turned her into a social outcast—and nearly got someone killed.

Now Chelsea has taken a vow of silence—to learn to keep her mouth shut, and to stop hurting anyone else. And if she thinks keeping secrets is hard, not speaking up when she's ignored, ridiculed and even attacked is worse.

But there's strength in silence, and in the new friends who are, shockingly, coming her way—people she never noticed before; a boy she might even fall for. If only her new friends can forgive what she's done. If only she can forgive herself.
 

Hannah Harrington breathes new life and urgency into this classic cautionary tale.

Chelsea Knot makes a mistake... one that changes her entire life. Although she doesn't start off as the most likeable character, I could never bring myself to hate Chelsea. There's this spark of innate goodness in her and watching it grow as the novel progressed was one of my favourite aspects of the book. Chelsea's not the most selfless person in the world but when it counts, she stands up for what she knows to be right and that was so refreshing to read.

The secondary characters -- Asha, Sam, Andy, Lou, Dex and Noah -- that Chelsea gets to know were so bright and colourful. Harrington strikes a perfect balance with letting them shine and allowing the main character room to grow on her own.

I've heard from other readers that this novel and Hannah Harrington's debut were emotionally-charged reads but I didn't really see it until I started reading myself. I cried, I laughed and I hugged the book to my chest upon completion -- I can give no higher compliment ;)

The issues in Speechless aren't presented subtly and the impact that they leave is a big one. I loved the portrayal of these sensitive and hugely important topics and would recommend it to anyone.

First Words: AHHHH I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!!!! *clings*

Cover Comments: I'm so so so fascinated by the choice to use a blank white cover! I would be so curious to see how that impacted sales. I saw it in the bookstore and it definitely does stand out. What do you think of the choice to keep it simple?

5 Golden Crowns!

First one of 2013! That sure didn't take long...

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

Add to: Goodreads
Source: NetGalley - thank you HT! <3
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Format: Hardcover, 384 pages
Release Date: July 31, 2012

No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal. But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.

Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.

At first glance, it's easy to mistake Pushing the Limits for another one of those 'issue' books about troubled teens falling in love. Please don't make that mistake. While the novel certainly goes in that direction, the story of Echo and Noah is much deeper and much more powerful than just that.

Told in alternating points of view, I found Pushing the Limits' main strength in its characterization. Echo and Noah were both such complex, layered individuals. Reading their respective pasts didn't feel like a venture into melodramatic territory but rather like a journey into understanding characters made up of devastating and realistic pasts. It was beautiful and heart-warming to watch as Echo and Noah learned to tackle their problems and change for the better.

The romantic aspect of the book is a fairly prominent one and I really enjoyed reading it. Noah isn't the typical 'bad boy' that I expected him to be. The character that I expected to be broody and surly was so obviously and deeply caring and protective toward his family (and eventually Echo) -- my heart melted. That's not to say though that Noah didn't have plenty of teenage boy moments (one more comment about Echo's body and I was going to throw something at him!). He and Echo had chemistry off the charts... if you're into a lot of sexy moments, there 'ya go!

Katie McGarry will have you on the edge of your seat, crossing your fingers and anxiously reading to see how Echo and Noah overcome the obstacles in their paths. Their journey toward healing isn't an easy one but it's portrayed realistically every step of the way.

I don't normally find myself comparing books but I will say that if you enjoyed Perfect Chemistry, I'm pretty confident that you'll like this one as well!

Cover Comments: I don't really have strong feelings for this one either way. There is quite a bit of that going on in the book! ;)

4 Golden Crowns!

Winter's Passage by Julie Kagawa

Winter's Passage by Julie Kagawa

Add it: Goodreads
Source: Online library loan
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Format: e-book, 59 pages
Release Date: June 1, 2010

Meghan Chase used to be an ordinary girl...until she discovered that she is really a faery princess. After escaping from the clutches of the deadly Iron fey, Meghan must follow through on her promise to return to the equally dangerous Winter Court with her forbidden love, Prince Ash. But first, Meghan has one request: that they visit Puck--Meghan's best friend and servant of her father, King Oberon--who was gravely injured defending Meghan from the Iron Fey.

Yet Meghan and Ash's detour does not go unnoticed. They have caught the attention of an ancient, powerful hunter--a foe that even Ash may not be able to defeat....

So, funny story. I actually did read this book when it first came out, contrary to what I had been thinking when I started reading it again a few days ago. It wasn't until I got to the end of the book and the "ancient, powerful hunter" was revealed that I went, "oh! I have read this!" Is that because this book is lame and forgettable?

A million times no.

I think it's probably just that I feel like ALL of Julie Kagawa's work is brilliant and engaging so I ignored the signs that everything was sounding a little too familiar. Winter's Passage is a brilliant edition to the Iron Fey series.

Since Winter's Passage is set between The Iron King and The Iron Daughter, I had to adjust to going backwards on Meghan's character from the completely awesome, scene-owning girl I had grown used to from The Iron Queen. Fortunately, Meghan was shown in mostly a good light and I loved the compassion and resilience she displayed.

Oh, Ash. As much as I love Puck, I'm glad that he wasn't in this novella because it means we got so much more time with the Ice Prince! It's heart-achingly clear from this read that Ash's feelings for Meghan are developing rapidly and watching them get closer was perfect and had me beaming on every page. I want to re-read this whole series!

Then, of course, there was Kagawa's signature adventure style. Winter's Passage plunges straight into an exciting, fast-paced chase back to Tir Na Nog (Fairyland!) and there isn't a moment of boredom. I loved the looming threat of the Hunter and when he was finally introduced, I was hanging on to every word. Talk about making the most of 59 pages!

A must-read for fans of The Iron Fey series.

Cover Comments: I love the wolf eyes! I didn't really understand it before reading but now that I have, it's perfect.

Wait! There's more!

I've literally JUST seen on Julie Kagawa's blog that this novella along with Summer's Crossing and a new novella (eeee!) entitled Iron's Prophecy PLUS some super special additional content - like the first chapter of the new Iron Fey book - will be published in print! This sure to be amazing anthology will be called The Iron Legends and will be out from Harlequin Teen on August 28th.

EXCITED? I am.

Goddess Interrupted by Aimée Carter

Goddess Interrupted by Aimée Carter

Add it: Goodreads
Source: Netgalley
Publisher: HarlequinTeen
Format: Paperback, 304 pages
Release Date: March 27, 2012

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.

For the longest time, I've seen reviews popping up for Goddess Interrupted that didn't find it as good a novel as the first book of the series. I started reading with those reviews in mind and I was pretty nervous! Needlessly nervous, I can now say. If anything, I enjoyed Goddess Interrupted even more than The Goddess Test.

Aimée Carter has ramped up the tension and suspense in this sequel. There are high stakes involved and I for one couldn't put the book down. Some major drama arrives right before Kate can be crowned Queen of the Underworld but the groundwork for the emotional turmoil the characters will go through is set up even before that.

Kate and Henry are both certainly characters with their sets of issues and those are apparent throughout the book. There's Kate, who is feeling self-conscious and unsure of herself for basically the entire book and there's Henry who seriously needs a lesson or two on showing proper affection. There were times when I wanted to grab them both by the shoulders and shake them out of it but I also really understood where they were coming from. Just the fact that Carter was able to shake up my emotions so much says a lot about her skill as a writer in my mind.

Just as in The Goddess Test, I loved the Greek mythology aspects of the novel. I'm such a sucker for mythology and even though this series portrays a very light version, the exploration of the Underworld and the Gods/Goddesses was one of my favourite things about the book.

Ending on another jaw-dropping cliffhanger, Goddess Interrupted is a fantastic sequel.

Cover Comments: Nothing EXTRAORDINARY! but it's pretty enough.

4 stars

Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder

Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder

Add it: Goodreads 

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: Mira (Harlequin)

Release Date: December 20, 2011

Format: Paperback, 394 pages

Laying hands upon the injured and dying, Avry of Kazan absorbs their wounds and diseases into herself. But rather than being honored for her skills, she is hunted. Healers like Avry are accused of spreading the plague that has decimated the Fifteen Realms, leaving the survivors in a state of chaos.

Stressed and tired from hiding, Avry is abducted by a band of rogues who, shockingly, value her gift above the golden bounty offered for her capture. Their leader, an enigmatic captor-protector with powers of his own, is unequivocal in his demands: Avry must heal a plague-stricken prince—leader of a campaign against her people. As they traverse the daunting Nine Mountains, beset by mercenaries and magical dangers, Avry must decide who is worth healing and what is worth dying for. Because the price of peace may well be her life...

Okay, who wasn't filled with DELIGHT when they read this summary? It can't have been just me! Touch of Power is just my kind of book and Maria V. Snyder has impressed me on multiple occassions... it's not too surprising that I loved this book!

Avry is such a strong character. She's compassionate but also smart enough to survive in a time when her kind is being rounded up and killed. She's firm in what she believes in but also not completely unmoveable. In addition to the very capable Avry, Snyder introduces us to a whole crew of charming guys.

I really think that Maria could have written an entire novel about the characters hanging out, no plot whatsoever, and I would have been fine with it. Their interactions are funny and compelling (especially those with Belen!) and I looked forward to all of them as I was reading.

Of course, among the band of rogues is their leader -- Kerrick. Talk about a rocky start! Avry and Kerrick do not exactly start off friendly... their relationship reminded me a bit of Valek and Yelena's for those that have read the Poison Study series. It is a journey to see these two come together and one that I personally thought was well worth the hassle!

The backdrop for this novel is splendrous, exactly how I like them in fantasy. The setting is beatifully described and the world is expertly crafted. A job well done! I can't wait to see how everything -- namely the Death Lilies and Peace Lilies -- is developed in the upcoming sequels.

Maria V. Snyder is a must-read author for fans of fantasy!

Cover Comments: I love all of the vibrant colours used in this cover! Seriously gorgeous.

4 stars

The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa

SPOILERS FOR THE SERIES IN THE SUMMARY.

The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa
(Goodreads profile)

Source: NetGalley
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release Date: October 25, 2011
Format: Paperback
Pages: 386

To cold, emotionless faery prince Ash, love was a weakness for mortals and fools. His own love had died a horrible death, killing any gentler feelings the Winter prince might have had. Or so he thought.

Then Meghan Chase—a half human, half fey slip of a girl— smashed through his barricades, binding him to her irrevocably with his oath to be her knight. And when all of Faery nearly fell to the Iron fey, she severed their bond to save his life. Meghan is now the Iron Queen, ruler of a realm where no Winter or Summer fey can survive.

With the (unwelcome) company of his archrival, Summer Court prankster Puck, and the infuriating cait sith Grimalkin, Ash begins a journey he is bound to see through to its end— a quest to find a way to honor his solemn vow to stand by Meghan’s side.

To survive in the Iron realm, Ash must have a soul and a mortal body. But the tests he must face to earn these things are impossible. At least, no one has ever passed to tell the tale.

And then Ash learns something that changes everything. A truth that turns reality upside down, challenges his darkest beliefs and shows him that, sometimes, it takes more than courage to make the ultimate sacrifice.

The Iron Fey series is one of my favourites. It's carved a spot in my heart because of the fantastic characters, stunning world and the COOLEST CAT TO EVER GRACE THE PAGES OF YA LIT, Grimalkin.

As soon as you begin The Iron Knight, the shift from narrator Meghan to Ash is apparent. The events of the The Iron Queen have left Ash completely and utterly destroyed. He is devastated and far from the emotionless creature others make him out to be. Honestly, I just wanted to reach into the book and give Ash a great big hug or maybe pour him a steaming mug of hot chocolate. Something that surprised me was how much I missed having Meghan around. While I liked her a lot in the previous books, I guess I didn't realize how much.

While Ash moped and glared at everything under the sun, Puck and Grim kept me very entertained. Puck was his happy, hilarious self and Grim (bless him) continues to be sarcastic and regal in his feline way. Grim, you may actually make a cat-liker out of me. I don't want to spoil this book for anyone, but there were also some new side characters that I really ended up liking. Kagawa always manages to create interesting characters for her novels, and this time is no exception.

One thing that I always love about this series is that there are trials and real danger. It's not always easy to see how characters are going to make it out of something, and I'm always transfixed watching them do it. Julie Kagawa isn't afraid to throw her characters into harsh circumstances and in the second half of this book in particular, I found myself holding my breath multiple times.

If you've read any of the books in this series, you know what I'm talking about when I say the world is simply enchanting. I feel like every corner of it has been explored but at the same time, there's more and more and more that I still haven't discovered. There is beauty and vibrancy, darkness and fear.

There is just one thing I have to say if you haven't started this series yet: GO. Seriously, drop what you're doing and pick up The Iron King. You won't be disappointed.

Cover Comments: This is my favourite of the series, which is saying something fierce. I love the chilling colours that are perfect for our favourite Winter prince and the back cover is FABULOUS.

5/5

The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross

The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross

(Goodreads profile)

Source: Net Galley
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Release Date: May 24, 2011
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 473

In 1897 England, sixteen-year-old Finley Jayne has no one except the "thing" inside her.

When a young lord tries to take advantage of Finley, she fights back. And wins. But no normal Victorian girl has a darker side that makes her capable of knocking out a full-grown man with one punch...

Only Griffin King sees the magical darkness inside her that says she's special, says she's one of them. The orphaned duke takes her in from the gaslit streets against the wishes of his band of misfits. Emily, who has her own special abilities and an unrequited love for Sam, who is part robot; and Jasper, an American cowboy with a shadowy secret.

Griffin's investigating a criminal called The Machinist, the mastermind behind several recent crimes by automatons. Finley thinks she can help-and finally be a part of something, finally fit in.

But The Machinist wants to tear Griff's little company of strays apart, and it isn't long before trust is tested on all sides. At least Finley knows whose side she's on, even if it seems no one believes her.

Minor spoilers possibly in this review. Nothing major, but consider yourself warned.

I really, really wanted to like this book. The premise sounds interesting, the cover is gorgeous and I know a lot of others that really enjoyed it. Unfortunately, The Girl in the Steel Corset just wasn't a book for me.

Let's start with the positive though. I very much liked the idea of the "Organites" which are basically thought to be a life source and the way that they played into the novel interested me. Actually, the steampunk aspects of the book were my favourites. It makes the historical time period a lot more interesting but I can't help but feel that it was a little convenient how so many things existed outside of their time in this novel, powered by steam.

I'm a little torn on whether or not I liked the main character, Finley. She has two very distinct personalities that fight for dominance inside of her, but I feel like both of them were a little extreme for me and I couldn't connect very well to either. However, as the novel went on, Finley's personalities start to merge together and I liked her newer self a lot more. If only I could have seen more of that Finley! As for the other characters... I feel kind of apathetic. Griffin was okay, but I think I may like him more for his "power" than his personality. The way he dealt with the spiritual realm, the Aether was fascinating. I thought Jack was kind of a random addition and Sam annoyed me more than should be considered healthy for a fictional character. Overall though, none of the characters stick out too much.

In a novel of this size (it clocks in at almost 500 pages) I expect the plot to be engaging. With this book though, I thought the plot dragged and I honestly struggled to keep reading. I feel like if certain scenes were cut out entirely (certain parts just seemed repetitive) it would have been a much better reading experience. Moreover, I guessed the villain the second they were introduced which is pretty disappointing since I was hoping this would give me a little more mystery and adventure.

So, the verdict on this novel is unfortunately going to have to be negative for me. As always though, I really do hope that you enjoy it as much as others seemed to have.

Cover Comments: I love it. The background and the dress (where can I get one of those?) and the font and aaaaaah. This should have been a book of pretty dresses. The only area it loses points on is the zipper on the back - almost wish someone hadn't pointed that out to me!

***

Other reviews:

Lisa from Badass Bookie

Lauren from Lauren's Crammed Bookshelf

Liz from Midnight Bloom Reads

(What can I say? It's L-day. Later.)

Summer's Crossing by Julie Kagawa

Summer's Crossing by Julie Kagawa

Source: eBook download (free)
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Format: eBook
Pages: 72

A Midsummer's Nightmare? Robin Goodfellow. Puck. Summer Court prankster, King Oberon's right hand, bane of many a faery queen's existence—and secret friend to Prince Ash of the Winter Court. Until one girl's death came between them, and another girl stole both their hearts.

Now Ash has granted one favor too many and someone's come to collect, forcing the prince to a place he cannot go without Puck's help—into the heart of the Summer Court. And Puck faces the ultimate choice—betray Ash and possibly win the girl they both love, or help his former friend turned bitter enemy pull off a deception that no true faery prankster could possibly resist.

An ebook exclusive novella from Julie Kagawa's Iron Fey series.

Summer's Crossing is an excellent edition to the Iron Fey series with a return of some well-loved characters and the humour and adventure that made the novels what they are.

I thought it was wonderful getting inside Puck's head - we get a closer look at that playful, mischievous faery we (or at least I) all know and love but also start to see that there is more than originally meets the eye. I don't want to include any spoilers, so all I'm going to say is that I like Puck even more after reading Summer's Crossing and continue to think of him as an amazing friend.

While the novella is obviously focused more on Puck than Ash, the well-loved Winter prince is still present and lovely as always.

The adventure (a mini quest-esque adventure) was fun and exciting. It's a little less serious than some of the other journeys in the Iron Fey series but I think that's only to be expected when considering who is narrating the events. I will say that there were some surprises along the way for me and that my slight doubts were happily dismissed in the end.

Speaking as someone who recently finished reading The Iron Knight (!!!) I think that this novella does a nice job of setting up future events. A wonderful add-on to a marvellous series. 

Cover Comments: As with all others in the Iron Fey series, I love this cover. The green is perfect for Puck - a member of the Summer Court and all the detailing is just gorgeous. I wish I could see it irl!

Spellbound by Cara Lynn Shultz

Spellbound by Cara Lynn Shultz

Source: Net Galley eARC
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Format: Paperback
Pages: 384

Life hasn't been easy on sixteen-year-old Emma Conner, so a new start in New York may be just the change she needs. But the posh Upper East Side prep school she has to attend? Not so much. Friendly faces are few and far between, except for one that she's irresistibly drawn to—Brendan Salinger, the guy with the rock-star good looks and the richest kid in school, who might just be her very own white knight.

But even when Brendan inexplicably turns cold, Emma can't stop staring. Ever since she laid eyes on him, strange things have been happening. Streetlamps go out wherever she walks, and Emma's been having the oddest dreams: visions of herself in past lives—visions that warn her to stay away from Brendan. Or else.

I started reading Spellbound with little to no expectations but pleasantly discovered that it was a cute, charming and quick read.

I really liked the main character, Emma. I thought she seemed normal with a healthy amount of spunk (you can never have too much spunk, guys... well, maybe). The deciding factor for me with Emma was the fact that she stood up - a little blindly, perhaps - for the people she loved. She wasn't afraid of confrontation and I really found myself cheering her on as she took on the bad guys. My favourite character, regardless, remains to be Ashley, Emma's cousin. Can you say adorable?

The plot, overall, was nothing unheard of. A lot of the elements have definitely been used before, but I think they worked for the story at hand. One thing I really liked was the mythology aspect (the curse). I could see the characters working through to discover what the visions and such really meant for them at a pace that made sense and I just genuinely found myself interested in it.

I thought Cara did a fantastic job with the climax onwards of this story. I was stunned with one event and then, all of a sudden, the plot sped up like crazy. Towards the end, I was racing through the pages to see what would happen to Emma and Brendan (whom I didn't really get to speak of, but I did like!). The whole experience of the novel was kind of like one of those roller coasters where you slowly inch your way up to the top, feeling pretty comfortable, and then, suddenly, go crashing down unexpectedly, feeling thrilled the whole time. 

All in all, a great read! Thanks to Harlequin Teen for the chance to read this novel early.

Cover Comments: I like it a lot actually! I can actually pinpoint where all of those things fall directly in the story which I really appreciate. The font that was used for the main title is really interesting, too - I like how whirly it is.

The Goddess Test by Aimée Carter

The Goddess Test by Aimée Carter
Source: ARC from NetGalley
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
ISBN: 9780373210268
Pages: 304

Every girl who has taken the test has died.

Now it's Kate's turn.

It's always been just Kate and her mom - and now 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.

 

If she fails...

The Goddess Test is a magically delectable debut novel featuring Greek mythology with a modern twist.

First, let me just say how much I loved Kate as a character. It's rare that I come across a narrator while reading that is kind and selfless to the degree to which Kate is and I loved that. I loved that she could put her own problems aside to help someone else and that the world didn't have to revolve around her. I especially loved the relationship that she had with her mother. My heart broke for both of them as they struggled to deal with her mom's cancer and the love and helplessness Kate felt came through to me crystal clear.

The relationship between Kate and Henry was another thing that I really enjoyed. It took its time and developed at a steady, gradual pace through the novel so that I could just see every aspect of it. I seriously appreciated the lack of insta-love (which isn't always horrible but is getting a bit tedious). Kate and Henry start off as simply reluctant friends and its nice to see the easy progression in their relationship. I'm excited to see where the romance goes in the next book!

In regards to the mystery aspect of the novel, I really didn't figure out who the person responsible for all the problems in the book was until the very end. It was such a huge 'oh my goodness!' moment when I did realize what I'd been missing that I think my jaw must have been trailing along the floor - I definitely didn't see it coming!

Aimée Carter weaves a beautiful tale rich with mythology, romance and mystery. Book two, Goddess Interrupted, cannot come soon enough!

Cover Comments: It is so pretty. Especially after reading the book, I just think that its perfect in every way. Gorgeous!