Goddess Interrupted (Goddess Test #2) http://www.yabookscentral.com/media/reviews/photos/thumbnail/200x285s/08/44/a6/_goddessinterrupted_1332965240.jpg Featured

I was hoping that the reason I couldn't really get into The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter was because of my mood while reading it. However, after reading Goddess Interrupted, I think I've finally come to the conclusion that the series isn't for me.

I enjoyed Goddess Interrupted a good deal more than I did The Goddess Test. There was a lot more going on in terms of action and suspense. And I love a good fighting scene or two, which Goddess Interrupted had plenty of, that's for sure.

But I just couldn't connect with Kate. She was so up and down and mopey and whiny about Henry that I wanted Calliope to kill her. Again. She just doesn't seem to have much of personality. She's strong-willed and determined...except for when it comes to Henry, and then she just sort of rolls over. And Henry! Ugh! They just needed to sit down and have a damn conversation.

I actually did tear up towards the end of Goddess Interrupted when Kate was having an extremely sad moment, though. So that's a bonus.

And the ending. I just can't. There's a huge bomb dropped and then...it ends. Which I kind of expected - the cliffhanger ending, not the bomb.

But guys, this is just my opinion. While I've come to the conclusion that Goddess Interrupted and The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter just aren't the books for me, if you really enjoyed The Goddess Test, I definitely think you should keep going with Goddess Interrupted.

Be aware: if you have not read The Goddess Test DO NOT READ THIS REVIEW... a few small spoilers

Background: Kate Winters has won her immortality and is done with her summer vacation in Greece, and now heads to the Underworld for her coronation and to reunite with Henry. When she gets there she begins to have visions of a great evil and Henry in battle. She comes to realize that these visions are part of her new job and she will be able to see Henry wherever he may be. Before her coronation can take place a Titan begins to reek havoc on the Underworld and Henry and a few other gods are abducted. Now Kate must find them and rescue them, and she has no idea where to begin.

Review: This was a wonderful read. I love when you do not want to put a book down, and this one was like that for me. Kate is a wonderful character to follow, she is strong and opinionated, and stubborn, but aren't we all. She struggles with Henry and how they are going to interact with one another while she has to live in the Underworld, and while Henry is still hung up on Persephone. The story line from book one continues and gets so much better! Even better than that we learn a lot more about some of the other gods like Persephone before she became mortal. Calliope is still pissed and trying to kill everyone who had shunned her or even looked at her the wrong way, a huge disaster this has become.
I think that the reason I am enjoy this series so much, is because Carter doesn't give it all away, there is always something left open, even in the slightest bit. And as for the ending!!!!!!! OMG! Cannot wait for the next book!

Go read The Goddess Test, then pick this one up...although you may want to wait for the next book, because, boy was this a cliffhanger!

Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter
ARC received from Harlequin via Netgalley
Release Date: 3-27-2012
Reviewed by: Jennifer McCoy
The Sisters Say: Enchanting, Enthralling, Entertaining

I started reading The Goddess Test yesterday and the moment I was done, I went straight for my ARC of Goddess Interrupted. I was excited to see how Kate and Henry’s romance was going to continue to unfold. While the action in the novel was great, and I loved getting to see deeper into the psyche of the Gods, I was somewhat disappointed in the romance between Henry and Kate. There was so much angst that at times I wanted to jump straight into the book (if only I had magical powers) and slap them both in the face and scream, “Come on! Get it together and kiss already! Quit wallowing in self-pity!” However, no matter how many times I wished for Harry Potter powers, I found none, so I just continued to grumble to myself.

That doesn’t mean that I did not enjoy the book. On the contrary, I cannot wait until the next book comes out; I just hope that Aimee Carter will give my heart a break and inundate me with some great kissy romance scenes.

So what did I like?

Even though the romance aspect was very tense, I still liked Henry. What can I say? I’m a sucker for a broken, broody guy whose eyes flash with love every so often. No matter how cold and distant he gets, I’d still rule the Underworld with him!

The evil in this book is so extreme that I am still reeling. Calliope—grrrr! That’s all I can come up with! She’s beyond evil—full of hatred and misery and determined to take everyone down with her. That’s what makes the action so overwhelmingly great…I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see when she was going to attack again. (There are no spoilers here…you see Calliope’s plan in the first 2 pages).

But Calliope is not the only evil that Kate must face—even worse…she has to face Persephone. Not that Persephone is evil, but let’s face it; having to enlist the help of the woman your husband is still in love with would make anyone a little furious. I really enjoyed the insight into Persephone and Henry’s relationship. It made me understand (somewhat) why Henry acts the way he does—cold and distant. Though I still wish that Aimee Carter would have given the angst a break, I did enjoy seeing how Henry’s past relationship starts to define his present one.

What did I dislike?

Again…the angst. We see very little emotion from Henry (I know, he’s Hades, he has to be cold). I would have liked to see him cave to his emotion, even once to give another layer to his character.

Not that I disliked the ending…it’s more that I dislike having to wait to find out what happens! This cliffhanger ending will make you want to scream even louder than the infamous Soprano ending! To me, there is nothing worse than not knowing! But I guess in the world of young adult, I must get used to the cliffhanger-break-my-heart-and-stomp-on-it endings. I’ll just say this—ARC of the next one, please!!!!!!

So….

I did fall in love with Aimee Carter’s world. She gives us and entirely new idea of heaven and hell. She creates a world where lies, betrayal, hatred, and envy are overwhelming and can only be combated by truth, loyalty, and love—things so few are willing to give. Take a trip to Aimee Carter’s Underworld, and like me, you might not want to return.

I've been highly anticipating Goddess Interrupted ever since I finished the first book in the series last year! Aimee Carter took me away to a world rich with Greek mythology, but one that still held one foot strongly in the mortal world. This time I knew that I'd be able to dive deeper into the characters, their lives, and the unique problems that they faced as gods and goddesses. I couldn't wait! As soon as this book arrived, I had to devour it.

When I first met Kate last year in The Goddess Test, I fell in love with her bold and brave attitude. Even though she started out as a bit tough to love, she soon transformed into a character that I could really get behind. That's why it was so hard for me when I started reading Goddess Interrupted and realized that the same old Kate was back. Tough to love, thoughts that bordered on depressing. The only reason I was able to cope with it better this time is because Aimee Carter does give Kate a mind of her own. Kate knows she's being that way, she tries to battle it, she just doesn't always win.

That's not to say that Kate's attitude isn't warranted. I'll warn you that Carter's characters face their fair share of issues in this story. From waking Titans, to old love affairs, there is a lot that is laid bare in this installment. I had a great time getting to know more about the cast of characters and how they were all linked. Kate and Henry's relationship didn't steal the show, but instead contrasted nicely to the feelings of war that were floating around the palace. So yes, Kate did have a reason to feel so down. I'll give her that.

What really saved the day for me was the ending. Once again Kate proved herself to be a stubborn and fiery character. I won't spoil, but let's just say that this is a cliffhanger that will make your mouth drop open! Upon reading the last page I was speechless. Despite any qualms I may have had while reading, the ending is more than enough to keep me reading on in this series. Bring on more Kate and more Henry. I'll be here to read it.

In The Goddess Test, I really enjoyed the way Aimée Carter created her own version of the Greek Mythology world and made the Olympian characters her own. In GODDESS INTERRUPTED, she took it to the next level (literally) by bringing the story to the underworld. Greek Mythology is all about personification and giving gods and goddesses human emotions. One thing the author is very good at, is differentiating her characters through emotions and personality, and since there are so many characters in this series, differentiation is a good thing.

For a young woman married to the King of the Underworld, Kate Winters was still very immature and naïve at the beginning of the book. Often, she was wondering if her husband Henry really loved her and if their marriage was just one of necessity. Her doubts were well founded, since Henry never really demonstrated his emotions. Sometimes, I just felt like slapping her because her doubts were present throughout the book and it became very repetitive. Fortunately, we saw Kate mature a little as the book progressed. She gained confidence in not only herself but in her capacity to become a leader. After battling it out against one of the only enemies that can kill Kate and the Olympians, I believe she has gotten closer to being real Queen material. One of the things I love to see, over the course of a series, is the evolution of a character into a stronger person and I think I’ve become more attached to Kate because of her personal growth. However, she still has a lot to learn before being confortable in her role as Queen.

One character I did not expect to meet was Persephone. In the first book, Henry’s memories of Persephone were a big threat to Kate. In this second book, this exact same person might be the only one who has the knowledge to save Henry. The animosity between Kate and Persephone was very tangible, right when they first met. I’m still not sure why Persephone tried to help Kate and the rest of her group, since I viewed her as a very selfish person. And for that matter, I’m still not sure if it was truly necessary for Persephone to have an active role in the book. I would have been content with her being just a memory, since she is, theoretically dead. Besides adding to Kate’s doubts, she really didn’t add to the story, in my opinion.

Along with her fictional character Kate, Aimée Carter is slowly maturing as an author. I love the world she’s created since it keeps me coming back for more. However, I would have loved to see more Henry scenes in this book. He’s such a broody and strong character that any scene with him is an enjoyable one. I just hope he’ll be more present in the third book. Also, the next book is guaranteed to start with a bang since the cliffhanger of this one is a huge. I think we can all agree that having the main character black out is a pretty abrupt and frustrating ending.

Overall, GODDESS INTERRUPTED was an enjoyable read and I would recommend it to anyone who’s a fan of Greek mythology.

The publisher provided me with a copy of Goddess Interrupted. No goody bags, sponsorship, material goods, or bribes were exchanged for my review.

I can honestly say that I enjoyed the first book over this one by far. Aimee Carter still had me on edge, though. Kate's story continues when she returns to Eden Manor in the fall only to discover that an angry Titan is out to kill them all. So, ofcourse, Kate wants to be the heroine and save the day. As all of us readers know from previous experience with books, that's not always the smartest decision. She gets herself into deep shit, along with making herself insecure and jealous of her sister. Throughout this book, I honestly made a connection between Henry and Edward (from New Moon). Most of us readers loved Edward in Twilight, but when he left Bella in New Moon, we were like "Nooooo, don't go!"

You'll have pretty much the same reaction to Henry in this, except more like "What. The. Hell."

So, if you've read the first book, this is a must-read. It's kinda-sorta fantastic. :)

Cover Factor: Pretty sweet
Rating: PG-13 for closed-door sex and some violence
Coffee Beans: 1.5 (And only that high because I liked the cover)
Favorite line: Ha! None
Disclaimer: I received this book free from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for this honest review.

Publisher’s Summary:
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:
“Oh, Kate!” Get over yourself, please.
I’m sorry to anyone who liked this book, but this review is going to be somewhat harsh, so, if you don’t want to be a witness to my forthcoming opinion, my feelings won’t be hurt if you mosey along.
I’ll wait.
…
Okay. Where do I begin?
Is it the fact that Kate is the WEAKEST female character I’ve seen in a YA book (yeah, I’ve seen plenty, but she’s near the top)? Is it the fact that….omg….I can’t even finish that sentence, there are just so many options to choose from.
Here’s my summary:
• A heavy-handed “theme” of, “It’s not your fault she got in trouble; she made her own decisions and these are the consequences” and while that is a positive theme, saying it (exactly like that, btw) five different times in the book makes me feel like you think I sit in the corner with a dunce hat on my head.
• Kate asking EVERYONE “Does he love me? I don’t think he loves me. I mean, he loves me, doesn’t he?” every two seconds is soooo tiresome! If your that insecure in your relationship, THEN MAYBE IT’S NOT THE RIGHT ONE FOR YOU. Let’s not even address the fact that this is her husband from the first book in the series (I think it’s called The Goddess Test?). Her insecurities voices every. Single. Moment was such a distraction from the plot. Which was trying to prevent Chronus from escaping his prison in Hades and Calliope
• Kate’s relationship with her “husband”. Talk about codependent in the worst way possible. Constantly think about what she did to make him mad, what she could do to make him like her more, pay attention to her, and whatever else she needed to feel validated. (Ugh!!)
• Oh wait, and then there’s the insecurities/jealousy regarding her husband’s ex-wife, Persephone, and the fact that Henry cheats on Kate with Persephone while they’re married. I guess I can see here why Kate would question if Henry really did love her. I mean, he normally treats her like she’s some obscure painting on the wall, but this really says, “Eh, I don’t really care.”
I like stories about Greek mythology and I kind of like Carter’s spin on it (although, I didn’t get all of it in Book 2, since most of it was set in Book 1 and I am now refusing to read it). So I guess it would be a “positive” that this book was loosely based on that. Kind of.
Anyway. That’s all I’m going to say. I know this is A LOT shorter of a review than I normally post, but anything else I would have to say would just be beating a dead horse, and I love horses. Dead or alive. So I refuse that.
Usual disclaimer: pick it up and read it for yourself. You may feel differently than I do. But I doubt it.
I really, really doubt it.

Previously published on my blog: http://fictionfervor.wordpress.com/2012/07/06/review-goddess-interrupted-by-aimee-carter/

I was not a fan of the prequel to this book–The Goddess Test. It was a decent read, but there was nothing especially spectacular about it. And for the most part while reading Goddess Interrupted, I felt the same way.

Once again, I had trouble dealing with the modern names in this book. If Aimée Carter had used the original Greek names, I wouldn’t have trouble trying to remember who was who in the beginning of the novel. Eventually I pieced them together though. (Of course, when I finished the book, I felt completely like an idiot when I saw a list of the modern names versus the Greek names. It was definitely a facepalm moment for me.)

I have to admit, the plot and action was upped a little bit in this book. There was no longer any big, huge mystery, I think, but the return of Cronus (or Cronos or Kronos or however you want to spell his name) intrigued me. The war between the Titans and the gods in the beginning of time had always fascinated me, and I was glad that Carter had incorporated this into her take on mythology. I was also pleased that Carter managed to explain more of her take–for example, she explained how the gods and humans were created.

The organization of this book was a little bit … odd. Only half of the book is really spent on trying to save Henry, and the other half is spent on trying to make preparations so that Cronus doesn’t escape. The climax was sort of in the middle of the book. And the book leaves at such a sudden cliffhanger.

I despise Kate. She was decent in the previous novel, but now I’m so frustrated with her for putting up a fit with how Henry is treating her coldly. Come on, the king of the Titans–who can kill immortals, you know–is after you and trying to kill you, and you’re going to whine about how your husband isn’t paying any attention to you? Sure, I understand that I would naturally be a little worried about that, but seriously. My gosh, get your priorities straight, woman.

Kate’s relationship with Henry is unique, I’ll give you that. Usually I read books in which (1) both boy and girl are reluctant to be together, (2) girl is reluctant to be with boy, or (3) boy is reluctant to be with girl so girl tries to have a relationship with boy2. But Henry does do a great job of showing that he loves Kate without flaunting it, I think. And he’s confused with who he loves, I get it, so it’s only natural that he would act distant.

Goddess Interrupted was a disappointment. With the poor characters (especially the protagonist), I felt like the bad aspects distracted me from enjoying the plot of the book. I’m hoping that Aimée Carter might be able to redeem herself in the sequel.

Source: Galley received from publisher for review

Needy, Needy Kate.
"Henry doesn't love me" "Henry is still in love with Persephone" it goes on and on and on and on.
Why is Kate being so needy, so suddenly? I mean, she doesn't need anyone-she never had-(well except maybe her mum). She just went from "i don't date" to "why don't you love me?". I get the feeling of being second best- i really get it- but that doesn't mean she should mope around asking everyone if Henry loves her and lets him do whatever he likes with her whenever he feels like it.

I loved the action and tension in the book and i loved the how it ended - in suspense BUT.......
BEWARE! READERS WHO LOVE TOTALLY INDEPENDENT KATE. SHE HAS TURNED INTO A NEEDY, CLINGY AND MOPEY CHARACTER. (Just thought to give you a warning)
Can't wait to see what happens next in the Goddess Legacy and the Goddess Inheritance!

ISBN: 9780373210459
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Pages: 296


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


I received this book for review from Netgalley. Although it took me quite a while to read Goddess Interrupted I really enjoyed it! As much as I loved reading The Goddess Test, I preferred this book to the previous one as it seemed as though there was actually more going on within the story. I think I also liked Goddess Interrupted more because Kate became a stronger character, as she came into her powers and learnt more about herself and her "family". My favourite character was Kate, because she evolved from the weak, naive girl that she was in The Goddess Test to the strong, determined woman that she is in Goddess Interrupted, despite attempts by others to undermine her progress. I really like the cover of Goddess Interrupted as it is beautiful whilst remaining inkeeping not only with the Greek mythology theme within the series, but also with the previous books in the series.


Available at Amazon.co.uk.

Originally posted at http://shelversanon.blogspot.com

I had such hopes for this book. I've already reviewed the first book in the series, The Goddess Test, and at the end of my review, I listed a few things that I hoped to see in the sequel, mainly growth from Kate and Henry.

I mean, after all, Titans! Titans are cool. The explanation given by Carter is a bit confusing, but I didn't care. The king's name is Cronos, so he has to be pretty awesome.

And he was awesome. Cronos was the coolest part of the entire book, amazing for his scarcity. He's locked deep in the heart of the Underworld but is able (through the help of a betrayer) to reach out via mysterious fog that can cause harm even to the gods and goddesses - Kate and Henry included. He's like the shark in Jaws, more terrifying because of the brief glimpses we're allowed.

~~~
"Cronos is still behind the gate," said Irene, "While he's awake, he can reach the corners of the Underworld most of us don't even know exist. Which is why the others kept him asleep all this time. But what you saw earlier was only a very small part of him, and if he were to fully escape, the damage would be catastrophic."

All of the blood drained from my face. "That-- that was only a piece?"

"Like a pinkie," said Dylan, wiggling his finger for emphasis.
~~~

Goosebumps, people. Life and death struggles, I love them!

What I didn't love so much? Oh, pretty much everything else, which saddens me greatly. I heard great things about this book. I fully expect other people to continue raving about this book. I wouldn't mind if they wandered on here and tried to convince me how wrong I am. But I just flat-out did not like this book.

More specifically, I wanted to push Kate under a bus. Repeatedly.

She was soooo needy. I understand feeling unsure of one's self, of feeling subpar, of feeling unwanted and second-best. I do. I also expected Kate to have all these feelings with Persephone's arrival so strongly emphasized in the summary on the back cover. Such emotions can be fun if done correctly, if balanced with other positive qualities and if we as readers are allowed to let those feelings simmer as we tend to other things.

Kate would not let them simmer. She whined and complained and sulked and cursed and moped and screwed things up royally. She was The Thing That Never Shut Up. Carter tried to give Kate balance by letting her be the one to lead the charge to defeat Cronos, to be the one to convince Persephone to help, etc. It just didn't work. Kate would have a moment of bravery and then collapse into a sniveling heap over Henry.

Oh, and Henry. That... that man. Uncommunicative is one thing, but freaking mimes can communicate better than that man. Grow a set and either hold her close or cut her loose, man!

I understand that the point was to build tension so that any possible resolution would bring relief. Cognitively, I get that. But about halfway through (if that), I was so done. The relationship was so incredibly dysfunctional beyond any bounds of normal. No one stepped in to smack Henry upside the head; instead, they all made excuses ("Aw, he's new at this." "He's just not good at expressing his feelings."). Kate was made to carry the burden. The initiative ALWAYS fell with her to a point that she came across as manipulative and Carter felt like she was purposely causing unrealistic misunderstandings to stretch the tension too thin.

I'm sure many readers will disagree with my assessment. Many already have in their own reviews. all I know is that I finished the book feeling disgruntled and disgusted. Nevertheless, I will probably read the inevitable sequel just to see what happens.

Points Added For: Cronos - he's the bomb; an interesting perspective on the Underworld and Hell.

Points Subtracted For: Kate's Bella-like ineptitude; a severe lack of communication; unrealistic and unbelievable tension; unpleasant relational dysfunction.

Good For Fans Of: Twilight by Stephanie Meyer, all other books mentioned in my previous review (so says Amazon).

Notes For Parents: Language, adultery, sex (tasteful fade-to-black), extremely poor relationship models.

Having been neither under or over whelmed by The Goddess Test, I was expecting more of the same from Goddess Interrupted. After repeatedly putting the book down in frustration, just to pick it back up again a minute later, I quickly realized that Goddess Interrupted had successfully infiltrated my defences and dug its emotionally-havoc wreaking claws in deep.

Six months have passed since The Goddess Test, and Kate is eager to return to Eden Manor and start her life as Henry's wife and queen. Expecting him to greet her with open arms, Kate is dismayed to learn that Henry isn't even home for her arrival. This begins Kate's slow crumble into self-doubt - did she make the right choice in marrying Henry? In The Goddess Test, even faced with the possibility of living life alone after her mother's death, Kate was strong and fiercely independent. In Goddess Interrupted, her strength is slowly diminished as she deals with her overwhelming uncertainty of Henry's feelings for her. As she copes with the understanding that she might have made the wrong choice, that Henry might never be able to get over Persephone, Kate starts second-guessing herself, her decision to stay and her relationship with Henry.

"I didn't want to be married out of duty or an arrangement. I loved Henry. Maybe it wasn't the sort of endless, eternal love poets wrote about and musicians sang about, but he made me stronger, made me happy, and knowing he was in my life - he'd saved me, in more ways than one. And when he was with me, everything felt right. It felt real. And eventually we could get there if he would give me a chance. Instead he wanted to keep me at arm's length, and all the while I suffered, knowing I wasn't good enough for him to love me back. Knowing I wasn't Persephone."

So as much as Goddess Interrupted is about Greek Gods and Goddesses revolting against their creators for the sake of humanity, it is more about what happens when one person comes to the painful realization that the person they love, might not ever be able to love them in return.

This is where the frustration I was talking about earlier comes in to play. Kate's tumble into desperation was so realistic! The raw anxiety that arouse from having to make even the most minor of decisions and the all-encompasing panic that was constantly threatening to overwhelm her had me wanting to shake her for letting Henry treat her that way, while simultaneously had me panicking right next to her. Her angst did get a little annoying during some of Kate's more selfish moments, but for the most part I understood her feelings completely. I wanted to see Henry return her love - I would have settled for him showing her even a little compassion! - but he was the stoic-faced, broken-hearted Henry that Kate first met. Their six months apart seemed to have completely unravelled the progress they had made and my heart broke for Kate as she began to realize that she might have to abandon Henry, just like Persephone did.

Persephone. Just reading her name still makes my blood boil a little. Her flippancy over her treatment of Henry (even though I can now understand that she was too young and inexperienced to make the choice she felt pressured in to making), her selfishness (not caring that Cronus was escaping, only that they had led him to her doorstep) and her childishness (unwilling to teach Kate how to control her new-found ability unless Ava admitted Persephone was prettier) had me reacting just like Kate - disgusted and completely unable to understand why Henry couldn't let her go. As the book progressed however, Persephone showed that her choices were the result of her quest for happiness - something she felt she could never achieve as Henry's wife or queen.

Even though Kate was on the sidelines for most of the action, the plot was fast-paced and the introduction of a couple new characters made for an entertaining read. I absolutely adored Ingrid and that she was Kate's rock amidst her emotional storm. Her optimism was contagious and her advice was the kind that had me nodding my head in agreement.

"You can choose to be happy or you can choose to be miserable, and that's completely within your power. Henry doesn't have to do a thing."

We get a fuller explanation of the mythology behind Henry and his family's creation, and even though I know it won't sit well with many, it didn't bother me this time - most likely due to my ignorance of Greek mythology. But for once, the plot took second place for me. I was much more interested in Kate's inner turmoil, and Henry's inability to tell her what she needed to hear. I spent the last third of the book in tears, as much for Kate as for Henry, and the cliff-hanger ending had me cursing Aimee Carter - both for leaving me desperate to find out what happens and for almost breaking my Kindle after I threw it when I realized I had read the last sentence.

Not going to lie, The Goddess Test by Aimée Carter was not my thing, and yet there was this pull that kept me from closing the book and forgetting about it altogether. Two months ago, I would've said that pull was Kate and Henry. Now I realize that it was that looming promise for exciting Greek myth twists and crazy addictive action as a result, and my gut was, fortunately, on the right track and completely accurate. While The Goddess Test was penned in tune with an abominably slow pace, Goddess Interrupted by Aimée Carter is the after to its predecessor's before shots. With all the pulse-spiking action and awesome nods to the original myths (finally!), impatience shimmers as it's nearly impossible to guess what twists Carter's going to unleash. Kate's inner monologuing, with all her insecurities and doubts about her relationships with family and love interest, doesn't diminish the stunning developments of the plot. In fact, they seem to sketch depth and shadows to an already turning-toward-the-dark story, and sympathy is a simple gift to bestow upon a character that seems to have been born into the world for a single-minded purpose after the failure of a ghost still lingering in the hearts of so many cared by her. It's a heavy burden she carries and the doubts that possess her mind are plausible and hard to exorcise.

Kate's relatibility lies within her doubts, her desires, which, to some, may seem demanding and perhaps selfish given the circumstances, but, given her situation, seemed very reasonable to me. She's still young, a bit wide-eyed and wet behind the ears as far as her current job and to demand that she forgo those desires when everything is crumbling into unrecognizable rubble and considering the sacrifices she's made, the loneliness, the loyalty, why blame her for coveting something she's sacrificed normality and typical living for and then becoming frustrated for being denied? She's thrust into an unimaginable situation, has dealt with lies, deceit, and manipulation involving her life, both the living of it and its ability to exist, and all she has to anchor her is kept at a distance and is near-unreachable. Reminders of her simply being created as a replacement are shoved at her at every opportunity, so it would be impossible to remain completely confident in such a situation. Between hurt and loss and bitter enemies, Kate has much going on and rooting for her success and growth is a smooth transition from any preexisting dislike begun in The Goddess Test. While some prefer a more headstrong, kick-butt kind of heroine designed for these situations, Kate's plight is realistic, and maybe that's what people won't enjoy, that tie to reality and likeness to what we ourselves would do (in her situation).

In order to fully appreciate the characters, compassion and patience is required. Both sides of the story are given in Goddess Interrupted, as far as some of the dominant emotional issues between the characters, and we are able to make proper judgements. Who we side with is irrelevant; what matters is understanding the reasons for any hesitancy to forgive and love and enjoy found within the dynamics of the main characters. Hurt often does strange and incomparable things to different people, and with this new knowledge, we can forgive the characters for any missteps, the misconceptions and self-erected obstacles blocking progress for the romance.

Hope survives the chaos of most of the book, but dwindles as we approach the ending, a bridge to the next book half-drowned in water and awaiting repair which can only begin when The Goddess Inheritance's first page is flipped to. All pleasantness evaporates with a mostly shocking revelation that will be the match that sets the god of the Underworld's anger ablaze and will act as the trail to lead him back to the instigator. The promise of retribution is enough to grant goosebumps brought on by equal parts trepidation and anticipation. Although the wait for Goddess Interrupted wasn't agonizing, things are different this time—I can barely contain my rage at the estimated release date! At least there's The Goddess Legacy to look forward to.

Originally posted at Paranormal Indulgence, 4/3/12

Looking for another greek myth twist? Try out Josephine Angelini's Starcrossed.

Let me just get this out before I say anything else: this series is addicting.

Now, having said that, I think Goddess Interrupted, or rather just this whole series is the type of books that people are either going to love or hate. If you’re really in to pick it apart, you can. You’ll find that it’s a really, really loose and watered-down version of mythology, and that a lot of scenes basically contradict the basics and the core of the Hades and Persephone myth.

But if you’ve enjoyed The Goddess Test, Goddess Interrupted will not disappoint. It picks up right after The Goddess Test ends, and follows Kate’s experiences becoming an Immortal, and deals with the problems that Calliope cause as a result of Hades and Kate in the first book. It’s definitely action-packed, and there are new things, new twists, new surprises thrown at you chapter by chapter.

Goddess Interrupted is addicting in the sense that there’s never a dull moment. Like I said, it’s very action-packed. Things keep happening. A problem will be resolved, and a new one will appear. Carter throws curve-ball after curve-ball at you, and the ending will leave you breathless. The way she does this – the long string of problems and semi-solutions – makes you really curious to know what happens next, and after finishing, you’ll want to know what happens in the next book; you’ll want to keep reading.

But like I said, you’re either going to hate it or love it. Or maybe you’ll be a little of both, like me.

One of the things I hated (yes, hated) in Goddess Interrupted was the slut shaming. I mean, okay, I get that Ava’s Aphrodite and Aphrodite’s the goddess of love. But does that automatically make it okay to label her as a slut?

And Persephone. Persephone had to marry Henry. Then Henry fell in love with her and, unfortunately, she didn’t feel the same for him. So she left him for Adonis. First, I just wanted to point out that – this happened in The Goddess Test – isn’t this kind of like what happened with Kate, Henry, and James? James liked Kate, but Kate didn’t feel the same for him so she rejected him for Henry.

So, apparently, it’s perfectly fine to leave one guy for another if you don’t love them, as long as you’re the main character. In that case, it’s perfectly fine. After all, you can’t control who you fall in love with. But it isn’t okay to leave one guy for another if you don’t love them, especially when it’s the main character’s future husband that you left. Because you’re supposed to not hurt him/fall in love with him/leave you/whatever Kate wants Persephone to do (I honestly don’t know), because then you’re thought of as a slut, a target, and a threat.

Uh… okay?

Kate automatically sees Persephone as a threat. Of course, she doesn’t seem to realize that Persephone’s the one that wanted to leave Henry, and that she’s perfectly happy where she is doing what she does and spending endless days with Adonis. And I just don’t get why Carter had to go throw in all this extra drama that really just wasn’t necessary in Goddess Interrupted. Not every single second book in a YA paranormal romance series needs some girl vs. girl drama over a boy. Focus on the mythology, and the whole brewing war against the Titans and I’ll be a happy reader.

Then there’s Henry. Clearly, I’m the minority when I say this, but to me Henry’s a bastard. A cold-hearted, confused, and a miserable bastard. He still has feelings for Persephone. And Kate. Both. M’kay. I get it. But then he has to go make Kate feel so hopeful – as if he doesn’t have any feelings for Persephone anymore. That whole touching scene towards the end was something that should’ve been done at the beginning. The very, very beginning, in which it was clear to anyone that Kate was feeling hurt.

I’m not saying that it’s entirely Henry’s fault and that Kate’s not acting way too co-dependent and whiny for her own good, but when she was looking for reassurance, he should’ve gave her some reassurance that his feelings were still there instead of running away and wallowing in his own self-pity. Because that made it seem like he was pushing her away – as if he didn’t care for her at all. Then he continues pushing her away, then pulling her back to his side only to push her away again.

And Kate lets him.

WHY? Kate is a co-dependent, clingy, and whiny goody-two-shoes. Henry’s a cold-hearted, miserable bastard. Their whole relationship has ‘doomed’ stamped all over it in large, bright red letters.

But despite all my raging and ranting, I did enjoy Goddess Interrupted. It’s fast paced, and there’s never a dull moment. I’ll admit, the wannabe cliffhanger ending was a total letdown for me, as I was expecting something a bit… more. I was expecting it to end in a bit more of a bang, and not the whimper it actually ended with. But it was okay. The action scenes were my favorite, and much better than the little-to-no action from The Goddess Test. We got to see a bit more of the other gods, though there’s much less of James and much more of Kate’s mom. There’s also some more of Pogo, too (he’ll always be my favorite character); curve-balls; semi-answers.

I’m more on the rant and rage side, but the bottom line is, some people are going to rant and rage at Kate and Henry. Others aren’t going to notice, and are going to love Goddess Interrupted. It all depends on the reader.

I love, love, LOVED The Goddess Test. It was one of the very first ARC's I received, and I raced right out and bought myself a copy soon as it came out in stores. It took me a little longer to get to the second one, because I just don't keep up on series the way I wish I could. (Jamie has a post over at The Perpetual Page-Turner that pretty much sums up my entire problem.)

Once I did though, I flew straight through it in a matter of hours. These books are such nice vacation reads because they're lightweight paperbacks and aren't too difficult - but they still have a lot of issues that make you think. Right at first I was a little lost getting back into it, probably because of my issues with series, and I kinda skipped Goddess Hunt (the short story released between the two). But once I got into it, the action was fast paced, and the twists and turns kept me intrigued through the end.

I have to say, I had some issues early on with representation of the characters. Hera is the goddess of fidelity after all. She shouldn't be getting her panties in a wad over Henry! Not that I blame her, and all, but being faithful is kinda her thing. But then, once it was explained, I started kicking myself. Carter makes even the parts that make the least sense make the MOST sense by the end, and I absolutely love that!

Add to that the teaser at the very end and I'm just itching to get my hands on the next book!