The Goddess Test (Goddess Test #1)

One of the things that initially drew me to The Goddess Test was the incorporation of Greek Mythology. I fully admit that I am a mythology nerd in all senses of the term. There is nothing that makes me happier than diving into stories about Persephone, Demeter and all the other fascinating Gods and Goddesses. That being said, I really adored how Aimee Carter wove this fascinating topic into an even more intriguing new story! The Goddess Test is everything a good read should be. Fast paced, full of intrigue and deception, and of course a little bit of love.

Kate comes onto the scene a broken shell. Her mother is dying, and she's not sure what she is going to do with herself when the inevitable finally comes. To be honest, Kate was tough for me to love at first. I understood her need to have her mother in her life, but I kept hoping that she'd see the good that comes with moving on alone. A new life, a new start. Her attitude bordered on depressing sometimes, and I really wanted her to see something positive about her situation.

However as the book progresses, Kate definitely does change. It's like a metamorphosis actually. One minute she is a shy, quiet, and lost girl. The next she meets Henry and everything changes for her. The Kate that develops is bold, brave, and full of life. I loved her so much. I won't reveal how this all comes about, or what happens afterwards, but I will say that if you feel the way I did at the beginning just make sure to read on. It gets so much more amazing.

Story wise, I couldn't have been happier with the way that Aimee Carter wove Greek Mythology into Kate's story. Henry was dark and mysterious, and each twist brought about a new aspect for me to fall in love with. The tie in of the story of Persephone definitely gives this book an added element. Watching Kate struggle to let go of her mother, learn to love herself, and try to help Henry, made for a fantastic read. I devoured the book from beginning to end and then lamented the fact that there was no more left to read.

In all honesty, The Goddess Test far surpassed my initial hopes for it. The story line, characters, and setting, all mesh into a wonderfully immersing read. I, for one, eagerly await the second installment in Kate's story. I cannot wait to see what happens next.

-

I really enjoyed this book.

this is my first ever greek myth book and so far i loved it.

It kinda reminds me of picking up the pieces - a song by Paloma Faith
The relationship between Kate, Henry and Persephone is just like that.

I liked how it was modernised to fit the 21st century and not the normal traditional one.

My favourite character is Ava. Even though she was a bit mean at the begining, she's still my favorite. She's a bit wild but she's a faithful friend and she helped Kate out of the river even after Kate punished her.

I recommed this book to anyone.

I really do not know why I did not read this book sooner! I've had an ARC copy of it for a while now and just didn't have a chance to get to it, but, had I known how good it would be, I would likely have bumped it up the queue. While the book wasn't perfect, as I had some concerns with the pacing, I wholly enjoyed reading every page.

First of all, my one complaint: the pacing. This may be an issue that has been resolved in the print version, but, as I read an ARC, I cannot say. In this version, a few times the plot seemed to jump from one point in time to another without warning, as though a scene were missing. One example I remember off of the top of my head is that Kate receives a puppy and then, in the next chapter, a dog named Pogo is mentioned, without any mention having been made of the puppy being named Pogo. I figured it out, but it was a bit clunky.

The writing was fantastic, though. I really enjoyed the characters and the story line, even though it was rather strange. So far, Aimée Carter is doing something really new and I'm loving it. The ending of the book was totally not what I was expecting and I have some serious questions. I really wish I knew someone else who had finished this, so that we could discuss the book's conclusion!

If you love mythology, don't miss this YA romance!

Kate is driving her mom back to her childhood home, where she wants to spend her final few weeks before she succumbs to cancer. Kate just wants to get through her school days and get back home to be with her mom as much as she can. She’s not interested in making friends. She’s just getting into a pattern of home to school and back again when she meets Henry, who tells her he is god of the Underworld and he can help her mother if she agrees to stay in his mansion home for 6 months while she completes 7 tests. If she passes, she will become his wife.

I really liked Kate, she was such a strong female character. She loved her mom and would do anything to help her, but she also knew that she was going to have to say goodbye to her soon. She could admit when she was scared to death of something, but she wasn’t afraid to face it head-on if it meant saving someone, even someone who was a total bitch to her. She wasn’t afraid to ask the hard questions or admit her feelings. On the other hand, I had a bit of a hard time liking Henry. He was hot, sure, but he was wishy-washy in the way he acted toward Kate. One minute he was tender and caring, then the next he went cold and distant, with no real explanation. Eventually he warmed up, though he still wasn’t as swoony as I would have preferred. The other characters were well rounded with their own personalities.

The plot was new to me, I had never read a Greek mythology remake, nor had I ever been interested in them. I did enjoy this one and wouldn’t mind reading more books featuring the Greek gods. Carter did a fabulous job of weaving the mythology in with current society and it didn’t feel like a boring school lesson. The writing was so descriptive, I could picture the manor perfectly. All of the rooms and grounds sounded luxurious. And, hello, a separate room just for racks and racks of clothes to choose from? Count me in.

The dialogue felt real to me. It was hard for Kate to know she was losing her mother and to imagine a world without her, but I thought she handled it well. Once she got into the manor and started talking with the people that lived there, I enjoyed the different voices. There were the quiet but stern guards, the tiny and energetic valet, the snob who was getting knocked down a peg, the grumpy but kind assistant. They all meshed well together to make a colorful living environment.

There were definitely swoon-worthy moments, most of it very chaste. Kate was a virgin and intended to remain that way for some time, but she still found herself falling for Henry and wanted to be affectionate with him. Their first touches were tentative and very sweet. The tension between them was slow and delicious. The ending was great, with plenty of surprises. Some I saw coming, others were unexpected, and I loved that.

I’m not too sure about the cover for this one. It’s pretty, for sure, but doesn’t really go with the book. The dress makes sense, but at no point do I recall Kate lying on a forest floor like that (especially looking all constipated).

Kate Winters has spent the last four years of her life taking care of her sick mother. Now, her mother has decided she wants to return to her home of Eden, Michigan for one last time before she dies. Kate isn’t thrilled with the idea of moving from New York City to a small town in the middle of rural Michigan, but she would do anything to make her mother happy. As soon as they arrive, however, things get complicated. Kate has to start her senior year over as a new student, to make matters worse, she clumsily bumps into the super jock boyfriend of Ava—the school’s most popular girl and cheerleading captain. Needless to say, it is not an instant friendship. Ava is not thrilled with Kate’s presence (and the attention she seems to be drawing from their school mates), but she shouldn’t worry. Kate is not interested in anything or anyone, except taking care of her mother.


When Ava invites Kate to a bonfire in the woods, she reluctantly agrees to join her. Once they arrive at the party, however, Kate realizes that it was a set up. Ava brought her to the woods—alone—to torment her. When Ava dives headfirst into the river, Kate is left standing on the bank fuming with anger. She is stranded in the woods at night with no way home. Pulled from the middle of her thoughts, Kate realizes Ava has been knocked unconscious… or so she thinks. Faced with the choice to face her terrifying fear of water in order to save Ava or to let her drown, Kate finds herself rushing into the freezing water and pulling Ava to safety. Only, Ava isn’t unconscious. She is dead.


Desperate to save Ava, Kate hastily makes a deal with the mysterious (and gorgeous) Henry. In return for saving Ava, he requires Kate to live with him during the winter. At first she refuses, but she eventually finds herself living at the elaborate Eden Manor. Thinking that Henry is a complete lunatic (he claims to be the god of the dead, after all), she plays along with her role in the deal. While living at the Manor, Kate has to face several tests that will determine if she is worthy of becoming the queen of the dead and an immortal. If she fails, she returns to her previous life with no memory of her stay at the Manor, and Henry dies.


If you haven’t figured it out yet, this book is a modern retelling of the story of Persephone. I just adore Greek mythology (ok, all mythology) and this book did not disappoint me. Too often I find retellings strained and disappointingly unoriginal. However, this book was great. The plot had plenty of similarities to the myth that we all know, which satisfied me. But it also added several original elements that I think enhanced the storyline. I loved that Kate was a strong-willed, kick butt female type. I also thought showing Henry as a compassionate and caring form of Hades was a nice touch. The characters were so well developed that I found myself tearing up a few times during the touchy mother-daughter scenes between Kate and her mother. At the same time, I found myself so completely irritated with some of the characters that I felt like I could strangle them with my bare hands if they magically manifested in my presence. It takes a very talented writer to take a reader through such a broad spectrum of emotions in one novel.


As far as the plot is concerned, it is certainly a quick, easy read. I found it hard to put down. There were several twists in the story that I didn’t expect. I had my suspicions at times, but the story kept me guessing until the end. I did figure out the role of James long before Henry confirmed it, but that’s ok. There was a pretty heavy hint that made it pretty hard to ignore. I mean, Henry said, “You’ll see.” You had to know something was coming.


I’m disappointed that this book doesn’t hit the shelves until April of this year. That means I have to wait until 2012 to read the next book! I love how the story ends at the perfect place for a continuation. The dynamics between the characters is so well thought out that there seems to be an endless possibility for what might happen. I am anxious to see how Kate and Henry fare during the following winter, and to see if the friendship between James and Kate recovers. I would certainly recommend reading this book if you like mythology retellings. I read an e-galley from NetGalley, but I’ve already pre-ordered my paper copy for the bookshelf. This book is worth having in paper form.