The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter
Harlequin Teen, April 19, 2011
304 pages
Book Source: This copy was an advanced reader's copy provided by the Early Reviewer program on LibraryThing.com.
It's always been just Kate and her mom—and 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.
--Summary from GoodReads.com
Judging by the cover...: Not a big fan of the cover. It's a little too seductive and surreal for my tastes. Luckily I had an ebook copy.
Favorite Elements:
- Persephone and Hades - What if the story we have been told for thousands of years wasn't the correct version? That somewhere down the line, Hades was turned into a villain and Persephone won everyone's sympathy? It's not completely without reason, considering history has a habit of rewriting itself.
- The Gods - The big kahunas of Greek mythology are featured within these pages. Brings to mind Percy Jackson's "family" of Gods and how they have their own unique personalities.
- Biggest Wardrobe Ever - I almost fainted when Kate was offered every possible piece of clothing ever available in history. And I love that all she wanted were the jeans and sweaters (because let's face it, that's what I'd go for, too).
Ouch, I know, but after all of the hype given to this book, I really don't get it. The premise had major possibilities, but once the story got going, we are made to believe improbable plot points (who really just accepts that their friend saw someone bring another human back from the dead?) and root for a character who makes such uncharacteristic choices. There are plot holes galore, and the tests fail to live up to their reputation.
Recommendation: Meh. If you want a light and fluffy romance without having to think too hard about it, choose this one. If you're looking for something with more substance, keep searching.
Similar Books: Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan (action packed, tiny amount of romance, crazy thrills) or Abandon by Meg Cabot (sa-woon!).
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