The Goddess Test

Review Time! The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter is a 2011 YA Debut based around Greek Mythology, which is becoming quite a trend now isn’t it? The Goddess Test will be released in Australia in August, thank-you to Harlequin Teen for the ARC and for US readers, go get yourself a copy!

(Goodreads) 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.

The Short Story? – A beautiful debut centred around the popular Greek Myth of Hades and Persephone. Edgy, exciting and engrossing. A brilliant plot about love, betrayal and sacrifice filled with mystery and suspense. Strong, unique narrative voice and a wonderful cast of characters. One of the best romances I have read this year!

The Long Story? – I was very excited to read this! I have this fascination with Greek Mythology and I was actually going to buy myself a copy of The Goddess Test when the lovely people at Harlequin sent me an ARC! High expectations were met and before I go on to blabber about how amazing this was, I CAN’T WAIT FOR GODDESS INTERUPPTED!!!

The blurb pretty much explains the novel in a nutshell. Hades or Henry is looking for a new bride and Kate is to take the Goddess Test because she wants to save her mother, the prize is immortality and so far no one has succeeded. You either succeed or you die trying to succeed. It’s a brilliant plot, very exciting and unpredictable, filled with dark secrets, twists and turns. It could have easily been a YA thriller is not for the Greek Mythology tie-in. An easy pace and a great balance between action and romance. Lovers of paranormal as well as contemporary would love this. Very original not like any other novel I have read. Great ending. It’s plot that leaves readers wanting for more. I actually turned the last page and went ‘that’s it? But we’re just getting to the good bit!”

My favourite part of the novel would be the characterisation. Very clever of Carter to include all the Olympians into the novel but by giving them different names, readers don’t know who’s who til the very end. I kind of gave it away for myself when I read the list of Gods first before reading the novel. So the appeal of guessing which characters was which God was lost. Nevertheless, it was different and interesting to see what personalities and physical appearances Carter gave each of the characters. Very well developed and portrayed, I do think I’ve fallen in love with half of the Gods. Great cast.

One of the other things I that I really enjoyed was the romance. It played quite a major role in the novel, it’s a love story. We read all about the undeniable attraction between Henry and Kate but obstacles in their way stop them from being together. I’m probably making it sound very clichéd but it’s actually one of the best and more original love stories I have read in YA fiction. It’s not a marketed romance, it’s one for all to enjoy, especially romance junkies like me :P

If I had to describe The Goddess Test in three words they’ll be – beautiful, romantic and captivating. It’s a novel that you simply can’t put down, I read it til the early hours of the morning and suffered from a headache the next day but it was totally worth it. Carter is a brilliant new YA voice and I look forward to reading more of her work. Refreshingly original, engrossing storyline and a romance that leaves you wanting more. The Goddess Test is one for all to enjoy.

Rating -5/5

Badass Bookie xx