I've been talking a lot about this book lately, so it's time to tell you more about it and why I loved it so much and why I recommend it to everyone.:D
The Goddess Test (Goddess Test #1) by Aimee Carter
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...My thoughts:
*Spoiler FREE
I've been very curious about this book ever since I read the synopsis and I heard it has some Greek mythology in it. Then I read some very nice reviews around the blogosphere and I've got even more intrigued! So you can't imagine how thrilled I was when I got the ARC! I read it immediately and I wasn't disappointed: it is indeed a great debut novel, that mixes modern elements with Greek mythology, resulting a very unique, beautiful, breathtaking story.
Kate doesn't have the happiest life, and like the tragedy of her mother's imminent death wasn't bad enough, now she has to move to Eden, a little town where her mother was born and where she wants to spend the last moments of her life. Kate has no other relatives or friends here and she definitely doesn't want to move in the middle of nowhere, but she is a very kind, caring and dedicated teenage girl and she would do anything to make her mother happy.
A crazy accident brings along the gorgeous and mysterious Henry. He claims he is Hades - as in Hades from the Hades and Persephone Greek legend - and promises Kate a chance to prolong her mother's life, if she accepts to move to Eden Manor and spend the winters as his wife. At first, Kate thinks he's crazy but because she is willing to do anything to spend some more time with her mother, even if it means she has to sacrifice her freedom and her life to do it, she accepts his bargain. Of course, she has no idea what she has signed up for: although her life in Eden Manor is interesting and kind of surreal, it's never easy. But she is a tough girl and tries her best to become the goddess she should to be and to pass the tests the other gods have in store for her.
Speaking of Henry, I really like him. Yes, he is mysterious and dark and gorgeous, but he's also very different from other male lead characters. As the ruler of the Underworld, he is strong and powerful, but he is also tormented by his past and keeps to himself. And he learns to trust Kate, open up to her and care about her step by step. Their relationship is very unique and beautiful and it develops smoothly, as they get to know each other better, to trust and understand each other and, eventually, to love each other. (They are just so adorable together!♥)
The other characters are very interesting as well. They are special and mysterious in their own way and they have their own significant part in the plot. (They kind of made me nervous, because I never knew who they really were and what were they up to.)
In the first part of the book, there are not a lot of big things going on, but this doesn't make it seem slow or boring or anything like that. On the contrary, it makes everything seem... Right. More realistic. And because Aimee's writing style is so captivating, I was so drawn in the story, that I felt like I was walking alongside the heroine and taking part in the action. That's why I felt for Kate and all the surprises and revelations from the second part of the book had a very strong impact on me as well.
The twists and turns from the last part of the book blew me away completely! Suddenly there were a lot of totally unpredictable situations, drama and heartbreak, and a part of me was devouring every page and eagerly anticipating the end of the book, but the other part of me was dreading the end because I knew I' d have to wait a year or so for the next book to see what happened. So yeah, the end was... OMG! *speechless*
Anyways, to sum it up: I LOVED this book! I smiled, I laughed, I cried, I hold my breath, I gaped open mouthed at the screen... And I had a hard time coming back to reality after I finished it. That I got so emotional and drawn in the story only proves that Aimee Carter is very talented and did a wonderful job. ;) She put a lot of love in writing this book and it shows.
She is a fantastic storyteller and a very promising young author so I'm looking forward to reading her upcoming books! Speaking of which, I'm DYING to read Goddess Interrupted and I wonder what God do I have to
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| 5 Stars Rating: A Must Read |
(And I can't wait for you guys to read it, there are some things I'd like to talk about, but I can't do that without spoiling the book. So go and pre-order it right now! As for me... This is one of those books that I'd like to re-read from time to time, so I already ordered a copy.;))
Happy reading!
xoxo
