Review: The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter

One upon a time, Kai was desperately in search for a good book that will take her breath away, a book that will get her out of her reading funk. And then she came across Aimee Carter's debut novel. And her mythology based reading experience has never been the same again.

Title: The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter
Pages: 304
Release Date: September 16th 2011
Published by: Mira Books
Source: Midas PR (thanks Lucy!)
Buy: Amazon | Book Depository

Summary (from 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.

Kate's mother has cancer and she's dying. Her last wish is to go back to her hometown and spend her last days there. Kate will do whatever it takes to make her mother as comfortable as possible, but it's hard to be strong for the both of them all the time. As Kate struggles to adjust to a life in a small town like Eden, she faced challenges of her own, one where a fellow student was killed and a mysterious guy who she thought was a figment of her imagination arrived, claiming he can bring her back to life, but for a price. Kate agrees, but the catch? She will be his wife. Unbeknowst to Kate, she struck a deal with a God, Hades, and she will have to become his wife by passing tests. Many have tried and none has succeeded. All of the girls ended up dying, but when Hades, or Henry, says he can keep Kate's mother alive, who is she to refuse?

Hades and Persephone's love story is one of my favorites in Greek mythology. I loved the sound of the bittersweet love it portrays, and it makes me see Hades not as a frightening God, but someone who loves a woman so much he resorts to tricking her to make her stay.

There is something about Hades that makes me think how misunderstood he was and how twisted his portrayal was in his own love story. But what if Hades is just a guy who wants to find someone who can love him for who he is in all of his immortal life? Such was Henry's predicament. Meet Henry, a reinvention of a God which all mortals can relate to. He's not scary, nor is he evil. He's a just ruler of the Underworld, and a guy longing for companionship, someone who is still trying to recover from a heartache caused by the one woman he has ever loved, Persephone. Sometimes unsure, awkward even, who would have thought Hades could be shy and withdrawn?

And here is where Aimee Carter puts a spin on an epic love story. After Persephone, there is Kate. Human, flawed, hurting, conflicted. A daughter preparing for the impending loss of the only parent she ever had. Kate's life revolved around caring for her mother, no friends, no boyfriend, nothing else. So what will be left of her if her mother passed? Kate is a good natured, emotional character and readers won't be able to help themselves but love her for her honesty, bravery, innocence and her persistence. When Henry has given up and has resigned to a fate where he will fade into nothing, Kate fights back. Because Kate knows how valuable life is, after all, she was going through all the tests as part of a bargain to save her mother's life.

This book has such terrific romance! I can't help but cheer for both Kate and Henry as they find their way towards each other. They were what each other needed. The book is filled with cherished moments between Kate and Henry, chaste kisses, emotionally charged encounters, all of it will leave you heady with emotions of love and desire. You'll find yourself guessing which tests were happening and which one Kate needs to and has passed. Most of all, the plot twists will make your jaw drop to the floor as they slowly unravel. Nothing is as it seems in this book at first glance!

A vivid re-imagining of a love story of Greek origins, a headstrong protagonist, a God almost lost in sadness and pain, a springy, diverse set of supporting characters and a romance which will make the readers wish even for immortality themselves, The Goddess Test is a wonderful creation that will leave readers breathless and amazed. I was that and more and I find myself enchanted not just by Henry, but by the world Aimee created, a world where Humans mingle with Gods hiding in plain sight. Who says a love story which was doomed to fail from the start cannot be rewritten?

Greek mythology has always been a subject of fascination for me. And when you have it intertwined with swoon worthy romance, you are guaranteed to have a fabulous novel. Most debut novelists never fail to surprise readers, and Aimee Carter does that and more. She writes like a seasoned pro, with years of writing behind her with this stunning debut. The Goddess Test is the proof! Aimee debuts with a bang!

Greek mythology fans, you are in for a treat in The Goddess Test!

My rating:

Content (plot, story flow, character):

Stunning: Worthy of a Goddess' Praise!

Book Cover:

Kate looks like a Goddess!