Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter

Note: I received an Australian ARC copy of this book (so the cover is different).

Release Date: April, 2012

Publisher: HarlequinTeen

Pages: 304pgs

The Story

Kate Winters has won immortality.

But if she wants a life in the Underworld with Henry, she'll have to fight for it.

Becoming immortal wasn't supposed to be the easy part. Though Kate is about to be crowned Queen of the Underworld, she's as isolated as ever. And despite her growing love for Henry, ruler of the Underworld, he's becoming ever more distant and secretive. Then, in the midst of Kate's coronation, Henry is abducted by the only being powerful enough to kill him: the King of the Titans.

As the other gods prepare for a war that could end them all, it is up to Kate to save Henry from the depths of Tartarus. But in order to navigate the endless caverns of the Underworld, Kate must enlist the help of the one person who is the greatest threat to her future.

Henry's first wife, Persephone.

The Review

A big thanks to Gabby from HarlequinTeen Australia for sending me a review copy of this book!

Honestly . . . where do I start with this review? There was so much love and high praises for Aimee Carter's wonderful debut novel, The Goddess Test, and I was really really looking forward to its highly-anticipated sequel as did everyone else who was craving for an ARC copy like I did! For those who've read my book review, you will understand my excitement. Unfortunately for the author, unfortunately for this book, and unfortunately for myself, I've never been so disappointed in a book in my life, especially a sequel to the first book that I loved so, so much. I hate saying it right now . . . I really do . . . but that's what happened to me and I wished I could turn back the clock and pretend I did love it, and that I never said the above things. *infinite cries* But I guess it just happens at the most unexpected times for a reader. And I think it happens to all of us at one point or another.

While the interesting mythology of GODDESS INTERRUPTED remained much the same as did in The Goddess Test and while I loved the direction the story was heading towards, however I had three major problems which had a greater effect on my overall book rating. The first would have to be Kate herself, the main heroine. Now in the first book I absolutely loved Kate and the young woman she had become, but I kind of felt in this book she lost way somehow. Both in strength, confidence and independence. All of this was caused by her constant whining. Where has my dear Kate gone? I get where Kate's insecurities were coming from, what with Henry being the cause of almost everything going haywire for her, but Kate needed to realize that Henry is the King of the Underworld and he too had a lot on his plate. He needs time to adjust to things as does she. I mean, after all, he's been alone for a very long time and had lost the person he loved the most. And still loves. Through my eyes, Kate needed to not put so much pressure onto him and allow him to go through the several steps in order to get used to things between the two of them if you know what I mean . . . but like I said before, the whining was one of those problems I had with Kate and made me feel . . . sad for her character.

The second major problem for me was Henry. Oh Henry . . . I really stuck up for you when people said they didn't like you and called you an Edwardian 'creeper'. Which you are not by the way. Much like with Kate's character, I absolutely, positively adored Henry from start to finish in The Goddess Test and I had very high hopes for him to get readers to fall back in love with his character in the second book. Unfortunately we didn't get to see much of Henry. One moment he's there and I'm all giddy, then the next he's off trotting somewhere that left poor Kate jumping over large hurdles and leaving me crying and saying things like, "Where are you, you selfish hottie God?! You're wife is being hassled and almost-killed by stupid trolls . . . some husband you are!" Yes. I did yell those things. And no. There's no trolls in this book whatsoever . . . it's just a metaphor for meanie characters. Needless to say, Henry fell flat on his face in this book and I wanted so, so much more from him in his character development. I wanted scream. I wanted to smack. I wanted to cry. All because of him. But I still love you Henry . . . Hades . . . Henry . . . whatever you preferred to be called. Even though you were still in love with Persphone (I really loved Persphone I really did) and you were to blind to see what was right in front you . . . but I do forgive you Henry! For now at least.

And finally, there was a problem number three which was the actual events that occured in GODDESS INTERRUPTED and that so-called ending it delivered to me. Story-wise - it was fun, entertaining, edgy, and thrilling for all the right reasons, but everything happened so quickly. Literally. There was so little time for a small breather. Don't get me wrong here, I love a good old fast-paced story but I also like to have some events that leave me calm for a few minutes of reading, just so I can prepare myself for more action sequences that come later rather than hitting me with scenes of BOOM BOOM BOOM. There's only so much I can take of it. Then there's that ending . . . I must say the ending was one of the few things that did surprise me through the novel. Part of me thought this 'ending' was coming our way, but I didn't actually think it would happen. I mean whoa. Really? Really? I won't say too much but I was a bit on the fence about the ending . . . but it'll sure make an interesting turnpoint - that's for sure - and it will make me wonder what the bad guys - or rather the bad girl - has planned for the final installment.

Overall, despite my disappointment with this book it doesn't mean I didn't like it. The fact is . . . I did enjoy some parts and seeing some issues being resolved in this sequel and I'm glad for that. However there's still a lot of things that need answering . . . so I'll definitely be looking forward to reading the third book which I'm sure contains quite a lot of surprises and twists along the way for us readers. If you're a fan of Greek mythology or a fan of The Goddess Test, then I definitely recommend this book in a heartbeat. Just be aware it has a different feel - at least for me - compared to the first book in the series!

The Rating

2 1/2 / 5 stars

Legend by Marie Lu

Release Date: 29th November, 2011

Publisher: Penguin

Pages: 336pgs

The Story

What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths - until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias's death. But in a shocking turns of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep their secrets.

Full of nonstop action, suspense, and romance, this novel is sure to move readers as much as it thrills.

The Review

A big thanks to Tina from Penguin Australia for sending me a review copy of this book!

Also, a big thanks to Brodie from Eleusinian Mysteries for letting me borrow LEGEND earlier this year!

I love the dystopian genre. No author can do wrong by it because I love a little bit of everything - zombies, futuristic cities, the apocalypse of any sorts . . . the list is endless when it comes to dystopian. You can go in all different directions. Anyway, over the last few years or so, dystopian books have become one of my favourite genres in young adult fiction, and I think Marie Lu pulled it off tremendously. While the book itself has received a lot of raving reviews in these past few months - with some claiming it's the next big thing - but I didn't find myself completely knocked off my feet by it. Nonetheless, that doesn't mean that I didn't enjoy the book. I did. It was a refreshing story.

Thinking back to when I first heard about LEGEND, I expected a strong romance and an epic adventure. Readers claimed it was the next Catch Me If You Can story. And it was. Personally for me, I loved the thrills of someone catching a wanted criminal, the action it involved when someone was tracking another one down and risking everything . . . who doesn't love something like that? Even when it comes to the setting and the characters themselves, all of it - this world Lu managed to create - seemed pretty believable especially when it came to the exploration of American wars, politics and propaganda. That alone was interesting to read about. But what really drew me into this story was Day and June. I was very happy when I found out that each chapter was switched from one character perspective to another. We got to see two very different lives and the author had written them as authentic as you can get. Overall, I got a great dystopian story and not to mention some kick-ass kids.

I wouldn't complain too much when it comes to this book. However, I have only three problems with LEGEND. The first being the main character's ages - being only fifteen. I don't necessarily believe age is a big issue for readers, but for me being nineteen, I prefer my characters to be around the age of sixteen to eighteen-years-old. I get that June and Day are incredibly intelligent and gifted teens, and I get that they were supposed to act older than their actual age because they were smarties, but still, I would've loved the book more if they were older. The second problem for me was some of the aspects of the storyline being predictable. For it being a short read, most of the time it will be predictable . . . but again, like I tell a lot of people, sometimes books should be expanded into longer books . . . so characters and the storyline itself can be fully developed. And this brings me to the last problem: the action. I loved the action scenes Lu provided readers and I was definitely entertained til the end, but I hoped for more. Maybe my expectations were a little high here. . . but judging by everyone's reviews, I expected something EPIC to happen. But that's just me being the picky one.

Most of my thoughts of LEGEND are positive ones and despite a couple of iffy things I disliked, I'm looking forward to reading LEGEND's sequel. Not to mention the movie! Yes, the movie rights were bought and it sounds like it's a win-win with it becoming an actual movie. Anyway, with a killer cliffhanger and a book filled with betrayals, deadly little secrets, and Government manipulation that goes way too far, I can definitely see this book as perfect movie material! If you like the likes of Veronica Roth's Divergent and perhaps the likes of the Hunger Games . . . then readers will be drooling all over this book and make no mistake about that!

The Rating

4/5 stars

Divergent by Veronica Roth

ARC REVIEW!

Big thanks to Paper Lantern Lit for giving me this ARC book!

Release Day: May 3rd, 2011

Publisher: Harper Collins/ Katherine Tegen Books

Pages: 496pgs

The Story

In Beatrice Prior's dystopian Chicago, society has been divided into five fractions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue - Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the fraction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she is - she can't have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.

During the highly competitive initiation that follows, Beatrice renames herself Tris and struggles to determine who her friends really are - and where, exactly, a romance with a sometimes fascinating, sometimes infuriating boy fits into her life she's chosen. But Tris also has a secret, one she's kept hidden from everyone because she's warned it can mean death. And as she discovers a growing conflict that threatens to unravel her seemingly perfect society, she also learns that her secret might help save those she loves . . . or it might destroy her.

The Review

Honestly, I was very lucky to receive an ARC copy of this book since I was dying to read it! Out of all the dystopian books I've read in the past, I have to say that DIVERGENT is probably one of my top favourites of all-time - 1) because it's a little different to what's out there at the moment, and 2) because there is some gun action, and finally, 3) because there's a hot guy waiting inside this really cool debut book.

The only thing that I was confused about, was that people compared this to the Hunger Games and The Matrix. I can definitely see The Matrix in this book but as for the Hunger Games . . . I couldn't see the similarities. While I still think the Hunger Games is better, but DIVERGENT follows it close behind!

Moving on with the story, I love the world that Veronica Roth has created . . . what with these five different fractions that are dedicated to five different virtues. A very clever idea indeed. And at the center of this world is Beatrice Prior, or as she renames herself . . . Tris. Before the whole story evolves into chaos, at the beginning Beatrice must take her aptitude test which will determine a result, but ultimately she must decide which fraction she should belong in: Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and/or Erudite (the intelligent). But there is also another, one that only a few know about and one that is considered very dangerous to the five fractioned society . . . a Divergent.

Without giving too much away, since this book hasn't been released yet, I will say that whatever fraction Beatrice/Tris chooses is where the entire novel setting will be set out in. And since Beatrice chooses an entirely different fraction from her families fraction - the one she currently lives in along with her parents and brother - she is then pulled into a crazy new world where she must adapt to the vastly of rules that her new fraction has set out for her and her fellow initiates, one that prepares her for a shocking new way of life. I mean that literally.

What I loved most about DIVERGENT is Tris's new fraction. The whole reality of it is crazy and terribly exciting, all that is very confronting and almost dangerous. Just what I like. Each fraction is moulded together with each virtue's traits, and even the clothing's colour are strictly contained to one fraction to the next. Either way, this world that Tris is surrounded with makes her always stand on her toes, and soon enough she quickly learns how to toughen up. But then this leads me to her love interest, FOUR!!!! He definitely ranks at the top five of my favourite fictional boys! He's strong all the way through and the whole relationship between him and Beatrice seemed real and honest, unlike most YA books. They both have a balance with each other, they know exactly when to support each other and when to also let them do what they do best . . . recognizing their own strengths and weaknesses. They were pretty awesome, more so FOUR!!!!

My only complaint of the book is that the MAIN ACTION happens after the 400th page and when people said it was the next "Hunger Games", I was left disappointed with that comment. While the heroine is strong like Katniss and there are moments of violence, but I can't really see the Hunger Games inside this particular story other than a bit of violence. Despite that, Veronica Roth has done an amazing job with her debut book and I'm sure a lot of people will be excited to grab their hands on a copy of DIVERGENT!

I was going to give the book four stars, but considering the fast-paced-and-addictive ending, five stars seemed more than fair! For those who haven't read it, be sure to grab yourself a copy in May and for those who've been lucky enough to read ARC versions of the book, guess you already know about the movie deal with Summit! Can't for that and DIVERGENT's sequel that is due out sometime next year in 2012!

The Rating

5/5 stars

Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini

Release Day: May 31st/June 1st, 2011

Publisher: Harperteen/Macmillan

Pages: 496pgs

[though my ARC copy is longer]

The Story

How Do You Defy Destiny?
---

Helen Hamilton has spent her entire sixteen years trying to hide how different how different she is - no easy task on an island as small and sheltered as Nantucket. And it's getting harder. Nightmares of a desperate desert journey have Helen waking parched, only to find her sheets damaged by dirt and dust. At school she's haunted by hallucinations of three women weeping tears of blood...and when Helen first crosses paths with Lucas Delos, she has no way of knowing they're destined to play the leading roles in a tragedy the Fates insist on repeating throughout history.

As Helen unlocks the secrets of her ancestry, she realizes that some myths are more than just legend. But even demigod powers might not be enough to defy the forces that are both drawing her and Lucas together - and trying to tear them apart.

The Review

First off, let me just say a BIG THANK YOU to the Macmillan UK publisher for sending me an ARC copy of Starcrossed! I've been lusting for this book for a while now and I'm very thankful for the Macmillan to provide me one of the best debut novels I've ever read this year! To be honest, words cannot describe this debut novel by Josephine Angelini - it's addictive, filled with wonderful characters, weaved and twisted with Percy-Jackson-like myths, and in the end...it became one hell of a page turner! I've never been so addicted to a book since Vampire Academy and while that still remains my favourite YA series, this beautiful start to a trilogy is closely following behind!

First off, let's talk about the characters. I loved Helen when I first met her, I instantly connected with her til the very end. Sometimes she may have become selfish but that is how girls are at times, and when you're in love...it blinds you. Which then leads me to Lucas. I loved him! Simple as that. He was dedicated to Helen, in control most of the time (hehe), and he truly wanted what was best for her. The only thing that frustrated me about him was the fact that he was keeping things from Helen, and when he got caught out...well he could've saved himself the trouble to explain himself. Other than that, I loved every single character in the book - especially the Delos family, which oddly reminded me of the Cullens from Twilight. Only they were better! Throughout the whole book, I saw similiar Twilight elements, but at the same time I found myself thinking, "Now this is how Twilight should've been written!" I mean, you have a strong-but-sometimes-sensitive heroine - which I love, you have a love interest that would stay by her side no matter what - even when things seemed impossible (which you will see through the course of the book), and then you have an awesome mythology that is unique from most books nowadays which is another bonus.

When it comes to the plot itself, I won't say too much since it'll be spoilery, but I will say that when I read this secretly in my bedroom, it felt like I was hiding a big secret from everyone...a guilty pleasure that I couldn't help but keep to myself. So...when June comes around this year, DEFINITELY pick yourself a copy of this book! I loved everything about this book - I loved the Greek mythology that we explore, all the powers, all the Houses of families mentioned in the book, and most importantly, I loved HELEN & LUCAS! While the last few chapters left me in some depression (cause a lot of things happen that leave you saying NOoooo) and while it did have the same Twilight aspect, it was a refreshing take of a YA paranormal romance and I'm immensely looking forward to the sequel to this amazing debut novel! Way to go, Josephine Angelini! *two thumbs up*

The Rating

5/5 stars

This is the UK cover version, which I love a lot!

My ARC version has no actual cover, but its pure white with gold titles and gold cover backings, with this beautiful golden lightning strike on the front cover like the one featured here. It's beautiful even for an ARC copy! So big THANK YOU's to UK's Pan Macmillan for allowing me to feature this book review on this amazing debut novel! Expect good things from Josephine Angelini!

-- Erin xox.