Aimée Carter

It's always been just Kate and her mom—and her mother is dying.

The Goddess Test (The Goddess Series, Book 1)

Eden, Michigan, high school student Kate Winters strikes a bargain with Henry, Greek god of the underworld, if he'll cure her dying mother of cancer. The bargain she strikes with him is a grim one, but the full enormity of what she has undertaken--"live forever or die trying"--is not revealed until it's too late to recant.

The goddess test

Monicap

Okay, I’m giving this book five stars, because I liked and read book 2 before writing this review (sorry. Couldn’t access my computer when I finished book 1, and I had to read) and book 2 is awesome, so it makes this book seem better.

Point 1: Ava. In the beginning, when we very first met Ava, I thought I wasn’t going to like her. She was that girl. You know, the popular, cheerleader type one, that hurts people by just being there, existing, breathing. The girl who hurts people so easily by just walking past. Do you know the one I’m talking about? Yeah, that one. But then, when she and Kate are in the car on the way to the ‘bonfire’ she said some things that made me think she had depth. And then they got to the ‘bonfire’ and that whole fiasco happened. Back to hating her. Then she died and came back to life and she Kate became friends and I didn’t know what to think of it.
(telling you she dies and comes back to life doesn’t count as a spoiler because it happened within the first three chapters. Bunch of stuff happened to her after that I’m NOT telling you about, ’cause that WOULD be spoiling)

Point 2: Characters in general. By page 98 (which is darn near a hundred) the only character I was emotionally attached to was James, and I wouldn’t even go so far as to say I was fully attached to him.
In short: by page one hundred, I was NOT emotionally invested in any of the characters.
Bode not well for a book, does this.
Anyways, after page 98, I took a break from reading for an hour and then came back, read some more, which brings me to…

Point 3: about 50 pages later. I am now emotionally invested in Kate, Ava and Henry. Remember when I said I was almost emotionally attached to James? Well, because of that, and because he was the first character I felt any stirrings of emotion for, this is what I now felt: 
Betrayal. Really? Wow. I didn’t see this coming. Shocked. Betrayed.
Yep.

Point 4: the Greek Gods and Goddesses. Some of them are really easy to guess, like Henry and her mom. Others, uh, shall we say, are NOT. Seriously. At the end of the book, I was like: “What?!? Really? Really?” 
Short answer: yes, really.
Then I promptly kicked myself in the butt and told myself I should’ve seen it coming after what happened with James (refer to point 3)

And then at the very, very end there was a page ‘Guide to the Gods’ or something similarly titled, which was EXTREMELY helpful. Otherwise, I would’ve had to have figured them all out on my own, which I might’ve been able to, but this page eliminated hours of grief and suffering and agonizing over details, trying to figure out who is who for me. 
Thank you for that page.
Now go check out my review for GODDESS INTERRUPTED.

Sarah Sammis

I have to admit that I was skeptical of The Goddess Test by Aimée Carter because of both the title and the cover. I don't usually read books with pretty girls in flouncy dresses but Sarah Reck made it sound like my kind of book. She was right!

The book opens with Kate driving her ailing mother to the family home in Eden. She has decided this will be the place where she will spend her last days before cancer finally takes its toll. Staring at a new school, making new friends and all that other teenage stuff is the last thing on Kate's mind. Her whole life revolves around caring for her mother.

Eden at first glance, feels artificial. Kate's new schoolmates act as strange as the town feels. For Kate, she's too wrapped up in her mother's illness to notice or care. That is until the nurse convinces her to spend a night out.

Things don't go well that night and Kate ends up trading half her life for the life of another. She's also asked if she knows the myth of Persephone. While she doesn't, she will by the end of her ordeal.

After the oddball set up, The Goddess Test quickly settles into being either a retelling of the Persephone story, or more properly speaking, a sequel to it. Kate is the thirteenth young woman recruited to go through a series of tests to see if she is worth of being the next Persephone. If she fails, then Henry (aka Hades) will forfeit his throne to an unnamed successor.

The staunchest critics of the book complain that The Goddess Test is too far removed from the original myths. I don't mind. It felt no more a stretch of the imagination than Rick Riordan's recent books.

Review copy via NetGalley

Annika Arguemore

It's pretty bland but I learned how to live with it due to the fact that there were always things happening... the Greek mythology that partook in this particular novel kind of made up for what it lacked. No, I'm just kidding. It didn't. It lacks oomph is all.

Beatrix Haase

Actual Rating: 3.5/5

I really enjoyed this book. I didn't think it was amazing. I found myself skipping a couple pages at a time. It was a quick and good read. 

xoxo,
Bebe

Jasmine Patel

Personally, I loved the plot and the way it was written i finished the whole series (novellas included) in the span of one and a half days. I highly recommend this book if you're into greek mythology like me and i cant even describe how much i love it im just sad i finished it :( but i'll definitely re-read!

dija

Okay, this was just so messy and meh and just BAD i don't even know how i got through it and actually finished it, so i'm giving myself a star for my hard work.

Ruby

I regret giving up on this book so quickly the first time I started reading it. So good.

Julia Lotz

mevi

I read this book in a day, and seeing the reviews ... I started to critique it. Originally, I loved it because I'm such a fan of Mythology that it made me look past how Gods don't have morals, so it's weird to enforce it on a mortal.

Also, everyone was "pretty". No beards, people in their 50's, and such? I mean, Henry looked a little older than Kate. I would've envisioned Henry as a man in his 30's with long hair with a trenchcoat. I don't know, food for thought.

Anyway, I want to read the next book as I am still intrigued about how it plays.

Allison Garrett

According to my Goodreads shelves, I first read The Goddess Test eight years ago. I’ve been in the mood to reread a book, so when I saw it on my shelves, I went right for it. The story was intriguing, and I honestly read the whole thing in one sitting, it is short and entertaining. 

Pros: 
•	Semi-likeable protagonist. Kate has no annoying Mary-Sue ness about her, but in the same way she’s kinda boring. She has next to no personality besides being worried about her mom, who (surprise, surprise) never actually dies 
•	I had remembered the main plot twist at the end of the book (no spoilers), but when I first read it, I remember being really surprised and happy with that twist. 
•	The premise is interesting and keeps the reader engaged throughout the book 

Cons: 
•	My main problem with this book is there is no incentive to read the rest of the series. It ended on a happy note and I didn’t love any of the characters enough to keep reading about them. 
•	Inconsistencies with Greek Mythology. I really enjoy the Greek myths and have a lot of general knowledge of them, so it was extremely irritating when Carter got basic facts about the Olympians wrong


I am changing my initial 4-star rating of this book to 3 stars for the things mentioned above. I’m a little disappointed with my reread of the book. As I said the premise of the book is really interesting and I think Carter could have made it great if she had changed some things.

Nicki

I really enjoyed the book. Definitely want to read more in the trilogy.

Jo Young

I loved this book, and I am definitely going to read the rest of the series :)

Izabel

The Goddess Legacy

Ella Zegarra

Luego de leer a Rick Riordan, sumado con mi ligero conocimiento de mitología... He terminado así:

A vacation in Greece sounds like the perfect way for Kate Winters to spend her first sabbatical away from the Underworld...until she gets caught up in an immortal feud going back millennia. Castor and Pollux have been on the run from Zeus and Hades's wrath for centuries, hiding from the gods who hunt them. The last person they trust is Kate, the new Queen of the Underworld. Nevertheless, she is determined to help their cause. But when it comes to dealing with immortals, Kate still has a lot to learn.... A Goddess Test series ebook novella.

The Goddess Hunt

2.5

http://el-extrano-gato-del-cuento.blo...

Amy Grieve

Kate Winters is on a six month break from her duties as Hade's wife and her and fellow god James are planning to have a nice break in Greece. During a walk in the forest the duo stumble upon Pollux and Castor, brothers tricked into separation by the Gods. The brothers have escaped from the Underworld and are on the run from Hades himself. Kate has a choice: stand by her husbands judgement or help the brother stay together. 

I really did love this short story even more than the first novel. The other points of view separated out the book and I believe that even thought Kate is an amazing character a whole book of her is really a little bit too much. Hopefully we get a bit more of Henry's point of view in book two. 

After this short story I am really rooting for Kate and Henry as a couple. They snagged my heartstrings with how much they cared about each other. Then when Henry listened to what Kate believed in I was grinning. 

This short story has finally ignited the torch that will carry me through the rest of the series. Even if the first book didn't do it for you I really so suggest reading this because it's definitely not a waste of time.)

I liked his book but it didn't knock my socks off like it could have.

Cindy Lee

More of my reviews at Secrets of Lost Words


There are some spoilers in this review if you haven't read the series.

This book contains 5 stories called The Goddess Queen, The Lovestruck Goddess, Goddess of the Underworld, God of Thieves, and God of Darkness.

Each one was unique in its own way. 

Calliope/Hera's story is very sad. If you studied your greek myths, you know that Hera is married to Zeus, god of the sky. Zeus is a womanizer and had affairs with many woman. Hera is the goddess of marriage so she can't cheat on Zeus. It's basically about Hera's emotional turmoils and the marriage gone bad. I cried! A book that is powerful enough to make me cry deserves an award.


 "I love you." Zeus set his hand on my shoulder, the way Hades had the evening we'd won the war. "Not as an ornament. Not as a conquest. I see you, and I love you." ~The Goddess Legacy, Aimee Carter 

That was Zeus's promise to Hera. Pretty convincing, huh? That cheating, lying, womanizing bastard. He does not deserve Hera. I've never liked Zeus anyways. *sniffles*

In God of Darkness, it shows the story of the ones before Kate, the ones that died. Hades was already going wacko before Kate came. He would rather fade than let other people get hurt.
Hades met Kate at Central Park when she was seven and it gave him hope to keep going on.

 Tracing [Kate's] features, at once so like Persephone's and yet so very different, [Hades/Henry] allowed himself a smile. In her, he saw possibility. In her, he saw his future. And when she was ready for it, he would be, too. ~The Goddess Legacy, Aimee Carter 

Throughout the whole book, I think the book had love as a dominating theme. I had many questions after reading the Goddess Test. Most of which was answered in these short stories. The stories were beautifully written and clearly illustrates how the characters were feeling.

If you love a good YA mythology book, consider reading this! 

Read my whole review at http://sprinklesofbooks.blogspot.tw/2...

ashley hopkins

I really enjoyed this book, and was not expecting the ending. Although, the killer I kinda had a feeling about. The rest was a total shock.

I'm glad I have the second one I can jump into.

Neva Davies

An interesting contemporary retelling

The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter is an interesting contemporary retelling of Greek mythology. It was fun and kept me on my toes as I read, and it is definitely worth it as a mythological romance.

4.75/5 stars

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 Goddess Test

Kimberly

This book immediately caught my eye with the mention of Greek gods/mythology. The story was a modern take on a "myth" which was genius. I also thought there was a little of Beauty and the Beast in there-not a bad thing in my eyes. Absolutely loved this book. I'd recommend it to anyone enthralled in the Classics like me. I can't wait to continue the series.

Justine Rose

I've seen a lot of bad press for this book, so I thought I'd put this out there for anyone who's feeling discouraged but still wants to try this book. 
Personally, I loved it. Really, truly loved it. Most reader's problem with the book is that it didn't keep to what the Gods were really about/like. Well, I know a lot about mythology too, and quite frankly, when I was reading this book, I didn't care that it wasn't the same. Heck, I liked that it wasn't. It made it interesting, because otherwise everything would have been obvious for the entire novel. 
Admittedly, Hades is one of my favourite Greek Gods. And no, it's not because of this book and the romanticised version of him. I'm talking original myth stuff, he was my favourite. So reading Hades as Henry was awesome for me, because I felt like it was finally somewhat normal for me to love Hades. I really want to read the rest of the series, but I can't find them anywhere in my town! I guess I'll just keep on re-reading this one!

Ana Ignat

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sooo goood!!! when you find out which person is the house is responsible for killing all the other girls, you'll freak. i know i did! i did not expect that!!! AHHHHHHHH

Faith Collins

www.blueeggbooks.blogspot.com
This is by far the hardest book I've had to review yet! The Goddess Test has so much potential for being awesome-- one word: Greek mythology. I have loved Greek mythology for about as long as I can remember. Not tootin' my own horn or anything but I feel like I'm more familiar with the gods and the goddess than most. Carter seemed to have just skimmed the surface with her research... 


I was intrigued from the moment I opened this book. The prologue was great and I was promptly sucked in! I loved how quickly the story moved and all the drama that happened with poor Kate. 


I found Kate to be a fairy good protagonist. Sometime she got a little Bella Swan on me but for the most part I liked her. Shout out to her dedication to her mom! I was definitely invested in her and her situation. 


During the times when Carter focused on mythology, the book rocked. Seriously. I loved the Council, Kate's tutoring, learning more about the Manor, and the Underworld! But the rest of the time the book was pretty "ehhh.." for me. 


One of my main issues was that I wanted more mythology! More, Aimee, more! Don't tempt us myth lovers with the promise of mythology and then only give us a few chapters worth. Harumph. Plus, I wanted a more "inside view" of Olympia and the god/goddesses. 


Another issue I had was Henry's character development. He felt pretty empty to me. And not just because he's the God of the Underworld. I felt that there was nothing to Henry and for the life of me can't understand why Kate is so in love with him; she hardly seemed to know him. 


I also had a hard time with Kate's relationship with Ava after the "incident" in the beginning of the book. Uhh, hello?! Creepy, scary girl *alert*! This also leads me to the style of writing. I just felt that the writing was almost unbelievable in the conversational respect. 


The book was weak for me in the beginning but it did get better in the middle and certainly picked up during the ending. I feel pretty torn on The Goddess Test's rating but I'm going to give it 3 eggs. Instead of giving it the 2 egg rating (which I think is more accurate), I'm going to hope that because it is part of a series we will get a lot more from Carter in the coming books.


Overall, I'd recommend this book to someone who's interested in a quick, fun read.

The Goddess Test (The Goddess Series, Book 1)

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