05 June 2012

YA Book Review: Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter

Release Date: 27 March 2012
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher via NetGalley

Get a copy! AmazonB&N

Goodreads description:
KATE WINTERS HAS WON IMMORTALITY.

BUT IF SHE WANTS A LIFE WITH HENRY IN THE UNDERWORLD, 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.
My Thoughts...
The Goddess Test seemed to be a hit-or-miss read in 2011 for many people, but for me, it was definitely a hit and I was eagerly awaiting the release of the second book to add to my collection.  School got in the way of reading this one as soon as I would have liked, but now that I've had time to read it and think about it for awhile, I can definitely say that I enjoyed it very much, but it had a little bit of that "middle book" feel for me.

Let me explain.

Goddess Interrupted has all the makings of a really fabulous book.  It picks up with Kate returning to Henry and the Underworld and preparing to be officially made his queen.  Things, of course, go terribly wrong and everything goes to hell (quite....literally).   Once again, I loved the way that Aimee Carter has crafted this mythology into a modern-day story.  The way that the characters are woven together really brings them to life.  They seem very much like a family--with all the normal family problems we all experience, just on a bit of a larger scale.  The book is filled with plenty of action along the way that definitely keeps you on your toes and hoping that your favorite characters don't die!

What gives this a little bit of that "middle book" feel is the way that the focus is really placed on the relationship between Kate and Henry and the associated angst.  There are a lot of moments where it feels like the real drama and tension of the crazy stuff that's happening takes a backseat to Kate's desire to have a real relationship with Henry.  Don't get me wrong--I totally understand what she's getting at.  However, it feels like the book spends a lot of time setting up the ending and preparing you for the finale.

Make sense?

Regardless, all things considered, this was a fun read and it didn't really disappoint me in terms of the series.  I'm super excited for the final installment as well as the upcoming compilation of stories, The Goddess Legacy.  If you were a fan of The Goddess Test, definitely take the time to read this second installment (and the ebook novella--The Goddess Hunt).  Carter's writing and storytelling is pretty spot on and will keep you engaged and leave you begging for the finale.

4 comments:

AMY FOURNIER said...

I really enjoyed this book too. I was super annoyed at a lot of the behavior from both Kate and Henry sometimes, but I still really liked it and am excited to see where the story goes. Especially after that ending!!! Great review!!

Molli @ Once Upon a Prologue said...

I agree with a lot of your review, Jessi!  In some ways this one did have a "transition"/middle book feel.  I think it's really difficult for most authors to get around that - it has to happen at some point.  There were a few mixed up places where I wasn't sure what was more important - Henry, or saving the world.  Well, obviously saving the world, but I think Kate had to push aside her feelings for Henry at a few moments in order to help with the quest at hand.  

Jessi said...

That ending definitely left me with my mouth hanging open and begging for more! It will be really interesting to see how it ends. I can only imagine just how exciting the final book is going  to be. :)

Jessi said...

 Her feelings definitely clouded things at points. I think the whole book built her into a stronger character overall, which I appreciated. I also totally agree that avoiding that middle book feel is almost impossible.  It a planned trilogy you're bound to have that bridge purpose for book 2.  I think the ones that really, really shine find their own purpose for that second book.  :)

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