Review: The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter

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.

---

When it comes to trends in the YA book world, it seems that mythology is definitely making it to the top and as with all genre trends it has good and bad books. I really wasn't sure how I felt about The Goddess Test,which is why it has taken me almost a month to get around to this review.


The Goddess Test started out as a typical YA paranormal, with the new girl in a new school with trouble in her life. It quickly took a different direction, which I loved. I really enjoyed reading about Kate's life in Henry's house, but for most of the book I just seemed to be waiting for something to happen. When I read the blurb I was expecting the Goddess Tests to be serious things like... slaying a hydra? Solving an impossible riddle? Escaping the minotaurs labyrinth? So the lack of action was disappointing for me. 


The chemistry between Henry and Kate was okay, at times pretty intense but also pretty lukewarm. There was no insta-love, which was a definite perk, but at times the relationship felt forced. I had times of 'eeee, yay!' and times of 'uhhh... weird' so it wasn't the best written relationship.


I think that the problem with well known 'people; (like the Greek Gods) being depicted in  YA romance novels is that the written never match your depiction. For me, I see Hades as the blue flamey guy from Hercules (the Disney movie) maybe not in appearance but in the way that he's this evil, badass guy. It's for this reason that I could just NOT see Henry as this gorgeous broody guy!


The book is written well though, the language really is attractive for teens. Kate's narration is charismatic and at times pretty witty. I also liked Kate as a character, she made bad mistakes and was a little whiny but she was also brave and charismatic.


Overall, this book didn't really hit the spot to me. For me, the romance was a little lacking and it wasn't fast paced enough for me. I did like the main character though and enjoyed the way it was written. I'll probably try the sequel, just to see how the romance develops.


Overall rating: C-

---

First published April 19th 2011 by Harlequin and September 16th 2011 in the UK, through Mira Ink.
Book won as a giveaway prize.

Review: Ondine: A Summer of Shambles by Ebony McKenna

This is a brilliantly witty story with a furry tail ending. One girl. One boy. One spell to be broken. Ondine de Groot is a normal fifteen-year-old who lives with her family in the European country of Brugel. She has a pet ferret called Shambles. But Shambles is no ordinary ferret...He's Hamish McPhee, a boy cursed by a witch. A witch who happens to be related to Ondine. When Shambles turns back into Hamish temporarily, Ondine knows that she has to help him break the spell. He is the most gorgeous boy she has ever met and her one true love! He just can't remain a ferret forever. Can he?

---

This book has to be one of the most adorable and funny books that I have ever read. To tell the truth I thought it was maybe a bit young for me, but later I found a little bit of adult humour that totally had me laughing. This book is so out there it's unbelievable.


The country of Brugel sounds like a medieval European country with some references to modern day technology, it is, in fact set in the present. This was a bit hard to believe but don't waste too much time on that as it just adds to the feel of the book. The idea that magic is welcomed in the country and that Ondine's parents want her to have magic powers so much that they send her to Psychic Summer Camp really adds this fairytale feel to the book.


The writing is the best part of the book though. McKenna writes the book in a kind of fairytale way but adds these really funny footnotes that just had me totally laughing out loud. There are some Scottish words in there and it was so well written that I totally imagined myself in this old fashioned European town witnessing Ondine fall in love with Hamish first hand.


And whats a fairytale without a handsome prince? Except in this book the handsome prince is the bad guy and the rude, obnoxious ferret is the love interest, who'd have thought? Vincent was a fairytale bad guy through and through - we don't get much of a background and most of the characters are pretty one dimensional but I enjoyed reading abouy each and every one of them


Overall, Ondine was a book that had me laughing out loud all the way through, I totally enjoyed it for a quick and enjoyable read!


Overall Rating: B+

---

Originally released by Egmont on June 5th 2010.
Copy received from publisher for review.

Review: Prized (Birthmarked #2) by Caragh O'Brien

Striking out into the wasteland with nothing but her baby sister, a handful of supplies, and a rumor to guide her, sixteen-year-old midwife Gaia Stone survives only to be captured by the people of Sylum, a dystopian society where women rule the men who drastically outnumber them, and a kiss is a crime. In order to see her sister again, Gaia must submit to their strict social code, but how can she deny her sense of justice, her curiosity, and everything in her heart that makes her whole?

---

I never reviewed the first one in this series but I really enjoyed it, so when this came up on NetGalley I had to grab it. 


This book frustrated me so much because the strong and stubborn Gaia from Birthmarked became much weaker and lost a lot of her appeal, in the first book I liked that she was so well developed but here she just didn't have the same strength. As well as that, Leon, the lovable and sweet Leon was turned into some cold and uncaring guy who redeemed himself at the end, just as I was going to give up on him. I still love Leon though, but throughout the book, I wanted to strangle him. I really felt for Will and Peter, and totally loved the characters of Josephine and Dinah!


The romance aspect completely and utterly annoyed me but still had me hoping and praying that Gaia picked the right person. I was frustrated by the fact that not just one but TWO other love interests were brought in, creating a love square, but I could understand why the guys were into her in Sylum with so few women. I spent most of the book screaming at my kindle because Gaia could not see what was right in front of her, but I think she made her choice at the end, thank goodness.


Overall, it wasn't quite as good as book one but I enjoyed it enough to get through in a day, I'll still read book three but hope it picks up.


Overall Rating: B-

---

This book is due for release on the 8th November 2011 by Roaring Press in the UK and the 10th November 2011 by Simon and Schuster in the UK.
Book received as an eGalley for review 

Review: A Witch in Winter by Ruth Warburton

Anna Winterson doesn't know she's a witch and would probably mock you for believing in magic, but after moving to the small town of Winter with her father, she learns more than she ever wanted to about power. When Anna meets Seth, she is smitten, but when she enchants him to love her, she unwittingly amplifies a deadly conflict between two witch clans and splits her own heart in two. She wants to love Seth, to let him love her – but if it is her magic that's controlling his passion, then she is as monstrous as the witch clan who are trying to use her amazing powers for their own gain.

---

A Witch in Winter has to be one of the books that everybody should be looking forward to in 2012, it has action, romance and a bit (or a lot) of magic.


When I started A Witch in Winter I had no idea what to expect. I hadn't really heard of it, though a few UK bloggers I know were raving on about it so I figured it must be pretty good. It was actually pretty awesome. The start was a little slow and for a while it seemed as though it was going to be like every other YA paranormal as the set up was pretty typical - new girl at a new school in a new town with spooky goings on or a bad past. As soon as Anna learned she was a witch things got interesting.


What I loved the most was the romance aspect, Yes, it was a bit of insta-love but there was also well written chemistry between the two. I also loved that Anna couldn't work out whether he really did care about her himself or whether it was the love spell that she cast on him, it created obstacles and conflict that were different to the usual love triangle conflict that usually appears in YA lit.


I also loved the action - the magic actually had some uses and was well developed and the climax at the very end was fantastically written, I was literally sat on the end of my seat, transfixed by the battle that was unfolding in front of me. The battle scene was so well written! I also loved the pacing, the events unfolded in a way that wasn't too fast paced that I couldn't keep up but not too slow that I got completely and utterly bored.


The only issue I can point out was that at some points the language felt pretty old fashioned. I know it's British grammar and all, but the book is wrote from the point of view of a British teen and contrary to popular belief, we aren't all posh. Sometime the language made it difficult to believe that Anna really was a teenager at all.


Overall, A Witch in Winter is totally one to look out for. Ruth Warburton is going to take the YA market by storm. With well researched facts, romance and some fantastic action scenes, A Witch in Winter is a thoroughly enchanting read!


Overall Rating: A-

---

To be released on January 5th 2012 by Hodder Children's Books.
This book was received as an ARC by the publisher.

Review: The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa

My name—my True Name—is Ashallayn'darkmyr Tallyn.

I am the last remaining son of Mab, Queen of the Unseelie Court. And I am dead to her.

My fall began, as many stories do, with a girl…

---

Oh Julie Kagawa, why did it take so long for you to write a book as awesome as this. Why couldn't you just write from Ash's point of view from the start, you would have had me from book one!

What I loved about this book was that it cleared up what had happened to Ariella and we also got an insight into the relationship between Puck and Ash (I love their kind of bromance!), Ash was a much better narrator than Meghan and I was into him and his quest way more than I ever cared about Meghan.

We meet some other characters that I really liked and some that I hated being there, which I won't name but you'll know if you read it. these were strong and pretty well developed characters and we also see deeper into Puck and Ash. I loved the rivalry between the Big Bad Wolf and Grimalkin. 

There was a little more action and adventure in this one, which I loved, I loved the trials that ash had to go through to become human and the indecision he faced after each one, but I also loved the happy ending. I never thought I'd ever be that glad to see Meghan but yes, I was. 

Overall, the Iron Knight was a fantastic finish to a series and I kind of want more Ash books!

Overall Rating: B+

---

Book published October 25th 2011 by Harlequin in the US. The UK release will be in January 2012 by Mira.
Book received as an eGalley from Netgalley.

Review: If I Tell by Janet Gurtler

Jasmine Evans knows one thing for sure... people make mistakes. After all, she is one. Jaz is the result of a onenight stand between a black football player and a blonde princess. Having a young mother who didn't raise her, a father who wants nothing to do with her and living in a small-minded town where she's never fit in hasn't been easy. But she's been surviving. Until she sees her mom's new boyfriend making out with her own best friend. When do you forgive people for being human or give up on them forever?

---

I am not the biggest fan of hard-hitting contemporary books, I like them as long as they aren't too whiny, as long as the ring true to me and as long as the voice is just right. In my opinion, contemporary books have to deal with real life issues, but in a way that makes me feel. This book was one of those rare contemporary books that made me ache inside and this book has driven me to put Gurtler beside Sarah Dessen on my favorite YA contemporary author list.


If I Tell deals with a lot of issues, from betrayal to prejudice, Jaz has a lot to deal with in her life. Being the only mixed race teen in her town, she is judged and shunned meaning that she can't really talk to anybody about her problems, she saw her best friend making out with her Mum's boyfriend so she can't talk to her. I was amazed with how well Gurtler wrote the feelings of alienation that Jaz felt and how delicately but also well based she dealt with the issues.


This book is really a tale of personal growth, How we see Jaz grow from this girl who is embarrased by her skin colour and pretty alone in the world to how she becomes a brave and strong girl who can speak out about her problems. I think the other characters could have been developed a lot better, especially Jackson who was one of my favorite characters but could have been written a little deeper than the cliche good boy with a bad boy past.


I honestly think what was fantastic about the book was the way it made me feel - I loved how I honestly felt bad for Jaz, how I hated Simon until Jaz forgave him, how I felt elateion when she stood up for herself. I was with Jaz from start to finish and that was amazing.


Overall, a great contemporary with fantastic writing. The issues were dealt with so well and I was so into the book - the characters could have been developed a little more but I really did enjoy it!


Overall rating: A-

---

Released October 1st 2011 by Sourcebooks 
Received as an E-Galley for review through NetGalley

Review: Delirium by Lauren Oliver

Before scientists found the cure, people thought love was a good thing. They didn’t understand that once love -- the deliria -- blooms in your blood, there is no escaping its hold. Things are different now. Scientists are able to eradicate love, and the government demands that all citizens receive the cure upon turning eighteen. Lena Holoway has always looked forward to the day when she’ll be cured. A life without love is a life without pain: safe, measured, predictable, and happy. 

But with ninety-five days left until her treatment, Lena does the unthinkable: She falls in love.

---

The concept of this book was amazing and really the best part of this book, and that's saying something because this book is AMAZING! By the time you're thirty, you're bound to have had a bad relationship, one where you cried and shouted a lot, or did stupid things, it's that that this book capitalises on. That feeling when you're in love where you're high and nothing can bring you down. This makes this book wholly relatable to emotional teenage girls every where.

Lauren Oliver's writing is beautiful, as always. The feeling that she puts into her words is amazing, I was enchanted by it in Before I Fall and loved it even more in Delirium. The writing is almost poetic without sounding fake and it was a pleasure to read. I totally got the feelings that she was writing - Lena's euphoric happiness, the desperation for freedom, her ultimate sadness at the sad parts, which made this book a rollercoaster to read.

Usually I don't like overly emotional reads, but when it's as well thought out as this one I loved it. For me, Delirium was one of those rare books that had me from start to finish without letting me go for one second, (ask my boyfriend, I read it whilst eating, whilst he was trying to sleep, on the toilet) and whilst reading it I laughed, I gasped, I sighed and I bawled my eyes out then at the very end I threw it on the floor, banged my fists on the bed and started cursing about how much I hate Lauren Oliver and how I'mma fly to her house and demand a manuscript of book two. (if Lauren's reading this review, I don't really hate you, I'm just totally jealous of your immense writing skills and angry at that ending, kay.)

This review may end up very long if I go into the characters, I just want to quickly say how well the romance is written. Lena is the brainwashed girl who knows that something is wrong, Alex is the rebel guy, totally gorgeous, who shows her what is right. Typical set up in dystopians, but the romance is so... ahhh... can't put it into words. It's bittersweet, like that feeling you get when you're totally, blissfully happy but know it won't last. all the way through reading this book I was waiting for the big obstacle, but when it came it came big.

I've gushed enough, I really can't find any flaws with this book... it was totally and utterly breathtaking and beautiful. So far, Oliver continues to impress me...

Overall rating: A+

---

This book was original published February 1st 2011. The edition that I read was released in August 2011 by Hodder and Stoughton.

Book received for review from the publisher.