Title: Goddess Interrupted
Author: Aimee Carter
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Publish Date: March 27, 2012
Genre: YA, Mythology
Pages: 304
Source: Publisher

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.

Kate and James spent the whole summer traveling through Greece as friends, but now as the summer winds down, it's time for her to return to the Underworld...and to Henry. She is to be crowned the new Queen of the Underworld, but nothing is as simple as she could of hoped. All Hell breaks lose, and Henry is abducted, leading for Kate, James and Ava on a wild chase to save him before it's too late. Unfortunately, Kate finds that she needs the help of someone she loathes the most - Henry's former wife, Persephone. With her future on the rocks and Henry's life in the balance, immortality might not be everything she'd hoped it would be...and far more complicated.

Guys, I'm a sucker for mythology. I really am. When done properly, it's an incredible adventure, which is why I enjoyed the first book in this series so much. It took Greek mythology and turned it upside down, transforming it into something new. With Goddess Interrupted, author Aimee Carter is switching things up, yet again. With touches of mythology, twists of drama and romance that equal parts gorgeous and maddening, Goddess Interrupted is a maze of an adventure. Featuring solid world-building and intense action, this novel is for all those who want the perfect blend of entertainment and depth to keep your literary appetite satiated.

As I said, I really, really enjoyed The Goddess Test. I thought it was entirely unique. No, it most certainly was not true to Greek mythology, but it was entertaining, and the literary lover in me admired the twist on the classic. That said, Goddess Interrupted was even less true to Greek mythology than the first installment, and part of the ingenue I loved from book one was lost in book two, leading to my disappointment. Unfortunately, I also had a bit of an issue with Kate in book two. She had a strong demeanor in the first novel, leading me to become invested in her story. In Goddess Interrupted, however, she was weaker, meeker and more doubtful of Henry's love than ever. As you all know, I don't like weak female characters, and she seemed to loser her spine a lot in this one. A highlight for me in this installment were the actual action scenes, which were descriptive and intense, making for a very visual experience. That is when I became most invested in the story because the meat of the novel - the heart and soul - rested there.

Overall, Goddess Interrupted wasn't a bad book, but it was a weaker sequel than I had hoped for. The bane of my existence is when a series loses its merit as it goes. I give it a 3 out of 5, and I'd recommend it to fans of YA, especially those who enjoy twists on Greek mythology and romance.

I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.

Title: Fury
Author: Elizabeth Miles
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Published: August 30, 2011
Genre: YA, Paranormal
Pages: 352
Source: Publisher

Between cozy traditions and parties with her friends, Emily loves the holidays. And this year’s even better--the guy she’s been into for months is finally noticing her. But Em knows if she starts things with him, there’s no turning back. Because his girlfriend is Em’s best friend.

On the other side of town, Chase is having problems of his own. The stress of his home life is starting to take its toll, and his social life is unraveling. But that’s nothing compared to what’s really haunting him. Chase has done something cruel...something the perfect guy he pretends to be would never do. And it’s only a matter of time before he’s exposed.

In Ascension, mistakes can be deadly. And three girls—three beautiful, mysterious girls—are here to choose who will pay. Em and Chase have been chosen.

Emily's crush is finally spending time with her, and she's ecstatic. The catch? It's her best friend's boyfriend. Chase's love interest is finally showing interest in him, but it appears she has a secret, and it's driving him mad. With teens, rampant hormones, festivities and a group of gorgeous girls who are set to wreak havoc on those committing sins against one another, it's setting up to be one heck of a holiday. Love makes people do crazy things, and winter break in Ascension, Maine is about to get crazier than ever.

Fury is the first book in a planned trilogy loosely based upon the myth of the Greek Furies. Placed in the modern context of a high school dynamic, loaded with teenagers and rampant with hormones, Fury explores the idea of what might happen if, indeed, these mythical Furies were real and how life would continue for a group of teens. Author Elizabeth Miles has created a pulse-pounding adventure alive with detail and imagery sure to captivate teen readers. Fury features a pressure-building approach, leading up to an ultimate climax that will leave you desperate for book two.

I have to premise my review saying that if you're going into reading Fury looking for a true and accurate take on the Furies, allow me to enlighten you. This is what I like to call "mythology-lite," meaning simply that Fury takes liberties that changes much of the actual idea of the Furies, while borrowing the idea of their revenge as the fuel for the fire of the story. That said, let me focus on the characters for a moment. I'll be honest and say I didn't really like any of them, but let me clarify that my saying that I don't believe I was supposed to. The fact that I didn't like them actually made me like the story more because they felt more tangible and their acts seemed more real and reprehensible, if that makes sense. Em and Chase were pretty good characters - fleshed out and flawed, which drove the story towards the whirlwind finish. The Furies, however, were a bit too surface-only for me. I didn't get much anger, or emotion at all from them. Mostly, I just knew they were deceptively gorgeous, and a lot of time was spent on that. I wish I'd known more about them. Also important to note is the pacing of Fury. Not quite slow, but certainly steady, I found that the pace grew a bit tiring for a bit, but as you reach the end of the book, the action is fast, intense and white-knuckle worthy.

All in all, Fury was a pretty good book with a great premise and a pretty decent follow-through. While I think a lot could have been played up and played out, I do look forward to seeing book two (hopefully) exceed book one. I give it a strong 3.5 out of 5, and I'd recommend it to upper YA audiences due to some graphic and foul language, as well as other lurid teenage activities. Those who enjoy paranormal stories and series will also enjoy Fury.

I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.

Title: The Goddess Test
Author: Aimée Carter
Publisher: HarlequinTeen
Published: April 19, 2011
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Pages: 297
Source: Netgalley

Every girl who has taken the test has died. Now it's Kate's turn.

It's always been just Kate and her mom--and now 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. If she fails...

Kate's life is up in the air. Her mother is dying and her deathbed wish is to return to her obscure hometown which will, essentially, uproot Kate from everything she's ever known. Nevertheless, she does it, and she's thrown into a brand new world where she is surprised to find she makes new friends and finds herself building a new life for herself. Then Henry promises her the one thing she wants most - her mother to live a long, happy and healthy life. But choosing to follow her heart and save her mother might just be her own undoing.

The Goddess Test is one of the books I've been most looking forward to most this year, and I was so excited to see it featured on Netgalley. Presenting a world where Greek mythology and contemporary fiction collide, The Goddess Test is the perfect blend of fact and fiction, merging a story line with fascinating characters, layers of intrigue and story that sinks its teeth into you and doesn't let go. Aimée Carter has created a fresh debut with equal parts romance and turmoil with a fabulous writing voice that's engaging and moves with a steady, fluid pace.

Kate, the heroine of The Goddess Test, was the perfect character for me. She had this vulnerability about her that made her relatable in her situation, but she was strong, too. She never lost her inner voice or her power, despite her struggles. The secondary characters like James and Ava, though slightly stereotypical as the nerdy best friend and the cynically-tongued friend, respectively, added a touch of humour to a fairly dark and twisty tale. Above all else though, Henry, was perfection. He added a subtle depth to The Goddess Test, rather quietly, through his dark demeanor and hidden agenda. There was much more to him than what originally meets the eye (tall, dark and handsome, of course.)

The Goddess Test was a fabulous debut. It's a whirlwind of twists and turns, and the intermix of Greek mythology was refreshing and interesting. I give it a firm 5 out of 5, and I'd recommend it to fans who enjoy YA fiction, especially those who enjoy fantasy and paranormal stories, as well as Greek mythology.

I received this eARC free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.