The Goddess Test by Aimée Carter

Summary Provided by Goodreads:

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...
My Thoughts:
When I received the e-galley of The Goddess Test through NetGalley I was super excited because I have heard nothing but great things about this book and I could not wait to read it and see what all the hype was about. I had it read within a day because I was not able to put it down! I am such a huge fan of Greek Mythology and I really enjoyed Aimée Carter’s unique take on it.

I loved how the Greek gods were portrayed in this novel. Usually in books and movies, Hades is seen as dark, nasty, and evil. He’s the ruler of the dead so of course that is how he will be stereotyped. In The Goddess Test, Hades is Henry, a gorgeous, lonely, and sensitive God of the Underworld. I absolutely loved this new version of Hades! Henry was a breath of a fresh air because unlike some other male protagonists in YA literature today, Henry actually has good reasons to be emo and brooding. Not only does Carter put her own spin on the Greek Gods (you won’t find out until the end who the Greek Gods actually are-but I really did enjoy all of them) but she also has her own version about the legendary Persephone. Henry isn’t the only lovable character in The Goddess Test. The main protagonist, Kate Winters was so real. She was ready and willing to do whatever it takes to save the people she cared about. She was so selfless, and this is what drew me, and Henry to her.  

At times, I felt that the plot was a little slow then some other books that I am used to, but then all of a sudden I wasn’t able to put it down and the novel was going to fast for me! I wanted there to be more. I wanted more Henry. I wanted more Ali, and Calliope, and James. I wanted more of The Goddess Test!

This is a fantastic novel, especially for a debut author. I can not wait to see what else Aimée Carter has in store for us in this series. I am pleased and honored that NetGalley and Harlequin Teen gave me the opportunity to read this novel before it hit bookstores.