The Blackcoat Rebellion #1 Pawn

Presenting The Blackcoat Rebellion #1 Pawn by Aimee Carter.

Here is the summary of the book:

YOU CAN BE A VII IF YOU GIVE EVERYTHING.

For Kitty Doe, it seems like an easy choice. She can either spend her life as a III in misery, looked down upon by the higher ranks and forced to leave the people she loves, or she can become a VII and join the most powerful family in the country.

If she says yes, Kitty will be Masked - surgically transformed into Lila Hart, the Prime Minister's niece, who died under mysterious circumstances. As a member of the Hart family, she will be famous. She will be adored. And for the first time, she will matter.

There's only one catch. She must also stop the rebellion that Lila secretly fostered, the same one that got her killed, and one Kitty believes in. Faced with threats, conspiracies and a life that's not her own, she must decide which path to choose and learn how to become more than a pawn in a twisted game she's only beginning to understand.

Dystopia is definitely the 'IT' on the market. And if you think you have them all.... Well think again because Aimee Carter's Pawn is a sure hit and it is new..... Must say after mythology, dystopia is a pretty big leap but Carter sure did a wonder with this one.....

This is a world ruled by ranking, a way of deciding your worth and a powerful controlling aristocratic propaganda. Rather bleak circumstances I tell you. The setting does seem familiar there but Carter does something marvelous, she makes it her own. There is political intrigue, a sense of deception, a conspiracy, the hidden dark face of politics, a case of agendas and the romance which actually takes the backseat for this plot.

Kitty Doe, is the protagonist. Her resemblance to the Prime Minister's niece Lila Hart keeps her on their target list. What I liked most about her? She felt real as a real life person. She may have fallen into the clutches of the Harts and 'masked' to look like Lila, she doesn't exactly rush to do the right thing, because she hears of the rebellion but isn't quick to join as you would expect. She is skeptical at first because she is a survivor and leading a rebellion does not guarantee that at all. Her low rank may be for life but she soon adapts to the life of a high rank and even gives that identity her own touch. She is strong willed and determined to keep her loved ones safe.... So what if the face she wears is not her own. Through her actions she makes it her own..... maybe even do some good with it too while she is at it.

Benjy and Knox. They are two possible love interests here. An almost triangle, though romance takes the back seat because it is the rebellion that maters. One is the over protective boyfriend and the other is more of a friend.... well we'll have to see what happens in the next books to fully gauge the circumstances. But I liked Knox. He was quite the dynamic character. He is her support there and plays that pretty well. Can't say much for Benjamin aside from that he loves Kitty and is prepared to do anything to keep her safe.

Politics is literally a big game of chess and 'Pawn' both literally and figuratively elaborates just that. Political chaos being the perfect example of dystopia, there is thankfully no info-dump. Aimee Carter illustrates this new world in a clean cut way, bit by bit as the story progresses, if you have read her Goddess Test series then you'll know she does that pretty well without things becoming overbearing.

This is a fast paced read and like all fast paced reads, things happen, secrets are unveiled, twists and turns pulled in, the conspiracy and the rebellion takes shape..... and you just won't be able to put it down amidst all the continuous action at all..... Not one bit.

"Aimee Carter leaves you breathless with her new unputdownable and stunning dystopia"

Genre :      Young Adult, Sci-fi, Dystopia, Romance

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Release Date: 26th November, 2013

My Copy: publisher and netgalley

Rate:              5/5 (It was Amazing)

Buy:           Amazon | Book Depository 

Goddess Test #3 The Goddess Inheritance

This is the real deal people. This is where it ends. Presenting Goddess Test #3 The Goddess Inheritance by Aimee Carter.

Here is the summary of the book:

Love or life. Henry or their child. The end of her family or the end of the world. Kate must choose. During nine months of captivity, Kate Winters has survived a jealous goddess, a vengeful Titan and a pregnancy she never asked for. Now the Queen of the Gods wants her unborn child, and Kate can't stop her--until Cronus offers a deal. In exchange for her loyalty and devotion, the King of the Titans will spare humanity and let Kate keep her child. Yet even if Kate agrees, he'll destroy Henry, her mother and the rest of the council. And if she refuses, Cronus will tear the world apart until every last god and mortal is dead. With the fate of everyone she loves resting on her shoulders, Kate must do the impossible: find a way to defeat the most powerful being in existence, even if it costs her everything. Even if it costs her eternity.

One of the most anticipated books of the year. The Goddess Inheritance marks a bittersweet end of this long standing extravagant piece of literature that portrays the Greek myths exactly as the semantics state. Carter's epic conclusion will leave you extremely jovial but notwithstanding some big bad news along the way.

It takes strong characters, strong plot and an ability to think outside of the box to present a known idea into something new. That was what Carter did, she took a known and over used topic, Greek Mythology and presented am epic tale never before heard of or even thought about and made us readers feel every bit of what these characters are going through.

Kate really came out as the strong heroine, Ms. Carter made her to be. Her love for Henry is as strong as Henry's is for her but those take a back seat since she is a mother now and stands to loose it all if she doesn't choose it right. Calliope and Cronus true to their myth and vindictive as ever stoop to all the low levels they have to get what they want. The Gods......they just infuriated with their drive to endanger a child's life and that of their loved ones to be one step away from the enemy....that's just disgusting don't you think....

The twists and turns and the unravelings added endeavors to supply us with the action-packed conclusion that we need because the end in nothing but the start of something new.

"Breadth-taking and an action-packed conclusion. A true test of courage for Kate and Henry and Carter's penmanship is enough to envoke all the right feelings at all the right places"

Genre :      Paranormal Romance, Young Adult

Publisher: Harlequin Teen


My Copy:  netgalley and publisher


Rate:              5/5 (It was Amazing)

Goddess Test #2.5 The Goddess Legacy

Greek Mythology is always a treat and miss Aimee Carter is always a pleasure. Presenting Goddess Test #2.5 The Goddess Legacy by Aimee Carter.

Here is the summary of the book:

For millennia we've caught only glimpses of the lives and loves of the gods and goddesses on Olympus. Now Aimé e Carter pulls back the curtain on how they became the powerful, petty, loving and dangerous immortals that Kate Winters knows. Calliope/Hera represented constancy and yet had a husband who never matched her faithfulness... Ava/Aphrodite was the goddess of love and yet commitment was a totally different deal... Persephone was urged to marry one man, yet longed for another... James/Hermes loved to make trouble for others-but never knew true loss before... Henry/Hades's solitary existence had grown too wearisome to continue. But meeting Kate Winters gave him a new hope... Five original novellas of love, loss and longing and the will to survive throughout the ages.

After reading about all the exploits of Kate Winters as Hades/Henry's new wife in the underworld and an ending that horrible and tantalizing cliffhanger, its time to get some background on the Gods. So enters this anthology of novellas, The Goddess Legacy, giving us explicit knowledge as to how the Gods came to the position as we see them in The Goddess Test and in Goddess Interrupted.

The book consists of five novellas focussing on Calliope, Ava, Persephone, James and Henry. Showcasing how Calliope does what she does, how Persephone repeatedly breaks Henry's heart, how Ava decides commitment does not come easily when your the Goddess of love, how James learns what true loss really means and what Henry felt after Persephone decides to forgo immortality for Adonis. Wherever we are and whatever we do, be it for a human or a God there is only one thing that matters and only one thing that decides what our future us going to be like - its the choices we make in the present that decides it all.

Calliope's situation arose because of her own pride and her inability to let go of a love that was never meant to be (for Henry). For Ava's story, it gives us the understanding of how her mind works, how she learns to commit herself to Hephaestus/Nicholas and is honest about her affairs to her husband even if they are so wrong... which we definitely we can't say about Persephone who thinks she is far above from Ava. For Persephone and her loveless marriage to Henry - it can be seen that her mother only wanted Henry's and her happiness but she (Persephone) was never bold enough to voice her thoughts in regards to her betrothal. Maybe then the centuries long disaster would have been avoided. Here again the point of choices appears. Persephone made some bad decisions regarding Henry, regarding the way she conducted her life. Because in Demeter/Diana's words both Happiness and Misery are a choice and Persephone chose misery......Sorry i'm rambling right now but I have this constant tiff with Persephone for causing Henry so much pain and to Calliope for poking her nose where it is not needed.

Overall, The Goddess Legacy us a rare treat into the history of the Greek Gods and explicitly and beautifully written by Miss Carter also the gorgeous setting of the God's life centuries ago. I am ready for The Goddess Inheritance now..... GOD april, 2013 is so far away....

"Its a rare and intricate look to the life of the Gods before Kate came into into their lives"   

Genre :      Young Adult, Romance, Mythology


Publisher: Harlequin Teen


My Copy: Publisher and netgalley


Rate:              5/5 (It was Amazing)

Goddess Test #1.5 The Goddess Hunt

A short novella that happens between the Goddess Test and the recently released Goddess Interrupted. Presenting Goddess Test #1.5 The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter.

Here is the summary of the book:

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' 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....

This starts off after the first book The Goddess test finishes. As agreed between Kate and Henry(Hades), after the council passed her and they got married, she gets to live on the sunny side up, aka the surface world for every 6 months like his previous wife Persephone did. So it is that time of the year and Kate is spending her first 6 months after marriage with James(Hermes) touring Greece. Where they come upon Pollux and Castor(the Gemini twins) running from Zeus and Hades(Walter and Henry now) for centuries.

As novellas go this is a very short and very interesting side-story. Both The Goddess Test and Goddess Interrupted had the story told from Kate's Point of view but here it is done very differently sections are divided meaning every character gets their own chapter but the main showstopper here is the legends and the myths of ancient Greek in play here. Aimee Carter has done as great job molding age-old myths and giving them a modern look while still retaining its mysticism. So excited for what the other novella The Goddess Legacy and the final book of the series The Goddess Inheritance have to offer.

"A great edition to the Goddess Test saga"

Genre :      Young Adult, Mythology, Romance


Publisher: Harlequin Teen


Rate:              4/5 (Really Liked It)

Goddess Test #2 Goddess Interrupted

Before I begin I'd like to say thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin for providing an e-galley and being the wake up to start reading Goddess Test series. Marriage changes things a lot...read on....presenting my views of Goddess Test #2 Goddess Interrupted by Aimee Carter.

Here is the summary of the book:

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.

Marriage is big change for mortals as well as immortals. Kate Winters has married Henry, aka Hades, aka the Lord of the Underworld; meaning she passed the test, set up by the council and thwarted all the attempts on her life by Calliope, one of the members of the council, aka Hera. Why Calliope killed all the previous girls and did all she could to prevent Kate from succeeding....she felt cheated by the husband (Walter/Zeus) and felt she and Henry were kindred spirits; she loves Henry and because of that won't let anybody near him....epic fail Calliope because Kate passed and Henry cares maybe even loves her and he'll never be yours.

So back to the story Kate married Henry, is now immortal and as agreed she is to spend 6 months with Henry in the underworld and the other 6 on the surface. For the first six she spends it in Greece with James/Hermes (no scandal there, they went as friends). Now she is back and about to be crowned the Queen of the Underworld, and Henry is back in his gruff and emotionless shell and Kate can't find the Henry with whom she had spent time on the surface. But trouble is also not far behind. Disaster strikes as she is about to say yes....one that begins with 'Cal' and ends with 'ope'. She is back for revenge and this time she has all the time in the world...got the hint??Not Yet?? Well Calliope runs to daddy to help get what she wants.

The council does everything but at the end are incapacitated. So its upto Kate, Ava and James to help but even they need help to access parts of the underworld that even James can't breech. The only one who can do that is Henry's first wife Persephone, the cause of Henry's loneliness and broken heart.

If you though the first book was different then this definitely tops it off. Things are very different now. Kate finally realizes the true meaning of marriage and being immortal. She wants to heal the loneliness and pain Henry's first wife had caused him centuries ago but here's the thing that Kate need to know, him and Persephone have been together for centuries. While Persephone may not have loved Henry like he did but that long a time can't be forgotten in the blink of an eye, add to that Henry has been alone for far too long...all he needs is time and Kate needs to give it to him and maybe even a big wake up to get him to see that Kate loves with all her being and wants to spend eternity with him not leave him alone.

Aimee Carter hats off to you for creating such a beautiful story and giving it such a huge turn with the second book. The narrative is impeccable. The characters have even more added layers that we get to unearth as we flip through the pages and Persephone was a joy to read about. Henry becomes much more closer to our hearts after reading about his life and the reasons for his present self from the culprit herself and that big cliffhanger...Ms. Carter you're killing us with anticipation for the finale.

"The true meaning of life and love become clearer...will Kate give him time or will it be too late"

Genre :      Young Adult, Mythology


Publisher: Harlequin Teen


My Copy: Netgalley and publisher


Rate:              5/5 (It was Awesome)

Goddess Test #1 The Goddess Test

You know mythology and have a wonderful twist to add in your mind that doesn't distort the original, then you are good to go. Its beautiful, its serene and its my new favorite Goddess Test #1 The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter.

Here is the summary of the book:

In a modern-day take on the myth of Persephone, 18-year-old Kate Winters is thrust into a mythical world, where she must pass seven impossible tests and outsmart a spiteful god in order to save the life of not just her mother but of her captor as well.

Kate Winters and her mom move from New York to Eden. Kate's mother is on her death bed and she wants to spend the last days of her life in Eden where she grew up. There in Eden she meets a lot of interesting characters who unbeknownst to her are going to shape her future.Maybe it was destiny or maybe it was preordained by some higher power that we could only imagine but she ends up in that big old Eden Mansion, vying to buy her mother some time on the Earth before she dies because she had seen the things that the master of the mansion, Henry could do and he had already promised her he would help.....but there is a catch he wants her to read up Persephone's myth....(weird!)

Now Kate is inside the Eden Mansion waiting to get tested to become the handsome and brooding Henry's wife....that was the catch so that Kate's new friends Ava and James are not harmed. These important test...well neither she nor the one's in her vicinity know what and how they are going to be done so precautions are taken as there have been many err.... accidents in the past.

Kate's life is in a turmoil, she is not even of age and is suddenly asked to marry a guy who she doesn't even know anything about. To be frank he actually scares her little bit but as she spends more and more time around him, she starts to see this nice and charming guy underneath all those heavy layers of seriousness, he has just been lonely and heartbroken for so long that he had turned off his emotions and retreated so far within himself. Going even far to say she has actually come to love him very much and actually see a possible future for both. But then reality crashed....she still needs to pass those nefarious tests to become his wife and there is a murderer on the loose....

The Goddess Test is a beautiful rendition by Aimee Carter without changing even one detail of the original mythology, Greek Mythology, she has delivered a marvelous composition. Every mythologies character is true to their original tale...just modernized (and a little name change). Kate and Henry's chemistry is off the charts, they complement each other so well, the parts of the book with their interactions was the best of the whole lot. The narrative is very simple and up to date, the plot build up is also done wonderfully....so I'm still swoony over Kate and Henry they make the perfect pair...

"Its beautiful - its swoon-worthy - its serene....Aimee Carter has added a new perspective to the Greek Mythology"

Genre :      Young Adult, Mythology


Publisher: Harlequin Teen


Rate:              5/5 (It was Amazing)