Goddess Girls by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams

Titles: Athena the Brain; Persephone the Phony; Aphrodite the Beauty
Authors: Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams
ISBNs: 9781416982715; 9781416982722; 9781416982739
Publisher: Aladdin
Page #'s: 160; 137; 156
Source: From my public library

Summary:
"Athena has always been above average. She's never quite fit in at Triton Junior High, but who would've guessed that Athena is actually a goddess? Principal Zeus's daughter, to be exact. When she's summoned to Mount Olympus Academy, Athena thinks she might actually fit in for the first time in her life. But in some ways, school on Mount Olympus is not that different from down on Earth, and Athena is going to have to deal with the baddest mean girl in history - Medusa!"

"As Persephone's mother encourages her to do, she often 'goes along to get along' instead of doing what she really wants. But then she meets Mount Olympus Academy bad-boy Hades, she finally feels she has found someone with whom she can be herself. He's the first person who actually listens to her, and she finds herself liking him, despite the fact that other goddessgirls think he's bad news. But if he makes her feel so special - and so comfortable - can he really be all that bad?"

"Aphrodite delights in helping mortals in love, but she's pretty annoyed at the constant attention she gets from the godboys at Mount Olympus Academy. When she decides to give Athena a makeover, she's a bit unprepared for the result. She didn't count on all the interest Athena's new look would get. And she certainly never thought she'd find herself jealous of one of her best friends! Will she be able to put the jealousy behind her?"
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Review:

I don't read children's books. Really, I don't. And that's exactly what these are. But can you blame me? Look at how cute those covers are?! I honestly couldn't resist. And who doesn't love a good story about the gods and goddesses? That was one of my favorite topics in school - the Greeks and their deities.

As I said, these books are written for children. So they've taken the stories of Athena, Persephone, and Aphrodite and turned them on their heads. And put them in a high school situation. It's actually really clever to think of Mount Olympus as a huge school for all the gods and goddesses. They learn about spells, magic, heroes, and more. All the great characters make an appearance at some point, but all of them are high school aged - except for Zeus and the teachers, of course.

The first book, Athena the Brain, sets up the whole Mount Olympus Academy world. It starts with her finding out she is a goddess, along with finding out she actually does have parents. The book does a good job setting everything up and giving you the who's who in the school. It mostly shows Athena learning the ropes - things like, blocking your brainstorms so they don't rain down on earth. This one is a really fun start to this series.

The second book is about Persephone and her finding out who she really is. She's spent so much time pleasing other people, that she doesn't know herself. An instrumental part of her finding herself is meeting and falling for Hades - another god at the high school. You do have to suspend your knowledge of the original story for this one - because you don't have the whole kidnapping thing going on. But it's a cute retelling that children will love. Probably :).

And the third book I read was Aphrodite the Beauty. Her entire life is filled with concerns about looks and love and crushes. Aphrodite's story is the one that feels most like a regular popular high school girl. She gives a friend a makeover and the friend becomes more popular than she is. It's an old story, of course. But in the context of Aphrodite, it was a lot of fun.

I think I would describe this series (or at least the first three books) as an adorable retelling of some ancient stories. They really do pull in all of the elements of the gods - what they eat, what they can do, how they travel and more. These are a neat way of telling the stories to children in a fun and seriously cute package.

Check out the websites of the authors: Suzanne Williams and Joan Holub. I know there are more Goddess Girls books coming out, so I will probably have to read those as well. Too cute to be ignored!
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Other Blog Reviews:

GreenBeanTeenQueen
Wondrous Reads
I am a Reader, Not a Writer
Zoe's Book Reviews (author interviews)
The Trades
Biblio File

Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead

Title: Last Sacrifice (Vampire Academy #6)
Author: Richelle Mead
ISBN: 9781595143068
Publisher: Razorbill
Page #: 394
Source: My own copy

Summary:
"Rose Hathaway has always played by her own rules. She broke the law when she ran away from St. Vladimir's Academy with her best friend and last surviving Dragomir princess, Lissa. She broke the law when she fell in love with her gorgeous, off-limits instructor, Dimitri. And she dared to defy Queen Tatiana, leader of the Moroi world, risking her life and reputation to protect generations of dhampir guardians to come.

Now the law has finally caught up with Rose - for a crime she didn't even commit. She's in prison for the highest offense imaginable: the assassination of a monarch. She'll need help from both Dimitri and Adrian to find the one living person who can stall her execution and force the Moroi elite to acknowledge a shocking new candidate for the royal throne: Vasilisa Dragomir.

But the clock on Rose's life is running out. Rose knows in her heart the world of the dead wants her back... and this time she is truly out of second chances. The big question is, when your whole life is about saving others, who will save you?"
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First Lines:

"I don't like cages.
I don't even like going to zoos. The first time I went to one, I almost have a claustrophobic attack looking at those poor animals."
Page 11
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Review:

**I'm not sure if I can review this book without spoilers. So if you don't wanna know what happens, tread carefully. Especially if you haven't read the rest of the books!**

Clearly, I'm a huge Vampire Academy fan. I can pretty well say that it's one of the absolute best vampire series' out there today. Here are some of my other reviews of the books:
Vampire Academy (preblog)
Frostbite (preblog)
Shadow Kiss
Blood Promise
Spirit Bound

These days it's fairly rare for an author to call an ending to their series. Seriously, have you noticed how many are going on forever? But I'm happy that this series is done in six books. Not because I wanted it to be over, but because the story ends so perfectly. (Well, and not to mention the spin off that's coming - which has some of the same characters.)

So, this is the story after Rose has been imprisoned for supposedly killing the Queen. And this is where it gets really spoilery - she gets broken out of the Court and goes on a massive adventure. She's been given instructions by the late queen and has to see them through. During this whole thing, she's still able to see how Lissa is doing through the bond - which gives you a second perspective on the whole story.

Honestly, I think one of the coolest things about this book was the bond being the most important link in finding out what's happening back in Court. It's written really well - almost like the author had intended for the two characters to be apart at some point and this would be the way you'd get both sides of the story.

This series is one of the few that I don't have to backtrack to remember what the last book was about. There are enough hints and stuff dropped so you're really not in the dark at all. And there are times when things are mentioned that I had forgotten, but it just helps make the story richer. I have to say, this author seamlessly pulls in all of these characters from the past books to give them all some sort of closure.

I know a lot of people are interested to find out which guy Rose ended up with. I'm not going to say who (in an attempt to be less spoilery), but I have to say I'm happy about who she chose. And really it wasn't her choosing so much as realizing who she is meant to be with. It was actually pretty hot and steamy for a little while *whew!* :) But the romance aspect was just one of the great things about this book.

There were a few parts of the ending that I wasn't really expecting. But it was nice to see how things were coming together perfectly. I could not have asked for a better ending. I almost cried a little in the end, actually. Ahem. But it was wonderful - and really makes me want to go back and read the whole series together. Something tells me it would be a pretty powerful experience. But I'd never get anything else done if I tried it. These books are "lay awake at night reading" good.

I can't wait to see what this author has in store for the future. I will absolutely be reading any new YA stuff she comes up with. I know she does adult series' as well, but I'm all YA :). Richelle Mead a very talented author and I know we'll see more from her (mostly because a new series has already been announced, Bloodlines). Sounds like a very cool spinoff. Eee!
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Other Blog Reviews:

IB Book Blogging
Geeky Blogger's Book Blog
December Series Review
Paranormal Haven
StoryWings
The Compulsive Reader
Lots of other reviews out there, so give them a look.

Waiting on Wednesday (43)

"Waiting on Wednesday" is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. Here's what I'm waiting on this week:

Captured: The Divided Realms (#1)
by Maggie L. Wood
To be released: May 01, 2011

Summary from the publisher:
"Fifteen-year-old Willow Kingswell has been listening to her Nana's tales of faeries and enchanted kingdoms for as long as she can remember. But when she is magically transported to the realm of Mistolear, she is stunned to learn that the stories were true, and that she is actually a princess. Suddenly, Willow has to fit into a royal family she didn't know she had, deal with customs she doesn't understand and sort out her feelings for Brand, the handsome knight who has sworn to protect her.
On top of everything, she may also be the key to saving Mistolear from a terrifying spell. The nefarious faerie prince Nezeral has pitted two kingdoms against each other in a life-or-death chess match, in which people are the game pieces. As a pawn, Willow now glows with the light of the game and must find the courage and cleverness to battle Nezeral before her loved ones fall. Could a meager pawn really be the most powerful piece on the board? Captured is the first book in the thrilling Divided Realms series."

I've only recently seen things about this book and the second one that comes out in the same day. But A. The cover is awesome. And B. I love the whole faerie thing. Kinda sounds a little like the Iron Fey series by Kagawa - the whole being dropped in a new realm where the rules are totally different thing. So I'm really interested to see how this one stacks up!

The Darlings are Forever by Melissa Kantor

Title: The Darlings are Forever
Author: Melissa Kantor
ISBN: 9781423123682
Publisher: Hyperion
Page #: 328
Source: ARC from the publisher (Title is just "The Darlings")

Summary (from the back cover of the ARC):
"Jane, Victoria, and Natalya have always been best friends. Together, they're the Darlings. They have matching necklaces, their own table at Ga Ga Noodle, and even a shared motto: May you always do what you're afraid of doing.

When they start freshman year at three different high schools in distant corners of New York City, the Darlings promise that they'll stay as close as ever, no matter what comes between them. But pretty soon, living by their motto and doing scary new things leads to keeping secrets from each other. Now, Jane, Victoria, and Natalya worry they might be losing their best friends. And there's nothing else the Darlings are more afraid of doing."
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First Lines:

"The Labor Day sun was scorching, and as Jane waited for the light to change, she could practically hear her dark hair frizzing. It had taken her longer than she'd expected to wrap the boxes, and racing along the few blocks between her house and Ga Ga Noodle, where she was meeting Natalya and Victoria, had made her sweaty."
Page 1
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Review:

I've read a few things by Melissa Kantor in the past. The only one since the blog is The Amanda Project she did with another author. I remember thinking that this author was good - but not someone that I consider one of my go-to authors. But this book might actually change my opinion on that.

The story is about three girls who are just entering high school - they've been best friends from the beginning. The problem is that they're going to different high schools. Because of this, they start having completely different life experiences and they start to grow apart because of them. It's a fun story about friendship and what keeps it strong through crazy drama.

I was expecting it to be a little along the lines of Gossip Girl - you know, girls in NYC living it up. But really it's a story about friendship and girls making their way in the world. They are also a bit younger with starting HS. It gives them a new view of the world and how things work. I'd love to read more about these three girls and what happens to them in the years after this. (I've heard rumors that this is the start of a series... not proven yet!)

One thing that had me confused every once in a while was the change in perspective in every chapter. The characters were vastly different, so it didn't take me long to get back into whichever girl it was... but it still stopped me every time. I had to think - okay, which one goes to this school? What's she good at again? That was probably the only thing I would wish for to be changed. And it might not have helped that two of the names were very close to each other :)

I loved that each of the girls had a very specific thing she is good at. One is a baker, one is an actress, and one is super-smart. It gives them all a personality to build on - something that doesn't keep them apart or competing. Very cool idea. They've also got different types of relationships building outside of their circle. Seeing how those affect the threesome is a fairly realistic idea of what happens when friendships start to break apart.

I'll definitely be recommending this book to girls who are looking for realistic fiction - especially that middle grade girl. It's a wonderful story and I really hope for a second book to give me more from the characters. Check out the author's website for hopefully more news on that front. Great story and you should definitely give it a try!
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Other Blog Reviews:

Candace's Book Blog
I Just Wanna Sit Here and Read
Christi the Teen Librarian
Readergirlz (the cover story)
MARJOLEINBOOKBLOG (interview with the author)

The Iron Queen by Julie Kagawa

Title: The Iron Queen (Iron Fey #3)
Author: Julie Kagawa
ISBN: 9780373210183
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Page #: 362
Source: From Netgalley

Summary (From the author's website):
"In less than twenty-four hours I'll be seventeen.

Although, technically, I won't actually be turning seventeen. I've been in the Nevernever too long. When you're in Faery, you don't age. So while a year has passed in the real world, agewise I'm probably only a few days older than when I went in.

In real life, I've changed so much I don't even recognize myself.

MY NAME IS MEGHAN CHASE.
I thought it was over. That my time with the fey, the impossible choices I had to make, the sacrifices of those I loved, was behind me. But a storm is approaching, an army of Iron fey that will drag me back, kicking and screaming. Drag me away from the banished prince who's sworn to stand by my side. Drag me into the core of the conflict so powerful, I'm not sure anyone can survive it.

THIS TIME, THERE WILL BE NO TURNING BACK."
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First Lines:

"Eleven years ago, on my sixth birthday, my father disappeared. One year ago, on the very same day, my brother was taken from me, as well. But that time, I went into Faery to take him back."
Page 9
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Review:

I'm a fan of this series... see other reviews:
The Iron King
The Iron Daughter

So, anything I say is completely colored by my love of this story. I'm a huge fan and if you haven't read the other books in this series, I highly recommend them. Luckily, this book is equally as awesome - so do it now!

I've never read an ebook before. I've decided that I may only do that for books I really want to get my hands on. If I was kinda "meh" about a book, I don't think an ebook would be the way to go. But something like this? I'm just glad I could read it early :). Thanks Netgalley!

Okay, so the actual review... I. Loved. It. Seriously. Typically I don't enjoy books that make me cry, but this one was totally because I was so involved in the story and loved the characters so much. The ending was hard to read, but I'm not going to give anything away. I hope :). But it's so beautifully written that I couldn't help but be emotionally moved. How many books can you say that about?

The characters have continued growing from the first book until now. You start out with a girl who is in a typical high school - nothing doing... and then she gets pulled into this world of Faery. It's amazing to watch her grow into the woman she becomes - well, still a teenager... but she's more of a woman than some adults I know. And to watch the relationships with Ash and Puck grow is wonderful. Everything becomes more defined and specific - which I really appreciated.

The worlds that Kagawa has created are just amazingly vivid and magical. There are things about them that make you feel like you're there with the characters. And she does this so seamlessly, you barely even realize it. I suppose that's one of the reasons these books are so hard to put down - you want to get back into that amazing world and live for a bit longer.

You know, this book felt like an ending to a trilogy. Honestly, you could stop reading after this one and you would be none the wiser. Of course, there is more to be had... and why wouldn't you read on?! But this one ties most everything up nicely. You have everyone moving on to the next step in their lives. I, for one, am so ready to find out what happens next!

This probably goes without saying, but I absolutely recommend this series to any lovers of fantasy. Or books. Or life. These books are just that good! No, seriously. Anyone who is into faery stuff or likes the paranormal romances - or really even action (there are battle scenes, people!), I think you would like this one. This book comes out in a few days - the 25th - so, I really suggest you go out and get it. I'll be attempting to get one for my library, for sure.

Can I just say that the teaser in the back of the book for Kagawa's next book (The Iron Knight) made me wish for it right now! Too bad I'm gonna have to wait, but I will absolutely be excited for it. It's also really cool to watch a debut author from just last year come out with three awesome books back to back to back. I'm impressed, really. I'll probably read anything she does in the future, too.

Speaking of the author, go check out her website and her blog and stuff. I look forward to seeing more updates about future titles :).
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Other Blog Reviews:

Candace's Book Blog
Geeky Blogger's Book Blog
A Blog About Nothing
Books With Bite
Bookalicious
Just Your Typical Book Blog
There are lots of other reviews out there already! They all look positive... which is super awesome!