Waiting on Wednesday (24)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine in which we showcase upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating.

The Mark of Athena (Heroes of Olympus #3)
by Rick Riordan 
Release Date: October 2, 2012

Goodreads Synopsis:

Annabeth is terrified. Just when she’s about to be reunited with Percy—after six months of being apart, thanks to Hera—it looks like Camp Jupiter is preparing for war. As Annabeth and her friends Jason, Piper, and Leo fly in on the Argo II, she can’t blame the Roman demigods for thinking the ship is a Greek weapon. With its steaming bronze dragon masthead, Leo’s fantastical creation doesn’t appear friendly. Annabeth hopes that the sight of their praetor Jason on deck will reassure the Romans that the visitors from Camp Half-Blood are coming in peace.

And that’s only one of her worries. In her pocket Annabeth carries a gift from her mother that came with an unnerving demand: Follow the Mark of Athena. Avenge me. Annabeth already feels weighed down by the prophecy that will send seven demigods on a quest to find—and close— the Doors of Death. What more does Athena want from her?

Annabeth’s biggest fear, though, is that Percy might have changed. What if he’s now attached to Roman ways? Does he still need his old friends? As the daughter of the goddess of war and wisdom, Annabeth knows she was born to be a leader, but never again does she want to be without Seaweed Brain by her side.

Narrated by four different demigods, The Mark of Athena is an unforgettable journey across land and sea to Rome, where important discoveries, surprising sacrifices, and unspeakable horrors await. Climb aboard the Argo II, if you dare. . . .

In The Son of Neptune, Percy, Hazel, and Frank met in Camp Jupiter, the Roman equivalent of Camp Halfblood, and traveled to the land beyond the gods to complete a dangerous quest. The third book in the Heroes of Olympus series will unite them with Jason, Piper, and Leo. But they number only six--who will complete the Prophecy of Seven?


The Greek and Roman demigods will have to cooperate in order to defeat the giants released by the Earth Mother, Gaea. Then they will have to sail together to the ancient land to find the Doors of Death. What exactly are the Doors of Death? Much of the prophesy remains a mystery. . . . With old friends and new friends joining forces, a marvelous ship, fearsome foes, and an exotic setting, The Mark of Athena promises to be another unforgettable adventure by master storyteller Rick Riordan.

Why I'm Waiting:

♥♥OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMG!!!!!!!!!!♥♥
Okay, if you can't tell, I'm pretty darn excited. I love Rick Riordan's books. They are always so fun and full of humor and awesome adventures. I've fallen in love with every single character and absolutely love the combination of the Romans and Greeks. Not to mention I must know what is going to happen after that awful cliffhanger in Son of Neptune! What's gonna happen?! Who is #7? What are the Doors of Death?! So many questions! Can't wait to find the answers :) 

So what are y'all waiting on this fine Wednesday?
Be sure to let me know in the comments below!

All the best ♥
Mackenzie 

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Half-Blood (Covenant #1) by Jennifer A. Armentrout

Half-Blood (Covenant #1)
by Jennifer A. Armentrout
Pages: 281
Source: Bought/Amazon
Format: ebook

Rating: I liked it

Goodreads Synopsis: 

The Hematoi descend from the unions of gods and mortals, and the children of two Hematoi-pure-bloods-have godlike powers. Children of Hematoi and mortals-well, not so much. Half-bloods only have two options: become trained Sentinels who hunt and kill daimons or become servants in the homes of the pures. Seventeen-year-old Alexandria would rather risk her life fighting than waste it scrubbing toilets, but she may end up slumming it anyway. There are several rules that students at the Covenant must follow. Alex has problems with them all, but especially rule #1:Relationships between pures and halfs are forbidden. Unfortunately, she's crushing hard on the totally hot pure-blood Aiden. But falling for Aiden isn't her biggest problem--staying alive long enough to graduate the Covenant and become a Sentinel is. If she fails in her duty, she faces a future worse than death or slavery: being turned into a daimon, and being hunted by Aiden. And that would kind of suck.

My Review:

  So I finally gave into the peer pressure that is Half-Blood. And I enjoyed it. But, don't shoot me, I'm just not getting the whole "SQUEEEEEEEE OMGOMGOMGOMG THIS BOOK IS THE MOST FANTABULOUS THING IN THE WORLD!!!!! *cue happy dance* ". I mean I liked it and it was really entertaining and all, but it also had it's fair share of problems.

Normally I'm not one to compare books, but I feel like this is the best way to review it.

Let me say this first: If you loved Vampire Academy, then you'll love this.
See? Now you can just skip the rest of the review! 
But for those of us out there who had a few issues with VA, then this review is for you.


1. If you didn't like the sex, alcohol and language of VA, then you won't like this. 

Pretty straightforward I'd say. I personally have a love/hate relationship with this part. It's definitely risque and its under the assumption that it's all teenagers do (TTS), but if it doesn't bother you then enjoy!!

2. If you didn't like Rose, Alex isn't much better. 

My main problem with Rose was that she crossed the line into B-ville wayyyy to much. She also just couldn't understand why people called her a whore even though she acted like one. Alex is similar, but actually a little better in my book. There is the fine line between snarky and mean and whereas Rose crossed it often, Alex doesn't. Well, not as much at least. I liked her rough and tough attitude, but at the same time she was a bit too rough around the edges for me. Oh, not to mention she makes an incredibly stupid decision. At least she admits it was stupid though. I guess I can give her points for that. 

3. If you didn't like Dimitri, don't worry. You've now got Aiden to swoon over!

Aiden is sexy instructor done right. When I read VA, I just didn't get all the SQEEing over Dimitri. He wasn't really fleshed out and just wasn't anything special in my book. But Aiden? Oh, goodness! Swoon alert! He's a great mix of masculinity and sensitivity. He's your average stoic instructor, but he's so much more than that! He's wise and really cares about Alex and people in general. He's such a sweetheart (with a tough side) and I love that he treats Alex fairly. And he doesn't put up with her crap. That right there made me swoon. He put Alex in her place when she needed it, but never condescended her. He made my heart a-flutter. 

4. If you like the plot of VA, then you'll probably like the plot of Half-Blood. 

It's got some of the same basic concepts, but the plots themselves are different. I think that if you are okay with 1-3, then you should give it a try. I personally liked the unique take on mythology and thoroughly enjoyed the action-packed awesomeness. The plot definitely kept me coming back for more (even though I wanted to smack Alex for that decision!).


Overall:

I enjoyed it. I really did. I liked it so much better than VA, so I believe others will too. That's not to say there aren't similarities. I just think this is VA done right. I definitely say give it a shot if you've been interested in it for a while. It's a bit rough, but no doubt entertaining! 

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The Goddess Legacy (The Goddess Test #2.5) by Aimee Carter

The Goddess Legacy (The Goddess Test #2.5)
by Aimee Carter
Pages: 395
Source: Netgalley
Format: ebook


Rating: I really liked it


Goodreads Synopsis: 


For millennia we've caught only glimpses of the lives and loves of the gods and goddesses on Olympus. Now Aime 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.


My Review:


I was actually rather surprised I like this book as much as I did. Reading these novellas gave me a new appreciation for the characters and helped me reach a greater understanding of why they are like they are. It was raw and beautiful and heartbreaking. I always loved mythology and while I knew about the drama surrounding the gods, this takes it to a whole new level. This doesn't sugar coat the heartbreak or damage these characters went through. There wasn't always that "happy ending" they were hoping for. While I may not have always agreed with their actions, at least I could understand "why". 


Hera:


 It's not surprising that I despised Hera in the first two books. She was mean, vindictive and jealous. But after reading this book, I can't help but feel so incredibly sad for her. In the previous books, we always see her as the villain, when in reality she is also the victim. While I don't agree with many of her decisions and I do believe her own pride, jealousy and love for power helped shape her, the actions of many others, especially Zeus, made her who she is. All she wanted was to trust in him and he threw it back in her face. While I feel bad for her, I do believe she could have made better choices. However, reading her story helped me come to a better understanding of how she came to be. 


Aphrodite: 


  Aphrodite's story is of how she really came to be Hephesteus' husband and Ares lover. While most of the other gods/goddesses don't get a happy ending, Aphrodite gets everything she wants. I enjoyed her story and how she comes to learn about the different types of love, but ultimately, she's spoiled rotten and I believe Hephaestus deserved someone so much better. 


Persephone:


  I have a feeling this novella was supposed to make me feel bad for her, and while on one hand I do feel bad for her arranged marriage, ultimately I found her selfish. She could have easily made better choices, yet every single one was out of pure selfishness. I understand that she wanted to be happy, but she never even gave Henry or the Underworld a chance. One day doesn't count. After that first day she just gave up which wasn't fair to him. Then, every decision after that was so that she could be happy, and while I wanted her to be happy, it shouldn't have been at the expense of everyone else. She would constantly feel guilty and say how good Henry was, yet never gave him a chance. Ultimately, I think I came to hate her more. 


James:


  In James' story, you get to meet new characters and I found them refreshing. I felt bad for him because he became the scapegoat for the Persephone fiasco and all he wanted was his family to care about him again. I liked learning more about his affair with Persephone and how that affected his relationships with his family, especially Henry. And I love how he ultimately becomes the hero. 


Henry:


   Other than Hera's story, Henry's was the most heartbreaking. I did like him in the previous books but I've come to love him in this one. He's such a great guy, probably the best of all the gods/goddesses, and he deserves a happy ending. He not constantly trying to one up the others or manipulate them or hurt them in any way like the rest do to each other. He's the kindest one with the best heart and to be honest, I wanted to jump in there and give him a hug. We get to learn about his decision to fade and how it affects him. After his story, I can only hope that he finally get the happy ending he deserves in the third and final book.


Overall:


   What I ultimately loved about this book was how all the little details tied together between these stories and the previous books. I love that I got a better understanding of them and their actions, even if I didn't agree with all their decisions. Carter is a great writer and each person and voice was distinctly different and well-written. I think, even if you didn't absolutely love the previous books, you'll still definitely enjoy this. 

All the best ♥

Mackenzie

  


  

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The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter

The Goddess Test (The Goddess Test #1)
by Aimée Carter
Release Date: April 19, 2011
Pages: 293
Source: Bought/Amazon
Format: ebook


Rating: I really liked it


Goodreads Synopsis:
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.


My Review: 


In a sentence: 

The Goddess Test is a beautiful story of hope, perseverance and fighting for what you love with a protagonist that you can't help but admire. 

The Myth: 

I like the author’s new take on the myth of Hades and Persephone. Instead of Henry (aka Hades) being the bad guy, he was just a guy that fell in love and got his heart broken. Her version gives you a new perspective of this old myth.

A is for Admirable:

Normally my favorite heroines are the ones who are strong, fierce, and can kick-butt (literally) but I also like intelligent, loyal, passionate and admirable characters. Now, when all of these characteristics are put together, they make for some awesome heroines. But if the MC has most of them, then I still really enjoy it. In the Goddess Test, while Kate may not have been physically strong, she did not fall short in the passionate and admirable categories. Kate has had so much loss in her life that she is tired of seeing death and deterioration. I loved her passion to protect her mother and do anything for her. However, it was her fierce passion to help Henry that truly made her admirable. She was willing to risk her life for a guy she didn’t even know, just because she was tired of seeing the death of those around her.

Soft Spot:

 I also found that I had a soft spot for Henry. Normally, I like a man’s man that's rough and rugged and knows how to wield a weapon or the delicious bad boy (guilty pleasure ;) ) but I found myself liking Henry. No, not loving him and swooning over him, but feeling sorry for him and wanting to help him and give him a hug. He’s just a lonely guy that had his heart broken and all he wants is someone to care about him. Is that so much to ask? I felt myself learning to care for him right along with Kate.

Dowfall: HUGE SPOILER! HIGHLIGHT AT YOUR OWN RISK. THIS IS ONLY FOR THOSE WHO HAVE READ THE BOOK!

…..I hate that it was Hera who killed all those girls. It doesn’t even make sense!!!!! Hera is the goddess of marriage. No matter how many times Zeus cheats on her, she would never cheat on him because that would break the vows of her marriage. The goddess of marriage would not break the vows of her marriage. Catching my drift? So I’m kind of indifferent about it. While I understand she was lonely and wanted to be with Henry because they shared that sense of loneliness, I still can’t wrap my head around the fact that it was Hera.

end spoiler

Tests:

I actually like the tests. While I’m kind of bothered that you don’t really know what is a test and what isn’t (though that may just be because I wasn't paying that much attention :P ), I ended up liking it when I found out at the end. I thought the ideas of the test, not so much the execution, was brilliant. However, another spoiler I don’t really like that they chose the seven deadly sins when the gods pretty much break all of them. Pretty much, they want her to have good morals and be a good person but its alright for them not to be? Hypocritical. end spoiler.

Overall:

Overall, I enjoyed the story. The plot was intriguing enough to keep my interest, and Kate’s admirable actions won my heart over. While I did have some issues with it, the unique take on the myth and the MC’s actions makes this a book worth reading.

Part of my Mythology Challenge

All the best ♥

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2012 YA Mythology Challenge

Name: 2012 Mythology Challenge
Host: For Those About to Read
Challenge: Read 10 YA or MG novels that incorporate any type of Mythology in the story line (Greek, Egyptian, Norse, etc.).
My Goal: 10 books


Books I've read:
The Goddess Test (Goddess Test #1) by Aimee Carter
Goddess Interrupted (Goddess Test #2) by Aimee Carter

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