Review & Giveaway of The Goddess Test, by Aimee’ Carter

It's always been just Kate and her mom—and 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. (From GoodReads)
 
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I have had The Goddess Test sitting on my bookshelf for quite a while now.  Two months, to be exact.  Now, I feel like slapping myself on the head because I waited so long to read this book.  Simply put, I loved The Goddess Test. From start to finish, this was a thoroughly enjoyable, completely engrossing book.  Debut author Aimee’ Carter has managed to take an age-old myth and give it a bright new spin.
The Goddess Test is obviously the story of Kate and Henry. And I’ll say, I did love that aspect of the story.  Kate is a strong young woman. Strong by nature and strong because of her life’s circumstances. She willingly takes on the challenge of the tests. Tests she must pass with no help from Henry.  Kate has spent much of the past few years trying to keep her mother alive through sheer will.  Now she will try to keep Henry through her will, as well. Kate and Henry’s relationship has a nice development from friendship to partnership, and finally to love.  While the romance between the pair was great, Carter gave their relationship a characteristic that I’ve been missing lately in the books I’ve read, mutual respect and partnership.  Henry treats Kate as his true equal. He doesn’t “look down” on her. He doesn’t draw her in one moment and push her away the next. He is as honest with her as he can be. Henry believes in Kate and in her ability to survive the tests. 
I also really loved the fact that Carter didn’t devote huge chunks of the book to Kate swooning over Henry. Sure, she notices (and appreciates) his good looks. But she doesn’t go on endlessly with an internal dialogue musing over the “smooth planes of his face, the rock-hard abs”, etc. 
I very quickly learned that The Goddess Test was about more that Kate, Henry and Tests. This book was also about a girl and her mother. Kate’s mother has been dying for four years. Although she has had much time to prepare, Kate is still not ready to let go. For me, The Goddess Test was a “long goodbye” between mother and daughter. I feel as if this part of the book had to come from somewhere deep inside the author.  That journey was so heartbreaking and realistic, without becoming overwrought.
If The Goddess Test is on your TBR list, don’t be a dummy like I was. Go read it right now!  If you don’t already have a copy, enter my giveaway below.
I’m going on vacation this weekend (Don’t be jealous!), so this will need to be a fairly quick giveaway. If you want to win your very own copy of The Goddess Test, just fill out the form. The giveaway will run July 4-July 7. I will announce a winner on July 8, and if I receive a response in time, I will mail the book before I go on vacation. This contest is for US residents only. Good Luck!!



*I received The Goddess Test via NetGalley, but also own my own copy. *