Review: Goddess

GODDESS
Starcrossed #3
Josephine Angelini
Paranormal Young Adult
421 pages
HarperTeen
Available Now
Source: ARC from author for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
After accidentally unleashing the gods from their captivity on Olympus, Helen must find a way to re-imprison them without starting a devastating war. But the gods are angry, and their thirst for blood already has a body count.

To make matters worse, the Oracle reveals that a diabolical Tyrant is lurking among them, which drives a wedge between the once-solid group of friends. As the gods use the Scions against one another, Lucas’s life hangs in the balance. Still unsure whether she loves him or Orion, Helen is forced to make a terrifying decision, for war is coming to her shores.

In Josephine Angelini’s compelling conclusion to the masterfully woven Starcrossed trilogy, a goddess must rise above it all to change a destiny that’s been written in the stars. With worlds built just as fast as they crumble, love and war collide in an all-out battle that will leave no question unanswered and no heart untouched.

MY THOUGHTS
The world of the Starcrossed books has always been a complicated one–the cyclical nature of Greek mythology combining with a complex series of feuds between various demigod houses to keep us always on our toes–and while it's been fairly easy in prior books to settle into the story despite the intricacy, in this rather epic conclusion we get a touch tangled in the threads. There's no doubt that Ms. Angelini does a beautiful job linking all the various pieces together, creating a web of intersecting strands that impresses and dazzles with its beautiful strength, but at the same time, the creation of the web is such an overwhelming undertaking given the large cast of characters and their counterparts in both in past and present lives that she loses us at times along the way.

Where the focus in previous installments has been largely on Helen, Lucas and their forbidden romance, Goddess sees an expansion of the story as a whole, introducing new characters and new pieces of old histories which, while fascinating to read about, keep us at more of a distance from the core group than we have been before. The beginning is particularly challenging, Helen's recovery from the events at the end of Dreamless putting her out of commission and therefore susceptible to a flood of memories from past lives as she lays unconscious. The flashbacks combined with the aforementioned extensive cast of characters causes us to falter a bit as we start out, trying to sort through our memories as we attempt to recall not only who all the characters are at present, but also who they have been in the past and how their various roles in the Trojan War relate to one another then and now.

Despite a rocky start and a stumble or two along the way as we try and unravel the impressively tied knots between the gods and the Scions, Goddess is an entertaining read, our desire to know just what the Fates have been attempting to orchestrate all along as strong as it has ever been. Ms. Angelini's attention to detail is also extraordinarily noteworthy, each of her characters vital to the story in their own right so that none feel as though they are secondary. Instead, they are all important players in an impossible game where the odds of success are low and the possibility of the vicious cycle perpetuated by the failure of those who came before them repeating once again is high. Though we might not feel quite as connected to Helen and Lucas as we have in past books, there's a sense of camaraderie in place in Goddess that also wasn't present before, linking each character together in a bond that seems to strengthen chapter to chapter and infusing the story with extra energy as they fight to be the directors of their play rather than the actors.

Overall, Goddess is a story that would likely benefit from a glossary in the back outlining the various houses, all the members belonging to each one, and the god from which they are descended (there may be one in the finished copy, I cannot attest to this, but there isn't one in the ARC), so we can have a cheat sheet to help us when our memories prove to be less than the steel trap Ms. Angelini's so obviously is. Questions are answered, loyalties are tested, and love is both lost and gained, leaving us emotionally wrung out but ultimately extremely satisfied with our final moments in this tragically dark and stunningly hopeful world.

Rating: 3.5-4/5 
(I'm giving a range because I love this series, but this last book tested my ability to sort through and catalog a great deal of information, and I'm not ashamed to admit I got lost more than a few times)
 

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This book was sent to me by the author free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

Character Interview + Giveaway: Lucas from Starcrossed

Today I'm thrilled to welcome Lucas Delos to the blog, he's the leading male protagonist in Josephine Angelini's fantastic young adult novel STARCROSSED. If you haven't had a chance to read this one yet, please add it to your list immediately, it's one of my favorite books of the year thus far (you can read my review HERE). Lucas kindly agreed to answer a few questions for me so I hope you all enjoy the interview! Be sure and check the bottom of the post for the details regarding some very special giveaways.

We have some idea of what Helen was feeling when she saw you for the first time, but I think we’d all like to know your reaction. What were the first thoughts running through your head when you caught sight of her?

At first I was thinking, “Oh. It really does happen at first sight. That sucks.” Then I felt how strong she was and all I could think about was not dying.

Is there any one particular gift of Helen’s you harbor just a touch of jealousy for?

I’m not jealous of anything Helen can do, but there is quality she has that makes me jealous. She’s too sweet—especially to guys that she has no idea are in love with her. I guess this is more my problem than hers, but sometimes I wish she wasn’t so nice.

Since you have the ability to fly at superhuman speeds, world traveling is extremely easy for you. Do you have a favorite place to visit, or somewhere you would love to share with Helen?

Hundreds. But I don’t think traveling together would be such a good idea.

What is your favorite part of being a member of such a large and close-knit family? Least favorite part?

My favorite part of being from such a large family is that I know there’s always someone to watch my back. The thing I hate the most about being from such a large family is that there is always someone standing right behind me…watching everything I do.

Any funny stories you can share about when you, Hector, and Jason were growing up and figuring out how to use your abilities?

There was that time when we were about ten, I think. I was flying—all cocky, teasing Jason, and he accidentally pinned me to a really high ceiling with a javelin. Took forever to get a ladder tall enough to un-harpoon me. It's sort of an inside joke between us guys because of my mom. She got so worked up she practically started speaking in tongues. Hilarious.

Knowing everything you know now about how events with Helen and your family play out, would you still move to Nantucket?

If we came to Nantucket or didn’t–it doesn’t matter. I’d have met Helen eventually. Fate isn’t one of those things that you can dodge or I’d have done it.

What is the hardest part of having to pretend to be human while attending regular high school?

Playing sports with regular humans—so boring. Being late and not flying to class. Overhearing people talking about you way down the hall and not being able to say anything about it. There are lots of things that make it difficult to stay hidden, but they’ve got to be done.

Is there any one Greek myth that you’ve always been partial to?

I don’t like any of them. None of them have a happy ending—at least not for all the characters. Even when a hero wins, he or she looses something important along the way, or gets turned into a tree or a flower or a cow. Fun to read, not so fun to live. Trust me.

If you had the opportunity to ask the Fates just one question, what would you most want to know?

What the hell is it with the cycles? Are you three hugely unoriginal, or are you looking for something that hasn’t come to pass yet?

The history books (and mythology books) will most likely record the lives of you and your family as they have those before you; what one aspect of your relationship with Helen do you most want known, or most want to ensure is accurate?

That we tried to do what was best for everyone—no matter how it turns out.

Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions Lucas! As part of the promotional tour for STARCROSSED, each participating blog has a snippet from a letter written from Lucas to Helen during a rather emotional time in their relationship. My snippet is below:

STARCROSSED TOUR GRAND PRIZE

In order to enter to win a Kindle3 WiFi covered in a GelaSkin of STARCROSSED's cover art, including a copy of STARCROSSED and a personal letter from Josie to the winner, you must collect the pink highlighted words from Lucas's love letter to Helen that are provided each day at the individual tour stops.

The daily words can be joined together in sequential order to create the winning secret message. Once you've constructed the winning secret message, you will need to enter that message on STARCROSSED's tour home page.

Full rules for the contest, as well as the list of participating blogs, can be found at the STARCROSSED tour home page (follow above link) and the winner of the Kindle giveaway will be announced on Josie's homepage on Tuesday, June 7th.

No purchase, affiliation, status as follower to a certain blog or any other association is required to enter.

GIVEAWAY

In addition to following the above rules to be entered to win the Kindle3 WiFi, I also have a very cool giveaway for one lucky commenter on today's post. Up for grabs is a Kindle3 STARCROSSED-themed GelaSkin (pictured above). This GelaSkin is exclusively for a Kindle3 and cannot be used for any other e-reader or any other Kindle make or model. To be entered, please just leave a comment with your name and a valid email address so I can contact you if you win. This giveaway is open to US residents only and will run through midnight EST on June 5th. The winner of the GelaSkin from this site will be emailed and then announced on Josie's blog along with the grand prize Kindle3 winner on Tuesday, June 7th. Good luck everyone!

Please note: Leaving a comment on this post DOES NOT enter you in the Kindle3 WiFi giveaway, only the GelaSkin giveaway. To enter the Kindle3 giveaway, be sure and follow the instructions at the end of the interview.

Review: Starcrossed

STARCROSSED (Starcrossed #1)
Josephine Angelini
Paranormal Young Adult
487 pages
Harper Teen
Available tomorrow (May 31st)
Received for review via Kismet Book Touring

THE STORY
Helen Hamilton has lived on the island of Nantucket with her father for as long as she can remember. Though she seems to have a somewhat unnatural ability to run at great speeds, she's never given much thought to her fairly mundane life.

Mundane flies right out the window when she lays eyes on Lucas Delos, one member of the large new family that's moved to the island. Before she knows it, her entire past, present and future change with his arrival, as he brings with him the explanation for some of her oddities.

With his shocking revelations, Lucas also brings danger. Unbeknownst to her, Helen is part of an ancient feud between the Greek gods and mortals–a vital piece of the war in fact. As she learns more and more about her gifts and her family history, Helen finds herself undeniably attracted to Lucas though he makes every effort to keep her at a distance. He knows the Fates can be so very cruel, and what they have in store for Lucas and Helen will certainly shred hearts and destroy lives.

MY THOUGHTS
Gripping, haunting, and completely addicting, Starcrossed is one of those books where we try to set it aside after reading only a couple chapters in an attempt to keep us from finishing too quickly, but ultimately such actions are in vain as the lure of forbidden love proves to be more than we can resist. Even though we know from the title the road we'll be walking with Helen and Lucas will be neither smooth nor easy, we still can't help but be surprised at the clench in our guts and the pebbling of our skin as the strength of our emotional investment manifests itself physically. Ms. Angelini does a stunning job of building a relationship of beauty and tragedy, startling us with the intensity of Lucas and Helen's initial unexpected reaction to one another, and then slowly easing both us and our protagonists into a connection we know has the potential to wound all of us deeply. By the time we remember to put up our walls and keep our distance for the sake of our own fragile emotions, we find ourselves buried heart-deep in Lucas and Helen's story without even the slimmest chance of remaining indifferent.

In the beginning pages, Ms. Angelini starts laying the groundwork for a story that seems very familiar–setting us up carefully for the moment where Helen will inevitably meet one of the new boys causing a stir among all the girls at school, and we brace ourselves for that undefinable, instant passion. Soon that moment comes, the wind blowing unnaturally strong as the sea of students parts to reveal the stunning Lucas Delos to Helen's waiting gaze, and then...intense, inexplicable hatred. Just that quickly we experience a paradigm shift and everything we were prepared for is swept away in the tide of Helen's fury, leaving us unsure and off-kilter but vibrating with excitement at being so deliciously deceived. Without our conscious control, we start flipping the pages faster and faster in order to see what new direction the next unexpected current will toss us in.

Settling in after our preconceived notions as to where this story was headed have been shredded, we quickly come to see just how wide the chasm separating Lucas's beating heart from Helen's really is. Theirs is not a love that must overcome a mere prejudice, class difference, or emotional trauma, but rather one that, if continued, will result in epic repercussions and the perpetuation a cycle of feuding so destructive history tells of it in myths and legends meant as cautionary tales to us mere mortals. The Greek mythology element is beautifully integrated and is instrumental in creating a believable set of problems for Helen and Lucas, but into the familiar tales of well known events and individuals are infused brand new elements, creating an intimate investment on our part as the ancient chaos of god and goddess interference in human lives threatens a repeat performance.

The only minor complaint with this must-read story is the at times confusing nature of the stipulations to the Truce between the gods and the four Houses. There are so many details to keep track of in order to understand the effect the past has on the present as well as the different actions that will result in the dissolution of a crucial but fragile accord. Despite these questions, our involvement with characters and story remains passionate, hearts aching for people forced into an existence not of their making as they attempt to cope with the profound weight a bloody past has placed on each of them. While events are left unresolved, we are spared a jaw-dropping cliffhanger and given some semblance of a conclusion though we do read the last line with a sense of dread, knowing when we reach that final word we'll be left with nothing but our thoughts to keep us company during the wait for the next installment.

Rating: 4.5/5

Be sure and stop by later in the week for my interview with Lucas and a very special giveaway!

In My Mailbox #24

In My Mailbox was created by Kristi over at The Story Siren and is a great way to see what other bloggers are reading and reviewing. I always love seeing what everyone else got for their week!




FOR REVIEW (via NetGalley):
Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini
Hereafter by Tara Hudson

BOUGHT:
A Touch Mortal by Leah Clifford
Haven by Kristi Cook
Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins
How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf by Molly Harper