KEEP CALM AND LOVE BOOKS: Athena

Pages: 401

Publication Date: February 1st 2011 (first published August 3rd 2004)

Publisher: Piatkus Books

ISBN: 0749953713 (ISBN13: 9780749953713)

Lina's trendy bakery in Tulsa is proving to be less than lucrative, and she must come up with a plan. When she stumbles upon an Italian Goddess cookbook, Lina can't help but think she's found the answer to her problem—even if it means invoking a goddess to save her business.

Soon enough, Lina finds herself face-to-face with Demeter, who has a plan of her own. She proposes that Lina exchange souls with Persephone, the Goddess of Spring, who will breathe new life into the bakery. In return, Lina must set order to the Underworld.

Before all this, Lina's problems mostly involved sourdough and second dates. Now that she embodies the enchanting Persephone, Lina has weightier things on her mind—like the formidable task of bringing Spring to a world of spirits. But when the handsome, brooding Hades kindles a spark in her heart, Lina wonders if this Lord of the Underworld might be the man of her dreams.

Now, What I Thought:

Like I said in my previous review for, Goddess of the Sea, Cast's writing style is just so intriguing that I had to read what else she had written in this series. I honestly loved the idea of a Greek mythology romance! In this book we follow Lina and her quest as Persephone in the Underworld with Hades. I mean, yes, technically this was pretty far off considering Hades was supposedly a hateful man that literally stole Persephone from a garden and raped her. So, clearly the accuracy and adaptation was far off but I still loved this nonetheless. I found it interesting how easy it was for me to fall in love with Hades. Cast did an amazing job with her characters and fleshing them out so vulnerably so that we can really see their true intentions. The whole novel was just so magnificent, I will probably read it again haha.

Lina was a delight to read. She was caring, smart and thought with her head. Her connection with animals was perfect for this role she had to play considering there is the famous three headed beast in Hell, Cerberus. I really did think it would be difficult to read from the point of view of a 43 year old women, considering I'm only 18 myself but I found myself forgetting the matureness of her as she embraced Persephone's youth. Maybe since she was an older, matured women, I found her so smart and level headed. That being said, when it came to Hades, she was just all love and lust. WHICH IS A GOOD THING. I enjoyed the romantic portion of the book and instead of, Goddess of the Sea, romance seemed to encompass the novel entirely and the main plot was getting to unravel Hades while keeping the Underworld a better place with a women's touch.

“Ultimately, the body is just a shell; it is the soul which defines the man or woman, god or goddess.”

Hades was delicious. I really like the men in P.C. Cast's books. She makes them sound so juicy and I found myself liking Hades fairly quickly. Having read and know about Greek mythology myself, I usually (like said in my other review) detest false depictions of mythology but I was actually okay with this. Everything despite Hades nature and personality, was actually quite accurate. We got to see Demeter, Apollo and even have mention of Athena, Aphrodite, Hermes etc. I liked that connection when we would see into Persephone's own mind and see the grand feasts the Goddess of Spring would host.

"Soul mates will always find each other. Do not weep on their behalf...they will be together again."

All in all, I really do see myself loving and reading all of P.C. Cast's novels in this series. Rest assured, after this review gets posted I will move onto the next novel in the series, Goddess of the Light, following Artemis and Apollo, YAY. As usual, I loved this novel and this author especially!! A great book if you love Greek mythology and interaction with some of the famous Gods and Goddesses.

P.S. Yes, the original cover was just so boring I had to use the 2008 paperback edition one because it's clearly more interesting. The ISBN is of that edition, just to be clear.

Aphrodite - 12:33:00 AM

Goddess of Spring (Goddess Summoning #2) by P.C. Cast | Review

Pages: 401 Publication Date: February 1st 2011 (first published August 3rd 2004) Publisher: Piatkus Books ISBN: 0749953713 (I...

Pages: 352

Publication Date: September 20th 2011

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

ISBN: 1408816032 (ISBN13: 9781408816035)

Genre: Historical Fiction & Greek Mythology

Greece in the age of heroes. Patroclus, an awkward young prince, has been exiled to the court of King Peleus and his perfect son Achilles. Despite their difference, Achilles befriends the shamed prince, and as they grow into young men skilled in the arts of war and medicine, their bond blossoms into something deeper - despite the displeasure of Achilles' mother Thetis, a cruel sea goddess.

But when word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped, Achilles must go to war in distant Troy and fulfill his destiny. Torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus goes with him, little knowing that the years that follow will test everything they hold dear.

Now, What I Thought:

Wow. Just wow. I literally just finished this masterpiece 5 minutes ago and knew I had to write a review on it! I stopped reading The Winner's Curse and ACOMAF just to read this quickly. I love Greek Mythology. Especially the famous Trojan War!!! This novel is basically a new take on Homer's Iliad, and it was amazing. I first heard that this book was going to be following Achille's best friend Patroclus through his journey in meeting Achilles and finally, his death. This book really was like Romeo and Juliet in a way, we all knew what was going to happen so to add a romance in this!!?? Damn. I first handedly thought this would turn into some over-kill fan fiction of a love between Patroclus and Achilles but boy was I wrong. It was so sweet. The romance in this was lovely! I wouldn't have it any other way. It was perfectly paced, some might say slow even. Yet, all I could think about was the fact they were both going to die. I really liked how Miller wrote it though. She made their deaths so comforting and I didn't feel like they were gone at all. A lot of this novel is true to fact. I was quite impressed with the accuracy of the mythology in this! We get some pretty big mythological characters such as, Odysseus, Apollo, Chiron, and Thetis was pretty big in this. I liked how Miller portrayed the Gods, she made them true. The world in Greek mythology is not a nice one and the Gods and Goddesses go with that statement as well. Too often in mythology books we get them with a caring side or a less-brutish aspect to their personality. Like. No. That is not how they were. Half of them were warriors, mean warriors that killed in battle and wars. The other half used other wits and attributes to get what they want and most of said things are not mortal-friendly. They were above mortals and they knew and showed it. Miller captured that and I was really grateful for it!

My favourite character had to be Patroclus, and not just because he was the main character. He was impulsive and unimpressive and really boring with what he can do. He brought nothing to the table and that was why his father hated him. I loved the fact that our protagonist was someone, even a prince, oppressed and unliked just because he wasn't a fast runner, good fighter etc. There were times when he would self-pity himself but that's when Achilles would come in and make sure he knew he was worth something. The romance between Achilles and Patroclus was just magical. I loved it from start to finish. They were inseparable and truly loved each other. I liked how Miller took us through their youth and manhood while they experimented with each other. It brought a vulnerability to the characters that I liked having because I felt like I could trust them more. Patroclus made an excellent narrator.

It's difficult to say anything about Achilles because I didn't feel like I knew him well enough. I knew he loved Patroclus with all his heart but he was written in a way that was closed off. Unless we got a P.O.V chapter from him, I didn't know what he was thinking most of the time. I did like reading about him though, through Patroclus's view. Miller made a brutish legend of myth and story turn into a well paced romance that payed tribute to mythology. It was well balanced and even then the romance did come on a shorter stick sometimes but it was always there. Whether it was a simple line with Patroclus saying, "Achilles hesitated and his eyes went to me, just the barest glance." You knew Achilles was always in love with Patroclus, maybe even from the moment he first saw him. Speaking of lines, there are some great quotes that are literally game changers.

"Instead, he rang each syllable: Pa-tro-clus."

"I conjure the boy I knew. Achilles, grinning as the figs blur in his hands. His green eyes laughing into mine. Catch, he says. Achilles, outlined against the sky, hanging from a branch over the river. The thick warmth of his sleepy breath against my ear. If you have to go, I will go with you. My fears forgotten in the golden harbor of his arms."

“Name one hero who was happy."
I considered. Heracles went mad and killed his family; Theseus lost his bride and father; Jason's children and new wife were murdered by his old; Bellerophon killed the Chimera but was crippled by the fall from Pegasus' back.
"You can't." He was sitting up now, leaning forward.
"I can't."
"I know. They never let you be famous AND happy." He lifted an eyebrow. "I'll tell you a secret."
"Tell me." I loved it when he was like this.
"I'm going to be the first."

That last one got to me. WOULD YOU NOT SWOON IF SOMEONE SAID THAT TO YOU!??!? In conclusion, the novel was simply amazing. I can't express how glad I am that I read this. It does not have a sad ending. I was worried that I would read this and go into mourning like usual YA books leave me in but it was sweet and a perfect end for Achilles and Patroclus. If you are a lover of Greek mythology, read this. Instantly. Now. Go. NOW, PLEASE. You will not regret it.

Achilles - 8:48:00 PM

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller | Review

Pages: 352 Publication Date: September 20th 2011 Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing ISBN: 1408816032 (ISBN13: 9781408816035 )...

Pages: 428 pages

Publication Date: August 18th 2015

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

ISBN: 0373211724 (ISBN13: 9780373211722)

Imagine a time when the gods turn a blind eye to the agony of men, when the last of the hellions roam the plains and evil stirs beyond the edges of the map. A time when cities burn, and in their ashes, empires rise.

Alexander, Macedonia’s sixteen-year-old heir, is on the brink of discovering his fated role in conquering the known world but finds himself drawn to a newcomer…

Katerina must navigate the dark secrets of court life while hiding her own mission: kill the Queen. But she doesn’t account for her first love…

Jacob will go to unthinkable lengths to win Katerina, even if it means having to compete for her heart with Hephaestion, a murderer sheltered by the prince.

And far across the sea, Zofia, a Persian princess and Alexander’s unmet betrothed, wants to alter her destiny by seeking the famed and deadly Spirit Eaters.

Weaving fantasy with the shocking details of real history, New York Times bestselling author of Sex with Kings Eleanor Herman reimagines the greatest emperor the world has ever known, Alexander the Great, in the first book of the Blood of Gods and Royals series.

Now, What I Thought:

This book follows Alexander the Great, yes the same one we learn about in high school, in his teenage years to becoming the king of Macedonia . It takes place in 360 BC, which is just crazy to read about in Herman's amazing descriptive text. This did take me a while to read and get into but that's only because of the amount of characters with crazy long ancient names. I needed time to remember the roles some of these people played in our protagonist's storylines. With that in mind, there were A LOT of different character arcs. I actually really liked Herman's writing and the distinguishing between the characters, it was really fun and different to read about this mysterious, unknown time period from a historian's (Eleanor Herman) mind.

For everyone's storyline, we have 3 main plots: Alexander, Katerina and Zofia's. Among those we then have the minor plots with different P.O.V chapters: Jacob, Hephaestion, Cynane, and Olympia. It sounds really confusing but it wasn't! I liked how we heard from everyone's head and it gave us more perspective on the story and world we're set in. Speaking of the word, this takes place in, again, 360 BC, so the Gods and Goddesses from Greek mythology are pretty prominent in this. We always get references about how not long ago the Gods roamed the earth. I really liked the incorporation of mythology and how we frequently get references of Zeus, Ares, Oracle of Delphi, Athena etc. Again, Herman is a historian so it does not surprise me that she included history that's pretty accurate to today's knowledge.

This is a quote from the Author's Note at the end of the book:

"Though this is a work of fantasy with some fictional main characters—Katerina, Jacob, and Zofia—I wanted to make their world of 340 BC as historically accurate as possible... While Alexander’s half sister, Cynane, might feel too modern, she really did model herself on the Amazons and was known for her military prowess....His father, the king, was distant and harsh; his manipulative, ambitious mother was devoted to her snakes and widely regarded as a witch; his older half sister, Cynane, was a jealous, competitive Amazon; his younger half brother, Arrhideus, was mentally handicapped; and his tutor, Leonidas, employed educational methods that would today land him in jail for child abuse."

I loved how accurate this was and it really does make me want to read more of her work.

Now, for the actual characters and storylines, the only plot that really advanced in the beginning was Princess Zofia. Right away, her story just goes to the max with drama and she has to fight for what she wants and realize the dangers outside of her well protected and sheltered life in the palace. We left her story very open ended and I'm excited to see how her's will end in the sequel. I also just really want her to help with the war in Pella and meet everyone. We start the book off in Katerina's P.O.V and we can already tell she's not normal. She definitely has some strong magic coursing through her veins and I liked how the book ended with her owning her true self and I'm so excited to see her embrace herself fully. Heph, Alexander's best friend (even in history), was pretty dull, but I still liked hearing his thought. His one problem, which clearly states in the book, is his pride. I really found his pride annoying at times but towards the end, like everything, he was just getting better and I think he's going to be a great hero in the end.

My favourite storyline had to be between Kats and Cynane, Alexander's sister. Something about her abrasive manner and how she'll do anything to prove she doesn't want to be just a lady (GoT's Arya basically) was amazing. From the start of her P.O.V chapter, I knew I'd like her.

"As she slips through the crowd, she intentionally brushes against different men. She’s not sure why she does it—to remind herself of her power over them, perhaps? Or maybe because even through the coarse cloth of her dress, it feels kind of thrilling when they touch—as if anything could happen."

I just feel like there are so many great moments in this book that I need to quote them all for you guys. If you need convincing to read this book at all, just look at all of the glorious reviews it has. This book was amazing and I can say it is my favourite read in 2016 so far. I can't remember a book I read that just left me speechless and MAKE me want to search the web to find out more of the stuff that conspired in 360 BC. Guys, just read it. It's simply amazing and I am now going to read Eleanor Herman's other novels.

Here are some quotes to persuade you further:

Alexander's P.O.V:

"Down on the street, a man driving an empty cart is cursing bitterly, trying to back up his donkey and cart to make way for another vehicle. That’s how it is, Alex thinks. Someone always has to give in. But not for long. He has other plans, plans his father doesn’t know about. And if he succeeds, he’ll be the greatest leader this world has ever known."

Cynane's P.O.V:

"True loyalty—it’s almost unheard of. And it’s exactly what Cyn has been looking for all these years. Correction: it’s what she has been looking to destroy."

Katerina's P.O.V:

"“There was, long ago, in the time before time, a great battle between gods and monsters,” Ada begins, looking straight ahead. “The gods won but lost much of their power and became almost mortal, mating with humans.”"

Hephaestion's P.O.V:

"“Kat, you’re going to be all right,” he lies. She doesn’t answer. She’s looking in wonder at the sky, moving her pale lips. He turns to see what it is that so fascinates her. It’s the hellion, flying in wide lazy circles over the battlefield, howling as it rises higher and higher, and is gone."

I am so excited to read Herman's sequel to the Blood of Gods and Royals series, Empire of Dust.