The Bookanistas: The Goddess Test

When I was in 6th Grade we did a huge unit on ancient Greece. Before we started the unit, everyone took a test on random facts to be divided up into one of four groups. There was a group of Spartans (meat heads who barely passed the test), a group of Plebians (losers who failed the test), a group of Aristocrats (wannabes who did ok on the test) and then there were the gods and goddesses. The top 10% of test takers got to choose the god or goddess of their choice and drink Sprite and eat dried apricots while pretending to be god like or whatever.

I was an overachieving little nerd, so naturally I wanted to be a goddess. Unfortunately I wasn't a particularly smart nerd and was sadly little bit of a liar. I'll admit to taking a quick peek at a couple of my friend's answers to score well on that test. My cheating ways earned me the coveted role of Artemis, goddess of the moon. And I'd be lying if I said I regretted it. Sprite and dried apricots are delicious.

Anyway, turns out impersonating a goddess actually triggered a life-long fascination with Greek mythology, so when I saw the cover for THE GODDESS TEST and read a synopsis, I knew I had to read the book.

What the back cover has to say:


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.


What Lila has to say:
THE GODDESS TEST was a ton of fun. I had a blast trying to figure out the allusions to various myths and match characters to their corresponding god/goddess. I love the idea of younger readers picking up THE GODDESS TEST and discovering mythology for the first time. And they don't even have to cheat on an exam to learn more about the entertaining antics of Greek gods. They're way more entertaining than GOSSIP GIRL.


Check out what the other Bookanistas are up to this week:
Elana Johnson  points you to Human.4
LiLa Roecker  glories in The Goddess Test
Christine Fonseca is impressed by Imaginary Girls
Shannon Whitney Messenger delves into The Future of Us – with giveaway
Scott Tracey and Shana Silver are wild about Wildefire
Carolina Valdez Miller shivers over The Eleventh Plague – with giveaway
Jessi Kirby celebrates A Scary Scene in a Scary Movie
Stasia Ward Kehoe embraces All the Things You Are
Corrine Jackson sneaks into Sean Griswold's Head