Review: The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter, Entwined by Heather Dixon, Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon

Posted by bkristin on Aug 3rd, 2012 in reviews | 0 comments

Review:  The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter

Kate makes a promise to save her friends life. She will spend six months a year with Henry, the god of the underworld. She doesn’t know that for almost one hundred years, girls have tried and failed to earn this position, so while she made a promise, she needs to stay alive to fulfill it.

This book contained a lot of info, but I found myself feeling like details were missing. The most distracting part of this book was that time passed and relationships formed that you get no hint of happening.  Kate holds Ava to be a true friend but we know nothing beyond they spent a few weeks together all the time. We can’t understand the relationship unless we see how they can become such close friends- especially after Ava plays a mean prank on Kate.

We don’t actually know when any tests occur until everything is described in the end. I liked the premise but would have liked to see more of the testing/judgment being more in the open. As a reader, I wanted to be able to judge her on the tests along with the other gods.

I found this book entertaining- not my favorite and not at the bottom either.

 

Review: Entwined by Heather Dixon

 While in mourning, Azalea and her eleven sisters cannot dance. Longing to dance again, they sneak away each night to a secret hidden pavilion where the keeper watches over them. Unfortunately the keeper has other objectives and it will be Azalea that needs to stop him before he can harm her sisters, father, or various suitors.

This story is based on twelve princesses and they are all named from A-L which was very helpful to keep them straight. You knew immediately if it was an older or younger sister based on their names, even if you didn’t exactly remember what each girl had said or did. This story is a take on the twelve dancing princesses. It was set in a fictional country but seemed very almost French and historic set around the 1800’s. The story had a very historical fantasy feel to it which was nice for a change from the overload of urban fantasy flooding the market now.

It wasn’t the kind of story that compelled me to keep reading, but it held my interest throughout.

 

Review: Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon

In ancient China, Ai Ling is on an adventure to find her father. She battles demons around every turn with the help of a man that is drawn to her quest. Together they are heading to the capital to seek answers to questions and with the hope of better understanding why Ai Ling can reach into people’s souls and read their minds.

This book has a lot that takes place on the journey to the capital and even while they are there. A journey book needs to be filled with action and this book does not disappoint. It was one event after another as supernatural beings kept trying to off Ai Ling. Fortunately, Ai Ling knew about all the creatures and could explain them in more detail as they met more of them throughout the story. Also, the action progressed well due to such a strong female protagonist. She was very much out of the norm for her class in life, but nothing would have happened if she was not. I always like a female lead that is not afraid to take a hold of her own destiny. There wer moments that the story lulled.  I would have to say this is good and bad. There were times when I found things just plain gross or didn’t want to keep reading to see if someone got hurt. This caused me to want to set the novel down. But on the other hand there were descriptive times where I found myself pausing to reread and picture this unique world.

Overall was a fun book to read.

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