Book Review: Antigoddess by Kendare Blake

 

**I received this book from Around the World ARC Tours for review**

Synopsis (from Goodreads):  Old Gods never die…

Or so Athena thought. But then the feathers started sprouting beneath her skin, invading her lungs like a strange cancer, and Hermes showed up with a fever eating away his flesh. So much for living a quiet eternity in perpetual health.

Desperately seeking the cause of their slow, miserable deaths, Athena and Hermes travel the world, gathering allies and discovering enemies both new and old. Their search leads them to Cassandra—an ordinary girl who was once an extraordinary prophetess, protected and loved by a god.

These days, Cassandra doesn’t involve herself in the business of gods—in fact, she doesn’t even know they exist. But she could be the key in a war that is only just beginning.

Because Hera, the queen of the gods, has aligned herself with other of the ancient Olympians, who are killing off rivals in an attempt to prolong their own lives. But these anti-gods have become corrupted in their desperation to survive, horrific caricatures of their former glory. Athena will need every advantage she can get, because immortals don’t just flicker out.

Every one of them dies in their own way. Some choke on feathers. Others become monsters. All of them rage against their last breath.

The Goddess War is about to begin.

My Thoughts:  I love Greek mythology so I was really excited when I saw that Ms. Blake was writing a book about it.  I absolutely loved Anna Dressed in Black so was pretty confident that I would also enjoy this book.

Athena and Hermes are dying...only they aren't suppose to die.  They are Gods.  Gods don't die.  Hermes is wasting away from the inside out and Athena is sprouting feathers in her lungs.  They decide that they need to figure out what is going on.  After finding Demeter and getting some very random hints from her, they are on a quest to find the Prophetess, Cassandra.

Cassandra is your average teenage girl...well, except she is psychic.  Other than that, she leads a fairly normal life with her brother, Henry, her boyfriend, Aiden and her best friend, Andie.  Her visions start to change though and become more vivid and a lot stranger than before.  Soon, Cassandra realizes that she is in the middle of a war between Gods and she is the one that they are all seeking.  

The chapters switch back and forth between Athena and Cassandra, which I really liked.  It kept it interesting but not confusing to me at all.  Athena is a really strong character (duh, she is a God) and I really liked her.  I also liked Hermes a lot.  He was loyal to Athena even when he was scared.

Cassandra was also a great character but I definitely liked her better after she "awakened".  She was much stronger.  I thought Aiden was a little dumb at times.  Trying to run from Gods seemed impossible so not sure why they would even try.  

The ending surprised me a little and although I was sad, I thought it was a good way to end the book.  I was enthralled with this book from the first page and hated to have to put it down at all.  It was a fast read and will definitely keep you interested the entire time, especially if you like Greek mythology!

Book Review: Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake

Synopsis (from Goodreads):  It's been months since the ghost of Anna Korlov opened a door to Hell in her basement and disappeared into it, but ghost-hunter Cas Lowood can't move on.

His friends remind him that Anna sacrificed herself so that Cas could live—not walk around half dead. He knows they're right, but in Cas's eyes, no living girl he meets can compare to the dead girl he fell in love with.


Now he's seeing Anna everywhere: sometimes when he's asleep and sometimes in waking nightmares. But something is very wrong...these aren't just daydreams. Anna seems tortured, torn apart in new and ever more gruesome ways every time she appears.


Cas doesn't know what happened to Anna when she disappeared into Hell, but he knows she doesn't deserve whatever is happening to her now. Anna saved Cas more than once, and it's time for him to return the favor.

My Thoughts:  I loved Anna Dressed in Blood!  I mean, I loved it!  I waited eagerly for the sequel to come out and once I received a copy it was all I could do to wait to read it.  However, life happens and it took a little longer than I had anticipated to get to it.  Lucky for me, it was definitely worth the wait!!

This book did not quite have the "creepy" factor in it like Anna Dressed in Blood did but it was more sinister and evil.  It had some very dark moments in it but was funny too.  Cas has an amazing sense of humor that keeps you laughing throughout the book.  Thomas is loyal and sweet and oh so lovable!  Carmel I had some issues with...mainly her wishy-washy attitude.  She wants to go with Cas and Thomas and then she wants to be normal and then she's back.  It was just a tad bit annoying for me.  I love Jestine.  She was sarcastic and fun and even though she had different motives for the athame, she was still loyal to Cas.

Anna wasn't the main story in this book.  It was more about the history behind the athame and the Order of the Biodag Dubh (yeah, no idea how to pronounce that one).  Anna was still around though and haunting Cas for all she was worth!  

I loved the fact that the group went to England and Scotland!  It was fun to have them out of the States and exploring the history of the athame.  My absolute FAVORITE part was the Suicide Forest!  Talk about completely creepy but so perfect!  Definitely the scariest part of the book, in my opinion.

The ending was bittersweet and completely unexpected.  I loved how it ended but really....it was one of those scenes in a movie where it's so bittersweet you almost want to cry.   
  
I will be reading anything Kendare Blake writes!  She has an amazing talent to write incredibly creepy stories that will keep you up at night!  If you haven't read Anna Dressed in Blood then get yourself a copy and if you have, grab this one right away!  It's worth it!

Book Review: Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

Synopsis (from Goodreads):  Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.

So did his father before him, until he was gruesomely murdered by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father's mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.

When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn't expect anything outside of the ordinary: track, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he's never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, now stained red and dripping with blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.

But she, for whatever reason, spares Cas's life.

My Thoughts:  I loved this one!  I am a huge fan of the T.V. show "Supernatural" and this book totally reminded me of the early shows.  Ghosts killing people, ghost hunter goes to kill ghost and yet finds some underlying issue. 

Cas is following in his father's footsteps.  He hunts ghosts that hurt other people and sends them "on".  Where he sends them he doesn't know but he knows it is for the best.  Until he meets Anna Dressed in Blood.  Anna died in 1958 but no one is exactly sure who killed her.  Anyone that enters Anna's house end up dead.  Until Cas shows up.  Cas is not only able to enter Anna's house but her can talk to her.  Along with some new found friends, they find out what really happened to Anna.  And they find out who killed Cas' father.  Now, can they stop it?

Cas was just cool.  He was a little standoffish but that is because he doesn't want to get close to anyone since he moves so much.  Plus, how do you really explain what you do?  He is smart and cares for others, especially his mom.  He was super funny and snarky too.  I really enjoyed him. 

Anna was described vividly!  There was no gently easing you into what she looked like or what she did.  Yet I found that I really liked her.  She was troubled but it was totally understandable.  Especially once you find out what really happened to her.  I like how she and Cas have a chemistry between them too.  It's not too romantic though so that is refreshing. 

This book was spooky, gruesome and funny!  It is a great book for the upcoming Fall season and best of all, Halloween!  Do yourself a favor and grab a copy!  You won't regret it.