Mortal Gods

Goddess War #2

by Kendare Blake

As ancient immortals are left reeling, a modern Athena and Hermes search the world for answers in Mortal Gods, the second Goddess War novel.

Ares, god of war, is leading the other dying gods into battle. Which is just fine with Athena. She's ready to wage a war of her own, and she's never liked him anyway. If Athena is lucky, the winning gods will have their immortality restored. If not, at least she'll have killed the bloody lot of them, and she and Hermes can die in peace.

Cassandra Weaver is a weapon of fate. The girl who kills gods. But all she wants is for the god she loved and lost to return to life. If she can't have that, then the other gods will burn, starting with his murderer, Aphrodite. The alliance between Cassandra and Athena is fragile. Cassandra suspects Athena lacks the will to truly kill her own family.

And Athena fears that Cassandra's hate will get them all killed. The war takes them across the globe, searching for lost gods, old enemies, and Achilles, the greatest warrior the world has ever seen. As the struggle escalates, Athena and Cassandra must find a way to work together. Because if they can't, fates far worse than death await.

Genres: Mythology, Young Adult, Fantasy, Greek Mythology, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance

341 pages, Paperback

First published October 14, 2014

About the author

So, I write books. The Anna Dressed in Blood duo is horror, The Goddess War trilogy is mythology, and Three Dark Crowns is fantasy, because the world don't move to the beat of just one drum. What might be right for you, may not be right for some. Love to read, too. Fiction, philosophy, good books, bad books, because you take the good you take the bad you take them both and there you have a stack of books and stuff. I mean, you've got to be adventurous. There's more to life that what you're living, so take a chance and face the wind.

There's more coming soon like ALL THESE BODIES and a new fantasy series, so don't waste another minute on your cryin. We're nowhere near the end.

My likes include animals, food, and nostalgia. I mean, whatever happened to predictability? The milkman, the paperboy, the evening TV? Used to be everywhere you look, there's a heart, a hand to hold on to.

Anyway, I love to hear from readers so drop me a line here or at my website and we'll talk about friends to know, and ways to grow, and how if you threw a party you would see that the biggest gift would be from me and the card attached would say, thank you for being a friend.

We can also talk about all the sitcom theme songs in this bio. Sha la la la.

Reviews

[Natalie Monroe · Rating 3 out of 5]

"No matter how twisted they were, and what pain they caused each other, the gods had forever. Forever to fight and hate and make up, to switch loyalties and regain trust. They'd been at it so long they didn't really understand what it would mean for it to be finished. They wouldn't, until it was far too late."

I am a Greek mythology purist.

I don't mind if authors tweak with the original myths, flesh out personalities, reveal motives, justify certain acts, etc. In fact, I welcome it. Retelling myths and fairy tales can be magic in the right hands.

But some changes I can't accept. Cinderella isn't Cinderella without a lost shoe. Athena isn't a lovesick teenage girl.

The muscles of his back flexed as he adjusted his balance, and her lips parted, remembering what he felt like pressed against her... His hands on her hips and the heat of his mouth. Odysseus was a boy whom girls devoured, and he looked at Athena a way no one had ever looked at her. Like he wanted to make her lose her mind.

Athena is supposed to be a maiden goddess. She's never going to have sex or fall in love. I accepted her little make-out session in Antigoddess because it comes off as an experiment (I can totally see Athena doing the horizontal just to see what it feels like), and some legends claim Athena had a child with Odysseus.

But under no circumstances would Athena, goddess of wisdom and battle strategy, allow her heart to rule her head. She wouldn't fucking run from a battle, leaving her troops behind, simply because her favorite hero fell. She constantly moons over Odysseus, even though she keeps telling herself it's so wrong, and it's annoying. I'm with Calypso on this one:

"You want him, you don't want him. You tease him, but you won't take him," Calypso said. "Just go away, goddess. Stop being unfair."

It's even worse due to the fact that almost nothing happens. Mortal Gods has Second Book Syndrome written all over it. Except for the beginning and the end, everything else is dedicated to the gods lounging around, ordering Chinese food, and training the humans.

I have never wanted a training montage so much.

Nothing is answered either. It's like The Maze Runner series all over again. We find out the Fates are dying and it affects the gods, but we still don't know why the Fates are dying. Odysseus pulls a secret out of his ass in the last 10%, which we don't get to find out shit about.

Zeus is gone too, yet our protagonists still have time to visit the Underworld on the slim hope they can pull Apollo out. Athena mentioned Zeus is staying neutral in this war in the first book, but why can't they at least attempt to find him? Or mention why they don't?

And tiny thing, but why isn't Hermes the one to guide Cassandra in her quest? That's one of his jobs: guiding decreased souls into the Underworld. He's weak, not useless.

Speaking of Hermes, he's the reason I added an extra star.

Cassandra's brow knit. "The dead can eat?"

"They can taste," said Hermes. "They can drink. Hell, I don't know, maybe they just like to roll around in the stuff."

He's funny, compassionate—and cowardly enough to remind me he's a real god. Gods are assholes. Greek myths are a tapestry of dick moves they pull on each other and humans.

I could rant on about Calypso and how Athena hates her because she's Odysseus' girlfriend (where the hell is Odysseus' wife, Penelope, anyway? I expected her to show up by now. They were hardcore devoted to each other, another reason I disapprove of Athena and Ody's romance.) and never fails to point out her curves and pretty face cause that's the only reason Ody could fall for her, but whatever.

Very disappointed.

[★Tinja★✮ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh my.

Okay so, the idea behind these books is FUCKING AWESOME. I mean the greek gods are dying and trying to kill each other. Reincarnated heroes and heroines from Troy reborn and living in the modern world?
It all sounds bloody brilliant... Except it's not.

I liked the first book a lot more and even that only got 3 stars. You have no idea how much I wanted this to work. I LOVE mythology.
But I had issues with everything!!!! The relationships didn't work for me at all. I liked none of the characters. And their actions, just nothing made sense to me. The gods and goddesses didn't feel beliavable either nor did the reincarnations. I think it just was a mistake to write this as Young Adult? Oh and my ship died too so there went that as well. I already read the spoilers for book 3 because I thought this one devastating thing would be fixed:))))) and now I'm so miserable. I seriously doubt I will read the last one, it just doesn't feel worth it.

Aaaaarghhhh seriously I'm so devastated.
( All the bloody and gruesome parts were awesome tho )

[Kath S]

[Jesselle · Rating 4 out of 5]

With more action, jaw-dropping twists, and a tidal wave of intense emotions, Mortal Gods is one gripping book that I totally enjoyed reading this year. It’s the kind of sequel that you’d want to read at a relaxed speed because every moment in the story is precious. Although there are parts where the pace is a bit slow, it doesn’t matter because those give readers time to prepare themselves for big scenes that will blow their minds in every way. Big Bang-like explosions of feels and surprises are also components of those scenes, making Mortal Gods an epic reading adventure. Tension, shock, pain, and heartbreak are the four dominant emotions that left a lasting impression on me. I think it took a day or two for those extreme feelings to die down.

The characters are fantastic! Each one of them is distinctive in personality, actions, and opinions. The diversity of characters injects a flavorful spice that generates excitement and compulsive appreciation for the story. In addition, the conflicts that the characters live through brilliantly emphasize their flaws and strong points. My favorite character in the book is Athena. A daring goddess who exudes intelligence, determination, and a firm grasp of reason, Athena is the ideal picture of a remarkable heroine. Regardless of her identity as a goddess, Athena has a vulnerable and empathetic side that also makes her so human. The clash of emotions raging through her is very realistic and is something that readers would identify with. Second favorite character is Cassandra who grew to be more insightful and braver as she acknowledged her role in the war of gods. Cassandra still grapples with her past and present self so with the tragic event in Antigoddess; nevertheless, she’s making an effort to get better. I have to mention Hermes and Odysseus as notable characters as well because they are both strong driving forces in Athena’s team of warriors. Furthermore, new characters will be introduced. Some of them readers will love or hate or both. But one thing I can tell about the fresh faces is that they’re unpredictable. Why? That, you have to find out for yourself, dear readers! Sorry! :) My advice to you is to be ready for a huge impact coming your way!

Kendare Blake’s writing is exquisite. She imbued the story with life that sparkles with energy and brightness. Her beautifully constructed sentences depict sharp images, transporting readers to a rich and spectacular world where reality and mythology coexist.

Heart-stopping and out of this world, Mortal Gods is a sequel that leaves you breathless and thirsty for more. I NEED Book 3 now!

This review is also posted on my blog, The Lifelong Bookworm.

Link: http://jessellelovesbooks.wordpress.c...

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This and other reviews are on my blog, My Friends Are Fiction

There are spoilers from book 1, Antigoddess

The Story:
I’ve got to be honest, I was the slightest bit (just the tiniest amount) concerned after Antigoddess because I hadn’t connected to the characters or story as deeply as I had with the Anna series. But, as you can see from my rating, there was no need to worry because I loved this book. In fact, I loved it more than Antigoddess and found myself completely immersed in the story and characters.

First things first, this one picks up after Antigoddess and we are seeing the fall-out from Apollo’s/Aidan’s death. Since we’ve been set up with the overall story arc the action gets going fairly fast and as always Blake provides beautifully detailed, gruesome and vivid details. To me, Blake is one of the most gifted authors in creating vivid and beautifully crafted descriptions. She is always able to pull me into her character’s worlds and create a very realistic atmosphere. I also adore the little hints of humor thrown in the dialog to help relieve some of the tense scenes.

That brings me to the action scenes…which were wonderfully done. Many good fighting scenes were interspersed within the story adding that bit of gore that you always have in a Blake book (seriously, the idea of feathers breaking through your skin just awesomely disturbing). Have you noticed I have nothing but praise for this book? Yep, I couldn’t find fault with it. The pacing was a tad slower than what I normally find in young adult but never boring. Lately, I’ve been enjoying adult fiction again and I think I might prefer a book that takes its time and really lets me sink into the story.

The Characters:
I don’t think there’s a single character in this series that I dread reading about. Each was well developed and unique in their thoughts and motivations. My favorite in both this and the first book was Athena. I can’t help but imagine her as Kendare Blake (a complement to both I might add). Athena had a strong will and sense of purpose that ultimately drove her to take almost a motherly role over her companions. I love that she can be self depreciating and incredibly self confident and bold at the same time. She embraced responsibility for her group which often has her taking the course of action that might be the hardest.

I wasn’t as fond of Cassandra in Antigoddess but found her to be a much deeper and interesting character in this book. I love that she struggles with not only her past but her role in the present. I found her struggles to be interesting and provide a level of depth missing for me prior. I felt that she was much easier to relate to in this novel as well. I am confident if I were in her position I’d be angry so I loved watching her deal with those emotions.

Hermes was as lovable in this book as the last though much more heartbreaking. He was literally wasting away before our eyes which gave me the sense of urgency to Athena’s quest. I love that we saw more of Odysseus in this installment. It was also nice to have a few more characters introduced like Ares. I thought Blake did an amazing job in creating such a creepy character that fully embraced being the God of War. His talking hell hounds were especially well done.

Final Thoughts:
I believe it is pretty evident that I adored Mortal Gods. I found it to be an improvement on the first book because of my deeper connection to the characters. Blake delivers an incredibly well crafted storyline with characters that embrace their mythological ideal yet feel realistic.

[Mogsy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 of 5 stars at The BiblioSanctum http://bibliosanctum.com/2014/11/15/y...

I’m a mythology buff, so naturally I became drawn to Kendare Blake’s Goddess War series. The first book introduced us to the concept that the Old Gods of Greek Mythology have always existed, and that well-known deities such as Athena and Hermes have lived among us since time immemorial. But all of a sudden, the gods are losing their immortality, dying slowly in the most bizarre and most horrific ways. All eyes turn to Kincade, New York, home of Cassandra of Troy…or the reincarnated version of her, anyway. As the gods take sides and prepare for war, the psychic teen may hold the key to everything.

After reading the first book, I could say I enjoyed it unequivocally. This second book, however, left me with mixed feelings.

Issue 1: Pacing. It falls on the slower side, especially at the beginning. Looking back, the biggest criticism I had with Antigoddess was that it ended with absolutely nothing resolved, closing with a cliffhanger of sorts. Happily, Mortal Gods picks up right where it left off, but then spends an excessive amount of time just trying to build back up to the level of suspense and excitement that we experienced right at the end of book one.

Issue 2: A book like Mortal Gods that has parts taking place in far flung and exotic locations across the globe should feel vast, epic, HUGE. At times, I sense this vibe struggling to come through in the narrative, but it never quite manages it. I love Kendare Blake’s writing style and she generally does a great job with her world-building, but for some reason the scenes that took place in the jungles of Malaysia or the outback of Australia felt rushed and glossed over.

On the other hand, she seems to do a much better job with fantasy settings. I adored the scenes that took place in Hades’ Underworld or at Mount Olympus, they were amazing.

Issue 3: The character of Cassandra. What happened? Granted, her life has been turned upside down and she’s experienced a lot of terrible things, including the loss of someone she loved deeply. All these events have shaped her, and while she’s a much deeper and well-rounded character now, she has also transformed into a downright bratty kid. Her anger and impulsiveness makes her say and do dumb things, and that makes it really hard to sympathize with her.

The final thing I want to talk about isn’t really an issue, but might be something to consider if you’re thinking of picking up this series. This is a Young Adult novel and it really shows. Most of the main characters are teens, including the incarnations of the Greek Gods, and there’s practically no adult presence. For some readers, this is of little to no importance. For me, it does take away some of the realism and immersion. If you can buy (or don’t care) that a teen can go jetsetting across the world, miss school and disappear for days on end without her parents even getting a tiny bit suspicious – or alternatively, they’re actually okay with it – then you shouldn’t have a problem at all.

I don’t want this review to sound too harsh though, because I did have a good time with Mortal Gods. My favorite part of it is still the unique and interesting take on the Greek Gods, and I really enjoyed how certain snippets of the story would play out like a very loose version of the Iliad, particularly when it involved the relationships between characters.

Bottom line: a pretty good book and sequel, though I still liked the first book better. I’m looking forward to the next one.

[Angela Hanson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lucky enough to get an ARC, this heart pounding story of Gods reincarnated and living in our time, ramps up the action in the sequeal to Antigoddess, Mortal Gods. Athena and Cassandra continue their crusade with their group of Gods and Heros, hell bent on revenge and redemption. Some new Hero's join the ranks and make for some interesting twists and turns, making you very uncertain who is trustworthy. The ending confims your suspicions regarding loyalties, leaving you royally ticked, screaming at the book over (possible?) losses of characters you are totally invested in after these 346 pages, betrayed and uncertain about the future. Left with one silver lining on the very last page, I am hoping the return of a certain Goddess tips the scales for book 3. I. Can't. Wait. Pre-order Mortal Gods NOW!!! Out this October!

[Suzzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an awesome sequel! That cliffhanger was intense and now I cannot wait to read the final book tomorrow. I did not intend to stay up this late but I couldn’t put the book down so ended up staying up until nearly three am to finish it. Cannot wait to see what happens after that run in on Olympus (Cassandra a bit of an idiot though). Now much sleep so I can read the finale tomorrow evening!

My quick and simple overall: I seriously enjoyed this one even more than the first book. The first book was more a set up to build for this sequel.

[Nasty Lady MJ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really 2.5 stars. To see full review with Hades gifs click here

Last year I sort of ended up being a black sheep in liking this book’s predecessor. So, I was sort of excited about the second one because I was going to see if that like was going to be a fluke, or if it was really as exciting as I thought.

The result.

Meh.

I sort of see where everyone else was coming now. But I still liked parts of this series.

I think I’ll talk about what my favorite thing about Blake’s writing is: her use of language.

Man, I wish I had her skills for writing when it comes to imagery. When I read these books, I have no problem visualizing these scenes. And some of the descriptions are pretty brutal.

I also like the idea that this series centers around-the gods are dying. It’s twisted enough to work for Greek Mythology. But that aside…this book has problems.

Let’s talk about what bothered me the most about this book: Cassandra.

Jesus. Or should I say some Greek god, since this book is about Greek Gods

I get you’re grieving girl but that doesn’t mean act like a fuck ass whiney brat for most of the book.

If her parts weren’t substantial to the story I would skip them. I really would. I know I was suppose to feel immense sympathy for her, but by the end I just wanted someone to beat the shit out of her.

All she kept doing was talking about how she hated Athena. And hatred and bullhead-ness was what caused this series to get a third book. She just annoyed me. And while I get why she’s hung up on Aidan, people who forgot the previous book will be like why. Yeah, he’s dead, but we don’t see one thing about their relationship in this book that sort of let’s you sympathize with her.

As for the other points of view…

Well, the other main point of view is Athena. And for the most part i still like her, but what I didn’t like was whatever it was between her and Odysseus.

I was kind of on the fringe about this ship in the last book. I’ve seen one version of The Odyssey where I could sort of buy them as a couple (sort of being the objective word), and in the last book I was like okay this might be good. But, but, I think this ship sort of sunk for me. Mainly because having the goddess, Athena, go gaga over a boy is just out of character.

Okay, there were occasional moments where I might’ve been shipping them.

But for the most part I was like…Athena…she’s a virginal goddess she doesn’t give a shit about dating. Why is she getting all moony eyed over a boy?

Luckily, the romance was pretty much kept to a minimum. The pacing in this one was off the chart and dealt with its fair share of plot holes as a result. It wasn’t that this book excited me, but there were times I wanted to have it slow down or at least deal with some the limits that having a contemporary setting has to throw its way.

It is a fun book though-if you can look past reality.

I think with Mortal Gods, I just expected more and got the cliche sophomore slump of a book. I will be concluding this series though. I am invested-annoying characters aside-in what happens and I think that with some work maybe Blake could recapture excitement with me. Especially if she does Cassandra in.

[Maja (The Nocturnal Library) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A few years ago, when Kendare Blake first published Anna Dressed in Blood and completely won us over, I never dreamed that her books could become even better. Anna was such a spectacular debut that it left very little room for improvement. And yet here we are, in the middle of a new series that is even more beautiful, more mature, written with a surer hand and far greater control over the narrative.

Mortal Gods is exactly what the title suggests – it brings the story of Greek gods divided into two factions and warring among themselves, both groups desperately fighting for survival. Athena leads one side, our side, and Ares leads the other. Their conflicts are merciless and bloody and their only goal is to survive and get revenge.

Just because Athena, Hermes and Odysseus are on our side does not mean that they are in the right. This entire series exists in a morally gray area. Ancient Gods, no matter how well-adapted to our times, have a whole different set of values and moral principles. Human life is not as significant for them, and scruples are often just another word in the dictionary. Even mortal characters like Cassandra and Andy are reincarnations of important mortals from ancient times, and the more they remember their old lives, the more they adapt to the gods’ way of thinking.

Still, one can’t help but feel sympathy for a physically weakened Athena while she coughs out feathers from her lungs, or our poor, likeable Hermes, who eats and eats and eats, but is never full or strong like he used to be. The torture of each god is highly symbolic. For instance, according to the legend, Athena once punished her crow familiar by turning his beautiful white feathers to black and now she is tortured by feathers sprouting painfully from her body. Hermes, god of feasts and banquets (among other things) is never sated and he’s getting thinner by the day.

While Cassandra grieves and despairs, Athena and Odysseus are dancing around each other, never quite reaching a common ground. The love of these two is so painfully obvious, and yet there are so many barriers between them, far too many things that stand in the way of their true feelings, Athena’s pride among them.

Mortal Gods is even darker and bloodier than Antigoddess, which is no small thing, believe me. Blake is known for the vivid imagery she creates with seeming ease. Her descriptions are always detailed and precise, and the emotional reactions she provokes are off the charts. She always achieves the desired effect, be it sympathy, horror or even disgust.

Brava, Ms. Blake. I can’t wait for the next book.

[Mizuki · Rating 4 out of 5]

I struggled between giving this book 3 stars or 4 stars, in the end I think it should be a 3.7 or 3.8 stars.

There is good things about this series and also bad things. For starter, the Greek gods in the novels do not always look like the larger-than-life powerful, ageless beings they should be, but on the other hand, some of these gods do grow in on me and they do have interesting stories; for example, Ares and Hermes.

As to the two main characters, Cassandra and Athena; I will be more forgiving toward Cassandra because she basically is a mortal girl struggling to come to term with her new found power and a haunting past life, but I really found it difficult to swallow some of Athena's decisions when she is supposed to be goddess of battle and wisdom. *sighs*

I guess some people might not like the romances in the story, but I'm fine with them.

Still, I like the story and the author's creative ideas for the dying Greek gods (although.........half of Persephone's body is rotting away? Shouldn't this be Hel instead?) and I also like how aside from the Big Twelve well know gods, less famous Greek mytho beings also play a part in the story (e.g. the nymph Calypso and The Moirae/The Fates).

PS: by the way, where is Zeus anyway?

[Shandra · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 29%

Well...I think it's time I admit defeat. It's been two months since I set this aside due to boredom. I figured I'd come back to it. But I've yet to get the pull or desire to do so since then. This really makes me sad. DNFs are rare for me. And I really enjoyed the first book in this series. But this one didn't hook me at all. The characters annoyed me from page one. I will attempt this again at some point because I'm having a hard time admitting to myself that what I thought would be a favorite series of mine has failed me. However, my OCD nature of having books on my currently reading shelf that I'm not currently reading is forcing me to DNF this for now. Plus, I don't remember enough of the story to pick it back up without starting over, which I have zero desire to do right now. I'm so sad...

[hala · Rating 3 out of 5]

Assorted thoughts:
1. I probably shouldn't have waited so long after reading Antigoddess to read this. I forgot half the story. But eventually I remembered the gist of Antigoddess

2. Can't stand the love triangle between Athena, Odysseus and Calypso. I don't like the idea of Athena falling in love

3. I keep expecting Medusa to show up, for some reason. I think it's because of Athena and Hermes

4. Characters I really like: Hermes, Athena, Andie, Ares (is it weird I like him so much? He's an antagonist but he's so interesting)

5. I like the writing

6. That cliffhanger ending. *groans*

7. Why can't we all just get along?

8. This time, I'm not waiting so long to read the next book.

Probably not going to write a full review for this, so if you're interested in hearing more of my thoughts then feel free to leave a comment! :)

[elias · Rating 4 out of 5]

All the stars in the world for Athena <3
And none for meanie Cassandra -_-

Mortal Gods was such a huge leap from Book #1! The writing style and the character development were on point. And Athena! I enjoyed every single word from her POV <3 but sadly, not all chapters were written from Athena's point of view, some were written from Cassandra's, who such a selfish jerk, and it was a pain to read her :\

Cassandra is mourning, which is understandable after AntiGoddess. And her grief makes her angry, and she wants to kill everyone blah blah blah. The problem with her is that she became selfish and nearsighted and plain stupid. And she hates Athena, for no apparent reason; so she found you in book one, well good for you! It could've been Hera otherwise! Cassandra wants out from what The Fates have planned for her, and she's blinded by rage and vendetta, maybe that's what the author wanted to portray, but it was painful seeing her lose her humanity :( And it was painful seeing every rash stupid decision she made.

Athena on the other hand, she is perfection. I've always loved Athena, the Goddess of wisdom, strategy, and logic. And here she was portrayed beautifully. She's leading a war, and though not many characters know why, she's doing it for her little brother. All the characters (even Ody!) think that she's heartless, because she makes decisions based on logic, not on fear, even though she feels it. She assets the situation and makes the decision that will save everyone. She believes that logic will not fail her (and she's mostly right). That doesn't mean that she will sacrifice the people around her, the humans were always protected and even Cassandra, her feelings were always respected, even when they had to do something that will not lead to greater good. But of course, no one saw that she had a heart -_-

And The Ending T_T I will not accept the death of Ody, it was hinted multiple times that he had powers which he didn't tell anyone about, so I'm hoping healing is one of those powers *joins hands in prayer*, can't wait for the third book, that cliffhanger was savage :(

And Andie & Henry, so cute *_*

[Federica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Back in the Goddess War' world.

I longed for this moment, and I am very pleased with the book, to which I give 4.5 stars.

At the beginning it was a bit slow-paced, because they were just going to the cemetery, training and planning their attack against Aphrodite. There was not really much action, even though I liked it as well. Then, things began to change: the attacks against the "mortal side", the quest for Artemis and Achilles, and the final confrontation made everything far more interesting. I did not expect the ending to be like that, it really left me without words. Now I have hundreds of questions and DAMMIT I KNEW THAT, I KNEW THAT. Argh. Hope that no one of my favorites going to get hurt or I will hurt someone.

When I finished Antigoddess I wished to know something more about the other gods and the ways they were dying, because it was one of the most interesting parts of the book, and I have been satisfied with beautiful yet frightening descriptions. They left me speechless, not only those I already knew, but also and above all the new ones, which were even more gruesome: Persephone (I couldn't wait for the underworld! Her punishment and Cerberus's one are terrible. Thinking about it, if the sentences for the gods of the world of the living were scary, those for the gods of the underworld couldn't be at the same level) and the Moiræ, dear gods, are something I will not easily forget. Really scary.

I was happy to read about the other gods and goddess again. I missed them. I noticed that they seemed more aware of the family bond between them, but at the same time even more determined to stop the opposing part. It was sad to read about the slow consumption that they are going through. Athena is cool as always, and I do wonder how she is able to stand Cassandra for that long. Hermes, little cutie pie, I really liked him in this book, more than in the previous one. I expected Ares to be different, more warmonger: don't get me wrong, he is, but I found a softness in him that I did not foresee. And, finally, Aphrodite, the goddess with one on the cruelest condemnation. I liked every one of them, they seem all so interesting to me!

I wished also for something more interesting on the human side of the story. I still love Odysseus with all my heart, he really is one of the best characters of the book. So clever and caring, I cannot help but love him and his relationship with Athena. I hoped to see it developing a bit more, but the ending left me questioning if there will even be a relationship at all.
I still do not know how to place Calypso in this whole thing, but over all I liked her, she does not seem that bad. She helped Henry and Andie, so I do not think that she is going to be an obstacle. I just hope there is not going to be a real love triangle.
One of the real question marks for this book is Achilles. At the beginning I liked him, he seemed quite a nice fellow, even if I usually do not like him as a character. And, at the end, I was proven to be right, even though I still hope for a comeback.

For what concerns Cassandra, my thoughts have not changed from the first book. I know she is angry for what happened to Aidan (but also to her family during the Trojan war), and she wants revenge, I can comprehend that, but, girl, you really need to calm down. She is guided solely by the desire for revenge, she is not able to think about anything else, and this will cause only even more troubles to her friends, and that is not exactly what they need in this moment. She acts without thinking, and I thank the gods that when she talks to Odysseus and Hermes she seems to recover her common sense. However, I liked her visions and her power is quite cool -even though she uses it quite haphazardly.

Long story short, if you have not read this series yet, do it. It is really worth it.







Have I already said how much I love Athena and Odysseys together?

[Γιώτα Παπαδημακοπούλου · Rating 3 out of 5]

Περνάμε, λοιπόν, στο δεύτερο βιβλίο της σειράς, όπου ο ρυθμός των εξελίξεων αρχίζει να κυλάει σε καλύτερες ταχύτητες, με τη δράση να αυξάνεται και μαζί μ' αυτήν, καταφέρνει ν' αυξηθεί και το αναγνωστικό μας ενδιαφέρον. Η μάχη ανάμεσα στο στρατόπεδο της Αθηνάς και του Ερμή κι εκείνο του Άρη είναι έτοιμη να ξεσπάσει, και κανείς δεν μπορεί να ορίσει ποιος θα είναι νικητής. Την ίδια στιγμή, η συμμαχία ανάμεσα στην Αθηνά και την Κασσάνδρα, το όπλο που μπορεί να σκοτώσει τους θεούς, ακροβατεί πάνω σε τεντωμένο σχοινί, ενώ η ανάγκη να βρούνε συμμάχους στον αγώνα τους αυτό, είναι κάτι παραπάνω από επιτακτική. Θα μπορέσουν, άραγε, να κάνουν ό,τι πρέπει για να επιβιώσουν, ή ο θάνατος τούς πλησιάζει επικίνδυνα απειλώντας να πάρει κάποιους μαζί του για πάντα;

Υπό άλλες συνθήκες, ίσως να είχα πρόβλημα με το γεγονός ότι η Αθηνά, γιατί κυρίως με αυτή συμβαίνει, έχει υποστεί τόσο μεγάλη μετάλλαξη, όσον αφορά την ταυτότητα του χαρακτήρα της, με βασικά της στοιχεία όχι απλά να αλλοιώνονται αλλά να πετιούνται από το παράθυρο, αλλά η αλήθεια είναι πως παρουσιάζεται μέσω της αφήγησης με τόσο γοητευτικό και δυναμικό τρόπο που δυσκολεύομαι να είμαι αρνητική απέναντι στο γεγονός αυτό. Κι ενώ θα περίμενε κανείς η Κασσάνδρα να είναι η βασική πρωταγωνίστρια, αφού εκείνη είναι που έχει στα χέρια της τη δύναμη να στερήσει τη ζωή των αθανάτων, η Αθηνά τής κλέβει την παράσταση και μας παρασύρει κάθε φορά που κάνει την εμφάνισή της, ακροβατώντας ανάμεσα στον δυναμισμό και την ευαισθησία, αλλά και χωρίς να χάνει τον στόχο της ό,τι κι αν συμβαίνει γύρω της. Παράλληλα, έχουμε έντονη δράση και αντίδραση, ανατρεπτικές στιγμές που αλλάζουν άρδην τα δεδομένα, και το μέλλον φαντάζει πιο αμφίβολο από ποτέ, γεγονός που καθιστά επιτακτική ανάγκη ν' ανακαλύψουμε ποιο θα είναι τελικά το φινάλε της ιστορίας αυτής.

[Ruman · Rating 2 out of 5]

First off, for anyone who didn't know, the gods are dying...


Mortal Gods was much better than its predecessor Antigoddess. It was mostly about Athena and her warriors trying to (trying is the key word) not die have more powerful people join their side, and find the other god killer Achilles. Whereas, the opposite side, got Ares to join them, along with a foe that could tip the scales against the goddess of war and her warriors The Fates.

Cassandra
She was literally like this the whole entire book:

I kid you not.

Athena
She was either in the mode of war:

or the mode of Odysseus:


Odysseus
This was how he was like to Athena, even when she broke it off again and again.


Hermes
Sadly, he was slowly becoming a husk, with death really, really close.


Achilles
This was my thought when he finally made an appearance:


And the only characters/should-be-couple I remotely care for is Henry and Andie.

[starryeyedjen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, what an impressive sequel! So action-packed and explosive. The only thing it was missing was Aiden/Apollo. :P I was afraid this sequel couldn't live up to its predecessor, especially after all that carnage in the first book. But I think Mortal Gods surpassed Antigoddess, if only by a margin. I can't wait to see where Kendare takes this story next!

The narrator for this audiobook was superb and brought these characters to life for me. Her accents for British Odysseus and for Aussie Achilles were pretty great, especially considering I didn't think I was going to like her narration style at first.

All in all, this sequel gets an A+ in my book! :D

[Gabriela]

Changing the PERFECT TITLE: Aristeia, for something so... Common, as Mortal Gods was bad enough.

AND NOW, now you change a good cover FOR THIS PIECE OF CR*P. OH MY GOD. My brain itches.

Thanks to my OCD I will probably be buying the matching "Antigoddess" cover. Sucks for my wallet.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I love the title, It's brilliant!

[Victoria Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

New characters, clear goals, and romantic angst made me fall in love with Mortal Gods. Although that ending was cruel and unusual punishment. Give me book three and no one gets hurt! ;)

[Jenn · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

Ok, I am scared for my boy Hermes. He best make it out of this series.

Anyway, I enjoyed this book a little more than the first. I think it's mostly because we have all the explanations out of the way and now we can just dive straight into this God war that's started. And holy crap the betrayals!

So let's talk characters, starting with Cassandra. Oh Cassandra. I get that she's grieving but dang if she is not becoming this stone cold diva. Revenge is the only thing on her mind and I believe it's making her careless. It also puts her family in danger but she has a hard time seeing past her hate. It makes for an interesting contrast with Athena but doesn't really scream sisterhood. Which brings me to the goddess Athena. She just wants to win the war. I liked that we got to see a more softer side of her with her love for Hermes and even her confusing feelings for Odysseus. But unless her and Cassandra come to terms with each other, I don't think they will get very far.

We meet some new characters here mostly Achilles. Athena was hell bent on killing him, so I was hoping that Blake would bring him into the story. I really liked his relationship with Odysseus - such a respect between each other of course right up until he threw a sword through Ody's heart that rat bastard.

Blake just has a way with words that really brings the scenery to life. I felt like I was on Olympus and in the underworld. Everything was fresh and real. I love how she writes these places that you almost feel like you can reach out and touch. She has yet to disappoint me in her writing.

We learn some secrets about our Gods, we lose some more people, and the betrayals are real. Also, that ending was not fun at all. But I've become attached to these characters now and I just want my team to win without any more loss. I know, wishful thinking, but hey, a girl can dream.

[Alexa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was surprisingly good! Not much really happened, but as I'm beginning to learn if I really love the character I don't mind a lack of plot as much (as was the case with this book, lol).

Every character feels fleshed out and real; Athena, Cassandra, Henry, Hermes, Hera, Odysseus... I could go on and on :p and the battle scene!!!! A little bit of 'oh jeez, where did that come from???' BUT STILL SO GOOD AND INTENSE.

I'm diving straight into book 3 😉

[Miranda]

Yeah, I dunno. The first one was okay but honestly, I don't like Blake's portrayal of the gods. They come across as too much like humans.

[Asia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Both Athena and Cassandra were getting on my nerves...

[Giselle · Rating 3 out of 5]

An Advanced Reader Copy was provided by the publisher for review. Quotes pulled from the ARC may be incorrect and may be subject to change.

Mortal Gods suffered mostly from second book syndrome. I was constantly wondering if anything was going to move the plot along. From what I could gather it was about Achilles. Trying to find him and getting him to be on Athena's side. It wasn't even the main plot.. The main plot from what I can gather is the war between the Gods. But unlike the first book, there's nothing else.

I grew bored and set this aside to watch my Netflix shows instead. When I came back I decided to trudge through it and even though it got better, I was still pretty disappointed. This is the book where very little happens. I did like that they traveled all around the world, even visiting the Underworld, but what could've been an action-packed story, just wasn't, it fell flat for me. I was also looking forward to some better character development especially with Athena, but again there really wasn't a change. The only change I could sense was Cassandra and her powers becoming stronger and harder to control. I also didn't understand why some of the characters turned on one another and betrayed them, there was no explanation? Unless I missed something. I didn't really understand the sexual attraction that all the Gods had towards the mortals, maybe it's their right? The ending was the strongest part of the book and even that left on a huge cliffhanger. Also, I liked the four wolves who can stand on two legs and talk. That part was pretty creepy especially when they find something in the jungle.

Overall, I wanted there to more. Mostly an extension and a different story to keep me going. I grew bored the entire time, until the end that is.

[Olivia · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars
The main thing that brings my rating down is Cassandra. She was so damn annoying and selfish.
I looooove Greek mythology and I really liked the first book but somewhere along the way, I lost my interest.

[Bailee · Rating 5 out of 5]

ok ok ok ok ok... I AM NOT OKAY

[Nicolette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Damn this was good. I did wish there was bit a more action.
But still amazing.

[Carina Olsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know how to deal with my feelings for Mortal Gods. I'm so glad that I got to read it early. Waiting until October would have been painful, lol. But oh. The wait for book three will now be longer and full of pain. Because there is a cliffhanger ending in this book. Yet not too awful. Pfff. Who am I kidding. Awful ending. And I loved every moment of it. It was awesome.

I feel like I should give you a warning that my review will contain spoilers for book one. Which should kind of be obvious, but just in case, I'm letting you know. Because there is something I need to talk about, that happened in Antigoddess. And oh. I need to talk about it. Sniffs. Anyway. Mortal Gods was an amazing book. It gave me all the feelings. So many feelings.

In Antigoddess my favorite character was Cassandra. But not in Mortal Gods. In this book, my favorite character was Athena. And I loved that most of the book is from her point of view. I think she is amazing. Strong. Brave. Loving. Yet alone. It just didn't seem fair to me. My heart broke for her so much. I just wanted her to be happy. I wanted people to love her. To understand her. But I don't think they do. Maybe Hermes. But only him. Cassandra was so mean to her. I didn't like the person she became. But I got it. For the most part. Yet I couldn't fully love Cassandra in this book. Ack. She just.. she changed so much.

So yes. Cassandra. I can't. I wanted to love her so bad. But I had huge issues with her in this book, like I said. I hated how she acted towards Athena. It wasn't fair. Not at all. Sigh. But I loved her friendship with Ody in the beginning of the book. It was sweet. If only she hadn't been so mean with Athena. Grrr. But I also understand her. And I do like Cassandra. My heart is breaking for her. Because it has been three months since Aidan died. And she is still not okay. Neither am I. I cannot forget or forgive it.

I had hoped it had been a mistake. But no. I had hoped he could be brought back. But no. But then. There wasn't much time for that kind of thing in this book. And I will continue to hope for the next book. <3 Because I think Cassandra can change again. I think she can become better, if Aidan gets back from the dead. Because, you know, he is a god. And oh. I just wish. I wish there was something Kendare could do about it. Because it still breaks my heart. I wanted Aidan there so much. I wanted more of him.

There is so much in Mortal Gods. So much happening. So many new characters. Like Ares. Oh. I cannot decide how I feel about him. He was creepy. He killed so many. But I also liked him a little. A great villain to read about. He isn't quite.. right. In a way. Him and Aphrodite. She I did dislike. Because she murdered Aidan. Sobs. But yeah. We get to know more about her in this book. How she is dying, as all the gods are. And I did like reading about her. But yes. I would not mind it if she was dead, hih.

My second favorite character in these books are Hermes. Oh, how I adore him! He is amazing to read about. His comment to Ody in the forest. Sigh. I adore Hermes. But holy crap. My heart is breaking over the way he is dying. It is not fair. It is so painful. And awful. And I loved reading every second of it. Sigh. I just need more of Hermes. I also like Henry and Andie. They are still pretty adorable. Though I do wish they would choose to get their memories back. That would be pretty sweet to watch, hih.

I ship Athena and Ody so much in this book. I love his full name, but I cannot spell it or even say it in my head, lol. But I love it. Anyway. I think they would fit together so well. Sniffs. And be so adorable together. But I'm starting to think that will not happen. Grrr. There are so many issues for them. Like this new girl. Damn it. Calypso. I do not like her. At all. And it hurt my heart that she was there. Because they all loved her. Except for Athena. And they were more caring towards Cally. I didn't approve. Sniffs.

I don't know how I felt about Ody in this book. Hmph. I still adore him, but I hated how be acted around Calypso. Though. I do get that it isn't her fault. But I wanted her gone. Gone gone gone. And I wanted him to make a choice. He didn't. And that pissed me off a little. I don't want him to break Athena's heart. But I suppose it will happen. And I do not approve. Sniffs. Anyway. Another new character. Achilles. I cannot decide about him. I liked him. I disliked him. But he was amazing to read about.

I found Mortal Gods to be a stunning book. Full of action, suspense, romance and heartbreak. It was an amazing sequel to a perfect first book. I cannot wait to finish this series. The next book will be epic. I just know it. And I cannot wait to get to read it. <3 This book was just all kinds of amazing. And I'm so glad I got to read it early. I will not say much more about it. Just that so much happens. And it is amazing. And horrible. And creepy. And a little sweet. And so my heartbreak. I loved it to pieces.

HUGE thank you to Tor Teen for sending me this gorgeous print ARC of Mortal Gods. <3 I'm so glad that I got to read it early. Despite how much it hurt my heart. Sniffs. Waiting for book three is going to be torture. But anyway. I will always treasure my copy of this book. And I cannot wait to get the finished version in October as well. So excited. And excited to read this series again someday too. When my heart can handle it, lol. You all need to read Mortal Gods. It is an amazing sequel to an awesome book.

[☆Stephanie☆ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two down. One to go. I almost don’t want it to end. They go too fast! I think bc I’m sucked in I’ll just do a review of the series. You can’t review just one without the rest. RTC.