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Eternal Night
There are gods among us...
Six young gods are hiding in plain sight among mortals, living secretly in cities across the world. From lavish penthouse soirees to pulsing underground clubs, for them, the party literally never ends. Until now.
On a hot June morning, the body of a beautiful girl is found floating in the rooftop pool of the Jefferson Hotel, her white-ink tattoos revealing the story of a life much longer than seems possible. Only the immortals know the truth: Nadia was the goddess of hope. Now she’s gone, and the world as they know it is ending. The Hudson River has turned blood red. Storms rage overhead. Mania is rapidly spreading across the globe.
It is up to the remaining gods—Lola, Dean, Weston, Mark, Nike and Peitha—to put aside centuries of betrayal and heartbreak, and stop the mysterious source of darkness that is taking over… before the sun sets forever.
Carina Adly MacKenzie, blogger and television critic, has penned a steamy, romantic, and ultimately redemptive story of forgotten gods, the persistence of hope, and the power of love to save us.
Six young gods are hiding in plain sight among mortals, living secretly in cities across the world. From lavish penthouse soirees to pulsing underground clubs, for them, the party literally never ends. Until now.
On a hot June morning, the body of a beautiful girl is found floating in the rooftop pool of the Jefferson Hotel, her white-ink tattoos revealing the story of a life much longer than seems possible. Only the immortals know the truth: Nadia was the goddess of hope. Now she’s gone, and the world as they know it is ending. The Hudson River has turned blood red. Storms rage overhead. Mania is rapidly spreading across the globe.
It is up to the remaining gods—Lola, Dean, Weston, Mark, Nike and Peitha—to put aside centuries of betrayal and heartbreak, and stop the mysterious source of darkness that is taking over… before the sun sets forever.
Carina Adly MacKenzie, blogger and television critic, has penned a steamy, romantic, and ultimately redemptive story of forgotten gods, the persistence of hope, and the power of love to save us.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 26, 2014
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1706 people want to read
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August 26, 2014
Of course must read. Awesome cover btw.
March 25, 2017
This is one of those novels where you don't want to "Judge a book by its cover". I loved reading this action packed story. This novel is the author's first one, but from what I have read she is the writer for the TV series THE ORIGINALS. She truly is gifted with a very creative imagination, and this story made me feel things with all my senses.
If you like YA paranormal/fantasy type stories, you gotta read this one. It truly kept me captivated, and it ended very well being a great read overall. It was suspenseful, kept me on my toes, and I was far from being bored. The characters were not boring or drab, stupid, dumb or crazy. They all worked together as a team to fight the forces of evil and darkness, and I had a hard time putting away the story when I had to do other things (like go to work).
The book does need another editing makeover because there are some mistakes such as a sentence being repeated, a misspelled word and a couple of dialogue lines that could of been worded better; but I liked the story line too much to care about the grammatical errors, so I still rated it a 5 based on just the story itself. Sometimes getting picky about particulars isn't what it's all about in my book.
If you like YA paranormal/fantasy type stories, you gotta read this one. It truly kept me captivated, and it ended very well being a great read overall. It was suspenseful, kept me on my toes, and I was far from being bored. The characters were not boring or drab, stupid, dumb or crazy. They all worked together as a team to fight the forces of evil and darkness, and I had a hard time putting away the story when I had to do other things (like go to work).
The book does need another editing makeover because there are some mistakes such as a sentence being repeated, a misspelled word and a couple of dialogue lines that could of been worded better; but I liked the story line too much to care about the grammatical errors, so I still rated it a 5 based on just the story itself. Sometimes getting picky about particulars isn't what it's all about in my book.
August 25, 2014
I went into this book without any expectations. I honestly didn't even remember what the book summary was. Well, let me just say that Eternal Night gave me everything I needed and more! I FREAKING LOVED THIS BOOK!
The plot was fast-paced and exciting with plenty of mystery. There is humor, romance, and UHHMAZING characters! Seriously, the characters were probably my favorite part about this book. I feel like I got to know each one so well. The chapters alternate between the six gods(main characters), and the story is in third person narration. I feel that this point of view worked extremely well for this book. The author really lets you in on each character's personal struggles, history, and inner workings. I just finished the book, and I already miss these guys. I feel like I knew these characters in real life, which is truly the mark of a great author.
I was immediately pulled right into the story from the first few pages, and it never let me out until the very end. Wait...scratch that...I'm still not out! I WANT MORE!!
This book had so many great elements to it. Of course there is the awesome plot, but there is also a ton of deeper meaning that you get from this book. There are some really important life lessons in these pages...along with quite a bit of cursing(many f-bombs were dropped throughout), but I do think that it fit the characters and made sense for the story. I guess you will have to read it to see what I mean by that.
Overall, I loved Eternal Night. It was exactly the kind of book I had been dying to read. It's a classic genre that gets a makeover, and looks beautifuly transformed afterwards. Then you are like, "Hey, did you do something different with your hair? I've NEVER seen you look this good!".
Trust me, this is one debut that you don't want to miss! I can't wait to read whatever Carina writes next!
The plot was fast-paced and exciting with plenty of mystery. There is humor, romance, and UHHMAZING characters! Seriously, the characters were probably my favorite part about this book. I feel like I got to know each one so well. The chapters alternate between the six gods(main characters), and the story is in third person narration. I feel that this point of view worked extremely well for this book. The author really lets you in on each character's personal struggles, history, and inner workings. I just finished the book, and I already miss these guys. I feel like I knew these characters in real life, which is truly the mark of a great author.
I was immediately pulled right into the story from the first few pages, and it never let me out until the very end. Wait...scratch that...I'm still not out! I WANT MORE!!
This book had so many great elements to it. Of course there is the awesome plot, but there is also a ton of deeper meaning that you get from this book. There are some really important life lessons in these pages...along with quite a bit of cursing(many f-bombs were dropped throughout), but I do think that it fit the characters and made sense for the story. I guess you will have to read it to see what I mean by that.
Overall, I loved Eternal Night. It was exactly the kind of book I had been dying to read. It's a classic genre that gets a makeover, and looks beautifuly transformed afterwards. Then you are like, "Hey, did you do something different with your hair? I've NEVER seen you look this good!".
Trust me, this is one debut that you don't want to miss! I can't wait to read whatever Carina writes next!
October 1, 2015
Yup, another 2 star book... I am either being a negative bitch or I'm just picking all the wrong books to read lately...
So, this book could have had it all. The premise was promising, the going back and forth between so many characters actually worked -and that is a biggie, given that sometimes even two POVs can be too much-, the characters were likeable enough and well, who doesn't love an end-of-the-world battle between good and evil?
All this potential was thrown away because this book is, simply put, boring. I had to pick it up around ten freaking times in order to finish it. I was in the mood for reading and I would think "Oh, where was I? Ah, uhmmm, that book... right... better start a new 10-season show." I literally had to force myself to read and then I couldn't even keep going for long because I was bored to death.
These characters are thrust into a battle for humanity and their lives and they basically spend the entire book fretting over their relationships and keeping busy with things they could have solved in the past fifty centuries, but no, they needed one of them to die in order to face their issues. And when I said "battle" I only mean like ten pages in the end of the book, because that's all the apocalyptic-war-action there was. There supposedly is some detective work in there, but it basically comes down to big meetings where they discuss things to death or to chapters each of the characters is alone and wallowing in his misery.
And to add insult to injury we also get a case of the insta-love. Granted it involves the goddess of love, but come on, since nobody was doing anything in the end-of-the-world front, she could have gone on a date. Would be more interesting than reading about how she got dressed for whatever "spying" mission they had going on (which happened in numerous occasions).
I would have been sold on the Nike/Mark romance, if I wasn't so exasperated at how it was all they cared about when the world was dying around them. Like, priorities people, priorities. As for Dean and Peitha... I just didn't care?
If I were to make judgments based on the author's day job, I would say she was influenced by how they drag out tv episodes in order to make a full season out of nothing. But this isn't a tv show and I won't be distracted by the New Orleans shots or Joseph Morgan's pretty face and just let all the boring stuff slide.
So, this book could have had it all. The premise was promising, the going back and forth between so many characters actually worked -and that is a biggie, given that sometimes even two POVs can be too much-, the characters were likeable enough and well, who doesn't love an end-of-the-world battle between good and evil?
All this potential was thrown away because this book is, simply put, boring. I had to pick it up around ten freaking times in order to finish it. I was in the mood for reading and I would think "Oh, where was I? Ah, uhmmm, that book... right... better start a new 10-season show." I literally had to force myself to read and then I couldn't even keep going for long because I was bored to death.
These characters are thrust into a battle for humanity and their lives and they basically spend the entire book fretting over their relationships and keeping busy with things they could have solved in the past fifty centuries, but no, they needed one of them to die in order to face their issues. And when I said "battle" I only mean like ten pages in the end of the book, because that's all the apocalyptic-war-action there was. There supposedly is some detective work in there, but it basically comes down to big meetings where they discuss things to death or to chapters each of the characters is alone and wallowing in his misery.
And to add insult to injury we also get a case of the insta-love. Granted it involves the goddess of love, but come on, since nobody was doing anything in the end-of-the-world front, she could have gone on a date. Would be more interesting than reading about how she got dressed for whatever "spying" mission they had going on (which happened in numerous occasions).
I would have been sold on the Nike/Mark romance, if I wasn't so exasperated at how it was all they cared about when the world was dying around them. Like, priorities people, priorities. As for Dean and Peitha... I just didn't care?
If I were to make judgments based on the author's day job, I would say she was influenced by how they drag out tv episodes in order to make a full season out of nothing. But this isn't a tv show and I won't be distracted by the New Orleans shots or Joseph Morgan's pretty face and just let all the boring stuff slide.
July 26, 2014
This was a book that I definitely found intriguing. I loved the premise and I was pretty excited to get to it. Thankfully, it didn't disappoint.
There were some great characters. I especially loved Jude and his interactions with Lola. I really enjoyed getting everyone's side of the story. It kept it interesting, plus was a way to show the history of everyone instead of a rambling narrative.
The story was a bit of a slow burn, so it did take me a bit to get settled in. However, once that pivotal shift happened, it was a roller coaster. I found myself wanting more from whatever god's chapter I was just finishing with.
The only complaint [for lack of a better word] is that I wish we would have gotten an epilogue. The ending is hopeful and seemingly happy, but I would have liked something more concrete.
All in all, it was a unique story that kept me entertained. I look forward to reading more of Carina's stories.
**Huge thanks to Paper Lantern Lit and NetGalley for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**
There were some great characters. I especially loved Jude and his interactions with Lola. I really enjoyed getting everyone's side of the story. It kept it interesting, plus was a way to show the history of everyone instead of a rambling narrative.
The story was a bit of a slow burn, so it did take me a bit to get settled in. However, once that pivotal shift happened, it was a roller coaster. I found myself wanting more from whatever god's chapter I was just finishing with.
The only complaint [for lack of a better word] is that I wish we would have gotten an epilogue. The ending is hopeful and seemingly happy, but I would have liked something more concrete.
All in all, it was a unique story that kept me entertained. I look forward to reading more of Carina's stories.
**Huge thanks to Paper Lantern Lit and NetGalley for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review**
March 7, 2020
Gods hiding in plain sight pretending to be human. It's the idea presented in other books that if no one believes in the gods they lose their power. Early on they lose on of their own and a wave of plagues start wreaking havoc all over the world. The gods are on a mission to stop whoever is behind this and to take back their own powers. This one I liked.
October 6, 2014
--I received a free ARC of this novel through the GoodReads First Reads giveaway program--
I love books about gods: American Gods, Small Gods, Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal, The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul, and so on.
I have to say, I've never seen The Vampire Diaries or The Originals (based on reviews and synopses of them, they don't sound like my cup of tea), so I didn't know quite what to expect from this novel, and my expectations were a little low. I knew immediately how wrong I was, because this novel was really top-notch. I loved it.
Synopsis: Eternal Night is a story about six immortal gods who, stripped of their powers, have spent years living undercover as average teenagers and twenty-somethings. When an old friend of theirs is found dead just as ten plagues begin to torment New York City, the gods realize that an ancient prophecy may be coming true. As they investigate the circumstances of their friend's death and search for a way to save the world from a deadly darkness, the gods are forced to confront centuries of old wounds and buried secrets. (from the letter to the reader from the author, Carina Adly MacKenzie, in the ARC I received)
Writing, Style, etc.: This book is written in present tense, except for the prologue which is written in the future tense. Obviously, other tenses are used appropriately when necessary (e.g. recalling memories, planning events). I don't often come across this when reading, and in general, I'm not a fan of it, because it is rarely carried off well. In this case, however, it was flawless. There were no jarring slips in tense, and it felt appropriate to the plot and pacing of the novel. The novel is told in third person, but the chapters alternate which of the six gods they focus on, which is also a nice stylistic choice; it doesn't feel so jumpy that way. Aside from being separated into chapters, this book takes place over the course of five days, and, being told in present tense, has five major sections.
Content: Besides the major plot line, this is also somewhat a coming-of-age novel, even though the main characters are immortal gods, several centuries old. They are navigating friendships, love, sexuality, addiction, and hopelessness alongside the mere mortals of this age. The major and minor plot-lines moved smoothly and quickly along, nothing was left hanging, none of the many questions were left unanswered.
Overall, a stellar debut novel and an enthralling read (I read it over two days; I only stopped to sleep).
I love books about gods: American Gods, Small Gods, Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal, The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul, and so on.
I have to say, I've never seen The Vampire Diaries or The Originals (based on reviews and synopses of them, they don't sound like my cup of tea), so I didn't know quite what to expect from this novel, and my expectations were a little low. I knew immediately how wrong I was, because this novel was really top-notch. I loved it.
Synopsis: Eternal Night is a story about six immortal gods who, stripped of their powers, have spent years living undercover as average teenagers and twenty-somethings. When an old friend of theirs is found dead just as ten plagues begin to torment New York City, the gods realize that an ancient prophecy may be coming true. As they investigate the circumstances of their friend's death and search for a way to save the world from a deadly darkness, the gods are forced to confront centuries of old wounds and buried secrets. (from the letter to the reader from the author, Carina Adly MacKenzie, in the ARC I received)
Writing, Style, etc.: This book is written in present tense, except for the prologue which is written in the future tense. Obviously, other tenses are used appropriately when necessary (e.g. recalling memories, planning events). I don't often come across this when reading, and in general, I'm not a fan of it, because it is rarely carried off well. In this case, however, it was flawless. There were no jarring slips in tense, and it felt appropriate to the plot and pacing of the novel. The novel is told in third person, but the chapters alternate which of the six gods they focus on, which is also a nice stylistic choice; it doesn't feel so jumpy that way. Aside from being separated into chapters, this book takes place over the course of five days, and, being told in present tense, has five major sections.
Content: Besides the major plot line, this is also somewhat a coming-of-age novel, even though the main characters are immortal gods, several centuries old. They are navigating friendships, love, sexuality, addiction, and hopelessness alongside the mere mortals of this age. The major and minor plot-lines moved smoothly and quickly along, nothing was left hanging, none of the many questions were left unanswered.
Overall, a stellar debut novel and an enthralling read (I read it over two days; I only stopped to sleep).
July 1, 2014
I’m a huge mythology fan and love discovering books that spin and twist these stories and elements in new ways...so, I was really looking forward to reading Carina Adley MacKenzie’s Eternal Night. Unfortunately, I walked away from this YA book rather disappointed.
There are gods among us: they’re not very powerful anymore and hide in plain sight. When Nadia, the last goddess of hope, is found dead, her six godly friends (Lola, Dean, Nike, Mark, Weston, Peitha) must uncover the truth behind her death and stop the impending apocalypse it has brought on. These six gods, trapped forever in the bodies and minds of teenagers, must get past all their centuries old bullshit and work together to save the world.
Eternal Night starts off strong enough with a cool premise and some genuinely unique, captivating mythological elements. However, I found the overall execution, writing, and characterizations to be mediocre. While reading this book, I just kept thinking to myself This book could really use another round of editing. And in many ways, it seems like this book is trying way too hard to be something- hip, different, or edgy maybe- and just ends up feeling stiff.
The story definitely has its moments, whether they be funny; romantic; or thrilling, but I found myself mostly bored, and, at times, utterly frustrated with all the unnecessary descriptions. Seriously, I did not need to be told what each character was wearing, in full details, at every single moment or what each room/setting/new place looked like down to the tiniest detail. And the words “hipster” and “artfully” were used so much that I just started replacing them, in my head, with more fun to say words: His hair was whimsically/adroitly/wilily messy.
I think my biggest issue with Eternal Night, are its characters. I didn’t hate any of the characters, but, for a group of centuries old gods and goddesses, they’re all rather uninteresting. I did find myself amused by Dean and his humor though (and he totally reminded me of Dean Winchester from Supernatural, which I’m pretty sure was on purpose. So yay for that!). These six gods and goddesses are neither likable or unlikable, engaging or annoying, they’re all just easily forgettable.
There’s some neat twists and revelations thrown in toward the ending of Eternal Night, but the conclusion itself feels rushed and, like much of the book, feels disjointed.
My Final Thoughts: I was hoping Eternal Night would wow and entertain me, but, despite its good qualities, I found it disappointing and dull overall.
There are gods among us: they’re not very powerful anymore and hide in plain sight. When Nadia, the last goddess of hope, is found dead, her six godly friends (Lola, Dean, Nike, Mark, Weston, Peitha) must uncover the truth behind her death and stop the impending apocalypse it has brought on. These six gods, trapped forever in the bodies and minds of teenagers, must get past all their centuries old bullshit and work together to save the world.
Eternal Night starts off strong enough with a cool premise and some genuinely unique, captivating mythological elements. However, I found the overall execution, writing, and characterizations to be mediocre. While reading this book, I just kept thinking to myself This book could really use another round of editing. And in many ways, it seems like this book is trying way too hard to be something- hip, different, or edgy maybe- and just ends up feeling stiff.
The story definitely has its moments, whether they be funny; romantic; or thrilling, but I found myself mostly bored, and, at times, utterly frustrated with all the unnecessary descriptions. Seriously, I did not need to be told what each character was wearing, in full details, at every single moment or what each room/setting/new place looked like down to the tiniest detail. And the words “hipster” and “artfully” were used so much that I just started replacing them, in my head, with more fun to say words: His hair was whimsically/adroitly/wilily messy.
I think my biggest issue with Eternal Night, are its characters. I didn’t hate any of the characters, but, for a group of centuries old gods and goddesses, they’re all rather uninteresting. I did find myself amused by Dean and his humor though (and he totally reminded me of Dean Winchester from Supernatural, which I’m pretty sure was on purpose. So yay for that!). These six gods and goddesses are neither likable or unlikable, engaging or annoying, they’re all just easily forgettable.
There’s some neat twists and revelations thrown in toward the ending of Eternal Night, but the conclusion itself feels rushed and, like much of the book, feels disjointed.
My Final Thoughts: I was hoping Eternal Night would wow and entertain me, but, despite its good qualities, I found it disappointing and dull overall.
August 17, 2014
*Review from my blog Skeleton Key Reviews http://skeletonkeyreviews.com/?p=288*
Over the years the gods’ powers have waned from the lack of belief in them. The book starts off about six gods in particular. Nike, what the Greeks knew her as, and she is the goddess of victory. Which just happens to be a particular favorite of mine since my name is derived from her name. The name Nicole is the French feminine version of the boy’s name Nicholas. Nicholas, in turn, is the anglicized spelling of the Greek name “Nikolaos” which is derived from “nikē” (victory) and “laos” (people). So Nicole basically translates to ‘people of victory’. Like you cared, I know. LOL
Back to the Gods! They aren’t given the historical names in the book that we would readily know them by so I went on a hunt to match them up, for my own nerdiness. So here is what I came up with. I may be a little off on my interpretations. Dean, Dionysus as the Greeks referred to him, is the god of wine and merry making. Weston, the Celts would have known him as Oghma. The Norse would have had him as a giant god called Mimir, is the god of communication, writing, and poets. I would go with the Mimir since there is mention that Odin is his grandfather. However there is mention of winged sandals too, which would make him the Greek Hermes. Weston was/is hard for me to pigeon hole. Mark, could be the Roman god Mars or the Greeks Ares, is the god of war. I’m going with the Roman Mars, there is mention of a spear in the book. Lola, Romans would have worshipped her as Venus and the Greeks would have called her Aphrodite, is the goddess of love. And last but not least Peitha, known by the Greeks as Peitho, Goddess of Persuasion. And I probably put waaaay to much thought into all of that.
I really don’t know what I expected when I requested Eternal Night from NetGalley, but it has been far exceeded. This was such an exceptional read. Any mention of myths or gods and goddesses it is going to make me take notice. And I’m glad I did with this. The blending of the myths into todays culture makes this an interesting read to say the least. Romances of the gods? Even better. Then there is the battle to save the world. All culminating into one engrossing read. I would definitely recommend this one for anyone with the hankering for a little twist to their mythology.
Over the years the gods’ powers have waned from the lack of belief in them. The book starts off about six gods in particular. Nike, what the Greeks knew her as, and she is the goddess of victory. Which just happens to be a particular favorite of mine since my name is derived from her name. The name Nicole is the French feminine version of the boy’s name Nicholas. Nicholas, in turn, is the anglicized spelling of the Greek name “Nikolaos” which is derived from “nikē” (victory) and “laos” (people). So Nicole basically translates to ‘people of victory’. Like you cared, I know. LOL
Back to the Gods! They aren’t given the historical names in the book that we would readily know them by so I went on a hunt to match them up, for my own nerdiness. So here is what I came up with. I may be a little off on my interpretations. Dean, Dionysus as the Greeks referred to him, is the god of wine and merry making. Weston, the Celts would have known him as Oghma. The Norse would have had him as a giant god called Mimir, is the god of communication, writing, and poets. I would go with the Mimir since there is mention that Odin is his grandfather. However there is mention of winged sandals too, which would make him the Greek Hermes. Weston was/is hard for me to pigeon hole. Mark, could be the Roman god Mars or the Greeks Ares, is the god of war. I’m going with the Roman Mars, there is mention of a spear in the book. Lola, Romans would have worshipped her as Venus and the Greeks would have called her Aphrodite, is the goddess of love. And last but not least Peitha, known by the Greeks as Peitho, Goddess of Persuasion. And I probably put waaaay to much thought into all of that.
I really don’t know what I expected when I requested Eternal Night from NetGalley, but it has been far exceeded. This was such an exceptional read. Any mention of myths or gods and goddesses it is going to make me take notice. And I’m glad I did with this. The blending of the myths into todays culture makes this an interesting read to say the least. Romances of the gods? Even better. Then there is the battle to save the world. All culminating into one engrossing read. I would definitely recommend this one for anyone with the hankering for a little twist to their mythology.
August 26, 2016
I was really looking forward to reading Eternal Night, the debut novel from Carina MacKenzie (she's a writer on the CW hit TV show "The Originals.") The basic premise involves six young Gods living in modern New York City who must come together despite centuries of tension, conflict, and love between them after the suicide of their friend Nadia, the Goddess of Hope. They work to solve the mystery of her death while confronting the demons of their past– but they are racing against a ticking clock, because Nadia's death is the catalyst for an ancient prophecy that leads to plagues roaming the streets of New York. If they don't work quickly enough, the city will be plunged into Eternal Night.
There are so many wonderful things about this book, but what really stuck out to me are the distinct characters. They are all based off of mythological Gods (Lola, the main character, is descended from Aphrodite the Goddess of Love, Dean is descended from Dionysus, the God of wine and revelry...etc) but they are each imbued with very specific character traits and motivations. They each get their own POV, which I really enjoyed. Their interactions with one another are complex, and full of romantic tension– there are FOUR couples in Eternal Night, so there's no shortage of sexy scenes and complicated love triangles.
The overall mystery and pacing of the novel are also excellent– Carina did a great job of bringing New York to life and the characters explore different areas of the city in their attempts to figure out why Nadia died. I don't want to give too much away, but I was NOT anticipating the ending at all. The apocalyptic events build to a really dramatic climax, and I thought the resolution was both unexpected but really satisfying. Overall, I loved it!
There are so many wonderful things about this book, but what really stuck out to me are the distinct characters. They are all based off of mythological Gods (Lola, the main character, is descended from Aphrodite the Goddess of Love, Dean is descended from Dionysus, the God of wine and revelry...etc) but they are each imbued with very specific character traits and motivations. They each get their own POV, which I really enjoyed. Their interactions with one another are complex, and full of romantic tension– there are FOUR couples in Eternal Night, so there's no shortage of sexy scenes and complicated love triangles.
The overall mystery and pacing of the novel are also excellent– Carina did a great job of bringing New York to life and the characters explore different areas of the city in their attempts to figure out why Nadia died. I don't want to give too much away, but I was NOT anticipating the ending at all. The apocalyptic events build to a really dramatic climax, and I thought the resolution was both unexpected but really satisfying. Overall, I loved it!
February 1, 2020
I enjoyed this little twist on what happens to the gods when people stop believing. I could connect with all the characters...the whole group-Mark, Lola, Nike, Weston, Dean and Peitha. I would recommend this one.
May 23, 2016
A really good book with the right amount of backstory and contemporary, with a thriller element that keeps hooking the reader throughout, and having a fresh narrative style that reads as if it was originally written for a screenplay. The author carries out the experiment well and it shows her finesse in the craft of writing. The story is through the eyes of most POV characters and deals with characters dealing with the repercussions of the loss of hope and an apocalyptic situation in the hand. Apt for the Young Adult genre, with Gods and everything. More of a magical realism too. A recommended read with decently paced story and good character development. Enjoyed reading it.
October 15, 2015
I won an ARC from a goodreads give away.
Eternal Night was a nice chance of pace from the books I've currently been reading. There are six different POV from the six Gods that are now living among mortals without their powers. As they learn lessons in their own lives, they manage to save the world from Eternal Darkness aka the apocalypse.
Eternal Night was a nice chance of pace from the books I've currently been reading. There are six different POV from the six Gods that are now living among mortals without their powers. As they learn lessons in their own lives, they manage to save the world from Eternal Darkness aka the apocalypse.
July 8, 2024
I’m sorry guys, I rated without reading, but I have been scouring the globe for a copy of this book and this is the only way to reach out on this platform. I even reached out to the Writer and she said it’s out of print and very hard to find. I do have a tremendous respect for the author, Carina Mackenzie and she has written some amazing episodes of my favorite shows. This has led me to an insatiable search for this book, her first book. I am also an aspiring Author and have said the number one thing I will do if I am ever lucky enough to get published and have a name for myself is use my connections to find this book, then buy the chair from Shark Tank for my office, lol. Call it obsessive, most writers are. However, there was a free ebook for a while that some got to read. I would literally pay big money to have a ebook copy or a physical copy. Does anyone have this and willing to share? I have been searching on and off for years and refuse to give up. I know that in the back of some dusty but beautiful book store lays an untouched copy or the dark web which is my line lol. Please and thank you.
May 26, 2017
Hope Never Dies
This book is one of the best examples that love, hope, and faith have more power than darkness. And as someone who is constantly at battle with my own inner darkness, this was something I desperately needed to read.
This book is one of the best examples that love, hope, and faith have more power than darkness. And as someone who is constantly at battle with my own inner darkness, this was something I desperately needed to read.
July 8, 2018
Decent story
Struggled to finish this story. The concept was interesting, but very predictable, and not very exciting after the dead girl was found in the pool. Some of the one-liners were so cheesy. I had a hard time feeling a connection to (or caring about) the characters.
Struggled to finish this story. The concept was interesting, but very predictable, and not very exciting after the dead girl was found in the pool. Some of the one-liners were so cheesy. I had a hard time feeling a connection to (or caring about) the characters.
February 9, 2019
Dnf at 49%. Just...dull. I got through not quite half and it felt like I'd been reading it forever, mostly because I kept finding excuses to do something else.
August 21, 2014
4.5 Stars
'Eternal Night' is a perfect blend of mythological gods and goddesses within a contemporary setting. The book focuses on the remaining six gods and goddesses who have basically lost their powers and now live on Earth among the mortals as regular people. Things seem to be going like the usually do, until the morning the paper reports an "angel" being found dead in a swimming pool at the top of the Jefferson Hotel. Right after that happens, the East River and the Hudson River turn blood red. The mythological friends gather to attempt to figure out what's happening. The truth is devastating - one of their own, a goddess named Nadia, was the "angel" who died in the pool. It now seems that an ancient prophecy detailing the end of the world is beginning to come true - and it's up to the the remaining gods to stop the prophecy before the darkness takes over forever.
I have to admit that I was immediately drawn to this book after reading the description. Then, after finding out that the author is a writer for "The Originals" show on The CW - which I LOVE - I knew I had to get my hands on it. I didn't really know what to expect but I did have high hopes for the book because of the premise and how much I love the tv show. I'm so happy to report that I was definitely not disappointed in the least. The book is full of so many layers - from varying points of view to mythological histories and relationships between everyone - that it kept me eagerly reading until I finished the book (in one sitting). The book is told in an unique way. It is separated first into days and within the "day" chapters, there are several different characters telling a part of the story from their point of view. For example, we have Day 1 - and within that section of the book we'll hear from Dean, Lola, and Nike. The story really varies between all of the gods, so we get to know each of them very personally by the end of the book. I loved each of the gods. They all had unique personalities with distinct traits and flaws - which actually matched up with the ancient gods they are descended from. I thought this angle was a great touch by the author and it seemed to authenticate the characters as both mythological gods and realistic people at the same time. We learn a lot about each of the characters - their histories, relationships with one another, issues they are having or have been dealing with - basically everything that you could want to know. I honestly came to love (or at least like) all of them before the end of the book and found myself feeling like I knew them and could empathize easily with them all.
The plot of the book is phenomenal and wholly original. The author mixes various "end of the world" prophecies and stories together to create the situations in the book. I loved that she pulled from different cultures and religions to make the prophecy and how things are carried out according to it. The writing was magnificent - I honestly couldn't believe that it's the author's debut novel. I felt immediately transported into the story from the first paragraph and it was like I was right beside all of the characters as the story unfolded. There was a great amount of detail along with vivid imagery and descriptions that made it seem authentic and natural. The pace of the story was fast - some parts had me reading so fast I was afraid I was going to miss something because I just had to know what was going to happen. Overall, this is one heck of a debut novel. It blends so many genres together - action, fantasy, mythology, adventure, dystopia, romance, and more - that I don't think you can really pin it down to one category. And it shouldn't be labeled as just one. The author did a terrific job entwining the genres, the characters with all their histories and their issues, and the impending doom of the planet, into a mesmerizing novel that makes the reader beg for more. I very highly recommend this one to fans of mythology and fantasies, along with those who want something fresh and new - an honestly unique and outstanding novel. I'll definitely be (impatiently) waiting for the author's next release.
Disclosure: I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
'Eternal Night' is a perfect blend of mythological gods and goddesses within a contemporary setting. The book focuses on the remaining six gods and goddesses who have basically lost their powers and now live on Earth among the mortals as regular people. Things seem to be going like the usually do, until the morning the paper reports an "angel" being found dead in a swimming pool at the top of the Jefferson Hotel. Right after that happens, the East River and the Hudson River turn blood red. The mythological friends gather to attempt to figure out what's happening. The truth is devastating - one of their own, a goddess named Nadia, was the "angel" who died in the pool. It now seems that an ancient prophecy detailing the end of the world is beginning to come true - and it's up to the the remaining gods to stop the prophecy before the darkness takes over forever.
I have to admit that I was immediately drawn to this book after reading the description. Then, after finding out that the author is a writer for "The Originals" show on The CW - which I LOVE - I knew I had to get my hands on it. I didn't really know what to expect but I did have high hopes for the book because of the premise and how much I love the tv show. I'm so happy to report that I was definitely not disappointed in the least. The book is full of so many layers - from varying points of view to mythological histories and relationships between everyone - that it kept me eagerly reading until I finished the book (in one sitting). The book is told in an unique way. It is separated first into days and within the "day" chapters, there are several different characters telling a part of the story from their point of view. For example, we have Day 1 - and within that section of the book we'll hear from Dean, Lola, and Nike. The story really varies between all of the gods, so we get to know each of them very personally by the end of the book. I loved each of the gods. They all had unique personalities with distinct traits and flaws - which actually matched up with the ancient gods they are descended from. I thought this angle was a great touch by the author and it seemed to authenticate the characters as both mythological gods and realistic people at the same time. We learn a lot about each of the characters - their histories, relationships with one another, issues they are having or have been dealing with - basically everything that you could want to know. I honestly came to love (or at least like) all of them before the end of the book and found myself feeling like I knew them and could empathize easily with them all.
The plot of the book is phenomenal and wholly original. The author mixes various "end of the world" prophecies and stories together to create the situations in the book. I loved that she pulled from different cultures and religions to make the prophecy and how things are carried out according to it. The writing was magnificent - I honestly couldn't believe that it's the author's debut novel. I felt immediately transported into the story from the first paragraph and it was like I was right beside all of the characters as the story unfolded. There was a great amount of detail along with vivid imagery and descriptions that made it seem authentic and natural. The pace of the story was fast - some parts had me reading so fast I was afraid I was going to miss something because I just had to know what was going to happen. Overall, this is one heck of a debut novel. It blends so many genres together - action, fantasy, mythology, adventure, dystopia, romance, and more - that I don't think you can really pin it down to one category. And it shouldn't be labeled as just one. The author did a terrific job entwining the genres, the characters with all their histories and their issues, and the impending doom of the planet, into a mesmerizing novel that makes the reader beg for more. I very highly recommend this one to fans of mythology and fantasies, along with those who want something fresh and new - an honestly unique and outstanding novel. I'll definitely be (impatiently) waiting for the author's next release.
Disclosure: I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
October 22, 2014
There is only one way I can describe Eternal Night, and that is as Gossip Girl meets Revenge meets Percy Jackson. (I know, I wouldn't have been able to picture it before I read this book, either.) It’s a tense, glamourous and cinematic take on the classic apocalyptic scenario: the countdown to the end of the word has begun and there are only six people who stand a chance of saving it.
Mark, Nike, Lola, Dean, Weston and Peitha are relics of a different era: immortals no longer at the core of human devotion, hidden in the underground clubs, side streets and black-tie events of the twenty-first century. They make for such a strong cast, it’s impossible not to find a favourite character or three when you’re reading this book. Weston, a god of communication, masquerades as a singer-songwriter superstar with OCD issues. Dean, closely tied with Dionysus, the god of wine, has got a good heart and a serious drinking problem. Peitha was probably my least favourite character simply because her viewpoint is so detached from the others – she’s a kind of Daenerys Targaryen addition, starting out far away but clearly headed for the climactic battle, only less compelling and nowhere near as memorable. Thankfully, my favourite character by far was Lola. Feisty, optimistic and warm, she’s the kind of character who’ll be adored by every kind of reader.
And of course, romance is at the very heart of this book’s priorities. It's everywhere - there's even an LGBT romance - and it’s almost no surprise that I simply can’t choose between my favourite romantic storylines here. Mark and Nike are absolutely brilliant together. A god of war and the goddess of victory? It’s fantastic! They have real history and their relationship is tense and passionate – each is as strong and stubborn as the other – as well as tender and genuine – it’s clear that nobody understands them the way they understand each other. Lola and Jude, on the other hand, are sweeter and more cautious, yet there’s chemistry and humour there, too. I found myself rooting for them right from the beginning.
Unfortunately, one of the issues I had with the book stemmed from MacKenzie’s characterisation and treatment of Jude. In a way, he answers the call for more diversity in books as he’s blind and shows that characters with disabilities can be just as engaging and crush-worthy as able-bodied characters. Yet the way he’s written by MacKenzie speaks of inaccuracy, lack of realism, little or no research, and let’s face it, laziness. There are several instances where he’s described as responding to Lola’s facial expressions or movements, even when she’s not talking and he’s on the other side of the room. Um, what? I have no problem with characters being perceptive but that’s just ridiculous. And, as always when a blind character becomes involved with mythology, he’s given psychic ‘second sight’ powers. Could you be any more predictable? Isn’t there any other way for someone with visual impairment to be involved with a high stakes action story, or must authors forever resort to frankly sickening clichés? This also applies to instances of misogyny in the book and the writing style, which was full of brand names and just didn’t feel as original as the book’s premise warranted.
Speaking of high stakes, I think it’s important to mention that the plot of Eternal Night is occasionally a little threadbare. It may have something to do with the fact that the characters continue to attend parties and agonise over their beautiful clothes even when the world is ending right outside the window. However, what little plot does exist is excellent and totally electrifying; the pieces fall into place like a puzzle. I read the book in one sitting and I can’t wait to read more from the series.
In short: Eternal Night is one of the most sensational books I’ve read all year. It’s dramatic, stylish and utterly addictive. It wasn’t perfect but it gets a really high four stars from me.
Mark, Nike, Lola, Dean, Weston and Peitha are relics of a different era: immortals no longer at the core of human devotion, hidden in the underground clubs, side streets and black-tie events of the twenty-first century. They make for such a strong cast, it’s impossible not to find a favourite character or three when you’re reading this book. Weston, a god of communication, masquerades as a singer-songwriter superstar with OCD issues. Dean, closely tied with Dionysus, the god of wine, has got a good heart and a serious drinking problem. Peitha was probably my least favourite character simply because her viewpoint is so detached from the others – she’s a kind of Daenerys Targaryen addition, starting out far away but clearly headed for the climactic battle, only less compelling and nowhere near as memorable. Thankfully, my favourite character by far was Lola. Feisty, optimistic and warm, she’s the kind of character who’ll be adored by every kind of reader.
And of course, romance is at the very heart of this book’s priorities. It's everywhere - there's even an LGBT romance - and it’s almost no surprise that I simply can’t choose between my favourite romantic storylines here. Mark and Nike are absolutely brilliant together. A god of war and the goddess of victory? It’s fantastic! They have real history and their relationship is tense and passionate – each is as strong and stubborn as the other – as well as tender and genuine – it’s clear that nobody understands them the way they understand each other. Lola and Jude, on the other hand, are sweeter and more cautious, yet there’s chemistry and humour there, too. I found myself rooting for them right from the beginning.
Unfortunately, one of the issues I had with the book stemmed from MacKenzie’s characterisation and treatment of Jude. In a way, he answers the call for more diversity in books as he’s blind and shows that characters with disabilities can be just as engaging and crush-worthy as able-bodied characters. Yet the way he’s written by MacKenzie speaks of inaccuracy, lack of realism, little or no research, and let’s face it, laziness. There are several instances where he’s described as responding to Lola’s facial expressions or movements, even when she’s not talking and he’s on the other side of the room. Um, what? I have no problem with characters being perceptive but that’s just ridiculous. And, as always when a blind character becomes involved with mythology, he’s given psychic ‘second sight’ powers. Could you be any more predictable? Isn’t there any other way for someone with visual impairment to be involved with a high stakes action story, or must authors forever resort to frankly sickening clichés? This also applies to instances of misogyny in the book and the writing style, which was full of brand names and just didn’t feel as original as the book’s premise warranted.
Speaking of high stakes, I think it’s important to mention that the plot of Eternal Night is occasionally a little threadbare. It may have something to do with the fact that the characters continue to attend parties and agonise over their beautiful clothes even when the world is ending right outside the window. However, what little plot does exist is excellent and totally electrifying; the pieces fall into place like a puzzle. I read the book in one sitting and I can’t wait to read more from the series.
In short: Eternal Night is one of the most sensational books I’ve read all year. It’s dramatic, stylish and utterly addictive. It wasn’t perfect but it gets a really high four stars from me.
September 5, 2014
Review (+ bonus material not found here) originally posted on Queen Ella Bee Reads
Told from six different points of view (six gods, one point of view for each), ETERNAL NIGHT tells the story of what happens when the shadows rise up in an attempt to undo the light's victory.
Dean, Weston, Mark, Nike, Lola and Peitha are gods living among men. The lack of faith has taken their power from them but their immortality remains, allowing them to reinvent themselves every few years and live forever. But living together isn't as easy as it seems. Peitha's run off to Vegas and the other five remaining in New York City barely speak. But when one of their own, Nadia, is killed and plagues start cropping up around both NYC and the rest of the world, the six know they have to put their heads together to stop the world from ending.
This book is interesting for a lot of reasons, but my favorite reason is the way all of the gods mentioned come from different mythology. Norse, Greek, Egyptian, Roman... all are included. It's a very different take than I've seen in most of YA and I like it from a religious studies stand point. While all of these traditions are distinctive and separate, ETERNAL NIGHT highlights how similar ideals presented themselves in the different major societies. And since people no longer believe in the gods, causing the gods in this book to lose their powers, even more interesting points are being made. I definitely dig the depth here.
But ETERNAL NIGHT isn't all about depth. It's also about action. The gods are trying to stop whoever's summoning these plagues and keep them from ending everything and they only have a few days to do it. They're also busy dealing with their internal squabbling while simultaneously trying to keep the world from ending. I mean, this guy's not talking to that guy, she's run away from him, they're pretending everything is okay between them... It's typical drama but with years more background and complexity, given the immortality.
And then there's the romance. While there's an obvious way the puzzle pieces can fit together, this book keeps you guessing by throwing mortals into the mix, inserting LGBT relationships and asking more philosophical and psychological questions than one might not think to find in a YA paranormal romance.
However, none of these things are what make this story so addicting (although they definitely help). My underlying obsession with ETERNAL NIGHT is because it reads like a CW show. (This makes sense because Carina Adly MacKenzie writes for the CW.) And, let's be real, I either go all in or not at all with my CW shows. I kept picturing ETERNAL NIGHT in a setting similar to Arrow - dark and set in a corrupted town with explosions and disaster at every turn. And some steamy kissing and drama thrown in for added goodness. Basically, if ETERNAL NIGHT got turned into a TV show/mini-series thing, I'd watch it so fast and it's all I'd talk about for days.
Bottom line:
This paranormal debut is exactly what I wanted. It's fast-paced, dramatic, swoony, gripping, thought-provoking and everything else I didn't even know I could have from a paranormal romance but will expect from now on. Carina Adly MacKenzie has set a bar for me and I can't wait to see what she writes next. (Side Note: I'd watch The Originals, but I haven't watched The Vampire Diaries, but winter is long and it is coming, so who knows?)
Told from six different points of view (six gods, one point of view for each), ETERNAL NIGHT tells the story of what happens when the shadows rise up in an attempt to undo the light's victory.
Dean, Weston, Mark, Nike, Lola and Peitha are gods living among men. The lack of faith has taken their power from them but their immortality remains, allowing them to reinvent themselves every few years and live forever. But living together isn't as easy as it seems. Peitha's run off to Vegas and the other five remaining in New York City barely speak. But when one of their own, Nadia, is killed and plagues start cropping up around both NYC and the rest of the world, the six know they have to put their heads together to stop the world from ending.
This book is interesting for a lot of reasons, but my favorite reason is the way all of the gods mentioned come from different mythology. Norse, Greek, Egyptian, Roman... all are included. It's a very different take than I've seen in most of YA and I like it from a religious studies stand point. While all of these traditions are distinctive and separate, ETERNAL NIGHT highlights how similar ideals presented themselves in the different major societies. And since people no longer believe in the gods, causing the gods in this book to lose their powers, even more interesting points are being made. I definitely dig the depth here.
But ETERNAL NIGHT isn't all about depth. It's also about action. The gods are trying to stop whoever's summoning these plagues and keep them from ending everything and they only have a few days to do it. They're also busy dealing with their internal squabbling while simultaneously trying to keep the world from ending. I mean, this guy's not talking to that guy, she's run away from him, they're pretending everything is okay between them... It's typical drama but with years more background and complexity, given the immortality.
And then there's the romance. While there's an obvious way the puzzle pieces can fit together, this book keeps you guessing by throwing mortals into the mix, inserting LGBT relationships and asking more philosophical and psychological questions than one might not think to find in a YA paranormal romance.
However, none of these things are what make this story so addicting (although they definitely help). My underlying obsession with ETERNAL NIGHT is because it reads like a CW show. (This makes sense because Carina Adly MacKenzie writes for the CW.) And, let's be real, I either go all in or not at all with my CW shows. I kept picturing ETERNAL NIGHT in a setting similar to Arrow - dark and set in a corrupted town with explosions and disaster at every turn. And some steamy kissing and drama thrown in for added goodness. Basically, if ETERNAL NIGHT got turned into a TV show/mini-series thing, I'd watch it so fast and it's all I'd talk about for days.
Bottom line:
This paranormal debut is exactly what I wanted. It's fast-paced, dramatic, swoony, gripping, thought-provoking and everything else I didn't even know I could have from a paranormal romance but will expect from now on. Carina Adly MacKenzie has set a bar for me and I can't wait to see what she writes next. (Side Note: I'd watch The Originals, but I haven't watched The Vampire Diaries, but winter is long and it is coming, so who knows?)
September 5, 2015
Rating: 4/5
It took me a little while to get into this book. I started when I first got it (which was the first day the novel was released as an e-book) and eventually I got a bit bored with it and put it down to read something else. When I picked it back up though I didn't find it as difficult to follow as I had before, and about a third of the way through it started to really pick up and get interesting.
What I liked:
The thing that drew me in to begin with, other than my love for The Originals and The Vampire Diaries, was the mythology aspect of it. I've always been fascinated by Greek mythology and this book pleasantly surprised me when I realized it wasn't only Greek mythology mentioned. There were Norse gods, mention of Christianity, and Egyptian gods mentioned as if they all coexist and intertwine rather than there being one absolute group of them. I've never read a story that did that before so I loved that.
I enjoyed the characters' dynamics and even though giving every character in a group a set love interest pairing sort of drives me nuts, I didn't mind it so much in this novel because the characters still interacted as friends too. I also enjoyed the occasional "flashbacks" we got where we could see how deeply rooted these friendships were.
I also loved the fact that the gods hardly showed their power at all. They were very much humanized but they still had little things they could all do. That was interesting to me. Usually when there's a story about gods and goddesses it's epic and the gods/goddesses are unquestionably more powerful than any mortal; and while it made it clear throughout that the gods and goddesses in this story were stronger, it wasn't over the top.
My favorite part had to be the way the chapters were written. It made it so that the author could leave the fate of a character hanging, and the reader might not learn the fate of said character until three or four chapters later. This caused a lot of build-up of suspense and (even though it was frustrating) I really appreciated it.
What I didn't like:
Typos!!! I wouldn't have even mentioned it if there had only been a few throughout the entire book but they popped up quite frequently. It took me out of the story a little a few times because sometimes there were words missing in sentences, extra words in sentences, a sentence that repeated itself (that didn't seem like it was done for emphasis), etc. I had to stop several times and decipher what the sentence was actually supposed to say and that was very distracting.
The ending was a little cheesy for me. I won't post any spoilers but it was all just a little too neatly wrapped up with a perfect bow for my liking. This is just a personal opinion of mine. I know everyone has different opinions on how things should or shouldn't end. When we finally got some real action it was just put out a little too quickly, especially given all the build-up to it.
Conclusion:
Despite all the typos and my opinion of the way it ended, I still thoroughly enjoyed this book. I liked all of the characters and I wouldn't mind reading about them again, maybe a little more split up so there's less happening at one time. I would read another by this author. I think that for a first novel this was a great start.
It took me a little while to get into this book. I started when I first got it (which was the first day the novel was released as an e-book) and eventually I got a bit bored with it and put it down to read something else. When I picked it back up though I didn't find it as difficult to follow as I had before, and about a third of the way through it started to really pick up and get interesting.
What I liked:
The thing that drew me in to begin with, other than my love for The Originals and The Vampire Diaries, was the mythology aspect of it. I've always been fascinated by Greek mythology and this book pleasantly surprised me when I realized it wasn't only Greek mythology mentioned. There were Norse gods, mention of Christianity, and Egyptian gods mentioned as if they all coexist and intertwine rather than there being one absolute group of them. I've never read a story that did that before so I loved that.
I enjoyed the characters' dynamics and even though giving every character in a group a set love interest pairing sort of drives me nuts, I didn't mind it so much in this novel because the characters still interacted as friends too. I also enjoyed the occasional "flashbacks" we got where we could see how deeply rooted these friendships were.
I also loved the fact that the gods hardly showed their power at all. They were very much humanized but they still had little things they could all do. That was interesting to me. Usually when there's a story about gods and goddesses it's epic and the gods/goddesses are unquestionably more powerful than any mortal; and while it made it clear throughout that the gods and goddesses in this story were stronger, it wasn't over the top.
My favorite part had to be the way the chapters were written. It made it so that the author could leave the fate of a character hanging, and the reader might not learn the fate of said character until three or four chapters later. This caused a lot of build-up of suspense and (even though it was frustrating) I really appreciated it.
What I didn't like:
Typos!!! I wouldn't have even mentioned it if there had only been a few throughout the entire book but they popped up quite frequently. It took me out of the story a little a few times because sometimes there were words missing in sentences, extra words in sentences, a sentence that repeated itself (that didn't seem like it was done for emphasis), etc. I had to stop several times and decipher what the sentence was actually supposed to say and that was very distracting.
The ending was a little cheesy for me. I won't post any spoilers but it was all just a little too neatly wrapped up with a perfect bow for my liking. This is just a personal opinion of mine. I know everyone has different opinions on how things should or shouldn't end. When we finally got some real action it was just put out a little too quickly, especially given all the build-up to it.
Conclusion:
Despite all the typos and my opinion of the way it ended, I still thoroughly enjoyed this book. I liked all of the characters and I wouldn't mind reading about them again, maybe a little more split up so there's less happening at one time. I would read another by this author. I think that for a first novel this was a great start.
December 30, 2014
I loved everything about this story from the cover art, to the summary, to the characters. You name it.
It takes place in present day NYC and then later, Las Vegas, where we have our seven gods and goddesses. Lola, a shop owner, as a Goddess of love. Nike, a NYU student, a Goddess of victory. Nadia, a counselor, a Goddess of hope. Mark, a gym junkie, a God of war. Dean, a club promoter, a God of wine. Weston, a famous musician, a God of communication. And lastly, Peitha, a con artist, a Goddess of persuasion.
When their beloved friend Nadia commits suicide, no one can believe it. For the rest of the city it's another murder just like any other. It's not like it's the end of the world; Oh, but it is. Time is running out, weird occurrences around the city has the world in a panic, and the gang must find a way to stop the end from happening. Not just for the sake of the world, but because there is still much to be said between the six of them.
On the surface it seems like they have it all. Beauty, culture, education, admiration, you name it. But if you look closer it runs much deeper.
Lola, a beautiful and comfy living shop owner is a Goddess of love yet she's never been able to find love for herself.
Nike, a red headed bombshell, can bag any boy toy she wants and she has, except for the who matters the most.
Mark, a guy who can win any battle, any argument with every fiber in his being but can't seem to admit to himself how he regrets not giving a relationship with Nike a chance.
Dean, a partier, who can't see that his excessive intake is covering up his heartache for Peitha.
Weston, an adored musician that loves his fans, loves how technology makes it so much easier to say whatever he feels, yet he can't admit to himself or his friends the secret that's haunted him for centuries.
Peitha, a girl in the city of neon, sin, and solitaire, getting anyone she wants to do what suits her lifestyle while running from the one person she knows she could never change.
This story is full of suspense, romance, fantasy, and friendship. I honestly couldn't put it down. The fact that they are these immortal beings dealing what mortals deal with. Supernatural or not, no one can run away from human emotions. I could relate to each and everyone one of them and I think that's an important thing in any novel.
Favorite quotes/moments:
“If you’re alone, it’s harder for people to hurt you. If you are alone, you are sure that you’re the strongest one”
“And she works. She works away on a necklace that some stranger will buy—if the world doesn’t end first. This is her version of what Nadia did. This is her version of helping. These little objects, meaningless maybe, that become so important to someone else—cherished tokens, totems of love desired and won and pursued and lost.”
“When your Lord shows up, would you tell him I’ve got a bone to pick? He owes me some cash. Name’s Dean. He’ll remember.”
“When he opens the door, a new breath of hot air swirling into the room, he pauses, and turns over his shoulder. “Lola?”
“Yes?”
He grins, broad and sexy and even a little silly, and says, “It was really nice holding your hand.”
And then he’s gone.”
“love is a cruel thing without hope."
Get a copy ASAP!
It takes place in present day NYC and then later, Las Vegas, where we have our seven gods and goddesses. Lola, a shop owner, as a Goddess of love. Nike, a NYU student, a Goddess of victory. Nadia, a counselor, a Goddess of hope. Mark, a gym junkie, a God of war. Dean, a club promoter, a God of wine. Weston, a famous musician, a God of communication. And lastly, Peitha, a con artist, a Goddess of persuasion.
When their beloved friend Nadia commits suicide, no one can believe it. For the rest of the city it's another murder just like any other. It's not like it's the end of the world; Oh, but it is. Time is running out, weird occurrences around the city has the world in a panic, and the gang must find a way to stop the end from happening. Not just for the sake of the world, but because there is still much to be said between the six of them.
On the surface it seems like they have it all. Beauty, culture, education, admiration, you name it. But if you look closer it runs much deeper.
Lola, a beautiful and comfy living shop owner is a Goddess of love yet she's never been able to find love for herself.
Nike, a red headed bombshell, can bag any boy toy she wants and she has, except for the who matters the most.
Mark, a guy who can win any battle, any argument with every fiber in his being but can't seem to admit to himself how he regrets not giving a relationship with Nike a chance.
Dean, a partier, who can't see that his excessive intake is covering up his heartache for Peitha.
Weston, an adored musician that loves his fans, loves how technology makes it so much easier to say whatever he feels, yet he can't admit to himself or his friends the secret that's haunted him for centuries.
Peitha, a girl in the city of neon, sin, and solitaire, getting anyone she wants to do what suits her lifestyle while running from the one person she knows she could never change.
This story is full of suspense, romance, fantasy, and friendship. I honestly couldn't put it down. The fact that they are these immortal beings dealing what mortals deal with. Supernatural or not, no one can run away from human emotions. I could relate to each and everyone one of them and I think that's an important thing in any novel.
Favorite quotes/moments:
“If you’re alone, it’s harder for people to hurt you. If you are alone, you are sure that you’re the strongest one”
“And she works. She works away on a necklace that some stranger will buy—if the world doesn’t end first. This is her version of what Nadia did. This is her version of helping. These little objects, meaningless maybe, that become so important to someone else—cherished tokens, totems of love desired and won and pursued and lost.”
“When your Lord shows up, would you tell him I’ve got a bone to pick? He owes me some cash. Name’s Dean. He’ll remember.”
“When he opens the door, a new breath of hot air swirling into the room, he pauses, and turns over his shoulder. “Lola?”
“Yes?”
He grins, broad and sexy and even a little silly, and says, “It was really nice holding your hand.”
And then he’s gone.”
“love is a cruel thing without hope."
Get a copy ASAP!
August 20, 2014
ARC was provided by the author/publisher via NetGalley in exchange for honest review.
Hope is dead
So the gods and goddesses that we know from the mythology still live with us now. They are immortal but they can be killed and die. They live among human and slowly lose their power as human don't believe in them anymore. There are 7 (minor) gods/goddesses in this story, some of them are clear who they are but some other doesn’t have many descriptions. So I have to guess who they really are. Here who I thought they are:
Lola = Aphrodite (Greek mythology, goddess of love)
Dean = Dionysus (Greek mythology, god of wine, of ritual madness and religious ecstasy)
Weston = Mercury, god of communication (Roman mythology) = Hermes (Greek mythology)
Mark = Týr (Norse mythology, god of war)
Nike = Nike (Greek mythology, goddess of victory)
Peitha = Peitho (Greek mythology, goddess of Persuasion)
Nadia = Elpis (Greek mythology, goddess of hope)
I love reading about mythology. The god and goddesses that is mentioned in the blurb attracts me to request this book in the first place. So you see I thought it's about Greek mythology or other mythology with gods and goddesses, but what I got is not really who they are in mythology as they act and think more human than gods and goddesses I've read. They are descendants of gods and goddesses but they slowly turn into human the more they spend their live on earth.
To be honest, I kinda regretted it as I didn't get the mythology I really look forward when I started reading it. I just wish they can show me that they are indeed once gods and goddess while what I feel is more mortal than immortal being. But on the other hand I guess it means that the author did a good job describing the human side of the gods and goddesses in this book, though it was kinda hard for me to believe that they are godly creatures.
The story is told from 6 POVs, the last (known of) remaining gods and goddesses on earth. At first it overwhelmed me because I felt like I have to guess who is who, which one of them is which god/goddess, so that I can picture them easier. They don't reveal themselves all at one. Hence it makes the story more interesting. Each one of them has their own stories. Their past somehow connect to one another. I especially enjoyed this part as I can see them a bit more immortal than in their life now.
I think this book has an interesting idea but along the way it lack something, not to mention that there are a lot of typos and need more editing. I usually can ignore it as English isn't my first language. So who am I to judge it but in this case it keeps catch my attention, even for my untrained eyes. And the fact that there are things that happen too coincidence and characters who seem can't set their priority well were kinda annoyed me. But over all I quite enjoyed reading it.
Hope is dead
So the gods and goddesses that we know from the mythology still live with us now. They are immortal but they can be killed and die. They live among human and slowly lose their power as human don't believe in them anymore. There are 7 (minor) gods/goddesses in this story, some of them are clear who they are but some other doesn’t have many descriptions. So I have to guess who they really are. Here who I thought they are:
Lola = Aphrodite (Greek mythology, goddess of love)
Dean = Dionysus (Greek mythology, god of wine, of ritual madness and religious ecstasy)
Weston = Mercury, god of communication (Roman mythology) = Hermes (Greek mythology)
Mark = Týr (Norse mythology, god of war)
Nike = Nike (Greek mythology, goddess of victory)
Peitha = Peitho (Greek mythology, goddess of Persuasion)
Nadia = Elpis (Greek mythology, goddess of hope)
I love reading about mythology. The god and goddesses that is mentioned in the blurb attracts me to request this book in the first place. So you see I thought it's about Greek mythology or other mythology with gods and goddesses, but what I got is not really who they are in mythology as they act and think more human than gods and goddesses I've read. They are descendants of gods and goddesses but they slowly turn into human the more they spend their live on earth.
To be honest, I kinda regretted it as I didn't get the mythology I really look forward when I started reading it. I just wish they can show me that they are indeed once gods and goddess while what I feel is more mortal than immortal being. But on the other hand I guess it means that the author did a good job describing the human side of the gods and goddesses in this book, though it was kinda hard for me to believe that they are godly creatures.
The story is told from 6 POVs, the last (known of) remaining gods and goddesses on earth. At first it overwhelmed me because I felt like I have to guess who is who, which one of them is which god/goddess, so that I can picture them easier. They don't reveal themselves all at one. Hence it makes the story more interesting. Each one of them has their own stories. Their past somehow connect to one another. I especially enjoyed this part as I can see them a bit more immortal than in their life now.
I think this book has an interesting idea but along the way it lack something, not to mention that there are a lot of typos and need more editing. I usually can ignore it as English isn't my first language. So who am I to judge it but in this case it keeps catch my attention, even for my untrained eyes. And the fact that there are things that happen too coincidence and characters who seem can't set their priority well were kinda annoyed me. But over all I quite enjoyed reading it.
August 13, 2014
You see, it was the cover that grabbed me first then the fascinating blurb. Eternal Night features several gods, each in their own isolated purgatory but brought together by an unfortunate tragedy. Mind you, I'm not normally keen on stories with multiple points of view because I find them messy and I’m rather impatient about waiting for things to tie in. I didn’t face that here because Eternal Night begins with a central event – the mysterious death of one of the gods. The story then follows their individual storylines which branch off and converge intermittently.
I’ll try not to reveal too much except to say that it was nothing of what I expected. The author takes the Greek mythology we’re familiar with and juxtaposes it against our modern world. This is no longer a society that fears all those mighty or vengeful gods. Instead, this is a new world where people worship differently and fear repercussions of a different kind. Ancient beliefs no longer apply and as a result, the old gods have been watching their powers wane through the centuries. What can the gods do except resign themselves to their fate and try to fit in?
I was quite taken with how very human each of the gods is – one makes jewelry, one makes music, one is in law school. They also have very real human emotions and reactions that sometimes you forget that they're not really human. There’s definitely a nice pace between setting up each god’s viewpoint, their back story and how they've become what they are today. Aside from weakened powers, the other common thing between them is that they’re all feeling displaced and disenchanted. They don’t necessarily long for the days when throngs of mortals worshipped them. They simply want to feel connected to something. This whole living forever thing has made them feel so isolated that they're just floundering about. It's their very human experiences that make them all the more interesting. Some have taken to finding distractions to numb their feelings or bide their time until something, anything comes along. I liked all of the gods but one in particular, Weston, is probably my favourite. You’ll understand why when you read this.
Despite their individual and often entangled issues, they do work well together to solve the troubling mystery of their friend’s death. If anything, having something this urgent to work on as a team lifts them out of their stupor and brings them closer to each other than they have been in ages. And that’s no exaggeration. Finding their purpose again could just be their salvation...and the world's.
If you're looking for a different spin on Greek mythology and enjoy a bit of a mystery, I definitely recommend this. If it’s any indication of how much I liked Eternal Night, I read it in one sitting!
I’ll try not to reveal too much except to say that it was nothing of what I expected. The author takes the Greek mythology we’re familiar with and juxtaposes it against our modern world. This is no longer a society that fears all those mighty or vengeful gods. Instead, this is a new world where people worship differently and fear repercussions of a different kind. Ancient beliefs no longer apply and as a result, the old gods have been watching their powers wane through the centuries. What can the gods do except resign themselves to their fate and try to fit in?
I was quite taken with how very human each of the gods is – one makes jewelry, one makes music, one is in law school. They also have very real human emotions and reactions that sometimes you forget that they're not really human. There’s definitely a nice pace between setting up each god’s viewpoint, their back story and how they've become what they are today. Aside from weakened powers, the other common thing between them is that they’re all feeling displaced and disenchanted. They don’t necessarily long for the days when throngs of mortals worshipped them. They simply want to feel connected to something. This whole living forever thing has made them feel so isolated that they're just floundering about. It's their very human experiences that make them all the more interesting. Some have taken to finding distractions to numb their feelings or bide their time until something, anything comes along. I liked all of the gods but one in particular, Weston, is probably my favourite. You’ll understand why when you read this.
Despite their individual and often entangled issues, they do work well together to solve the troubling mystery of their friend’s death. If anything, having something this urgent to work on as a team lifts them out of their stupor and brings them closer to each other than they have been in ages. And that’s no exaggeration. Finding their purpose again could just be their salvation...and the world's.
If you're looking for a different spin on Greek mythology and enjoy a bit of a mystery, I definitely recommend this. If it’s any indication of how much I liked Eternal Night, I read it in one sitting!
February 4, 2015
For the full version of this review as well as others, go to SleepsOnTables.
Eternal Night is a story about six immortal gods who have been stripped of their powers as a result of humans no longer believing in them. They’ve spent years living undercover as average teenagers and twenty-somethings. When an old friend of theirs is found dead, an apparent suicide, they are shaken. At this same time ten plagues begin to torment New York City and the gods begin to realize that an ancient prophecy may be coming true. As they investigate the true circumstances of their friend’s death and search for a way to save the world from a deadly darkness, they are forced to confront centuries of old wounds and buried secrets.
Eternal Night is told from the point of view of the six gods. Therefore, we get to learn a little bit about each of them. That being said, they were pretty uninteresting for gods, even for has-been gods. It was nice though that the character’s were more modernized to fit into how teenagers and twenty-somethings live their lives today. For me though, that part just didn’t mesh as well as I’d have liked it too.
I did love the uniqueness of the story. There’s not a whole lot of modern takes on mythology out there. I enjoyed the big conflict of the story, the ten plagues and the prophecy, and there were some great spins on the plot including revelations I didn’t expect.
One thing I wasn’t a fan of was the pacing of the plot. There were many parts where I found things to be moving extremely slow. It picks up eventually but when it does, the conflict solves itself and wraps up rather quick. I feel like this book needs more. I wouldn’t say the pacing was painful to read but it definitely wasn’t as good as it should’ve been.
Another issue I had with Eternal Night was the ending. It wasn’t cliff-hangery in any way. It was just too good to be true with everything wrapped up in a nice little bow. I feel like with all that happens with the climax, the ending is very unrealistic. Maybe I’m a pessimist, but there’s no way everything turned out as ‘All was well…’ as it did.
I wanted to love Eternal Night because it is MYTHOLOGY! I love mythology and was super excited to find another book where mythology plays such a central role. While Eternal Night did have its moments of suspense, humor and a bit of romance, I found myself skimming through unnecessary descriptions and plot to get to the end. Basically, I went into Eternal Night expecting to be wow-ed, but finished it feeling lackluster-ed.
Eternal Night is a story about six immortal gods who have been stripped of their powers as a result of humans no longer believing in them. They’ve spent years living undercover as average teenagers and twenty-somethings. When an old friend of theirs is found dead, an apparent suicide, they are shaken. At this same time ten plagues begin to torment New York City and the gods begin to realize that an ancient prophecy may be coming true. As they investigate the true circumstances of their friend’s death and search for a way to save the world from a deadly darkness, they are forced to confront centuries of old wounds and buried secrets.
Eternal Night is told from the point of view of the six gods. Therefore, we get to learn a little bit about each of them. That being said, they were pretty uninteresting for gods, even for has-been gods. It was nice though that the character’s were more modernized to fit into how teenagers and twenty-somethings live their lives today. For me though, that part just didn’t mesh as well as I’d have liked it too.
I did love the uniqueness of the story. There’s not a whole lot of modern takes on mythology out there. I enjoyed the big conflict of the story, the ten plagues and the prophecy, and there were some great spins on the plot including revelations I didn’t expect.
One thing I wasn’t a fan of was the pacing of the plot. There were many parts where I found things to be moving extremely slow. It picks up eventually but when it does, the conflict solves itself and wraps up rather quick. I feel like this book needs more. I wouldn’t say the pacing was painful to read but it definitely wasn’t as good as it should’ve been.
Another issue I had with Eternal Night was the ending. It wasn’t cliff-hangery in any way. It was just too good to be true with everything wrapped up in a nice little bow. I feel like with all that happens with the climax, the ending is very unrealistic. Maybe I’m a pessimist, but there’s no way everything turned out as ‘All was well…’ as it did.
I wanted to love Eternal Night because it is MYTHOLOGY! I love mythology and was super excited to find another book where mythology plays such a central role. While Eternal Night did have its moments of suspense, humor and a bit of romance, I found myself skimming through unnecessary descriptions and plot to get to the end. Basically, I went into Eternal Night expecting to be wow-ed, but finished it feeling lackluster-ed.
December 9, 2014
Debut author Carina Cadly Mackenzie has created an enchanting read. I’ve been a huge fan of Carina and all the work she has done throughout the years as a writer on various television shows, blog sites and news publications, and when I heard from her that she was working on a novel a while back, I jumped at the opportunity to be able to review it once it was finished. Eternal Night did not disappoint my expectations! It was such an exciting read.
The plot follows an abundance of characters, to that point that readers feel as though they have gone through so much with the characters, when in reality it has only been a few days. Each chapter alternates point-of-views to a different god or goddess and discussions how they have coped with everything that they have had to do throughout their lifetime.
Eternal Night starts off strong with an interesting premise and some exceptional, entrancing mythological elements and it continues with that throughout the novel. I only wish it was a bit more ‘steamier’, so to speak, as readers are promised in the description haha.
The characters of Eternal Night are ancient gods and goddesses drawn from Greek mythology. They are not the famous gods that we know from myth, but rather their descendants, which allows for Carina to create an entirely unique personality for each of them without limitations. The six characters are tied together by connections that spans hundreds of years.
Overall, Eternal Night took me on a roller-coaster of a ride that I wish did not end. This was truly an extraordinary read. The mixing of the myths into today’s culture makes this a fascinating read that is hard to accomplish for many authors, but Carina manages to do superbly. If you are a fan of Greek Mythology and fast paced novels then this one is for you! It was precisely the sort of book I had been dying to get my hands on. It is an archetypal genre that gets a wonderful makeover, and looks stunningly transformed afterwards. A highly recommended read!
An Advanced Readers Copy was provided by the publisher in return for an honest review.
The plot follows an abundance of characters, to that point that readers feel as though they have gone through so much with the characters, when in reality it has only been a few days. Each chapter alternates point-of-views to a different god or goddess and discussions how they have coped with everything that they have had to do throughout their lifetime.
Eternal Night starts off strong with an interesting premise and some exceptional, entrancing mythological elements and it continues with that throughout the novel. I only wish it was a bit more ‘steamier’, so to speak, as readers are promised in the description haha.
The characters of Eternal Night are ancient gods and goddesses drawn from Greek mythology. They are not the famous gods that we know from myth, but rather their descendants, which allows for Carina to create an entirely unique personality for each of them without limitations. The six characters are tied together by connections that spans hundreds of years.
Overall, Eternal Night took me on a roller-coaster of a ride that I wish did not end. This was truly an extraordinary read. The mixing of the myths into today’s culture makes this a fascinating read that is hard to accomplish for many authors, but Carina manages to do superbly. If you are a fan of Greek Mythology and fast paced novels then this one is for you! It was precisely the sort of book I had been dying to get my hands on. It is an archetypal genre that gets a wonderful makeover, and looks stunningly transformed afterwards. A highly recommended read!
An Advanced Readers Copy was provided by the publisher in return for an honest review.
August 12, 2014
I was fortunate enough to receive an advanced copy of Carina's debut novel, Eternal Night, from the author herself. I may be a little bias because I've been waiting and waiting for Carina to write a book for a while now. I fell in love with her social media voice and her reviews on television shows we had in common while she was a journalist. She recently co-wrote an episode of one of my favorite television shows, The Originals, and it was excellent.
Eternal Night is no exception. Eternal Night had me with it's promise of ancient gods living among humans as humans. Carina created an intricately woven story with larger than life characters. It may have been a story centered on once powerful gods but they faced some of the same problems humans face everyday. I found myself relating to Lola (descendant of Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love) and how she's uncomfortable in her own skin. I could see parts of myself in Wes and his need to know everything. I want to follow after Nadia's character and believe in people more than I do.
It was an adventure through every shift in point of view. It was one of the most exciting/fun pieces of young adult literature I've read all year. Carina took pieces of mythology and created her own world while still encompassing the figures we read about in English class. I absorbed every detail from each character's back-story and ate it up. It truly amazed me from beginning to end. I can't imagine how much thought was put into the characters and the plots. In the end, Eternal Night was a story about hope and friendship.
I finished Eternal Night over a week ago and I am still thinking about it. I'll be right here waiting for the sequel or for the book to get optioned by Warner Brothers.
So if you are looking for the ultimate escape book, you'll find it in Eternal Night. Let yourself live amongst gods for 300 pages and enjoy a heart-pounding race to save the world. If you couldn't tell from this gush-fest, I highly recommend you buy your copy of Eternal Night ASAP and waiting impatiently for August 26th.
Eternal Night is no exception. Eternal Night had me with it's promise of ancient gods living among humans as humans. Carina created an intricately woven story with larger than life characters. It may have been a story centered on once powerful gods but they faced some of the same problems humans face everyday. I found myself relating to Lola (descendant of Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love) and how she's uncomfortable in her own skin. I could see parts of myself in Wes and his need to know everything. I want to follow after Nadia's character and believe in people more than I do.
It was an adventure through every shift in point of view. It was one of the most exciting/fun pieces of young adult literature I've read all year. Carina took pieces of mythology and created her own world while still encompassing the figures we read about in English class. I absorbed every detail from each character's back-story and ate it up. It truly amazed me from beginning to end. I can't imagine how much thought was put into the characters and the plots. In the end, Eternal Night was a story about hope and friendship.
I finished Eternal Night over a week ago and I am still thinking about it. I'll be right here waiting for the sequel or for the book to get optioned by Warner Brothers.
So if you are looking for the ultimate escape book, you'll find it in Eternal Night. Let yourself live amongst gods for 300 pages and enjoy a heart-pounding race to save the world. If you couldn't tell from this gush-fest, I highly recommend you buy your copy of Eternal Night ASAP and waiting impatiently for August 26th.
January 8, 2015
I was intrigued by the premise of this novel. I’ve read a few other novels based on Greek mythology and was excited to see what Eternal Night had to offer.
Eternal Night starts out with the apparent suicide of Nadia, the Goddess of Hope. After her death, other supernatural phenomenon begin to occur. The other gods realize that something big is coming and they must not only discover what it is, but stop it before it destroys human civilization.
The book is told in third person and each god has numerous chapters throughout the book. These gods are not just from Greek mythology, but also Roman & Norse. (This was a great mythology lesson for me!) But as time has gone on, humans have lost faith in the gods. This has caused their powers to diminish, making it even more difficult for them to stop the coming devastation.
The gods don’t age and are trapped in bodies that seem to be in their early 20’s. Over the years, they have argued, fought, and mostly stayed clear of each other. But the tragedy surrounding Nadia has caused them to reconnect in ways they haven’t done in years. They have to work through old grudges and unrequited love. This makes for lots of action and some interesting scenes throughout the book. The gods encounter several humans who help them on their quest. And they also find many humans who have become pawns in the plan to destroy all human life. One of my favorite characters in the book is a human named Jude, who plays a big part in the conclusion of the storyline.
I did enjoy the book, but it wasn’t an easy read the entire time. Parts of the book were fantastic and I couldn’t put it down. Unfortunately, other parts dragged on for me and I wasn’t as excited to get back to the book. But overall, the book was entertaining and I would recommend it for those who love mythology.
Just a note: the synopsis of the book stays “steamy and romantic” but I didn’t find any of the scenes to be inappropriate. There is strong language throughout the book.
Eternal Night starts out with the apparent suicide of Nadia, the Goddess of Hope. After her death, other supernatural phenomenon begin to occur. The other gods realize that something big is coming and they must not only discover what it is, but stop it before it destroys human civilization.
The book is told in third person and each god has numerous chapters throughout the book. These gods are not just from Greek mythology, but also Roman & Norse. (This was a great mythology lesson for me!) But as time has gone on, humans have lost faith in the gods. This has caused their powers to diminish, making it even more difficult for them to stop the coming devastation.
The gods don’t age and are trapped in bodies that seem to be in their early 20’s. Over the years, they have argued, fought, and mostly stayed clear of each other. But the tragedy surrounding Nadia has caused them to reconnect in ways they haven’t done in years. They have to work through old grudges and unrequited love. This makes for lots of action and some interesting scenes throughout the book. The gods encounter several humans who help them on their quest. And they also find many humans who have become pawns in the plan to destroy all human life. One of my favorite characters in the book is a human named Jude, who plays a big part in the conclusion of the storyline.
I did enjoy the book, but it wasn’t an easy read the entire time. Parts of the book were fantastic and I couldn’t put it down. Unfortunately, other parts dragged on for me and I wasn’t as excited to get back to the book. But overall, the book was entertaining and I would recommend it for those who love mythology.
Just a note: the synopsis of the book stays “steamy and romantic” but I didn’t find any of the scenes to be inappropriate. There is strong language throughout the book.
October 28, 2014
An enjoyable enough read seated in mythology, New York City, darkness, and hope.
Eternal Night gives us a different take on mythology, presenting some lesser gods who we never really find out the real identity of in young adult form, living on immortally without their powers because people don't believe anymore. The whole book has a Gossip Girl feel, making the fact that these people are gods a little bit laughable. They seem just like regular people, flawed and broken; but perhaps that's what the author wanted? To show us that if real, they'd be just like us if not worse.
Basically, you've got these gods, and they are fighting to save the world after the last goddess of hope is murdered. The book has a very bleak atmosphere, which is probably the biggest reason I kept setting it down. There were multiple POVs, every chapter changed with which god was narrating, but for some reason it didn't engage me as much as it does in some books. I think that if the author had streamlined the whole book more so that there wasn't as much confusion, that the result would have been better. I get what she was trying to do, to show all the different gods and their struggles, but it ended up a bit chaotic. Also, super abrupt ending! I turned the page on my kindle and said, "UM WHERE'S THE EPILOGUE?!" LOL!
OK, so I think that's all my feelings/qualms that I had to get out. Despite some problems, I did end up liking this well enough. It was a solid 3 star read for me. With some tweaking, it has real potential I think. Yay for a standalone, although this was one of those that there was MORE then enough content for a series, and perhaps would have been better as multiple books because there was SO much going on with everyone.
If you like mythology and the idea of young adult gods who are flawed and trying to save the world tweaks your fancy, then have at it! The author is a writer on one of my fav shows, The Originals, so that's why I really gave this a chance. So kudos to her for branching out and trying something new!
Eternal Night gives us a different take on mythology, presenting some lesser gods who we never really find out the real identity of in young adult form, living on immortally without their powers because people don't believe anymore. The whole book has a Gossip Girl feel, making the fact that these people are gods a little bit laughable. They seem just like regular people, flawed and broken; but perhaps that's what the author wanted? To show us that if real, they'd be just like us if not worse.
Basically, you've got these gods, and they are fighting to save the world after the last goddess of hope is murdered. The book has a very bleak atmosphere, which is probably the biggest reason I kept setting it down. There were multiple POVs, every chapter changed with which god was narrating, but for some reason it didn't engage me as much as it does in some books. I think that if the author had streamlined the whole book more so that there wasn't as much confusion, that the result would have been better. I get what she was trying to do, to show all the different gods and their struggles, but it ended up a bit chaotic. Also, super abrupt ending! I turned the page on my kindle and said, "UM WHERE'S THE EPILOGUE?!" LOL!
OK, so I think that's all my feelings/qualms that I had to get out. Despite some problems, I did end up liking this well enough. It was a solid 3 star read for me. With some tweaking, it has real potential I think. Yay for a standalone, although this was one of those that there was MORE then enough content for a series, and perhaps would have been better as multiple books because there was SO much going on with everyone.
If you like mythology and the idea of young adult gods who are flawed and trying to save the world tweaks your fancy, then have at it! The author is a writer on one of my fav shows, The Originals, so that's why I really gave this a chance. So kudos to her for branching out and trying something new!
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